Hair styling device

Abstract

Hair styling device comprising a main body having a back end and a front end, the front end including an air exit, wherein the main body is configured to guide air from an air entrance to the air exit; the hair styling device further comprising a handle attached to the main body.

Description

HAIR STYLING DEVICEField of the Invention

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a hair styling device, in particular to a professional hair styling device for use in a hairdressing salon.Background of the Invention

[0002] Hair styling devices are generally known electric devices and may be configured to blow heated air through a main body. The heated air can be directed to a person’s hair to dry and style the hair. Hair styling devices can be handheld devices, including a handle mounted substantially transversely to the main body. Other handheld hair styling devices may include a pair of movable jaws in between which hair can be clamped such that it can be styled. Alternatively, hair styling devices may be standalone devices and may for example include a headset, such as hood hair dryers. Hair styling devices may come in various types, such as a personal hair styling device, for example for occasional use at home generally by a person drying and / or styling its own hair, a travel hair styling device which may for example be relatively small, lightweight and / or foldable for easy transportation, or a professional hair styling device which may be used by a person styling someone else’s hair, for example in a professional setting, used by a hairdresser in a hairdressing salon. Each of these various types of hair styling devices can include specific technical requirements due to the different use made of said type of hair styling devices.

[0003] In the field of professional hair styling devices, which are generally used by a hairdresser drying and / or styling a client’s hair in a professional context, such as in a hairdressing salon, in photo studios, before fashion shows, in education, or in any other professional context, ergonomics may be an issue given the intensive use of the hair styling device by the hairdresser. It is known that professional hair styling devices may be relatively heavy and / or bulky, which may cause physical discomfort for the hairdresser, for example at a hairdresser’s hand, wrist, arm and / or back. A further issue may be robustness of a professional hair styling device. Since the hair styling device is intensively and / or frequently used, requirements with respect to robustness ofexterior and interior parts to improve life expectancy of the hair styling device may be more difficult to achieve than for regular home-used hair styling devices.

[0004] It is therefore an aim of the present invention to solve or at least alleviate one or more of the above-mentioned problems. In particular, the invention aims at providing an improved hair styling device, in particular for professional use, which is relatively easy to handle while remaining versatile in use, and which can improve ergonomics during prolonged use.Summary of the Invention

[0005] To this aim, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a hair styling device having the features of claim 1. In particular, the hair styling device comprises a main body having a back end and a front end, the front end including an air exit. The main body is configured to guide air from an air entrance to the air exit, which can define a direction of air flow through the main body. The air entrance can preferably, but need not, be included in the main body, for example at the back end or laterally. The hair styling device further comprises a handle attached to the main body. The handle may generally be attached to the main body substantially transversally, even if an angle between the handle and the main body can vary between different devices and need not be perpendicular. The handle is configured to provide a grip of the hair styling device by a user, whereas the main body is not configured to be held by a user during normal use of the device. In an inventive way, the handle includes a bi-concave narrowing when viewed in a side view, and a minimal width of said biconcave narrowing is located substantially centrally on the handle. A side view is defined as a substantially transverse view on the plane including the longitudinal axis of the main body and the longitudinal axis of the handle. The bi-concave shape refers to the shape of a bi-concave lens: two opposite sides are each concavely shaped in opposite directions. In other words, from substantially a middle or a centre of the handle, the handle widens towards a lower end of the handle as well as towards a top end of the handle near the main body, the lower end of the handle being the end at a distance of the main body, opposite an attachment of the handle to the main body, and the top end being the end adjacent to the main body. Reference to a bi-concave lens also implies that each side of the bi-concave shape of the handle can be described asan arc of a circle, thus including a substantially continuous curvature without or free of sudden angles, edges, straight portions or sharp changes in curvature. The bi-concave narrowing of the handle can preferably be substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handle. At the same time, the bi-concave narrowing can preferably also be substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. In other words, the widening of the handle towards the main body corresponds more or less to the widening towards the lower end of the handle opposite the main body. This particular shape of the handle can provide an improved ergonomic handle, which can be held by hand for a relatively long time in a relatively comfortable way. In particular, the widening towards the top end of the handle as seen in side view can be favourable for ergonomics in that it corresponds to a relatively large space a hand can create between a thumb and an index, the index being held at a front side of the handle and the thumb lying on the backside of the handle, which sides provide the specific shape in side view. The widening towards the lower end can limit the risk that the hair styling device would slip from a user’s hand. Said widening towards the lower end can further provide room for including a strain relief device on an inner side of the handle to prevent a power supply cable from loosening.

[0006] The handle can preferably also include a bi-concave narrowing when viewed in front view or in back view, a minimal width of the bi-concave narrowing being located substantially centrally on the handle. A front view or a back view can be defined with respect to the front end or back end of the hair styling device respectively. In other words, a front view is a view substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the main body in a direction opposite to the direction of air flow of the hair styling device, and a back view is a view substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the main body in the direction of air flow of the hair styling device. The bi-concave narrowing of the handle can preferably be substantially symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handle. At the same time, the bi-concave narrowing can preferably also be substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. In other words, the widening of the handle towards the main body corresponds more or less to the widening towards the lower end of the handle opposite the main body. This second bi-concave narrowing can further improve ergonomics ofthe handle. In particular, the hair styling device can be held by a user’s right hand as well as a user’s left hand in a similar way with a same ease of use.

[0007] A surface area of a cross-section of the handle may preferably be minimal substantially centrally on the handle. In other words, the bi-concave narrowing seen in front view, back view and / or in side view can preferably have its minimal width at substantially a same height from a lower end of the handle. In this way, a good grip of the hair styling device can be provided.

[0008] A cross-section of the handle can for example be substantially rectangular over substantially the entire handle. In other words, the handle can include a front side, two lateral sides and a back side of which at least the two lateral sides, and preferably also the front side and the back side, are bi-concavely shaped. Additionally, comers or edges may be rounded or bevelled to avoid any sharp edges to provide a comfortable grip. A substantially rectangular shape of the cross-section of the handle can prevent the handle from slipping in one’s hand.

[0009] A backside of the handle can advantageously include a recess, said recess being positioned towards an upper end or top end of the handle near the main body. Said recess can improve an ergonomic position of a hand of the user, in particular of a thumb of the user, which can at least partially be received in said recess, thus avoiding backward overstretching of said thumb, in particular of its distal phalanx. The backside of the handle does however not include any opening or cut-out. The recess is a shape feature of an outer casing or housing of the handle. The recess is defined with respect to the bi-concave shape of the handle which is locally interrupted at the location of the recess.

[0010] Said recess may preferably be substantially concave. In other words, the recess can preferably have a fluent and curved interior side free of edges. More preferably, a curvature of the recess can correspond to a curvature of a thumb of a user’s hand, i.e. with a lower curvature towards a lower end of the recess and a higher curvature towards an upper end of the recess close to the main body of the hair styling device.

[0011] Said recess may, but need not, extend in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle, such that the handle includes a further concavenarrowing towards the upper end of the handle near the main body in side view, in addition to the main bi-concave shape of the handle. Alternatively, the recess may not be visible in side view. Said transverse extension of the recess can allow a thumb to perform a lateral waving movement.

[0012] The hair styling device can further comprise at least one control means configured to control an operational parameter of the hair styling device. Said control means may advantageously be positioned in said recess. In this way, the risk of inadvertently activating said at least one control means can be reduced. Said at least one control means can be a button, for example a push button, a toggle button, or any other type of button, or a switch, or any other suitable control means. The control means can for example be configured to control an air flow and / or an air temperature of the hair styling device.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment, the at least one control means may be configured to allow navigation in a menu, for example in a menu of settings and / or data shown on a display which may be included in the hair styling device. A single control means may even be configured to have multiple functions, depending on for example a duration of contact, a number of pushes, a direction of pressure or on any other known control feature.

[0014] The hair styling device can preferably comprise a plurality of control means, of which at least two of said plurality of control means may be positioned in said recess next to each other in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle. In other words, when the hair styling device is held in an upright position, in particular, with the handle being substantially vertical with a lower end of the handle at a distance of the main body pointing towards the ground, at least two of said plurality of control means may be positioned next to each other horizontally. Said position can provide an ergonomic advantage with respect to a natural movement of the thumb which can easily move laterally between two control means. Said lateral thumb movement is easier than a thumb movement required to operate two control means being positioned under each other in a longitudinal direction of the handle. This feature can be considered as a separate invention and can be independent of the general shape of the handle.

[0015] One of said plurality of control means may also be positioned at a front side of the handle towards the upper end of the handle near the main body. In this way, this button can be operated by an index of a user’s hand relatively easily. Said frontal control means may for example be configured to control providing a relatively short burst of cold air through the main body. Such a burst, often referred to as a cold shot, is generally used only occasionally. For such an occasional activation, a frontal position of the control means can be naturally associated to pulling a trigger, which may facilitate manipulation of the hair styling device, or at least render it intuitive. Said frontal control means may further be configured to navigate in a displayed menu and / or to confirm a choice in such a menu.

[0016] The handle is preferably fixedly attached to the main body, in particular for solidity of the hair styling device given its relatively intensive use by professional hairdressers. Alternatively, the handle could be hingedly or removably attached to the main body of the hairstyling device, for example to provide compact storage of the hair styling device.

[0017] The hair styling device may further comprise a power supply cable connected to a lower end of the handle at a distance of the main body. A power supply cable can provide power to the hair styling device in a relatively reliable and safe manner, which may be an important issue in a professional hair styling environment where access to water, as well as to hair care products, often provided in spray cans, is always around. The power supply cable may be fixedly attached to the handle, or in a rotatable or swivelling manner, and / or in a detachable way. The attachment to the lower end of the handle can provide relatively little interference of the cable with the user of the hair styling device.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] Fig. 1 shows a side view on a preferred embodiment of a hair styling device according to an aspect of the invention;

[0019] Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the hair styling device shown in Figure 1

[0020] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the handle of the hair styling device of Figure 1 ;

[0021] Fig. 4 shows a front view of the hair styling device of Figure 1 as well as three cross-sectional view of the handle; and

[0022] Fig. 5 shows a back view of the hair styling device of Figure 1 .Detailed Description of Embodiment(s)

[0023] Figure 1 shows a side view on a preferred embodiment of a hair styling device 1 according to an aspect of the invention. The hair styling device 1 may for example be a hair dryer used for drying and / or styling someone’s hair, for example one’s own hair or, more preferably, a client’s hair, for example by a professional hairdresser in a hairdressing salon. Other hair styling devices may also be considered. The hair styling device comprises a main body 2 having a back end 3, which may include an air entrance 4, and a front end 5 including an air exit 6. The front end 5 may be further configured to receive mountable accessories, for example to change a shape of the air exit 6 to adapt an air flow to a type of hair or to a desired type of styling, as is known to the person skilled in the art. The main body 2 is configured to guide air from the air entrance 4 to the air exit 6. The main body 2 can include a housing 7 at least partially enclosing for example a fan, a motor block and / or heating elements. Said housing 7 may for example include a thickening or a protrusion 7a where a width of the housing is maximal. Said protrusion 7a can provide additional strength and / or protection to the housing 7 on the portion which is in contact with a surface when the hair styling device is laid down sideways on said surface. The hair styling device 1 further comprises a handle 8 attached to the main body 2 and configured to hold the hair styling device 1 by hand. The handle 8 can for example be mounted substantially transversely to the main body 2. The handle 8, in particular an upper end 8u of the handle 8, may preferably be fixedly attached to the main body. Alternatively, the handle 8 may be tiltable or foldable with respect to the main body 2, for example to allow compact storing of the hair styling device 1. Other embodiments of hair styling devices may not necessarily include a handle, or the handle and the main body may be in line with each other. The main body 1 , as well as the handle 8, can allow to define a longitudinal axis2a of the main body 2 and a longitudinal axis 8a of the handle 8. Said two longitudinal directions 2a, 8a are included in a plane defining two lateral sides of the hair styling device 1 . The hair styling device 1 may further include a power supply cable 9. Said power supply cable 9 can for example be connected to a lower end 8I of the handle at a distance of the main body 2. The power supply cable 9 may be fixedly attached to the handle 8, or in a rotatable or swivelling manner, and / or in a detachable way. The power supply cable 9 may preferably be attached using a strain relief device to prevent damaging an electric connection when the hair styling device 1 is hanging on the power supply cable 9, which might be dangerous for the user of the hair styling device 1. Alternatively, the power supply cable may be connected or connectable to the hair styling device at any other suitable location. Alternatively, the hair styling device may be chargeable at a remote charging station, thus being operable without connected power cable.

[0024] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the hair styling device shown in Figure 1. The housing 7 can for example enclose a fan 10 configured to cause air to be sucked in via the air entrance 4. The housing can further enclose a motor block 11 configured to cause the fan 10 to rotate. The housing 7 can include a narrowing 12, for example a substantially conical narrowing, towards an air exit 6. The housing 7, in particular said narrowing portion 12, can enclose one or more heating elements 13 configured to heat air such that the air exiting the main body 2 has a desired temperature which is higher than an air temperature at the air entrance 4. The hair styling device can further include a control element 14 or a main internal controller, for example one or more PCB's, configured to control an operation of the hair styling device 1. Said control element 14 may for example be located at least partially in the handle 8 of the hair styling device 1 . The device 1 may include an additional motor control element 15 configured to control operation of the motor, which motor control element may be positioned adjacent to said motor block 11 in the main body 2 of the hair styling device 1 .

[0025] Figure 3 shows a side view of the handle 8 of the hair styling device of Figure 1 . In an inventive way, the handle 8 includes a bi-concave narrowing when viewed in side view. In other words, a side view of the handle looks like a bi-concave lens including a concave front side 8f and a concave backside 8b describing a substantiallycontinuous curve, for example an arc of a circle. A curvature of the concave front side 8f and of the concave backside 8b can be more or less symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 8a of the handle 8, at least along part of the handle 8. A minimal width W of the bi-concave narrowing is located substantially centrally on the handle 8 and may be included in a range of more or less 25 mm to more or less 30 mm, for example more or less 26.7 mm measured in side view. The backside 8b of the handle 8 can preferably further include a recess 40, said recess being positioned towards an upper end 8u of the handle 8 near the main body 2. Said recess 40 can be substantially concave as well but need not have a same degree of curvature as the main concave shape of the handle 8. In between the concave backside 8b of the handle 8 and the substantially concave recess 40, there can be an edge 41 forming a clear interruption of the curvature of both concave shapes. While a shape of the substantially concave recess 40 may correspond to a shape of an upper phalange of the thumb, the edge 41 may be placed at a height of the upper interphalangeal joint of the thumb. In particular, said edge 41 may be positioned at more or less 100 mm from a lower end of the handle 8, more preferably at more or less 102 mm or 103 mm from said lower end. A total length of the handle 8 may be included in a range of 120 mm to 140 mm, preferably around more or less 130 mm, for example 132 mm. At a level of the recess 40, a width of the handle 8 as seen in side view may be larger than at the level of the central narrowing W, for example comprised in a range of 30 mm to 35 mm, for example around 33.7 mm, but smaller than at the lower end of the handle 8, where a width of the handle seen in side view may for example be comprised in a range of more or less 35 mm to 40 mm, being for example around 38.6 mm. Other dimensions may be possible as well. The resulting backside of the handle 8 can thus provide a relatively natural position to the hand of a user of the hair styling device 1 . Said recess 40 can, but need not, extend in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis 8a of the handle, such that the handle 8 includes a further concave narrowing towards the upper end 8u of the handle 8 near the main body 2 in side view. If said recess 40 did not extend over an entire width of the handle 8, the recess 40 would not be visible in side view, but it could still provide a same advantage to the position of the thumb of the user. Extending the recess 40 over an entire width of the handle 8 can provide additional space on the handle 8.

[0026] Figure 4 shows a front view of the hair styling device of Figure 1 as well as three cross-sectional top views of the handle 8, as indicated by arrows D, E and F. On top of the bi-concave narrowing of the handle 8 when viewed in side view, the handle can further include a bi-concave narrowing when viewed in front view, as shown in Figure 4, or in back view, as shown in Figure 5, which may be substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 8a of the handle 8. In these front and back views as well, a minimal width of the bi-concave narrowing is located substantially centrally on the handle 8, in particular where cross-section F is indicated. Since this narrowing is located at substantially a same height along the handle 8 on all four sides, a surface area of a cross-section of the handle 8 is minimal substantially centrally on the handle, as shown by the three cross-sectional top views. The widening towards an upper end 8u of the handle 8 may be larger than towards a lower end as seen in front view. The lower end of the handle may for example have an external width between more or less 30 mm and 40 mm, for example substantially 34.5 mm while the upper end 8u of the handle may widen to between more or less 55 mm to 65 mm, for example around 58 mm. A cross-section of the handle can preferably be substantially rectangular over substantially the entire handle. However, for ergonomic reasons, edges between the four sides may preferably be bevelled 42. Said bevelled sides 42 may become wider towards an upper end 8u of the handle 8. The hair styling device can further include a plurality of control means configured to control operational parameters of the hair styling device 1. One of said plurality of control means is preferably positioned at a front side of the handle 8 towards the upper end 8u of the handle near the main body 2. Said control means 43 can for example be a button, for example a push button, a toggle button, or any other type of button, or a switch, or any other suitable control means. The frontal control means 43 can preferably be configured to provide a relatively short burst of unheated air, which is known as a ‘cold shot’. The frontal position of this control means is relatively intuitive since such a cold shot control means only needs relatively short activation like a trigger.

[0027] Figure 5 shows a back view of the hair styling device 1 of Figure 1 . In back view, a main body 2 of the hair styling device 1 can include a substantially circular display 16 surrounded by a ring-shaped filter 33. The display 16 can be replaced by any other substantially circular element with or without a function, such as a picture, a mirror, a logo or a cover. The hair styling device 1 further includes a handle 8 including a recess40, which is not visible in the back view. It is preferred that one or more of said control means 44 is positioned in said recess 40. In particular, at least two of said plurality of control means are positioned in said recess 40 next to each other in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis 8a of the handle 8. Again, said control means may be one of a button, for example a push button, a toggle button, or any other type of button, or a switch, or any other suitable control means. When the hair styling device 1 is held in its upright position, as shown, two or more control means 44 are preferably positioned next to each other substantially horizontally considering that the handle 8 is held substantially vertically. So, there may be a left button and a right button, rather than an upper button and a lower button, which corresponds to a natural thumb movement when the thumb is held upwardly. Said control means 44 can for example be configured to control an airflow of the hair styling device 1 and / or a temperature of the air at exit. Said airflow and / or said temperature may be chosen between predetermined values or may be chosen in a continuous range. In a more preferred embodiment, in particular in combination with a display 16, the control means 44 may be configured to allow navigation in a menu displayed on the display 16. The frontal control means 43 can further be configured to confirm a choice when navigating in said menu, for example as an ‘enter’-button. The displayed menu can for example output a plurality of operational parameters of the hair styling device 1 , such as individual or cumulative duration of use, individual or cumulative energy consumption, time since last filter cleaning or any other useful parameter or warning, such as a filter clogging warning. At the same time, the control means may be further configured to provide input to the controller of the hair styling device, for example to input a desired airflow and / or air temperature, or to provide input to create preset parameters according to hair types. In addition to, or instead of a display, the handle 8 may further include one or more lights 37, for example telltale lights, such as LED-lights, for example a substantially horizontal row of telltale lights adjacent to the control means 44. Such telltale lights 37 may provide an indication to the user of a chosen airflow and / or air temperature, or of any other operational parameter. Meaningful indications can include a variation in light intensity, variations in colour, and / or variations in number of uplighting lights, or any combinations.

[0028] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is notlimited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words "comprising" or "comprise" do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms "first", "second", third", "a", "b", "c", and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms "top", "bottom", "over", "under", and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Hair styling device comprising- a main body having a back end and a front end, the front end including an air exit, wherein the main body is configured to guide air from an air entrance to the air exit;- a handle attached to the main body; wherein the handle includes a bi-concave narrowing when viewed in side view, wherein a minimal width of the bi-concave narrowing is located substantially centrally on the handle.

2. Hair styling device according to claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a biconcave narrowing when viewed in front view or in back view, wherein a minimal width of the bi-concave narrowing is located substantially centrally on the handle.

3. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a surface area of a cross-section of the handle is minimal substantially centrally on the handle.

4. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a crosssection of the handle is substantially rectangular over substantially the entire handle.

5. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a backside of the handle includes a recess, said recess being positioned towards an upper end of the handle near the main body.

6. Hair styling device according to claim 5, wherein said recess is substantially concave.

7. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims 5 - 6, wherein said recess extends in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis ofthe handle, such that the handle includes a further concave narrowing towards the upper end of the handle near the main body in side view.

8. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims 5 - 7, the hair styling device further comprising at least one control means configured to control an operational parameter of the hair styling device, wherein said control means is positioned in said recess.

9. Hair styling device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one control means is configured to allow navigation in a menu.

10. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims 8 - 9, wherein the hair styling device comprises a plurality of control means, wherein at least two of said plurality of control means are positioned in said recess next to each other in a direction substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle.11 . Hair styling device according to claim 10, wherein one of said plurality of control means is positioned at a front side of the handle towards the upper end of the handle near the main body.

12. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the handle is fixedly attached to the main body.

13. Hair styling device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a power supply cable connected to a lower end of the handle at a distance of the main body.

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