Patent Publication Number: US-8973284-B2

Title: Hair dryer

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit and priority benefit, of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/143,057 filed on Jan. 7, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the care and enhancement of hair. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a hair dryer for styling, drying, and enhancing hair. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There has long been a desire to dry and style hair. Prior hair dryers are generally known. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiments hereinafter described, a hair dryer may include a nozzle and a housing. The hair dryer may further include an ion generator disposed within the housing and an ozone generator disposed within the housing. 
     According to another illustrative embodiment, a hair dyer may include a nozzle and a housing. Further disposed within the housing may be a circuit board, at least three control buttons, a microprocessor, at least one liquid crystal display, and a voltage regulator. The at least three control buttons, the microprocessor, the liquid crystal display, and the voltage regulator may be in electrical, or electronic, communication. 
     In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, a method of using a hair dryer is provided. The hair dryer may have a housing and a plurality of control buttons, including an up control button and a down control button, associated with the housing, and a plurality of available functions associated with the plurality of control buttons. The method may further include depressing a control button to select a function of the hair dryer from the plurality of available functions, and depressing either an up or down control button to select the desired function of the hair dryer 
     In accordance with another illustrative embodiment, a method of sanitizing a hair dryer is provided. The hair dryer may have a nozzle, a housing, an ozone producing component disposed within at least a portion of the housing, and a plurality of ultra-violet light emitting diodes associated with at least a portion of the housing. The method may include operating the ozone producing component to produce a sufficient amount of ozone for a sufficient amount of time to sanitize at least a portion of the housing. The method may further include operating the ultra-violet light emitting diodes to emit a sufficient amount of ultra-violet light for a sufficient amount of time to sanitize at least a portion of the housing. 
     While certain embodiments of the present hair dryer will be described in connection with the preferred illustrative embodiments shown herein, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the drawing figures, which are not to scale, the same reference numerals are used throughout the description and in the drawing figures for components and elements having the same structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The present hair dryer and method of using a hair dryer may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, side view of a hair dryer according to an illustrative embodiment of the present hair dryer. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic circuitry of an illustrative embodiment of a hair dryer according to an illustrative embodiment of the present hair dryer; and 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of a portion of the hair dryer taken along cut-line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exploded, side view of a hair dryer  100  is illustrated. The hair dryer  100  may generally include: a nozzle  105 ; a front housing  110 ; a rear housing  115 ; and a rear cap  120 . Preferably, the nozzle  105 , front housing  110 , rear housing  115 , and rear cap  120  are made from any suitable material having the requisite strength and heat resistance properties to function in a hair dryer, such as such as any suitable metal, metal alloy, or plastic material, as are known in the art. 
     The nozzle  105  may be of a general cylindrical shape and may include a flared end  125  for engagement with the front housing  110 . In an embodiment, the nozzle  105  and flared end  125  are integral with each other and formed from a single plastic mold. In another embodiment, the nozzle  105  and flared end  125  may be separate parts affixed to each other by any suitable means, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. The nozzle  105  may be affixed to the front housing  110  by any means, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. 
     The front housing  110  may further include a front housing, generally truncated, conical portion  145  and a front handle portion  150  affixed to the front housing truncated conical portion  145 . The front handle portion  150 , preferably extends downwardly in a direction away from the front housing truncated conical portion  145  to form the front half of the hair dryer&#39;s handle. In an embodiment, the front housing  110  generally includes: a generally cylindrical shaped extension, or front extension,  135 ; a front housing generally flared portion  140 ; a front housing generally truncated conical portion  145 ; and a front handle portion  150 , all of which are preferably formed integral with each other and formed from a single plastic mold. In another embodiment, the front extension  135 , front housing flared portion  140 , front housing truncated conical portion  145 , and front handle portion  150  may be separate parts affixed to, or associated with, each other by any suitable means, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. The front housing  110  may be affixed to, or associated with, the rear housing  115  by any suitable means, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs, to form a housing for the components of the hair dryer  100  as will be hereinafter described. 
     The rear housing  115  may include a rear housing, generally truncated, conical portion  155  and a rear handle portion  160  affixed to the rear housing truncated conical portion  155 . The rear handle portion  160 , preferably extends downwardly in a direction away from the rear housing truncated conical portion  155  to form the back half of the hair dryer&#39;s handle. In an embodiment, the rear housing truncated conical portion  155  and rear handle portion  160  may be formed integral with each other and formed from a single plastic mold. In another embodiment, the rear housing truncated conical portion  155  and rear handle portion  160  may be separate parts affixed to each other by any suitable means or techniques, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. The front handle portion  150  and rear handle portion  160  may be affixed, or secured, to each other by any suitable means, including glue, screws, mating screw threads, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. 
     The rear cap  120  may be affixed to the rear housing  115  by any suitable means, including glue, screws, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. In an embodiment, the rear housing  115  and rear cap  120  include mating screw threads such that the rear cap  120  may be screwed onto the rear housing  115 . Preferably, the rear cap  120 , includes perforations  165  to allow air to flow into the hair dryer  100 . 
     The nozzle  105  and at least a portion of the front housing  110  preferably house a heater assembly  170  and its component parts, hereinafter described in greater detail, and a primary thermal insulator  175 . The nozzle  105  and at least a portion of the front housing  110  may additionally house: a secondary thermal insulator  180 ; a ceramic insert  185 ; and a finger guard  190 . The finger guard  190 , which is disposed within the exit end  106  of nozzle  105 , serves to prevent any foreign objects, for example human fingers, from entering the nozzle  105  of the hair dryer  100 . 
     Still with reference to  FIG. 1 , the heater assembly  170  may include a heating element  195  wound about a heating frame  200 . The heating frame  200  may be of any shape or cross-sectional configuration, and may be formed from any material having the requisite strength and heat resistance properties for use in a hair dryer, such as a suitable metal, metal alloy, plastic, ceramic, and/or mica material. A preferable configuration of the heating frame  200  is an “X” shaped cross-sectional configuration, when viewed along the longitudinal axis  101  of hair dryer  100 . The heating frame is further preferably formed of at least two rectangular-shaped plate members  201 , which are disposed substantially perpendicular to each other and substantially disposed in planes coplanar with the longitudinal axis  101  of the hair dryer  100 . This configuration may provide rigidity when the heating element  195  is wound about the heating frame  200 , and uses a minimal amount of material. 
     The primary thermal insulator  175 , preferably has a generally cylindrical configuration, and may be sized to snugly house, or contain, the heating frame  200 , adding further rigidity. The primary thermal insulator  175  may be made from any material having the requisite strength, heat resistance, and insulating properties for use in a hair dryer, such as a suitable metal, metal alloy, plastic, ceramic, and/or mica material. Preferably, the primary thermal insulator  175  insulates the heat, or prevents the heat, generated by the heating element from being readily transmitted to the interior wall surfaces of the nozzle  105  and the front housing  110  to prevent the outer wall surfaces of the nozzle  105  and the front housing  110  from being too hot to the touch of users of the hair dryer  100 . A secondary insulator  180  may be further provided to engage and be disposed in a concentric relationship with and within the primary insulator  175 . The secondary insulator  180 , if present, may serve to assist the primary insulator  175  to prevent the outer wall surfaces of the nozzle  105  and the front housing  110  from being too hot to the touch of users of the hair dryer  100 . Additionally, and without wishing to be bound by the theory, the secondary insulator  180 , if present, may be made from any material which may reduce any electromagnetic fields (“EMF”) emitted by the hair dryer  100 , including any extremely low frequency (“ELF”) electromagnetic fields emitted by the hair dryer  100 . In an embodiment, the secondary insulator  180  may be made from materials such as: a metal selected from the group consisting of steel, iron, gold, silver, and the like; plastic; metal alloy; ceramic; or mica. 
     Still with reference to  FIG. 1 , the front housing  110  and rear housing  115  may house, or include, a mounting member  220 , a fan  225 , and a motor  230 , as well as various electrical components, hereinafter described in more detail, and the electrical components may be generally housed between the front handle portion  150  and the rear handle portion  160 . Preferably, the mounting member  220  is used to mount the fan  225  and the motor  230  within the hair dryer  100 . The mounting member  220  is preferably made from any suitable material having the requisite strength properties to function in a hair dryer, such as such as any suitable metal, metal alloy, or plastic material. Mounting member  220  generally includes a spider member  221  having an outer annular-shaped ring  222  supported by a plurality of vanes  223 . Along the longitudinal axis  101  of the hair dryer  100 , disposed at the center of the spider member  221 , and connected to the vanes  223  is a generally cylindrical-shaped shaft  224  upon which the fan  225  and motor  230  may be mounted. The ring  222  is preferably snugly received within either the front housing  110 , rear housing  115 , or both. The generally cylindrical-shaped shaft  224  is further preferably shaped to receive on a forward end the motor  230  and on a rear end the fan  225 . 
     The fan  225  is preferably made from any suitable material having the requisite strength properties to function in a hair dryer, such as such as any suitable metal, metal alloy, or plastic material. Preferably, the fan  225  is formed of a plastic material, and the plastic which forms the fan  225  has a uniform density such that the weight of the fan  225  is balanced; otherwise, modification of the blades of the fan  225  may be required to balance the fan in weight in order to optimize performance while keeping the fan quiet. In an embodiment, the fan blades  226  are preferably thinner at their tip than at the base near the body of the fan  225 . The fan  225  may be affixed to the shaft  224  of the mounting member  220  by any suitable means, including glue, screws, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs; however, the fan  225  should be able to freely rotate within the hair dryer  100 , as by mounting it upon a rotatable shaft (not shown) rotated by a motor  230 . 
     The motor  230  is preferably a dc motor, but may be an ac motor. The motor  230  may be affixed to the mounting member  220  by any suitable means, including glue, screws, snaps, friction fit, and/or male/female tabs. In an alternatively embodiment, a motor cover  235  may be provided about the circumference of the motor  230 . 
     A filter  240  may be disposed within the rear housing  115 , preferably external to the rear housing  115  and within the rear cap  120 . Preferably the filter  240  may be made from any suitable material having the requisite filtration properties to function in a hair dryer, such as such as any suitable mesh metal, mesh polymer, mesh fiber, or plastic material. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, the filter acts to keep foreign objects, such as hair, from entering the hair dryer and causing damage to the hair dryer  100  or causing an undesired odor within the hair dryer  100 . 
     Still with reference to  FIG. 1 , the heater assembly  200  may include: a thermal fuse  205 ; a bi-metal switch  210 ; an ion generator  215 ; and an ozone generator  216 . In an alternative embodiment, the heater assembly  200  may include a thermal fuse  205  and a bi-metal switch  210 , and the mounting member  220  may include an ion generator  215  and an ozone generator  216 . In a still further embodiment, the ion generator  215  and the ozone generator  216  are associated with, affixed to, or otherwise supported by both the heater assembly  200  and the mounting member  220  and/or the generally cylindrical-shaped shaft  224 . In another embodiment, the ion generator  215  functions to produce both ions and ozone and the ozone generator  216  is not present. 
     The thermal fuse  205  and bi-metal switch  210  may serve to ensure that if the heating element  195  exceeds a pre-determined temperature, the hair dryer  100  shuts off. If the thermal fuse  205  reaches a temperature above a pre-determined temperature, or its set point, the thermal fuse  205  may temporarily disable the electrical current flowing to the heating element  195 , causing the hair dryer  100  to cease producing heat until the temperature reaches a safe level. If the bi-metal switch  210  reaches a temperature above its set point, the circuit may permanently break indicating an unsafe condition in the hair dryer  100  and preventing its further use. The set point of the bi-metal switch  210  is preferably greater than that of the thermal fuse  205 . 
     The ion generator  215  may be any suitable apparatus that is both capable of generating ions and sized to be received within the hair dryer  100 . In an embodiment, the ion generator  215  is a spark gap having two, or more, conducting electrodes separated by a gap. The gap may be filled with a gas, such as air. When a voltage ranging between about 200 to about 2000 volts is supplied, a spark may form, and at least a portion of the gas within the gap may become ionized. In this manner, the ion generator  215  may produce ions during the operation of the hair dryer  100 . Without wishing to be bound by the theory, Applicants believe that transmitting ions to the hair has advantageous effects on the hair shaft, which make it more manageable. 
     The ozone generator  216  may be any suitable apparatus that is both capable of generating ozone and sized to be received within the hair dryer  100 . In an embodiment, the ozone generator  216  is a high-voltage charged plate having two, or more, charged plates separated by a gap. The gap may be filled with a gas, such as air, or an insulator such as glass or ceramic. When a voltage ranging between about 5500 to about 7000 volts is supplied, at least a portion of the oxygen in the air can form ozone. In this manner, the ozone generator  216  may produce ozone. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, Applicants believe that an accumulation of ozone may sanitize at least a portion of the internal components of the hair dryer  100  as the ozone moves from the ozone generator  210  forward into the nozzle  105  and rearward into the housing  120  during a timed sterilization period. The ozone may be moved by either diffusion to accumulate within the housings when the fan  225  is off, or by the fan  225 , which is used to draw air into the hair dryer  100 , and blow the air through the hair dryer  100  toward the nozzle  105 . Preferably, the ozone generator is operated  216  while the heating element  195  is turned off. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the ion generator  215  is a spark gap capable of receiving voltage at either a range between about 200 to about 2000 volts or a voltage ranging between about 3300 to about 7000 volts, and thus functions as both an ion generator at low voltage and an ozone generator at high voltage. In embodiments wherein the ion generator  215  can function as both an ion and ozone generator, the ozone generator  216  may be absent. In these embodiments, the ion generator  215  may also produce ozone. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, Applicants believe that an accumulation of ozone may sanitize at least a portion of the internal components of the hair dryer  100  as the ozone moves from the ion generator  215  forward into the nozzle  105  and rearward into the housing  120  during a timed sterilization period. The ozone may be moved by either diffusion to accumulate within the housings when the fan  225  is off, or by the fan  225 , as previously described. Preferably, when the ion generator  215  produces ozone it operates while the heating element  195  is turned off. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in an embodiment, one or more, and preferably an array of between about 5 and 15, alternatively between about 5 and 10, ultra-violet light emitting diodes (“UV LED”)  245  may be associated with the rear housing  115 , as by affixing the UV LEDs  245  to, or otherwise disposing them within, the rear housing  115 . Alternatively, the UV LEDs  245  may be mounted in a generally circular array to the back end of the truncated conical portion  155 , and oriented to point toward the rear cap  120 . In an alternative embodiment, the UV LEDs  245  may be oriented to point toward both the rear cap  120  and forward toward the fan  225  and nozzle  105 . In the embodiment wherein the UV LEDs  245  are oriented toward the fan  225 , the blue ultra-violet light emitted from the UV LEDs  245  may sanitize at least a portion of the interior of the housing, the fan blades  226  and all exposed component surfaces disposed between the rear cap  120  and the exit end  106  of the nozzle  105 . 
     The UV LEDs  245  may emit blue ultra-violet light having wavelengths ranging from about 405 to about 415 nanometers. The blue ultra-violet light may be emitted continuously, in regular pulses, or in irregular pulses. In an embodiment, the intensity of the UV LEDs  245  may be sufficient to kill bacteria, mold, fungus, and certain viruses within about 2 to about 6 hours of exposure, and without negative human eye hazard and without carcinogenic effects. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, Applicants believe that when arranged and oriented to point toward the rear cap  120 , the blue ultra-violet light emitted from the UV LEDs  245  sanitizes at least a portion of the interior of the rear cap  120  and the filter  240  disposed between the rear cap  120  and the rear housing  115 . 
     In an embodiment, the UV LEDs  245  may be used in combination with the ozone produced within either the ion generator  215  or the ozone generator  216  to sanitize at least a portion of the interior of the hair dryer  100 . In this manner, the hair dryer  100  may be internally sterilized against microbes using two mechanisms: 1) light absorption; and 2) chemical degradation. The microbes susceptible to sterilization may include bacteria, mold, yeast, fungi, and some viruses. Without wishing to be bound by the theory, Applicants believe that the combination of the two sterilization mechanisms has a synergistic effect, thereby sanitizing the interior of the hair dryer  100  with great efficiency. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the ceramic insert  185  may be made of a solid ceramic composition. In another embodiment, the ceramic insert  185  may include a ceramic, metal, or plastic core with a coating of polysiloxane and ceramic composition. In an embodiment, the ceramic composition may include at least 16 metal ions in an organic solvent. In another embodiment, the ceramic composition may include metal ions, and preferably at least 16 metal ions suspended in an organic solvent. The 16 metal ions of the ceramic composition may include aluminum, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, copper, strontium, barium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, lead, thorium, and silicon. 
     Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 10.5 aluminum normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of aluminum may range from between about 0.1 to about 40 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 6.7 calcium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of calcium may range from between about 1 to about 35 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 15.4 titanium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of titanium may range from between about 5 to about 55 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 10 chromium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of chromium may range from between about 1 to about 35 percent. 
     Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 1.9 manganese normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of manganese may range from between about 0.1 to about 45 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 7.1 iron normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of iron may range from between about 2 to about 45 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 4.1 copper normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of copper may range from between about 2 to about 35 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 1.1 strontium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of strontium may range from between about 0.01 to about 10 percent. 
     Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 22.1 barium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of barium may range from between about 3 to about 55 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 1.9 lanthanum normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of lanthanum may range from between about 0.1 to about 5 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 3.6 cerium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of cerium may range from between about 0.1 to about 10 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 0.4 praseodymium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of praseodymium may range from between about 0.01 to about 5 percent. 
     Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 1.3 neodymium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of neodymium may range from between about 0.2 to about 10 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 0.1 lead normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of lead may range from between about 0.01 to about 3 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 1 thorium normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of thorium may range from between about 0.01 to about 3 percent. Preferably, the ceramic composition may include about 23.3 silicon normalized weight percent, based on the total weight percent of metal ions in the ceramic composition, and the normalized weight percent of silicon may range from between about 5 to about 45 percent. 
     Without wishing to be bound by the theory, it is believed that when hot air passes over the ceramic insert  185 , far infrared heat (thermal waves) are caused to be transferred through the ceramic composition, and, anions, or positive ions, are generated and transmitted to the hair having advantageous effects on the hair shaft, which make it more manageable. Further, without wishing to be bound by the theory, the far infrared heat dries strands of hair from the inside of the strand of hair outwardly to the outside surface of the hair shaft, which is beneficial to the stands of hair by reducing the incidence by which ends of the stands of hair split, i.e., drying hair by far infrared heat reduces split ends. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a circuit board  250  may be associated with, or otherwise housed in the hair dryer  100 , such as within the handle formed by the front handle portion  150  and the rear handle portion  160 . The circuit board  250  may by adapted to receive ac current at 120 or 220 volts from a power cord  400  and through a voltage regulator  260  associated with the circuit board  250 . In an embodiment, the voltage regulator  260  is affixed to the circuit board  250 . Further, in electrical, or electronic, association with the circuit board  250  may be the following elements: at least one microprocessor  255 ; at least one liquid crystal display (“LCD”)  265 ; at least three and optionally four, five, six or more control buttons, dials, or switches  270 ,  275 , and  280  (fourth, fifth, and sixth buttons not shown); a cold shot control button  300 ; a sterilization, or sanitizing, control button  305 ; at least one high voltage generator  286 ; and at least one light emitting diode (“LED”) power supply  287 . 
     In an embodiment, the following elements may be affixed to the circuit board  250  and in electrical communication therewith: the voltage regulator  260 ; the microprocessor  255 ; at least one LCD  265 ; at least three buttons, dials, or switches  270 ,  275 , and  280 ; at least one high voltage generator  286 ; and at least one LED power supply  287 . In an alternative embodiment, due to physical spacing considerations, the at least one high voltage generator  286  and/or the at least one LED power supply  287  may be in electrical communication with the circuit board  205 , and disposed elsewhere within the hair dryer  100 . In an embodiment, the following components may be in electrical communication with the circuit board  250  and disposed within the hair dryer  100 : the heating element  195 ; the motor  230 ; the ion generator  215 ; the ozone generator  216 ; and the thermal fuse  205 . 
     The front housing  110  may include apertures  151 ,  152 ,  153 , and  154   a ,  154   b , and  154   c  through which the following components may be exposed: a cold shot control button  300 ; a LCD  265 ; the control buttons, dials, switches,  280 ,  270 ,  275 ; and the sanitizing control button  305 , respectively. Alternatively, the cold shot control button  300 , control buttons, dials, or switches  280 ,  270 , and  275 , and sanitizing control button  305  may be level with, or recessed within, respective apertures in the front housing  110 . Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the force to depress each control button may be high enough to minimize unintentional depression of each control button, yet low enough to allow ease of depression. Accordingly, the force needed to depress each control button may range from about 100 grams force to 310 grams force, alternatively from about 150 grams force to about 260 grams force, and alternatively about 200 grams force, plus or minus 50 grams force. 
     Depressing the cold shot control button  300 , may signal the hair dryer  100  to turn on the motor  230 , which drives the fan  225  to move relatively cold, or room temperature, air, into the hair dryer  100  and through the nozzle  105 . Alternatively, depressing the cold shot control button  300  may send an electrical signal to the motor  230  through the microprocessor  225 , which keeps the fan  225  running, and sends an electrical signal to the heating element  195 , which turns off, or keeps off, the heating element  195 . 
     Depressing the sanitizing button control  305  may activate the sanitization mode, which may send electrical signals through the microprocessor  255  to do the following: 1) deactivate electrical power to the motor  230 ; 2) deactivate electrical power to the heating element  195 ; 3) activate the high voltage generator  286 , which provides electrical power, ranging from about 5500 volts to about 8000 volts, to the ion generator  215  or the ozone generator  216  to generate ozone; and 4) activate the low voltage LED power supply  287 , which provides electrical power, ranging from about 3.0 to about 5.5 volts, to the UV LEDs  245  to emit ultra-violet light. In an embodiment, the microprocessor  255  may have a timing feature and may automatically turns off the UV LEDs  245  and the ozone producing element, either the ion generator  215  or the ozone generator  216 , after a predetermined amount of time, ranging between 1 minute and six hours, preferably between two hours and six hours, sufficient to sanitize at least an internal portion of the hair dryer  100 . Preferably, the sanitization mode may be stopped before the aforementioned predetermined amount of time by depressing the sanitizing control button  305  a second time. 
     In an embodiment, various control buttons may be assigned a function: an up button  270 , a down button  275 , and a power button  280 . Depressing at least two of the buttons (preferably the up and down buttons) at the same time may trigger a fourth mode function. Alternatively, the fourth mode function may have its own button. 
     Depressing the power control button  280  may turn the hair dryer  100  on and off. Depressing the mode button, or otherwise engaging the mode function may allow the user to control various functions of the hair dryer  100 , including setting the hair dryer  100  to turn off after a set amount of time, setting the hair dryer  100  to turn off after reaching a set temperature, turning the ion generator  215  on, keeping the ion generator  215  on for a certain amount of time, activating the sanitizing mode (described above) through the microprocessor, and increasing or decreasing the temperature of the heating element  195 . Depressing, or otherwise engaging, the mode button may also allow the user to observe various information, including the current temperature of the heating element  195  in degrees Fahrenheit, Centigrade, Kelvin, or Rankin, the total number of hours and/or minutes that the hair dryer has been used, the total number of hours and/or minutes that the hair dryer has been used during a session, the total amount of hours and/or minutes that the ionic generator has been used, as well as the serial number of the hair dryer. 
     Depending on the mode that the hair dryer is in, depressing the up button  270  may have different functions. For example, if the hair dryer is in “temperature mode,” depressing the up button  270  may increase the temperature of the heating element  195  by a set amount, as regulated by a thermister (not shown), typically one degree, or any other desired increment of temperature. Similarly, if the hair dryer is in “temperature mode,” depressing the down button  275  may decrease the temperature of the heating element  195  by a set amount, as regulated by the thermister (not shown), typically one degree, or any other desired increment of temperature. If the thermister fails and the heating element  195  gets too hot, the thermal fuse  205  preferably trips, which causes the hair dryer  100  to turn off. 
     In another example, if the hair dryer  100  is in “timing mode,” depressing the up button  270  may increase the amount of time that the hair dryer will stay on before shutting off, and depressing the down button  275  may decrease the amount of time that the hair dryer will stay on before shutting off. In alternative embodiments, the buttons may be replaced by rotatable dials, switches, and the like. 
     A power cord  400  may be secured between the lower end of the front handle portion  150  and rear handle portion  160  and provide electrical power via the voltage regulator  260  to the circuit board  250  and the remainder of the electrical components of the hair dryer  100 . 
     Specific embodiments of the present hair dryer have been described and illustrated. It will be understood to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions defined by the appended claims.