Hair care device

• US 8,448,651 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Honnefeller, Katja, Bachmann, Christine, Nicolin, Gisa, Seng, Juergen, Kloeppel-Riech, Michael, Vu, Phong
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Robyn
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOBREGA, TATIANA L
• Application Number:
  US12/669,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20110005539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 132/115, 132/118, 132/120, 132/126, 132/148, 132/157, 132/219, 132/221, 132/271, 132/272, 132/112, 151/60, 151/69, 151/84, 152/46, 15/15.1, 15/15.2, 814/90, 814/39, 716/7, 359/511, 361/221, 361/112
• US Class Current: 132/271
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/50 and provision for an air stream
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/202 Ionisation
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 24/10 combined with additional devices
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0024 with means generating ions
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/104 Hair brush bristles arrangements for hair brushes A46B9/023

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hair care device (1) with a handle (3), a function head (4) having a hair treatment means, preferably comprising a bristle and/or a tooth field and/or air blower outlet means, as well as with an ion discharging device (8) for releasing ions, which has at least one ion outlet (9) and can be actuated by an actuating switch (10). According to the invention, the hair care device is characterized in that a closure device (11) for closing the ion outlet is provided, which can be actuated by the actuating switch.

Claims

1. A hair care device comprising a handle, said handle comprising a housing, said handle being joined to a function head, said function head comprising a hair treatment means, said hair care device further comprising an ion discharging device for releasing ions, an actuating switch, and a closure device, all located on said hair care device, wherein said ion discharging device has at least one ion outlet, and can be actuated by said actuating switch, and said closure device comprises a closure element is provided for closing the ion outlet, and can be actuated by the actuating switch.

2. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein the closure element is connected to the actuating switch and/or comprises part of the actuating switch, a pretension means for pretensioning the closure device in an open position as well as a holding means for holding the closure device in a closed position are joined to the closure device wherein the holding means is formed by the closure element, which is attached in a moving manner and can be moved over the ion outlet.

3. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein the closure device provides movable attachment of the ion outlet, and the ion outlet is retractable in the device housing.

4. The hair care device of claim 3, wherein the ion outlet is arranged in the form of a swiveling flap.

5. The hair care device of claim 3, wherein the ion outlet, which is attached in a movable manner, is connected to the actuating switch and/or comprises part of the actuating switch and/or is integrated in the actuating switch.

6. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein the holding means can be detached by applying excess pressure to the closure element and/or the ion outlet beyond the closed position.

7. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein the closure device further comprises a cleaning agent for cleaning the ion discharging device.

8. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein the actuating switch comprises an auxiliary function switching means for actuating auxiliary device functions.

9. The hair care device of claim 8, wherein:

in a first position of the actuating switch, the closure device is closed and the ion discharging device is switched off;

in a second position of the actuating switch, the closure device is open and the ion discharging device is switched off; and

, in a third position of the actuating switch, the closure device is open and the ion discharging device is switched on.

10. The hair care device of claim 9, wherein a first actuating element of the actuating switch is attached to a second actuating element of the actuating switch, in a moving manner, such that both actuating elements can move together due to movement of the second actuating element and the first actuating element can additionally be moved relative to the second actuating element.

11. The hair care device of claim 1, wherein a modular device construction is provided with multiple device modules, which are separable from one another, wherein the function head and the ion discharging device are arranged on separate device modules.

12. The hair care device of claim 11, wherein the device module having the function head is designed so as to be free of electric fixtures.