Split handle hair appliance with multiple attachments

Abstract

A heated hair styling appliance ( 1 ) has a handle portion ( 2 ) that is adapted to be locked into a single handle configuration or released into a hinged, two-piece tong configuration. One or more hair styling attachments ( 11 ) may be attached to and used with the handle portion ( 2 ), the attachments being in the form of any one of a variety of conventional or customized hair styling devices such as flat irons, single barrel curling irons, spiral curling irons, multiple barrel curling irons and others.

1 . An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair, said appliance comprising
 a handle having two generally elongated handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be opened and closed with respect to each other;   an electrically conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle section; and   at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector assemblies in an electrically conductive manner.   
     
     
         2 . An appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said at least one hair styling attachment comprises a single attachment having a coupling assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both handle sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are prevented from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each other while said attachment is engaged with said connector assemblies.   
     
     
         3 . An appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said at least one hair styling attachment comprises two attachments, each of said two attachments having a coupling assembly that engages a respective one of the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect to each other while said attachments are engaged with said respective connector assemblies.   
     
     
         4 . An appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said attachment comprises an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and used to style hair.   
     
     
         5 . An appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said attachment comprises a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be heated and used to style hair.   
     
     
         6 . An appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each of said attachments comprises a generally paddle-shaped head having a heatable surface thereon and being adapted to be heated and used to style hair.   
     
     
         7 . An electrically powered hair styling appliance adapted to selectively deliver heat to one or more surfaces for styling hair, said appliance comprising
 a handle having two generally elongated handle sections, each handle section having a proximal end and a distal end, said handle sections being pivotally joined at their respective proximal ends by a hinge so that the two sections may be opened and closed with respect to each other;   an electrically conductive connector assembly on the distal end of each handle section; and   at least one hair styling attachment, said attachment having an electrically conductive coupling assembly for selectively attaching to and detaching from at least one of said connector assemblies in an electrically conductive manner; and   a plurality of attachments comprising an elongated barrel adapted to be heated and used to style hair, a pair of elongated barrels adapted to be heated and used to style hair, and a pair of generally paddle-shaped heads each having a heatable surface thereon and being adapted to be heated and used to style hair, wherein each of said attachments is adapted to be connected to one or both handle portions.   
     
     
         8 . An appliance according to  claim 7 , wherein
 each of said plurality of hair styling attachments comprises either: a coupling assembly that engages the connector assemblies of both handle sections simultaneously, whereby said handle sections are prevented from pivoting to an opened position with respect to each other while said respective attachment is engaged with said connector assemblies; or a coupling assembly that engages a respective one of the connector assemblies independently, whereby said handle sections are able to be pivoted to an opened position with respect to each other while one of said respective attachments are engaged with a respective one of said respective connector assemblies at the same time.