Electric steam generating hair curling iron and method of use thereof

The permanent wave curling device of this invention comprises a vapor and heat generating hair curling iron including a handle, a mandrel and a wave solution reservoir threadably attached to the mandrel at an end opposite the handle. The handle encloses electrical circuitry necessary to control the electrical current applied to an electric heating element positioned within the mandrel. The heating element is positioned within the mandrel and receives wave solution from a rotatable rod and wick assembly that transports wave solution from the reservoir. The hair to be curled is wound about the mandrel and anchored thereto by a retaining clamp. Heat from the heating element is conducted through the mandrel to the hair in a conventional manner. The rod and wick assembly is normally spaced from the heating element and transports the wave solution from the reservoir by capillary action into the interior of the mandrel. The user may selectively rotate the rod and wick assembly by way of an actuation lever to place the wicks in direct contact with the heating element to vaporize the permanent wave solution along the length of the heating element uniformly disburse vaporized solution through the apertures in the mandrel into the hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed toward a new method of permanently waving 
and styling hair and, more particularly, to an improved hand-held 
electrically heated curling iron having vapor generating capabilities. 
As is well known, there are two general methods of waving and styling hair 
practiced in the prior art; i.e., permanent waving and temporary waving. 
The conventional permanent wave method typically consists of partitioning 
the hair into small areas or tresses and winding each individual hair 
tress about a roller. Each tress of wound hair is then wetted with a 
permanent wave solution, and a dome-shaped hair dryer is then placed over 
the hair to apply external heat to the hair, thereby activating the 
permanent wave solution and drying the hair. This method is typically time 
consuming for the stylist, generally requiring at least 30-40 roller to be 
placed in the hair, as well as being inconvenient and uncomfortable for 
the patron receiving the permanent wave. In this regard, the rollers about 
which the hair is wound typically pull the patron's hair, while the 
permanent wave solution that is applied to the hair is acidic and often 
causes irritation to the skin. Further, the heat applied to activate the 
permanent wave solution is applied about the entire head of the patron 
thereby necessarily producing irritation to the scalp of the patron. 
In contrast to the permanent waving technique, the temporary waving 
technique usually involves the use of a hair curling iron adapted to grip 
a tress of hair of the patron. The iron is then rotated to wind the hair 
about the iron, and heat is applied to the hair, causing the formation of 
a curl when the hair is released from the iron. This prior art temporary 
waving method has been recently improved by the addition of steam or vapor 
means in the curling iron which, in addition to the heat, assist in 
rapidly forming a more pronounced and well-shaped curl. However, due to 
the curl being formed solely by heat and moisture, without the aid of a 
permanent wave solution, the resulting curl is temporary in duration, and 
the procedure often has to be repeated on a daily if not hourly basis. In 
addition, due to the highly acidic and corrosive nature of the permanent 
wave solutions, the use of such permanent wave solutions in the prior art 
curling irons has proven impossible. 
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a hair styling apparatus such as a 
curling iron that can be efficiently and conveniently used while not 
causing undue discomfort to one desiring the hair style, yet provide a 
permanent wave or style comparable to the conventional method using 
rollers, permanent wave solution, and drying procedures. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The permanent wave curling device of the present invention provides a 
significantly improved method of permanently waving hair utilizing a novel 
construction of a hair curling iron which eliminates the deficiencies of 
the multiple-stage method of permanently curling hair involving numerous 
rollers, application of a permanent wave solution, and subsequent heating 
and drying of the hair. 
More particularly, the invention comprises a vapor and heat generating hair 
curling iron consisting generally of three major components, namely a 
handle, a mandrel, and a wave solution reservoir. The handle includes an 
electrical cord and circuitry necessary to control the supply of 
electrical current to a heating element positioned within the mandrel. The 
mandrel is detachably mounted to the handle and is formed having a 
generally elongate tubular cylindrical configuration adapted to serve as a 
working surface about which the hair tress to be waved may be wound about. 
The reservoir is sized to store a quantity of permanent wave solution and 
is threadably attached to one end of the mandrel. 
A heating element is positioned within the interior of the mandrel and 
cooperates with a rod and wick assembly which serves to transport wave 
solution from the reservoir to the heating element. The exterior of the 
mandrel is additionally provided with a plurality of apertures sized to 
permit the passage of vaporized wave solution from the heating element to 
the hair tress wrapped about the mandrel. The heating element is 
stationary with respect to the handle, and the rod and wick assembly is 
mounted for relative manual rotation such that the wicks containing the 
permanent wave solution may be selectively placed in direct contact with 
the heating element when application of the vaporized solution is desired. 
A cooperating clamp complementary shaped to the cylindrical configuration 
of the mandrel is provided to securely hold the hair in place after having 
been wound about the mandrel. 
The method of the invention contemplates the elimination of rolling each 
tress of hair about separate rollers, followed by the application of 
permanent wave solution and then heat for setting and drying, by providing 
for all three steps essentially simultaneously. Basically, the hair to be 
curled is initially wound about the cylindrical mandrel and the retaining 
clamp allowed to rest on the hair, thereby anchoring the hair about the 
mandrel. Heat, emanating from the heating element is then conducted 
through the mandrel to the hair in a conventional curling iron manner. The 
application of permanent wave solution to the hair is accomplished by the 
rod and wick assembly which transports the wave solution from the 
reservoir by capillary action into the interior of the mandrel. 
When application of wave solution onto the hair is desired, the rod and 
wick assembly is manually rotated by way of a small actuation lever such 
that the wicks are placed in direct contact with the heating element. The 
permanent wave solution is then rapidly vaporized along the length of the 
heating element, and thereby uniformly dispersed through the apertures in 
the mandrel and unto the wound hair. The rod and wick assembly is 
torsionally biased in a rotational orientation such that the wick assembly 
is normally spaced or separated from direct contact with the heating 
element. As such, when the desired amount of vaporized solution is 
dispersed, manual release of the actuation lever permits the biasing force 
to return the rod and wick assembly to its original position spaced away 
from the heating element. The permanent wave solution is thereby applied 
at an elevated temperature to the wound hair, thus eliminating the need to 
subsequent heating and drying to activate the solution and permanently 
wave the hair. 
Since the permanent wave solution is corrosive, those portions of the 
device of the present invention in contrast with the solution are 
fabricated of heat and corrosive resistant materials, such as stainless 
steel or plastic. Certain surfaces, such as the heating element, are also 
advantageously coated with materials inert to the wave solution such as 
polytetraflouride to both protect the elements from the hot, corrosive 
vapor and also to provide for ease of cleaning the elements of any dried 
build-up of permanent wave solution. Further, the device of the present 
invention is designed and constructed so that it may be completely and 
easily disassembled for cleaning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring generally to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown the improved permanent 
wave curling device 2 used to practice the improved method of producing a 
permanent wave in hair. The device 2 is comprosed generally of a mandrel 4 
which houses the heat and vapor generating assemblies (collectively 
designated by the numeral 21) and about which the tress the hair 6 is 
wound, a fluid reservoir member 8, and a detachable handle 10. 
The handle 10 is preferably formed from a heat resistant, and electrically 
insulative material and houses a conventional switch 12 which supplies 
electrical current to the heating element 20 of the mandrel 4. One end of 
the handle 10 is formed to receive two electrical terminals 14 and a pair 
of locator and stabilizing pins 16 of the mandrel 4 (FIG. 6). In this way, 
the entire mandrel 4, including the liquid reservoir 8, can easily be 
removed from the handle 10 as indicated by the arrows 7 and 9 in FIG. 5, 
so that mandrels 4 of a different diameter can be used with the same 
handle 10. 
Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, the heat and vapor generating 
assemblies 21 which are mounted within the interior of the mandrel 4 of 
the curling device 2 of the present invention are depicted. The heat 
generating means of the assembly 21 is comprised of an elongated 
rectangular-shaped heating element 20 formed from heat-conducting 
material, such as ceramic, and is coated with a material 23 such as 
polytetraflouride for protection against the corrosive permanent wave 
solution and for ease of subsequent cleaning. The heating element 20 
houses heat-generating resistance wire 22 disposed within a bore running 
approximately the length of the rectangular heating element 20 and just 
beneath and parallel to both narrow-width surface 24 of the heating 
element 20. The resistance wire 22 is permanently attached to the 
terminals 14 at the end of the mandrel 4. Heat is generated by the 
conventional resistance wire 22 in response to an electrical current 
supplied to the handle 10 by a conventional switch 12. To protect the 
resistance wire 22 from the permanent wave solution vapor, the resistance 
wire 22 is sealed at its entry and exit point to the heating element 20 
with heat and moisture resistance material, such as silicone rubber, and 
is further insulated by conventional means on all other exposed portions. 
The heating element 20 includes an axial bore at both ends sized to 
permanently receive and mount a pair of cylindrical rods 26 and 28 (FIG. 
3) preferably formed of a material such as stainless steel. A pair of 
stationary cylindrical sleeves 30 and 32 (FIG. 2) are axially bored to 
tightly receive the rods 26 and 28, respectively, and permanently affix 
the same within the interior of the mandrel 14, thereby maintaining the 
heating element 20 in a rigid pre-determined axial position within the 
mandrel 4. The stationary cylindrical sleeve 32 additionally is formed to 
permit the passage of the resistance wire 22 from the heating element 20; 
and the stationary cylindrical sleeve 30 additionally is formed with a 
pair of arcuate apertures (FIG. 7) 33 and 35 to provide clearance for the 
rotation of the tubular members 34. 
The vapor generating means of the assembly 21 is composed of a pair of 
flexible torsionally resilient tubular members 34, a pair of tubular rods 
36 which are formed to mount absorbent felt wicks 38, and two rotating 
cylindrical sleeves 40 and 42. The tubular members 34 are preloaded within 
the mandrel 4 in a twisted or torsional orientation during assembly 
thereby providing sufficient torsion to yield a continuous rotational 
biasing force on the rotating cylindrical sleeve 40. The rotating 
cylindrical sleeves 40 and 42 are formed to receive the distal ends of the 
tubular rods 36, and as with the stationary sleeves 30 and 32 are axially 
bored to receive the cylindrical rods 26 and 28 of the heating element. 
Thus the rods 26 and 28 serve as shafts about which the rotating 
cylindrical sleeves 40 and 42 may rotate. The rotating cylindrical sleeve 
42 is additionally provided with an actuator lever 43 by which the 
rotation of the cylindrical sleeve 42 within the mandrel 4 can be manually 
effected. As will be recognized during rotation of the cylindrical sleeve 
42, the composite assembly of the tubular rods 36 and cylindrical sleeve 
40 will be simultaneously rotated. 
The mandrel 4 is formed in an elongate tubular configuration and as shown 
in FIGS. 5 and 6 is disposed between the handle 10 and reservoir 8. The 
external surface 44 of the mandrel 4 is includes a plurality of 
perforations or apertures 48 which as will be explained in more detail 
infra, serve to provide a passageway for vaporized permanent wave 
solutions eminating from the interior of the mandrel 4. A conventional 
restraining clamp 50 is pivotably mounted to the mandrel 4 and includes a 
concave configuration adapted to extend over and be biased tightly against 
the surface 44 of the mandrel 4. Opposite ends of the mandrel 4 are 
provided with an insert mount 54 adapted to receive the fluid reservoir 8 
and the receptacle insert 58 adapted to be received within the handle 10. 
The fluid reservoir 8, in the preferred embodiment comprises a hollow 
tubular shaped structure suitably formed to contain a quantity of 
permanent wave solution or a fluid, and having an internal flow aperature 
(not shown) providing an egress for the fluid into the mandrel 4. A 
threaded shank portion (not shown) is further provided on the reservoir 8 
sized to threadably engage the insert mount 54 of the mandrel 4. The tubes 
34 provide fluid communication between the reservoir 8 and the tubular 
rods 36 and wicks 38. 
With the structure defined, the operation of the permanent wave curling 
device 2 and improved method of permanently waving hair of the present 
invention may be described. Initially, a quantity of permanent wave 
solution is placed within the reservoir 8 and the switch 12 is activated 
to cause a heating of the heating element 20. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a 
small tress of hair 6 may then be wound about the outer cylindrical 
surface 44 of the mandrel 4, and held in place by the restraining clamp 
50. Prior to winding the tress of hair 6, the restraining clamp 50 of 
course is pivotally moved away from the mandrel 4 by depression of the pad 
portion 62 of the restraining clamp 50. 
With the curling device 2 positioned in such a manner, the permanent wave 
solution contained within the reservoir 8 is free to travel through the 
pair of tubular members 34 and into the interior of the mandrel 4. The 
permanent wave solution contained within the reservoir 8 travels through 
the tubular members 34 into the tubular rods 36 and then to the wicks 38. 
Due to the elevated temperature of the heating element 20, capillary 
action is generated which serves to transport the fluid axially along the 
length of the tubular rods 36 and saturate the felt wicks 38 disposed 
therein. Thus, the permanent wave solution is in effect stored in the 
wicks 38 for selective deposition upon the heating element 20. 
Due to the torsional biasing force continuously exerted upon the rotating 
cylindrical sleeve 40 by the tubular members 34, the tubular rods 36 and 
wick 38 of the vapor generating assembly are normally maintained in a 
stowed or resting position and are operative by way of manual rotation of 
the actuator lever 34 into a operative position within the mandrel 4. In 
their normal resting position, the absorbant wicks 38 are spaced from the 
heating element 20 and hence are not in contact with the heating element 
20. This condition is illustrated in FIG. 8 by the phantom lines wherein 
the vapor actuation lever 43 is shown in its furthermost clockwise 
position and the corresponding position of the tubular rods 36 and 
absorbent wicks 38 relative to the heating element 20. Thus, in this at 
rest position, the wave solution is isolated from contact with the heating 
element 20 and represents a non-vapor generating operation for the curling 
device 2. 
When it is desired to apply the vaporized wave solution to the hair tress 
6, the user merely rotates the actuation lever 43 in a counter-clockwise 
direction (as viewed in FIG. 8) causing rotation of the tubular rod 36 and 
wick 38 assembly into its operative or vapor generating position. As 
depicted by the solid lines in FIG. 8, in this operative position the 
absorbent wicks 38 are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and placed 
in direct contact with the heating element 20, which, when due to being 
maintained in an elevated temperature, instantly vaporizes the permanent 
wave solution from the wicks 38. This hot permanent wave solution vapor 
immediately fills the interior of the mandrel 4 and due to pressure and 
conventional flow is expelled through the apertures 48 in the mandrel 4 
and directly into and through the tress of hair 6 that has been wound 
about the mandrel 4. When a sufficient amount of hot permanent wave 
solution vapor has been applied to the hair tress 6, the actuation lever 
43 may be released, whereby the biasing force generating by the tubular 
members 34 returns the vapor actuation lever 43 back to its resting 
position (as indicated by 43a in FIG. 8) and thus separates the absorbent 
wicks 38 from direct contact from the heating element 20, and instantly 
stops the further flow of vaporized permanent wave solution to the hair 
tress 6. 
As will be recognized the combination of heat from the curling device 2 and 
the vaporized permanent wave solution causes the hair to be permanently 
waved and simultaneously dried. The tress of hair 6 is then released from 
the mandrel by depressing the pad 62 of the restraining clamp 50, and the 
next tress of hair 6 may be wound about the mandrel 4 for waving in a 
analgous manner. Similarly, different sized curls may be utilized by 
replacing the entire mandrel 4 and reservoir 8 by removing the mandrel 4 
from the handle 10 and replacing with a similar mandrel 4 having a 
different diameter. 
In summary the present invention has described a method for permanently 
waving hair in connection with a specific embodiment of a hair curling 
device having a detachable mandrel 4 containing heat and vapor generating 
assemblies for producing a vapor of hot permanent wave solution for easily 
and rapidly imparting a desired permanent wave curl to a tress of hair 6. 
It should be appreciated that the described embodiment of the heat and 
vapor producing curling device 2 having a fixed diameter is only by way of 
example. Various diameter mandrels and hot vapor generating assemblies of 
various wattages may be used to impart different curls to a tress of hair. 
Thus, many other arrangements can readily be devised in accordance with 
the described principles by those skilled in the art.