CN214711012U

CN214711012U - Hair care appliance

Info

Publication number: CN214711012U
Application number: CN201990000713.4U
Authority: CN
Inventors: N.伊姆哈斯利; R.库尔顿; S.史密斯; G.帕波蒂
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2018-05-23
Filing date: 2019-04-04
Publication date: 2021-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-04
Also published as: GB2575621B; WO2019224508A1; GB201808450D0; GB2575621A; CN217364923U

Abstract

The utility model discloses a hair care appliance (10), which comprises a shell; a fluid flow path extending from a fluid inlet (212) into the housing to a fluid outlet (202) of the housing; a heater (80), wherein the heater comprises a heater element (82); a former (86) around which the heater elements are wrapped; and an outer wall (180) extending around the heater element, the former providing a central region of the heater without the heater element, the heater element providing an intermediate region extending around the central region, the former providing an outer region extending between the intermediate region and the outer wall without the heater element. The appliance includes an accessory (20) including a second fluid flow path extending from a second fluid inlet (20a) in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the housing and a second fluid outlet (22) extending along the axis, the second fluid outlet extending at least partially along the axis.

Description

Hair care appliance

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a heater for a hand-held appliance, in particular for a hair care appliance.

Background

In a conventional heat setting appliance, air is drawn into an inlet by a fan unit, heated by a heater and directed through an outlet toward the hair. Usually, an appliance is provided with different accessories, each having a different outlet, and therefore different functions, such as drying, curling or curling. The air may or may not be heated, depending on the desired style. The attachment may include bristles for hair to wrap around and hold for styling.

The utility model seeks to provide a hair care appliance with improved performance.

Conventional heaters are formed in the shape of a truncated cone with a diameter that varies along the entire length to heat the fluid flowing through the fluid outlet; the diameter of each coil of the resistance wire of the heater is slightly different.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The utility model provides a hair care appliance, this hair care appliance include the casing to and fluid flow path, fluid flow path extends into the fluid outlet of casing to the casing from the fluid entry.

Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention provides a hair care appliance comprising: a housing; a fluid flow path extending from the fluid inlet into the housing to the fluid outlet of the housing; a heater extending at least partially along the housing, wherein the heater comprises a heater element; a former around which the heater element is wrapped; and an outer wall extending around the heater element, wherein the former provides a central region of the heater without the heater element, the heater element provides a central region extending around the central region, and the former provides an outer region extending between the central region and the outer wall without the heater element.

The former is a support of an insulating material such as mica, usually formed as sheets, which are then spliced together to provide a 3D structure on which the heating element is wound. The former ensures that the heating element (a resistive wire made of metal, e.g. tungsten) is held in the desired position so as to separate each winding of wire to avoid hot spots.

The resistance wire is shaped like a sine wave undulation to maximize heat generation. The void region is the portion of the heater within the outer wall that is free of the resistance wire.

Preferably, the hair care appliance comprises an accessory that is attachable to and removable from the appliance and comprises a second fluid flow path extending from a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, the second fluid inlet being in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the housing, wherein the accessory extends along an axis and the second fluid outlet extends at least partially along the axis.

Preferably, the axis along which the accessory extends is parallel to the axis along which the housing extends.

In contrast, in conventional appliances, where the shape of the heater is altered in an attempt to homogenize the temperature at the fluid outlet, in the present invention, a temperature gradient has been introduced at the fluid outlet. This improves and minimizes the temperature gradient along the second fluid outlet (the fluid outlet of the attachment).

Preferably, the heater comprises a region of constant diameter. Preferably, the region of constant diameter is located at the inlet end of the heater, i.e. towards the fluid inlet of the appliance.

Preferably, the heater comprises a region of varying diameter. Preferably, the region of varying diameter is located at the outlet end of the heater, i.e. towards the fluid outlet of the appliance. Preferably, the diameter increases from a constant diameter to a larger diameter.

By increasing the diameter over a length of the heater, the heated fluid in the intermediate zone mixes with the fluid in the outer zone. This provides a more uniform temperature distribution along the length of the second fluid outlet.

Also disclosed is a hair care appliance comprising: a housing; a fluid flow path from the fluid inlet into the housing to the fluid outlet of the housing; a fan unit extending at least partially along the housing, wherein the internal flow guide is arranged to guide fluid flow through the fluid flow path to an inlet of the fan unit.

Preferably, the inner flow guide comprises a curved surface extending from the housing towards the fan unit. Preferably, the internal flow guide comprises a fin extending from the curved surface into the fluid flow path.

The fan unit includes a fan and a motor.

Also disclosed is a hair care appliance comprising: a housing; a fluid flow path from the fluid inlet into the housing to the fluid outlet of the housing; a fan unit extending at least partially along the housing, wherein a further flow guide is provided to guide fluid flow through the fluid flow path to the inlet of the fan unit.

Preferably, the further flow guide extends from the housing towards the fan unit and curves around a portion of the inner diameter of the housing and between the housing and the fan unit.

Preferably, the further flow guide forms part of the seal.

Preferably, the housing comprises an inner wall extending within the casing comprising a casing for the fan unit, and the seal comprises a first limb extending around the inner wall adjacent the casing.

Preferably, the seal further comprises a second limb extending from the first limb towards the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the appliance is a heat-set appliance.

Drawings

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

figure 1 shows an example of an appliance according to the invention;

FIG. 2A shows a cross-section through the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B shows an enlarged portion of the cross-section of FIG. 2A;

fig. 3A shows a side view of a filter screen according to the present invention;

figure 3B shows an isometric view of a filter screen according to the present invention through a cross section of the grid shown in figure 3A;

fig. 4A and 4B show two isometric views of the inner flow guide;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show isometric views of the inner seal;

FIG. 5C shows a cross-section through the inner seal of FIGS. 5A and 5B;

FIG. 6A shows an exploded isometric view of a portion of the switch mechanism;

FIG. 6B shows the assembled switch mechanism of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C shows a cross-section through the handle and switch mechanism of FIG. 6A;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show side views of internal components of the appliance;

figure 8A shows components of a heater according to the present invention;

FIG. 8B schematically shows a cross-section through the heater of FIG. 8A; and

fig. 9A and 9B show stages in the manufacture of the thermal fuse.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, 2A and 2B, an example of a hand held appliance 10 is shown. The appliance has a handle 210 and an attachment 20 for styling hair. To enable a user to create different builds and give the appliance multiple functions, the attachment 20 is removable and may be replaced with a replacement attachment. Furthermore, the accessory 20 can be removed for easy storage of the appliance when not in use. The handle 210 includes a UI (user interface) 230 that includes a number of different user operated buttons 38,138 to enable a user to select between a plurality of different heat and flow settings. The handle 210 includes the fan unit 70 and the heater 80. The fan unit 70 has a motor 76 and a fan 78 which rotates when the motor is activated. In use, the fan unit 70 draws fluid in through the fluid inlet 212, along the fluid flow path 100, past the heater 80, which may optionally heat the fluid, which is then expelled through the fluid outlet 22 in the attachment 20.

The UI 230 has externally accessible user operated buttons 38,138 that engage internal switches located on the UI board 232. UI board 232 also serves to provide a housing for various other components, such as ionizer 40.

The handle 210 has an outer wall 200 and an inner wall 220, the outer wall 200 extending along the longitudinal axis XX from the fluid inlet 212 towards the fluid outlet 202, the inner wall 220 housing the fan unit 70 and the heater 80. At the fluid inlet 212, the inner wall 220 extends radially inward of the outer wall 200. However, in this embodiment, the outer wall 200 does not extend to the fluid outlet 202, and thus for a portion 214 of the length of the handle 210, the inner wall 220 is the outer wall of the appliance 10. For this portion of the length of the handle 210, the diameter of the inner wall 220 is substantially the same as the diameter of the outer wall 200.

The fluid inlet 212 of the handle 210 filters fluid entering the fluid flow path 100. The outer wall 200 provides a filter grill 204 and the inner wall 220 provides a filter screen 224. The filter screen 224 is thinner than the filter grill 204 and is adapted to capture dust and lint. The filter grill 204 is removable to enable the filter screen 224 to be cleaned periodically. Both the filter grate 204 and the filter screen 224 have an array of apertures extending continuously radially around the circumference of the handle 210.

To assist the user in understanding when it is necessary to clean filter screen 224, an indicator in the form of an LED 50 is provided (fig. 2B). In this example, the LEDs are located on a PCB (printed circuit board) 120 provided within the handle 210. Light pipe 52 extends from adjacent LEDs 50 within support rib 216 toward outer wall 200 and aperture 54 provided in outer wall 200.

If the filter grate 204 becomes clogged, the fan unit 70, and in particular the motor 76, will not function as intended when the appliance 10 is opened. This is marked as an error and the LED 50 is activated. In one embodiment, the LEDs 50 have three different modes: extinguishment indicates no problem; open in a first color to indicate to a user that the filter requires cleaning; open in a second color to indicate to the user that there is a fault that cannot be corrected by the user, and therefore should return the product or seek help, such as by dialing a user help line. The first color may be white and it may flash to attract the attention of the user. The second color may be red.

Once the fluid enters the appliance 10, it is directed through the PCB. The inner wall 220 conveniently provides a housing 222 for the PCB 120 that limits the position of the PCB 120. Since the PCB 120 has different sizes and shapes of electrical components mounted thereon, the inclusion of the PCB 120 in the housing 222 may reduce turbulence, noise, and pressure losses within the appliance 10. At the downstream end 120b of the PCB, the inner wall 220 curves around the end of the PCB 120 towards the fan unit 70. The downstream end 120b is shaped to reduce separation of the flow from the surface of the housing 222.

Referring now to fig. 3A and 3B, PCB 120 includes an access port 122 that enables software updates to be applied to or data collected from the appliance. To enable this to be achieved without dismantling the appliance 10, the filter screen 224 is provided with an aperture 228 which allows a connector (not shown) to be inserted into the access port 122. An aperture 228 is provided in a frame 226 which defines and supports the filter screen 224, and the aperture 228 is covered by the cover 124 during normal use of the product, so that fluid drawn into the fluid inlet 212 in use must pass through both the filter screen 204 and the filter grate 204. To utilize the access port 122, the filter grill 204 is removed, exposing the filter screen 224 and the cover 124. The cover is removed using a tool such as an awl, allowing the data cable to be inserted into the access port 122.

A grill 60 is provided between the PCB 120 and the fan unit 70. The grille 60 is provided to even the fluid flow before the fan unit 70 and its use reduces noise generated within the appliance. The grill 60 and the fan unit 70 have the same cross-sectional area and are both circular.

To accommodate the features of the UI board 232, the fan unit 70 is off-center within the handle 210. Because the grill 60 is aligned with the fan unit 70, the grill 60 is also off-center. The handle 210 has an oval cross-section that accommodates the fan unit 70 and the UI plate 232, and thus, the fluid flow path 100 is not straight through the handle 210. The fluid flow path 100 is not parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X of the outer wall 200. At the fluid inlet 212, fluid enters the fluid flow path 100 and is directed around the housing 222 for the PCB 120, creating two generally semicircular flows within the oval handle. A pair of stiffening ribs 226 (fig. 2B) extend from each side of the housing 222 of the PCB 120 toward the outer wall 200 to protect components housed on the PCB 120 in the event of damage to the outer wall 200.

A gap 166 exists between the downstream end 120b of the housing 222 and the grill 60, and the gap 166 is provided to allow mixing of the fluid flowing on either side of the PCB 120. There is a velocity mismatch between the fluids flowing on either side of the PCB 120 and the space that allows the fluids to mix reduces the mismatch, and then the grid 60 further homogenizes the flow and reduces the overall velocity.

To prevent fluid from impinging on the inner wall portion containing the UI plate 232, an internal flow guide is provided comprising a curved wall portion 30. (fig. 4A and 4B) the curved wall portion 30 curves radially inward from the inner surface 200B of the outer wall 200 toward the fan unit 70 and the grill 60, and directs the fluid in the fluid flow path 100 toward the fan unit 70. The curved wall portion 30 compresses the fluid flow path, thereby removing large vortices from the fluid. Since the fluid flowing in the fluid flow path 100 before the fan unit 70 has been guided by the housing 222 of the PCB 120 and the curved wall portion 30, the grill 60 is provided to make the flow compressed toward the fan unit 70 uniform.

The internal flow guide includes two features to assist in the diversion of the fluid flowing in the fluid flow path 100, the curved wall portion 30 forming an arc extending between the inner surface 200b of the outer wall 200 and the grating 60. The curvature of the arc diverts fluid flowing within the fluid flow path 100 so that it smoothly enters the grille 60 and then the fan unit 70. The second feature includes a plurality of fins 32 extending from the curved wall portion 30 into the fluid flow path 100. The fins 32 maintain and straighten the flow as it is bent by the curved wall portion 30. The fins 32 help reduce the introduction of turbulence as the flow is diverted to the grate 60.

The internal flow guide is on the same side as the UI 230 and the UI board 232. On the opposite side of the handle 210, there is a small gap between the outer wall 200 and the inner wall 220, and the transition is controlled by another flow guide 36 (fig. 5A to 5C). The other flow guide 36 is curved in two dimensions; it curves around the inner surface 200b of the outer wall; and it curves between the outer wall 200 and an inner wall 220, which provides the fan unit housing 218. The other flow guide 36 provides a curved surface that directs flow in the fluid flow path 100 into the grille 60 and the fan unit 70.

In this embodiment, the further flow guide 36 is provided as part of a seal 130 extending around the inner surface 200b of the outer wall 200. The seal 130 is bifurcated or bifurcated and the first leg 132 extends around the outer surface 220a of the inner wall at the downstream end of the fan unit housing 224 and the second leg 134 extends from the first leg 132 to engage the inner surface 200b of the outer wall 200. The seal 130 prevents fluid flowing through the fluid flow path from flowing between the inner wall 220 and the outer wall 200, thereby preventing recirculation around the fan unit 70.

The UI board 232 is located in the cavity between the outer wall 200 and the inner wall 220, and in order to mount the user operated buttons 38,138 and the on-off switch 150 in the available space, they are spaced longitudinally within the cavity (fig. 6A to 6C).

An actuator 140 including an arm 144 extends between the button 138 and a switch 150. The actuator 140 has a protrusion 42 for engaging the button 138. The projection 42 is received within the housing 146. The housing 146 has an aperture 48 and the projection 42 extends through the aperture 48. The actuator 140 actually engages two switches (one not shown) that are biased along the length of the arm 144, and thus the forces along the length of the arm 144 are not necessarily balanced. To avoid any difficulties that may arise from the displacement of the arm 144 and the incorrect actuation of one of the switches, the arm 144 is provided with a torsion spring 148, which torsion spring 148 pushes against the other part and biases the arm 144 towards the switch 150. Torsion spring 148 is located within spring housing 142 that engages arm 144 and UI plate cover 236, which biases arm 144 toward switch 150 to ensure good engagement throughout the life. UI board cover 236 includes an arm 238, and arm 238 extends radially inward of UI board cover 236, and radially inner surface 238a engages spring housing 142.

UI board cover 236 has three main functions: the first is to provide a fixed surface that engages the spring housing 142; the second is to facilitate manufacturing because the wiring for the various components (e.g., heater 80) is partially secured between inner wall 220 and UI plate cover 236 or in a channel or recess 240 provided on radially outer surface 238b of UI plate cover 236.

Referring now to fig. 7A and 7B, to hold the UI board 232 in the correct position, a pair of clips 250 are provided. A pair of clips 250 engage both the UI plate 232 and the inner wall 220. One of a pair of clips 250 is disposed on each side of UI board 232 with one side extending parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X of the appliance. The pair of clips 250 include a first recess (not shown) adapted to receive the protrusion 252 from the UI board 232 and a second recess (not shown) adapted to retain a protrusion 254 extending outwardly from the outer surface 220b of the inner wall 220. A pair of clips 250 snap fit into the protrusions 252 and the projections 254, respectively.

The fluid outlet 22 from the fitment 20 is elongate and extends along a substantial length of the fitment 20. It is desirable to have a consistent flow exiting along the length of the fluid outlet 22 and a uniform or consistent temperature of the fluid exiting along that length. This aids in drying and styling of the hair when different parts of the hair and tresses are under similar drying conditions. However, even when the fluid exiting from the fluid outlet 22 is uniform along the length of the attachment 20, the temperature of the fluid exiting from the fluid outlet 22 may vary significantly. The former is controlled by features within the attachment 20 (e.g., turning vanes) while the latter depends on the heater and the fluid flow path through the inner wall 220.

The heater 80 is formed from a resistance wire 82 formed into undulations 84 or serrations and then wrapped around a former 86 made of a heat resistant material such as mica. The insulating wall 180 extends around the outer circumference of the heater 80. In the case of a substantially cylindrical heater, the most effective way to exchange heat to the fluid flowing through the heater 80 is to have a large diameter heater in which the resistance wire 82 is formed with a large pitch or undulation depth. This maximizes the surface contact between the fluid and the resistive wire 82 across the cross-section of the heater 80. However, the resistance wire 82 has a minimum radius because each undulation 84 must not contact an adjacent undulation. Thus, there is a central portion 88 without the resistance wire 82. This results in a hot zone H and a cold zone C within the cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path. This translates into a temperature gradient along the fluid outlet 22 of the fitment 20. There is an outer ring of hot fluid and a central ring of cold fluid. At or near the end 20a of the attachment 20 adjacent the fluid outlet 202 of the handle 210, the temperature of the fluid will be hottest and will gradually decrease to a lowest temperature at the end 20b of the attachment 20 remote from the fluid outlet 212 of the handle 210.

The cold and hot fluids will also flow through the heater 80 at different rates. The cold fluid has minimal resistance through the heater due to friction from the surface of the sizer 86, while the hot fluid is more constrained due to interaction with the resistance wire 82 and the outer wall 180 surrounding the heater 80. This difference in velocity, and the fact that the hot fluid is an outer ring of fluid exiting the fluid outlet 202, results in a temperature change along the length of the fluid outlet 22 of the attachment 20.

To regulate the temperature of the fluid exiting the fluid outlet 22 of the attachment 20 along the length of the fluid outlet 22, the temperature profile of the handle 210 at the fluid outlet 202 must be changed. The inventors have found that a power-intensive heater with a relatively small pitch sandwiched between unheated zones provides better control of the temperature throughout the length of the fluid outlet 22 of the attachment 20. A first unheated zone 182 is located in the center of the heater 80 and a second unheated zone 184 is located between the resistance wire 82 and the outer wall 180. This provides a temperature profile that has less variation than before when it is cooler at each end 20a, 20b of the attachment 20. It is advantageous to have a hotter area near the center of the length of the attachment for styling and drying as more hair is exposed to the heated fluid.

To further improve the temperature characteristics of the attachment 20, the heater 80 does not have a constant diameter. By determining that it is advantageous to have a space between the resistance wire 82 and the outer wall 180, the inventors have further recognized that the space can be utilized to provide a larger diameter of the heated fluid and to promote mixing between the cold fluid and the heated fluid. Thus, the heater 80 has a first portion 110 of constant diameter and a second portion 112 extending toward the outer wall 180. In this embodiment, the first portion 110 is adjacent the fan unit 70 and the second portion 112 extends from the first portion 100 towards the fluid outlet 202 of the handle 210.

By extending the resistance wire 82 radially outward toward the outer wall 180, the cold fluid flowing between the outer wall 180 and the first portion 110 (i.e., in the first unheated zone 182) is forced to mix with the heated fluid. This provides a central cold zone C, an intermediate hot zone H, and then an outer warm zone W. The resulting temperature profile is flatter, resulting in less variation along the length of the fluid outlet 22 of the fitment 20.

Not only the temperature of the fluid is taken into account. The temperature gradient and frictional losses through the appliance affect the velocity, resulting in a velocity gradient at the fluid outlet 202. As previously described, the central cold zone C is less constrained by the heater 80 since the fluid only interacts with the former 86 and the thermal safety device. As the fluid in the hot region H passes around each winding of the resistance wire 82, the fluid experiences greater friction and therefore has a lower velocity than the fluid flowing through the cold region C. The outer temperature zone W has surfaces in the first portion 110 that contact the outer wall 180 and the outer surface of the resistance wire 82, but there are no such surfaces in the second portion 112, except that the fluid flowing through the temperature zone W flows through some windings of the resistance wire 82. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the warm zone W does not have to be the same as the cross-sectional area of the central cold zone C.

With reference to fig. 8A and 8B, the features of the thermal safety system will now be discussed. There are three thermal safety devices: an internal fuse 282, an outlet fuse 284, and a bimetallic strip 286. The internal fuse 282 and bimetal strip 286 are disposed within the heater 80 and attached to the former 86, and such positioning is conventional. The bimetal strip 286 is a first and resettable switch for cutting power to the heater when the heater begins to overheat, and the internal fuse 282 is a non-resettable circuit breaker rated for a higher temperature than the bimetal strip 282.

Since the internal fuse 282 is located within the heater 80, a problem occurring between the internal fuse and the fluid outlet 202 may not be detected, and therefore an outlet fuse 284 is provided and provided across the surface of the heater 80. To accurately position the outlet fuse 284 relative to the heater, the outlet fuse 284 is first assembled orthogonal to its final position. Referring to fig. 9A and 9B, in the first position 284a, the outlet fuse 284 extends from the connecting leg 286 away from the heater 80 parallel to the central axis of the heater 80. The connecting leg 286 is bent 90 to place the fuse 284 in the operating position 284b across the downstream face of the heater 80. This simplifies the manufacture of the heater 80 and means that the fuse can be positioned in the operating position 284b at the end of assembly of the heater when all windings of the resistance wire 82 are fixed in place.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a heat setting device, the rotatable connector may be used in any hand held appliance wherein the appliance is relatively rotated with respect to the user, including but not limited to straighteners and curling devices such as tongs, rods or irons. In these embodiments, since no fluid flow is used during styling, the handle 210 will not include a fan unit, but rather a heater or heating surface for styling the hair.

Claims

1. A hair care appliance, comprising: a housing; a fluid flow path extending from the fluid inlet into the housing to the fluid outlet of the housing; a heater extending at least partially along the housing, wherein the heater comprises a heater element; a former around which the heater element is wrapped; and an outer wall extending around the heater element, wherein the former provides a central region of the heater without the heater element, the heater element provides a central region extending around the central region, and the former provides an outer region extending between the central region and the outer wall without the heater element, wherein the heater comprises a region of constant diameter and a region of varying diameter, wherein the region of constant diameter is at an inlet end of the heater and the region of varying diameter is at an outlet end of the heater.

2. The hair care appliance of claim 1, wherein the diameter increases from a constant diameter to a larger diameter.

3. The hair care appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance includes an accessory that is attachable to and removable from the appliance, and the accessory includes a second fluid flow path extending from a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, the second fluid inlet communicating with the fluid outlet of the housing, wherein the accessory extends along an axis and the second fluid outlet extends at least partially along the axis.

4. The hair care appliance of claim 3, wherein the axis along which the attachment extends is parallel to the axis along which the housing extends.