Safer hand-held hair care appliances

Abstract

An apparatus for substantially minimizing injury and hazards in using hand-held hair styling appliances comprises a spring mechanism disposed between opposing handles of a hand-held hair styling appliance, a normally-open power activation switch recessed within an interior surface of a first handle of the hand-held hair styling appliance, this switch being disposed in a circuit for connecting electric power supply to heating elements of a rapid-heating hand-held hair styling appliance, and a substantially rigid pin protruding from an interior surface of a second handle of the hand-held hair styling appliance, this rigid pin positioned opposing and mating with the power switch such as to create heating only when the handles are drawn together into the use position.

1 . An apparatus for substantially minimizing injury in using hand-held hair styling appliances comprising: 
 a spring mechanism disposed between opposing handles of said hand-held hair styling appliance;    a normally-open power delivery switch recessed within an interior surface of a first handle of said hand-held hair styling appliance, said switch disposed in a circuit for connecting electric power supply to heating elements of said hand-held hair styling appliance; and    a substantially rigid pin protruding from an interior surface of a second handle of said hand-held hair styling appliance, said rigid pin positioned opposing and mating with said normally open power activation switch.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said circuit for electric power supply to heating elements is a rapid-heating type.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said opposing handles are covered with a predetermined insulating material.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus, according to  claim 3 , wherein said predetermined insulating material is a substantially resilient and ergonomically contoured polymer.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus, according to  claim 3 , wherein said predetermined insulating material is a substantially resilient and ergonomically contoured rubber.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said heating elements are encased with a sheath equipped with cooling slits.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein said hand-held hair styling appliance is one of a hair straightener and a scissors-like hair curler.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus, according to  claim 7 , wherein said spring mechanism of said scissors like hair curler includes a resting stand to at least one side to enable placement on a surface without heated parts of said hand-held hair styling appliance touching said surface.