Hair iron controlled by usage detection and control method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a hair iron controlled by usage detection. The hair iron includes a pair of bodies hinged to each other. An electric heating plate is attached to an inner surface of each of the bodies, and generates heat by power supplied thereto. A detection unit is configured to detect an operation of the pair of bodies. A control unit is configured to control a driving power source based on a result detected by the detection unit, thus driving the hair iron to perform a preset operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair iron controlled by usage detection, the hair iron comprising:
 a pair of bodies hinged to each other;   an electric heating plate attached to an inner surface of each of the bodies, and generating heat by power supplied thereto;   a detection unit configured to detect an operation of the pair of bodies; and   a control unit configured to control a driving power source based on a result detected by the detection unit, thus driving the hair iron to perform a preset operation.   
     
     
         2 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the detection unit is configured to detect a contact operation of the pair of bodies. 
     
     
         3 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the detection unit comprises a is tact switch, the tact switch being provided on the inner surface of each of the bodies to detect the contact operation. 
     
     
         4 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the detection unit comprises an emitting element and a receiving element, the emitting element and the receiving element being provided on respective inner surfaces of the bodies to detect the contact operation of the bodies. 
     
     
         5 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit counts the number of operations detected from the detection unit for a preset period of time, and
 the number of operations detected by the detection unit is counted if a time when the pair of bodies maintain a contact state is within a preset time.   
     
     
         6 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein a preset operation of the control unit, as controlled according to a detected result of the detection unit, comprises a power-on operation and a power-off operation of the hair iron or an operation of heating to the electric heating plate to a preset stage of temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit interrupts supply of power to the electric heating plate and maintains a standby state when there is no signal input from the detection unit for the preset time period. 
     
     
         8 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a heating unit configured to drive the electric heating plate under a control of the control unit;   a timer configured to provide a count time to the control unit;   an LED-equipped indicating unit configured to indicate a present state of the hair iron under the control of the control unit;   an alarm emitting unit configured to emit an alarm if there is a change in present state under the control of the control unit; and   a temperature sensor configured to: detect a present temperature of the electric heating plate, convert the temperature into an electric signal, and input the electric signal into the control unit.   
     
     
         9 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a touch switch provided at a predetermined position on the hair iron to detect a user's contact,   wherein the control unit drives the preset operation of the hair iron based on a detected result of the detection unit in a state where the touch switch detects the user's contact.   
     
     
         10 . The hair iron as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the preset operation of the hair iron is performed to turn on and off the hair iron; and to maintain the electric heating plate at a preset stage of temperature depending upon a result of counting the number of operations from the detection unit. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling a hair iron using a detection unit to detect an operation of the hair iron and a control unit to control the hair iron based on a result detected by the detection unit, the hair iron having a pair of bodies hinged to each other and an electric heating plate attached to each of the bodies, the method comprising:
 outputting an operation detection signal indicating the operation of the hair iron to the control unit, by the detection unit;   analyzing the operation detection signal input from the detection unit and counting the number of operations, by the control unit; and   controlling a driving power source of the hair iron to perform a preset function according to the counted number of operations based on a result analyzed at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations.   
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the outputting the operation detection signal detects a contact operation of the pair of bodies rotating about a hinge and then inputs a detected result to the control unit, by the detection unit, and
 the analyzing the operation detection signal counts the number of contact operations within a preset period of time and a time duration for which the contact of the bodies is maintained, by the control unit.   
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein a preset function, based upon the analysis result at the controlling the driving power source, heats the electric heating plate to a preset temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein a preset function, based on the analysis result at the controlling the driving power source, performs a power-on standby state or heats the electric heating plate to a preset stage of temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein, if the number of operations received by the detection unit is counted in a power-off standby state according to the analysis result at the controlling the driving power source, the power source is converted to the power-on standby state. 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein, if the number of operations received by the detection unit is counted in the power-on standby state according to the analysis result at the controlling the driving power source, the electric heating plate is heated to a preset initial temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein, when the electric heating plate is already heated to a preset temperature based on the analysis result at the controlling the driving power source, the control unit counts the number of operations and heats the electric heating plate to a preset temperature depending upon the counted number of operations. 
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a hair iron using a detection unit to detect an operation of the hair iron, a touch sensor provided at a predetermined position on a pair of bodies to detect a touch of a user's hand, and a control unit to control the hair iron based on a result detected by the detection unit, the hair iron having the pair of bodies hinged to each other and an electric heating plate attached to each of the bodies, the method comprising:
 outputting an operation detection signal indicating the operation of the hair iron to the control unit, by the detection unit;   analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations by the control unit, if the operation detection signal is input from the detection unit after the user's hand comes into contact with the touch sensor; and   controlling a driving power source of the hair iron to perform a preset function according to the counted number of operations based on the analysis result at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations.   
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein, at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations, the number of contact operations received by the detection unit is counted when the pair of bodies rotate about the hinge to come into contact with each other, and
 at the controlling the driving power source, the hair iron is converted into a power-on standby state or the electric heating plate is heated to a preset temperature, according to the number of operations counted at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations.   
     
     
         20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein, at the controlling the driving power source, a power source is converted into the power-on standby state if the number of operations is counted in a power-off standby state at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations; and the electric heating plate is heated to a preset stage of temperature depending on the number of operations if the number of operations is counted in the power-on standby state at the analyzing the operation detection signal and counting the number of operations,
 wherein the electric heating plate is set to at least two stages of heating temperatures.