Cordless curling iron and wand

Abstract

A cordless hair care appliance easily convertible between a curling wand and a curling iron. The appliance features a removable clamp formed as a ring portion and hinged clamp, where the ring portion slidably fits onto the barrel of the curling wand. The appliance has an enlarged diameter portion at the interface between the barrel and a main body. The removable clamp is friction fit to the barrel when slid into place at the interface. The appliance may operate by battery alone or using battery plus a DC current supplied by a corded AC adaptor. An internal processing unit manages power usage and determines whether the device is operating in battery mode or corded mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair care appliance, comprising:
 a main body housing electrical components, including a battery and a processing unit;   a barrel attached to and extending from the main body and having a heat conductive exterior surface, the barrel having an outer diameter, wherein an interface between the main body and the barrel includes an enlarged diameter portion axially aligned with the barrel and having an exterior surface diameter greater than the outer diameter; and   removable clamp having a ring portion sized to slidably fit over the barrel and, on an outer face of the ring portion, a hinged clamp extending in an axial direction along the barrel and spring-biased to be urged against the barrel,   wherein the ring portion has an inner diameter sized to friction fit when slid along the barrel to the enlarged diameter portion.   
     
     
         2 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the enlarged diameter portion comprises a frustoconically-shaped outer surface having a narrow-diameter end attached to the barrel and matching the outer diameter of the barrel, and having a wide-diameter end attached to the main body. 
     
     
         3 . The hair care appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the inner diameter of the ring portion is greater than the outer diameter of the barrel and less than the wide-diameter end of the enlarged diameter portion, such that the ring portion friction fits on the frustoconically-shaped outer surface of the enlarged diameter portion. 
     
     
         4 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel includes an annular groove in its exterior surface proximate the interface. 
     
     
         5 . The hair care appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the enlarged diameter portion includes a retaining ring disposed within the annular groove, the retaining ring having a thickness such that its outer surface has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the barrel when the retaining ring is disposed within the annular groove. 
     
     
         6 . The hair care appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the ring portion has an inner surface in contact with the exterior surface of the barrel, and wherein the inner surface includes a protuberance sized to snap-fit into the annular groove. 
     
     
         7 . The hair care appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the protuberance includes at least one of a rib or a boss. 
     
     
         8 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged clamp is formed from a heat conductive material such that the hinged clamp becomes heated when the barrel is heated. 
     
     
         9 . The hair care appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the ring portion further includes a lever connected to the hinged clamp and extending in a direction opposite from the hinged clamp, the lever being depressable against a bias spring to pivot the hinged clamp apart from the barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The hair care appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the lever includes a heat-insulated thumb pad. 
     
     
         11 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the barrel proximate the interface includes one of a projection or a groove and wherein an inner surface of the ring portion includes a corresponding one of a groove or a projection, respectively, that engages said one of the projection or the groove on the outer surface of the barrel when the ring portion is slidably positioned at the interface so as to prevent rotation of the ring portion, in use. 
     
     
         12 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the removable clamp includes a heat-insulated stand on a side of the ring portion opposite the hinged clamp, to support the hair care appliance with the barrel elevated when resting on a surface. 
     
     
         13 . The hair care appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the heat-insulated stand includes a projecting structure having at least two projection points extending outwards from the ring portion in a direction substantially away from the side of the ring portion to which the hinged clamp is attached. 
     
     
         14 . The hair care appliance of  claim 1 , further including a DC voltage plug socket for receiving a DC current supply, a heating element for converting electrical current to heat for heating the barrel, and a digital potentiometer for regulating the power supplied to the heating element under control of the processing unit. 
     
     
         15 . The hair care appliance of  claim 14 , further including a charging circuit for charging the battery from the DC current supply received via the DC voltage plug socket. 
     
     
         16 . The hair care appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is to determine whether the DC current supply is connected to the DC voltage plug socket and, if so, to supply current to the heating element from both the battery and the DC current supply when heating the heating element. 
     
     
         17 . A hair care appliance, comprising:
 a main body housing electrical components, including a battery and a processing unit;   a barrel attached to and extending from the main body and having a heat conductive exterior surface, the barrel having an outer diameter, wherein an interface between the main body and the barrel includes an enlarged diameter portion axially aligned with the barrel and having an exterior surface diameter greater than the outer diameter;   removable clamp having a ring portion sized to slidably fit over the barrel and, on an outer face of the ring portion, a hinged clamp extending in an axial direction along the barrel and spring-biased to be urged against the barrel; and   retention means for resisting axial movement of the removable clamp when slid onto the barrel to a point proximate the interface.   
     
     
         18 . The hair care appliance claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the retention means includes friction fit means for causing friction between the ring portion and the barrel so as to resist axial movement of the ring portion once at the point. 
     
     
         19 . The hair care appliance claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the retention means further resists rotational movement of the ring portion when the ring portion is positioned at the point.