Combination hair styling apparatus with positionable heating plate covers

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a combination hair styling apparatus capable of selectively switching between a straightener mode and a curling wand mode. The hair styling apparatus includes a first and second arms that may be pivotably coupled to each other to selectively configure the hair styling apparatus between an opened position and a closed position. The hair styling apparatus further includes a first and second pair of heating plates and a pair of heating plate covers positioned to cover the second pair of heating plates. The pair of heating plate covers are movable between a first position and a second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair styling apparatus comprising:
 first and second arms each having first and second ends, the first and second arms being pivotably coupled to each other at least at the first ends of the arms for selective, pivotal movement relative to each other to selectively configure the hair styling apparatus between an opened position and a closed position;   a first pair of heating plates, each of the first heating plates having a hair contact surface, wherein each of the first heating plates connected to an inner portion of the first and second arms;   a second pair of heating plates, each of the second heating plates having a hair contact surface, wherein each of the second heating plates being connected to an outer portion of the first and second arms, the second surface oppositely positioned from the first surface; and   a pair of heating plate covers, each of the heating plate covers connected to each of the second heating plates; each of the heating plate covers is slidably movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position covers a corresponding second heating plate and the second position exposes the corresponding second heating plate for use.   
     
     
         2 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch activates/deactivates either the first pair of heating plates or the second pair of heating plates when at least one of the heating plate covers is in the first position, the second position, or moves between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms define a slot, wherein the slot is configured to receive at least a portion of the corresponding heating plate cover such that the heating plate cover is slidable between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a switch positioned in the slot of the first arm such that the heating plate cover connected to the first arm engages with the switch when sliding between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms define a first slot and a second slot, the first and second slots are oppositely positioned from each other, the first and second slots are configured to each receive at least a portion of the corresponding heating plate cover such that the heating plate cover is slidable between the first position and the second position,
 wherein a slot switch is positioned in the first slot of the first arm, wherein the corresponding heat plate cover engages with the slot switch to activate/deactivate the pair of second heating plates when sliding between the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         6 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an arm switch on an outer surface of either the first arm or the second arm, wherein the corresponding heat plate cover engages with the arm switch when sliding between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein activation of the first pair of heating plates and the second pair of heating plates is selectable based on at least the configuration of the first and second arms,
 wherein opening and closing the first and second arms activates and deactivates the first pair of heating plates,   wherein closing the first and second arms and sliding the heating plate covers toward the second position activates the second pair of heating plates and sliding the heating plate covers toward the first position deactivates the second pair of heating plates.   
     
     
         8 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating plate covers define flared ends that are flared outwardly from the first and second arms. 
     
     
         9 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating plate covers define heat mitigation slots configured to facilitate removal of heat from at least the second pair of heating plates. 
     
     
         10 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms include a heating element connected to the first and second heating plates and configured to heat the first and second heating plates. 
     
     
         11 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms include a first heating element connected to the first heating plates and a second heating element connected to the second heating plates. 
     
     
         12 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism connected to the first arm and a receiving mechanism connected to the second arm, wherein the locking mechanism removably engages with the receiving mechanism to secure the first and second arms in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . A hair styling apparatus comprising:
 a first arm having a first heating surface, a second heating surface, and a first grip;   a second arm having a third heating surface, a fourth heating surface, and a second grip, the first and second arms being pivotably coupled to each other for selective, pivotal movement relative to each other to selectively configure the hair styling apparatus between an opened position and a closed position, wherein the first heating surface and the third heating surface are configured to clamp hair therebetween when the first and second arms are in the closed position, wherein the second heating surface and the fourth heating surface are positioned to engage hair wrapped around an exterior of the hair styling apparatus;   a first heating plate cover connected to the first arm; and   a second heating plate cover connected to the second arm, each of the first and second heating plate covers movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the first and second heating plate covers extend over the second and fourth heating surfaces, and in the second position the first and second heating plate covers extend over the first grip and the second grip and expose the second and fourth heating surfaces.   
     
     
         14 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second arms define a first slot and a second slot, the first and second slots are oppositely positioned from each other, the first and second slots are configured to each receive at least a portion of the corresponding heating plate cover such that the heating plate cover is slidable between the first position and the second position,
 wherein a slot switch is positioned relative to the first slot of the first arm, wherein the corresponding heat plate cover engages with the slot switch to activate/deactivate the pair of second heating plates when the heat plate cover slides between the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         15 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second arms includes a first heating element connected to the first heating plates and a second heating element connected to the second heating plates. 
     
     
         16 . A hair styling apparatus comprising:
 first and second arms each having first and second ends, the first and second arms being pivotably coupled to each other at least at the first end of the arm for selective, pivotal movement relative to each other to selectively configure the hair styling apparatus between an opened position and a closed position, the first and second arms each define a first slot and a second slot, the first and second slots are oppositely positioned from each other;   a first pair of heating plates, each of the first heating plates having a hair contact surface, wherein each of the first heating plates being connected to an inner portion of the first and second arms;   a second pair of heating plates, each of the second heating plates having a hair contact surface, wherein each of the second heating plates being connected to an outer portion of the first and second arms; and   a pair of heating plate covers, each of the heating plate covers being connected to each of the second heating plates; each of the heating plate covers movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position covers a corresponding second heating plate and the second position exposes the corresponding second heating plate for use,   wherein the first and second slots are configured to each receive at least a portion of the corresponding heating plate cover such that the heating plate cover is slidable between the first position and the second position,   wherein a slot switch is positioned relative to the first slot, wherein the corresponding heat plate cover engages with the slot switch when sliding between the first position and the second position, wherein the slot switch activates/deactivates the pair of second heating plates.   
     
     
         17 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising an arm switch connected to either the first arm or the second arm, wherein the corresponding heat plate cover engages with the slot switch and the arm switch when sliding between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         18 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the slot switches are pressure switches. 
     
     
         19 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a display, a temperature control, an ON/OFF switch, a heating plate indicator configured to indicate which of the first and second heating plates is activated, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The hair styling apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a locking mechanism connected to the first arm and a receiving mechanism connected to the second arm, wherein the locking mechanism removably engages with the receiving mechanism to open or close the first and second arms,
 wherein the locking mechanism is configured to override the function of the slot switches.