Hair styling apparatus with retractable styling heads

Abstract

A hair styling apparatus includes a handle, a styling head and a heater. The handle has a pair of pivotally joined arms, and the head includes a pair of styling members which cooperate to form styling surfaces of the styling head. Each styling member is extendable from and retractable into the handle.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to hair styling apparatus and, more particularly, to hand-held hair styling apparatus with a retractable styling head. More specifically, this invention relates to tong-type hair styling apparatus with a retractable hair styling head.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Hair styling apparatus are widely used for hair styling applications, for example, hair curling and hair straightening. A typical hair styling apparatus comprises a handle and a heated styling head for contact or non-contact styling. A common contact-type hair styling apparatus resembles the shape of a pair of tongs and comprises a pair of hinged arms with a pair of heated styling heads. The styling heads protrude from the free ends of the hinged arms with hair styling surfaces facing each other. Typically, hair is styled when hair is held between a pair of heated styling heads and when they are in compressive engagement. Styling is done, for example, by a pair of heated...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]A hair styling apparatus with a retractable head facilitates a compact design, which is beneficial for storage and especially desirable for travelling, while permitting hair styling with a styling apparatus of a conventional size.

[0006]In a preferred embodiment, each styling member is telescopically extendable from and telescopically retractable into a corresponding one of said pair of pivotally joined arms. A retractable hair styling apparatus with a telescopic extension structure facilitates convenient extension and retraction of the styling head with minimum spatial requirements. Another advantage of a telescopic design is the convenient storage and optimum utilisation of space within the handle. An added advantage of the telescopic extension design is the possibility of having a styling head with multiple extendible and / or retractable sections so that the overall size can be minimised.

[0007]Preferably, each one of said pair of pivotally joined arms comprises a hollow receptacle, each one of said styling members is slidable in and out of said hollow receptacle. By utilising a hollow portion of a handle for temporary storage of the styling members, the space within a hollow handle can be better utilized and the overall weight can be reduced.

[0013]Preferably, said styling member is resiliently mounted on said insulated housing. A resiliently mounted styling surface is advantageous for applying pressure evenly when tresses of hair are pressed by the pair of styling members.

[0021]Preferably, the slide button extends laterally from both sides of the styling head. A lateral extended slide button provides convenience for left-handed and right-handed users.

[0026]Preferably, said styling member comprises an electric heating means, and power is supplied to said heating means only when said styling member has been extended for a predetermined length from said pivotal joint. This preferred safety feature operates to mitigate risks of inadvertent operation of the heating means before the styling member has been moved into its designed operating position.

Problems solved by technology

Although tong-type hair styling apparatus and rod-type hair styling apparatus provide a useful and convenient means for hair styling, they are somewhat bulky and inconvenient for travellers.

Images