CN116869268A

CN116869268A - Hand-held appliance

Info

Publication number: CN116869268A
Application number: CN202310671539.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: D·J·汤普森; R·M·B·科尔顿
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2016-08-30
Filing date: 2017-08-29
Publication date: 2023-10-13
Also published as: JP2018033956A; JP6712577B2; JP2020078572A; GB201614663D0; RU2019109184A3; US20180055177A1; WO2018042158A1; GB2553510B; KR20190037330A; GB2553510A; CN207168088U; CN107772740A; BR112019003879A2; RU2019109184A; EP3506787A1; AU2017318548A1; MX2019002392A; TWM559101U; CA3035154A1; SG11201901302QA

Abstract

The application discloses a hand-held appliance, which comprises a handle and a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises at least one user operation button, the handle is provided with an elliptical cross section, the elliptical cross section is provided with a long axis and a short axis, the user interface is arranged on a first vertex of the long axis, the handle further comprises another user operation button, and the other user operation button is arranged on a second vertex of the long axis. The appliance may further comprise an accessory for connection to the handle, wherein the further user operated button operates a mechanism for removing the accessory from the handle. The user interface may comprise three user operation buttons, which may be arranged in a triangular configuration, each of the three user operation buttons may be provided at a vertex of the triangle.

Description

Hand-held appliance

The application is a divisional application of the application application with the name of 'handhold appliance' and the application number of 201710755428.0 and the application date of 2017, 8 and 29.

Technical Field

The present application relates to hand-held appliances, and in particular to hair care appliances, such as thermal styling apparatus.

Background

In a conventional thermal styling appliance, air is drawn into an inlet by a fan unit and directed toward the hair through an outlet. Typically, one appliance is provided with different attachments, each having a different outlet configuration and therefore different functions, such as drying, crimping or plumping. Depending on the desired shaping, the air may or may not be heated. The attachment may include bristles upon which hair is wrapped and retained for styling.

The appliance will have at least one user operated button, which may be a push button or a slide button. There are also typically means for changing one accessory to another, and while this is often achieved by twisting the accessory relative to the head, there is a lock or catch to prevent the accessory from being removed accidentally during use. The lock or catch is typically disengaged by another user activating a button, allowing the user to remove the accessory when desired.

Disclosure of Invention

The present application provides a hand-held appliance comprising a handle and a user interface comprising at least one user operated button. Preferably, the handle has an elliptical cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis. In a preferred embodiment, the user interface is disposed on a first vertex of the long axis. Preferably, the handle additionally comprises a further user operated button, and the further user operated button is disposed on the second vertex of the long axis.

If the handle is circular and the diameter is the long axis dimension, the long axis of the handle may be too large for some users to comfortably hold. The use of an oval handle provides the advantage of having additional space provided by the long axis, while also having the advantage of a handle that can be comfortably held. There is a balance between ergonomics and space for internal components.

In a preferred embodiment, the appliance further comprises an accessory for connection to the handle, wherein the further user operated button operates a mechanism for removing the accessory from the handle.

Preferably, the user interface comprises three user operated buttons. In a preferred embodiment, the three user operated buttons are arranged in a triangular configuration. Thus, the configuration of the user interface is triangular.

Preferably, each of the three user operation buttons is provided at the vertex of the triangle.

In a preferred embodiment, the second of the three user operated buttons includes an on/off switch. Preferably, a first and third of the three user operated buttons control temperature and flow through the appliance, respectively.

Preferably, the second button is arranged at the vertex of the triangle. This distinguishes between the on/off functions, enabling the user to easily identify this button. Preferably, the on/off button is of a different size and shape than the second and third buttons to further facilitate this.

In a preferred embodiment, the second button is located on a vertex of the user interface remote from the further user operated button. When the further user operated button controls the attachment mechanism for the accessory, it is positioned adjacent to the end of the handle to which the accessory is attached. Due to the elliptical shape of the handle, the user naturally orients the major axis as the connection between thumb and index finger. In this orientation, the index finger has a greater reach than the thumb and can be used to reach the other user operated button and the thumb is used to reach the three user operated buttons.

Preferably, the handle has a first end and a second end. In a preferred embodiment, the accessory is attached to the handle at the first end. Preferably, the further user operated button is adjacent the first end.

In a preferred embodiment, the user interface is longitudinally spaced from the first end of the handle. Preferably, the second button is remote from the first end of the handle.

Preferably, the second and third of the three user operated buttons are radially spaced around the handle.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and third buttons form the base of a triangle.

Preferably, the appliance is a hair care appliance.

In a preferred embodiment, the hair care appliance is a thermal styling appliance.

Drawings

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

FIG. 1 shows an appliance on which a user interface according to the present application may be used;

FIGS. 2a and 2b show side views of a user interface with and without buttons, respectively;

FIG. 3 illustrates a radially inner surface of an actuator according to the present application;

fig. 4 shows a cross section through a part of an actuator according to the application;

fig. 5 shows a cross section through an alternative actuator according to the application;

FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric view of an actuator according to the present application;

FIG. 7a shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a first position;

FIG. 7b shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a second position;

FIG. 7c shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a third position;

fig. 8 shows a cross section through an appliance according to the application; and

fig. 9 shows a cross section through one button in the appliance.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, an example of a hand piece 10 is shown. The appliance has a handle 210 and an attachment 20 for styling hair. To enable the user to create different builds and give the appliance a variety of functions, accessory 20 is removable and replaceable with a replacement accessory. Further, the accessory 20 may be removed to facilitate storage of the appliance when not in use. The handle 210 includes a number of different user operated buttons 30,138 to enable a user to select between a plurality of different heat and flow settings. The appliance comprises a fan unit and a heater (both not shown), the fan unit drawing in fluid through the fluid inlet 212, optionally heating the fluid, which is then emitted by the fluid outlet 22 in the accessory 20, in use.

The appliance 10 has two different button arrangements for controlling the appliance. In this embodiment, two devices have three different settings, but one device controls a single switch and the other controls two switches. The first button arrangement 30 is more suitable for controlling parameters of the appliance, such as heat or flow, and the button type controls a single switch. The second button arrangement 130 is adapted to control two different aspects, such as opening the appliance and providing a cold spray function. Alternatively, two different aspects may be temperature or flow with cold injection functionality, but these options are more limiting, as cold injection can only be used for the highest or lowest of these functions, and may not always be appropriate.

Referring now in particular to fig. 2a to 7c, the first button arrangement 30 will be described. The first button arrangement 30 has a single switch 32 with a lever 36, the lever 36 being movable between a first position 36a, a second position 36b and a third position 36 c. An actuator 40 extends between the button 38 and the switch 32, the actuator 40 having a protrusion 42 for engaging the button 38, the protrusion 42 being attached to an arm 44 extending to the switch 32. The projection 42 is accommodated in the housing 46. The housing 46 has an aperture 48 with the projection 42 extending through the aperture 48. The housing 46 includes three detents 50, each defining the position of the button 38, the projection 42, the arm 44, and the lever 36. The ball 52 is adapted to move between the three pawls 50 and the spring 54 biases the ball 52 into one of the three pawls 50 until further movement of the button 38 occurs. The spring 54 is at least partially received within a recess 42a provided within the interior of the projection 42, so that when the button 38 is moved, the ball 52 also moves between the pawls 50.

At or near the distal end 44a of the arm 44 relative to the housing, a recess 56 is provided. The recess 56 is generally V-shaped and is adapted to receive and retain the lever 36. In the first position 36a, the lever engages an inner surface 58 of the recess 56. The second position 36b of the lever corresponds to an intermediate position of the lever 36 in which the lever is seated within the recess 56 without being pushed or pulled; this is the intermediate button position. In the third position 36c, the lever engages the second surface 60 of the recess 56. In the first and third positions, the lever 36 is held in place by the force exerted by the spring 54, which spring 54 biases the ball 52 into the detent 50.

The button assembly 30 further includes a button plate 62 disposed between the button 38 and the projection 42. The handle 210 has an outer wall 214 and for the button 38 to move or slide between each position, a hole 216 is formed in the outer wall 214 that accommodates sliding between the three positions, so that the hole 216 is larger than the button 38. The button plate 62 is located inside the outer wall 214 and is sized to completely cover the aperture 216 regardless of the position of the button 38. The button plate 62 prevents debris from directly entering the handle 210.

The second button device 130 will now be described; in the present embodiment, the components shown and already described with respect to the first button device 30 have the same reference numerals. The second button device 130 has a first switch 132 and a second switch 150. In this example, the first switch 132 provides a switching function and the second switch 150 provides a cold spray. When the second button 138 is in the closed position as shown in fig. 7a, neither the first switch 132 nor the second switch 150 is activated. When the second button 138 is moved to a position, as shown in fig. 2a and 7b, the push button 134 provided on the surface of the first switch 132 is engaged and the appliance is turned on.

A second actuator 140 extends between the second button 138 and the first switch 132. The second actuator 140 has a protrusion 42 for engaging the second button 138. The projection 42 is accommodated in the second housing 146. The second housing 146 has an aperture 48 with the projection 42 extending through the aperture 48. The second housing 146 includes two pawls 50, each defining the position of the second button 138 and the second arm 144. The ball 52 is adapted to move between the two pawls 50 and the spring 54 is arranged to bias the ball 52 to one of the two pawls 50 until further movement of the second button 138 occurs. The spring 54 is at least partially received within a recess 42a provided within the interior of the projection 42, so that when the second button 138 is moved, the ball 52 also moves between the pawls 50.

The second actuator 140 has a surface 158 for engaging the push button 134, and when the second button 138 is moved by a user from the off position to the on position, the second arm 144 moves and the surface 158 engages the push button 134 and presses the push button 134.

The second button 138 may be moved to a third position, but the third position is not defined by a detent, but rather the third position is only achieved when the user applies pressure to the second button 138 when the second button 138 is in the second position. The distal end 140b of the actuator 140 opposite the first switch 132 is shaped to receive a spring 152. When the user pushes the second button 138 and the projection 42 from the second position to the third position, the ball 52 moves out of the intermediate detent 50b and against the action of the spring 152. The second arm 144 has a second surface 160 formed near the arm end 144a distal from the second housing 146, and the second surface 160 engages the second switch 150 when the second button 138 is pushed against the spring 152. The second switch 150 has a second lever 154, the second lever 154 being pushed from an intermediate position when engaged with the second surface 160, and a heater (not shown) being deactivated and providing a cold spray when the second lever 154 is moved from the intermediate position.

When the second button 138 and the projection 42 are moved to the third position, the first switch 132 and the second switch 150 are longitudinally spaced apart and the push button 134 of the first switch 132 remains engaged.

The second arm 144 has a first side 156 and the first side 156 includes a surface 158 that engages the push button 134. The second arm has a second side 162 that includes a second surface 160. This is advantageous because when both switches are engaged, there is a force applied to both sides of the second arm 144.

In this embodiment, the first button arrangement 30,30a is used twice, once for temperature setting and once for flow setting. Conveniently, the pair of first button means 30,30a is separated by a second button means 130. This means that the user has a small area on the outer wall 214 in which all controls of the product are located. To assist the user, the second button 138 is larger than the first button 38 and is displaced along the outer wall 214 to form a triangular UI (user interface) 180 (fig. 2 a). Over time, the user will be able to recognize the second button 138 by touching and change the settings without having to see the UI.

In the example shown (see fig. 8), all switches are mounted into a substrate 70, such as a PCB (printed circuit board). Such a base plate is generally planar, but in one embodiment, the base plate is formed in two pieces 70a,70b with the flexible portion 72 connecting the two portions so that the base plate 70 does not occupy a substantial portion of the interior space in the handle 210. This allows the base plate 70 to flex slightly into a V-shape that more closely follows the shape of the outer wall 214 of the handle 210. As the fluid flow path extends through the interior of the handle 210, the curved base plate 70 causes less restriction to the fluid flowing within the handle 210. The second arm 144 is positioned generally on the middle of the base plate, above the flexible portion 72, and engages the push button 134 on a side corresponding to one of the sheets 70a of the base plate 70. The second arm 144 engages a second switch 150 on the other side of the other sheet 70b corresponding to the substrate. While the second arm 144 extends away from the second housing 146 along a first direction X-X parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the handle 210, it also extends along a second direction Y-Y that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. This creates an L-shaped profile near the distal end 144a of the second arm 144 remote from the second housing 46. The second direction Y-Y extends from the outer wall 214 toward the base plate 70. The L-shaped profile enables a single arm 144 to engage both the first switch 132 and the second switch 150 across the bend of the substrate 70.

Referring now to fig. 9, in this embodiment, in addition to the UI with user operated buttons 38,138, another button 100 is provided. The further button 100 operates an attachment mechanism (not shown) for holding and releasing the accessory 20 relative to the handle 210.

The outer wall 214 of the handle 210 is oval in cross-section. The handle 210 has a major axis B-B and a minor axis C-C. The long axis is the one with the larger radius and diameter. Having an oblong handle 210 provides a number of benefits: it orients the handle 210 in the user's hand; and provides increased space inside the handle 210 compared to the circular equivalent of the stub shaft.

The user naturally orients the long axis on the connection between thumb and index finger. User operated buttons 38,138 and 100 are provided near the long axis so as to be easily accessible by the thumb or index finger. In one embodiment, the other button 100 is diametrically opposed to the second button 138. This has a number of advantages, which help orient the user with respect to the direction of the appliance in the user's hand, which balances the product and makes it visually attractive.

The user interface 180 includes the first button arrangement 30,30a and the second button arrangement 130 and is disposed at a first vertex 182 of the major axis B-B. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the second button arrangement 130 is disposed on the first vertex 182, wherein each of the first button arrangements 30,30a is one radially offset with respect to each side of the first vertex 182 so as to form a triangular user interface 180. The second of the three user operated buttons includes an on/off switch. Conveniently, the pair of first button means is referred to as first and third buttons, and these buttons control temperature and flow through the appliance respectively. Advantageously, the first and third buttons are longitudinally displaced from the second button and form the base of the triangular user interface. The second button 138 is located at the vertex of the triangle.

The other user operated button 100 is disposed on the second vertex 184 of the long axis B-B. Thus, the further user operated button 100 is diametrically opposed to the second button means 130.

An increased space inside the handle 210 is achieved without the overall impression of a significant increase in the diameter of the handle 210. The use of ellipses masks the size of the major axis. Furthermore, if the handle has a circular cross section, the dimension of the long axis will be too large for many people to comfortably grip.

The user interface 180 is triangular and has one user operation button at each vertex of the triangle. Since there are two first button arrangements 30,30a, in one embodiment the triangular user interface 180 is in the form of an isosceles triangle and two first button arrangements are provided at respective corners of the base of the triangle.

In one embodiment, the further user operated button 100 is longitudinally displaced from the user interface 180. One reason for this is that the further user operated button 100 operates an accessory mechanism by which the accessory 20 is attached to the handle 210 of the appliance 10 and released from the handle 210 of the appliance 10, so that the mechanism is simplified if the further user operated button 100 is adjacent or near the first end 210a of the handle 210 to which the accessory 20 is attached. A second benefit of this arrangement is that the internal mechanisms for facilitating operation of the further user operated button 100 and the user interface 180 can be separated within the handle 210 such that any internal reduction in cross-sectional area due to these internal mechanisms is longitudinally separated within the handle 210. A third reason is that this configuration naturally assists the user in positioning the appliance in the hand such that the first, second and third buttons of the triangular user interface 180 are all accessible by the thumb, and the further user operated button 100 is diametrically opposed and closer to the first end 210a of the handle 210. In this embodiment, the second button 138 is located on the apex of the user interface 180 remote from the other user operated button 100 and the first end 210a of the handle 210.

In the depicted example, the first button device 130 has three settings; this is not necessary and there may be more settings or fewer settings. Furthermore, the first and second switches are arranged on opposite sides of the arm, again this is not necessary, and depending on space constraints, both switches may be arranged on the same side of the arm.

The two first button arrangements 30,30a differ slightly in the embodiment shown; there is a slight difference in the configuration of each recess 60,60 a. These differences are due solely to space considerations on the substrate 70. Thus, the two recesses 60,60a may also be identical.

In the figures, in particular in fig. 7a to 7c, the buttons are shown in the same position at the same time; this is merely for ease of explanation of the application, and each combination of each of the three button positions may be used with other positions. For example, when the machine is on, each temperature setting may be used with each flow setting, and cold spraying may be used at any flow setting.

The present application has been described in detail with respect to a thermoforming apparatus, however, it is applicable to any appliance that draws in fluid and directs the fluid exiting the appliance.

The appliance may be used with or without a heater; the effect of the high-speed outflow of the fluid has a drying effect.

The fluid flowing through the appliance is typically air, but may be a different gas or a different combination of gases, and may include additives for improving the performance of the appliance or the effect of the appliance on the object to which the output is directed (e.g. hair and styling of hair).

The application is not limited to the above detailed description. Variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A hair care appliance comprising a handle and a user interface, the user interface comprising at least one user operated button, wherein the handle has an elliptical cross-section having a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the user interface is disposed on a first vertex of the major axis, the handle further comprising another user operated button, and the other user operated button is disposed on a second vertex of the major axis, wherein the user interface comprises buttons controlling two different aspects.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the button controls two switches having different functions.

3. The appliance of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one of the functions is cold spraying.

4. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising an accessory for connection to a handle, wherein the other user operated button operates a mechanism for removing the accessory from the handle.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises three user-operated buttons.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the three user-operated buttons are arranged in a triangular configuration.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein each of the three user-operated buttons is disposed at a vertex of a triangle.

8. The appliance of claim 5, wherein a second of the three user operated buttons is the button and includes an on/off switch.

9. The appliance of claim 7 or 8, wherein the second button is disposed at the apex of the triangle.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the second button is located on a vertex of the user interface remote from the other user operated button.

11. The appliance of claim 8, wherein a first and a third of the three user operated buttons are radially spaced around the handle.

12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the first button and the third button form a base of a triangle.

13. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the handle has a first end and a second end, wherein an accessory is attached to the handle at the first end.

14. The appliance of claim 13, wherein the other user operated button is adjacent the first end.