MXPA05011844A - Programmable manual hair dryer with multiple functions. - Google Patents

Abstract

The dryer includes in its programmable control circuit a microprocessor to which are connected at least a temperature sensor, a static pressure sensor, a motor revolution sensor, a ion generator, a resistor battery with its selector switches in series, and the respective power circuits of the motor and the air heater aforesaid, in which, in order to optimize the processing route, said microprocessor, after the dryer is turned on and the operating values of parameters, establishes the initial operating configuration at 50% of the value thereof, and then defines continuously, in terms of the ordinary data base, the constant functional conditions, and responds to electric, thermal and mechanical discrepancies being involved with its corrective stabilization, recording, signaling and information by means of a display. The stabilization of the ordinary operation conditions, both of the motor an d of the heating resistor is achieved by means of the corresponding sensor, the information from which is channeled towards and from the respective speed and temperature control whil e the signaling and the information are carried out by connecting the respective control in turn to the corresponding VU meter and the equipment display. The recording of events receives directly the information from sensors and from speed and temperature control s, while from the aforesaid speed and temperature controls the information is sent back to the parameter status verification point.

Description

"MULTIFUNCTIONABLE MULTIFUNCTIONABLE MANUAL-TYPE HAIRDRYER" The present invention relates to elements of domestic use in general, more particularly it relates to hair dryers of the manual type, referring in particular to an intelligent dryer, its main object being oriented to achieve an extremely simple and economic disposition applied to hair dryers of the manual type, with the capacity to record and communicate a certain amount of operative and functional parameters of interest to the user, thus covering the programmable character endowed with multiple functions . An additional purpose of the present invention is to provide an arrangement designed for the purpose proposed, applied in this particular case to hair dryers for manual use, which incorporates an electronic circuit that provides various operational capabilities that allow you to change your regime and operating cycles, while preserving and displaying on a screen a certain amount of information that makes the control of certain factors that condition their operability such as the flow of propelled air, the value of its temperature, its cold alternating- heat and others that will become apparent in the course of the present specification.

For the purposes briefly announced, the dryer comprises a circuit that includes a microprocessor conditioned by a software to receive information from a group of sensors for temperature, pressure and control of the engine revolutions and the values selected by the user. For its part, the memory also has a record of the parameters that have been selected and measured by the circuit, as well as the unit's operating time. It also checks that the selected values are compatible with the capacity of the electrical components of the circuit. To successfully achieve all these functions, the microprocessor is programmed to keep a continuous control of the speed of the motor, not only to be able to adjust the control variables, but also to handle acceleration ramps. Another important parameter is the current flowing through the heating resistor, whose value will be regulated in order to control the temperature of the exhaust air. It operates all the light controls that indicate its operation with the intervention of a program level indicator, in addition to the screen where all the instantaneous values imposed (of setting) are shown. From where the factors to be measured will be: the air flow through the device, its output temperature, the engine RPM, the hours of use and the current and consumption voltage, both those corresponding to the engine and those present in the heating resistor. All the measured variables configure the input and output of the closed loop control device, which allows selecting a temperature and a flow rate completely independent of external conditions. This control device will adjust the variables so that the aforementioned flow temperature requirements correspond at all times to those previously selected. 10 Accordingly, the flow diagram is attached whereby the microprocessor is conditioned and commanded. From his observation, it emerges and emphasizes that the feedback control revealed by the diagram is imposed as a relevant factor that ensures a safe and constant operation of the dryer apparatus. By taking a constant control of all the functional parameters, and having set a priori at the factory, the maximum values compatible with the electromechanical characteristics of the equipment, the dryer is self-protected with respect to improper use or 20 too intense to be harmed. The important values have to do with the power dissipated and the revolutions imposed on the engine, whose maximum values have been foreseen in the information, to prevent them from being exceeded at any time.

The program keeps a permanent record of the operation of the device, which accumulates all these values, adding the hours of work, which include the initial date in which it enters into activity, which give the certain date for the guarantee and the conditions under which it is carried out. , all of which allows announcing the preventive maintenance tasks required by the equipment. PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE In the prior art, so-called hair dryers for manual use are used, of which a variety of constructive variants are known. Most are designed to provide certain purposes in terms of how to distribute and take advantage of the flow of air to its output. Thus, there are various forms of interchangeable nozzles, which are coupled to the air outlet tube, by means of which the air jet can be concentrated or diffused to improve the intended result. These attachable elements can be complemented with different combs or brushes that satisfy the creations of the stylist who uses them. As for the functional alternatives of this kind of dryers, they are generally limited to an additional switch for connecting or disconnecting the air heating unit and the selection of a maximum or minimum air flow acting on the speed of the motor.

Other special requirements to be controlled, are incorporated in large commercial dryers. Each of these elements has its own special characteristics to meet the objective, among them it is summarized that its programmable control circuit includes a microprocessor with which are connected at least one temperature sensor, a static pressure sensor, a sensor of the engine speed, an ion generator, a battery of resistors with their half-switches in series and the respective circuits of the motor and the aforementioned air heater, in which to optimize the processing path, said microprocessor, Once the dryer has been switched on and the operating values of its parameters selected, it establishes the initial operational configuration at 50% of the value thereof and then continuously defines, based on the normal database, the constant functional regime and responds to electrical, thermal and mechanical discrepancies with their corrective stabilization, registration, signaling and information through a screen. In order to make the present invention understandable, consisting of a programmable manual type hair dryer with multiple functions *, so that it can be easily carried out, a precise description will be given in the following paragraphs. in a preferred embodiment, with reference thereto to the accompanying illustrative drawings, the whole as a purely demonstrative but not limiting example of the invention, the components of which may be selected from various equivalents without departing from the principles of the invention. established in this documentation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: In the schematic figures that accompany the present technical-legal description it is necessary to: Figure 1 represents a preferred circuit applied in the invention. Figure 2 consists of a dryer comprising the disposition described. Figure 3 shows the flow chart that commands the operation of the microprocessor. Figure 4 illustrates a diagram of the dryer ignition as a function of time, with the curves of flow, temperature and engine revolutions. Figure 5 shows the change diagram of the flow operating point as a function of time. Figure 6 consists of a filter obstruction graphic. In the diagrams of figures 4,5 and 6, the full line curves correspond to the flow values.

In the descriptive figures above, the same reference characters indicate equal or corresponding parts. DESCRIPTION According to figure 1, the circuit taken as an example of embodiment of the invention is composed of an integrated -1- of the type of the "Peripheral Interface Controller 16F873" or similar, connected to the electric drive motor -2- of the dryer through a transmitter -3- whose collector is connected in series to the triac -4-, where the motor-triac series receives the electric supply -5-, including the capacitor elements and conventional resistors. In the same way, with another similar circuit, the processor is connected to the heating resistor -6-. The circuit shows the connections corresponding to the temperature sensor -7-, the filter sensor -8-, the pressure sensor -9- and the opto-coupler sensor -10- that captures the engine revolutions. The control means, of the regulation of the corresponding parameters that enables the electrical diagram, may be formed by the electrical supply -11- which includes the necessary components, such as a rectifying diode, a Zener diode and an electrolytic filter, to which The appropriate circuit components are added a limiting resistor and a capacitor, whose assembly supplies a battery of resistors -12- in series with its selector keys -13-. The operational check can be followed by means of a liquid crystal display 14 further provided with the indications provided by the speed and temperature meters. In figure 2 there is a possible way of accommodating the components of the invention inside the housing of a manual drying apparatus. Each basic component has been represented in the same schematic way observing the motor -2- and the sensor of its number of revolutions, with its opto coupler -10-. The motor drives a turbine -15- that projects the air through the front nozzle -16-, where the heating resistance -6- is housed, with the corresponding thermocouple temperature sensor -7- and the filter -17- with its sensor pressure -9-. It also accommodates the plate with the electronic components of the circuit. The ion generator device -18- is housed in the handle of the housing, with its corresponding emitter electrode -19- located inside the nozzle -16-. It is also mounted on the handle, the keyboard -20- temperature, speed and input range selector of the ion generator, which provides the buttons corresponding to the switches -13-.

In the handle is located the screen ("display") -14-indicator of the functions and values of the parameters that intervene in the operation of the device, the data recorded in the memory and the menu that provides them. It should be noted that as very low voltage values are handled, for the operative control of the dryer through the microprocessor -1-, there is no inconvenience or electrical hazard to locate the switches -13- in the handle within reach of the user's hand . In figure 3, the flow diagram is represented, with the ignition or principle -21-, which establishes the configuration -22- of the initial functions, conditioning the parameters to 50% of their value. Once the operating parameters -23- are determined, the input is set with the operation configuration -23-, establishing the state of the parameters -24-. The functional operations will be indicated on the screen or "display" -14-. The operation is governed by the comparison of the parameters with the database indicated in -25- from where the limitations spread from -A- to possible values of over temperature -26-, detected by the thermocouple -7-, the alarm of problems with the filter, either for the change of filter -27-, determined by the electronic pressure sensor -9- or by the sensor indicating lack of filter -8-. Problems in the motor are indicated by the replacement of the motor brushes -28-, which will arise from the check in the database with the normal operating values and the cumulative operating time. The same applies to the control of the speed of the motor in -29- and the control of the temperature in -30-, in response to the registers of the sensors -31- and -32- provided by the respective elements -10- and -7-. In these controls, the display defined in the instructions -33- and -34-channeled to the display -14- and speed and temperature vumeters also intervenes. Starting from the initial state and following the chain of events determined in the diagram, they are finally defined by the event counter -35- and their register -36-, which compile the most important data that makes the operation, maintenance and control of the dryer. The diagram shows the linkage existing at the output of the mentioned controls -29- and -30-, designated with the number -37- with the incoming information in -38- to the state of the parameters -24-. OPERATION: Once the different components of the version of the invention, developed to explain its nature, are established, the description is then complemented, with the functional and operative relation of its parts and the result they provide. Figures 1 and 2 show a circuit and an apparatus that group the various components that allow the proposals of the invention to be carried out in practice, in one of their possible embodiments, following the detailed instructions in their developed program also, as a preferred form, the flow diagram of figure 3. The graphs shown in figures 4 and 5 describe a form of behavior of the dryer, as a function of time, against different eventual events. At the beginning of the use of the dryer, it is considered at the initial point "0", and without having placed the filter as it is supplied separately, the sensor 15 corresponding to "filter placed", accuses that anomaly on the screen, where it indicates the lack of filter, preventing the engine from starting at the same time. The sensor will react in the same way, if the filter is misplaced, disabling the operation of the device, even if you insist • '20 by pressing the power button.- The first time the filter is placed, detected by the sensor, it sends a signal to the microprocessor, which starts the record by entering the date and starting at "0" the item hours of use, data that is stored in the memory, .25 turning on the dryer.

When the dryer is switched on, a motor acceleration ramp and progressive soft heating of the heater are created until the values recorded at the values initially determined at the factory are reached. The slow pre-established heating is intended to increase the useful life of the components of the appliance. Once the operation of the dryer reaches the "SET POINT" temperature and air flow selected, the curves reach point 1 of the Cartesian diagram of Figure 4 and stabilize, remaining constant throughout the time of use. The dotted lines indicate the operating values selected on the x axis. In the conventional dryers only the positions indicated in the controls are defined, but there is no information about the possible variations that may appear during their use. It is known that a change in external conditions, for this known class of dryers, will cause a change in its flow rate and its temperature, a problem that does not occur in the dryer of the invention. If a change in the desired flow rate is now made, going to point 2 of figure 5, without having changed the temperature level, its value should not change, so that the engine revolutions will increase in order to satisfy the higher demand for flow, which when increasing will cause a decrease -a- of the temperature at the dryer outlet. The corresponding sensor will detect it and the microprocessor will order a current increase in the resistor to compensate the temperature decrease, increasing it to the determined value and then returning to the previously determined value. These disturbances have been reflected in the corresponding curves. It can be noted that in a conventional dryer, these corrections can not be made by its open-loop operating system that prevents knowing the real state of the flow at the output of the apparatus. The example of change in the value of the temperature is the simplest since the microprocessor simply regulates the current flowing through the heating resistor and limits the maximum value to protect the circuit. If the user wishes to "set" a temperature value that is above the limit, he can not do so, and the screen will inform him the reason, stating that he can not do so because the temperature is too high for the current flow selected. One can suppose the case in which no variable had changed, but the change - originates in external conditions for example a partial obstruction of the filter, see figure 6. This situation would cause a fall in flow and consequently an increase in the temperature. The microprocessor to compensate the variation, will send an order to the motor to turn at a higher speed to restore the original flow.

Once the flow is balanced, the temperature will also stabilize without any adjustment. Continuing with the same graph, one can imagine a greater obstruction of the filter. The diagram shows the variation of the corresponding curves, where the first obstruction is between points 1 and 2 indicated on the corresponding axis, while the second obstruction begins at point 3. The corrections follow the same previous reasoning , but nevertheless when arriving its value to a point 4, in which the relation flow rpm of the motor, reaches a magnitude in which the motor is over-demanded, the power supply is interrupted at that moment and the operation of the dryer is completely stopped. At the same time, the display will show an indication that says: "Change filter". The dryer will then be disabled for use and will be enabled again when the filter is changed. The situation will be detected by the filter presence sensor. That is to say, that rehabilitation requires the replacement of the filter. All this process will be recorded and saved in the computer's memory, as well as all the filter changes that are made during the useful life of the device. It is notorious then that what has been demonstrated in the analyzed graphs will be stored in the memory, as imposed in the steps indicated by the event counter -35- and the event log -36-, where all the normal and eventual events will be asserted. to which the dryer will be subjected during its operation. This will establish all the operating history of the equipment, which will announce only the maintenance tasks on the screen -14- but everything that is of interest for the best functioning of the equipment, such as the need to change the filter, the motor bearings, etc. In summary, the control circuit comprises a microprocessor connected to the electric drive motor of the dryer through a transistor whose collector is connected in series with a triac, where the triac motor series includes the capacitor elements and conventional resistors, while with the same electrical arrangement is fed the heating resistance; said microprocessor is connected with a temperature sensor, a filter sensor, a pressure sensor and a motor speed sensor; said circuit includes viewer means and adjustment and connection of the operating parameters of the equipment commanded by the microprocessor conditioned by a program. In this way has been outlined one of the constructive possibilities that lead to concrete the invention and the way e: that it works, including its specific application, and complementing the documentation with the syrtesis of the invention contained in the clauses claiming add below.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1.- Manual-type programmable hair dryer with multiple functions, of the type integrated by an electric impeller motor of a turbine projecting air through a nozzle through a heating resistor, and provided with means selectors of cold or hot air, characterized in that in its programmable control circuit includes a microprocessor with which at least one temperature sensor, a static pressure sensor, a motor speed sensor, an ion generator, a battery of resistors with their selector switch means are connected. in series and the respective circuits of power supply of the engine and the aforementioned air heater means, in which to optimize the processing path, said microprocessor, started the dryer on and selected the values of its parameters, establishes the initial operative configuration to the 50% of the value of them and then define continuously, depending on the database not rmales, the constant functional regime, responding to electrical, thermal and mechanical discrepancies intervening with its corrective stabilization, registration, signaling and information by means of a screen. 2.- Hair dryer of the programmable manual type with multiple functions, according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit comprises a microprocessor connected to the electric drive motor of the dryer through a transistor whose collector is connected in series with a triac, where the triac motor series includes the capacitor elements and conventional resistors, while with the same electrical arrangement the heating resistor is fed; said microprocessor is connected with a temperature sensor, a filter sensor, a pressure sensor and a motor speed sensor; said circuit includes means for viewing and adjusting and connecting the operating parameters of the equipment commanded by the microprocessor conditioned by a program. 3.- Hair dryer of the programmable manual type with multiple functions, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said means for adjusting and connecting the operating parameters of the equipment, connected to the power supply and to the microprocessor, include a diode rectifier, a Zener diode and an electrolytic filter, to which are added the appropriate circuit components such as a limiting resistor and a capacitor, whose set, supplies a battery of resistors in series with its selector switches. 4.- Hair dryer of manual type program with multiple functions, characterized in that said viewer means connected to the microprocessor consist of a liquid crystal display. 5.- Hair dryer of the programmable manual type with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said microprocessor is chosen as "Pheripheral Interface Controller 16F873" or similar. 6.- Manual programmer type hair dryer with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said electric motor speed sensor is an opto-coupled sector, and the temperature sensor consists of a thermocouple 1 . - Manual type programmer hair dryer with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said signaling means include at least one VU meter. 8.- Hair dryer of the programmable manual type with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said stabilization of the normal operating mode, both of the motor and of the heating resistance, is carried out by means of the sensor corresponding, whose information is channeled to and from the respective speed and temperature control while the signaling and information are made connecting the respective control in turn with the VU meter. corresponding and the computer screen. 9.- Hair dryer of manual type program with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said event register directly receives the information from the sensors and from the speed and temperature controls. 10.- Hair dryer of the programmable manual type with multiple functions, according to claims 1 to 9, characterized in that from the aforementioned speed and temperature controls the information is fed back to the state verification point of the parameters. The event log directly receives the information from the sensors and from the speed and temperature controls, while from the aforementioned speed and temperature controls the information is fed back to the point of verification of the status of the parameters.