AUTOMATIC HAIR CURLING APPLIANCE WITH FLUID VAPOR EMISSION
A hair styling apparatus includes a first handle member having a first body defining an internal chamber dimensioned to receive a length of hair and a second handle member having a second body. The second handle member is adapted for movement relative to the first handle member between an open position and a closed position. An elongate member is positioned within the internal chamber of the first body of the first handle member. A rotatable component is mounted to the first body and adapted for rotatable movement to engage the length of hair within the internal chamber and wrap a segment of the hair about the elongate member. A cartridge is releasably mountable to the second handle member, and contains a hair treatment agent. A heater is in fluid communication with the cartridge for at least partially heating the treatment agent dispensed from the cartridge. At least one port in fluid communication with the heater and positioned to direct the treatment agent from the heater onto the hair disposed adjacent or within the internal chamber of the first handle member.
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/928,359, filed Jan. 16, 2014.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates to a hair styling apparatus, and more particularly, to hair styling apparatus for curling hair.
BACKGROUNDHair styling devices for styling or curling hair are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,651,118 (118 patent), 8,733,374 (374 patent) and 8,869,808 (808 patent), each disclose a hair styling device which includes a rotatable component for wrapping hair about a guide member. Other known hair styling devices are disclosed in U.S. Design Patent D696,456 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,804. Each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference in its respective entirety. The presently disclosed hair curling apparatus shares some features of select embodiments of the hair styling devices described in the patents identified above. In addition, the presently disclosed hair curling apparatus includes a mechanism or system for dispensing a treatment agent on the hair, such as, e.g., a steam generator and emitting system, to emit steam to enhance styling and/or curling of hair.
SUMMARYAccordingly, the present disclosure relates to a hair styling apparatus including a first handle member having a first body defining an internal chamber dimensioned to receive a length of hair and a second handle member having a second body. The second handle member is for adapted for movement relative to the first handle member between an open position where the first and second bodies are displaced and a closed position where the first and second bodies are approximated. An elongate member is positioned within the internal chamber of the first body of the first handle member. A rotatable component is mounted to the first body and adapted for rotatable movement to engage the length of hair adjacent or within the internal chamber and wrap a segment of the hair about the elongate member. A cartridge is mountable to one of the first and second handle members. The cartridge includes a hair treatment agent for dispensing on, and treating, the hair disposed adjacent or within the internal chamber of the first handle member.
The hair styling apparatus may include a heater for heating the hair treatment agent. The cartridge may be releasably mountable to the second body of the second handle member. The second body may include the heating element. In embodiments, the heating element is dimensioned to at least partially vaporize the hair treatment agent. The hair treatment agent may be water which converts to steam when subjected to the heating element for application to the hair to enhance styling or curling of the hair.
The hair styling apparatus may include a pump which is in fluid communication with the cartridge, and adapted to direct the fluid treatment agent from the cartridge and through the heater element. The pump may be a pneumatic pump mounted to the second body of the second handle member, and positioned to engage the first body of the first handle member upon relative movement of the second handle member to the closed position to direct fluid, e.g. air, into the cartridge to cause release of the hair treatment agent under pressure from the cartridge.
In some embodiments, the cartridge includes a pump inlet conduit and a treatment agent outlet conduit. The pump inlet conduit and the treatment agent outlet conduit are in fluid communication with the pump and the heater element respectively upon mounting of the cartridge to the second body of the second handle member. The second body of the second handle member may define an agent port and a pump port for respectively receiving the agent outlet conduit and the pump inlet conduit of the cartridge.
In accordance with one embodiment, a hair styling apparatus includes a first handle member having a first body defining an internal chamber dimensioned to receive a length of hair and a second handle member having a second body. The second handle member is adapted for adapted for movement relative to the first handle member between an open position and a closed position. An elongate member is positioned within the internal chamber of the first body of the first handle member. A rotatable component is mounted to the first body and adapted for rotatable movement to engage the length of hair adjacent or within the internal chamber and wrap a segment of the hair about the elongate member. A cartridge is releasably mountable to the second handle member, and contains a hair treatment agent. A heater is in fluid communication with the cartridge for at least partially heating the treatment agent dispensed from the cartridge. At least one port is in fluid communication with the heater and positioned to direct the heated treatment agent from the heater onto the hair disposed adjacent or within the internal chamber of the first handle member.
The hair styling apparatus may include a pneumatic pump which is mounted to the second body of the second handle member and in fluid communication with the cartridge. The pneumatic pump is engageable with the first body member upon relative movement of the second handle member toward the closed position to direct the treatment agent under pressure from the cartridge. The treatment agent may include water which converts to steam when subjected to heat of the heater for application to hair and enhance styling effects thereof
Other details and advantages of the hair styling appliance are discussed will be appreciated from the following written description.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated by reference to the drawings wherein:
Referring initially to
The apparatus 1 includes a handle section 2 having a first handle member or upper handle 3 and a second handle member or lower handle 4 connected to each other at respective ends, e.g., proximal ends, by a hinge section 5 in pivotal relation. The upper and lower handles 3, 4 are spring biased to an open position, shown in
With particular reference to
As best depicted in
The rotatable component 13 has a leading edge 17 which engages and captures the hair “h” during its rotation about axis “k” (
With reference to
With reference now to
The apparatus 1 may include a control circuit e.g., in the form of a circuit board, processor or other logic 25 (
With reference to
The system 26 includes a cartridge 27 which, in one embodiment, is releasably mounted to the upper handle 3, specifically, the upper head 8 of the upper handle 3. The system 26 further includes a heating element 28, and a pneumatic pump 29. The heating element 28 is in fluid communication with the cartridge 27 through conduit 30 and the pneumatic pump 29 is in fluid communication with the cartridge 27 through conduit 31. The heating element 28 includes a plurality of outlet ports 32 (see also
Generally, in operation, a swatch of hair is positioned between the open upper and lower heads 8, 9 of the handle 3, 4 adjacent the slot 12. The handles 3,4 are moved to the closed position of
The apparatus 1 may be provided with a control means that permits a user to selectively activate or de-activate the heating or vaporizing feature so that it may or may not be used during operation of the apparatus 1. This, may be achieved, for example, by a button or manually controlled mechanism (e.g., optionally inclusive of any of the controls discussed hereinabove in connection with the control panel display 20) that is associated with a valve that blocks delivery of water from the cartridge to the heating element 28.
With reference to
Other treatment agents for filling within cartridge 27 are also envisioned. For example, one alternate treatment agent may be Argan oil extracted from the fruits of the argan tree, argania spinosa, that is endemic to Morocco. The hair care composition may solely contain argan oil, or may include argan oil in combination with other ingredients. Examples of other ingredients include pharmaceutically active agents, moisturizers, hydration agents, penetration agents, preservatives, conditioners, emulsifiers, natural or synthetic oils, solvents, surfactants, detergents, gelling agents, emollients, antioxidants, fragrances, fillers, thickeners, waxes, odor absorbers, dyestuffs, coloring agents, powders, viscosity-controlling agents, buffers, protectants, pH regulators, chelating agents, humectants, conditioners, glitter, mica, minerals, silicones, polyphenols, sunblocks, phytomedicinals, and combinations thereof, as well as other additives typically used in hair care products as appreciated by those skilled in the art. The treatment agent may be heated by the system, with or without effecting at least partial vaporization of the agent for application to hair.
Persons skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments. It is envisioned that the elements and features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the elements and features of another without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As well, one skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the disclosure based on the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described.
Claims
1. A hair styling apparatus, which comprises:
- a first handle member including a first body defining an internal chamber dimensioned to receive a length of hair;
- a second handle member including a second body, the second handle member adapted for adapted for movement relative to the first handle member between an open position and a closed position;
- an elongate member positioned within the internal chamber of the first body of the first handle member;
- a rotatable component mounted to the first body and adapted for rotatable movement to engage the length of hair within the internal chamber and wrap a segment of the hair about the elongate member; and
- a cartridge mountable to one of the first and second handle members, the cartridge including a hair treatment agent for dispensing and treating hair disposed adjacent or within the internal chamber of the first handle member.
2. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 1 including a heater for heating the hair treatment agent.
3. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cartridge is releasably mountable to the second body of the second handle member.
4. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the second body includes the heating element.
5. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the heating element is dimensioned to at least partially vaporize the hair treatment agent.
6. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the hair treatment agent is water which converts to steam when subjected to the heating element.
7. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 4 including a pump in fluid communication with the cartridge, the pump adapted to direct the fluid treatment agent from the cartridge and through the heater element.
8. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the pump is a pneumatic pump mounted to the second handle member, the pneumatic pump being engageable with the first body member upon relative movement of the second handle member to the closed position.
9. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the cartridge includes a pump inlet conduit and a treatment agent outlet conduit, the pump inlet conduit and the treatment agent outlet conduit in fluid communication with the pump and the heater element respectively upon mounting of the cartridge to the second body of the second handle member.
10. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the second body of the second handle member defines an agent port and a pump port for respectively receiving the agent outlet conduit and the pump conduit of the cartridge upon mounting of the cartridge to the second body of the second handle member.
11. A hair styling apparatus, which comprises:
- a first handle member including a first body defining an internal chamber dimensioned to receive a length of hair;
- a second handle member including a second body, the second handle member adapted for adapted for movement relative to the first handle member between an open position and a closed position;
- an elongate member positioned within the internal chamber of the first body of the first handle member;
- a rotatable component mounted to the first body and adapted for rotatable movement to engage the length of hair within the internal chamber and wrap a segment of the hair about the elongate member;
- a cartridge releasably mountable to the second handle member, the cartridge including a hair treatment agent;
- a heater in fluid communication with the cartridge for at least partially heating the treatment agent dispensed from the cartridge; and
- at least one port in fluid communication with the heater and positioned to direct the treatment agent from the heater onto the hair disposed adjacent or within the internal chamber of the first handle member.
12. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 11 including a pneumatic pump mounted to the second handle member and in fluid communication with the cartridge, the pneumatic pump being engageable with the first body member upon relative movement of the second handle member toward the closed position to direct the treatment agent under pressure from the cartridge.
13. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the treatment agent includes water which converts to steam when subjected to the heater.
14. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the cartridge includes a pump inlet conduit and a treatment agent outlet conduit, the pump inlet conduit and the treatment agent outlet conduit in fluid communication with the pump and the heater element respectively upon mounting of the cartridge to the second body of the second handle member.
15. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the second body of the second handle member defines an agent port and a pump port for respectively receiving the agent outlet conduit and the pump conduit of the cartridge upon mounting of the cartridge to the second body of the second handle member.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 16, 2015
Publication Date: Jul 16, 2015
Inventor: Anthony Kit Lun Leung (Hong Kong)
Application Number: 14/598,741