Dual-function hair styling device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hair styling device for straightening hair or air drying it, the device comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw that are hinged and movable between an open position and a closed position creating a hair straightening zone between the two jaws, - the lower jaw is formed of an outer shell in which there are a motor and a fan for creating an air flow; - the upper jaw is formed of an outer shell comprising a drying grille on its upper part; - air outlet orifices are provided in the upper part of the shell of the lower jaw, and face air inlet orifices provided in the lower part of the shell of the upper jaw when the jaws are in the closed position, so that the air flow set in motion by the fan of the lower jaw passes from one jaw to the other by passing through the hair straightening zone, the air flow exits the device through the drying grille making it possible, in use, either to straighten the hair between the two jaws or to air dry the hair using the flow exiting the drying grille of the upper jaw.

Description

DUAL-FUNCTION HAIRDRESSING DEVICE Object of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of hair styling devices, and in particular to that of hair straighteners, comprising a device for drying hair strands with hot air. Specifically, the hair styling device of the present invention offers the user the possibility of drying their hair either by straightening, in the manner of a hair straightener, or by air drying, in the manner of a conventional hair dryer. State of the art

[0002] Hair straighteners, or flat irons, are well known to those in the hairdressing profession. Most devices for shaping and straightening hair work on the principle of passing strands of hair between two jaws containing heated plates. It has been suggested that hot air be blown onto the hair to limit damage and avoid direct contact with the high-temperature heating plates.

[0003] US patent 201213427161 discloses a hair styling and drying apparatus with a pair of pivoting arms and styling surfaces on the arms. Air intake and exhaust ports are provided in each styling surface, along with a fan to blow air through the ports and also to recirculate air between the arms. In this way, the hair is dried with hot air between the two plates of the styling apparatus. A significant portion of the air is recirculated through the apparatus's internal airflow circuit and the intake ports on one surface and exhaust ports on the other, which are positioned opposite each other when the arms are in contact. The apparatus may include heating elements to heat the blown air and to heat the styling surfaces.

[0004] Document WO2022269225 describes a hair straightener that dries hair by airflow within a cavity between the two jaws of the straightener. Each jaw of the straightener includes a set of internal channels to direct the airflow Air travels along the arm and then into the space between the jaws. The airflow can then be redirected to be expelled from the device and the space between the two jaws. Objectives of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, it aims to provide a hair styling device in the form of a hair straightener that allows for two types of use, thus providing a 2-in-1 device. The device can be used either as a conventional hair straightener, by passing strands of hair between the jaws of the device to straighten them, or as a hair dryer by using the external part of the device to direct an airflow over the hair, without having to place the strands between the jaws. Straightening can be performed on damp hair, but also on dry or slightly damp hair, simply by using the device for styling once the hair has been dried with the hair dryer.

[0006] Another objective of the present invention is to limit hair damage, thanks to straightening achieved through a flow of hot air rather than direct contact with heated plates. There is currently a strong interest in protecting and caring for hair to prevent damage during styling, particularly by avoiding excessively high temperatures and contact with high-temperature plates. With the device of the present invention, for straightening purposes, a flow of air is blown through the strand of hair held between the two jaws of the device. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention discloses a hair styling device for straightening or air-drying hair. The device comprises an articulated upper and lower jaw that can be moved between an open and closed position, creating a hair-straightening zone between the two jaws. The lower jaw consists of an outer shell containing a motor and a fan to create an airflow. The upper jaw consists of an outer shell with a drying grid on its upper part. Air outlets are provided in the upper part of the lower jaw shell and face air inlet ports in the lower part of the upper jaw shell when the jaws are in the open position. of closure, so that the airflow set in motion by the fan of the lower jaw passes from one jaw to the other through the hair straightening area, the airflow exits the device through the drying grid and allows, in use, either straightening the hair between the two jaws, or drying the hair in the open air by the flow exiting the drying grid of the upper jaw, two longitudinal deflectors being provided inside the shell of the upper jaw and air exhaust grids being provided in the upper part of the upper shell, the deflectors being movable and able to be moved from a position of concentration of the flow to a position of dispersion of the flow, in order to create two different paths of the flow through the upper jaw to exit either through the drying grid in a concentrated manner, or through the air exhaust grids.

[0008] The invention comprises at least one or a suitable combination of the following features: the deflectors each comprise a longitudinal axis around which they are pivoted to move from the concentration position to the flow dispersion position; the deflectors comprise a dispersion grid that is located in the path of the airflow when the deflector is placed in the flow dispersion position; the device comprises a selection button for changing the position of the deflectors; the device comprises an air inlet located on the side of the joint connecting the two movable jaws, the air inlet allowing the airflow to enter the shell of the lower jaw of the hair styling device; the airflow passes through the hair smoothing zone perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the two jaws; the lower jaw comprises a heating element inside its shell for heating the airflow;The device includes a humidity sensor to measure the moisture content of the hair in the straightening area; straightening plates are attached to the inner parts of the jaws; the device includes temperature and / or airflow control based on the moisture level measured by the humidity sensor; a removable filter covers the air inlet of the device; removable combs are provided on each jaw on the straightening area side, preferably between each straightening plate. Brief description of the fii

[0009] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example of a hairdressing device according to the invention, with its jaws closed.

[0010] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an example of a hair styling device according to the invention, with its jaws open.

[0011] Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of the device shown in Figure 1.

[0012] Figure 4 represents a longitudinal section of the device shown in Figure 2.

[0013] Figure 5 shows a perspective view with a partial section of the upper jaw to illustrate the deflector system, with the deflectors in an "open air" type drying position.

[0014] Figure 6 shows a perspective view with a partial section of the upper jaw to illustrate the deflector system, with the deflectors in the smoothing position.

[0015] Figure 7 shows a cross-section of the jaws of the device according to the invention, with the deflectors in the "open air" drying position. The airflow is shown, passing from the lower jaw to the upper jaw, and then exiting through the drying grid.

[0016] Figure 8 shows a cross-section of the jaws of the device according to the invention, with the deflectors in the smoothing position. The airflow is shown, passing from the lower jaw to the upper jaw, then exiting while avoiding the drying grid. Numerical references of the figures 1: Hairdressing device 2: lower articulated jaw 3: Upper articulated jaw 4: outer shell of the lower jaw 5: outer shell of the upper jaw 6: Air drying rack 7: Lower jaw air outlet 8: Upper jaw air inlet 9: fan 10: engine 11: Heating element 12: smoothing plate 13: longitudinal deflector 14: Longitudinal axis of deflector 15: Deflector dispersion grid 16: Drying mode selection button to change the position of the deflectors 17: Air inlet of the device 18: Air intake filter 19: Smoothing air exhaust grille Detailed description of the invention

[0017] The present invention discloses a hair styling device as illustrated in the various figures, and in particular a device for drying hair strands using a hot airflow. The hair styling device of the present invention allows the user to dry their hair either by straightening or in the manner of a conventional hairdryer. It also allows the user to pre-dry their hair with the hairdryer section before styling it by straightening.

[0018] The device 1, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a lower jaw 2 and an upper jaw 3 articulated between an open position (Figure 2) and a closed position (Figure 1), allowing it to grip strands of hair. The articulation is achieved via a hinge incorporating a spring to hold the two jaws 2 in the open position. Each jaw is formed by an outer shell 4 and 5, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0019] The device of the present invention allows for drying or styling hair by straightening using a flow of hot air. This flow of hot air enters through an air inlet 17 located at the rear of the device, specifically on the side of the joint between the two jaws. The air inlet allows ambient air to enter the device, inside the lower jaw housing. The device includes a motor 10 and a fan 9 located inside the lower jaw housing to set the air in motion. The airflow then exits the lower jaw and enters the upper jaw through air outlets 7 provided on the inner part of the lower jaw and air inlet ports 8 provided on the inner part of the upper jaw. When the two jaws are in the closed position and their inner parts The two jaws are in contact with each other, with their air inlet and outlet openings facing each other, allowing airflow from one jaw to the other, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The airflow thus passes through the smoothing zone, namely the space between the two jaws where the hair is gripped for smoothing, preferably at a substantially perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis of the jaws. When the device is used in "smoothing" mode, the hair is placed between the two jaws and is subjected to the airflow for drying and styling. Once the airflow reaches the upper jaw, it is expelled from the device through smoothing air exhaust grilles 19 located on the lateral areas of the upper jaw.When the device is used in "air drying" mode, the hair strands are not passed between the jaws but are dried by the air exiting the device through a drying grid 6, located in the central area of ​​the upper jaw, between the smoothing air outlet grids 19. Drying then occurs in the same way as with a conventional hairdryer. In this case, both jaws are closed.

[0020] To use the device as a hairdryer, it is best to concentrate the outgoing airflow for more efficient drying. As shown in Figures 5 to 8, two longitudinal deflectors 13 are provided inside the upper jaw housing. These deflectors are movable and can be moved from a flow concentration position to a flow dispersion position, creating two different flow paths through the upper jaw. When the user wishes to use the device as a hairdryer, they can select the appropriate position using the selection button 16. This button rotates the deflectors along their longitudinal axis 14. Depending on their position, the airflow will be deflected or not. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the airflow as a function of the deflector positions.In Figure 7, the deflectors are in the open air drying position, and therefore in the airflow concentration position. Due to the position of the deflectors, which partially obstruct the passage, the airflow exits the device in a concentrated manner through the drying grid 6. This more efficient airflow allows the hair to be dried from the outside of the device. In Figure 8, the deflectors are in the airflow dispersion position, which deflects the airflow towards the longitudinal sides of the device to pass through the straightening air exhaust grids. In this case, the device is used as a hair straightener. It is still possible to use the device with the deflectors in this second position to dry the hair from the outside of the device, in "gentle drying" mode, since the airflow exiting through the exhaust grids is not concentrated.

[0021] In the examples shown, each deflector includes a longitudinal axis 14 around which it can pivot to move from the flow concentration position to the flow dispersion position. Each deflector also includes a dispersion grid 15 which is located in the path of the airflow when the deflector is placed in the flow dispersion position, in order to better distribute the airflow passing through it.

[0022] In the examples shown, translating the selection button allows the position of the deflectors to be changed by rotation.

[0023] To obtain a flow of hot air, the lower jaw includes a heating element inside the lower jaw housing. This is located downstream of the fan in the direction of the airflow.

[0024] For more effective straightening, each jaw includes two lateral straightening plates 12 attached to their inner sides so that they make contact and compress the hair strand when the jaws are closed. The air inlet and outlet vents are preferably located between these two plates, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The plates may optionally be removable. These plates can be smooth, as shown in the figures, or textured to create specific effects on the hair (waves, backcombing, etc.).

[0025] Similar to the straightening plates, combs may be provided on each inner side of the jaws to comb the hair during straightening. These may be removable.

[0026] Preferably, the hair styling device of the present invention includes a humidity sensor for measuring the moisture content of the hair in the straightening area. This sensor can be located in one of the two jaws, for example, between the two straightening plates of one of the jaws. The device may also include a mechanism for adjusting the temperature and / or airflow based on the moisture level measured by the sensor. This allows for effective straightening, which can be adjusted according to the hair's moisture content.

[0027] A removable 17 filter can cover the air intake of the device.

[0028] The quantity, size and distribution of the various air inlet and outlet orifices, and of the various grids differ according to the embodiments of the invention.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Hair styling device (1) for straightening or air-drying hair, the device (1) comprising an articulated and movable upper jaw (3) and lower jaw (2) between an open and closed position, creating a hair straightening zone between the two jaws (2, 3), the lower jaw (2) being formed of an outer shell (4) in which are located a motor (10) and a fan (9) to create an airflow; the upper jaw (3) being formed of an outer shell (5) comprising a drying grid (6) on its upper part; air outlet openings (7) are provided in the upper part of the lower jaw shell (2), and face air inlet openings (8) provided in the lower part of the upper jaw shell (3) when the jaws (2, 3) are in the closed position,so that the airflow set in motion by the fan (9) of the lower jaw passes from one jaw (2) to the other (3) by crossing the hair straightening zone, the airflow exiting the device (1) through the drying grid (6) and allowing, in use, either straightening the hair between the two jaws (2, 3), or drying the hair in the open air by the flow exiting the drying grid (6) of the upper jaw (3), characterized in that two longitudinal deflectors (13) are provided inside the shell of the upper jaw (3) and air discharge grids (19) are provided in the upper part of the upper shell (3), the deflectors (13) being movable and able to be moved from a position of flow concentration to a position of flow dispersion, in order to create two different paths of the flow through the upper jaw (3) to exit either through the drying grid (6) in a concentrated manner,either through the air exhaust grilles (19).

2. Hairdressing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the deflectors (13) each comprise a longitudinal axis (14) around which they are pivoted to move from the concentration position to the dispersion position of the flow.

3. Hairdressing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the deflectors (13) comprise a dispersion grid (15) which is in the path of the airflow when the deflector (13) is placed in the flow dispersion position.

4. Hair styling device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes a selection button (16) for changing the position of the deflectors (13).

5. Hair styling device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises an air inlet (17) located on the side of the joint connecting the two movable jaws (2, 3), the air inlet (17) allowing the airflow to enter the shell of the lower jaw (2) of the hair styling device (1).

6. Hairdressing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the airflow passes through the hair smoothing zone perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the two jaws (2,3).

7. Hair styling device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower jaw (2) includes a heating element (11) inside its shell (4) in order to heat the airflow.

8. Hair styling device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a humidity sensor for measuring the humidity of the hair in the straightening area.

9. Hairdressing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that straightening plates (12) are fixed on the internal parts of the jaws (2).

10. Hairdressing device (1) according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the device includes a control of the temperature and / or airflow as a function of the humidity measured by the humidity sensor.

11. Hairdressing device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that a removable filter (18) covers the air inlet mouth (17) of the device (1).

12. Hairdressing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that removable combs are provided on each jaw (2, 3) on the side of the straightening area, preferably between each straightening plate (12).

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