HAIR IRON
A hair iron having an array of substantially parallel heating prongs, wherein the distance between at least two of the prongs can be decreased while maintaining the prongs in a position substantially parallel to one another. An insulating guard surrounds the perimeter of each heating prong. The hair iron may further comprise two non-heating end units on either side of and substantially parallel to the heating prongs. The distance between the heating prongs can be decreased by actuating a drive mechanism. The insulating guards protect a user from high temperatures of the heating prongs. Further claimed is a method of styling hair using a heating device having substantially parallel heating prongs and manipulating the device to reduce the distance between at least two prongs while maintain the prongs in a position substantially parallel to one another.
This invention is in the field of hair grooming accessories. Hair grooming accessories are often used to straighten and style hair, however such activities can become overwhelming when the stylist is presented with curly or bristly hair. The effects of compression and heat application to straighten this type of hair are well-known in the art and have been incorporated in a variety of prior grooming accessories.
Examples of earlier electrically heated combs are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,760,821 and 4,702,265 issued to W. T. Weddington, U.S. Pat. No. 1,034,859 issued to G. Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,536,669 issued to C. Grant, U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,447 issued to S. R. Nord, Jr., et al. Other types of heated combs and pressing devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,523,461 issued to J. Swan; U.S. Pat. No. 1,861,040 issued to J. E. B. Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 2,406,490 issued to D. A. Day; U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,885 issued to H. F. Jackson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,598,330 issued to E. Wilson; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,065,759 issued to F. Lewis. The apparatus taught by the aforementioned patents fall within the chief categories of hinged opposing-tong “flatiron” design, or alternatively, the pick-like “pressing comb” design. Each category presents several disadvantages.
For instance, the amount of hair captured by flatirons widely varies, and a user of such a device is likely to capture large-volume hair locks that absorb heat and pressure unevenly. When large locks of hair are captured by flatirons, the outer strands receive more heat and pressure than the inner strands. Distribution of heat and pressure is distributed more evenly when smaller locks of hair are captured, but capturing smaller locks of hair with a flatiron increases the overall time and effort required to style the entirety of a person's hair.
Pressing combs, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,964 to Newbern and U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,143 to Schroeder, include a score of fixed teeth that capture a multitude of small-volume hair locks. However, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a user of a pressing comb to exert pressure and heat evenly over the captured hair. The heat and compression is exerted onto the locks of hair by skillfully and carefully maneuvering and manipulating the comb. There are a limited number of stroke types the comb's user may employ, such as drawing hair sideways through the comb, and also twisting the hair, similarly to twirling spaghetti onto fork tines.
Both categories of combs necessarily incur repetitive strokes that typically repeat treatment on previously-treated strands. Additionally, neither category offers a stylist the ability to straighten strands of hair strands close to their roots.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention heats hair with consistent pressure in a time-efficient manner. The hair iron of the present invention includes a plurality of substantially parallel heating prongs wherein an outer portion of each prong includes a thermally insulating guard. The hair iron of the present invention further includes a drive mechanism utilized during a first and second mode of operation of the hair iron. During the first mode of operation, the drive mechanism moves at least one prong so as to reduce the distance between at least two of the prongs, so as to apply heat and pressure to hair positioned between the prongs. During the second mode of operation, the drive mechanism moves at least one prong so as to increase the distance between at least two of the prongs and release the hair. During both the first and second modes of operation, all prongs remain substantially parallel.
The prongs may comprise heating plates or other suitable structures for applying heat and pressure to hair. Each heating plate may include a heating element. The hair iron may further comprise a system of electrical wiring and circuitry that provides an energy source to the heating elements. In certain embodiments, the heating prongs may further include an air space between each heating plate and thermally insulating guard. Non-heating end units on either side of the heating prongs may further protect a user from the high temperatures of the heating prongs.
The present invention further includes a method of styling hair using a device having substantially parallel heating prongs where an outer portion of each prong comprises a guard. The user would place hair in the hair iron device and manipulate the hair iron to reduce the distance between heating prongs, thereby applying both pressure and heat to the hair. The user could further manipulate the device to increase the distance between prongs to release the hair from the hair iron.
The present features of the hair iron and its various embodiments enable a user to straighten hair close to the hair roots. The various embodiments of the invention additionally convey an unprecedented high degree of maneuverability, which allows a user to execute a greater number of styling strokes and thereby achieve a greater variety of hairstyles. Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
In the embodiment depicted in
The hair iron 1 can further comprise a switch button 4 that can be actuated by a user to initiate an electric current through circuitry of the hair iron. The hair iron when actuated converts the electric current into thermal energy. The hair iron may further comprise a temperature dial 5 that can be turned, shifted or otherwise manipulated to vary the intensity of heating. The dial may offer a user the ability to select any heating intensity within a continuous range of temperatures, or the dial may delimit a specific number of discrete heating levels. In the scenario of a discrete number of heating levels, a user may for example, select high, medium, or low heat. Or, the user may select a heating level ranging from, for example, 1 to 25. The dial may be circular or any manner of switch that can vary the temperature of the hair iron. The dial may vary the temperature of the hair iron by, for example, controlling the current, or by any other means of controlling the degree of heating known in the art. A user would operate the hair iron while gripping the handle 16.
The guard 6 may be attached to the heating plate 7 by any suitable means, for example, by screws or other methods of connection, placed through an outer attachment point 10 to an inner attachment member 9. Alternatively, each guard 6 may be welded or otherwise directly connected to a heating plate 7. Any number of attachment points may be utilized. Preferably, the attachment points are located in areas that during use do not come into close contact with the scalp.
As illustrated in
When the heating prongs 2 such as those depicted in
As discussed in relation to
A heating plate 7, such as the plate depicted in
Each heating plate 7 may partially envelop a combination including a support 13, as depicted in
As depicted in
In one embodiment not illustrated, the end units 3 may be heatable. If heatable, the end units may comprise heating plates 7. The heating plates 7 of the end units 3, may at least partially envelop a heating element 12 and support 13.
In a first mode of operation, the drive mechanism can move at least one of the teeth 29 so as to reduce the distance between at least two of the teeth to apply heat and pressure to hair between the teeth. The first mode of operation shifts the hair iron from an open, disengaged arrangement, to a closed, engaged arrangement. During a second mode of operation the drive mechanism 32 can move at least one of the teeth 29 so as to increase the distance between at least two of the teeth to release the hair from between the teeth. During both the first and second modes of operation, at least all prongs remain substantially parallel. In the embodiment illustrated in
Alternatively, in the embodiment not illustrated in which the drive mechanism 32 moves the heating prongs 2 but not the end units 3, in a first mode of operation, the drive mechanism can move at least one of the heating prongs 2 so as to reduce the distance between at least two of the prongs to apply heat and pressure to hair between the prongs. During a second mode of operation the drive mechanism 32 can move at least one of the prongs 2 so as to increase the distance between at least two of the prongs to release the hair from between the prongs. During both the first and second modes of operation, all prongs can remain parallel.
The components of one embodiment of the drive mechanism 32 are shown in the exploded view in
End units 3 may be absent. In such an embodiment, the outermost pair of teeth is heatable, unlike in the embodiment comprising end units 3. Such an embodiment might include a plurality of substantially parallel heating prongs 2 where an outer portion of each prongs is surrounded by an insulating guard 6 to prevent contact with the skin of a user. The drive mechanism 32 in such an embodiment would operate in a first and second mode as described above. During the first and second modes of operation, all the heating prongs can remain substantially parallel to one another.
In one embodiment depicted by the exploded view of
The spring 17 wraps around the guides 27 and between the supports 13. A pusher 18 is positioned against at least one tooth 29, where, as set forth in relation to
Alternatively, the drive mechanism 32 may move the hair iron into a closed, engaged state by moving at least two prongs together by a suitable mechanism in opposing directions, such that the outermost pair of teeth are first compressed toward a center longitudinal line, then the second-most outer pair of teeth are compressed toward the center longitudinal line, until the desired degreed of compression is achieved. If the drive mechanism moves teeth together in opposing directions toward a center longitudinal line, then the teeth may be slidably secured, a center tooth may be fixedly secured, or the teeth may be connected to the drive mechanism by another method known in the art.
The hair iron 1 may further comprise a printed circuit board (PCB) 21 that serves to mechanically support and electrically connect electrical components of the hair iron 1. The electrical components may include, for example, the temperature dial 5, which serves to vary the temperature of the hair iron 1. The temperature dial 5 and PCB 21 may further connect to a switch 22 that controls the temperature dial 5. The PCB 21 may further be connected to a second switch 23 is directly connected to the button 4. The hair iron 1 can be turned on so that the heating elements 12 may be heated by pressing, shifting, or manipulating the switch button 4. The hair iron 1 may further comprise an indicator, such as an LED 24, that indicates the operational state of the device.
The heating elements 12 may be electrically heated, and the heating may be regulated by the PCB 21. The heating elements 12 may be connected by a wiring harness, which may be connected to the PCB 21. The heating elements 12 may further be connected to grounding safety circuitry that ultimately exits the handle 16 as an electrical cord 25. The electrical cord may be fitted with a plug that is adapted to mate with standard power supply outlets. The electrical cord 25 may be either permanent or removable, and the hair iron 1 may further include a rechargeable battery. The cord 25 may be for example, a 6-foot long cord having a male pin fitting at the end opposite the plug, such that the male pin can connect with a female receiver on the hair iron. Alternatively to electrically powering the hair iron, thermal energy may be delivered to the heating plates 7 by submersing the prongs 2 in a hot liquid medium, such as hot water or hot oil.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
Claims
1. A hair iron comprising:
- (i) a plurality of substantially parallel heating prongs wherein a portion of each prong is at least partially surrounded by an insulating guard, and
- (ii) a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism in a first mode of operation moving at least one of said heating prongs so as to reduce the distance between at least two of said heating prongs, and in a second mode of operation moving at least one of said heating prongs so as to increase the distance between said at least two heating prongs, and wherein during said first and second modes of operation all of the heating prongs of said plurality remain substantially parallel.
2. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein at least one prong comprises a heating plate, wherein said heating plate is connected to a heating element.
3. The hair iron of claim 1, further comprising a non-heating end unit.
4. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein during said first mode of operation said drive mechanism moves at least two prongs toward one another.
5. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein during said first mode of operation all prongs moved by said drive mechanism are moved in substantially a single first direction.
6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said guards are fabricated from phenolic plastic.
7. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein said prongs comprise a generally elliptical cross-sectional area and further comprise rounded tips.
8. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism further comprises a bias to increase the distance between prongs and a trigger operable against the bias when manipulated by a user to move at least one of said heating prongs so as to reduce the distance between at least two of said heating prongs.
9. The hair iron of claim 1, wherein each prong comprises a support that is connected to a handle of the hair iron.
10. The hair iron of claim 9, wherein at least one support further comprises at least one guide hole, through which a guide passes, wherein said guide is connected to a body of said handle and wherein said at least one support is thereby slideably mounted within said body of the handle.
11. The hair iron of claim 9, further comprising a boot, wherein the bases pass through the boot into a body of the handle, and wherein the boot substantially seals the body of the handle from the exterior.
12. The hair iron of claim 2, wherein said at least one prong further comprises an air space between said heating plate and said guard.
13. The hair iron of claim 12, wherein the air space between the heating plate and the guard measures less than 5 mm.
14. The hair iron of claim 12, wherein the air space between the heating plate and the guard ranges from approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm.
15. The invention of claim 2, wherein said heating plate is metallic or ceramic.
16. The hair iron of claim 2, wherein the heating plate is surfaced with a non-stick coating.
17. The hair iron of claim 2, comprising a system of electrical wiring and circuitry that can provide an energy source to the heating element.
18. The hair iron of claim 17, further comprises a temperature dial that can be utilized to vary the intensity of heating.
19. The hair iron of claim 17, further comprising a battery source.
20. A method of styling hair comprising:
- (i) placing hair in a device comprising (a) a plurality of substantially parallel heating prongs wherein a portion of each prong is surrounded by an insulating guard, and
- (ii) manipulating the device to move at least one of said prongs so as to reduce the distance between at least two of said heating prongs while all of the heating prongs of said plurality remain substantially parallel while applying heat and pressure to the hair.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 31, 2008
Inventor: Jason Blyden (Greenacres, FL)
Application Number: 12/013,259
International Classification: A45D 7/02 (20060101); A45D 24/10 (20060101); A45D 24/08 (20060101); A45D 1/04 (20060101);