WO2007077040A2

WO2007077040A2 - Hairdryer device

Info

Publication number: WO2007077040A2
Application number: PCT/EP2006/012657
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leopoldo Matteo Bazzicalupo; Raffaella Mangiarotti
Original assignee: Leopoldo Matteo Bazzicalupo; Raffaella Mangiarotti
Priority date: 2006-01-04
Filing date: 2006-12-29
Publication date: 2007-07-12
Also published as: US20090000143A1; CA2636216A1; ITMI20060011A1; CN101384189A; EP1973442A2; WO2007077040A3

Abstract

Hairdryer device (10) of the type equipped with at least one handle (2), with at least one dispensing barrel (3), with at least one electric motor (4) and with at least one inlet fan (5) functionally connected to the motor (4) to take in air from the outside and dispense it through an outlet mouth. The device also has a first outlet mouth (12) arranged on the front of barrel (3), at least one second outlet mouth (13), arranged on the side of barrel (3) to dispense an airflow substantially perpendicular to the first outlet mouth (12) and selection means (14) to alternate the dispensing of the flow between the first and second mouth according to the user's requirements.

Description

HAIRDRYER DEVICE

The present invention refers to a hairdryer device .

Conventional hairdryer devices are made up of a handle, a dispensing barrel arranged substantially perpendicular to the handle, an electric motor, contained in the barrel and an inlet fan functionally connected to the motor to take in air from the outside and dispense it, possibly after having passed through an electrical resistance, from an outlet mouth, arranged on the front of the barrel.

From observing the posture and movement of the arms of hairdressers whilst using conventional hairdryers, like the one described above, it can be seen that when straightening hair the hairdresser is forced to lift the arm and twist the wrist to direct the airflow from above to below.

Such an operation becomes necessary, during straightening of hair, to make the hair shiny, since by directing the hot airflow from the top of the head towards the tips of the hair the squamae of the hair close up, which makes them shiny.

In order to be able to carry out this type of drying, in the current state of the art, it is necessary to add an accessory (air concentrator) on the end of the hairdryer. This element has a series of disadvantages in terms of comfort:

• on the one hand it does not solve the ergonomic problems, since the grip and the arm and wrist movements remain unnatural (lifting of the arm and twisting of the wrist) and even made more tiring by the extension of the hairdryer that means that the arm has to be lifted even higher;

• on the other hand, by absorbing the heat from the air coming out from the end of the hairdryer, the air concentrator overheats with the risk of burning the fingers when it has to be held to detach it, and then move on to a different operation.

These and other factors, above all considered over a continuous day of work lasting about eight hours lead to needless tiring that can, over time, cause serious and temporarily incapacitating pathologies such as tendinitis.

Indeed, prolonged and/or repetitive flexing- extension movements of the wrist cause an increase in pressure inside the carpal tunnel.

Moreover, the repeated stretching of the nerves and of the tendons that run behind the tunnel can cause inflammation that reduces the size of the carpal tunnel resulting in the compression of the median nerve.

In light of the above there is clearly a need to provide a hairdryer device, like the one according to the present invention, which allows the problems of the prior art to be solved by providing a device capable of varying the type and direction of the airflow being dispensed according to the type of drying and the degree of shine that one wishes to obtain.

The purpose of the present invention is, therefore, to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks and in particular to make a hairdryer device that allows the hair treatment process (straightening, smoothing, brushing, etc.) to be carried out allowing the wrist to remain in the most natural possible position, i.e. the one in which the muscles are typically relaxed (which occurs in conditions of microgravity) . Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a hairdryer device, which eliminates the possibility of burning the fingers due to the removal of the air concentrator, before it has cooled down.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a hairdryer device capable of being positioned on a support base without auxiliary support elements, thus capable of standing upright.

Finally, another purpose of the present invention is to provide a hairdryer device that is particularly simple and functional at a relatively low cost.

These and other purposes according to the present invention are accomplished by a hairdryer device as outlined in claim 1.

Further characteristics of the device are the object of the dependent claims. The characteristics and advantages of a hairdryer device according to the present invention shall become clearer from the following description, given as a non- limiting example, referring to the attached schematic drawings, in which: -figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view in section of a first embodiment of the hairdryer device according to the present invention;

-figure 2 is a schematic front view in section of a first embodiment of the hairdryer device according to the present invention;

-figure 2a is a schematic view from below of the blade-shaped opening of the hairdryer device according to the present invention; and

-figure 3 is a schematic side elevation view in section of a second embodiment of the hairdryer device according to the present invention;

-figure 4 is a schematic side elevation view in section of a further embodiment of the hairdryer device according to the present invention equipped with special selection means of the airflow; and figures 5 and 5a are two front views of a further embodiment of the hairdryer device according to the present invention equipped with special selection means of the airflow.

With reference to the figures, a hairdryer device is shown, wholly indicated with 10.

The device 10 comprises at least one handle 2, at least one dispensing barrel 3 arranged substantially perpendicular to the handle 2, an electric motor 4 and at least one inlet fan 5,5' functionally connected to the motor 4 to take in air from the outside and dispense it through an outlet mouth.

In order to operate, the hairdryer device 10 has a connection to an energy source, such as, in a known way, a connection, not shown, to the mains. The device 10 also has, in a per se known way, at least one electrical resistance 8 arranged downstream of the electric motor 4 to heat, if so desired, the airflow to be dispensed and at least one filter 9 arranged upstream of the intake fans 5,5' . Advantageously, according to the present invention the device 10 also comprises at least one first outlet mouth 12 arranged on the front of barrel 3, at least one second air inlet mouth 13 arranged on the side of barrel 3 to dispense an airflow, substantially perpendicular to the first mouth 12 and selection means 14 to alternate the dispensing of the flow between the first 12 and the second outlet mouth 13 according to the type of drying that one wishes to obtain.

The secondary outlet mouth 13 is arranged on the side of the barrel 3 and consists of a blade-shaped opening 11, in other words of a size substantially larger than the rest, as shown in figure 2a.

In particular, the predominant direction is that parallel to the axis of symmetry of the barrel 3. The special blade-shaped configuration of the opening 11 allows the closing of the squamae of the hair during drying to be made easier and to be carried out to a greater degree, making the straight hair particularly shiny.

The second outlet mouth 13 also has a projecting portion 15 with section substantially radially converging going away from the barrel 3, as shown in figure 2.

The blade-shaped opening 11 is arranged on top of the projecting portion 15. On the inclined sides of the projecting portion 15 a plurality of holes 17 are foreseen that are also inclined, which by Venturi effect, during the operation of the device 10, take in cold air from the outside so as to compact the flow being dispensed from the second outlet mouth 13.

The cold air coming from the outside mixes, therefore, with the hot air corning from the barrel 3 compacting the flow being dispensed and, therefore, resulting in the squamae of the hair closing to a greater extent, which make them shinier. To better direct the flow entering through the holes 17, a deflecting fin 32 is foreseen, as shown in figure 2, arranged perpendicular to the opening 11.

The alternation between the dispensing of the two air flows occurs, as stated earlier, thanks to suitable selection means 14 or selectors actuated by suitable controls 16.

According to a first embodiment shown in figure 1, the selection means 14 are represented by a curtain element 20 that can slide in two guides 21 formed inside the barrel 3 to close or open the first front outlet mouth 12.

The sliding of the curtain 20 is obtained through control means 16 represented, in this case, by a mechanical connection member 22 and by at least one slider 23 arranged on the handle 2 and able to be actuated manually from the outside.

By making the slider 23 slide in one direction, the curtain 20 slides in the guides 21 to close the front outlet mouth 12, whereas by making the slider 23 slide in the opposite direction, the curtain 20 slides back to open the front outlet mouth 12. Although in the present description reference is made to two side guides 21 it is also possible to foresee just one or more than two of them without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

According to another embodiment, the selection means 14 are represented by a diaphragm 31 arranged at the first outlet mouth 12.

The diaphragm 31 is hinged at an end thereof to the barrel 3 and can rotate between a closed position and an open position to open or close the first outlet mouth 12.

For this purpose, the diaphragm has a shape and size such as to completely block the first outlet mouth 12 in closed position.

According to this embodiment, the diaphragm 31 is held in open position by suitable elastic means 33, and in closed position by suitable locking means, not shown, suitable for locking said diaphragm onto the mouth 12 and counteracting said elastic means 33.

With the locking means unlocked, the diaphragm 31 rotates under the action of the elastic means to leave the first outlet mouth 12 free to dispense the airflow at the front. Alternatively, the diaphragm 31 can be hinged at two of its opposite ends to the barrel 3 so as to define a rotation axis that is substantially vertical, in other words substantially parallel to the handle 2, or horizontal, in other words perpendicular to the handle 2. The diaphragm 31 can, therefore, rotate between a closed position, in which it is arranged perpendicular to the airflow and blocks the first outlet mouth 12

(fig.4) and an open position (represented for example with a broken line in fig.4) , in which it is arranged parallel to the airflow so as to allow it to be dispensed from the mouth 12.

According to yet another embodiment, not shown, the selection means 14 of the airflow are represented by at least one butterfly valve consisting of two semicircular sections hinged at the straight sides.

The two semicircular sections open and close thanks to a mechanical connection member arranged on the body of the hairdryer and to a manual gripping element actuated from the outside. According to yet another embodiment, the selection means 14 of the air are represented by two bladed air deflectors suitable for lying on top of one another or coming together to open or close the outlet of the airflow through the first mouth 12. In particular, when the deflectors are arranged at 90° to one another air passes, whereas when the blades come together the passage of air is blocked.

According to yet another embodiment, the selection means 14 of the air are represented by a plurality of bladed air deflectors 44 hinged to the barrel 3 so as to be able to rotate between a position in which they are arranged perpendicular to the airflow, forming a single shutter 31 that blocks the first outlet mouth 12 (fig.5) and an open position in which they are all arranged parallel to each other and to the airflow so as to allow the latter to be dispensed from the mouth 12 (fig.5a) .

Alternatively, the reciprocity between the two flows can also be obtained by providing a portion of barrel 3 shaped like a rotatable sleeve. In particular, the aforementioned sleeve, arranged at the end of the barrel 3 , can rotate to open or close the opening 11.

In any case, once the front curtain or the alternative selection means 14 that opens the first outlet mouth 12 is open, it is not necessary to close the second outlet mouth 13, arranged on the side of the barrel 3. Indeed, the force of the airflow directed towards the front outlet is unable to create an airflow from the underlying second outlet mouth 13. Rather, due to the Venturi effect, the main flow directed towards the front air outlet or primary mouth 12 creates a cold airflow that penetrates from the outlet below 13, determining a suitable mixing of the two airflows - the hot one, coming from the resistance 8, and the cold one, coming in from the mouth 13, respectively. According to another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the electric motor 4 is a single- phase or three-phase electronic motor with eδectronic control .

The particular motor 4 is of a particularly small size that allows the device 10 to be configured with a particularly slim tube-shaped structure. The hairdryer device 10 according to the present invention thus consists of a new electronic motor of reduced diameter that can be controlled through an electronic board capable of modulating the dispensing speed of the airflow as desired.

In other words, with the device 10 according to the present invention, the airflow is not dispensed at determined speeds, but in continuous variation according to the user's requirements.

The small size of the new electronic motor allows it to be positioned inside a handle, allowing the barycentre to be moved from the body of the barrel (as in conventional hairdryers) to the area of the grip or handle.

The movement of the barycentre, which is now substantially aligned with the axis of symmetry of the handle, makes it possible to have a product that is able to be rested on the base of the handle and to remain stable, upright on a plane, making it easier to be held more ergonomically at the moment of use.

Alternatively, it is possible to foresee a conventional electric motor 4 that must, however, be positioned inside the handle, allowing the barycentre to be moved from the body of the barrel (as in conventional hairdryers) to the area of the grip or handle .

The hairdryer device according to the present invention, in a variant that is not shown, foresees that both the first outlet mouth 12, and the second outlet mouth 13, be positioned on a sleeve able to rotate by 360° on the barrel 3. In this way, an airflow is obtained dispensed from the mouth 13 with variabile inclination according to the user's requirements.

The hairdryer device, in a further variant that is not shown, also foresees a third outlet mouth of the air arranged in the top part of the barrel 3.

At the third outlet mouth 12 a second integrated accessory intended for the treatment of curly hair is foreseen. The integrated accessory is represented by a diffuser provided with a plurality of silicon rubber- ended points suitable for carrying out a massage and a further curling of the root of the hair. The integration of this second accessory in the very structure of the hairdryer device allows the risks of burning hands and fingers whenever touching the air nozzle and/or the diffuser before the hairdryer has cooled down to be eliminated.

From the description that has been made the characteristics of the device object of the present invention are clear, just as the relative advantages are also clear, including:

- possibility of carrying out the hair treatment process (straightening, smoothing, brushing, etc.) allowing the wrist to remain in the most natural possible position, i.e. the one in which the muscles are typically relaxed;

-possibility of keeping the device upright on a plane without the help of external support means;

-simplicity of construction and functionality; -relatively low manufacturing costs. Finally, it is clear that the device thus conceived can undergo numerous modifications and variations, all of which are covered by the invention. For example, although in the present description the outlet mouths 12,13 are integral with the barrel 3 it is, nevertheless, possible to make them on a distinct portion able to be fixed through suitable releasable means to the barrel 3 itself so as to obtain the same result in functional terms. Moreover, all of the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In particular, it is possible within the the present invention to make a hairdryer accessory, such a hairdryer comprising at least one dispensing barrel 3 to which such an accessory can be fixed through attachment means. Such an accessory comprises a first outlet mouth 12, arranged on the front of said barrel 3, and at least one second outlet mouth 13, arranged on the side of said barrel 3 to dispense an airflow, substantially perpendicular to said first mouth 12. Moreover, it is possible to foresee the presence of at least one third mouth for the air arranged at the top of such a barrel 3. Moreover, the attachment means between the barrel and the accessory allow it to rotate with respect to such a barrel .

In practice, the materials used, as well as the sizes, can be whatever according to the technical requirements.

Claims

1. Hairdryer device (10) of the type equipped with at least one handle (2) , at least one dispensing barrel

(3), with at least one electric motor (4) and with at least one inlet fan (5) functionally connected to said motor (4) to take in air from the outside and dispense it through at least one outlet mouth characterised in that it comprises a first outlet mouth (12) , arranged on the front of said barrel (3), at least one second outlet mouth (13), arranged on the side of said barrel

(3) to dispense an airflow, substantially perpendicular to said first mouth (12) and selection means (14) to alternate the dispensing of the airflow between the first (12) and the second mouth (13) according to the user's requirements.

2. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said second air inlet mouth (13) comprises a projecting portion (15) with section converging radially towards the outside, with respect to said barrel (3) , and a substantially blade-shaped opening (11) arranged on the distal end of said projecting portion (15) with respect to said barrel (3) .

3. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said second air inlet mouth (13) comprises at least one air inlet hole (17) to take in air from the outside by Venturi effect and at least one deflecting fin (32) , arranged perpendicular to said blade-shaped opening (11) , to direct the airflow coming in through said hole (17) .

4. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises control means (16) to activate said selection means (14) of the airflow.

5. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said selection means (14) of the airflow comprise at least one curtain element (20) able to slide in at least one guide (21) , made in said barrel (3) to open or close said first mouth (12) .

6. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said control means (16) comprise a mechanical connection member (22) acting on a slider

(23) arranged on said handle (2) to make said curtain

(20) slide.

7. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said means (14) for selecting the airflow comprise at least one diaphragm (31) arranged at the first outlet mouth (12) suitable for rotating between a closed position and an open position to open or close the first outlet mouth (12) .

8. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 7, characterised in that said control means (16) comprise elastic means (33) for holding said diaphragm (31) in open position and locking means suitable for locking said diaphragm (31) on the mouth (12) counteracting said elastic means (33) .

9. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 7, characterised in that the diaphragm (31) is hinged at two of its opposite ends to said barrel (3) so as to define a rotation axis.

10. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said selection means (14) of the airflow comprise at least one butterfly valve comprising two semi-circular sections hinged to said barrel (3) suitable for opening or closing to open or close said first mouth (12) .

11. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 7, characterised in that said control means comprise a mechanical connection member arranged on the body of the hairdryer and a gripping element that can be actuated from the outside.

12. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said selection means (14) of the airflow comprise two blade-shaped air deflectors suitable for lying on top of one another or coming together to open or close the outlet of the airflow through said first mouth (12) .

13. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said selection means (14) of the airflow comprise a plurality of blade- shaped air deflectors (44) hinged to the barrel 3 so as to be able to rotate between a position in which said air deflectors (44) are arranged perpendicular to the airflow, forming a single shutter (31) that blocks said first outlet mouth (12) and an open position in which they are all arranged parallel to each other and to the airflow so as to allow the latter to be dispensed from said mouth (12) .

14. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 4, characterised in that said selection means (14) of the airflow comprise a rotatable sleeve, arranged at the end of said barrel (3) , to rotate between a position in which it opens said opening (11) and a position in which it closes said opening (11) .

15. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said motor (4) is an electronic motor.

16. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 15, characterised in that said electronic motor (4) is a single-phase electronic motor.

17. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 15, characterised in that said electronic motor (4) is a three-phase electronic motor.

18. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 15, characterised in that it comprises electronic means suitable for controlling said electronic motor to continuously vary the dispensing speed of the airflow.

19. Hairdryer device (10) according to claim 1 or 15, characterised in that said motor (4) is positioned in said handle (2) .

20. Hairdryer device (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said first outlet mouth 12 and the second outlet mouth 13 are positioned on a rotatable sleeve on said barrel (3) .

21.Accessory for a hairdryer, such a hairdryer comprising at least one dispensing barrel (3) to which such an accessory can be fixed through attachment means characterised in that it comprises a first outlet mouth (12) , arranged on the front of said barrel (3) , and at least one second outlet mouth (13) , arranged on the side of said barrel (3) to dispense an airflow, substantially perpendicular to said first mouth (12) .

22. Accessory according to claim 21, comprising at least one third air mouth arranged above such a barrel (3) .

23.Accessory according to claim 21, in which the attachment means between the barrel and the accessory allow it to rotate with respect to such a barrel.