Hair styling device

Abstract

This invention relates to a hair styling device. The invention provides a hair styling device ( 10; 210; 310 ) having a body ( 12; 112; 312; 412 ) with a chamber ( 16; 116; 216; 316 ) adapted to accommodate a length of hair ( 24 ). The chamber has an opening ( 22; 322 ) through which the length of hair may pass into the chamber. A rotatable element ( 32 ) is adapted to engage the length of hair adjacent to the opening. A pressing means ( 28, 30; 330; 430 ) drives the length of hair towards the opening. The device has a capture region ( 364; 464 ) which is spaced from the opening ( 22; 322 ) and which retains misplaced hair. Holding means ( 330; 406 ) holds the misplaced hair within the capture region where it is detected by a detector ( 382; 482 ).

1 . A hair styling device having:
 a body having a chamber adapted to accommodate a length of hair, the chamber having an opening through which the length of hair may pass into the chamber;   a rotatable element adapted to engage the length of hair adjacent to the opening;   at least one pressing part adapted to drive the length of hair towards the opening;   a capture region spaced from the opening;   
       at least one holding part adapted to hold the misplaced hair within the capture region; and
 a detector for detecting misplaced hair within the capture region. 
 
     
     
         2 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the pressing part and the holding part comprise separate components. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the at least one holding part is resiliently mounted. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling device according  claim 1  in which the at least one holding part is mounted upon the movable panel. 
     
     
         5 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the detector includes a movable element. 
     
     
         6 . The hair styling device according to  claim 5  in which the movable element is a pivoting lever. 
     
     
         7 . The hair styling device according to  claim 5  in which the detector includes a plurality of interconnected levers. 
     
     
         8 . The hair styling device according to  claim 7  in which the levers are parallel. 
     
     
         9 . The hair styling device according to  claim 7  having a slot for each of the levers. 
     
     
         10 . The hair styling device according to  claim 6  in which the detector includes an electrical switch which can be actuated by the lever. 
     
     
         11 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the capture region comprises converging surfaces. 
     
     
         12 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the capture region is a V-shaped groove. 
     
     
         13 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  having at least one heating element to heat the length of hair in use; and
 a controller adapted to control the rotation of the rotatable element, the controller being connected to the detector and being adapted to set the rate of rotation of the rotatable element to one of a plurality of rotational rates. 
 
     
     
         14 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  having a plurality of heating elements and a controller connected to the detector and to the heating element(s), the controller being adapted to set the temperature of one of the heating elements to a first temperature and to set the temperature of another of the heating elements to a second temperature, the second temperature being different to the first temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The hair styling device according to  claim 13  in which the chamber comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, in which the rotatable element lies between the first chamber and the second chamber, and in which the first chamber has at least one heating element and the second chamber has at least one heating element. 
     
     
         16 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the controller is adapted to adjust the torque of the rotatable element. 
     
     
         17 . The hair styling device according to  claim 16  in which the controller is adapted to reverse the rotation of the rotatable element when the load upon the rotatable element exceeds a predetermined threshold, and in which the controller is adapted to adjust the threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The hair styling device according to  claim 13  having a control panel, the control panel including a switch to allow the selection of different size ranges for the length of hair to be styled. 
     
     
         19 . The hair styling device according to  claim 13  in which the controller is connected to a sensor which is adapted to detect the size of a length of hair. 
     
     
         20 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  having at least one removable insert which is locatable within the chamber to partially surround the protrusion. 
     
     
         21 . The hair styling device according to  claim 20  in which the insert has electrical contacts which are engagable with electrical contacts within the chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The hair styling device according to  claim 20  having a plurality of differently-sized inserts.