Collapsible portable electric hair curling iron

Abstract

A portable electric curling iron has a hollow handle having an open end. An electrically heated hair curling member is arranged for telescopic movement between a retracted storage position within the handle and an extended use position wherein the member projects from the handle through the open end thereof. Movable electrical connector plug means are provided on the iron for connecting the electric heating means associated with the hair curling member to a power source. Means are provided for automatically moving the connector plug means between a retracted plug position wherein the plug means is substantially entirely within the handle and an extended plug position wherein the plug projects from the handle in response to the telescopic movement of the hair curling member into and out of the handle.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A curling iron comprising: a hollow handle having an open end;   heat conducting means arranged in said handle for telescopic movement therein between a first position projecting from said .Iadd.open end of said .Iaddend.handle and a second position substantially enclosed within said handle;   an electric heat generating element associated with said heat conducting means for heating said heat conducting means; and   electrical connector plug means .Iadd.in said handle, said plug means being .Iaddend.electrically connected to said heat generating element and adapted to connect said heat generating element to an external source of power, said plug means being coupled to said heat conducting means for movement therewith and having bearing means projecting from said plug means for cooperating with means on said handle .[.for.]. .Iadd., said bearing means .Iaddend.moving said plug means between a first plug position projecting from said handle for .[.conducting electrical energy to said heat generating element.]. .Iadd.connection to an external power source .Iaddend.when said heat conducting means is in said first position and a second plug position substantially entirely within said handle when said heat conducting means is in said second position in response to movement of said heat conducting means between said first and second positions.   
     
     
       2. A curling iron according to claim 1, wherein said heat conducting means includes a metallic tube and said heat generating element is internally disposed within said tube. 
     
     
       3. A curling iron according to claim 2, wherein said heat conducting means further includes guide means having said plug means pivotally connected thereto and an end of said guide means fixedly attached to said metallic tube, said guide means being disposed within said handle to move along a linear path to permit said heat conducting means to telescope into said handle. 
     
     
       4. A curling iron according to claim 3, wherein said guide means further includes guide rails adapted to cooperate with grooves in said handle to guide said heat conducting means as it telescopes into said handle. 
     
     
       5. A curling iron according to claim 1, further including hair gripping means longitudinally extending along said heat conducting means, said hair gripping means being arranged to telescope within said handle together with said heat conducting means. 
     
     
       6. A curling iron according to claim 1, wherein said means on said handle cooperating with said bearing means projecting from said plug means comprises detent means on said handle. 
     
     
       7. A curling iron comprising: a hollow handle having an open end;   a heat conducting member arranged in said handle for telescopic movement between a first position projecting from said open end of said handle and a second position substantially enclosed within said handle;   an electric heat generating element associated with said heat conducting member for heating said heat conducting member; and   electrical connector plug means .Iadd.in said handle, said plug means being .Iaddend.electrically connected to said heat generating element and adapted to connect said heat generating element to .[.a.]. .Iadd.an external .Iaddend.source of power, said plug means being coupled to said heat conducting member for movement therewith and having means cooperating with means on said handle for moving said plug means between a first plug position projecting from said handle .Iadd.for connection to an external power source .Iaddend.when said heat conducting member is in said first position and a second plug position substantially entirely within said handle .Iadd.when said heat conducting member is in said second position .Iaddend.in response to movement of said heat conducting member between said first and second positions.   
     
     
       8. A curling iron according to claim 7, further comprising: guide means coupled to said plug means and said heat conducting member, said guide means cooperating with means on said handle for guiding said heat conducting member between said first and second positions;   hair gripping means pivotally connected to said guide means and longitudinally extending along said heat conducting member, said hair gripping means arranged for telescopic movement into said handle together with said heat conducting member; and   an actuator member attached to said handle for pivotally moving said gripping means when pressed, said actuator member having a cam surface for pressing against bearing means projecting from said guide means to move said guide means to cause said plug means to withdraw substantially entirely within said handle when said actuator member is pressed.   
     
     
       9. A curling iron according to claim 8, wherein said guide means includes guide rails and an end of said guide means fixedly attached to said heat conducting member, said guide means being disposed within said handle with said guide rails cooperating with grooves in said hollow handle to guide said heat conducting member as it telescopes into said handle. 
     
     
       10. A curling iron according to claim 7, wherein said heat conducting member is a tube and said heat generating element is internally disposed within said tube. 
     
     
       11. A curling iron according to claim 7, wherein said cooperating means on said plug means and handle include an outwardly projecting bearing pin on said plug means adapted to cooperate with a detent within said hollow handle to move said plug means between said first and second plug positions in response to movement of said heat conducting member between its first and second positions. 
     
     
       12. A curling iron comprising: a hollow handle having an open end;   a heat conducting member secured to said handle and arranged for reciprocal movement between a retracted position wherein said heat conducting member is substantially entirely enclosed within said handle and an extended position wherein said heat conducting member projects from said handle through said open end;   an electrical heat generating element associated with said heat conducting member for heating said heat conducting member;   electrical plug means .Iadd.in said handle, said plug means being .Iaddend.electrically connected to said heat generating element and adapted to connect said heat generating element to .[.a.]. .Iadd.an external .Iaddend.source of electric power, said plug means being arranged for movement between a position projecting from said handle .Iadd.for connection to an external power source .Iaddend.and a position retracted .Iadd.substantially entirely .Iaddend.within said handle, said plug means being arranged to project from said handle when said heat conducting member projects from said handle; and   means for automatically retracting said projecting plug means substantially entirely within said handle in response to movement of said heat conducting member toward its retracted position .Iadd.from its extended position.Iaddend..   
     
     
       13. A curling iron according to claim 12, wherein said heat conducting member is a metallic tube and said electrical heat generating element is disposed within said tube. 
     
     
       14. A curling iron according to claim 12, further including hair gripping means pivotally mounted on said heat conducting member to longitudinally extend along said heat conducting member, said hair gripping means being arranged to move with said heat conducting member between said retracted position of said heat conducting member and said extended position of said heat conducting member. 
     
     
       15. A curling iron according to claim 12, wherein said automatic retracting means includes guide means having said plug means pivotally connected thereto and a guide means end fixedly attached to said heat conducting member, said guide means cooperating with means on said handle for guiding said heat conducting member between said retracted and extended positions and moving said plug means between said retracted plug position and said projecting plug position in response to said movement of said heat conducting member between said extended and retracted positions. 
     
     
       16. A curling iron comprising: a hollow handle having an open end;   a heat conducting member secured to said handle and .[.for.]. arranged .Iadd.for .Iaddend.reciprocal movement between a retracted position wherein said heat conducting member is substantially entirely enclosed within said handle and an extended position wherein said heat conducting member projects from said handle through said open end;   an electrical heat generating element associated with said heat conducting member for heating said heat conducting member;   electrical plug means .Iadd.in said handle, said plug means being .Iaddend.electrically connected to said heat generating element and adapted to connect said heat generating element to .[.a .]. .Iadd.an external .Iaddend.source of power, said plug means being arranged for movement between a retracted position .Iadd.substantially enclosed .Iaddend.within said handle and .[.a.]. .Iadd.an extended .Iaddend.position projecting from said handle .Iadd.for connection to an external power source .Iaddend., said plug means .[.being.]. .Iadd.arranged to be .Iaddend.in a retracted plug position wherein said plug means is substantially entirely within said handle when said heat conducting member is in its retracted position; and   means for automatically moving said plug means from said retracted plug position to .[.an.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.extended plug position wherein said plug means projects from said handle .Iadd.for connection to an external power source .Iaddend.in response to movement of said heat conducting member toward its extended position.   
     
     
       17. A curling iron according to claim 16, wherein said heat conducting member is secured to said handle for telescopic movement between said extended position and said retracted position. 
     
     
       18. A curling iron according to claim 17, further including hair gripping means pivotally mounted on said heat conducting member to longitudinally extend along said heat conducting member. 
     
     
       19. A curling iron according to claim 18, further including an actuator arm member attached to said handle for pivotally moving said hair gripping means when pressed, said actuator arm member being arranged to cooperate with said plug means to move said plug means substantially entirely within said handle when said actuator arm member is pressed. 
     
     
       20. A curling iron according to claim 16, wherein said heat conducting member is a metallic tube and said electrical heat generating element is disposed within said tube. 
     
     
       21. A curling iron according to claim 16, wherein said means for moving said plug means from said retracted plug position to said extended plug position include guide means having said plug means pivotally connected thereto and a guide means end fixedly attached to said heat conducting member, said guide means cooperating with means on said handle for guiding said heat conducting member between said retracted and extended positions and moving said plug means between said retracted plug position and said extended plug position when said heat conducting member moves between said retracted position of said heat conducting member and said extended position of said heat conducting member. 
     
     
       22. A curling iron comprising: a hollow handle having an open end;   a heat conducting member secured to said handle and arranged for telescopic movement between a retracted position within said handle and an extended position wherein said heat conducting member projects from said handle through said open end;   an electrical heat generating element associated with said heat conducting member for heating said heat conducting member;   movable electrical connector plug means .Iadd.in said handle, said plug means being .Iaddend.electrically connected to said heat generating element for connecting said heat generating element to .[.a.]. .Iadd.an external .Iaddend.power source; and   means for automatically moving said plug means .Iadd.in response to the telescopic movement of said heat conducting member from one of its retracted or extended positions to its other position .Iaddend.between a retracted plug position wherein said plug means is substantially entirely within said handle and an extended plug position wherein said plug means projects from said handle.[., said movement being in response to said telescopic movement of said heat conducting member.]. .Iadd.for connection to an external power source.Iaddend..   
     
     
       23. A curling iron according to claim 22, wherein said heat conducting member is a metallic tube and said electrical heat generating element is disposed within said tube. 
     
     
       24. A curling iron according to claim 22, further including hair gripping means pivotally mounted on said heat conducting member to longitudinally extend along said heat conducting member. 
     
     
       25. A curling iron according to claim 22, further including an actuator arm member attached to said handle and cooperating with said plug means for causing said plug means to be substantially entirely retracted within said handle when said actuator arm member is pressed and said heat conducting member is moved toward its retracted position. 
     
     
       26. A curling iron according to claim 22, wherein said means for moving said plug means from said retracted plug position to said extended plug position include a guide member having said plug means pivotally connected thereto and an end of said guide member fixedly attached to said heat conducting member, said guide member cooperating with means on said handle for guiding said heat conducting member between said retracted and extended positions and moving said plug means between said retracted plug position and said extended plug position in response to movement of said heat conducting member.