Electric hair straightening and waving iron

Abstract

An electric hair straightening/waving iron includes a handle, a first elongate heating member extending from the handle and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and a second elongate heating member having a distal end portion, and a proximal end portion. The proximal end portion of the second heating member is attached pivotally to the proximal end portion of the first heating member. A locking mechanism at the distal end portions of the first and second heating members selectively locks the first and second heating members alongside one another, and releases the second heating member for pivotal movement relative to the first heating member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hair straightening and waving irons. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to hair straightener having a simple release mechanism allowing separation of its heating members for changing the device from a waving configuration to a hair straightening configuration.

Known electric hair straightening/waving irons such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,462 have a pair of heating members pivotally associated with one another, with a handle extending from one of the members and a waving clamp pivotally attached to the other member. A locking device for holding the two members against one another for use of the device as a hair waver is provided alongside the pivot joint. While this provides a convenient location for single-handed holding of the device by its handle and manipulation of a lock release activator near the pivot joint, the arrangement applies locking forces too close to the pivot joint to be regarded as being mechanically ideal. It could perhaps be likened to a door having a lock at its hinge side rather then at its free side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.

There is disclosed herein an electric hair straightening/waving iron, comprising:

a handle,

a first elongate heating member extending away from the handle and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion,

a second elongate heating member having a distal end portion, and a proximal end portion attached pivotally to the proximal end portion of the first heating member, and

a locking mechanism at the distal end portion of the first and second heating members for selectively locking the first and second heating members alongside one another, or releasing the second heating member for pivotal movement.

Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises a slider mounted to move longitudinally upon the distal end portion of the first or second heating members and interacting with the distal portion of the other heating member.

Preferably, the slider has a projecting tab and the said other distal portion comprises a lip under which the tab is received to lock the heating members alongside one another.

Preferably, the heating elements are hemi-cylindrical in form and the slide is also hemi-cylindrical in form.

Preferably, the iron further comprises a spring-loaded waving clamp attached pivotally to and extending alongside the second heating member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of an electric hair straightening and waving iron in a hair waving configuration,

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective illustration of the electric hair straightening and waving iron in a hair straightening configuration,

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the electric hair straightening and waving iron in the configuration of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the electric hair straightening and waving iron in the configuration of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a detailed cross sectional elevation of the locking mechanism of the iron.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically a hair waving/straightening iron 10. Iron 10 comprises a handle 11 from the base of which a power cord 12 extends to a wall socket. Formed together with a and extending from the handle 11 is a first elongate heating element 13a in the form of a hemi-cylindrical barrel. A second elongate heating element 13b, also in the form of a hemi-cylindrical barrel, is attached pivotally at its proximal end to the handle. Both the first and second heating elements have flat hair-straightening ironing surfaces 15 that face one another in close proximity when the second heating member is closed down toward the first heating member.

A hair waving clamp 14 is attached pivotally to the second elongate heating member. A clamp trigger 17 is formed integrally with the clamp 15 and extends rearward from the pivot point toward the handle end of the iron. A torsion spring 22 is located under the trigger 17 to maintain a clamping force between the clamp 14 and the second heating barrel. A power switch 21 is located upon the handle 11 for applying electric current from the cord 12 to the heating elements.

At the distal end of the first heating element 13a, there is a fixed non-heated tip 23. A recess 19 is provided in the upper surface of the fixed tip. The recess has a lip as best depicted in FIG. 3.

At the distal end of the second heating element 13b, there is provided a locking barrel 16 that is supported upon the heating element so as to be able to slide therealong as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2. The locking barrel is located and travel-limited by a buffer 27. A locking tab 18 is fitted below the barrel and has an elbow which can fit under the lip of the recess 19 in order to lock the two heating members together. The outer surface 24 of the locking barrel is corrugated to provide good grip. A spring plate 25 is provided between the barrel 16 and the locking tab 18 and has a small bump that provides a tactile “click” as it slides onto one of two small detents 26 of the tab 18.

By having the locking mechanism provided at the distal ends of the heating members, simple light weight locking engagement components can be employed as little resistance to opening of the two heating members need be provided as compared to the prior art devices in which strong locking parts must be provided nearby the pivot point to counteract high moments that might be exerted thereon in use.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the particular sliding arrangement of the locking components can be changed and indeed non-sliding arrangements such twisting, or turning locking arrangements can be provided instead.

Claims

1. An electric hair straightening/waving iron, comprising:

a handle,

a first elongate heating member extending away from the handle and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion,

a second elongate heating member having a distal end portion, and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion being attached pivotally to the proximal end portion of the first heating member, and

a locking mechanism at the distal end portions of the first and second heating members for selectively locking the first and second heating members alongside one another, and releasing the second heating member for pivotal movement, relative to the first heating member.

2. The iron of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a slider mounted to move longitudinally upon the distal end portion of one of the first and second heating members and interacting with the distal portion of the other of the first and second heating members.

3. The iron of claim 2, wherein the slider moving upon the distal end portion of one of the first and second heating members has a projecting tab and the portion of the other of the first and second heating members comprises a lip under which the tab is received to lock the first and second heating members alongside one another.

4. The iron of claim 2, wherein the heating elements are hemi-cylindrical in form and the slider is also hemi-cylindrical in form.

5. The iron of claim 4, further comprising a spring-loaded waving clamp attached pivotally to and extending alongside the second heating member.