Oscillating hair dryer

A hair dryer includes a housing, a fan unit, a heating element, a motor and a handle. The housing is the body of the hair dryer and has an inlet end and an outlet end. The motor rotates the housing relative to the handle in an oscillating manner. The fan unit is mounted in the housing so that air from vents at the inlet end pass through the fan unit to be blown out through the outlet end of the housing. As such, the housing moves without requiring any movement of the user's hand, wrist, or arm. The handle also has a controller for activating operation, adjusting speed, and setting temperature.

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair dryer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hair dryer that oscillates.

2. Description of Related Art

Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.

A hair dryer is an electromechanical device for blowing cool or hot air over wet or damp hair, in order to accelerate the evaporation of water particles and dry the hair. Hair dryers can be used to give volume and control to a person's hair. Additional use of styling products and hairbrushes during drying add tension, hold and lift. The hair dryer is used with strategic movements of the hand and wrist in both horizontal and vertical motions. The constant motions used must be performed with caution to avoid fatigue and injury to the hand, arm, and wrist. Generally, maintaining position of the wrist, while avoiding strain and overexertion can be a problem during actual use of a hair dryer. Repetitive stress injuries are common to those with frequent and extended use.

In the past, various patents have been issued in the field of hair dryers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,622, issued on Oct. 26, 1999 to Bahman, discloses a hair dryer designed to allow drying and styling hair using both hands while controlling the temperature and air flow using one or both feet. An electric hair dryer is mounted to a flexible arm. The flexible arm is connected to a floor stand such that the floor stand supports the flexible arm with the electric hair dryer mounting. An oscillating motor engages the flexible arm through gears so that there is movement of the hair dryer without movement by the user. Various buttons control the speed, temperature and direction of the air flow.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,211, issued on Oct. 8, 1991 to Shulman teaches an attachment for a hair dryer, to be secured to the outlet end of the hair dryer. The attachment causes air coming from the hair dryer to split and revolve. An air deflector at the outlet end of the nozzle rotates on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. As such, the deflector uses opposed angle vanes to direct air from the dryer passing through the housing through the opposed angled vanes for deflection and circulating. The flow of air moves without action by the user, causing a swirling air flow.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,260, issued on Apr. 26, 1977 to Levy et al., describes an improved hair treatment method and device. The device pulsates to vary the air stream from the nozzle. The device is an attachment to alter the direction and strength of air flow with manual movement of the user's hands, wrists or arms.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,491, issued on April 1978 to Spotts and U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,414, issued on Mar. 24, 1992 to Walker, both teach oscillating devices. The '491 Patent describes a box fan with an oscillating device, while the '414 Patent shows a rotating steamer for clothing. These patents describe known oscillating devices in current appliances, similar to the hair dryer. The oscillating action in these inventions show and rotating movement to change the direction of air or steam flow from the outlet end of the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,650, issued on Apr. 13, 2004 to Ross teaches a personal dryer capable of expelling temperature-controlled air uniformly throughout a dryer and at different areas of the dryer. The suggested application is drying a body after, so as to provide a user with the option of drying their entire body with a more desirable uniformly temperatured air and/or drying different bodily regions with different or varied, user-selectable temperatured air, and wherein such a personal dryer is capable of being pre-programmed to enable a user to dry his/her body in a user-specified regimen or manner.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,451, issued on Nov. 24, 1998 to Dorber teaches an implement for the treatment of hair, particularly for the styling and/or drying of hair. The attachment connects to the air exit end of a hair dryer or a hot-air curling brush. The attachment has a main body and at least one active body movable relative to the main body, and an electric motor controls the movement of the active body, which interacts with the hair.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,787, issued on Aug. 2, 1994 to Smith et al. describes an oscillating nozzle. The invention includes a stationary segment and an oscillating segment pivoted to the stationary segment. The fluid stream impinges on an inwardly turned lip on the oscillating segment to drive the oscillation. The fluid discharge drives the oscillation of the nozzle. The invention discloses a particular means for oscillation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer with an oscillating ability.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer that does not require repetitive motion by the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer to reduce fatigue and risk of injury due to use.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer that is light weight and easy to hold and carry.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer that can be used with the wrist in a stable and supported position.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a hair dryer comprising a housing, a fan unit, a heating element, a motor and a handle. The housing is the body of the hair dryer and has an inlet end and an outlet end. There is a plurality of vents at the inlet end to allow air to enter the housing. The fan unit has a front side facing the outlet end and a back side facing the inlet end. A sleeve extends between the housing and the handle. The heating element may be heated coils or a series of framed heating coils.

The hair dryer of the present invention has a motor mounted in the handle to power the oscillation of the housing. The motor has a central shaft extending from an end of the motor through the sleeve, a first cam fixedly attached to the central shaft, a pivot shaft mounted on a top of the first cam, a second cam fixedly attached to the pivot shaft, and an attachment peg having an end attached to an interior of the housing. The rotation of the central shaft is transmitted to the attachment peg so that the attachment peg causes the housing to oscillate. As such, the air blown from the housing moves without requiring any movement of the users hand, wrist, or arm. The handle also has a control means mounted on the handle for activating operation, adjusting speed, and setting temperature. The control means can be a slide button or a plurality of buttons corresponding to each setting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the hair dryer10of the present invention is shown. The housing12with a generally tubular shape has an inlet end14, an outlet end16and a mounting hole18. The inlet end14is comprised of a plurality of vents20so as to allow air to enter the housing12from the atmosphere. The outlet end16is an opening for release of air, and the mounting hole18is placed on a bottom of the housing12. Inside the housing12, there is the fan unit22. The fan unit22is positioned between the outlet end16and the inlet end14, although closer to the inlet end14with the vents20. The vents20pass air to the back side of the fan unit22, while the front face of the fan unit22propels air outward toward the outlet end16of the housing12. There is also a heating element24within the housing12. The heating element24is positioned closer to the outlet end16and in front of the front side of the fan unit22. The heating element24can be heated coils, such as a set of heating coils. In this manner, air enters the housing12through the vents20so that the fan unit22passes the air over the heating element24to elevate the temperature of the air exiting the outlet end16of the housing12.

The hair dryer10of the present invention has a motor26to power the oscillation of the housing12and the air flow portion of the hair dryer10. The motor26has a central shaft28extending from an end of the motor26, a first cam30fixedly attached to the central shaft28, a pivot shaft32mounted on a top of the first cam30, a second cam34fixedly attached to the pivot shaft32, and an attachment peg36having an end attached to an interior of the housing12. The housing12oscillates as the attachment peg36is rotated by the central shaft28of the motor26. As such, the air blown from the housing12moves without any corresponding movement of the hand, wrist, or arm of the user.

The motor26includes linkages to translate the rotational movement of the central shaft28of the motor26to the housing12. As shown inFIG. 3, the first cam30has an oblong shape with the pivot shaft32placed at an opposite side and opposite end from the central shaft28. The rotation of the central shaft28displaces the pivot shaft32. The second cam34has a circular shape with the attachment peg36attached near an edge of the second cam34. The rotation of the second cam34rotates the attachment peg36. The attachment peg36is fixedly attached to the second cam34and the interior of the housing; as such, the attachment peg36actuates the entire housing12to rotate at the mounting hole18of the housing.

The motor26is contained in a handle38, and the central shaft28of the motor26extends through a sleeve40to the housing12. The handle38can have a contoured surface so as to facilitate gripping. The sleeve40is rotatably placed between the housing12at the mounting hole18and the handle38. The sleeve40protects the connections from the air blowing structures to the handle and power source. The sleeve40is generally a tubular member, and other electric wires and connections can be made through the sleeve40between the housing12and the handle38.

Importantly, the hair dryer10may include a control means42on a surface of the handle38. The control means42longitudinally extends along the length of the handle38for possible one-handed operation by the user. The control means42activates operation of the hair dryer10, adjusts air flow speed of the fan unit22, and sets temperature of the heating element24. Various structures of the control means42include a slide button or a plurality of buttons corresponding to each function.

The hair dryer of the present invention has the ability to oscillate. Repetitive movements are no longer required to operate the device properly. The oscillating movement of the hair dryer reduces fatigue and risk of injury due to use because the hair dryer can be used with the wrist of the user in a stable and supported position. The user is able to dry a complete head of hair with fewer movements. The hair dryer of the present invention is light weight, and additional components are compactly stored in the handle. So, the hair dryer remains easy to hold and carry.