Electric hair straightening and waving iron

Abstract

A first jaw is fixed to the handle of the iron, with a second heated jaw and clamp connected by a pivot to the first jaw. Complementary flat surfaces on the first and second jaws allow hair to be straightened therebetween and complementary curved faces on the clamp and second jaw provide for hair held therebetween to be waved. Both jaws and the clamp have apertures in which a latch is received. The latch is moveable substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the pivot between a first position for connecting the second jaw and the clamp together for pivoting relative to the first jaw and a second position, for connecting the first and second jaws together, while permitting relative pivoting of the clamp.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to heated irons having jaws between which hair can be clamped for straightening, and a clamp for holding hair wound about the closed jaws for waving, and particularly to irons having a locking mechanism for locking the jaws together in this waving configuration.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The applicant's pending application Ser. No. 11 / 484,665 describes a styling iron of the above type, having one jaw rigidly fixed to the handle and another jaw pivotally fixed to the handle, both jaws having unheated tips. A locking mechanism is mounted on the tips for locking the jaws together in a waving configuration. This locking mechanism is satisfactory, however there is a need for an iron having a locking mechanism mounted on or adjacent the handle. Advantageously such an iron should be economical to manufacture and have a minimum number of simple parts.

[0003] In the hair styling iron of U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,462 a heated fixed jaw is faste...

Examples

first embodiment

[0039]Referring to FIGS. 1-9, an electric hair styling iron 10 comprises a handle 11 having a convex cross-section and formed from upper and lower elongate shell mouldings 11a, 11b. A power cord (not shown) may extend from the end of the handle 11.

[0040]A first jaw 12 is rigidly fixed to the handle 11 and has flat inner surface 12a and cylindrical outer surface 12b. A second jaw 13, also having flat inner surface 13a and cylindrical outer surface 13b, is attached by a transversely extending pivot 190 to the handle 11 such that the inner faces 12a, 13a are facing one another. Both jaws 12, 13 are elongate and hollow, their distal ends being closed by tips 14, 15 respectively, made of thermally insulating material.

[0041]A hair waving clamp 16 has a clamp portion 16a with concave cylindrical clamp face 16b shaped to conform to the cylindrical face 13b. The clamp 16 is attached by the pivot 190 to the handle 11. A lever portion 17 extends from the clamp portion 16a to the opposite side ...

second embodiment

[0050]an electric hair styling iron 100 is shown in FIGS. 10-18, and like numbers are used to refer to like components. Iron 100 comprises a handle 11 having a convex cross-section and formed from upper and lower elongate shell mouldings 11a, 11b. A power cord (not shown) may extend from the end of the handle 11.

[0051]A first jaw 12 is rigidly fixed to the handle 11 and has flat inner surface 12a and cylindrical outer surface 12b. A second jaw 13, also having flat inner surface 13a and cylindrical outer surface 13b, is attached by a transversely extending pivot 190 to the handle 11 such that the inner faces 12a, 13a are facing one another. Both jaws 12, 13 are elongate and hollow, their distal ends being closed by tips 14, 15 respectively, made of thermally insulating material.

[0052]A hair waving clamp 16 has a clamp portion 16a with concave cylindrical clamp face 16b shaped to conform to the cylindrical face 13b. The clamp 16 is attached by the pivot 19 to the handle 11. A lever po...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to heated irons having jaws between which hair can be clamped for straightening, and a clamp for holding hair wound about the closed jaws for waving, and particularly to irons having a locking mechanism for locking the jaws together in this waving configuration.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The applicant's pending application Ser. No. 11 / 484,665 describes a styling iron of the above type, having one jaw rigidly fixed to the handle and another jaw pivotally fixed to the handle, both jaws having unheated tips. A locking mechanism is mounted on the tips for locking the jaws together in a waving configuration. This locking mechanism is satisfactory, however there is a need for an iron having a locking mechanism mounted on or adjacent the handle. Advantageously such an iron should be economical to manufacture and have a minimum number of simple parts.

[0003] In the hair styling iron of U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,462 a heated fixed jaw is faste...

Examples

first embodiment

[0039]Referring to FIGS. 1-9, an electric hair styling iron 10 comprises a handle 11 having a convex cross-section and formed from upper and lower elongate shell mouldings 11a, 11b. A power cord (not shown) may extend from the end of the handle 11.

[0040]A first jaw 12 is rigidly fixed to the handle 11 and has flat inner surface 12a and cylindrical outer surface 12b. A second jaw 13, also having flat inner surface 13a and cylindrical outer surface 13b, is attached by a transversely extending pivot 190 to the handle 11 such that the inner faces 12a, 13a are facing one another. Both jaws 12, 13 are elongate and hollow, their distal ends being closed by tips 14, 15 respectively, made of thermally insulating material.

[0041]A hair waving clamp 16 has a clamp portion 16a with concave cylindrical clamp face 16b shaped to conform to the cylindrical face 13b. The clamp 16 is attached by the pivot 190 to the handle 11. A lever portion 17 extends from the clamp portion 16a to the opposite side ...

second embodiment

[0050]an electric hair styling iron 100 is shown in FIGS. 10-18, and like numbers are used to refer to like components. Iron 100 comprises a handle 11 having a convex cross-section and formed from upper and lower elongate shell mouldings 11a, 11b. A power cord (not shown) may extend from the end of the handle 11.

[0051]A first jaw 12 is rigidly fixed to the handle 11 and has flat inner surface 12a and cylindrical outer surface 12b. A second jaw 13, also having flat inner surface 13a and cylindrical outer surface 13b, is attached by a transversely extending pivot 190 to the handle 11 such that the inner faces 12a, 13a are facing one another. Both jaws 12, 13 are elongate and hollow, their distal ends being closed by tips 14, 15 respectively, made of thermally insulating material.

[0052]A hair waving clamp 16 has a clamp portion 16a with concave cylindrical clamp face 16b shaped to conform to the cylindrical face 13b. The clamp 16 is attached by the pivot 19 to the handle 11. A lever po...

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