[DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title]

PORTABLE ELECTRICALLY RECHARGEABLE HAIR IRON

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron, and more particularly, to a portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron, which can perform not only a hair straightening operation, but also a hair curling operation while providing a sufficient amount of heat through the use of a power supply battery.

[Background Art]

Generally, hair styles hold an important position in the beauty of women, and can be frequently and easily changeable as occasion demands in consideration of time and place. Accordingly, changing a hair style is utilized as means for sufficiently representing the aesthetic sense of women. It is well known that a variety of hair styles are being developed to maximize the aesthetic sense of women. One of cosmetic appliances for accomplishing the variety of hair styles are hair irons, which are also known as "hair curlers". The hair irons are designed to heat hair styling pieces using certain heating means, so as to make a desired hair style using the hair styling pieces. The hair irons are mainly used as a hair styling appliance that can be conveniently used to produce a variety of hair styles optimally selected depending on time and place, to maximize the aesthetic sense of women. In this case, the hair irons are classified into electric type hair irons and gas type hair irons based on a heating method thereof. Conventionally, the electric type hair irons adapted to be heated by electric power have a power cord to be connected to a wall outlet, and the gas type hair irons adapted to be heated by gas are of cordless type.

However, the above described conventional electric type hair irons have a limit in portable use because they have to be connected to a fixed power source by use of a cord in order to supply electric power to a heater provided therein. On the other hand, the conventional gas type hair irons have several problems, for example, a difficulty in the purchase of a gas cartridge for use therewith, the risk of gas explosion, etc. Moreover, in spite of the fact that hair styling manners are divided into a hair straightening operation and a hair curling operation, both the conventional electric type and gas type hair irons are designed to perform only one of the hair straightening and curling operations. Heretofore, there exist no products capable of performing both the hair straightening and curling operations.

As a solution of the above described problem, FIG. 1 illustrates a hair iron disclosed in registered Korean Utility Model Application No. 2000- 0035172. The disclosed conventional hair iron comprises two heating plates arranged to face each other while being connected to each other by use of a joint, and a heat conductive plate interposed between the two heating plates to divide a space between the two heating plates into different two hair styling regions, more particularly, a hair straightening region and a hair curling region.

Explaining the configuration of the disclosed conventional hair iron, one side of the heat conductive plate is formed by a flat surface for performing a hair straightening operation, and the other side of the heat conductive plate forms a waved surface for performing a hair curling operation. Accordingly, the disclosed hair iron can be used to make a variety of hair styles based on the user's desire. Description related to techniques for making the variety of hair styles is included in the specification of the above registered Korean Utility Model Application in detail and thus, will be omitted herein.

In the case of the conventional hair iron as described above, although it has no serious problems in operation, there exists a necessity for a great amount of power required to generate heat from the two heating plates facing each other. Furthermore, the above described conventional hair iron is an electric type hair iron and thus, is operable only when it is connected to a wall outlet to receive

commercial electric power therefrom. For this reason, the conventional hair iron has a limit in portable use. As a solution of the electric type hair iron having no portability, there has been developed a hair iron using a battery. However, the hair iron using a battery has a problem in the supply of a sufficient amount of power required for a heating operation, and therefore, cannot perform both the hair straightening operation and hair curling operation as disclosed in the above registered Korean Utility Model Application No. 2000-0031572. Thus, the hair iron using a battery is conventionally applicable only to a brush type hair curling appliance, and has a limit in use. In the above described registered Korean Utility Model Application No.

2000-0035172, furthermore, it was disclosed the fact that a great amount of power has to be supplied to heat the heating plates to a temperature of 130 ^° C to the maximum extent using a DC power source. However, it is very difficult to supply a sufficient amount of electric power to the two heating plates simultaneously. Accordingly, it can be said that the known prior art fails to realize a portable cordless hair iron having no risk of gas explosion, and there is an urgent requirement for a novel technology fulfilling the consumer's desire.

[Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron, which can perform not only a hair straightening operation, but also a hair curling operation while providing a sufficient amount of heat through the use of a power supply battery.

[Technical Solution]

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a portable electrically-

rechargeable hair iron comprising: two heating plates having heating surfaces symmetrically positioned to face each other; and a heat conductive plate located between the two heating plates and having a first flat surface and a second waved surface, further comprising: a rechargeable battery formed by a lithium ion or lithium polymer battery; a sensor unit for sensing an over-voltage state of the hair iron by a voltage supplied from the rechargeable battery; an overheating prevention unit for determining whether or not an over-voltage prevention operation has to be performed, on the basis of a voltage state sensed by the sensor unit; and a voltage stabilizing unit for stabilizing the voltage supplied from the rechargeable battery in a state wherein the overheating prevention unit does not perform an over-voltage prevention operation, so as to supply a stabilized electric current to the two heating plates for the heating of the heating plates.

[Advantageous Effects]

According to the present invention, a portable electrically rechargeable hair iron has several advantageous effects of: capable of performing not only a hair straightening operation, but also a hair curling operation; achieving convenience in carrying while ensuring generation of a sufficient amount of heat with the use of a portable rechargeable battery; and guaranteeing an ease in the manipulation of the hair iron by a user or operator by eliminating the necessity for a power cord.

[Description of the Drawings]

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an electric type hair iron according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a power supply device for use in a portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram illustrating the power supply device of FIG. 2.

[Best Mode]

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a power supply device for use in a portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the portable electrically-rechargeable hair iron according to the present invention comprises a rechargeable battery 100 formed by a lithium ion or lithium polymer battery, a sensor unit 200 used to sense an over-voltage state of the hair iron by a voltage supplied from the rechargeable battery 100, an overheating prevention unit 300 used to determine whether or not an over-voltage prevention operation has to be performed on the basis of a voltage state sensed by the sensor unit 200, a voltage stabilizing unit 400 used to stabilize the voltage supplied from the rechargeable battery 100 in a state wherein the overheating prevention unit 300 does not perform an over- voltage prevention operation, and heating plates 500 used to perform a heating operation required for making a desired hair style using the voltage stabilized in the voltage stabilizing unit 400.

FlG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram illustrating the power supply device of FIG. 2. Considering the operation of the portable electrically rechargeable hair iron according to the present invention, first, the hair iron comprises the lithium ion or lithium polymer battery because the battery has an outstanding constant-voltage providing effect. Accordingly, the lithium ion or lithium polymer battery is rechargeable easily if necessary and can last the operating

continuance time of the hair time for a relatively long time with a one charging operation. When providing the hair iron with the lithium ion or lithium polymer battery, the hair iron has a necessity for overheating prevention means for the safety of the battery. In the present invention, the sensor unit 200, which is used to sense an over-voltage state by a voltage supplied from the rechargeable battery 100, and the overheating prevention unit 300, which is used to determine whether or not an over-voltage prevention operation has to be performed on the basis of the voltage sensed by the sensor unit 200, serve to guarantee the safety of the lithium ion or lithium polymer battery 100. In a state wherein the overheating prevention unit 300 does not perform an over- voltage prevention operation, if the rechargeable battery 100 supplies an electric current, the electric current is stabilized to a level in a range of 6 volts and 4 amps while passing through the voltage stabilizing unit 400. Then, the current is evenly supplied to the two heating plates 500A and 500B. The rechargeable battery of the present invention is configured to inform a user of a charging state of power and a residual amount of power charged therein when in charge or use, so as to maximize convenience of use. Accordingly, to show the charging state of power as well as the residual amount of power charged in the rechargeable battery, the hair iron is provided with a battery level window.

[Industrial Applicability]

As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a portable electrically rechargeable hair iron having the following effects.

Firstly, according to the present invention, the hair iron can perform not only a hair straightening operation, but also a hair curling operation. Secondly, with the use of a portable rechargeable battery, the prevent invention has the effect of achieving convenience in carrying while ensuring generation of a sufficient amount of heat. Thirdly, the hair iron of the present invention is usable without a power cord, and this guarantees an ease in the manipulation of

the hair iron by a user or operator. Consequently, it can be said that the present invention is a very useful in the field of hair styling industry.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.