GB2106384A

GB2106384A - Hair curler devices

Info

Publication number: GB2106384A
Application number: GB08227297A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Emilio Tittarelli
Original assignee: ETI TERMOTECNICA SP
Current assignee: ETI TERMOTECNICA SP
Priority date: 1981-09-28
Filing date: 1982-09-24
Publication date: 1983-04-13
Also published as: IT8124180A0; ES515960A0; DE3234071A1; IT1138650B; FR2513497A1; ES8307081A1

Abstract

An electrically rotatable hair curler in which hair to be curled is wound around a heated tube (1) which can be rotated about its axis to form a curl. The tube (1) is rotated by means of a direct current motor (8). Appropriate rotary electrical connections (6, 18) maintain the electrical contact of resistance heating elements (5) during the rotary motion of the tube (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in hair curler devices The present invention relates to hair curler devices and concerns a hot hair curler, in which a cylindrical curl forming element around which a curl is to be formed can be rotated to wind up the hair and which can be heated in order to impart to the curl a permanent form.

Electrical hair curlers are at present in use, in which electrical resistors heat the curl shaping element, and which must be manually rotated in order to wind up the bunch of hair to be curled.

This operation, apart from being inconvenient to carry out with only one hand, also makes it difficult to keep the hair curler in the correct position and to hold the hair under adequate tension during the rolling movement. An object therefore of the present invention is to provide a hair curler which can be used without having to move the hand to roll up the curl, and furthermore enables the hair to be held in the desired position and under a constant tension during the winding up.

According to the invention there is provided a hair curler device comprising in combination an elongate substantially cylindrical curl forming element, electrical resistance heating means operatively associated with the curl forming element to heat the curl forming element, a handle, electric power source input means associated with the handle, an electric motor within the handle for electrical connection to the power source input means, rotatable drive means within the handle arranged to be driven by the motor, means for detachably connecting the curl forming element to the handle to mechanically couple the element to the rotatable drive means and electrically to connect the resistance heating means to the electric power source input means, and a beak mounted on the curl forming element for engaging hair.

These and other objectives may be attained by the present invention, which comprises substantially a handle of appropriate shape, inside which a direct current electric motor can bring into rotation a shaping element for the curl substantially of cylindrical form, so as to be heated also during the rotary movement of winding-up, in order to guarantee the maintenance of the shaping carried out.

The shaping element for the curl may be constituted by a hollow cylindrical tube, inside which there are appropriately disposed electrical heating resistors, and equipped with a bunch holding beak for gripping the start of the bunch to be wound up.

The possibility is provided of replacing said tube by others of different diameter, internally heated, by means of an appropriate coupling and clamping system, which assures the electromechanical coupling with the handle for a whole series of interchangeable tubes.

These and other characteristics of the invention will become apparant from the detailed description of embodiments of a hot hair curler with electrically controlled rotary movement according to the invention.

With reference to the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1, shows an overall view of one embodiment of a hair curler according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hair curler of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a coupling for coupling the tube to the handle, along the plane Ill-Ill of Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane IV--IV in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a view in the direction V indicated in Fig. 2, Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of a hair curler according to the invention, Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the plane VIl-VIl in Fig. 6, Fig. 8 shows an interchangeable curler element, intended for forming curls of small diameter, with an external heating element and Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the plane IX-IX in Fig. 8.

Referring to the figures, the curler is composed of a heated, rotatable tube 1 and of an handle 2, connected together by means of a coupling boss 13 and a clamping ring 12. The handle 2 is composed (Fig. 2) of a shell of elongate form having a widened-out rear part inside which is housed a hollow shaft 7 of substantially cylindrical form and made from a dielectric material, to one of the ends of which there is keyed the shaft of a direct current electric motor 8 and an appropriate speed reduction gear.

The other end of the transmission shaft 7 is composed of a cylindrical zone of larger diameter 7a, which contains a socket 15, appropriately made from ceramic material, in which are formed seatings of a conducting material which receive the plug element 14 of the interchangeable curler tube.

The socket 1 5 is connected by appropriate electrical connecting conductors to contacts 6, disposed in the form of a ring around the shaft 7.

On the two contacts 6 there slide brushes 18, which transmit the electrical supply from the plate of connections 9 to the pin 1 4 and therefore to the heating resistor 5.

Inside the handle is situated a supply transformer and rectifier assembly 1 9. According to this form of embodiment of the invention, the end part of the handle is shaped in such a manner than it can form a valid support base for the curler when disposed vertically, keeping the hot element 1 away from possible contact with other objects.

The curler element 1 is substantially composed of a cylindrical tube of thermally conducting metal equipped with a hair or bunch holding beak 3 pivotally mounted on a pin 1 6 and kept in a closed position by a spring 4.

The anterior end 10 of the tube 1 is composed of a plug of thermally insulating material.

The coupling end of the tube 1 to the handle 2 is composed of a boss 13 rigidly connected to the tube 1 and made of an electrically and thermally insulating material (for example, thermoplastics material). The boss 13 has a seating for the plug 14 and a passage for the supply cable to the electrical resistor 5.

On its perimeter there are formed projecting elements 20, adapted to be coupled with corresponding slots 21 formed in the widened-out cylindrical end 7a of the movement transmission shaft. The elements 20 have the function of transmitting the torque generated by the motor to the rotary tube 1, while the plug 14 assures electrical connection with the resistor.

The coupling between the tube and handle is made possible by a clamping ring 12, which may be of bayonet form, screw type, jointed connection type or in accordance with other known different coupling systems.

The electrical resistor 5, which may be of the filament type or ceramic type (PTC) is kept in a central position inside the tube 1 by the spacer rings 11.

The heating of the curl-forming tube, its rotation in one direction for winding up and rotation in the opposite direction for unwinding the curl, are controlled by a four-position switch 1 7, of known type.

The four positions of the switch can typically control: 1. power off (heater off) 2. power on (heater on) 3. Rotate tube 1 in one direction (wind) 4. Rotate tube 1 in opposite direction (unwind) In Fig. 6 is shown another embodiment of the invention, which provides for the fitting of the transformer 19 in a position of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the curler in order to provide an improved anatomical shape to the handle 2.

For the purpose of providing a support for the curler so as to keep the heated element 1 away from the working plane, a support foot 22, rotatable about a pin 23, is provided. When the curler is in use, the support foot 22 is rotated and kept in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 6 by an appropriate pressure or release fitting. Fig. 8 shows a heated interchangeable curler element 1 a of smaller diameter than that shown in Fig. 1, 2 and 6 in its position mounted on the handle.

For the purpose of heating even such an element having a diameter which is too small to make it hollow to house the electrical resistor 5, a cylindrical thermally conducting element 24 is provided integral with the solid curl forming element 7 a; the element 24 possesses one or more seatings 25 for appropriate electrical resistors 26 arranged for heating said cylinder 24, which brings the curl-forming element 1 a to the required temperature by conduction.

The thermally conducting cylinder 24 is inserted inside a tube of thermally insulating material 27 and is integral with the latter.

The casing 28. of substantially tubular form, formed of thermally insulating material encloses the heater group 24, 25. 26, 27. Appropriate spacer elements are provided, which maintain an insulating air gap around the tube 27. At the end opposite from the shaper element 1 a there is connected the coupling elements for coupling the element 1 a to the handle, substantially in accordance with the description already provided with reference to Fig. 2.

It will be understood that numerous constructional variants can be introduced, such as the type of electrical resistors, their arrangement, the form of the coupling element and many others, without, however, thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hair curler device comprising in combination an elongate substantially cylindrical curl forming element, electrical resistance heating means operatively associated with the curl forming element to heat the curl forming element, a handle, electric power source input means associated with the handle, an electric motor within the handle for electrical connection to the power source input means, rotatable drive means within the handle arranged to be driven by the motor, means for detachably connecting the curl forming element to the handle to mechanically couple the element to the rotatable drive means and electrically to connect the resistance heating means to the electric power source input means, and a beak mounted on the curl forming element for engaging hair.

2. A hair curler according to Claim 1, in which the rotatable drive means comprises a rotatable shaft and the means for detachably connecting the curl forming element to the handle comprises coupling means arranged to be secured to the curl forming element and to engage the shaft whereby torque can be transmitted from the shaft to the curl forming element.

3. A hair curler according to Claim 2, in which the coupling means comprises a boss fixedly secured to the curl forming element and dimensioned to be received in a hollow end portion of said shaft.

4. A hair curler according to Claim 3, in which the boss is provided with at least one radially extending member arranged to engage a slot formed in said shaft whereby torque can be transmitted from said shaft to said hair curling element to provide rotational motion to said hair curling element.

5. A hair curler according to Claim 1 in which the means for detachably connecting the curl forming element to the handle is a mechanical coupling means provided by a hollow shaft having a portion of its length of internal diameter such as to permit the insertion of a boss integral with said curl-forming element, the boss being equipped with projecting elements which engage in appropriate slots present in said portion of said shaft, thereby constituting a mechanical coupling for transmitting torque generated by said motor to said curl-forming element.

6. A hair curler according to Claim 3, 4 or 5, in which in said boss there is provided an electrical plug aranged to be inserted into a socket situated on said hollow shaft, for electrically connecting the heating means associated with the curlforming element with the electrical power source.

7. A hair curler according to any one of Claims 2 to 6, in which the electrical connection from said power source to said heating means is realised by means of annular contacts on said hollow shaft and connected to said heating means and sliding contacts which are coupled to said power source and bear on said annular contacts.

8. A hair curler according to any one of the preceding claims in which said motor is a direct current motor and rotatable in either direction for winding up and unwinding the hair to be curled.

9. A hair curler according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the handle possesses a flat posterior portion so as to provide a support base for supporting said hair curler in a substantially vertical position.

1 0. A hair curler according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the handle is provided with a rotatable foot having an open position in which it is capable of supporting the hair curler in an inclined position.

1 A hair curler according to Claim 10, in which said foot can be locked in a second, closed position.

12. A hair curler according to any one of the preceding claims in which curl forming elements of small diameter can be provided with a thermally conducting mass adapted for housing the necessary electrical resistance elements, integral with the thermally conducting curl forming element and with the electromechanical coupling means for coupling it to the handle.

1 3. A hair curler according to any one of the preceding claims in which the curl forming elements comprise a hollow tube of conducting material, inside which there is positioned an electrical resistance heating element and to which is mounted the beak which holds hair, said tube being integral with the means for electromechanical coupling to the handle.

14. A hair curler according to any one of the preceding claims in which curl forming elements of different diameter can be interchanged with the handle.

1 5. A hair curler substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 to 5, or Figs 1 to 5 with Figs. 8 and 9, or Figs. 6 and 7, or Figs. 6 and 7 as modified by Figs. 8 and 9.