Mechanized Hair Styling Device and Method

Abstract

Disclosed is a hair styling apparatus and its employment in specific hairstyling methods. The apparatus is a mechanized, motorized device configured to operate in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment, said device comprising an ordered arrangement of components which, when motorized in a connected manner, cause the meshed rotation of two internal pivot gears, the pivot gears having irregularly-spaced undersurface dock holes connectable to a planar grip housing. The pivot gears induce selectable rotation modes of the planar grip housing; further, the grip housing is capable of securely gripping the attachment. A preferred attachment comprises an elastomeric block having an elliptically-contoured, substantially smooth top surface, and a patterned, sculptured bottom surface constructed with parallel V-shaped channels and a plurality of circular chambers. In this manner, when hair is placed in contact with the motorized device and its attachment, the hair may be styled into a multiplicity of twists or spirals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mechanized, motorized device configured to operate in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment, said device comprising a coordinated arrangement of components which, when motorized in a connected manner, cause the meshed rotation of two pivot gears, the pivot gears having irregularly-spaced underside dock holes connectable to a planar grip housing such that the gears induce selectable rotation modes of the planar grip housing, further, the grip housing being capable of securely grasping and retaining the hairstyling attachment. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is operated in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment comprising an elastomeric, sponge-like block having a flat, attachable top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface further comprising (a) a plurality of circular chambers and (b) a plurality of V-shaped channels, said channels arranged in a criss-cross pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising wiring and electrical junctions enabling the use of alternating current electrical power to rotate both pivot gears. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising wiring and electrical junctions enabling the use of battery direct current to electrically rotate both pivot gears. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is operated in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment comprising an elastomeric block having an elliptically-contoured, substantially smooth top surface, a jaggedly-patterned, sculptured and textured bottom surface, and a continuous side panel, said side panel being integrally connected to the edges of both the top surface and the bottom surface; further
 the bottom, surface contains nine (9) V-shaped main-channels, said main-channels being parallel to each other and oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree right angle to the longitudinal axis of the elastomeric block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface further manifests nine (9) Y-shaped cross-channels, said cross-channels being oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree left angle to the longitudinal axis of the block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface being constructed with a plurality of chambers, said chambers being orthogonal to both the bottom surface and the top surface and having a vertical depth approximately one-half the distance between the bottom surface and the top surface, the outer circumferences of said chambers intersecting said main-channels and cross-channels at irregular locations along the bottom surface of the elastomeric block.   
     
     
         6 . A mechanized, motorized device configured to operate in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment, said device comprising a coordinated arrangement of components which, when motorized in a connected manner, cause the meshed rotation of two pivot gears, the pivot gears having irregularly-spaced underside dock holes connectable to a planar grip housing such that the gears induce variable rotation modes of the planar grip housing, further, the grip housing being capable of securely grasping the hairstyling attachment, the device minimally comprising:
 an elliptically-shaped top plate;   a full gear housing having three parallel walls orthogonally mounted atop a left and a right circular gear retainer, a left and a right axle slot integral to each respective gear retainer, and four mounting tabs;   a drive gear;   a left and a right circular, planar pivot gear, each pivot gear having gear teeth corresponding to those of said drive gear, a protruding concentric axle in the upper surface, and three irregularly-spaced dock holes in the undersurface;   an elliptically-shaped, planar base plate having left and right lipped cavities, both cavities having an inner circular circumference corresponding to the outer circumference of said left and right pivot gears, a gear niche, and four latching slots;   a planar button holder having two latches on its undersurface;   a planar, lock synch button having a left wing and a right wing, a button tab, and one button post orthogonal to the upper surface of each wing;   an elliptically-shaped, essentially planar sponge grip housing having an upper surface, containing two planar housing bays, two grip posts, a spring cavity, and a circumferentially rimmed undersurface;   an annular, elliptically-shaped oscillation grip housing;   a battery and connecting wires;   an electric motor and drive shaft;   an on-off switch; and   wherein all elliptically-shaped components have a matching elliptical contour.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the device is operated in conjunction with an attachment which comprises an elastomeric, sponge-like block having a flat, corresponding elliptically-shaped, attachable top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface further comprising both (a) a plurality of circular chambers and (b) a plurality of V-shaped channels, said channels arranged in a criss-cross pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising wiring and electrical junctions enabling the use of alternating current electrical power to rotate both pivot gears. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising wiring and electrical junctions enabling the use of battery direct current to electrically rotate both pivot gears. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein (a) said left and right pivot gears are placed within said left and right cavities of the base plate; the drive gear is placed within the gear niche abutting both pivot gears, the mounting tabs of the full gear housing are placed into the latching slots of the base plate such that the left and right gear retainers of said full gear housing are placed atop the respective left and right pivot gears, and the top plate is attached atop the full gear housing; further, (b) said button holder is placed atop the lock synch button, the lock synch button is fastened to the top surface of said sponge grip housing so as to form a left main locking pin and a right main locking pin, whereby (c) upon insertion of the left and right locking pins into two corresponding dock holes of the left and right pivot gears, motorization of the drive gear causes mutual meshed rotation of the pivot gears, which in turn generates a planar rotation of the sponge grip housing. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the device is operated is conjunction with a hairstyling attachment comprising an elastomeric block having an elliptically-contoured, substantially smooth top surface, a jaggedly-patterned, sculptured and textured bottom surface, and a continuous side panel, said side panel being integrally connected to the edges of both the top surface and the bottom surface; further
 the bottom surface of the attachment contains nine (9) V-shaped main-channels, said main-channels being parallel to each other and oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree right angle to the longitudinal axis of the elastomeric block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface of the attachment further manifests nine (9) Y-shaped cross-channels, said cross-channels being oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree left angle to the longitudinal axis of the block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface of the attachment being constructed with a plurality of chambers, said chambers being orthogonal to both the bottom surface and the top surface and having a vertical depth approximately one-half the distance between the bottom surface and the top surface, the outer circumferences of said chambers intersecting said main-channels and cross-channels at irregular locations along the bottom surface of the elastomeric block.   
     
     
         12 . An improved method of styling hair, wigs, and/or hairpieces into a multiplicity of intertwined spirals or twists of hair, the improvement comprising:
 utilizing a mechanized, motorized device configured to operate in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment, said device comprising a coordinated arrangement of components which, when motorized in a connected manner, cause the meshed rotation of two pivot gears, the pivot gears having irregularly-spaced underside dock holes connectable to a planar grip housing such that the gears induce variable rotation modes of the grip housing, further, the grip housing being capable of securely grasping the hairstyling attachment;   using with said device, a hairstyling attachment comprising an elastomeric, sponge-like block having a flat, attachable top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface further comprising (a) a plurality of circular chambers and (b) a plurality of V-shaped channels, said channels arranged in a criss-cross pattern;   electrically activating said device such that, when said attachment is placed within the grasp of the grip housing, motorized rotary motion of the pivot gears induces a corresponding rotation of said planar grip housing, thereby effectuating a planar rotation of the bottom surface of said attachment;   placing said bottom surface of the elastomeric block in contact with a plurality of individual groupings of strands of hair, thereby causing said groupings of strands to be engulfed within the chambers of said bottom surface and transformed into intertwined twists or spiral shapes.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 use of the device of said method in conjunction with a hairstyling attachment comprising an elastomeric block having an elliptically-contoured, substantially smooth top surface, a jaggedly-patterned, sculptured and textured bottom surface, and a continuous side panel, said side panel being integrally connected to the edges of both the top surface and the bottom surface; further   the bottom surface contains nine (9) V-shaped main-channels, said main-channels being parallel to each other and oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree right angle to the longitudinal axis of the elastomeric block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface further manifests nine (9) V-shaped cross-channels, said cross-channels being oriented on the bottom surface at an approximate 45 degree left angle to the longitudinal axis of the block when viewing the block bottom surface from a direct plan view; further   said bottom surface being constructed with a plurality of chambers, said chambers being orthogonal to both the bottom surface and the top surface and having a vertical depth approximately one-half the distance between the bottom surface and the top surface, the outer circumferences of said chambers intersecting said main-channels and cross-channels at irregular locations along the bottom surface of the elastomeric block.