Apparatus for heating hair rollers
An apparatus for sequentially and individually heating hair rollers incorporates a turn tray having a plurality of receptacles. The turn tray rotates, and if a roller is disposed in the receptacle, the turn tray will stop at a steam stage area where the roller is subjected to heat and steam. After a predetermined of time selected by the operator, e.g., when the hair roller is sufficiently treated with heat and steam, the roller is removed and applied to a length of hair of the operator. The turn tray will then automatically rotate to place the next successive roller within the steam stage area.
1. An apparatus for heating hair rollers, which comprises:
a lower case defining a central longitudinal axis;
a turn tray mounted relative to lower case, the turn tray including a plurality of roller receptacles radially spaced with respect to the longitudinal axis for receiving hair rollers;
an upper case, the turn tray rotatably relative to the upper case;
a roller detection finger associated with each roller receptacle, each roller detection finger configured for movement from a radial outward position to a radial inward position upon positioning of a hair roller within the roller receptacle;
a tray detection switch configured to permit activation of the motor when the tray is properly positioned relative to the upper case and configured to deactivate the motor when the tray is displaced relative to the upper case;
a steam stage area including a steam outlet for dispensing steam;
a motor operatively coupled to the turn tray and configured to rotate the turn tray about the longitudinal axis to selectively position a select roller receptacle adjacent the steam outlet; and
a roller detection switch adjacent the steam stage area and being configured to be engaged by the roller detection finger of the select roller receptacle when in the radial inward position thereof, the roller detection switch configured to stop rotational movement of the turn tray to maintain the select roller receptacle in the steam stage area and in alignment with the steam outlet to dispense steam toward the roller therewithin, wherein upon removal of the hair roller from the select roller receptacle the roller detection finger moves to the radial outward position disengaged from the roller detection switch to permit rotational movement of the turn tray about the longitudinal axis.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the roller detection switch is configured for movement between a first position when engaged by the roller detection finger corresponding to a deactivated state of the motor and a second position when disengaged by the roller detection finger corresponding to an activated state of the motor.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the roller detection fingers are normally biased radially outwardly relative to the central longitudinal axis.
4. An apparatus for heating hair rollers, which comprises:
a lower case defining a central longitudinal axis;
a turn tray mounted relative to lower case, the turn tray including a plurality of roller receptacles radially spaced with respect to the longitudinal axis for receiving hair rollers;
a roller detection finger associated with each roller receptacle, each roller detection finger configured for movement from a radial outward position to a radial inward position upon positioning of a hair roller within the roller receptacle, the roller detection fingers being normally biased radially outwardly toward the radial outward position thereof, each roller detection finger including a plurality of finger elements, a first finger element configured to extend a first radial distance and a second finger element configured to extend a second radial distance greater than the first radial distance;
a steam stage area including a steam outlet for dispensing steam;
a motor operatively coupled to the turn tray and configured to rotate the turn tray about the longitudinal axis to selectively position a select roller receptacle adjacent the steam outlet; and
a roller detection switch adjacent the steam stage area and being configured to be engaged by the roller detection finger of the select roller receptacle when in the radial inward position thereof, the roller detection switch configured to stop rotational movement of the turn tray to maintain the select roller receptacle in the steam stage area and in alignment with the steam outlet to dispense steam toward the roller therewithin, wherein upon removal of the hair roller from the select roller receptacle the roller detection finger moves to the radial outward position disengaged from the roller detection switch to permit rotational movement of the turn tray about the longitudinal axis.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each roller detection finger includes a third finger element configured to extend a third radial distance greater than the second radial distance and a fourth finger element configured to extend a fourth radial distance greater than the third radial distance.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the steam stage area includes a fluid tank in fluid communication with the steam outlet and a heater associated with the fluid tank to heat liquid in the fluid tank for disposition out the steam outlet.
7. The apparatus according to claim 4 including:
an upper case, the turn tray rotatably relative to the upper case.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including:
a tray detection switch configured to permit activation of the motor when the tray is properly positioned relative to the upper case and configured to deactivate the motor when the tray is displaced relative to the upper case.
9. An apparatus for heating hair rollers, which comprises:
a lower case defining a central longitudinal axis;
a turn tray mounted relative to lower case, the turn tray including a plurality of roller receptacles radially spaced with respect to the longitudinal axis for receiving hair rollers;
an upper case, the turn tray rotatably relative to the upper case;
a roller detection finger associated with each roller receptacle, each roller detection finger configured for movement from a radial outward position to a radial inward position upon positioning of a hair roller within the roller receptacle;
a tray detection switch configured to permit activation of the motor when the tray is properly positioned relative to the upper case and configured to deactivate the motor when the tray is displaced relative to the upper case;
a steam stage area including a steam outlet for dispensing steam;
a motor operatively coupled to the turn tray and configured to rotate the turn tray about the longitudinal axis to selectively position a select roller receptacle adjacent the steam outlet;
a roller detection switch configured to be engaged by the roller detection finger of the select roller receptacle when in the radial inward position thereof, the roller detection switch configured to stop rotational movement of the turn tray to maintain the select roller receptacle in the steam stage area and in alignment with the steam outlet to dispense steam toward the roller therewithin wherein upon removal of the hair roller from the select roller receptacle the roller detection finger moves to the radial outward position disengaged from the roller detection switch to permit rotational movement of the turn tray about the longitudinal axis.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the roller detection switch is disposed adjacent the steam stage area.
11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the roller detection switch is configured for movement between a first position when engaged by the roller detection finger corresponding to a deactivated state of the motor and a second position when disengaged by the roller detection finger corresponding to an activated state of the motor.
12. The apparatus according to claim 9 including an upper case, the turn tray rotatably relative to the upper case.
13. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the roller detection fingers are normally biased radially outwardly toward the radial outward position.
14. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the steam stage area includes a fluid tank in fluid communication with the steam outlet and a heater associated with the fluid tank to heat liquid in the fluid tank for disposition out the steam outlet.