US2619735A - Self-sterilizing hair drier - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1952 JACOBOWITZ .SELF-STERILIZING HAIR DRIER Filed Jan. 10, 1950 INVENTOR. 'Louis Jocobowitz BY /A ATT RNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1952 .S'ELF- STERILIZING HAIR DRIER Louis Jacobowitz, New York, N. Y., assignor to "Ullman Products Corp., New York,N.1Y., a corporation of New York Application January '10, 1950', SerialNo. 137,707

Claims.

The present invention relates to hair dryers, especially of the type used in beauty parlors-or .the .like-tin which there is provided acover or hoodwhich completely encloses the head of the person whose hair is being dried. Hair dryersof the character described, when installed in beauty parlors, are, generally, in continuous daily use, for the successive drying of the vhair of numerous persons. Such procedure .may involve the exposure of the apparatus to contamination by the heads of persons who are unclean or may suffer from some one form or other-of a contagious head orhair ailment which might make the apparatus unsanitary or create a hazard-of infection of the heador hair of succeeding person or persons treated by the apparatus.

tion to provide hair dryers of the character de- 'scribed'in which the sterilizationProcesspreceeds solely during periods between use and is automatically halted when the apparatus is put .into use, to avoid any possible damage or harm. to

the head or. hair of theperson being treated.

Itjis afurther object of the present invention to provide hair drying apparatus of the characterdescribed in which the initiation and cessation of the sterilization process is automatically effectedby the same operation which puts the apparatus outof and into use without requiring any additional orspecialacts or .careon the part of the operator and without in anyway 'complicating the use of the apparatus.

It. is a still further object of the present i-nvention to provide sterilizing hair drying apparatus of the character described which are of simpleconstruc'tion .and cost but .little more than .the standard apparatus heretofore used; which are simpleto install and maintain; which are vgenerally easy and convenient to use; and which are highly effective for their purpose.

The. foregoing and other advantages and .superiorities of the hair drying apparatus of, the present invention will become more readily apparent to anyone'skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and from the description following. ,It .is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and withoutany intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.- I

r In the drawings:

r Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a hair drying apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an isometric sectional view through the hood-of the hair drying apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of the hood supporting means of the apparatus showing the automatic means for controllingthe sterilization of the hood in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 showing the sterilization controlling means in inoperative position; and,

Fig. .5 .is a diagram of the electric circuit through the apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the accompany- .ing drawings, the hair drying apparatus of the present invention may comprise a metallic hood,

generally designated as In, which may be of moreor-less parabolic longitudinal section and may be formed of one or more sections which may be cast or spun or partlycast and partly spun.

The hood may comprise a front, head receiving portion l.l having the opening I2 formed-with a thickened hollow lip 13 at its forward end, and partition [4 at itsinner end, which, partition preferably consists of a central screen or grill .l-5,; carried on an annular frame 16 of arcuate .crosssectionand supported with its concave face facing the opening 12, in spaced relation to'the walls of the hood ID, to provide an .annular space or opening [1. Inwardly of the partition M are disposed the operating or drying mechanism of the dryer, namely, the electric heating elements I13 and the fan l9 located preferably forwardly of the heating elements I 8, operated-by the motor 20 located preferably to the rear of the heating elements on the fan [8 driving air heated by the heating elements .17, through the screen or grill I5 and through the opening I? upon any head of .hair inserted into the compartment II, to dry the same.

The hood H1 may be provided witha flattened hollow, dependent bracket orarm 21, of preferably triangular shape with its forward end or side 22 open to receive the preferably flattened end .23 of .a telescopically vertical adjustable standard for support 24 upon which the bracket is pivotally supported as by means of the pinJ25 for tiltable adjustment in a vertical plane. The standard 24 is mounted on a base 26, which may be movable, as by means of casters 21.

In operation, the hood It requires to be tilted forwardly downwardly to receive a head therewithin for drying and is tilted in the reverse or upward direction to release the head therefrom. A stop pin 28 is set into the bracket 2| to limit thelatter direction by engaging the upper edge 29 of the standard 24.

Suitable means are provided for connecting the heating elements as well as the fan driving motor in an electric circuit which may include a cable and plug for inserting into an electric outlet, in a manner readily understood and not thought necessary to be specifically illustrated. Suitable means are also provided for setting the apparatus into operation which may include a cable 39 connected into the electric circuit of the apparatus at one end and a multiple station switch 3| at the other end of the cable which enables the graduated regulation heat in the apparatus through regulation of the current passing through the heating elements [5, as Well as its shutting off completely.

In order to sterilize the apparatus automatically between successive uses, I provide Within the head receiving portion 1 l of the hood I 0, and against the wall thereof and above the lip I 3 where it will be shielded by the lip 50 as not to interfere with the insertion of the head into the apparatus, a suitably insulated socket 35 including an inwardly facing reflector 35 for a small ultra-violet ray lamp 31.

The lamp 3'! and reflector 36 are thus arranged in position to send ultra-violet rays both against the concavely arcuate surface of the partition frame It and around it, through space H, into the inner portion of the hood against its parabolic walls; both surfaces reflecting the rays back into the hood space and scattering them throughout such space. For greater effectiveness in reflecting and scattering the ultra violet rays, the reflecting surfaces may be of a smooth, polished finish.

The socket 35 is connected into the electric circuit of the apparatus, its circuit including a transformer 38 mounted in the rear compartment of the hood Ill. The circuit of the socket 35 also includes a normally openv switch, preferably the button switch 49 mounted within the hood supporting bracket 2| in relatively close proximity to the upper edge 29 of the hood supporting standard 24 that extends into the bracket 2|, in position that when the front part of the hood I!) is tilted upwardly to release it from the head of a person, the switch 40 will contact such upper edge 29 of the standard up and push its button 4| into circuit closing position to close the circuit through the ultra violet lamp 3?. The switch 40 is also so positioned that when the hood I is tilted forwardly to receive a head, the button 4| will be released from contact with the upper edge 29 of the standard 24, to permit it to return to its normal, open circuit position.

It will be readily apparent that by this arrangement the sterilizing rays of the ultra-violet lamp 3? may be automatically put into operation when the apparatus is moved to release a head therefrom and will be put out of operation automatically when the apparatus is in head receiving opening, so that at no time may the ultraviolet rays be emitted into the apparatus when it is in head receiving position, thereby preventing any possibility of damage to the head or hair or any person being treated therein.

To insure further protection against injury or damage from the rays of the ultra-violet lamp 3?, the lamp circuit may be connected into the drying circuit in a manner that current to the lamp 3'! must pass at least through a part of the drying circuit and that the portion of the lamp circuit through the drying circuit is closed only when the drying circuit is open and is automatically broken when the drying circuit is closed, as illustrated in the circuit diagram in Fig. 5.

The circuit therein illustrated shows both the drying circuit and sterilizing lamp circuit passing through the switch 3|; each of the circuits having a different terminal, 32 and 33, respectively, within the switch. Thus, when the switch 3| contacts the terminal 32, the drying circuit is closed and the sterilizing circuit through the ultraviolet lamp 3? remains open. Conversely, when the swi'tch contacts the terminal 33, the drying circuit is opened and the sterilizing circuit through the switch is closed. Thus, the sterilizing circuit must remain open whenever the drying circuit is closed and even when the latter is open, so long as the hood is in head receiving position. By this means there is substantiall complete insurance against any possibility of the ultraviolet lamp circuit being put into operation while a head is being dried within the dryer.

It may here be stated that, if desired, more than one ultra-violet lamp may be provided in the apparatus, all of which may be connected in the same automatically closed and broken circuit.

This completes the description of one embodiment of the hair drying apparatus of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such apparatus is highly effective for its purpose of preventing the transfer of any contaminating head or hair condition from one user to another; that it is completely safe against damage or injury to the head of the user to the effects of the sterilizing rays; that its sterilization process is completely automatic requiring no conscious act or effort on the part of the operator to set the sterilization into action or to stop it other than the acts and care involved in the normal operation of the apparatus for drying purposes; and that, further, that such apparatus is of simple construction, and economical to produce and maintain.

It will be further apparent that the self-sterilizing hair drying apparatus may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth and without the use of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such variations and modifications that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a hair dryer having a hood open at one end and including a head receiving portion adjacent the open end thereof and a portion inwardly of said head receiving portion housing electrically operating air heating and air circulating means connected in an electric circuit, said circuit including a switch for opening and closing the same, supporting means for the said hood and means for tiltably mounting said hood on said supporting means; means for sterilizing the interior of said hood, including a socket for an ultraviolet lamp mounted interiorly on said hood adjacent its opening, said socket connected in an electric circuit in parallel with the said first named circuit, said second circuit connected into the said switch to be opened thereby when the said first circuit is closed and to be closed thereby when said first circuit is opened, said second cuit including means actuated for breaking the same by the tilting of said hood into one position and for opening the same by the tilting of said hood into another position, and a reflector associated with said socket for directing the rays of an ultra-violet lamp arranged in said socket inwardly into the said hood and against the wall thereof.

2. In a hair dryer having a hood open at one end and including a head receiving portion adiacent the open end thereof and a portion inwardly of said head receiving portion housing electrically operated air heating and air circulating means connected in an electric circuit, said circuit including a switch for opening and closing the same, supporting means for the saidhood and means for tiltably mounting said hood on said supporting means; means for sterilizing the interior of said hood including a socket for an ultra-violet lamp mounted interiorly on said hood adjacent its opening, said socket connected in an electric circuit in parallel with the said first named circuit, said second circuit connected into the said switch to be opened thereby when the said first circuit is closed and to be closed thereby when said first circuit is opened, said second circuit including means actuated for breaking the same by the tilting of said hood into one position and for opening the same by the tilting of said hood into another position, a reflector associated with said socket for directing the rays of an ultra-violet lamp inwardly into the said hood, and means for reflecting and dispersing rays from said ultra-violet lamp through the interior of the hood.

3. In a hair dryer having a hood open at one end and including a head receiving portion adjacent the open end thereof and a portion inwardly of the said head receiving portion housing electrically operating air heating and air circulating means connected in an electric circuit, said circuit including a switch for opening and closing the same, a hollow open-ended bracket on the exterior of said hood, means for supporting said hood including a post having an end entering into said hollow bracket and means for tiltably mounting said bracket on said post end for movement of the hood in a vertical plane;

means for sterilizing the interior of said hood, in- I eluding a socket for an ultra-violet lamp mounted internally on said hood adjacent its open end, said socket connected in an electric circuit in parallel with said first named circuit, said sec ond circuit including a normally open switch mounted within said bracket adjacent said post end, said switch including a member movable to close the same arranged to contact said post end when said hood is tilted to one extreme position to be moved thereby into circuit closing position, a reflector associated with said socket for directing the rays of a ultra-violet lamp inwardly into the said hood and means for reflecting and disper-sing the rays from an ultra-violet lamp arranged in said socket throughout the said hood.

4. In a hair dryer having a hood open at one end and including a head receiving portion adjacent the open end thereof and a portion inwardly of the said head receiving portion housing electrically operating air heating and air circulating means connected in an electric circuit, said circuit including a switch for opening and closing the same, a hollow open ended bracket on the exterior of said hood, means for supporting said hood including a post having an end entering into said hollow bracket and means for tiltably mounting said bracket on said post end for movement of the hood in a vertical plane; means for sterilizing the interior of said hood, including a socket for an ultra-violet lamp mounted internally'on said hood adjacent its open end, said socket connested in an electric circuit in parallel with said first named circuit, said second circuit arranged to be controlled by the said switch to open when said first circuit is closed and to close when said first circuit is opened, said second circuit including a normally open switch mounted in said hollow bracket, adjacent said post end, said switch including a member movable to close the same arranged to contact said post end when said hood is tilted to one extreme position to be moved thereby into circuit closing position, a reflector associated with said socket for directing the rays of an ultra-violet lamp inwardly into the said hood and means for reflecting and dispersing the rays from an ultra-violet lam arranged in said socket throughout said hood.

5. The hair drying apparatus of claim 4 wherein the head receiving portion of the said hood and the portion to the rear thereof are separated by a partition, said partition including an apertured central portion and a surrounding frame portion of arcuate cross-section mounted within said hood in spaced relation to the wall thereof and with its concave surface facing the opening thereof whereby the rays from a lamp mounted in said socket pass around said partition and also against the surface of said frame to be reflected and dispersed by the Wall of the inner portion of the hood and by the said concave surface.

LOUIS JACOBOWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,903,427 Martin Apr, 11, 1933 2,026,942 Kelley Jan. '7, 1936 2,295,824 Batsel Sept. 15, 1942 2,438,762 McLeckie Mar. 30, 1948 2,560,808 Maccallum July 17, 1951

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