Hair Styling Appliance Cleaning Station

Inventors: Steve Paliobeis

[0001] This application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/865,568 filed June 24, 2019 entitled“Hair Styling Appliance Cleaning Station,” to Paliobeis, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application also claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63/037,679 filed June 11, 2020 entitled“Hair Styling Appliance Cleaning Station,” to Paliobeis, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The techniques disclosed herein relate to hair styling appliances, and in exemplary embodiments relate to cleaning of handheld hair appliances.

BACKGROUND

[0003] As known in the art, hair styling appliances may be provided in a variety of forms. Such appliances include, for example, hair dryers, flat irons / straighteners, curling irons, etc. for applying heat and/or other treatment to hair. Due to the nature of the use of hair appliances, dirt and hair product may build-up on the hair styling appliances, particular with regard to surfaces which come in contact with a user’s hair. For example, hair style irons (such as flat irons and curling irons) particularly exhibit unwanted build-up on the surfaces which contact a user’s hair. Unwanted build-up may be removed by periodic cleaning. Conventional cleaning techniques utilize liquid cleaners and/or cleaning wipes. [0004] It would be desirable to provide a handheld hair styling appliance which provides for improvements over prior art techniques for cleaning surfaces of the hair styling appliance.

SUMMARY

[0005] Described herein are techniques and systems for cleaning hair styling appliances. A stand that holds the hair styling appliance when the hair styling appliance is not in use is provided. The stand operates as a cleaning station between uses of the hair styling appliance. The stand may include a cleaning pad that is provided to clean the contact surface of the hair styling appliance. In one embodiment, the stand is configured to clean an iron surface of a hair styling iron. In one particular embodiment, the iron surface is a flat iron surface. The stand may be configured so that when the hair styling iron is removed from the stand before each use, the iron surface may engage the cleaning pad. In this manner, the hair styling iron may be cleaned regularly. In one embodiment, the stand may be configured to hold a flat iron having two arms, at least one of the arms having an iron surface, the arms being moveable in open and closed configurations. In use, the flat iron may be placed in the stand with the arms of the flat iron in an open configuration with the cleaning pad located between the arms. When the flat iron is desired to be used, the user may close the flat iron on the pad and then pull the flat iron off the stand, so that the iron surfaces engage the cleaning pad as the flat iron is removed from the stand. The cleaning pad then cleans the iron surfaces as the flat iron is pulled from the stand. In this manner, undesired build-up (dirt, hair products, etc.) may be periodically removed, for example before each use of the hair styling appliance.

[0006] In one embodiment, a stand for holding a hair styling appliance is described. The stand may comprise a resting surface configured to support the hair styling appliance when the hair styling appliance is held by the stand. The stand further comprises a cleaning pad and a first region adjacent the cleaning pad, the first region configured to store at least a part of the hair styling appliance when the hair style appliance is held by the stand. The stand is configured so that upon removal of the hair styling appliance from the stand, a surface portion of the hair styling appliance may engage the cleaning pad to as to clean the surface portion of the hair styling appliance.

[0007] In another embodiment, a stand for holding a hair styling iron is described. The stand comprises a resting surface configured to support the hair styling iron when the hair styling iron is held by the stand. The stand further comprises a cleaning pad. The stand also comprises a first slot adjacent a first side of the cleaning pad, the first region configured to store a first arm of the hair styling iron. The stand further comprises a second slot adjacent a second side of the cleaning pad, the second slot configured to store a second arm of the hair styling iron. The stand is configured so that when the first arm and second are of the hair styling iron are closed when the hair styling iron is held in the stand, a first arm surface portion of the hair styling iron and a second arm surface portion of the hair styling iron may both engage the cleaning pad so as to clean the first arm surface portion and the second arm surface portion upon removal of the hair styling appliance.

[0008] In yet another embodiment, a method of storing and cleaning a hair styling appliance with a hair styling appliance stand is described. The method comprises providing a cleaning pad as part of the hair styling appliance stand and placing the hair styling appliance on the hair styling appliance stand. The method further comprises engaging a surface of the hair styling appliance against the cleaning pad and pressing the surface of the hair styling appliance against the cleaning pad as the hair styling appliance is being removed from the stand so as to clean the surface of the hair styling appliance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] A more complete understanding of the present inventions and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features. It is to be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concepts and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope, for the disclosed concepts may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0010] Figures 1 illustrates a hair styling appliance stand for holding and cleaning a hair styling appliance.

[0011] Figure 2 illustrates the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1 holding a hair styling appliance.

[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a removable cleaning pad and a reservoir of the hair styling appliance of Figure 1. [0013] Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1.

[0014] Figure 5 illustrates a front view of the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1.

[0015] Figure 6 illustrates a back view of the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1.

[0016] Figure 7 illustrates a top view of the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1.

[0017] Figure 8 illustrates a bottom view of the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1.

[0018] Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the hair styling appliance stand of Figure 1 modified to include one or more light sources.

[0019] While the embodiments of hair styling appliances and methods disclosed herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Described herein are techniques and systems for cleaning hair styling appliances. A stand that holds the hair styling appliance when the hair styling appliance is not in use is provided. The stand operates as a cleaning station between uses of the hair styling appliance. The stand may include a cleaning pad that is provided to clean the contact surface of the hair styling appliance. In one embodiment, the stand is configured to clean an iron surface of a hair styling iron. In one particular embodiment, the iron surface is a flat iron surface. The stand may be configured so that when the hair styling iron is removed from the stand before each use, the iron surface may engage the cleaning pad. In this manner, the hair styling iron may be cleaned regularly. In one embodiment, the stand may be configured to hold a flat iron having two arms, at least one of the arms having an iron surface, the arms being moveable in open and closed configurations. In use, the flat iron may be placed in the stand with the arms of the flat iron in an open configuration with the cleaning pad located between the arms. When the flat iron is desired to be used, the user may press the flat iron arms against the pad and then pull the flat iron off the stand, so that the iron surfaces engage the cleaning pad as the flat iron is being removed from the stand. The cleaning pad then cleans the iron surfaces as the flat iron is pulled from the stand. In this manner, undesired build-up (dirt, hair products, etc.) may be periodically removed, for example before each use of the hair styling appliance. Alternatively, promptly after use of the flat iron, the user may press the flat iron arms against the cleaning pad and clean the flat iron surfaces so that the flat iron is ready for the next use without further cleaning needed.

[0021] In one embodiment, the cleaning pad may be a reusable pad. In another embodiment, the cleaning pad may be a disposable pad. In some embodiments, the cleaning pad may be removable. In some embodiments, a cleaning fluid may be applied to the cleaning pad. In some embodiment, the stand may include a liquid cleaning fluid reservoir which may hold a cleaning fluid. The cleaning pad may engage the liquid in the cleaning fluid reservoir. Cleaning fluid may be transferred from the reservoir to the cleaning pad by capillary action. In another embodiment, the cleaning pad may be removed for manual application of cleaning fluid. In one embodiment, the cleaning pad may be a disposable cleaning pad that has a cleaning fluid pre- applied to the cleaning pad. In such an embodiment, the cleaning pad that has a pre-applied cleaning fluid may be provided to the user in a package that is sealed before use. The cleaning pad may then be periodically disposed of after use and replaced with a fresh cleaning pad that has the pre-applied cleaning fluid. In one embodiment, the cleaning fluid may be water. In other embodiments, the cleaning fluid may be a cleaning solution comprised of a mixture of some or all of water, D-Glucose, Octyl Ethers-Oligomeric, D- Glucopyranoside, CIO-16 Alkyloligomeric, PPG-2 Methyl Ether, Butoxydiglycol, C9-11 Pareth-11 Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Metasilicate, Tetrasodium EDTA and fragrance. It will be recognized that other cleaning solutions may also be used.

[0022] The cleaning pad may be comprised of a wide range of materials. In one embodiment, the cleaning pad may be comprised of a material that provides a capillary action that has a “wicking” effect to provide cleaning fluid in the cleaning pad. In such an embodiment, the cleaning pad may be comprised of any of a wide variety of wicking materials, preferably those that are also heat resistant. Such an embodiment is merely exemplary however. In alternative embodiments, the cleaning pad may be comprised of any material that is suitable for cleaning surfaces of the hair styling appliance, including but not limited to any of a wide variety of absorbent heat resistant materials. It will also be recognized that the particular material utilized for the cleaning pad may be dependent upon the composition of the surface of the hair styling appliance to be cleaned. Thus, the embodiments described herein will be recognized to be merely exemplary and other materials may be utilized. Other materials that may be utilized for the cleaning pad, include but are not limited to, wool, polyester, and/or fiberglass. Further, though described above with respect to a cleaning pad made of a heat resistant material, the cleaning pad may alternatively be designed of a material intended to be used at an ambient temperature. In such a configuration the hair styling appliance may be cooled prior to engaging the cleaning pad. For example, the hair styling appliance may be cooled prior to insertion in the stand, or the cleaning pad may be inserted into the stand after the hair styling appliance has cooled. In yet another embodiment, the cleaning pad may be embedded with silver to provide anti-microbial silver ions to the high styling appliance when the appliance is cleaned. In this manner, the cleaning pad may be used to decrease bacteria, fungi, and certain virus present on the high styling appliance.

[0023] It will be recognized that the mechanical configuration of a stand for cleaning surfaces of a hair styling appliance according to the techniques described herein may be configured in a wide range of manners. It will also be recognized that the stand configuration may depend upon the configuration of the type of hair styling appliance which the stand is used with. Thus, a hair styling appliance system may be provided in which the stand is particularly configured for a given type, size, etc. hair styling appliance.

[0024] Figures 1-3 illustrate one hair styling appliance cleaning system. The exemplary hair styling appliance cleaning system is configured to clean a flat iron styling appliance. As mentioned, however, it will be recognized that the techniques described herein may be utilized with other hair styling appliances. Thus, the configuration of the system of Figures 1- 3 will be recognized to be merely exemplary. Further, even for use with flat irons, it will be recognized that the particular stand configuration of Figures 1-3 is merely exemplary, and the concepts described herein may be used in other physical configurations.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, a hair style appliance system 100 is provided. In the example shown in Figure 1, the hair style appliance system 100 is configured for use with flat irons. As shown in Figure 1, the hair style appliance system 100 includes a stand 105 and a flat iron 110. The flat iron 110 includes a first arm 112 and a second arm 114. As known to those skilled in the art, the first arm 112 and the second arm 114 are moveable with respect to each other. One or both of first arm 112 and second arm 114 may include an iron surface which engages a user’ s hair as is also well known to those skilled in the art.

[0026] The stand 105 includes a first slot 115 and a second slot 120. The first slot 115 and the second slot 120 are configured to allow insertion of the first arm 112 and the second arm 114 as described below. The stand 105 includes a cleaning pad 125 and a cleaning pad grip 130. The cleaning pad grip 130 may be utilized by the user for removing the cleaning pad 125 from the stand 105. The stand 105 may also include an outer housing 135. The outer housing 135 provides a protective outer housing that surrounds at least a portion of the first arm 112 and second arm 114 when the arms are inserted in the stand 105. This provides a protective housing around the arms, which is particularly useful when the iron surface of the ar s is hot so as to prevent accidently contact with the heated elements of the flat iron when the flat iron 110 is stored in the stand 105. A surface 140 is provided to support the flat iron 110 when the stand 105 is used to store the flat iron 110. The stand 105 also includes base 145. A reservoir cap 150 is shown in Figure 1 covering a reservoir for holding cleaning fluid.

[0027] Figure 2 illustrates the hair style appliance system 100 having the flat iron 110 held by the stand 105. As shown in Figure 2, the first arm 112 is inserted in the first slot 115 and the second arm 114 is inserted in the second slot 120. In operation, when a user desires to use the flat iron 110, the user may press the first arm 112 and the second arm 114 in the closed position. In such a position, the first arm 112 and the second arm 114 may contact the cleaning pad 125. Then when the user removes the flat iron 110, the iron surfaces of the flat iron 110 may engage the cleaning pad as the flat iron 110 is pulled out of the stand 105. In this manner, a surface of the flat iron 110 may be cleaned as the flat iron is pulled from the stand 105. Though described above for an embodiment in which two arms of a hair styling appliance may be pressed toward each other to engage the cleaning pad, it will be recognized that appliances with only one surface to be cleaned may also utilize the cleaning pad. For an appliance with only one surface to be cleaned, the user may move the appliance toward the cleaning pad and engage that one surface against the cleaning pad.

[0028] As mentioned above, the cleaning pad of the system described may be optionally a removable cleaning pad and the cleaning pad may also be optionally configured to work with a cleaning fluid. Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which the cleaning pad is removable and in which the cleaning pad operates via a capillary action to absorb cleaning fluid from a reservoir. As shown in Figure 3, the stand 105 has its reservoir cap 150 lifted up to expose the underlying reservoir 170. The reservoir 170 contains the cleaning fluid and is provided with a configuration that allows the cleaning pad 125 to contact the cleaning fluid containing in the reservoir 170. In the example shown, an opening 175 is arranged to be positioned with respect to the cleaning pad through which the cleaning pad 125 may extend into the space of the reservoir 170 so as to contact fluid contained in the reservoir 170. By the cleaning pad being in contact with the cleaning fluid in the reservoir, cleaning fluid may be absorbed into the cleaning pad. This may be accomplished by a“wicking action.” It will be recognized, however, that other methods of exposing the cleaning pad to cleaning fluid may also be utilized. In this manner, the cleaning pad may be maintained with the cleaning fluid that is used for assisting in cleaning the hair appliance when the appliance is removed from the station.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning pad 125 has been pulled out of the stand 105, for example by the user pulling upward on the cleaning pad grip 130. Removal of the cleaning pad 125 allows for swapping out the cleaning pad 125 (for example with disposable cleaning pads) or cleaning of the cleaning pad if the cleaning pad is not meant to be disposable). As mentioned, the use of a removable cleaning pad is optional however.

[0030] Additional views of the stand 105 may be seen in Figures 4-8. Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the stand 105. Figure 5 illustrates a front view of the stand 105. Figure 6 illustrates a back view of stand 105, including openings 180 provided at the back of outer housing 135. It will be recognized, however, that such openings are merely optional. Figure 7 illustrates a top view of the stand 105. Figure 8 illustrates a bottom view of the stand 105. It will be recognized that the particular physical arrangement of the stand described and shown herein in the figures is merely representative and other structural arrangements may utilize the cleaning pad concepts described herein. For example, as shown in Figure 4 an exemplary angle of orientation is provided between the surface 140 that supports the flat iron 110 and the base 145. It will be recognized that the angle shown is merely exemplary and other angles may be utilized. Thus, in one embodiment, an angle of orientation between the surface 140 and the base may be between 20 and 30 degrees. However, in other examples, the stand may be configured so that the surface 140 is parallel to the base 145. In still other embodiments, angles greater than 30 degrees may be utilized. Further in still another embodiment, the stand 105 may be configured so that the surface 140 may be at a 90 degree angle with respect to base 145. In such a case, the flat iron may be placed directly straight down into the stand 105, the flat iron resting at a 90 degree angle with respect to the base. Still further, surface 140 may be completely absent (for example in a 90 degree insertion arrangement) and the flat iron 110 may be supported in the stand 105 merely by the housing 135, resting on the housing at the back of slots 115 and 120. In still yet another embodiment, the angle of orientation between the surface 140 and base 145 may be adjustable. For example, an adjustable hinge may connect the base 145 to the rest of the stand 105. In this embodiment, the user may select what angle of orientation the user desires. In one example, the angle of orientation may hinge between 20 degrees and 60 degrees. In another example, the angle may be adjustable between 0 degrees (the flat iron being parallel to the base) to 90 degrees (the flat iron being inserted perpendicular to the base). In still another embodiment, the angle of orientation may be adjustable between 0 degrees and 180 degrees so that the stand may be adjusted for insertion from a wide range of directions.

[0031] An alternative embodiment of the stand 105 of Figures 1-7 is shown in Figures 9-10. In general, stand 105 of Figures 8-9 is similar to that of Figures 1-7 except that Figures 9-10 show the addition of one or more light sources placed within the stand 105. As shown in Figure 9, a light source 185 may be located on the side of the housing 135. A light source 185 (not seen in Figure 9 due to the perspective view) may also be located on the opposing side of the housing 135. Thus, light sources may be located on two or more sides of the housing 135. Alternatively, a light source 185 may be located on only one side of the housing 135. In addition, as shown in Figure 10, a light source 185 may be placed above each of the slots of the stand 105. Embodiments using light sources may have light sources at one or more or all of the locations described. Further, it will be recognized that the light source locations shown are merely exemplary and other locations may be used. The light sources may be used to kill bacteria, fungi or viruses or the like to sanitize the surfaces of the high styling appliance placed in the stand or to sanitize the surfaces of the stand itself. In one embodiment, the light source may provide UV light which is known to deactivate bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. In one particular embodiment, the UV light may be short-wave UV light, UV-C light. It will be recognized, however, that the light source is not limited to UV wavelengths as other wavelengths of light which provide sanitizing effects may also be utilized. The stand 105 (and a first slot 115 and a second slot 120) may be configured to be large enough so that when the flat iron is inserted into the stand 105 enough open space may exist around the first arm 112 and the second arm 114 to allow exposure of the surfaces of the flat iron to the provided light. [0032] The light source(s) may be powered in a wide variety of manners including non- rechargeable batteries embedded in the stand 105, rechargeable batteries embedded in the stand 105 and/or a power cord (not shown) connected to the stand 105. The light source(s) may be coupled to a switch (not shown) to selectively turn on and off the light source(s) as desired by a user. Alternatively, the light source may always be on. The light source(s) may also be triggered to turn on by a sensor embedded in the stand which detects placement of a hair styling appliance in the stand and then automatically turns the light source(s) on when the presence of the hair styling appliance is detected. The light source(s) may also be electronically controlled to stay on for a desired timeframe that is long enough to provide the sanitizing effects and then turns off automatically. Other variations of the light source(s) and control may be utilized as those described herein are merely exemplary.

[0033] Thus, as shown, a system and method are provided which allows for easy cleaning of a surface of hair styling appliance each time the hair styling appliance is removed from a stand which is used to hold the appliance. The system and method thus provide an easily used mechanism and method to minimize the build-up of unwanted materials on surfaces of the hair styling appliance.

[0034] Further modifications and alternative embodiments of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. It will be recognized, therefore, that the present invention is not limited by these example arrangements. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herein shown and described are to be taken as exemplary embodiments. Various changes may be made in the implementations and architectures. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention.