Electric resistance heating devices – Heating devices – Vaporizer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-07
2001-06-05
Paik, Sang (Department: 3742)
Electric resistance heating devices
Heating devices
Vaporizer
C219S222000, C132S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243533
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to hair styling and skin care and, more particularly, is concerned with a multiple hair setting roller heating and facial steaming-apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Women have traditionally patronized beauty parlors and the like to utilize the various hair and skin beauty treatments which these operations provide, such as hair styling, sauna baths, facial steaming treatments, mineral water treatments, and aromatherapy. However, with ever-increasing demands placed on their time and money, many working women are unable to frequent such establishments to take advantage of these traditional beauty treatment offerings.
Products have been introduced into the marketplace from time to time for use by women at home in an attempt to respond to beauty care needs of working women. For example, devices exist that are designed to heat one or more hair setting rollers commonly used by women to form waves and/or curls in styling their hair. Representative examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,878 to Thomas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,316 to Volosin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,029 to Walter, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,572,221 and 5,482,060 to Barradas and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,603,706, 4,627,452 and 5,255,694 to Caruso. For facial steaming treatments women have heretofore had to prepare and apply steamy hot moist towels to their faces. No product has appeared in the marketplace which provides a comprehensive solution in terms of saving time and money in providing a variety of beauty treatments for women.
Consequently, a need remains for an apparatus which has the capability to address skin care and hair styling requirements of women.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a multiple hair setting roller heating and facial steaming apparatus designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs. The apparatus of the present invention incorporates features which permit use as a multiple hair setting roller heater or as a facial steamer and provides for quick and easy conversion between these separate uses.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a multiple hair setting roller heating apparatus which comprises: (a) a housing having a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion defining a receptacle for receiving and holding a quantity of a desired liquid, the upper portion defining a platform above the receptacle; (b) a heating module having an upper end and a lower end and being mounted in the housing below the platform thereof and extending downwardly into the receptacle thereof, the heating module further having a passage extending between the upper and lower ends thereof so as to provide flow communication of liquid from the receptacle of the housing to the platform thereof; (c) a heating element mounted in the passage of the heating module and being operable to convert the liquid to vapor therein; and (d) at least two outlets extending from the platform of the upper portion of the housing, each of the outlets being adapted to support a hair setting roller and provide flow communication of the vapor from the passage of the heating module to above the platform of the housing for heating the hair setting rollers with the vapor. Each of the outlets is a pick having a body adapted to support a hair setting roller and defining at least one vent for passage of the vapor therethrough. In one form, the body of the pick is tubular shaped. The heating elements is preferably a type known as a positive temperature co-efficient (PTC) heater.
The present invention is further directed to a multiple hair setting roller heating apparatus which comprises: (a) a housing having a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion defining a receptacle for receiving and holding a quantity of a desired liquid, the upper portion being mounted on the lower portion and defining a platform; (b) an enclosure having an open bottom and defining an interior chamber, the enclosure being mounted to and extending downwardly from the platform of the upper portion of the housing and into the receptacle of the lower portion of the housing below the surface of the quantity of liquid in the receptacle such that air is captured in the interior chamber of the enclosure so as to prevent entry of the liquid into the interior chamber; (c) a first heating module having an upper end and a lower end and being disposed in the interior chamber of the enclosure, the first heating module mounted in the housing below the platform thereof and extending downwardly from the upper end to the lower end of the first heating module, the first heating module further having a passage defined therein and extending between the upper and lower ends and an inlet defined in the lower end and extending below the open bottom of the enclosure so as to provide direct flow communication of liquid from the receptacle of the lower portion of the housing to the passage of the first heating module bypassing the interior chamber of the enclosure; (d) a first heating element mounted in the passage of the first heating module and being operable to convert the liquid to vapor therein; and (e) a first outlet extending from the platform of the upper portion of the housing, the first outlet being adapted to support a hair setting roller and provide flow communication of the vapor from the passage of the first heating module to above the platform of the upper portion of the housing for heating the roller with the vapor. A plurality of the first outlets are provided in flow communication with the first heating module. Each outlet is a pick having a body adapted to support a hair setting roller and defining at least one vent for passage of the vapor therethrough.
The apparatus further comprises a second heating module, a second heating element and a second outlet. The second heating module is separate and spaced apart from the first heating module and has an upper end and a lower end. The second heating module is disposed in the interior chamber of the enclosure and mounted in the housing below the platform thereof and extends downwardly from the upper end to the lower end of the second heating module. The second heating module further has a passage defined therein extending between the upper and lower ends and an inlet defined in the lower end extending below the open bottom of the enclosure so as to provide direct flow communication of liquid from the receptacle of the lower portion of the housing to the passage of the second heating module bypassing the interior chamber of the enclosure. The second heating element is mounted in the passage of the second heating module and is operable to convert the liquid to vapor therein. The second outlet extends from the platform of the upper portion of the housing. The second outlet is adapted to support a hair setting roller and provide flow communication of the vapor from the passage of the second heating module to above the platform of the upper portion of the housing for heating the roller with the vapor. The apparatus further comprises pluralities of the first and second outlets provided in flow communication respectively with the first and second heating modules. The first and second heating elements are preferably a type known as a positive temperature co-efficient (PTC) heater. The provision of at least two outlets communicating with each PTC heater at least doubles the productivity of each heating module.
Also, the present invention is directed to a facial steaming apparatus which comprises: (a) a housing having a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion defining a receptacle for receiving and holding a quantity of a desired liquid, the upper portion being mounted on the lower portion and defining a platform; (b) a heating mechanism mounted in the housing and extending downwardly from the platform into the receptacle and being operable to convert the liquid to vapor; (c) at least one outlet extending from the platform of the upper portion of the housing and adapted to supp
Flanagan John K.
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Madison Star LLC
Paik Sang
LandOfFree
Multiple hair setting roller heating and facial steaming... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multiple hair setting roller heating and facial steaming..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multiple hair setting roller heating and facial steaming... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2458738