Description ACCESSORIES FOR HEATED HAIR-SHAPING DEVICES

[1] This invention relates to accessories for heated hair-shaping devices such as heated hair straightening irons and heated hair curling tongs.

[2] Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a typical hair-straightening device 12 has a pair of arms 14 hinged together about an axis 16 and spring-loaded to urge the arms 14 to the position shown in the drawing, but to permit the arms 14 to be manually squeezed together so that the arms 14 become generally parallel. The arms 14 carry a pair of mutually-facing metal or ceramic plates 18 which are electrically heated using electricity supplied by a mains power cord 20. Such hair- straightening devices 12 typically include a power switch (not shown), a thermostat control (not shown) for setting the temperature to which the plates 18 are heated and a tell-tale light (not shown) to indicate that the device 12 is switched on, or is switched-on but not up to temperature, or is switched-on and up to temperature. Typically, the temperature of the plates 18 can be set in the range of 60 ° C to 210 ° C or 230 ° C. In use, the plates 18 are brought up to temperature; a bunch of hair is placed between the plates 18; the plates 18 are squeezed together; and the device 12 is drawn along the bunch of hair so as to flatten the hair at elevated temperature so as to straighten it at least semipermanently. The process is then repeated on other bunches of hair.

[3] When performing this process on a complete head of hair, it may be necessary to put the device 12 down from time to time, when the plates 18 are still hot. Also, when the process has been completed, the plates 18 of the device 12 will remain hot for a period of time. Some devices 12 have a loop which can be used to hang the device 12 from a hook if one is handy. However, in the domestic environment, users may be reluctant to fix a hook to their dressing table or dressing table mirror for aesthetic reasons and so as not to damage the furniture. In the professional salon environment, hooks are desirably avoided for similar reasons and also for health and safety reasons. It will be appreciated that if the hot device is placed directly on a thermally delicate surface, such as a French-polished antique dressing-table top, or a painted MDF salon worktop, it will cause damage. Some users therefore employ a makeshift thermally-insulating cushion, such as a folded towel, when placing the hot device 12 on a thermally-delicate surface. Of course, if the towel is damp (for example if it has just been used to dry the hair), placing a mains-powered device on it raises health and safety issues.

[4] A protective mat specifically for hair-shaping devices has been proposed in patent document GB2400304. That mat is made from interlocked layers of carded polyester fibres. Although the mat of GB2400304 could well provide the required protection of a

support surface in ideal conditions, it suffers from the disadvantages that it slips easily on a support surface and that it is water absorbent. The use of a water absorbent mat for a mains-powered appliance in an environment, such as a hairdressing salon, where water abounds, is risky.

[5] An aim of the present invention, or at least of specific embodiments of it, is to provide an improved device for protecting a support surface such as a dressing-table top, or a salon worktop, when a hot hair-shaping device is placed on the support surface.

[6] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective mat for a heated hair-shaping device, the mat having a lower face that can be laid on a support surface and an upper face on which the device can be laid, the mat being resistant to thermal damage by the device, the mat having low thermal conductivity to protect the support surface from thermal damage by the device, and the mat being non-absorbent to water.

[7] Preferably, at least part of the lower face of the mat is significantly resistant to slipping on the support surface.

[8] At least part of the lower face of the mat preferably has surface formations, such as ribs and grooves, or a two-dimensional array of protrusions so as to increase the thermal insulation provided by the mat. Some of the surface formations are preferably arranged to engage the support surface so as to support the mat, whereas others of the surface formations are preferably arranged to be spaced from the support surface during normal use. These latter surface formations therefore act to conduct heat away from the upper surface of the mat, but without conducting it directly to the support surface. The surface formations will cause one or more cavities to be formed when the mat is laid on the support surface, and the mat is preferably arranged to permit air flow into and out of the cavity/ies, for example through vent holes. Heat can therefore be convected away by the air flow.

[9] Also, at least part of the lower face of the mat is preferably plain and arranged to engage the support surface so as to increase the friction or stickyness of the mat. Depending on the size and shape of the mat, the part with surface formations may surround the plain part, or the part with surface formations may be disposed towards one end of the mat, with the plain part being disposed towards an opposite end of the mat, the intention being that, in use when a tong-like hair- shaping device is placed on the mat, the part with surface formations will generally be underneath the hot test part of the hair shaping device, and the plain part will be underneath the centre of gravity of the device.

[10] Preferably, at least the upper face of the mat is thermochromic (i.e. it changes colour with temperature), so that the user can see at a glance whether the hair-shaping

device is still hot.

[11] Preferably, the mat is resistant to thermal damage from the device when the temperature of the device is as high as 23O ⁰ C.

[12] In one embodiment, the mat is made of silicone rubber, many common forms of which naturally provide the required features of resistance to thermal damage, low thermal conductivity and significant resistance to slipping.

[13] Silicone rubber and some other materials are normally readily charged with static electricity, so that dust and other things then stick to them. The mat may be treated so that it is resistant to the accumulation of static electricity. In the case of a silicone rubber mat, it may contain electrically conductive particles. Alternatively or additionally, at least the bulk of the upper face of the mat may be provided with surface decoration so as to disguise any dust particles that may collect thereon. The surface decoration may be provided by particles that may, for example, be moulded into the mat. It has been found to be particularly effective to use glitter particles. Alternatively or additionally, the surface decoration may be provided by swirls of different colours.

[14] In order to reduce the risk of the hair- shaping device slipping or twisting on the mat, for example if its mains power cord is accidentally nudged, so that the heated parts of the device come into direct contact with the support surface, the mat may have an upstanding lip extending along at least one edge thereof and more preferably along at least two edges thereof. In one embodiment, the mat may be generally rectangular. In this case, said one lipped edge, or each of said two lipped edges, is preferably a longer edge of the mat. In another embodiment, the mat is generally heart-shaped. Not only may this make the mat aesthetically attractive, but as will be seen from the subsequent description and drawings, it reduces the amount of material required for the mat compared with a correspondingly-sized rectangular mat. The heart-shaped mat preferably has an upstanding lip extending along the top and side edges of the heart shape and is preferably devoid of such an upstanding lip at and adjacent the base of the heart shape.

[15] A second aspect of the present invention extends to the use, for example in the hairdressing industry, of a protective mat of the first aspect of the invention between a heated hair-shaping device and a support surface.

[16] Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[17] Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a hair straightening device;

[18] Figure 2 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of protective mat and the hair straightening device;

[19] Figure 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of protective mat and the hair straightening device;

[20] Figure 4 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of protective mat;

[21] Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4, but also showing the hair straightening device;

[22] Figure 6 is an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of protective mat and a hair- straightening device;

[23] Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the mat of Figure 6;

[24] Figure 8 is an isometric view of the underside of the mat of Figure 6;

[25] Figure 9 is an end view of the mat of Figure 6 rolled up and secured with a strap;

[26] Figure 10 is an isometric view of the strap;

[27] Figure 11 is an isometric view of a fifth embodiment of protective mat and a hair- straightening device;

[28] Figure 12 is an isometric view of the underside of the mat of Figure 11 ;

[29] Figure 13 is an isometric view of a sixth embodiment of protective mat and a hair- straightening device; and

[30] Figure 14 is an isometric view of the underside of the mat of Figure 12.

[31] Referring to Figure 2, the first embodiment of protective mat 10 for a hair- straightening device 12 is generally in the form of a rectangle having a length L of about 250 to 300 mm, a width W of about 150 to 200 mm and a thickness T of about 3 mm. The mat 10 is cut from a sheet of silicone rubber. The silicone rubber incorporates electrically conductive particles of, for example, iron, nickel or carbon so that the mat 10 does not readily charge with static electricity. The silicone rubber also incorporates a thermochromic dye or pigment so that its colour changes with temperature. Therefore, when the device 12 is placed on the mat 10 and the heated plates 18 are hot, a region 24 of the mat 10 beneath the plates 18 changes colour, as shown by the cross- hatching in Figure 2. A user can therefore tell at a glance whether the hair- straightening device 12 has cooled down.

[32] Referring to Figure 3, the second embodiment of protective mat 10 is similar to the mat 10 of Figure 2, except that it is injection-moulded so as to have an upstanding lip 24 along each longer edge of the mat 10. The lips 24 rise to a height H of about 6 mm above the upper face of the main portion of the mat 10. In use, the hair- straightening device 12 is placed lengthwise on the mat 10. In the event that the device 12 or its power cord 20 is nudged slightly, the lips 24 tend to keep the heated plates 18 within the bounds of the mat 10.

[33] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the third embodiment of protective mat 10 is similar to the mat 10 of Figure 3, except that it is heart-shaped and the lip 24 extends all around the edge of the heart shape except in the region of the base 26 of the heart- shape. In use, the hair-straightening device 12 is placed on the mat 10 with its hinged joint adjacent the base 26 of the heart shape and with the arms 14 of the device 12 extending towards the lobes of the heart shape.

[34] Referring to Figures 6 to 10, the fourth embodiment of protective mat 10 is generally oval or elliptical in outline, having a major axis length of about 310 mm and a minor axis length of about 210 mm. The general thickness of the mat is about 2.5 mm. However, a band 28 (Figure 6) of a width of about 10 mm around the edge of the mat 10 is reduced in thickness on the upper face of the mat 10 to about 1.7 mm. This makes the edge of the mat 10 more compliant so that it will more readily lie flat on a surface after it has been unrolled. Also, if a user needs a smaller mat because of limited space on their work surface, they can readily cut neatly with scissors around the boundary line between the peripheral band 28 and the main portion of the mat 10 so as to remove the peripheral band 28 and reduce the size of the mat to about 290 mm by 190 mm.

[35] On the underside of the mat 10, the marginal band 28 is plain, as too is a central elliptical region 30 having a major axis length of about 120 mm and a minor axis length of about 80 mm. However, between the central region 30 and the peripheral band 28, the mat 10 is ribbed with grooves 32 extending parallel to the minor elliptical axis. The grooves 32 have a depth of about 1 mm and a pitch of about 5 mm. The grooves 32 (i) serve to increase the thermal insulation effect of the mat 10, (ii) increase the flexibility of the mat 10 so that it can more easily and tightly be rolled up about a roll axis generally parallel to the minor elliptical axis and (iii) reduce the amount of material in, and therefore the cost of, the mat 10. The plain central region 30 serves to provide good frictional grip between the underside of the mat 10 and the work surface.

[36] The mat 10 is moulded from silicone rubber such that the moulded mat 10 has a

Shore hardness of 60. The moulding material incorporates a conventional heat- resistance additive so that the moulded mat 10 can withstand temperatures up to 250 ⁰ C. The silicone rubber also incorporates a thermochromic dye or pigment so that its colour changes with temperature. Therefore, when the hair straightening device 12 is placed on the mat 10 and the heated plates 18 are hot, a region 24 of the mat 10 beneath the plates 18 changes colour, as shown by the cross-hatching in Figure 6. A user can therefore tell at a glance whether the hair- straightening device 12 has cooled down. The silicone rubber may also incorporate electrically-conductive particles of, for example, iron, nickel or carbon so that the mat 10 does not readily charge with static electricity and attract dust. Additionally or alternatively, shiny glitter particles are included in the moulding material so that some of the glitter particles 34 are visible on the surfaces of the moulded mat 10. The glitter particles 34 not only provide a decorative effect, but also disguise or overshadow any dust particles that are attracted to the mat 10. In an example, the glitter particles 34 are about 0.4 mm across and have a density at the surface of the mat 10 of about 20 to 40 particles/cm ² . Rather than using shiny glitter particles, other particles of a contrasting colour to the main colour of the

mat 10 may be included in the moulding material to disguise dust particles. Additionally or alternatively, the moulding material may be of two or more colours that are mixed immediately before being placed in the mould so as to provide swirls of different colours on the surface of the mat 10. Furthermore, the mould surfaces are treated so as to provide a matt lustre to the main surfaces of the mat 10, which also serves to disguise any dust particles that are attracted to the mat. Alternatively, a holographic pattern may be applied to the main surfaces of the mat 10.

[37] The mat 10 of Figures 6 to 9 is provided with a Velcro® strap 36 (Figure 10) having hook elements 38 on one side and loop elements 40 on the opposite side. When the mat 10 is rolled up, as shown in Figure 9, the strap 36 can be wrapped around the mat 10 and attached to itself so as to keep the mat 10 tidy. Alternatively, the mat 10 may be rolled around the arms 14 of the hair straightening device 12 while the plates 18 are still hot and bound with the strap 36 so that the device 12 can be put away. Instead of being provided with a separate strap 36, the strap 36 may be permanently joined to one end of the mat 10.

[38] The mat 10 of Figures 11 and 12 is similar to the mat of Figures 6 to 9 except in the following respects.

[39] The mat 10 of Figures 11 and 12 is triangular in shape with rounded corners, with the width W of the shortest edge 42 being about 225 mm and the length L from the shortest edge 42 to the opposite apex 44 being about 310 mm. The mat 10 has an overall thickness of about 6 mm, but is thinned on its upper surface to a thickness of about 1.5 mm around it marginal edge 28 (Figure 11).

[40] The underside of the mat 10 (Figure 12) has a recess 46 about 5 mm deep extending across most of the width of the mat 10 and extending from adjacent the shortest edge 42 about 60% of the way towards the opposite apex 44. The recess 46 contains a triangular array of protrusions 48,50 having a pitch of 10 mm. About one quarter of the protrusions 48, having a pitch of 20 mm, have a height equal to the depth of the recess 46, about 5 mm, so that they support the mat 10 when it is lying on a support surface. However, the remaining three quarters of the protrusions 50 have a height of only 3 mm so that in normal use they are spaced from the support surface. The edges of the recess 46 alongside the shorter edge 42 and the other two edges of the mat 10 are formed with series of apertures 52 which permit air to enter and leave the recess 46 when the mat 10 is lying on a support surface. The apertures 52 may be formed when the mat 10 is moulded, or, to simplify the moulding process, they may be punched-out afterwards. The protrusions 48,50 and the air flow assist in removing heat from the underside of the mat 10, and the shorter protrusions 50 which do not normally contact the support surface reduce the amount of heat which is conducted to the support surface.

[41] As seen in Figure 11, a button 54 is provided in a small recess adjacent the apex 44 of the mat 10 and has a loop 56 of elastic cord attached to it. When the mat 10 is rolled up around the shortest 42, with or without being rolled around the hair-straightening device 12, the free end of the loop 56 can be slipped over the button 54 to hold the mat 10 in the rolled-up state. The button 54 may be integrally moulded with the mat 10, or, to simplify the moulding process, may be attached to the mat 10 after it has been moulded.

[42] The mat 10 of Figures 13 and 14 is similar to the mat of Figures 11 and 12 except in the following respects.

[43] In the mat 10 of Figures 13 and 14, in the region of the recess 46, the mat is formed with a triangular array of apertures 58 through the thickness of the mat 10. The apertures 58 have a pitch of 20 mm and are offset from the protrusions 48,50. Each aperture 58 has a diameter of about 5 mm. The apertures 58 may be formed when the mat 10 is moulded, or to reduce the risk of flash formation, they may be punched-out afterwards. Like the apertures 52 of Figures 11 and 12, the apertures 58 permit air to enter and leave the recess 46 when the mat 10 is lying on a support surface.

[44] The different features of the various embodiments of mat 10 described above may be combined in a single mat where appropriate.

[45] It should be noted that the embodiments of the invention have been described above purely by way of example and that many modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.