Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HAIR DRYER
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric appliance. In particular, the
present invention relates to a hair dryer.
Background
Electric hair dryers are available in various forms offering attractive
features.
Regardless of the variations, the electric hair dryers available in the market
are
configured with two or more of distinct buttons/switches, or combination of
both for
normal operations.
Typically, at least one button/switch is adapted to control the motor driving
electric fan components, whereas the heating components are controlled by the
distinct button/switch. Each of these buttons/switches further provides
control of
fan and heat in various levels. For user friendliness, these buttons/switches
are
usually placed at the handle where they are reachable easily through the
fingers of
the hand holding the hair dryer. Due to the size restrain on the handle, the
various
levels are limited. For example, a full-featured hair dryer comprises both
buttons/switches employing three-level adjustments, wherein, level 0
represents no
airflow for the electric component, level 1 represents regular airflow and
level 2
represents high airflow for the electric component. Similarly, level 0-2 for
button/switch associated to the heating component represents no heat, regular
heat
and high heat respectively. Some hair dryers can even feature with more
distinct
buttons/switches as the features and controls increase.
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There are of course some mini- or portable or travel hair dryers available on
the
market. These hair dryers adopt one single switch that switching between
regular
heated air, regular air, and no air blow for simplicity. In addition, such
travel hair
dryers or those ordinary or professional hair dryers, also feature with a
mechanical
switch for switching between different voltages.
In high power (generally above 1500W) hair dryers, or professional grade hair
dryers, it is generally not practical to adapt dual voltages switching. The
hair dryers are
generally made to suit the voltage level of intended region/market.
It can be seen and understood to users that controlling the hair dryer via two
or
more distinct buttons/switches can be complicated. It can also be wasteful in
energy
usage due to the limited level controls, and thus decrease users'
satisfactions in many
regards.
It can thus be seen that there exists a need for a simple and robust way for a
hair
dryer.
Summary
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
hair
dryer having a fan and a heater. The hair dryer comprises a printed circuit
board (PCB)
having programmable integrated circuit (IC) components mounted thereon,
wherein the
fan and the heater are also connected to the PCB; a plurality of presets
defining
operating levels of the fan and the heater, alone or in any combinations; and
a multi-
mode switch connected to the PCB for controlling the plurality of presets, the
multi-
mode switch is positioned at a one-hand operable location on the hair dryer,
wherein a
user is able to operate the hair dryer with only a hand holding the hair dryer
and
controlling the plurality of presets through the multi-mode switch.
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In one embodiment, the multi-mode switch is a rotary dial. It is also possible
that the multi-mode switch is a toggle switch. The toggle switch may be
toggleable in
an up-down direction or a left-right direction. It is also possible that the
toggle switch is
an omni-directional toggle switch that is able to toggle in at least up-down
and left-right
directions.
Alternatively, the multi-mode switch is a push button. Further, the button may
comprise a first button and a second button, or the button may be a single
button. It is
also possible that the multi-mode switch comprises a combination of any one of
the
above multi-mode switches. The multi-mode switch may be located on an upper
side of
the handle of the hair dryer.
In another embodiment, the hair dryer may further include a far infrared
emitter
and an ionic generator connected to the PCB, wherein their operating status is
defined in
one of the presets. The PCB may further comprises a switch mode power supply
unit
and a auto-cut-off circuit.
Brief Description of Drawings
This invention will be described by way of non-limiting embodiments of the
present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a hair dryer in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to one embodiment of
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the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to an alternative
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to a further embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to yet another
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to yet a further
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to yet an alternative
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is a schematic view of a hair dryer according to yet further
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of a hair dryer according to yet another
embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view of a hair dryer according to a further
embodiment of the present invention.
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Detailed Description
In line with the above summary, the following description of a number of
specific and alternative embodiments are provided to understand the inventive
features of the present invention. It shall be apparent to one skilled in the
art,
5 however that this invention may be practiced without such specific
details. Some
of the details may not be described at length so as not to obscure the
invention. For
ease of reference, common reference numerals will be used throughout the
figures
when referring to the same or similar features common to the figures.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided an electric hair dryer comprises a heater, a fan, a multi-mode
button/switch
and a printed circuit board (PCB) connecting the heater, the fan and the multi-
mode
button/switch. The PCB provides a simultaneous control over the heater and the
fan via the multi-mode button/switch. With simple operations for the electric
hair
dryer in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, a user can
simultaneously control the working temperature and airflow easily with one
hand.
Because the power of a hair dryer is controlled and adjusted by built-in
programs, it
saves energy consumption. The advantages offer more users' satisfactions. For
avoidance of doubt, the fan referred herein includes a motor and fan blades,
wherein
the motor is operationally driving the fan blades to generate airflow. A
skilled
person would appreciate that any means of generating airflow can be desired.
Further, it is also understood that controlling fan or the like has the same
meaning
as controlling the airflow.
Further, the present invention is adaptable in high power hair dryer, which
includes professional grade hair dryer.
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Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a hair dryer in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention. The hair dryer 100 comprises a multi-mode
trigger 102, a Controller 104, a heater 106 and a fan 108. Specifically, The
Controller 104 generally comprises one or more IC components. The heater 106
operationally generates heat for the hair dryer 100. The heater 106 can be any
heating wire transforming electrical energy into heat. The fan 108
operationally
generates airflow for the hair dryer 100. The fan 108 comprises a fan and an
electric motor to generate airflow. Both heater 106 and fan 108 are
respectively
connected to the Controller 104. The Controller 104 provides controls on power
level to the fan 108 and heat level to the heater 106 in many levels or
combination
of levels. The Controller 104 is further connected to the multi-mode trigger
102
that allow users to fully control the hair dryer 100 through the single multi-
mode
trigger 102.
Still referring to Fig. 1, when operating the hair dryer 100 with the
multi-mode trigger 102, the multi-mode trigger 102 generates signals to
trigger the
Controller 104 and simultaneously provides appropriate controls over the
heater 106
and the fan 108. For example, once the Controller 104 receives a signal from
the
multi-mode trigger 102, and based on built-in programs resides in the
Controller
104, it controls the heater 106 and the fan 108 by employing a corresponding
adjustment process in response to the signal.
Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a hair dryer 200 in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention. The hair dryer 200 also includes the
Controller 104, the heater 106, and the fan 108. The hair dryer 200 further
comprises a multi-mode trigger 202 exposed on an inner side of a handle 201 of
the
hair dryer 200. The multi-mode trigger 202 includes a rotary dial that is
rotatable
clockwise and anticlockwise in all angles. The rotary dial further comprises a
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potentiometer reside thereto; the potentiometer operationally generates
signals
through turning the rotary dial from a first angle to a second angle.
Certainly,
controls and adjustments of the heat level and the airflow power are
controlled in
accordance with the controlled according to the built-in program resides in
the
Controller 104 in response to the signals from the multi-mode trigger 102.
For the hair dryer 200 adapting the Controller 104 for controlling the major
operations, the built-in program resided in the IC component is configured to
read
the signals from the multi-mode trigger 102, and provide a relevant response
to
control the heater and fan. For example, the Controller 104 of the hair dryer
200
are configured to control the heater 104 and the fan 108 thereof such that the
heat
generated by the heater 106 is adjusted to a required level A and the airflow
supplied by the fan 108 is adjusted to a required level B, upon the signal is
received
by the Controller 104, the heat generated by the heater 106 is adjusted to the
required level A, and the airflow supplied by the fan 108 is adjusted to the
required
level B.
Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a hair dryer 300 in accordance with
one embodiment of the present invention. The hair dryer 300 has substantially
a
same design as the hair dryer 200 of Fig. 2, except that the multi-mode
trigger 302
has a rotary dial that is rotatable within a limited angle and less than one
full
revolution, in the present example, 270 degree. Such configuration allows the
multi-mode trigger 302 be used as an ON/OFF switch when it is dialed to one
extreme position.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate two hair dryers 400, 500 having a multi-mode trigger
in accordance with the alternative embodiments of the present invention. In
Fig. 4,
the multi-mode trigger comprises a toggle switch 402 to toggle in an up-down
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direction, whereby Fig. 5 has its toggle switch 502 to toggle in a left-right
direction.
Fig. 6 illustrates a hair dryer 600 having a multi-mode trigger 602 in
accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. The multi-mode
trigger 602 comprises an omni-directional toggle rod that is able to toggle at
least in
up-down and left-right directions (i.e. four directions). The omni-directional
toggle rod is a single rod that protrude on the handle. By default, the single
rod is
orientated upright to the handle (i.e. not tilting anywhere). As the rod is
being
pushed/toggled, the potentiometer connected thereto generates a corresponding
signal and sends to the Controller 104 for the relevant controls.
Fig. 7 illustrates a hair dryer 700 in accordance with yet a further
embodiment of the present invention. The hair dryer 700 includes an up-down
directional pad 702. The up-down directional pad 702 may be a soft touch
button
or the like that makes the operations more user friendly. The up-down
directional
pad may have a similar operational setting as the toggles mentioned above.
Fig. 8 illustrates a multi-mode trigger 802 in accordance with an alternative
embodiment of the present invention. The multi-mode trigger 802 comprises a
push button.
In yet a further embodiment, the multi-mode trigger can be one single trigger
integrating one or more of the aforementioned triggers.
The triggers provide in the aforesaid embodiments, may or may not provide
intermediate values. Certainly, those that provide intermediate values are
capable
of providing more operational controls on the hair dryer.
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In another embodiment, the multi-mode trigger is stepless multi-mode
trigger, i.e. continuous signal measurements. The controller 104 may have a
sampling rate for acquiring the signal measurements during the operation.
In further. embodiment, the Controller 104 controls the heat and airflow
levels in a fixed-step manner i.e. each step associated to a prescribed
heat/airflow
level. In yet a further embodiment, the Controller 104 includes a plurality of
operational modes that pre-store level of heat or airflow or combination of
both.
In a further embodiment, the multi-mode trigger may be located on the
handle of the hair dryer. Certainly, the multi-mode trigger may also be
located on
other positions of the hair dryer, such as airflow cylinder or external remote
control
apparatus.
In yet a further embodiment, the multi-mode trigger may integrate switch
function with respect to the different embodiments as described above, e.g. to
turn
on or turn off the power supply by turning the rotary component to a certain
angle
or the like.
The hair dryer according to the other embodiments of the present invention
comprises a heater, an electric component, an multi-mode trigger and an
integrated
circuit component connecting with the heater, the electric component and the
multi-mode trigger, the integrated circuit component being used for
simultaneously
controlling the heater and the multi-mode trigger in response to the signal
from the
multi-mode trigger, such that the working temperature and airflow of the hair
dryer
are controlled simultaneously through simple operations. Because the power of
the
hair dryer is controlled and adjusted by built-in programs, it can save
energy, and
thus the user's satisfaction is increased. In addition, various multi-mode
triggers can
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be provided for user's various operation needs.
Fig. 9 illustrates a hair dryer 900 according yet another embodiment of the
present invention. The hair dryer 900 further comprises a LCD display 905 for
displaying operating information. For example, the LCD display 905 may show
5 the current heat and airflow level or the current operating mode.
Fig. 10 illustrates a cross sectional view of a hair dryer 950 in accordance
with yet another embodiment of the present invention. The IC component of the
Controller 104 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). Besides the IC
components, it is possible that the PCB may further comprise a voltage
converter,
10 which allow the hair dryer 950 to be used in multiple regions adapting
different
voltage levels and frequencies. The PCB may further provide a switch mode
power supply (converter) unit. The PCB includes means for auto-switching
operating voltage/frequency as the case may be which allows the hair dryer be
used
in any regions without additional adapted or converter. As the PCB is adapted,
which is not suggested or taught in any of the prior hair dryer, more features
and
controls can be achieved with the hair dryer 950. For example, the PCB may
include safety features such as auto cut off, in case of any undue impact on
the hair
dryer, such as dropping of the hair dryer.
The PCB is further mounted within the cavity of the handle. The PCB is
positioned within the handle, as it is furthest away from the heating elements
of the
hair dryer 950.
Fig. 11 illustrates a cross sectional view of a spout of a hair dryer 980 in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The hair dryer
980
further comprises a far-infra red emitter 985 mounted at the spout cylinder of
the
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hair dryer. The far-infra red emitter 985 is used to improve the blood
circulations.
The above are the detailed embodiments of the present invention. It should
be noted that some modifications and variations could be made within the
spirit of
the present invention for those skilled in the art, and these modifications
and
variations should be regarded within the protection scope of the present
invention.
