US3023515A - Portable hair dryer - Google Patents

Description

March 6, 1962 H. J. STERN PORTABLE HAIR DRYER 2. Sheets-Sheet -1 Filed April 13, 1959 INVENTOR. 5722/2"? J53? 512:?

W .erraawzy March 6, 1962 H. .1. STERN PORTABLE HAIR DRYER y 2 .E Z t W MW g WM w a m w A United States Patent @fihce 3,023,515 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,515 PORTABLE HAm DRYER Harriet Jean Stern, 54 Fonda Road, Rockville Centre, N.Y. Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 806,038 1 Claim. (Cl. 34-99) an object of the present invention to provide a completely collapsible and portable hair dryer that may be quickly and conveniently assembled for drying hair in a professional manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable hair dryer that can be conveniently disassembled and placed within a small hand carrying case for storage and transporting purposes.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable hair dryer of the type described that includes a self contained air heating and circulating device for heating and moving air through the hair to increase the drying rate thereof.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the major components of a hair dryer made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a collapsible stand for conveniently supporting the hair dryer at any desired height;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side perspective view, with parts broken away, of a collapsible head hood forming a part of the present invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View, partly in section, of a portable carrying case within which the hair dryer may be conveniently stored and carried.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 3 thereof, a portable hair dryer assembly 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a main housing 12 having a wire mesh screen 14 at one end thereof through which air may be outwardly directed from the opposite inlet end thereof. A mounting plate 16 is slidably received within the main housing 12 and has a motor 18 secured to the rear side thereof. This motor 18 includes a shaft 20 upon which a set of impeller blades 22 are secured on the opposite side of the mounting plate 16 from the motor housing 18. Apertures 24 in the mounting plate 16 allow air to enter the interior of the main housing 12 from the inlet apertures 36 of a rear cover member 34. The air passes into contact with an electrical resistance element 26 mounted upon the front side of the plate 16 by means of insulated blocks 28, and energized by means of electrical lead wires 30 that are connected in parallel with the motor 18 to the electrical supply line 32, which may be conveniently inserted in any wall receptacle.

The perforated rear cover plate 34 is also provided with openings through which bolts may be threadedly driven into securing engagement with the main housing 12. The front end of the main housing 12 is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart and radially outwardly extending mounting studs 42 that threadedly support wing nuts 44. These mounting studs 42 are slidably received within bayonet slots 46 in the annular frame 48 at one end of a collapsible head hood, and secured therewithin by means of the wing nuts 44, so as to support the head hood in direct engagement with the air outlet end of the main housing 12. A loosely convoluted coil spring 52 is secured at one end, by means of securement tabs 54 to the annular frame 48 at one end, while the opposite end thereof is secured by similar tabs 59 to a slightly larger annular frame 56. A flexible cover sheet 50 completely encloses the convoluted wire spring 52 and is secured at one end by means of clips 55 to the smaller frame 48, while the opposite end thereof is clampingly received within the space of the substantially U-shaped larger frame 56. It will thus be recognized that the head hood may be conveniently collapsed merely by pushing the opposite ends thereof together, in the manner shown in FIGURE 4.

A convenient carrying case 60 is also provided to enable the entire dryer to be collapsed and stored therewithin to form a complete package 58, as shown in FIG- URE 4. A pair of bars 62 pivotally mounted at one end upon stationary loops 64 secured to the bottom wall of the carrying case 60, are provided with hook elements 63 at their opposite ends which releasably engage with the frame 66 of the outlet end of the main housing 12, to thus secure the head hood in the collapsed position against the expansion action of the wire spring 52. The lid 68 of the carrying case is provided with a plurality of brackets 70 that releasably support various sections 72 of a telescoping type stand 74 which may be conveniently erected to support the hair dryer in a convenient position. While the stand 74 does not form a part of the present invention, it is preferably of collapsible construction so as to be readily taken apart and placed within the carrying case for storage and transport purposes. The main housing 12 is provided with radially outwardly extending mounting 78 that hingedly supports a tubular socket 76 for receiving the upper free end of the stand extensible member so as to support the hair dryer at a proper height so that the larger frame 56 of the head hood may be placed in encircling engagement with the head of the user.

The carrying case 60 is provided with mounting poles 82 around which the electrical supply line 32 may be Wound to prevent entanglement thereof.

It will now be recognized that the entire hair dryer may be readily assembled and placed in use in a simple and convenient manner. Similarly, all of the parts can be readily disassembled and packed within the case '60 to provide a convenient storage and transporting package 58. In use, air is drawn inwardly into the interior of the main housing 12 through the inlet apertures 36, apertures 24 in the mounting plate 16, and through the outlet grill 14 by the action of the motor 18 and associated blades 22, during which time the heating element 26 will sufilciently heat the air to effect a rapid drying of damp air placed at the outlet end of the collapsible hood.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination, a main housing, said main housing having an air inlet and an air outlet at opposite ends thereof, power driven air impelling means adjacent to said air outlets selectively effecting forced movement of air through said main housing from said air inlet to said air outlet, a collapsible head hood comprising a convoluted compression coil spring having an annular frame secured to each end thereof and a flexible cover enclosing said spring secured at opposite ends to each one of said annular frames, releasable clamp means securing said hood upon said air outlet end of said main housing, said main housing comprising a substantially hollow cylindrical member, a perforated plate secured to one end of said main housing within said air inlet, a mesh screen secured to the opposite end of said main housing within said air outlet, a mounting plate slidably received within said main housing, a motor secured to the air inlet side of said mounting plate and comprising the source of power for air impelling means, said motor having a shaft extending through the center of said mounting plate, and said power driven air impelling means comprising a set of fan blades secured upon said motor shaft on the opposite side of said mounting plate, said releasable clamp means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart and radially outwardly extending studs secured to said air outlet end of said main housing and one of said annular frames of said head hood having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bayonet slots each slidably receiving one of said mounting studs therewithin, and each said mounting stud threadedly supporting a thumb nut for clamping engagement with said one annular frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,035 Casey July 26, 1927 2,504,394 Crafts Apr. 18, 1950 2,575,841 Rosli Nov. 20, 1951 2,632,960 Bucknell et al May 31, 1953 2,725,642 Hudson Dec. 6, 1955 2,897,603 Behrrnan Aug. 4, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,064,566 France May 14, 1954

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