Curling Iron Holder

Abstract

A portable curling iron holder is disclosed utilizing inexpensive thermoplastic molded to form a caddy. The holder incorporates a thermally resistant insert placed into and securely attached within one of the cavities of the caddy. This insert would be sized to receive and retain the heated barrel of a curling iron while providing a thermally insulative gap between the heated barrel of the curling iron and the adjacent thermoplastic walls of the caddy.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field Of The Invention:

The field of invention relates to a curling iron holder and more particularly to an improved apparatus providing safe, secure, transportable means of transporting a heated curling iron while facilitating easy and low cost manufacture of the same.

2. Description Of The Prior Art

The use of curling irons having electrically heated barrels is prolific throughout the world in both professional styling salons and in individual home bathrooms. The inconveniences and dangers of utilizing these appliances are well known. The desire for an apparatus that can safely hold a heated curling iron, be completely transportable, and be primarily constructed of inexpensive thermoplastic material is greatly desired and not adequately addressed or envisioned in the prior art. Numerous prior disclosures have addressed the need for the above described apparatus, but all contain distinct disadvantages and shortcomings.

The use of a thermally protective space between the heated curling iron barrel and the surrounding material of the holder is well known to those familiar with the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,878 to Silva discloses a heat insulative holder wherein is claimed a body formed of molded synthetic plastic material resistant to softening at elevated temperatures. The distinct disadvantage not addressed by Silva's disclosure is the exorbitant cost of elevated temperature resistant thermoplastics and associated manufacturing concerns utilizing those materials. U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,189 to Andrew discloses a holder in which the heated barrel is held in the insulative space by an external clip designed to hold the curling iron, and prevent any axial or rotational movement. One limitation of this disclosure is the inability to retain curling irons of differing handle shapes and sizes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,649 to Tipp discloses an apparatus having a tubular cavity containing heat resistant means within the inner walls. The limitation imposed in Tipp's claims of a tubular cavity and the internally disposed heat resistant means create numerous onerous manufacturing concerns that are never addressed. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,019 to Baird and Mullin discloses an apparatus also restricted by claim of a cylindrical cavity and further claiming a mounting means securable to a vertical support surface, thereby limiting the portability of said apparatus.

As such it may be appreciated that there exists a need, unfulfilled by any prior art, for an apparatus that can be easily and inexpensively constructed, is completely portable, and is capable of holding many different sizes of curling irons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses an apparatus utilizing a modular design to facilitate efficient and inexpensive manufacture, allowing safe storage of heated curling irons of many different sizes and configurations, and remaining completely portable for ease of storage and use. One preferred embodiment would consist of two modular pieces. First of which is an inexpensive thermoplastic caddy, similar to design and manufacture as many existing plastic caddies widely available and in production today. The wide availability and low cost of these caddies are a testament to the ease and inexpensive manufacture of said items. The caddy utilized in this embodiment would possess multiple cavities, one of which, when combined with the second modular element, namely a heat resistant insert, would be utilized to safely hold the heated curling iron. In this embodiment the other compartments could be used to store other hair styling accessories commonly used coincidentally with curling irons.

The heat resistant insert in this embodiment would be manufactured of metal wire, but could be envisioned to be made of a sheet or plate metal, or any heat resistant plastic, or other material not susceptible to heat deformation at normal curling iron operating temperatures of around 400 degrees F. In this embodiment, the metal insert would form a cavity into which a heated curling iron could be safely and relatively securely placed. This insert would have means to modularly attach into the cavity of said caddy in a position to provide a thermally protective air space between the curling iron being held and the walls of said cavity. Numerous means to attach the insert to the caddy are well known to those skilled in the art, and could vary greatly depending on the material used for the insert.

The distinct object of this disclosure is not in the precise means of joining modular elements, but rather lies in the design, manufacture, and co-relationship of the two modular components to create an improved apparatus for safely storing heated curling irons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the two separate modular elements of one preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the caddy of one preferred embodiment and includes a detail inset showing one preferred method of joining the two modular elements of this embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates one preferred embodiment of an improved apparatus to hold one or more heated curling irons represented in FIG. 1 by phantom lines. The caddy 1 is constructed of an inexpensive thermoplastic and is molded to form several cavities, or compartments. Into one of said cavities is attached an insert 2 constructed of metal wire in this embodiment. The insert 2 is constructed separately from the caddy 1 and is placed into one cavity of said caddy 1 in a position to create a thermally protective air void between the insert 2 and the walls of the caddy 1. Once joined together in this manner, the two modular elements, the caddy 1 and the insert 2, form the holder into which the heated barrel of a curling iron may be safely placed.

FIG. 2 shows the two separate elements of one preferred embodiment of the invention. In being so constructed, as two modular elements, the distinct advantages of the present disclosure become clear. The caddy 1 can be inexpensively and easily constructed to provide a great many advantages apparent to those skilled in the art. As illustrated, the caddy 1 can have multiple cavities, or compartments, to facilitate the holding and storage of other items ancillary and used coincidentally with curling irons, it remains completely portable, and can easily be adapted to accommodate other envisioned advantages. The insert 2, being a separately manufactured modular element, provides a means to allow for the safe storage of heated curling irons while allowing the majority of the holder to be constructed of inexpensive material that is easily modified to achieve distinct advantages. In this embodiment, the insert 2 is formed with four separate attachment stubs 3 that provide a convenient means to join the two modular elements as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows an inset detail 4 of one embodiment of a method of attaching the two modular elements. The use of a formed plastic clip 5 to receive and retain the stub 3 of the insert 2 is shown.

Although the invention has been described in terms of the embodiments set forth above, it should be understood that these embodiments are illustrative only and that the claims are not limited to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to make modifications and alternatives in view of the disclosure which are considered as falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A device for holding a curling iron defined by an elongated body having a heatable electrical element; said device comprising a holder, said holder comprised of a caddy and an insert, wherein said caddy is formed of molded thermoplastic and shaped to create a cavity having a cross sectional size substantially greater than that of the cross section of said elongated body of a curling iron, and having a means to securely receive and hold said insert, said insert being formed of metal and shaped to create a cavity having a cross sectional size greater than that of the cross section of said elongated body of a curling iron, but substantially smaller than the cross section of said cavity so as to form, when said insert is received by and held securely by said caddy, an approximately uniform space between said insert cavity wall and said caddy cavity wall.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the insert is constructed of a thermally resistant plastic.