Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to hand-held hair dryers, and more particularly to hand-held hair dryers capable of producing both diffuse and concentrated air flow.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Hand-held hair dryers are typically designed to emit a concentrated flow of heated air from the dryer nozzle or barrel to quickly dry the user&#39;s hair. It is also known to modify the dryer to create a more diffuse flow of air, allowing the user to dry hair more gently. This diffuse flow is often beneficial during the styling process.  
           [0003]    One way of converting the concentrated air flow to a diffuse air flow is to use a simple diffuser attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,007 discloses a diffuser attachment that can be removably attached to the barrel of a hair dryer to convert the concentrated blast of air to a more gentle, diffuse flow. The conversion between concentrated air flow and diffuse air flow depends only on whether the attachment is connected to the barrel of the hair dryer. This type of diffuser attachment is well-known in the industry and is highly effective for creating a larger diffuse zone of axial flow from the end of an otherwise confined and concentrating barrel.  
           [0004]    Other prior art hair dryers employ alternative designs that are capable of varying the air flow. Many of these prior art hair dryers include shutter mechanisms positioned in the barrel of the hair dryer. The shutter mechanisms are actuated by the user to vary the flow of air being emitted from the hair dryer.  
           [0005]    For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,602,146 and 5,661,910 disclose hair dryers having shutter mechanisms that operate to substantially close the end of the barrel and redirect the air flow radially through holes or slots in the radial periphery of the barrel. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,525,623 and 4,977,306 disclose hair dryers having shutter mechanisms that vary the flow rate of air exiting the barrel by effectively changing the size of the exit opening.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,757 discloses another system for varying the flow of air exiting a hair dryer. In this system, a flexible metal foil is used as a baffle for closing the end of the barrel and thereby causing the air to be redirected radially through slots in the radial periphery of the barrel  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a hair dryer including a combined diffuser and concentrator assembly. In one embodiment, the hair dryer includes a handle and a body connected to the handle, a barrel connected to the body, the barrel having an inner member defining a first air passageway. The barrel also includes an outer member slidably mounted on the inner member, the outer member defining a second air passageway. The hair dryer also includes a shutter coupled to the inner member and movable in response to sliding of the outer member with respect to the inner member to selectively direct air through at least one of the first air passageway and the second air passageway.  
           [0008]    In another embodiment, the invention provides an attachment for a handheld hair dryer. The attachment includes a tubular inner member securable to the hair dryer and defining a central flow path having a central flow axis, the inner member including a plurality of circumferentially distributed apertures. The attachment also includes an outer member slidably coupled to the inner member and having an axially-extending, substantially annular flange portion, the outer member configured to substantially annularly surround the inner member and to define an flow path having a flow direction that is substantially parallel to the central flow axis. The attachment also includes a shutter member pivotally coupled to the inner member and pivotable in response to sliding of the outer member with respect to the inner member. The sliding of the outer member with respect to the inner member moves the attachment between a first position wherein the flange portion substantially overlies the apertures and the shutter member affords air flow through the central flow path, and a second position wherein the apertures afford fluid communication between the central flow path and the annular flow path and the shutter member at least partially restricts air flow through the central flow path.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment, the invention provides an attachment for a handheld hair dryer. The attachment includes an inner member releasably securable to the hair dryer, the inner member defining a central flow channel having a central flow axis and opening axially away from the hair dryer. The attachment also includes an outer member slidably coupled to the inner member and providing an annular flow channel at least partially surrounding the central flow channel and opening axially away from the hair dryer. The attachment also includes a shutter member pivotally coupled to the inner member for pivotal movement about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the central flow axis wherein the shutter member pivots in response to relative sliding movement of the inner member and the outer member to at least partially regulate air flow through the central flow channel and the annular flow channel.  
           [0010]    Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of a hair dryer embodying the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded side view of the dryer shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an end view of the dryer shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3 showing the attachment assembly in a first position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a section view similar to FIG. 4 showing the attachment assembly in a second position.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a section view taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 6.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates a hair dryer that is an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
       [0019]    Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The use of “consisting of” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter. The use of letters to identify steps of a method or process is simply for identification and is not meant to indicate that the steps should be performed in a particular order.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    The drawings illustrate a hand-held, electrically powered hair dryer  10  embodying the invention. In particular, and with reference to FIG. 1, the hair dryer  10  includes a handle  18  providing operating switches  22 , and a body  26  which is connected to the handle portion  18  and which defines (FIG. 6) an outlet  28  centered on an exhaust axis  44 . Referring to FIG. 1, body  26  houses an electric motor  30  that is operably coupled to a fan  34 . The motor  30  is electrically connected with the operating switches  22  to afford selective operation of the fan  34 . The body  26  also houses (FIG. 4) a heating element  42  located adjacent the outlet. The heating element  42  is electrically powered and is operably connected to the switches  22 . Operation of the fan  34  draws air into the body portion  26  and forces it over the heating element  42  and through the outlet  28  in a direction that is substantially parallel to the exhaust axis  44 .  
         [0021]    The hair dryer  10  also includes a combined diffuser/concentrator attachment assembly  14  that can be selectively, removably fixed to the body  26  adjacent the outlet  28 . The attachment assembly  14  provides a barrel or nozzle assembly  38  that can be selectively moved relative to the body  26  between a first, retracted position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 1) and a second, extended position (shown in phantom in FIG. 1). As detailed below, the attachment assembly  14  includes (FIG. 2) telescopically arranged inner and outer barrel members  50 ,  54  which cooperate to provide complementary first and second air flow paths communicating with the outlet  28  of the body  26 . Movement of the barrel assembly  38  between the retracted and extended positions alternatively opens and closes the flow paths. This selective positioning of the barrel assembly  38  affords selective operation of the hair dryer  10  to provide a diffused air flow and, alternatively, a concentrated air flow.  
         [0022]    More particularly, referring now to FIG. 2, the generally tubular inner barrel  50  has opposite ends: an inlet end  58  which can be fixed to the body  26  so as to align and communicate with the outlet  28 , and a nozzle end  62  that preferably defines a constricted opening  66 . Preferably, the inlet end  58  has structure which cooperates with the body  26  to afford selective attachment and removal of the assembly  14  to the body  26 . In the preferred embodiment, the inlet end provides a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs  90  that are configured to secure the attachment assembly  14  to the body  26  of the hair dryer  10 , however other methods of securing the attachment assembly  14  to the hair dryer  10  are possible and within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0023]    The nozzle end  62  of the inner barrel  50  has a diameter smaller than the inlet end  58  of the inner barrel  50 , and has therein a pair of diametrically opposed bores  70  (one shown in FIG. 2) which serve as mounting bosses for a shutter  74  which is mounted on the inner barrel  50  for pivotal movement between open and closed positions, and which is engaged with the outer barrel  54  for movement between the opened and closed positions as the assembly  14  is moved between retracted and extended positions.  
         [0024]    The inner barrel  50  has two portions extending between the inlet and nozzle ends  58 ,  62 : an imperforate section  78  adjacent the inlet end  58  and a perforated section  82  adjacent the nozzle end  62  having plurality of radial openings  86 . The imperforate section  78  has a generally uniform interior surface  90  which extends between the inlet end  58  and the openings  86  in the perforated section  82 , and which provides a flow path portion  94  communicating with the outlet  28  of the body  26 . The imperforate section  78  has an exterior surface  98  which provides a radially extending collar  102  located adjacent the inlet end  58 . The collar  102  is engagable with the outer barrel  54  when the attachment assembly  14  is moved into the retracted position to prevent movement of the outer barrel  54  beyond the inlet end  58  of the inner barrel  50 . The exterior surface  98  of the imperforate section  78  also has therein a series of axially extending grooves  100 . The grooves  100  are spaced apart about the circumference of the inner barrel  50  and engage the outer barrel  54  in a manner detailed below to guide axial movement of the outer barrel  54  relative to the inner barrel  50  between the extended and retracted positions.  
         [0025]    For reasons detailed below, the end  110  of the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  also includes a recess  114  extending toward the inlet end  58  of the inner barrel  50 . The recess  114  accommodates and receives a portion of the outer barrel  54  when the outer barrel  54  is moved into the retracted position.  
         [0026]    The openings  86  in the perforated section  82  of the inner barrel  50  are defined by a series of axially extending ribs  118 . The ribs  118  are spaced-apart circumferentially about the axis of the inner barrel  50 , and extend from the interior surface  90  of the inner barrel  50  so that the circumference of the perforated section  82  approximates the circumference of the nozzle end  62  of the inner barrel  50 , i.e., is less than the circumference of the inlet end  58  of the inner barrel  50 . The openings  86  in the perforated section  82  define air flow passage portions  122  communicating with the flow path portion  94  defined by the imperforate section  78 , afford passage of air flow therethrough in a direction diverging from the axis  44 .  
         [0027]    The outer barrel  54  also has opposed open ends: a tubular end  126  and a diffuser end  130 . The tubular end  126  of the outer barrel  54  is generally cylindrical, is imperforate, and is sized to telescopically receive the inner barrel  50 . The outer barrel  54  is slidably mounted on the inner barrel  50  in a manner affording relative telescopic movement between the retracted and extended positions. In this regard, the tubular end  126  of the outer barrel  54  includes (FIG. 6) a plurality of radially inwardly extending projections or tabs  134  that are slidably received by the grooves  100  in the exterior surface of the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50 . The cooperating tabs  134  and grooves  100  afford and guide the axial movement of the outer barrel  54  relative to the inner barrel  50  between the extended position wherein the tabs  134  engage the ends of the grooves  100  adjacent the perforated section  82  of the inner barrel  50  and the retracted position wherein the tabs  134  are located adjacent the inlet end  58  of the inner barrel  50  and the tubular end  126  of the outer barrel  54  engages the collar  102  on the inner barrel  50 . When the outer barrel  54  is moved into the retracted position (as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6), the tubular end  126  of the outer barrel  54  telescopically receives and overlies the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50 . Notably, the engagement of the tabs  134  and grooves  100  also control the rotational arrangement of the inner and outer barrels  50 ,  54 . In the illustrated embodiment, the rotational relationship of the inner and outer barrels  50 ,  54  is fixed.  
         [0028]    The diffuser end  130  of the outer barrel  54  includes (FIGS. 4 and 5) concentrically arranged inner and outer portions  138 ,  142 . The outer portion or shroud  142  extends continuously from the tubular portion  126  both axially and radially to a distal end  146 .  
         [0029]    The inner portion  138  is generally imperforate and has a cylindrical configuration. The inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  provides (FIG. 5) an interior surface sized  150  to approximate that of the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  and to telescopically receive the nozzle end  62  and imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50 . The axial extent of the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  is such that the distal end  154  of the inner portion  138  is generally coplanar with the distal end  146  of the shroud  142 . In this regard, the distal end  154  of the inner portion  138  and the distal end  146  of the shroud  142  are connected by a perforated diffuser face plate  158 . In the illustrated embodiment, the outer barrel  54  is an assembly of the shroud  142 , the inner portion  138  and the face plate  158 . The face plate  158  includes a plurality (e.g. three as illustrated) of tabs  162  that resiliently snap into engagement with recesses or other retaining structure on the distal end  146  of the shroud  142  to secure the face plate  158  and inner portion  138  to the shroud  142 , thereby forming the outer barrel  54 .  
         [0030]    The length of the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  is such that the inner portion  138  engages the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  when the outer barrel  54  is moved into the retracted position, and is spaced apart from the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  when the outer barrel  54  is moved into the extended position. Also the length of the inner portion  138  is such that when the outer barrel  54  is in the retracted position, the nozzle end  62  of the inner barrel  50  extends axially past the face plate  158  and is exposed. The length of the inner portion  138  is also such that the end of the inner portion  138  facing the body  26  of the hair dryer is radially spaced from the shroud  142 . This spacing thus provides an annular passage portion  166  between the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  and the shroud  142 . The diffuser passage  166  extends from the end of the inner portion  138  facing the body  26  to the face plate  158 .  
         [0031]    Further in this regard, the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  includes (FIGS. 2 and 4) an axially extending flange  170  having therein a guide slot  174  that has an extent diverging from the central axis  44 . The slot  130  engages a portion of the shutter  74  in a manner described below to pivot the shutter  74  between the open and closed positions. The flange  170  has an edge profile  126  that substantially matches the profile of the recess  114  in the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50 . The flange  170  is received by the recess when the outer barrel  54  is moved into the retracted position.  
         [0032]    This arrangement of the inner portion  138  relative to the inner barrel  50  serves to provide, in part, alternative flow paths. More particularly, when the outer barrel  54  is (FIG. 4) moved into the retracted position, the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  and the imperforate inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  are in end-to-end engagement, and cooperate to define a continuous first flow path between the outlet  28  of the body  26  to the nozzle. When the outer barrel  54  is (FIG. 5) moved away from the body  26  toward the extended position, the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  moves into a position surrounding the nozzle and away from the openings  86  in the perforated section  82  of the inner barrel  50 . When the outer barrel  54  is so extended, the passage in the diffuser  130  communicates with the openings  86  in the inner barrel  50  to define a second flow path extending between the face plate  158  and the outlet. As explained below, extension of the barrel assembly also pivots the shutter  74  closed so that as the second flow path is opened, the first flow path is closed.  
         [0033]    In particular, the shutter  74  is located within the inner barrel  50  adjacent the nozzle end  62 . The shutter  74  is disc shaped, has opposed planar faces  182  and a periphery  186  approximating the inner surface of the nozzle  62 . The shutter  74  includes a pair of diametrically opposed and radially extending pins  190  that define a pivot axis  194  and that are received by the opposed bores  70  in the nozzle end  62  of the inner barrel  50 . The shutter  74  is thus pivotally secured to the inner barrel  50 . The shutter  74  also includes a guide pin  198  that extends radially and parallel the pins  190  and is spaced from the pivot axis  194 . The guide pin  198  is received by the slot  174  in the flange  170  on the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130 . Because of the angled orientation of the slot  174  and the offset of the guide pin  198  from the pivot axis  194 , the guide pin  198  is moved radially relative to the axis  44  when the inner and outer barrels  50 ,  54  are moved between the retracted and extended positions. This movement of the guide pin  198  pivots the shutter  74  between a streamwise position (shown in FIG. 4), wherein the faces of the shutter  74  are oriented substantially parallel to the flow axis  44 , and a cross-streamwise position (shown in FIG. 5), wherein the faces  182  of the shutter  74  are oriented substantially perpendicular to the flow axis  44 .  
         [0034]    Thus, when the assembly  14  is in the retracted position, the imperforate section  78  of the inner barrel  50  and the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  are engaged to form the first flow path between the outlet  28  and the nozzle, which is located centrally of the diffuse face plate  158 . Also, when the assembly  14  is in the retracted position, the shutter  74  is in its open position. Notably, when retracted, the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  overlies the openings  86  in the inner barrel  50 , thus disrupting the second air flow path. In this position, i.e., when the assembly  14  is in the retracted position, operation of the fan and the assembly  14  provides a concentrated flow of air from the drier.  
         [0035]    When the assembly  14  is moved to the extended position, the inner portion  138  of the diffuser  130  moves away from and exposes the openings  86  in the inner barrel  50 , thus completing the second flow path from the outlet  28  to the passage of the diffuser  130 . Also, when the assembly is moved to the extended position, the shutter  74  closes to disrupt the first air flow. In this position, i.e., when the assembly is in the extended position, operation of the fan and the assembly  14  provides a diffused flow of air from the drier, namely from the outlet  28 , along the imperforate portion of the inner barrel  50 , radially outwardly through the openings  86  in the perforated portion of the inner barrel  50 , radially and axially outwardly along the diffuser passage  166 , and through the face plate  158 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 8 illustrates a hair dryer  200  that is an alternative embodiment of the invention. Hair dryer  200  is identical to the dryer  10  also includes a body portion  226  and an exhaust opening  228 . The hair dryer  200  also includes a combined diffuser/concentrator attachment assembly  214  that can is fixed to the body  226  adjacent the outlet  228 . The assembly  214  is identical to assembly  14  except that the assembly  214  is not easily removed from the body  226 , i.e., the assembly provides a nozzle assembly that can be selectively moved relative to the body  226  between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position to provide complementary first and second air flow paths communicating with the outlet  228  of the body  226 . Movement of the assembly  214  between the retracted and extended positions alternatively opens and closes the complementary flow paths. This selective positioning of the assembly  214  affords selective operation of the hair dryer  200  to provide a diffused air flow and, alternatively, a concentrated air flow.  
         [0037]    While the illustrated embodiments include a butterfly valve type shutter  74 , it should be appreciated that other types, styles, and configurations of flow disrupting or directing elements may be employed to selectively direct the flow of air between the first flow path and the second flow path. Similarly, the opening and closing of the openings  66  may be accomplished in a variety of ways.  
         [0038]    Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 1