Patent Application
20050198853
The present disclosure relates to hair styling/drying devices such as hot air dryers, hot air brushes, curling irons and flat irons that incorporate negative ion technology, and more particularly, devices in which the negative ion output is adjustable by the user. The adjustment of ion flow allows users with different hair types to adjust the ion flow to the correct levels for their particular hair. For example, the low range ion flow is appropriate for fine hair, the medium range setting is appropriate for normal hair and the high range setting is preferably used for thick hair. In this way, the user's hair can be dried and styled without the frizzy effects caused by static electricity, and further the correct ion flow prevents the overhydration of thinner hair while maintaining volume.
In preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, a hair drying/styling appliance is provided with a voltage generator module along with a control circuit that allows for variable negatively charged ion output. The control circuit allows the negative electrostatic output to range from low to medium to high by the use of a variable output device such as a rheostat or variable resistor that is controlled by the user of the appliance. The control circuit also allows the variable electrostatic output to be visibly indicated by a series of lights or other visual indicators. As the negative ion output is increased, the number of illuminated lights or other visual indicators increases. In this way, the user can quickly and easily monitor the amount of negative ion output and adjust it accordingly.
The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.
An embodiment of the present invention may be a hair dryer 10 as shown in perspective view in
The housing 12 provides an inlet 42, and an outlet 40 for hot air flow, and the outlet is configured for attachment of an air flow concentrator, a diffuser, or other standard attachments known in the art. Also shown on the side of the housing is a series of lights 44 that indicate the level of ion output. In the embodiment shown, sets of four lights each on each side of the device indicate the range of ion flow. For example, if the ion flow is set within the low range, then one set of four lights per side would be illuminated, if the ion flow is set within the medium range, then two sets of four lights per side would be illuminated, and if the ion flow is set within the high range, then three sets of four lights per side would be illuminated. As described, in certain embodiments, and as shown in
A rear view of a preferred embodiment is shown in
A cross section view of a preferred embodiment is shown in
As described above, a preferred embodiment includes a series of lights to indicate the level of ion output that the user has selected. Three indicator lights 82 are shown in
In the embodiment shown in
All of the apparatus disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the apparatus of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that alternative embodiments can be made by one of skill in the relevant art, without undue experimentation. All such similar substitutes, modifications and species of the disclosed embodiments apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
