WO2009097321A1

WO2009097321A1 - Hair dryer having front and side air intake ports

Info

Publication number: WO2009097321A1
Application number: PCT/US2009/032218
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kam Fai Fung
Original assignee: Conair Corporation
Priority date: 2008-01-28
Filing date: 2009-01-28
Publication date: 2009-08-06

Abstract

A hair dryer (1) according to the present invention comprises a handle (2), a barrel section (3), and an output nozzle (4) at a distal end. Heated, flowing air exits out the nozzle (5) as shown by arrows (6, 7). A mixture of room temperature, or ambient, cool air (8) and heated air (9), which was previously expelled as hot air (6,7), is drawn into the air intake ports (10). Thus, the expelled hot air (6, 7) contacts a user's hair and some of it is rebounded back to the intake ports (10) as pre- warmed air or heated air (9).

Description

HAIR DRYER HAVING FRONT AND SIDE AIR INTAKE PORTS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to personal beauty appliances and, more particularly, handheld hair dryers.

Description of Related Art

Various known hand held hair dryers exist in which an electric motor and fan assembly draw air into an intake port on the proximal end, or heel, or the hair dryer and the air is heated then emitted from a nozzle at the distal end. The incoming air is at room temperature and must be heated rapidly to achieve desired drying effect. This requires a significantly large amount of electrical energy.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand held hair dryer that operates more efficiently than existing hand held hair dryers.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A hair dryer 1 according to the present invention comprises a handle 2, a barrel section 3, and an output nozzle 4 at a distal end. Heated, flowing air is generated by the dryer 1 according to conventional means known in existing hairdryers. The novel features of the present invention are related to the location and performance of the air intake ports. Heated, flowing air exits out the nozzle 5 as shown by arrows 6, 7. A mixture of room temperature, or ambient, cool air 8 and heated air 9, which was previously expelled as hot air 6,7, is drawn into the air intake ports 10. Thus, the expelled hot air 6, 7 contacts a user's hair and some of it is rebounded back to the intake ports 10 as pre-warmed air or heated air 9. This pre-warmed air allows less energy to be used to heat air before emitting it from the dryer 1. In addition, a suction force resulting from the proximity of the intake ports 10 lifts the user's hair from the scalp or, at minimum, draws heated air back through hair strands, therefore improving drying of hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig.1 is a top view of the present invention.

Fig.2 is a front view of the present invention.

Fig.3 is a side view of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the present invention.

Fig.6 is a perspective, diagrammatic view of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 8 is a top, diagrammatic view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 9 is side, diagrammatic view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 10 is a partial, perspective view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 1 1 is a perspective view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic, end view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic, partial side view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 15 is a partial, perspective view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 16 is a partial, side view of a component of the present invention shown in a particular mode. Fig. 17 is a partial, side view of a component of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig.18 is a partial, perspective view of a component of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

Fig. 19 is a partial, front view of the present invention shown in a particular mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF

THE INVENTION

Referring to Figs. 1 - 19, a hair dryer 1 according to the present invention comprises a handle 2, a barrel section 3, and an output nozzle 4 at a distal end. Heated, flowing air is generated by the dryer 1 according to conventional means known in existing hairdryers. The novel features of the present invention are related to the location and performance of the air intake ports.

Heated, flowing air exits out the nozzle 5 as shown by arrows 6, 7. A mixture of room temperature, or ambient, cool air 8 and heated air 9, which was previously expelled as hot air 6,7, is drawn into the air intake port 10. Thus, the expelled hot air 6, 7 contacts a user's hair and some of it is rebounded back to the intake ports 10 as pre-warmed air or heated air 9. This pre-warmed air allows less energy to be used to heat air before emitting it from the dryer 1. In addition, a suction force resulting from the proximity of the intake ports 10 lifts the user's hair from the scalp or, at minimum, draws heated air back through hair strands, therefore improving drying of hair. The intake port 10 is preferably a ring-shaped surrounding the barrel section 3 and being located near or adjacent to the nozzle 5. A ring-shape is symmetrical with respect to the nozzle 5 and thus will draw in air equally from all directions after the air exists the nozzle 5, rebounds off of a user's hair and scalp, and is dispersed in the vicinity of the nozzle 5. Alternatively, the air intake port 10 may be asymmetrically configured or it may comprise a series of separate intake ports that may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the nozzle 5 or asymmetrically with respect to the nozzle 5. Side windows 1 1 may be provided for additional air-intake efficiency. A removable cover 12 may be provided for selectively enabling or disabling the windows 1 1. The cover 12 may be fully removable or it may have multiple positions varying between full closed and different degrees of opened. A removable cover 13 and filter 14 may be provided at the distal end 15 of the barrel, as the incoming air from ports 10 is circulated within the housing of the dryer 1 and passes through the filter 14 and distal end 15. The distal end of the dryer may have various attachments or permanent features such as hooked fingers 16 to style or pick hair, and magnets 17 to increase blood flow in the scalp and to stimulate hair follicles, and to otherwise provide soothing therapy.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS :

1. An improved hair dryer having, a body having a proximal end and a distal end, an internal chamber in said body, a handle attached at said proximal end, an electrically driven heat source housed in said chamber, an electric motor housed in said chamber, a fan rotatably attached to an output shaft of said electric motor and housed in said chamber, and an elongated, barrel attached to said distal end of said body and being in communication with said chamber and having an open end at its distal end for emitting air that is heated by said heater and that is caused to move by said fan, said improvement comprising a first air inlet located adjacent to said distal end of said barrel.

2. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 1 , wherein said first air inlet is formed by a generally ring-shaped opening that surrounds said barrel so that said barrel is concentrically located within said first air inlet.

3. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 1 , further comprising a second air inlet formed on a side of said body between said first air inlet and said proximal end.

4. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 1 , further comprising a third air inlet formed on a side of said body between said first air inlet and said proximal end.

5. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 1 , further comprising an air filter removably mounted in said chamber.

6. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 3, further comprising a second cover adapted to be positioned selectively in order to block air flow through said second air inlet or to enable air flow through said second air inlet.

7. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 4, further comprising a third cover adapted to be positioned selectively in order to block air flow through said third air inlet or to enable air flow through said third air inlet.

8. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 6, wherein said second cover is variably positionable relative to said second air inlet to variably control the amount of air flow through said second air inlet.

9. An improved hair dryer according to Claim 7, wherein said third cover is variably positionable relative to said third air inlet to variably control the amount of air flow through said third air inlet.