EP1926406B1 - Hair dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a hair dryer (1) comprising a fan mechanism (6) for generating an air flow. Said hair dryer (1) is equipped with an device (10, 30) discharging active substance in order to introduce an active substance (W) into the air flow generated.

Description

The invention relates to a hair dryer, in particular a hand-held hair dryer, with a blower device for generating an air flow.

Hair dryers of the type mentioned above, which dry the hair by means of a flow of air generated by a blower, there are in a variety of variants for many years. Hair driers and hand-held hairdryers are available in the professional hairdressing area, while public facilities such as swimming pools, gyms, etc. often have hairdryers fixed to the wall, and each household now has hand-held hairdryers in a variety of different forms , Normally, hair dryers have a heating device, which can usually be operated in different heating stages, so that either a cold stream of perfume, a lukewarm or a hot air flow can be generated. Likewise, it is possible with most hairdryers to vary the strength of the airflow at least in stages. In this context, describe the DE 35 40 990 A . DE 100 53 338 A .

US 4 523 080 A . US 2003/150 126 A as well as the US 4,825,879 A various devices for hair care.

In addition, for a long time - also for home use - hairdryers with a variety of accessories such as massage attachments, airflow diffusers, etc., to achieve a variety of effects, since hair dryers are often used not only to dry the hair, but also in order to bring them into appropriate shape during drying by appropriate treatment. In addition, the hair can be modeled and fixed with the aid of gel, hair spray or the like. Usually the hair with the gel or hair spray and a fragrance in a desired fragrance note supplied.

It is an object of the present invention to further develop a hair dryer of the type mentioned at the outset such that it offers even more functionality.

This object is achieved by a hair dryer according to claim 1.

According to the invention, the hair dryer for this purpose has an active substance delivery device in order to introduce into the generated air flow an active substance, for example a fragrance, a conditioner, a luster substance, etc.

Since freshly washed hair absorb such active ingredients, in particular fragrances, quickly and store them longer by heat, there is a simple way the hair z. B. to give a fresh, individual touch or to maintain the hair by additional active ingredients, it is not necessary to add these agents separately with the hands or from additional spray bottles or the like. A uniform distribution of the active ingredient is inevitably ensured by the air flow.

The dependent claims contain particularly advantageous developments and refinements of the hair dryer according to the invention.

In a preferred variant, the active substance delivery device has an atomization device. For example, this atomizing device can have a nozzle device with one or more nozzle openings, through which a specific amount of active substance is injected directly into the air jet.

In a further preferred embodiment, the drug delivery device is designed such that the active ingredient evaporates. Depending on the configuration of the drug delivery device and choice of the active ingredient can be ensured that this evaporation already happens at the usual ambient temperature, so that the active ingredient is delivered in a cold air flow. However, the adjustment can also be made such that the active ingredient evaporates only above a higher evaporation temperature. This evaporation temperature can then be achieved by applying the active substance delivery device by an air jet heated by a heater of the hair dryer. In this case, the evaporation temperature can in particular be set so that evaporation of active substances takes place only after a certain heating stage. In this case, the drug delivery device should be followed by a heater of the hair dryer. If the drug delivery device does not require an elevated temperature to deliver the drug can the drug delivery device but also be preceded by the heater. This may be cheaper for certain types of hairdryers.

In a preferred embodiment, the drug delivery device on a solid with a stored therein volatile active ingredient. In such a solid may be, for example, a sponge or the like, which is impregnated with the active ingredient. However, it may also be a kind of fragrance gel, scented wax or the like, in which the active ingredient is incorporated and from which the active ingredient with a certain evaporation rate, which may also be temperature dependent, is delivered.

In another embodiment, the drug delivery device has a dispensing container which is filled with a volatile active substance and whose wall is at least partially in the form of a gas-permeable (permeable) membrane. Again, the delivery rate through the membrane may be temperature dependent.

In a particularly preferred variant, the drug delivery device has a drug reservoir and means for delivering drug from the drug reservoir in the solid or in the dispensing container or to the atomizing device. For example, a sponge could be replenished from the drug reservoir with active ingredient. If an active substance reservoir is used in combination with a dispensing container with a gas-permeable membrane, this dispensing container can be made relatively small, since it is indeed supplied with active ingredient from the active substance reservoir.

In such a case, the active substance delivery device preferably has a valve device arranged between the active substance reservoir and the solid and / or the dispensing container and / or the atomizing device. The user can then use this valve device to precisely dose how much active substance is released from the active substance reservoir into the solid or the dispensing container or the atomizing device, and thus also determine the amount of active substance dispensed into the air stream.

In a preferred development of this variant, the active agent delivery device has an actuating element arranged on a device housing of the hair dryer for actuating the valve device, ie for opening the valve, for example. Provided the hair dryer is designed as a hand-held hair dryer with a housing with handle, the actuator is preferably arranged on the handle, that the user can conveniently operate the valve device while holding the hair dryer to metered add active ingredient in the air stream.

In a particularly preferred variant of the solid or the dispensing container are designed in the form of a replaceable cartridge. Thus, if no active ingredient is present in the solid or dispensing container, the user can replace the corresponding part very easily. Likewise, it is also possible to provide different cartridge-like solids or dispensing containers with different active ingredients, so that the user can simply exchange the relevant elements, for example to change the fragrance or to use a conditioner or the like instead of a fragrance.

If a drug reservoir is used to supply the solid or the dispensing container or the atomizing device with active ingredient, this drug reservoir is preferably designed as a replaceable cartridge.

In principle, the solid body or the dispensing container or the active substance reservoir, in particular in the form of the exchangeable cartridge, can also be designed to be refillable.

Particularly preferably, the drug delivery device is located in the device housing of the hair dryer in the region of the air inflow opening, d. H. directly at the air inflow opening or in the airflow direction at a distance behind the air inflow opening, or in the area of the air outflow opening, d. H. directly at the Luftausströmöffnung or in the air flow direction at a distance in front of the Luftausströmöffnung.

In principle, the hair dryer can also be designed with a plurality of drug delivery devices, for. As for the simultaneous introduction of various agents, such as a fragrance and a conditioner.

Figur 1

einen Querschnitt durch ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsge- mäßen Haartrockners mit einer Zerstäubungseinrichtung beim Einsetzen einer mit Wirkstoff gefüllten Kartusche;

Figur 2

einen Querschnitt durch den Haartrockner gemäß Figur 1 mit eingesetzter Kartusche;

Figur 3

einen Querschnitt durch den Haartrockner gemäß den Figuren 1 und 2 mit geöffnetem Ventil zur Abgabe von Wirkstoff in den Luftstrom;

Figur 4

ein Querschnitt durch ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemä- ßen Haartrockners zum Einsetzen eines ringförmigen Abgabebehälters;

Figur 5

einen Querschnitt durch einen ringförmigen Abgabebehälter zum Einsetzen in einen Haartrockner gemäß Figur 4;

Figur 6

einen Querschnitt durch den Haartrockner gemäß Figur 4 mit eingesetztem Abgabebehälter;

Figur 7

einen Querschnitt durch ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsge- mäßen Haartrockners mit einem ringförmigen Abgabebehälter;

Figur 8

ein Querschnitt durch ein viertes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemä- ßen Haartrockners mit in ein Luftaustrittsgitter integrierten Abgabebehältern mit abgenommenen Luftaustrittsgitter;

Figur 9

ein Querschnitt durch den Haartrockner gemäß Figur 8 mit eingebautem Luft- austrittsgitter;

Figur 10

einen Querschnitt durch ein fünftes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsge- mäßen Haartrockners mit in ein Lufteintrittsgitter integrierten Abgabebehäl- tern.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures with reference to embodiments. As far as possible, the same reference numbers are used for the same features or components. Show it:

FIG. 1

a cross section through a first embodiment of a hair dryer according to the invention with a sputtering device when inserting a filled with drug cartridge;

FIG. 2

a cross section through the hair dryer according to FIG. 1 with inserted cartridge;

FIG. 3

a cross section through the hair dryer according to the FIGS. 1 and 2 with valve open to deliver drug into the airflow;

FIG. 4

a cross section through a second embodiment of a hair dryer according to the invention for inserting an annular dispensing container;

FIG. 5

a cross section through an annular dispensing container for insertion into a hair dryer according to FIG. 4 ;

FIG. 6

a cross section through the hair dryer according to FIG. 4 with inserted dispensing container;

FIG. 7

a cross section through a third embodiment of a hair dryer according to the invention with an annular dispensing container;

FIG. 8

a cross-section through a fourth embodiment of an inventive hair dryer with integrated in an air outlet grille dispensing containers with removed air outlet grille;

FIG. 9

a cross section through the hair dryer according to FIG. 8 with built-in air outlet grille;

FIG. 10

a cross-section through a fifth embodiment of a hair dryer according to the invention with integrated in an air inlet grate dispensing containers.

At the in FIG. 1 shown hair dryer is largely a hand-held hairdryer 1 with a housing 2, with a Lufteiritrittsöffnung 4 and an opposite air outlet opening 5 and arranged in the housing 2 just behind the Lufteinströmöffnung 4 fan 6 for generating an air flow, which of the Lufteinströmöffnung 4 in the air flow direction R flows through the housing 2 to the Luftausströmöffnung. The air inflow opening 4 is covered in the usual way by a grid 4 'or the like. Likewise, the Luftausströmöffnung 5 may be provided with a grid attachment.

Transverse to the air flow direction R, a handle 3 is integrally formed on the underside in the usual way, from which a power cable 8 is led out at the bottom. At this handle 3, the user can hold the hair dryer 1 during use.

Behind the blower 6, a heater 7 is arranged in the air flow in the form of a heating coil. In the air flow direction R behind this heater 7, the hair dryer 1 according to the invention with a drug delivery device 10 - here with a sputtering device 20 with a nozzle 25 - equipped.

In the upper, the handle 3 opposite region of the housing 2 is a recess 9 for receiving a replaceable cartridge 11, which forms a reservoir 11 for the active ingredient W. Via a closable filling opening 12, the active ingredient can be replenished into the reservoir 11. The cartridge 11 is in this case designed such that it can be hooked on a front side of the recess 9 pointing in the air outflow opening 5 under a holding edge arranged in the recess 9 and then pressed into the recess 9 in the manner of a lever (FIG FIG. 2 ). In the bottom of the cartridge 11 is a passage opening 13, which is closed by a flexible membrane cover 14. This flexible membrane lid 14 is pressed by a hollow opening mandrel 15, which is arranged in the recess 9 at a suitable location in the device housing 2 when levering down the cartridge 11 into the recess 9.

It can then enter drug W through the opening mandrel 15 in an antechamber of a valve 16. This valve 16 consists of a longitudinally displaceably arranged in a valve seat 17 valve piston 18, which is held by a return element 19, here by a return spring 19, in a closed position in which a valve piston member so seated in the valve seat 17, that the valve is closed.

The valve piston 18 is connected to a preferably non-rigid pressure transmission element 23, similar to a construction train or the like. This pressure transmission element 23 is in turn connected at the end to an actuating element 22 in the form of a knob 22, which is located at the transition between the handle 3 and the air inlet opening 4 on the housing 2. In this area, there is also a slide lever 24 for fixing the knob 22. In addition, other actuators for adjusting the temperature and / or the blower power can be located on the handle (not shown). If this button 22 is pressed, the pressure is transmitted from the pressure transmitting element 23 to the valve piston 18, so that it passes into an open position. This is in FIG. 3 shown. When the user releases the button 22, the valve piston 18 is immediately moved by the return element 19 back into the closed position in the valve seat 17 and the valve 16 is closed.

With the valve open, active substance passes from the antechamber of the valve 16 through a channel 21 to the nozzle 25, which is here arranged on the central axis of the housing 2 running from the air inflow opening 4 to the air outflow opening 5. Through the nozzle 25, a certain amount of active ingredient is then atomized into the air stream. The nozzle 25 is for this purpose formed with a plurality of nozzle openings 26 which extend annularly radially outwardly, so that the air flow past the nozzle openings 26 and thereby generates a slight negative pressure at the nozzle openings 26. This automatically entrains a certain amount of active substance in the airflow. In principle, however, any other nozzle arrangement and design can be selected.

In another embodiment, not shown, pressure is generated in the reservoir with the aid of the actuating element, so that the active ingredient is injected through a suitable nozzle with overpressure into the air jet.

That in the FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrated embodiment is suitable for a variety of agents such as perfumes or perfumes, conditioners, brighteners, etc.

In the FIGS. 4 and 6 is shown a further embodiment of a hair dryer 1 according to the invention, which is particularly suitable for dispensing fragrances. The hairdryer 1 is constructed in a similar manner as a commercial hair dryer. However, located at the Luftausströmöffnung 5 of the hair dryer 1, a receptacle 5a for a drug delivery container 30 in the form of an annular cartridge, hereinafter also called "aroma ring" 30. This aroma ring 30 can be inserted into the receptacle 5a when a ring closure 5r running around the air outlet opening 5 'around the air outlet grille 5' is removed beforehand ( FIG. 4 ). After inserting the dispensing container 30, the ring closure 5r can then be replaced (FIG. 6).

The exact structure of the aroma ring 30 is shown in FIG FIG. 5 shown. This is an annular container 30, the wall 31 is at least partially formed in the form of a gas-permeable membrane 32. For this purpose, the container 30 consists of an annular, open at one end, deep-drawn tub portion 33 of a thermoformable plastic. At the open end of this trough part 33 is closed with an annular permeable membrane 32, which is attached to a small flange of the trough part 33, z. B. is welded to the thermoformable plastic. Such an aroma ring 30 is filled with a particular fragrance W. The gas-permeable membrane 32 may be sealed at the time of sale by a protective film, such as an aluminum foil, which is peeled off prior to first use. Subsequently, the aroma ring 30, as in the FIGS. 4 and 6 shown inserted into the hair dryer 1 and there gives the perfume with a largely constant release rate.

The release rate may also be temperature-dependent, so that a larger amount of perfume W is released only when exposed to hot air or hot air. The discharge amount depends concretely on the composition of the active substance W and the structure of the permeable membrane 32. The possibilities of controlling the release of active ingredient by appropriate selection of these components are known to the person skilled in the art from various fields. For example, similar fragrance dispensing containers have long been used in dishwashers or for scenting rooms.

FIG. 7 shows a further variant in which the aroma ring 30 is not used in the region of the air outflow opening 5, but instead in a receptacle 4a in the region of the air inflow opening 4 in the housing 2 of the hair dryer 1. That is, here is the receptacle for inserting the aroma ring 30 in the region of the air inflow opening 4, wherein for filling the receptacle 4 a with an aroma ring 30, the air inflow side protective grille 4 'removed and then reinstated.

The FIGS. 8 and 9 show an embodiment in which a plurality of small drug delivery elements 35 are integrated into an air outlet grille 5g. The drug delivery elements 30 can be firmly connected to the air outlet grille 5g, that is, that it may be in the air outlet grille 5g, for example, a consumable part. Air outlet grille 5 g, which drug delivery elements 30 have different ingredients, z. B. be marked differently colored. The consumer can then see on the basis of the Luftaustriftsgitters 5g used immediately, if, and if so, which active ingredient the hairdryer 1 is equipped.

The drug delivery elements 30 may alternatively be releasably attached to the air outlet grille 5g. In particular, they can be connected to one another for ease of exchange with each other. The drug delivery elements 35 may be small drug delivery containers or solids from or from which the drug evaporates.

The FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment, which similar to the embodiment according to the FIGS. 8 and 9 is constructed. However, in this case the drug delivery elements 34 are not connected to the air outlet grille 5g but with the air inlet grille 4g.

It is finally pointed out once again that the preceding hair driers described in detail are exemplary embodiments which can be modified by the person skilled in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, as described above, in the case of the last exemplary embodiments, instead of an aroma ring, any other desired shape for the active ingredient container can also be selected. Likewise, in a hairdryer according to the first described embodiment, the atomizing device be configured in a different form. Furthermore, a wide variety of combinations of the variants described above can be realized.

Claims (9)

1. Hairdryer (1) with a blowing device (6) for generating an air flow, comprising an additive dispensing device (10, 30) for introducing an additive (W) into the generated air flow, wherein the additive dispensing device (10) comprises an atomising device (20) and/or the additive dispensing device (30) is so constructed that the additive (W) is vaporised and/or the additive dispensing device comprises a solid body with a volatile additive stored therein, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (30) comprises a dispensing container (30) which is filled with a volatile additive (W) and the wall (31) of which is constructed at least partly in the form of a gas-permeable membrane (32).
2. Hairdryer according to claim 1, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (10) comprises an additive reservoir (11) as well as means (14, 15, 16, 21) for the dispensing of additive (W) from the additive reservoir (10) into the solid body and/or into the dispensing container and/or to the atomisation device (20).
3. Hairdryer according to claim 2, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (10) comprises a valve device (16) arranged between the additive reservoir (11) and the solid body and/or the dispensing container and/or the atomisation device (20).
4. Hairdryer according to claim 3, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (10) comprises an actuating element (22), which is arranged at an appliance housing (2) of the hairdryer (1), for actuation of the valve device (16).
5. Hairdryer according to claim 4, characterised in that the hairdryer comprises a housing (2) with a handle (3) and the actuating element (22) is arranged at the handle (3).
6. Hairdryer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the solid body or the dispensing container (30) and/or the additive reservoir (11) is or are constructed in the form of an exchangeable cartridge.
7. Hairdryer according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the hairdryer (11) comprises an apparatus housing (2) with an air inflow opening (4) and an air flow outlet opening (5) and the additive dispensing device (10, 30) is arranged in the apparatus housing (2) in the region of the air inflow opening (4) or in the region of the air outflow opening (5).
8. Hairdryer according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (10, 30) is connected upstream of a heating device (4) for heating the air flow.
9. Hairdryer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the additive dispensing device (30) is connected downstream of the heating device (4) for heating the air flow.

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