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 rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member; and   a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing and a clamp button provided at said rotatable casing, wherein said clamp button has a top flat depression surface arranged in such a manner that when said flat depression surface is pressed, said clamping arm is pivotally moved from a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with said heating surface of said heating member to an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member, wherein said clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of said heating member, 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 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 clamp unit further has a button cavity indently provided at said rotatable casing to support said clamp button being aligned with said axis of said heating member, and comprises a resilient element supported at said button cavity for applying an urging spring force against said clamp button so as to retain said clamping arm at the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said clamp button comprises a pivot shaft coupled at two sidewalls of said button cavity to define a front button portion coupled with a rear end of said clamping arm and a rear button portion being biased against said resilient element, such that when said rear button portion of said clamp button is depressed, said front button portion thereof is pivotally lifted up to move said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position. 
     
     
         4 . The hair curling device, as recited  claim 3 , wherein said clamping arm comprises an elongated clamping panel contacting with said heating surface of said heating member and a connecting arm rearwardly and parallelly extended from an upper side of said clamping panel to couple with said front button portion of said clamp button. 
     
     
         5 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 1 , which comprises an operational process comprising the steps of:
 (a) rotatably coupling said rotatable casing between said heating member and a handle member;   (b) pivotally coupling said clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move between said opened position and said closed position;   (c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:   (c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and   (c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and   (d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.   
     
     
         8 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a method of operating the hair curling device which comprises the steps of:
 (a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member;   (b) placing the lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on said heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to the heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from the heating member to a distal end of the hair;   (c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;   (d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;   (e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and   (f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.   
     
     
         9 . A hair curling device, comprising:
 an elongated heating member defining an outer heating surface;   a handle member coaxially extended from said heating member;   a rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member; and   a clamp unit which comprises a clamping arm which is extended from said rotatable casing and 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, wherein said clamping arm has a tapered shape defining two slanted guiding edges extended toward a free end of said clamping arm, wherein said clamping arm is driven to rotate around an axis of said heating member, 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 rotated around said heating member at a position that one of said slanted guiding edges thereof is arranged for guiding the lock of hair being whirled along said heating surface of said heating member in order to evenly apply heat to the lock of hair.   
     
     
         10 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said clamping arm has a curvature matching with a curvature of said heating surface of said heating member to contact with said heating surface of said heating member so as to minimize a clearance therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a fixation shaft extended from said handle member to said heating member, wherein said rotatable casing is rotatably and coaxially coupled at said fixation shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 9 , which comprises an operational process comprising the steps of:
 (a) rotatably coupling said rotatable casing between said heating member and a handle member;   (b) pivotally coupling said clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move between said opened position and said closed position;   (c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:   (c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and   (c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and   (d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.   
     
     
         14 . The hair curling device, as recited in  claim 9 , comprising a method of operating the hair curling device which comprises the steps of:
 (a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from said closed position to said opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member,   (b) placing the lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on said heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to the heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from the heating member to a distal end of the hair;   (c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;   (d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;   (e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and   (f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.   
     
     
         15 . A process of curling hair with a hair curling device, comprising the steps of:
 (a) rotatably coupling a rotatable casing between a heating member and a handle member;   (b) pivotally coupling a clamping arm at said rotatable casing to enable said clamping arm to move 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 a heating surface of said heating member;   (c) driving said rotatable casing to rotate by a motorized unit by the steps of:   (c.1) generating a rotational power from said motorized unit; and   (c.2) controllably transmitting said rotation power to said rotatable casing via a gear assembly to obtain a constant rotational speed of said rotatable casing; and   (d) moving said clamping arm around said heating member when said rotatable casing is rotated.   
     
     
         16 . The process, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the step (a) further comprises the steps of:
 (a.1) coupling a fixation shaft between said handle member to said heating member; and   (a.2) rotatably and coaxially coupling said rotatable casing at said fixation shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The process, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the step (c.2) further comprises the steps of:
 (c.2.1) operatively coupling a ring-shaped gear element at said rotatable casing; and   (c.2.2) operatively linking a concealed gear unit between said motorized unit and said gear element for transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said rotatable casing.   
     
     
         18 . The process, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the step (c.2.2) further comprises the steps of:
 (c.2.2.1) rotatably and coaxially receiving a hollow gearbox of said concealed gear unit in said handle member;   (c.2.2.2) receiving a first gear set of said concealed gear unit in said hollow gearbox that said first gear set is engaged with said hollow gearbox in order to operatively link said first gear set with said motorized unit;   (c.2.2.3) receiving a second gear set of said concealed gear unit in said hollow gearbox that said second gear set is engaged with said hollow gearbox in order to operatively link said second gear set with said rotatable casing; and   (c.2.2.4) transmitting said rotational power from said motorized unit to said first gear set to drive said second gear set to rotate through said hollow gearbox so as to drive said rotatable casing to rotate through said ring-shaped gear element.   
     
     
         19 . The process, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the step (c.1) further comprises a step of selectively controlling said motorized unit to generate said rotational power at one of a clockwise direction and a counter clockwise, such that said rotational power is a reversible rotational power. 
     
     
         20 . The process, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the step (c.1) further comprises a step of selectively controlling said motorized unit to generate said rotational power at one of a clockwise direction and a counter clockwise, such that said rotational power is a reversible rotational power. 
     
     
         21 . The process, as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising a step of supporting a circuit board within a lower portion of said handle member at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member. 
     
     
         22 . The process, as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising a step of supporting a circuit board within a lower portion of said handle member at a position that said motorized unit is operatively linked between said gear assembly and said circuit board to form a compact operating structure within said handle member. 
     
     
         23 . A method of curling hair with a hair curling device which comprises an elongated heating member, a handle member, a rotatable casing rotatably and coaxially coupled between said heating member and said handle member, and a clamping arm pivotally coupled at said rotatable casing, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (a) pivotally moving said clamping arm from a closed position that said clamping arm is in contact with a heating surface of said heating member to an opened position that said clamping arm is tilted from said heating member;   (b) placing a lock of hair at a predetermined distance from a root end thereof for start curling on a heating surface of said heating member, so as to define a first portion of the hair from the root end to said heating member and a second portion of the hair to be curled from said heating member to a distal end of the hair;   (c) retaining the lock of hair between said clamping arm and said heating surface of said heating member when said clamping arm is moved back to said closed position;   (d) selectively controlling a rotational direction of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element;   (e) whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element toward the distal end of the lock of hair when said clamping arm is rotated about said heating element; and   (f) generating heat at said heating surface of said heating element to curl the second portion of hair around said heating element.   
     
     
         24 . The method, as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising a step of continuously rotating said rotatable casing at the same direction to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element until the lock of hair is released between said clamping arm and said heating element. 
     
     
         25 . The method, as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the step (e) further comprises a step of shifting the lock of hair by said clamping arm, having a tapered shape, to evenly whirl the lock of hair along said heating element so as to prevent the lock of hair repeatedly wound at the same radial position of said heating element. 
     
     
         26 . The method, as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the step (e) further comprises a step of shifting the lock of hair by said clamping arm, having a tapered shape, to evenly whirl the lock of hair along said heating element so as to prevent the lock of hair repeatedly wound at the same radial position of said heating element. 
     
     
         27 . The method, as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of generating a constant rotation speed of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element. 
     
     
         28 . The method, as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of generating a constant rotation speed of said rotatable casing to drive said clamping arm to rotate 360° about said heating element. 
     
     
         29 . The method, as recited in  claim 23 , wherein, in the step (e), said heating element is remained at the same position to retain the same length of the first portion of hair while whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element. 
     
     
         30 . The method, as recited in  claim 28 , wherein, in the step (e), said heating element is remained at the same position to retain the same length of the first portion of hair while whirling the second portion of hair around said heating surface of said heating element.