Hair Curling Device

Abstract

A hair curling device includes an elongated heating member, a handle member, a powering arrangement including a motorized unit supported in said handle member, and a clamping arm pivotally moved between an opened position that the clamping arm is tilted from the heating member and a closed position that the clamping arm is in contact with a heating surface of the heating member. The clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of the heating member by the motorized unit, such that after the clamping arm is moved at the closed position for retaining a lock of hair between the clamping arm and the heating surface of the heating member, the clamping arm is automatically rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

This is a Continuation-In-Part application that claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to a non-provisional application, application Ser. No. 13/573,489, filed Sep. 17, 2012 and another non-provisional application, application Ser. No. 13/781,595, filed Feb. 28, 2013.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to any reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a hair setter, and more particular to a hair curling device, wherein the clamping arm is automatically rotated to wind up the hair of the user around the heating member for curling the hair thereof. The user is able to drive the clamping arm to rotate 360° around the heating member via one hand operation in order to wind up the hair of the user around the heating member in a tight and neat manner, such that the user is able easily curl her hair easily in a “do it yourself” manner. In addition, the clamping arm can be manually driven manually or can be automatically driven by an electric motor in two reversible directions.

2. Description of Related Arts

A traditional hair curling device comprises a heating barrel coaxially extended from an elongated handle, wherein the user must whirl the hairs around the heating barrel by the rotational movement of the handle. Heat is applied at the external surface of the heating barrel to thermally contact with the hairs of the user so as to curl the hairs of the user. However, the traditional hair curling device has several drawbacks. The entire handle must be rotated by the holding hand of the user in order to rotate the heating barrel. It is not ergonomical that the user is difficult to hold the handle tight and to rotate the handle at the same time, especially when the hair curling device is connected to the power source with an electric cable. When mishandling the handle, the hair curling device may be accidentally dropped on the floor or even burns the head skin of the user. In addition, it is difficult for the user to control the desired tightness of the hairs when whirling the hairs around the heating barrel.

An improved hair curling device further comprises a clamp assembly for grasping a lock of hair at the heating barrel, such as US Pub. No. 2012/0145180. FIG. 5 shows a conventional hair curling device with the clamp assembly which comprises a ring 1 freely and concentrically rotated at the handle 2 and a clamp 3 pivotally coupled at the ring 1. The clamp 3 can be pivotally moved at an opened position that the clamp 3 is tilted with respect to the heating barrel 4 and can be pivotally moved at a closed position that the clamp 3 is in contact with the heating barrel 4. Therefore, after the clamp 3 is pivotally moved to grasp a lock of hair between the heating barrel 4 and the clamp 3, the ring 1 is rotated to drive the clamp 3 to rotate in order to wind the hair in a curly shape. In particular, the lock of hair, especially the portion close to the root of the hair, is initially grasped by the clamp 3. During the rotation, the lock of hair is grasped and wound toward the end of the hair. However, when the lock of hair is wound around the heating barrel 4, the lock of hair will pull the heating barrel 4 to the head skin of the user which may accidentally hurt the skin of the user.

Accordingly, there are two types of the clamp for the conventional hair curling device.

The first one is that the clamp is coupled at the heating barrel and is non-rotatable. During the operation of the hair curling device, the clamp must be pivotally moved at the opened position in order to grasp a lock of hair between the heating barrel and the clamp. Then, the user is able to wind the lock of hair around the heating barrel with the clamp through a two-hand operation. Alternatively, the user is able to rotate the entire hair curling device to wind the lock of hair around the heating barrel with the clamp. The drawbacks of the conventional hair curling device are that the operation thereof requires two-hand operation such that the user will feel troublesome and tired to curl her hairs. During the winding operation, the lock of hair cannot be evenly and neatly wound around the heating barrel, such that some hair at the lock may not be wound around the heating barrel. As a result, it is difficult for the user to control the desired tightness of the hairs when whirling the hairs around the heating barrel. Furthermore, when the lock of hair is retained between the clamp and the heating barrel, a clearance is formed therebetween. In other words, when the heating barrel is heated up, the heat thereat will not be evenly applied to the lock of hair through the clearance in order to curl the hair at a desired design.

The second type is that the clamp can be rotate around the heating barrel, wherein a tubular metal frame is extended from the handle to the heating barrel. Therefore, the heat generated from the heating barrel will transmit to the handle through the metal frame, which may burn the user's skin. In addition, the metal frame will substantially increase the overall weight of the hair curling device. The user may feel tired to hold the hair curling device after a period of continuous use.

Furthermore, since the diameter size of the heating barrel is relatively small, the temperature sensor must be located at the handle and is electrically connected to the heating barrel via an electric wire. Accordingly, the electric wire is retained at the handle via a screw. In other words, when the heat is transmitted to the handle, the screw will also be heated up to damage the electric wire, which may cause a short circuit or even an electric shock. Therefore, such configuration is unsafe for the user.

However, the improved hair curling device also has several drawbacks. The clamp 3 is rotated around the longitudinal axis of the handle 2 by rotating the ring 1 between the thumb and index finger of the holding hand of the user. In other words, the handle 2 will be held only by three fingers of the holding hand. Therefore, it is not ergonomical that the user is difficult to hold the handle 2 tight and to rotate the ring 1 at the same time by one hand. In addition, during the rotation of the ring 1, the clamp 3 is revolved around the heating barrel 4 in order to wind the lock of hair around the heating barrel 4. The lock of hair, especially for long hair, may be accidentally stuck at the clamp base 5 of the clamp 3 where the pivot joint is located. In other words, the hairs will be pulled, burnt, and/or broken by the rotation of the ring 1 once the hairs are stuck at the clamp base 5. Or, the heating time will be prolonged because it will take longer time for the user to remove the hairs being stuck at the clamp base 5. Furthermore, the tightness of the hairs at the heating barrel 4 cannot be controlled by merely rotating the ring 1 by thumb and index finger of the user's holding hand. In other words, the rotational speed of the ring 1 cannot be controlled precisely. It is worth mentioning that the curliness of the hair can be controlled not only by the heating temperature of the heating barrel 4 but also by the heating time of the heating barrel 4. The heating time is the time the hair being stayed around the heating barrel 4. In other words, when the rotational speed of the ring 1 is reduced, the heating time at the heating barrel 4 for the hair will be prolonged. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to rotate the ring 1 at a constant rotational speed for controlling the hairs being stayed around the heating barrel 4.

Another type of hair curling device incorporates with a power assembly to drive the clamp to rotate. Through the power assembly, the ring can be driven at a constant rotation speed. As it is mentioned above, for manually operating the hair curling device, the user is able to initially grasp the lock of hair at the portion close to the root of the hair, such that the user is able to wind the lock of hair around the heating barrel toward the end of the hair. However, for automatically operating the hair curling device through the power assembly, the user must initially grasp the lock of hair at the portion close to the end of the hair, by the clamp 3 such that during the rotation of the ring, the lock of hair is grasped and wound toward the root of the hair, as shown in FIG. 6. It is because when the clamp 3 is powered to rotate around the heating barrel 4, the lock of hair is wound around the heating barrel 4 toward the roots of the hairs. Once the lock of hair is wound, an additional rotational movement of the clamp 3 will pull the heating barrel 4 to the skin of the user's head. Since the heating temperature of the heating barrel 4 is set between 250° C. and 450° C., the heating barrel 4 will seriously burn the skin of the user's head by accidental. In order to prevent the heating barrel 4 being pulled towards the skin of the user's head, the lock of hair at the portion close to the end of the hair must be the initially grasped by the clamp 3 before start rotating the clamp 3.

Another major drawback of the conventional hair curling device is that the operation arm is outwardly and radially protruded from the handle 2 to pivotally move the clamp 3 between opened position and the closed position via a coil spring. In order to allow the user to easily actuate the clamp 3, the operation arm must be protruded long enough for the thumb of the user to reach. However, the operation arm will tangle the lock of hair when the lock of hair is whirled around the heating barrel 4. It is worth mentioning that the heating barrel 4 is extremely hot during operation. Once the lock of hair is tangled with the operation arm or the pivot joint at the clamp base 5, the user must switch off the conventional hair curling device in order to cool down the heating barrel 4. However, the lock of hair will be wound around the heating barrel 4 and will be overheated during the long cooling period of time.

Furthermore, in order to securely grasp the lock of hair between the clamp 3 and the heating barrel 4, as shown in FIG. 7, the conventional hair curling device further comprises two frictional elements 6 provided at an outer surface and an inner surface of the clamp 3 respectively. Accordingly, the frictional elements 6 are two rubber made elongated strips affixed to the outer and inner surfaces of the clamp 3 such that when the lock of hair is sandwiched between the inner surface of the clamp 3 and the outer surface of the heating barrel 4, the corresponding frictional element 6 at the inner surface of the clamp 3 will hold the lock of hair in position. As a result, the frictional elements 6 can help the clamp 3 to control the desired tightness of the hairs. When the lock of hair is wound around the heating barrel 4, the frictional element at the outer surface of the clamp 3 will hold and lock the lock of hair around the heating barrel 4. However, the frictional elements 6 will create a clearance between the inner surface of the clamp 3 and the outer surface of the heating barrel 4 and a clearance between the outer surface of the clamp 3 and the wound lock of hair. In other words, the heat from the heating barrel 4 will not be evenly applied at the lock of hair after it is wound around the heating barrel 4. Therefore, the lock of hair will not be curled in a natural curly shape. In addition, since the lock of hair is locked between the clamp 3 and the heating barrel 4 via the frictional elements 6, the user must unwind the lock of hair at the opposite winding direction in order to release the lock of hair from the clamp 3.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention is advantageous in that it provides a hair curling device, wherein a clamping arm is automatically rotated to wind up the hair of the user around the tubular heating member for curling the hair thereof.

In order to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages, the invention provides a hair curling device, which can be operated by one hand of the user and can secure the lock of hair being wound around the heating member in a tight and neat manner. The hair curling device can also minimize the clearance between the clamping arm and the heating member, prevent the heat transmitted to the handle member, and substantially reduce the overall weight of the hair curling device. The connector between the handle member and the heating member is made non-metal material and has a relatively large installation space. The inner wall of the handle member is connected to the connector via a plastic fastener to retain the electric wire of the temperature sensor in position so as to prevent the heat from the heating member being transmitted to the electric wire.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein the clamping arm is powered by a powering arrangement to rotate at a constant speed in a controllable manner, such that the tightness of the hairs at the heating barrel and the curliness of the hairs will be easily controlled by the user.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, which comprises a safety member provided at the extension end of the heating member in a non-rotatable manner for preventing the hairs being stuck at the extension end of the heating member when the heating member is rotated.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein the clamping arm is driven to rotate in two opposite directions, i.e. clockwise direction and counter clockwise direction, such that the hair curling device of the present invention can be operated by both left-handed user and right-handed user.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein the gear unit of the powering arrangement is a concealed and compact gear unit for minimizing the size thereof and for preventing the lubricate being leaked.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein the powering arrangement is located in a handle member and is arranged in a manner that the center of mass of the powering arrangement is located at the mid-portion of the hair curling device so as to enable to hold the hair curling device stably and securely.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein the heating temperature of the heating member is controllable to control the curliness of the hairs.

Another advantage of the invention is to provide a hair curling device which is an automatic hair curling device and can be operated by one hand of the user to drive the clamping arm being automatically rotated 360° about the heating member so as to whirl the lock of hair around the heating member. In particular, when the two-directional-control operation button is depressed to activate the electric motor, which is preferably a micro electric motor, the clamping arm can be controlled to rotate about the heating member at either clockwise direction or counter clockwise direction, so as to whirl the lock of hair around the heating member for curling the hairs.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, which does not require to alter the original structural design of the hair curling device, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the hair curling device incorporating with the powering arrangement.

Another advantage of the invention is to a hair curling device, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for providing a powered hair curling device for curling the hairs.

Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particular point out in the appended claims.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by a hair curling device which comprises:

an elongated heating member defining an outer heating surface;

a handle member coaxially extended from the heating member;

a powering arrangement which comprises a motorized unit supported in the handle member for generating a reversible rotational power; and

a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm pivotally moved between an opened position that the clamping arm is tilted from the heating member and a closed position that the clamping arm is in contact with the heating surface of the heating member, wherein the clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of the heating member by the motorized unit, such that after the clamping arm is moved at the closed position for retaining a lock of hair between the clamping arm and the heating surface of the heating member, the clamping arm is automatically rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the present invention comprises a method of curling a lock of hair by a hair curling device, comprising the steps of

(a) retaining a lock of hair between the clamping arm and a heating surface of the heating member, wherein the clamping arm is pivotally moved between an opened position that the clamping arm is tilted from the heating member and a closed position that the clamping arm is in contact with the heating surface of the heating member;

(b) activating a motorized unit of the powering arrangement to drive the clamping arm to rotate around an axis of the heating member for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member; and

(c) generating heat at the heating surface of the heating member for curling the lock of hair.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by a hair curling device which comprises a handle member, a heating member, a connector connecting the handle member with the heating member, and a clamping arm rotatable around the heating member in 360°. The connector is made of plastic (such as PPS) to connect the handle member with the heating member. A rotatable hub unit comprises an upper rotatable hub (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) and a lower rotatable hub (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) being coupled at the upper and lower portions of the connector. An operation button (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) and a rotatable clamping arm (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) are coupled at an outer surface of the upper rotatable hub (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) via a button cap (made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass) to form a 360° free rotatable clamping unit, such that the rotatable clamping arm is rotatable about the heating member. Accordingly, the clamping arm is coupled to the rotatable hub unit via the operation button and is coupled to the connector via the rotatable hub unit. During the operation of the hair curling device, the PPS made connector and the nylon made rotatable clamping unit will substantially reduce the heat being transmitted from the heating member to the handle member. When the clamping arm is rotated about the heating member, the clamping arm will guide and comb the lock of hair to whirl the lock of hair around the heating member neatly. The hair curling device of the present invention further comprises a lock provided at the lower rotatable hub to selectively lock up the rotatable hub unit with the handle member. Therefore, when the lock is released, the clamping arm can be freely rotated about the heating member at 360° while the handle member is held immovably. Or, when the lock is actuated, the clamping arm can be driven to rotate by the rotational movement of the handle member. In other words, the clamping arm and the handle member are rotated at the same time. Since the clamping arm is coupled at the connector, the user is able to operate the hair curling device of the present invention by one hand to control the curliness of the hairs easily and safely.

Another advantage of the invention is that the hair curling device of the present invention can be operated by one hand of the user, wherein the clamping arm can be tightly contacted with the surface of the heating member to control the tightness of the hairs therearound. The overall weight of the hair curling device will be substantially reduced by the non-metal made connector which can also reduce the heat being transmitted from the heating member to the handle member for enhancing the safety of the hair curling device.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the present invention comprises a hair curling device, which comprises a power operating arrangement provided between the handle member and the heating member. The power operating arrangement comprises an electric motor, a gear assembly operatively coupled with the electric motor, and a rotatable hub unit driven by the electric motor through the gear assembly, wherein a clamping arm is coupled at the rotatable hub. Therefore, when the two-directional-control operation button is depressed to activate the electric motor, the clamping arm can be controlled to rotate about the heating member via the rotatable hub at either clockwise direction or counter clockwise direction, so as to whirl the lock of hair around the heating member for curling the hairs.

Another advantage of the invention is that the hair curling device of the present invention, which has a simple structural configuration, can be operated by one hand of the user, wherein the clamping arm can be automatically rotated around the heating member at either clockwise direction or counter clockwise direction by a depression of the operation button to whirl the lock of hair around the heating member.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair curling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the hair curling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the first and second portions of the lock of hair.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative mode of the heating barrel of the heating member according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the heating barrel having a conical shape.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional hair curling device.

FIG. 6 illustrates an operation of the conventional hair curling device.

FIG. 7 illustrates the conventional hair curling device with the frictional elements.

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation of the hair curling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the unchanged position of the hair curling device to keep the safety distance from the head of the user.

FIG. 9 illustrates the shifting position of the lock of hair by the hair curling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates the hair curling device for creating different curling hair style according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a hair curling device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a left view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a right view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the clamping arm at an opened position.

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the connector of the hair curling device according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a hair curling device according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a top view of the hair curling device according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the hair curling device according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a bottom view of the hair curling device according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the hair curling device along a B-B line according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a right view of the hair curling device according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the hair curling device along a A-A line according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curling device according to the above third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description is disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Preferred embodiments are provided in the following description only as examples and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles defined in the following description would be applied to other embodiments, alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a hair curling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the hair curling device comprises an elongated heating member 10, a handle member 20, a powering arrangement 30, and a clamp unit 40.

The heating member 10 comprises a tubular heating barrel 11 made of thermal conductive material and a heat generating element 12 disposed in the heating barrel 11, wherein when the heat generating element 12 is activated for generating heat, the heat is transmitted to an outer heating surface of the heating barrel 11. The heating member 10 further defines an extension end at the heating barrel 11 and a top end thereof. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating barrel 11 has a cylindrical shape that a diameter of the top end of the heating barrel 11 equals to a diameter of the extension end thereof, such that the heating barrel 11 has a uniform diameter. Alternatively, the heating barrel 11′ can be configured to form a conical shape, as shown in FIG. 4, that the diameter of the heating barrel 11′ is gradually reduced from the extension end to the top end. Accordingly, the conical shape of the heating barrel 11′ can also smoothly guide the lock of hair being whirled therearound so as to vary the curliness of the lock of hair along the heating barrel 11′.

The handle member 20 is coaxially extended from the heating member 10, wherein the handle member 20 is a hollow member having a compartment therein. In particular, the handle member 20 is coaxially extended from the extension end of the heating barrel 11 to form an elongated structure. Accordingly, the handle member 20 comprises two handle casings, i.e. two half-casings, coupled with each other to define the compartment within the handle casings.

The powering arrangement 30 comprises a motorized unit 31 supported in the handle member 20 for generating a reversible rotational power. The motorized unit 31, having an output shaft, is supported in the compartment of the handle member, wherein the motorized unit 31 is adapted for selectively generating the reversible rotational power at the output shaft. In other words, the motorized unit 31 controllably generates the reversible rotational power at clockwise direction or at counter clockwise direction.

The clamp unit 40 comprises a clamping arm 41 pivotally moved between an opened position and a closed position. At the opened position, the clamping arm 41 is tilted from the heating member 10 for retaining a lock of hair being placed between the clamping arm 41 and the heating member 10. At the closed position, the clamping arm 41 is in contact with the heating surface of the heating member 10 for retaining the lock of hair between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10.

Accordingly, the clamping arm 41 is driven to rotate around an axis of the heating member 10 by the motorized unit 31, such that after the clamping arm 41 is moved at the closed position for retaining the lock of hair between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10, the clamping arm 41 is automatically rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member 10. In particular, the lock of hair will be guided to whirl around the clamping arm 41 as well when the clamping arm 41 is rotated around the axis of the heating member 10. Preferably, the clamping arm 41 is made of thermal conductive material, such that the heat at the heating surface of the heating member 10 will transmit to the clamping arm 41 for curling the lock of hair after the lock of hair is whirled around the heating member 10.

The motorized unit 31 is embodied as an electric motor supported within a mid-portion of the handle member 20 to evenly distribute the weight of the motorized unit 31 at the handle member 20. The motorized unit 31 is selectively controlled to generate a forward rotational power to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate around the heating member 10 at the clockwise direction and to generate a reverse rotational power to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate around the heating member 10 at the counter clockwise direction. Therefore, both right-handed user and left-handed user can operate the hair curling device of the present invention. Likewise, the hair curling device of the present invention can curl the hair at different curling directions as well.

According to the preferred embodiment, the powering arrangement 30 further comprises a fixation shaft 32 extended from the handle member 20 to the heating member 10 and a rotatable casing 33 rotatably and coaxially coupled at the fixation shaft 32.

The fixation shaft 32 is an elongated member coaxially extended from the handle member 20 to the extension end of the heating barrel 11. In other words, the heating member 10 will not be rotated when the user holds at the handle member 20.

The rotatable casing 33 is rotatably coupled at the fixation shaft 32 to enclose the fixation shaft 32 therein. In particular, the rotatable casing 33 is freely rotated about the fixation shaft 32 at 360 degrees. The clamping arm 41 is pivotally coupled at the rotatable casing 33, such that when the rotatable casing 33 is driven to rotate by the motorized unit 31, the clamping arm 41 is rotated around the heating member 10. In other words, only the rotatable casing 33 is rotated to drive the clamping arm 41 moving around the heating member 10 while the heating member 10, the handle member 20, and the fixation shaft 32 are immovable.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamp unit 40 further comprises a pivot joint 42 for pivotally coupling the clamping arm 41 at the rotatable casing 33. Accordingly, the clamping arm 41, preferably having a tapered shape, defines a free end and a pivot end pivotally coupled at the rotatable casing 33 via the pivot joint 42. The tapered end of the clamping arm 41 can easily retain the lock of hair between the clamping arm 41 and the heating barrel 11 initially, so as to enable the lock of hair being smoothly whirled around the heating barrel 11.

The pivot joint 42 comprises a pivot shaft 421 pivotally coupled the pivot end of the clamping arm 41 at the rotatable casing 33, a clamp button 422 provided at the rotatable casing 33 for pivotally moving the clamping arm 41 from the closed position to the opened position, and a resilient element 423 supported at the rotatable casing 33 for applying an urging spring force against the clamp button 422 so as to retain the clamping arm 41 at the closed position. Accordingly, when a pressing force is applied at the clamp button 422, the clamp button 422 is pivotally depressed via the pivot shaft 421 to pivotally move the clamping arm 41 to the opened position from the closed position. At the opened position of the clamping arm 41, the resilient element 423, which is embodied as a compression spring, is compressed. When the pressing force at the clamp button 422 is released, the compressed resilient element 423 will return back to its original form to pivotally move the clamp button 422 back so as to pivotally move the clamping arm 41 back to the closed position from the opened position.

According to the preferred embodiment, the clamp button 422 has a top flat depression surface 4221 arranged in such a manner that when the flat depression surface 4221 is pressed, the clamping arm 41 is pivotally moved from the closed position to the opened position.

The clamp unit 40 further has a button cavity 401 indently provided at the rotatable casing 33 to support the clamp button 422 being aligned with the axis of the heating member 10, wherein the resilient element 423 is supported at the button cavity 401 for applying an urging spring force against the clamp button 422 so as to retain the clamping arm 41 at the closed position. In other words, the clamp button 422 is an elongated button laid at the rotatable casing 33 along the axis of the heating member 10. Therefore, the lock of hair will not be accidentally tangled with the clamp button 422.

Accordingly, the pivot shaft 421 is formed at the clamp button 422 and is coupled at two sidewalls of the button cavity 401 such that the clamp button 422 can be pivotally moved at the button cavity 401. With respect to the pivot shaft 421, the clamp button 422 is defined to have a front button portion coupled with a rear end of the clamping arm 41 and a rear button portion being biased against the resilient element 423, wherein the flat depression surface 4221 is formed at the top side of the front and rear button portions of the clamp button 422. When the rear button portion of the clamp button 422 is depressed, the front button portion thereof is pivotally lifted up to move the clamping arm 41 from the closed position to the opened position. The resilient element 423 is a compression spring having a bottom end biased against the bottom wall of the button cavity 401 and a top end biased against the rear button portion of the clamp button 422. It is worth mentioning that no coil spring is used as the resilient element 423 because the coil spring requires relatively larger installation space at the button cavity 401. The compression spring is used in the present invention in order to minimize the installation space at the button cavity 401.

As shown in FIG. 2, the clamping arm 41 comprises an elongated clamping panel 411 contacting with the heating surface of the heating member 10 and a connecting arm 412 rearwardly and parallelly extended from an upper side of the clamping panel 411 to couple with the front button portion of the clamp button 422. The inner surface of the clamping panel 411 is a smooth surface to contact with the heating surface of the heating member 10.

The clamping panel 411 of the clamping arm 41 has a tapered shape defining two slanted guiding edges 4111 extended toward the free end of said clamping arm 41. The clamping panel 411 of the clamping arm 41 has a curvature matching with a curvature of the heating surface of the heating member to contact with the heating surface of the heating member so as to minimize a clearance therebetween. It is worth mentioning that the lock of hair will be retained between the clamping panel 411 and the heating surface of the heating member 10 in position, wherein the lock of hair will not be locked therebetween. In other words, when the lock of hair will be retained between the clamping panel 411 and the heating surface of the heating member 10, the user is able to easily slide the hair curling device of the present invention downwardly along the lock of hair towards the tip/distal end thereof. Therefore, no frictional element is provided at either the clamping panel 411 or the heating surface of the heating member 10 to lock the hair therebetween.

The slanted guiding edges 4111 of the clamping arm 41 is arranged for shifting the lock of hair to evenly whirl the lock of hair along the heating member 10 so as to prevent the lock of hair repeatedly wound at the same radial position of the heating member 10. In other words, when the clamping arm 41 is rotated about the heating member 10 at one revolution, a portion of the lock of hair is wound around the heating member 10. For the next revolution, the lock of hair is shifted at the longitudinal direction of the heating member 10 by one of the slanted guiding edges 4111, such that the subsequent wound lock of hair will not be overlapped with the previous wound lock of hair. It is worth mentioning that when the lock of hair is initially grasped at the heating member 10 close to the extension end thereof, the lock of hair will be wound around and shifted toward the heating member 10 at the top end thereof.

The clamp unit 40 further comprises a handle holder 43 coupled at the top end of the heating barrel 11 of the heating member 10 in a non-rotatable manner, wherein the handle holder 43 is fixed with respect to the heating member 10, such that the handle holder 43 will not be rotated when the clamping arm 41 is rotated. Accordingly, the handle holder 43 is made of heat insulated material coaxially coupled at the top end of the heating barrel 11, such that when whirling the lock of hair, the user is able to hold the handle holder 43 by hand to keep the balance of the hair curling device. Preferably, a silica gel ring is coupled between the handle holder 43 and the heating barrel 11 for preventing the heat from the heating barrel 11 being transferred to the handle holder 43. It is worth mentioning that the silica gel ring can change its color in response to the temperature change. In other words, when increasing the temperature at the heating barrel 11, the silica gel ring will change its color correspondingly. For example, the silica gel ring has a darker color at room temperature and will change to white or lighter color when increasing the temperature. Alternatively, the handle holder 43 can be freely and rotatably coupled at the top end of the heating barrel 11 of the heating member 10, wherein the handle holder 43 is free to rotate at 360° with respect to the heating member 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the powering arrangement 30 further comprises a safety member 34 radially and outwardly extended from the fixation shaft 32 at a position between the rotatable casing 33 and the heating member 10 for blocking the lock of hair being whirled at the rotatable casing 33. The safety member 34 is formed in a ring shape that the safety member 34 is integrally extended from the fixation shaft 32 at a position between the extension end of the heating barrel 11 and the pivot end of the clamping arm 41. Therefore, when the lock of hair is whirled around the heating element 10, the lock of hair is whirled from the pivot end of the heating barrel 11 toward the top end of the heating barrel 11 where the pivot joint 42 is located. The safety member 34 will block the lock of hair being whirled and stunk at the pivot joint 42 during the rotation of the clamping arm 41. Preferably, the outer diameter of the safety member 34 matches with the outer diameter of the rotatable casing 33 which is larger than the outer diameter of the heating barrel 11. It is worth mentioning that since the safety member 34 is radially and outwardly extended from the fixation shaft 32, the safety member 34 is immovable or non-rotatable when the clamping arm 41 is rotated around the heating member 10.

In order to drive the rotatable casing 33 to rotate, the powering arrangement 30 further comprises a gear assembly 35 operatively linked between the motorized unit 31 and the rotatable casing 33 for controllably transmitting the rotational power. The gear assembly 35 comprises a ring-shaped gear element 351 operatively coupled at the rotatable casing 33 and a concealed gear unit 352 operatively linked between the motorized unit 31 and the gear element 351 for transmitting the rotational power from the motorized unit 31 to the rotatable casing 33.

As shown in FIG. 2, the gear element 351, having the ring shape, defines an outer circumferentially engaging surface operatively coupled with the inner surface of the rotatable casing 33 and an inner circumferentially teething surface operatively linked to the concealed gear unit 352 such that when the gear element 351 is driven to rotate, the rotatable casing 33 is rotated correspondingly. Accordingly, the fixation shaft 32 is extended to pass through the gear element 351 to couple with the handle member 10.

The concealed gear unit 352 comprises a hollow gearbox 353 rotatably and coaxially received in the handle member 20, a first gear set 354 received in and engaged with the hollow gearbox 353 to operatively link with the motorized unit 31, and a second gear set 355 received in and engaged with the hollow gearbox 353 to operatively link with the rotatable casing 33.

According to the preferred embodiment, the hollow gearbox 353 has a cylindrical shape and defines an inner circumferentially cog surface, wherein the interior space of the hollow gearbox 353 is big enough to receive the first and second gear sets 354, 355. In particular, the hollow gearbox 353 is arranged to transmit the rotational power from the first gear set 354 to the second gear set 355 through the inner circumferentially cog surface.

The first gear set 354 is operatively linked between the output shaft of the motorized unit 31 and the inner circumferentially cog surface of the hollow gearbox 353, wherein the first gear set 354 is arranged to transmit the rotational power from the motorized unit 31 to drive the hollow gearbox 353 to rotate within the handle member 20.

The second gear set 355 is operatively linked between the inner circumferentially teething surface of the gear element 351 and the inner circumferentially cog surface of the hollow gearbox 353, wherein the second gear set 355 is arranged to transmit the rotational power from the hollow gearbox 353 to drive the gear element 351 to rotate around the fixation shaft 32 so as to drive the rotatable casing 33 to rotate.

It is worth mentioning that the hollow gearbox 353 forms a concealed barrel to receive the first and second gear sets 354, 355, such that the size of the gear assembly 35 can be substantially minimized and the lubricate within the hollow gearbox 353 can be retained for preventing being leaked out of the gear assembly 35.

As shown in FIG. 2, the powering arrangement further comprises a circuit board 36 supported within a lower portion of the handle member 20, wherein the motorized unit 31 is operatively linked between the gear assembly 35 and the circuit board 36 to form a compact operating structure within the handle member 20. The circuit board 36 contains a heat control circuit of the heating member 10 for controlling the heating temperature at the heating surface of the heating member 10 and a motor control circuit of the motorized unit for controlling the operation of the motorized unit, wherein the heat control circuit and the motor control circuit are integrated at the circuit board 36 to form an integrated circuit board. Accordingly, the circuit board 36 is an elongated board structure disposed at the lower portion of the handle member 20, wherein the circuit board 36 has a cable terminal provided at the bottom end of the handle member 20 to operatively connect with an extension cable and a motorized terminal to operatively link to the motorized unit 31. It is worth mentioning that the configuration of the powering arrangement 30 can substantially reduce the size of the handle member 20 to receive the powering arrangement 30 that the circuit board 36 is activated to control the operation of the motorized unit 31 and then to transmit the rotational power to the rotatable casing 33 through the gear assembly 35. Therefore, the locations of the circuit board 36, the motorized unit 31, and the gear assembly 35 at the sequent order can substantially save the installing space of the powering assembly 30.

The powering assembly 30 further comprises an operating control 37 for controlling the operations of the motorized unit 31 and the heating member 10. The operating control 37 comprises a plurality of operational buttons provided at an outer side of the handle member 10. Accordingly, a heat operation button 371 is provided at the outer side of the handle member 10 and is operatively linked to the circuit board 36 for switching the heating member 10 in an on and off manner. In addition, the heat operation button 371 can adjustably control the heating temperature of the heating member 10. It is worth mentioning that when the heat operation button 371 is pressed, the heating member 10 will generate heat at the heating surface thereof. In addition, the heating temperature of the heating barrel 11 can be selectively adjusted by the heat operation button 371. When the heating member 10 is switched on by the depression of the heat operation button 371, the user is able to press on the heat operation button 371 at one side with the “+” indication in order to increase the heating temperature. Likewise, the user is able to press on the heat operation button 371 at another side with the “−” indication in order to reduce the heating temperature. Preferably, the “on” indication and the “+” indication are formed at one side of the heat operation button 371 while the “off” indication and the “−” indication are formed at another side of the heat operation button 371. Once the user presses on the “off” side at the heat operation button 371, the heating member 10 will stop generating heat at the heating surface thereof. In other words, the user is able to control the heat operation button 371 to keep and adjust the heat at the heating surface of the heating member 10.

A motorized activation button 372 is provided at the outer side of the handle member 20 and is operatively linked to the circuit board 36 for switching the motorized unit 31 in an on and off manner. In particular, the motorized activation button 372 has two side portions (left and right portions) that when one side of the motorized activation button 372 is pressed, the motorized unit 31 will generate the forward rotational power and when another side of the motorized activation button 372 is pressed, the motorized unit 31 will generate the reverse rotational power. It is worth mentioning that once the depression force at the motorized activation button 372 is released, the motorized unit 31 will be deactivated to stop generating the rotational power. In other words, the clamping arm 41 will stop rotating when the depression force at the motorized activation button 372 is released.

The operating control 37 further comprises an operational indicator 373 provided at the outer side of the handle member 10 and operatively linked to the circuit board 36 for indicating the heating member 10 in an on and off manner. Accordingly, the operational indicator 373 comprises a light generator operatively linked to the circuit board 36 and arranged in such a manner that the operational indicator 373 will generate light effect when the heating member 10 in switched on.

Accordingly, through the circuit board 36 and the operating control 37, the heating temperature at the heating surface of the heating member 10 is adjustably controlled between 80° C. to 240° C. The revolving speed of the clamping arm 41 is adjustably controlled between 10 and 40 rpm, preferably between 14 and 25 rpm. The rotational speed of the output of the motorized unit 31 at an idle state, i.e. only the motorized unit 31 itself, is adjustably controlled about 5000±20% rpm. The rotational speed of the output of the motorized unit 31 at a loaded state, i.e. the hair being whirled, is adjustably controlled about 1600±20% rpm. In other words, through the gear assembly 35 to reduce the rotational speed, the rotational power from the motorized unit 31 is transmitted to the rotatable casing 33 to rotate the clamping arm 41 from the output of the motorized unit 31 between 1600-5000 rpm to the output of the clamping arm 41 between 10 and 30 rpm. It is worth mentioning that the gear assembly 35 is a four-step transmission unit that the gear ratio of the first to third steps is 12/36 and the gear ratio of the fourth step is 12/42, wherein the total speed reducing ratio is about 94.5:1. In addition, the revolving speed of the clamping arm 41 can be adjustably controlled by regulating the resistance of the circuit board. Particularly, the revolving speed of the clamping arm 41 is adjustably controlled between 15 and 40 rpm by regulating the resistance of the circuit board.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, the present invention further comprises a method of curling the lock of hair by the hair curling device which comprises the following steps.

(1) Retain the lock of hair between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. Accordingly, the user is able to apply the pressing force at the clamp button 422, such that the clamp button 422 is pivotally depressed via the pivot shaft 421 to pivotally move the clamping arm 41 to the opened position from the closed position. The lock of hair can be placed between the heating member 10 and the clamping arm 41. Preferably, the lock of hair close to the root thereof is retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. Once the lock of hair is placed, the user is able to release the pressing force at the clamp button 422, the clamp button 422 is pivotally moved back so as to pivotally move the clamping arm 41 back to the closed position from the opened position.

Accordingly, the lock of hair is placed at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to the heating member 10 and a second portion of the hair to be curled from the heating member 10 to the distal end of the hair. The first portion of the hair can be defined as the upper portion of the hair while the second portion of the hair can be defined as the lower portion of the hair. The first portion of the hair is the portion that the user does not want to curl. The second portion of the hair is the portion to be curled.

It is worth mentioning that the lock of hair at a predetermined distance from the root end thereof for start curling is placed on the heating surface of the heating member 10. For example, when the user wants to curl the entire lock of hair, the root end of the lock of hair should be placed and retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. If the user wants to curl the lower half of the lock of hair, the middle of the lock of hair should be placed and retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10.

(2) Activate the motorized unit 31 of the powering arrangement 30 to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate around the axis of the heating member 10 for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member 10. Accordingly, when the clamping arm 41 is rotated, the lock of hair is whirled from the root of the hair to the tip thereof. During the whirling movement, the safety member 34 will block the lock of hair being whirled and stunk at the pivot joint 42. Therefore, the lock of hair can be smoothly whirled around the heating member 10.

In particular, after the lock of hair is retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10, preferably being retained at the middle of the heating barrel 11 or close to the extension end thereof, the user is able to activate the motorized unit 31 by pressing the motorized activation button 372 by the thumb of the holding hand. Once the clamping arm 41 is started to rotate, the starting portion of the lock of hair is pushed by the clamping arm 41 and whirled around the heating barrel 11, as shown in FIG. 4. When the clamping arm 41 is kept rotating, the lock of hair is continuously guided and pushed to whirl around the heating barrel 11. At the same time, a portion of the lock of hair will be continuously retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. FIG. 4 also illustrates the mid-portion of the lock of hair being retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10 while the starting portion of the lock of hair is whirled around the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41. The clamping arm 41 is kept rotating until the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair is retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10, such that the lock of hair, from the starting portion to the tip/distal portion, will be whirled around the heating barrel 11. It is worth mentioning that the safety member 34 will block the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair being whirled and stunk at the pivot joint 42.

In addition, the user is able to select which rotational direction of the clamping arm 41 being rotated. By pressing one side of the motorized activation button 372, such as the left portion thereof, the motorized unit 31 will generate the forward rotational power. By pressing another side of the motorized activation button 372, such as the right portion thereof, the motorized unit 31 will generate the reverse rotational power. Once the lock of hair is whirled, the user is able to stop the rotational movement of the clamping arm 41 by releasing the pressing force at the motorized activation button 372. When whirling the lock of hair, the user is able to hold the handle holder 43 by hand to keep the balance of the hair curling device. Accordingly, since the clamping arm 41 is powered by motorized unit 31 to rotate at a constant speed in a controllable manner, the tightness of the hairs at the heating barrel 11 and the curliness of the hairs will be easily controlled by the user.

(3) Generate heat at the heating surface of the heating member 10 for curling the lock of hair. After the lock of hair is whirled, the user is able to press the heat operation button 371, such that the heating member 10 will generate heat at the heating surface thereof. It is worth mentioning that the curvature of the hair can be selectively controlled by the heating time and heating temperature of the heating element 10. The user is able to prolong the heating time by the actuation of the heat operation button 371 that when the heat operation button 371 is pressed (the “on” indication), the heating element 10 will generate heat until the heat operation button 371 is pressed again (the “off” indication). The user is also able to adjust the heating temperature of the heating element through the heat operation button 371. Once the pressing force at the heat operation button 371 is applied, the heating member 10 will stop generating heat at the heating surface thereof.

(4) Once the lock of hair, i.e. the second portion thereof is curled, activate the motorized unit 31 of the powering arrangement 30 to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate. The lock of hair will be automatically released from the clamping arm 41 and the heating element 10. It is worth mentioning that when the lock of hair is whirled around the heating barrel 11, only the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair is retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10 at a position close to the top end thereof. Therefore, when the motorized unit 31 is kept activating to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate about the heating barrel 11, the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair will be released from the engagement between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. Likewise, the user is also able to release the lock of hair from the clamping arm 41 by pressing the clamp button 422 to pivotally move the clamping arm 41 to the opened position from the closed position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the lock of hair is initially grasped between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41 to define an initial/first section of the second portion of the hair. Then, when the clamping arm 41 is started to rotate around, the second portion of hair will be wound around the heating barrel 11. In particular, after one revolution of the clamping arm 41 around the heating barrel 11, the initial/first section of the hair will be guided to wind around the outer side of the clamping arm 41 while the second section of the hair will be whirled between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41. As a result, the second portion of the hair can still be held by the engagement between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. Likewise, after the second revolution of the clamping arm 41 around the heating barrel 11, the initial and second sections of the hair will be guided to wind around the outer side of the clamping arm 41 while the third section of the hair will be whirled between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41. After the several revolutions of the clamping arm 41 around the heating barrel 11, the second portion of the hair will be guided to wind around the outer side of the clamping arm 41 while only the distal section of the hair will be held between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41. Therefore, when the clamping arm 41 is kept rotating about the heating barrel 11, the distal section of the second portion of the hair will be guided to the outer side of the clamping arm 41 so as to release the second portion of the hair from the engagement between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. It is worth mentioning that the initial section, the second section, . . . the distal section of the second portion of the hair will not be overlapped with each other or repeatedly wound at the same radial position of the heating barrel 11 because the second portion of hair is shifted at the longitudinal direction of the heating member 10 by one of the slanted guiding edges 4111.

It is worth mentioning that the user is able to hold the handle member 20 by the holding hand and operate the hair curling device by the thumb. In other words, the user can securely hold the handle member 20 with the palm and four fingers. The operation of the hair curling device can be operated by the depression of the operating control 37 via the thumb of the user.

More importantly, the heating element 10 is remained at the same position to retain the same length of the first portion of hair while whirling the second portion of hair around the heating surface of the heating element 10. As shown in FIG. 8, when the lock of hair is initially grasped between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41, the user will maintain the position of the heating element 10 to whirl the second portion of hair. In other words, the heating element 10 will always keep the same safety distance away from the head skin of the user. Comparing with the conventional hair setter, the lock of hair is whirled around the heating barrel of the conventional hair setter so as to pull the heating barrel thereof toward the head skin of the user. Therefore, it is difficult and unsafe for the user to determine what position of the hair setter should be stopped without burning the head skin of the user. Therefore, once the lock of hair is initially grasped between the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41 to keep the safety distance from the head skin of the user, the heating barrel 11 will not be moved thereto during whirling the second portion of the hair. In other words, the safety distance will always be maintained during the operation of the present invention.

The user is able to selectively control different curling styles of the hair by holding the present invention at different positions. For curling the hair at the inward curling style, as shown in FIG. 8, the user is able to retain the lock of hair between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41 at a position that the clamping arm 41 faces outward from the head of the user. The rotational direction of the clamping arm 41 is configured toward the distal end of the hair. For curling the hair at the outward curling style, as shown in FIG. 10, the user is able to retain the lock of hair between the heating surface of the heating barrel 11 and the clamping arm 41 at a position that the clamping arm 41 faces toward the head of the user. The rotational direction of the clamping arm 41 is configured toward the distal end of the hair.

Accordingly, the user is also able to switch on the heating member 10 to generate heat at the heating surface of the heating member 10 before curling the hair around the heating member 10. Once the heating surface of the heating member 10 is heated up at a predetermined heating temperature, the lock of hair can be retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10. Then, the motorized unit 31 of the powering arrangement 30 can be activated to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate around the axis of the heating member 10 for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member 10. During the whirling of the lock of hair, the heating member 10 will keep applying the heat to the lock of hair in order to curl the lock of hair. Once the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair is retained between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10, i.e. the lock of hair is whirled around the heating member 10, the lock of hair is already curled. Therefore, when the clamping arm 41 is kept rotating, the engagement at the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair between the clamping arm 41 and the heating surface of the heating member 10 will be released so as to automatically release the lock of hair from the hair curling device of the present invention. In other words, the rotatable casing 33 is continuously rotating at the same direction to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate 360° about the heating element 10 until the lock of hair is released between the clamping arm 41 and the heating element 10.

It is worth mentioning that the rotational speed of the clamping arm 41 is controlled to adjust the heating time of the lock of hair from the starting portion of the lock of hair to the tip/distal portion thereof. When the rotational speed of the clamping arm 41 is reduced, the heating time will be prolonged. Likewise, when the rotational speed of the clamping arm 41 is increased, the heating time will be reduced. In other words, once the tip/distal portion of the lock of hair is released from the clamping arm 41, the lock of hair is curled. It is worth mentioning that the rotational speed of the clamping arm 41 and the heating temperature can be adjustably controlled by the user to control the curliness of the hair. It is worth mentioning that a constant rotation speed of the rotatable casing 33 is generated to drive the clamping arm 41 to rotate 360° about the heating element 10.

According to the preferred embodiment, the present invention further comprises an operational process of the hair curling device, comprising the following steps.

(1) Rotatably couple the rotatable casing 33 between the heating member 10 and a handle member 20. The step (1) further comprises the steps of:

(1.1) coupling the fixation shaft 32 between the handle member 20 to the heating member 10; and

(1.2) rotatably and coaxially coupling the rotatable casing 33 at the fixation shaft 32.

(2) Pivotally couple the clamping arm 41 at the rotatable casing 33 to enable the clamping arm 41 to move between the opened position and the closed position.

(3) Drive the rotatable casing 33 to rotate by the motorized unit 31 by the following steps.

(3.1) Generate a rotational power from the motorized unit 31. In particular, the motorized unit 31 is selectively controlled to generate the rotational power at one of a clockwise direction and a counter clockwise, such that the rotational power is a reversible rotational power.

(3.2) Controllably transmit the rotation power to the rotatable casing 33 via the gear assembly 35 to obtain a constant rotational speed of the rotatable casing 33. The step (3.2) further comprises the following steps.

(3.2.1) Operatively couple the ring-shaped gear element 351 at the rotatable casing 33.

(3.2.2) Operatively link the concealed gear unit 352 between the motorized unit 31 and the gear element 351 for transmitting the rotational power from the motorized unit 31 to the rotatable casing 33, wherein the step (3.2.2) further comprises the following steps.

(3.2.2.1) Rotatably and coaxially receive the hollow gearbox 353 of the concealed gear unit 352 in said handle member;

(3.2.2.2) Receive the first gear set 354 of the concealed gear unit 352 in the hollow gearbox 353 that the first gear set 354 is engaged with the hollow gearbox 353 in order to operatively link the first gear set 354 with the motorized unit 31;

(3.2.2.3) Receive the second gear set 355 of the concealed gear unit 352 in the hollow gearbox 353 that the second gear set 355 is engaged with the hollow gearbox 353 in order to operatively link the second gear set 355 with the rotatable casing 33; and

(3.2.2.4) Transmit the rotational power from the motorized unit 31 to the first gear set 354 to drive the second gear set 355 to rotate through the hollow gearbox 353 so as to drive the rotatable casing 33 to rotate through the ring-shaped gear element 351.

Referring to FIG. 18 of the drawings, a hair curling device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated as an alternative mode of the first embodiment, wherein the hair curling device comprises a handle member 6, a heating member 10, and a connector 1 connecting the handle member 6 with the heating member 10 via one or more screws to form an elongated structure. In particular, one end of the connector 1 is coaxially inserted into the heating member 10 and an opposed end of the connector 1 is coaxially inserted into the handle member 6. The hair curling device further comprises a rotatable hub unit which comprises an upper rotatable hub body 5 and a lower rotatable hub body 6, wherein the upper and lower rotatable hub bodies 5, 6 are coupled at the upper and lower portions of the connector 1 to enclose the connector 1. A rotatable clamping arm 9, which is rotatable about the heating member 10, is coupled at an outer surface of the upper rotatable hub body 5 via a button cap 7 and an operation button 8 to retain clamping arm 9 along the heating member 10. A lock 2 is securely coupled at an outer surface of the lower rotatable hub body 6 via a lock cap 3. According to the preferred embodiment, the connector 1 is made of plastic such as PPS. The upper rotatable hub body 5, the lower rotatable hub body 6, the button cap 7, and the operation button 8 are made of nylon with 30% of fiberglass. Therefore, the heat generated at the heating member 10 will not be transmitted to the handle member 6. The structural configuration of the clamping arm can be rotated about the heating member for guiding and combing the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member neatly.

Referring to FIG. 27 of the drawings, a hair curling device of a third embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the second embodiment, wherein the hair curling device of the second embodiment has the same structural configuration except it is powered to automatically driven the clamping arm to rotate. According to the second embodiment, the hair curling device comprises a handle member 7, a heating member 1, and a connector 5 connecting the handle member 7 with the heating member 1. As shown in FIG. 27, the hair curling device further comprises a power operating arrangement which comprises a two-directional-control operation button 6 (L-R) provided on the outer surface of the handle member 7, an electric motor 3, such as a micro electric motor, supported in the handle member 7 and activated by the operation button 6, a gear assembly 2 coupled with the electric motor 3, and a rotatable hub unit 5 driven to rotate by the electric motor 3 via the gear assembly 2. The clamping arm is coupled at the rotatable hub unit 5 such that when the operation button 6 is depressed at one side (L), the rotatable hub unit 5 is driven to rotate clockwise so as to rotate the clamping arm around the heating member 1 at the clockwise direction, and when the operation button 6 is depressed at an opposed side (R), the rotatable hub unit 5 is driven to rotate counter clockwise so as to rotate the clamping arm around the heating member 1 at the counter clockwise direction.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A hair curling device, comprising:

an elongated heating member defining an outer heating surface;

a handle member coaxially extended from said heating member;

a rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member; and

a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing and a clamp button provided at said rotatable casing, wherein said clamp button has a top flat depression surface arranged in such a manner that when said flat depression surface is pressed, said clamping arm is pivotally moved from a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with said heating surface of said heating member to an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member, wherein said clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of said heating member, such that after said clamping arm is moved at said closed position for retaining a lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member, said clamping arm is rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around said heating member.

2. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said clamp unit further has a button cavity indently provided at said rotatable casing to support said clamp button being aligned with said axis of said heating member, and comprises a resilient element supported at said button cavity for applying an urging spring force against said clamp button so as to retain said clamping arm at the closed position.

3. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 2, wherein said clamp button comprises a pivot shaft coupled at two sidewalls of said button cavity to define a front button portion coupled with a rear end of said clamping arm and a rear button portion being biased against said resilient element, such that when said rear button portion of said clamp button is depressed, said front button portion thereof is pivotally lifted up to move said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position.

4. The hair curling device, as recited claim 3, wherein said clamping arm comprises an elongated clamping panel contacting with said heating surface of said heating member and a connecting arm rearwardly and parallelly extended from an upper side of said clamping panel to couple with said front button portion of said clamp button.

5. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft.

6. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 4, further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft.

7. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 1, which comprises an operational process comprising the steps of:

(a) rotatably coupling said rotatable casing between said heating member and a handle member;

(b) pivotally coupling said clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move between said opened position and said closed position;

(c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:

(c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and

(c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and

(d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.

8. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 1, comprising a method of operating the hair curling device which comprises the steps of:

(a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member;

(b) placing the lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on said heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to the heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from the heating member to a distal end of the hair;

(c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;

(d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;

(e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and

(f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.

9. A hair curling device, comprising:

an elongated heating member defining an outer heating surface;

a handle member coaxially extended from said heating member;

a rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member; and

a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm which is extended from said rotatable casing and is pivotally moved between an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member and a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with said heating surface of said heating member, wherein said clamping arm has a tapered shape defining two slanted guiding edges extended toward a free end of said clamping arm, wherein said clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of said heating member, such that after said clamping arm is moved at said closed position for retaining a lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member, said clamping arm is rotated around said heating member at a position that one of said slanted guiding edges thereof is arranged for guiding the lock of hair being whirled along said heating surface of said heating member in order to evenly apply heat to the lock of hair.

10. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said clamping arm has a curvature matching with a curvature of said heating surface of said heating member to contact with said heating surface of said heating member so as to minimize a clearance therebetween.

11. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 9, further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft.

12. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 10, further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft.

13. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 9, which comprises an operational process comprising the steps of:

(a) rotatably coupling said rotatable casing between said heating member and a handle member;

(b) pivotally coupling said clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move between said opened position and said closed position;

(c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:

(c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and

(c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and

(d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.

14. The hair curling device, as recited in claim 9, comprising a method of operating the hair curling device which comprises the steps of:

(a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member,

(b) placing the lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on said heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to the heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from the heating member to a distal end of the hair;

(c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;

(d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;

(e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and

(f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.

15. A process of curling hair with a hair curling device, comprising the steps of:

(a) rotatably coupling a rotatable casing between a heating member and a handle member;

(b) pivotally coupling a clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move between an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member and a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with a heating surface of said heating member;

(c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:

(c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and

(c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and

(d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.

16. The process, as recited in claim 15, wherein the step (a) further comprises the steps of:

(a.1) coupling a fixation shaft between said handle member to said heating member; and

(a.2) rotatably and coaxially coupling said rotatable casing at said fixation shaft.

17. The process, as recited in claim 16, wherein the step (c.2) further comprises the steps of:

(c.2.1) operatively coupling a ring-shaped gear element at said rotatable casing; and

(c.2.2) operatively linking a concealed gear unit between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing.

18. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein the step (c.2.2) further comprises the steps of:

(c.2.2.1) rotatably and coaxially receiving a hollow gearbox of said concealed gear unit in said handle member;

(c.2.2.2) receiving a first gear set of said concealed gear unit in said hollow gearbox that said first gear set is engaged with said hollow gearbox in order to operatively link said first gear set with said motorized unit;

(c.2.2.3) receiving a second gear set of said concealed gear unit in said hollow gearbox that said second gear set is engaged with said hollow gearbox in order to operatively link said second gear set with said rotatable casing; and

(c.2.2.4) transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said first gear set to drive said second gear set to rotate through said hollow gearbox so as to drive said rotatable casing to rotate through said ring-shaped gear element.

19. The process, as recited in claim 15, wherein the step (c.1) further comprises a step of selectively controlling said motorized unit to generate said rotational power at one of a clockwise direction and a counter clockwise, such that said rotational power is a reversible rotational power.

20. The process, as recited in claim 18, wherein the step (c.1) further comprises a step of selectively controlling said motorized unit to generate said rotational power at one of a clockwise direction and a counter clockwise, such that said rotational power is a reversible rotational power.

21. The process, as recited in claim 15, further comprising a step of supporting a circuit board within a lower portion of said handle member at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member.

22. The process, as recited in claim 20, further comprising a step of supporting a circuit board within a lower portion of said handle member at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member.

23. A method of curling hair with a hair curling device which comprises an elongated heating member, a handle member, a rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member, and a clamping arm pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

(a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with a heating surface of said heating member to an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member;

(b) placing a lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on a heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to said heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from said heating member to a distal end of the hair;

(c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;

(d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;

(e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and

(f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.

24. The method, as recited in claim 23, further comprising a step of continuously rotating said rotatable casing at the same direction to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element until the lock of hair is released between said clamping arm and said heating element.

25. The method, as recited in claim 23, wherein the step (e) further comprises a step of shifting the lock of hair by said clamping arm, having a tapered shape, to evenly whirl the lock of hair along said heating element so as to prevent the lock of hair repeatedly wound at the same radial position of said heating element.

26. The method, as recited in claim 24, wherein the step (e) further comprises a step of shifting the lock of hair by said clamping arm, having a tapered shape, to evenly whirl the lock of hair along said heating element so as to prevent the lock of hair repeatedly wound at the same radial position of said heating element.

27. The method, as recited in claim 23, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of generating a constant rotation speed of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element.

28. The method, as recited in claim 26, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of generating a constant rotation speed of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element.

29. The method, as recited in claim 23, wherein, in the step (e), said heating element is remained at the same position to retain the same length of the first portion of hair while whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element.

30. The method, as recited in claim 28, wherein, in the step (e), said heating element is remained at the same position to retain the same length of the first portion of hair while whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element.