Hand-held hair styling device

Abstract

A hand-held hair styling device permits precise introduction of a curl into the hair. A selectively actuatable drive system drives rotation of one or more rotatable bases, each carrying a hair styling element on it. The drive system includes a transmission connecting an actuator to the rotatable base to transmit the movement of the actuator in one direction into rotation of the rotatable base in a first direction. The transmission is configured to prevent rotation of the rotatable base in a second direction opposite to the first direction upon movement of the actuator in an opposite direction. In another aspect the transmission is configured to produce a single 360° rotation of the rotatable base upon movement of the actuator in the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand-held hair styling device, the hair styling device comprising:
 a body;   a rotatable base mounted on the body for rotation relative to the body about an axis of rotation, the rotatable base having an exposed surface facing generally away from the body, the axis of rotation of the rotatable base extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body;   a hair styling element mounted on the exposed surface of the rotatable base for rotation relative to the body with the rotatable base, the hair styling element extending generally away from the body; and   a selectively actuatable drive system for driving rotation of the rotatable base relative to the body, the drive system including an actuator supported by the body for movement between a first position and a second position to actuate rotation of the rotatable base, and a transmission connecting the actuator to the rotatable base to transmit the movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position into rotation of the rotatable base in a first direction, the transmission being configured to prevent rotation of the rotatable base in a second direction opposite to the first direction upon movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position.   
     
     
         2 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the transmission comprises a directional drive member operatively engaged with the rotatable base upon movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position to drive rotation of the rotatable base and operatively disengaged from the rotatable base upon movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         3 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the directional drive member is supported by the body for movement on the body between a driving position operatively engaging the rotatable base and an idling position operatively disengaged from the rotatable base. 
     
     
         4 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the directional drive member is further supported by the body for rotation relative to the body. 
     
     
         5 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the directional drive member comprises a directional drive gear and shaft, the shaft being mounted on the body for rotational movement and for sliding movement relative to the body. 
     
     
         6 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the body defines a channel receiving the shaft of the drive member therein for rotation in the channel and for movement along the channel. 
     
     
         7 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the transmission further comprises a main gear operatively connected to the actuator so that movement of the actuator from the first position to the second positions produces rotation of the main gear in a working mode and movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position produces rotation of the main gear in a idling mode opposite the working mode. 
     
     
         8 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the transmission further comprises a base gear mounted on the rotatable base for conjoint rotation with the rotatable base. 
     
     
         9 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the directional drive gear is operatively engaged with the main gear in the working mode and in the idling mode. 
     
     
         10 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the rotation of the main gear in the working mode moves the shaft of the drive gear in the channel to a position in which the drive gear meshes with the base gear to drive rotation of the rotatable base. 
     
     
         11 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 10  wherein rotation of the main gear in the idling mode moves the shaft of the drive gear in the channel away from the base gear whereby rotation of the main gear in the idling mode is not transmitted to the base gear. 
     
     
         12 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the channel is oval in shape. 
     
     
         13 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a spring biasing the actuator toward the first position whereby on release of the actuator in the second position, the actuator automatically moves back to the first position. 
     
     
         14 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising plural rotatable bases mounted on the body for rotation relative to the body, the rotatable bases being operatively connected for simultaneous rotation. 
     
     
         15 . A hand-held hair styling device, the hair styling device comprising:
 a body;   a rotatable base mounted on the body for rotation relative to the body about an axis of rotation, the rotatable base having an exposed surface facing generally away from the body, the axis of rotation of the rotatable base extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body;   at least one hair styling element mounted on the exposed surface of the rotatable base for rotation relative to the body with the rotatable base, said at least one hair styling element extending generally away from the body; and   a selectively actuatable drive system for driving rotation of the rotatable base relative to the body, the drive system including an actuator supported by the body for movement between two positions to actuate rotation of the rotatable base, and a transmission connecting the actuator to the rotatable base to transmit the movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position into rotation of the rotatable base in a first direction, the transmission being configured to produce a single 360° rotation of the rotatable base about the axis of rotation as the actuator moves from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         16 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the transmission comprises transmission gears that are selected to translate movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position into the single 360° rotation of the rotatable base. 
     
     
         17 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the transmission gears include a first drive gear, a second drive gear having a diameter larger than the first drive gear, an idler gear and a base gear mounted on the rotatable base for conjoint rotation with the rotatable base. 
     
     
         18 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the actuator engages the first drive gear and the second drive gear is connected to the first drive gear for conjoint rotation with the first drive gear. 
     
     
         19 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the idler gear is mounted for meshing with the base gear upon movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position and is free of meshing engagement with the base gear upon movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         20 . A hand-held hair styling device as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising plural rotatable bases, the transmission gears further including a base gear on each of the rotatable bases and an intervening gear located between each of two adjacent ones of the rotatable bases, the intervening gears being operable to so that all of the rotatable bases rotate in the same direction upon movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position.