U.S. patent application number 12/017645 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-24 for split handle hair appliance with multiple attachments.
Invention is credited to Anthony Kit Lun Leung.
Application Number | 20080173322 12/017645 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39640085 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080173322 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leung; Anthony Kit Lun |
July 24, 2008 |
SPLIT HANDLE HAIR APPLIANCE WITH MULTIPLE ATTACHMENTS
Abstract
A heated hair styling appliance (1) has a handle portion (2)
that is adapted to be locked into a single handle configuration or
released into a hinged, two-piece tong configuration. One or more
hair styling attachments (11) may be attached to and used with the
handle portion (2), the attachments being in the form of any one of
a variety of conventional or customized hair styling devices such
as flat irons, single barrel curling irons, spiral curling irons,
multiple barrel curling irons and others.
Inventors: |
Leung; Anthony Kit Lun;
(North Point, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Lawrence Cruz;Conair Corporation
One Cummings Point Road
STAMFORD
CT
06902
US
|
Family ID: |
39640085 |
Appl. No.: |
12/017645 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60881993 |
Jan 23, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/232 ;
132/223; 132/229; 219/222; 219/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 2/001 20130101;
A45D 1/06 20130101; A45D 1/04 20130101; A45D 1/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/232 ;
132/229; 132/223; 219/225; 219/222 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20060101
A45D001/04; A45D 2/00 20060101 A45D002/00 |
Claims
1. An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to
selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair,
said appliance comprising a handle having two generally elongated
handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a
distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their
respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be
opened and closed with respect to each other; an electrically
conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle
section; and at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment
having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively
attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector
assemblies in an electrically conductive manner.
2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one
hair styling attachment comprises a single attachment having a
coupling assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both
handle sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are
prevented from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each
other while said attachment is engaged with said connector
assemblies.
3. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one
hair styling attachment comprises two attachments, each of said two
attachments having a coupling assembly that engages a respective
one of the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle
sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect
to each other while said attachments are engaged with said
respective connector assemblies.
4. An appliance according to claim 2, wherein said attachment
comprises an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and used to
style hair.
5. An appliance according to claim 2, wherein said attachment
comprises a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be heated and used
to style hair.
6. An appliance according to claim 3, wherein each of said
attachments comprises a generally paddle-shaped head having a
heatable surface thereon and being adapted to be heated and used to
style hair.
7. An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to
selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair,
said appliance comprising a handle having two generally elongated
handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a
distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their
respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be
opened and closed with respect to each other; an electrically
conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle
section; and at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment
having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively
attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector
assemblies in an electrically conductive manner; and a plurality of
attachments comprising an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and
used to style hair, a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be
heated and used to style hair, and a pair of generally
paddle-shaped heads each having a heatable surface thereon and
being adapted to be heated and used to style hair, wherein each of
said attachments is adapted to be connected to one or both handle
portions.
8. An appliance according to claim 7, wherein each of said
plurality of hair styling attachments comprises either: a coupling
assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both handle
sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are prevented
from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each other
while said respective attachment is engaged with said connector
assemblies; or a coupling assembly that engages a respective one of
the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle
sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect
to each other while one of said respective attachments are engaged
with a respective one of said respective connector assemblies at
the same time.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to hair styling appliances
and, more particularly, to heated styling irons.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Various types of heated appliances for styling hair exist,
such as flat irons, curling irons, and spiral curling irons.
Certain curling irons are multi-function in that they comprise a
round heated barrel that is split so that it can open into a flat
iron of the type having two facing heat plates that can be opened
apart or closed toward each other. Such multi-function devices are
limited in choices of configuration and thus also in size and
shape. These limits in turn limit performance and efficiency. No
known heated hair styling appliances exist that provide relatively
unlimited versatility and that are relatively unencumbered in
performance and efficiency.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a heated
hair appliance that is configurable in potentially unlimited ways
and thus delivers optimal results in versatility, performance and
efficiency.
[0007] These and other objects are achieved by the present
invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention, a heated hair styling
appliance has a handle portion that is adapted to be locked into a
single handle configuration or released into a hinged, two-piece
tong configuration. One or more hair styling attachments may be
attached to and used with the handle portion, the attachments being
in the form of any one of a variety of conventional or customized
hair styling devices such as flat irons, single barrel curling
irons, spiral curling irons, multiple barrel curling irons and
others.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a hair appliance according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a first
attachment attached.
[0010] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a hair appliance according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the first
attachments detached.
[0011] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a hair appliance according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a second
attachment detached.
[0012] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a hair appliance according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a second
attachment attached.
[0013] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a third attachment
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2D is a perspective view of a fourth attachment
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2E is a perspective view of a fifth attachment
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the first attachment
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3B is a rear view of the first attachment according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the second attachment
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 3B is a rear view of the second attachment according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, a preferred embodiment of the
invention for a heated hair appliance 1 includes a handle 2
comprising a first handle portion 3 and a second handle portion 4.
The first and second portions 3, 4 include, respectively, a lower
locking button 5 and an upper locking button 6. A hinge 8 connects
the first handle portion 3 and the second handle portion 4 to each
other in a pivotal manner. A cord socket 9 is provided for
attaching a power cord 10 that is plugged into an external
electrical source (not shown). The distal ends of the first and
second portions 3,4 include, respectively, first pin receptacles 16
and second pin receptacles 17.
[0021] A hair straightener attachment 11 comprises a first paddle
12 and a second paddle 13, being provided with, respectively, a
first heat plate 18 and a second heat plate 19. A first set of
contact pins 14 is attached to the first paddle 12 is adapted to
selectively engage the first pin receptacles 16, thereby forming an
electrical connection to transmit electrical energy from the power
cord 10 to conventional heating elements (not shown) beneath the
surface of the first heat plate 18. A second set of contact pins 15
is attached to the second paddle 13 is adapted to selectively
engage the second pin receptacles 17, thereby forming an electrical
connection to transmit electrical energy from the power cord 10 to
conventional heating elements (not shown) beneath the surface of
the second heat plate 19. A control switch 7 is provided to
activate or deactivate heating. As shown in FIG. 1A, when the
paddles 12, 13 are attached to the handle 2 the device 1 resembles
a conventional flat iron. As shown in FIG. 1B, the paddles 12, 13
can be removed from the handle 2 by manipulating the locking
buttons 5,6 and pulling them from the handle to separate the pins
14, 15 from the receptacles 16, 17.
[0022] A spiral iron attachment 20 is shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, having
a round barrel 21 and a raised helical ridge 22. A pivotally
mounted spoon 23 having a hair engaging portion 24 and a thumb
contact portion 25 for moving the spoon 23 relative to the barrel
21 is provided. Contact pins 26 are provided for selectively
engaging the pin receptacles 16, 17 to attach or detach the spiral
attachment 20 from the handle 2. The spiral attachment 20 is
electrically heated as described above with respect to the
straightener attachment 11.
[0023] A dual tong attachment 27 having two heatable barrels 28, 29
is illustrated in FIG. 2C and is adapted to be selectively and
operably attached to the handle 2 via contact pins 30 in a manner
such as described with respect to the straightener attachment
11.
[0024] A curling iron attachment 31 having a heatable barrel 32 and
spoon 33 with thumb engaging portion 34 is illustrated in FIG. 2D
and is adapted to be selectively and operably attached to the
handle 2 via contact pins 35 in a manner such as described with
respect to the straightener attachment 11.
[0025] A brush attachment having bristles 37 extending from a
barrel 38 is illustrated in FIG. 2E and is adapted to be
selectively and operably attached to the handle.
[0026] The contact pins 14, 15 and pin receptacles 16, 17 of the
straightener attachment 11 are shown in additional views in FIGS.
3A-3B. There are a total of four pins and four receptacles.
[0027] The contact pins 26, 39 and pin receptacles 40, 41 of the
spiral attachment 20 are shown in additional views in FIGS. 4A-4B.
There are a total of two pins and two receptacles.
[0028] While the preferred embodiment has been disclosed, various
modification can be made without departing from the scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *