WO2019224509A1

WO2019224509A1 - Hair care appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2019224509A1
Application number: PCT/GB2019/050972
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Coulton; Gavin GALLIGAN; Christopher Monk; Richard Mason
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
Priority date: 2018-05-23
Filing date: 2019-04-04
Publication date: 2019-11-28
Also published as: CN110522154A; GB201808446D0; GB2574026A

Abstract

Disclosed is a hair care appliance (10) comprising housing and a grille (60) wherein the grille extends within the housing and the grille comprises a first aperture and a second aperture (62, 64) and the first aperture is a different shape to the second aperture. The first aperture may be a different size to the second aperture. The grille may extend across an internal diameter of the housing. The housing may comprise a fluid inlet (212) and a fluid outlet (202) with a fluid flow path extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The housing may further comprise a fan unit (70) and the grille is located within the fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and a fan unit. The grille may be adjacent the fan unit. The second aperture may comprise a plurality of apertures.

Description

Hair Care Appliance

This invention relates to a heater for a hand held appliance and in particular for a hair care appliance.

In a conventional hot styling appliance, air is drawn into an inlet by a fan unit and directed towards the hair by an outlet. Often, one appliance is provided with different attachments, each having a different outlet and thus a different function, for example drying, curling or volumising. Depending on the style desired, the air may or may not be heated. The attachment may include bristles onto which hair is wrapped and held for styling.

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a hair care appliance comprising a housing and a grille wherein the grille extends within the housing and the grille comprises a first aperture and a second aperture and the first aperture is a different shape to the second aperture.

Preferably, the first aperture is a different size to the second aperture.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a hair care appliance comprising a housing and a grille wherein the grille extends within the housing and the grille comprises a first aperture and a second aperture and the first aperture is a different size to the second aperture.

Preferably, the grille extends across an internal diameter of the housing. Preferably, the housing comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a fluid flow path extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. It is preferred that fluid is drawn into the fluid flow path by a fan unit. The fan unit comprises a fan and a motor. It is preferred that the grille is located within the fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and a fan unit. It is preferred that the grille is adjacent the fan unit; preferably upstream of the fan unit. Preferably, the grille is adjacent the fan unit; preferably upstream of the fluid inlet.

The grille is provided to even out the fluid flow in the fluid flow path prior to fan unit and its’ use reduces the noise produced within the appliance.

Preferably, the second aperture comprises a plurality of apertures. It is preferred that the second aperture is hexagonal.

Preferably, the first aperture is circular. Preferably the first aperture is located at a centre of the grille. The centre of the grille is defined as the radial centre for a circular grille or a point defined by a crossing point of two orthogonal axes (denoting height and width of the grille for example) for a non-circular grille.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing comprises a fluid inlet at one end and the grille is spaced from the fluid inlet. Preferably, the housing further comprises a fan unit and the grille is located between the fan unit and a fluid inlet to the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the grille is adjacent a fan unit provided in the housing. Preferably the fan unit includes a fan and a motor. The motor comprises a shaft on which the fan is mounted. Preferably the first aperture is adapted to accommodate the shaft. In certain circumstances, the fan unit and thus the shaft may move linearly with respect to the housing. The first aperture enables this movement without damage to the grille. Preferably, the first aperture is larger than the second aperture.

It is preferred that the grille is substantially the same cross sectional area as the fan.

Preferably, the grille comprises an outer frame and internal walls. The internal walls define the first aperture and the second aperture. Preferably the grille comprises a first side and a second side. In a preferred embodiment, the first side is located adjacent the fan unit. Preferably the second side is located distal the fan unit. Preferably, the internal walls are non-parallel. In a preferred embodiment, the internal walls have a thickness and the thickness varies from the first side to the second side. Preferably the internal walls have a first thickness at the first side and a second thickness at the second side. Preferably, the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. Having non parallel walls is advantageous as it directs fluid flowing through the grille. It is preferred that the grille comprises a first side and a second side, the first side being adjacent the fan unit and the second side distal from the fan unit wherein the internal walls are thicker at the first side than the second side. Preferably, at the second side the internal walls are curved; the internal walls have rounded corners. When fluid flows into the grille at the second side, the provision of a curved surface creates reduced turbulence, noise and pressure loss as the fluid is split and guided around the curved surface.

Thus, according to a third aspect, the invention provides a hair care appliance comprising:

a housing, the housing comprising a fluid flow path extending from a fluid inlet into the housing to a fluid outlet from the housing;

a grille, wherein the grille extends within the housing and across the fluid flow path; and

a module, wherein the module extends along the housing within the fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and the grille; wherein the grille comprises an outer frame and internal walls which define apertures through the grille and the internal walls are non-parallel.

Having a module located in the fluid flow path causes fluid to flow around the module which combines at the distal end of the module from the fluid inlet; this can cause turbulence so the grille guides the flow to mitigate this.

In a preferred embodiment, the module is a housing for a PCB (printed circuit board).

Preferably, the housing has a circular or elliptical cross section and the module is located within the fluid flow path with fluid capable of flowing around the module. In a preferred embodiment the housing further comprises a fan unit. Preferably, the fan unit has a circular cross-section. Preferably, the fan unit is located between the grille and the fluid outlet. In this embodiment, the grille has the further function of straightening the fluid flowing through the fluid flow path prior to entering the fan unit reducing noise, pressure losses and turbulence

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

The invention will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows an example of an appliance according to the invention;

Figure 2a shows a cross-section through part of the appliance of Figure 1;

Figure 2b shows an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of Figure 2a;

Figure 3 shows an isometric view of a grille according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a front view of the grille shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a cross section through of the grille shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 shows an enlarged portion of an internal wall of the grille shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1, 2a and 2b, an example of a hand held appliance 10 is shown. The appliance has a handle 210 and an attachment 20 for styling hair. In order to enable a user to create different styles and to give the appliance multi functionality, the attachment 20 is removable and can be replaced with an alternative attachment. In addition, the attachment 20 can be removed to allow easier storage of the appliance when not in use. The handle 210 includes a UI (user interface) 230 comprising number of different user operated buttons 38, 138 enabling the user to select between a number of different heat and flow settings. The handle 210 includes a fan unit 70 and heater 80. The fan unit 70 has a motor 76 and a fan 78 which rotates when the motor is activated.

In use the fan unit 70 draws fluid in through a fluid inlet 212, along a fluid flow path 100, through the heater 80 which optionally heats the fluid which is then emitted by the fluid outlet 22 in the attachment 20.

The handle 210 has an outer wall 200 which extends along a longitudinal axis X-X from the fluid inlet 212 towards the fluid outlet 202 of the handle 210 and an inner wall 220 which houses the fan unit 70 and the heater 80.

The fluid inlet 212 to the handle 210, filters fluid that enters the fluid flow path 100. The outer wall 200 provides a filter grille 204 and the inner wall 220 a filter mesh 224. The filter mesh 224 is finer than the filter grille 204 and is adapted to catch dust and fluff. The filter grille 204 is removable to enable the filter mesh 224 to be cleaned

periodically.

Once fluid has entered the appliance 10, it is directed passed the PCB 120. The inner wall 220 conveniently provides a housing 222 for the PCB 120 which limits the position of the PCB 120. As the PCB 120 has differently sized and shaped electrical

components mounted on it, having the PCB 120 contained within a housing 222 reduces turbulence, noise and pressure losses within the appliance 10. At a downstream end l20b of the PCB, the inner wall 220 curves around the end of the PCB 120 towards the fan unit 70. The shape of the downstream end is designed to reduce separation of flow from the outer surface 222a of the housing 222.

Between the PCB 120 and the fan unit 70 a grille 60 is provided. Conventionally, such grilles have an array of identical apertures, often hexagonal and can be located as part of an inlet grille, outlet grille or within the appliance and reduce turbulence into the appliance, fan unit or out of the appliance. In order to accommodate a lateral movement of the fan unit 70 the grille 60 includes an enlarged aperture 62 sized to allow the shaft 74 for the fan unit 70 to pass through the grille 60. The remaining apertures 64 are generally hexagonal to maximise the open area of the grille 60. The grille 60 is provided to even out the fluid flow prior to fan unit 70 and its’ use reduces the noise produced within the appliance.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 6, the grille 60 will be described in more detail. The grille 60 has an outer frame 160 and a series of internal walls 162 which define both the central aperture 62 and the remaining apertures 64. The radially inner side l60a of the frame 160 defines an open area of the grille 60 and matches the cross-sectional area of the fan 78 and is aligned with the opening of the fan unit 70. Thus fluid that exits from the grille 60 has a straight path to the fan unit 70.

The grille 60 has a first side 66 and a second side 68 and the internal walls 162 are asymmetrical through the grille 60. In order that the grille 60 is positioned correctly i.e. with the first side 66 adjacent the fan unit 70 a locating pip 164 is provided which engages with a recess (not shown) provided in the inner wall 220. The internal walls 162 are asymmetrical having a tapered profile to assist in manufacturing (mould release of the part from the moulding tool) and to minimise the acoustic impart of the grille and at the second side 68, the edges l62a of the internal walls 162 are rounded to guide the flow into the grille 60 again to reduce the acoustic impart by mitigating the turbulence caused by the grille.

There is a gap 166 between the downstream end l20b of the housing 222 and the grille 60 and this gap 166 is provided to allow mixing of the fluid that flowed on either side of the PCB 120. There is a velocity mismatch between the fluid that flowed on either side of the PCB 120 and allowing space for these to mix reduces the mismatch, then the grille 60 evens the flow further and reduces the overall velocity.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to a hot styling device, the rotatable connector can be used in any hand held appliance in which a relative rotation of the appliance with respect to a user occurs including, but not limited to straighteners and curling devices such as tongs, wands or irons. In these examples, as a fluid flow is not used in the styling process, the handle 210 would not include a fan unit but would include a heater or heated surface with which to style hair.

Claims

1. A hair care appliance comprising a housing and a grille wherein the grille extends within the housing and the grille comprises a first aperture and a second aperture and the first aperture is a different shape to the second aperture

wherein the housing comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a fluid flow path extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; and

wherein the housing further comprises a fan unit and the grille is located within the fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and a fan unit.

2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first aperture is a different size to the second aperture.

3. A hair care appliance comprising a housing and a grille wherein the grille extends within the housing and the grille comprises a first aperture and a second aperture and the first aperture is a different size to the second aperture.

4. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the grille extends across an internal diameter of the housing.

5. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the grille is adjacent the fan unit.

6. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the second aperture comprises a plurality of apertures.

7. An appliance according to claim 6, wherein the second aperture is hexagonal.

8. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the first aperture is circular.

9. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the first aperture is located at a centre of the grille.

10. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a fluid flow path extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet and wherein the housing further comprises a fan unit, the fan unit comprising a fan and a motor wherein the motor comprises a shaft onto which the fan is mounted and the grille is located within the fluid flow path adjacent the fan unit wherein the second aperture is adapted to accommodate the shaft of the motor.

11. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the grille comprises an outer frame and internal walls.

12. An appliance according to claim 11, wherein the internal walls define the first aperture and the second aperture.

13. An appliance according to claim 12, wherein the internal walls are non-parallel.

14. An appliance according to claim 13, wherein the internal walls have a thickness and the thickness varies from the first side to the second side.

15. An appliance according to any claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the grille comprises a first side and a second side, the first side being adjacent the fan unit and the second side distal from the fan unit wherein the internal walls are thicker at the first side than the second side.

16. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein at the second side the internal walls are curved.

17. An appliance according to claim 16, wherein at the second side, the internal walls have rounded corners.

18. An appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the hair care appliance is a hot styling appliance.