Starrett, Richard (10 Cairngorm Court, Hamilton ML3 8JF, GB)
Starrett, Richard (10 Cairngorm Court, Hamilton ML3 8JF, GB)
| 1. | A payment operated hair styling apparatus comprising: a payment unit; and a hair styling device comprising at least one heat conducting element, wherein said heat conducting element comprises at least one heat conducting surface that, in use, heats the hair of a user by conduction of heat from the heat conducting surface to the hair when in contact with the heat conducting surface. |
| 2. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hair styling device is a hair straightener. |
| 3. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one heat conducting surface is planar. |
| 4. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hair styling device is a curling tong. |
| 5. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hair styling device is a crimper. |
| 6. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claims 4 to 5, wherein the at least one heat conducting surface is curved or corrugated. |
| 7. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the payment unit is coin operated. |
| 8. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the payment unit is operated by tokens or debit card. |
| 9. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a timer unit. |
| 10. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the timer unit is programmed to vary the predetermined length of time power is supplied to the hair styling device. |
| 11. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hair styling device comprises a pair of heat conducting elements comprising a pair of heat conducting surfaces. |
| 12. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the heat conducting element is made of metal or ceramic. |
| 13. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hair styling device is secured to the payment unit via an armoured cable. |
| 14. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hair styling apparatus further comprises means for storing the hair styling device. |
| 15. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means for storing the hair styling device has means for dissipating heat. |
| 16. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hair styling apparatus further comprises at least one further hair styling device. |
| 17. | The payment operated hair styling apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hair styling apparatus further comprises a product dispenser. |
The present invention relates to a payment operated apparatus for styling hair, especially, but not exclusively, to a coin-operated hair straightening apparatus.
A longstanding problem with hair styling apparatus, such as hair straighteners, curling tongs and the like, has been the length of time it takes for the apparatus to heat up to the required temperature for use.
This has limited the use of such hair styling apparatus to situations where sufficient time is available to heat the apparatus to the required temperature for use and/or it is economical to provide power to said apparatus. Typical situations have been in the home for private use, or at hair salons, where users can wait for the apparatus to heat up, and the heat-up time does not unduly inconvenience the user.
Hair styling apparatus have not generally been suitable for use in public or communal situations, for example, changing areas at swimming pools or toilets in clubs etc., as the long heat-up times required for these apparatus would be inconvenient for users.
In addition, as users would likely be required to pay for the time period in which power was supplied to the hair styling apparatus to heat said apparatus to a sufficient temperature, it would be prohibitively costly for users to use such apparatus.
According to the present invention, there is provided a payment operated hair styling apparatus comprising: a payment unit; and a hair styling device comprising at least one heat conducting element, wherein said element comprises at least one heat conducting surface that heats the hair by conduction of heat from the heat conducting surface to the hair of a user when in contact with the heat conducting surface.
In one embodiment of the invention the hair styling device is a hair straightener.
In another embodiment of the invention the hair styling device is a curling tong.
In another embodiment of the invention the hair styling device is a crimper.
Preferably, the at least one heat conducting surface is planar. Alternatively, the at least one heat conducting surface is curved or corrugated.
Preferably the hair styling device has two heat conducting surfaces between which, in use, hair can be positioned.
Preferably, the payment unit is coin operated. Alternatively, the payment unit is operated by tokens or debit card.
Preferably, the payment unit has a timer unit.
The timer unit may connect a power supply to the hair styling device for a predetermined length of time.
In one embodiment a preferred length of time is between 1 minute and 10 minutes.
In another embodiment a preferred length of time is 1 minute to 5 minutes.
Preferably, the timer unit can be programmed to vary the predetermined length of time power is supplied to the hair styling device.
Preferably, the hair styling device comprises a pair of heat conducting elements comprising a pair of heat conducting surfaces.
Preferably, the heat conducting element is made of metal or is ceramic or is formed from a crushed mineral coating, for example tourmaline, or the like.
Preferably the heat conducting element can heat-up to a temperature suitable for use in less than 90 seconds, more preferably less than 60 seconds, yet more preferably less than 30 seconds.
Preferably, the hair styling device is secured to the payment unit via an armoured cable.
Preferably, the hair styling apparatus further comprises means for storing the hair styling device.
Preferably, the means for storing the hair styling device has means for dissipating heat.
In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus the means for storing the hair styling device may be plate metal, shaped to provide an open-ended box, in which the bottom and sides of the box have portions of plate metal cut-out to allow air to circulate.
Optionally, the hair styling apparatus may comprise at least two styling devices, for example, a hair straightener and a curling tong.
Optionally, the hair styling apparatus may comprise at least one dispenser for providing products to a user, for example hair styling products, such as hair serum or the like.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a payment operated hair styling apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
With reference to the Fig. 1, a payment operated hair styling apparatus 10 comprises a payment unit 12 and a hair styling device 14 such as a hair straightener.
The styling device 14 has two heat conducting elements 16 which are made from a ceramic material or similar material. Ceramic materials or crushed mineral coatings, for example tourmaline, are particularly advantageous due to the short length of time it takes for them to heat up to a useable temperature (fast heat up performance devices) . Fast heat up performance devices are considered to be those which from "cold" reach a suitable temperature for use in less than around 30 s. Previously hair styling devices such as hair straighteners took around at least 10 mins to heat- up to a useable temperature. To reach a suitable
temperature It should be appreciated that the heat conducting elements 16 may be made from other materials which display similar heat-up times.
The heat conducting elements 16 have heat conducting surfaces 18. The surfaces 18 are illustrated in Fig. 1 as being planar surfaces. This type of arrangement is particularly useful when a user wishes to straighten their hair. In use, the hair is positioned between the heat conducting surfaces 18 and flattened by clamping and applying heat to the hair.
In embodiments of the apparatus wherein the hair styling device is a curling tong the hair is wrapped around a cylindrical tong which is used to shape and curl the hair and heat is applied.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the styling device 14 is connected to the payment unit 12 via a cable 20. The cable 20 may be armoured to prevent it from being cut by providing a protective sheathing around the cable 20.
The payment unit 12 may be mounted to a wall and hard wired to a power supply (not shown) .
As illustrated, the payment unit 12 is a coin- operated unit. In this embodiment, money is inserted into the payment unit 12 at slot 22. The payment unit 12 includes a coin identification module (not shown) which identifies the monetary
value of the coin. The payment unit 12 also comprises a coin return outlet 24 and a coin collection box (not shown) .
The payment unit 12 also comprises a timer unit (not shown) . The timer unit determines the length of time that the power supply is connected to the styling device 14. The timer unit may also be programmable in order to vary the length of time in which the power supply is connected to the styling device 14.
The payment unit 12 also comprises storage means 26 for storing the styling device 14 when not in use. The storage means 26 has heat vents 28 for dissipating heat after use.
In use, the user inserts a coin into slot 24. The coin identification module identifies the monetary value of the coin and the timer unit connects the power supply to the styling device 14 for a length of time which is commensurate to the monetary value of the coin.
Since the styling device 14 has heat conducting elements 16 which are made from a ceramic material or the like, they heat up to the required temperature for use quickly.
The user can then style their hair with the styling device 14.
Once the user has finished styling their hair, the styling device 14 may be inserted into the storage means 26. Since the storage means 26 has vents 28, the styling device 14 may be stored therein immediately after use without the user having to wait until the styling device 14 has cooled down to a safe temperature.
The means for storing the hair styling device may be plate metal shaped to provide an open-ended box, in which the bottom and sides of the box have portions of plate metal cut-out to allow air to pass through.
The apparatus 10 is advantageous as it minimises the time a user in a communal area has to wait, for example the user should not have to wait for a time greater than about 30 s. Further, the user will not have to pay for a greater period of time than about 30 s for the styling device 14 to heat up to the required temperature for use. As the heat up time is greatly reduced it is economical to provide the apparatus in communal areas.
Modifications and improvements may be made to the above without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, although the heat conducting elements 16 have been described above as made of a ceramic material, it should be appreciated that the heat conducting elements may be made of a suitable metal, such as titanium.
Furthermore, although the heat conducting elements 16 have been described above as being made of a ceramic material or a metal material, it should be appreciated that the heat conducting elements 16 may be plated with a ceramic material or a metal material.
Also, although the payment operated hair styling apparatus 10 has been described above as being a coin operated, it should be appreciated that the apparatus could be operated by tokens or debit card, or the like.
Furthermore, although the surfaces 18 of the heat conducting elements 16 have been described above as being planar surfaces, it should be appreciated that the surfaces 18 may be curved or corrugated. This allows the user to style their hair in an alternative manner, i.e. to add curls with the curved surfaces, or to crimp with the corrugated surfaces.
Also, the payment operated hair styling apparatus 10 may also have a mirror incorporated thereon to allow the user to view their hair during styling.
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