Abstract: A hand held drying device has a body with a front air outlet. A heater, motor and fan are contained in the body. A shroud covers at least a portion of the body, with at least one passage defined between the shroud and the body for communicating air to the fan from at least one air inlet. The shroud reduces the level of noise generated when operating the drying device.

Abstract: A curling iron is provided including a first leg with a bottom surface and a second leg with a top surface, the bottom and top surfaces being in opposed relationship to each other and having a nested convex/concave shape. In the preferred embodiment, both of the legs are heated. Also, in one embodiment, the first leg is biased against a second leg, and a release lever is provided for selectively overcoming the biasing force and separating said legs. In another embodiment, the first leg is pivotable relative to the second leg, and a clamp lever is provided for controlling the pivoting action.

Abstract: A hand held drying device has a body with a front air outlet. A heater, motor and fan are contained in the body. A shroud covers at least a portion of the body, with at least one passage defined between the shroud and the body for communicating air to the fan from at least one air inlet. The shroud reduces the level of noise generated when operating the drying device.

Abstract: A hot air blower such as a hair dryer utilizes an inner body with an inlet, sides and a front outlet end. The inner body houses a heater, a motor and a fan. The motor rotates the fan so that air is drawn in the back inlet end, heated and forced out through the front outlet end.A muffler surrounds the inlet and sides of the inner body, but does not cover the opening in the outlet. At least one, and preferably two, inlets are disposed on the muffler and are preferably positioned a predetermined distance from the front end, facing the front end.

Abstract: A hair styling device includes an elongated first leg having a top surface, a bottom surface, a styling end and a handle end, and an elongated second leg pivotally secured to the first leg between an open and a closed position. The second leg has a top surface, a bottom surface, a styling end and a handle end. A plurality of teeth are disposed on at least one of the top surface of the first leg and the bottom surface of the second leg. Respective styling ends of the first and second legs are configured to nest together in the closed position to define a space on the styling end configured such that hair can flow freely through the space as the device is passed through a subject's hair.

Abstract: A clipper for cutting hair strands includes a blade set which has a stationary blade having a plurality of stationary blade teeth arranged a row so that hair strands enter between adjacent stationary teeth as the blade set moves through the hair strands. The stationary blade teeth have angled side cutting edges and tips, and the side cutting edges of adjacent teeth form roots where they intersect.A moving blade has a plurality of moving blade teeth which are also arranged in a row. The moving blade teeth complement the stationary blade teeth and pass across the stationary blade teeth in use to cut some of the hair strands. The moving blade teeth are relatively short, and preferably have tips which are flat. The moving blade teeth are separated by blade-like edge surfaces which are oriented in the direction of movement of the moving blade and are capable of cutting some of the hair strands which enter between the stationary blade teeth.

Abstract: A curling iron has an elongated heating tube and a clamp secured to an end of the tube which is attached to a handle. The heating tube has at least one generally flat surface having a longitudinal depression between 0.003 and 0.008 inch deep generally in the center of the surface. In one embodiment, the tube has relatively wide top and bottom surfaces which each have such a depression, and relatively narrow, sharply rounded side surfaces having a radius between about 0.03 and 0.1 inch. The clamp has a relatively short clamping surface which extends over a portion of the length of the heating tube. Hair strands which are wrapped around the tube are not curled over the flat surface or surfaces of the tube. The depressed portions of the heating tube do not contact the straight lengths of the hair directly, so that the straight lengths absorb less heat from the tube, and normal operating temperatures are more easily preserved in the heating tube.

Abstract: A hair curling apparatus includes a single elongated thermally conductive heating mandrel secured to the end of an elongated handle in axial alignment therewith and having two wide similar opposing surfaces joined by two narrow convex opposing surfaces with a radius of about 0.09 inch. The mandrel as of such length that hair strands may be helically wrapped therearound in a plurality of turns and a spring-biased manually operable hair clamp is pivotally mounted at the handle end of the mandrel for clamping the ends of the hair strands against the mandrel before they are helically wrapped therearound. The mandrel may have a generally oval or flattened shape. The clamp has a clamping surface which extends across a portion of one of the wide surfaces while exposing substantially all of the convex surfaces to direct contact with the hair strands and extends less than about 50 percent, and preferably about 30 percent, of the usable length of the mandrel.

Abstract: An electric hair clipper is disclosed which has a plurality of spaced cutting teeth. With this clipper, hair strands may be cut by passing the hair clipper over the hair in a series of swift, flowing strokes. The clipper may be passed over the hair at the outer periphery of the hair, or it may be passed over the hair within the periphery, to change the hair style. The hair clipper may also be used to thin or layer hair. In one such method of thinning or layering hair, the operator passes a comb through the hair in a swift stroke, creating a trough in the hair behind the comb. The hair clipper follows the comb in the trough, cutting hair strands which are displaced by the comb as the hair returns to its natural position. If desired, the clipper can be passed through the hair at an angle away from the scalp, so that the hair strands are cut different lengths.