US20220346516A1

US20220346516A1 - Hair Drying And Twisting Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20220346516A1
Application number: US17/242,365
Authority: US
Inventors: Melanie Polidore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-04-28
Filing date: 2021-04-28
Publication date: 2022-11-03

Abstract

A hair drying and twisting assembly includes an air gun that has a handle portion and a barrel portion. A cylinder is removably attachable to the barrel portion and the cylinder is foraminous to pass air therethrough. A blower is positioned within the barrel portion to blow air outwardly through the barrel portion when the blower is turned on. A heating element is positioned within the barrel portion to heat the air is blown by the blower when the heating element is turned on. A plurality of motors is positioned in the barrel portion and a plurality of coiled members is positioned within the barrel portion. Each of the coiled members engages a respective one of the motors to twist the user's hair into a coil when the motors are turned on.

Description

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to hair drying devices and more particularly pertains to a new hair drying device for drying and twisting a user's hair.

(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

The prior art relates to hair drying devices including a variety of hair curling devices that each includes a rotating element that is externally mounted on a hair dryer.
In each case the rotating element is generally cylindrically shaped and includes bristles or other finger shaped elements for engaging a user's hair. The prior art also discloses a variety of hair dryers that includes cylindrical element that is foraminous for blowing air. The prior art does not disclose internally mounted, helical coils that are rotated for curing a user's hair.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an air gun that has a handle portion and a barrel portion. A cylinder is removably attachable to the barrel portion and the cylinder is foraminous to pass air therethrough. A blower is positioned within the barrel portion to blow air outwardly through the barrel portion when the blower is turned on. A heating element is positioned within the barrel portion to heat the air is blown by the blower when the heating element is turned on. A plurality of motors is positioned in the barrel portion and a plurality of coiled members is positioned within the barrel portion. Each of the coiled members engages a respective one of the motors to twist the user's hair into a coil when the motors are turned on.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a hair drying and twisting assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a left side phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new hair drying device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the hair drying and twisting assembly 10 generally comprises an air gun 12 has a handle portion 14 and a barrel portion 16. The handle portion 14 can be gripped thereby facilitating the barrel portion 16 to be directed toward the user's hair 18. The barrel portion 16 has a front end 20, a back end 22 and an outer surface 24 extending therebetween. The handle portion 14 extends downwardly from the outer surface 24 and the handle portion 14 has a distal end 26 with respect to the barrel portion 16 and an exterior surface 28. Moreover, the handle portion 14 is positioned closer to the back end 22 than the front end 20, and the handle portion 14 is hollow.
The barrel portion 16 has an air chamber 30 is integrated therein and the air chamber 30 extends from the back end 22 toward the front end 20. The back end 22 is open to facilitate air to pass into the air chamber 30 and the air chamber 30 has a forward bounding surface 32. Additionally, the handle portion 14 is fluidly discrete from the barrel portion 16. The barrel portion 16 has a plurality of tunnels 34 each being integrated therein. Each of the tunnels 34 extends through the front end 20 and the forward bounding surface 32 of the air chamber 30 to pass air from the air chamber 30 outwardly through the front end 20. The tunnels 34 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed around a center point of the front end 20. Additionally, as is most clearly shown in FIG. 2, the front end 20 has a plurality of engagement points 36 each being integrated therein.
A cylinder 38 is removably attachable to the front end 20 of the barrel portion 16 and the cylinder 38 is foraminous to pass air therethrough. The cylinder 38 has a forward surface 40 and a rearward surface 42, and the cylinder 38 has a plurality of tunnels 44 each extending through the forward surface 40 and the rearward surface 42 thereby facilitating the cylinder 38 to be foraminous. The rearward surface 42 abuts the front end 20 of the barrel portion 16 when the cylinder 38 is attached thereto. Moreover, each of the tunnels 44 in the cylinder 38 is aligned with a respective one of the tunnels 34 in the barrel portion 16 when the cylinder 38 is attached thereto. In this way each of the tunnels 44 in the cylinder 38 can pass air therethrough when the air passes through the tunnels 34 in the barrel portion 16. As is most clearly shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder 38 has a plurality of engagements 46 each extending away from the rearward surface 42. Each of the engagements 46 releasably engages a respective one of the engagement points 36 on the front end 20 of the barrel portion 16 for removably attaching the cylinder 38 to the barrel portion 16.
A blower 48 is positioned within the barrel portion 16 to blow air outwardly through the barrel portion 16 when the blower 48 is turned on. The blower 48 is positioned adjacent to the back end 22 of the barrel portion 16 to urge air inwardly through the back end 22 and outwardly through the tunnels 34 in the barrel portion 16 and the tunnels in the cylinder 38. In this way the air can be blown onto the user's hair 18 for drying the user's hair 18. The blower 48 may include an electric motor and a fan that is rotatably coupled to the electric motor. Additionally, a mesh screen 50 covers the back end 22 of the barrel portion 16 to inhibit the user from touching the blower 48.
A heating element 52 is provided and the heating element 52 is positioned within the barrel portion 16. The heating element 52 is positioned between the blower 48 and the front end 20 of the barrel portion 16 to heat the air that is blown by the blower 48 when the heating element 52 is turned on. The heating element 52 may comprise an electric heating coil or the like and the heating element 52 may have an operational temperature ranging between approximately 90.0 degrees Fahrenheit and 140.0 degrees Fahrenheit.
A plurality of motors 54 is provided and each of the motors 54 is positioned in the barrel portion 16. Each of the motors 54 is disposed on the forward bounding surface 32 of the air chamber 30 in the barrel portion 16. Moreover, each of the motors 54 is aligned with a respective one of the tunnels 34 in the barrel portion 16 and each of the motors 54 rotates in a first direction when the motors 54 are turned on. Each of the motors 54 may comprise an electric motor or the like.
A plurality of coiled members 56 is provided and each of the coiled members 56 is positioned within a respective one of the tunnels 34 in the barrel portion 16. Each of the coiled members 56 extends through a respective one of the tunnels 44 in the cylinder 38 when the cylinder 38 is attached to the barrel portion 16. Each of the coiled members 56 has a first end 58 and a second end 60, and each of the coiled members 56 is twisted about an axis extending through the first end 58 and the second end 60 such that each of the coiled members 56 forms a helical coil. The first end 58 of each of the coiled members 56 is coupled to an output shaft 62 of a respective one of the motors 54. Additionally, the second end 60 of each of the coils is positioned adjacent with the forward surface 40 of the cylinder 38 when the cylinder 38 is attached to the barrel portion 16. Each of the coiled members 56 rotates about the axis extending through the first end 58 and the second end 60 when the motors 54 are turned on. Moreover, each of the coiled members 56 is comprised of a heat resistant material, such as ceramic or other similar type of rigid material, to resist being deformed by the heated air blown by the blower 48.
A temperature switch 64 is slidably integrated into the exterior surface 28 of the handle portion 14 and the temperature switch 64 is electrically coupled to the heating element 52. The temperature switch 64 is positionable in a minimum position, a medial position and a maximum position. Moreover, the heating element 52 is actuated into a corresponding minimum temperature, a medial temperature or a maximum temperature, depending on the position of the temperature switch 64. A blower switch 66 is slidably integrated into the exterior surface 28 of the handle portion 14, the blower switch 66 is electrically coupled to the blower 48, and the blower switch 66 is positionable in an on position or an off position. The blower 48 is actuated when the blower switch 66 is in the on position and the blower 48 is de-actuated when the blower switch 66 is in the off position.
A coil switch 68 is slidably integrated into exterior surface 28 of the handle portion 14, the coil switch 68 is electrically coupled to each of the motors 54 and the coil switch 68 is positionable in an on position or an off position. Each of the motors 54 is actuated when the coil switch 68 is positioned in the on position and each of the motors 54 is de-actuated when the coil switch 68 is positioned in the off position. An off switch 69 is slidably integrated into the exterior surface 28 of the handle portion 14 and the off switch 69 is electrically coupled to each of the motors 54, the heating element 52 and the blower 48. The off switch 69 de-actuates each of the motors 54, the heating element 52 and the blower 48 when the off switch 69 is positioned in an off position.
A trigger 70 is movably integrated into the exterior surface 28 of the handle portion 14, the trigger 70 is biased into an off position and the trigger 70 is depressible into an on position. The trigger 70 is electrically coupled to each of the temperature switch 64, the blower switch 66 and the coil switch 68. Moreover, each of the heating element 52, the blower 48 and each of the motors 54 is turned on when the trigger 70 is depressed depending on the position of the temperature switch 64, the blower switch 66 and the coil switch 68. In this way only the blower 48 and heating element 52 can be turned on for drying the user's hair 18 while the coiled members 56 remain stationary. Conversely, each of the coiled members 56 can be rotated while the blower 48 and the heating element 52 are turned on for simultaneously drying the user's hair 18 and forming the user's hair 18 into a coiled curl.
A power cord 72 extends outwardly through the distal end 26 of the handle portion 14 and the power cord 72 is electrically coupled to the trigger 70. The power cord 72 has a distal end 74 with respect to the distal end 26 of the handle portion 14. The distal end 74 of the power cord 72 has a male electrical plug 76 that is electrically coupled thereto. The male electrical plug 76 can be plugged into a power source 78 comprising a female electrical outlet. As is most clearly shown in FIG. 2, the power cord 72 can be pushed into the handle portion 14 for storage.
In use, the blower switch 66 is positioned in the on position and the temperature switch 64 is positioned in the desired position when the user wishes the dry their hair 18. The trigger 70 is depressed and the blower 48 blows heated air outwardly through the forward surface 40 of the cylinder 38 to dry the user's hair 18. The user can position the coil switch 68 into the on position and insert strands of their hair 18 into each of the tunnels 44 in the cylinder 38. In this way the coiled members 56 are rotated when the trigger 70 is depressed, thereby forming the strands of the user's hair 18 into a coiled curl. The blower 48 blows the heated air onto the strands of hair 18 to retain the strands of hair 18 in the coiled curl. Moreover, the coiled members 56 inhibit the strands of hair 18 from being blown outwardly from the tunnels 44 in the cylinder 38 when the blower 48 is turned on. The blower switch 66 can be turned off to facilitate the coiled members 56 to coil the user's hair 18 without blowing air.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hair drying and twisting assembly for drying a user's hair or twisting the user's hair into curls, said assembly comprising:

an air gun having a handle portion and a barrel portion wherein said handle portion is configured to be gripped thereby facilitating said barrel portion to be directed toward the user's hair;

a cylinder being removably attachable to said barrel portion, said cylinder being foraminous wherein said cylinder is configured to pass air therethrough;

a blower being positioned within said barrel portion wherein said blower is configured to blow air outwardly through said barrel portion when said blower is turned on;

a heating element being positioned within said barrel portion wherein said heating element is configured to heat the air being blown by said blower when said heating element is turned on;

a plurality of motors, each of said motors being positioned in said barrel portion; and

a plurality of coiled members, each of said coiled members being positioned within said barrel portion, each of said coiled members extending through respective foramina in said cylinder when said cylinder is attached to said barrel wherein each of said coiled members is configured to engage the user's hair, each of said coiled members engaging a respective one of said motors wherein each of said coiled members is configured to twist the user's hair into a coil when said motors are turned on.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said barrel portion has a front end, a back end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said handle portion extending downwardly from said outer surface, said handle portion having a distal end with respect to said barrel portion and an exterior surface, said handle portion being positioned closer to said back end than said front end, said handle portion being hollow.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said barrel portion has an air chamber being integrated therein, said air chamber extending from said back end toward said front end, said back end being open wherein said back end is configured to facilitate air to pass into said air chamber, said air chamber having a forward bonding surface, said handle portion being fluidly discrete from said barrel portion.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said barrel portion has a plurality of tunnels each being integrated therein, each of said tunnels extending through said front end and said forward bounding surface of said air chamber wherein each of said tunnels is configured to pass air from said air chamber and outwardly through said front end, said tunnels being spaced apart from each other and being distributed around a center point of said front end.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein said cylinder has a forward surface and a rearward surface, said cylinder having a plurality of tunnels each extending through said forward surface and said rearward surface thereby facilitating said cylinder to be foraminous, said rearward surface abutting said front end of said barrel portion when said cylinder is attached thereto, each of said tunnels in said cylinder being aligned with a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion when said cylinder is attached thereto wherein each of said tunnels in said cylinder is configured to pass air therethrough when the air passes through said tunnels in said barrel portion.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein:

said front end of said barrel portion has a plurality of engagement points each being integrated therein; and

said cylinder has a plurality of engagements each extending away from said rearward surface, each of said engagements releasably engaging a respective one of said engagement points on said front end of said barrel for removably attaching said cylinder to said barrel.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said blower is positioned adjacent to said back end of said barrel portion wherein said blower is configured to urge air inwardly through said back end and outwardly through said tunnels in said barrel portion and said tunnels in said cylinder thereby facilitating the air to be blown onto the user's hair for drying the user's hair.

8. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein each of said motors is disposed on said forward bounding surface of said air chamber in said barrel portion, each of said motors being aligned with a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion, each of said motors rotating in a first direction when said motors are turned on.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said coiled members has a first end and a second end, each of said coiled members being twisted about an axis extending through said first end and said second end such that each of said coiled members forms a helical coil, said first end of each of said coiled members being coupled to an output shaft of a respective one of said motors, each of said coiled members rotating about said axis extending through said first end and said second end when said motors are turned on.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein:

said barrel portion has a plurality of tunnels each being integrated therein;

said cylinder has a forward surface and a rearward surface, said cylinder having a plurality of tunnels each extending through said forward surface and said rearward surface thereby facilitating said cylinder to be foraminous, each of said tunnels in said cylinder being aligned with a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion when said cylinder is attached thereto; and

each of said coiled members is positioned within a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion, each of said coiled members extending through a respective one of said tunnels in said cylinder when said cylinder is attached to said barrel, said second end of each of said coils is positioned adjacent with a forward surface of said cylinder when said cylinder is attached to said barrel.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said coiled members is comprised of a heat resistant material wherein each of said coiled members is configured to resist being deformed by the heated air blown by said blower.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said temperature switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said temperature switch being electrically coupled to said heating element, said temperature switch being positionable in a minimum position, a medial position and a maximum position, said heating element being actuated into a corresponding minimum temperature, a medial temperature or a maximum temperature depending on the position of said temperature switch.

13. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a blower switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said blower switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said blower switch being electrically coupled to said blower, said blower switch being positionable in an on position or an off position, said blower being actuated when said blower switch is in said on position, said blower being de-actuated when said blower switch is in said off position.

14. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a coil switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said coil switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said coil switch being electrically coupled to each of said motors, said coil switch being positionable in an on position or an off position, each of said motors being actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said on position, each of said motors being de-actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said off position.

15. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said temperature switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said temperature switch being electrically coupled to said heating element, said temperature switch being positionable in a minimum position, a medial position and a maximum position, said heating element being actuated into a corresponding minimum temperature, a medial temperature or a maximum temperature depending on the position of said temperature switch;

a blower switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said blower switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said blower switch being electrically coupled to said blower, said blower switch being positionable in an on position or an off position, said blower being actuated when said blower switch is in said on position, said blower being de-actuated when said blower switch is in said off position;

a coil switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said coil switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said coil switch being electrically coupled to each of said motors, said coil switch being positionable in an on position or an off position, each of said motors being actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said on position, each of said motors being de-actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said off position; and

a trigger being movably integrated into said handle portion wherein said trigger is configured to be depressed by a user, said trigger being biased into an off position, said trigger being depressible into an on position, said trigger being electrically coupled to each of said temperature switch, said blower switch and said coil switch, each of said heating element, said blower and each of said motors being turned on when said trigger is depressed depending on the position of said temperature switch, said blower switch and said coil switch.

16. The assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a power cord extending outwardly through a distal end of said handle portion, said power cord being electrically coupled to said trigger, said power cord having a distal end with respect to said distal end of said handle portion, said distal end of said power cord having a male electrical plug being electrically coupled thereto wherein said male electrical plug is configured to be plugged into a power source comprising a female electrical outlet.

17. A hair drying and twisting assembly for drying a user's hair or twisting the user's hair into curls, said assembly comprising:

an air gun having a handle portion and a barrel portion wherein said handle portion is configured to be gripped thereby facilitating said barrel portion to be directed toward the user's hair, said barrel portion having a front end, a back end and an outer surface extending therebetween, said handle portion extending downwardly from said outer surface, said handle portion having a distal end with respect to said barrel portion and an exterior surface, said handle portion being positioned closer to said back end than said front end, said handle portion being hollow, said barrel portion having an air chamber being integrated therein, said air chamber extending from said back end toward said front end, said back end being open wherein said back end is configured to facilitate air to pass into said air chamber, said air chamber having a forward bonding surface, said handle portion being fluidly discrete from said barrel portion, said barrel portion having a plurality of tunnels each being integrated therein, each of said tunnels extending through said front end and said forward bounding surface of said air chamber wherein each of said tunnels is configured to pass air from said air chamber and outwardly through said front end, said tunnels being spaced apart from each other and being distributed around a center point of said front end, said front end having a plurality of engagement points each being integrated therein;

a cylinder being removably attachable to said front end of said barrel portion, said cylinder being foraminous wherein said cylinder is configured to pass air therethrough, said cylinder having a forward surface and a rearward surface, said cylinder having a plurality of tunnels each extending through said forward surface and said rearward surface thereby facilitating said cylinder to be foraminous, said rearward surface abutting said front end of said barrel portion when said cylinder is attached thereto, each of said tunnels in said cylinder being aligned with a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion when said cylinder is attached thereto wherein each of said tunnels in said cylinder is configured to pass air therethrough when the air passes through said tunnels in said barrel portion, said cylinder having a plurality of engagements each extending away from said rearward surface, each of said engagements releasably engaging a respective one of said engagement points on said front end of said barrel for removably attaching said cylinder to said barrel;

a blower being positioned within said barrel portion wherein said blower is configured to blow air outwardly through said barrel portion when said blower is turned on, said blower being positioned adjacent to said back end of said barrel portion wherein said blower is configured to urge air inwardly through said back end and outwardly through said tunnels in said barrel portion and said tunnels in said cylinder thereby facilitating the air to be blown onto the user's hair for drying the user's hair;

a heating element being positioned within said barrel portion, said heating element being positioned between said blower and said front end of said barrel wherein said heating element is configured to heat the air being blown by said blower when said heating element is turned on;

a plurality of motors, each of said motors being positioned in said barrel portion, each of said motors being disposed on said forward bounding surface of said air chamber in said barrel portion, each of said motors being aligned with a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion, each of said motors rotating in a first direction when said motors are turned on;

a plurality of coiled members, each of said coiled members being positioned within a respective one of said tunnels in said barrel portion, each of said coiled members extending through a respective one of said tunnels in said cylinder when said cylinder is attached to said barrel, each of said coiled members having a first end and a second end, each of said coiled members being twisted about an axis extending through said first end and said second end such that each of said coiled members forms a helical coil, said first end of each of said coiled members being coupled to an output shaft of a respective one of said motors, said second end of each of said coils being positioned adjacent with said forward surface of said cylinder when said cylinder is attached to said barrel, each of said coiled members rotating about said axis extending through said first end and said second end when said motors are turned on, each of said coiled members being comprised of a heat resistant material wherein each of said coiled members is configured to resist being deformed by the heated air blown by said blower;

a coil switch being slidably integrated into said handle portion wherein said coil switch is configured to be manipulated by a user, said coil switch being electrically coupled to each of said motors, said coil switch being positionable in an on position or an off position, each of said motors being actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said on position, each of said motors being de-actuated when said coil switch is positioned in said off position;

a trigger being movably integrated into said handle portion wherein said trigger is configured to be depressed by a user, said trigger being biased into an off position, said trigger being depressible into an on position, said trigger being electrically coupled to each of said temperature switch, said blower switch and said coil switch, each of said heating element, said blower and each of said motors being turned on when said trigger is depressed depending on the position of said temperature switch, said blower switch and said coil switch; and

a power cord extending outwardly through said distal end of said handle portion, said power cord being electrically coupled to said trigger, said power cord having a distal end with respect to said distal end of said handle portion, said distal end of said power cord having a male electrical plug being electrically coupled thereto wherein said male electrical plug is configured to be plugged into a power source comprising a female electrical outlet.