Hair styling apparatus

Abstract

A hair styling apparatus with a plurality of modes for styling hair in a variety of fashions. The hair styling apparatus as at least two elongate components pivotally movable about a joint between an extended and closed position. Each elongate component having a styling part and a handle. The apparatus further has a clamp movably couplable to either elongate component, a temperature control means, and a power means. The hair styling apparatus is thereby portable and multifunctional.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A hair styling apparatus having a plurality of modes for styling hair in a variety of fashions comprising:
 at least two elongate components pivotally coupled about a joint, the at least two elongate components pivotally movable about the joint between an extended and closed position;   each elongate component comprising a styling part and a handle, wherein the styling parts are locatable along a portion of the elongate components proximal to one end of the elongate components and wherein the handles are locatable along a portion of the elongate components proximal the opposite end of the elongate components to the styling parts, wherein the joint between the at least two elongate components is located proximal to the ends of the handles distal to the styling parts, and wherein the cross-sectional area of the styling part tapers along the entirety of its length;   the hair styling apparatus further comprising a clamp being couplable to any of the at least two elongate components, the clamp being movable between a first open position and a second closed position when the clamp is coupled to either elongate component;   and a power means.   
     
     
         32 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the at least two elongate components comprises a first elongate arm and a second elongate arm, and wherein the first elongate arm and the second elongate arm each comprise a first styling part, a second styling part and a handle, and wherein the first styling part of the first elongate arm is correspondingly located to the first styling part of the second elongate arm, the second styling part of the first elongate arm is correspondingly located to the second styling part of the second elongate arm and the handle of the first elongate arm is correspondingly located to the handle of the second elongate arm. 
     
     
         33 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the first styling part of first elongate arm and the first styling part of the second elongate arm combine when pivotally engaged into the closed position to comprise an outer styling surface. 
     
     
         34 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the outer styling surface is generally conical in shape. 
     
     
         35 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed  claim 34 , wherein the first styling part of the first and second elongate arms are hemi-conical forming a generally conically shaped outer styling surface of the hair styling apparatus when brought into engagement with one another. 
     
     
         36 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 33 , comprising an interior styling surface, the interior styling surface being defined by opposing surfaces of the at least two elongate components. 
     
     
         37 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the interior styling surface comprises plates the width of which tapers proportionately to the width of the first styling part along the length of the first and second elongate arms respectively. 
     
     
         38 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the clamp comprises an actuating lever and a curved plate and wherein the clamp is pivotally coupled to an elongate component of the hair styling apparatus. 
     
     
         39 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the clamp is pivotally attached to at least one of the at least two elongate arms of the hair styling apparatus proximal to the respective first styling parts. 
     
     
         40 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the clamp comprises an elongate plate, the elongate plate corresponding in shape and length to the outer styling surface of the hair styling apparatus. 
     
     
         41 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the elongate plate is a hemi-conical plate. 
     
     
         42 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the clamp is normally biased towards at least one elongate component of the hair styling apparatus via a biasing means. 
     
     
         43 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 36 , the hair styling apparatus comprising a heating means, wherein the power means is operably engaged with the heating means, the hair styling apparatus further comprising a heat control means, the heat control means controlling the temperature to which the heating means heats the outer styling surface, interior styling surface and/or at least part of the clamp. 
     
     
         44 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 43 , comprising mode selection means, the mode selection means comprising means for determining which of the three heatable styling surfaces are to be heated. 
     
     
         45 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 , the hair styling apparatus comprising a safety means to prevent the user's hand from moving from the handle to the styling part in use. 
     
     
         46 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 , the hair styling apparatus comprising an elongate component biasing means for biasing the elongate components apart. 
     
     
         47 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 44 , the hair styling apparatus comprising a lock operable to lock the elongate components together. 
     
     
         48 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 47 , wherein the lock is operably engaged with the mode selection means such that operating the lock also operates the mode selection means. 
     
     
         49 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein the lock comprises a lock button and wherein the lock button and the mode selection means are formed as a unitary component. 
     
     
         50 . The hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 48 , wherein when the lock is in the unlocked position, the mode selecting means enables the first styling part of the first elongate arm and/or the second elongate arm to be heated and/or wherein when the lock is in the locked position, the mode selecting means enables the outer styling surface to be heated.