Motorised hair styling iron

Abstract

A hair styling iron includes a pair of hinged elongate jaws having complementary hair-engaging surfaces configured to hold and engage hair between the surfaces. The iron is motorised for rotating or vibrating at least one of the jaws. At least one elastomeric rib extends along one of the hair-engaging surfaces, and allows the user to readily modulate the hair-gripping force.

1 . A hair styling iron comprising:
 a pair of elongate jaws, each jaw having proximal and distal parts;   a hinge connecting the proximal parts of the jaws to each other for movement of the jaws between a closed position, in which the distal parts of the jaws are adjacent for grasping hair, and an open position in which the distal parts of the jaws are spaced apart;   motorised means for rotating or vibrating at least one of the jaws;   heating means for heating at least one of the jaws, wherein
 the distal parts of the jaws have complementary hair-engaging surfaces configured to hold and engage hair between the hair-engaging surfaces, and 
 one of the hair-engaging surfaces includes at least one elastomeric rib extending along the hair-engaging surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein
 the pair of jaws comprises first and second jaws,   the first jaw includes a barrel having a first longitudinal axis and a substantially cylindrical hair-engaging surface,   the motorised means comprises a rotary motor which rotates the barrel about the first longitudinal axis, and   the hair-engaging surface including at least one elastomeric rib comprises a concave hair-engaging surface on the second jaw.   
     
     
         3 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib substantially bisects the hair-engaging surface. 
     
     
         4 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib comprises two elastomeric strips disposed adjacent opposing longitudinal edges of the hair-engaging surface. 
     
     
         5 . The iron of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib is linear and extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the jaw on which the at least one elastomeric rib is disposed. 
     
     
         6 . The iron of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib extends substantially parallel to a surface of the barrel in the closed position of the jaws. 
     
     
         7 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein
 the hair-engaging surfaces are metal surfaces, and   the at least one elastomeric rib has a length and a substantially constant cross-section throughout the length, and protrudes from the one of the hair-engaging surfaces including the at least one elastomeric rib by a substantially constant dimension throughout the length.   
     
     
         8 . The iron of  claim 7 , wherein the substantially constant dimension is between 0.1 mm and 2 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The iron of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib has a convex outer surface protruding from the one of the hair-engaging surfaces including the at least one elastomeric rib. 
     
     
         10 . The iron of  claim 9 , wherein the convex outer surface of the at least one elastomeric rib has a substantially constant radius of curvature. 
     
     
         11 . The iron of claim h wherein the at least one elastomeric rib is bonded to the one of the hair-engaging surfaces including the at least one elastomeric rib. 
     
     
         12 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein
 the one of the hair-engaging surfaces including the at least one elastomeric rib includes an elongate slot and a strip received in the elongate slot, and   the at least one elastomeric rib is located on the strip.   
     
     
         13 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heating portion has a longitudinally extending plane of symmetry, and   each elastomeric rib is located substantially symmetrically relative to the plane of symmetry.   
     
     
         14 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the jaws include inner clamping faces and outer convex faces that are polished metal surfaces. 
     
     
         15 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib has a length that is between 2% and 20% of width of the one of the hair-engaging surfaces including the at least one elastomeric rib. 
     
     
         16 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib has a hardness between 30 Shore A and 50 Shore D. 
     
     
         17 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastomeric rib is silicone rubber. 
     
     
         18 . The iron of  claim 1 , wherein each jaw has a heating means comprising an elongate heating portion.