WO2010021968A2

WO2010021968A2 - Hot roller system with programmable timer

Info

Publication number: WO2010021968A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/053994
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simona Fusco; Maria Gruber
Original assignee: Simona Fusco; Maria Gruber
Priority date: 2008-08-19
Filing date: 2009-08-17
Publication date: 2010-02-25
Also published as: WO2010021968A3

Abstract

A system and method disclose a hot roller assembly with a programmable timing mechanism. A hair curling system comprises a base unit having a heating mechanism and a mechanism controlling automatic activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism. A plurality of rollers are disposed on the base unit and a removable cover engages the base unit. A method of heating rollers comprises programming a timing mechanism of a hot roller assembly and activating the heating mechanism so that rollers contained within the hot roller assembly are heated for a period of time programmed into the timing mechanism.

Description

HOT ROLLER SYSTEM WITH PROGRAMMABLE TIMER

Inventor(s): Simona FUSCO and Maria GRUBER

Cross-reference to Prior Application(s)

[0001] The present application is based on and claims the priority and benefit of

United States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/090,026 filed 19 August 2008.

Background of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a hot roller system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hot roller system with a programmable timer.

[0003] Hot rollers (or curlers) and curling irons are devices that have long been used to set or curl hair. Both types of devices have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, many women find it difficult to have a curling iron attached to their hair while they try to put on makeup or get dressed. On the other hand, hot rollers allow a woman to wrap and roll her hair, and then complete her morning preparations while her hair cools and sets.

[0004] Various devices have been developed over the years to curl or set hair using heat. However, these devices lack the ability to automatically heat up at a particular time. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3, 410,985 discloses an electrically heated hair curling apparatus. However, the apparatus lacks a timing mechanism allowing a user to activate heating of the rollers at a particular time. In another example, U.S. Patent No. 3, 610,878 discloses an electrically heated hairsetter. However, while the hairsetter includes a manual on/off switch, the hairsetter lacks a mechanism that would allow a user to set the heating elements of the hairsetter to activate at a particular time. In an additional example, U.S. Patent No. 6,248,979 discloses a hair curling roller heating system but the system lacks a timing mechanism for automatically activating heating of the rollers. In a further example, U.S. Patent No. 6, 310,322 discloses a heated roller and heated roller assembly. However, the assembly system lacks a mechanism that allows a user to set heating of the rollers to commence at a particular time. [0005] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved hot roller system that overcomes shortcomings of conventional solutions. There is a further need for a hot roller system having a timing mechanism. There is an additional need for a hot roller system having a programmable timing mechanism. There is also a need for a method for heating hair rollers that provides the user with the ability to more efficiently curl his or her hair. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention is useful in a variety of ways. The present invention provides a hot roller system that overcomes shortcomings of conventional solutions by providing a timing mechanism. Furthermore, the present invention is also useful as it provides a hot roller system having a programmable timing mechanism.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention a hot roller system includes a programmable timing mechanism. The timing mechanism provides a user with the ability to set a time for a heating mechanism within a base unit to automatically power on and heat up hair rollers disposed on the base unit. The timing mechanism can also be set to automatically turn off the heating mechanism after a specific period of time has passed or at a particular time. For example, on the night before, the user can set the timing mechanism for the time the next day (morning, afternoon or evening) that the user desires to commence heating up the hair rollers. This allows the user to not have to worry about getting up at six (6) AM to manually turn on the heating mechanism if the user needs to curl or set the user's hair because the rollers need time to heat up adequately before the rollers can be used. The rollers will automatically start to heat up when the heating mechanism powers on at the time pre-set by the user. The timing mechanism is capable of being programmed to activate/deactivate the heating mechanism more than once per day. For example, a user may desire to set their hair in the morning and again at some later point in the day in order to re-do their curls if their curls have begun to uncurl or if the user is going to attend an event that requires a different look to their hair than that from earlier in the day. [0008] A system and method disclose a hot roller assembly with a programmable timing mechanism. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a hair curling system comprises a base unit having a heating mechanism and a mechanism for controlling automatic activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism. A plurality of rollers are disposed on the base unit and a removable cover engages the base unit. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of heating rollers comprises programming a timing mechanism of a hot roller assembly and activating the heating mechanism so that rollers contained within the hot roller assembly are heated for a period of time programmed into the timing mechanism.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[00010] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements.

[0001 1] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a hot roller system with a programmable timer according to the present invention; and

[00012] FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the hot roller system of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description of an Exemplary Embodiment of the Present Invention

[00013] A preferred embodiment of the invention is discussed in detail below.

While specific exemplary embodiments are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[00014] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a heated roller assembly 10 includes a base unit 12 and a lid or cover 14. The cover 14 is hingedly attached to the base unit 12 and pivotal relative thereto between open and closed positions. In the alternative, the cover 14 can snap-fit attach to the base unit 12, making the cover 14 completely removable from and re-attachable to the base unit 12. The assembly 10 further includes a heating platform 16. A plurality of generally tubular curlers or rollers 18 are disposed on the heating platform 16. The rollers 18 are generally cylindrically tubular in shape. Each roller 18 may be disposed at least partially within one of a plurality of receptacles 20 of the heating platform. Depending on the mechanism used to heat the rollers 18, each roller may be positioned around and about a heating post (not shown) generally centered within the receptacle 20. Each post is sized and shaped to have a roller 18 placed thereover. Alternatively, the base unit 12 may not include receptacles 20 and the rollers 18 are positioned about the heating posts which extend upwardly from the heating platform 16. The rollers 18 may be of a conventional construction so as to be heated using conventional heating mechanisms (not shown) disposed within the base unit 12. Examples of heating mechanisms include heating coils that directly engage the rollers 18, mechanisms that generate steam to heat the rollers or the like. The rollers 18 may come in different sizes (e.g., small, medium, large, extra- large, jumbo or the like). Each assembly 10 may include a number of sets of rollers 18 in each size. The overall number of rollers 18 may vary in number (e.g., twelve (12) rollers 18 are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 but there could be fourteen (14), sixteen (16), eighteen (18), twenty (20) or more). Similarly, the heating posts may also be various sizes in order to accommodate similarly sized rollers 18. Each roller 18 may have an associated butterfly clip (not shown), metal pin (not shown) or the like that is used to secure the roller 18 to a user's hair. The butterfly clips, metal pins or the like may be stored within the base unit 12 or separate therefrom. ] The heating mechanism is connected to an external power source, such as electricity, by an electrical power cord. Alternatively, the heating mechanism can be powered by an internal power source including, but not limited to, at least one battery. In order to heat the rollers 18, the cover 14 of the assembly 10 must be in a closed position relative to the base unit 12. The cover 14 is adapted to fit over the rollers 18 and posts in order to protect the rollers 18 as they heat up. Alternatively, a sensor or switch may be used to determine if the cover 14 is in an open or closed position relative to the base unit 12.

[00016] The base unit 12 further includes a user interface that includes a manual on-off switch 22, an on-off indicator light 24, and a timing mechanism 26 disposed on a front panel 28 of the base unit 12. The timing mechanism 26 includes a programming mechanism 30 and digital timer display 32. The timing mechanism 26 is connected to the power source. The programming mechanism 30 comes in various forms including, but not limited to a number of buttons 34 on the front panel 28 that are connected to a microcontroller and a memory that allow the user to set the times and days for automatically activating/deactivating the assembly 10. The buttons 34 are part of the user interface. Software stored within the memory and run on the microcontroller can instruct and guide a user through programming of the timing mechanism 26. The timer display 32 provides an on/off timer and a twenty four (24) hour digital clock. The timing mechanism 26 can employ the timer display 32 as part of the user interface during programming. A user can set the timing mechanism 26 so that the timer 32 displays the time of day in the form of standard twelve (12) hour time or military style twenty four (24) hour time. The timing mechanism 26 can include a daylight savings time function to save the user the time and trouble of having to reset all of the times programmed into the assembly 10. The timing mechanism 26 is programmable to allow activation of the heating mechanism to start at any desired time.

[00017] The programmability of the timing mechanism 26 provides the user with the ability to set the heating to commence by either designating the specific time for heating of the rollers 18 to begin or by designating the specific time the user wishes to begin applying heated rollers 18 to his or her hair. If the user designates the time when the user wishes to begin applying heated rollers 18 to his or her hair, the software stored in the memory and running on the microcontroller will automatically calculate how much in advance heating of the rollers 18 must begin so that the rollers 18 are sufficiently hot by the time of application to the user's hair. Once the rollers 18 are heated, the unit 12 will maintain the temperature of the rollers 18 until the unit 12 automatically shuts off the heating after a certain period of time has passed, until the user manually turns off the heating mechanism, or until the unit 12 reaches a certain temperature. The unit 12 will adjust for any loss of heat due to removal/opening of the cover 14.

[00018] The buttons 34 can be used to set the hours and minutes on the timer 32 as well as to set the time for activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism. Another feature of the timing mechanism 26 is an automatic shutoff that will deactivate the heating mechanism after a particular period of time has passed since activation. The manual on-off switch 22 can be used independently of the timing mechanism 26. The timing mechanism 26 also includes an override so that a user can continue to use the assembly 10 even though it is scheduled (i.e., programmed) to turn off the heating mechanism.

[00019] The programmability of the timing mechanism 26 enables the user to set the time for the hot rollers to automatically start heating up. The timing mechanism 26 can also be programmed for use by more than one user so that multiple times can be set for the hot rollers to automatically start heating up. Each user can program the timing mechanism 26 so that the heating mechanism is automatically activated at the same time each day or each user can program the timing mechanism 26 so that the heating mechanism is automatically activated at a particular time for one or more particular days of the week. Each user's settings can be saved in the memory. The timer 32 can also track how long the user has had the rollers 18 in their hair by pressing one of the buttons 34 to put the timer 32 in a stop-watch mode.

[00020] In an alternative embodiment, the timer 32 is removable from the base unit

12 in order to allow the user to monitor elapsed time since the rollers 18 were set in the user. This frees the user do other things while the rollers 18 heat or are in the user's hair. The timer 32 can be in wireless communication with the base unit 12.

[00021] In another embodiment, the timer 32 can be connected to an audio alarm for indicating when the heating mechanism has been activated. The base unit 12 further includes temperature sensors (not shown) connected to the microcontroller and the memory that monitor the temperature of the heating mechanism, base unit and/or rollers 18. When the temperature exceeds a certain limit, the audio alarm (not shown) in the base unit 12 can emit a warning signal. The audio alarm (in conjunction with the microcontroller, memory and temperature sensors) can also be used to indicate when the rollers 18 have reached an appropriate temperature for use. The appropriate temperature can be a temperature measured by the temperature sensors, the temperature the rollers are at after having been heated for a certain period of time, etc. The audio alarm can also indicate when a set period of time has passed since the rollers 18 had been placed in the user's hair. Visual indicators can also be used either alone or in conjunction with the audio alarm to indicate various states of the hot roller assembly 10.

[00022] In a further alternative, a user can program a desired temperature into the memory to which the rollers 18 are to be heated in order to accommodate the user's personal preferences for heating the rollers 18. If the user had programmed the timing mechanism 26 by designating the time when the user wished to begin applying heated rollers 18 to his or her hair, the software stored in the memory and running on the microcontroller will take the user's desired roller temperature into consideration when automatically calculating how much time in advance heating of the rollers 18 must begin so that the rollers 18 are sufficiently hot by the time of application to the user's hair.

[00023] In use, in advance of a user needing to curl his or her hair, the user can program the timing mechanism of a hot roller assembly, such as the one described above, in order to activate the heating mechanism of the hot roller assembly at desired times, desired days, etc. This programming can be performed hours, days or even weeks in advance. Once the user sets (i.e., programs) a time for the heating mechanism of the hot roller assembly to activate, the base unit will begin heating the hair rollers when that activation time occurs. The user can program the timing mechanism to automatically turn off the heating mechanism after a specific period of time has passed or at a particular time. For example, on the night before a user needs to curl his or her hair, the user can set the timing mechanism for the time the next day (morning, afternoon or evening) that the user desires to commence heating up the hair rollers set in or on the base unit of the hot roller assembly. This allows the user to not have to worry about getting up at six (6) AM to manually turn on the heating mechanism if the user needs to curl or set the user's hair because the rollers need time to heat up adequately before the rollers can be used. Alternatively, the user could have programmed the timing mechanism several days earlier. No matter when the timing mechanism was programmed, the rollers will automatically start to heat up when the heating mechanism powers on at the time pre-set by the user. The timing mechanism is capable of being programmed to activate/deactivate the heating mechanism more than once per day. For example, a user may desire to set their hair in the morning and again at some later point in the day in order to re-do their curls if their curls have begun to uncurl or if the user is going to attend an event that requires a different look to their hair than that from earlier in the day. ] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should instead be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curling system comprising: a base unit having a heating mechanism and means for controlling automatic activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism at one or more times during a day; a plurality of rollers disposed on the base unit; and a removable cover engaging the base unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means controlling automatic activation/deactivation comprises a programmable timing mechanism.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein programmable timing mechanism further comprises means for monitoring heating/timing functions.

4. The system according to claim 2, further comprising means for monitoring temperature.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cover is hingedly attached to the base unit and pivotal relative thereto between open and closed positions.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further provides manual activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism.

7. A hair curling system comprising: a base unit having a heating mechanism and a programmable timing mechanism controlling automatic activation/deactivation of the heating mechanism at one or more times during a day; a plurality of rollers disposed on the base unit; and a removable cover engaging the base unit; wherein the programmable timing mechanism further comprises means for monitoring heating/timing functions and means for monitoring temperature.

8. A method of heating hair rollers, comprising : programming a timing mechanism of a hot roller assembly; activating a heating mechanism of the hot roller assembly; and heating rollers contained within the hot roller assembly for a period of time programmed into the timing mechanism.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the programming step includes the step of setting the timing mechanism to automatically activate the heating mechanism at a specific time.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: timing how long the rollers have been in a user's hair.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: indicating to a user when the rollers have been sufficiently heated.