A hair styling apparatus

Abstract

A housing ( 4 ) of a hair styling apparatus ( 2 ). The housing ( 4 ) is adapted to house component parts of the hair styling apparatus ( 2 ). The housing ( 4 ) has a first pivot ( 10 ) to which an arm ( 6 ) of a hair styling apparatus may be pivotally coupled, and a second pivot ( 12 ) to which a second arm ( 8 ) of a hair styling apparatus ( 2 ) may be pivotally coupled. The axis of the first pivot ( 10 ) is spaced apart from the axis of the second pivot ( 12 ). The housing ( 4 ) can house a power supply ( 14 ) and electric wiring ( 16 ). The housing ( 4 ) can be used as part of a hair straightener and/or curler.

1 . A housing of a hair styling apparatus, the housing being adapted to house component parts of a hair styling apparatus, the housing comprising:
 a first pivot to which an arm of a hair styling apparatus is pivotally coupled, and   a second pivot to which a second arm of a hair styling apparatus is pivotally coupled, wherein the axis of the first pivot is spaced apart from the axis of the second pivot, each arm has a styling part and a handle, the styling part has a heatable plate and/or surface that is heatable directly by a power source.   
     
     
         2 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the axis of the first pivot is parallel with the axis of the second pivot. 
     
     
         3 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  wherein when assembled, the first and/or second pivot enable the arms to move relative to the housing, without bending any part of the hair styling apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the housing is adapted to receive and retain a connector of a power cable. 
     
     
         5 . A housing as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the housing further comprises a stop to prevent the power cable from being inserted past the stop in the housing and wherein the stop extends inwardly into the housing from the first and/or second pivot. 
     
     
         6 . A housing as claimed in  claim 4  wherein electrical wiring of the hair styling apparatus extends between the first and second pivots. 
     
     
         7 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first and second pivot are symmetrically or approximately symmetrically arranged with respect to one another in the housing. 
     
     
         8 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a biasing means for biasing the arms apart when assembled. 
     
     
         9 . A housing as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the biasing means extends through the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure for a biasing means. 
     
     
         11 . A housing as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the biasing means is located extending between an outer surface or surfaces of the housing and an inner surface of the arms when assembled. 
     
     
         12 . A housing as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising an opening to accommodate a lock for releasably locking the arms together. 
     
     
         13 . A hair styling apparatus comprising a housing as claimed in  claim 1 , the hair styling apparatus further comprising two arms, wherein one arm is pivoted to the housing by the first pivot and the other arm is pivoted to the housing by the second pivot, each arm has a styling part and a handle, the styling part has a heatable plate and/or surface that is heated directly by a power source. 
     
     
         14 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising a lock to releasably lock the arms together, and wherein at least part of the lock extends through the housing. 
     
     
         15 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the lock comprises a first component that is fixed to one arm and a second component fixed to the other arm, wherein the first and second components interact to releasably lock the arms together, and wherein the position of the first and/or second component relative to the arm to which it is fixed is movable between a locked position where the arms are locked together and an unlocked position wherein the arms are released. 
     
     
         16 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising a lock actuator to move the first and/or second component relative to the arm to which it is fixed. 
     
     
         17 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the housing further comprises a biasing means or biasing means enclosure, and wherein the housing can receive a power cable, and further wherein at least part of the lock is located between the biasing means or biasing means enclosure and the first and second pivots and/or the part of the housing that receives the power cable. 
     
     
         18 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  wherein one arm comprises a clamp for clamping hair, wherein the clamp is hingedly connected to the arm and wherein the clamp is biased closed against the surface of the arm. 
     
     
         19 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the arms each comprise a styling part and a handle. 
     
     
         20 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the styling part is tapered along the entirety of its length, and wherein each arms comprises a heatable plate and/or a heatable surface located at the styling part, and wherein the heatable plate and/or surface taper along their length. 
     
     
         21 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the hair styling apparatus further comprises a barrier to prevent the user's hand from slipping from the handle to the styling part. 
     
     
         22 . A hair styling apparatus as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the anus are configured to provide a gap therebetween even when closed, the gap being located between the handles, and wherein the inner surface of one or both arms is not uniformly planar, but is instead arranged with a curved portion that curves towards the outer surface of the arm, and wherein the curved portion therefore defines the gap between the arms even when the arms are closed. 
     
     
         23 . A hair styling apparatus as  claimed in 13  wherein part of the outer surface of one or both arms extends over the outer surface of the housing. 
     
     
         24 . A hair styling apparatus as  claimed in 13  further comprising operational controls and/or status indicators located on one or both arms.