Hair straightening appliance with variable steam output control

Abstract

A hair straightening device 1 comprises pair of handles pivotally joined at a hinge 4. The upper handle 2 comprises an upper plate 5 that is selectively heated. A water reservoir 8 is removably mounted to the upper handle portion 2. As the handle portions 2, 3 are closed toward each other, a valve actuating member 11 on the lower handle portion 3 contacts a rubber bulb 12 located on the upper handle portion 2 compressing the bulb 12 to force air through a tube 13 and through an air input opening 14 on the reservoir 8, forcing open a one-way, flexible valve 15 the allows the air to enter the interior 16 of the reservoir 8. The pressure of the entering air displaces the water stored in the reservoir and causes it to exit the reservoir 8 at an exit port 17 into a channel 18 of the upper handle portion 2 and plate 5. The plate 5 may have one or more openings to release the steam that is produced by the water, as the water receives heat from the plate 5 being heated. An adjustment lever 19 allows mechanical adjustment of the actuating member 11 to various heights ranging from a low height where it will not contact the bulb 12 (FIG. 4B) and, thus, will cause zero steam to emit, to intermediate and highest height (FIG. 4A) where a proportionate amount of air displacement and thus steam emission occurs.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 988477 filed 16 Nov. 2007.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to electric handheld hair straightening appliances and, more particularly, to handheld hair straightening appliances that emit steam.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]Various known handheld hair straightening appliances have a pair of opposed, selectively heated plates that are each attached to a handle portion. The handle portions are hingedly connected to one another so that the assembly may be held on one hand an the plates can be closed toward each other by pivoting about the hinge. Some such devices include a water reservoir that delivers water to a heat source to create steam, which is emitted through one or more openings to apply steam to hair that is being compressed between the heated plates. Varying amounts of hea...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In such known devices, no means are provided for varying the steam output.

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