Patent Application
20190098979
This application claims the priority of United Kingdom Application No. 1715815.5, filed Sep. 29, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a nozzle for a hair dryer.
It is known to provide a hair dryer with one or more nozzles for selective attachment to the airflow outlet end of the hair dryer to modify the profile of the airflow emitted from the hair dryer. One form of nozzle, or attachment, is a concentrator, which serves to concentrate the airflow towards a selected portion of the user's hair for localized styling or drying. In general, a concentrator has a main body with a circular air inlet for receiving the airflow from the hair dryer, and a slot-shaped air outlet for emitting the airflow.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides an attachment for a hair styling apparatus comprising an air inlet for receiving airflow from a hair styling apparatus, an air outlet, a duct for conveying air from the air inlet to the air outlet, at least one aperture in a wall of the duct, and a guiding wall within the duct and in proximity to the at least one aperture, wherein the guiding wall forms a barrier at an upstream side of the at least one aperture.
Ambient air is entrained through each aperture into the attachment by the airflow from the hair styling apparatus. Where the airflow received from the hair styling apparatus is heated, the entrained airflow will be comparatively cool. Therefore, in use, the guiding wall divides a heated airflow passing along one side and a comparatively cool airflow passing along the other side.
Preferably, the air outlet is an elongate slot. The duct may further comprise a side wall extending from each end of the elongate air outlet slot towards the air inlet.
If the air outlet slot were inadvertently blocked or restricted during use of the attachment when attached to the hairdryer, then heated airflow can escape through the aperture(s), thereby reducing the build up of heat within the nozzle and, in particular, at the outlet slot. Therefore, the apertures may also be referred to as “bleed holes”.
Each aperture is preferably positioned in each side wall and may have a rounded rectangular shape. Preferably, the aperture is approximately 3 mm by 5 mm
The aperture may be a slot extending partially or wholly around the external surface of the duct. Preferably, the guiding wall extends downstream of the or each aperture for a distance of at least 5 mm
It is preferred that the elongate air outlet slot has dimensions of length, L, to height, H, in a ratio in the range of 13:1 to 15:1, and more preferably still, in a ratio of 14:1.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides an attachment for a hair styling apparatus comprising an air inlet for receiving airflow from the hair styling apparatus, an air outlet, and a duct for conveying air from the air inlet to the air outlet, wherein at least part of an external surface of the duct comprises an arrangement of tactile protrusions.
It is preferred that the air outlet is an elongate slot. The internal surfaces of the body are preferably shaped to form a slot-shaped opening at the air outlet end of the body to allow a user to direct the airflow emitted from the nozzle towards a selected portion of hair, for example a portion of hair wrapped around a brush for styling.
Preferably, the arrangement of tactile protrusions comprises a series of parallel, elongate ribs, each rib having a height, h, and a width, w, and a distance, d, between adjacent ribs.
The ribbed external surface of the nozzle provides a visual guide to the user as to where they should place their fingers when grasping the nozzle. Additionally, the series of protrusions provides thermal insulation consequent to the ambient air present in the ridges and the additional depth of the plastics material present in protrusions.
The height, h, of each rib is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, and more preferably still in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. The distance, d, between each rib is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, and more preferably still in the range of 1.3 mm to 1.7 mm. The width, w, of each rib is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, and more preferably still in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm
Preferably, the attachment further comprises a side wall on each narrow edge of the duct, wherein each side wall extends from an end of the air outlet slot towards the air inlet. The arrangement of tactile protrusions may be disposed on an external surface of the side wall.
It is preferred that the air inlet is generally circular in shape. Further, the air inlet may comprise at least one slot and said slot may be annular.
Preferred features of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The nozzle comprises a body 20, and a bung 22 located partially within the body 20. The body 20 has a first portion 24 comprising the air inlet 12, and a second portion 26 comprising the air outlet. The first portion 24 is substantially conical in shape, and the second portion 26 has a flattened form and a cross-section which increases in area towards the air outlet 14. The first portion 24 and second portion 26 together comprise a single component without seams or joins. The air inlet end of the first portion 24 is generally circular in shape. The bung 22 has a generally cylindrical upstream section 28 and a generally conical downstream section 30, as illustrated in
The second portion 26 of the body 20 comprises a first wall 32, and a second wall 34 opposing the first wall. Both the first wall 32 and the second wall 34 are generally planar and the distance between the first wall 32 and the second wall 34 is constant. Two smoothly curving minor walls 36, 38 join the first wall 32 and the second wall 34. With reference to
The second portion 26 of the body has an approximately rectangular cross-section. The elongate slot form of the air outlet has a length, L, of between 50 mm and 90 mm and preferably around 70 mm, and a height, H, of between 3 mm and 7 mm and preferably around 5 mm. The cross-sectional area of the second portion 26 is greatest at the air outlet 18 of the second portion 26. The cross-section of the air outlet 18 of the second portion 26 of the body 20 has a length (L) to height (H) ratio of between 13:1 to 15:1, and preferably 14:1.
An external face of each minor wall 36, 38 has a series of ribs extending partially along the length of each minor wall. Each rib 40 is approximately 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm in width, w, and preferably approximately 1 mm in width. A gap between each rib is approximately 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm in distance, d, and preferably approximately 1.5 mm in distance. Each rib 40 is approximately 0.5 mm to 3 mm in height, h, and preferably approximately 1 mm in height. A profile of the series of ribs along each of the minor walls, as shown in
An aperture 42 is located in each minor wall 36, 38 in proximity to the air inlet 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture 42 has a generally rounded rectangle shape and is approximately 5 mm by 3 mm. The longer dimension of the aperture is parallel to the length of the minor walls. As shown in
Referring to
The outer surface of the downstream section 30 of the bung 22, whilst having a generally conical profile, may have minor concave or convex variations. The outer surface of the downstream section 30 of the bung 22 may have the same profile as the inner surface of the first portion 24 of the body. The external surface of the body may not have the same profile as the inner surface of the body, in particular around the interface between the first portion and second portion of the body. For example, the inner surface of the body may have a blended curve profile at the junction between the first portion of the body and the second portion of the body 20, rather than the angular junction of the external surface. Such a blended curve profile of the inner surface of the body minimises any turbulence or recirculation of the airflow within the nozzle 10.
As seen in
In the embodiment of the nozzle illustrated in
In use, airflow emitted from the hairdryer passes into the air inlet 12 of the nozzle 10 and through the flow path between the bung and the first portion of the body. The airflow subsequently passes through the second portion of the nozzle 10 and is emitted at the air outlet 14. Where the airflow emitted from the hairdryer is hot, heat transfer causes the temperature of the nozzle to increase, potentially making the external surface of the nozzle uncomfortably hot to the touch for the user. By placing their fingers on the series of ribs on each of the minor walls of the body, the temperature experienced by the user is minimised. Firstly, this is consequent to the series of protrusions providing thermal insulation via the ambient air present in the ridges and the additional depth of the plastics material present in each protrusion 40. Secondly, airflow emitted from the hairdryer and passing through the nozzle 10, entrains cool ambient air through the aperture 42 in each minor wall 36, 38. Consequently, as illustrated schematically in
A further noted effect of the entrained airflow 62 is that the heated airflow 64 is urged to exit the elongate outlet slot 18 at an angle of divergence which is greater than the exit angle in the absence of the entrained airflow 62. Furthermore, positioning the aperture 42 in a wall (such as the minor walls 36, 38 in the present embodiment) which forms at least part of a restricted duct, advantageously channels the cool, entrained airflow within the restricted duct.
The attachment means for attaching the nozzle 10 to a hairdryer may use attractive magnetic forces and
An example of a hair dryer 68 to which the nozzle may be attached is illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment, a nozzle comprises a circular upstream end for attaching to a hairdryer and does not comprise a bung. Such a nozzle may be attached to a hairdryer comprising a circular air outlet.
As an alternative to providing an air inlet in the form of an annular slot, the nozzle may comprise a plurality of curved, slot-shaped air inlets, or a plurality of circular air inlets, arranged in a circular pattern in the air inlet end of the nozzle.
In an alternative embodiment, the external face of each of the minor walls may have a pattern of insulating protrusions of various forms, such as, circular, triangular, or ring shaped. The pattern of insulating protrusions may extend at least partially or completely along the length of each minor wall, downstream of each aperture.
The aperture(s) may be positioned upstream of any portion of the nozzle requiring a reduction in temperature. The aperture may be a slot which extends partially or substantially around an entire circumference of the first portion or second portion of the body. The aperture could alternatively extend along the V-shaped interface between the first portion and second portion of the body. A guiding wall is located upstream of, and in proximity to, the aperture, serving to block airflow upstream of the slot and to guide airflow downstream of the aperture. Where the aperture is a slot extending substantially around the nozzle, structural integrity of the nozzle may be maintained by the guiding wall or regularly positioned joins across the aperture.
Where the aperture is a slot extending substantially around the nozzle, a pattern of insulating protrusions on the external surface of the body may also extend around the nozzle, downstream of the slot.
In an alternative embodiment, the magnetic component in the upstream terminal end of the nozzle may be composed of magnetisable material, and the cooperating magnetic component in the outlet end of the hairdryer may comprise one or magnets in an annular form.
The invention is not limited to the detailed description given above. Variations will be apparent to the person skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1715815.5 | Sep 2017 | GB | national |
