Hair styling apparatus

Abstract

A hair styling apparatus for styling a tress of hair. The apparatus includes a barrel having a circumferential surface about which a tress of hair can be wrapped in use, a steam generator for generating steam and one or more steam outlets in fluid communication with the steam generator for receipt of steam therefrom. The one or more steam outlets are arranged to discharge steam onto a tress of hair when wrapped about the circumferential surface. The apparatus further includes an air mover for moving an airflow through the apparatus and one or more airflow outlets in fluid communication with the air mover for receipt of an airflow therefrom. The one or more airflow outlets are arranged to discharge air in a direction along the barrel so as to provide a barrier to the passage of the discharged steam.

1 . A hair styling apparatus for styling a tress of hair, the apparatus comprising:
 a barrel comprising a circumferential surface about which a tress of hair can be wrapped in use,   a steam generator for generating steam;   one or more steam outlets in fluid communication with the steam generator for receipt of steam therefrom, the one or more steam outlets arranged to discharge steam onto a tress of hair when wrapped about the circumferential surface;   an air mover for moving an airflow through the apparatus; and   one or more airflow outlets in fluid communication with the air mover for receipt of an airflow therefrom, the one or more airflow outlets arranged to discharge air in a direction along the barrel so as to provide a barrier to the passage of the discharged steam.   
     
     
         2 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more airflow outlets are configured to discharge the air in the form of an air curtain that is spaced radially from the circumferential surface. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the air curtain extends substantially entirely about the circumferential surface. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each airflow outlet is configured to discharge airflow in an airflow discharge direction that is angled away from a central longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein an angle between the airflow discharge direction of each airflow outlet and the central longitudinal axis is between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each airflow outlet is in the form of a circumferentially extending arcuate slot. 
     
     
         7 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more airflow outlets are provided on a body from which the barrel extends. 
     
     
         8 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the body is a handle of the apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more steam outlets are provided on the circumferential surface of the barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airflow discharged from the one or more airflow outlets is provided substantially at or below ambient temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam generator is configured to provide a steam flow rate through the one or more steam outlets of between 5 and 10 g/min. 
     
     
         12 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the air mover is configured to provide an air flow rate through the one or more airflow outlets of between 6 and 10 L/s. 
     
     
         13 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , configured to discharge steam from the one or more steam outlets and air from the one or more airflow outlets concurrently. 
     
     
         14 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a flow diverter moveable between:
 a first position in which the flow diverter directs airflow to the one or more airflow outlets; and   a second position in which the flow diverter directs airflow to the one or more steam outlets or to one or more further airflow outlets arranged to discharge airflow onto hair being styled by the apparatus in use.   
     
     
         15 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is configured to operate in:
 a first mode in which steam is discharged from the one or more steam outlets and air is discharged from the one or more airflow outlets; and   a second mode in which steam is not discharged from the one or more steam outlets and airflow is discharged from the steam outlets or from the one or more further airflow outlets.