U.S. patent application number 15/359262 was filed with the patent office on 2017-06-01 for hand held appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Dyson Technology Limited. The applicant listed for this patent is Dyson Technology Limited. Invention is credited to Ben Colin BOBILLIER, William Keith HASSETT.
Application Number | 20170150798 15/359262 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55177267 |
Filed Date | 2017-06-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170150798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BOBILLIER; Ben Colin ; et
al. |
June 1, 2017 |
HAND HELD APPLIANCE
Abstract
A hair care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall, a
duct extending within the outer wall, a primary fluid flow path
extending between the duct and the outer wall, a flow directing
plate within the primary fluid flow path and at least two guide
surfaces located on the flow directing plate wherein the at least
two guide surfaces meet at an apex. The body may have a first end,
a second end and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end
to the second end, wherein the fluid flow path extends along the
longitudinal axis. The flow directing plate may be generally
orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The at least two guide
surfaces may extend along the longitudinal axis towards the apex.
Within the body the primary fluid flow path may be generally
annular.
Inventors: |
BOBILLIER; Ben Colin; (Bath,
GB) ; HASSETT; William Keith; (Bristol, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dyson Technology Limited |
Wiltshire |
|
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
Dyson Technology Limited
Wiltshire
GB
|
Family ID: |
55177267 |
Appl. No.: |
15/359262 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 20/12 20130101;
A45D 20/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A45D 20/12 20060101
A45D020/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 26, 2015 |
GB |
1520871.3 |
Claims
1. A hair care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall a
first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending from the
first end to the second end, a duct extending within the outer
wall, a primary fluid flow path extending between the duct and the
outer wall along the longitudinal axis towards the second end to a
primary fluid outlet, a flow directing plate within the primary
fluid flow path and at least two guide surfaces located on the flow
directing plate wherein the at least two guide surfaces meet at an
apex and wherein the at least two guide surfaces extend along the
longitudinal axis towards the apex.
2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow path extends
along the longitudinal axis.
3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the flow directing plate is
orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein within the body, the primary
fluid flow path is annular.
5. The appliance of claim 4, further comprising a handle, wherein
the primary fluid flow path comprises a primary fluid inlet into
the appliance, and the primary fluid inlet is in the handle.
6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein within the handle, the primary
fluid flow path is circular.
7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the flow directing plate is
for directing flow from the handle as it enters into the body.
8. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the flow directing plate
deflects the primary fluid flow around the duct.
9. The appliance of claim 5, wherein within the primary fluid flow
path, primary fluid flows through the handle in a first direction
and in the body in a second direction.
10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the at least two guide
surfaces direct primary fluid flow from the first direction to the
second direction.
11. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the at least two guide
surfaces are radially spaced from the handle.
12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises a
heater and the heater is located downstream of the flow directing
plate.
13. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a hairdryer.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of United Kingdom
Application No. 1520871.3, filed Nov. 26, 2015, the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a hand held appliance, in
particular a hair care appliance and a fluid outlet from such an
appliance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Blowers and in particular hot air blowers are used for a
variety of applications such as drying substances such as paint or
hair and cleaning or stripping surface layers. In addition, hot air
blowers such as hot styling brushes are used to style hair from a
wet or dry condition.
[0004] Generally, a motor and fan are provided which draw fluid
into a body; the fluid may be heated prior to exiting the body. The
motor is susceptible to damage from foreign objects such as dirt or
hair so conventionally a filter is provided at the fluid intake end
of the blower. Conventionally such appliances are provided with a
nozzle which can be attached and detached from the appliance and
changes the shape and velocity of fluid flow that exits the
appliance. Such nozzles can be used to focus the outflow of the
appliance or to diffuse the outflow depending on the requirements
of the user at that time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to a first aspect, the invention provides a hair
care appliance comprising a body having an outer wall, an inner
wall extending within the outer wall, a primary fluid flow path
extending between the inner wall and the outer wall, a flow
directing plate within the primary fluid flow path and at least two
guide surfaces located on the flow directing plate wherein the at
least two guide surfaces meet at an apex.
[0006] Preferably, the body has a first end, a second end and a
longitudinal axis A-A extending from the first end to the second
end, wherein the fluid flow path extends along the longitudinal
axis A-A.
[0007] It is preferred that the flow directing plate is generally
orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A-A.
[0008] Preferably, the at least two guide surfaces extend along the
longitudinal axis A-A towards the apex.
[0009] It is preferred that within the body the primary fluid flow
path is generally annular.
[0010] Preferably, the appliance further comprises a handle,
wherein the primary fluid flow path comprises a primary fluid inlet
into the appliance, and wherein the primary fluid inlet is in the
handle.
[0011] It is preferred that within the handle the primary fluid
flow path is generally circular.
[0012] Preferably, the flow directing plate is for directing flow
from the handle as it enters into the body.
[0013] It is preferred that the flow directing plate deflects the
primary fluid flow around the duct.
[0014] Preferably, within the primary fluid flow path, primary
fluid flows through the handle in a first direction and in the body
in a second direction.
[0015] It is preferred that the at least two guide surfaces are
radially spaced from the handle.
[0016] Preferably, the body further comprises a heater, wherein the
heater is located downstream of the flow directing plate.
[0017] Preferably, the body is generally tubular and has an upper
half and a lower half and the handle is connected to the lower
half. It is preferred that the region of relatively high velocity
is in the lower half of the body. Preferably, the region of
relatively low velocity is in the upper half of the body.
[0018] Preferably, the primary fluid flow path has a region of
relatively high velocity and a region of relatively low velocity
and the at least two guide surfaces are in the region of relatively
low velocity.
[0019] It is preferred that larger components of the PCB are
located in the upper half of the body. Preferably, smaller
components of the PCB are located in the lower half of the body. It
is preferred that larger components of the PCB are components which
extend the furthest from a circuit board on which they are
mounted.
[0020] Preferably, the appliance is a hairdryer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The invention will now be described by example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an appliance according to the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the appliance of FIG.
1;
[0024] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross section through an appliance
according to the invention;
[0025] FIG. 4 shows a front isometric view of a flow directing
plate according to the invention; and
[0026] FIG. 5 shows a further isometric view of a flow directing
plate according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a hairdryer 10 with a handle 20 and a
body 30. The handle has a first end 22 which is connected to the
body 30 and a second end 24 distal from the body 30 and which
includes a primary fluid inlet 40. Power is supplied to the
hairdryer 10 via a cable 50. At a distal end of the cable 50 from
the hairdryer 10 a plug (not shown) is provided, the plug may
provide electrical connection to mains power or to a battery pack
for example.
[0028] The handle 20 has an outer wall 200 which extends from the
body 30 towards a distal end 24 of the handle. At the distal end 24
of the handle an end wall 210 extends across the outer wall 200.
The cable 50 enters the hairdryer through this end wall 210. The
primary fluid inlet 40 in the handle 20 includes first apertures
that extend around and along 42 the outer wall 200 of the handle in
a series of rows and/or columns that extend from the distal end 24
of the handle 20 and second apertures that extend across 46 and
through the end wall 210 of the handle 20. The cable 50 is located
approximately in the middle of the end wall 210 so extends from the
centre of the handle 20. The handle 20 has a longitudinal axis X-X
along which the outer wall 200 extends from the body 30 towards the
distal end 24.
[0029] It is preferred that the cable 50 extends centrally from the
handle 20 as this means the hairdryer is balanced regardless of the
orientation of the handle 20 in a users' hand. Also, if the user
moves the position of their hand on the handle 20 there will be no
tugging from the cable 50 as it does not change position with
respect to the hand when the hand is moved. If the cable were
offset and nearer one side of the handle then the weight
distribution of the hairdryer would change with orientation which
is distracting for the user.
[0030] Upstream of the primary fluid inlet 40, a fan unit 70 is
provided. The fan unit 70 includes a fan and a motor. The fan unit
70 draws fluid through the primary fluid inlet 40 towards the body
30 through a primary fluid flow path 400 that extends from the
primary fluid inlet 40 and into the body 30 where the handle 20 and
the body 30 are joined 90. The body 30 has a first end 32 and a
second end 34, the primary fluid flow path 400 continues through
the body 30 towards the second end 34 of the body, around a heater
80 and to a primary fluid outlet 440 where fluid that is drawn in
by the fan unit exits the primary fluid flow path 400. The primary
fluid flow path 400 is non-linear and flows through the handle 20
in a first direction and through the body 30 in a second direction
which is orthogonal to the first direction.
[0031] The body 30 includes an outer wall 360 and an inner duct
310. The primary fluid flow path 400 extends along the body from
the junction 90 of the handle 20 and the body 30 between the outer
wall 360 and the inner duct 310 towards the primary fluid outlet
440 at the second end 34 of the body 30.
[0032] An inner wall 260 extends within the outer wall 360. The
inner wall 260 at least partially defines the primary fluid outlet
440 and extends from the second end 34 of the body 30 between the
inner duct 310 and the outer wall 360.
[0033] Another fluid flow path is provided within the body; this
flow is not directly processed by the fan unit or the heater but is
drawn into the hairdryer by the action of the fan unit producing
the primary flow through the hairdryer. This fluid flow is
entrained into the hairdryer by the fluid flowing through the
primary fluid flow path 400.
[0034] The first end 32 of the body includes a fluid inlet 320 and
the second end 34 of the body includes a fluid outlet 340. Both the
fluid inlet 320 and the fluid outlet 340 are at least partially
defined by the inner duct 310 which is an inner wall of the body 30
and extends within and along the body. A fluid flow path 300
extends within the inner duct 310 from the fluid inlet 320 to the
fluid outlet 340. At the first end 32 of the body 30, a side wall
350 extends between the outer wall 360 and the inner duct 310. This
side wall 350 at least partially defines the fluid inlet 320. The
primary fluid outlet 440 is annular and surrounds the fluid flow
path.
[0035] A PCB (printed circuit board) 75 including the control
electronics for the hairdryer is located in the body 30 near the
side wall 350 and fluid inlet 320. The PCB 75 is ring shaped and
extends round the inner duct 310 between the inner duct 310 and the
outer wall 360. The PCB 75 is in fluid communication with the
primary fluid flow path 400. The PCB 75 extends about the fluid
flow path 300 and is isolated from the fluid flow path 300 by the
inner duct 310.
[0036] The PCB 75 controls parameters such as the temperature of
the heater 80 and the speed of rotation of the fan unit 70.
Internal wiring (not shown) electrically connects the PCB 75 to the
heater 80 and the fan unit 70 and the cable 50. Control buttons 62,
64 are provided and connected to the PCB 75 to enable a user to
select from a range of temperature settings and flow rates for
example.
[0037] Downstream of the PCB 75, is the heater 80 and a flow
directing plate 700 is provided between the PCB 75 and the heater
80. The flow directing plate provides thermal protection for the
PCB 75 when the heater 80 switched on amongst other things.
[0038] In use, fluid is drawn into the primary fluid flow path 400
by the action of the fan unit 70, is optionally heated by the
heater 80 and exits from the primary fluid outlet 440. This
processed flow causes fluid to be entrained into the fluid flow
path 300 at the fluid inlet 320. The fluid combines with the
processed flow at the second end 34 of the body. In the example
shown in FIG. 2, the processed flow exits the primary fluid outlet
440 and the hairdryer as an annular flow which surrounds the
entrained flow that exits from the hairdryer via the fluid outlet
340. Thus fluid that is processed by the fan unit and heater is
augmented by the entrained flow.
[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 in particular, the flow
directing plate 700 will now be described. The handle 20 is
generally tubular and the primary fluid flow path 400 is generally
circular as it enters the junction 90 between the handle 20 and the
body 30. At this point the primary fluid flow path 400 changes
direction by 90.degree. and from a circular flow to an annular flow
around the duct 310 between the duct 310 and the outer wall 360 of
the body 30. These changes affect the velocity of flow in the
primary fluid flow path 400.
[0040] If we consider that the body 30 is generally symmetrical
about a longitudinal axis A-A which extends along the length of the
body 30, the duct 310 and outer wall 360 are concentric as is the
heater 80 located between the duct 310 and the outer wall 360.
[0041] When the primary fluid in the primary fluid flow path 400
reaches the junction 90 between the body 30 and the handle 20, the
primary fluid must change both direction and shape. This creates a
region of high velocity flow in the body 30 by the junction 90 and
a region of lower velocity flow radially spaced within the body 30
from the junction 90. If we consider the body 30 to have an upper
half 380 and a lower half 390 where the upper half 380 is radially
spaced away from the handle 20 and the lower half 390 includes the
junction 90 between the body 30 and the handle 20 then the lower
half 390 has flow at a relatively higher velocity than the upper
half 380.
[0042] The flow directing plate 700 is provided to curve or direct
the flow within the primary fluid flow path 400 over and around the
PCB 75 and components mounted on the PCB to minimise any pressure
losses due to the location of the PCB and due to the change of
direction of the primary fluid flow path 400 as it enters the body
30.
[0043] The fluid entering the body 30 flows both towards the
primary fluid outlet 440 and around the duct 310 to the upper part
380 of the body 30. The flow directing plate 700 includes a pair of
guide surfaces 710, 720 which direct fluid in the upper part 380 of
the body 30 as the fluid flows around the duct 310 on either side
of the duct 310 to meet in the upper part 380 of the body 30. The
two guide surfaces 710, 720 are preferably integral with the flow
directing plate 700 and are arranged to that each guide surface
710, 720 curves away from the flow directing plate 700 towards the
second end 34 of the body 30 and meets the other respective guide
surface 720, 710 at an apex 730.
[0044] The two guide surfaces 710, 720 reduce turbulence within the
body 30 by directing the fluid flowing within the upper half 380 of
the body 30 towards the primary fluid outlet 440.
[0045] The invention has been described in detail with respect to a
hairdryer however, it is applicable to any appliance that draws in
a fluid and directs the outflow of that fluid from the
appliance.
[0046] The appliance can be used with or without a heater; the
action of the outflow of fluid at high velocity has a drying
effect.
[0047] The fluid that flows through the appliance is generally air,
but may be a different combination of gases or gas and can include
additives to improve performance of the appliance or the impact the
appliance has on an object the output is directed at for example,
hair and the styling of that hair.
[0048] The invention is not limited to the detailed description
given above. Variations will be apparent to the person skilled in
the art.
* * * * *