ROTATIONAL HAIR STYLING DEVICE FOR EASILY MAKING SPIRAL CURLS

Disclosed therein is a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls including: an upper case being elongated; a lower case rotatably hinge-coupled with a hinge part of the upper case; a heating member of a bar shape horizontally located in the winding space part; a driving motor embedded in the lower case collinearly with the heating member; and a winder member connected to a driving gear of the driving motor and rotated forwardly and reversely around the heating member inside the heating space part for spirally winding the hair.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0128752 filed on Oct. 28, 2013 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a rotational hair styling device, and more particularly, to a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls, which includes a winder connected to a driving motor and rotated forwardly and backwardly in a circumferential direction around a heating member of a bar shape mounted at one end of upper and lower cases which are opened and closed like tongs so that the middle part of the hair is caught to the winder and rotated in one direction so as to be wound and heated on the heating member, thereby minimizing hair damage by heat and easily and rapidly making spiral curls.

2. Background of the Related Art

Generally, in order to produce a user's wanted hairstyle after washing the user's hair, the user produce hairstyle after drying his or her hair using a drier or produce hairstyle using a roll brush at the same time drying his or her hair.

However, such conventional methods using the drier or the roll brush are complicated and it takes a long time to produce the wanted hairstyles.

In order to solve the problems, Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-2011-0008835 discloses a ‘styling brush with spinning device’ including: first and second members 12 and 14 operatively connected to each other and adapted for relative movement between a generally open position to receive a length of hair and a generally approximated position to engage the length of hair; and a brush 22 mounted relative to the first and second members 12 and 14. The brush 22 is adapted for rotational movement about a longitudinal axis defined thereby to brush the length of hair when the first and second members 12 and 14 are in the approximated condition. At least one, if not both, of the first and second members 12 and 14 may include a heating element 58 for heat treating the length of hair.

Such a conventional device has an advantage in that it can produce various hairstyles, such as in-curve, out-curve, roll straight, and others, while drying wet hair through styling work, such as straightening, curling, brushing or combing without using additional drier or roll brush, but has a disadvantage in that it cannot make spiral curly hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curly hair, which can simultaneously dry hair and make spiral curls.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls in which a winder rotating forwardly and backwardly on a heating member of a bar shape catches the middle part of the hair by a grasping action of upper and lower cases opened and closed like tongs and rotates the hair in one direction so as to wind and heat the hair on the heating member, thereby minimizing hair damage by heat and easily and rapidly making spiral curls.

To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls including: an upper case being elongated, the upper case having hair pressing part which is formed at one end thereof and is in contact with the upper portion of the hair and a hinge part formed at the other end; a lower case rotatably hinge-coupled with a hinge part of the upper case, the lower case having a winding space part formed at one end thereof corresponding to the hair pressing part, the winding space part having an opened upper portion in which the hair is accommodated; a heating member of a bar shape horizontally located in the winding space part, the heating member having a heating space part between the heating member and the inner circumferential surface of the lower case for winding and heating the hair; a driving motor embedded in the lower case collinearly with the heating member; and a winder member connected to a driving gear of the driving motor and rotated forwardly and reversely around the heating member inside the heating space part for spirally winding the hair, which is grasped between the winding space part and the hair pressing part, from the middle to the end of the hair when the upper and lower cases are closed and for heating the hair in a state where the hair is in contact with the surface of the heating member.

Moreover, the auxiliary heating member is mounted in the winding space part of the lower case while keeping an interval from the outer circumferential surface of the heating member, and comprises a curved inner surface formed to heat the outer surface of the hair spirally wound on the heating member by the winder member.

Furthermore, the upper case includes a hair passing hole formed at both sides of the hair pressing part thereof when the upper and lower cases are closed by rotating around the hinge parts.

Additionally, the winder member includes: a rotary ring connected to the driving gear of the driving motor and rotated in forward and backward directions; a winder perpendicularly extending from the rim of the rotary ring, the winder having a width surrounding a portion of the outer surface of the heating member and an inner circumferential surface curved inwardly; dented portions formed at both edges of the winder so as to spirally wind and rotate the hair; and a downwardly curved protrusion formed at an external end portion of the dented portion along the circumferential direction for catching the middle of the hair accommodated in the winding space part and sending the hair to the dented portion so as to spirally wind and form the hair into a coil shape.

In addition, the winder member includes: a through hole formed at the center of the rotary ring in such a way that the heating member is mounted through the through hole; a pair of planetary gears interlocking at both sides of the driving gear of the driving motor; and an inner ring gear rotating in interlock with the planetary gears, wherein the rotary ring is integrally assembled to the inner ring gear such that the winder member rotates forwardly and reversely around the heating member.

Moreover, a power line for supplying electric power to the heating member is connected with the heating member and the auxiliary heating member through power line holes formed above and below the planetary gears and arranged at right angles to the planetary gears so as to supply electric power.

Furthermore, the upper case includes a pressing protrusion downwardly protrudes from the external front end of the hair pressing part of the upper case, and the rotational hair styling device further includes: a contact member which is mounted to be outwardly resilient in such a manner that the contact member is moved inwardly by the pressing protrusion so as to move the hair toward the heating member when the upper case is rotated and lies upon the lower case.

Additionally, the contact member includes: a fixing boss mounted at the external end portion of the heating member and having an elastic member accommodated therein; a movable body mounted on the fixing boss in an axially movable manner; a movable piece upwardly protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the movable body in such a way as to be in contact with the pressing protrusion; and a round contact member formed inside the movable piece.

In addition, the contact member includes: a hinge shaft located outside the heating member and having a lower end portion transversely assembled to the inner circumferential surface of the lower case; a movable lever extending upwardly from the hinge shaft and being in contact with the pressing protrusion, the movable lever pushing the hair toward the heating member while inwardly rotating on the hinge shaft; and an elastic member located between the hinge shaft and the movable lever in such a way that the movable lever is outwardly resilient on the hinge shaft.

Moreover, the rotational hair styling device further includes: a detection sensor for detecting a rotational position in order to return the winder member to its initial position after the winder member is rotated forwardly and backwardly; and a sensor member engaged with the detection sensor.

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls can easily make spiral curls by the wider member which forwardly and reversely rotates around the heating member by the driving motor.

Particularly, in the case of making the spiral curls by the heating member and the auxiliary heating member, the rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls minimizes a thermal damage, rapidly and easily make spiral curls, and maintains the spiral curls for a long time because the inside and the outside of hair are heated at the same time while the hair is wound by the winder member.

Of course, because such effects of the present invention are showed by the structure of the present invention without regard to whether or not the inventor of the present invention recognizes, the above-mentioned effects are merely some of various effects obtained according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and hence, it should not be acknowledged that all effects capable of being gasped or made by the present invention are described in this specification.

Furthermore, the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Even though there is no specific description, if those skilled in the art can acknowledge as effects which obtainable through this specification, it will be understood that such effects belong to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outward appearance of a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 5 are an enlarged side sectional view and enlarged flat sectional views of essential parts showing states of the rotational hair styling device before and after making spiral curly hair according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinally sectional view showing forward and reverse rotation operations of a winder member of the rotational hair styling device;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the outward appearance of a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged flat sectional views of essential parts showing states of the rotational hair styling device before and after making spiral curly hair according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, reference will be now made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings are to describe in detail enough for those skilled in the art to easily make the invention. Therefore, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the technical idea and scope of the present invention is not limited to the example embodiments and the attached drawings.

Moreover, in the description, the thicknesses of the lines or the sizes of the components shown in the drawing may be magnified for the clarity and convenience of the description. Further, the terms as will be discussed later are defined in accordance with the functions of the present invention, but may be varied under the intention or regulation of a user or operator. Therefore, they should be defined on the basis of the whole scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outward appearance of a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, FIGS. 3 to 5 are an enlarged side sectional view and enlarged flat sectional views of essential parts showing states of the rotational hair styling device before and after making spiral curly hair according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a longitudinally sectional view showing forward and reverse rotation operations of a winder member of the rotational hair styling device, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the outward appearance of a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged flat sectional views of essential parts showing states of the rotational hair styling device before and after making spiral curly hair according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Reference will be now made in detail to a rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

The rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention is in the form of tongs in order to simultaneously dry hair and make spiral curly hair.

First, referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the rotational hair styling device 100 for easily making spiral curls according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of an upper case 10 and a lower case 20 whose end portions are rotatably hinge-coupled with each other by hinge parts 13 and 23.

Here, in this specification, one end portion means the opposite side of the hinge parts 13 and 23, and the other end portion means the side of the hinge parts 13 and 23.

The upper case 10 is elongated and includes: a hair pressing part 11 formed at one end thereof and getting in contact with the upper part of hair; the hinge part formed at the other end: and a hand-grip part 12 formed between the hinge part 13 and the hair pressing part 11 for allowing a user to grasp the hair styling device 100 with the hand.

The hair pressing part 11 is formed in a plate type, and has a three-dimensional curve formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof for receiving and winding hair.

Moreover, the lower case 20 has the same length as the upper case 10, and includes: a hand-grip part 22 formed corresponding to the hand-grip part 12 of the upper case 10; and the hinge part 23 formed at the other end portion thereof and rotatably assembled with the hinge part 13 of the upper case 10.

Furthermore, the lower case 20 includes a winding space part 21 formed at one end portion thereof in correspondence with the hair pressing part 11 of the upper case 10, the winding space part 21 being opened at an upper side through which the hair is received.

As shown in the drawings, the lower case 20 is formed by assembly of a left case 24 and a right case 25, and accommodates a heater T, a winder member 50 and an auxiliary heating member 31, which will be described later, therein and has the winding space part 21 formed therein for having the hair wound.

In the above structure, the upper case 10 includes a hair passing hole 14 formed at both sides of the hair pressing part 11 thereof for grasping the hair when the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 are closed by rotating on the hinge parts 13 and 23.

Therefore, in the state where the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 lie one upon another and are closed, the hair passing hole 14 guides the hair to be put and accommodated on the hair pressing part 11, the winding space part 21 and a heating member 30, which will be described later, neatly.

Additionally, the lower case 20 includes stepped retaining jaw portions 26 formed at both sides of the opened upper end thereof in order to guide that the hair is wound spirally inwardly from the front end portion of the heating member 30.

In addition, the heating member 30 is mounted in the lower case 20. The heating member 30 is horizontally located on the winding space part 21 so as to form a heating space part for heating the wound hair on the inner circumferential surface of the lower case 20.

Preferably, the heating member 30 has a diameter (approximately, 20 mm to 30 mm) fit to produce the best hairstyle when the hair is wound spirally and heated.

The heating member 30 is constructed of a hollow tube, and a PTC heater or a ceramic heater (not shown in the drawings) is mounted inside the heating member 30. A thermal diffusion member made of an aluminum material or a copperplate material for evenly transferring heat of the heater T to the entire outer surface of the heating member 30 is assembled in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the heating member 30.

Alternatively, a film heater may be assembled in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the heating member 30 so as to transfer heat to the entire outer surface of the heating member 30 without needing the thermal diffusion member, such that the heating member 30 can become lightened.

For reference, temperature of the PTC heater or the ceramic heater can be controlled by a temperature sensor which is mounted on the inner circumferential surface of the heating member 30, but of course, in case of the ceramic heater, it is also possible that temperature of the ceramic heater is controlled by a digital circuit for sensing a change in resistance value, namely, electric current or voltage, according to a change in temperature during heating of the hair by the heating member 30.

The film heater is formed in such a way that a heating resistor is printed between polyimide films having heat resistance to withstand more than 300 degrees. The film heater can heat the entire outer surface of the heating member 30 at uniform temperature, and thus, can minimize hair damage and produce spirally curly hair.

Moreover, a driving motor M is mounted inside the hand-grip part 22 of the lower case 20 collinearly with the heating member 30.

The driving motor M is a DC reduced motor, and as described later, is embedded in the hand-grip art 12 of the upper case 10 or the hand-grip part 22 of the lower case 20 and is rotated forward or backward by manipulation of a control part 42 electrically connected with a control circuit part 40 for controlling temperature of the heating member 30 and operation of the driving motor M.

Furthermore, the driving motor M receives AC power from the outside through an AC/DC power stabilization circuit part 41 interlocking with the control circuit part 40, and then, supplies AC power to the heater T of the heating member 30 as it is but supplies AC-to-DC converted power to the reduced motor.

Additionally, the control part 42 includes: a temperature setting part for setting heating temperature, and a forward and reverse rotation setting part for selecting styling by winding side hair spirally to the left or to the right based on the face.

Moreover, a heating time setting part for setting rotation time of the driving motor M, such as 8 seconds, 10 seconds, or 12 seconds, when the hair is spirally wound and heated on the heating member 30, such that the state of the spirally curled hair can be set in a strong mode, a middle mode, and a weak mode.

It is preferable that the hair styling device further include a sound output unit for generating a signal sound at an end point when the setting time is finished after the user waits in the state where the upper case and the lower case are closed during the set heating time.

It is preferable that an operation key 43 of the control part 42 be mounted on the right side of the lower case 20 such that the right-handed user can conveniently manipulate the key 43 while grasping the hand-grip parts 12 and 22 with one hand.

In the meantime, the hair styling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes an auxiliary heating member 31 for rapidly producing the spiral curls by simultaneously heating the outer surface of the hair wound on the heating member 30.

The auxiliary heating member 31 is mounted in the winding space part 21 of the lower case 20 while keeping an interval 32 from the outer circumferential surface of the heating member 30.

The auxiliary heating member 31 has a curved inner surface in order to heat the outer surface of the hair spirally wound on the heating member 30 by the winder member 50, and the PTC heater or the ceramic heater may be mounted at the center of the rear side of the auxiliary heating member 31. The film heater is preferably in contact with the entire rear side of the auxiliary heating member 31 so as to uniformly heat the entire inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary heating member 31.

Preferably, the auxiliary heating member 31 and the heating member 30 are assembled in such a way as to maintain an interval 32 between the auxiliary heating member 31 and the heating member 30 in consideration of the maximum thickness of the hair wound on the heating member 30.

Additionally, the hair styling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes the winder member 50 for winding the hair while rotating around the heating member 30.

That is, the winder member 50 is constructed to rotate between the heating member 30 and the auxiliary heating member 31. For this, the winder member 50 is made of heat-resisting synthetic resin because it must pass a space where heat ranging from 80° C. to 250° C. is generated.

Furthermore, as described later, the winder member 50 is assembled in such a way as to be rotated in a state where the outer surface of a winder 51 of the winder member 50 almost touches the auxiliary heating member 31.

In addition, one end portion of the winder member 50 is connected to a driving gear M1 of the driving motor M so as to rotate forward and backward around the heating member 30 inside the heating space part.

Therefore, the hair grasped between the winding space part 21 and the hair pressing part 11 by the closing action of the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 is wound spirally from the middle to the end of the hair and is heated in a state where the wound hair is in close contact with the surface of the heating member 30.

Such a winder member 50 includes: a rotary ring 52 connected to the driving gear M1 of the driving motor M and rotated in forward and backward directions; and the winder 51 perpendicularly extending from the rim of the rotary ring 52, the winder 51 being formed in a plate shape having a width surrounding a portion of the outer surface of the heating member 30 and having the inner circumferential surface curved inwardly so as to have a curvature larger than the curvature of the outer circumferential surface of the heating member 30.

Therefore, the winder 51 can spirally wind the hair from the front end portion to the inside end portion of the heating member 30 while being rotated around the heating member 30 by the forward and backward rotation of the driving motor M.

Furthermore, the winder member 50 further includes: dented portions 53 formed at both edges of the winder 51 so as to spirally wind and rotate the hair; and a downwardly curved protrusion 54 formed at an external end portion of the dented portion 53 along the circumferential direction for catching the middle of the hair accommodated in the winding space part 21 and sending the hair to the dented portion 53 so that the hair is wound spirally and formed into a coil shape. It is preferable that the curved protrusion 54 is located at the external front end portion of the heating member 30.

Moreover, the dented portion 53 may be formed at a right angle from the curved protrusion 54, but in this embodiment, an inclined guide portion 55 is formed between the end portion of the curved protrusion 54 and the dented portion 53.

Accordingly, in the state where the hair is put on the heating member 30 inside the winding space part 21, when the winder 51 rotates, the curved protrusion 54 is rotated in the state where it is catching the hair, and in this instance, the hair moves toward the dented portion 53 by the inclined guide portion 55 and is wound on the outer circumferential surface of the heating member 30.

Furthermore, the hair continuously wound by the winder 51 is continuously guided toward the internal end portion of the heating member 30 by the inclined guide portion 55, and the succeeding hair is wound on the outer circumferential surface of the heating member 30 spirally.

There is some difference according to the length of the hair, but based on hair of a normal length (200 mm to 300 mm), the hair is instantaneously wound from the middle to the end of the hair even before the winder 51 rotates about four times or five times.

After that, the hair wound on the heating member 30 is dried and styled by the heating action of the heating member 30 between the winder 51 and the heating member 30 during the setting time, e.g., 8 seconds to 12 seconds, while the winder 51 rotates.

In this instance, the internal surface of the hair is spirally curled by the heating member 30 and the external surface of the hair is heated in direct contact with the auxiliary heating member 31 in the case that the hair is large in quantity.

Additionally, in the case that the hair is small in quantity and does not directly touch the auxiliary heating member 31, the hair is heated by radiant heat of the auxiliary heating member 31, such that the hair is rapidly dried and curled spirally.

In this instance, the winder 51 is continuously rotated around the hair wound on the heating member 30 for the set operation time while winding the hair.

That is, the inner circumferential surface of the winder 51 brushes the hair by friction force while continuously rotating during the setting time in the state where the inner circumferential surface of the winder 51 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the hair.

In addition, the winder 51 stores heat of about 70 degrees to 90 degrees by the radiant heat of the auxiliary heating member 31.

Therefore, while the winder 51 rotates in sliding contact with the outer surface of the hair, the hair is more rapidly dried and made into spirally curled hair.

As described above, because the winder 51 of the winder member 50 rotates in direct contact with the hair, in the case that the winder 51 is made of heat-resisting synthetic resin, it is preferable to mix materials which provide good effects to the hair and emit far-infrared radiation, such as tourmaline anion powder or ceramic material, when the winder 51 is injection-molded.

Moreover, in the case that the winder 51 is made of metal material, such as aluminum, with high heat conductivity, the surface of the winder 51 has a ceramic coating layer or is hard-anodized or soft-anodized, so as to emit far-infrared radiation or anions.

In this instance, the winder 51 and the rotary ring 52 of the winder member 50 may be made of the same material, and if necessary, are separately insert-molded of metal material and of synthetic resin material or are integrated after being individually assembled.

Furthermore, the winder member 50 includes a through hole 52a formed at the center of the rotary ring 52 in such a way that the heating member is mounted through the through hole 52a; a pair of planetary gears 57 interlocking at both sides of the driving gear M1 of the driving motor M: and an inner ring gear 56 rotating in interlock with the planetary gears 57. The rotary ring 52 is integrally assembled to the inner ring gear 56, such that the winder member 50 rotates forwardly and reversely around the heating member.

For this, a fixing housing 58 is disposed at the front end of the driving motor M and assembled to the left case 24 and the right case 25, and the planetary gears 57 are symmetrically located around the driving gear M1 in the fixing housing 58 and are rotatably assembled to the fixing housing 58.

Therefore, the planetary gears 57 are assembled in such a way that the internal end portions of the planetary gears 57 interlock with the driving gear M1 and the external end portions are exposed to the outside of the fixing housing 58, such that they interlock with teeth formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner ring gear 56.

The inner ring gear 56 is assembled to the outside of the planetary gears 57 and rotatably assembled by a fixing ring 59 screw-coupled with the fixing housing 58.

Furthermore, the heating member 30 is fixed at the center of the fixing housing 58 nonrotatably, such that the winder member 50 screw-coupled with the front face portion of the inner ring gear 56 after passing through the center of the fixing ring 59 rotates around the heating member 30 in front of the fixing housing 58, and the rotary ring 52 of the winder member 50 can spirally wind the hair together with the inner ring gear 56 while rotating around the heating member 30.

In this instance, in this embodiment of the present invention, a power line for supplying AC power to the heating member 30 from the control circuit part 40 is connected with the heating member 30 and the auxiliary heating member 31 through power line holes formed above and below the planetary gears 57 and arranged at right angles to the planetary gears 57 so as to supply electric power.

Furthermore, the upper case 10 further includes a push protrusion 16 formed at the bottom surface thereof, and the lower case 20 further includes a switching member 17 disposed at a corresponding position of the push protrusion 16 and operated by the push protrusion 16.

Therefore, when the upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are closed, the push protrusion 16 presses the switching member 17, such that the switching member 17 sends a signal to the control circuit part 40 so as to operate the driving motor M.

When the hair styling device is turned on by the above-mentioned structure, the heating member 30 is heated to the set temperature by the temperature control part, and the driving motor M is operated so as to rotate the winder 51 as soon as the upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are closed in the state where the hair of a fixed quantity is located in the winding space part 21. After a sound on completion of curling, when the upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are opened, the push protrusion 16 and the switching member 17 are separated and the driving motor M stops the operation.

Here, the hair styling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention may further include: a detection sensor 44 for detecting a rotational position in order to return the winder member 50 to its initial position after the winder member 50 is rotated forwardly and backwardly: and a sensor member 45 engaged with the detection sensor 44.

In other words, as described above, when the push protrusion 16 and the switching member 17 are separated and the driving motor M is stopped, because malfunction may occur according to the position of the winder 51 when the hair for the following work is wound, it is preferable that the winder 51 must be always located at the initial position, for instance, below the heating member 30.

Therefore, the driving motor M stops its operation at the moment the detection sensor 44 and the sensor member 45 senses the initial position of the winder member 50 after the driving motor M is further rotated to the initial position through the detection sensor 44 and the sensor member 45.

For instance, as a component rotated together with the driving motor M, the sensor member 45 has a sensor hole 45 (which has the same reference numeral as the sensor member) which is circularly extended from the rim of the rotary ring 52.

The sensor hole 45 may be formed in a hole shape or in a recess shape opened to the outside.

Additionally, as the detection sensor 44, a photo coupler 44 is mounted at the corresponding position of the sensor hole 45, such that the driving motor M stops the operation as soon as the photo coupler 44 senses the initial position of the winder 51.

In the meantime, the hair styling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes contact members 60 and 160 for pushing the hair accommodated in the winding space part 21 toward the heating member 30 without missing such that the hair is spirally curled by the winder 51.

That is, a pressing protrusion 15 downwardly protrudes from the external front end of the hair pressing part 11 of the upper case 10.

The pressing protrusion 15 is formed in such a way that the front end portion of the hair pressing part 11 downwardly protrudes into a sharp form and curved or bent inwardly and upwardly. The pressing protrusion 15 is outwardly resiliently mounted at the external end portion of the heating member 30 in such a manner that the contact members 60 and 160 are moved inwardly by the pressing protrusion 15 so as to move the hair toward the heating member 30, when the upper case 10 is rotated and lies upon the lower case 20.

Now, the contact member 60 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail as follows.

The contact member 60 includes: a fixing boss 61 mounted at the external end portion of the heating member 30 and having an elastic member 70 accommodated therein; a movable body 62 mounted on the fixing boss 61 in an axially movable manner; a movable piece 63 upwardly protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the movable body 62 in such a way as to be in contact with the pressing protrusion 15; and a round contact member 64 formed inside the movable piece 63.

Through the above structure, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the state where the pressing protrusion 15 is in contact with the upper end portion of the movable piece 63, the movable body 62 is moved toward the heating member 30 while overcoming the power of the elastic member 70, which is a coil spring, by the inclined guide portion 55.

Therefore, the hair which is spread at one side of the contact member 64 and put on the heating member 30 is gradually collected on the heating member 30, and in this instance, the upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are closed together.

Moreover, the hair is aligned neatly through the hair passing hole 14 of the upper case 10.

Furthermore, as another preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the contact member 160 includes: a hinge shaft 161 located outside the heating member 30 and having a lower end portion transversely assembled to the inner circumferential surface of the lower case 20; a movable lever 162 extending upwardly from the hinge shaft 161 and being in contact with the pressing protrusion 15, the movable lever 162 pushing the hair toward the heating member 30 while inwardly rotating on the hinge shaft 161; and an elastic member 70 located between the hinge shaft 161 and the movable lever 162 in such a way that the movable lever 162 is outwardly resilient on the hinge shaft 161.

Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pressing protrusion 15 is rotated toward the heating member 30 while overcoming the power of the elastic member, which is the coil spring, on the hinge shaft 161 by the inner inclined surface of the pressing protrusion 15 in the state where the pressing protrusion 15 is in contact with the upper end portion of the movable lever 162.

Therefore, the hair which is spread at one side of the movable lever 162 and put on the heating member 30 is gradually collected toward the heating member 30, and in this instance, the upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are closed together. Moreover, the hair is aligned neatly through the hair passing hole 14 of the upper case 10.

Now, the hair styling process according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described as follows.

In the state where a user grasps the hair of a proper quantity with one hand, the user puts the hair into the opened front end portion of the hair styling device 100 with the other hand, and then, puts the hair on the winding space part 21 between the upper and lower cases 10 and 20.

In this state, when the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 are closed, the pressing protrusion 15 pushes the contact members 60 and 160 toward the heating member 30, such that the hair is grasped on the winding space part 21 of the lower case 20 by the hair pressing part 11 of the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 and the lower end portion of the hair is aligned neatly through the hair passing hole 14 in the state where the hair is caught by the stepped retaining jaw portions 26.

Moreover, the push protrusion 16 of the upper case 10 gets in contact with the switching member 17 and transfers a sensing signal of the closed condition of the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 to the control circuit part 40.

Therefore, the control circuit part 40 rotates the driving motor M, and in this instance, the driving gear M1 of the driving motor M is rotated in the forward or backward direction according to the user's setting of the control part 42.

Accordingly, because the planetary gears 57 interlocking with the driving gear M1 is rotated in the opposite direction, the inner ring gear 56 rotates in one direction, and finally, the rotary ring 52 and the winder 51 are rotated together.

Furthermore, the heating member 30 and the auxiliary heating member 31 are heated while keeping the set temperature selected by the control part 42 if there is no specific manipulation of temperature.

Next, the hair aligned neatly is caught to the curved protrusion 54 of the winder 51 whose middle portion is rotated, and then, is wound on the outer circumferential surface of the heating member 30 by the winder 51 continuously rotated while being drawn into the dented portions 53 along the inclined portion.

In this instance, because the curved protrusion 54 catches the middle portion of the hair and winds it to the heating member 30, the lower end portion of the hair is naturally drawn in by the rotation of the winder 51 and wound on the heating member 30 in the spiral form.

The internal surface of the spirally wound hair is dried and styled by heat generated from the heating member 30, and at the same time, the external surface of the hair is also heated by the heat generated from the auxiliary heating member 31, such that the hair can be rapidly dried and styled.

Additionally, because the winder 51 is continuously rotated during the setting time, for instance, for 8 seconds, 10 seconds or 12 seconds, while the hair is dried and styled, in the state where the inner circumferential surface of the winder 51 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface the winder 51 is rotated in the spirally winding direction so as to make glossy styled hair.

Particularly, in the case that the inner surface of the winder 51 is coated with tourmaline or ceramic material to provide excellent surface roughness, the hair becomes glossy.

In this state, when the heating is finished, a signal sound is generated, and then, the user opens the upper and lower cases.

In this instance, while the upper and lower cases 10 and 20 are opened, the OFF signal generated when the push protrusion 16 is separated from the switching member 17 is transferred to the driving motor M.

Here, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the winder 51 always stops at the initial position, the driving motor M is operated till the position is checked through the photo coupler and the sensor hole 45 formed in the rotary ring 52.

Therefore, the winder 51 is further rotated even in the opened state of the upper and lower cases, and then, always stops at the initial position by the detection signal of the photo coupler 44 and the sensor hole 45.

At the same time, when the user grasps the middle of the hair and pulls the hair styling device 100, the hair spirally wound on the heating member 30 is released from the heating member 30.

In this instance, the hair hangs down like a coil spring in a bouncy hairstyle so as to show beautiful hair curls.

As described above, because the winder 51 provides a friction action similar with combing in the grain direction of the hair while rotating in contact with the hair, the hair styling device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention can rapidly dry and style the hair so as to minimize hair damage and produce glossy and spirally curled hair.

Furthermore, after the completion of hairstyling, the spirally curled hair becomes bouncy hair, and the spirally curled state can be kept for a long time.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rotational hair styling device for easily making spiral curls comprising:

an upper case being elongated, the upper case having hair pressing part which is formed at one end thereof and is in contact with the upper portion of the hair and a hinge part formed at the other end;
a lower case rotatably hinge-coupled with a hinge part of the upper case, the lower case having a winding space part formed at one end thereof corresponding to the hair pressing part, the winding space part having an opened upper portion in which the hair is accommodated;
a heating member of a bar shape horizontally located in the winding space part, the heating member having a heating space part between the heating member and the inner circumferential surface of the lower case for winding and heating the hair;
a driving motor embedded in the lower case collinearly with the heating member; and
a winder member connected to a driving gear of the driving motor and rotated forwardly and reversely around the heating member inside the heating space part for spirally winding the hair, which is grasped between the winding space part and the hair pressing part, from the middle to the end of the hair when the upper and lower cases are closed and for heating the hair in a state where the hair is in contact with the surface of the heating member.

2. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary heating member is mounted in the winding space part of the lower case while keeping an interval from the outer circumferential surface of the heating member, and comprises a curved inner surface formed to heat the outer surface of the hair spirally wound on the heating member by the winder member.

3. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the upper case comprises a hair passing hole formed at both sides of the hair pressing part thereof when the upper and lower cases are closed by rotating around the hinge parts.

4. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the winder member comprises:

a rotary ring connected to the driving gear of the driving motor and rotated in forward and backward directions;
a winder perpendicularly extending from the rim of the rotary ring, the winder having a width surrounding a portion of the outer surface of the heating member and an inner circumferential surface curved inwardly;
dented portions formed at both edges of the winder so as to spirally wind and rotate the hair; and
a downwardly curved protrusion formed at an external end portion of the dented portion along the circumferential direction for catching the middle of the hair accommodated in the winding space part and sending the hair to the dented portion so as to spirally wind and form the hair into a coil shape.

5. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 4, wherein the winder member comprises: a through hole formed at the center of the rotary ring in such a way that the heating member is mounted through the through hole; a pair of planetary gears interlocking at both sides of the driving gear of the driving motor; and an inner ring gear rotating in interlock with the planetary gears, wherein the rotary ring is integrally assembled to the inner ring gear such that the winder member rotates forwardly and reversely around the heating member.

6. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein a power line for supplying electric power to the heating member is connected with the heating member and the auxiliary heating member through power line holes formed above and below the planetary gears and arranged at right angles to the planetary gears so as to supply electric power.

7. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 2, wherein a power line for supplying electric power to the heating member is connected with the heating member and the auxiliary heating member through power line holes formed above and below the planetary gears and arranged at right angles to the planetary gears so as to supply electric power.

8. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the upper case comprises a pressing protrusion downwardly protrudes from the external front end of the hair pressing part of the upper case, the rotational hair styling device further comprising:

a contact member which is mounted to be outwardly resilient in such a manner that the contact member is moved inwardly by the pressing protrusion so as to move the hair toward the heating member when the upper case is rotated and lies upon the lower case.

9. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 8, wherein the contact member comprises:

a fixing boss mounted at the external end portion of the heating member and having an elastic member accommodated therein;
a movable body mounted on the fixing boss in an axially movable manner;
a movable piece upwardly protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the movable body in such a way as to be in contact with the pressing protrusion; and
a round contact member formed inside the movable piece.

10. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 8, wherein the contact member comprises:

a hinge shaft located outside the heating member and having a lower end portion transversely assembled to the inner circumferential surface of the lower case;
a movable lever extending upwardly from the hinge shaft and being in contact with the pressing protrusion, the movable lever pushing the hair toward the heating member while inwardly rotating on the hinge shaft; and
an elastic member located between the hinge shaft and the movable lever in such a way that the movable lever is outwardly resilient on the hinge shaft.

11. The rotational hair styling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection sensor for detecting a rotational position in order to return the winder member to its initial position after the winder member is rotated forwardly and backwardly; and
a sensor member engaged with the detection sensor.
Patent History
Publication number: 20150114425
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2014
Publication Date: Apr 30, 2015
Inventor: Chang Su Park (Ulsan)
Application Number: 14/201,921
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Electrical Heater (132/229)
International Classification: A45D 1/04 (20060101); A45D 2/36 (20060101);