Skin protection from hot equipment
OwnerMasood Habibiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective cover for a hand-held heated instrument such as a curling iron or wand comprises a thin elastomeric sleeve of high-temperature polymer, for example silicon rubber. The sleeve may include features such as ridges, bumps, or through holes, and may be sized to fit snugly over the barrel of the heated instrument. The sleeve reduces heat conduction from hot surfaces of the instrument enough to prevent or reduce burns from momentary contact with bare skin, without noticeably altering the characteristics of the instrument for its intended purpose, such as curling or shaping hair.
Claims20
A protective cover for a handheld electrically heated instrument that includes a thermally conductive exterior surface heated within a range of about 250° F. to about 450° F., the cover comprising:
- an elastomeric sleeve sized to cover and conform to the thermally conductive exterior surface of the handheld heated instrument, wherein the sleeve has a base uniform thickness in a range of 0.5 to 3 mm exclusive of holes or surface features, wherein the elastomeric sleeve comprises a high-temperature polymer having a softening point above 450° F. and a thermal conductivity less than about 3 W/m K.
A method of using a protective cover to prevent burns from heated subject equipment, the method comprising:
- installing a protective cover on the barrel of a subject curling iron, curling wand, or similar equipment, wherein the protective cover comprises an elastomeric sleeve sized to cover and conform to the thermally conductive exterior surface of the subject equipment, wherein the sleeve has a base uniform thickness in a range of 0.5 to 3 mm exclusive of holes or surface features, and wherein the elastomeric sleeve comprises a high-temperature polymer having a softening point above 450° F. and a thermal conductivity less than about 3 W/m K;
- activating the subject equipment until the barrel is heated to a desired operating temperature;
- and
- using the subject equipment to style hair.
A handheld electrically heated instrument for curling hair, comprising:
- a thermally conductive exterior surface configured for electrical heating to a temperature within a range of about 250° F. to about 450° F.;
- and
- an elastomeric sleeve sized to cover and conform to the thermally conductive exterior surface of the handheld heated instrument, wherein the sleeve has a base uniform thickness in a range of 0.5 to 3 mm exclusive of holes or surface features, wherein the elastomeric sleeve comprises a high-temperature polymer having a softening point above 450° F. and a thermal conductivity less than about 3 W/m K.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.