EP1980173A2

EP1980173A2 - Electric hair straightening and waving iron

Info

Publication number: EP1980173A2
Application number: EP08251391A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Raymond Kin Man Wong
Original assignee: Hang Shun Hing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hang Shun Hing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-04-10
Filing date: 2008-04-10
Publication date: 2008-10-15
Also published as: EP1980173A3

Abstract

A first jaw (12) is rigidly fixed to the handle (11) of the iron (10), with a second heated jaw (13) and clamp (16) pivotally fixed to the first jaw (12). Complementary flat surfaces on the first (12) and second (13) jaws allow hair to be straightened therebetween and complementary curved faces on the clamp (16) and second jaw provide for hair held therebetween to be waved. Both jaws (12,13) and the clamp (16) have apertures with keyway portions therein. A pivot (19) is received in the apertures for connecting the jaws (12,13) and clamp (16). The pivot (19) has axially spaced key portions of complementary shape to the keyway portions. The pivot (19) is moveable substantially parallel to a pivot axis of the pivot (19) between a first position for connecting the second jaw (13) and the clamp (16) together for pivoting relative to the first jaw (12) and a second position, for connecting the first (12) and second (13) jaws together, while permitting relative pivoting of the clamp (16).

Description

Technical field

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

The applicant's pending U.S. application number 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 quite 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.
WO 2006/044570 describes an iron having a pair of heated jaws between which hair can be clamped for straightening, and a clamp for holding hair wound about the closed jaws for waving. A locking mechanism is provided locking the clamp to a pivoting jaw, such that the clamp and jaw pivot together in a straightening configuration and releasing the clamp from the pivoting jaw in the waving configuration. The locking mechanism however does not lock the jaws closed together in the waving configuration. It is an object of the present invention to meet the above needs or more generally to provide an improved hair straightening and waving iron.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hair styling iron comprising:

a handle;
a first jaw connected to the handle and having elongate inner and outer faces and a first jaw aperture with at least one keyway portion therein;
a second jaw having elongate inner and outer faces and a second jaw aperture with at least one keyway portion therein, at least one of the jaws being heated;
a clamp having an elongate clamp face and a clamp aperture with at least one keyway portion therein;
a pivot received in the apertures for pivotally connecting the second jaw and clamp to the first jaw such that the inner faces of the jaws are facing one another and the clamp face is presented toward the outer face of the second jaw, the pivot having axially spaced key portions of complementary shape to the keyway portions, the pivot being moveable substantially parallel to a pivot axis of the pivot between a first position and a second position,

and in the second position the key portions on the pivot engage the keyway portions on the first jaw and second jaw for connecting the first and second jaws together, while permitting relative pivoting of the clamp.
It will be understood that, alternatively, the keyway portions may be provided in the pivot, with complementary key portions in the apertures.

Therefore in another aspect the invention provides a hair styling iron comprising:

a handle;
first and second elongate jaws connected to the handle, the jaws having respective inner and outer faces, at least one of the jaws being heated;
a pivot mounting the second jaw for pivoting relative to the handle such that the inner faces are facing one another, the pivot being movable substantially parallel to an axis of the pivot between a first position and a second position;
a clamp mounted to the handle by the pivot, the clamp having an clamp face presented toward the outer face of the second jaw, and
key faces on the pivot for engaging complementary key faces on the first jaw, second jaw and clamp;

Preferably the iron further includes a detent for holding the pivot in the first position and second position.
Preferably the inner faces of the jaws are substantially flat. In this manner, with the pivot in the first position hair can be clamped between the jaws for straightening. The outer faces of the jaws are preferably convex and the clamp face concave such that with the pivot in the second position hair wound about both jaws can be held against the jaws by the clamp for waving.
Preferably the first jaw is rigidly fixed to the handle, and further including a spring biasing the clamp toward the first jaw, the clamp having a lever portion on the opposite side of the pivot from the clamp surface, such that pressing the lever portion toward the handle pivots the clamp face away from the first jaw.
The iron preferably further comprises a spring biasing the pivot to one of the first and second positions, the detent including a slider fixed in a slot in the handle, the slider having an outer side configured to be manually engaged and an opposing inner side for engaging the pivot, the inner side including a ramp inclined to the axis of the pivot for moving the pivot axially.
This invention provides a hair straightening and waving iron with a locking mechanism for locking the jaws together which is effective and efficient in operational use, and which has an overall simple design and a small number of parts which minimizes manufacturing costs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a hair styling iron according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a pictorial view of the styling iron of Fig. 1 in a straightening configuration;
Figure 3 is a pictorial view of the styling iron of Fig. 1 in a curling configuration;
Figure 4 is an exploded view of the parts connected by the pivot of the iron of Fig. 1;
Figure 5 is a pictorial view of the pivot of the iron of Fig. 1;
Figure 6 is a transverse cross section through the centreline of the pivot of the iron of Fig. 1;
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section in an upright plane through the iron of Fig. 1;
Figure 8 is a scrap section along line AA of Fig. 6 showing a straightening configuration, and
Figure 9 is shows the view of Fig. 8 in a curling configuration.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figs 1-4, an electric hair styling iron 10 comprises a handle 11 having a convex cross-section and formed from upper and lower elongate shell mouldings 11 a, 11 b. A power cord (not shown) may extend from the end of the handle 11.
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 19 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.
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 portion 17 extends from the clamp portion 16a to the opposite side of the pivot 19 such that pressing the lever portion 17 toward the handle 11 pivots the clamp face 16b away from the first jaw 12, thereby either opening the jaws 12, 13 in a straightening configuration (Fig. 2) or else opening the clamp 16 in a curling configuration (Fig. 3). A torsion spring 22 is fixed to the handle 11 and located under the lever 17, biasing the lever 17 to close both the clamp 16 and second jaw 13.
A locking mechanism includes a longitudinally moving slider 18 or actuating member on a side of the handle 11 adjacent its inner end. The slider 18 actuates the locking mechanism and also provides a detent, it is moveable between an outer position (Figs 1 and 2) wherein second jaw 13 and clamp assembly 16 are locked together (the straightening configuration), and an inner position (Fig. 3) wherein the first and second jaws 12, 13 are locked together (the curling configuration).
The pivot 19, as shown in Fig. 4, is substantially cylindrical with projecting key portions 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 formed thereon. The key portions are symmetrically arranged in pairs 30/31, 32/33, 34/35, 36/37 the projections of each pair being on opposing sides of a central plane 20, the pairs being spaced apart longitudinally.
As shown in Fig. 5, the pivot 19 extends through apertures 24, 25, 26 in the first jaw 12 (which is fixed to the handle 11), the second jaw 13 and the clamp 16 respectively. The apertures 24, 25, 26 are configured to receive the pivot 19 in a sliding fit and have respective cylindrical faces 24a, 25a, 26a and keyway portions 24b, 25b, 26b on opposing sides of the central plane 20 for receiving the key portions 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Two stop pins 41 are held in an interference fit in apertures 43 in the jaw 12, and slidably received in part-annular slots 44, 45 in the second jaw 13 and clamp 16 respectively, for limiting the angular displacement of the jaw 13 and clamp 16.
Referring to Figs 6-9, in which the iron 10 is shown in the straightening configuration, the slider 18is received in a slot in the handle 11. A compression spring 21 between the inner wall of the handle 11 and one end of the pivot 19 presses the opposite end of the pivot 19 to abut the slider 18.
Fig. 6 shows that the first jaw 12, second jaw 13 and clamp 16 are generally U-shaped in transverse section, the pivot-receiving aperture 24 extending through two flanges 12a, 12b of the first jaw 12, pivot-receiving aperture 25 extending through two flanges 13a, 13b of the second jaw 13, pivot-receiving aperture 26 extending through two flanges 16a, 16b of the clamp 16.
Fig. 7 illustrates the longitudinally extending element 40 received within the pivoting jaw 13.
As best seen in Fig. 8, in the straightening configuration the spring is extended and the pivot 19 is in a first position wherein the key portions 30, 31, 36, 37 are received in the apertures 26 in the clamp 17, rotationally fixing the pivot 19 to the clamp 17. The key portions 32, 33, 34, 35 are received in the apertures 25 in the second jaw 13, likewise rotationally fixing the pivot 19 to the second jaw 13. Thus in this first position the key faces 30a, 31a, 36a, 37a on the pivot 19 engage the key faces 25d, 26d, 25e, 26e on the second jaw 13 and the clamp 17 for connecting the second jaw 13 and the clamp 17 together for pivoting relative to the first jaw 12.
The slider 18 has an inclined ramp face 41 which engages the end of the pivot 19 when the slider 18 is moved to its inner position, thereby displacing the pivot 19 to a second position shown in Fig. 9. In this manner slider 18 provides a detent for holding the pivot 19 in the first position or second position.
In the curling configuration of Fig. 9, the spring 21 is compressed and the pivot 19 is in the second position, the key portions 34, 35 are received in the aperture 24 in the flange 12b of the first jaw 12. The key portions 32, 33 are received in both apertures 24 and 25 to span between flanges 12a, 13a of first and second jaws 12, 13. In this way the first and second jaws 12, 13 are rotationally fixed with the pivot 19. Thus in this second position the key faces 32a, 33a, 34a, 35a on the pivot 19 engage the key faces 24d, 25d, 24e, 25e on the first jaw 12 and second jaw 13 for fixing the first and second jaws together, while permitting relative pivoting of the clamp 16.
When the user's thumb is released from the lever 17, the slider 18 is moved by the thumb for changing between the two configurations.
Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

A hair styling iron comprising:
a handle;

a first jaw connected to the handle and having elongate inner and outer faces and a first jaw aperture with at least one keyway portion therein;

a second jaw having elongate inner and outer faces and a second jaw aperture with at least one keyway portion therein, at least one of the jaws being heated;

a clamp having an elongate clamp face and a clamp aperture with at least one keyway portion therein;

a pivot received in the apertures for pivotally connecting the second jaw and clamp to the first jaw such that the inner faces of the jaws are facing one another and the clamp face is presented toward the outer face of the second jaw, the pivot having axially spaced key portions of complementary shape to the keyway portions, the pivot being moveable substantially parallel to a pivot axis of the pivot between a first position and a second position,
wherein in the first position the key portions on the pivot engage the keyway portions on the second jaw and the clamp for connecting the second jaw and the clamp together for pivoting relative to the first jaw;
and in the second position the key portions on the pivot engage the keyway portions on the first jaw and second jaw for connecting the first and second jaws together, while permitting relative pivoting of the clamp.
The iron of claim 1 further comprising a detent for holding the pivot in the first position and second position.
The iron of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the inner faces of the jaws are substantially flat.
The iron of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the outer faces of the jaws are convex, and the clamp face is concave.
The iron of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the first jaw is rigidly fixed to the handle, and further including a spring biasing the clamp toward the first jaw, the clamp having a lever portion on the opposite side of the pivot from the clamp surface, such that pressing the lever portion toward the handle pivots the clamp face away from the first jaw.
The iron of any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a spring biasing the pivot to one of the first and second positions, the detent including a slider fixed in a slot in the handle, the slider having an outer side configured to be manually engaged and an opposing inner side for engaging the pivot, the inner side including a ramp inclined to the axis of the pivot for moving the pivot axially.