Patent Description:
Delivering ions or ionically charged molecules to a person's hair provides benefits including the removal of undesirable static charge that naturally occurs in hair. For example, <CIT>") provides a hair dryer that discharges ions. In particular, Ishikawa provides a hair dryer that has a main body with an inlet port and a discharge port, an air flow path with the air flow path extending from the inlet port to the discharge port and a bypass flow path with the bypass flow path branching off from the air flow path and leading to an ion emission port. Further, Ishikawa requires an auxiliary air inlet associated with the ion emission port. This structure results in the auxiliary air inlet and the ion emission port undesirably being in communication with the hair dryer's main air inlet and outlet. Document <CIT> also discloses a hair dryer that discharges ions.

Accordingly, there is a need to address this disadvantage of currently available systems.

The above-mentioned need is satisfied by the provision of a hair dryer according to claim <NUM>. The hair dryer has two pairs of positive and negative ion emitters.

A first pair of ion emitters is located in a main barrel of the hair dryer that has a main air inlet and a main air outlet. The second pair of ion emitters is installed inside a protruded area located on top of the main barrel that has an auxiliary air inlet and an auxiliary air outlet. The auxiliary air inlet and the auxiliary air outlet are not in communication with the main air inlet or the main air outlet.

The hair dryer includes a housing having a main air inlet, a main air outlet and a main interior volume between the main air inlet and the main air outlet. The housing has an auxiliary air inlet, an auxiliary air outlet, and an auxiliary interior volume defined between the auxiliary air inlet and the auxiliary air outlet. The auxiliary air inlet, the auxiliary air outlet and the auxiliary interior volume each are outside of the main interior volume so that the auxiliary air inlet and the auxiliary air outlet are not in communication with the main air inlet and the main air outlet. A first pair of ion emitters are in the main interior volume. A second pair of ion emitters are in the auxiliary interior volume.

A fan is located in the main interior volume upstream of the first pair of ion emitters, and selectively generates a main airflow through the housing from the main air inlet to the main air outlet. A heater is in the main interior volume downstream of the fan and upstream of the main air outlet relative to the main airflow.

The housing can have an interior wall and an exterior wall. The interior wall can surround the main interior volume. The auxiliary interior volume can be located between the exterior wall and the interior wall so that the interior wall separates the auxiliary interior volume from the main interior volume. The interior wall can form the main air inlet and the main air outlet. The exterior wall can have an inlet hole forming the auxiliary air inlet. The exterior wall can have an outlet hole forming the auxiliary air outlet. The interior wall and the exterior wall can contact each other adjacent the auxiliary air outlet. Also, the exterior wall and interior wall can contact each other adjacent the main air inlet to form the auxiliary interior volume. The first pair of ion emitters can have a positive ion emitter that generates positive ions and a negative ion emitter that generates negative ions. Likewise, the second pair of ion emitters can have a positive ion emitter that generates positive ions and a negative ion emitter that generates negative ions. The main airflow moves positive and negative ions from the first pair of ion emitters out of the main air outlet. The auxiliary interior volume allows air to pass through the auxiliary air inlet forming an auxiliary air flow that passes through the auxiliary interior volume and out of the auxiliary air outlet so that positive and negative ions from the second pair of ion emitters are brought out of the auxiliary air outlet.

The main airflow can have a speed at the main air outlet that is higher than a surrounding area. Thus, some air will be drawn along a direction of the main airflow through the auxiliary air inlet to form the auxiliary air flow. This auxiliary air flow can bring or urge forward the positive and negative ions that are emitted from the auxiliary interior volume.

The housing can have a main barrel and a connector portion that is connected to a handle. The handle can be foldable relative to the housing. The handle can have a handle body forming an extension on one end, and can have an opening through the extension to connect the handle to the housing by a hinge connection. The hinge connection can be a pin that passes through the opening of the handle and through the connector portion of the housing so that the housing and the handle are rotatable relative to each other.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and accompanying claims. As shown throughout the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts.

The present disclosure will be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, there is provided a hair dryer generally represented by reference numeral <NUM>. Hair dryer <NUM> has a housing <NUM> that includes a main barrel <NUM>, main air inlet <NUM> and main air outlet <NUM>, and a connector portion <NUM>.

Housing <NUM> houses two pairs of positive and negative ion emitters. As shown in <FIG>, a first pair of ion emitters <NUM> is located in main barrel <NUM>. A second pair of ion emitters <NUM> is located inside a protruded area <NUM> located on top of main barrel <NUM>.

Protruded area <NUM> has an auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and an auxiliary air outlet <NUM>.

Auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and auxiliary air outlet <NUM> are not in communication with main air inlet <NUM> and main air outlet <NUM>. Nonetheless, all the benefits of discharging positive and negative ions from second pair of ion emitters <NUM> during operation of hair dryer <NUM> is still provided.

Referring again to <FIG> and <FIG>, main barrel <NUM> has an exterior wall <NUM>. Main air inlet <NUM> is covered by an inlet grille <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Main air outlet <NUM> is covered by an outlet grille <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Exterior wall <NUM> has inlet holes <NUM> forming auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and outlet holes <NUM> forming auxiliary air outlet <NUM>. Connector portion <NUM> connects housing <NUM> to a handle <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, handle <NUM> has a handle body <NUM> that forms an extension <NUM> at a first end. Extension <NUM> and handle body <NUM> have an opening <NUM>. Handle <NUM> is connected to housing <NUM> by a hinge connection. The hinge connection has a pin <NUM> that passes through opening <NUM> of handle <NUM> and through connector portion <NUM> of housing <NUM> so that main barrel <NUM> and handle <NUM> are rotatable relative to each other. Handle <NUM> is connected to a cord sleeve <NUM> at a second end opposite extension <NUM>. Cord sleeve <NUM> surrounds a power cord <NUM>, and shown in <FIG>, and has a loop <NUM>. Handle body <NUM> has a power button <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Preferably, housing <NUM> and handle <NUM> are plastic or metal.

Referring to <FIG>, housing <NUM> has an interior wall <NUM> and exterior wall <NUM>. Interior wall <NUM> surrounds a main interior volume <NUM>. Interior wall <NUM> forms main air inlet <NUM> and main air outlet <NUM>. A fan <NUM> is positioned in main interior volume <NUM> downstream of inlet grille <NUM> relative to a main airflow generated by operation of fan <NUM>. Fan <NUM> has motor <NUM> to rotate fan blades <NUM>. Hair dryer <NUM> has a heater <NUM> in main interior volume <NUM> downstream of fan <NUM> and upstream of outlet grille <NUM> relative to the main airflow. Heater <NUM>, for example, is a mica heater. First pair of ion emitters <NUM> are downstream of fan <NUM> and upstream of outlet grille <NUM> relative to the main airflow. A portion or all of first pair of ion emitters <NUM> is inside of heater <NUM> adjacent outlet grille <NUM>. First pair of ion emitters <NUM> has a positive ion emitter <NUM> and a negative ion emitter <NUM>.

Still referring to <FIG>, protruded area <NUM> is formed between interior wall <NUM> and exterior wall <NUM>. Alternatively, protruded area <NUM> can be formed separately and then connected to housing <NUM>. Interior wall <NUM> and exterior wall <NUM> form auxiliary interior volume <NUM> in the protruding area <NUM>.

Interior wall <NUM> separates auxiliary interior volume <NUM> from main interior volume <NUM>. Interior wall <NUM> and exterior wall <NUM> contact each other adjacent auxiliary air outlet <NUM> at a downstream location <NUM> and interior wall <NUM> and exterior wall <NUM> contact each other adjacent main air inlet <NUM> at an upstream location <NUM> to form auxiliary interior volume <NUM>. Second pair of ion emitters <NUM> is in auxiliary interior volume <NUM>.

Second pair of ion emitters <NUM> has a positive ion emitter <NUM> and a negative ion emitter <NUM>.

Auxiliary air inlet <NUM>, auxiliary air outlet <NUM> and auxiliary interior volume <NUM> each are outside of a main interior volume <NUM>, so that auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and auxiliary air outlet <NUM> are not in communication with main air inlet <NUM> and main air outlet <NUM> of hair dryer <NUM>.

During operation, power cord <NUM> is connected to a power source such as an electrical outlet supplying power to hair dryer <NUM>. A user selectively turns hair dryer <NUM> on and off by moving power button <NUM> toward and away from housing <NUM> between an on position of power button <NUM> that is shown in <FIG> and an off position of power button <NUM> that is closer to cord sleeve <NUM>. When the user turns hair dryer <NUM> on by moving power button <NUM> to the on position shown in <FIG>, electrical current is conducted from the power supply through power cord <NUM> to heater <NUM>, motor <NUM>, first pair of ion emitters <NUM> and second pair of ion emitters <NUM>. Heater <NUM> increases in temperature to a temperature above ambient temperature. Motor <NUM> rotates fan blades <NUM> generating the main airflow, as shown by arrows <NUM> in <FIG>, that flows in from main air inlet <NUM> through main interior volume <NUM> and out of main air outlet <NUM>. First pair of ion emitters <NUM> has positive ion emitter <NUM> that generates positive ions and negative ion emitter <NUM> that generates negative ions. Second pair of ion emitters <NUM> has positive ion emitter <NUM> that generates positive ions and negative ion emitter <NUM> that generates negative ions.

The main airflow, as shown by arrows <NUM>, brings positive and negative ions from first pair of ion emitters <NUM> out of main air outlet <NUM>. Protruded area <NUM> allows air to pass through inlet holes or openings <NUM> forming an auxiliary air flow, as shown by arrows <NUM>, that passes into auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and through auxiliary interior volume <NUM> passing out of outlet openings <NUM> of auxiliary air outlet <NUM> bringing positive and negative ions from second pair of ion emitters <NUM> out of auxiliary air outlet <NUM>. Since a speed of the main airflow, as shown by arrows <NUM>, at the main air outlet <NUM> is higher than the surrounding area, some air will be drawn along a direction of the main airflow shown by arrows <NUM>, through auxiliary air inlet <NUM> forming the auxiliary air flow shown by arrows <NUM>, and this will bring extra positive and negative ions that are emitted out of protruded area <NUM>. This, in other words, increases a total amount of positive and negative ions emitted out of hair dryer <NUM> during operation.

The user moves power button <NUM> to the off position so that electrical current is blocked from conducting to heater <NUM>, motor <NUM>, first pair of ion emitters <NUM> and second pair of ion emitters <NUM>, from the power supply through the power cord <NUM> to cease operation of hair dryer <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, as noted above, handle <NUM> is foldable relative to housing <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, connector portion <NUM> of housing <NUM> has an extended portion <NUM>. Handle <NUM> has extension <NUM> on a first side of extended portion <NUM> and an extension <NUM> on a second side of extended portion <NUM> that is opposite the first side.

Referring to <FIG>, pin <NUM> passes through opening <NUM> of extension <NUM> of handle <NUM> and through extended portion <NUM> of housing <NUM> so that housing <NUM> and handle <NUM> are rotatable relative to each other between an extended position, as shown in <FIG>, and a folded position as shown in <FIG>. Accordingly, when in the folded position, hair dryer <NUM> is compact for storage or transportation.

Auxiliary air inlet <NUM> and auxiliary air outlet <NUM> are not in communication with main air inlet <NUM> and main air outlet <NUM> of hair dryer <NUM>. Yet, hair dryer <NUM> still provides all the benefits of discharging positive and negative ions from second pair of ion emitters <NUM> while drying the user's hair.

Claim 1:
A hair dryer (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) having a main air inlet (<NUM>), a main air outlet (<NUM>) and a main interior volume between the main air inlet (<NUM>) and the main air outlet (<NUM>), the housing (<NUM>) having an auxiliary air inlet (<NUM>), an auxiliary air outlet (<NUM>), and an auxiliary interior volume between the auxiliary air inlet (<NUM>) and the auxiliary air outlet (<NUM>), the auxiliary air inlet (<NUM>), the auxiliary air outlet (<NUM>) and the auxiliary interior volume each being outside of the main interior volume so that the auxiliary air inlet (<NUM>) and the auxiliary air outlet (<NUM>) are not in communication with the main air inlet (<NUM>) and the main air outlet (<NUM>);
a first pair of ion emitters (<NUM>) being located in the main interior volume;
a second pair of ion emitters (<NUM>) being located in the auxiliary interior volume;
a fan (<NUM>) in the main interior volume that selectively generates a main airflow through the housing (<NUM>) from the main air inlet (<NUM>) to the main air outlet (<NUM>), the fan (<NUM>) being upstream of the first pair of ion emitters (<NUM>) relative to the main airflow; and
a heater (<NUM>) in the main interior downstream of the fan (<NUM>) and upstream of the main air outlet (<NUM>) relative to the main airflow.