This application is the U.S. National Stage of PCT/FR2017/051823, filed Jul. 4, 2017, which in turns claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1656503 filed Jul. 6, 2016, the entire contents of all applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
This invention concerns a hair styling appliance, and more specifically a portable steam hair styling appliance intended to treat the hair with vaporization in order to shape it. In addition to steaming the hair, such a hair styling appliance is generally configured to heat the hair in order to shape it.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,640 discloses a hair styling appliance comprising in particular:
In a known manner, the vaporization device is activated by the movement of the first and second gripping sections towards their closed configuration. Thus, such a hair styling appliance further comprises in particular a detection element, such as a reed switch magnetic sensor, or a magnetoresistive sensor (MRS), configured to detect the closed configuration of the first and second gripping sections, and a control unit configured to control the activation of the vaporization device, and more particularly of a heating element belonging to the vaporization device, when the detection element detects the closed configuration of the first and second gripping sections.
However, such a configuration of the hair styling appliance requires a complex and precise definition of the fluid conveyor element and of the vaporization device in order to ensure a satisfactory steam flow, increasing the costs of manufacturing such a hair styling appliance. In addition, such a configuration of the hair styling appliance may cause an accumulation of fluid in the vaporization chamber of the vaporization device, and thus harm the functioning or even the integrity of the hair styling appliance.
In addition, the arrangement of the reservoir in the first treatment section, and more specifically at the extremity of the first arm opposite the first gripping section, means that the center of mass of the hair styling appliance shifts away from the pivoting link connecting the first and second arms, which means that the handling the hair styling appliance is more tiring for the user.
This invention aims to remedy all or a portion of these disadvantages.
The technical problem at the basis of the invention consists in particular of providing a hair styling appliance with a reliable and ergonomic structure, while ensuring a satisfactory steam flow.
To this end, this invention concerns a hair styling appliance comprising at least:
characterized in that the reservoir extends at least partially into the first gripping section, and in that the reservoir is mounted such that it can move between a resting position in which the fluid conveyor element is away from the vaporization device, and a vaporization position in which the fluid conveyor element is close to the vaporization device and the vaporization device is configured to vaporize the fluid conveyed by the fluid conveyor element.
Such a configuration of the hair styling appliance permits separating the fluid conveyor element from the vaporization device when the first and second treatment sections are in the open configuration, and thus avoiding an accumulation of fluid in particular in the vaporization chamber of the vaporization device.
In addition, the arrangement of the reservoir in the first gripping section makes it possible to bring the center of mass of the hair styling appliance closer to the articulation area of the first and second gripping sections. The result of this is that the hair styling appliance according to this invention is more ergonomic than the hair styling appliances of the prior art, and in particular the one described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,640. In addition, such an arrangement of the reservoir makes it possible to make the hair styling appliance according to the invention more compact than the hair styling appliances of the prior art.
The hair styling appliance may in addition have one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid to be vaporized intended to be contained in the reservoir is water or an aqueous cosmetic product, such as a cosmetic product diluted in water.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first gripping section at least partially delimits a housing in which the reservoir is at least partially mounted.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first gripping section comprises a covering portion configured to at least partially cover the reservoir.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the covering portion is at least partially transparent.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first arm, and for example the first gripping section, comprises a visual indicator the fluid level configured to allow viewing of the fluid level in the reservoir. The visual indicator of the fluid level may, for example, be a viewing grid, a viewing window, a viewing opening or a viewing slot.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the covering portion comprises the visual indicator of the fluid level.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is mounted such that it can move in translation with respect to the first arm.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is mounted such that it can move with respect to the first arm according to a displacement direction substantially parallel to the direction of extension of the first arm.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is removably mounted on the first arm.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first arm further comprises a through opening leading to the housing and intended for the passage of the reservoir, and a closure element mounted such that it can move on the first arm between an open position in which the closure element at least partially releases the through opening and permits the reservoir to be removed or mounted in the housing, and a closed position in which the closure element at least partially closes the through opening and prevents the reservoir from being removed or mounted in the housing.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the closure element is mounted such that it can move on the first gripping section.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the closure element comprises the covering section.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the hair styling appliance further comprises an actuating element configured to move the reservoir from the resting position to the vaporization position when the first and second gripping sections are moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration. Such a configuration of the hair styling appliance, and in particular of the actuating element, ensures that it is easy to move the reservoir towards its vaporization position without necessitating a particular action by the user.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the actuating element comprises a cam surface configured to cooperate with the reservoir.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the cam surface has a continuous curved profile. Such a configuration of the cam surface permits in particular the actuating element to apply a more constant force on the reservoir, and thus improves the performances of the hair styling appliance.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the cam surface comprises a series of cam surface portions, the cam surface portions having different bend radii. In the event of wear of the fluid conveyor element, such a configuration of the cam surface permits increasing the travel path of the reservoir towards its vaporization position when the first and second arms move towards the closed configuration, and thus keeping substantially constant pressure exerted by the vaporization device on the fluid conveyor element when the first and second arms are in the closed configuration. These provisions thus permit maintaining a substantially constant steam flow over time, and thus maintaining the performance level of the hair styling appliance in spite of the wear of the fluid conveyor element.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the cam surface is configured such that each cam surface portion has a bend radius larger than the bend radius of the cam surface portion preceding it.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the cam surface is an involute of a circle.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the actuating element is mounted such that it can pivot, for example on the first arm, around a pivoting axis, the hair styling appliance further comprising a biasing element configured to bias the actuating element towards an actuation position in which the actuating element is able to exert pushing force on the reservoir. These provisions ensure an optimal steam flow, and thus an optimal performance level of the hair styling appliance, in spite of the manufacturing tolerances in particular of the first and second arms, of the reservoir, of the fluid conveyor element and of the actuating element, which could harm satisfactory cooperation between the fluid conveyor element and the vaporization device. These provisions also permit not being dependent on the bearing force exerted by the user on the first and second arms, and thus ensure a substantially constant flow regardless of the effort exerted by the user on the first and second arms.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is elongated and comprises a first extremity portion situated on the vaporization device side and a second extremity portion opposite the first extremity portion, the actuating element being configured to cooperate with the second extremity portion of the reservoir.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the hair styling appliance comprises at least one return element configured to return the reservoir to the resting position.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the vaporization device comprises a vaporization chamber in which the fluid conveyor element is at least partially arranged when the reservoir is in the vaporization position.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the vaporization device comprises a heating element. The heating element may, for example, be a resistive element.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element is configured to be in contact with the vaporization device when the reservoir is in the vaporization position.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the vaporization device comprises a vaporization surface. Advantageously, the fluid conveyor element is configured to be in contact with the vaporization surface when the reservoir is in the vaporization position.
Advantageously, the vaporization surface at least partially delimits the vaporization chamber.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element is a wick.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element is of absorbent material.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element is of non-woven fibers.
The fluid conveyor element may, for example, be made of polyethylene terephthalate, of polyethylene or of a mixture of polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element comprises a first portion extending into the reservoir and intended to be in contact with the fluid to be vaporized contained in the reservoir, and a second portion extending to the exterior of the reservoir.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir comprises an outlet opening, the fluid conveyor element extending through the outlet opening.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the fluid conveyor element is secured to the outlet opening of the reservoir.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first and second treatment sections comprise respectively first and second contact surfaces able to clamp a strand of hair when the first and second treatment sections are in the closed configuration.
According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first and second treatment sections comprises a heating plate, which may, for example, be substantially flat.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first and second treatment sections comprise respectively a first heating plate and a second heating plate. The first and second heating plates then advantageously define the first and second contact surfaces.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir extends globally along one extension direction.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the reservoir comprises a reservoir portion intended to contain the fluid to be vaporized, and a holding portion secured to the reservoir portion, the holding portion being configured to hold the fluid conveyor element. The holding portion may, for example, be secured by screwing onto the reservoir portion.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the holding portion delimits the outlet opening.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the hair styling appliance further comprises a steam diffusion device configured to diffuse the steam produced by the vaporization device towards the exterior of the hair styling appliance. The steam diffusion device may also be configured to diffuse the steam produced by the vaporization device close to the first contact surface. “Close to the first contact surface” is understood to mean in particular adjacent to the first contact surface or at the level of the first contact surface.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam diffusion device is configured to diffuse the steam towards the second contact surface, when the first and second arms are in the closed configuration.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam diffusion device comprises at least one diffusion opening fluidically connected to the vaporization device, and for example to the vaporization chamber, the at least one diffusion opening being configured to diffuse the steam produced by the vaporization device towards the exterior of the hair styling appliance and close to the first contact surface.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first contact surface comprises a groove with a bottom, the at least one diffusion opening leading to the bottom of the groove.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the steam diffusion device comprises a plurality of diffusion openings.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the diffusion openings are distributed along the groove.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the actuating element is mounted on the second arm, and for example on the second gripping section.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the closure element is mounted such that it can move on the first gripping section.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the vaporization device is arranged in the first treatment section.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the first treatment section extends in line with the first gripping section, and the second treatment section extends in line with the second gripping section.
At any rate, the invention will be understood with the assistance of the following description in reference to the attached schematic drawings representing, as non-restrictive examples, several forms of execution of this hair styling appliance.
The hair styling appliance 2 comprises a portable treatment unit 3, which may advantageously be electrically powered by an electrical connecting cable 4.
The portable treatment unit 3 comprises a first arm 5 and a second arm 6, also called jaws. The first arm 5 comprises a first gripping section 5.1 and a first treatment section 5.2 extending in line with the first gripping section 5.1, and the second arm 6 comprises a second gripping section 6.1 and a second treatment section 6.2 extending in line with the first gripping section 6.1. The first and second treatment sections 5.2, 6.2 comprise respectively a first contact surface 7 and a second contact surface 8. The first and second gripping sections 5.1, 6.1 are more particularly mounted to be articulated with respect to each other by means of a pivoting link 9 and between an open configuration in which the first and second contact surfaces 7, 8 are spaced apart from each other and a strand of hair is able to be introduced between the first and second contact surfaces, and a closed configuration in which the first and second contact surfaces 7, 8 are close to each other and are able to clamp a strand of hair.
According to the embodiment represented in
The portable treatment unit 3 further comprises heating means configured to heat the first and second heating plates 11, 12. These heating means are not described in detail in this patent application because they are well known to the person skilled in the art. These heating means may, for example, comprise a first heating device (not represented in the figures) arranged in the first treatment section 5.2 and a second heating device (not represented in the figures) arranged in the second treatment section 6.2. Each of the first and second heating devices may, for example, comprise a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC).
The portable treatment unit 3 also comprises a reservoir 13 intended to contain a fluid to be vaporized, such as water or an aqueous cosmetic product. According to the embodiment represented in
According to the embodiment represented in
According to the embodiment represented in
The portable treatment unit 3 further comprises a fluid conveyor element 18 secured to the reservoir 13, and more particularly to the holding portion 13.2, and extending through the outlet opening 14 of the reservoir 13. The fluid conveyor element 18 is configured to convey the fluid contained in the reservoir 13 towards the exterior of the reservoir. According to the embodiment represented in
As shown in
The reservoir 13 is more particularly mounted such that it can move according to a displacement direction D between a resting position (see
The portable treatment unit 3 further comprises an actuating element 25 mounted on the second gripping section 6.1, and configured to move the reservoir 13 from the resting position to the vaporization position when the first and second arms 5, 6 are moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration. The actuating element 25 comprises a cam surface 26 configured to cooperate with the reservoir 13, and more particularly with an extremity portion of the reservoir 13 opposite the vaporization device 19.
According to the embodiment represented on
In addition, according to the embodiment represented in
Such a configuration of the cam surface 26 allows the actuating element 25 to apply a more constant force on the reservoir 13 when the first and second gripping sections 5.1, 6.1 are moved into the closed configuration, and thus improves the performances of the hair styling appliance 2. In addition, in the event of wear of the fluid conveyor element 18, such a configuration of the cam surface 26 permits increasing the travel path stroke of the reservoir 13 towards its vaporization position, and thus keeps the pressure exerted by the vaporization device 19 on the fluid conveyor element 18 substantially constant over time when the first and second arms 5, 6 are in the closed configuration. As a result, the steam flow is kept substantially constant over time, in spite of the wear of the fluid conveyor element 18.
In addition, such a mounting of the actuating element 25 on the second gripping section 6.1 and the presence of the biasing element 27 make it possible to offset the manufacturing tolerances in particular of the first and second arms 5, 6 of the reservoir 13, of the fluid conveyor element 18 and of the actuating element 25, and thus to ensure an optimal steam flow, and thus an optimal performance level of the hair styling appliance 2. These provisions also permit not being dependent on the bearing force exerted by the user on the first and second gripping sections 5.1, 6.1, and thus ensure a substantially constant flow regardless of the effort exerted by the user on the first and second arms 5, 6.
The portable treatment unit 3 further comprises a steam diffusion device 28 fluidically connected to the vaporization device 19, and configured to diffuse the steam produced by the vaporization device 19 at the first contact surface 7, and in particular towards the second contact surface 8, when the first and second arms 5, 6 are in the closed configuration.
According to the embodiment represented in
As goes without saying, the invention is not limited only to the form of execution of this hair styling appliance, described above as an example; on the contrary, it encompasses all embodiment variants.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1656503 | Jul 2016 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/FR2017/051823 | 7/4/2017 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2018/007754 | 1/11/2018 | WO | A |
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