Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HAIR DRYER WITH INFRARED SOURCE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hairdryers. More particularly, the
present invention relates to a hand-held, electric hairdryer with an infrared
source.
2. Descriation of the Related Art
It is well known in the art to provide hairdryers with one or more
primary heaters for heating air as it is pumped through a body structure for
influencing the direction of the fluid air. These conventional hairdryers
often employ fan-forced convection heating systems intended to heat air
and then hair by convection. These heating systems require large surface
areas to effectively transfer heat to the fluid air. The temperatures
associated with these conventional heating systems are generally kept low
enough to avoid coil glow, which generally indicates poor heat transfer in
localized areas and which can result in premature coil failure. A typical
hairdryer has sufficient energy transferred with the readily available surface
area to keep wire temperatures at black heats, approximately 800 degrees
C, and to still heat the air column to about 100 degrees C, the maximum
temperature allowed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. and similar
regulating agencies.
Other known hairdryers have featured protected wire structures or
sources such as quartz tube heaters or halogen incandescent lamps,
which employ higher temperature metals, such as tungsten, and vacuum or
halogen gases to limit oxidation and breakdown of the heater wires at the
higher temperatures. With these systems, the heat sources are often hot
enough, approximately 1000 degrees C and higher, to emit visible light.
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The heater surface areas are relatively small, as the resistance wires are
protected from exposure to air and the hotter wire is a more efficient
radiator of energy. Energy available for heating and drying wet hair is
transferred primarily as radiant heat, rather than by convection from heated
air.
It is significant that infrared hairdryer systems have a component of
connective energy transfer to their energy output and wire coil or
convection heaters have a radiant component to their energy spectrum.
Some known hairdryers have been provided with structures designed
specifically to increase either one or the other connective or radiant
components in the energy profile. For example, infrared dryers may have
a fan mounted behind their heat lamps and wire-coil hairdryers may have
relatively large masses of ceramic or metal masses nearby the coils in
order to absorb heat from the resistance metal coils and then to reradiate
that energy in wavelengths that more efficiently heat water. All these
known systems, however, have relatively fixed profiles of energy emission.
Overall power levels may be variable, but the proportions of connective to
radiant energy transfer remains fixed by the design of the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved
hairdryer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved
hairdryer that more efficiently dries hair.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an
improved hairdryer with both a primary and secondary heating source that
may operate separately or individually and/or together or simultaneously.
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It is still another object of the present invention to provide an
improved hairdryer that allows an operator to selectively apply radiant
energy and/or heated fluid air to one or more strands of hair as desired via
a control interface.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide an
improved hairdryer that safely allows, via self regulation, radiant energy to
be selectively switched on and/or off and thereby added and/or removed
from a fluid air.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved
hairdryer that allows a radiant energy component to be selectively provided
to a fluid air generated by a convective heating system.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an
improved hairdryer with one or more infrared sources positioned along a
centerline of a fluid air stream.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an
improved hairdryer having one or more variable and/or adjustable infrared
sources.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention
are achieved by an improved hairdryer in accordance with the present
invention having a body with a handle portion and a head portion. The
handle portion is preferably ergonomically shaped and preferably has a
control interface. The head portion has an inlet end defining an air inlet
and an outlet end defining an air outlet. The head portion also has a
blower for drawing air into the inlet, direct the fluid air through the head
portion, and force the fluid air out the outlet. Furthermore, the head portion
also has one or more primary heaters for heating the fluid air as it passes
through the head portion and one or more secondary heaters for
selectively providing radiant energy to the fluid air as it exits the head
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portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
characters denote like elements of structure.
Fig. 1 is a side, partial section, view of a hairdryer in accordance
with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of a radiant energy source or
secondary heating source in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 3 is an exploded section view of the radiant energy source or
secondary heating source of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the radiant energy source
or secondary heating source of Fig. 2 in accordance with an illustrative
embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the radiant energy source
or secondary heating source of Fig. 2 in accordance with another
illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, there is shown a
hairdryer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention generally represented by reference numeral 1. The hairdryer 1 has
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a body 10 with at least two portions, a handle portion 20 and a head portion
30. The handle portion 20 is preferably ergonomically shaped for
comfortable handling and may preferably have a control interface 22. The
head portion 30 preferably has at least a first end 32 with an air ingress 33
and a second end 34 with an air egress 35. The head portion 30 is
preferably suitable to accommodate a blower 36 for generating an airflow.
The head portion 30 may preferably also accommodate one or more primary
heating sources or primary heaters 40 for providing heat to the airflow and
one or more secondary heating sources or secondary heaters 50 for
selectively providing radiant energy to the airflow as desired.
As shown, blower 36 is preferably positioned between air ingress 33
and at least one primary heater 40 so that blower 36 may preferably operate
to draw ambient air into head portion 30 thereby generating an airflow that
may be initially heated as it passes at least one primary heater 40. Also as
shown, at least one secondary heater 50 is preferably positioned between at
least one primary heater 40 and air egress 35 so that the airflow may
selectively be provided with radiant energy as desired before, after, and/or
as the airflow exits head portion 30 via air egress 35. Further, in one aspect
of the present invention, either or both air ingress 33 and air egress 35 may
be provided with a grill structure 37 and 38, respectively, made of stamped
metal, for example, for limit access to the various inner components of head
portion 30.
Blower 36, one or more primary heaters 40, and/or one or more
secondary heaters 50 are each preferably operatively connected to control
interface 22, which may have any of a variety of controls for allowing the
operator to select a variety of airflow and/or temperature settings. For
example, control interface 22 may have, among other controls, a blower
control 24, a primary heater control 26, and a secondary heater control 28.
Preferably, blower control 24 allows the operator to selectively
activate/deactivate blower 36 and/or otherwise control the intensity of the
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airflow exiting egress 35. The primary heater control 26 preferably allows the
operator to selectively activate/deactivate one or more primary heaters 40
andlor otherwise control the heat or temperature provided thereby. Likewise,
secondary heater control 28 preferably allows the operator to selectively
activateldeactivate one or more secondary heaters 50 and/or otherwise
operatively control the radiated energy provided thereby. It is noted that
controls 24, 26, 28 need not separately control the various features of
hairdryer 1, but rather any one or more controls may operate to control any
two of more operating functions associated with hairdryer 1.
Blower 36, one or more primary heaters 40, and/or one or more
secondary heaters 50 are also preferably operatively connected to a power
source (not shown) via a power cord 29. The geometry, components,
circuitry and connecting wires associated with blower 36, one or more
primary heaters 40, andlor one or more secondary heaters 50, and any other
component of hairdryer 1, as appropriate, may preferably be similar to that
which is known in the art. For example, in one aspect of the present
invention, blower 36 may be a fan and motor assembly (not shown) with
the fan configured so that when driven by the motor, via a rotary shaft, air
is drawn into head portion 30. Also, as best shown in Fig. 1, primary
heaters 40 may be a conventional convention heater with one or more coil
heaters 42 wound on one or more crossed mica cards 44 mounted in head
portion 30 of hairdryer 1.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, in a preferred embodiment of the
present invention one or more secondary heaters 50 may preferably be of
an infrared (IR) nature and may preferably utilize a heater element 52,
such as, for example, a PTC ceramic heater preferably having a doped
ceramic with the property of variable electrical resistance depending on the
ceramic temperature. Heater element 52 preferably has a positive
temperature coefficient so that resistance increases with increased
temperature. Heater element 52 preferably stabilizes around an average
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power input and/or temperature and may, therefore, be self-regulating. In
addition, in one aspect of the present invention, heater element 52
preferably does not require additional temperature monitoring or control. It
is noted, however, that this need not be the case. It may be possible in
alternative embodiments of the present invention to use various other
resistance-type heaters in combination with an electronic temperature
monitor, such as a thermistor bead, for example. Further, any of a variety
of different electronic control circuits that offer additional
features/benefits
(e.g., variable and/or adjustable airflows, temperatures, and/or radiation
components) may be used to accomplish the preferred power and/or
temperature regulation or monitoring associated with the various
embodiments of the present invention.
As shown, in a preferred aspect of the present invention, heater
element 52 of one or more secondary heaters 50 may preferably be
positioned proximate to one or more, and preferably at least two,
electrodes 54 so that heater element 52 and electrodes 54 are preferably
at least substantially in conductive contact. Preferably, each electrode 54
has one or more lead wires 56 that are preferably either directly or
indirectly electrically connected to the power source and/or one or more
controls 24, 26, 28 of control interface 22.
In turn, heater element 52 and electrodes 54 may preferably be
positioned in an insulator or insulating member 58 in a tight or secure
manner so that insulating member 58 at least substantially surrounds the
heater/electrode assembly. It is noted that insulating member 58 may be
formed of any suitable material known in the art. Insulating member 58
may then preferably be positioned in a conductive tube 60 having at least
suitable thermally conductive and/or radiant properties, such as, for
example those properties provided by aluminum or the like. In a preferred
aspect of the present invention, conductive tube 60 securely
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accommodates or tightly holds the heater/electrode/insulator assembly.
Conductive tube 60 preferably has two ends that may preferably be
covered, closed and/or sealed. Each end is preferably sealed by
preferably two conductive end caps, a first end cap 62 and a second end
cap 64, each of which may also have at least thermally conductive and/or
radiant properties. End caps 62, 64 may have any of a variety of shapes,
sizes and/or configurations. For example, as reflected by first end cap 62,
one or both end caps may be sized and shaped to fit over conductive tube
60 in a secure or tight manner. Alternatively, as reflected by second end
cap 64, one or both end caps may be sized and shaped so as to fit in
conductive tube 60 in a secure or tight manner. Thus, in this preferred
aspect of the present invention, end caps 62, 64 preferably provide
additional radiating and/or conductive surface area to that already provided
by the outer surface of conductive tube 60.
In another aspect of the present invention, one or more secondary
heaters 50 may preferably be operatively associated with one or more
radiators 66. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, at least one radiator 66 rnay
be press fit onto conductive tube 60 in at least a substantially secure or
tight manner. Alternatively, the conductive tube 60 may be integrally
formed as part of the radiator 66. Each radiator 66 may preferably be
made of any of a variety of materials having thermally conductive and/or
radiant properties, such as, for example, aluminum, ceramic and/or
stainless steel.
As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the one or more radiators 66 may
preferably have one or more fins 68 preferably radially arranged for optimal
thermal radiation. Fins 68 are preferably also fashioned from materials
with appropriate thermal radiant and conductive properties. Fins 68 may
have any of a variety of shapes, sizes and/or configurations as appropriate
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for incorporation into a particular hair styling appliance.
Having identified and discussed some of the preferred features of
the present invention the present invention, in use, preferably allows the
operator to selectively provide radiant energy via a switchable infrared
source to one or more strands of hair either separately or simultaneously
with a heated airflow as desired. This may be accomplished, for example,
by positioning the one or more secondary heaters 50 of the present
invention at egress 35 of head portion 30, and more preferably about or
along a centerline 70 thereof. For example, as reflected by Fig. 4, the grill
structure 38 of egress 35 may preferably securely retain one or more
secondary heaters 50 about or along centerline 70. Additionally, in various
alternative embodiments of the present invention, one or more secondary
heaters 50 may be positioned in head portion 30 at any point about or
along centerline 70 between primary heaters 40 and egress 35.
The present invention having been thus described with particular
reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various
changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from
the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined herein. For
example, as shown in Fig. 5, which is an alternative embodiment of the
present invention, heater element 52 (e.g., a PTC heater or the like) may
preferably be directly mounted to radiator 66 via a tubular opening 67, for
example, in order to be centrally positioned with respect to the radiator.
It is believed that the many advantages of this invention and the
manner in which it fulfills the stated objectives will be understood by those
skilled in the art.
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