Abstract:
A flat iron with two opposing portions, the first featuring a comb and the second featuring a ditch for the comb to received, thereby providing a flush surface for the opposing portions to adequately and evenly apply heat to hair strands separated by the comb.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/319,464, filed Apr. 7, 2016. The above references application is incorporated herein by reference as if restated in full. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Flat Irons were introduced to assist in the straightening of hair. They work by applying heat to hair, which then falls into a relaxed state. However, hair that is too wavy, curly, or disheveled, may not straighten evenly because individual strands of hair may be clumped together, thus preventing fully and even heating. 
         [0003]    Combs are used for separating hair strands, but unless they are combined with flat irons, the acts of heating and separating hair strands must be done independently. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one aspect, the device comprises at least two heating elements, a comb, a comb ditch, a first opposing portion, a second opposing portion, and a power source. 
         [0005]    The opposing portions may be made of thermally non-conductive material such as plastic. They each comprise a first end and a second end, and are hingedly or rotatably attached at the second end. They are designed to be held in one hand by the user. The hinged attachment may be spring-loaded, or use a mechanism that uses tension to provide a default orientation but permits motion if a constant pressure is applied. In one embodiment, the default orientation of the opposing portions may be between five and sixty degrees of separation, but the opposing portions may be clamped by the user so that at least a portion of an inner surface of the first opposing portion may be placed in flush contact with an inner surface of the second opposing portion. 
         [0006]    The heating elements comprise panels designed to be pressed against hair. The panels have a substantially flat portion and may be at least four inches by a fourth of an inch by a third of an inch in dimension. The panels may have an exterior portion and an interior portion made of different materials with differing heat capacity and transfer properties. The heating elements may be disposed on at least the first opposing portion, but in one embodiment may also be placed in the second opposing portion. The heating elements may be controlled thermostatically, and are connected to an electrical source which provides the current used to raise the temperature of the heating elements. The current flow may be controlled by a control mechanism, which may provide a range of heating profiles or a discrete set of heating levels. 
         [0007]    The comb is designed to separate strands of hair so that when the heating elements make contact with the hair, the strands of hair may be separately heated, thereby facilitating the shaping of the hair. The comb may be disposed on at least one opposing portion. It may be oriented orthogonally to the flat portion of the panels and run longitudinally down an axis of the at least one opposing portion. 
         [0008]    The comb ditch is a concave or well-shaped portion disposed on an opposing portion opposite the opposing portion on which the comb is disposed. It is further disposed between at least two heating elements. Its is oriented longitidunally down at least a portion of an axis of the opposing portion. Its dimensions are sufficient to entirely receive the protruding portion of the comb when the two opposing portions are pressed together. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of an embodiment of the device. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , The device may comprise a first opposing portion with a bottom housing  101  as a shell and a second opposing portion with a top housing  114  as a shell. The top and bottom housing provide an exterior for the device, and may be made of hard plastic or any other appropriate material, particularly thermally non-conductive mateial. The top housing may be enclosed by a top cover  117  which fases the bottom housing and a set of aluminum plates  110 . The first set of aluminum plates are meant to engage with the second set of aluminum plates to heat hair stands placed between them. A comb  109  may be attached to the first set of aluminum plates or aluminum plate B. It may also be disposed between two hemispheres of the aluminum plates. The comb may feature prongs which extend from the top housing, each prong comprising a root and a tip. The tips are directed toward the comb ditch and the roots are attached to the top housing. Ideally, the roots are disposed and attached to the top housing on level with the first set of aluminum plates so that no debris falls between the roots and the aluminum plates or between the roots. This comb may be used to separate the heated hair strands. The comb ditch may comprise of a series of wells, with each well being shaped to perfectly receive an opposing prong, or a single long ditch long enough to receive the full length of the comb. The thickness of the ditch may be only just wide enough to receive the prongs so that no extra debris falls in. The ditch may have a bottom so that prongs do not extend through the second opposing portion and make contact with a hand or scalp unintentionally. Also, the ditch may have a curved-joining of the side walls and the bottom so that there are no hard-to-reach corners, thereby facilitating cleaning. 
         [0017]    The first set of aluminum plates may be connected to a thermal fuse  111 . The thermal fuse receives electricity from the power supply, mediated by a circuit board. When the temperature reaches a predetermined amount, the thermal fuse interrupts the electric curent. This prevents the device from overheating. The aluminum plate B may be held in place by a plate holder B  112  and a back or behind holder  113 . Both the plate holder B and the behind holder are encased within the top housing and are designed to stucturally support the aluminum plate B. 
         [0018]    A printed circuit board A  116  may be held in place by and between the top housing and the top cover. This circuit board A may be electrically connected to the thermal fuse, controlling the flow of electricity to the thermal fuse. The printed circuit board A may be powered by a power cord  129  which conveys power to the circuit board A through an opening in a bottom cover  118  and an opening in the top cover. The user may view the status of power or heat on an LCD screen located on or adjacent to the printed circuit board A and protruding through a groove of the top housing. The LCD screen may be protected by an LCD cover  115  that is attached to and disposed on the top housing. 
         [0019]    A printed circuit board B  120  may be held in place by and between the bottom housing and a bottom cover  118 . The printed circuit board B may be connected to the power supply mediated by a contact holder  128 , which holds a contact plate A  126  and a contact plate B  127 . A switch knob  119  may be disposed on the printed circuit board B, permitting the user to control power and heat aspects of the device. The switch knob may protrude through the bottom cover or be in contact with finger pads that protrude through the bottom cover. 
         [0020]    A second set of aluminum plates or aluminum plate A  107  may be held in place by a clamp plate  105  and a plate holder A  104 . The plate holder may be attached to the bottom housing by means of screws. An LED circuit board may be disposed between the bottom housing and an LED cover  108 . The LED circuit may sit between two portions of the plate holder A, the clamp plate, and the aluminum plate A. 
         [0021]    The top housing and the bottom housing may be rotationally attached by a swivel mechanism, comprised of an external portion fixed either to the top housing or the bottom housing, a swivel unit  122 , and an internal portion fixed either to bottom housing or the top housing. The internal portion fits inside the external portion, and the two portions are rotationally aligned by means of a shaft  124 . The swivel mechanism may be a swivel unit, which features two concentric joints, one inside the other or placed adjacently along an axis and aligned by a shaft. The swivel mechanism may be spring-loaded so that a default orientation of the two concentric joints is created. Since each of the concentric joints adheres to either the first or second opposing portion, the first or second opposing portions are provided a default separation, ideally between thirty and forty five degrees, or between fifteen and thirty degrees, or between forty five and sixty degrees. 
         [0022]    A first MCH heating element  106  is positioned between the aluminum plate A and the clamp plate or plate holder. A second MCH heating element is positioned between the aluminum plate B and the plate holder B. Ideally, the components other than the heating elements and the aluminum plates are thermally non-conductive.