LINSELY ROBIN H (US)
KAMPEL MICHELLE (US)
LINSELY ROBIN H (US)
| US5012831A | 1991-05-07 | |||
| US4692586A | 1987-09-08 | |||
| JPH0767711A | 1995-03-14 | |||
| JP2001153176A | 2001-06-08 | |||
| US6408533B2 | 2002-06-25 | |||
| US6629478B2 | 2003-10-07 | |||
| US6419371B1 | 2002-07-16 |
| 1. | An appliance comprising: a handle having a translucent section, wherein said translucent section has a plurality of decorative items disposed therein. |
| 2. | The appliance of claim 1, wherein said translucent section has a first member being disposed therein for obscuring a view of a component of the appliance through said translucent section. |
| 3. | The appliance of claim 2, wherein said first member has said plurality of decorative items being affixed thereto, said plurality of decorative items obscuring said view of said component. |
| 4. | The appliance of claim 2, wherein said first member is translucent. |
| 5. | The appliance of claim 1, further comprising a second member and a third member, said second member being disposed at a first position of said translucent section and said third member being disposed at a second position of said translucent section, wherein said second member, said third member, and an inner wall of said translucent section define a compartment for holding said plurality of decorative items. |
| 6. | The appliance of claim 4, wherein said second member and said third member are translucent. |
| 7. | The appliance of claim 5, wherein said second member and said third member each have an aperture disposed therethrough, and wherein said aperture allows access therethrough. |
| 8. | The appliance of claim 7, wherein a first member is disposed through said apertures of said second member and said third member, a component being disposed through said first member. |
| 9. | The appliance of claim 1, wherein said translucent section has a first and a second section joined at a hinge, and wherein said first section pivots at said hinge from a closed position to an opened position. |
| 10. | The appliance of claim 9, wherein said translucent section has a device for selectively fastening said first section to said second section. |
| 11. | The appliance of claim 2, wherein said first member is integrated with said translucent section. |
| 12. | The appliance of claim 1, wherein said translucent section is formed from a material being selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic, a glass material, a thermoset material, a translucent material, a colored glass material, a colored plastic material, a diamond, a crystal material, a lens, and any combinations thereof. |
| 13. | The appliance of claim 1, wherein said plurality of decorative items are selected from the group consisting of a flower, a dried flower, a cloth, a printed cloth, a light emitting diode, a fluorescent lighting apparatus, a blinking light emitting diode, a toy, an irregularly shaped object, a coin, colored sand, a colored liquid, a colored liquid having items being disposed therein, irregularly shaped beads, a colored bead, a symbol, a marble, an indicator, and any combinations thereof. |
| 14. | The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a hair care appliance, a hair dryer, a curling iron, a comb, a hair crimper, a nail care appliance, a hair coloring appliance, a massager, a shaver, a roller, and any combinations thereof. |
| 15. | A hair dryer comprising: a body having a hood, a blower, and a handle, said hood having a fan being disposed therein for blowing heated air through said blower, wherein said handle has a translucent section, and wherein said translucent section has a plurality of decorative items and a first member being disposed therein, said first member having a diameter being less than a second diameter of said handle. |
| 16. | The hair dryer of claim 15, wherein said plurality of decorative items are connected to a colored electric power cord extending from said hood through said handle. |
| 17. | The hair dryer of claim 16, wherein said colored electric power cord is in said translucent section being obscured from view. |
| 18. | The hair dryer of claim 16, wherein said colored power cord passes through said first member, said translucent section having a first cylindrical disk being connected to a first position of said translucent section and a second cylindrical disk being connected to a second position of said translucent section, and wherein said first cylindrical disk, said second cylindrical disk and an inner wall of said translucent section define a compartment for housing said plurality of decorative items. |
| 19. | A hair dryer comprising: a body having a hood, a blower, and a handle, said hood having a fan being disposed therein for blowing heated air through said blower ; wherein said handle has a hair dryer component extending therethrough, said handle having a cylindrical translucent section, said cylindrical translucent section having a first cylindrical disk having a first aperture and a second cylindrical disk having a second aperture, said first cylindrical disk being connected to a first position of said cylindrical translucent section, said second cylindrical disk being connected to a second position of said translucent section, said cylindrical translucent section having a first cylindrical member being disposed through said translucent section, said hair dryer component extending through said first cylindrical member, and wherein said cylindrical translucent section has a plurality of decorative items being connected to said first cylindrical member for obscuring a view of said hair dryer component. |
| 20. | The hair dryer of claim 19, wherein said cylindrical translucent section is molded with said handle. |
| 21. | The hair dryer of claim 19, wherein said hair dryer component is selected from the group consisting of a current carrying conduit, a power cord, a power strip, a printed wire, a printed wire being disposed in an inner wall of said cylindrical translucent section, and any combinations thereof. |
| 22. | The hair dryer of claim 19, wherein said handle is translucent. |
| 23. | A hair dryer comprising: a body having a hood, a blower, and a handle, said hood having a fan being disposed therein for blowing heated air through said blower, wherein said handle has a power cord extending therethrough, said handle having a cylindrical translucent section and a compartment, said compartment having an item being disposed visibly therein, and wherein said item provides an identifying attribute to the hair dryer. |
| 24. | The hair dryer of claim 1, wherein said translucent section is located in an external location of said handle and surrounds at least a portion of said handle. |
2. Description of the Prior Art Devices for drying and styling the hair are well known in the art. Presently, available hair care appliances are predominantly made from solid, blow-molded thermoplastics and can have a variety of shapes and sizes. For various aesthetic and functional purposes, the hair care appliances may be molded into distinct shapes, may have designs printed on the outer surface thereof, or can be made in different colors in order to render said appliances attractive to the consumer. Although. various hair care appliance designs are possible, hair dryers, for instance, generally include an elongated blower output tube connected to an elongated handle associated at about a ninety- degree angle.
There typically exists unused space in the interior of the handle. A power cord may be routed through the handle to connect electrically a motor to a power source.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a hair care appliance with an improved, structurally functional handle that utilizes the otherwise unused space in the interior of the hair dryer's handle for disposing visually pleasing and decorative items therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair care appliance having a handle with at least a partially translucent body for housing and displaying decorative elements contained therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair care appliance having a handle with a totally translucent body for housing and displaying decorative elements contained therein.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hair care appliance having a translucent handle with an electric cord that is at least partially covered in the translucent handle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair care appliance having a handle with at least a partially translucent body, and with an electric cord that is at least part of the decorative elements contained therein.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a hair dryer of the present invention. The hair dryer has a body, an air blower output tube connected to a hood, and a handle connected to the hood. The hair dryer also has an electric cord that runs from the distal end of the handle to the hood. The handle has a partially or completely hollow body that is at least partially translucent. The body is adapted to hold one or more decorative items. The body presents a visual display of the one or more decorative items in the body. Also, the handle permits, if desired, viewing of at least a portion of the electric cord.
The above and other objects, advantages and benefits of the present invention will be understood by reference to the detailed description provided below and the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hair dryer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the translucent sleeve of the hair dryer of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the translucent sleeve of the hair dryer of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative hair dryer embodiment in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the translucent sleeve of the hair dryer of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side view of another embodiment of the translucent sleeve in a hair curling iron; Fig. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the translucent sleeve in a comb; and Fig. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of the translucent sleeve in a hair crimper.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings and, in particular, Fig. 1, there is provided a hair dryer according to the present invention generally represented by reference numeral 1. Hair dryer 1 has a hood 10 with a first end and a second end, an air blower output tube 12 connected to the first end of the hood, and a handle 20 connected to the second end of
the hood. The handle 20 has a first end adjacent hood 10, and a second end. The first and second ends of handle 20 are preferably positioned at approximately ninety degrees with respect to hood 10.
Handle 20 has an upper handle portion 24, a translucent sleeve portion 26, and a lower handle portion 28. Upper handle portion 24 connects to hood 10, such that the upper handle portion and output tube 12 are preferably at about a ninety-degree angle relative to one another. However, upper handle portion 24 and output tube 12 may be fixed at any angle relative to one another.
In another embodiment of the present invention, upper handle portion 24 connects to hood 10 such that the upper handle portion and the output tube are capable of being selectively positioned through a number of angles relative to one another. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, hood 10 and upper handle portion 24 define a pivot point (not shown).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, sleeve 26 has a hollow body to define a cavity 27, and has an upper end and a lower end. The upper handle portion 24 is connected, at one end, to the upper end of sleeve 26. Lower handle portion 28 also has an upper end 32 and a lower end 34. Lower end 34 of lower handle portion 28 is connected to a portion of a power cord 40. Cord 40 is adapted to be electrically connected to a power source (not shown). Cord 40 extends through lower handle portion 28. The upper end 32 of lower handle portion 28 is mounted to sleeve 26 opposite upper handle portion 24. It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art, that upper handle portion 24, sleeve 26, and lower handle portion 28 can be fused together, connected by adhesive or otherwise connected by any way presently known in the art for accomplishing the same.
Cavity 27 can receive one or more decorative objects 50 therein. Sleeve 26 can be made from any plastic or glass or any other at least partially translucent, material that allows the user to see and appreciate the objects in cavity 27.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 2, an inner sleeve 36 with a diameter less than the diameter of sleeve 26 is illustrated as being disposed in cavity 27 preferably concentric with sleeve 26. Referring to Fig. 3 which is another embodiment of the present invention, sleeve 36 may include a hollow cylindrical, tubular, protrusion with a diameter less than the diameter of sleeve 26 extending from an interior wall of the sleeve for allowing cord 40 to pass therethrough.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, sleeve 36 may be molded into sleeve 26. Sleeve 36 is also hollow and has sufficient clearance to allow a second portion of cord 40 to pass therethrough to connect to a motor (not shown) and/or other electrical components located in hood 10. One skilled in the art should appreciate that the cord 40 may include a printed wire disposed in the lateral edges of sleeve 26 or inner sleeve 36. Electric insulation 70 may be disposed around cord 40 to prevent any risk of electric shock.
Referring to the Fig. 4 embodiment of hair dryer 1 of the present invention, the hair dryer may include upper and lower dividing boards 52,54. Each board 52,54 has an aperture therein to allow access by inner sleeve 36 and power cord 40. Upper board 52 is connected to one end of sleeve 26, while lower board 54 is connected to the opposite end of sleeve 26, thereby defining cavity 27 that houses decorative objects 50 therein. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a light, an electronic lighting apparatus, a light emitting diode (LED) or fluorescent lighting apparatus (not shown) may be disposed on board 52 or board 54 electrically connected to a power source (not shown) for lighting cavity 27.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, inner sleeve 36 may be a concentric, opaque, cylindrical sleeve for allowing power cord 40 to remain hidden from sight from the user. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, inner sleeve 36 may be colored, for example green, such that when dried flowers are disposed in cavity 27, cord 40 will be camouflaged as a portion of the dried flowers
disposed in the cavity. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, decorative items 50 may be placed or otherwise secured with adhesive around the area of sleeve 36 for hiding cord 40 from the user view.
Decorative items 50 placed in cavity 27 may include, for example, one or more dried flowers, an LED, a fluorescent lighting apparatus, a blinking LED, toys, irregularly shaped objects, coins, colored sand, colored liquids (with or without objects therein) and small, irregularly shaped, colorful beads.
Referring to Fig. 5, which is another embodiment of the present invention, hair dryer 1 allows the user to change and substitute the decorative items placed in cavity 27 at the user's discretion. For example, referring to Fig. 5, sleeve 26 may include a first translucent plate 100 and a second translucent plate 200. The first and second plates 100,200 define an opening for a locking mechanism 105 to be placed therebetween.
This allows the user to open cavity 27 and replace decorative objects placed therein. In yet an alternative to this embodiment, first and second plates 100,200 can be formed as a single, oblong cylinder and decorative items 50 are placed therein through an opened end or an aperture in the body of oblong cylinder.
Handle 20 of the present invention contributes to the hair dryer being attractive, a source of expression and visually pleasing. In one aspect thereof, hair dryer 1 is made of a molded, thermoplastic material. Hair dryer 1 of the present invention has benefits over the prior art, such as for example, encouraging users to dry their hair more frequently and with increased vigor. Additionally, hair dryer 1 may provide the user with entertainment value. For example, hair dryer 1 allows the user to observe the amusing and colorful decorative objects for the duration of the drying time. Furthermore, hair dryer 1 offers a distinguishing characteristic from other hair dryers. Users can distinguish hair dryer 1 of the present invention from other hair dryers. Also, the items disposed in handle 20 can be used to readily differentiate between multiple hair dryers, each made in accord with the present invention. Handle 20 provides the professional
hair stylist with a way of identifying the attractive and distinctive hair dryer consistent with the user's expressive tastes and preferences.
Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is appreciated that details may be modified in a variety of ways and that alternative embodiments are also within the scope of the present invention. Thus, handle 20 can preferably be incorporated into any appliance having a handle, such as for example a conventional hair curling iron, as shown in Fig. 6, a comb as shown in Fig. 7, or a hair crimper as shown in Fig. 8.
As can be realized from the above description, hair dryer 1 according to the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the existing prior art.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances.