CN106974416B

CN106974416B - Hair care appliance

Info

Publication number: CN106974416B
Application number: CN201611069809.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: B.C.博比利尔; W.K.哈西特
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-26
Filing date: 2016-11-25
Publication date: 2020-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-25
Also published as: EP3172985B1; CN106974416A; EP3172985A1; US20170150798A1; JP6353014B2; GB2544777A; GB2544777B; GB201520871D0; JP2017094094A; CN206576490U

Abstract

A hair care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall; a conduit extending inside the outer wall; a primary fluid flow path extending between the duct and the outer wall; a fluid guide plate within the primary fluid flow path; and at least two guide surfaces positioned on the fluid guide plate, wherein the at least two guide surfaces meet at an apex. The body may have a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis a-a extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the fluid flow path extends along the longitudinal axis a-a. The fluid guide plate may be generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis a-a. The at least two fluid guide plates may extend along the longitudinal axis a-a towards the apex. Within the body, the primary fluid flow path may be generally annular.

Description

Hair care appliance

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hand-held appliance, in particular a hair care appliance and a fluid outlet for such an appliance.

Background

Blowers, in particular hot air blowers, are used for a variety of applications, such as drying substances such as paint or hair, and removing or stripping surface layers. Additionally, hot air blowers such as thermal styling brushes are used to style hair from wet or dry environments.

Typically, a motor and fan are provided which draw fluid into the body; the fluid may be heated before exiting the body. Motors are prone to damage from foreign objects such as dirt or hair and therefore a filter is often provided at the fluid inlet end of the hair dryer. Typically such appliances are provided with a nozzle which can be attached to or detached from the appliance and which changes the shape and velocity of the fluid stream exiting the appliance. Such a nozzle can be used to converge the effluent of the appliance or to diffuse the effluent according to the needs of the user at that moment.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a hair care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall; an inner wall extending inside the outer wall; a primary fluid flow path extending between the inner wall and the outer wall; a fluid guide plate within the primary fluid flow path; and at least two guide surfaces positioned on the fluid guide plate, wherein the at least two guide surfaces meet at an apex.

Preferably, the body may have a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis a-a extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the fluid flow path extends along the longitudinal axis a-a.

Preferably, the fluid guide plate is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis a-a.

Preferably, the at least two fluid guide plates extend along the longitudinal axis a-a towards the apex.

Preferably, the primary fluid flow path is substantially annular within the body.

Preferably, the appliance further comprises a handle, wherein the primary fluid flow comprises a primary fluid inlet into the appliance, and wherein the primary fluid inlet is in the handle.

Preferably, within the handle, the primary fluid flow path is generally circular.

Preferably, the fluid guide plate is for guiding fluid from the handle as it enters the body.

Preferably, the fluid guide plates divert the primary fluid flow around the duct.

Preferably, in the primary fluid flow path, the primary fluid flows in a first direction through the handle and in a second direction in the body.

Preferably, the at least two guide surfaces are radially spaced from the handle.

Preferably, the body further comprises a heater, wherein the heater is positioned downstream of the fluid guide plate.

Preferably, the body is generally tubular and has an upper half and a lower half, and the handle is connected to the lower half. Preferably, the region of relatively high velocity is in the lower half of the body. Preferably, the region of relatively low velocity is in the upper half of the body.

Preferably, the primary fluid flow path has a region of relatively high velocity and a region of relatively low velocity, and the at least two guide surfaces are in the region of relatively low velocity.

Preferably, the larger component of the PCB is located in the upper half of the body. Preferably, the smaller component of the PCB is located in the lower half of the body. Preferably, the larger component of the PCB is the component that extends furthest away from the circuit board on which it is mounted.

Preferably, the appliance is a hair dryer.

Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an appliance according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view through the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view through an appliance according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of a fluid guide plate according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows another perspective view of a fluid guide plate according to the present invention; and

Detailed Description

Figures 1 and 2 show a hair dryer 10, the hair dryer 10 having a handle 20 and a body 30. The handle has a first end 22 connected to the body 30 and a second end 24 remote from the body 30 and comprising a primary fluid inlet 40. Power is supplied to the hairdryer 10 through the cable 50. At the distal end of the cable 50 remote from the hairdryer 10 there is provided a plug (not shown) which may provide an electrical connection to, for example, a mains power supply or to a battery pack.

The handle 20 has an outer wall 200 that extends from the body 30 toward the distal end 24 of the handle. At the distal end 24 of the handle, an end wall 210 extends across the outer wall 200. The cable 50 enters the hairdryer through this end wall 210. The primary fluid inlet 40 in the handle 20 includes a first aperture 42 extending around and along the outer wall 20 of the handle in a series of rows and columns extending from the distal end 24 of the handle 20, and a second aperture 46 extending across and through the end wall 210 of the handle 20. The cable 50 is disposed generally in the middle of the end wall 210 and thus extends from the center of the handle 20. The handle 20 has a longitudinal axis X-X along which the outer wall 200 extends from the body 30 towards the distal end 24.

Preferably, the cable 50 extends centrally from the handle, as this means that the hairdryer is balanced regardless of the orientation of the handle 20 in the user's hand. Also, if the user moves the position of their hand on the handle 20, there will be no pull from the cable 50 because the cable does not change position with respect to the hand as the hand moves. If the cable is offset and closer to one side of the handle, the weight distribution of the stem will change with orientation, which can be distracting to the user.

Upstream of the primary fluid inlet 40 a fan unit 70 is provided. The fan unit 70 includes a fan and a motor. The fan unit 70 draws fluid through the primary fluid inlet 40 towards the body 30 through a primary fluid flow path 400 extending from the primary fluid inlet 40 and into the body 30 at the location 90 where the handle 20 and body 30 are joined. The body 30 has a first end 32 and a second end 34, and the primary fluid flow path 400 continues through the body 30 toward the second end 34 of the body, around the heater 80 and to a primary fluid outlet 440 where fluid drawn through the fan unit exits the primary fluid flow path 400. The primary fluid flow path 400 is non-linear and flows in a first direction through the handle 20 and in a second direction (which is perpendicular to the first direction) through the body 30.

The body 30 includes an outer wall 360 and an inner conduit 310. The primary fluid flow path 400 extends along the body from the connection point 90 of the handle 20 and the body 30 between the outer wall 360 and the inner conduit 310 towards the primary fluid outlet 440 at the second end 34 of the body 30.

The inner wall 260 extends within the outer wall 360. The inner wall 260 at least partially defines the primary fluid outlet 440 and extends from the second end 34 of the body 30, between the inner conduit 310 and the outer wall 360.

Another fluid flow path is provided within the body; this flow is not directly handled by the fan unit or heater but is drawn into the dryer by the action of the fan unit creating a primary fluid which passes through the dryer. This fluid flow is entrained into the hairdryer by the fluid flowing through the primary fluid flow path 400.

The first end 32 of the body includes a fluid inlet 320 and the second end 34 of the body includes a fluid outlet 340. Both the fluid inlet 320 and the fluid outlet 340 are at least partially defined by the inner conduit 310, which is an inner wall of the body 30 and extends within and along the body. The fluid flow path 300 extends within the inner conduit 310 from a fluid inlet 320 to a fluid outlet 340. At the first end 32 of the body 30, a sidewall 350 extends between the outer wall 360 and the inner conduit 310. This sidewall 350 at least partially defines the fluid inlet 320. The primary fluid outlet 440 is annular and surrounds the fluid flow path.

PCB (printed circuit board) 75 includes control electronics for the hairdryer, which is positioned within body 30 proximate side wall 350 and fluid inlet 320. The PCB75 is annular in shape and extends around the inner tube 310 between the inner tube 310 and the outer wall 360. The PCB75 is in fluid communication with the primary fluid flow path 400. The PCB75 extends around the fluid flow path 300 and is isolated from the fluid flow path 300 by an inner conduit 310.

The PCB75 controls parameters such as the temperature of the heater 80 and the rotational speed of the fan unit 70. Internal wiring (not shown) electrically connects the PCB75 to the heater 80 and the fan unit 70 and the cable 50.

Control buttons

62, 64 are provided and connected to the PCB75 to enable a user to select, for example, from a range of temperature settings and flow rates.

Downstream of the PCB75 is a heater 80 with a fluid guide plate 700 disposed therebetween. The fluid guide plate provides thermal protection for the PCB75 when the heater 80 is turned on, etc.

In use, fluid drawn into the primary fluid flow path 400 by operation of the fan unit 70 is optionally heated by the heater 80 and expelled from the primary fluid outlet 440. The treated fluid causes fluid to be entrained into the fluid flow path 300 at the fluid inlet 320. The fluid joins the treated fluid at the second end 34 of the body. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, the treated fluid exits the primary fluid outlet 440 and the hairdryer as an annular fluid that surrounds the entrained fluid exiting the hairdryer through the fluid outlet 340. Thus, the fluid handled by the fan unit and the heater is enhanced by the entrained fluid.

The fluid guide plate 700 will now be described with particular reference to fig. 3, 4 and 5. The handle 20 is generally tubular and the primary fluid flow path 400 is generally circular as it enters the junction 90 between the handle 20 and the body 30. At this point, the primary fluid flow path 400 changes direction by 90 ° and changes from a circular flow to an annular flow around the duct 310 between the duct 310 and the outer wall 360 of the body 30. These changes affect the flow velocity in the primary fluid flow path 400.

If we consider that the body 30 is generally symmetrical about a longitudinal axis A-A (which extends along the length of the body 30), the conduit 310 and the outer wall 360 are concentric, as are the heaters 80 positioned between the conduit 310 and the outer wall 360.

When the primary fluid in the primary fluid flow path 400 reaches the junction 90 between the body 30 and the handle 20, the primary fluid must change direction and shape. This creates a high velocity flow area in the body 30 on the side of the junction 90 and a lower velocity flow area in the body 30 at an area radially spaced from the junction 90. If we consider the body 30 to have an upper half 380 and a lower half 390, where the upper half 380 is spaced radially away from the handle 20 and the lower half 390 includes the junction 90 between the body 30 and the handle 20, then the lower half 390 has flow at a relatively higher velocity than the upper half 380.

The fluid guide plate 700 is provided to bend or guide the fluid in the primary fluid flow path 400 over and around the PCB75 and the components mounted on the PCB to minimize any pressure loss due to the position of the PCB and due to the change in direction of the primary fluid flow path 400 as it enters the body 30.

Fluid entering the body 30 flows toward the primary fluid outlet 440 and around the tube 310 to the upper portion 380 of the body 30. Fluid directing plate 700 includes a pair of directing

surfaces

710, 720 that direct fluid in upper portion 380 of body 30 as the fluid flows around conduit 310 on either side of conduit 310 to meet in upper portion 380 of body 30. The two

guide surfaces

710, 720 are preferably integral with the fluid guide plate 700 and arranged such that each

guide surface

710, 720 curves away from the fluid guide plate 700 towards the second end 34 of the body 30 and meets the other

respective guide surface

720, 710 at an apex 730.

The two

guide surfaces

710, 720 reduce turbulence in the body 30 by guiding fluid flowing in the upper half 380 of the body 30 towards the primary fluid outlet 440.

The invention has been described in detail in relation to a hairdryer but is applicable to any appliance which draws in fluid and directs it out of the appliance.

The appliance may or may not be used with a heater; the effect of the fluid flowing out at high speed has a drying effect.

The fluid flowing through the appliance is typically air, but may be a different combination of one or more gases, and may include additives for enhancing the performance of the appliance or the effect of the appliance on the object to which the output is directed, such as hair and the hairstyle of the hair.

The invention is not limited to the detailed description given above. Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A hair care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall, a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis a-a extending from the first end to the second end; a conduit extending within the outer wall; a primary fluid flow path extending between the duct and the outer wall along the longitudinal axis a-a toward the second end to the primary fluid outlet; a fluid guide plate within the primary fluid flow path; and at least two guide surfaces positioned on the fluid guide plate, wherein the at least two guide surfaces meet at an apex, and wherein the at least two guide surfaces are arranged such that each guide surface extends along the longitudinal axis a-a, curves away from the fluid guide plate towards the second end of the body, and meets another respective guide surface at the apex.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow path extends along a longitudinal axis a-a.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the fluid guide plate is generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis a-a.

4. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein within the body the primary fluid flow path is generally annular.

5. An appliance according to claim 4, further comprising a handle, wherein the primary fluid flow comprises a primary fluid inlet into the appliance, and wherein the primary fluid inlet is in the handle.

6. An appliance according to claim 5, wherein within the handle the primary fluid flow path is generally circular.

7. An appliance according to claim 6, wherein the fluid guide plate is for guiding fluid from the handle as it enters the body.

8. An appliance according to claim 6, wherein the fluid guide plates divert the primary fluid flow around the duct.

9. An appliance according to claim 5, wherein in the primary fluid flow path the primary fluid flows in a first direction through the handle and in the body in a second direction.

10. An appliance according to claim 9, wherein the at least two guide surfaces guide the primary fluid flow from a first direction to a second direction.

11. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the at least two guide surfaces are radially spaced from the handle.

12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises a heater, wherein the heater is positioned downstream of the fluid guide plate.

13. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a hair dryer.