Device for treating the hair, using a refill

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for treating the hair, comprising: —a structure for accommodating a refill (10) of hair treatment product, —a steam generator for outputting steam onto the hair at a rate of less than 10 g/min, —a refill detection element that detects said refill when it is mounted on the accommodating structure, the device (1) being designed to pass into a refill-free mode if no refill (10) is detected by the detection element, the operation of the steam generator in this refill-free mode being different than its normal operation when a refill is present.

1 . A device for treating the hair, comprising:
 a structure for accommodating a refill of hair treatment product,   a steam generator for outputting steam onto the hair at a rate of less than 10 g/min,   a refill detection element that detects said refill when it is mounted on the accommodating structure,   the device being designed to pass into a refill-free mode if no refill is detected by the detection element, the operation of the steam generator in this refill-free mode being different than its normal operation when a refill is present.   
     
     
         2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , which is configured to pass from the refill-free mode to the normal mode when a refill is mounted on the accommodating structure. 
     
     
         3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the steam generator operating at a lower level or being inactive in the refill-free mode. 
     
     
         4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the device comprising at least one heated straightening plate, the temperature of the heated plate being modified when the steam generator is in the refill-free mode. 
     
     
         5 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising two arms to be closed over the hair to be treated, the device comprising an electronic control circuit with an electronic memory, designed to detect the closure of the arms and the fitting of the refill by way of the detection element, the device being designed to increment a variable stored in a memory of the device during the use of the latter after the refill has been changed and to pass into a finishing-touch operating mode in which the operation of the steam generator and/or of the straightening plate is modified, when said variable exceeds a first predefined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The device as claimed in  claim 5 , the operation in the refill-free mode being identical to the operation in the finishing-touch mode. 
     
     
         7 . The device as claimed in  claim 5 , the operation in the refill-free mode being different than the operation in the finishing-touch mode. 
     
     
         8 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the refill detection element being mechanical, or being of some other kind. 
     
     
         9 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the detection element comprising a projecting element disposed in an insertion guide of the accommodating structure, against which the refill bears when it is inserted into the insertion guide in order to allow the detection of the refill. 
     
     
         10 . An article for a hair treatment device as claimed in  claim 1 , which is configured to be mounted removably on the accommodating structure such that its presence is detected by the detection element of the device. 
     
     
         11 . The article as claimed in  claim 10 , which does not contain any cosmetic product. 
     
     
         12 . The article as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising a means for fastening to the accommodating structure. 
     
     
         13 . The article as claimed in  claim 12 , the fastening means having the overall shape of a T slotted in the middle in cross section. 
     
     
         14 . The article as claimed in  claim 21 , one of the profile elements comprising, at its proximal end, a hook-shaped holding projection that is intended to engage with a clip of the device in order to keep the refill in position on the latter. 
     
     
         15 . The article as claimed in  claim 10 , which is able to be inserted into and removed from the device more than once. 
     
     
         16 . The article as claimed in  claim 10 , which is configured not to come into contact with the lock of hair treated by the device and/or a pressing element of the device when the device is being used to treat the hair. 
     
     
         17 . A range of accessories for a device for treating the hair, comprising at least two accessories, one of the accessories being a refill containing a hair treatment product, the other of the accessories being an article as claimed in  claim 10 . 
     
     
         18 . An assembly of a device as claimed in  claim 1  and an article for the device which is configured to be mounted removably on the accommodating structure such that its presence is detected by the detection element of the device. 
     
     
         19 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , the temperature adjustment range of the heated straightening plate being reduced or the heated straightening plate being switched off when the steam generator is in the refill-free mode. 
     
     
         20 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , the temperature of the heated straightening plate being modified in the finishing-touch mode and the heated straightening plate being switched off in the refill-free mode. 
     
     
         21 . The article as claimed in  claim 12 , the fastening means comprising two profile elements that engage in an insertion guide of the accommodating structure along which the article moves when it is fitted on the device and when it is removed from the latter.