WO2004006713A1

WO2004006713A1 - Hair dryer

Info

Publication number: WO2004006713A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/001404
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young Ho Kwon; Man Taek Lee
Original assignee: Young Ho Kwon; Man Taek Lee
Priority date: 2002-07-16
Filing date: 2003-07-16
Publication date: 2004-01-22
Also published as: AU2003245168A1

Abstract

A hair dryer comprises a housing defining an air intake and an air outlet, and a handle formed at the housing. The housing contains a fan for drawing air from ambient environment and a heating element. The air is forced across the heating element toward the air outlet by the fan. A nozzle is attached to the air outlet for directing the air toward the hair. At least one blade is pivotably mounted inside an outlet end of the nozzle while dividing an air channel in the nozzle into two or more. The blade performs a continuous pivoting movement by a difference between blast pressures in the divided air channels in the nozzle, to produce a diffuse distribution of the air. The hair dryer further comprises a control member for adjusting the pivoting range of the blade by several steps.

Description

HAIR DRYER

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a hair dryer, and particularly to a hair dryer which enhances drying efficiency by producing a diffuse distribution of air exhausted from a nozzle.

BACKGROUND ART

Hair dryers are employed not only to remove moisture from hair, but also to aid in styling and shaping the hair as it dries to form an esthetically pleasing result. Typically, such hair dryers are constructed to have a housing defining an air intake and an air outlet. The housing contains a fan for drawing air from the ambient environment through the air intake, and a heating element. Often, the housing includes a handle such that the overall device has a "pistol-like" configuration. The air is forced across the heating element toward the air outlet of the housing. Then, the heated air passes directly from the air outlet, thereby assuming a generally columnar flow pattern as it exits. In many cases, a nozzle or other such accessories can be attached permanently or detachably to the outlet opening of the housing to alter the flow pattern of the heated air. However, the nozzle ends in a flattened outlet generally in the form of an elongate rectangle. By such a nozzle, airflow patterns have generally tended to flatten hair against the surface of the scalp during use. The heated air encounters difficulty in getting under the flattened hair, thus prolonging the drying process. Also, the force of the air stream sometimes causes the hair to mat, and the concentrated air stream overheats the area of impingement, so the hair is injured.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems in the prior art and provide a hair dryer which comprises a blade pivoting in a nozzle, thereby producing a diffuse distribution of air exhausted from the nozzle and enhancing drying efficiency.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer which can be used selectively in styling or drying hair by controlling a pivoting range of the blade by several steps. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer which can improves drying efficiency by forming a wave portion at one end of the blade to produce an undulation of the air.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hair dryer comprising a housing defining an air intake and an air outlet, and containing a fan for drawing air from ambient environment through the air intake and a heating element, the air being forced across the heating element toward the air outlet by the fan; a nozzle attached to the air outlet for directing the air toward the hair; and at least one blade pivotably mounted inside an outlet end of the nozzle, the blade dividing an air channel in the nozzle into two or more.

The blade performs a continuous pivoting movement by a difference between blast pressures in the divided air channels in the nozzle, to produce a diffuse distribution of the air.

The blade is disposed along a longitudinal or transverse direction of the nozzle, and formed with a wave portion at one end for generating an undulation of the air. Preferably, the blade is coated with tourmaline or ceramic powder.

The hair dryer further comprises a control member for adjusting the pivoting range of the blade by several steps.

The control member includes a multi-stepped plate which is movably located adjacent to the blade inside the nozzle, the multi-stepped plate having a fixing recess into which the blade is fitted to be fixed at one position and two or more restricting recesses having different widths from each other for restricting the pivoting range of the blade by several steps, and a knob which is extended from the multi-stepped plate outside the nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above object and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a hair dryer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2a is a lateral cross-sectional view showing a blade fixed by a control member in a nozzle.

Fig. 2b is a lateral cross-sectional view showing a pivoting movement of the blade within a narrow range in the nozzle. Fig. 2c is a lateral cross-sectional view showing a pivoting movement of the blade within a broad range in the nozzle. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in Fig. 2a. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a nozzle and blades of a hair dryer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a hair dryer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, a hair dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 10 defining an air intake and an air outlet, and a handle 12 formed at a rear end of the housing 10, such that the overall device has a "pistol-like" configuration. The housing 10 contains a fan (not shown) for drawing air from the ambient environment thereinto through the air intake, and a heating element (not shown). The air is forced across the heating element toward the air outlet of the housing 10 by the fan. To guide an airflow toward a user's hair, a nozzle 14 is attached permanently or detachably to the outlet end of the housing 10.

The nozzle 14 ends in a flattened outlet generally in the form of an elongate rectangle. A blade 16 is pivotably mounted inside the outlet end of the nozzle 14 along the longitudinal direction in such a manner that two shafts 16a and 16b formed at top and bottom ends of the blade 16 are respectively inserted into receiving holes

14a and 14b provided at the inner wall of the nozzle 14.

Such a blade 16 pivots about the shafts 16a and 16b according to the difference between blast pressures in two air channels which are divided by the blade 16 in the nozzle 14. In other words, the blade 16 pivots toward one of the air channels where the blast pressure is lower and reduces the area of the air channel. Then, the resistance of the air flowing through the narrow air channel increases, so the blade 16 is forced to pivot toward the opposite air channel in the nozzle 14. This continuous pivoting movement of the blade 16 produces a diffuse distribution of the air, thereby preventing the hair from being matted and enhancing drying efficiency. Also, the heated air is prevented from being concentrated on one point of the scalp, so as to remove displeasure and protect the hair from being injured by heat.

With reference to Figs. 2a to 2c and 3, the structure and operational effect of a control member 20 for controlling the pivoting movement of the blade 16 will now be described. The control member 20 includes an about "U-shaped" multi-stepped plate which is located adjacent to the blade 16 in the nozzle 14 and moved perpendicular to the pivot axis of the blade 16, and a knob 24 which is extended integrally from the multi-stepped plate outside the nozzle 14 through a slot 22. A part of the blade 16 is disposed in the multi-stepped plate. The multi-stepped plate has a fixing recess 20a for fixing the blade 16 at the middle position in the nozzle 14, and first and second restricting recesses 20b and 20c for restricting the pivoting ranges of the blade 16 by two steps. The first and second restricting recesses 20b and 20c have different widths from each other such that the second recess 20c is broader than the first recess 20b.

Fig. 2a shows that the blade 16 is fixed at the middle position in the nozzle 14 by being fitted into the fixing recess 20a, which is for styling and shaping the hair. In this state, when a user pulls the knob 24 backward as shown in Fig. 2b, the blade 16 can be pivoted about the shafts 16a and 16b within a specific range which is limited by the first restricting recess 20b. Also, when the user pulls the knob 24 more backward as shown in Fig. 2c, the blade 16 can be pivoted within a relatively larger range limited by the second restricting recess 20c. Accordingly, the pivoting range of the blade 16 is adjusted by several steps by moving the knob 24 forward or backward. A front end of the blade 16 is formed with a wave portion 26. The wave portion 26 generates an undulation of the air stream, and thus intensifies the diffusion or spread of the air stream.

Also, the blade 16 is coated with a layer 29 made from tourmaline or ceramic powder which radiates anions or far-infrared rays, to protect the hair and scalp and shield electromagnetic waves.

Fig. 4 shows a hair dryer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, a hair dryer according to a second embodiment is provided with a plurality of blades 30, which are disposed in the nozzle 14 along the transverse direction and arranged equidistantly in parallel with each other. And, a control member 32 for controlling the pivoting movements of all the blades 30 simultaneously is mounted in the nozzle 14 perpendicular to the pivot axes of the blades 30. The control member 32 includes a plurality of multi-stepped plates for respectively restricting the pivoting ranges of the blades 30 by several steps, and a knob (not shown) which is extended integrally from the multi-stepped plates outside the nozzle 14. Since the basic structure and the operational effect of the control member 32 according to the second embodiment are same as those of the above control member 20 according to the first embodiment, the explanation thereof is omitted.

The hair dryer according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention may also be employed to remove moisture from fur of pet animals.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above in detail, the inventive hair dryer is provided with a blade which pivots in a nozzle to produce a diffuse distribution of air, thereby preventing the hair from being matted and enhancing drying efficiency.

Also, the heated air is prevented from being concentrated on one point of the scalp, so as to remove displeasure and protect the hair from being injured by heat.

While the present invention has been shown and described with respect to particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hair dryer, comprising: a housing defining an air intake and an air outlet, and containing a fan for drawing air from ambient environment through said air intake and a heating element, the air being forced across said heating element toward said air outlet by said fan; a nozzle attached to said air outlet for directing the air toward the hair; and at least one blade pivotably mounted inside an outlet end of said nozzle, the blade dividing an air channel in said nozzle into two or more; wherein said blade performs a continuous pivoting movement by a difference between blast pressures in the divided air channels in said nozzle, to produce a diffuse distribution of the air.

2. The hair dryer of Claim 1, wherein said at least one blade is disposed along a longitudinal direction of said nozzle.

3. The hair dryer of Claim 1, wherein said at least one blade is disposed along a transverse direction of said nozzle.

4. The hair dryer of Claim 1, wherein said at least one blade is formed with a wave portion at one end for generating an undulation of the air.

5. The hair dryer of Claim 1, wherein said hair dryer further comprises a control member for adjusting the pivoting range of said blade by several steps.

6. The hair dryer of Claim 5, wherein said control member includes a multi- stepped plate which is movably located adjacent to said blade inside said nozzle, the multi-stepped plate having a fixing recess into which said blade is fitted to be fixed at one position and two or more restricting recesses having different widths from each other for restricting the pivoting range of said blade by several steps, and a knob which is extended from said multi-stepped plate outside said nozzle.

7. The hair dryer of Claim 1, wherein said blade is coated with tourmaline or ceramic powder.