The present disclosure relates generally to a hair styling apparatus, and more particularly to a hair styling apparatus having a dual switch and lock actuator, and even more particularly such a dual switch and lock actuator that is operable to concurrently lock/unlock the apparatus against/for reconfiguration and to switch a heating assembly of the apparatus on/off.
Many different types of hair styling apparatus are available for use in styling hair. For example, a hair styling apparatus may be used for straightening, curling, waving and/or otherwise achieving a desired look of the hair. In one common type of styling apparatus, a pair of arms are hinged to pivot relative to each other between opened and closed configurations. Opposed heated hair contact surfaces are provided on the arms so as to hold hair between the hair contact surfaces in the closed configuration thereof. A biasing mechanism typically biases the arms of the apparatus to the opened configuration. Such a hair styling apparatus applies high levels of heat directly to the hair. However, heated surfaces may present a burn hazard when the hair styling apparatus is not in use, particularly if the apparatus is left in its opened configuration while heat is applied to the hair contact surfaces. For example, a user may accidentally touch the heated surface after using the hair styling apparatus and waiting for the hair styling apparatus to cool down for storage. Children may also accidentally touch the heated surface, leading to painful burns. There is a need, therefore, for a hair styling apparatus that reduces the risk of inadvertent contact with the heated surfaces thereof when the apparatus is not in use.
In one aspect, a hair styling apparatus generally comprises a heating assembly for applying heat to hair. First and second arms are hingedly connected for selective movement relative to each other between an opened configuration and a closed configuration of the hair styling apparatus. The heating assembly includes a hair contact heating surface disposed on at least one of the first and second arms. An operating switch is operatively connected to the heating assembly and positionable between an on position in which the heating assembly is on and an off position in which the-heating assembly is off. A lock is operatively connected to at least one of the first and second arms and positionable relative thereto between a locked position in which the first and second arms are locked in the closed configuration of the hair styling apparatus and an unlocked position in which the first and second arms are positionable relative to each other to the opened configuration of the hair styling apparatus. An actuator is operatively connected to both the operating switch and the lock, with the actuator being moveable between a first position in which, concurrently, the switch is moved to the on position and the lock is moved to the unlocked position and a second position in which, concurrently, the switch is moved to the off position and the lock is moved to the locked position.
In another aspect, an actuator for a hair styling apparatus is disclosed. The hair styling apparatus includes a pair of working arms wherein at least one of the working arms has a heating member. The actuator generally comprises a switch for turning the heating member on and off, a grip, and a switch actuator operatively connected to the grip such that movement of the grip results in movement of the switch actuator. The switch actuator comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced ribs defining a switch opening configured to receive and actuate the switch, and a lock structure comprising an angular locking interface configured to selectively inhibit separation of the working arms.
In still another aspect, a method of unlocking a pair of arm members of a hair styling device is disclosed. The method generally comprises sliding, in a linear manner, an actuator relative to the pair of arm members. The actuator moves a lock structure from an engaged position to a disengage position thereby allow separation of the arm members relative to each other, and simultaneously toggling a switch from an off position to an on position to thereby activate a heating assembly of at least one of the arm members.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
The hair styling apparatus 101 of the illustrated embodiment is generally elongate having longitudinal (e.g., proximal and distal) ends and including first and second working arms generally indicated at 102 and 103, respectively. The working arms 102, 103 are held in assembly with each other by a suitable pivot, or hinged connection 104 (illustrated schematically in
Each of the first and second arms 102, 103 includes a heating assembly, generally indicated at 108 (broadly, a hair-heating device), operatively connected to an actuator 110 for operative control of the heating assembly. The illustrated heating assembly 108 includes a first heating member 106 disposed on the first working arm 102 and defining a first working or heating surface and a second heating member 107 disposed on second arm 103 and defining a second working or heating surface. The heating members 106, 107 are sufficiently located longitudinally on the respective arms 102, 103, e.g., adjacent the distal end of the apparatus 101, so that in the closed position of the hair styling apparatus 101 the heating members 106, 107 are opposed to each in closely spaced or contact relationship with each other to heat hair that is held therebetween. Heat from the heating members 106, 107 is thus applied to the hair in the closed configuration of the hair styling apparatus 101. In the opened configuration of the hair styling apparatus 101, the heating members 106, 107 are spaced apart from one another a sufficient distance to allow the introduction of hair between the hair-facing surfaces of the heating members.
A biasing member, such as a compression spring 105 (illustrated schematically in
As seen best in
With reference to
To operate the heating assembly to treat hair, the user slides the actuator 110 in the longitudinal outward direction 124, thus toggling the on/off switch 123 to the on position in the manner described previously herein. The hinge lock structure 118 of the actuator 110 is moved out of interfacing relationship with the blocking structure 126, thus allowing pivoting movement of the working arms 102, 103 relative to each other while the heating assembly 108 is operating. The compression spring 105 biases the working arms 102, 103 away from each other (e.g., to the opened configuration of the apparatus 110) and the apparatus is operable to treat hair in a known manner using the heating surfaces of the heating members 106, 107. Thus, it can be seen that a single movement of the actuator 110 concurrently configures the apparatus 101 to its opened (broadly an operating) configuration and turns on the heating assembly 108.
When use of the hair styling apparatus 101 is completed, the user manually urges the working arms 102, 103 together (against the bias of the spring 105) and then slides the actuator 110 in the longitudinally inward direction 128. This movement causes the locking structure 118 to move into interfacing relationship with the blocking structure 126 of the working arm 103, thus locking the working arms 102, 103 in the close configuration of the apparatus 101. Concurrently, the on/off switch 123 is moved to its off position, thus turning off the heating assembly 108. Thus, it can be seen that a single movement of the actuator 110 concurrently configures the apparatus 101 to its closed (broadly, non-operating) configuration and turns off the heating assembly 108. In this manner, the heating surfaces of the heating members 106, 107 are brought together and thus generally inaccessible to being touched by a user, or contacting surfaces or objects that can be damaged by heat, while the heating members are being cooled following operation of the apparatus 101.
In one suitable embodiment, in the opened configuration of the hair styling apparatus 101 the operating temperature of the heating members 106, 107 may be manually adjusted or controlled. For example, the actuator 110 may include a suitable temperature control system or arrangement to facilitate the manual selection of intermittent or infinite temperature settings. The temperature controls communicate with the control circuit, and the control circuit regulates the temperature of the heating members 106, 107 in response to signals received from the temperature controls. As a non-limiting example, the hair styling apparatus 101 may include the following selectable intermittent temperature settings: 230° C., 210° C., 190° C., 170° C., and 150° C. The hair styling apparatus 101 may include other temperature settings without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The user can then select a desired operating temperature by rotating the grip 112 in either the clockwise direction 132 or counterclockwise direction 132. Rotating the grip 112 in this manner conjointly rotates the switch actuator 114 and control electrodes 116 until one of the two control electrodes 116 comes into electrical contact with a corresponding one of the temperature control electrodes 122. As a result, rotation in one direction (e.g., clockwise) causes an incremental (e.g., 10° C., 20° C., 30° C., 40° C., etc.) increase of the operating temperature while rotation in the opposition direction (e.g., counterclockwise) causes an incremental decrease (e.g., of the same or different incremental increase) in operating temperature. In either instance, the grip 112 is then released and biased back to its rotational neutral position at which it may be rotated again in either direction to further increase or decrease the operating temperature of the heating members 106, 107.
In an alternative embodiment, the grip 112 may not be rotational and instead the hair styling apparatus 101 may include one or more microcontrollers, one or more microprocessors, or other suitable components for regulating the heat output of the heating members 106, 107 and performing other functions or operations of the hair styling apparatus 101. For example, a temperature sensing unit (not shown), such as a thermistor, may be in thermal contact with the heating members 106, 107 and electrically connected to the control circuit (not shown). The temperature sensing unit sends a temperature-indicating signal, indicative of the temperature of the heating members 106, 107, to the control circuit. The control circuit is programmed or configured to regulate heating members 106, 107 in response to the temperature-indicating signal.
When introducing elements of the present invention or preferred embodiments thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/373,136 filed Aug. 10, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62373136 | Aug 2016 | US |