Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HAIR GROOMING ATTACHMENT
FOR A CURLING IRON
FIEL~ OF _HE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to hair
grooming devices. More particularly, the invention
relates to curling irons and hair grooming devices
usable in combination with curling irons.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Curling irons are widely used to curl or
otherwise style hair. To facilitate the use of
curling irons in creating particular hair styles,
curling irons typically include integral hair grooming
assemblies such as hair clamping members which are
used in forming small or "tight" curls or brushes
which are used in forming large or "loose" curls and
waves.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a hand held hair
curling iron comprising a handle, a substantially
cylindrical heating element having an outer
peripheral surface and a first end adjacent to the
handle and a second end spaced outwardly from the
handle~ means for defining a plurality of generally
arcuately spaced grooves extending longitudinally on
the outer peripheral surface of the heating element
between the first end and the second end, and a hair
grooming attachment comprising an annular
substantially hollow frame including a plurality of
arcuately spaced support bars slidingly engaged in
the grooves.
The invention also provides a hand held
hair curling iron comprising a handle; a
substantially cylindrical elongated heating element
attached to the handle and having an outer peripheral
surface and a .first end adjacent to the handle and a
s~cond end spaced outwardly from the handle, means
defining a plurality of generally arcuately spaced
grooves extending longitudinally on the outer
peripheral surface of the heating element between the
first end and the second end and being axially open
at the second end, and a removable hair grooming
attachment comprising a substantially hollow annular
frame including a plurality of arcuately spaced,
longitudinally extending, support bars slidingly
engaged in the grooves, and hair grooming means on
~0 the frame.
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The invention also provides a hand held
hair curling iron comprisiny a handle, a
substantially cylindrical elongated heating element
attached to th handle and having an outer peripheral
surface and a first end adjacent to the handle and a
second end spaced outwardly from the handle~ means
defining a plurality of generally arcuately spaced
grooves extending longitudinally on the outer
peripheral surface of the heating element between the
first end and the second end and being axially open
at the second end, and a removable hair grooming
attachment aomprising a substantiaIly hollow annular
frame including a plurality of arcuately spaced,
longitudllnally extending, support bars slidingly
lS engaged in ~he grooves, and means on the frame and on
the heating element adjacent the second end thereof
for preventing sliding engagement of the frame on the
heating e}ement beyond the second end.
The invent:ion also provides a curling
device comprising:an alongated tubular heat
conductive rod;~portion de~ining a heating chamber and
having first and second ends and a hair winding
portion disposed ~etween the first and second ends,
which hair winding portion incIudes a plurality of
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longitudinal channels, heating means disposed in the
heating chamber for providing heat ~o the naie
winding portion, and a tubular cage-like member
slidably mountable on the hair winding portion of the
rod, which member includes a plurality of
longitudinal bars respectively received in the
channels, each bar having a height substan~ially
equal to or less than the depth of the channels of
the rod so that a wound tress will be in direct
contact with the outer surface of a substantial
portion of the hair winding portion.
The invention also provides a hand held
hair curling iron comprising a handle, a
substantially cylindrical elongated heating element
attached to and extending from the handle and having
an outer peripheral generally cylindrical surface and
a first end adjacent to the handle and a second end
spaced outwardly from tne handle and including
therein a hole, means for defining a plurality of
generally arcuately spaced grooves extending
longitudinally on the outer peripheral surface of the
heating element between tne first end and the second
end and being axially open at the second end, a
removable hair grooming attachment comprising a
substantially hollow annular frame haying an overall
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length less than ~he distance between the first and
second ends of the heating element and including a
plurality of arcuately spaced, longitudinally
extending support bars slidingly engaged in the
grooves, a first frame end fixed to one of the ends
of the bars and having a central opening with a
diameter at least equal to the diameter of the
peripheral surface to accomodate sliding engagement
of the support bars in the grooves througn the first
frame end, and an oppositely spaced second frame end
fixed to the other of the ends of~the bars and having
a central opening with a diameter less than the
diameter of the peripheral surface to prevent sliding
engagement of the support bars in the grooves beyond
the second frame end and to thereby provide an
abutting engagement between tbe second end of the
neating element and the second frame end, and a
fastener threadably engageable in the hole and
engageable with the second frame end to capture the
second frame end between the fastener and the heating
element second end, and thereby prevent movement of
the frame axially on the heating element when the
fastener is tnreadably~engaged~in the hole.
Other features and advantages of the
embodiments of the invention will become known by
reference to the following general description,
claims, and the dra~ings.
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DESRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a hair grooming attachment having
bristles forming a brush and which is slidably
engaged upon the heating element of a curling
iron;
Fig. 2 is a hair grooming attachment baving
a pivotally attached hair clamping member and which is
slidably engaged upon the heating element of a
curling iron and interchangeable on the heating
element with the brush a~tachment shown in Fig.
l;
Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a curling
iron and a hair grooming attacbment which is slidably
engagable thereon;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the grooming
attachment taken generally along line 4-4 in Fig.
2;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view
oE the grooming attachment and the related fastening
means taken generally along line S-5 in Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view, partly broken
away, of the grooming attachment taken generally
along line 6-6 in Fig. 5; and
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the grooming
attachment taken generally along line 7-7 in Fig.
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Befoce explaining the embocIimen~s of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that
the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of construction and the arrangement of
components set forth in ~he following description
and as illustrated in the drawings. The invention
is capable of other embodiments and of being
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also,
it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein for the purpose of descrip-
tionIshould not be regarded as limiting.
GE~ERAL DESCP~I PT I ON
Shown in the drawings is a hair grooming
attachment 10 and its use in connec~ion with a curling
lS iron 12. The curling iron 12 generally includes a
handle 14 and a he~ating element 16 extending from the
handle 14 (as is best shown in Fig. 3). The element
16 is electrically operated to radiate heat, and the
grooming attachment 10 genèrally serves to facilitate
the use of the~radiated heat to curl or otherwise
style the operator's hair.
~ Referring~first principally to Figs. 1, 2, and
3, the attachment~10 generally includes a main bcdy
pQrtion 18 which has an inner diameter sufficient
to permit sliding attachment~of the main body portion
18 upon the heating element 16. The main body
portion 18 includes a first end 20 which has an inner
diameter at least equal to the inner diameter of
the main body portion 18 and~an oppositely spaced
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second end 22 which has an inner diameter less than
the inner diameter of the main body portion 18. By
virtue of this construction, the first end 20 accommo-
dates the sliding attachment of the main body portion
18 upon the heating element 16, while the second
end 22 does not. Thus, sliding attachment of the
main body portion 18 upon the heating element 16 is
permitted only through the first end 20 (as shown in
Figo 3), and the sliding attachment thereafter
progresses until the second end 22 of the main body
portion 18 reaches the outer end 24 o the heating
element 16 ~as shown in Figs. 1 and 2). The difference
in diameters between the second end 22 and the outer
end 24 (see Figs. 1 and 5) blocks further slid;ng
attachment of the main body portion 18 beyond the
second end 22.
As is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, fastening
means 26 is engagable with the heating element 16
and the second end 22 of the main body portion 18 to
secure the second end 22:between the fastening means
26 and the heating element 16 and thereby hold the
grooming attachment 10 in place upon the heating
element 16.
It should be appreciated that the hair grooming
attachment 10 as just generally described is broadly
applicabIe for use in combination with curling irons
of various constructions, and the pa:rticular construc-
tion of the attachment 10 may be varied according to
the design of the associated curling iron as weIl as
the particular hair curling or styling function
sought to be accomplished.
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In the illustrated embodiment (as best shown
in Fig. 3), the curling iron 12 includes a plurality
of arcuately spaced grooves 28 extending longitudinally
along the outer per;pheral surface 32 of the heating
S element 16 between the handle end 30 of the element
16 and the outer end 24 thereo~. ~s can best be seen
in Fig. 7, the outer peripheral surface 32 of the
heating element 16 has a first diameter dl, and the
arcuately spaced grooves 28 have inner peripheral
surfaces 34 concentric with the outer peripheral
surface 32 of the element 16 and having a second
diameter d2 which is less than the first diameter
dl. It should be appreciated that the specific shape
; . of the grooves 2~ may be varied from that shown in
the.. drawings. For example, the grooves 28 may take : :
~ the form of a dovetail as well as any square, rectangular,
i or arcuate indentation formed in the outer peripheral.
: surface 32 of the heating element 16.
In this embodiment, the main body portion 18
of the ~rooming attachment 10 forms an annular frame
. or cage (see Fi~,. 3) which includes a plurality
! of arcuately spaced~support bars 36. While the frame 18 :~
may be constructed of various materials,:it
is preferably made of heat resistant plastic.
The number of support bars 36 is equal in
jr~)number and spacing to the grooves~28. The frame 18 has
'~ an outer diameter (see FLg. 7) generally equal to the
first mentioned diameter dl of the outer peripheral
surface 32 of the heating element 16 and an inner diameter
generally equal to the second mentioned diameter d2
o the inner peripheral surfaces 34 of the grooves
28.
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By virtue of these generally matched inner
and outer diameters of the heating element 1~ and
support bars 36, and as can be seen in Figs. 6 and 7,
the annular frame 18 slidingly engages the grooves 28.
Furthermore, the outer peripheral surface 40 of the
support bars 36 is generally flush with the outer
peripheral surface 32 of the heating element 16,
thereby enhancing the transfer of heat between the
element 16 and the hair of a user. The outer
peripheral surface 40 of the support bars 36 may be
smooch, as is shown in the drawings, or it may be
roughened or serrated to facilitate the holding of
hair against the annular frame 18.~
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~ ~ In thi:s embodiment, the first end 20 of the ~:
annular frame 18 takes the form of a first annular
member 429 also pref~erably made of heat resistant
: plastic, attached:to the~annular frame~l8. Preferably
the first annular member 42 is molded directly to the
annular frame 18,~bùt the irst aanular member 42 may
also be attached by glue (as is generally shown in
Fig. 2) or by a plurality of pins 44 (as shown in
Figs. l and 3) which extend through the first annular
member 42 into the:support~bars 36.:~ As is best shot~n
in Fig. 4, the:first annular member~:42:has an inner
diameter a~ least equal to the first mentioned diameter
dl of the outer peripheral surface 32 of the heating
element l~ and forms a collar which commonly encircles
the fLush outer peripheral:surfaces 32 and 40 of the
heating element 16 and support bars 36.
The second end 22 of the annular frame 18
takes the form of a second annular member 46, also
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perferably made of heat resistant plastic, attached
to the annular frame 18. Like the first annular
member 42, the second annular member 46 is preferably
molded directly to the annular frame 18, but it may
also be attached by glue or a plurality of screws
48 extending into the support bars 36 (see Figs. 5
and 6). As is best shown in Fig. 5, the second
annular member 46 has an inner diameter which is
less than the first mentioned diameter dl of the
outer peripheral surface 32 of the heating element
16 and an outer diameter generally equal to the
first mentioned diameter dl so that the second
annular member 46 takes the form of a ring fastened
in registry upon the frame 18.
Thus, as heretofore generally described,
the first annular member 42 accommoclates the sliding
engagement of the support bars 36 within the grooves
28, whereas the second annular member 46 does not.
The sliding engagement between the support bars 36 and
the grooves 28 proceeds through the first annular
member 42 until abutting engagement between the second
annular member 46 and the outer end 24 of the heating
element 16 occurs (as shown in Figs.l and 5).
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the length of the
annular frame 18 is less than the length o~ the
heating element 16 so that, when abutment between the
second annular member 46 and the outer end 24 of the
heating element 16 occurs, the first annular member
42 is located in a spaced relationship from the
handle end 30 of the heating element 16. By virtue
of this construction, heat expansion of the frame 18
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is permitted during operation of the curling iron
12.
In the illustrated embodiment, the heating
element 16 has an internally threaded hole 50 centrally
formed in its outer end 24. The fastening means 26
takes the form of a plug-shaped member 52 having an
outer diameter generally equal to the outer diameter
dl of the heating element 16 and preferably made of a
heat resistant material such as plastic or rubber.
The plug member 52 includes an underbody portion 54
and an externally threaded pin 56 projecting downwardly
from the center of the underbody portion 54. Rotation
of the plug member 52 causes the pin 56 to threadably
engage the hole S0, and the second annular member 46
is thereby sandwiched between the underbody surface
54 of the plug member 52 and the oùter end 24 of the
heating element 16. Movement of the annular Erame 18
axially along the heating element 16 is thereby
1 prevënted. Also, by virtue of the engagement between
the grooves 28 and the support bars 36, rotation of
'i ` the grooming attachment upon the heating element 16
~ ; is likewise prevented.
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It should be appreciated that the plug member
52 may be alternatively molded directly to the second
annular member 46 to provide a heat resistant gripping
surface to facilitate;attachment and removal of the
annular frame 18 upon the heating element 16. In this
embodiment, the unitary annuIar frame 18 and plug
member 52 may be held in place upon the heating
element 16 by means of friction or by another suitable
fastening mechanism, such as a spring-detent assembly
(not shown).
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As before mentioned9 the particular structure
of the hair grooming attachment 10 as just described
may be varied to accommodate the particular curling
or styling function desired. Just as there are
numerous hair styles, there are numerous structural
j variations of the grooming attachment 10 which are
j possible. Two such variations are shown.
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Referring to the first variation which is
best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the attachment 10
includes a hair clamping member 58 which i5 pivotally
attac~ted on the annular frame 18 for movement between
a first position tshown in solid lines in Fig. 2)
in which the hair clamping member 58 extends at an
~ angle from the annular frame 18 and a second positionj 15 (shown in phantom line~s in Fig. 2) in which the hair
t clamping member 58 is located closely adjacent to the
annular frame 18. ~While Che pivot point may be
variously located, in the illustrated embodiment, the
first annular ring 42 includes a pair of outwardly
' 20 projecting shoulders~68 (as best snown in Fig. 4) upon
, ~` which the hair clamping member 58 is pivotally attac~ed.
I The hair clamping member 58,~w~lich~may be of eitheri plastic or metal unitary construction, includes an
outwardly projecting arm 60 extending over the handle
14 of the curling iron 12 so that the operator may
easily controL the pivotal movement of the clamping
member 58 simultaneously with operation of the~curling
iron 12. ~referably, and as is sho~n in~Fig. 2, the
outer cip of the clamping member 58 extends beyo~nd the
outer end 24 of the heating element 16 and over the
heat resistant plug member 52, so that the operator is
able to hold the outer tip of the clamping member 58
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against the plug member 52 to maintain the clamping
member 52 in its second position. The clamping
member 58 also includes a generally concave clamping
surface 62 which fits in registry with the flush
outer peripheral surfaces 32 and 40 of the heating
element 16 and support bars 36 when the clamping
member 58 is in its second position. The operator is
thus able to hold his or her hair in place between
the concave clamping sureace 62 and the outer peripheral
surfaces 32 and 40 during the application of heat.
Such use of the hair clamping member 58 facilitates
the forming of small or "tight" curls.
Referring next to the second variation which
is best shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6, the annular ~rame
18 includes a plurality of generally spaced outwardly
projecting bristles 64. The bristles 64 are generally
longitudinally spaced along each of the support bars
36 and collectively~form a brush 66. Use of the
brush 66 in combination with the curling iron 12
faciIitates the making of large "loose" curls or
waves.
It shouId now be apparent that through the
interchangeable use of the two illustrated variations
of the hair grooming attachment just described, a
single curling iron is operable for creating a
variety of hair curls and styles.~
Various of the features of the inv~entian
are set Eorth in the following claims.
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