Hair styling apparatus

Abstract

A hair styling apparatus includes a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end. The top arm and the bottom arm are rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position. The apparatus also includes a top plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm's tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm's tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface, the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle end towards the tip end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair styling apparatus, comprising:
 a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end, the top arm and the bottom arm being rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position;   a top heating plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm's tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom heating plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm's tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface, the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve as they extend away from the handle end towards the tip end.   
     
     
         2 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the top main surface and the bottom main surface are generally rectangular with a width dimension and a length dimension longer than the width dimension, and the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , the top arm including a top housing operably attached to the top heating plate at the top arm's tip end, the top housing including a handle portion at the top arm's handle end, the top housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , the bottom arm including a bottom housing operably attached to the bottom heating plate at the bottom arm's tip end, the bottom housing including a handle portion at the bottom arm's handle end, the bottom housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end. 
     
     
         5 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a heating element provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, the heating element in thermal communication with at least one of the top heating plate and the bottom heating plate.   
     
     
         6 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source.   
     
     
         7 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source; and   a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position.   
     
     
         8 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source;   a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.   
     
     
         9 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source;   a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.   
     
     
         10 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least one light source provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal the top heating plate or the bottom heating plate such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source;   a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position.   
     
     
         11 . A hair styling apparatus, comprising:
 a top arm and a bottom arm each having a handle end and a tip end opposite the handle end, the top arm and the bottom arm being rotatably connected at the handle ends for relative movement from an open position to a closed position;   a top plate disposed on the top arm adjacent the top arm's tip end and having a top main surface, and a bottom plate disposed on the bottom arm adjacent the bottom arm's tip end and having a bottom main surface that, in the closed position, contacts the top main surface,   wherein each of the top main surface and the bottom main surface have a width dimension and a length dimension longer than the width dimension, and the top main surface and the bottom main surface complementarily curve with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the curvature.   
     
     
         12 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 11 , the top arm including a top housing operably attached to the top plate at the top arm's tip end, the top housing including a handle portion at the top arm's handle end, the top housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the top housing's curvature. 
     
     
         13 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 11 , the bottom arm including a bottom housing operably attached to the bottom plate at the bottom arm's tip end, the bottom housing including a handle portion at the bottom arm's handle end, the bottom housing curves as it extends away from the handle end towards the tip end with a radius of curvature perpendicular to the width dimension all along the bottom housing's curvature. 
     
     
         14 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a heating element is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, the heating element in thermal communication with at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate. 
     
     
         15 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one light source is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal to a light-transmitting area of the top plate or the bottom element such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source. 
     
     
         16 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one light source is provided in at least one of the top arm and the bottom arm, wherein the at least one light source is located proximal to a light-transmitting area of the top plate or the bottom element such that, in the closed position, hair received between the top main surface and the bottom main surface receives light energy from the light source, wherein the light energy comprises ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         17 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position. 
     
     
         18 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source upon receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.   
     
     
         19 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the open position.   
     
     
         20 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a magnet-hall sensor combination, one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the top arm and the other one of the magnet and the hall sensor disposed in the tip end of the bottom arm, the magnet-hall sensor combination configured to generate a signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position or the open position; and   a control circuit configured to turn off the at least one light source a predetermined amount of time after receiving the signal indicating that the top arm and the bottom arm are in the closed position.