Hair straightening appliance with variable steam output control

Abstract

A hair straightening device 1 comprises pair of handles pivotally joined at a hinge 4. The upper handle 2 comprises an upper plate 5 that is selectively heated. A water reservoir 8 is removably mounted to the upper handle portion 2. As the handle portions 2, 3 are closed toward each other, a valve actuating member 11 on the lower handle portion 3 contacts a rubber bulb 12 located on the upper handle portion 2 compressing the bulb 12 to force air through a tube 13 and through an air input opening 14 on the reservoir 8, forcing open a one-way, flexible valve 15 the allows the air to enter the interior 16 of the reservoir 8. The pressure of the entering air displaces the water stored in the reservoir and causes it to exit the reservoir 8 at an exit port 17 into a channel 18 of the upper handle portion 2 and plate 5. The plate 5 may have one or more openings to release the steam that is produced by the water, as the water receives heat from the plate 5 being heated. An adjustment lever 19 allows mechanical adjustment of the actuating member 11 to various heights ranging from a low height where it will not contact the bulb 12 (FIG. 4 B) and, thus, will cause zero steam to emit, to intermediate and highest height (FIG. 4 A) where a proportionate amount of air displacement and thus steam emission occurs.

1 . A styling iron comprising
 a first elongated handle having a heated plate, a first end, and a second end;   a second elongated handle having a heated plate, a first end, and a second end;   a hinge connected to each respective first end of said handles so that said handles are pivotally connected to each other;   an electrical heat element associated with at least one of said heated plates to heat said at least one plate;   a water reservoir associated with said heat element and adapted to be filled with water;   a water conduit connecting said water reservoir with an outlet port in proximity to said heated plate that is associated with said heat element; and   a flexible bulb connected to said water reservoir by an air conduit, said flexible bulb being adapted to selectively deliver air to said water reservoir when said bulb is compressed, thereby causing said air to displace said water and cause said water to pass in proximity to said heat element and exit said outlet port in the form of steam vapor.   
   
   
       2 . A styling iron according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an adjustment member for adjusting the rate at which steam vapor is emitted from said outlet port.   
   
   
       3 . A styling iron according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said bulb is located on one of said first and second handles; and   said adjustment member comprises an actuating member located on the other of said first and second handles and adapted to contact said bulb when said handles are closed toward each other.   
   
   
       4 . A styling iron according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said actuating member is adjustable and may be raised or lowered to between a position in which it contacts said bulb, a position in which it does not contact said bulb, and intermediate positions in which it contact said bulb to varying degrees when said handles are closed toward each other.   
   
   
       5 . A styling iron according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said water reservoir is removably mounted.   
   
   
       6 . A styling iron according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a plurality of raised fins on one of said heated plates.   
   
   
       7 . A styling iron according to  claim 6 , further comprising
 a groove on the other one of said respective plates, said groove located opposite said raised fins so that said groove and said fins engage when said handles are closed toward each other.