CA2569337A1

CA2569337A1 - Halogen hair dryer

Info

Publication number: CA2569337A1
Application number: CA002569337A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Carlos Jose Ceva
Original assignee: Duna Enterprises SA
Current assignee: Duna Enterprises SA
Priority date: 2006-11-29
Filing date: 2006-11-29
Publication date: 2008-05-29

Abstract

A heating structure for a hair dryer comprises a heating element comprising a holder made of non-flammable insulating material, having at least one plate which holds a double wire spiral resistor, having electric circuit connection terminals fixed in the at least one plate, The spiral and its holder are coated with a layer of inorganic water-based paint, made of a liquid part that contains a metal hydroxide or alkoxide material which forms ceramic of the sol-gel type, and a second part that emits electromagnetic radiation in far-infrared range, made of a light metal oxide.. The element provides the benefits of emitting far--infrared waves, and optimizes the, use of electrical energy consumed by the heater.

Description

HEATING STRUCTURE FOR HAIR DRYERS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hair dryers, and in particular to a heating structure intended to provide an effective construction which allows the optimal use of the electric energy spent to heat it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that near-infrared rays produce electromagnetic waves that can cause several problems to the human body, the most common being the appearance of cataract. However, some of the harmful effects of these rays can be used advantageously, under medical control, taking into account the conditions and exposure period, such as the case of sun-baths, in which all radiation frequencies take place.
Far-infrared rays have as their main effect thermal agitation and the production of resonance waves, which originate resonance absorption phenomena that are not harmful, and whose vibration is good for the metabolism, benefits the blood circulation within the capillary vessels, and stimulates the normal functions of the nervous and hormonal systems as well as those of the immune system.

In a known work, a radiator was obtained by winding a heating wire round a ceramic tube, and it was proved that there was plenty of thermal radiation produced thereby in far-infrared frequencies, leading to the development of

2 several devices to take advantage of this. Within the prior art, there are numerous teachings of devices for the production of heating units for various uses. For example, among these are the following patents:
US Patent No. 4804823 discloses a ceramic heater, in which the heat generator is a resistor placed inside a ceramic holder, with terminals connected at both ends of the resistor. The substrate is made of sintered nitrite selected from the group of silicon and aluminum, while the resistor is made of titanium nitrite (TiN) and tungsten carbonate (WC) .

US Patent No. 6236027 discloses a ceramic heater, which comprises a core, an insulation layer and a resistance heating element of high-melting metal as embedded between the core and the insulation layer, wherein the operating temperature is not less than 300 C. The insulation layer comprises a sintered compact composed of 88% to 95% by weight of aluminum oxide (A1203), supplemented, as sintering aids, with 3% to 10% by weight of silicon (Si2) and 0.4% to 1.0% by weight of magnesium oxide (MgO) and 1.0% to 2.5% by weight of calcium oxide (CaO), having a density of not less than 3.60 and a thickness of 100 to 300 microns.

US Patent No. 6762396 discloses deposited resistive coatings, deposited on a substrate including a layer having a selected resistivity. The resistive layer can serve as a heat source in a variety of applications and can be fabricated using an arc plasma spraying procedure.

However none of these or other prior art teachings are directed, or provide the solution to, the problem addressed

3 by the present invention, namely the construction of a heater intended for hair dryers, with significantly increased emission of far-infrared waves, and optimizing the use of electrical energy consumed. In particular, none of the teachings of the prior art provides for such solution in an appliance for daily home use.

The present invention addresses these problems by providing for a heating resistor which is coated with a ceramic material and a compound that emits far-infrared radiation.

In particular, in order to provide a solution in the easiest and most economical form, the invention provides a heater especially prepared to be used in hair dryers, so that all the properties of far-infrared emission are used for conditioning the hair while drying it.

A further advantage of this invention lies in the nature of the heating resistor coating, which has a particularly greater power of emission within the frequencies that are away from the infrared radiation produced.

The device of the invention has been developed with a simple structure intended to be applied to the construction of heating resistors, especially to those which require highly safe conditions for daily use, such is the case of hand-held hair dryers, both for home use or at the hairdresser's. Apart from the benefits of emitting far-infrared waves, they provide an optimal use of the electric energy consumed.

Another purpose is to provide a proper resistive coating for the heater to protects it from the corrosion caused by environmental agents, such as humidity and vapours coming

4 from products used at home and, mainly at the hairdresser's, for conditioning and dying the hair.

The product can be summarized as follows:
The coating is applied to the heating element, which conventionally comprises a holder made of non-flammable insulating material, such as mica, ceramic, or another similar element, and normally consists of two rhomboidal plates arranged in cross form. These plates are several times higher than their width and have numerous notches on their edges as well as quadrangular extensions protruding from both ends.

The resistor is made up of a double wire spiral commonly used for this kind of device, in which the wire is wound around the holder arranged in cross form, being conveniently spaced when going through the above-mentioned notches.
The wire ends are fixed to the terminals set on the terminal plates, to which the wires that are part of the power circuit are fixed.

The whole set of spiral wires which form the resistor and its holder is coated with a water-based paint layer, which is completely inorganic and is cured by means of the process known as sol-gel.

This special ceramic coating has neither volatile organic compounds nor heavy metals, with an excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. When it gets hot, it releases infrared rays within the infrared range.

Basically, the coating is made of a paint consisting of two essential parts. The liquid part contains a material that forms a ceramic by jellification, for instance, by means of polymerization through a sol-gel process; the other part

5 emits far-infrared radiation.

Among the great variety of liquid compositions which can be used to form the ceramic layer, the most important are those that contain metal hydroxides, alkoxides and the like.

Among the metal alkoxides with general formula M(OR)n, the following are the most important:
A13 n-butoxyl, Al3 isopropoxide, Ca (OCH3) 2, Al (OCH3) 3, Si (OCH3) 41 Mn (OCH3) 4 methoxide, Fe3 ethoxide, Na terbutoxide, etc.

There exist many formulas of liquid materials which will form ceramics by means of the sol-gel process. Their concentrations in the coating composition can vary from 10%
to 80% by weight, depending on the desired properties for the ceramic.

The paint that emits far-infrared rays is added to these compounds. It is made of inorganic elements, capable of emitting radiation within a wavelength between 3 and 1000 microns at a temperature of 50 C or higher.

For example, the oxides of the following metals are suitable: aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn);
cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), yttrium (Y), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) and similar ones.
Alternatively, the carbides of the following metals are

6 suitable: silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr), molybdenum (Mo) and similar ones; as are the nitrides of aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), boron (B), and similar ones;
the borides of aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca) and similar ones; the sulphides of molybdenum (Mo), and similar ones; and also graphite.

Again by way of example, the following compounds are some of those which are most suitable for this paint: aluminum oxide (A12 03), zirconium (III) oxide (Zr2 03), cobalt (II) oxide (Co 0), cobalt (II,III) oxide (Co3 04), nickel (II) oxide (Ni 0), iron (III) oxide (Fe2 03), silicon dioxide (Si 02), titanium (IV) oxide (Ti 02), yttrium oxide (Y2 05),zinc oxide (Zn 0), manganese (IV) oxide (Mn 02), zirconium (IV) oxide (Zr 02), iron (II, III) oxide (Fe3 04), copper (II) oxide (Cu 0), copper (I) oxide (Cu2 0), magnesium oxide (Mg 0), calcium oxide (Ca 0), silicon monoxide (Si 0), zirconium (IV) carbide (Zr C), aluminum dodecaboride (Al B12), calcium hexaboride (Ca B6), boron nitride (B N), aluminum silicate(A16 Si03), silicon nitride (Si3 N4), copper manganese oxide(Cu Mn 06), cobalt aluminum oxide (Co A12 04) . These compounds can be used alone or by mixing, sintering or melting them and then pulverizing them. They can be added to the material for producing the ceramic within a proportion from 5% to 70% by weight.

A colloidal substance, an inorganic fine powder or its mixture, is preferably usually added to the compound in order to compact the composition.
The colloidal substance could consist of alumina, titanium (Ti) or zirconium (Zr) oxides, silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr) or aluminum (Al)hydroxide, etc.; and the inorganic fine

7 powder could consist of aluminum, titanium, silicon oxide, etc.

In a broad embodiment, the invention therefore seeks to provide a heating structure for a hair dryer, having a heating element comprising (i) a holder made of non-flammable insulating material and comprising at least one plate;
and (ii) a resistor held in the holder and comprising a double wire spiral, and having a plurality of electric circuit connection terminals fixed in the at least one plate;
wherein the spiral and the holder are coated with a coating layer of inorganic water-based paint, which before application comprises a liquid first part that contains a sol-gel ceramic forming material., and a second part, made of a light metal oxide, that is capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in a far-infrared range.
Preferably, the sol-gel ceramic forming material is selected from the group comprising metal hydroxides, and metal alkoxides. More preferably, the material is a metal alkoxide selected from the group comprising A13 n-butoxyl, Al isopropoxide, Ca(OCH3)2, Al(OCH3)31 Si(OCH3)4, Mn(OCH3)4, Fe2 methoxide, Fe3 ethoxide, and Na terbutoxide.

Preferably, the light metal oxide of the second part is selected from the group comprising an oxide of a metal selected from aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), yttrium (Y), zinc

8 (Zn), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca); a carbide of a metal selected from silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr) and molybdenum (Mo); a nitride of a metal selected from aluminum (A1), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si) and boron (B); a boride of a metal selected from aluminum (Al), barium (Ba) and calcium (Ca); molybdenum (Mo) sulphide; and graphite.

Preferably, the holder comprises two plates arranged in cross form, and is constructed from a material selected from mica or ceramic.

Preferably, the coating layer is has a high resistance to corrosion and high temperatures and is substantially free of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, and has a thickness of between 8 and 12 microns, and most preferably is about 12 microns.

Preferably, the far-infrared radiation has a wavelength in a range between 1 and 3 microns, but may also exceed 3 microns.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description and attached drawings. Various modifications to the components will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the general principles herein may be applied to other embodiments.. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.

9 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the heater of an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the heater of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

According to the attached drawings, the heating element comprises a holder made of non-flammable insulating material such as mica, ceramic, or a similar one, and consists of two rhomboidal plates 1 and 2, arranged in cross form, which are several times higher than their width. The plates have numerous notches 3 on their edges as well as quadrangular extensions 4 and 5 protruding from their ends.
The resistor is made up of a double wire spiral 6 commonly used for this kind of device, and which is wound around the holder arranged in cross form, being conveniently spaced when going through the notches 3.
The wire ends 6 are fixed to the terminals 7 and 8 set on the plates 1, while the other ends of both wires 6 are fixed to the terminal 9 set on the plate 2. The power circuit conductors 10 and 11, independently of each wire 6, are connected to the terminals 7 and 8, while the conductor 12 of a known circuit return (not shown) connects to the terminal 9 where both ends of the parallel conductors 6 meet.

} 10 Each of the wires 6, wound in. parallel and forming the spiral 13 that constitutes the resistor over its holder in cross form, is coated with a water-based paint layer 14, which is completely inorganic and is cured by means of the process known as sol-gel, which can be chosen from the examples discussed above.

This special ceramic coating has neither volatile organic compounds nor heavy metals. It has an excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. It has an essential characteristic that lies on the fact that when it gets hot, it emits infrared rays within a far range.

As is known, infrared rays that are near wavelengths which can be seen by the human eye, are included within a wavelength range of 0.7 to 1 micron.

Far-infrared rays, which are the best for this type of device, can go beyond 3 microns, which is the preferred range for the emitting and protecting coating to be optimum.

The coating thickness 10 is about 8 to 12 microns.

In construction of the heating element, once the wires 6 are spirally wound and the resistor 13 is built, the element is coated with a ceramic layer for emission and protection, which is made by means of the sol-gel process, to obtain the coated resistor 14.
As is known, the double spiral is used to connect a temperature control, inserting one or both of the spiral wires in the electric circuit.

` 11 By means of the heating element of the invention, when used for a hair dryer, the thermal radiation projected by it can be placed within the far-infrared range in the electromagnetic waves spectrum, thus optimizing the benefits of the hot air projected towards the user's hair.

Claims

We claim

1. A heating structure for a hair dryer, having a heating element comprising (i) a holder made of non-flammable insulating material and comprising at least one plate; and (ii) a resistor held in the holder and comprising a double wire spiral, and having a plurality of electric circuit connection terminals fixed in the at least one plate;
wherein the spiral and the holder are coated with a coating layer of inorganic water-based paint, which before application comprises a liquid first part that contains a sol-gel ceramic forming material, and a second part, made of a light metal oxide, that is capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in a far-infrared range.

2. A heating structure according to Claim 1, wherein the sol-gel ceramic forming material is selected from the group comprising metal hydroxides, and metal alkoxides.

3. A heating structure according to claim 2, wherein the metal alkoxide is selected from the group comprising Al3 n-butoxyl, Al3 isopropoxide, Ca(OCH3)2, Al(OCH3)3, Si(OCH3)4, Mn(OCH3)4, Fe2 methoxide, Fe3 ethoxide, and Na terbutoxide.

4. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the light metal oxide of the second part is selected from the group comprising an oxide of a metal selected from aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), yttrium (Y), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca); a carbide of a metal selected from silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr) and molybdenum (Mo); a nitride of a metal selected from aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), silicon (Si) and boron (B); a boride of a metal selected from aluminum (Al), barium (Ba) and calcium (Ca); molybdenum(Mo) sulphide; and graphite.

5. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the holder comprises two plates arranged in cross form.

6. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the holder is constructed from a material selected from mica or ceramic.

7. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the coating layer is has a high resistance to corrosion and high temperatures and is substantially free of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals.

8. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the far-infrared radiation has a wavelength in a range between 1 and 3 microns.

9. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the far-infrared radiation has a wavelength exceeding 3 microns.

10. A heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the coating layer has a thickness in a range between 8 and 12 microns.

11. A hair dryer provided with a heating structure according to any one of Claims 1 to 10.