Abstract: A hand-held hair dryer has a body with an air intake and an outlet nozzle. A heating element is positioned within the body between the air intake and the outlet nozzle. A handle extends from the body and defines a hand grip. A temperature controller is located on a surface of the body and configured to control the temperature of the heating element. The temperature controller can lie essentially flush with or below a level of the surface of the body around the temperature controller. A motor control switch can be provided on the handle to operate a motor for directing air from the intake to the heating element and then to the outlet nozzle.

Abstract: An adjustable auto-clasp barrette includes a base, a hinged and clasped locking arm, and a resilient leaf spring positioned between the base and the locking arm. The locking arm and the leaf spring cooperate to engage the hair to secure the barrette in the user's hair. An adjustment coupling permits the positions of the leaf spring ends to be longitudinally adjusted relative to the base to increase or decrease how much the leaf spring deflects and bows outwardly. With the spring ends positioned farther apart the leaf spring is less bowed for holding thicker hair or a larger volume of finer hair. And with the spring ends positioned closer together the leaf spring is more bowed for holding finer hair or a smaller volume of thick hair.

Abstract: A hair clip having two body members pivotally coupled together by a concealed-spring hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism includes a housing and a spring concealed within the housing in normal use of the hair clip. In typical commercial embodiments, the housing is integrally formed with a first one of the body members in a one-step process. The housing defines an inner-end access opening through which the spring is inserted during the manufacturing process. The access opening is closed off by a second one of the body members when the hair clip is assembled for use. The hair clip may be manufactured with the housing initially fabricated on the first body member in a one-piece construction.

Abstract: A radially adjustable barrel, a barrel-adjustment assembly, a radially adjustable heater assembly, and a radially adjustable distal-tip assembly. The barrel is radially adjustable between expanded and contracted positions having different diameters. The barrel-adjustment assembly includes a rotary ring defining a spiral cam guide and includes a cam follower attached to the barrel. The heater assembly includes a post, at least one heater, and at least one spring mounting the heater to the post and biasing the heater radially outward. In use, rotating the ring rotates the spiral cam guide, which displaces the cam follower radially inward or outward, which in turn displaces the outer end of the barrel radially inward or outward to decrease or increase the diameter of the barrel. As the diameter of the barrel is adjusted, the heaters remain in contact with the barrel due to the outwardly biasing influence of the spring.

Abstract: A headband has a body and two end members with comfort tips, adjustable-length tips, or both. In some embodiments, comfort tips are provided by soft pads positioned on the inner surface of the end members. In other embodiments, adjustable-length tips are provided by extension mechanisms including for example one or more fingers along which the body and the end members axially slide relative to each other, laterally extending tabs, and openings into which the tabs are received to retain the end members in position. In addition, a discrete-positioning mechanism can be provided for example by notches in the fingers that receive posts of the end member to form a detent.

Abstract: An adjustable auto-clasp barrette includes a base, a hinged and clasped locking arm, and a resilient leaf spring positioned between the base and the locking arm. The locking arm and the leaf spring cooperate to engage the hair to secure the barrette in the user's hair. An adjustment coupling permits the positions of the leaf spring ends to be longitudinally adjusted relative to the base to increase or decrease how much the leaf spring deflects and bows outwardly. With the spring ends positioned farther apart the leaf spring is less bowed for holding thicker hair or a larger volume of finer hair. And with the spring ends positioned closer together the leaf spring is more bowed for holding finer hair or a smaller volume of thick hair.

Abstract: A hair clip having two body members pivotally coupled together by a concealed-spring hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism includes a housing and a spring concealed within the housing in normal use of the hair clip. In typical commercial embodiments, the housing is integrally formed with a first one of the body members in a one-step process. The housing defines an inner-end access opening through which the spring is inserted during the manufacturing process. The access opening is closed off by a second one of the body members when the hair clip is assembled for use. The hair clip may be manufactured with the housing initially fabricated on the first body member in a one-piece construction.