Hair curling device

Abstract

A hair curling device includes an elongated heating member, a handle member, a powering arrangement including a motorized unit supported in said handle member, and a clamping arm pivotally moved between an opened position that the clamping arm is tilted from the heating member and a closed position that the clamping arm is in contact with a heating surface of the heating member. The clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of the heating member by the motorized unit, such that after the clamping arm is moved at the closed position for retaining a lock of hair between the clamping arm and the heating surface of the heating member, the clamping arm is automatically rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around the heating member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair curling device, comprising:
 an elongated heating member defining an outer heating surface;   a handle member coaxially extended from said heating member;   a powering arrangement which comprises a motorized unit supported in said handle member for generating a reversible rotational power; and   a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm pivotally moved between an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member and a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with said heating surface of said heating member, wherein said clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of said heating member by said motorized unit, such that after said clamping arm is moved at said closed position for retaining a lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member, said clamping arm is automatically rotated for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around said heating member.   
     
     
         2 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member and a rotatable casing which is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft and is coupled with said clamping arm, such that when said rotatable casing is driven to rotate by said motorized unit, said clamping arm is rotated around said heating member. 
     
     
         3 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said clamping arm is pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         4 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a safety member radially and outwardly extended from said fixation shaft at a position between said rotatable casing and said heating member for blocking the lock of hair being whirled at said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         5 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a safety member radially and outwardly extended from said fixation shaft at a position between said rotatable casing and said heating member for blocking the lock of hair being whirled at said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         6 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said safety member is immovable when said clamping arm is rotated. 
     
     
         7 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said safety member is immovable when said clamping arm is rotated. 
     
     
         8 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a gear assembly operatively linked between said motorized unit and said rotatable casing for controllably transmitting said rotational power, wherein said gear assembly comprises a ring-shaped gear element operatively coupled at said rotatable casing and a concealed gear unit operatively linked between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         9 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a gear assembly operatively linked between said motorized unit and said rotatable casing for controllably transmitting said rotational power, wherein said gear assembly comprises a ring-shaped gear element operatively coupled at said rotatable casing and a concealed gear unit operatively linked between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         10 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a gear assembly operatively linked between said motorized unit and said rotatable casing for controllably transmitting said rotational power, wherein said gear assembly comprises a ring-shaped gear element operatively coupled at said rotatable casing and a concealed gear unit operatively linked between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         11 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said concealed gear unit comprises a hollow gearbox rotatably and coaxially received in said handle member, a first gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said motorized unit, and a second gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         12 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said concealed gear unit comprises a hollow gearbox rotatably and coaxially received in said handle member, a first gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said motorized unit, and a second gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         13 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said concealed gear unit comprises a hollow gearbox rotatably and coaxially received in said handle member, a first gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said motorized unit, and a second gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         14 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a circuit board supported within a lower portion of said handle member, wherein said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member. 
     
     
         15 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said powering arrangement further comprises a circuit board supported within a lower portion of said handle member, wherein said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member. 
     
     
         16 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said circuit board is adjustably controlled a heating temperature at said heating surface of said heating member between 80° C. to 240° C., a revolving speed of said clamping arm between 10 and 30 revolution per minute, a rotational speed of an output of said motorized unit at an idle state about 5000 rpm, and said rotational speed of said output of said motorized unit at a loaded state about 1600 rpm. 
     
     
         17 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said circuit board is adjustably controlled a heating temperature at said heating surface of said heating member between 80° C. to 240° C., a revolving speed of said clamping arm between 10 and 30 rpm, a rotational speed of an output of said motorized unit at an idle state about 5000 rpm, and said rotational speed of said output of said motorized unit at a loaded state about 1600 rpm. 
     
     
         18 . A method of curling a lock of hair by a hair curling device which comprises a heating member coaxially extended from a handle member, a clamping arm, and a powering arrangement, comprising the steps of:
 (a) retaining a lock of hair between said clamping arm and a heating surface of said heating member, wherein said clamping arm is pivotally moved between an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member and a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with said heating surface of said heating member;   (b) activating a motorized unit of said powering arrangement to drive said clamping arm to rotate around an axis of said heating member for guiding the lock of hair being whirled around said heating member; and   (c) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating member for curling the lock of hair.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18  wherein, in the step (b), said motorized unit is activated to adjustably generate a reversible rotational power so as to selectively drive said clamping arm to rotate either at a clockwise direction or at a counter clockwise direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the step (b) further comprises the steps of:
 (b.1) providing a fixation shaft which is extended from said handle member to said heating member to support said heating member by said handle member in an immovable manner;   (b.2) rotatably and coaxially coupling a rotatable casing at said fixation shaft, wherein said clamping arm is pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing; and   (b.3) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by said motorized unit in order to rotate said clamping arm around said heating member.   
     
     
         21 . The method, as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the step (b.1) further comprises a step of radially and outwardly extending a safety member from said fixation shaft at a position between said rotatable casing and said heating member for blocking the lock of hair being whirled at said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         22 . The method, as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said safety member is immovable when said clamping arm is rotated. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein, the step (b.2) further comprises a step of controllably transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly of said powering arrangement, wherein said gear assembly comprises a ring-shaped gear element operatively coupled at said rotatable casing and a concealed gear unit operatively linked between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 22 , wherein, the step (b.2) further comprises a step of controllably transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly of said powering arrangement, wherein said gear assembly comprises a ring-shaped gear element operatively coupled at said rotatable casing and a concealed gear unit operatively linked between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         25 . The method, as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said concealed gear unit comprises a hollow gearbox rotatably and coaxially received in said handle, a first gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said motorized unit, and a second gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         26 . The method, as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said concealed gear unit comprises a hollow gearbox rotatably and coaxially received in said handle, a first gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said motorized unit, and a second gear set received in and engaged with said hollow gearbox to operatively link with said rotatable casing. 
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 24  wherein, the step (b.2), further comprises a step of configuring a circuit board supported within a lower portion of said handle at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said a gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle. 
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 26  wherein, the step (b.2), further comprises a step of configuring a circuit board supported within a lower portion of said handle at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said a gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle. 
     
     
         29 . The method, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein a heating temperature at said heating surface of said heating member is adjustably controlled between 80° C. to 240° C., a revolving speed of said clamping arm is adjustably controlled between 10 to 30 rpm, a rotational speed of an output of said motorized unit at an idle state is adjustably controlled about 5000 rpm, and said rotational speed of said output of said motorized unit at a loaded state is adjustably controlled about 1600 rpm. 
     
     
         30 . The method, as recited in  claim 28 , wherein a heating temperature at said heating surface of said heating member is adjustably controlled between 80° C. to 240° C., a revolving speed of said clamping arm is adjustably controlled between 10 to 30 rpm, a rotational speed of an output of said motorized unit at an idle state is adjustably controlled about 5000 rpm, and said rotational speed of said output of said motorized unit at a loaded state is adjustably controlled about 1600 rpm.