Hair Styling Device

CROSS REFERENCE APPLICATIONS

[0001] . This application is related to PCT/US2012/048411 filed July 26, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Many types of hair styling devices exist. One of the ongoing challenges is to curl hair without causing damage to the hair. Most hair curling devices work by applying heat to the hair with a heating element, such as a standard curling iron. This can dry and even burn the hair strands and cause damage. Styling the hair with a styling brush and a hair dryer is known, but this requires the user to manipulate both the brush and the hair dryer at the same time which is often difficult and tiring. Further, the user has to wind and unwind the hair strand to be styled from the brush multiple times. This can be difficult to do on the hair on the back of the user' s head. Also there is the risk that the hair will get tangled in the brush, causing breakage of the hair and slowing the process down. Hair styling devices that suction the hair into a chamber to dry are also known. The known versions of these have several disadvantages. First the devices tend to be primarily designed to straighten hair, curling the hair is a secondary thought if at all. Second, many of the known devices are primarily designed for salon installations, with personal use devices as a secondary consideration. Therefore, the devices tent to be bulky and expensive to manufacture. Further most of the suction devices have re-circulating air system where the air is heated in a second channel parallel the hair styling chamber and then fed into the hair styling chamber in a variety of ways. The hair is generally dried by heated air. The re-circulating option has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the particular application.

[0003] The foregoing example of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

SUMMARY

[0004] The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tool and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other

improvements. [0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a hair curling device that the user does not have to wind the hair around the styling implement.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a hair styling device for curling hair that uses suction to pull the hair around a hair styling core.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a suctioning hair styling device where the core the hair is wrapped around is heated.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a hair styling device that can have interchangeable hair styling shapes.

[0009] One embodiment of a hair styling device has a hollow hair styling chamber having a first end and a second end forming a first flow path. The hair styling chamber is

aerodynamically connected with a fan chamber having a means to induce an airflow at the second end. The means to induce an air flow can create an air flow along the flow path from the first end to the second end of the hair styling chamber and the fan chamber. The hair styling chamber has a central core that the hair is drawn around, styling the hair into a desired form. The central core is heated to provide the styling heat to the hair, with the air following into the chamber not being heated in most embodiments.

[0010] Another embodiment of a hair styling device has a re-circulating air flow with a swirl shaped intake to encourage the air flow and hair into the styling chamber.

[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a turbo feature where the hair flow is increased when suctioning the air into the styling chamber and the air flow is decreased while the hair is being curled.

[0012] One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a period of cool air to set the curl.

[0013] One aspect of the present disclosure is to channel the re-circulating air so that the air flow joins the outside airflow inside the outside air intake in a way to minimize air turbulence.

[0014] In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a side plan view of an alternate embodiment of the hair styling device.

[0016] Figure 2 is cross sectional view of the hair styling device.

[0017] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the front cap being removed.

[0018] Figure 4 is a close up view of one end of the style form and the connection piece. [0019] Figure 5 is a close up view of one end of the style form and the connection piece.

[0020] Figure 6 is an exploded view of Figure 5.

[0021] Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hair styling device with hair being drawn into the styling chamber.

[0022] Figure 8 is a side plan view of a second embodiment of a hair styling device with recirculating air flow.

[0023] Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of the second embodiment showing the air flow.

[0024] Figure 10 is a front plan view of the mixing tip.

[0025] Figure 11 is a front plan view of the mixing tip with the air flow illustrated.

[0026] Figure 12 is a back perspective view of the mixing tip.

[0027] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the front of the hair styler with the mixing tip and the style form removed.

[0028] Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the hair styling device 200 has a body portion 210 and a handle portion 202. The body portion 210 has a hollow main styling chamber. The length of the main styling chamber 201 will depend on the length of hair to be styled and the desired total weight of the device. For hand held units, there will be a practical limit of the length that is comfortable for most users to hold. In the depicted embodiment at least a portion of the walls of the styling chamber 201 are transparent or translucent. This is not required for function, but is a user convenience feature.

[0030] The body 210 is attached to the handle 202 at each end in this embodiment. A vacuum impeller 203 is powered by a motor 204 mounted in a fan chamber 205 to produce the air flow. Other means of producing an air flow could be uses as well, including fans, propellers or other known means. No limitation is intended or should be inferred. The fan chamber 205 is aerodynamically connected to the main styling chamber 201 and then vented to outside the body at the back of the body at vents 212. The styling chamber 201 has a styling form 207, which in the depicted embodiment is a spiral for forming spiral curls The style form 209 has a heated core 208 in the depicted embodiment. The core of the style form 209 is made of aluminum for good heat transfer. A heated style form 209 could also have an aluminum or other metal core with a thermally conduction plastic or ceramic over molded cover. The choice will depend on a variety of design considerations, including price point of the final product, amount of hair to be styled at a time and the size and length of the style form.

[0031 ] The air flow in this embodiment strait through the unit, with the impeller 203 creating an air flow when powered by motor 204. The air is pulled into impeller 203 as shown by arrow G. Outside air is drawn into the unit 201 at hair inlet 211 in first air flow, shown by arrow L. This creates an air current that draws air through the styling chamber 201, as shown by arrows H.

[0032] The hair inlet is generally cone shaped to gather the hair together into a compact strand. Once inside the styling chamber 201 the cross sectional area increases, but the static pressure remains lower than outside the intake, encouraging airflow into the style chamber and around the style form.

[0033] In this embodiment the style form 209 can be removed and changed for a different shaped style form. A large number of possible shapes of the styling form could be used with the present device. In the depicted embodiment the style forms 209 have two mechanical means to secure them into the hair styling device 200; a latch at the base and the air intake cap 220 on the end of the styling chamber 201. Each style form 207 can have visual and physical guides to aid in alignment. To change the style form 207 for a different one the user will remove the air intake cap 220 as seen in Figures 3. In the depicted embodiment the air intake cap 220 is retained in opening 223 by compressible tabs 221 that grip ridges 222 on the cap. Other known means of holding the air intake cap 220 in place would function as well. Once the air intake cap 220 is removed from opening 223, the front of the styling chamber 201 is open exposing a first end 224 of style form 207.

[0034] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective view of back end the style form 207 connection piece 240 that connects the style form 207, and thereby the styling chamber 201, to the fan chamber 205. The second end 225 of the style form 207 a power connection member 226 extending from the end. The power connection member 226 has a filter frame 250 with a filter 251 mounted around it. The filter 251 and the frame 250 form a disk that seals the bottom of the style form 207 to the connection piece and prevents hair or other materials from being pulled into the impeller. As seen in Figure 6, a connection member retainer 227 with a locking tab 227 is mounted around the connection member and between the style form 207 and the filter frame 250. Locking tab 228 extends through filter frame 250 and extends substantially parallel to the connection member 226. To mount the style form 207 in the connection piece 240 the connection member is inserted in to power connection jack 241 and the locking tab 228 is inserted through slot 242.

[0035] A large number of possible shapes of the styling form could be used with the present device. The hair could be formed into looser or tighter spiral curls, zigzag shapes, flips and other styles are possible with the disclosed device. The styling form can vary in diameter of the cylindrical core, pitch of the vanes, thickness of the vanes, or even discard the vanes in favor of shapes, pegs and other methods for imparting form to hair.

[0036] In the depicted embodiment the hair styling device 200 has a single switch to turn on the suction and the heating of the core at the same time in.

[0037] Referring next to Figure 7, an alternate view of hair styling device 100 is shown. The hair styling device 100 has a body 110 and a handle 102. The body 110 has a hollow styling chamber 101. The length of the styling chamber 101 will depend on the length of hair to be styled and the desired total weight of the device. For hand held units, there will be a practical limit of the length that is comfortable for most users to hold. The body 110 is attached to the handle 102 at one end. The handle 102 has a vacuum impeller (not shown) powered by a motor (not shown) mounted in a fan chamber 105. The fan chamber 105 is aerodynamically connected to the styling chamber 101. The styling chamber 101 has a styling form 107 with a heated core. A hair strand H to be styled is pulled into the styling chamber lOlr and around the styling form 107.

[0038] The hair strand H can be either wet or dry. The temperature of the style form core 207, 107 in the styling chamber is between 90 to 145 degrees C during operation. In the preferred embodiment the hair strand H is drawn into the styling chamber 101 and held there by the suction. The user can either turn off the suction to remove the curl or simply pull the hair styling device away from the strand of hair and put it next to another strand to curl the next strand.

[0039] Referring next to Figures 7 to 9, another embodiment of the hair styling device 300 has a body portion 310 and a handle portion 302. The body portion 310 has a hollow main styling chamber 301 and air channel 306 that runs roughly parallel to the styling chamber 301 for at least a portion of the length of the styling chamber, 301. The air channel 306 has a bypass air heating element 309 in the depicted embodiment. Some embodiments will not have the air heating element and the air will be not be actively heated in the air channel 306. Of course, some heating will occur due to friction. The length of the main styling chamber 301 will depend on the length of hair to be styled and the desired total weight of the device. For hand held units, there will be a practical limit of the length that is comfortable for most users to hold. In the depicted embodiment at least a portion of the walls of the styling chamber 301 are transparent or translucent. This is not required for function, but is a user convenience feature. The air channel 306 in the depicted embodiment is a similar length to the styling chamber, but this is not required, or even particularly likely on versions for longer hair. The air channel 306 extends into channel 320 connecting the air channel 306 the hair inlet 311.

[0040] The body 310 is attached to the handle 302 at each end in this embodiment. A vacuum impeller 303 is powered by a motor 304 mounted in a fan chamber 305 to produce the air flow. Other means of producing an air flow could be uses as well, including fans, propellers or other known means. No limitation is intended or should be inferred. The fan chamber 305 is aerodynamically connected to the main styling chamber 301 and to the air channel 306. The styling chamber 301 has a styling form 307, which in the depicted embodiment is a spiral for forming spiral curls. It is not necessary for the operation of the device to have the style form 307 in the styling chamber 301. If a person only wished to dry their hair in a generally straight style, then they could use the device with no style form in the chamber. The style form 309 has a heated core 308 in the depicted embodiment. In some embodiments the style form 309 may not be heated. Any given embodiment may have the heated core 308 or the air heating element 309 only or may have both the heated core 308 and the air heating element 309. The choice will depend on a variety of design considerations, including price point of the final product, amount of hair to be styled at a time and the size and length of the style form. The mixing tip 312 is removable as discussed above, allowing the removal and interchange of the style form 307 as discussed above.

[0041] In use, the impeller 303 creates an air flow when powered by motor 304. The air is pulled into impeller 203 as shown by arrow G. Outside air is drawn into the unit 301 at hair inlet 311 in first air flow, shown by arrow L. In this embodiment the mixing tip 312 and the hair inlet 311 are both contained in a removable inlet cap 330. This creates an air current that draws air through the styling chamber 301, as shown by arrows H. The air leaving the impeller is split into two air streams; one is exhausted out of the styling device, shown by arrows I at exhaust vents 331. The rest of air stream flows into the air channel 306 and over heating elements 209, shown by arrow J forming the second air flow. The air flows over the heating elements 209( if present) then flows through channel 320 under the mixing tip 312 and exits the heating chamber at hole 333 at hair inlet 311, shown by arrow K when the heating element is present. When the heating element is not present or turned off, the air flows through the air channel 306 without being heated other than by friction. Hole 333 needs to be located far enough into the hair inlet 311 that the air flow from hole 333 does not create too much turbulence in the air flow coming into the hair inlet 311, which can prevent the smooth flow of hair into the hair styling chamber 301.

[0042] Figures 10 and 11 show the front of inlet cap 330, which is an injection molded part made of heat resistant polymer in the depicted embodiment. The front has air flow channel 340, which is swirl shaped in the depicted embodiment. . The air flow channel 340 functions a funnel to direct the air flow, and therefore the user's hair, in a smooth and organized way to the hair inlet 311, and then to a point inside the unit where hair first can contact the style form 307 and is drawn down for curling by the airflow. The position of the opening (11 to 1 o'clock in the orientation shown in Figure 11) is important because the suction is more effective at this point. The inlet cap also has a groove 341 on the inside surface seen in Figure 12, which forms the upper surface of duct 320. The air flowing from the exhaust of the air channel 306 exits behind the tip opposite the opening 307(shown in dotted lines) at the 6:00 o'clock position in the orientation shown in Figure 11. The duct 320 formed by the contours of the back of the tip 330 directs the re-circulated air to an exit point inside the hair inlet 311 as shown by arrow 334 in Figure 11.. The air flow out of the duct 320 is accelerated by the suction at that point and both aids in heating the hair and effectively drawing the hair into and through the style form. Figure 13 shows the end of the device with the air channel 306 and the style chamber 301, the style form is removed in the picture of clarity.

[0043] Referring again to Figures 8 and 9, the device has three control buttons in the depicted embodiment. Power button 350 turns on the impeller 303 and all of the heating elements that are present in a given embodiment. In the depicted embodiment the power button 350 would turn on both heating elements 309 and 308. This starts the air flow into the device and starts the elements heating. In normal use it is expect that the user would allow the heating elements to heat for several minutes before they began styling their hair, to allow sufficient heat to be generated and to allow the style form 307 to heat up. The user would then place a strand of hair to be curled near the hair inlet 311. In use the time the most air flow is needed is when the user needs to suction the hair strand into the styling chamber 301 and down around the style form 307 in a tight smooth curl. During the drying of the hair and/or setting of the curl, less suction force, and therefore less air flow, is needed. To increase the energy efficiency of the device and to reduce the noise during use, it is desirable to be able to control the amount of air flow such that the maximum air flow is generated only when it is needed. To ensure that there is more than sufficient suction to pull the hair in, the user presses the turbo button 351 which increases the speed of the impeller, increasing the airflow when a lock of hair is being pulled into the device. The turbo button 351 can be released, reducing the air flow, once the user is sure the lock of hair is pulled down around the style form 307 in the desired shape, which would be a spiral in the depicted embodiment. Once the lock of hair is curled and/or dried, it is desirable to set the curl by allowing the hair to cool off, closing the hair cuticle. In the depicted embodiment, to set the hair strand while it is still wrapped in the spiral, a heat control button 352 is provided. This button turns off both heating elements 308 and 309, allowing the outside air flowing into the hair intake show by arrows L to cool the hair strand. The user then pulls the device away from their hair, freeing the lock of hair. There is no need to turn off the device to remove the lock of hair and no twisting the wrist is required to unwind the hair from the style form, all that is required to load and unload the lock of hair is to move the hair styling device toward the hair lock and then away.

[0044] Additional features could be added to the hair styling device, such as ionic generators, including tourmaline crystals, could be added to the device to allow the user to control the buildup of positive ions caused by the heating of the air flow. Silver ion sanitizing methods could also be used as well in the device.

[0045] While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and subcombinations therefore. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations are within their true spirit and scope. Each apparatus embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.

[0046] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure

[0047] In general the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the invention.