Abstract:
There is provided a hair styling tool suitable for styling hair. The hair styling tool has a handle portion with a pair of pivotally connected arms. The hair styling tool also has a hair engaging portion with one or more hair contacting elements. The hair contacting elements provide a hair styling effect. Hair contacting elements have apertures and/or perforated grooves disposed therein. The hair contacting elements can be removably connected to the styling tool to selectively accomplish various hair styling techniques and/or effects in an efficient and versatile manner to reduce the duration and/or degree to which hair is exposed to styling damage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a hair styling tool. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flat hair crimping and/or straightening iron.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Flat iron hair straighteners and/or crimpers are well known. Typically, these devices have two pivoting arms with at least one arm having a heating surface suitable for making direct contact with the hair of a user. These devices can provide a variety of different styling effects to the hair. For example, the hair can be straightened, curled or crimped depending on the configuration of the heating surface as locks of hair are gripped between the two arms.  
         [0005]     A drawback associated with these conventional hair crimpers and/or straighteners is found in the operating and/or styling inefficiency associated with styling damp or wet hair.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective and versatile hair styling tool that is capable of efficiently styling damp or wet hair.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair styling tool that has vent system.  
         [0008]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hair styling tool that operatively cooperates with a variety of vented hair contacting elements.  
         [0009]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hair styling tool and complementary hair contacting elements that provide for different hair styling effects.  
         [0010]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a hair styling tool with a handle portion having at least two arms pivotally connected at a proximal end thereof. The hair styling tool has a hair engaging portion and one or more hair contacting elements. The hair contacting elements can provide a predetermined hair styling effect. Hair contacting elements preferably have one or more apertures and/or perforated grooves disposed therein. The hair contacting elements can be removably connected to the styling tool to selectively accomplish various hair styling techniques and/or effects. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a hair styling tool in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair styling tool of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair styling tool of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a hair engaging portion of the hair styling tool of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side section view of the hair engaging portion of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is an end section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is an end section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view of a contacting element in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 15  is a side section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 14 ; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 16  is an end section view of the contacting element of  FIG. 14 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Referring to the drawings and, in particular,  FIG. 1 , a hair styling tool in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally represented by reference numeral  1 . Preferably, a hair styling tool  1  has at least a pair of pivotally connected arms  10 . Each arm  10  has a handle portion  12  and a hair engaging portion  14 . Each hair engaging portion  14  has a hair contacting element  16 .  
         [0028]     Each arm  10  preferably has a proximal end  18  and a distal end  20 . Arms  10  are pivotally connected preferably at a proximal end  18  thereof via a hinge  22 . Hair engaging portion  14  is preferably at a distal end  20  of arms  10  spaced a distance from handle portion  12  and/or hinge  22 .  
         [0029]     However, arms  10  may also, or alternatively, be otherwise connected and/or arranged. For example, arms  10  can be pivotally connected at an intermediate portion of each arm. Hinge  22  preferably operates to bias arms  10  apart from each other. The hinge bias may be selectively overcome via a user interaction. For example, handle portion  12  can enable a user to selectively overcome the bias of hinge  22 , such as, for example, by a squeezing action of the user&#39;s hand. That is, arms  10  can be manipulated via handle portions  12  thereof to cause arms  10  to pivot relative to each other, about hinge  22 . The pivotal movement allows hair engaging portions  14  to move hair engaging portions  14  between a closed, relatively parallel hair engaging state, and an open, relatively separate hair disengaging state. Hair engaging portions  14  are preferably suitable to operatively accommodate hair contacting elements  16 .  
         [0030]     Arms  10  can preferably be made of any suitable material and/or combination of materials for providing safe and effective handling. Also, arms  10  may have any appropriate shape or configuration sufficient to accommodate a variety of different applications in use.  
         [0031]     Hair engaging portion  14  of arms  10  can have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/or configurations. For example, in the aspect of the invention reflected in  FIG. 1 , each hair engaging portion  14  can be in the form of a paddle with a substantially planar surface  24  suitable for mechanically and/or thermally cooperating with contacting elements  16 . One or more hair engaging portions  14  can house a heater  26  (see  FIGS. 3, 5 , and  7 ) directly or indirectly connected to hair engaging portion  14  and a power source (not shown). One or both hair engaging portion  14  can have any of a variety of other aspects, some of which will now be discussed.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 6 , in a preferred aspect of the present invention, each hair engaging portion  14  cooperates with its respective hair contacting element  16  to provide a venting feature. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , hair engaging portion  14  can have one or more vents  28  for allowing heat, pressure and/or moisture resulting during operative use of styling tool  1  to escape. Preferably, this venting feature reduces or eliminates the need for otherwise drying the hair (e.g., via a blow dryer) depending on the styling effect desired.  
         [0033]     Vents  28  can have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/or configurations as appropriate for accomplishing an intended purpose of the present invention. For example, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in one aspect of the present invention, at least some vents  28  may have a larger cross-sectional area than others. At least some vents  28  may be recessed and/or connected to a chamber  30 , see  FIGS. 5 and 7 . Chamber  30  can operate to direct the heat and/or moisture as desired. Chamber  30  may cooperate with an actuator  32  such as that shown in  FIG. 5 . Actuator  32  may selectively control the extents to which vents  28  are open and/or closed. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , Chamber  30  preferably allows for a first side  34  of at least one hair engaging portion  14  to have vents  28  of a first shape, size, number or arrangement and a second side  36 , opposite first side  34 , to have a second shape, size, number and arrangement. Vents  28  can be randomly arranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable for accomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/or functional, of the present invention.  
         [0034]     In another preferred aspect of the present invention, one or more hair contacting elements  16  may selectively cooperate with their respective hair engaging portions  14  to provide additional and/or alternative hair styling options. Each hair contacting element  16  is preferably formed of a suitable heat conductive material such as, for example, a metallic material and/or a ceramic material. Hair contacting elements  16  can be fixed and/or removable with respect to hair engaging portion  14 , and can have any shape, size and/or configuration appropriate for an intended use. For example, hair contacting elements  16  can have an upper surface  38  that is flat or smooth, as shown in FIGS.  8  to  10  and  11  to  13 , for straightening hair; corrugated, as shown in FIGS.  14  to  16 , for crimping hair; or otherwise formed to provide other hair styling effects.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 8 through 16 , in a preferred aspect of the present invention, hair engaging portions  14  operate with one or more hair contacting elements  16  that have apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  therein. Apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  preferably communicate with vents  28  of hair engaging portion  14  to allow heat, pressure and/or moisture, resulting during use of styling tool  1 , to escape. Apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  of hair contacting element  16  can have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/or configurations as appropriate for accomplishing any of a variety of hair styling effects.  
         [0036]     For example, referring to  FIGS. 8 through 10 , in one aspect of the present invention, one or more hair contacting elements  16  can have a substantially flat or planar contacting surface with a pair of perforated grooves  42  therein. Referring to the hair contacting element shown, these perforated grooves  42  preferably are in direct fluid communication with vents  28  of hair engaging portion  14 . When hair contacting element  16  and hair engaging portion  14  are properly operatively connected, perforated grooves  42  and vents  28  are in direct alignment with each other. Alternatively, perforated grooves  42  may be arranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable for accomplishing an intended purpose, aesthetic and/or functional.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 11 through 13 , in another aspect of the present invention, at least some apertures  40  can have a larger cross-sectional area than other apertures. Also, at least some apertures  40  may be recessed. Further, at least some apertures  40  can be in direct fluid communication with vents  28  of hair engaging portion  14  so that when hair contacting element  16  and hair engaging portion  14  are properly operatively connected, apertures  40  and vents  28  are in direct alignment with each other. Apertures  40  can be arranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable for accomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/or functional, of the present invention.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 14 through 16 , in still another aspect of the present invention, apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  may be disposed in a non-planar contacting surface of hair contacting element  16 . For example, as best shown in  FIG. 16 , apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  can be disposed in one or more depressions  44  of a corrugated surface of hair contacting element  16 . Again, when hair contacting element  16  and hair engaging portion  14  are properly operatively connected, apertures  40  and/or perforated grooves  42  are preferably directly aligned with vents  28 . However, apertures  40  and/or grooves  42  can be arranged in any of a variety of patterns suitable for accomplishing intended purposes, aesthetic and/or functional, of the present invention.  
         [0039]     Hair contacting elements  16  can also be provided with an engaging groove  46  as shown in  FIG. 10 , preferably in a lower surface  48  thereof, for cooperating with a complementary engaging tongue  50  associated with hair engaging portion  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . This tongue  50  and groove  46  connection can be used to facilitate the interchangeability of the various hair contacting elements  16 . In one aspect of the present invention, engaging groove  46  and tongue  50  can be thermally interactive so that heat generated via heater  26  of hair styling tool  1  can be selectively transferred to an engaged hair contacting element  16  via engaged tongue  50 . Further, this tongue  50  and groove  46  connection preferably prevents any vertical displacement of hair contacting elements  16  with respect to hair engaging portion  14 .  
         [0040]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in another aspect of the invention, hair engaging portion  14  can have a lock/release mechanism  52  suitable to selectively secure hair contacting elements  16  in position and, in combination with the tongue  50  and groove  46  connection, prevent any lateral displacement of hair contacting elements  16  with respect to hair engaging portion  14 .  
         [0041]     Each hair contacting element  16  may additionally or alternatively be configured with a fastener  54  for removably connecting to hair engaging portion  14 . For example, in one aspect of the present invention, one or more hair engaging portions  14  have one or more flanges  56 , shown in  FIG. 1 . Flanges  56  are preferably configured so that hair contacting elements  16  can be snap-fit thereover via fastener  54 . Other configurations may additionally and/or alternatively be used.  
         [0042]     The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the present invention as defined herein.