# US 8,539,965 B2 · Hair styling tool with rotatable cylinder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,965 B2 - Document ID: US8539965B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/129,246 - Filed: 2009-11-13 - Published: 2012-05-24 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-24 - Assignees: MM&R Products, Inc. - Applicants: Michael A. Ragosta; Bruno Meglio; Claudio Marino; David Richmond; Howard Richmond - Inventors: Michael A. Ragosta; Bruno Meglio; Claudio Marino; David Richmond; Howard Richmond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539965B2 ## CPC - A45D 7/02: thermal - A45D 1/04: by electricity - A45D 1/10: with a rotatable handle sleeve - A45D 2/001: {Hair straightening appliances} - A45D 2/002: {with combs} - A45D 2/02: Hair winders or hair curlers for use substantially perpendicular to the scalp, i.e. steep-curlers (A45D6/14, A45D6/16 take precedence; with incorporated heating or drying means A45D2/36; heating devices designed for use external to and in connection with, hair curlers or hair wavers A45D4/02) - A46B 7/023: {where the bristle carrier retracts or collapses, i.e. for storage} - A46B 9/023: {arranged like in hair brushes, e.g. hair treatment, dyeing, streaking} - A46B 13/02: power-driven {carriers} - A46B 2200/104: Hair brush - A45D: HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT (wigs, toupees or the like A41G3/00, A41G5/00; hairdressers' chairs A47C1/04; hair cutting appliances, razors B26B); EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING - A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G) ## Abstract A hair styling tool 20 includes a body 22, a cylinder 24 extending from the body, the cylinder rotatable relative to the body, a motor 39 for rotating the cylinder, a heater 1324 to heat the cylinder, and a styling arm pivotally attached to the body. The hair styling tool may have a generally clam shell configuration, wherein the styling arm 151 is movable between an open position in which the styling arm is distant the cylinder and a closed position in which the styling arm is proximate to the cylinder, such as contacting the cylinder. The styling arm may also include a brush head 26 with fixed or retractable bristles and/or a smoothing plate 108. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tool suitable for hair styling comprising: an elongated body; an elongated rotatable member extending from the body, the elongated rotatable member being continuously rotatable relative to the body in both a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction; an electric motor adapted to rotate the cylinder; a styling arm attached to the body, the styling arm being movable between an open position distant from the elongated rotatable member and a closed position proximate to the elongated rotatable member for placement of hair between the styling arm and the elongated rotatable member for hair styling and polishing; and a detector adapted for detecting the direction of movement of the styling arm along a user's hair, the detector being in communication with the electric motor for causing the motor to rotate the rotatable member in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the styling arm along the user's hair. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is a cylinder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the styling arm is attached to the body closer to the proximate end of the elongated body than the distal end of the elongated body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the styling arm has projections for engaging hair in the closed position, the projections extending towards the elongated rotatable member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tool of claim 4 wherein the projections are flexible. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tool of claim 5 wherein the projections are bristles. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 comprising a spacer for preventing the styling arm from overloading the motor, the spacer being on the body for engaging the styling arm or on the styling arm for engaging the body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7 wherein the spacer prevents the styling arm, other than any projections on the styling arm, from contacting any rotating portion of the rotatable member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises: (i) a direction sensor for sensing the direction of movement of the styling arm along a user's hair, (ii) an actuator coupled to the direction sensor and movable between a first position corresponding to clockwise rotation of the rotatable member and a second position corresponding to counterclockwise rotation of the rotatable member; and (iii) a position sensor for sensing the position of the actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the detector is adapted to cause the motor to rotate the rotatable member in a direction such that the rotatable member at its 3 o'clock position has a motion vector in substantially the same direction as movement of the styling arm along the user's hair. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 further comprising a switch that is automatically triggered to activate the electric motor to rotate the rotatable member by the styling arm being moved toward the closed position from the open position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the styling arm supports a brush head at its distal end, the brush head comprising a blade from which the projections extend, and wherein the blade is removable from the brush head, the tool further comprising a plurality of interchangeable blades, each having projections with a different configurations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member has grooves on the surface thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member has surface holes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The tool of claim 1 wherein the styling arm comprises a brush head, the tool further comprising a brush head heater for heating the brush head. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The tool of claim 9 wherein the detector is adapted to cause the motor to rotate the rotatable member in a direction such that the rotatable member at its 3 o'clock position has a motion vector in substantially the same direction as movement of the styling arm along the user's hair. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The tool of claim 9 further comprising a switch that is automatically triggered to activate the electric motor to rotate the rotatable member by the styling arm being moved toward the closed position from the open position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The tool of claim 9 wherein the styling arm supports a brush head at its distal end, the brush head comprising a blade from which the projections extend, and wherein the blade is removable from the brush head, the tool further comprising a plurality of interchangeable blades, each having projections with a different configurations.