Hairstyling appliance for curling hair with a stationary finger for locking and releasing the strand

Abstract

A hairstyling device for curling hair includes a housing including a rolling chamber, an insertion slot and an extraction opening arranged on a side end of the housing, and a mandrel which has one end fixed to the housing and a free end arranged near to the extraction opening, and which extends into the rolling chamber. A roller is arranged inside the rolling chamber and configured to roll the strand of hair around the mandrel, during rotation thereof. The device includes a stationary finger arranged at the contour of the extraction opening, the shape of which is configured with respect to the free end of the mandrel in order to block the rotation of the strand of hair around the mandrel without the risk of going beyond the finger during the rotation of the roller, and to promote the demoulding of the curled strand of hair along the mandrel.

Claims

1. A hair styling appliance for curling a strand of hair comprising: a handle; a housing extending perpendicular to the handle and which comprises a winding chamber having a shape of a revolution along a first axis, an insertion slot which extends along a full length of the housing in a direction of the first axis and which leads to the winding chamber, and an extraction opening arranged in a lateral end of the housing to which the winding chamber leads, a heated mandrel which has one end fixed to an opposite lateral end of the housing and a free end arranged close to the extraction opening, and which extends in the winding chamber along an second axis, different from the first axis and at an acute angle to the first axis, the second axis, defined in a plane passing through the first axis and through the insertion slot, a winder arranged in the winding chamber and rotatably mounted in at least one direction along the second axis, the winder being configured to wind the strand inserted in the insertion slot around the mandrel, during its rotation, and a stationary finger arranged on a contour of the extraction opening and obstructing the extraction opening, the stationary finger extending perpendicular to the second axis, a shape of the stationary finger and a location of the stationary finger with respect to the free end of the mandrel cooperate to prevent the rotation of the strand around the mandrel without risk of bypassing the stationary finger during the rotation of the winder, and to help release the curled strand along the mandrel and wherein the stationary finger does not contact the mandrel.

2. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the stationary finger is parallel to the plane, and has at least one lateral locking face configured so that a straight line, which passes through a base of the at least one lateral locking face and perpendicularly cuts the second axis, forms with the at least one lateral locking face an angle of between 0 and 35 degrees.

3. The hair styling appliance according to claim 2, wherein the winder turns in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction around the mandrel, the stationary finger having two lateral locking faces arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane.

4. The hair styling appliance according to claim 2, wherein the angle formed with the at least one lateral locking face is 25 degrees.

5. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the stationary finger is parallel to the plane, said stationary finger being configured to extend radially inward relative to a peripheral contour of the mandrel in the direction of the other axis, at a height of between 6 mm and 18 mm.

6. The hair styling appliance according to claim 5, wherein the height is 12 mm.

7. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the stationary finger is parallel to the plane, the stationary finger being spaced apart from the free end of the mandrel by a distance of between 1 mm and 5 mm.

8. The hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the distance is 3 mm.

9. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the stationary finger has an inner face arranged facing the free end of the mandrel, the inner face having a curved shape configured to support the release of the strand of curled hair through the extraction opening.

10. The hair styling appliance according to claim 9, wherein the inner face has an end which extends in the form of a protrusion.

11. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, further comprising removable fixing means arranged between the stationary finger and the contour of the extraction opening.

12. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the winder is hollow and has a surface of revolution along the second axis, and is arranged with a first spacing around the mandrel in the winding chamber, coaxial with the mandrel along the second axis, the winder having on its surface of revolution catching means which are configured to catch the strand in the winder's initial position, and then to rotate the strand during the rotation of the winder, the winder being rotatably mounted along the second axis and configured to successively grasp the proximal end of the strand, concomitantly wind the strand around the mandrel and the winder, and then completely wind the strand around the mandrel, during its rotation in at least one direction.

13. The hair styling appliance according to claim 12, wherein the winder has a free edge arranged on the side of the free end of the mandrel, and wherein the catching means comprises a notch which extends on the surface of revolution of the winder and leads to the free edge, the notch being configured to allow the strand to penetrate the first spacing between the mandrel and the winder, in an initial position of the winder.

14. The hair styling appliance according to claim 13, further comprising gripping means formed on at least one of two ends of the notch, intersecting with the free edge.

15. The hair styling appliance according to claim 14, wherein the gripping means are formed on both ends of the notch.

16. The hair styling appliance according to claim 12, wherein the winder has a conical shape along the second axis, the conical shape presenting an expansion in the direction of the free end of the mandrel.

17. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the insertion slot has two walls which extend longitudinally in the direction of the first axis and which form between them a V configured to help the strand penetrate the winding chamber.

18. The hair styling appliance according to claim 1, further comprising heating means configured to heat the strand of hair inside the winding chamber.

19. The hair styling appliance according to claim 18, wherein the heating means are arranged in the mandrel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The following description illuminates the object of the invention, with the support of figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional view of a hair curling appliance according to a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of the part of the hair curling appliance corresponding to the housing, according to this first embodiment;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the housing of the hair curling appliance in front and rear views, according to this first embodiment;

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a three-dimensional view of a preferential embodiment of the winder;

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a three-dimensional view of the mandrel, the winder, the inner cage and the stationary finger in their assembled position inside the housing of the hair curling appliance;

(7) FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate, respectively, a side view and a front view of the mandrel and of the stationary finger in their assembled position inside the housing of the hair curling appliance;

(8) FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment variant of the stationary finger;

(9) FIG. 10 illustrates a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention;

(10) FIG. 11 illustrates the part of the hair curling appliance corresponding to the housing, according to this second embodiment, showing the design of the slot;

(11) FIG. 12 illustrates a variant of the slot on the appliance illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) In the rest of the description, the same references are used to describe similar characteristics according to the various embodiments.

(13) In the rest of the description, the term appliance will be used to designate the hair curling appliance according to the invention, unless otherwise indicated.

(14) In FIG. 1, the appliance 1 comprises a housing 2 and a grip handle 3. The appliance 1 is connected electrically to a power source by an electric cable 4 and comprises control buttons 5, 6 permitting actuating the heating means and the means for rotating the winder, described in more detail below.

(15) As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the grip handle 3 extends longitudinally along a first axis X1.

(16) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the housing 2 has a slot 7 permitting the hair strand (not illustrated) to be inserted in a

(17) winding chamber 8 defined inside the housing 2, in which the curling of the strand takes place. The housing 2 also has on its front lateral face 2b an extraction opening 9 through which the strand is released or removed after it is curled. The winding chamber 8 has a more or less cylindrical shape of revolution which is defined along a second axis X2 corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the housing 2. The first axis X1 and the second axis X2 are perpendicular to each other and define a plane P, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, forming a plane of symmetry of the housing 2, and of the grip handle 3. The slot 7 is arranged in this plane P on the housing 2, on the side opposite the position of the grip handle 3.

(18) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, the appliance 1 comprises a mandrel 10 which has a fixed end 10a assembled to the housing 2. The mandrel 10 also has a free end 10b which is positioned in proximity to the extraction opening 9 in the winding chamber 8. The mandrel 10 extends longitudinally inside the winding chamber 8 along a third axis X3 which defines with the first axis X1 an angle of inclination of between 50 and 80. Preferably, this angle of inclination is 70. This inclination of the mandrel 10 advantageously permits positioning its free end 10b farther from the end 3a of the grip handle 3 than its fixed end 10a, which will facilitate the positioning of the strand in order to wind it, as is explained below. The third axis X3 is defined in the plane P illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The slot 7 is arranged symmetrically with respect to this plane P, as illustrated in particular by FIGS. 3 and 4.

(19) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5 and 6, the appliance 1 comprises a winder 11 which is hollow and has a shape of revolution along the third axis X3. The winder 11 is positioned coaxial with the mandrel 10, along this third axis X3, and defines with the latter a first spacing 12 illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 and 6. As illustrated in particular in FIG. 5, the winder 11 has at its first longitudinal end 11a splines 13 arranged to permit the winder 11 to be fastened to

(20) a gearwheel (not illustrated) which meshes with a worm screw (not illustrated) rotated by a motor (not illustrated), which permits rotating the winder 11 along the third axis X3. Preferably, the direction of rotation of the motor is reversible, which permits reversing the direction of rotation of the winder 11. The motor, the gearwheel and the worm screw are not illustrated in order to make the figures easier to read, the latter furthermore being within the grasp of those skilled in the art. Other gear means may be envisioned between the motor and the winder 11, also within the grasp of those skilled in the art.

(21) As illustrated in particular with regard to FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, the winder 11 has a conical shape which extends in expansion along the third axis X3 in the direction of the free end 10b of the mandrel 10. The winder 11 has a notch 14, or cut, which extends on its surface of revolution and which leads to the free edge 15 on the second longitudinal end 11b of the winder 11. This notch 14 preferably has the shape of a trapezoid with its small base 14a, illustrated in dashed lines on FIG. 5, arranged at the free edge 15. However, other shapes for this notch 14 could be envisioned, for example a more or less cylindrical or oval shape. Likewise, the winder 11 could have a cylindrical surface of revolution. There will be a preference for a conical surface of revolution and the trapezoidal notch 14, which favor better winding of the strand along the winder 11. At the two ends 14b, 14c of the notch 14 intersecting with the free edge 15, two hooks 16a, 16b are arranged facing each other in line with the free edge 15, preferably with a slight offset to the outside with respect to the latter, as illustrated in FIG. 5. These two hooks 16a, 16b are spaced apart by a width corresponding more or less to that of the slot 7. In the initial position of the winder 11, at the beginning of the curling operation, the notch 14 and the two hooks 16a, 16b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane P, in line with the slot 7, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which permits inserting in this slot 14 the part of the hair strand situated in proximity to the scalp. Rotating the winder 11 then permits one of the two hooks 16a, 16b, according to the direction of rotation of the motor, to grasp the strand to begin winding it, which is described below. The rotation of the winder 11 in both directions around the third axis X3 permits making curls in both directions. However, one could anticipate a single direction of curl, in which case a single hook would be sufficient and the configuration of the notch 14 could be adapted. In the initial position, the angle of inclination between the two axes X1 and X3, as stated above, advantageously permits positioning the notch 14 and the two hooks 16a, 16b, situated close to the free edge 10b of the mandrel 10 and in proximity to the slot 7 with an inclination with respect to the grip handle 3. This facilitates the insertion of the strand in the slot 7 by positioning it at an angle to the winder 11 for its insertion in the notch 14, while manipulating the grip handle 3 normally.

(22) As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the appliance 1 comprises an inner cage 17 which is arranged in the winding chamber 12. Preferably, this inner cage 17 has a part 18 having a cylindrical shape of revolution along the third axis X3, coaxially arranged around the winder 11 along the third axis X3, with a second spacing 19 with respect to the winder 11. Thus the first spacing 12 between the mandrel 10 and the winder 11 defines an inner chamber and the second spacing 19 between the winder 11 and the part 18 of the inner cage 17 defines an outer chamber. The inner cage 17 further has two flanges 20a, 20b which extend in the winding chamber 8 parallel to the plane P and symmetrically with respect to this plane P, the respective upper edges 21a, 21b of these flanges 20a, 20b being configured to be positioned adjacent to the slot 7, which permits better guiding of the strand up to the winder 11 by confining the strand in the winding chamber 12 inside the second spacing 19 of the inner cage 17. This inner cage 17 also permits arranging the components of the appliance 1 in the housing 2 while avoiding any risk of contact between the strand and these components during the positioning of the strand in the winding chamber 8.

(23) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the slot 7 has two walls 22a, 22b, which are arranged facing each other, symmetrically with respect to the plane P, in the thickness of the housing 2. These walls 22a, 22b extend on the entire

(24) length of the housing 2 and form, in a section plane P1 perpendicular to the plane P, a V which helps with insertion of the strand in the slot 7. In their parts 23a, 23b situated on the side of the lateral face 2a of the housing 2 opposite the lateral face 2b of the housing 2 which has the extraction opening 9 and which comes into contact with the scalp during curling, the walls 22a, 22b are connected and form together an entire V in a single piece with a bottom 24 which is rounded and permits guiding the hair strand by letting it slip along the length of the housing 2, that is, in the direction of the second axis X2. These parts 23a, 23b are situated upstream from the mandrel 10 and the winder 11, according to the direction of travel of the strand while it is being wound. Preferably, these two walls 22a, 22b consist of a single piece independent from the housing 2, which permits making the slot 7 in a different color from that of the housing 2, so that it can be seen more easily during insertion of the hair strand. In addition, removable fixing means are arranged between the housing 2 and the walls 22a, 22b to permit them to be removed, for example in order to replace them with others with a different V angle or other characteristics of guiding the strand in the slot 7. These removable fixing means (not illustrated) may consist of screwing or snap-fitting the walls 22a, 22b on the housing 2, for example.

(25) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, cross ribs 25, 26 are implemented respectively on the two walls 22a, 22b, these cross ribs 25, 26 each having the form of a portion of a disk. On FIGS. 1 to 4, it is observed that the wall 22b has eight cross ribs 26, in the form of a portion of a disk, which have different dimensions and are spaced differently. The same is true for the cross ribs 25 on the other wall 22a. These cross ribs 25, 26 permit having linear contacts with the hair strand, which reduces friction of the strand in the slot 7 during its insertion. The fact that these cross ribs 25, 26 have the form of a portion of a disk also permits having a flared shape more or less forming a V between the cross ribs 25, 26 arranged facing each other on the two walls 22a, 22b of the

(26) slot 7, which also favors the positioning of the strand in the slot 7. This disk shape of the cross ribs 25, 26 could be replaced with a triangular shape, which would also permit forming a V between the cross ribs 25, 26 arranged facing each other on the walls 22a, 22b.

(27) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, 6 and 7, the appliance 1 comprises a stationary finger 27, or fixed finger, consisting of a rigid part which is attached at the contour 9a of the extraction opening 9. This stationary finger 27 has several functions. First, the stationary finger 27 permits preventing the strand from rotating during its winding in order to prevent the strand from turning around the mandrel 10. In addition, this stationary finger 27 must ensure release of the curled strand without damaging it. The stationary finger 27 is perpendicular to the mandrel 10, that is, perpendicular to the third axis X3, as illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 and 7. The inclination of the stationary finger 27 thus depends on the inclination of the angle . During the winding of the strand around the mandrel 10, the strand is locked by one of the two lateral locking faces 28a, 28b of the stationary finger 27, according to the direction of rotation of the winder 11. These two lateral locking faces 28a, 28b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane P. So that the hair is not able to bypass the stationary finger 27 during winding, the angle formed between the lateral locking face 28a and a straight line dl going from the center 29 of the mandrel 10 to the base 30 of the lateral locking face 28a, as illustrated in FIG. 8, must ideally form an angle of between 0 and 35. Preferably this angle is 25. The same is true for the second lateral locking face 28b which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the first lateral locking face 28a, according to the plane P. In this manner, the hair strand tends more to slide toward the base 30 of the stationary finger 27 rather than toward its end 27a.

(28) Also to better ensure that the hair strand does not tend to bypass the stationary finger and turn around the mandrel 10 during winding, the stationary finger 27 must sufficiently cover the free end 10b of the mandrel 10, and its distance from the mandrel 10 must be

(29) as small as possible. In order to permit this sufficient coverage, the stationary finger 27 extends from the cylindrical contour of the mandrel 10 on a height h1 of between 6 mm and 18 mm, preferably a height h1 equal to 12 mm. A higher height h1 would risk penalizing the release, and a lower height h1 would risk not sufficiently locking the hair. Concerning the distance to the mandrel 10, the stationary finger 27 is spaced from the free end 10b of the mandrel 10 by a distance e1 of between 1 mm and 5 mm, this distance e1 preferably being equal to 3 mm. This distance e1 depends on the height h1 used for the stationary finger 27. Preferably a ratio r of four between the height h1 and the distance e1 is provided for (r=h1/e1=4), this ratio r being between two and five (2<r<5).

(30) For this aforementioned configuration of the stationary finger 27 with respect to the mandrel 10, the mandrel 10 has a diameter D of between 20 mm and 25 mm, preferably 22 mm.

(31) The stationary finger 27 has an inner face 31 arranged facing the free end 10b of the mandrel 10. The inner face 31 is curved or concave, as illustrated in particular in FIGS. 3 and 8, which permits supporting the expulsion of the strand of curled hair during its release. The lower end 31a of this inner face 31 must be as far as possible below the mandrel 10, so that during release, the hair does not pass below this stationary finger 27, which would lock it. This lower end 31a must not form too pronounced a point, but must have a rounded form in order to appropriately direct the curled strand on the inner face 31, and not below the stationary finger 27. In the embodiment variant illustrated in FIG. 9, the stationary finger 27 has a curved inner face 31 with its lower end 31a which extends in the form of a curved projection 32 arranged in line with the inner face 31, which favors moving the lower end 31a toward the inner face 11c of the winder 11c, illustrated in particular in FIGS. 5 and 6.

(32) Preferably, the stationary finger 27 is removably fixed with respect to the contour 9a of the extraction opening 9 or in proximity to the latter. To achieve this, the stationary finger 27 has a lower part 33 equipped with an orifice 34

(33) permitting screw fastening 35 with respect to the front lateral face 2b of the housing 2, as illustrated by FIGS. 2, 7 and 8. One could envision other removable fixing means without departing from the context of the invention. This removable fixing advantageously permits replacing the stationary finger 27 in order to better adapt it to the type of hair to be curled, or when the finger is worn, in order to limit as much as possible the friction of the curled strand during its release.

(34) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the appliance 1 comprises a heating element 36 arranged inside the mandrel 10 in order to heat it and to heat the hair strand. Such a heating element 36 is known to those skilled in the art, so it will not be described. One could also envision other heating means arranged in the winding chamber 8, for example on the inner cage 17 in order to heat the strand in the second spacing 19 between the inner cage 17 and the winder 11.

(35) The housing 2 of the appliance 1 is manipulated by the grip handle 3, its lateral face 2a, which has the extraction opening 9, being positioned against the scalp during the various curling operations. The arrangement of the grip handle 3 in line with the slot 7, facilitates manipulation of the appliance 1. However, one could anticipate variants in the arrangement of the grip handle with respect to the housing 2, without departing from the context of the invention. At the beginning of the curling operation, after the user sets the heating element 36 to a set-point temperature, the strand is positioned inside the slot 7 and then guided by the flanges 20a, 20b to the second spacing 19. Because the winder 11 and the mandrel 10 are inclined with respect to the grip handle 3, the insertion of the strand in the notch 14 is done naturally, without need to incline the strand with respect to the housing 2 and the slot 7 in order to insert it appropriately into the notch 14. The rotation of the winder 11 is then triggered by one of the control buttons 5 or 6, which permits one of the hooks 16a, 16bdepending on the direction of rotationto grasp or catch the strand in proximity to the scalp. The configuration of the winder 11 with its surface of revolution arranged around the mandrel and its notch 14,

(36) advantageously permits concomitantly winding the hair strand around the mandrel 10 in the inner chamber defined by the first spacing 12, and around the surface of revolution of the winder 11 in the outer chamber defined by the second spacing 19. During this concomitant winding on the winder 11 and the mandrel 10, the strand slips to the bottom 24 of the walls 22a, 22b of the slot 7. Once the end of the strand has slipped to the bottom 24 and is wound around the winder 11, the winder continues to turn, which permits continuing to wind the strand around the mandrel 10 until the entire strand is wound around the mandrel 10. The winder 11 then stops turning, the heating element 36 then remaining activated while keeping the strand wound around the mandrel 10 for a few seconds. Then the appliance 1 is moved away from the scalp, the curled strand is then displaced along the mandrel 10 toward the stationary finger 27 which, when the appliance is moved away from the head, will accompany the curl toward the extraction opening 9 in order to appropriately release the curled strand.

(37) Embodiment variants of the guide means may be envisioned in the context of the invention. In particular, one could anticipate embodiment variants of the slot 7 with only the walls 22a, 22b in a V shape, without any cross rib 25, 26, or conversely, one could anticipate cross ribs 25, 26 on walls parallel to each other, where the shape of the cross ribs, in the form of a triangle or a portion of a disk, defines by itself a flared shape or a V shape. One could also anticipate waves 37, 38 arranged on the length of the two walls 22a, 22b between the cross ribs 25, 26, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which also help to reduce friction of the hair strand on the two walls 22a, 22b. One could also anticipate these waves 37, 38 on the two walls 22a, 22b forming a V, without the presence of the cross ribs 25, 26.

(38) On the embodiment variant of the appliance 1, illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the slot 7 has two walls 22a, 22b, which are inclined together in a V shape and have waves 37, 38 as described previously for the embodiment variant in FIGS. 1 to 9. Likewise, in FIG. 11 we see the parts 23a, 23b of the two walls 22a, 22b which consist of a single

(39) piece with a common bottom 24, as described for the preceding variant, with a slight difference since the bottom 24 is not rounded but flat, as observed in FIG. 11.

(40) In another embodiment variant of the appliance 1, illustrated in FIG. 12, the slot 7 has two walls 22a, 22b, which are inclined together in a V and have waves 37, 38 as described previously. In addition, the parts 23a, 23b of the two walls 22a, 22b consist of a single piece with a common bottom 24 which is curved or in the shape of a spoon, as seen in this FIG. 11, this form also making it possible to guide the hair strand in the slot 7 during its winding around the winder 11 and the mandrel 10.

(41) According to the two aforementioned embodiment variants of the appliance 1, the design variants of the winder 11 and of the stationary finger 27, as described previously, also apply.

(42) One could also anticipate variants of the stationary finger 27.

(43) Other embodiment variants of the appliance 1 may also be considered without departing from the context of the invention. In the mode of embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the second axis X2, according to which the circular form of the housing 2 is defined, is perpendicular to the first axis X1, that is, inclined by an angle equal to 90 with respect to the second axis X2. In the embodiment variant illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the second axis X2 coincides with the third axis X3 of the mandrel 10 and of the winder 11, that is, the second axis X2 is inclined by an angle with respect to the first axis X1 corresponds to the angle of inclination of the third axis X3 with respect to the second axis X2 [sic]. One could also anticipate a second axis X2 parallel to the third axis X3, but which does not coincide with the latter. One could also anticipate an angle of inclination of the second axis X2 with respect to the first axis X1 which is between the angle of inclination of the third axis X3 and 90, that is, <<90. Thus, in the value range of the angle of between 50 and 80, as defined previously: when the angle is equal to 50, the angle may be between 50 and 90; when the angle is equal to 80, the angle may be between 80 and 90; and for the preferred value of the angle equal to 70, the angle may be between 70 and 90. One could also, in

(44) other variants, anticipate an angle of inclination between the first axis X1 and the third axis X3 which is equal to 90, that is, the two axes X1 and X3 are perpendicular to each other, without departing from the essential context of the invention, with a winder 11 having a cylindrical or conical surface of revolution.