EP1173076A1

EP1173076A1 - Hair dryer with swinging arms heat sources

Info

Publication number: EP1173076A1
Application number: EP00927058A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Poggianti
Original assignee: Fregis Srl
Current assignee: Fregis Srl
Priority date: 1999-04-22
Filing date: 2000-04-19
Publication date: 2002-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-19
Also published as: EP1173076B1; DE60003907T2; ITPI990027A1; IT1309848B1; KR100322987B1; WO2000064299A1; KR20000075434A; DE60003907D1

Abstract

A hair dryer apparatus comprises two radiating arms (12, 13) shaped to surround the superior and the back part of the hair and pivoted, each with one of the respective ends, into two points, next to each other, of a supporting main structure (11). The radiating arms are rotating in two half-spaces opposite with respect to the median vertical plane of the apparatus, according to oscillating lateral movements of such an extent to allow the emitted heat flow to affect the superior, the back part and side parts of the hair. Means (49) for generating air under pressure are included in the main supporting structure; from this one the air flow is separately conveyed to the radiating arms to maintain the emitted heat flow.

Description

HAIR DRYER WITH SWINGING ARMS HEAT SOURCES

_O 4 O

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

- Technical field The present invention concerns an apparatus for drying hair by means of heat sources moving around the hair.

- Prior art information

The field of professional hair dryer devices shows, as known, a continuous growing, seeking for more and more effective solutions which could offer more freedom of action to the operator even during the treatment and, at the same time, more comfort to the

person under treatment .

For this purpose, devices using several heat sources positioned around the hair have been made, and, in particular, also by the applicant, devices in which heat sources move around the hair in order to improve the comfort, avoiding located heat concentrations, have been proposed, patented and commercialized. For example, italian patent n. 1217092 discloses a device in which three heat generators, uniformly spaced on an ideal circumference, are rotating around the axis of said circumference by means of a

rotating supporting element which is connected to an arm continuously oscillating between two positions that are simmetrical with respect to the vertical

median plane of the device. The heat flow emitted by said heat generators affects the whole hair in a regular and distributed way.

European patent 0 317 902 discloses an apparatus in which a circular, or semicircular, radiating element, eccentrically connected to supporting means, is kept continuously rotating in the space above and behind the hair to be dried.

Also in this case the heat flow emitted by the radiating element affects the whole hair. However, it has to be noticed that, using this solution, the distribution of the emitted heat is not very effective, in fact the time trend of said distribution is strongly cyclic with respect to the various portions of the hair.

The former solution, indeed, overcomes such an handicap but at the cost of both a certain complexity of the apparatus, clearly displayed in the specifications, and considerable overall dimensions,

which could be a drawback in the specific work room. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the first object of the present invention to provide an apparatus allowing an effective hair drying action and having, at the same time, a structural configuration highly rationalised and simplified, with small overall dimensions and low costs for mass production.

A further object of the invention is to provide an hair dryer apparatus with high operative flexibility, in order to accomplish, in a simply and immediate way, the various requirements of the operators in the specific technical field.

The above-mentioned objects are achieved by means of an hair dryer apparatus wherein two radiating arms, shaped to surround the upper part and the back part of the hair, are pivoted, at one of their respective ends, into two points, next to each other, of a main supporting structure which comprises means for rotating said arms in two half-spaces opposite with respect to the median vertical plane of the apparatus according to oscillatory movements of such an extent to allow the emitted heat flow to affect the superior, the back part and side parts of the hair.

Said supporting main structure comprises also means

for generating air under pressure that is directed to

the radiating arms in order to maintain the heat flow emitted towards the hair. Furthermore, said main structure comprises separated means for rotating said two radiating arms, said

means being controlled, separately or jointly, by a specific electronic controller unit of the apparatus. The advantages of the above hair-dryer apparatus are clearly evident by considering the high functionality and, also, the structural simplicity of the proposed solution, simplicity from which low manufacturing costs and low overall dimensions descend. At the same time, the typical advantages of the solutions comprising heat sources moving around the

hair, such as uniform heat distribution and good comfort of the treatment are made safe. As regards, in particular, the heat distribution, through the proposed solution we can obtain, with respect to the known solutions, an indubitable advantage due to the fact that high uniformity and invariability of the heat distribution in the whole interested space is achieved by small extent heat sources movements .

From the above, it descends immediately that further relevant advantages concern the operational

flexibility of the hair-dryer apparatus according to the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS However, for a better understanding of the above- mentioned advantages and the characteristics of the present invention, this will now be described by way

of an embodiment example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hair-dryer apparatus according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus of Figure

1;

- Figure 3 is a lateral section view of the apparatus of Figure 1, obtained through the section line III- III of Figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a further perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1;

- Figure 5 is a vertical section view of a specific component of the hair-dryer apparatus of the present invention;

- Figure 6 is an exploded view of the component of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 is an exploded total view of the apparatus

of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Figure 1 shows a hair-dryer apparatus, 10, which comprises a supporting main structure, 11, to which two shaped arms, 12, 13, comprising heat generating elements, 14, 15, are pivoted; said arms being

rotating into two half-spaces opposite with respect

to the vertical median plane of the apparatus, represented with line III-III of Figure 2. In this figure, as we can see, are shown in broken line the positions 12', 13', where the arms, 12, 13, move when they come at the top end of their alternated rotatory movement around their respective hinging axis, 16, 17. Said arms, indeed, are rotating by an angle of about 90° around said axis. Exactly, referring to view of Figure 2, arm 12 is

rotating in anticlockwise direction, while arm 13 is rotating in clockwise direction, and then they are carried back in the position of Figure 2 by means of just opposite rotations. This is repeated for a precisely settable number of cycles or working times. The means used to rotate said arms are clearly shown

in Figure 3 and Figure 7. In this embodiment they comprise two electric actuators, 18, 19, which just consists of alternating current induction motors.

Said actuators are fixed to a metal box-shaped structure, 37, internally bound to the main structure

11.

More precisely, as shown in Figure 3, a reduction gear, 20, associated to a motor, 18, is mechanically connected to a transverse internal wall, 22, of the box-shaped structure 37, and the same about the reduction gear, 21, associated to other motor 19.

The outputs of reduction gears, 20, 21, are connected with pivot means 23, 24, which rotate and support the

arms 12 and 13, said pivots being suitably guided by means of bushes 25, 26, fixed to the box-shaped

structure, 37.

The top ends of^' said pivots are exagonally shaped in order to transmit the rotatory movement to the radiating arms, 12, 13, by means of metal bushes, 27, 28, on which the pivots, 23, 24, are inserted. Each one of said bushes, as we can see in Figure 5, is incorporated in the plastic structure of the

respective arm and, exactly, it is placed in a central position of the circular base portion, 29, of said polyurethane structure, 31, whose shape, not just semicircular but studied as to optimise the heat

flow towards the hair, is clearly shown in fig. 6. In particular, it is shaped as a sequence of circle arcs having different radius and curve centres. Internally bound to said structure, 31, by screw means, 32, there is an element, 33, having the function of shielding from the heat generated by a heater, 14, which is constituted, in this case, by an

electric quartz resistor.

In said shielding element, 33, there are openings, or slots, 65, uniformly distributed, useful for the passage of air flow which, as we will better see in the following, is transmitted from the main structure 11, to the arms, 12, 13; the air flow is suitably directed towards said openings, 65, by means of special baffle plates, 66, positioned inside the structure, 31, and, exactly, in the lower part of

this one.

Finally, each arm is completed by a protection grid, 34, in metallic material, and by end parts, 35, 36, working as closing elements, 35, and structural elements, 36, of the arm.

It can be noticed, referring to Figure 6, that in the circular base portion, 29, of arm 12, there are openings 38, uniformly spaced around the central axis of said portion, 29, said openings allowing the air passing. Obviously, the same configuration is

repeated in the base portion, 30, of arm 13.

Said openings, 38, communicate, by means of other

circular openings, 39, located in the upper portion, 51, of the main structure, 11, with a chamber, 45, included in said structure. In fact, as we can see in Figure 3, the main structure, 11, of the apparatus is divided in two spaces 44, 45, by means of a divisor

internal wall, 46, which is a part of the internal

box-shaped structure, 37.

In said wall, 46, there is, as we can better see in Figure 7, a rectangular opening, 47, from which the air, coming to space 44 through the external slots,

48, is pumped towards the chamber 45 by using a fan,

49, located in said space 44. The external slots, 48, in the present embodiment, are located in the inferior portion, 52, of the main structure, 11.

In said inferior portion we can also see, referring to Figure 4, two cavities, 53, in which there are screw means connecting said inferior portion to the upper portion, 51; placed on this last one we find

the control panel, 54, of the hair dryer apparatus. This panel comprises, in this embodiment, the start button, 55, and the stop button, 56; two indicator lights, 57, 58, just indicating, respectively, the on status and the working status of the apparatus; a display, 59, on which the work time and others work

parameters are displayed; the buttons, 60, 61, dedicated to set the work time, in a decreasing way and in an increasing way, respectively; the button,

62, for selecting a certain pre-memorized operating program; the button, 63, for regulating the amount of heat generated by the heat generating elements, 14,

15; the button, 64, for regulating the speed of fan

49.

Finally, still in figure 4, we can see the power

switch, 70.

The above hair dryer apparatus operates as follows.

As the apparatus is switched on, through the switch

70, the electronic control unit is simply in a standby condition, revealed by indicator light 57, and is ready to receive the control inputs concerning the operating way to perform.

The operator can thus either select, by means of button 62, an automatic operating cycle, or can manually set various operating parameters, by means, for instance, of buttons 60 and 61 as regards the work time, by means of button 63 as regards the amount of heat produced by elements 14 , 15, and by

means of button 64 as regards the amount of air flow produced by fan 49.

The operator can also select a fixed automatic cycle, and then, can modi y some parameters, such as time, amount of heat and/or airflow produced. After that, by pushing button 55, the apparatus is put in normal operating condition, indicated by the

on status light 58.

In such condition, the heat generating elements, 14,

15, as well as the fan, 49, are supplied according to the just defined parameters, and the electric actuators, 18, 19, are normally supplied to rotate arms, 12, 13, around their respective axis, 16, 17, according to opposite rotations, each one of about

90°.

The cyclic reversing of the rotation of each actuator is assured by proximity switches, not shown for drawing simplicity, positioned near the pivots 23,

24.

The above operating way is automatically switched off at the end of the pre-set time; as well as, it can be switched off at anytime by means of button 56.

It is to be noticed that in this embodiment the electric actuators, 18, 19, work in synchronous manner, producing opposite and symmetric movements of

the radiating arms 12, 13.

However, in the event of special requirements, different operating ways may be provided, such, for

example, an operating way according to which the movements occur with a different speed of the actuators, or, in a more simple way, just one actuator may be working. All this, thanks to the fact that there are two separate actuators dedicated to the rotation of the radiating arms .

But, obviously, according to a different embodiment of the present invention, one single actuator associated to a reduction gear having two outputs may be provided, said outputs being connected to the pivots, 23, 24, of the radiating arms.

This last solution is advantageous under the economic aspect, but it is less versatile, under the operating way, with respect to the afore-described

solution.

It is clear that further modifications to the described embodiment of the present invention will be

envisaged without departure from the scope of the invention.

For example, even though the existence of two separate cavities, 44, 45, in the main structure 11

is revealed a very effective solution as regards the feeding of the air to the radiating arms in order to obtain a high uniformly emitted flow, there cannot be

excluded different configurations of air conveyance to the arms and, even, different shape of the openings or slots, 65, for the outlet of airflow from

the shielding element, 33.

Also the design of the main structure, 11, may be

different, still keeping its distinctive features as regards the handiness and the safety level of the proposed solution.

The control panel, 54, furthermore, can be modified to be suited, for example, to separately control the actuators, according to the above described ways.

Also the actuators can be different from the indicated ones; in fact, continuos current step motors could be employed.

These and other modifications may be carried out, always within the limits of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

C L A I MS

1- Hair dryer apparatus (10), of the type in which

heat sources are moving around the hair, characterised in that it comprises two radiating arms (12, 13) shaped to surround the superior and the back

part of the hair and pivoted, each with one of the respective ends, into two points of a supporting main structure (11) comprising means for rotating said arms in two half-spaces opposite with respect to the median vertical plane of the apparatus, according to oscillating lateral movements of such an extent to allow the emitted heat flow to affect the superior, the back part and side parts of the hair.

2- Hair dryer apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that said radiating arms (12, 13) are separately connected to two respective means (18, 19) which are controlled to rotate said arms in a synchronous way or in a independent way.

3- Hair dryer apparatus according to claims 1 or 2 characterised in that said main supporting structure

(11) comprises means (49) for generating air under

pressure, said air under pressure being separately directed to said radiating arms (12, 13).

4- Apparatus according to claim 3 characterised in that said air flow is directed towards said arms through openings (39) located in said main structure (11), said openings being positioned all around pivot means (23, 24) which support and rotate said arms

(12, 13).

5- Apparatus according to claims 3 or 4 characterised in that said main supporting structure (11) comprises two separate spaces (44, 45), one (44) of said spaces housing said means (49) for generating the air flow, the other one (45) of said spaces being dedicated to receive the air flow generated by said means (49) in order to form a pressure chamber from which the air is directed towards said arms (12, 13).

6- Apparatus according to the preceding claims characterised in that each of said radiating arms (12, 13) comprises a structural element made of a low

specific weight material, said element being composed of a circular portion (29) in which is centrally placed a bush (27) wherein is inserted a

pivot (23) that supports and rotates said arm, said element being further composed of a portion (31)

shaped as a sequence of circle arcs having different

radius and curve centres, each of said radiating arms

further comprising a heat shielding element (33) fixed to said structural element (29, 31), a heat generating element (14) shaped as said structural element (31), a protection grid (34) in metallic material, end closing portions (35, 36) of said

structural element (31).

7- Apparatus according to the preceding claim characterised in that said shielding element (33) is provided with openings (65) to outlet the air flow conveyed from said main structure (11) to each one of said arms (12, 13), said openings (65) being uniformly arranged all along said shielding element (33), the airflow being uniformly conveyed towards said openings (65) by means of baffle plates (66) located in the inferior part of said structural

element (31) .

8- Hair dryer apparatus of the type in which heat sources are moving around the hair, as disclosed and illustrated in the herewith enclosed drawings.