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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
HANDS FREE HAIR DRYER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/1995/019535
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A hands free hair dryer unit and method of use is disclosed. The hair dryer unit (20) has a body (24) for mounting (28) on a rigid structure (26) and an air heating propelling mechanism. The body (24) is connected to an infinitely spatially positionable self-supporting hose (30) through which heated propelled air is passed and a rigid air dispensing nozzle (32) which can be connected to accessory items such as a diffuser comb. The self-supporting hose (30) and nozzle (32) thereof is positioned to direct heated air toward the head of the users (22) whose hands are free to blow dry, style and comb their hair.

Inventors:
LAWALL LINA
HELLMAN ROBERT R JR
Application Number:
PCT/US1994/000619
Publication Date:
July 20, 1995
Filing Date:
January 13, 1994
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
INTELLIGENT DESIGNS INC (US)
International Classes:
A45D20/12; A45D20/16; F26B19/00; (IPC1-7): F26B19/00
Foreign References:
US4161955A1979-07-24
US4972607A1990-11-27
US4642909A1987-02-17
US4712313A1987-12-15
US3171428A1965-03-02
US2306100A1942-12-22
US3384977A1968-05-28
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Claims:
What is claimed is
1. A hands free hair dryer unit comprising a generally hollow body; an inlet in the distal end of said body for the entrance of air; an elongate, infinitely positionable, selfsupporting, position lockable hollow hose having its proximal end attached to the proximal end of said body and a rigid tubular nozzle at its distal end; said selfsupporting positionable hose and distal end nozzle requiring no separate support structure to maintain its userselected spatial position, said user having both hands free to dry/style their hair.
2. A hollow selfsupporting positionable hose according to Claim 1 being selected from the group consisting of: (a) a hollow hose with a flexible skin with an external helically wound wire supporting said skin and a bendable rod disposed within said hose extending between said body and said distal nozzle to make said hose infinitely positionable and selfsupporting; (b) a hollow hose made up of a plurality of rotatably snapped together ball and socket links, the interference fit and stickslip characterist cs of said links acting to supply the selfsupporting positionable characteristics of said hose; (c) a hollow hose made up of an elongate strip with interlocking edges wound helically and joined in edge abutting relationship, the functional characteristics of said joined edge abutting helically wound elongate strip acting to make said hose selfsupporting and posi tionable.
3. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein said unit body is releasably adapted to be mounted on a rigid structure.
4. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein said distal nozzle is tubular for the attachment thereto of hair styling accessories.
5. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein said inlet end of said body is adapted to receive and lock and support therein the outlet nozzle of a conventional hand held hair dryer said hand held dryer acting to supply heated air to pass through said unit's positionable hose and nozzle to be dispensed onto said user's hair.
6. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein a fan and heater unit are disposed within said body to supply a flow of heated air to pass through said unit's positionable hose and nozzle to be dispensed onto said user's hair.
7. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein a fan is disposed in said body, said fan supplying ambient air to pass through said positionable hose and said nozzle, said nozzle having deposed therein a heater thermal cutoff to heat said air received from said hose to be dispensed onto said user's hair.
8. A hands free hair dryer unit according to Claim 1 wherein a disposable cellular elastomeric sleeve is removably applied on said rigid tubular nozzle, said elastomeric sleeve supplying thermal insulation and hygienic considerations for multiple users of the same said hands free hair dryer unit. A method for the drying of a user's hair which allows the user to simultaneously use both hands to blow dry, style and comb their hair comprising affixing the hands free hair dryer unit of the instant invention to a rigid supporting structure, connecting the electrical cable to a source of electrical power, spatially, arcuately adjusting the selfsupporting hose to accommodate the stature of the user, selectively directing the nozzle to dispense heated air on top of said user's head, adjusting the temperature setting, activating the heater blower, simultaneousl using both hands to dry/style sections of the user's hair, redirecting the selfsupporting hose and nozzle to accommodate other sections of user's hair, repeating until all hair is dried/styled.
Description:
HANDS FREE HAIR DRYER

TECHNICAL FIELD

Electric hair dryer with infinitely positionable positively locking hoses for adjustably directing heated air toward the head of the user.

BACKGROUND ART

Electrically heated propelled air hair dryers have long been items of commerce. Early electric hair dryers included helmet like fixtures into which the user inserted their head to be surrounded by propelled heated air. This type of dryer did not permit active styling of hair while it was drying. More recently electric hair dryers have evolved to hand held devices wherein the user can direct heated propelled air with one hand while styling with the other hand. While these devices do permit blown drying and one handed hair styling they are somewhat cumbersome to manipulate, often requiring the shifting of the device from hand to hand. Attempts have been made to provide "hands free" hair dryers by adapting fixtures to support hand held hair dryers in table and wall mounted fixtures which force the user to move their body and head about to receive heated air flow at the desired location.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

HANDS FREE HAIR DRYER permits the user to direct propelled heated air from an electric hair dryer in virtually any spatial position selected by the user and to maintain the

selected spatial position while the user styles their hair with both hands.

In complete single unit form, the hands free hair dryer has a proximal heater blower which includes an air inlet, heating element(s), powered fan which is connected to a self-supporting positionable and position lockable hose and at its distal end a rigid tube member which acts as a nozzle to disperse heated air.

An alternative is to provide a connector at the proximal end of the positionable self-supporting hose to releasably engage a conventional hand held electric hair dryer utilizing the hollow hose and its rigid distal nozzle end to convey heated air to the user's head.

In addition to freeing up both user's hands for styling while drying, arcuate positioning of the hose and dispensing end above the user's head results in heated air traveling down the user's individual hairs, rather than across as in conventional hand held dryers resulting in reduced damage and tangles to the user's hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention in use.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partially in cross- section, of one type of infinitely positionable, self- supporting hose of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, in cross-section, of another type of infinitely positionable, self-supporting hose.

Figure 4 contains exploded perspective and cross-sectional views of yet another type of infinitely positionable, self-supporting hose.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the body of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 6 contains perspective and cross-sectional views of one means of removably securing the hair dryer of Figure 1 to a wal 1.

Figure 7 contains perspective and cross-sectional views of another means of removably securing the hair dryer of Fi gure 1 to a wal 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a door mount bracket for the hair dryer of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention for use as an accessory with a conventional hand held hair dryer.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of one body half of the embodiment of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the end fitting of Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partially in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of the hair dryer of Figure 1. "

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure 1 illustrates the complete electric hair dryer 20 of the instant invention being used by a person 22 shown in silhouette. Complete hair dryer 20 includes a heater blower body 24, a clamp 28 which is mounted on door 26, an infinitely pos tionable, position lockable, self- supporting hose 30 and rigid distal heated air disperser 32. As is illustrated, hose 30 is arcuately positioned to deliver heated air onto the top of person's 22 head who has both hands free for styling/combing their hair.

Figure 2 illustrates one means of manufacture of the infinitely positionable, position lockable self-supporting hose 30 in Figure 1 and 40 in Figure 2. It includes a flexible plastic skin 42 with a helically wound wire 44 supporting skin 42. An anealed bendable metal rod is dispersed within the hose which extends between dryer body 24 and disperser end 32 Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates another means of manufacture of self- supporting position lockable hose 30, 40 Figure 2 and 50 in Figure 3. It is made up of a plurality of links 52 which rotatably snap together in ball and socket relationship, the interference fit of the ball and socket together with the stick-slip characteristic of the plastic used to form the ball-socket link provide the self supporting characteristic.

A third means of manufacture of the self-supporting hose 60 of the invention is illustrated in Figure 4 which is made up of plastic sections which has edges which are interlocked to form a flexible positionable hose of the instant invention.

Each of the above described infinitely positionable, position lockable hoses are similar in concept to items commercially available.

Figure 5 illustrates the components of manufacture for heater blower body 24 (Figure 1). Housing 70 is formed by body halves 70' and 70" and includes air inlet grill 72 at it's distal end. Coaxially aligned along major axis of housing 70 are a motor/fan assembly 74, a heating element/thermal cut-off switch 76 to provide a flow of hot air at the proximal end of housing 70 to hose 30 (Figure 1). Electric power supply control is supplied by on/off ring 80, and "LO/MED/HI" control ring 82 which operatively engage switch 84 which is connected to power cord 86 which is connected to a conventional electric outlet (not shown). Spacer rings 88 and 90 are respectively disposed between air inlet grill 72 and control ring 80 and between control ring 80 and 82. Bracket members 92 and 94 for mounting unit on a wall or door are formed integrally in body half 70'.

A bracket member 92' (Figure 6) has formed thereon a downwardly facing hook 100 which is releasably insertable in a first socket 102 on a wall bracket 105 attachable to a wall (not shown) by means of fasteners 104 and 106. It is understood that a second bracket member 94' (not shown) will have a similar hook for insertion in a second socket 108 on wall bracket 105.

Bracket member 92" (Figure 7) has defined therein a keyslot 120 into which is releasably insertable a first T- stud 122 on a wall bracket 124 attachable to a wall (not shown) by means of fasteners 126 and 128. It is understood that a second bracket member 94" (not shown) will have a similar keyslot for insertion thereinto of a second T-stud 130 on wall bracket 124.

Figure 8 depicts door mount bracket 28 (also Figure 1) which may be employed to releasably mount hair dryer 20 (Figure 1) to door 26 (Figure 1, not shown on Figure 8). Door mount bracket 28 includes first and second L-shaped members 140 and 142, respectively, with respective parallel lower and upper portions, the distance between the lower portions being selectively adjustable to accommodate doors of different thicknesses. Door mount bracket 28 is adjustable by means of thumb screw 148 to accommodate different door thicknesses. Door mount bracket 28 is shown as having T-studs 150 and 152 for releasably mounting thereon hair dryer 20, in the manner indicated on Figure 7, but the arrangement shown on Figure 6 may be provided instead, if desired. Door mount bracket 28 may be attached also to a vanity, a bookcase, or a similar rigid article. It is understood that bracket members are configured to supply sufficient clearance from the mounting surface to supply access to controls, safety and unimpeded air intake. Also that the heater blower may be mounted horizontally or vertically or any angle between the two. Finally the materials of manufacture must be such to supply rigidity and withstand loads applied thereon in use of the hair dryer assembly of the instant invention.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 9 in the form of an accessory unit 160 which is attached to the proximal end of infinitely positionable, position lockable hose 162. A conventional hand held electric hair dryer's 164 nozzle is inserted into distal end of accessory unit 160 to supply heated air into hose 162.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the components of accessory unit 160. body halves 170' and 170" which when assembled

clamp onto cam retention member 174 which has mounted at its distal end an annular, resil ent air seal 176 to seal around the outlet nozzle of hand held dryer 164 (Figure 9).

Cam retention member 174 has three compliant gripping fingers 178, 180 and 182 (only gripping finger 178 shown on Figure 11) which are urged toward the center axis of housing 170 as the cam retention member is rotated within the housing by means of three, corresponding, integral cam surfaces 184 (Figure 10) (only one shown) formed on the inner periphery of the housing. Rotating cam retention member 174 approximately 60 degrees from the unlocked to the locked positions squeezes gripping fingers 178, 180 and 182 in a collet type fashion, thus gripping and retaining the outlet nozzle of dryer 164. A relatively high degree of compliance of gripping fingers 178, 180 and 182 is required, because the nozzle diameters of hair dryers vary among different models. Dryer 164 (Figure 9) can thus be releasably captured and held by accessory unit 160 without any other support for the dryer.

Body half 170' includes bracket members 190 and 192, the function of which is identical to bracket members 92 and 94 shown on Figure 5, for the mounting of accessory unit 160 on a door or a wall .

In use, accessory unit 160 is mounted to a door or to a wall , the outlet nozzle of hair dryer 164 (Figure 9) is inserted into the accessory unit and secured therein by cam retention member 174. The resulting assembly is used in the same manner as hair dryer 20 shown on Figure 1.

Figure 12 shows the details of end fitting 32 (Figure 1). End fitting 32 terminates in a straight, smooth tubular portion 200 which may be used for the attachment thereto

of standard hair styling accessories. Surrounding a part of tubular portion 200 is a cylindrical section of a cellular foam elastomeric cover 202 for convenient and safe positioning of nozzle 32. Nozzle 32 is shown attached to the distal end of hose 50 (Figure 3), but the nozzle may be used with any style of hose. Nozzle 32 may be used with either hair dryer 20 (Figure 1) or with accessory unit 160 (Figure 9).

Figure 13 illustrates an alternative nozzle end fitting for hair dryer 20 (Figure 1), the nozzle 220 has disposed therein a heating element/thermal cutout 222, rather than having the heating element/thermal cutout disposed in heater body 24. Obviously a current carrying cable and control cable must be connected to controls which are located in the body which now houses only control /power circuits and a fan. An advantage of this alternative is that only end fitting 220 is hot which obviates the need to provide any insulating arrangement for hose 30 and may permit a greater selection of materials of construction for the hose. Here, heating element/thermal cutout 222 is disposed within a straight length of plastic tubing 224 encased in a insulating elastomeric tube 226. Tubing 224 terminates in an unencased portion 228 for the attachment thereto of hair styling accessories. In this instance the cellular elastomeric sleeve must have heat resistance adapted to the heat that may be generated by the internal heating element.

Where not otherwise specified and/or obvious, the components of the present invention can be easily and economically manufactured by conventional materials and machinery.

Once either the complete unit which includes means for heating and propelling air or the accessory unit which

utilizes the air heating blowing capacity of a conventional hand held hair dryer as the source for heated air are mounted on a wall , cabinet, door or other rigid member, use of the instant invention is most simple. The user positions the infinitely positionable hose and nozzle as desired, turns the air heater blower to the desired temperature setting, activates the unit and moves their hands, brushes or other styline tools to achieve the desired results. When needed, redirecting the positionable, lockable hose, this permits the user to continuously view the operation in a mirror.

In commercial use such as in hair styling establishments the complete unit is mounted on a rolling stand so as to be moveable from client to client. This permits the stylist to be able to use both hands to style the customer's hair vs. holding the conventional form of the hair dryer with one hand while styling with the other. Additionally, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has become endemic to beauticians and hair stylists because of the repetitive manipulation of the conventional hand held hair dryer while styling and blow drying their clients hair. The commercial use of the instant invention could eliminate this problem, i.e. since the hose need not be held while the hair is manipulated to achieve the drying/styling desired with both hands without the strain encountered in the use of the hand held dryer. Additionally, the cellular elastomeric sleeve which extends over the nozzle may be considered one time use disposable thus it can easily be removed and replaced with a new elastomeric foam sleeve to assure hygiene.

It is evident that the inventive system attains the stated objects and advantages, among others.

The disclosed details are exemplary only and are not to be taken as limitations on the invention, except as those details may be included in the appended claims.