Abstract:
A hair-shaping appliance includes a hand-held portion, a hair-shaping element extending from the hand-held portion, an evaporator mounted within the shaping element, a tank mounted within the hair-shaping element in a moveable manner, a dosing device connected to the tank, and an actuating button connected to the tank. The actuating button and tank are connected such that movement of the actuating button displaces the tank along a longitudinal direction of the appliance (e.g., towards and away from the evaporator). In addition, the actuating button is positioned on the hand-held portion of the appliance and is positioned to allow single-handed operation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation of PCT application number PCT/EP03/07977, filed on Jul. 22, 2003, and claims priority from German application Ser. No. 102 39 713.9, filed Aug. 29, 2002. Both priority documents are incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to hair-shaping appliances. More particularly, the invention relates to hair-shaping appliances that include an evaporator for generating steam. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Known hair-shaping appliances are usually equipped with an evaporator and are commonly referred to as steam-styling tongs or steam curling tongs. For example, German patents DE 100 12 194 A1 and DE 100 12 193 A1 each disclose steam styling tongs which, on that side of the shaping element which is located opposite the hand-held part, have a water tank from which water, metered via a dosing device, can be moved into or onto the evaporator, with the result that a surge or jet or steam passes out through the shaping element onto the hair wound around it. These dosing devices comprise a wick which passes out of the tank and, by virtue of the tank being pushed into the shaping element, can be moved in the direction of an evaporated surface and discharges droplets of water onto the latter. 
   Although these known steam styling tongs have proven widely successful, they are capable of improvement in a number of respects. First, the operation of the steam function is not yet satisfactory, in so far as the water tank has to be pushed into the shaping element, for metering purposes, by one hand, while the other hand holds the styling tongs firmly. This is often impractical if the steam styling tongs are being used, for example, at the back of the head. Also, the metering accuracy of the previously known dosing device is capable of improvement. The tank is intended to be pushed in via a deformable diaphragm, with the result that water pushes through the wick and is passed to the evaporator in the form of droplets. Since this is often more liquid than is to be evaporated, it is necessary to provide special means for feeding excess liquid back into the tank from the evaporator chamber. 
   SUMMARY 
   The object of the present invention is to provide an improved hair-shaping appliance of the above-mentioned type which avoids disadvantages of the prior art and advantageously develops this prior art. It is preferably intended to improve the handling of the steam function and of the associated evaporation-liquid tank. 
   An aspect of the invention features, a hair-shaping appliance having a hand-held part, a shaping element, which is connected to the hand-held part, an evaporator, a tank, from which the evaporator can be supplied with evaporation liquid, and a dosing device, by means of which it is possible to control the quantity of evaporation liquid passing into the evaporator, the tank being mounted in a movable manner, such that it can be displaced axially in the longitudinal direction of the appliance, and it being possible for the dosing device to be actuated by movement of the tank. 
   In one aspect, the invention features a hair-shaping apparatus (e.g., an appliance) including a hand-held portion, a hair-shaping element extending from the hand-held portion, an evaporation mounted within the shaping element, a tank mounted within the hair-shaping element in a moveable manner, a dosing device connected to the tank, and an actuating button connected to the tank. The actuating button is positioned on the hand-held portion and movement of the actuating button displaces the tank along a longitudinal direction of the apparatus. 
   In another aspect, the invention features a hair-shaping apparatus including a hand-held portion including an actuating button, a shaping element extending from the hand-held portion, an evaporator mounted within the shaping element, a tank from which the evaporator can be supplied with liquid and being insertable into the shaping element, and a dosing device for controlling the quantity of liquid passing from the tank to the evaporator. The dosing element is connected to the actuating button when the tank is inserted into the shaping element. 
   The hair-shaping apparatus thus provides, on the hand-held part, an actuating button which is connected to the dosing device and allows the dosing device to be actuated by the hand which is gripping the hand-held part. Single-handed operation of the apparatus (e.g., the appliance) including the discharge of steam, is possible, which makes the appliance considerably easier to handle, th particular at the back of the head. Using the actuation button arranged on the hand-held part, it is easily possible to control when and how much evaporation liquid passes into the evaporator. It is also possible to control when and how much steam is discharged at the shaping element. 
   In some embodiments, the tank of the hair-shaping apparatus is mounted in a movable manner, and the dosing device is actuated by a corresponding movement of the tank. The tank is preferably mounted such that it can be displaced axially in the longitudinal direction of the appliance. If the tank is moved into a first end position, liquid can pass out of the tank into the evaporator and evaporate there. If the tank is moved into a second end position, the supply of liquid into the evaporator is interrupted. 
   In embodiments, the tank is advantageously arranged at that end section of the shaping element which is located opposite from the hand-held part. This makes it possible to achieve a compact construction for the appliance. In order, nevertheless, to achieve convenient actuation and/or operation of the tank, the tank is connected to the actuating button, which is provided on the hand-held part, via a connecting component, with the result that it is possible to displace the tank via the actuating button and thus to control the supply of liquid into the evaporator. 
   In some embodiments, the connecting component, in addition to connecting the tank and the actuating button, advantageously forms a heat guard, which covers the heatable shaping element. The connecting component or the heat guard may be formed in different ways. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connecting component extends in the form of a half-shell around and along the shaping element, essentially over the entire length of the latter. 
   In some embodiments, a particularly easy-to-assemble design is achieved in that the tank, the connecting component and the actuating button are formed integrally with one another, and are preferably injection molded from plastic. 
   In embodiments, the actuating button for actuating the dosing device and/or for displacing the tank may be arranged at various locations of the hand-held part. In accordance with a particularly advantageous arrangement, the actuating button is located at the shaping-element end of the hand-held part or at the point of transition between the hand-held part and the shaping element, in the region of a thumb or forefinger of the hand which is gripping the hand-held part. If the hair-shaping appliance has a clamping mouth which can be pivoted open and closed, and by means of which hair can be pressed against the shaping element, the actuating button for the steam function is preferably located on a side of the appliance which is located opposite an actuating button for the clamping mouth. 
   In some embodiments, the tank, which is arranged at the end of the shaping element can be directly gripped and displaced in order to bring about the supply of liquid into the evaporator. The tank here is thus assigned two actuating sessions, which optionally single-handed or two-handed operation of the appliance is possible. 
   It is possible to control the supply of liquid into the evaporator by displacement of the tank in that the dosing device has a wick which passes through a tank wall located opposite the evaporator and which can be moved in the direction of an evaporator surface, and away from the latter, by movement of the tank. If the wick is moved onto the evaporator surface, this results in evaporation of liquid from the wick. In contrast, if the wick is moved away from the evaporator surface, the generation of steam is interrupted. In a development of the invention, the tank can be moved in the direction of the evaporator to such an extent that the projecting wick engages with the evaporator surface, that is to say rests directly thereon. The adjustment path of the tank, however, is preferably limited, with the result that the wick cannot be pressed to an excessive extent against the evaporator surface. 
   In some embodiments, the wick is divided at its end which is directed towards the evaporator surface into a plurality of end sections. As a result, the wick can sufficiently transport a large quantity of liquid. In certain embodiments, the wick preferably has an approximately V-shaped fanned-out portion, and the evaporator surface has a V-shaped contour which complements the same, with the result that the wick can be moved onto the evaporator surface by way of the V-shaped fanned-out portion. 
   The capillary-forming wick can be arranged and/or oriented in different ways in respect of the tank itself. In some embodiments, the wick extends eccentrically into the tank. i.e. it is laterally offset in the radial direction toward a tank wall. This makes it easier, in the case of only low filling levels in the tank, for residues of liquid in the tank also to be taken up. 
   In some embodiments, the tank can be plugged in a releasable manner into the headpiece of a heating-tube covering, which encloses the evaporator and/or bounds an evaporator chamber, the tank preferably being secured by an elastic latching-action securing means. 
   The tank wall may have a preferably integrally formed wick guide which can be plugged axially into an evaporator-chamber wall, the latching-action securing means preferably being provided between the evaporator-chamber wall and the tank and preventing the tank from slipping out in an undesirable manner, while nevertheless allowing the tank to move axially. The latching-action securing means may be provided by means of a securing spring which is fixed to the appliance and can be snap-fitted over a protrusion on the tank. In particular, it is possible to provide a U-shaped spring clip which can expand radially and, when the wick guide is pushed in, can slide over a radial protrusion provided on the latter and/or can snap into a radial undercut on the wick guide. 
   In some embodiments, in order to prevent steam from passing out of the evaporator chamber in an undesirable direction, the hair-shaping apparatus features a radial seal between the wick guide and the cutout in the evaporator-chamber wall into which the wick guide is plugged. The radial seal is preferably designed such that it allows axial displaceability of the wick guide and provides sealing in a number of axial positions of the tank. An advantageous configuration of the invention provides a lip seal, preferably with a double lip. 
   In order to simplify operation and prevent steam from being generated unintentionally, it is possible for the tank to be prestressed by means of a spring device into its position in which the supply of liquid is prevented (e.g., the tank is biased in a position in which liquid transport to the evaporator is prevented). In some embodiments, a spring-loaded pressure element is provided on the headpiece of the heating-tube covering, in which the tank is seated by way of its wick guide, and this pressure element pushes against the tank base. The movement capability of the pressure element is preferably limited by means of stops. The end positions of the spring-loaded pressure element define the two operating positions of the tank, namely the position in which the supply of liquid is prevented (e.g., the dosing device does not contact the evaporator) and the position in which it is possible for liquid to be supplied (e.g., the dosing device is in contact with the evaporator). 
   In order to achieve a uniform supply of liquid even without the tank being pushed in, some embodiments of the hair-shaping appliance features a venting valve for the tank, by means of which, when liquid passes out of the tank, a corresponding quantity of air can be guided back into the tank. The venting valve may be provided at various locations on the tank. According to a preferred configuration of the invention, it is possible for the venting valve to be installed directly alongside the wick guide, in the adjacent tank-base section. 
   In order to improve the operation of filling the tank, the tank has a cover, which is covered by a section of the appliance when the tank is installed and can only be accessed and/or opened when the tank has been removed. This prevents the situation where the entire hair-shaping appliance is held beneath a water faucet in order for the tank to be filled. In order for it to be possible to open the cover, the tank has to be removed from the rest of the appliance beforehand. It is possible to provide a pivoting lid and/or a stopper as the cover, thus allowing easy opening of the tank. In contrast to the prior art, it is not necessary for the entire dosing-device subassembly to be unscrewed from the tank in order for it to be possible for the latter to be filled. The cover expediently closes the tank in a liquid-tight manner. 
   In some embodiments, the cover of the tank may be provided on a tank-cover section which, when the tank is installed, is located beneath the clamping mouth, which interacts with the shaping element. 
   In certain embodiments, it is possible for at least a portion of the tank to have an approximately half-moon-shaped cross section with a flat side, on which the tank cover is provided. In some embodiments, the tank is located in that half of the shaping element of the appliance which is located opposite the clamping mouth of the appliance, preferably with the flat side beneath the clamping mouth. In the case of the abovementioned half-moon-shaped cross-sectional configuration of the tank, the radially offset wick may be arranged in the direction of the flat side. 
   The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of a hair-shaping appliance. 
       FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through the hair-shaping appliance from  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a side view of the hair-shaping appliance from  FIG. 1 . The hair-shaping appliance includes a water tank, from which an evaporator of the appliance is fed, having been drawn halfway off from the rest of the appliance. 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the water tank from  FIG. 3  in a position in which it has been removed altogether from the appliance. 
       FIG. 5  shows an exploded illustration, in perspective, of the water tank and of the dosing device fastened thereon and of the cover of the water tank. 
       FIG. 6  shows an exploded illustration, in perspective, of the headpiece, of a heating-tube covering, into which the dosing device from  FIG. 5  can be plugged. 
   

   Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The hair-shaping appliance shown in the figures is a so-called straightening appliance by means of which curly or frizzy hair can be smoothed out, but also shaped in any other desired way. The appliance is designed as gas-operated steam styling tongs in which an evaporator is heated, and generates steam, by means of a gas burner. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the appliance has an essentially cylindrical hand-held part  1 , by which the appliance can be gripped. A shaping element  2 , by means of which the hair can be shaped and styled, is attached to the end side of the hand-held part  1 . A clamping mouth  3  is located in the form of a half-shell on a lateral-surface side of the heated shaping element  2  and can be pivoted away from the shaping element  2  by means of a rocker button  4 . 
   Arranged in the interior of the shaping element  2 , as a heating device for heating the shaping element  2 , is a burner  5 , by means of which a suitable combustible gas can be burnt using a catalyst. The burner  5  is fed via a gas supply  6  from a gas cartridge, which may be accommodated in the interior of the hand-held part  1 . The gas supply  6  can be controlled via a switch  7  on the outside of the hand-held part  1 . An ignition device assigned to the burner  5  may be actuated by an ignition switch  8 , which is likewise provided on the hand-held part  1 . 
   Referring particularly to  FIG. 2 , an evaporator  9  is arranged at the end of the burner  5 . An evaporator plate  10  closes the burner tube  11  of the burner  5  on the end side and separates the combustion space from an evaporator chamber  12 . The evaporator chamber  12  is bounded by a burner-tube covering  13 , which is of tubular design and is seated over the burner tube  11 , and by a headpiece  14 , which closes the burner-tube covering  13  on the end side (see  FIG. 6 ), and by the above-mentioned evaporator plate  10 . 
   Provided at an end of the appliance which is directed away from the hand-held part  1  is a tank  15 , from which the evaporator  9  is supplied with water for the generation of steam. The tank  15  is shaped such that it essentially continues the contour of the rest of the appliance body. As  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4  show, the tank  15  forms the tip of the shaping element  2  and has an essentially half-moon-shaped cross section, the surface area of which decreases in the direction of the tip. By way of a flat side the half-moon-shaped cross section, which extends approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the appliance, the tank  15  is located beneath the free end of the clamping mouth  3  when the latter is provided onto the shaping element  2 . The clamping mouth  3  here covers the above-mentioned flat side  16  of the tank  15 . 
   The tank  15  is plugged axially, in the longitudinal direction of the appliance, into the headpiece  14  of the burner-tube covering  13 , and can be removed axially from the appliance in order for the tank to be filled. A tank cover  17  is arranged on the flat side  16  of the tank, this flat side being covered by the clamping mouth  3  when the tank is installed, with the result that the tank cover is accessible merely when the tank  15  has been removed from the rest of the steam styling tongs. As  FIG. 3  shows, the tank cover  17  can only be pivoted open when the tank  15  has been pushed off in the forward direction. The tank cover  17  is preferably a flap which, in the closed state, rests flush on the flat side  16  and, by means of a seal in the form of a plug  18 , closes the tank opening, located beneath the tank cover  17 , in a fluid-tight manner. The arrangement and design of the tank cover  17  can provide a double safeguard to the appliance. On the one hand, the appliance is safeguarded against being held in its entirety beneath a water faucet in order for the tank to be filled, since the tank cover can only be opened when the tank  15  has been removed from the appliance. On the other hand, arranging the tank cover  17  beneath a covering which is formed by the clamping mouth  3  prevents the tank cover  17  from opening in an undesirable manner during operation. 
   As  FIGS. 2 and 5  shows, a dosing device  19  is provided between the tank  15  and the evaporator  9 , this dosing device allowing liquid to be discharged in a metered manner from the tank to the evaporator. The dosing device  19  comprises a wick  20  in the form of a soldered felt sheet which is accommodated in a precisely fitting manner in an axially extending wick guide  21 . As  FIG. 5  shows, the wick  20  is seated in a tank base  22 , by means of which the body of the tank  15  can be closed on the evaporator side. The tank base  22  is designed as a separate part and can be plugged in a precisely fitting manner into a corresponding cutout in the tank  15 . An O-ring  23  functioning as a seal between the tank base  22  and the rest of the body of the tank  15  can be provided as shown in  FIG. 5 . As  FIG. 2  shows, the tank base  22  extends radially in relation to the longitudinal axis of the appliance, while the wick guide  21  formed on the tank base  22  extends axially. The wick  20  projects into the interior of the tank  15 , it being arranged in the direction of the flat side  16  of the tank and extending approximately coaxially with the burner  5 . That end of the wick  20  which projects out of the tank has a V-shaped fanned-out portion  24 . The ends of the felt sheet, which functions as the wick, are fixed, in the region of the fanned-out portion  24 , by staples  25  on inner circumferential surfaces of the wick guide  21  (see FIGS.  2  and  5 ).The tank is vented via a venting valve  38  in the tank base  22 . 
   By way of the wick guide  21  projecting from the tank  15 , the tank  15  can be plugged into the headpiece  14  of the burner-tube covering  13 , with the result that the wick  20  projects into the interior of the evaporator chamber  12 . As  FIG. 6  shows, the headpiece  14  has a cylindrical extension  26 , which forms an inner clearance in which the approximately cylindrical wick guide  21  can be plugged. The headpiece  14  is seated firmly on the burner-tube covering  13 . The tank  15 , however, is seated in an axially displaceable manner, by way of the wick guide  21 , in the headpiece  14 . As  FIG. 6  illustrates, the tank base  22 , or its wick guide  21 , is secured in the headpiece  14  via a snap-in spring  27 . The U-shaped snap-in spring  27  is seated on the extension  26  in tangential cutouts  28 , with the result that the legs of the snap-in spring  27  project into the inside of the clearance formed within the extension  26 . As shown, the snap-in spring  27  is secured axially on the extension  26 . However, in some embodiments, the legs of the snap-in spring  27  can expand radially. If the tank  15  is pushed into the headpiece  14  by way of the wick guide  21 , the legs of the snap-in spring  27  slide over a radial protrusion on the outer circumference of the wick guide  21 . If the wick guide  21  has been pushed in far enough, the snap-in spring  27  snaps back again and secures the tank  15  against being drawn out of the appliance unintentionally. Despite the latching-action securing means, it is possible for the tank to be displaced axially for the purpose of supplying water into the evaporator. 
   A prestressing device in the form of a spring  29  is provided between the headpiece  14  of the burner-tube covering  13  and the tank  15 . A pressure plate  30  is guided on the headpiece  14  such that it can be displaced axially via four bolts  31 , the displaceability of the pressure plate  30  being limited via stops which are formed, on the on hand, by the heads of the bolts  31  and, on the other hand, by the end side of the headpiece  14 . The spring  29  is fitted between the pressure plate  13  and the headpiece  14  and forces the pressure plate  30  to the left in  FIG. 6 , toward the heads of the bolts  31 . 
   If the tank  15  has been plugged into the headpiece  14 , the pressure plate  30  butts against the tank  15 . The tank  15  can be pushed even further into the headpiece  14  counter to the actuating force of the pressure plate  30 . The spring  29 , in contrast, provides for a restoring action. 
   As  FIG. 5  shows, a lip seal  32  is seated on the outer lateral surface of the wick guide  21 , this lip seal sealing the evaporator chamber  12  in the direction of the tank  15  and closing the interspace between the wick guide  21  and the inner clearance in the extension  26  of the headpiece  14 . In this case, the lip seal  32  ensures sealing even in the case of corresponding displacement of the tank  15 . 
   In order for water to be metered into the evaporator  9  from the tank  14 , the tank  15  has to be displaced to the right according to  FIG. 2 , with the result that the tank base  22 , with its wick guide  21 , penetrates deeper into the evaporator chamber  12 , counter to the action of the pressure plate  30 . During transport of liquid from the tank to the evaporator, the V-shaped fanned-out portion  24  of the wick  20  reaches the likewise V-shaped surface of the evaporator plate  10 . The quantity of liquid that is fed by way of the wick  20 , as a result of the capillary action, to the fanned-out portion  24  then evaporates on the evaporator plate  10 . Via steam-outlet openings  330  in the burner-tube covering  13 , the steam can then be discharged to the hair wound round the shaping element  2 . As can be gathered from  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , it is not just possible for the tank  15  to be pushed by way of its end side in order for the desired displacement to be achieved. A connecting component  33  in the form of a half-shell is integrally formed on the tank  15  and extends to the shaping-element end of the hand-held part  1 . There, an actuating button  34  with a non-slip surface in the form of transverse ribbing  35  is integrally formed on the connecting component  33 . The actuating button  34  is located on that side of the hand-held part  1 , which is located opposite the rocker button  4 , and also makes it possible for the tank  15  to be actuated by the hand which is gripping the hand-held part  1 , i.e. to be displaced in the axial direction, in order for metered liquid to be transported into the evaporator  9 . As  FIG. 4  shows, the actuating button  34  forms a bead-like elevation at the end of the connecting component  33 , which extends around the shaping element  2  essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the appliance. The connecting component  33  has a plurality of longitudinal ribs  35  and is designed as a heat guard. As  FIG. 3  shows, the connecting component  33  engages around the body of the housing of the appliance in the region of the shaping element  2  to the extent where the connecting component  33  is guided longitudinally. It is possible to provide a dovetail-like longitudinal guide  36  between the connecting component  33  and the housing of the appliance. Longitudinal ribs  37  preferably supported the connecting component  33  over its entire cross section. This achieves advantageous operability of the actuating button  34 . Jamming of the connecting component  33  is prevented.