EP2861100A1

EP2861100A1 - Hair dryer comprising a radiation source

Info

Publication number: EP2861100A1
Application number: EP13728193.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Berthold Altmann; Daniela Blischke; Thomas Copitzky; Manfred KIESSL
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2012-06-19
Filing date: 2013-06-12
Publication date: 2015-04-22
Also published as: WO2013189788A1; DE102012210273A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a hair dryer (1) comprising at least one electromagnetic radiation source (8) for emitting radiation in order to dry hair in a treatment section (9) of the hair dryer. Said hair dryer comprises a treatment section (9) that can be covered in a substantially radiation-proof manner during operation.

Description

Hairdryer with radiation source

The invention relates to a hair dryer with at least one radiation source for drying hair in a treatment section of the hair dryer. Conventional hairdryers usually have a so-called "pistol-shaped" design, ie with a handle and a hot air blower arranged almost vertically above it.The hot-air blower generally consists of a tube in which a blower, usually a fan wheel, and a heater arranged behind it The heater is usually made of a wire-carrying wire that heats up a lot and transfers the heat to passing air, usually sucked in by a fan at the rear of the case and accelerated past the heater to the front exhaust ,

Conventional hairdryers work according to the physical principle that warm or hot air can absorb significantly more water than cold air, which is around room temperature. At equilibrium, air at 25 ° C can absorb about 25 g of water / m ³ . At 40 ° C, about 50 g / m ³ , taken at 55 ° C about 100 g / m ³ and at 100 ° C about 600 g / m ^{3 of} water. To increase the effect of drying, the moisture released from the wet hair into the air is quickly transported away from the head by the air flow.

This hair dryer concept exists for electric hair dryers since the turn of the last century (circa 1899) and has not changed fundamentally since then. Although this concept succeeds in drying the hair, at the same time the room air heats up noticeably. That is, the energy provided by the hair drying process is provided only to a small fraction for the actual hair drying process.

In recent years, alternative hair drying concepts based on infrared radiation (IR radiation) have been developed. Conventional hair dryers with infrared radiation sources are based on the general principles explained below, but not for safe or sufficient hair drying are suitable.

A conventional wire heater with an additional weak IR radiation source is used in a conventional gun-shaped hair dryer. The IR radiation is only supportive, so that to achieve an acceptable hair drying result, the efficiency is only marginally better than in the conventional hair dryers.

The IR radiation source located near the air outlet is powerful and produces high power density at the head. Here, sufficient energy is generated by the radiation source, but in this arrangement there is a fundamental risk that the user can see in the radiation source. With the power densities required for efficient hair drying, this can lead to irreversible eye damage within a few seconds of interaction time. Such a conventional hair dryer is described for example in the patent application US 201 1/0197466 A1. Here is a hair dryer with a heating device for heating air is described, which is passed through a front nozzle on the hair to evaporate the water. In addition, at least one IR light emitting diode is used on the housing, which is to activate chemical substances by radiation in the near IR range.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved hair dryer with at least one electromagnetic radiation source. In particular, the hair dryer should dry the hair, on the one hand, quickly and / or energy-efficiently and, on the other hand, should not endanger the user.

The object is achieved by a hair dryer according to the preamble and the further characterizing features of claim 1. The hair dryer according to the invention comprises at least one electromagnetic radiation source for radiation delivery for drying hair in a treatment section of the hair dryer and is characterized by a radiation-tight coverable treatment section during operation. Covered by the radiation-proof In the case of the intended use of the hair dryer, the treatment section which is ready for use essentially receives no direct radiation and preferably also does not prefer scattered radiation to a region outside the treatment section. In particular, damage to the eyes by looking directly into the radiation source is avoided or completely prevented.

Since the treatment section is configured coverable, the radiation power can be adapted to the hair drying so that efficient hair drying is possible. On the one hand, sufficient energy can be provided in the treatment section of the hair dryer, because during operation no potentially damaging radiation escapes to the outside. As a result, a hair drying in an appropriate time even without significant heating of the hair is feasible. On the other hand, the radiation areas, i. H. Wavelength or frequency ranges, the radiation used to the hair drying process are better adapted because no interaction of the radiation with the eyes is possible. It is therefore no longer limited to types of radiation that have no harmful effect on eyes or skin, as it was previously required for the approval of such equipment.

An example of such a coverable treatment section is the design of the housing as a opaque housing, that is to say with a treatment section housed in the housing and essentially not visible. The same applies if the hair dryer is not provided with a treatment section enclosed by the housing, but a radiation-tight closure of the treatment section takes place during operation. That is, in principle, the treatment section must be closed only on one side of the opaque housing, so that the radiation from the treatment section could basically penetrate to the outside, but is shielded by the scalp or other body part or component of the hair dryer during operation. For example, a treatment section that is open on one side may be present if the radiation sources can not be activated until the treatment section has been completed, eg. B. from a treatment section opposite housing part or the scalp itself.

Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the cover of the treatment section by a housing part or a housing section. By this is meant that a fixed or movably designed part or section of the housing, which is formed from a substantially opaque material, shields the treatment section in an opaque manner. The hairs are supplied to the treatment section via an optionally closable opening in the housing.

In a further preferred embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the latter comprises a treatment section which, in the operating state, is delimited by two opposite housing sections which each comprise a number of radiation sections for emitting radiation from the at least one radiation source. This ensures that the treatment of a hair strand arranged between the two radiation sections takes place from at least two sides and thus a faster drying can be achieved. The drying of the hair is also at the same time more homogeneous, since a removal of the water from two sides of a strand of hair is made possible. At the same time, the second radiation section opposite a first radiation section serves as a cover of the treatment section, since with the same radiation area and opposite radiation direction, the radiation direction always points to the opposite radiation section, ie. H. directed into the housing. As a rule, therefore, only scattered radiation can escape from the housing due to this arrangement, but no direct radiation.

In a further embodiment of the hair dryer, the two radiation sections are firmly fixed to one arm, which are movable relative to one another and form a slot in operation toward the treatment section. Through the thus generated air duct, a strand of hair is passed through for drying, so that it lies in the treatment section. As a result, the slit is closed substantially outwards through the hairs guided through, so that substantially no radiation escapes to the outside. In order to allow easier insertion of the lock of hair in the slot, one or both arms can be designed to be movable on a hinge, so that they can be opened and closed like a pair of pliers. The radiation sections are on the respective inner side of the arms, preferably in the front opening section the poor, educated. Between these two radiation sections is the treatment section, which is closed substantially opaque after inserting the hair strand. Alternatively, shielding elements for the scattered radiation can be used in the immediate vicinity of the radiation sections in the slot, which additionally prevent stray radiation from emerging from the slot.

In the application of these embodiments, a strand of hair is between the arms of the hair dryer and this is for drying the hair on the strand away from the head along. This radiation is emitted from two sides of the hair strand, which then brings the water on the hair surface to evaporate, which is then removed from the slot or volatilized.

As an alternative to this embodiment with movable arms, the arms can be firmly fixed in order to ensure the opacity even in the non-operating state. Then a geometric threading aid is useful to introduce the hair in the slot. Exemplary threading aids are a housing section of funnel-shaped design in cross-section, on the device or separate loop-shaped aids for threading a lock of hair, etc.

In a further embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention this is provided with a protective mechanism for activating the radiation sources in radiation-tight covered treatment section. Exemplary protection mechanisms are sensors for detecting the closing of the housing or the cover of the radiation section, for. B. by the scalp or a strand of hair. Corresponding sensors can be, for example, optical sensors (eg light sensors, light barriers, etc.) or mechanical sensors (eg contact switches, microswitches, pressure sensors, etc.). By means of these sensors it is achieved, for example, that the user is adequately protected from the radiation emitted by the hair dryer, since, when the radiation is delivered to the treatment section, either the housing is closed or the radiation section is covered by the scalp or the hair strand and thus a direct view into the activated radiation source is prevented during the intended use. In the above embodiments of the hair dryer according to the invention, it is advantageous if this still has circumferentially flexible elements. Similar to a "curtain", these serve to prevent the emission of radiation, in particular stray radiation, from the slot Alternative, optional radiation exit prevention means are, for example, wavy hair entry and hair outlet openings through which the hair strands are guided into the treatment section perform the same purpose, as they act as a kind of "labyrinth" for the exiting radiation. These agents can simultaneously improve the distribution of the strands of hair in the treatment section. In order to make the hair drying in the interior of the hair dryer more efficient, comb-like elements can therefore be mounted on at least one side of the hair entry or hair outlet, which fan the hair strand and thus ensure better interaction with the radiation and the air flow.

Instead of modifying the environmental conditions near the head, as in a conventional hot-air hair dryer, the water on the hair surface should now be addressed directly. For this purpose, radiation sources of suitable electromagnetic waves are used. The idea is that the water absorbs the incident radiation, heats up and passes into the gas phase. If the water (or water molecule) is in the ambient air, it will be transported away from the head by a stream of air to prevent re-adsorption to the hair. Water has areas in the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) part of the absorption spectrum where electromagnetic radiation is well absorbed. In the UV range, electromagnetic radiation is absorbed well by the water substantially in a wavelength range of less than about 150 nm. At about 60 nm, an absorption maximum seems to be present. In the IR range, water has an absorption maximum at about 3 μηη. In addition, there are also other areas that have a total sufficient absorption capacity.

Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment, the hair dryer according to the invention comprises a radiation source which emits or emits radiation having a wavelength in the range of UV light and / or IR light. The range for the absorption of electromagnetic radiation further preferred range in the UV or IR range according to the invention therefore extends from about 50 to 60 nm (UV range) and from almost 3 μηη to about 100 μηη wavelength in the IR range. The hairdryer according to a Another preferred embodiment therefore comprises a radiation source which emits radiation having a wavelength in the range of about 50 to 60 nm and / or about 3 to 100 μηη. For this purpose, the radiation source comprises a radiation emitter for the emission of radiation with a significant proportion in the corresponding wavelength ranges or corresponding blocking filters if the radiation source emits additional wavelength ranges. In this case, the radiation can cover only parts of the preferred wavelength ranges, ie, it is also possible to work with radiation having selective excitation wavelengths. For this, it preferably has at least one emission maximum in one of the above preferred wavelength ranges.

For example, for this purpose, radiation sources can be used which emit radiation at certain wavelengths (eg lasers) and can be set to these wavelengths especially with their power. Preferably, the radiation sources used emit essentially at the absorption maxima of the water or at least in the vicinity of the same, in order to stimulate the water molecules as efficiently as possible. The hair dryer according to the invention therefore more preferably emits radiation having wavelengths of e.g. Example, at about 50-60 nm, about 3 μηη, about 6-7 μηη, about 10-20 μηη or about 40-60 μηη.

In the case of laser radiation, the extremely high power density of laser systems can be fanned out by using special lens systems of suitable material (e.g., transmissivity) such that the risk of causing damage to the hair can be reduced. The use of lasers or similar narrowband radiation sources is preferred for their selectivity in the excitation of water molecules.

Since lasers or similar radiation sources rather need much energy to deliver the high power at defined wavelength ranges, the inventive concept can also be operated with radiation sources that require less energy for radiation emission. Therefore, in the hair dryer of the present invention, "lamps" whose emission spectrum coincides with larger portions of the water absorption spectrum and which require less energy for radiation emission are preferably used, and conventional IR lamps have an effect of drying process in part, but have their emission maximum at about 1 μηι, ie in the near IR range, and thus have only a relatively small interaction with the water. Therefore, these lamps are preferably used with appropriate filters for changing the wavelength in the direction of the above-indicated preferred ranges in the central IR range (about 3 to 5 μηη) or far IR range (about 5 to 100 μηη). As a result, better interactions with the water molecules are achieved with lower radiation powers and a more energy-efficient drying than in the conventional hair dryers based on hot air or IR radiation support in the near IR range can be achieved.

More preferred z. As ceramic emitters or quartz IR emitters used as radiation sources, since their emission spectrum with the absorption maxima of the water in the middle to far IR range match well. Examples of further preferred radiation sources are black body radiators or LEDs. The radiation sources are preferably controllable radiation sources whose radiation power can be adjusted steplessly or stepwise by means of appropriate regulators or switches. This allows the user or the device itself to make an adjustment to the desired drying strength or time.

Using the radiation sources well-tuned to the absorption spectrum of water described above, the energy requirement can be improved compared to conventional hair dryers. If, for example, the energy requirement is reduced, the hair dryer can, for example, also be operated wirelessly, ie without mains power or in battery mode (alternatively with rechargeable batteries, fuel cells or similar regenerative energy sources). Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment, the hair dryer comprises an integrated energy source and / or an integrated energy store. Such energy storage devices are, for example, rechargeable batteries or batteries that are permanently or removably integrated in the device, so that the hair dryer can be operated wirelessly and without any location. A corresponding separate charging station or a charging cable can charge the energy storage even in the hair dryer itself, so that a change of energy storage for recharging or regeneration is not necessarily required. For example, the energy requirement for drying hair with the hair dryer according to the invention can be determined as follows: Before starting the hair drying process with the hair dryer, in an "average" hairstyle with an "average" degree of humidity, there are about 60 g of water which must be removed. Assuming that most of the water is in liquid form on the hair surface, an energy of about 150 kJ is required to remove the water. With an "average" process time of 10 minutes, theoretically (at 100% efficiency), a hair dryer with 250 W power is necessary, whereas conventional hair dryers generally have a capacity of about 2,000 W. That is, much of the conventional hair dryers for Provided power is not used for the actual hair drying process.

Using the above calculations and considering which dimensions are realistic for a hair dryer according to the new drying principle, the inventors have come to the conclusion that the new hair drying principle required power densities of the hair dryer of about 3 W / cm ² at a Average hair density and hair moisture needed. In a further embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, therefore, the radiation source is preferably designed such that the hair dryer in the treatment section has a power density of about 0.5 to 20 W / cm ² , preferably about 1 to 16 W / cm ² and more preferably about 2 to 10 W / cm ² has.

This power density is preferably provided at a relatively short distance (usually a few centimeters from the source of electromagnetic radiation) in the treatment section. Conventional hair dryer concepts (eg hair dryer with pistol grip), in which the radiation is directed from one side to the hair and the scalp and therefore have no radiation-coverable treatment section, are less suitable, since after a very short interaction time serious health damage the eyes (eg irreparable eye damage with IR radiation) or the skin (eg skin cancer with UV radiation) can occur. While skin cells in many cases have a natural protective mechanism (pain in case of excessive heat), the eye is virtually defenseless. IR and UV radiation are not perceived. The combination with unpleasant stimuli like Light flashes in the visible range is not sufficient, as grazing incidence of radiation on the lens or cornea can cause damage. Goggles are also not a satisfactory solution, as they limit the ease of use and must be ensured that not only the operator of the hair dryer, but also the person whose hair is dried, are adequately protected. According to the invention, however, it is also possible to use such fundamentally harmful radiation in the required power density, since the hair dryer according to the invention has a treatment section which can be substantially covered in a radiation-proof manner as intended. Additional protective measures such as flashes or goggles are therefore not required, so that a significant safety aspect can be achieved while increasing the ease of use.

According to a further embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the latter preferably comprises a housing with at least one air inlet opening and at least one air outlet opening, a number of fans and air ducts arranged between the air inlet openings and air outlet openings. The air flow serves to transport away the water molecules which have been dissolved out of the hair and essentially evaporated. Preferably, the air flow in the treatment section is generated by at least one fan, for example in the form of a fan wheel. The fans can be located in the area of the handle or the arms. In addition to sufficient air intake openings (for fresh air), there should also be sufficient air outlet openings. The air outlet openings are preferably directed towards the treatment section in order to remove the moist air from the treatment section (process space). The air is after moisture absorption preferably on the provided for the hair supply or discharge openings of the device, eg. B. via the slot formed between two radiation sections, led out of the hair dryer. Optionally, additional vents may be provided in the treatment section for the air outlet, z. B. if the slot does not allow venting. For example, one or more fan wheels in the arm or handle or at the end of the hair dryer, z. As in pistol-type hair dryers in the vicinity of the lying in the flow direction at the beginning of the flow tube air inlet opening, be formed. When using several fan wheels, these can eg one behind the other or side by side, preferably in the vicinity of the air inlet openings, be arranged. It is not crucial that a substantially perpendicular thereto handle is formed, but the flow tube can serve as a handle element due to the lower temperature development of the hair dryer according to the invention. This results in a significantly space-saving design of the hair dryer according to the invention over the conventional gun-type hot air devices.

In pincer-type hair dryers, one or more fan wheels are preferably located in at least one arm of the device such that the flow of air through the arm is directed to the hairs located between the arms. Arrangements of a plurality of fan wheels are preferred in this case, in order to achieve a uniform distribution of the air flow over the hair strands width to be dried. For example, the fan wheels in the region of the arms can be located directly opposite the air outlet openings, so that the shortest possible path within the housing must be covered. This saves energy, because the air flow on this short path does not have to be accelerated so much to achieve the same effect. Since, unlike conventional hairdryers, the air does not have to be heated in the flow channel, the short paths can be realized without significant loss of effectiveness. Accordingly, the air inlet openings preferably sit on the back of the respective arms of the hair dryer, that is on the upper side of the upper arm or on the underside of the lower arm.

As already indicated above, the air flow can either be guided only by one arm of the hair dryer or by both arms. The air flow guidance through both arms has the advantage that the moist air can be continued more effectively by the hair strand, since the upper and the lower side of the hair strand experience a draft. If the air flow is passed through both arms, this can be achieved by installing fan wheels in the second arm as well. Another possibility is to supply a bypass of the air channel from the first arm in the second arm, which branches off a part of the main air flow and thus directs into the second arm.

The air flow is preferably adjustable or controllable from its volumetric flow. For this purpose, nozzles or covers or in their performance or speed adjustable fan wheels are used. A stronger stream of air can shorten the drying time of the hair, which also causes the skin to dry out more. It is preferable for the user himself to be able to set the airflow individually according to his liking. Alternatively, the air volume flow can also be adapted to the moisture or residual moisture of the hair via corresponding sensors.

For the application according to the invention, frequent switching on or off of the radiation sources is necessary. For this are usually fast Einbzw. Turn off times useful, but sometimes lead to some types of lamps (especially lamps that have filaments) to damage due to the sometimes extremely high currents that flow in the first milliseconds after switching through the filament. Therefore, according to a further embodiment, the hair dryer according to the invention may comprise electrical and / or electronic components for controlling the connection operation of the radiation source. For example, by using electrical / electronic assemblies, these components do not provide all of the preset voltage to the radiation source immediately after being turned on, but rather they crank up the voltage "slowly." For example, the stress on the sensitive components of the lamp can be drastically reduced The term "slow" means that the lamp does not provide full power within milliseconds, but within a few tenths of a second. These periods are sufficient for the use of the device, thereby extending the life of the radiation sources can be extended. For a two-armed hair dryer according to the invention, it is z. For example, when about one second after closing the arms, the power for the hair drying process is available. Accordingly, for example, coils or oscillation circuits for the delays of switching on can be integrated as electronic components.

Another possible cause for the failure of radiation sources may be mechanical or thermal loads on the radiation sources, in particular lamps with incandescent filaments, etc. Therefore, in another preferred embodiment, the hair dryer comprises mechanical or thermal protection means for the radiation source. From the mechanical side are primarily strong accelerations or forces to mention, as z. B. when the hair dryer is laid bare on a firm surface after use, ie in the heated state, may occur. In order to reduce the accelerations and the associated forces in this case, the hair dryer according to the invention may according to a preferred embodiment comprise spring elements and / or damping elements for the support of the radiation source as mechanical protection means. For example, the lamp holder or the storage of the lamp holder is preferably designed mechanically damping. A resilient storage can, for. B. be realized by spring elements that connect the lamp holder with the housing. Alternative examples are damping elements of flexible plastic or silicone or hydraulic or pneumatic damping elements. Among other things, the damping elements are selected according to where they are to be installed and which environmental conditions (eg temperature) prevail there. Preferred thermal protection agents are, for example, means for air cooling the radiation source and / or thermocouples and / or mechanical barriers between radiation source and treatment section.

Apart from supporting the hair drying process, the air flow guided through the housing of the hair dryer can therefore be used as a means for cooling the radiation source. Corresponding current-carrying elements (that is to say components or components for separating, discharging or conducting bypasses, etc.) may be located inside the housing for this purpose, for example. These preferably divide the air flow in such a way that one part is used specifically for cooling the radiation source, while another part is led directly to the outlet openings for removing the moist air from the treatment space. The air used to cool the radiation source heats up slightly, so that when discharged from the outlet ports, it can typically hold more water than the cold air. As a result, the drying can be further improved.

However, it may be expedient that additional openings (eg louvers) in the hair dryer housing, which do not divert the cooling air into the treatment section, are provided. These additional openings have the advantage of having a cooling Air flow along the radiation sources can be maintained, although the air outlet openings are largely or completely closed in the treatment section. Thus, the risk of overheating of the radiation sources can also be largely avoided if the main air outlets, where the hair strands are pulled past, are "blocked" by strands of hair or dirt.

As with virtually all hairdryers, even with this novel drying concept, it can not be completely ruled out that overheating, especially of the radiation sources, will occur. A possible cause of overheating is a disturbed airflow (eg through a dust-laden air intake, blockage of the air vents, etc.). In order to exclude a risk to the device, a temperature limiter is preferably installed, which further preferably reversibly switches off the radiation source when a previously defined temperature is exceeded. After falling below a defined lower temperature, the radiation source can then be reactivated. This may be accompanied at the same time by a warning signal (eg acoustically, visually, mechanically, etc.), so that the user is made aware of the overheating or recognizes that the normal operating state has been reached again. In principle, the same types of temperature limiters (eg thermocouples) can be used here as in conventional hair dryers. Alternatively, however, other thermocouples may be used, such. B. thermocouples whose values are read out and evaluated to then make the shutdown or after falling below a second limit temperature, a reclosing when exceeding a first limit value. Preferred positions of the temperature limiters are in the vicinity of the air outlet openings and / or in the vicinity of the radiation source.

In addition to the risk of overheating when using the hair dryer described here, scenarios are conceivable in which water droplets detach from the hair and fall through the air outlet grille onto the hot surface of the radiation source, which is generally hot during operation. To prevent this, for example, a barrier between the radiation source and the air outlet grille can be used. Preferably exists These are made from a material that is not too thick, IR-permeable and has sufficient thermal shock resistance. This barrier does not get as hot as the lamp itself. Therefore, the load is lower in this case. Alternatively, a portion of the airflow may also be used to further accelerate it and thus create an air curtain between the air outlet grille and the radiation source. As a result, a thermal shock can also be prevented well.

The possible types of radiation source are already mentioned in the upper part of the invention. The radiation sources are preferably installed in the hair dryer so that the radiation is guided directly onto the hair strand to be dried. Thus, the ideal placement would be in a pincer-like hair dryer, for example, in at least one arm of the hair dryer. The radiation sources preferably lie in a region of the housing, the so-called radiation section, which adjoins the treatment section directly. It is expedient to simultaneously form the air outlet openings in the radiation section in order to improve the removal of water at the place of irradiation. Therefore, the radiation section can either be formed of a radiation-transmissive material (eg, IR-transparent or transparent plastic) in which air outlet openings are also provided. If a radiation-proof material is used in the radiation section, the radiation can alternatively also reach the hair through the air outlet openings. Such an air outlet grille is preferably designed in such a way that the largest possible open area is available through which the air and the radiation reach the hair strand in a targeted manner. The edges of the openings can serve as radiation protection at the same time by bundling the radiation onto the strand of hair (for example by means of beam paths formed substantially perpendicular to the strand of hair) and stray radiation, eg. B. by absorption, prevent.

However, the radiation yield can be increased if the air outlet grille is made of a material that is largely permeable to the electromagnetic radiation used. Exemplary materials include plastics such as polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), silicon (crystalline or polycrystalline), sapphire, diamond, germanium, alkali halides (eg KBr, NaCl), ZnSe, ZnS, vanadium oxide, doped copper, molybdenum or silica. Optionally, a water-resistant protective layer may be provided to increase the resistance of the air outlet grille.

In order to increase the radiation yield for the hair strand and / or to distribute the radiation evenly or according to a desired other radiation distribution on the strand, elements can be installed in the hair dryer which influence the path of the radiation. Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the hair dryer comprises a number of radiation distribution devices, which allow the best possible distribution of the radiation in the treatment section. By way of example, reflective sheets (for example of aluminum), lenses or mirrors may be mentioned here. In this embodiment, the radiation source can be installed at a location of the device from which no direct beam path to the hair strand is possible. This can be advantageous for reasons of space, for example, but it can also serve to direct the radiation into the treatment section as specifically as possible in order to prevent, for example, radiation leakage (eg from scattered radiation) from the treatment section. Preferably, the beam paths are designed so that the proportion of radiation leaving the device and theoretically can reach the eyes of the user or nearby people, is as low as possible, preferably so low that virtually no health impairment is to be expected. If the radiation is not direct, but e.g. is directed to the hair on the mirror, this also represents a possible solution for the prevention or prevention of z. B. triggered by water droplets thermal shock.

Further embodiments of the hair dryer according to the invention comprise fastening elements for one or more attachments on or in the housing and a number of fixed or removable, optional attachments, which a comb-like attachment and / or a tensile force transmitting device for applying a tensile force on the guided in the treatment section hair and / or a Einfädelhilfe for facilitating the introduction of the strands of hair into a fixed slot as already mentioned above. The attachments on or in the housing are preferably used to improve the efficiency of the hair dryer or for adaptation to other applications. For attaching such optional attachments, it is preferable to provide on both sides of the housing corresponding fasteners such as holes or pins as connectors on the housing, where the appropriate attachments can be attached depending on the purpose and need.

In order to fan out the strand of hair to be dried on the one hand and on the other to ensure that the strand is not blown away when drying by the draft, for example, on at least one side of the device, preferably on one arm side, a comb-like attachment fixed or removable to be appropriate. This comb-like attachment is thus arranged in the slot area over a part (in particular adjacent to the radiation section) or the entire slot length. By fanning the strand over it, the air flow is easier to reach the hairs inside the tress, and the moisture is easier to carry away.

Another example of attachments are traction transfer devices for applying a tensile force to the hairs guided in the treatment section. Such traction transfer devices are z. The clamping lips are preferably made of a flexible material (eg flexible plastic, rubber, silicone), which is sufficiently resistant to temperature and abrasion Since after hair washing there may also be residues of hair care agents on the hair, adequate resistance to chemicals is preferred.The clamping lips can serve as wipers for excess water in the hair and the pair of lips should preferably be mounted on the side of the appliance facing away from the head On the other hand, a certain amount of traction can be exerted on the hair with the pair of lips, and in combination with other process parameters, such as a suitable temperature, which is transmitted to the hair by the device, the hair dryer can also be used in this embodiment Smoothing the hair can be used as the hair When using this device is not pulled along rigid plates, as is common in conventional hair straighteners, but on flexible clamping lips, here greater hair is guaranteed. By an appropriate design of the device, this can be used not only as a hair dryer or hair straightener, but can be used to make curls with a corresponding design of the housing cross-section with round housing side parts. The hair is brought over the rounding away by means of the clamping lips in the appropriate form. In addition to these clamping lips preferably different temperatures in the treatment section and / or the contact surfaces of the clamping lips can be adjustable, depending on whether wet or dry hair are subjected to this smoothing process. For smoothing, the lip pair is preferably attachable to the head-facing side of the housing.

Since significantly higher temperatures are required for straightening dry hair than for drying damp hair, the air flow guide can be designed differently for these different tasks of the device. So z. B. installed before and / or behind the lamps flexible elements in the housing, which selectively guide the air flow over the radiation source or reduce it in this area. As a variant, elements may be present in front of the air outlet openings, which open or close the air outlet openings in the housing wall as needed. A further alternative to the above hair dryers according to the invention, which have a so-called "two-armed" housing, the hair dryer can also consist of only one arm or a kind of drying hood two-armed solutions. About this arm, the IR radiation and the air flow are directed to the hair of the head. In the case of the dry hood, it can be used in the form of a "warm-air shower with IR radiation" as in a conventional hot-air-based drying hood, but there is also the danger described above of releasing radiation that can hit the eyes and cause irreversible damage there However, in accordance with the invention, this is achieved in such a way that the radiation sources can be activated only if the treatment section is substantially completely covered, for example monitoring the coverage of the treatment section with the radiation section in these variants For example, the activation of the radiation source is only allowed when the dryer arm or the dryer hood is very close to the head, which can be done mechanically by pins, for example (For safety reasons, preferably several arranged on or around the radiation portion around pins) to be implemented, which must be pressed to the Turn on the radiation source. Sensors (eg, capacitive) are also alternative embodiments for this purpose.

The one-sided embodiment variant can of course also in combination with the explained for the two-sided variant features, eg. B. according to one of the dependent claims, be executed. For the sake of clarity, however, reference will be made here only to the corresponding embodiment with respect to the other embodiment.

The advantages of the new hair dryer concept described here are, in particular, that the type of hair drying described here is significantly more efficient than drying with a conventional hair dryer. In conventional hairdryers, a large part of the energy is wasted to heat the room air. In the case of the hair dryer described here, the available energy spectrum is chosen such that it is used primarily for heating and evaporating the water present on the hair and not the environment. This allows the drying process to be carried out faster or more energy-saving, depending on the set parameters. The described concept benefits especially users with long hair. These usually need a lot of time to dry their hair with conventional hairdryers. With the hair dryers according to the invention, the drying is much more homogeneous.

Another advantage of the hair dryer according to the invention over conventional hair dryers is that the hair is dried more homogeneously. Users often do not completely dry their hair in order to better perform subsequent hair styling or hair styling. However, when using conventional hair dryers, this drying condition is often very inhomogeneous. This means that there are areas in the hairstyle, which are already very dry, but also partially adjacent areas (eg, glued strands), which even in their interior still have a very large residual moisture. When using the closed hair dryer, especially a hairdryer with radiation sections on at least two sides, the range of residual moisture levels in the treated hairstyle is much lower. This makes hair styling easier (eg with a hot air brush) and also reduces the risk of hair damage (eg due to overdrying). The principle of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a conventional hair dryer, a schematic sectional view of a hair dryer according to a first embodiment, a schematic sectional view of a hair dryer according to a second embodiment, FIG A schematic sectional view of an arm of a hair dryer according to a third embodiment, a schematic sectional view of an arm of a hair dryer according to a fourth embodiment, a schematic side view of an arm of a hair dryer according to a fifth embodiment, a schematic front view of an arm of a hair dryer according to the fifth embodiment , A schematic bottom view of an arm of a hair dryer according to the invention s according to the fifth embodiment, a schematic side view of a treatment section of a hair dryer according to the invention according to a sixth embodiment,

FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of a treatment section of a hair dryer according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1 1 is a schematic side view of a hair dryer according to the invention according to a seventh embodiment. Shown in Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional hair dryer 100 of a "gun-shaped" design, the hair dryer having a handle 110 with an overlying tube 120. The tube 120 has an air inlet 130 and an opposite air outlet 140. In the tube There is a fan 150 and a heating element 160. The heating element usually consists of a wire-carrying wire which heats up strongly and transfers the heat to the passing air previously accelerated by the blower 150 (here a fan wheel) the fan 150 is disposed to the air inlet opening 130, and the heating element 160 is located in the vicinity of the air outlet opening 140. The heating element 160 shown here comprises an IR heat source, which heats the vorbeistreichende air to the required temperature level.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a hair dryer 1 according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment. The hair dryer 1 consists of an upper housing arm 2, a lower housing arm 3, a hinge (not shown) with spring element 4, an air inlet opening 5, a plurality of air outlet openings 6, a fan wheel 7, a radiation source 8 and a treatment section 9.

The upper and lower arms 2, 3 of the housing are movably connected to each other via the hinge. Between the two arms 2, 3, the treatment section 9 is formed and bounded above by the upper housing arm 2 and downwardly from the lower housing arm 3. The spring element 4 in the hinge serves for easier opening of the two arms during the insertion of a strand of hair in the treatment section 9. By pressure on the lower housing arm 3 in the direction of the housing arm 2, the treatment section 9 is substantially covered, leaving only a lateral slot through which the strand of hair (not shown) can be passed.

The upper housing arm 2 is designed in the form of a tube which has an air inlet opening 5 on the rear side. The pipe end with the air inlet opening 5 can be defined here in the broadest sense as a grip area. On this side of the tube is a Fan 7, which directs air through the interior of the upper housing arm via an IR radiation source 8 to the air outlet openings 6 at the bottom of the upper arm. The air is thereby passed over this for cooling the radiating element 8, but not used to a considerable extent for heating the air. The radiation source 8 of one or more radiation elements sits in the upper housing arm 2, the material of which is made of a radiation-tight material in the entire housing area, in particular on its upper side and in the lateral area, so that no radiation is emitted to the outside. On the underside, in particular in the region of the air outlet openings 6, ie above the treatment section 9, the upper housing arm is permeable to the radiation. Here the radiation can be emitted through the air outlet openings 6. Alternatively, however, the underside may also be formed in a radiation section made of a radiation-permeable material.

In the intended use of the hair dryer 1, a strand of hair is inserted into the treatment section, and by the compression of the two arms 2, 3, the radiation is activated. This is done by means of a contact sensor (not shown) only when the radiation section 9 is covered by the lower housing arm 3 and optionally by the hair itself. This ensures that no harmful radiation to the outside, d. H. out of the radiation section, penetrates.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a hair dryer 1 according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment. This is similar to the first embodiment configured, wherein like components are designated by the same reference numerals. The hair dryer 1 consists of an upper housing arm 2, a lower housing arm 3, a hinge 41 with optional spring element (not shown), a plurality of air inlet openings 5 on the upper and lower housing arm 2, 3, a plurality of air outlet openings 6, a plurality of fan wheels 7 on the upper and lower housing arm 2, 3, a plurality of radiation sources 8 on the upper and lower housing arm 2, 3 and a treatment section. 9

The upper and lower arms 2, 3 of the housing are movably connected to each other via the hinge 41. The hinge area can be defined here in the broadest sense as a grip area. Between the two arms 2, 3 is the Treatment section 9 is formed and bounded above by the upper Gehäusearm 2 and down from the lower housing arm 3. The optional spring element in the hinge serves to facilitate the opening of the two arms during the insertion of a strand of hair in the treatment section 9. By pressure on the lower housing arm 3 in the direction of the housing arm 2, the treatment section 9 is substantially covered, so that only a lateral Slit remains, through which the hair strand (not shown) can be guided.

The upper housing arm 2 is in the form of a substantially rectangular arm member (similar to a conventional hair straightener, wherein other configurations such as rounded arm elements, etc. are also possible) is formed, which has a plurality of air inlet openings 5 on the top. Below this air inlet openings a plurality of fan wheels 7 are arranged one behind the other and optionally also side by side, which conduct air via an IR radiation source 8 to the air outlet openings 6 at the bottom of the upper arm. The air is passed over this for cooling the radiating element 8.

The radiation source 8 of a plurality of radiation elements is seated in the upper housing arm 2, the material of which is made of a radiation-tight material in the entire housing area, in particular on its upper side and in the lateral area, so that no radiation is emitted to the outside. On the underside, in particular in the area of the air outlet openings 6, d. H. above the treatment section 9, the upper housing arm is permeable to the radiation. Here, the radiation can be emitted through the air outlet openings 6 into the treatment section 9. In contrast to the first embodiment, the lower arm is likewise equipped with air inlet and outlet openings 5, 6, fan wheels 7 and radiation sources 8, so that the hair lying in the treatment section 9 is also dried by the IR radiation from the underside. The air is also passed from both sides in the treatment section, so that a faster and more homogeneous drying of the hair over the first embodiment is achieved.

The application is analogous to that of the hair dryer of Figure 2, with a contact switch serves as an additional protection mechanism, so not unintentionally Damaging radiation to the outside, ie from the radiation section out, can penetrate.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of part of an upper housing arm 2 of a hair dryer according to the invention in accordance with a third embodiment with an IR radiation source 8, an air duct 11, a plurality of air outlet openings 6 and a flow divider 13.

The upper housing arm forms an air channel for the air 12 flowing through it. This is divided in front of the radiation source 8 at a flow divider 13 into two streams, a smaller stream for cooling the radiation source 8 and a larger stream for direct discharge from the air outlet openings 6. Both streams are reunited in front of the air outlet openings 6 (not shown). By this bypass guide effective cooling of the radiation source 8 is achieved and at the same time warmed the air to a certain extent. This allows it to absorb a little more water than cold air.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of an upper housing arm 2 of a hair dryer according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment. This hair dryer has therein a radiation source 8, optionally with a plurality of radiation elements, a mirror 14 and a plurality of air outlet openings 6.

The radiation source 8 emits radiation 15 substantially parallel to the underside of the housing arm 2. The radiation 15 is directed forward in the direction of a mirror 14 (optionally another reflection element), on which it is reflected by 90 ° downwards, so that it emerges from the air outlet openings 6 at almost vertical angle to the underside of the housing arm 2. As a result, this radiation has a very low scattered radiation component. The height of the upper housing arm can also be reduced, which increases the comfort. Alternatively, this principle can also be applied to the lower housing arm, so that either a separate radiation source is placed there, or else the same radiation source supplies both housing arms with radiation. This is then preferably produced in the hinge area, so that it can be sent out in both arms. This embodiment is particularly suitable for one-sided treatment sections, which are covered for example by the scalp or a strand of hair, z. B. in a drying hood. 6 shows a schematic side view of an upper housing arm 2 of a hair dryer according to a fifth embodiment with a comb-like attachment 16. The comb-like attachment 16 is on both sides, but at least one side of the housing arm - here the upper housing arm 2 - attached. The same applies to the lower housing arm, since thus also here the improved effect on the drying can be achieved.

The comb-like attachment 16 is removably mounted on the side of the upper housing arm 2, so that you can use the hair dryer without this essay or with other essays. The comb-like attachment is used to fanned the strand of hair to be dried (not shown here).

Figure 7 shows the attachment of the comb-like attachment 16 on both sides of the upper housing arm 2 according to the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 6 in front view. Figure 8 shows the bottom view of the same embodiment as in Figures 6 and 7. Here, one recognizes the principle of fanning the imported into the treatment section of hair 50. The ventilation grille 17 is used to supply air from the upper housing arm in the treatment section and to the radiation output. This also defines the so-called radiation section. In this, the fanning of the hair is now carried out by the comb-like attachments 16, so that on the one hand, the radiation can be well brought to the hair, but also the evaporated water can be well derived by the air flow. In particular, the interior of the strands can be better achieved by the radiation and the air, which allows a more homogeneous and faster drying of the hair strands.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of a treatment section of a hair dryer according to the invention in accordance with a sixth embodiment. In this embodiment, both on the upper and the lower housing arm 2, 3, each attached a rubber lip 18 via a rubber lip holder 19. The rubber lip mounts are each on one side of the housing, z. B. in the same receptacles as for the comb-like attachments of the fifth embodiment attached. The rubber lips 18 are thus arranged in pairs substantially in the region of the underlying treatment section. Over the rubber lips, a train can be exercised on the intervening strands of hair, so that z. As a hair straightening or a curl generation during the drying process can be performed.

Figure 10 shows schematically the hair dryer according to the sixth embodiment in front view. Here, the position of the rubber lips 18, which are arranged laterally next to the treatment section 9, in order to enable hair-shaping (e.g., hair straightening or curling), can be seen well. When irradiating the hair strands can thus be held by the paired rubber lips 19 on train. They also limit the possibility that stray radiation from the treatment section penetrates to the outside, which brings a further safety advantage.

1 1 shows a schematic side view of a hair dryer 1 according to a seventh embodiment of the invention, the so-called "unilateral variant." The hair dryer 1 has a grip region 21 and an integrally formed substantially rectangular arm 22. In and on the arm 22 are several Air inlet openings 5, a plurality of air outlet openings 6, a plurality of fan wheels 7, a plurality of radiation sources 8 and a plurality of contact switches 25. The basic principle is the same as in the previously described embodiments, so that it is no longer explicitly discussed in this embodiment, the treatment section is not through covered, for example, by the scalp or a strand of hair Another example of this is the use in a drying hood with a concave surface, which is adapted to the head shape.

The distributed on the underside of the housing arm 22 contact switch 25, usually several, detect contact when the treatment section, that is, the bottom of the Arms 22, in the vicinity of the head or the hair strand comes, and only then activate the radiation source 8. Thus, it can be ensured that the user or a person next to it can look directly into the openings 6 for the air and radiation exit. Thus, the security is granted here as well, since the treatment section is covered in normal operation.

Since the foregoing hair driers described in detail are exemplary embodiments, they can be modified in a customary manner by a person skilled in the art to a large extent without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, these devices can not only be used for drying the hair, but they are also suitable for other design methods such as smoothing hair or make curls. Accordingly, a hair dryer is not just a device with two opposed housing sections, e.g. B. pliers-like housing arms, with radiation sections, but may also be configured in brush form or hood shape with corresponding radiation elements and protection mechanisms. In hood form, the hair dryer can be a flexible or rigid hood (similar to a conventional drying hood), which is largely adapted to the shape of the head, in which a number of radiation openings or radiating elements are provided towards the head. Since this hair dryer usually consumes significantly less energy than conventional hairdryers or requires significantly less power, it can also be configured for wireless operation (eg using a battery or battery). As a result, the flexibility of the site is increased and improved by the elimination of the cable and the ease of use. In addition, it has a similar or even improved lifetime than conventional hairdryers, although some very sensitive components such as radiation sources are installed. The use of continuously variable or stepwise operating power regulators for z. This includes, for example, the radiation source power or the fan wheels, ie the so-called "wattage" or the air volume flow, as are customary in the conventional hair dryers.Furthermore, the use of the indefinite articles does not exclude "one" or "one" The use of the terms "medium" and "system" does not rule out that such a component is made up of several components. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 hairdryer

2 upper housing arm

3 lower housing arm

4 spring

5 air inlet opening

6 air outlet opening

7 fan wheel

8 radiation source

9 treatment section.

1 1 air duct

12 air

13 flow dividers

14 mirrors

15 radiation

16 comb-like attachment

17 ventilation grille

18 rubber lip

19 rubber lip holder

21 grip area

22 arm

25 contact switch

41 hinge

50 strand of hair

100 hair dryers

1 10 handle

120 pipe

130 air intake opening

140 air outlet opening

150 blowers

160 heating element

Claims

Hair-drier (1) with at least one electromagnetic radiation source (8) for radiation delivery for drying hair in a treatment section (9) of the hair-dryer (1),

marked by

a treatment section (9) that can be substantially covered in a radiation-tight manner during operation.

A hair dryer according to claim 1 with a cover of the treatment section (9) through a housing part or a housing section (2, 3, 22).

A hair dryer according to claim 2, wherein the treatment section (9) in the operating state is delimited by two opposite housing sections (2, 3) each comprising a number of radiation sections (17) for emitting radiation from the at least one radiation source (8).

A hair dryer according to claim 3, wherein the two radiation sections (17) are fixedly fixed on one arm (2, 3), which are mutually movable and in operation form a slot towards the treatment section (9).

A hair dryer according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a protective mechanism (25) for activating the radiation sources (8) in the treatment section (9) covered in a radiation-tight manner.

A hair dryer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the radiation source (8) emits radiation having a wavelength in the range of about 50 to 60 nm and / or about 3 to 100 μηη.

Hair dryer according to one of the preceding claims with integrated energy source and / or an integrated energy storage.

A hair dryer according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a radiation source (8) having a power density of about 0.5 to 20 W / cm ² in the treatment section (9).

9. A hairdryer according to any one of the preceding claims with a housing (2, 3, 22) having at least one air inlet opening (5) and at least one air outlet opening (6), a number of fans (7) and a number between the air inlet openings (5) and Air outlet openings (6) arranged Luftführungs- channels (1 1).

10. A hair dryer according to one of the preceding claims with electrical and / or electronic components for controlling the connection of the radiation source (8).

1 1. A hair dryer according to one of the preceding claims with mechanical or thermal protection means for the radiation source (8).

12. A hair dryer according to claim 9, wherein the mechanical protection means comprise spring elements and / or damping elements for the support of the radiation source (8).

13. A hair dryer according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the thermal protection means comprise means for air cooling (13) of the radiation source (8) and / or thermocouples and / or mechanical barriers between the radiation source (8) and treatment section (9).

14. A hair dryer according to one of the preceding claims with a number of radiation distribution devices (14). 15. A hairdryer according to any one of the preceding claims with fasteners for one or more attachments on or in the housing (2, 3) and a number of fixed or removable, optional attachments, which a comb-like attachment (16) and / or a traction transmission device (15) Application of a tensile force on the hair in the treatment section (19) guided through and / or a Einfädelhilfe.