Hair styling iron having a pick and comb

Abstract

An attachment for a hair styling iron, or a new hair styling iron, includes a hair pick and plurality of comb teeth. The hair pick, which is used for selecting and separating hair, may be moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. The comb teeth are located adjacent to a heating element for extending into the hair when the hair styling iron contacts and moves along the length of a bundle of hair. The attachment may be slid over a heating element arm, wherein a retaining lip hooks around to engage an inner surface of the heating element arm adjacent to the heating element. In another embodiment, a new hair styling iron includes comb teeth adjacent to a heating element of the hair styling iron, and a hair pick that extends beyond the end of a heating element arm of the hair styling iron.

1 . An apparatus for use in styling hair comprising: 
 an attachment body including attachment means for attaching the attachment body to a heating element arm of a hair styling iron;    a hair pick extending from the attachment body for separating hair on a scalp; and    a plurality of comb teeth extending from the attachment body and positioned to engage and guide hair that is in contact with a heating element of the hair styling iron when the attachment body is attached to the heating element arm.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the hair pick extends beyond the end of the heating element arm when the attachment body is attached to the heating element arm.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of comb teeth extend perpendicular to a plane of a heating element surface when the attachment body is attached to the heating element arm.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the hair pick is moveably mounted to the attachment body for moving between a retracted position and an extended position.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the hair pick is slidably mounted in a pick channel, and wherein the hair pick includes guides extending from the hair pick to engage channel walls of the pick channel.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the hair pick slides along a longitudinal hair pick axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the heating element arm.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the attachment body further includes a shell having sidewalls, wherein the shell is adapted to contact a back side of the heating element arm, and the sidewalls are adapted to contact the sides of the heating element arm, and wherein the mounting means further includes a retaining lip extending from the sidewalls for contacting the front of the heating element arm adjacent to the heating element.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the hair pick is moveably mounted to the attachment body for moving between a retracted position and an extended position.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the shell is made from a thermal insulating material.  
   
   
       10 . A hair styling iron for use in styling hair comprising: 
 a pair of heating element arms pivotally coupled by a hinge at a hinge end of the heating element arms;    a heating element at a heating element end of one of the heating element arms;    a hair pick extending from the heating element end of one of the heating element arms for manipulating hair on a scalp; and    a plurality of comb teeth extending from the heating element arm to engage and guide hair when the hair is in contact with the heating element.    
   
   
       11 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 10  further including a removable shell at the heating element end of one of the heating element arms, wherein the hair pick and the comb teeth are connected to the removable shell.  
   
   
       12 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 11  wherein the shell is made from a thermal insulating material, and wherein the shell does not contact the heating element when the heating element arms are closed.  
   
   
       13 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 10  wherein the hair pick extends beyond the heating element end of the heating element arm.  
   
   
       14 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 10  wherein the plurality of comb teeth extend perpendicular to a plane of a heating element surface of the heating element.  
   
   
       15 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 10  wherein the hair pick is moveably mounted to the heating element end of the heating element arm for moving between a retracted position and an extended position.  
   
   
       16 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 15  wherein the hair pick is slidably mounted in a pick channel, and wherein the hair pick includes guides extending from the hair pick to engage channel walls of the pick channel.  
   
   
       17 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 15  wherein the hair pick slides along a longitudinal hair pick axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the heating element arm.  
   
   
       18 . The hair styling iron according to  claim 10  further including two heating elements, with one heating element at the heating element end of each heating element arm, wherein the heating elements have flat surfaces, and further including a removable shell at the heating element end of one of the heating element arms, wherein the comb teeth and an extendable hair pick are connected to the removable shell.