Patent Publication Number: US-2023143505-A1

Title: Curling iron and method for curling hair

Description:
This Patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 29/753,278 filed on Sep. 30, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electric curling irons for hair, and more particularly to an electric curling iron with a triangular shape. 
     This relates to hair curling irons, which have been a staple of women&#39;s hair styling products for years. Heated hair may be smoothed, manipulated, and styled more easily that non-heated hair. In general, curling irons impart a curl or pattern to hair being styled by sufficiently heating a barrel or mandrel of the curling iron and restraining the hair in physical contact with the barrel to thermally heat the hair. A section of hair is typically wound around the heated barrel of the curling iron and held in contact with the heated barrel for a period of time. Heat from the heated barrel reforms plastic bonds in the hair. When the heat styled hair is removed from the heated barrel the hair retains the shape of the curling iron&#39;s barrel. 
     The radius of the curling iron barrel has a significant effect on the curling properties of the curling iron. A barrel that has a relatively small radius results in a tighter and longer lasting curl whereas a barrel that has a relatively large radius forms a looser curl (i.e., a more open curl or wave pattern) in hair being styled. Curling irons having a relatively large radius barrel may be used to iron (i.e., straighten) sections of hair. 
     Typically curling irons use a cylindrical iron body which contains a heating element, allowing the hair to be curled. As such, there is a need for curling irons with differently shaped barrels for different hairstyles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present apparatus is a hair curling iron with a tapered triangular shape. The hair curling iron of the present invention includes an iron body which is heated. The iron body has a heating body having a tapered triangular shape with a triangular cross-section, and a handle which is coupled to an end of the heating body. In the current invention, the triangular heating body provides new types of hair curls as a result of the tapered triangular shape. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a front plan view thereof; 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom plan view thereof; 
         FIG.  4    is a right-side elevational view thereof; 
         FIG.  5    is a left-side elevational view thereof; 
         FIG.  6    is a top plan view thereof; 
         FIG.  7    is a rear plan view thereof; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a triangular curling iron. The invention is described herein. 
     Referring to the figures there is shown a curling iron  100 . Curling iron  100  has a handle  101  for safely manipulating the curling iron, and a triangular iron body  102 . The curling iron may have a cool tip provided at a distal end of triangular iron body  102 . The cool tip preferably remains substantially cool during heated operation of the curling iron, thereby providing a safe and comfortable location for manipulating the curling iron in addition to handle  101 . 
     Curling iron  100  preferably receives power from an electrical outlet via power cord  104 . It should be appreciated that the curling iron may be powered by, for example, a battery or other suitable sources of electrical power. 
     Handle  101  is preferably thermally insulated from triangular iron body  102  that is heated to style hair. Handle  101  preferably provides a substantial surface that can be grasped and manipulated (e.g., turned) during the styling of hair. Handle  101  may also have a triangular shape, similar to the shape of triangular iron body  102 , or it may be a round cylindrical shape. The triangular shape of handle  101  makes it easy to determine the orientation of triangular iron body  102 , as the orientation of handle  101  matches the orientation of triangular iron body  102 . Handle  101  can have a soft-grip covering and/or other features located in or on the handle to facilitate comfortable and practical manipulation of curling iron  100 . Handle  101  may also include a raised hand guard, preventing the fingers from touching triangular iron body  102 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, triangular iron body  102  preferably tapers from a proximal end located at or near the handle  101  of the curling to a distal end located at or near the tip. Due to the taper of the triangular iron body  102 , the radius (e.g., a first radius) of the triangular iron body  102  at or near the proximal end is greater than the radius (e.g., a second radius) of the triangular iron body  102  at or near the distal end of the triangular iron body  102 . Preferably, the transition in the size of the triangular iron body  102 &#39;s radius is substantially smooth and gradual. The taper of triangular iron body  102  may extend substantially through the entire length of triangular iron body  102 , or it may only be for a portion of triangular iron body  102 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, handle  101  contains switches  105  and  106 , which control the heating elements of curling iron  100 . These heating elements heat up triangular iron body  102 , heating the hair so it may be curled. Heating elements in curling irons are well known to those within the art, and may be a ceramic heater, or other heaters known in the art. 
     While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims. Thus a curling iron has been described.