GB2227655A - Hand hair dryer - Google Patents

Description

1 HAND HAIR DRYER The invention relates to a hand hair dryer.

Such a hand hair dryer may comprise a housing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, the housing accommodating an electric motor for driving an impeller and heating means for heating the air, and a handle which can be moved from an operative position in which it is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal extent of the housing into a rest position in which it is parallel to the housing.

Such hand hair dryers can have the advantage over hand hair dryer provided with a stationary handle, that they take up substantially less space in their configuration of non-use or rest position, which is advantageous when travelling and when storing the hand hair dryer.

Various forms of hand hair dryers have been proposed in which the handle can be moved selectively by the user into one of two possible positions. Thus German utility model No 86 06 775 discloses an electrical hand hair dryer which has a pivotally mounted handle which is disposed parallel to the axis of the fan and the motor in its rest position. That construction uses a mounting arrangement comprising a mounting fork which blends with the side of the housing into a closed unit and which accommodates a pivotal portion of the handle. In its position of use the handle is disposed flush with the wall of the mounting fork. Thus, that construction involves the handle being pivoted. In addition, with that construction it is necessary for the mounting fork to accommodate a shaft portion of the handle.

An electrically operated hand hair dryer has also been proposed which can be moved from a pistol-like configuration into an aligned bar-like configuration. The hand hair dryer is moved between the two configurations by rotating one housing portion relative to the other about an axis of rotation. Such a hand hair dryer cannot be said to occupy a rest configuration on the one hand and an operative configuration on the other hand. On the contrary, the dryer involves an operative condition in both configurations of the housing portions relative to each other.

German laid-open application (DE-OS) No 35 42 637 also discloses a portable domestic appliance having a housing which is provided with a handle and out of which projects a shaft portion which can be driven 2 by a motor in the interior of the housing, for connection to a rotary tool, for example a stirring tool. In that appliance the handle is designed to be moveable from a position in which it is arranged aligned with the shaft portion into a second position in which it is oriented transversely thereto. With that domestic appliance therefore the handle can be moved from a position in which it is disposed normal to the housing into a second position in which it extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing. In one case therefore the appliance is of a pistol-like configuration while in the other case it is of a bar-like configuration. Therefore, that design of an appliance is also not concerned with moving the handle into a rest position or an operative position, but is only concerned with being able to adjust the handle in accordance with the particular desired purpose of use of the appliance.

According to the invention there is provided a hand hair dryer comprising a housing having an air inlet at one end and an air outlet at the other end and accommodating an electric motor for driving an impeller and a heating means for heating the air, a handle which can be moved from an operative position in which it projects at an angle to the housing into a rest position in which it extends parallel to the housing, and a separate rotary connection in the form of a disc whereby the handle is connected to an extension on the housing of the hand hair dryer.

Thus the handle, by a simple rotary movement, can be selectively moved by the user into a rest position or into an operating position.

Preferably the housing is composed of a front and a rear housing portion. In that arrangement the extension is formed on the rear housing portion and the rotary connection is connected by means of a fixing screw to a hollow trunnion portion of the extension. Such an embodiment of an electrically operated hand hair dryer has considerable advantages over the known art. Firstly the rotary connection can be produced economically in itself, more particularly in the form of a disc- like guide body. The extension is directly formed on the rear portion of the housing of the hand hair dryer in manufacture thereof.

As the extension is arranged outside the cavity of the actual housing, the internal equipment of the hand hair dryer can still be extensively maintained, in comparison with the previous construction in which the 3 handle was a fixed part of the housing and therefore could not be pivoted. The rotary connection which is produced in itself can be easily joined to the extension of the rear housing portion. For that purpose, all that is required is a single fixing screw co-operating with a bore in the form of a blind hole in a hollow trunnion portion of the extension.

Preferably the hollow trunnion portion is formed directly on the end portion of the extension. The outside surface of that end portion advantageously forms at the same time the boundary wall of a winding space for the supply lead. That means that in the rest position of the handle the supply lead can be passed around the wall surface of the winding space, more particularly in a plurality of layers.

The extension of the hand hair dryer has a cavity, the front opening of which can be closed by the rotary connection while one side wall thereof has an air outlet. The air outlet which is in the form of an opening through the side wall communicates with the interior of the housing of the hair dryer. In that way a part of the air which is conveyed by the impeller can be passed by way of the extension of the housing and through the rotary connection into a hollow handle, for example in order to cool the electrical and electronic components arranged therein. In that arrangement, steps are also taken to ensure that the air which is introduced into the handle is removed again therefrom. Slots my be provided in the end face of the handle.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the rotary connection is a one-piece plastics body having an inner disc connected by way of a central portion to an outer disc of smaller diameter. In that arrangement the rotary connection has a central bore extending therethrough, for the shank of the fixing screw to pass through.

In order to permit the air to flow into the handle in the aboveindicated manner, at least one air guide means or duct passes through the rotary connection. Furthermore the rotary connection has an accommodating space which extends therethrough, for receiving leads or conductors. The leads for example connect the elements of a printed circuit board in the handle to those of a motor printed circuit board which is disposed in the cavity in the housing of the hand hair dryer.

In that connection it is desirable for the inner disc of the rotary connection to have a radial slot which is continued in the 4 central portion, the outer disc and a raised boundary rim of the space for accommodating the leads or conductors. Such a slot permits the supply leads to be laterally introduced into the space for accommodating them in the rotary connection. There is therefore no need for the leads or conductors to be threaded into or passed through the space for accommodating them, which is a trouble-some operation.

In order on the other hand to prevent the leads or conductors which are introduced into the above mentioned space from falling out of it, the part of the slot which is in the raised rim of the space can be covered by a closure projection. The closure projection is advantageously formed on the end portion of the extension, more particularly beside the hollow trunnion portion. Upon assembly of the arrangement, the closure projection only comes into operation when all the lines or conductors are introduced into the space for accommodating them.

It is desirable for the rotary connection to have passing therethrough an air guide means of large diameter and an air guide means of small diameter, which are each disposed on a respective circular are, the centre point of which coincides with that of the central bore in the rotary connection. The space for accommodating the leads or conductors is also arranged to lie on that circular are, more particularly between the two air guide means. All three portions, that is to say the two air guide means and the space for accommodating the leads or conductors, pass through the rotary connection over the entire height thereof.

It is advantageous for the slot in the inner disc to be enlarged in a tapering configuration towards the peripheral surface of the inner disc. A position securing means for the extension on the rear housing portion engages into the enlarged end of the slot. That arrangement can ensure that the disc-like rotary connection is secured in position and in respect of rotary movement, using simple means.

A stop rib disposed radially with respect to the peripheral surface of the outer disc of the rotary connection can be arranged on the outward side of the outer disc. The stop rib is also formed directly on the rotary connection. The stop rib defines the magnitude of the rotary movement of the handle, more specifically, it restricts it to the desired amount.

Advantageously associated with the rotary connection is an arresting means for fixing the handle in its two limit positions. So that the arresting means can be provided by using a simple arrangement, arranged in the inner disc of the rotary connection are two parallel and spaced- apart slots which enclose between them two webs which in turn are connected together by a raised central arresting projection. In its operative position the arresting projection engages into a respective one of two recesses in the handle. In that arrangement, the handle has two mutually diametrally oppositely disposed recesses. The arresting projection then engages into one of the two recesses. Those engagement positions then characterise the two possible positions of the handle relative to the housing of the hand hair dryer.

The peripheral surface of the central portion of the rotary connection desirably forms a guide surface for the rotatable handle.

The guide surface is delimited on one side by regions of the inner disc and on the other side by a projecting edge of the outer disc of the rotary connection. That ensures, using very simple means, that the handle cannot be laterally displaced on the guide surface of the rotary connection.

Preferably arranged on the inner disc of the rotary connection in the immediate vicinity of the peripheral surface of the inner disc is a hooklike projection which co-operates with a recess in the extension.

Provided in the wall defining the front circular opening of the extension on the rear housing portion of the hand hair dryer, forming a shoulder, is a recess having a bottom surface formed by the shoulders, with an edge region of the inner disc bearing against the bottom surface. The bottom surface also has the further recess which serves for engagement of the above-mentioned hook-like projection on the rotary connection.

The handle is desirably made up from two halves which can be fitted together and between which is a separating line extending in the longitudinal direction of the handle. The two faces of the handle halves, which co-operate with the guide surface of the rotary connection, are advantageously in the form of double walls which are provided with cavities and which, at mutually diametrally oppositely disposed side walls, each have a respective one of the two above- 6 mentioned recesses for the arresting projection.

The end face which is at the outer end of the handle desirably has a central insertion opening for a supply lead and at both sides thereof the slots for discharge of the air which flows through the 5 hollow handle.

The two halves of the handle advantageously have apertures which complement each other, for a handle portion of a displaceable switch shield member, the end faces of which are supported on webs which connect the inside wall of the handle to respective wall portions projecting into the interior of the handle. Using very simple means, that arrangement provides mounting locations for the displaceable switch shield member. That is because the webs and the projecting wall portions are directly produced in production of the halves of the handle.

The double walls of the upper end face of the handle are advantageously at a spacing from each other which corresponds to the width of the guide surface of the rotary connection and are provided with a central circular aperture corresponding to the diameter of the central portion of the rotary connection. In that arrangement the walls defining the central aperture form co-operating guide means which bear against the adjacent guide surface of the rotary connection.

The configuration according to the invention of the electrically operated hand hair dryer can give the following advantages:

The rotary connection which can also be referred to as a guide disc is a component which is separate and which is therefore produced on its own and which is screwed in a simple manner to the rear portion of the housing of the hand hair dryer. The rotary connection firstly has a cable guide, that is to say a space for accommodating the supply leads or conductors, which is of such a configuration as reliably to prevent the supply leads or conductors from being sheared off when the handle is rotated. In addition the rotary connection has a stop rib formed thereon, to guarantee a rotary movement of the handle through about 180o. Also provided on the rotary connection is an arresting means which locks the handle relative to the housing both in the operative position thereof and also in its rest position, that is to say when the handle is lying against the housing. The rotary connection advantageously forms the guide means for the rotatable 7 handle, more specifically in the form of a peripherally extending rib. The configuration of the rotary connection can permit a part of the air flow produced by operation of the Pan to pass through the rotary connection. In that way, a part of the air which is displaced by the 5 impeller can pass into the hollow handle and can be discharged again therefrom through the front end face thereof. For that purpose, slots are provided at that location. The handle which is formed from two handle halves covers over the rotary connection so that it cannot be seen from the outside.

The rotary connection which can be economically produced in one piece thus performs a plurality of functions. It serves to guide the cable, and it has a stop rib and an arresting projection, as well as a guide rib for the handle and apertures for part of the air displaced by the impeller.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section through a hand hair dryer according to the invention with a shaping nozzle fitted thereon and with a handle in an operative position; Figure 2 shows a partly sectional and partly elevational view of the hand hair dryer shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, with the handle in a rest position; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III in Figure 2 and partly broken-away; Figure 4 is a section view taken on line IV-IV in Figure 3 and partly broken away; Figure 5 is a side view to a reduced scale of the hand hair dryer shown in Figure 2, with the handle in its rest position and with a supply lead wound on the dryer; Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the hand hair dryer shown in Figure 1, with the handle in its operative position; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a rotary connection of the hand hair dryer.

It should first be mentioned that the drawings only show those parts of an electrically operated hand hair dryer which are important for understanding of the invention. Thus, the drawings do not show in particular part of the switching and control devices, or such devices 8 are only illustrated in terms of their outlines. That applies in particular in regard to the components which are carried by the two printed circuit boards in the dryer. One printed circuit board, namely the motor printed circuit board, is disposed in a cavity of the handle.

Of those two printed circuit boards, the motor printed circuit board is disposed in a space in the housing which is enclosed by the hollow cylinder of the heating means and which is disposed on the downstream side of the electric motor as viewed in the direction of flow.

In other respects, all components which are not shown in the drawings may be of a known design and may be arranged in also per se known manner in the interior of the housing of the electrically operated hand hair dryer or the hollow handle thereof.

The hand hair dryer 10 illustrated in the drawings has a housing which is composed of a front housing portion 11 and a rear housing portion 12. The two housing portions 11 and 12 which are produced from an insulating material, in particular a plastics material, may be joined together by means which are known per se and which are therefore not particularly described and illustrated. For example detent or retaining connecting means may be provided.

Arranged on a rearward opening of the rear housing portion 12 is an inlet grid 13 for fresh air to be sucked into the dryer. The inlet grid 13 may be secured for example to the rearward end of the rear housing portion 12. In known manner, such an inlet grid has a plurality of inlet openings which, as shown in Figure 6, are arranged in the form of portions of concentric rings, the rings being interrupted by webs extending radially relative to a central position of the inlet grid.

On the other oppositely disposed end the electrically operated hand hair dryer 10 has an outlet grid 15. In the illustrated embodiment the outlet grid 15 is a one-piece plastics body having an outer ring and a plurality of inner rings which are disposed concentrically with respect to the centre position. The inner rings are of different diameters and are connected together in known manner by way of connecting webs. In the illustrated embodiment at least one of the inner rings is arranged inclinedly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hand hair dryer 10. The angle of inclination of the inner ring is about 250.

9 A recess (not identified) is provided in the vicinity of the outer ring of the outlet grid 15. That configuration provides space for receiving the rear end of a shaping nozzle 14 which the user can releasably connect to the front housing portion 11 of the hand hair dryer 10, when required. A per se known retaining or detent connection is advantageously used as the releasable connection for that purpose. In that arrangement, the detent elements and the other detent elements co- operating therewith can advantageously be directly produced in production of the front housing portion 11 and the nozzle 14 respectively. They are thus formed or moulded thereon.

Figure 1 shows most clearly that the outlet grid 15 is fitted into the interior of the front housing portion 11. The rearward end of the outlet grid 15 is operatively connected to adjacent ends of supports 17 of a heating means 16. For that purpose, receiving means (not identified) are provided on connecting limbs of the outlet grid 15.

The heating means 16 of known design is arranged approximately in the centre of the housing 11 and 12 of the hand hair dryer 10.

Disposed upstream of the heating means 16, as considered in the direction of flow of the air, is a diffuser which is generally identified by reference numeral 20 and which has a central, substantially flat portion 33 with a centrally disposed opening for receiving a motor shaft 21 of an electric motor 18. Also provided in the region of the flat central portion 33 are fixing screws 32 with which the diffuser 20 is secured in position in known manner. Adjoining the flat central portion 33 of the diffuser 20 is a connecting portion 34 which extends substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hand hair dryer 10 and which merges into a further portion (not identified) which is disposed normal to the longitudinal axis. That further portion is then adjoined by a vane support portion 35, again extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hand hair dryer 10.

The supports 17 of the heating means 16 are arranged in displaced relationship with the vanes of the diffuser 20. That means that the vanes and the supports 17 are not disposed immediately one behind the other. That displaced arrangement is used in order to produce a swirling effect in air which is sucked into the dryer and thus a reduction in the temperatures which occur in the region of the heating means 16. That simple arrangement provides that the temperatures in the interior of the housing of the hand hair dryer 10 are reduced to such an extent that the region of the housing around the heating means 16 is not adversely affected. The diffuser 20 at the same time forms a holder for the electric motor 18 which is of per se known type and which is used in also per se known manner for driving an impeller 22. The impeller 22 is arranged rotatably on the motor shaft 21 and has a hub 29 formed thereon, the centre of which has a bore into which the motor shaft 21 engages.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the hand hair dryer 10 has a handle which is generally identified by reference numeral 23 and which can be moved from an operative position shown in Figure 1 into a rest position as shown in Figure 2. The handle 23 is moved from its operative position in Figure 1 into its rest position in Figure 2 by a rotary movement. Means which will be described in greater detail hereinafter are used for that purpose. It should also be added that in the operative position the handle 23 is at an angle differing from 900 to the housing of the hand hair dryer 10 while in its rest position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings it is arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing of the hand hair dryer 10.

In the illustrated embodiment the handle 23 is made up of two handle halves 54, 55 which are substantially hollow and as viewed in crosssection are each of a semicircular configuration, the two handle halves combining to form a full circle when they have been fitted together. A joint line 56 between the two handle halves 54 and 55 is disposed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the handle 23. The inside wall surfaces of the two handle halves 54 and 55 are provided with spacedapart hollow tube portions 58 which co-operate when the two handle halves 54 and 55 are fitted together to form a space for receiving fixing screws (not shown), with which the two handle halves 54 and 55 are releasably connected together. The hollow tube portions 58 associated with one handle half are open outwardly in such a way that the fixing screws can be inserted from the outside.

Depressions (not shown) are provided in the outside surface of the one handle half, for receiving the heads of the fixing screws in a recessed position therein.

A 1 In the illustrated embodiment, disposed in the interior of the hollow handle 23 is a commercially available switch 26 which is covered outwardly by a shield member 27. The shield member 27 is a one-piece curved plastics portion which is supported with its lower edge on webs 59 which hold a wall portion 60 at a spacing from the inside wall surface of the handle 23. The shield member 27 is displaceable on the webs 59. The movement thereof is limited by a stop (not shown), which stop is formed directly on the shield member 27. Another component of the shield member 37 is a handle portion 28 which projects outwardly from the peripheral surface of the handle 23 so that it can be reached by the user. On the other side which is remote from the handle portion 28, the shield member 27 has a receiving space into which engages an actuating member 26a of the switch 26, the actuating member 26a being in the form of a slider in the present case. The actuating member 26a of the switch 26 is thus coupled to the shield member 27 so as to be entrained thereby. That means that the switch 26 can be moved selectively into its on or its off position, by sliding movement of the shield member 27. In the illustrated embodiment the switch 26 is fixed on a printed circuit board which is generally identified by reference numeral 62 and which engages with its free ends into groove-like mountin gs (not identified) in holding limb portions 63. The holding limb portions 63 are formed directly on the inside wall surface of the handle 23. They are open upwardly so that the ends of the printed circuit board 62 can be inserted from that end. Electrical and/or electronic components of the hand hair dryer 10 are arranged on the printed circuit board 62. Those components also include a voltage change-over switch 57 having an actuating member, the front region of which is accessible. Disposed at its end face is a slot which permits the user to change-over to the desired voltage.

The lower end of the handle 23 has an end face 64 which is composed of two halves which are each formed on a respective one of the two handle halves 54 and 55 respectively. Provided at the centre of the end face 64 is an opening which serves to accommodate a supply lead 24. However the supply lead 24 is not introduced into the cavity in the handle directly but within a sheath 25 for protecting the lead from being sharply bent. The sheath 25 is arranged with an inner enlarged portion in the cavity within the handle 23 and has known means to 12 prevent the sheath 25 from being pulled out of the cavity in the handle 23. In addition, associated with the front end of the sheath 25 is a clamping clip 30 to relieve the lead of a pulling force. The clamping clip 30 comprises in known manner two clip halves which can be moved towards each other by means of screws, thereby to embrace a part of the supply lead 24 in order thereby to fix the lead in position.

Provided at both sides of the central insertion opening in the end face 64 are slots 65 which serve for discharge of air which flows through the hollow interior of the handle 23. That air is a flow of air which is branched from the main air flow of the hand hair dryer in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

Besides the printed circuit board 62 which is disposed in the handle 23 the hand hair dryer 10 also has a motor printed circuit board which is identified by reference numeral 66 and which is also in the form of a flat member made from electrically insulating material and arranged in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the hand hair dryer. In that arrangement one end of the motor printed circuit board 66 faces towards the electric motor 18. The motor printed circuit board 66 carries switching and control devices of conventional type, in a basically known fashion. Therefore, such devices are not described in detail herein. It should be mentioned however that, in order to facilitate fitting of the motor printed circuit board 66, the contacts thereof are connected to co-operating contacts by plugging interengagement, not only electrically but also mechanically.

The support 17 of the heating means 16 is made up in known manner of two plate-like insulating bodies which are arranged in mutually crossing relationship. Those insulating plates may be for example fitted one into the other. The two interconnected insulating plates of the support 17, which are arranged in crossed relationship, carry the heating means 16 in known manner. The heating means 16 may be for example in the form of a heating coil. The outwardly facing end faces of the insulating plates have a plurality of juxtaposed grooves, into each of which a respective portion of the windings of the heating means 16 can engage. The manner of fixingthe windings of the heating means 16 is basically known and is therefore not illustrated in the drawings.

As already mentioned the handle 23 can be moved from an operative position or position of use shown in Figure 1 into a rest position as 1 1 13 shown in Figure 2. The handle is moved from one position into the other by a rotary movement. In order to be able to perform that rotary movement, the hand hair dryer 10 has a configuration such that at the side which is towards the handle 23 the rear housing portion 12 has an extension 45 which is formed thereon and which defines a cavity 49. A rear wall 48 of the cavity comprises two parts which are arranged in angular relationship to each other in such a way that they form an obtuse angle relative to each other, as can best be seen from Figure 1. A hollow trunnion portion 51 is associated wit the rear wall 48 at the junction between the two parts thereof. The hollow trunnion portion 51 projects through a front opening (not identified) of the cavity 49 and disposed in the bore thereof is the shank of a fixing screw 52 which serves for fixing a rotary connection 53 in the form of a guide disc. As can best be seen from Figure 7, the rotary connection 53 is a one- piece member which is made from plastics material but which is composed of a plurality of portions of different configurations. Reference will be made thereto in greater detail as follows:

The rotary connection 53 has an inner disc 77 which is of a circular configuration as viewed in plan, the peripheral surface thereof being identified by reference numeral 67. The outer edge of the inner disc 77 engages in respect of regions thereof into a recess 68 provided at the inner edge of the wall defining the cavity 49 in the extension 45. At one location the peripheral surface 67 of the inner disc 77 has a hook-like projection 69, the hook portion of which engages behind a part, which is adjacent thereto, of the housing of the hand hair dryer 10, as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2. The inner disc also has a radially arranged slot 78 which is enlarged in a direction towards the peripheral surface 67. After the rotary connection 53 is fitted, a position securing means 83 of the housing engages into the enlarged end of the slot 78. The securing means 83 may be in the form of a projection formed on the housing, as shown in Figure 3.

It should be noted at this point that the front housing portion 11 is separated from the rear housing portion 12 by a joint line 46. Provided in the region of the joint line 46, more specifically facing towards the handle 23, is a projection portion 47 on the front housing portion 11, which co-operates with the extension 45 on the rear housing portion 12 in the manner shown in Figure 5. Disposed laterally beside 14 the projection portion 47 is at least one air inlet 91 into the rear housing portion 12. The air inlet 91 represents a communication with the cavity 49 within the extension 45. A part of the air displaced by the impeller 22 can pass into the cavity 49 through the air inlet 91 and from the cavity 49 into the handle in a manner which will be described hereinafter. The air leaves the handle 23 through the slots 65 which are provided in its end face 64 as shown in Figure 1.

Adjoining the inner disc 77 of the rotary connection 53 is a middle portion 70 which is of substantially smaller diameter than the inner disc 77 and which has a closed, peripherally extending guide surface 71 which, in normal use of the dryer, co-operates with cooperating guide means 72 of the handle 23. The co-operating guide means 72 is subdivided by cavities 73 into chambers (not identified in greater detail) in such a way that only the end faces of the walls which are not involved with the cavities co-operate with the guide surface 71 of the middle portion 70.

Formed on the rotary connection 53 at the front free side of the central portion 70 is an outer disc 74, the diameter of which somewhat exceeds that of the middle portion 70, thus providing a projecting rim 75 which, after the rotary connection 53 is fitted into place, bears against the outward side of the co-operating guide means 72 of the handle 23, as can be seen from Figure 2.

The entire rotary connection 53 has a plurality of openings and apertures passing therethrough. Reference will be made thereto in greater detail as follows:

At its centre the rotary connection 53 has a through bore 76 into which the front end of the hollow trunnion portion 51 projects from one side, more specifically in the lower enlarged region thereof. The shank of the fixing screw 52 passes through the bore 76 from the oppositely disposed other side. Disposed laterally beside the bore 76 is a space 79 for accommodating leads or conductors, cable strands or the like, which are generally identified by reference numeral 80 and of which there are a large number, as can be seen from Figure 3. The space 79 extends in a curved configuration relative to the centre of the rotary connection 53. It is surrounded by a raised boundary rim 81 which considerably projects beyond the face of the outer disc 74. The rim 81 is slotted at the outward side. The slot (not referenced) 41 1 aligns with a slot 78 in the discs 77, 74 and the middle portion 70 of the rotary connection 53. It will be seen from Figure 7 that the leads, cables or the like 80 can be introduced radially through the slot 78 into the space 79 in the rotary connection. The leads are thus radially introduced into the space 79 so that there is no need for them to be threaded through the rotary connection 53. In order to prevent the leads 80 from sliding out of the space 79 after they have been introduced thereinto, provided at the rear wall 48 of the extension 45 is a closure projection 82 of curved cross-sectional configuration which projects from the rear wall 48 out of the extension 45 to such an extent that, as can be seen from Figure 3 in its operative position it can close the slot of the space 79. Securing means 83 is also operative at the same time in that closure position.

Two further openings also extend through the rotary connection 53, the openings also extending in a curved configuration relative to the centre point. The further openings are two air guide ducts 8- and 85 which are of different dimensions in such a way that the air guide duct 84 is of larger dimensions that the air guide duct 85. By virtue of the air guide ducts 84 and 85, it is possible for air which passes into the cavity 49 by way of the air inlet 91 to pass through the rotary connection 53 and flow into the space within the handle 23, then to flow through the handle 23 over the entire length thereof and finally to leave the handle 23 again through the slots 65 in the region of the end face 64.

Disposed between the two air guide ducts 84 and 85, in the middle at the outward side of the outer disc 74, is a stop rib 86 which serves to restrict the rotary movement of the handle 23.

The arrangement also ensures that the handle 23 of the hair dryer 10 is arrested both in its operative position and in its rest position.

For that purpose, the following features are to be found on the rotary connection 53:

At the side opposite to the slot 78, the inner disc 77 has two slots 87 which are parallel and at a spacing relative to each other and which are normal to the slot 78. The slots 87 which pass through the inner disc 77 enclose a web 88, the middle region of which is in the form of an arresting projection 89. As can be seen from Figure 7, the portions of the web 88 go into a horizontal region by way of respective 16 inclined surfaces (not shown). The horizontal region is the actual arresting projection 89. It co-operates with a recess 90 at the inner boundary wall of the handle. In that arrangement the recess 90 is open towards the holding projection 89 so that the holding projection 89 is capable of engaging in a region-wise manner into the recess 80 and cooperating with the walls defining the upper opening of the recess 90. In order to provide two arrested positions, the arrangement provides that the inwardly disposed end face or the handle 23 is provided with two diametrally oppositely disposed recesses 90. That arrangement provides the two arresting projections which are operative on the one hand in the position of the handle 23 shown in Figure 1 and on the other hand in the position shown in Figure 2. In that way the handle 23 is secured both in the operative position and in the rest position.

The configuration of the hand hair dryer shown has the advantage that the rotary connection 53 is a separate member which is fixed in an extension on the housing of the hand hair dryer 10, being screwed thereto in the illustrated embodiment. The rotary connection 53 has the above- described cable ducting which is of such a configuration as to ensure that the cables 80 are not sheared off when the handle 23 is moved into one of its two possible positions. The rotary connection also has the stop rib 86 which ensures that the handle 23 can perform a rotary movement through 1800. In addition the rotary connection 53 is provided with a snap fixing which arrests the handle 23 both in its position of use and its rest position. In that respect the rotary connection 23 forms a guide means for the handle 23 upon rotary movement thereof. The rotary connection 53 is also of such a configuration that air displaced by the impeller can flow through the rotary connection. When the two handle halves 54 and 55 are fitted together, they embrace the rotary connection 53, with their upper end region.

The outside surface of the rear wall 48 of the extension 45, which is of a bent configuration, forms the winding space 50 which can be used in the manner illustrated in Figure 5. It will be seen therefrom that, when required, the supply lead 24 can be wound thereon, with regions of the supply lead 24 co-operating with the surface defining the winding space 50. That arrangement, using very simple means, permits the supply lead 24 to be wound on the dryer in a compact 1 li, 17 fashion.

As already mentioned the illustrated construction is only given by way of example of the invention which is not restricted thereto. On the contrary, many other embodiments and uses are possible within the slope of the appended claims. That applies in particular in regard to the design and configuration of the rotary connection 53 and the parts of the housing and the handle 23 of the hand hair dryer 10, which cooperate therewith. Thus in particular the configuration of the space 79 for accommodating the cables 80 may differ from the illustrated 10 embodiment. The number and/or the size of the air guide means or ducts in the rotary connection 53 may also be varied. That also applies in regard to the configuration and arrangement both of the arresting means and also the stop rib 86. Finally it is possible for the extension 45 to be of a different configuration from that shown in the drawings.

is i 18

Claims (21)

1. A hand hair dryer comprising a housing having an air inlet at one end and an air outlet at the other end and accommodating an electric motor for driving an impeller and a heating means for heating the air, a handle which can be moved from an operative position in which it projects at an angle to the housing into a rest position in which it extends parallel to the housing, and a separate rotary connection in the form of a disc whereby the handle is connected to an extension on the housing of the hand hair dryer.

2. A hand hair dryer according to claim 1, in which the housing is composed of front and rear housing portions, the extension is formed on the rear housing portion and the separate rotary connection is connected by means of a fixing screw to a hollow trunnion portion of the extension.

3. A hand hair dryer according to claim 2, in which the hollow trunnion portion is formed on an end wall of the extension and the outside surface of the end wall is at the same time the boundary wall of a winding space for a supply lead.

4. A hand hair dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the extension has a cavity, a front opening of which can be closed by the separate rotary connection while one side wall thereof has an air inlet which communicates with the interior of the housing of the hand hair dryer.

5. A hand hair dryer according to claim 2 in which the separate rotary connection is a one-piece plastics body having an inner disc which is connected by way of a middle portion to an outer disc of smaller diameter, and the separate rotary connection has a central bore extending therethrough for the shank of the fixing screw to pass therethrough.

6. A hand hair dryer according to claim 5, in which at least one air guide means and an accommodation space for leads pass through the A- 1 9 separate rotary connection.

7. A hand hair dryer according to claim 6, in which the inner disc of the separate rotary connection has a radial slot which extends to 5 the middle portion, the outer disc and a raised rim bounding the space.

8. A hand hair dryer according to claim 7, in which the slot enlarges in a tapering configuration towards the peripheral surface of the inner disc and a position securing means of the extension engages into the enlarged end of the slot.

9. A hand hair dryer according to claim 7 or claim 8, in which at least the part of the slot which is in the raised rim of the space can be covered by a closure projection arranged on the end wall of the extension beside the hollow trunnion portion.

10. A hand hair dryer according to claim 6, in which the separate rotary connection has a large and a small air guide means passing therethrough, which are disposed on a circular are whose centre point coincides with that of the bore and the space is also arranged to lie on said circular are between the two air guide means.

11. A hand hair dryer according to any one of claims 6 to 10, in which a stop rib which is disposed radially with respect to the peripheral surface of the outer disc is arranged on the outer side of the outer disc of the separate rotary connection.

12. A hand hair dryer according to any one of claims 6 to 11, in which associated with the separate rotary connection is an arresting means for fixing the handle in its two limit positions.

13. A hand hair dryer according to claim 12, in which arranged in the inner disc, of the rotary connection are two slots which are disposed parallel and at a spacing from each other and which enclose between them two webs which in turn are connected together by a raised arresting projection which in its operative position engages into a respective recess in the handle.

1_ z 1

14. A hand hair dryer according to any one of claims 6 to 13, in which the peripheral surface of the middle portion of the separate rotary connection forms a guide surface for the handle, which is delimited on one side by regions of the inner disc and on the other side by a projecting rim of the outer disc.

15. A hand hair dryer according to any one of claims 6 to 14, in which arranged on the inner disc in the immediate vicinity of the peripheral surface is a hook-shaped projection co-operating with a further recess in the extension.

16. A hand hair dryer according to claim 15, in which provided in the boundary wall of the circular opening of the extension is a recess, against the bottom surface of which bears an edge region of the inner disc, and the further recess for engagement of the hook-shaped projection is also disposed in the bottom surface.

17. A hand hair dryer according to claim 14, in which the handle comprises two halves which can be fitted together and between which is disposed a joint line which extends in the longitudinal direction of the handle, and the two end faces of the handle halves, which cooperate with the guide surface of the separate rotary connection, are in the form of double walls which are provided with cavities and which each have a respective recess for the arresting projection at respective diametrally oppositely disposed sides.

18. A hand hair dryer according to claim 17, in which the end face at the outermost end of the handle has a central insertion opening for a supply lead and slots disposed at both sides thereof for discharge of air which flows through the hollow handle.

19. A hand hair dryer according to claim 17 or claim 18, in which the two handle halves have apertures which supplement each other for the handle portion of a displaceable switch shield member, and faces of which are supported on webs which connect the inside wall of the handle to respective projecting wall portions.

-1 Y z t k.

21. A hand hair dryer substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1990 at ThePaten. Office, Sta.el-Icuse.66 71 High Holborn. LondonWC1R4TP uttlee.Stale House. 66 71 High Holborn. London WC1R4TP RithPre.nniP, m 7P.

21 20. A hand hair dryer according to claim 17 or claim 18, in which the double walls of the handle are disposed at a spacing from each other which corresponds to the width of the guide surface of the separate rotary connection and are provided with a central circular aperture which corresponds to the diameter of the middle portion of the rotary connection and boundary walls of the aperture form co-operating guide means which bear against the guide surface of the rotary connection.