Patent Application
20190313761
Hair type or texture depends on the shape of the follicle which forms the hair, while sulfur, hydrogen and salt bonds help retain the natural texture of the hair. Curly hair is often naturally dry, at least in portions distal to the roots, as hydrating oils from the scalp are relatively impeded in propagating down the length of a strand of hair to the hydrate the same, in comparison to other hair types, because of the spiraling form of the hair. Curly hair is typically more susceptible to appearing frizzy than other types of hair, such as straight hair. When curly hair is quickly dried under high temperature, for example in blow drying with a hair dryer appliance, strands of hair may become separated from their respective aggregate curls due to the heat breaking hair bonds providing the natural shape of the strand and the lack of moisture cohesion with adjacent strands of hair. Over-drying or excessive-drying will then result in frizzy hair once the bonds are reformed after cooling if the strands remain isolated from larger curl formations.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
The present disclosure relates to a hair holding structure for a hair dryer apparatus. The holding structure is configured to advantageously support the hair for the application of a diffused airflow from the hair dryer. One aspect is to provide a holding structure for hair such that the hair may be cooled at lower temperatures and/or pressures to achieve desired results. Another aspect is to provide a concave cavity to contain sections of hair while being worked on during the drying process. Another aspect is to provide structures to gather and lift hair from the scalp in order to open up airflow pathways closer to the roots of the hair for drying the same. Another aspect is to prevent or reduce the risk that hair will enter the interior of the hair dryer. Another aspect is to provide a bi-directional hair dryer including such a hair holding structure, so that the hair dryer may be readily switched between a diffuse airflow at one end and a concentrated airflow at the other end, by controlling the direction the airflow is conveyed, without the user needing to switch out accessories or appliances.
The hair dryer conveys an airflow alternatively in a first direction and in a second direction. A first or concentrating end of the hair dryer expels the airflow when conveyed in the first direction; a second or diffusing end expels the airflow when conveyed in the second direction.
The hair dryer has an internal fan motor configured to drive a fan to convey the airflow in either the first direction or the second direction. For example, the fan motor may be a reversible motor configured to, along with the fan, change the direction of the airflow as desired by the user. In some embodiments, the first end intakes the airflow when conveyed in the second direction, and the second end intakes the airflow when conveyed in the first direction. The first end of the hair dryer may act to concentrate the airflow while the second end acts to diffuse the airflow. For example, the first end may include a nozzle. The nozzle may be integrally formed on the first end, or an attachment configured to removably couple to the first end of the hairdryer. The hair dryer may further comprise an internal heater configured to heat the airflow (or not heat the airflow) as desired by the user.
The second end of the hair dryer includes a holding structure having a surface which extends across the airflow, and a plurality of apertures which extend through the surface to provide pathways for the airflow. The surface may be a concave surface which forms a bowl-shape opening away from the hair dryer. In other embodiments, the surface of the holding structure may instead be flat or convex. The holding structure may be integrally formed on or otherwise secured to the second end of the hair dryer, or the holding structure may be an attachment configured to removably couple to the second end of the hair dryer, for example.
In some embodiments, the holding structure comprises a plurality of pins formed around a perimeter of the surface of the holding structure. The pins are spaced apart from each other and extend from the surface away from the hair dryer. The pins may extend parallel to the second direction, or at least partially angled outward away from the second direction in projecting from the surface of the holding structure. An aperture may be provided at the base of each pin along the surface, which extends through its respective pin to open in a radial direction toward a center of the holding structure. In other embodiments without separate pin-like structures, a projecting wall may be formed around the perimeter of the surface to form a cavity for containing hair within the holding structure. This continues wall may also be formed by the surface itself, for example, where the surface is a concave surface forming a bowl-shape.
The hair dryer may further comprise a screen which extends across the airflow in the second end of the hair dryer. For example, the screen may be arranged opposite the surface of the holding structure with respect to the apertures therebetween. In some embodiments, the screen is integrally formed on the second end of the hair dryer. In other embodiments, the screen is integrally formed as a part of the holding structure. Still further, the screen may be provided as a separate component from both the holding structure and the second end of the hair dryer. In the same way, the hair dryer may also comprise a screen which extends across the airflow in the first end of the hair dryer. The screens help prevent against objects (e.g. hair) entering the first end and/or second end of the hair dryer. This can be particularly advantageous where the end of the hair dryer with the screen serves as an air intake when the airflow is conveyed out the other end of the hair dryer.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tool and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments may be directed to other improvements within the scope of spirit of the present disclosure. In addition to the aspects and embodiments described herein, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description forming a part of this specification.
The present disclosure is further described with reference to the following figures:
Before further explaining the depicted embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangements shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purposes of description and not limitation.
As seen in
Referring now to
Exterior to the screen 128 in the direction of travel of the exiting airflow, the surface 122 of the holding structure 120 comprises the plurality of apertures 124 extending therethrough. In the depicted embodiment, the surface 122 of the holding structure 120 is a concave surface forming a bowl-shaped cavity which opens away from the hair dryer 100, wherein sections of hair can be held during the drying process. The surface 122 could instead be flat or convex in other embodiments. The apertures 124 provide pathways for the exiting airflow. The apertures 124 may take on any number, size, shape, and positional arrangement; no limitation is intended or should be implied by the depicted embodiments. The surface 122 provides additional distance from the internal heater of the hair dryer 100 for the exiting airflow to travel before it reaches a user's hair through the holding structure 120, which may result in additional cooling of the airflow at least to some extent. The surface 122 also helps guard against hair becoming entangled in the screen 128 at least to some extent.
The plurality of pins 126 may be formed around the perimeter of the holding structure 120. In the depicted embodiment, the pins 126 are spaced apart from one another and extend from the surface 122 away from the hair dryer 100 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hair dryer 100 or direction of the airflow. However, the pins 126 may be at least partially angled outward away from the center of the holding structure 120 in other embodiments (not shown). The lateral ends of the pins 126 (distal to the surface 122) may be placed on or near the scalp of a user, and the pins 126 then used to collect and push hair up or lift hair off the scalp, such that the airflow may be able to better access strands of hair proximate the roots. In this way, the pins 126 can help position the sections of hair for more equal drying along the length thereof, which may be particularly useful for wet thick hair, for example. The pins 126 may take on any number, size, shape, and positional arrangement; no limitation is intended or should be implied by the depicted embodiment. Other embodiments (not shown) may not have separate pin-like structures, in which case a projecting wall formed around the perimeter of the surface 122 or the perimeter of the surface 122 itself, for example where the concave surface 122 forms a bowl-shape, may simply hold the hair within the holding structure 120.
In some embodiments (see
Accordingly, the holding structure 120 may be used to provide a diffuse and/or low-heat airflow for drying hair where a high-temperature and/or high-pressure airflow is undesirable. One example may include curly hair, which may become frizzy if dried under excessive heat or pressure.
It should be appreciated that in other embodiments (not shown), the hair dryer 100 may instead be one-directional and still fall within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the hair dryer 100 could be configured to output a single diffused airflow only and still comprise a holding structure 120 according to the present disclosure.
While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations therefor. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations, which are within their true spirit and scope. Each embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.
The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by exemplary embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and sub-combinations possible of the group are intended to be individually included in the disclosure.
In general, the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62658291 | Apr 2018 | US |
