Hair styling appliance

Abstract

A hair straightening apparatus has two arms pivotably coupled at a hinge, and a central pack disposed between the first and second arms and coupled with the hair styling apparatus at the hinge on a hinge end of hair straightening apparatus. A locking mechanism is disposed within the central pack, wherein the locking mechanism includes a symmetrical, elongate lock arm disposed lengthwise within the central pack. The locking mechanism is selectively operable to lock the first and second arms in the closed position. The central pack defines a longitudinal axis, and the elongate lock arm is movable relative to the central pack between the first and second positions in parallel with the longitudinal axis defined by the central pack.

1 . A hair styling apparatus comprising:
 a first arm and a second arm coupled together at a hinge to allow the first arm and the second arm to be moveable between a closed position in which a facing side of the first arm and a facing side of the second arm are adjacent, and an open position in which the facing side of the first arm and the facing side of the second arm are spaced apart;   a central pack disposed between the first and second arms and coupled to the hair styling apparatus at the hinge; and   a locking mechanism disposed within the central pack, wherein the locking mechanism comprises an elongate lock arm disposed lengthwise within the central pack.   
     
     
         2 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a lock bar disposed symmetrically at a first end of the elongate lock arm. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the elongate lock arm together with the locking bar has a T-shape form. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface lock button on an external surface of the central pack,   wherein the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism is adapted to move relative to the central pack between first and second positions,   wherein the user interface lock button is connected with the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism and is adapted to move the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism between the first and second positions.   
     
     
         5 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a lock out actuator movably attached to the central pack. 
     
     
         6 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the lock out actuator is connected to a biasing member; and   the lock out actuator is biased by the biasing member in an extended position.   
     
     
         7 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the lock out actuator is adapted to be moved into a contracted position by at least one of the first and/or second arms when the first and second arms are in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a protrusion on at least one of the first and second arms,   wherein the lock out actuator is operable to be pushed into the contracted position by the protrusion on the at least one of the first and second arms.   
     
     
         9 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism is movable between first and second positions when the lock out actuator is in the contracted position. 
     
     
         10 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism is immovable between first and second positions when the lock out actuator is in the extended position. 
     
     
         11 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring. 
     
     
         12 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
         13 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the central pack comprises a power pack. 
     
     
         14 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the central pack comprises at least one frame adapted to support: the locking mechanism; at least one cell; and a user interface printed circuit board (PCB). 
     
     
         15 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism is connected to the frame by a torsion spring. 
     
     
         16 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is selectively operable to lock the first and second arms in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the central pack defines a longitudinal axis; and   the elongate lock arm is disposed within the central pack in parallel with the longitudinal axis defined by the central pack.   
     
     
         18 . A hair styling apparatus comprising:
 a first arm and a second arm coupled together at a hinge to allow the first arm and the second arm to be moveable between a closed position in which a facing side of the first arm and a facing side of the second arm are adjacent, and an open position in which the facing side of the first arm and the facing side of the second arm are spaced apart;   a central pack disposed between the first and second arms and coupled to the hair styling apparatus at the hinge;   a user interface lock button on an external surface of the central pack; and   a locking mechanism disposed within the central pack and being selectively operable to lock the first and second arms in the closed position, wherein the locking mechanism comprises:
 an elongate lock arm disposed lengthwise within the central pack; 
 a lock bar disposed symmetrically at a first end of the elongate lock arm, wherein the elongate lock arm together with the locking bar has a T-shape form; and 
 a lock out actuator movably attached to the central pack, the lock out actuator being biased by a biasing member in an extended position, wherein the lock out actuator is adapted to be moved into a contracted position opposite the extended position by a protrusion provided on at least one of the first and/or second arms when the first and second arms are in the closed position, 
   wherein the elongate lock arm and lock bar of the locking mechanism is adapted to move relative to the central pack between first and second positions,   wherein the user interface lock button is connected with the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism and is adapted to move the elongate lock arm and lock bar of the locking mechanism between the first and second positions,   wherein the elongate lock arm and lock bar of the locking mechanism are movable between first and second positions when the lock out actuator is in the contracted position,   wherein the elongate lock arm and lock bar of the locking mechanism are immovable between first and second positions when the lock out actuator is in the extended position.   
     
     
         19 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the elongate lock arm of the locking mechanism is connected to the frame by a torsion spring. 
     
     
         20 . The hair styling apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the central pack defines a longitudinal axis; and   the elongate lock arm is movable relative to the central pack between the first and second positions in parallel with the longitudinal axis defined by the central pack.