JP2017094096A - Hand held appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hair care appliance allowing an outflow of fluid at high speed.SOLUTION: The hair care appliance comprises a body having an outer wall and a chassis extending within the outer wall; the chassis comprises a locking feature and the body comprises an engaging feature adapted to retain the chassis in position within the outer wall when the locking feature is rotated with respect to the engaging feature. The outer wall may comprise an inner surface, and the engaging feature extends radially inwards from the inner surface. The engaging feature may comprise a rib that extends from the inner surface of the outer wall. The engaging feature may extend at least partially around the inner surface of the outer wall. The engaging feature may comprise a pair of engaging features which are radially distanced. The locking feature may comprise a locking rib extending radially from the chassis towards the outer wall.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4b

Description

  The present invention relates to handheld devices, and more particularly to hair care devices and fluid outlets from such devices.

  Blowers, particularly hot air blowers, are used for various applications such as drying of substances such as paint or hair and cleaning or removal of the surface layer. Moreover, in order to prepare hair from the wet state or the dry state, warm air blowers, such as a high-temperature hair-styling brush, are used.

  Generally, a motor and a fan for sucking fluid are provided in the main body, and the fluid can be heated before being discharged from the main body. Motors are susceptible to damage from foreign objects such as dust or hair and are therefore usually provided with a filter at the fluid inlet to the blower. Conventionally, such devices are equipped with an attachable and detachable nozzle that changes the shape and speed of the fluid flow discharged from the device. Such nozzles can be used to concentrate or diffuse outflows of equipment depending on the user's requirements at that time.

  According to the first aspect, the hair care device includes a main body, the main body includes an outer wall and a chassis extending in the outer wall, the chassis includes a lock function unit, and the main body includes the lock function unit. A hair care device is provided that includes an engagement feature adapted to hold the chassis in place in the outer wall when rotated relative to the engagement feature.

  It is preferable that the outer wall has an inner surface, and the engaging function portion extends radially inward from the inner surface.

  The engagement function part preferably includes a rib extending from the inner surface of the outer wall.

  The engagement feature preferably extends at least partially around the inner surface of the outer wall.

  The engagement function unit preferably includes a pair of engagement function units.

  The pair of engagement function portions are preferably spaced apart in the radial direction. This feature helps maintain the concentricity of the chassis within the outer wall.

  The lock function part preferably includes a lock rib.

  The ribs preferably extend radially from the chassis toward the outer wall.

  The chassis is preferably constrained both radially and longitudinally within the outer wall when held in place.

  The body has a first end and a second end, and the outer body and chassis are cooperating locking and engaging features adjacent to both the first end and the second end. It is preferable that a part is included.

  The chassis preferably includes a first portion and a second portion.

  The first portion of the chassis is preferably connected in one direction to the second portion of the chassis.

  Each of the first portion of the chassis and the second portion of the chassis preferably includes at least two asymmetric cooperating protrusions and recesses that engage only in one direction.

  The body houses a heater, which is preferably attached to the first portion of the chassis.

  The heater is a positioning ring that cooperates with at least two asymmetric cooperating protrusions and recesses in the first portion of the chassis such that the heater can be attached to the first portion of the chassis in only one direction. It is preferable to contain.

  The main body has a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which is preferably attached to the second part of the chassis.

  The body preferably has a PCB baffle connected to the PCB.

  The PCB baffle preferably includes a positioning feature so that the PCB and PCB baffle can be attached to the second portion of the chassis in only one direction.

  The main body has a holding wall, which preferably holds the chassis in a rotated position relative to the outer wall.

  The retaining wall preferably extends over the chassis at one end of the body. The retaining wall preferably engages the outer wall and the chassis to maintain the chassis in a rotated position relative to the outer wall.

  The chassis includes a first portion and a second portion, and the retaining wall extends from one end of the body beyond a joint formed between the first portion of the chassis and the second portion of the chassis. It is preferable.

  The retaining wall preferably includes a tubular body extending from one end along the body at least partially beyond the joint and extending radially in the chassis.

  The tube preferably includes a lip seal that extends radially between the tube and the chassis around the tube.

  An O-ring is preferably provided between the holding wall and one or both of the outer wall and the chassis.

  The O-ring is preferably disposed between the holding wall and the outer wall.

  The hair care device is preferably a hair dryer.

  The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a device according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a part of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of a portion of a device according to the invention. Figure 2 is a rear isometric view of a part of a device according to the invention. FIG. 3 shows an assembled cartridge without components according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an internal view of a second end of the body of the device according to the invention. It is an expanded side view of the main body of the apparatus by this invention.

  The hair dryer 10 provided with the handle | steering-wheel 20 and the main body 30 is shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. The handle has a first end 22 connected to the body 30 and a second end 24 that includes a primary fluid inlet 40 that is distal to the body 30. Electric power is supplied to the hair dryer 10 via the cable 50. The distal end of the cable 50 from the hair dryer 10 is provided with a plug (not shown) that provides an electrical connection to, for example, a main power source or a battery pack.

  The handle 20 has an outer wall 200 that extends from the body 30 toward the distal end 24 of the handle. At the distal end 24 of the handle, an end wall 210 extends across the outer wall 200. The cable 50 enters the hair dryer through the end wall 210. The primary fluid inlet 40 of the handle 20 includes a first opening 42 extending around the outer wall 200 of the handle 20 in a series of rows and / or columns extending from the distal end 24 of the handle 20, And a second opening 46 extending through the end wall 210. Cable 50 is located approximately in the middle of end wall 210 and thus extends from the center of handle 20. The handle 20 has a longitudinal axis XX, and the outer wall 200 extends from the body 30 toward the distal end 24 along this axis.

  The cable 50 preferably extends from the center of the handle 20 because the hair dryer is balanced regardless of the orientation of the handle 20 in the user's hand. Further, even when the user moves the position of the hand on the handle 20, the position of the cable 50 with respect to the hand does not change, so that the user is not pulled from the cable 50. If the center of the cable is shifted to approach one side of the handle, the weight distribution of the hair dryer changes depending on the orientation, distracting the user.

  A fan unit 70 is provided upstream of the primary fluid inlet 40. The fan unit 70 includes a fan and a motor. The fan unit 70 sucks fluid from the primary fluid inlet 40 toward the main body 30 through a primary fluid flow path 400 extending from the primary fluid inlet 40 into the main body 30, and the handle 20 and the main body 30 are joined at the joint 90. The body 30 has a first end 32 and a second end 34, and the primary fluid flow path 400 is directed through the body 80 toward the second end 34 of the body and around the heater 80. Fluid that continues to the primary fluid outlet 440 and is drawn by the fan unit now exits the primary fluid flow path 400. The primary fluid flow path 400 is not a straight line but travels in the first direction in the handle 20 and travels in the second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the main body 30.

  The main body 30 includes an outer wall 360 and an inner duct 310. The primary fluid flow path 400 extends from the junction 90 between the handle 20 and the body 30 along the body, between the outer wall 360 and the inner duct 310 toward the primary fluid outlet 440 at the second end 34 of the body 30. .

  Inner wall 260 extends through outer wall 360. Inner wall 260 at least partially defines primary fluid outlet 440 and extends from second end 34 of body 30 between inner duct 310 and outer wall 360.

  Another fluid flow path is also provided in the body, and this flow is not directly processed by the fan unit or the heater, but is sucked into the hair dryer by the action of the fan unit forming the primary flow in the hair dryer. This fluid flow is taken into the hair dryer by the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow path 400.

  The first end 32 of the body includes a fluid inlet 320 and the second end 34 of the body includes a fluid outlet 340. The fluid inlet 320 and fluid outlet 340 are at least partially defined by an inner duct 310 that is an inner wall of the body 30 that extends through the body. The fluid flow path 300 extends within the inner duct 310 from the fluid inlet 320 to the fluid outlet 340. A side wall 350 extends between the outer wall 360 and the inner duct 310 at the first end 32 of the main body 30. This side wall 350 at least partially defines a fluid inlet 320. The primary fluid outlet 440 is annular and surrounds the fluid flow path.

  Near the side wall 350 and fluid inlet 320 in the body 30 is a PCB 75 containing hair dryer control electronics. The PCB 75 has a ring shape and extends around the inner duct 310 between the inner duct 310 and the outer wall 360. PCB 75 is in fluid communication with primary fluid flow path 400. The PCB 75 extends around the fluid flow path 300 and is separated from the fluid flow path 300 by the inner duct 310.

  The PCB 75 controls parameters such as the temperature of the heater 80 and the rotational speed of the fan unit 70. The PCB 75 is electrically connected to the heater 80, the fan unit 70, and the cable 50 by internal wiring (not shown). For example, control buttons 62 and 64 provided so that the user can select from various temperature settings and flow rates are connected to the PCB 75.

  A heater 80 exists downstream of the PCB 75, and a PCB baffle 700 is provided between the PCB 75 and the heater 80. The PCB baffle provides thermal protection for the PCB 75, especially when the heater 80 is turned on.

  In use, the fluid is sucked into the primary fluid flow path 400 by the action of the fan unit 70, optionally heated by the heater 80, and discharged from the primary fluid outlet 440. This processing flow causes fluid to be taken into the fluid flow path 300 at the fluid inlet 320. This fluid merges with the process stream at the second end 34 of the body. In the example shown in FIG. 2, this process stream is discharged from the primary fluid outlet 440 and the hair dryer as an annular flow that surrounds the captured flow that is discharged from the hair dryer through the fluid outlet 340. Thus, the fluid processed by the fan unit and heater is increased by the entrained flow.

  3-7, the duct 310 includes a first portion 310a that extends from the first end 32 of the body 30, a second portion 310b that extends from the second end 34 of the body, and The main body 30 is formed of a plurality of portions called a third portion 310 c extending from the first end portion 32 of the main body 30 into the first portion 310 a. The first portion 310a and the second portion 310b of the duct include a chassis to which the various components of the hair dryer are attached. The third portion 310c of the duct is a holding wall for the chassis.

  The first portion 310 a is conveniently formed by the tube 312 and the inner end wall 314. The tubular body 312 extends in the outer wall 360 of the main body 30, and the inner end wall 314 extends from the one end 312 a of the tubular body to the outer wall 360. PCB 753 and PCB baffle 700 are attached to tube 312 and inner end wall 314 is adjacent to PCB 75.

  The second portion 310b is a tube 330 that is conveniently formed as a single unit with the inner wall 260, both of which are molded using support ribs (not shown). The inner wall 260 directs fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow path 400 toward the primary fluid outlet 440. Since the diameter of the main body 30 decreases toward the second end 34 of the main body 30, the inner wall 260 has a flow guide 132 that directs or directs the flow discharged from the heater 80 toward the primary fluid outlet 440. Including. The heater 80 is attached to the second portion 310b. The heater 80 has an outer wall 180 and an inner wall 84 that extend around a heater element (not shown).

  The third portion 310 c is a further tube 322 that is formed with the sidewall 350 as a single unit. The additional tube 322 extends radially within the first portion of the tube 312.

  In order to maintain the components in the correct position within the body 30, the first portion 310a and the second portion 310b are connected together to form the cartridge 250. The first portion 310a and the second portion 310b further include a plurality of holding function units.

  With particular reference to FIG. 7, an inner wall 260 extends radially around the downstream end of the heater 80. The inner wall 260 has a pair of lip portions 262 and 264 extending toward the heater 80, and the outer wall 180 of the heater 80 is inserted into these lip portions 262 and 264. The radially inner surface 260 a of the inner wall 260 directs the fluid discharged from the heater 80 toward the fluid outlet 440.

  The upstream end 80 a of the heater 80 includes a positioning ring 82. The positioning ring 82 includes a positioning function portion 86 that extends radially inward of the inner wall 84. The second portion 310 b includes a leg portion 186 that extends longitudinally toward the first end 32 of the body 30. The positioning feature 86 and the leg 186 are asymmetric, so that the leg 186 can only pass around the positioning feature 86 in one direction.

  The first portion 310 a has a first positioning feature 102 at the upstream end 312 a of the tube 312, and these first positioning features 102 are adapted to engage between the legs 186, Again, because the leg portion 186 is asymmetric, this engagement can only occur in one direction. The first positioning feature 102 and leg 186 are provided with a groove 104 in which a circlip 106 is placed to loosen these portions of the cartridge 250 together in a known direction for further assembly. Hold on.

  The reason that it is advantageous to keep all components in one known orientation during manufacturing is that internal looming is always guided along the same path and requires the same length of wiring, on the PCB This is because the connection for the control button 64 is placed in the correct location and the PCB components are correctly oriented.

  The cartridge 250 is assembled as described and then inserted into the main body 30. The cartridge 250 is constrained in the radial direction and the longitudinal direction within the main body 30. Ideally, the cartridge is constrained at the first end 32 and the second end 34 by constraining features that are radially spaced about the cartridge. In this example, there are four constraint function units.

  On the outer surface 260 b of the inner wall 260, two radially spaced ribs 266 are provided that extend in an arc shape radially toward the outer wall 360 around the inner wall 260. The inner end wall 314 is also provided with two radially spaced ribs 316 extending in an arc in the radial direction around the inner end wall 314 toward the outer wall 360. The inner surface 360a of the outer wall 360 has two pairs of cooperating ribs 362 and 364 that exist radially around the outer wall 360 and extend radially inward from the inner surface 360a. The first pair of cooperating ribs 362 is disposed in the vicinity of the first end 32 of the main body 30, and the second pair of cooperating ribs 364 is disposed in the vicinity of the second end 34 of the main body 30. Is done. The cartridge 250 is pushed into the body, and when the radially spaced ribs 266, 316 are upstream of the two pairs of cooperating ribs 362, 364, the cartridge is rotated until it reaches the stop 370.

  In order to keep the cartridge 250 rotated, the set of ribs has a holding function. In this example, the cooperating ribs 362, 364 of the body 30 are provided with restricting portions 372, which in this case are protrusions cooperating with corresponding recesses 374 on the respective ribs 266, 316. When the ribs 266 and 316 and the cooperating ribs 362 and 364 are rotated, the end portions 266a and 316a of the ribs 266 and 316 must be pushed into the restricting portion 372 so that the corresponding concave portion 374 can accommodate the restricting portion 372. I must.

  A sealing gasket 116 is provided between the inner wall 260 and the outer wall 360 of the main body 30. The sealing gasket 116 deforms when the radially spaced ribs 266 and 316 are pushed downstream of the two pairs of cooperating ribs 362 and 364. This seals between the outer wall 360 and the inner wall 260 and helps prevent movement of the cartridge 250 including counter-rotating movement within the body 30.

  To seal the gap formed between the first portion 310a and the second portion 310b, the third portion 310c is a lip seal 340 that extends radially around the radially outer surface 322a of the tube 322. Have When the third portion 310 c is inserted into the main body 30, the lip seal 340 engages with the second portion 310 b downstream of the leg portion 186 to prevent the fluid flowing in the duct 310 from entering the primary fluid flow path 400. .

  The first end 32 of the main body 30 is provided with an O-ring 352 between the side wall 350 and the outer wall 360 so as to seal the gap, so that the fluid can pass through the gap and the inner end wall 314 and the outer wall 360. From entering the primary fluid flow path 400 through the gap between the two.

  The side wall 350 has radially spaced snap fittings 354 that extend outwardly from the inner surface 350 a of the side wall and engage an opening 318 provided in the inner end wall 314. The side wall has a pair of protrusions 356 that engage with recesses 366 provided on the inner surface 360a of the outer wall to stop rotation of the cartridge 250 (see FIGS. 3 and 4b).

  Thus, the components of the cartridge 250 are disposed in a known orientation within the body 30 and the combination of the restriction 372 and the corresponding rib recess 374 and the protrusion 356 of the side wall 350 that engages the recess 366 of the outer wall 360. Are all prevented from moving out of this orientation by working with a snap fit 354 that cannot be removed from the opening 318 if not broken.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a hair dryer, the present invention is applicable to any device that draws fluid and directs the fluid out of the device.

  This device can be used with or without a heater, and the high-speed fluid outflow action has a drying effect.

  In general, the fluid flowing in the device is air, but it may be a combination of several types or one type of gas, which may affect the performance of the device, or the object such as hair to which the output is directed and its styling. Additives that improve can also be included.

  The present invention is not limited to the detailed description given above. Variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

310b Second portion 314 Inner end wall 316 Rib 316a Rib end 318 Opening 362 Cooperation rib 364 Cooperation rib 366 Recess 370 Stop part 372 Restriction part 374 Recess

Claims (31)

A hair care device comprising a body, wherein the body is
The outer wall,
A chassis extending in the outer wall,
The chassis includes a lock function unit;
The body includes an engagement feature adjacent to both the first end and the second end;
The lock feature and the engagement feature are adapted to cooperate to hold the chassis in place within the outer wall when the lock feature rotates with respect to the engagement feature. The
Hair care equipment characterized by that. The outer wall has an inner surface, and the engagement function portion extends radially inward from the inner surface.
The hair care device according to claim 1. The engagement function portion includes a rib extending from the inner surface of the outer wall.
The hair care device according to claim 1 or 2. The engagement feature extends at least partially around the inner surface of the outer wall;
The hair care device according to claim 2 or 3. The engagement function part includes a pair of engagement function parts,
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The pair of engagement function portions are spaced apart in the radial direction.
The hair care device according to claim 5. The lock function part includes a lock rib,
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The rib extends radially from the chassis toward the outer wall,
The hair care device according to claim 7. The chassis, when held in place, is constrained both radially and longitudinally within the outer wall.
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The chassis includes a first portion and a second portion,
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The first portion of the chassis connects in one direction to the second portion of the chassis;
The hair care device according to claim 10. Each of the first portion of the chassis and the second portion of the chassis includes at least two asymmetric cooperating protrusions and recesses that engage in only one direction;
The hair care device according to claim 11. The body houses a heater, the heater attached to the first portion of the chassis;
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 12. The heater includes the at least two asymmetric cooperating protrusions of the first portion of the chassis and the at least two asymmetric cooperating protrusions such that the heater can only be attached to the first portion of the chassis in one direction. Including a positioning ring that cooperates with the recess,
14. A hair care device according to claim 13, which is dependent on claim 12. The body has a PCB, which is attached to the second portion of the chassis;
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 14. The body has a PCB baffle connected to the PCB;
The hair care device according to claim 15. The PCB baffle includes a positioning feature so that the PCB and the PCB baffle can be attached to the second portion of the chassis in only one orientation.
The hair care device according to claim 16. The main body has a holding wall, and the holding wall holds the chassis in a rotated position with respect to the outer wall.
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 17. The retaining wall extends over the chassis at one end of the body;
The hair care device according to claim 18. The retaining wall engages the outer wall and the chassis to maintain the chassis in a rotated position relative to the outer wall;
The hair care device according to claim 19. The chassis includes a first portion and a second portion, and the holding wall is formed between the first portion of the chassis and the second portion of the chassis from one end of the main body. Extending beyond the joint,
The hair care device according to any one of claims 17 to 20. The retaining wall includes a tubular body that extends from one end along the body and extends radially at least partially beyond the joint within the chassis.
The hair care device according to claim 21. The tube includes a lip seal that extends radially between the tube and the chassis around the tube.
23. A hair care device according to claim 22. An O-ring is provided between the holding wall and one or both of the outer wall and the chassis;
The hair care device according to any one of claims 20 to 23. The O-ring is disposed between the holding wall and the outer wall;
25. A hair care device according to claim 24. The primary fluid outlet is at the downstream end of the body;
26. A hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 25. The inner wall has a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end at least partially defining the primary fluid outlet;
27. A hair care device according to claim 26. The upstream end of the inner wall extends toward the outer wall;
The hair care device according to claim 27. The inner wall includes a seal portion extending toward the outer wall;
A hair care device according to claim 27 or 28. The sealing portion exists between the upstream end and the downstream end of the inner wall;
30. A hair care device according to claim 29. The hair care device is a hair dryer,
The hair care device according to any one of claims 1 to 30.