CN119403473A

CN119403473A - Detangling straightening comb for use with a hair dryer or blow dryer brush

Info

Publication number: CN119403473A
Application number: CN202380038141.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 奥布里·埃诺特; 德尔菲娜·德特里
Original assignee: Babyliss Faco SPRL
Current assignee: Babyliss Faco SPRL
Priority date: 2022-05-02
Filing date: 2023-04-27
Publication date: 2025-02-07
Also published as: US20250302175A1; WO2023213679A1; MX2024013589A; EP4518719A1; CA3257331A1; EP4272599A1

Abstract

A hair-combing straightening comb intended to be fastened to the blowing end of a hair-drying and styling apparatus, the comb comprising a hollow body with an air inlet and a support with a plurality of teeth having a widened base on the proximal side and a sharp tip on the distal side, the profile of the teeth on the proximal side having a wavy shape, starting from the proximal side towards the distal side of the teeth, which wavy shape is gradually truncated on the wavy portion.

Description

Comb straightening comb for a hair dryer or a hair brush

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an accessory for a hair dryer or a blowing brush, and more particularly to a "two-in-one" type comb straightening comb for combing (detangling, untangling) and straightening hair curls. The comb straightening comb is intended to be fastened to the outlet of a device suitable for blowing hot air, such as a hair dryer or a hair brush.

Background

Hair curlers are well known in the art and are widely used, particularly in african or african americans. After washing the hair, a combing/drying step is usually carried out, followed by mechanical straightening of the curled or very curled hair. This dual operation is typically accomplished using a comb having relatively spaced apart teeth to allow the hair to be combed prior to straightening the hair with another device. Straightening is typically performed by applying pressure or tension to the hair strands at the same time by means of a heat source. However, these continuous operations require time and straightening exposes the hair to considerable thermal and mechanical stresses, which over time can damage the hair.

In order to reduce these stresses exerted on the hair and save time, an alternative is to blow the heated air stream emitted by the device through a "two-in-one" comb, which is suitable for combing and straightening the hair during the hair drying operation. The device used is capable of directing and focusing the discharged air stream onto a specific area of the user's hair. Currently, different combs are used to stretch hair and style and comb hair curls. However, there is still an increasing need for hair straightener fittings that can gently comb and straighten hair during drying.

Document WO00/25623 (SEB 1999) discloses an accessory for a hair dryer or styling brush comprising means for clamping hair bundles with cooperating clamping surfaces for clamping and straightening hair bundles.

Document US 6009883 describes a hair straightening nozzle formed by two parallel rows of comb teeth arranged on opposite sides of the nozzle, so that air blown from a blower can pass through the nozzle opening between the rows of comb teeth. The nozzle is equipped with a heating rod located between the two rows of teeth and parallel to the teeth of the comb. The hair strands are straightened as they pass between the teeth of the comb and onto the heating rod.

Document US 20200121053 describes a hair straightening comb which can be coupled to a hair dryer having two rows of teeth parallel to each other and positioned at a distance from each other, so as to leave a passage between the two rows of teeth for the passage of heated air. The heated air is used to straighten the hair strands stretched between the rows of teeth.

Patent WO 2020/025919 A1 describes a hair styling accessory in the form of a comb which can be coupled to a hair dryer, the hair styling accessory comprising an air inlet for receiving an air flow and an elongate air outlet in the form of a slot, wherein a series of triangular comb teeth are mounted on a flexible rod so that the teeth can move resiliently when the accessory is in use.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a comb for combing and straightening hair intended to be fastened to the blowing end of a hair drying and styling apparatus, said comb comprising a hollow body with an air inlet and a support comprising a plurality of comb teeth comprising a widened base on the proximal side and a sharp tip on the distal side, the comb profile of the base on the proximal side having a wavy shape which is gradually truncated (i.e. the profile of the wavy shape is gradually narrowed) on the wavy portion from the proximal side towards the distal side of the comb teeth.

Preferred embodiments of the invention include one or more of the following features:

on the proximal side of the comb teeth, the average inclination of the comb teeth with respect to the axis X at the base has an angle α with an absolute value of 5 ° to 25 °, preferably of 10 ° to 20 °;

On the proximal side, the tangent to the upper and lower ends of each comb tooth has an angle β of 20 ° to 50 °, preferably 30 ° to 40 °, with respect to the axis X;

the ratio of the height Ld to the width Bd of each comb tooth is 2 to 8.5, preferably 3 to 6, and particularly preferably 3.5 to 5;

-each comb tooth has a thickness (epsilon) of 1.2 mm to 3 mm;

The gap between the teeth E is 1mm to 5 mm, preferably 1.5 mm to 4 mm, and particularly preferably 1.8 mm to 3 mm;

The support comprises at least one movable carriage comprising comb teeth, which is detachable from the hollow body, and at least one means for moving the movable carriage comprising comb teeth in at least two directions;

The at least one means for moving the movable carriage is a motor having a rod eccentric with respect to the motor shaft or a vibrator comprising an unbalanced motor;

-the vibrator is centrally located;

-a motor with a rod eccentric with respect to the motor shaft is positioned at one or both ends of the movable carriage;

The support comprises two movable carriages, a first of which supports the even row of combs and a second of which supports the odd row of combs, and which are used to move the odd and even rows of combs with respect to each other by means of two motors M1 and M2 with eccentric bars respectively connected to the first and second movable carriages;

-the support comprising the movable carriage comprises an elastic shock absorber;

The hollow body comprises a thermal protection wall for isolating the one or more motors in the hollow body from the flow of hot gases.

The invention also discloses a hair dryer comprising a comb according to the invention, which hair dryer has an electrical connection and a control panel for activating one or more carriages supporting the teeth of the comb.

The invention also discloses a blowing brush comprising the comb according to the invention.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hair straightening comb suitable for use with a hair dryer in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2,3 and 4A show a plan view, a profile view and an opening view of a hair straightening comb according to the present invention, respectively.

Fig. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of a hair straightening comb according to the invention taken along the axis Y in fig. 4A.

Fig. 5 shows six progressive sections A1-A1 to A6-A6, taken through the teeth of the comb of the hair straightening accessory according to the invention, starting from the proximal base where the support is located, towards the end on the distal side. These sections show the variation in profile from the base to the top of the teeth and the deflection experienced by the hair bundle during passage between the teeth of the comb. On the proximal side, the comb teeth have a width Bd at the base and have a wavy profile that tapers towards the distal side of the comb teeth as the width of the comb teeth decreases towards the tip on the distal side. The undulating shape on the proximal side of the comb teeth comprises a first portion curving in a first direction 7 and a second portion curving in a second direction 8.

Figures 6 to 8 show a series of non-exhaustive and non-limiting geometrical configurations of comb teeth having a wave-like configuration at the proximal side of the comb according to the invention. The possible amplitude of the fluctuations depends on the gaps between the teeth, the thickness of the teeth, and the tangential and oblique angles of the teeth. The summary of these parameters is as follows:

parameter value of comb structure

Description of parameters (see the accompanying drawings)

Two main variables of the comb structure on the proximal side shown below are given as examples. These two variables produce two main variants, twist 1 and twist 2, namely a variant in which the outer portion of the comb base is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the comb (twist 2, where α=vertical=0°) and a variant in which the central portion of the comb base is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the comb (twist 1, where γ=vertical=0°).

Fig. 29 and 30 show the tangential angle β on the curvature of the wavy structure of the teeth on the proximal side of the comb and the average inclination angle α of the base of the teeth on the proximal side with respect to a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the comb. The angle α represents the average deflection experienced by the hair bundle during its passage at the base of the comb teeth. The greater the angle α, the more constrained the bundle of hair can be as it passes through the teeth of the comb and the tighter the bundle of hair can be stretched, because the greater the force exerted by the bundle of hair as it passes through the teeth of the comb. The profile variation of the comb teeth from the base on the proximal side to the tip of the comb teeth allows the user to adjust the depth of penetration of the hair bundle into the comb teeth, thereby adjusting the tension applied to the hair bundle to achieve an optimal straightening effect. The teeth of the comb are curved in an opposite but symmetrical manner on the proximal side, so that the tangential angles β are equal, and thus the direction of use for passing the hair bundles does not affect the penetration of the hair bundles, which enables the use of a hair dryer and straightening of the hair in any direction.

Fig. 6A-6C show some preferred arrangements, where the gap between the teeth is 1.5 mm. In these figures, the angle of inclination α of the teeth of the comb with respect to a vertical line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the comb is progressively varied from 0 ° to-25 °. The sign of the angle depends only on the orientation of the drawing and the angle should take absolute value. In the case of a gap between the teeth of the comb of only 1.5 mm, there is little freedom in terms of the amplitude of the wave, since it must be ensured that the hair bundle is free to move even on the proximal side of the teeth of the comb.

Fig. 7A-7E illustrate some preferred configurations, wherein the comb gap is 2.5 mm. In the case of an increase in comb gap to 2.5 mm, there is a large geometrical freedom in both pitch and amplitude of the undulations. This arrangement is considered to be the best solution with a good balance between the number of teeth available in a limited space, the amplitude of the undulations with a certain degree of freedom and the inclination with respect to the direction of passage of the hair bundle.

Fig. 8A-8D show some preferred arrangements, where the comb gap is 4 mm. In the case of such a gap between the teeth, there is a greater degree of geometric freedom both in terms of inclination and in terms of the amplitude of the wave motion. Of course, increasing the gap between the teeth and, where appropriate, the thickness of the teeth, reduces the number of teeth and thus the ability to comb. Thus, a balance must be found, on the one hand the amplitude of the undulations and the inclination of the teeth must be sufficient to perform the straightening and have an adequate comb gap to effectively comb, the wavy shape at the base of the teeth being a common reference for stretching the hair bundle during the heat treatment and thus performing an adequate straightening.

While curls vary from person to person in terms of texture density and length, configurations 7C, 7D and 8B have proven to be most effective when tested on a dummy model.

Fig. 9 to 20B show different examples of comb straightening combs according to the invention, whose teeth are mounted on a movable carriage (9, 11) for moving these teeth in three spatial directions, so as to vibrate/translate the comb. This vibration makes combing easier compared to the static version of the comb according to the invention.

More specifically, fig. 9 to 11B show an example of a comb straightening comb according to the invention, in which the movement of which is effected by suitable means, such as a motor (10) comprising a rod off-centered with respect to the rotation axis, the motor being arranged in a central position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the comb. Fig. 9 shows a three-dimensional view of this example, fig. 10 shows an exploded view, and fig. 11A and 11B show several sections through the fitting.

Fig. 12 to 14B show an example of a comb straightening comb according to the invention, the movement of which is achieved by a single motor 10 having an eccentric axis and arranged in a lateral position. Fig. 12 shows a three-dimensional view of this example, fig. 13 shows an exploded view, and fig. 14A and 14B show several sections through the fitting.

Figures 15 to 17B show an example of a comb straightening comb according to the invention in which the movement of the comb straightening comb is achieved by means of a vibrator 12 comprising an unbalanced motor, such as a "precision micro-drive Pico Vibe 306-103.006" motor, which is arranged in a central position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the comb. Fig. 15 shows a three-dimensional view of the above example, fig. 16 shows an exploded view, and fig. 17A and 17B show several sections through the fitting. These sections also show the presence of elastic shock absorbers 19 intended to absorb any contact between the support housing 3 and the movable carriage.

Fig. 18 to 20B show an example of a comb straightening comb according to the invention, in which the movement of which is effected by two motors 10 comprising a rod eccentric with respect to the motor shaft and arranged at both ends with respect to the longitudinal axis of the comb, each of which is intended to independently control a carriage 11 divided into two parts, each carriage having a set of teeth. Fig. 18 shows a three-dimensional view of this example, fig. 19 shows an exploded view, and fig. 20A and 20B show several sections through the fitting.

Fig. 21 to 25 show an example of a comb straightening comb according to the present invention, which is mounted on an air outlet of a conventional hair dryer. The comb straightening combs in these figures comprise a movable carriage driven by an eccentric rod motor 10 arranged off-centre with respect to the air outlet axis of the hair dryer and with respect to the air inlet in the fitting.

More specifically, fig. 21 and 22 show three-dimensional exploded views, fig. 23 shows a front view, and fig. 24 and 25 show several sections through a comb mounted on a hair dryer. Detail B in fig. 21 shows the low voltage electrical connection which allows the accessory to continue its rotation on the blower while power is supplied to the motor.

Fig. 26 to 28 are examples of a comb straightening comb according to the present invention, which is suitable as an accessory of a blowing brush.

More specifically, fig. 26 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of fig. 27, fig. 27 shows a side view and a top view, and fig. 28 shows several sections through the blower brush.

List of reference numerals

1. Comb for carding and straightening hair

2. Air inlet

3. Support member

4. Comb teeth row

5. Distal portions of the teeth

6. Proximal end portions of the teeth

7. A corrugated comb profile on the proximal side having a first portion curved in a first direction

8. A corrugated comb profile on the proximal side having a second portion curved in a second direction

9. Movable carriage/support

10. Motor having a rod eccentric with respect to the motor shaft

11. Two-part support/carriage for supporting one of the two teeth

12. Vibrator (unbalanced motor)

13. Hair drier

14. Nozzle of blowing brush

15. Control display for starting comb

16. Electrical connection part

17. Mechanical connection

18. Power supply for motor and display

19. Elastic shock absorber

20. Flexible membrane allowing the movable carriage to move without propagating any vibrations in the accessory or blower

21. Motor ventilation opening

22. Thermal protection wall

51. Thickness of distal end portion of comb teeth

61. Thickness of the proximal portion of the comb teeth

Detailed Description

The comb straightening comb of the invention is suitable for use on the outlet mouth of a hair dryer or a hair dryer brush. The comb comprises a series of substantially triangular teeth whose profile varies in a specific and progressive manner from the proximal base towards the distal end. By "profile" is meant the external shape of the cross-section taken in the comb teeth, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the comb teeth. On the proximal side, on the support, the profile of the comb teeth has the shape of a substantially sinusoidal wave of variable amplitude and has an inclination angle α with respect to the direction of passage of the hair bundles and therefore with respect to the direction of deflection of the hair bundles to be tidied and combed. By truncating the wavy portions 7 and 8, the profile of the teeth is tapered towards the distal side of the teeth of the comb, which enables the hair bundles to be tensioned as the bases of the teeth on the proximal end of the hair bundles get deeper into the comb, and enables the hair bundles to be stretched before hot air is blown from the blower and flows between the rows of teeth. The wavy shape of the comb teeth on the proximal side also enlarges the contact surface between the comb teeth and the hair bundle, thereby improving the effectiveness of the treatment.

Fig. 5 shows the variation of the cross-section of the profile of the comb teeth from the proximal side to the distal side of the comb teeth, which allows the user to adjust the tension applied to the hair bundle by adjusting the depth of penetration of the hair bundle.

Fig. 1 and 2 show a front perspective view and a plan view, respectively, of a hair straightening comb 1 according to the invention. The comb 1 comprises an air inlet 2 intended to receive an air flow blown from the air outlet end of a hair dryer or hair dryer brush. The air inlet 2 of the hair straightening comb is an opening shaped for use on the outlet mouth of a hair dryer or hair brush. The hair straightening comb according to the invention comprises a support 3 which holds a plurality of comb teeth 4 distributed evenly over the length of the support.

The air inlet 2 has a generally circular cross-section which is adapted to engage with the air outlet end of most blowers. However, the intermediate portion may be used as an adapter for blowers where the air outlet is not adapted to the support of the hair straightening comb according to the invention. For a blowing brush, this adaptation is specific.

The air flow emitted by the blower enters through the air inlet 2 and passes through the plurality of comb teeth 4 under the guidance of the support 3. The hot air stream is in direct contact with the hair bundle, which is pulled taut and stretched at the base of the comb by the wavy profile of the teeth on the proximal side. Since the air flow from the hair dryer or hair brush to which the comb is exposed may exceed 100 ℃, the comb must be made of a material that can withstand the highest temperatures that may be reached.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the comb 1, wherein the total height Ld of each comb tooth 6 is shown, which is preferably 25 mm to 85 mm, and preferably 50mm to 60 mm. The width Bd of the base of each comb tooth 6 is advantageously 10mm to 30mm, and preferably 15mm to 20 mm. Obviously, the width comprises a wavy shape.

Referring to fig. 3, a side view of the comb 1 shows the side shape of the comb teeth 6, which is generally triangular and may have a rectangular base. In contrast to this graphical representation, the tips of the comb teeth are not sharp, but always have a radius of a few tenths of a millimeter.

Fig. 4A shows a plan view of the comb 1, in which the alignment of the teeth of the comb is shown. In this embodiment, the undulating profile at the base of the comb teeth comprises a first curved portion 7 located above the axis Y and a second curved portion 8 located below the axis Y. The two curved portions have two tangent lines β of equal inclination, respectively. Further, in this embodiment, each comb tooth has a thickness ε that is approximately equal to 2mm, and the comb teeth are spaced apart by a distance E of approximately 3 mm.

The comb 1 comprises a plurality of teeth 4 connected to the proximal base on the side of the support 3. In the illustrations shown in fig. 1 and 2 and in a static version of the comb, the plurality of teeth 4 may be molded and/or injection molded in one piece with the support 3 and the air inlet 2. Depending on the tangential tilt β, the average inclination angle α with respect to the passage through which the hair bundle passes and the overall configuration of the hair straightening comb, it is also possible to use a separately molded/injection molded component assembly, in particular for comb versions mounted on a movable carriage.

Fig. 5 shows a front view of the comb 1, with six sections taken through the length of the comb teeth 4 from the proximal base on the support 3 side to the tip 5 on the distal side. Each comb tooth has a wave-like profile or wave-like portion extending over the width of the support 3. The wavy portion is formed of two portions bent in opposite directions with respect to the axis Y, and for the variant γ=0, the tangential inclination β of the bent portion of each portion is 20 ° to 50 °, preferably 30 ° to 40 °, and particularly preferably 36 ° to 38 °. For variant α=0, the tangential inclination β of the curved portion is 20 ° to 30 °, preferably 24 ° to 26 °. The width of the teeth 4 decreases gradually from the base towards the end until reaching the cross-section of parallelepipeds, which are shown in the cross-sections A1-A1, A2-A2, A3-A3, A4-A4, A5-A5 and A6-A6, respectively.

The comb straightening comb of the present invention is also suitable for use on a blowing brush as shown in fig. 27 and 28.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the teeth on the proximal side 6 is greater than on the distal side 5. In fact, as shown in fig. 4B (which is a longitudinal section of the comb taken along axis Y), the thickness 61 of the teeth on the proximal side is greater than its thickness 51 on the distal side. Therefore, on the distal end side, the gap between the comb teeth is larger, which makes it easier to insert hair into the comb.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the teeth of a comb straightening comb may be mounted on a movable carriage so as to be movable in three spatial directions, so that the comb is caused to vibrate by an unbalanced motor 12 to a maximum amplitude of about one millimeter. For movements that occur by means of a motor with an eccentric rod that is eccentric with respect to the motor shaft 10, the amplitude of the movement can be up to a few millimeters.

For moving the comb, various means are conceivable, such as the use of a vibrator 12 in the fitting that vibrates by an unbalanced motor or the use of one or more motors 10 with eccentric bars. Fig. 9-18 illustrate various embodiments for achieving vibratory movement along multiple axes.

The comb according to the invention may also comprise two independent carriages 11 on each side of the fitting and driven by a motor 10 with eccentric bars. Each carriage includes one of the two teeth, which allows the comb to move in partial or complete opposition. Thus, the comb teeth 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc. are fastened to a first carriage and the comb teeth 2, 4, 6, 8, etc. are fastened to a second carriage, wherein the two carriages can be moved with different amplitudes and frequencies.

In arrangements including a motor, a thermal protection wall 22 is provided separating the motor compartment from the flow of hot air from the blower or blower brush to protect the motor from the high temperatures that may be reached by the air entering the fitting.

Claims

1. A comb (1) for combing and straightening hair, the comb being intended to be fastened to the blower end of a hair drying and styling device, the comb comprising a hollow body with an air inlet (2) and a support (3) comprising a plurality of comb teeth (4), the comb teeth (4) comprising a widened base on the proximal side and a sharp tip on the distal side, the contour of the comb teeth (4) on the proximal side having a wavy shape, the wavy shape being gradually shortened on the wavy parts (7, 8) from the proximal side towards the distal side of the comb teeth (4).

2. The comb (1) according to claim 1, wherein, at the proximal side of the comb teeth (4), the average inclination of the comb teeth at the base relative to the axis X has an angle α with an absolute value of 5° to 25°, preferably 10° to 20°.

3. Comb according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, on the proximal side, the tangents of the upper and lower ends of each comb tooth have an angle β of 20° to 50° relative to the axis X, preferably 30° to 40°.

4 . The comb according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the height Ld to the width Bd of each comb tooth is 2 to 8.5, preferably 3 to 6, and particularly preferably 3.5 to 5.

5. The comb according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each comb tooth has a thickness (ε) of 1.2 mm to 3 mm.

6. The comb according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gap E between the comb teeth is 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1.5 mm to 4 mm, and particularly preferably 1.8 mm to 3 mm.

7. A comb according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (3) comprises: at least one movable carriage (9) comprising the comb teeth (4), the movable carriage being removable from the hollow body; and at least one device (10, 12) for moving the movable carriage (9) comprising the comb teeth (4) in at least two directions.

8. Comb according to claim 7, wherein the at least one means for moving the movable carriage (9) is a motor (10) having a rod eccentric to the motor axis or a vibrator (12) comprising an unbalanced motor.

9. The comb according to claim 8, wherein the vibrator (12) is centrally located.

10. The comb according to claim 8, wherein the motor (10) having a rod eccentric to the motor shaft is located at one or both ends of the movable carriage (9).

11. A comb according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the support member (3) comprises two movable slides (11), a first movable slide of the two movable slides supporting even-numbered rows of comb teeth and a second movable slide supporting odd-numbered rows of comb teeth, and the first movable slide and the second movable slide are used to move the odd-numbered rows of comb teeth and the even-numbered rows of comb teeth relative to each other by two motors M1 and M2 having eccentric rods respectively connected to the first movable slide and the second movable slide.

12. The comb according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the motor is isolated in the hollow body by a heat protection wall (22).

13. Comb according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the support (3) comprising the movable carriage (9, 11) comprises an elastic shock absorber (19).

14. A hair dryer comprising a comb according to any one of the preceding claims, the hair dryer having an electrical connection (16) and a control panel (15) for activating one or more of the movable carriages (9, 11) supporting the comb teeth (4).

15. A blow-drying brush comprising a comb according to any one of the preceding claims.