Curling iron

Abstract

A hair curling iron for curling, styling or making wavy hair can include a handle and a barrel portion. The barrel portion can have various shapes, such as a conical, cone, or corrugated shape. The surface of the barrel portion can be textured. Features or protrusions can be integrally formed as part or within the surface of the barrel. The features can be diamond-shaped dimples. The barrel portion can also include different sections configured to be heated to different temperatures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A curling iron comprising:
 a handle;   a barrel portion having a first and second end, the second end being connected to the handle, the barrel portion configured to be heated and having a textured surface; and   a heating circuit configured to heat the barrel portion.   
     
     
         2 . The curling iron of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion further comprises a conical shape having a diameter at the second end smaller than a diameter at the first end such that the barrel portion gradually tapers down in diameter from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         3 . The curling iron of  claim 2 , wherein the textured surface further comprises a plurality of integrally formed protrusions. 
     
     
         4 . The curling iron of  claim 3 , wherein the integrally formed protrusions are diamond-shaped dimples. 
     
     
         5 . The curling iron of  claim 4 , wherein the diamond-shaped dimples are raised from a smooth portion of the surface of the barrel portion a height of ¼ mm and have a dimension of 3 mm in a longitudinal direction that extends between the first end and second end and a dimension of 4 mm in a direction that extends transverse to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The curling iron of  claim 2 , wherein the barrel portion further comprises at least a first and second section, the first section extending from the second end to a first location between the second end and first end, the second section extending between the first end and a second location between the first end and second end, such that the first section is configured to be heated to a higher temperature than the second section. 
     
     
         7 . The curling iron of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion further comprises a conical shape having a diameter at the first end smaller than a diameter at the second end such that the barrel portion gradually tapers down in diameter from the second end to the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The curling iron of  claim 7 , wherein the textured surface further comprises a plurality of integrally formed protrusions. 
     
     
         9 . The curling iron of  claim 8 , wherein the integrally formed protrusions are diamond-shaped dimples. 
     
     
         10 . The curling iron of  claim 7 , wherein the barrel portion further comprises at least a first and second section, the first section extending from the second end to a first location between the second end and first end, the second section extending between the first end and a second location between the first end and second end, such that the first section is configured to be heated to a lower temperature than the second section. 
     
     
         11 . The curling iron of  claim 9 , wherein the diamond-shaped dimples are sized such that hair can be rolled around and maintained on the barrel portion without a separate clamping mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The curling iron of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion has a corrugated or sinusoidal shape. 
     
     
         13 . The curling iron of  claim 12 , wherein the textured surface further comprises a plurality of integrally formed protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The curling iron of  claim 13 , wherein the integrally formed protrusions are diamond-shaped dimples. 
     
     
         15 . The curling iron of  claim 12 , wherein the barrel portion further comprises at least a first and second section, the first section extending from the second end to a first location between the second end and first end, the second section extending between the first end and a second location between the first end and second end, such that the first section is configured to be heated to a different temperature than the second section. 
     
     
         16 . The curling iron of  claim 1 , wherein the heating circuit comprises a heat source disposed within the barrel.