DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING AND PACKAGING HAIRDRESSING INSTRUMENTS

Abstract

A device for displaying and packaging hairdressing instruments, including a plurality of blow-dry rollers, at least one removable gripping handle to which one of the blow-dry rollers can be attached, and a storage housing. The storage housing includes a receiving compartment dimensioned to receive and contain the plurality of blow-dry rollers, a peripheral wall of the receiving compartment, a bottom wall of the receiving compartment, and a retractable top cover. Stabilizing devices are shaped to each hold one of the blow-dry rollers oriented along a respective substantially vertical axis and separated from the other rollers. An intermediate space contains an ultraviolet radiation source for directing and distributing ultraviolet radiation into the receiving compartment. Magnets are distributed on the inner face of the cover for retaining metal tools. An electrical safety switch actuated by the cover inhibits the supply of power to the ultraviolet radiation source when the cover is not in the closed position.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A device for displaying and packaging hairdressing instruments, comprising a storage case having: a receiving compartment designed to receive and contain at least a plurality of blow-dry rollers and at least one removable gripping handle to which one of the blow-dry rollers can be fixed, a receiving compartment bottom wall, a plurality of stabilizing means, each designed to receive and retain on the bottom wall, by axial engagement and in a removable manner, one of the blow-dry rollers that is oriented along a respective axis (I-I) substantially perpendicular to the receiving compartment bottom wall, and at a distance from the other blow-dry rollers, a receiving compartment peripheral wall, an upper opening, opposite the receiving compartment bottom wall, an upper lid, which is movable between a closed position in which it closes off the upper opening and an open position in which it allows access to the receiving compartment through the upper opening, wherein: said plurality of stabilizing means are distributed over the bottom wall in a single line along the peripheral wall, around an intermediate space, an ultraviolet radiation source is disposed in the intermediate space and is linked to electrical connection means for connecting it to an electrical power source, t he ultraviolet radiation source comprises a base, which is fixed in the storage case and on which the holder of an ultraviolet radiation lamp is fitted, which is itself of elongate shape and held in the intermediate space, all or some of the walls of the storage case are structured such that their inner face is reflective for the ultraviolet radiation generated by the ultraviolet radiation source.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet radiation lamp is covered with a protective cover, which is transparent to the ultraviolet rays and is itself fitted in a removable manner to the base.

19. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the inner surfaces of the walls of the storage case are formed entirely or partially from polished aluminum or aluminum alloy.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the surfaces made of polished aluminum or aluminum alloy are also embossed.

21. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the receiving compartment has a parallelepipedal overall shape, the bottom wall extending in a longitudinal direction (L) and in a transverse direction (T), the peripheral wall having two longitudinal sides oriented in the longitudinal direction (L) and two transverse sides oriented in the transverse direction (T), said plurality of stabilizing means distributed over the bottom wall are arranged in two rows of stabilizing means each disposed respectively along one of the longitudinal sides, on either side of the intermediate space, the base is fixed to the inner face of one transverse side of a peripheral wall, the ultraviolet radiation lamp is itself elongate in said longitudinal direction (L) in the intermediate space.

22. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein a convex cylindrical reflective surface is positioned between the bottom wall and the ultraviolet radiation lamp and oriented with a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ultraviolet radiation lamp.

23. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein: the base is fixed in a lower case of the storage case, the ultraviolet radiation lamp crosses the bottom wall and is itself elongate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall in the intermediate space.

24. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the base is fixed in the storage case by reversible fixing means allowing it to be released and removed from the storage case.

25. The device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the reversible fixing means comprise slide means allowing the engagement and disengagement of the base by simply moving it in relative translation with respect to the storage case.

26. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein each stabilizing means comprises a peg on which a distal-end opening of a blow-dry roller can be fitted and retained.

27. The device as claimed in claim 26, wherein said peg has a cylindrical base portion of circular cross section that is joined to a tapered free-end portion.

28. The device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the stabilizing means are designed to receive and retain any blow-dry roller of said plurality of blow-dry rollers.

29. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the electrical connection means comprise an electrical safety switch, which is actuated by the lid and designed to prevent the ultraviolet radiation source from being supplied with power when the lid is not in the closed position.

30. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the lid comprises magnets that are able to retain, on its inner face, instruments comprising a ferromagnetic material.

31. An assembly comprising a device as claimed in claim 17, a plurality of blow-dry rollers, and at least one removable gripping handle to which one of the blow-dry rollers can be fixed.

32. The assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein the blow-dry rollers comprise a cylindrical cage provided at a proximal end with a fixing end piece that is able to receive and retain, by axial engagement and in a removable manner, a fixing portion of the gripping handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075] Further subjects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, given with reference to the appended figures, in which:

[0076] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage case according to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper lid being closed;

[0077] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the storage case in FIG. 1, the upper lid being open, and the receiving compartment not having any blow-dry rollers;

[0078] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the storage case in FIG. 2, the receiving compartment not having any blow-dry rollers;

[0079] FIG. 4 is a top view of the open storage case according to the embodiment in FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0080] FIG. 5 is a view in transverse section on the plane A-A in FIG. 4;

[0081] FIG. 6 is a view in longitudinal section on the plane B-B in FIG. 4, the storage case being closed and containing blow-dry rollers;

[0082] FIG. 7 is a view in transverse section on the plane A-A in FIG. 4, the storage case being closed and containing blow-dry rollers;

[0083] FIG. 8 is a top view of the storage case in FIG. 7, which is open and contains blow-dry rollers;

[0084] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 8;

[0085] FIG. 10 illustrates a blow-dry roller and the gripping handle thereof, in an embodiment of the present invention in which the distal end of the roller is open, and in which the handle is retained by mechanical locking means;

[0086] FIG. 11 is a view in longitudinal section of the blow-dry roller in FIG. 10;

[0087] FIG. 12 is a view in longitudinal section of a blow-dry roller and the gripping handle thereof, in another embodiment of the present invention in which the distal end of the roller is open, and in which the handle is retained by magnetic locking means;

[0088] FIG. 13 is a perspective top view of a blow-dry roller and the gripping handle thereof, in another embodiment of the present invention in which the blow-dry roller distal end is provided with a magnet, and in which the handle is retained by magnetic locking means;

[0089] FIG. 14 is a view in longitudinal section of the blow-dry roller and of the handle according to FIG. 13;

[0090] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a storage case according to another embodiment of the invention, having guide ribs for fixing the assembly for generating ultraviolet radiation;

[0091] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an assembly for generating ultraviolet radiation that can be fitted to the guide ribs of the case in FIG. 15;

[0092] FIG. 17 is another perspective view of the assembly for generating ultraviolet radiation in FIG. 16;

[0093] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the tubular protective cover protecting the lamp for generating ultraviolet radiation;

[0094] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a storage case according to another embodiment of the present invention, the upper lid having been removed to reveal dampers in the hinge system thereof;

[0095] FIG. 20 is a perspective view on a larger scale illustrating a hinge damper of the storage case in FIG. 19;

[0096] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a closed storage case according to another embodiment of the present invention, provided with a lower compartment;

[0097] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the storage case in FIG. 21, the lid being open to reveal the vertically oriented ultraviolet radiation lamp;

[0098] FIG. 23 is another perspective view of the storage case in FIG. 21;

[0099] FIG. 24 is a top view of the storage case in FIG. 22;

[0100] FIG. 25 is a view in transverse section of the storage case in FIG. 22;

[0101] FIG. 26 is a view in longitudinal section of the storage case in FIG. 22, provided with blow-dry rollers;

[0102] FIG. 27 is a view in transverse section of the storage case in FIG. 22, provided with blow-dry rollers, themselves illustrated in section;

[0103] FIG. 28 is a top view of the storage case in FIG. 22, provided with blow-dry rollers;

[0104] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the storage case in FIG. 22, the lid being open to reveal the vertically oriented ultraviolet radiation lamp, and the blow-dry rollers; and

[0105] FIG. 30 is a perspective view illustrating the lower casing carrying an ultraviolet radiation source.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0106] In the embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, the device for displaying and packaging hairdressing instruments according to the invention comprises a storage case 1, a plurality of blow-dry rollers such as the roller 2, and at least one gripping handle 3.

[0107] The storage case 1 defines a receiving compartment 4, of parallelepipedal shape, designed to receive and contain said plurality of blow-dry rollers 2. By way of example, a receiving compartment 4 having a longitudinal dimension L1 of about 27 cm, a transverse dimension T1 of about 20 cm, and a depth dimension P1 of about 16 cm may be provided.

[0108] The receiving compartment 4 is bounded by a receiving compartment peripheral wall 5, a receiving compartment bottom wall 6, and a retractable upper lid 7, which is for example hinged to the upper edge of the peripheral wall 5 via a hinge 8.

[0109] A lid bottom 7a forms the upper wall of the storage case 1 and is joined to a peripheral rim 7b intended to form, in the closed position, the upper part of the peripheral wall 5 of the receiving compartment 4.

[0110] The bottom wall 6 extends in a longitudinal direction L and in a transverse direction T, such that the peripheral wall 5 comprises two longitudinal sides 5a and 5b oriented in the longitudinal direction L and two transverse sides 5c and 5d oriented in the transverse direction T.

[0111] The lid 7 can pivot about the hinge 8 between a closed position (FIGS. 1, 6, 7) in which it closes the receiving compartment 4 and a retracted position (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9) in which it allows free access to the interior space of the receiving compartment 4 through its upper opening.

[0112] The bottom wall 6 has a plurality of stabilizing means 9, which are distributed over the surface of the bottom wall 6 and are each designed to hold a blow-dry roller 2 and orient it along a respective axis I-I substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 6 and at a distance from the other blow-dry rollers.

[0113] In order to simultaneously optimize the number of blow-dry rollers that the storage case 1 can contain and the effectiveness of disinfection ensured by the ultraviolet radiation, the stabilizing means 9 are arranged in two rows of stabilizing means each disposed respectively along one of the longitudinal sides 5a and 5b, on either side of an intermediate space 10 in which an ultraviolet radiation source 11 is disposed.

[0114] As can be seen in FIGS. 6 to 9, the blow-dry rollers 2 are oriented vertically and so their length has to be less than the depth L3 of the receiving compartment 4. In practice, the depth L3 of the receiving compartment 4 is therefore chosen such that it is greater than the length of the blow-dry rollers 2 that are intended to be used, in order that the presence of the blow-dry rollers 2 contained in the receiving compartment 4 does not prevent the lid 7 from being closed.

[0115] The ultraviolet radiation source 11 comprises a base 11a which is fixed to the inner face of the transverse side 5d and to which the holder of an ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b is fitted, which itself comprises two parallel tubes that are longitudinally elongate in the intermediate space 10. The ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b is covered by a protective cover 11f, which is transparent to the ultraviolet rays and is itself snap-fastened removably to the base 11a.

[0116] The ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b is supplied with electrical energy from an external electrical energy source via an electrical connection means comprising a power supply line terminated by a female power socket 11c that is accessible via the outer face of the transverse side 5d. The female power socket 11c is structured to receive a male plug of a power supply cord for connecting to an external electrical energy source. Connected in series in the power supply line, between the female power socket 11c and the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b, is a first manually actuated electrical switch 11d, and likewise connected in series is an electrical safety switch 11e, which is itself actuated by the lid 7 and designed to prevent the ultraviolet radiation source 11 from being supplied with power when the lid 7 is not in the closed position. In practice, the lid 7 can comprise a peg 7c that protrudes from its inner face and engages with the electrical safety switch 11 e at the end of closure of the lid 7 in order to mechanically force the electrical safety switch 11e, counter to elastic return means, into the closed state, in which it establishes the power supply to the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b.

[0117] Reference is now made to FIGS. 10 and 11, which illustrate in more detail the structure of a blow-dry roller 2 and the cooperation thereof with the gripping handle 3, in an embodiment with mechanical locking.

[0118] In this embodiment, the blow-dry roller 2 comprises a cylindrical cage 2a carrying radially oriented bristles 2b, as is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9. The cylindrical cage 2a has a distal-end opening 2c and a proximal end 2d to which a fixing end piece 2e is connected.

[0119] The fixing end piece 2e has an axial housing 2f designed to receive and retain, by axial engagement and in a removable manner, a fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3. Said fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3 is provided with locking and unlocking means comprising two respectively opposing lateral pushbuttons 3b and 3c, which are movable radially toward and away from one another by being pushed away from one another by an elastic return means 3d such as a helical compression spring as far as a locking position illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0120] Each of the lateral pushbuttons 3b and 3c comprises a proximal end having a respective radial protuberance 3e and 3f protruding from the lateral face of the gripping handle 3 to form a bearing surface that allows a user to depress the lateral pushbuttons 3b and 3c toward one another until they are in a pushed-together unlocking position. Each of the lateral pushbuttons 3b and 3c comprises a distal end having a respective radial locking peg 3g or 3h which, in the locking position, is engaged in a respective lateral locking hole 2g or 2h in the fixing end piece 2e to prevent the gripping handle 3 from being withdrawn from the cylindrical cage 2a. In the pushed-together unlocking position, the locking pegs 3g and 3h are both retracted into the axial housing 2f of the fixing end piece 2e, and allow the fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3 to freely slide axially in the axial housing 2f of the fixing end piece 2e, allowing the gripping handle 3 to be withdrawn from the cylindrical cage 2a or to be inserted into the cylindrical cage 2a.

[0121] Reference is now made to FIG. 12, which illustrates in more detail the structure of a blow-dry roller 2 and the cooperation thereof with the gripping handle 3, in an embodiment with magnet locking.

[0122] In this embodiment, the blow-dry roller 2 has the same structure with a cylindrical cage 2a, bristles 2b, a distal-end opening 2c, and a proximal end 2d.

[0123] A fixed end piece 2e is attached to the proximal end 2d and comprises an axial housing 2f designed to receive and retain, by axial engagement and in a removable manner, a fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3. The fixing portion 3a and the axial housing 2f have a frustoconical shape as illustrated. A first magnet 40 is fixed in the bottom of the housing 2f. A second magnet 41 is fixed to the free end of the fixing portion 3a, and oriented to attract the first magnet 40.

[0124] Reference is now made to FIGS. 13 and 14, which illustrate in more detail the structure of a blow-dry roller and the cooperation thereof with the gripping handle 3, again in an embodiment with magnet locking, but in which the distal-end opening 2c is closed off by a positioning magnet 2i.

[0125] In this embodiment, the blow-dry roller 2 has the same structure with a cylindrical cage 2a, bristles 2b, a proximal end 2d, while the distal-end opening 2c is closed off by the positioning magnet 2i. The fixing end piece 2e and the handle 3 have the same structure as in the previous embodiment, for locking by magnets 40 and 41.

[0126] FIG. 15 illustrates a casing body 1 according to another embodiment of the invention. In this case, one of the transverse walls has two slides 43 and 44 on its inner face, which are oriented perpendicularly to the bottom wall 6. The upper longitudinal edge which does not have the hinge is provided with a holder 45 for receiving and retaining a cellphone that the hairdresser can use to display information relating to the customer whose hair is currently being styled.

[0127] FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate, in perspective another embodiment of the base structure 11 a and the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b, with lateral ribs 46 and 47 that are able to cooperate with the slides 43 and 44 to allow the fitting of the base 11a by simply sliding it vertically in the direction of the bottom wall 6 and to allow the base 11a to be pulled by being slid in the other direction. Also apparent, in these figures, is the protective cover 11f of the ultraviolet radiation lamp. Also apparent is a convex cylindrical reflective surface 11g, which is positioned between the bottom wall 6 and the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b and oriented with a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b.

[0128] The inner surfaces of the storage case 1 are reflective, making it possible to distribute the ultraviolet radiation in the useful region of the receiving compartment 4. For this purpose, when the walls are not made of a material that is itself reflective, the peripheral wall 5, the bottom wall 6 and the lid 7 of the receiving compartment 4 are provided with a respective reflective inner layer, for example a metal layer made of polished aluminum, preferably of polished and/or embossed aluminum.

[0129] The outer walls of the storage case 1, i.e. the lid 7, the peripheral wall 5 and the bottom wall 6, may be opaque, or covered with an opaque external layer that has a solid color or can be provided with a decoration or marking.

[0130] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of the stabilizing means 9, each in the form of a peg on which the distal-end opening 2c of the cylindrical cage 2a of a blow-dry roller 2 can be fitted and retained.

[0131] One particular form of such a peg comprises two crossed walls 9a and 9b, perpendicular to the bottom wall 6. Optionally, provision may be made for the walls 9a and 9b to bear forcibly against the inner surface of the cage 2a, causing a slight elastic deformation of the cage 2a in order for it to be held in position better in the storage case 1.

[0132] Another, more advantageous, form of such a peg is illustrated in FIG. 15: consider, for example, the peg 9, which can be seen to be formed of a cylindrical base portion 90 of circular cross section that is joined to a tapered free end portion 91.

[0133] The vertical orientation of the blow-dry rollers 2 is advantageous in that it makes it possible to maximize the number of blow-dry rollers 2 that can be disposed in the receiving compartment 4, while making it easier to take hold of each blow-dry roller 2 with a gripping handle 3 without disturbing the positioning of the other adjacent rollers. The gripping handle 3 can be handled and moved easily using vertical movements in translation as illustrated by the double arrow 15 (FIG. 9), in order to introduce a blow-dry roller 2 into or remove it from the receiving compartment 4 when the lid 7 is open.

[0134] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, 8 and 9, the lid 7 comprises, on its inner face, a plurality of magnets 20 that are able to retain metal tools on said inner face of the lid 7. Preferably, the surface of the magnets 20 is flush with the inner face of the lid 7. It is thus possible to position one or more hair-cutting scissors on the inner face of the lid 7, these scissors preferably being in an open position, the magnets 20 keeping them pressed in position on said inner face of the lid 7 after the storage case 1 has been closed.

[0135] The central region of said inner face of the lid 7 comprises an elongate housing 21 with elastic lateral tabs for receiving and retaining the gripping handle 3 mechanically, said gripping handle 3 thus being able to be stored when it is not being used and to be disinfected by the action of the ultraviolet radiation when the storage case 1 is closed.

[0136] According to one embodiment of the invention, the lid 7 may also comprise, on its inner face, one or more comb-retaining clips, with which one or more combs can each be retained on the inner face of the lid 7. For example, the clip may comprise a flat generally parallelepipedal clip body oriented on a plane generally perpendicular to the peripheral rim 7b and to the bottom 7a of the lid 7, a first side of which is fixed to the peripheral rim 7b of the lid 7, and comprising an open central slot on a second side opposite the first side and on a third side away from the lid bottom 7a. The central slot separates two clip jaws from one another, these being themselves perforated. The clip body is made of a resilient material, for example a plastics material, which allows the clip jaws to be moved apart counter to an elastic return force that returns them into the vicinity of one another in the absence of loading.

[0137] As a result, a user can force-fit a comb into the central slot of the clip, the comb preferably having an elongate orientation along an axis generally parallel to the lid bottom 7a. The holes allow the penetration of the ultraviolet radiation for acting on the comb retained in position in the clip.

[0138] Two clips that are oriented parallel to one another may be provided.

[0139] According to a preferred feature of the present invention, illustrated in the embodiment described with respect to FIGS. 22 and 29, the inner face of the lid 7 comprises at least one strip 70 having rectangular magnets 71, 72, 73 arranged in a line. In this case, the inner face of the lid 7 does not have clips or a housing for receiving and retaining the handle 3. Conversely, the handle 3 itself has a magnet or a ferromagnetic material 35 (FIG. 12) in order to be retained by magnetic attraction against the inner face of the lid 7.

[0140] Advantageously, the receiving compartment 4 can be designed to receive and contain all of the blow-dry rollers that the hairdresser may need during a blow-drying process, i.e. two large blow-dry rollers having an outside diameter of about 70 mm, two blow-dry rollers having an outside diameter of about 60 mm, two blow-dry rollers having an outside diameter of about 50 mm, and two small blow-dry rollers having an outside diameter of about 40 mm.

[0141] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, the protective cover 11f of the ultraviolet radiation lamp is a blind tube made of quartz, designed to fit around the ultraviolet radiation lamp, being retained in a removable manner on the base 11a.

[0142] Reference is now made to the embodiment in FIGS. 19 to 30. This embodiment incorporates various different features of the present invention.

[0143] First of all, FIGS. 19 to 21 illustrate a hinge 8 provided with rotary dampers 80, illustrated on a larger scale in FIG. 20, for preventing the lid 7 from stopping too quickly in the open position and thus causing the receiving compartment 4 to tip.

[0144] Next, in FIG. 19, consideration should be given to the bottom wall 6 on which the stabilizing means 9 are made of plates made of a material that is able to be attracted by a magnet, for example made of ferromagnetic material, said plates being distributed in an appropriate manner to each receive a brush or blow-dry roller 2 according to the embodiment in FIGS. 13 and 14 with a positioning magnet 2i which cooperates with the stabilizing means 9 to keep the brush or blow-dry roller 2 in a vertical position on the bottom wall 6.

[0145] Next, in this same FIG. 19, there is, in the central part of the bottom wall 6, a hole 60 through which the ultraviolet radiation source 11 is intended to pass, as will be seen in the following figures.

[0146] In this embodiment in FIGS. 19 to 30, the device also has a lower case 100, attached and retained in a removable manner beneath the bottom wall 6 of the receiving compartment 4. The base 11a is fixed in said lower case 100 of the storage case 1. The ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b is itself elongate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 6, and passes through said hole 60 in the bottom wall 6 in order to be inserted with its protective cover in the intermediate space 10. This further improves the propagation of the ultraviolet radiation radially toward the blow-dry rollers 2, over the entire height thereof, and the blow-dry rollers 2 can be positioned all around the intermediate space 10.

[0147] In this embodiment in FIGS. 19 to 30, the lower case 100 may also serve as a stabilizing means, preventing the possible tipping of the device during the opening of the lid 7 containing relatively heavy tools such as metal scissors.

[0148] Stabilization can be ensured by a ballast weight formed by elements contained in the lower case 100, for example the base 11 a and the connection means 103 (FIG. 27) of the ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b, and/or a complementary weight, and/or a battery of accumulators 104 (FIG. 26) intended to supply said ultraviolet radiation lamp 11b with power while being itself rechargeable from an external electrical energy source.

[0149] Preferably, the lower case 100 is easily removable to make it easier to clean the device. For example, as can be seen in FIG. 30, the lower case 100 has two tongues 105 that are snap-fitted in corresponding holes 106 and 107 in the peripheral wall of the receiving compartment 4.

[0150] In the embodiment in FIGS. 19 to 30, there is also illustrated an optional feature consisting of a housing 101 intended to receive and retain a bottle of disinfectant liquid that the user can use to complete the disinfection of the tools if he deems this necessary. Also illustrated are tongues 102 intended to receive and retain one or more combs, avoiding the use of clips in the inner face of the lid 7.

[0151] To be used, the device according to the invention comprises a storage case 1 as defined above, a plurality of blow-dry rollers 2, and at least one removable gripping handle 3 to which one of the blow-dry rollers 2 can be fixed. The blow-dry rollers 2 comprise a cylindrical cage 2a provided at a proximal end 2d with a fixing end piece 2e that is able to receive and retain, by axial engagement and in a removable manner, a fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3.

[0152] When the devices illustrated in the figures are used, the hairdressers can carry out a blow-drying process using the sequence of the following steps: they take the gripping handle 3, they open the lid 7 of the storage case 1, they vertically fit the fixing portion 3a of the gripping handle 3 in the fixing end piece 2e of a first blow-dry roller 2, they fix the first blow-dry roller 2 to the gripping handle 3 by the action of the magnets 40 and 41 or by engaging the radial locking pegs 3g and 3h in the lateral locking holes 2g and 2h, they remove the assembly formed by the first blow-dry roller 2 and the gripping handle 3. They can then wrap a first lock of hair around the first blow-dry roller 2, and subject said first lock to a current of hot air produced by a hairdryer. The hairdresser thus holds the hairdryer in one hand and the gripping handle 3 and the first blow-dry roller 2 in the other hand.

[0153] During the treatment of the first lock of hair, the hairdresser may find it advantageous to work with the blow-dry roller 2—gripping handle 3 assembly, which forms a brush around which the first lock of wet hair is wrapped. During heating using the hairdryer, the brush thus formed makes it possible to wind and unwind the first lock of hair, accelerating the drying. The brush also makes it possible to smooth the hair by sliding to some extent.

[0154] After drying of the first lock of hair has been started, the hairdresser can remove the gripping handle 3 from the first blow-dry roller 2, which remains in place on the first lock of hair until the latter has completely dried and cooled down. On account of the absence of the gripping handle 3, the first blow-dry roller 2 remains balanced and allows a long drying process, which properly cools down the lock of hair without deforming it. The end of drying advantageously occurs away from the hairdryer, this improving the sheen of the hair.

[0155] During the end of drying and the cooling-down of the first lock of hair, the hairdresser can thus, without waiting, start the same operation again in order to take a second blow-dry roller 2 present in the storage case 1, in order to place this second blow-dry roller 2 in the head of hair and wrap a second lock of hair around this second blow-dry roller 2, and so on.

[0156] After a lock of hair has completely cooled down and dried, the hairdresser can refit the gripping handle 3 on the blow-dry roller 2 wound around said lock of hair, he removes the gripping handle 3—blow-dry roller 2 assembly from said lock of hair, he introduces the blow-dry roller 2 held by the gripping handle 3 into the receiving compartment 4 by engaging its distal end 2c over one of the stabilizing means 9, and he removes the gripping handle 3 from the receiving compartment 4.

[0157] The hairdresser also automatically carries out the disinfection of the blow-dry rollers 2 and of the hairdressing tools. For this purpose, once the blow-dry rollers 2 and other tools are disposed in the receiving compartment 4, he closes the lid 7, thereby closing the electrical safety switch 11e in order to supply the ultraviolet radiation source 11 with power and thus subject the blow-dry rollers 2 and other tools to ultraviolet radiation.

[0158] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments that have been explicitly described, but includes various variants and generalizations that fall within the scope of the following claims.