Hair styling appliances and methods of operating same

Abstract

A hair styling appliance includes first and second heating plates operatively connected for pivotal displacement relative to one another such that a hair segment positioned between them can be styled. A glide-speed sensing system generates an output having a relation to a speed with which the hair segment is displaced relative to the first and second heating plates. A glide-speed indicating system can communicate feedback to a user, based on the output, such as an indication of a glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment. A user input device can receive an input from the user regarding a hair-type classification and/or a hair-condition classification and generate a hair-related output having a relation to the input from the user. A processor communicatively coupled with the user input device can be programmed to determine a predetermined maximum treatment temperature and/or a predetermined glide speed range, based at least partially on the hair-related output from the user input device.

1 . A hair styling appliance operable by an associated user to style an associated hair segment, the hair styling appliance comprising:
 first and second heating plates operatively connected for pivotal displacement relative to one another between a first condition in which the first and second heating plates are disposed in a first orientation relative to one another and a second condition in which the first and second heating plates are disposed in a second orientation relative to one another such that in the second condition the first and second heating plates are disposed in proximal relation to one another such that an associated hair segment can be treated therebetween;   at least one of:
 a glide-speed sensing system operative to generate an output having a relation to a speed with which an associated hair segment disposed between the first and second heating plates is displaced by an associated user relative to the first and second heating plates, and 
 a glide-speed indicating system operable during use to communicate to the associated user an indication of a glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment; and 
   a user input device operable to generate a hair-related output having a relation to an input from the associated user regarding at least one of the hair-type classification and the hair-condition classification of the associated hair segment to be treated.   
     
     
         2 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heating plate includes an opening extending therethrough. 
     
     
         3 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the glide-speed sensing system includes a motion sensor in optical communication with the opening in the first heating plate. 
     
     
         4 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the glide-speed sensing system includes a light source in optical communication with the opening in the first heating plate. 
     
     
         5 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the glide-speed sensing system includes an optical transmission element disposed within the opening. 
     
     
         6 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein motion sensor is operable to generate the output having a relation to a speed with which an associated hair segment is displaced by the associated user across the opening. 
     
     
         7 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 6 , wherein the motion sensor is disposed in spaced relation to the opening, and the glide-speed sensing system includes an optical conduit disposed in optical communication between the motion sensor and the opening. 
     
     
         8 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 6 , wherein the glide-speed sensing system includes an optical conduit disposed in optical communication between the light source and the opening. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heating plate has a width across which the associated hair segment is displaced by the associated user during use, and the glide-speed sensing system includes a motion sensor having a first axis and operable to generate an output having a relation to motion in a direction along the first axis, the motion sensor positioned such that the first axis is oriented in an approximately widthwise direction of the first heating plate. 
     
     
         13 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the motion sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer and an inertial measurement unit. 
     
     
         14 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the glide-speed sensing system includes an electrical element which generates information having a relation the proximity of respective arms attached to the first and second heating plates when the arms move from an open position to a closed position. 
     
     
         15 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 14 , wherein the electrical element is communicatively coupled with the motion sensor such that the output of the motion sensor is reset to correspond to an approximately zero-speed condition in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the glide-speed indicating system is operatively associated with the glide-speed sensing system and operable during use to communicate feedback to the associated user based on the output having a relation to the speed. 
     
     
         17 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 16 , wherein the feedback comprises at least one of:
 an indication of the glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment; and   an indication that the glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment at least one of:
 a) meets a threshold glide speed or is within a glide speed range, and 
 b) does not meet a threshold glide speed or is outside a glide speed range. 
   
     
     
         18 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 17 , wherein the glide-speed indicating system comprises at least one of a visual, an auditory and a haptic signal generator. 
     
     
         19 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 18 , wherein the glide-speed indicating system includes at least one light source operable in a first illuminated condition corresponding to the glide speed being within a predetermined glide speed range and a second illuminated condition corresponding to the glide speed being outside the predetermined glide speed range. 
     
     
         20 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 19 , wherein the first illuminated condition includes displaying at least one of a first illuminating color and a first illuminating pattern, and the second illuminated condition includes displaying at least one of a second illuminating color and a second illuminating pattern. 
     
     
         21 . A hair styling appliance according  claim 16 , wherein the glide-speed indicating system includes an indicator body optically coupled with the at least one light source of the glide-speed indicating system, the indicator body having a visually-observable exterior surface operable during use to communicate first and second visual conditions to the associated user with the first visual conditions corresponding to the glide speed being within the predetermined glide speed range, and the second visual condition corresponding to the glide speed being outside the predetermined glide speed range. 
     
     
         22 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 21 , further comprising an electrical power cord communicatively coupled with at least first and second heating elements respectively of the first and second heating plates, the glide-speed sensing system and the glide-speed indicating system, the indicator body extending lengthwise along at least a portion of the power cord. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the associated hair segment to be treated has an associated hair-type classification and an associated hair-condition classification with one of the associated hair-type classification and the associated hair-condition classification corresponding to a predetermined maximum styling temperature, and the associated hair segment to be treated is pretreated with an associated semi-permanent hair treatment composition having a minimum activation temperature that is less than the predetermined maximum styling temperature. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 1 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled with the user input device and programmed to determine at least one of the predetermined maximum styling temperature and a predetermined glide speed range based at least partially on the hair-related output from the user input device. 
     
     
         30 . A hair styling appliance according  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the user input device and the processor is operative to control an operating temperature of at least one of the first and second heating plates. 
     
     
         31 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 29 , wherein the processor is communicatively coupled with the glide-speed sensing system, and the processor programmed to determine during use in operation whether a glide speed of the hair styling appliance is at least one of 1) within the predetermined glide speed range and 2) outside the predetermined glide speed range. 
     
     
         32 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is communicatively coupled with the glide-speed indicating system, and the processor is programmed to communicate to the associated user an indication of a glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment by at least one of generating a first visually-observable characteristic corresponding to the glide speed being within the predetermined glide speed range and generating a second visually-observable characteristic corresponding to the glide speed being outside the predetermined glide speed range. 
     
     
         33 . A hair styling appliance according to  claim 29 , wherein the processor is programmed to control the operating temperature of the first and second heating plates and communicate the glide speed of the hair styling appliance during use of the hair styling appliance to maintain the associated hair segment being treated at or above approximately the minimum activation temperature of the associated semi-permanent hair treatment composition and at or below approximately the predetermined maximum styling temperature for a predetermined period of treatment time. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method for assisting a user in styling a hair segment comprising:
 with the appliance of  claim 1 , generating an output having a relation to a speed with which a hair segment disposed between the first and second heating plates is displaced by the user relative to the first and second heating plates.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising providing feedback to the user based on the output having the relation to the speed. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising comparing the speed at which the hair segment disposed between the first and second heating plates is displaced by the user relative to the first and second heating plates with a predetermined speed, which speed has been determined to achieve a desired dwell time for the hair segment when a predetermined number of passes of the appliance relative to the hair segment is performed at a current temperature setting of the heating plates, and providing feedback to the user based on the difference. 
     
     
         38 . A kit comprising the hairstyling appliance of  claim 1  and a hair treatment composition comprising a thermally-activated agent. 
     
     
         39 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A hair styling appliance operable by an associated user to style an associated segment of hair, the associated hair segment to be treated having an associated hair-type classification and an associated hair-condition classification with one of the associated hair-type classification and the associated hair-condition classification, and the associated hair segment to be treated being pretreated with an associated semi-permanent hair treatment composition having an associated minimum activation temperature, the hair styling appliance comprising:
 first and second heating plates operatively connected for pivotal displacement relative to one another between a first condition in which the first and second heating plates are disposed in a first orientation relative to one another and a second condition in which the first and second heating plates are disposed in a second orientation relative to one another such that in the second condition the first and second heating plates are disposed in proximal relation to one another such that an associated segment of hair can be treated therebetween;   a user input device operable to generate a hair-related output having a relation to an input from the associated user regarding at least one of the associated hair-type classification and the associated hair-condition classification of the associated hair segment to be treated; and,   a processor communicatively coupled with the user input device and programmed to determine at least one of a predetermined maximum styling temperature and a predetermined glide speed range based at least partially on the hair-related output from the user input device.   
     
     
         49 - 52 . (canceled)