Toilet – Hair device – Having hair shaping surface or form
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2001-12-04
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Hair device
Having hair shaping surface or form
C132S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325072
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to a hair treatment appliance, comprising two elongate tong elements which are movable relative to each other and between which the hair is insertable with the tongs in an open position and between which the hair may be pulled through with the tongs in a closed position, and further comprising an arrangement for generating steam introducible between the two tong elements.
An appliance of this type is frequently referred to as a steam crimper and is commercially available. Known steam crimpers include two elongate, for example, about cylindrical tong elements which are hingedly connected with each other. Accommodated in the two tong elements is a heating element or the like for producing water vapor, for example. With the tongs in open position, a user's hair is placed between them. When the tongs are subsequently moved to the closed position, steam is conveyed to the region between the two tong elements and hence to the hair received therein. In closed condition of the tongs, the hair is then pulled through between the two tongs, so that the entire length of the hair is exposed to steam. Such steam crimpers operate substantially to straighten the hair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair treatment appliance which enables a hair treatment to be performed that goes beyond the straightening of hair.
This object is accomplished by the invention in an appliance of the type initially referred to by providing a device which, using the generated steam, is capable of introducing a hair treatment agent between the two tong elements.
The present invention affords the possibility of treating hair in particularly simple manner by means of a hair treatment agent. In contrast to known steam crimpers with which essentially only a straightening effect can be achieved by a steam treatment, the appliance of the present invention provides the beneficial effect of adding a hair treatment agent and using it on the hair. With the invention an appliance is provided which is capable of imparting enhanced shine and/or greater suppleness and/or improved combability and/or special protection to the hair being treated by virtue of the active substances contained in the hair treatment agent. Insofar the present invention does not present a simple steam crimper but rather a novel “application crimper” providing the user with application possibilities heretofore not available for styling his or her own hair.
Preferably, the hair treatment agent is acted upon by the generated steam and hence put into effect. This has the advantage of eliminating the need for elaborate additional components or the like to implement the appliance of the invention. Instead the steam already available is utilized to apply the hair treatment agent (e.g., to activate or liquefy it) and hence enable the hair to be treated with the hair treatment agent.
In an advantageous aspect of the present invention the device is arranged such that the hair treatment agent is exposed to the generated steam. This presents a simple way of causing the generated steam to reach the hair treatment agent, putting it into effect. The steam thus feeds the hair treatment agent to the hair needing to be treated automatically and without any other additional devices. This ensures ease and at the same time convenience in handling the appliance of the invention.
Particularly advantageously, the hair treatment agent is activatable by the generated steam, in particular liquefiable, and is suitable for application to the hair in combination with the steam. In this manner any additional components are avoided, hence simplifying the constructional arrangement of the appliance of the present invention materially.
In an advantageous further aspect of the invention, the device is received in one of the two tong elements, in particular on the side of the tong element close to the hair (and the opposite tong element). It will thus be seen that the invention makes use of already existing components to accommodate the device with the hair treatment agent. The requirement of having to provide additional components which add expense to the device is obviated. Similarly, a straightforward construction affording ease of handling for its user is thereby accomplished with the appliance of the invention.
In another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the device is provided for storing the hair treatment agent. The effect thereby achieved is that the user is not required to feed the hair treatment agent to the appliance of the present invention in some way or other, but rather, the hair treatment agent is already contained in the appliance. The user is thus able to operate the appliance without any further devices to treat the hair with the hair treatment agent.
Preferably, the hair treatment agent is contained in the appliance of the invention in dried form. This has the beneficial effect of prolonging the life of the hair treatment agent. This makes replacement of the hair treatment agent a task that can be performed in simple manner and without soiling one's hands. Furthermore, the operations of accommodating, storing and activating the hair treatment agent in the appliance of the invention are substantially easier to perform in dried condition, which enables the appliance to be of a simpler physical construction.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention the device includes a fabric-type pad or the like in which the hair treatment agent is contained. Such a pad is particularly well suited to store the hair treatment agent for a prolonged time. Equally, such a pad presents a particularly simple design implementation for accommodating and storing the hair treatment agent, providing in particular cost advantages. When the fabric-type pad is exposed to steam during use of the appliance of the invention, the steam will penetrate the pad fabric, liquefying the hair treatment agent contained in the pad. The dissolved hair treatment agent reaches the user's hair to be treated simultaneously with the steam. The use of the fabric-type pad thus also contributes to enabling the user to operate the appliance of the invention with particular ease and comfort.
It is of particular advantage for the device to comprise a felt material, in particular one or several felt layers joined to each other. The use of felt material for receiving and storing the hair treatment agent ensures a particularly uniform and constant discharge of the hair treatment agent from the felt material. Experience has also shown that the felt material exhibits a particularly good compatibility with hair, enabling the hair to be worked and treated in a particularly user friendly way.
In another advantageous aspect of the invention the device, meaning the felt material, is arranged to be replaceable. The user is thus in a position to treat the hair with different hair treatment agents speedily and without particular effort simply by replacing the device. Flexibility and possible fields of application and use of the appliance of the invention are thereby increased significantly.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the hair treatment agent contains a protein derivative, in particular a protein hydrolysate and/or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone and/or panthenol (and/or glucose). These substances aid in enhancing in particular the shine and/or the suppleness and/or the combability and/or the protection of the user's hair. Furthermore, these substances are particularly well suited to be stored in a dried condition, to be liquefied by exposure to steam, and to be applied to the hair in combination with the steam.
In a further advantageous aspect of the invention, the arrangement includes a heating element and a chamber for receiving a liquid, in particular for storing water. This presents a simple and economical possibility of implementing the generation of steam.
Particularly advantageously, the arrangement is received in the other tong element. In this way the components necessary for the appliance o
Braun GmbH
Doan Robyn Kieu
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Wilson John J.
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