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United States Patent	3,713,453
Chiaro ,   et al.	January 30, 1973

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Current U.S. Class:	132/212 ; 248/586
Current International Class:	A45D 20/00 (20060101); A45d 004/18 ()
Field of Search:	132/9,7 128/64 240/52 248/276,280

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References Cited

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U.S. Patent Documents

3226073	December 1965	Jacobsen et al.
1864756	June 1932	Pieper
3366784	January 1968	Hilzen
1963278	June 1934	Pieper

Primary Examiner: Kinsey; Russell R.
Assistant Examiner: McNeill; Gregory E.

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Claims

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What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for styling hair, comprising a base for mounting on a wall and including bearing means having a journal bore defined by a pivot axis that extends vertically in use, an equipoised arm assembly including first and second parallelogram linkages and means pivotally interconnecting said linkages in end-to-end relationship, a journal on said arm assembly at one end thereof and disposed in said journal bore to enable said arm assembly to swivel horizontally in use, lamp-supporting means on said arm assembly at the other end thereof and pivotal along a circular path and rotatable in a plane orthogonal to said path and about a central axis, a lamp head on said lamp-supporting means and including a shade and a socket therein, a high intensity bulb in said socket and having a quartz bromine filament which is capable of emitting at least 300 watts, an elongated handle on said lamp head and arranged perpendicular to said central axis and protruding outwardly and to the side of said lamp head, said handle being adapted for use in orienting said lamp head in a desired position by selectively swiveling said arm assembly about said pivot axis and adjusting the configuration of said linkages and pivoting and rotating said lamp supporting means, whereby an operator may grasp said handle to orient said lamp head in any selected orientation in respect to the hair of a subject, said shade having an opening through which heat and light from said bulb is emitted, said opening being limited in size to confine the heat and light from said bulb in a limited beam to enable drying of a limiting area of the subject's hair while cutting and styling the same, a screen on said shade for covering said opening to confine the bulb should it break, and current control means for coupling a power source to said light bulb and including variable means for adjusting the power delivered to said bulb so as to adjust the heat generated thereby.

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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a great number of devices available on the market today, for use in styling men's and/or women's hair. Also, a variety of methods is used by hair stylists. One popular procedure involves the washing of the hair, followed by rolling the hair into curlers and then drying the hair by use of a hood-type drier. After the hair has been dried, the curlers are removed, and the hair is combed out. Although the resulting hair style is attractive, it is temporary, lasting but a few days. This is primarily due to the fact that the curl which has been set into the hair is not a natural one, that is, the hair has been made to follow a pattern other than the natural hair pattern.

Another method often used is, first, to wash the hair and then to style the hair by use of a curling iron. Again, the resulting style is not a natural one, in that the hair has been forced to assume a predetermined pattern.

One further example of known styling methods involves first washing the hair and then using a brush to raise selected portions of the hair, while a hot air blower is directed at the raised portion to pass hot air thereover. The moving hot air forces the hair strands in a predetermined direction, which is maintained when the hair dries. However, the same disadvantage described in respect to the other methods is also inherent in this method. The use of a stream of hot air causes the hair strands to assume positions other than their natural tendencies. Thus, after a few days the hair loses its curl.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a styling apparatus which is capable of styling hair in accordance with its natural growth pattern.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair-styling apparatus which is so constructed as to enable a hair stylist to move it simply and easily a great many times during the hair-styling procedure, so as to dry only selected limited areas of the hair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hair-styling lamp which is easily movable into a variety of orientations and positions and also is adjustable to control the quantity of heat emitted by the lamp.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for styling hair which follows the natural growth pattern of the hair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for styling hair wherein the hair assumes a natural appearance.

A still further object is to provide a method for styling hair, wherein the resulting set is long-lasting.

Further objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the hair-styling apparatus and the method for using the same, whereby the above outlined and additional objects and operating features thereof are attained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a hair-styling apparatus incorporating therein the features of the present invention, a head being shown in phantom to illustrate the manner in which the hair-styling apparatus is utilized;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal cross section taken along the lines of 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the lamp-head portion of the hair-styling apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the lamp head and the manner in which it is connected to the arm assembly forming part of the hair-styling apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a hair-styling apparatus 10 incorporating therein the features of the present invention. The hair-styling apparatus 10 is adapted for mounting on a wall 11 and is shown in one of its infinite positions for use in styling the hair 13 on a subject's head 12.

The hair-styling apparatus 10 comprises a base 20, the base 20 including an attachment flange 21 and a plate-like member 22 jutting out from the attachment flange 21. Disposed at the end of the plate-like member 22 remote from the attachment flange 21 is a bearing 23, the bearing 23 having a journal bore 24 extending therethrough. The base 20 is secured to the wall 11 by means of a pair of bolts or the like (FIG. 2) passing through the attachment flange 21 as shown. The base 20 is so oriented that the pivot axis extending longitudinally through the bore 24 is disposed vertically when in use.

The hair-styling apparatus 10 further comprises an equipoised arm assembly 25 which is of a generally standard construction, and includes a first parallelogram linkage 30 formed by an arm 31 and a pair of laterally spaced-apart arms 32 and 32a disposed parallel to each other and parallel to the arm 31. A pivot member 33 is provided and is pivotally connected to corresponding ends of the arms 31, 32 and 32a as shown. Finally, a pair of springs 34 (only one is shown) is attached to the pivot member 33 and respectively to the arms 32 and 32a. The arm assembly 25 further includes a second parallelogram linkage including a pair of parallelly-disposed arms 41 and 42 pivotally connected at corresponding ends thereof to a second pivot member 43. The opposite ends of the arms 41 and 42 are pivotally connected to a third pivot member 34, and a spring 45 is connected between the second pivot member 43 and the arm 42. The arms 31, 32, and 32a are also pivotally connected to the second pivot member 43, which pivot member serves pivotally to interconnect the two parallelogram linkages 30 and 40 in end-to-end relationship. Disposed at one end of the arm assembly 25, that is, on the first pivot member 33 is a pin 35 which defines a journal and is disposed in the journal bore 24 on the base 20 to enable the arm assembly 25 to swivel horizontally.

The hair-styling apparatus 10 further comprises a lamp-supporting assembly 50 disposed on the other end of the arm assembly 25, that is, on the third pivot member 44, the assembly 50 including a suitably-bent clip 51 pivotally connected to the pivot member 44 by means of a bolt 52. There is provided a shaft 53 having a neck 54 of reduced diameter which passes through an aperture formed in the clip 51 as shown. Provided on the outer end of the shaft 53 is a stud 55. Thus, the clip 51 and the shaft 53 are rotatable along a circular path, the center of which is the bolt 52. The shaft 53 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis in the aperture in the clip 51.

The hair-styling apparatus 10 further comprises a lamp head 60, which lamp head 60 includes a bracket 61 having an opening which receives the stud 55 on the lamp-supporting assembly 50 and is secured in place by means of a nut 62. A handle 63 is mounted on the bracket 61, for use in manipulating the lamp head 60. The lamp head 60 includes a shade 64 having therein a socket 65 and a bulb 66 screwed into the socket. A screen 67 snap-fits on the mouth of the shade 64 and protects the subject if the bulb 66 breaks, yet has a minimum effect on the heat and light from the bulb 66.

Finally, the hair-styling apparatus 10 includes a current-control device 70 which has an input conductor 71, an output conductor 72 and a rotatable knob or pointer 73. The conductor 71 is attached at its outer end to the usual plug which can be inserted into a standard source of power such as the 120 volt, 60-cycle power available from a wall outlet. The conductor 72 is connected at its remote end to the lamp head 60, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, which conductor 72 is electrically connected to the socket 65. The current-control device 70 in the embodiment shown is a rheostat having an armature or movable arm which is mechanically connected to the pointer 73. By rotating the pointer 73, the power to the bulb 66 may be controlled, thereby to adjust the heat and light emitted therefrom.

Considering now the manner in which the hair-styling apparatus 10 is used, the subject's hair is first thoroughly washed and cleansed. The hair is then partially dried by use of a towel, for example. The subject is then seated in front of the wall 11 and beneath the lamp head 60. A mirror (not shown) may be mounted on the wall 11 in front of the subject's head to enable him to watch as the styling process proceeds. The hair stylist adjusts the hair-styling apparatus 10 by grasping the handle 63 to: swivel the arm assembly 25 horizontally; and/or pivot the arm linkages 30 and 40 to raise and lower the lamp head 60 by substantial amounts; and/or raise and lower the lamp head 60 by smaller amounts by pivoting it about the bolt 52; and/or rotating the lamp head 60 about the shaft 53. Because of the infinite number and combinations of movements of the apparatus 10, the hair stylist can place the lamp head 60 at any desired distance and orientation with respect to the hair 13 of the subject's head 12. Moreover, the movements are easily and rapidly effected, the importance of which will be appreciated in view of the many times the lamp head 60 must be moved during a hair-styling procedure. Also, the apparatus 10 is so constructed as to remain in the selected position.

After the hair stylist directs the lamp 60 at the desired limited area of the hair 13, the stylist watches to determine the direction and pattern that the hair tends to assume while it is drying. He cuts and styles the hair in the limited area in accordance with the natural growth tendency. After that area is completed, the stylist moves the lamp head 60 by grasping the handle 63 to change the position thereof, to be aimed at another limited area of the hair, and selects the appropriate distance of the lamp from the hair. Again, the stylist watches the hair in that limited area as it dries, and cuts and combs the hair in accordance with its natural growth pattern. The stylist moves the lamp head 60 successively to limited areas of the hair for drying it. The hair is cut and combed in each limited area in accordance with its natural growth pattern, while the hair in that area is being heated with the radiant heat from the bulb 66.

The distance of the lamp head 60 from the hair is determined by the peculiar characteristics of the subject's hair, the density of the hair in various regions on the head, position of the hair stylist, etc. Thus, if a given quantity of heat is required, for drying a specific limited area of the hair, the lamp head 60 is so positioned as not to interfere with the stylist's movements. The intensity of the heat can be adjusted by turning the pointer 73 on the current-control device 70.

In one form of the invention, the bulb 66 was a quartz bromine type, capable of dissipating 650 watts, the radiant heat developed being 3,400.degree. Kelvin, made by the Harwood Mfg. Co. of Chicago, Illinois, Model XL.

The hair style resulting from the above-described method will be both attractive and long-lasting. It is long-lasting because it has been cut and combed in accordance with its natural growth pattern. If the hair is washed and towel-dried after being so styled, the hair will regain the appearance it had when it was cut and combed. The hair-styling apparatus used to effect this novel method is simple to operate and may be moved easily and yet remain at any selected position to enable the stylist to perform quickly.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is understood that modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

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