Hair straightening and drying device

Abstract

Described are hair styling devices and methods. A hair straightening and drying device includes a hair blow dryer integrated into a flat iron and operable to dry damp hair placed within the flat iron. A hair straightening and drying device can include a handle portion housing a motorized fan, opposing distal arms housing heatable surfaces coupled to heating elements and at least one distal portion housing an air duct configured to receive air from the motorized fan and to channel the air to the hair that is being styled, and a hinge that provides for rotation of the distal portions in relation to the handle portion and each other. The motorized fan creates a pressure gradient causing air to flow into an air duct enclosed in one of the distal portions and the air is dispersed through openings in the duct onto hair that is being styled and dried. Each distal portion houses a heatable surface that is heated by a heating element. The opposing heatable surfaces are closed around strands of hair to straighten the hair. In this manner, damp hair is straightened and blown dry at the same time creating time efficiencies and allowing for certain styling techniques.

1 . A hair styling tool for damp hair comprising:
 a handle portion comprising a motorized fan;   first and second opposed arms each comprising a heatable surface;   an air duct extending through at least one of the first and second opposed arms, wherein the air duct receives air from the motorized fan and channels air out of at least one of the first and second opposed arms; and   a hinge element coupled at a first region to the handle portion and at a second region to each of the first and second opposed arms.   
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the heatable surface delivers heat to strands of damp hair placed between the first and second opposed arms. 
   
   
       3 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge element rotates the first and second opposed arms in relation to the handle portion and in relation to each other. 
   
   
       4 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the heatable surface is a flat aluminum plate. 
   
   
       5 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the heatable surface is a flat ceramic plate. 
   
   
       6 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion and the first and second opposed arms are coupled by the hinge element such that an angle between one of the first and second opposed arms and the handle portion is greater than 180 degrees. 
   
   
       7 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the air duct further comprises a main air duct coupled to two opposing air ducts. 
   
   
       8 . The tool in  claim 7 , wherein the two opposing air ducts are housed adjacent and on opposite sides of one of the heatable surface. 
   
   
       9 . The tool in  claim 8 , wherein the two opposing air ducts comprise openings through which the air from the motorized fan is channeled onto strands of hair placed between the first and second opposed arms. 
   
   
       10 . The tool in  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element housed in each of the first and second opposed arms that deliver heat to the heatable surfaces. 
   
   
       11 . The tool in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the heating elements is housed in close proximity to the air duct to deliver heat to the air as it passes through the air duct. 
   
   
       12 . The tool in  claim 10 , further comprising an electrical cord coupled to the motorized fan and the heating elements to deliver electricity to the motorized fan and the heating elements. 
   
   
       13 . The tool in  claim 12 , further comprising a swivel element coupled to the electrical cord that allows a user to turn the handle portion without also turning the electrical cord. 
   
   
       14 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion further comprises air intake openings adjacent the motorized fan to allow air to pass into the fan and through the air duct. 
   
   
       15 . The tool in  claim 14 , wherein the handle portion further comprises air filters are coupled to the handle portion to filter the air entering through the air intake openings. 
   
   
       16 . The tool in  claim 1 , wherein the motorized fan pulls air from the air duct such that the air duct channels air from at least one opening in the air duct located in close proximity to strands of hair placed between the first and second opposed arms to the motorized fan. 
   
   
       17 . A method of styling damp hair comprising:
 providing a tool comprising a handle portion enclosing a motorized fan and coupled to first and second opposed arms, wherein at least one of the first and second opposed arms comprises a heatable surface and an air duct;   heating the heatable surface;   placing strands of damp hair between the first and second opposed arms;   channeling air through the air duct;   approximating the first and second opposed arms such that the strands of damp hair are clamped between the first and second opposed arms; and   pulling the hair through the approximated first and second opposed arms, wherein the hair is straightened as it is dried.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein air is channeled through the air duct towards the motorized fan. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein air is channeled through the air duct towards the strands of hair clamped between the first and second opposed arms.