VAPORIZATION CHAMBER FOR A HAIRSTYLING APPLIANCE THAT DIFFUSES STEAM

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vaporization chamber for a hairstyling appliance that diffuses steam, comprising a hollow body defining a free interior space between at least one inlet for feeding liquid water to be vaporized and at least one outlet for the water in the form of steam, said steam chamber being characterized in that the inlet or inlets for feeding liquid water have, together, a plurality of orifices that open into the interior of the vaporization chamber and are spaced apart from one another.

Claims

1. Household electrical appliance that diffuses steam, comprising at least one reservoir (300) that is able to contain a quantity of a liquid product to be vaporized and is fluidically connected to at least one inlet for feeding liquid product to a vaporization chamber (350, 400, 500) that is separate from the reservoir and is able to be fed with liquid product contained in the reservoir via at least one pumping member (200), the appliance being configured to feed the vaporization chamber with liquid water so as to obtain a steam diffusion flow rate greater than or equal to 0.5 g.min.sup.1 and less than or equal to 5 g.min.sup.1, said vaporization chamber having at least one outlet for the at least partially vaporized product, which is fluidically connected to steam diffusion orifices (130) of a treatment surface of the appliance, the vaporization chamber comprising a hollow body defining a free interior space that is able to allow fluid circulation between the inlet for feeding a liquid product to be vaporized and the outlet for said at least partially vaporized product, said steam chamber being characterized in that the inlet or inlets for feeding liquid product have, together, a plurality of orifices (405), which each have a section of between 0.1 and 6 mm.sup.2, open into the interior of the vaporization chamber and are spaced apart from one another, the free interior space not having porous material around said orifices for feeding liquid water over a distance of at least 2 mm so as to allow the liquid water leaving an orifice to arrive directly in contact with at least one evaporation surface of the chamber.

2. Household electrical appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet for feeding the vaporization chamber (400) with liquid product is in the form of a pipe (401) having a terminal part (403) which extends inside said vaporization chamber and along which a plurality of orifices (405) are provided in a spaced-apart manner.

3. Household electrical appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the orifices (405) are spaced apart regularly.

4. Household electrical appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the orifices (405) are distributed substantially along the entire length of the terminal part (403) of the pipe (401) forming the feed inlet.

5. Household electrical appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the terminal part (403) of the pipe forming the feed inlet has a closed distal end (406).

6. Household electrical appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the orifices (405) are provided along at least two longitudinal axes of the pipe that form, between one another, a non-zero angular sector with a longitudinal central axis of the pipe.

7. Household electrical appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the orifices (405) are provided along the two longitudinal axes, at least in the case of some of them, in an alternating manner.

8. Household electrical appliance claim 1, characterized in that the vaporization chamber (500) comprises a plurality of inlets for feeding liquid product to be vaporized, each feed inlet having at least one orifice opening into the interior of the vaporization chamber.

9. Household electrical appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that the vaporization chamber (500) comprises at least one inlet for feeding liquid product to be vaporized has a single orifice opening into the interior of said vaporization chamber.

10. Household electrical appliance according to claim 9, characterized in that the orifice of the vaporization chamber (500) is in the form of an open distal end of the inlet for feeding liquid product to be vaporized.

11. Household electrical appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the orifices (405) of Vaporization chamber (400, 500) that open into the interior of the vaporization chamber, preferably all of the orifices, open at a non-zero distance from internal surfaces of the body forming said vaporization chamber, these internal surfaces comprising the surfaces of peripheral walls (503, 404) and, as the case may be, the surfaces of interior chicanes (351).

12. Household electrical appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that said appliance is a hairstyling appliance such as a hair brush (100).

13. Household electrical appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the steam chamber (350, 400, 500), and preferably the reservoir (300), are incorporated into a portable treatment unit of the appliance, in particular into a handle (110) thereof.

Description

[0049] Further aims, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following description, which is given only by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction in longitudinal section of a hair brush that is able to apply steam to the hair.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction in longitudinal section of the treatment part of the hair brush in [FIG. 1], showing the vaporization chamber.

[0052] FIG. 3 is a schematic depiction of a vaporization chamber in accordance with the present application and according to a first embodiment.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of the distribution of the scaling up of the vaporization chamber in [FIG. 3] over time.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a schematic depiction of a vaporization chamber in accordance with the present application and according to a second embodiment.

[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction in longitudinal section of a hair brush 100 that is able to dispense steam onto the hair.

[0056] Although illustrated by way of example as a hair brush, the present application may also relate to other household electrical appliances that dispense water vapour, and in particular other household electrical hair treatment appliances that are able to dispense water vapour onto the hair. An example of another appliance is a straightening iron as described in particular in the document FR2967018A1.

[0057] The hair brush 100 has a gripping handle 110 and a treatment head 120. The head 120 has a set of teeth 121 arranged on a support plate 122 along a plurality of rows. The rows of teeth 121 extend substantially along a longitudinal axis X of the brush.

[0058] In the example shown, the support plate 122 is substantially flat and has a substantially rectangular shape extending in the continuation of the gripping handle 122. It is of course conceivable to have a curved support plate, the teeth 121 then being preferably situated on a concave surface of the support plate, or even a substantially cylindrical support plate.

[0059] In one particular embodiment, the support plate 122 and/or the teeth 121 may heat up. Preferably, only the teeth 121, or only some of the teeth 121, heat up.

[0060] The head 120 also has a plurality of steam outlets 130 that open onto the support plate 122. The steam outlets or nozzles 130 may be situated between teeth 121 in one or more rows or be separate and in particular arranged along an edge of the support plate 122.

[0061] Alternatively, the steam outlets 130 may be made in the teeth 121, and in particular open onto a side of the latter.

[0062] According to the embodiment shown, the steam nozzles 130 open out between the teeth 121 of one and the same row, in this case between the teeth of a middle row, thus forming a row of steam outlets 130 extending substantially in the continuation of the handle 110.

[0063] The steam is conveyed to the steam outlets from a vaporization chamber 350 incorporated in the appliance 100, through one or more diffusion channels passing through the support plate 122, and the teeth 121 where applicable. According to the example shown, the vaporization chamber 350 is incorporated in the head 120 behind the support plate 122. Such elements are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0064] In a general manner, the vaporization chamber 350 comprises a hollow body forming an enclosure and defining a free interior volume, that is to say one that is not occupied with any filling material and in particular does not have an absorbent element, which is able to allow fluid circulation between at least one inlet for feeding liquid water to be vaporized and at least one outlet for the water in the form of steam.

[0065] The volume of the vaporization chamber is preferably from 20 to 100 cm.sup.3, better still from 30 to 70 cm.sup.3, for example around 45 cm.sup.3.

[0066] The reservoir may have a volume of between 1 mL and 50 mL.

[0067] To this end, the vaporization chamber 350, and in particular a part with which the liquid water is intended to come into contact in order to be vaporized, is able to be heated to a sufficient temperature, in particular by a heating resistive element in contact with a wall of said chamber. More particularly, the heating temperature is greater than 180 C. The heating resistive element may be shared between the vaporization chamber and a heating treatment surface of the household electrical appliance if necessary. The heating elements may also be separate, in particular so as to be able to be controlled independently.

[0068] The vaporization chamber 350 also comprises one or more interior walls that together form chicanes 351 between the inlet for liquid water and the outlet for water in the form of steam. In particular, the chicanes are situated in the vicinity of the outlet for water in the form of steam. Thus, preferably, the vaporization chamber has less than 50%, preferably around 25%, of its interior space provided with chicanes, and more than 50%, preferably around 75%, of its interior space without chicanes, liquid water being fed in the zone without chicanes.

[0069] The steam outlet is generally in the form of one or more orifices, in particular in the form of a groove or slot made in an upper wall of the vaporization chamber, said upper wall forming a cover for closing and sealing the vaporization chamber.

[0070] The vaporization chamber is fed with liquid water from a reservoir 300 by a positive displacement pump 200, for example a peristaltic pump or a membrane pump. The reservoir 300 is incorporated in the device made up of the hair brush 100, in particular in its handle 110. It may advantageously be removable so that it can be replaced easily. Otherwise, a filling hole 301 may be provided in a wall of the handle 110. The filling hole 301 could be equipped with a valve for preventing liquid from leaking out of the reservoir 300. The pump is also incorporated in the handle of the device.

[0071] Preferably, the device is configured to feed the vaporization chamber with liquid water so as to achieve a steam diffusion flow rate greater than or equal to 0.5 g.min.sup.1 and less than or equal to 5 g.min.sup.1. Preferably, the steam diffusion flow rate is less than or equal to 1 g.min.sup.1, preferably around 0.8 g.min.sup.1.

[0072] In accordance with the present application, the inlet or inlets for feeding liquid product have, together, a plurality of orifices that open into the interior of the vaporization chamber and are spaced apart from one another.

[0073] A first exemplary embodiment of such a vaporization chamber 400 is partially shown in [FIG. 3].

[0074] According to this embodiment, the vaporization chamber 400 comprises an inlet for feeding liquid water, in the form of a single pipe or tube 401 passing through a wall 402, in this case over the width, of the vaporization chamber 400 and having a terminal part 403 which extends inside said vaporization chamber 400, and more particularly inside the zone without chicanes.

[0075] More particularly, this tube 401 extends over at least half, better still over around 80% of the distance separating the wall 402 through which it passes and an opposite wall 404 of the vaporization chamber 400. More particularly, the vaporization chamber 400 is configured such that this separating distance corresponds substantially to its length.

[0076] In accordance with the present application, the terminal part 403 of the tube 401 for feeding liquid water has a plurality of orifices 405 that are spaced apart from one another and provided along said terminal portion 403, in particular along substantially the entire length of the terminal part 403 extending in the vaporization chamber 400. The orifices 405 are spaced apart regularly. There are eight orifices.

[0077] According to the embodiment variant shown, the terminal part 403 of the tube 401 forming the feed inlet has a closed distal end 406. Thus, the only openings for dispensing liquid water are the lateral orifices 405 provided along the tube.

[0078] As shown in [FIG. 4], the orifices may be provided in an alternating manner on either side of a longitudinal axis of said terminal portion 403. In this way, the distribution of the flow of liquid water, and consequently of the scale that forms during evaporation, is optimal.

[0079] A second exemplary embodiment of such a vaporization chamber 500 is shown in [FIG. 5].

[0080] According to this embodiment, the vaporization chamber 500 comprises a plurality of inlets for feeding liquid water that are distributed, preferably regularly, along a wall 503 of the chamber, this wall extending preferably in the direction of the length of said chamber 500.

[0081] The feed inlets are, as previously, disposed so as to open into a zone without chicanes of the vaporization chamber.

[0082] Each feed inlet is in the form of a pipe or tube 501 having a terminal part that extends inside said vaporization chamber 500 and is open at its end. The tube does not have additional lateral orifices as in the first embodiment. As indicated above, the open end of each tube 501 is cut lengthwise, as described in the document WO2020127852.

[0083] Of course, according to one embodiment variant, one or more of the tubes forming feed inlets according to the second embodiment may be made in the form of a tube according to the first embodiment comprising a plurality of lateral orifices and having preferably a closed distal end.

[0084] Generally, it should be noted that the orifices for dispensing liquid water inside the vaporization chamber open at a distance from internal surfaces of the body forming said vaporization chamber, these internal surfaces comprising the surfaces of peripheral walls and, as the case may be, the surfaces of interior chicanes. In particular, each orifice opens at least 1 mm from a wall of the vaporization chamber, in particular with respect to a bottom wall and an opposite upper wall. With respect to lateral walls and the interior chicanes of the chamber, the distance for each orifice could instead reach at least 10 mm.