BEAUTY TOOL HEAD LOCKING MECHANISM
A handheld beauty tool includes a handle, a coupling on the handle, and a head connectable with the coupling. In an embodiment the handheld beauty tool can include an actuator movable with respect to the coupling. In another embodiment, the handheld beauty tool can include a biasing member cooperating with the coupling and the head. In the embodiment including the actuator, the biasing member may or may not be included. Also, in the embodiment including the biasing member, the actuator may or may not be included.
In a conventional handheld hairstyling beauty tool, air is drawn into the beauty tool through an inlet by a fan connected with a motor and directed towards the hair through an outlet. Such handheld beauty tools can be provided with different detachable heads, each having a different function. Depending on the hairstyle desired, a different head is chosen.
The handle of the handheld beauty tool connects with each of the detachable heads via a connection mechanism. One problem to be overcome is to provide a robust connection between the detachable head and a handle of the handheld beauty tool to reduce the likelihood of the detachable head accidently being removed from the handle.
SUMMARYIn view of the foregoing, a handheld beauty tool includes a handle, a coupling on the handle, and a head connectable with the coupling. In an embodiment the handheld beauty tool can include an actuator movable with respect to the coupling. In another embodiment, the handheld beauty tool can include a biasing member cooperating with the coupling and the head. In the embodiment including the actuator, the biasing member may or may not be included. Also, in the embodiment including the biasing member, the actuator may or may not be included.
In the embodiment including the actuator, the head can be connectable with the coupling via a bayonet connection in which the head rotates with respect to the coupling about a rotational axis toward a locked position. The actuator is movable with respect to the coupling between an engaged position in which rotation of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position toward an unlocked position is inhibited, and a disengaged position in which movement of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position towards the unlocked position is uninhibited. The actuator is movable into the engaged position when the head is in the locked position.
In the embodiment including the biasing member, the head is connectable with the coupling via a connection in which the head rotates about and translates along a rotational axis with respect to the coupling toward a locked position. The biasing member cooperates with the coupling and the head to bias the head in a direction parallel with the rotational axis away from the handle when the head is in the locked position.
The description and drawings herein are merely illustrative and various modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the invention. Further, spatially relative terms which describe a relationship between features of a handheld beauty tool 20 relate to the handheld beauty tool 20 as oriented in the relative figure. Any terms of degree used herein, such as “parallel,” “perpendicular” and “normal” mean a reasonable amount of deviation the end result is not significantly changed. Movement of one element “with respect to” another element means that either first mentioned element can be moved in space while the second mentioned element remains stationary, the second mentioned element can be moved in space while the first mentioned element remains stationary, or both elements can be moved simultaneously. With reference to
To allow a user to create different hairstyles and to provide the handheld beauty tool 20 multi-functionality, the head 26 is detachable to allow for replacement with another detachable head (not shown), for example one including bristles or having a shape different than the head 26 shown in
With reference back to
With reference to
The coupling 24 further includes lugs 100 that are positioned adjacent the distal end 74 and extend inwardly from the outer wall 70. In the illustrated embodiment, two lugs 100 angularly spaced 180° from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis 58 are provided. With reference to
The head 26 is configured to be selectively connectable with the coupling 24 to allow for selective detachment of the head 26 from the handle 22 and the coupling 24. This also allows for replacement of another style of head having a similar connection with the coupling 24. The head 26 includes an outer surface 130 and an inner surface 132. The head 26 is hollow to allow air to flow through a head inlet 134 toward the air outlet 32. The head inlet 134 is provided at a proximal edge 136 of the head 26.
The head 26 is connectable with the coupling 24 via a connection in which the head 26 rotates about and translates along a rotational axis, which is collinear with the longitudinal axis 58 in the illustrated embodiment, with respect to the coupling 24 toward a locked position. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the head 26 and the coupling 24 is a bayonet connection; however, other rotatable connections are contemplated. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection between the coupling 24 and the head 26 is provided through the lugs 100 provided on the coupling 24 and lug recess 140 provided on the head 26; however, alternatively the lugs could be provided on the head and the lug recesses could be provided on the coupling.
With reference back to the illustrated embodiment, the head 26 includes two lug recesses 140 which are generally L-shaped to provide a bayonet connection. With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
To attach the head 26 to the coupling 24, each lug 100 is aligned with an axial section 142 of a respective lug recess 140. The head 26 is then moved in an axial direction toward the handle 22. At this stage, the actuator tooth recess 160 is not aligned with the tooth 200, and the actuator 28 is precluded from moving into the engaged position with the head 26 in the unlocked position. At this stage, the proximal edge 136 of the head 26 contacts the tooth 200 which results in the actuator 28 moving in an axial direction toward the handle 22. Next, the head 26 is rotated with respect to the coupling 24 until the lug 100 contact the first end 152 of the transverse section 144. As this stage, the actuator tooth recess 160 is aligned with the tooth 200 and the spring 210 biases the actuator 28 in an axial direction toward the head 26 such that the tooth 200 is received in the actuator tooth recess 160. To detach the head 26 from the coupling 24, an operator pulls on the button 204 to move the button to the disengaged position, which is shown in
To provide a robust connection between the handle 22 and the head 26, which is detachable from the handle 22, a biasing member, which is part of an assembly 250 (see
In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly 250 includes a frame 252 and resilient material 254, which is made from a more resilient material than the frame 252, connected with the frame 252. The resilient material 254 can be silicone or a similar rubber-like material and can operate both as the aforementioned biasing member and also as a gasket to inhibit airflow leakage through the coupling 24 and the head 26. The assembly 250 including the frame 252 and the resilient material 254 are penannular or substantially C-shaped and concentric with the longitudinal axis 58 so as to define a gap 256 between opposite circumferential ends 258 of the assembly 250. The frame 252 further includes locator prongs 270 which are received in frame channels 82 of the coupling 24. The frame 252 further includes barbs 274 which cooperate with the barb catches 106 on the coupling 24 to connect the assembly 250 with the coupling 24. The assembly 250 is supported on the assembly support surfaces 88 of each assembly support 86. The actuator 28 and more particularly the tooth 200 of the actuator 28 are movable in a linear direction parallel with the longitudinal axis 58 through the gap 256 provided in the assembly 250, which can be seen in
A handheld beauty tool has been described above with particularity. Modifications and alterations will occur to those upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. The invention, however, is not limited to only the embodiments described above. Instead, the invention is broadly defined by the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A handheld beauty tool comprising:
- a handle;
- a coupling on the handle;
- a head connectable with the coupling via a bayonet connection in which the head rotates with respect to the coupling about a rotational axis toward a locked position; and
- an actuator movable with respect to the coupling between an engaged position in which rotation of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position toward an unlocked position is inhibited and a disengaged position in which movement of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position toward the unlocked position is uninhibited, the actuator being movable into the engaged position when the head is in the locked position.
2. The handheld beauty tool of claim 1, wherein the bayonet connection includes a lug receivable in a lug recess, and when in the engaged position the actuator engages the head angularly offset from the lug with respect to the rotational axis.
3. The handheld beauty tool of claim 2, wherein the lug is provided on the coupling and the lug recess is provided on the head.
4. The handheld beauty tool of claim 2, wherein the lug includes a proximal lug surface with respect to the handle and the lug recess is defined at least partially by a proximal lug recess surface both oriented transverse to the rotational axis, wherein the proximal lug surface cooperates with the proximal lug recess surface to move the head toward the handle as the head rotates with respect to the coupling about the rotational axis toward the locked position.
5. The handheld beauty tool of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member cooperating with the coupling and the head to bias the head in a direction parallel with the rotational axis away from the handle when the head is in the locked position.
6. The handheld beauty tool of claim 5, further comprising an assembly including the biasing member and a frame to which the biasing member is attached.
7. The handheld beauty tool of claim 6, wherein the assembly is penannular in shape and concentric with the rotational axis so as to define a gap between opposite circumferential ends of the assembly.
8. The handheld beauty tool of claim 7, wherein the actuator is movable in a linear direction parallel with the rotational axis through the gap.
9. The handheld beauty tool of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a tooth and the head includes a tooth recess, wherein the tooth is received in the tooth recess when the actuator is in the engaged position.
10. The handheld beauty tool of claim 9, wherein the actuator includes a base and a projection, the tooth extending from the base toward the head and the projection extending in a perpendicular direction from the tooth and/or the base, and the head includes a notch that receives the projection with the actuator is in the engaged position.
11. A handheld beauty tool comprising:
- a handle;
- a coupling on the handle;
- a head connectable with the coupling via a connection in which the head rotates about and translates along a rotational axis with respect to the coupling toward a locked position; and
- a biasing member cooperating with the coupling and the head to bias the head in a direction parallel with the rotational axis away from the handle when the head is in the locked position.
12. The handheld beauty tool of claim 11, further comprising an assembly including the biasing member and a frame to which the biasing member is attached.
13. The handheld beauty tool of claim 12, wherein the assembly is penannular in shape and concentric with the rotational axis so as to define a gap between opposite circumferential ends of the assembly.
14. The handheld beauty tool of claim 13, further comprising an actuator movable in a linear direction parallel with the rotational axis through the gap.
15. The handheld beauty tool of claim 14, wherein the actuator includes a tooth and the head includes a tooth recess, wherein the tooth is received in the tooth recess when the actuator is in an engaged position in which rotation of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position toward an unlocked position is inhibited.
16. The handheld beauty tool of claim 15, wherein the actuator includes a base and a projection, the tooth extending from the base toward the head and the projection extending in a perpendicular direction from the tooth and/or the base, and the head includes a notch that receives the projection with the actuator is in the engaged position.
17. The handheld beauty tool of claim 11, further comprising an actuator movable in a linear direction parallel with the rotational axis, wherein the actuator is precluded from moving into an engaged position in which rotation of the head with respect to the coupling from the locked position toward an unlocked position is inhibited when the head is in the unlocked position.
18. The handheld beauty tool of claim 17, further comprising a spring biasing the actuator toward the engaged position.
19. The handheld beauty tool of claim 11, wherein the connection is a bayonet connection including a lug receivable in a lug recess.
20. The handheld beauty tool of claim 19, wherein the lug includes a proximal lug surface with respect to the handle and the lug recess is defined at least partially by a proximal lug recess surface both oriented transverse to the rotational axis, wherein the proximal lug surface cooperates with the proximal lug recess surface to move the head toward the handle as the head rotates with respect to the coupling about the rotational axis toward the locked position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 24, 2019
Publication Date: Dec 24, 2020
Inventors: Luke Hillebrecht (El Paso, TX), Jesse Thomas (El Paso, TX)
Application Number: 16/449,504