JP2019079821A - Handheld appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a single button having three linearly spaced positions corresponding to three different states of temperature or flow or a combination thereof.SOLUTION: A handheld appliance includes a user operable button, a switch, and an actuator including an arm. The button has three linearly spaced positions, each position corresponding to a different state of the switch. The arm includes a surface adapted to engage with the switch. The switch includes a lever and the lever is moved by contact with the surface. The lever has a first position and a second position. The second position of the lever may be a neutral position where the lever is not in contact with the surface. When the lever is in the first position, the surface engages with the lever. The lever is housed within a recess of the arm. The switch comprises a first switch and a second switch which are longitudinally spaced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7a

Description

  The present invention relates to hand-held appliances, and more particularly to hair setting appliances such as hot styling devices.

  In a conventional hot styling appliance, air is drawn from the inlet by the fan unit and directed to the hair from the outlet. In many cases, one appliance is provided with different attachments, each attachment having a different outlet configuration and thus different functions, such as, for example, drying, curling or volumeing. Depending on the desired style, the air may or may not be heated. The attachment may comprise bristles on which the hair is wound and held for hair setting.

  The appliance has at least one user control button which can be a push button or a sliding button. One advantageous feature is the cold shot that is used when a long hair style is shaped to quickly cool and style the hair. Many appliances have a separate button for cold shot, meaning that the user needs to activate the two buttons when trimming the hair, the cold shot button and then the power supply for the appliance Is another button to turn off. In the time interval between cold shot release and appliance power off, the hair may be exposed to fluid and subjected to heat passing therethrough, which may affect the formed style.

  The invention provides a hand-held appliance comprising a user-operable button, a switch and an actuator including an arm extending between the button and the switch, the button comprising There are two linearly spaced positions, each position corresponding to a different state of the switch.

  The present invention provides a single button having three linearly spaced positions corresponding to, for example, three different states of temperature or flow rate or combinations thereof. The button is coupled to an actuator that includes an arm that allows the button to be longitudinally spaced from the switch. This allows for a relatively shallow user interface as the switch is not directly coupled to the button.

  Preferably, the appliance comprises an outer wall, the button being arranged close to the outer surface of the outer wall and movable relative to the outer surface, the actuator and the switch being arranged close to the inner surface of the outer wall and longitudinally from the button Separate.

  Preferably, the arm comprises a surface adapted to engage with the switch. The arm is elongated and has a structure. Preferably, at or near the distal end from the button of the arm, the arm comprises a surface, which may be the inner or outer surface of the arm, which is adapted to engage the switch There is. Preferably, the switch comprises a lever, which moves by contact with the surface. In one embodiment, the lever has a first position and a second position, and in another embodiment the lever further comprises a third position.

  Preferably, the second position of the lever is a neutral position when the lever is not in contact with the surface. Preferably, the surface engages the lever when the lever is in the first position. The surface moves the lever from the neutral position. In one embodiment, the arm comprises a second surface, which engages with the lever to effect movement to a third position. Preferably, the surface is an inner surface. Preferably, the second surface is an inner surface. The inner surface is the surface provided within the structure of the arm. Preferably, the arm comprises a recess formed in one or more of the first surface and / or the second surface. The recess is a recess in the structure of the arm, preferably V-shaped. Preferably, the lever is housed in the recess. In this embodiment, the recess is sized such that the neutral position is approximately at the center of the recess and does not contact significantly with any surface of the recess so that the lever does not move from the neutral position when the switch is in the second position. It is.

  Preferably, the lever is part of a detector switch, ie a non-latching spring-loaded switch which returns to the neutral or second position in the absence of an external force applied to the switch. Such a switch is suitable for use with the temperature and flow settings of the appliance, allowing the user to select several different options, preferably with a single button sliding between each position it can.

  In some embodiments, a single user control button is used to provide two functions. Preferably, the switch comprises a first switch and a second switch. In a preferred embodiment, the first switch and the second switch are longitudinally spaced apart. Preferably, the arm includes a first surface adapted to engage with the first switch and an additional surface adapted to engage with the second switch. In one embodiment, the arm comprises a first side, and the first surface is located on the first side. Preferably, the arm comprises a second side, the additional surface being located on the second side. The button is coupled to an actuator that actuates the first switch and the second switch sequentially depending on the position of the button. Preferably, the second switch is a push switch.

  In a preferred embodiment, the actuator comprises a housing. Preferably, the housing comprises a moveable projection which engages with the button. Preferably, the protrusions are attached at one end to the arm and at the other end to the button. Thus, when the button moves, the protrusions and arms move. Preferably, the button moves linearly and the user slides the button from one position to another. Preferably, the protrusions comprise three linearly spaced positions, each corresponding to one of each of the button positions.

  In one embodiment, one of the three linearly spaced positions of the protrusions is a temporary position. Preferably, the first and second of the three linearly spaced positions are defined by the detent. In one embodiment, the third of the three linearly spaced positions of the protrusions is defined by the detent. Alternatively, the third of the three linearly spaced positions of the projection is defined by the user acting against the spring bias. In a preferred embodiment, the housing further comprises a spring, the third of the three linearly spaced positions of the projection being provided when the user operating button is pressed against the spring. Preferably, the spring biases the projection towards the second position. Thus, when the user presses the button towards the third position, the arm is pressed against the spring and the third position is provided only while the user exerts a force on the spring. When the user releases the force applied to the button, the spring biases the arm to return the projection to the second position.

  The use of detents gives the user feedback that different positions have been selected. In addition, it is possible to create audible noise for the user as the protrusion moves over the boundary between two adjacent detents in order to perceive the switching position.

  In one embodiment, the present invention provides a single button having three positions corresponding to off, on and cold shot respectively, so that the user can perform a cold shot by operating the single button. You can move it off quickly. Preferably, the cold shot state or condition corresponds to the third position, ie the position of the projection biased by the spring. Thus, this position is a temporary position, and the user needs to keep pressing the button to keep this state active. In this embodiment, there are two switches, an on switch, followed by a cold shot switch. Preferably, the on switch is a push button switch and the cold shot is a latching switch.

  In a preferred embodiment, the appliance is a hair care appliance, preferably a hot styling device.

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

Fig. 5 shows an appliance that can use the user interface according to the invention. FIG. 7 shows a side view of a user interface with a button. FIG. 7 shows a side view of a buttonless user interface. Fig. 3 shows the radially inner surface of an actuator according to the invention. Fig. 3 shows a cross section of a part of an actuator according to the invention. Fig. 6 shows a cross section of another actuator according to the invention. Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of an actuator according to the invention. FIG. 7 shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a first position. FIG. 7 shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a second position. FIG. 7 shows a side view of the user interface with all buttons in a third position. 1 shows a cross section of an appliance according to the invention. The cross section of one of the buttons of the appliance is shown.

  Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a hand-held appliance 10 is shown. The appliance has a handle 210 and an attachment 20 for hair setting. Attachment 20 is removable and can be replaced by another attachment to allow the user to create different styles and to provide different functions to the appliance. In addition, the attachment 20 can be removed to facilitate storage of the appliance when not in use. The handle 210 includes a plurality of different user control buttons 30, 138, which allow the user to select a plurality of different temperature settings and flow settings. The appliance includes a fan unit and a heater (both not shown), and in use, the fan unit draws fluid through the fluid inlet 212, the fluid is optionally heated, and then the fluid outlet 22 in the attachment 20. Released from

  The appliance 10 has two different button configurations for controlling the appliance. In this embodiment, both configurations have three different set positions, one configuration controls a single switch while the other configuration controls two switches. The first button arrangement 30 is better suited to control appliance parameters such as temperature or flow, and this button type controls a single switch. The second button arrangement 130 (structure) is suitable for controlling two different aspects, such as powering on the appliance and providing a cold shot function. Alternatively, the two different aspects may be temperature or flow with cold shot functionality, but as cold shot may only be used with the highest or lowest of these functions and is not necessarily appropriate. , These options are more restrictive.

  The first button arrangement 30 will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 2a to 7c. The first button arrangement 30 has a single switch 32 with a lever 36 movable between a first position 36a, a second position 36b and a third position 36c. An actuator 40 extends between the button 38 and the switch 32, the actuator 40 having a protrusion 42 engaging the button 38, the protrusion 42 being attached to an arm 44 extending to the switch 32. The protrusion 42 is housed in the housing 46. The housing 46 has an opening 48 through which the projection 42 extends. The housing 46 includes three detents 50, each detent defining the position of the button 38, the projection 42, the arm 44, and the lever 36. The ball 52 is adapted to move between the three detents 50, and the spring 54 biases the ball 52 to one of the three detents 50 until further movement of the button 38 occurs. The spring 54 is at least partially housed within a recess 42 a provided within the projection 42 so that movement of the button 38 also moves the ball 52 between the detents 50.

  A recess 56 is provided at or near the distal end 44a of the arm 44 from the housing. The recess 56 is generally V-shaped and is adapted to receive and hold the lever 36. In the first position 36 a, the lever engages with the inner surface 58 of the recess 56. The second position 36b of the lever corresponds to the neutral position of the lever 36, which is in the recess 56 without being pushed or pulled, which is the central button position. In the third position 36 c, the lever engages with the second surface 60 of the recess 56. In the first and third positions, the lever 36 is held in that position by the force applied by the spring 54 which biases the ball 52 on the detent 50.

  The button arrangement 30 further includes a button plate 62 located between the button 38 and the projection 42. The handle 210 has an outer wall 214, and the outer wall 214 is formed with an opening 216 corresponding to the sliding between the three positions in order for the button 38 to move or slide between each position, the opening 216 Is larger than the button 38. The button plate 62 is located inside the outer wall 214 and is sized to completely cover the opening 216 regardless of the position of the button 38. Button plate 62 prevents debris from entering directly into handle 210.

  The second button configuration 130 will now be described. In this embodiment, the components illustrated and described above in connection with the first button arrangement 30 have similar reference numbers. The second button arrangement 130 comprises a first switch 132 and a second switch 150. In this embodiment, the first switch 132 provides an off-on function and the second switch 150 provides a cold shot. When the second button 138 is in the off position as shown in FIG. 7a, the first switch 132 and the second switch 150 are not active. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 7b, when the second button 138 is moved to one position, the push button 134 provided on the surface of the first switch 132 is engaged to power on the appliance. become.

  The second actuator 140 extends between the second button 138 and the first switch 132. The second actuator 140 has a protrusion 42 that engages the second button 138. The protrusion 42 is housed in the second housing 146. The second housing 146 has an opening 48 through which the projection 42 extends. The second housing 146 includes two detents 50, each detent defining the position of the second button 138 and the second arm 144. The ball 52 is adapted to move between the two detents 50, and the spring 54 biases the ball 52 to one of the two detents 50 until further movement of the second button 138 occurs. Provided for The spring 54 is at least partially housed in a recess 42 a provided inside the projection 42 so that the ball 52 also moves between the detents 50 when the second button 138 moves.

  The second actuator 140 has a surface 158 that engages the push button 134, such that when the user moves the second button 138 from the off position to the on position, the second arm 144 moves and the surface 158 , Engage with the push button 134 and push the push button 134 down.

  The second button 138 can be moved to a third position, but this third position is not defined by the detent; instead, the third position can be a second button 138 Is only brought about when the user applies pressure to the second button 138. Distal end 140 b from first switch 132 of actuator 140 is shaped to receive spring 152. When the user pushes the second button 138 and the projection 42 from the second position to the third position, the ball 52 moves out of the central detent 50 b and counteracts the action of the spring 152. The second arm 144 has a second surface 160 formed near the arm end 144a distal from the second housing 146, the second surface 160 having a second button 138 spring It engages with the second switch 150 when pushed against 152. The second switch 150 has a second lever 154 which is pushed from the neutral or free position when engaged with the second surface 160, as long as the second lever 154 is out of this neutral position range , A heater (not shown) is turned off to provide a cold shot.

  The first switch 132 and the second switch 150 are longitudinally spaced apart, and when the second button 138 and the projection 42 are moved to the third position, the push button 134 of the first switch 132 is It remains engaged.

  The second arm 144 has a first side 156 that includes a surface 158 that engages the push button 134. The second arm has a second side 162 and the second side includes a second surface 160. This is advantageous as forces are applied to both sides of the second arm 144 when both switches are engaged.

  In this embodiment, the first button arrangement 30, 30a is used twice, one for temperature setting and the other for flow setting. Optionally, the pair of first button arrangements 30, 30a are separated by a second button arrangement 130. This means that the user has a small area on the outer wall 214 where all controls of the product are located. To assist the user, the second button 138 is larger than the first button 38 and is offset along the outer wall 214 to form a triangular UI (user interface) 180 (FIG. 2a). The user can naturally identify the second button 138 by touching, and can change the settings without looking at the UI.

  In the illustrated embodiment (see FIG. 8), all the switches are attached to a substrate 70, eg a PCB (printed circuit board). Such substrates are generally flat, but in one embodiment the substrate is formed of two elements 70a, 70b, so that the substrate 70 does not occupy a significant proportion of the interior space of the handle 210 The sex section 72 connects the two elements. This allows the substrate 70 to be slightly bent into a V-shape that more closely conforms to the shape of the outer wall 214 of the handle 210. Because the fluid flow path extends through the interior of the handle 210, flexing the substrate 70 results in less constriction to fluid flowing inside the handle 210. The second arm 144 is disposed approximately at the center of the substrate above the flexible portion 72 and engages the push button 134 on one side corresponding to one element 70 a of the substrate 70. The second arm 144 engages a second switch 150 on the other side corresponding to the other element 70b of the substrate. The second arm 144 extends away from the second housing 146 in a first direction X-X parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the handle 210, but the second arm 144 It also extends in a second direction Y-Y substantially orthogonal to the direction. This creates an L-shaped profile near the distal end 144 a from the second housing 146 of the second arm 144. The second direction Y-Y extends from the outer wall 214 towards the substrate 70. The L-shaped profile allows a single arm 144 to engage the first switch 132 and the second switch 150 across the bend of the substrate 70.

  Referring now to FIG. 9, in this embodiment, an additional button 100 is provided in addition to the UI having the user control buttons 38, 138. This additional button 100 operates an attachment mechanism (not shown) that holds and releases the attachment 20 relative to the handle 210.

  The outer wall 214 of the handle 210 is of elliptical cross section. The handle 210 has a major axis B-B and a minor axis C-C. The major axis is the axis with the larger radius and diameter. The elliptical handle 210 provides several advantages. That is, the handle 210 is oriented in the user's hand, providing a large amount of space inside the handle 210 as compared to the short circle equal circle.

  It is natural for the user to orient the long axis in the web between the thumb and forefinger in the correct direction. User control buttons 38, 138 and 100 are provided close to the longitudinal axis and can be easily accessed by the thumb or index finger. In one embodiment, the additional button 100 is at a symmetrical position of the second button 138. This has several advantages, helping the user to orient correctly with respect to the orientation of the appliance in the user's hand, balancing the product and being visually appealing.

  The user interface 180 comprises a first button arrangement 30, 30a and a second button arrangement 130 and is provided at a first vertex 182 of the major axis B-B. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the second button configuration 130 is provided on the first vertex 182, and each of the first button configurations 30, 30a form a triangular user interface 180. , And are offset in the radial direction on both sides of the first vertex 182, respectively. The second user control button of the three user control buttons comprises an on / off switch. Optionally, a pair of first button configurations are referred to as first and third buttons, which control the temperature and flow rate through the appliance, respectively. Conveniently, the first and third buttons are longitudinally displaced from the second button and form the base of the triangular user interface. The second button 138 is located at the apex of the triangle.

  An additional user control button 100 is provided on the second vertex 184 of the long axis B-B. Thus, the additional user control button 100 is in a symmetrical position of the second button arrangement 130.

  The large space inside the handle 210 is achieved without significantly increasing the overall impression of the handle 210 aperture. The use of an ellipse hides the size of the major axis. Also, with a handle of circular cross section, the major axis size would be too large for many people to reasonably hold.

  The user interface 180 is a triangle, and there is one user operation button at each vertex of the triangle. As there are two first button configurations 30, 30a, in one embodiment, the triangular user interface 180 is in the form of an isosceles triangle, and the two first button configurations have respective ones of the bases of the triangles. It is provided at the corner.

  In one embodiment, the additional user control button 100 is longitudinally displaced from the user interface 180. One of the reasons is that the additional user control button 100 actuates the attachment mechanism so that the attachment 20 is attached to and released from the handle 210 of the appliance 10, as a result of which the mechanism is added The point is that the simplified user control button 100 is simplified if it is adjacent to or close to the first end 210a of the handle 210 to which the attachment 20 is attached. A second advantage of this configuration is that the internal mechanism that functions to facilitate the operation of the additional user control buttons 100 and the user interface 180 can be separated in the handle 210 and, as a result, Any internal reduction in cross-sectional area due to the internal mechanism is at a point longitudinally spaced within handle 210. The third reason is that this configuration has a triangular user interface 180 with first, second and third buttons all accessible with the thumb, and near the first end 210a of the handle 210 in a symmetrical position. An appliance having an additional user control button 100 of the present invention is naturally at the point where it helps the user to properly orient in the hand. In this embodiment, the second button 138 is on the top of the user interface 180 distal to the additional user control button 100 and the first end 210 a of the handle 210.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first button configuration 130 has three setting positions, but this is not essential and can be more setting positions or less setting positions. In addition, the first and second switches are provided on both sides of the arm but are not equally necessary, and due to space constraints, the two switches can be provided on the same side of the arm.

  The two first button arrangements 30, 30a differ slightly in the illustrated embodiment, and the arrangement of each recess 60, 60a differs slightly. These differences are simply due to spatial considerations on substrate 70. Thus, the two recesses 60, 60a can alternatively be the same.

  In each figure, in particular in FIGS. 7a to 7c, the buttons are simultaneously shown in the same position, but this is merely to facilitate the description of the invention, each combination for each of the three button positions being Can be used with other things. For example, each temperature setting position can be used when the machine is on, and cold shots can be used at any flow setting position.

  Although the invention is described in detail in connection with a hot styling device, it can be applied to any appliance that sucks in fluid and delivers an outflow of fluid from the appliance.

  The appliance can be used with or without a heater, and the action of the high velocity outflow of the fluid provides a drying effect.

  The fluid passing through the appliance is generally air, but may be various combinations of gases, and their products for improving the performance of the appliance or the impact it has on the object. Can include hair or additives directed to its hair setting.

  The invention is not limited to the detailed description given above. Those skilled in the art should understand various modifications.

30 first button configuration 30a first button configuration 38 button 100 additional user operation button 130 first button configuration 138 second button 182 first vertex 184 second vertex 210 handle 214 outer wall

Claims (18)

A hand-held appliance comprising a user-operable button, a first switch, a second switch, and an actuator, comprising:
The actuator includes an arm extending between the button, the first switch, and the second switch,
The button has three linearly spaced positions, each of which corresponds to a different state with respect to the first switch or the second switch, and the arm comprises the first switch or the first switch. With a surface adapted to engage with the 2 switch,
The first switch comprises a lever having a first position, a second position, and a third position, the lever moving by contact with the surface;
Hand-held electric, wherein the surface engages with the lever when the lever is in the first position and the lever is in a neutral position where the lever does not contact the surface when the lever is in the second position Appliance.   The appliance of claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a second surface, the second surface engaging the lever to effect movement of the lever to the third position.   The appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surface and the second surface is an inner surface.   The appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the arm comprises a recess formed from the surface and / or the second surface.   The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the recess is V-shaped.   The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the lever is housed in the recess.   The appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first switch and the second switch are longitudinally spaced apart.   The arm or arms include a first surface adapted to engage with the first switch and an additional surface adapted to engage with the second switch. The electric appliance as described in 7.   9. An appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the arm comprises a first side and the first surface is located on the first side.   10. An appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the arm comprises a second side, and the additional surface is located on the second side.   The appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second switch is a push switch.   An appliance according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator comprises a housing.   13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a moveable projection that engages the button.   14. The appliance of claim 13, wherein the protrusions comprise three linearly spaced positions corresponding to one of each of the positions of the button.   15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein first and second of the three linearly spaced positions are defined by a detent.   The appliance of claim 15, wherein a third of the three linearly spaced positions of the projection is defined by a detent.   The housing further comprises a spring, a third of the three linearly spaced positions of the projection being provided when the user-operable button is pressed against the spring. The electrical appliance according to 16.   18. The appliance of claim 17, wherein the spring biases the projection towards the second position.