Hair roller

Abstract

A hair roller comprises a housing, an electrically-powered heater, an electrical energy source, and a controller. A section of hair can be wrapped onto the housing and, in use, the electrically-powered heater heats the hair roller to transfer heat to the hair wrapped around the housing. The electrical energy source is located within the housing and supplies electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater. The controller to controls the supply of electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater.

1 . A hair roller comprising:
 a housing sized and shaped such that, on which a section of hair is wrappable;   an electrically-powered heater to, in use, heat the hair roller to transfer heat to the hair wrapped around the housing;   an electrical energy source, located within the housing, to supply electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater; and   a controller to control the supply of electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater.   
     
     
         2 . The hair roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the hair roller comprises an electrical connector, the electrical connector connectable to an external electrical energy supply to facilitate recharging of the electrical energy source. 
     
     
         3 . The hair roller according to  claim 2 , wherein the hair roller comprises a charging circuit to control a flow of electrical energy from the electrical connector to the electrical energy source to recharge the electrical energy source. 
     
     
         4 . The hair roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrically-powered heater comprises a resistive heater. 
     
     
         5 . The hair roller according to  claim 4 , wherein the resistive heater comprises a thin-film heater wrapped around a portion of the housing on which the hair is rolled. 
     
     
         6 . The hair roller according to  claim 5 , wherein the hair roller comprises an insulator wrapped around the housing to encapsulate the thin-film heater, and wherein the insulator defines an external surface of the hair roller. 
     
     
         7 . The hair roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical energy source comprises a lithium-ion battery. 
     
     
         8 . The hair roller according to  claim 7 , wherein the battery provides a voltage of 3V or higher, wherein the battery has a capacity of at least 700 mAh, and wherein at least 10 W continuous power is deliverable by the battery. 
     
     
         9 . The hair roller according to  claim 1 , wherein the hair roller comprises a control system to control the supply of electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater. 
     
     
         10 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system comprises a user interface through which a user can set a heating duration and a heating temperature for the electrically-powered heater. 
     
     
         11 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system comprises a temperature monitoring unit to measure or react to the temperature of the housing or of the electrically-powered heater. 
     
     
         12 . The hair roller according to  claim 11 , wherein the temperature monitoring unit comprises a thermal switch. 
     
     
         13 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system comprises a timer unit to control the duration for which electrical energy is supplied to the electrically-powered heater. 
     
     
         14 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system comprises an on/off switch. 
     
     
         15 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system comprises a processor to control the supply of electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater from the electrical energy source. 
     
     
         16 . The hair roller according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system controls the supply of electrical energy to heat the electrically-powered heater to between 40° C. and 120° C. for between 7 and 10 minutes. 
     
     
         17 . A hair roller kit comprising:
 at least one hair roller according to  claim 2 ; and   a hair roller charging device to charge the at least one hair roller, the charging device comprising:
 an electrical energy supply to deliver electrical energy to the at least one hair roller to recharge the electrical energy source; and 
 a charging connector through which the electrical energy from a second electrical energy source is deliverable to the electrical connector, wherein the charging connector is electrically connectable with the electrical connector. 
   
     
     
         18 . A hair roller docking station comprising:
 one or more receiving docks, the receiving docks each configured to removably receive a hair roller, each receiving dock comprising a charging connector configured to electrically connect to an electrical connector of the hair roller when the hair roller is received in the receiving dock and through which electrical energy is deliverable, wherein the hair roller comprises:
 an electrically-powered heater to, in use, heat the hair roller; 
 a battery to supply stored electrical energy to the electrically-powered heater; and 
 the electrical connector, the electrical connector to receive the electrical energy from the charging connector when the hair roller is received in the receiving dock; and 
 a charging circuit to control the flow of the electrical energy to the battery to be stored in the battery; and 
   a charging module to distribute the electrical energy to the charging connector of each receiving dock from an electrical energy supply.   
     
     
         19 . The hair roller docking station according to  claim 18 , wherein the docking station comprises a controller to control the supply of the electrical energy to the charging connector of each receiving dock. 
     
     
         20 . The hair roller docking station according to  claim 18 , wherein each receiving dock comprises a socket into which one hair roller from a plurality of hair rollers may be inserted.