U.S. patent application number 15/689746 was filed with the patent office on 2018-03-01 for handheld 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 Gavin John GALLIGAN.
Application Number | 20180055187 15/689746 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57119759 |
Filed Date | 2018-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180055187 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GALLIGAN; Gavin John |
March 1, 2018 |
HANDHELD APPLIANCE
Abstract
A hand held appliance includes a handle having an outer wall and
an inner wall and a motor housed within a housing in the inner wall
wherein between the motor and the housing a motor mount is
provided, the motor mount comprising a flexible sleeve extending
around the motor and including a plurality of discrete projections
arranged in a row radially around the motor mount and extending
towards the housing wherein the housing comprises two annular seats
for supporting the motor mount within the housing and wherein the
housing includes a recess extending radially around an inner
surface of the inner wall for receiving the plurality of discrete
projections. A second row of discrete projections may extend
radially around the motor mount and the housing includes a second
recess extending radially around an inner surface of the inner wall
for receiving the second row of discrete projections.
Inventors: |
GALLIGAN; Gavin John;
(Gloucester, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dyson Technology Limited |
Wiltshire |
|
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
Dyson Technology Limited
Wiltshire
GB
|
Family ID: |
57119759 |
Appl. No.: |
15/689746 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 20/12 20130101;
A47L 9/0081 20130101; H02K 5/24 20130101; A45D 1/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A45D 20/12 20060101
A45D020/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 30, 2016 |
GB |
1614660.7 |
Claims
1. A hand held appliance comprising a handle having an outer wall
and an inner wall and a motor housed within a housing in the inner
wall, wherein between the motor and the housing a motor mount is
provided, the motor mount comprising a flexible sleeve extending
around the motor and comprising a plurality of discrete projections
arranged in a row radially around the motor mount and extending
towards the housing, wherein the housing comprises two annular
seats for supporting the motor mount within the housing, and
wherein the housing comprises a first recess extending radially
around an inner surface of the inner wall for receiving the
plurality of discrete projections.
2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the motor mount comprises a
second row of discrete projections extending radially around the
motor mount and the housing comprises a second recess extending
radially around the inner surface of the inner wall for receiving
the second row of discrete projections.
3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein between the first recess and
the second recess, the inner wall is arc shaped.
4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein between the first recess and
the second recess, the inner surface of the inner wall is
convex.
5. The appliance of claim 3, wherein between the first recess and
the second recess, the inner surface of the inner wall bends away
from the motor mount.
6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the motor mount further
comprises a lip seal extending radially around an outer surface of
the motor mount.
7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the lip seal is disposed
approximately centrally around the motor mount.
8. The appliance of claim 6, wherein between the first recess and
the second recess, the inner wall is arc shaped and the arc shape
is sized so the lip seal engages with the inner surface of the
inner wall.
9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a hair care
appliance.
10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the hair care appliance is a
hot styling appliance.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of United Kingdom
Application No. 1614660.7, filed Aug. 30, 2016, the entire contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a handheld appliance and in
particular to a hair care appliance such as a hot styling
device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Many hand held appliances include a fan unit comprising a
fan and a motor. Electric motors are becoming increasingly
sophisticated and modern designs are capable of ever higher
rotational speeds. One such design of electric motor is a brushless
DC motor as used by the applicant in its range of handheld vacuum
cleaners and which is capable of being driven at rotational speeds
in the region of 100 Krpm.
[0004] The use of high speed motors in fluid-moving applications
such as vacuum cleaners, fans and hair care appliances is
technically attractive since a fan unit equipped with a physically
small motor can nonetheless produce very high fluid flow rates.
[0005] However, particularly in the case of hand held appliances,
the motor can form a significant part of the weight of the
appliance and if that appliance is dropped the motor must be
protected from damage and dislocation from its' housing.
[0006] One way to protect the motor is to provide a protective
sleeve around the motor however any contact between this protective
sleeve or motor mount and a housing provides a pathway for
vibrations and noise to transfer from the motor to the housing.
Thus it is advantageous to have minimal contact; however, minimal
contact may not provide sufficient contact to prevent dislocation
of the motor from the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention provides a hand held appliance comprising a
hand held appliance comprising a handle having an outer wall and an
inner wall and a motor housed within a housing in the inner wall
wherein between the motor and the housing a motor mount is
provided, the motor mount comprising a flexible sleeve extending
around the motor and comprising a plurality of discrete projections
arranged in a row radially around the motor mount and extending
towards the housing wherein the housing comprises two annular seats
for supporting the motor mount within the housing and wherein the
housing comprises a recess extending radially around an inner
surface of the inner wall for receiving the plurality of discrete
projections.
[0008] According to some aspects, the present invention seeks to
find the balance between minimal contact and thus transmission of
noise and provided adequate retention of the motor in the
housing.
[0009] Preferably, the motor mount comprises a second row of
discrete projections extending radially around the motor mount and
the housing comprises a second recess extending radially around an
inner surface of the inner wall for receiving the second row of
discrete projections.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, between the recess and the second
recess, the inner wall is arc shaped.
[0011] Preferably, between the recess and the second recess, the
inner surface of the inner wall is convex.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, between the recess and the second
recess, the inner surface of the wall bends away from the motor
mount.
[0013] Preferably, the motor mount further comprises a lip seal
extending radially around an outer surface of the motor mount.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the lip seal is disposed
approximately centrally around the motor mount.
[0015] Preferably, the arc shape is sized so the lip seal engages
with the inner surface of the inner wall.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the appliance is a hair care
appliance and preferably, a hot styling device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention will now be described by way of example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows an example of an appliance according to the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through a side view of a handle
according to the invention; and
[0020] FIG. 3 shows and enlarged portion of the side view of FIG.
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example of a hand held
appliance 10 is shown. The appliance has a handle 210 and an
attachment 20 for styling hair. In order to enable a user to create
different styles and to give the appliance multi functionality, the
attachment 20 is removable and can be replaced with an alternative
attachment. In addition, the attachment 20 can be removed to allow
easier storage of the appliance when not in use. The handle 210
includes a number of different user operated buttons 38, 138
enabling the user to select between a number of different heat and
flow settings. The handle 210 includes a printed circuit board
(PCB) 90, a fan unit 70 which includes a fan and a motor and heater
80, in use the fan unit 70 draws fluid in through a fluid inlet
212, the fluid passes the PCB 90, is drawn through the fan unit 70
and through the heater 80 which optionally heats the fluid which is
then emitted by the fluid outlet 22 in the attachment 20.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3 in particular, the motor 70 is encased
in a motor mount 100 which extends around the motor 70. The motor
mount 72 is a generally cylindrical flexible sleeve 112 including
first and second open ends 114, 116. The diameter of both the first
open end 114 and second open end 116 is substantially the same as
the diameter of the sleeve 112. The motor mount 100 and the sleeve
112 extends along a longitudinal axis Y-Y which is coincident with
or parallel with the longitudinal axis X-X of the handle 20 of the
hairdryer 10; the first end 114 and the second end 116 are in
planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Y-Y of the sleeve
112.
[0023] The configuration of the sleeve 112 defines a chamber 118,
into which is received a fan unit 70 comprising a motor and
impeller. The fan unit 70 is received within the chamber 118
through an open end 114, 116 of the sleeve 112. The sleeve 112 is a
flexible material such as a polymer so that the sleeve 112 can be
pulled over the external surface of the fan unit 70, and stretched
if necessary, so that an inner surface 122 of the sleeve 112 forms
a tight fit around the fan unit 70, like a sock. A pair of annular
internal flanges 124 extend radially inwards from the inner surface
122 of the sleeve. These flanges 124 define the extent of the
chamber 118 and are adapted to retain the fan unit 70 in position
with respect to the sleeve 112. Note that the inner surface 122 is
smooth in this embodiment so as to conform closely to the
cylindrical outer profile of the fan unit 70.
[0024] It will be appreciated that the fan unit 70 is shown
schematically for simplicity and so as not to obfuscate the details
of the motor mount 100. The fan unit is not central to the
inventive concept and so will not be described in detail. In
addition although in this embodiment the whole fan unit 70 is
housed within the motor mount 70, that is not essential, the fan
may be external to the motor mount 70.
[0025] One purpose of the motor mount 100 is to fit around the fan
unit 70 and serve as an isolating interface between the external
case of the fan unit 70 and an internal surface of an apparatus
into which the fan unit is installed. To enhance the isolating
characteristics of the motor mount 100, the sleeve 112 is provided
with a noise attenuating means. In this embodiment, the noise
attenuating means takes the form of two rows of projecting elements
132, 134 that are spaced radially around an outer surface 130 of
the motor mount.
[0026] Each projecting element 132, 134 is a stud formed as right
circular cones, each of which defines a sharp point, also referred
to as a vertex 136, that are directed away from the sleeve 112.
[0027] The rotation of the impeller of the fan unit by the motor
generates vibrations which are transferred through the motor mount
100 towards the handle 210. Depending on the appliance orientation,
at least one of the annular seals 260 located between the motor
mount 100 and the housing 250 is compressed under the weight of the
motor housing and the fan unit 70, so that it is in sealing
engagement with the seal engaging surface or flange 260. The
annular seals 260 thus not only prevent the primary air flow from
travelling along a path extending between the inner surface 220a of
the housing 250 and the outer surface 100a of the motor mount 100,
but also reduces the transmission of these vibrations to the flange
260 and thus to the r handle 210 of the hairdryer 10. The presence
of the projecting elements 134, 136 between the motor mount 100 and
the housing 250 inhibits the transmission of vibrations through
sleeve 112 of the motor mount 100 to the inner wall 220a of the
casing. The flexibility of the plurality of elements 134, 136
allows them to flex both axially and radially relative to the
housing 250, which reduces the transmission of vibrations from the
fan unit.
[0028] A second type of projecting element is a lip seal 140 which
extends around the sleeve 112. Although the lip seal 140 contacts
the housing over a relatively large area, the lip seal 140 is
intended only to create a seal between the fan unit and the housing
and is not intended to absorb radial vibration of the fan unit.
Consequently, the lip seal may be configured such that the seal
provides a relatively poor transmission path for radial vibration
of the fan unit. In particular, the radial compliance of the seal
may be greater than that of the projecting elements. Consequently,
radial vibration of the fan unit relative to the housing is opposed
by the projecting elements 134, 136 rather than the lip seal
140.
[0029] In this example, the lip seal 140 is located approximately
centrally along the length of the sleeve 112, however the lip seal
140 may be disposed anywhere along the length of the sleeve 112 so
long as it does not interfere with the functioning of the
projecting elements 132, 134.
[0030] The inner wall 220 includes a housing 250 includes a pair of
annular seats 260 which each extend radially inwards of the inner
wall 220 and which define the location of the motor mount 100
within the housing 250. Each annular seat 260 engages with a
respective end 114, 116 of the motor mount 100 and retains the
motor mount 100 within the housing 250. Each annular seat 260 is
provided with a flange 262 which extends radially inwards of the
housing 250 and inner wall 220 and is adapted to engage with an end
114, 116 of the motor mount 100.
[0031] The motor is a relatively heavy component within the
appliance 10 and is encased within a flexible motor mount 100 with
minimal contact to reduce noise so, if the appliance is dropped
there is not a lot of resistance to the fan unit 70 leaving the
housing 250. In order to help retain the fan unit 70 within its'
correct location, the housing 250 is provided with a pair of
recesses 270 which extend radially around the inner surface 220a of
the inner wall 220 within the housing 250. The pair of recesses are
adapted to each receive one of the two rows of projecting elements
132, 134 that are spaced radially around an outer surface 130 of
the motor mount 100.
[0032] The pair of recesses 270 are channels around the inner
surface 220a of the inner wall 220 defined by a first flange 272
and a second flange 274 each or which is orthogonal to the
longitudinal axis X-X of the appliance 10. Normally the projecting
elements 132, 134 are retained with a respective one of the pair of
recesses 270 between the first flange 272 and the second flange
274.
[0033] Between the pair of recesses 270, the housing 250 has a
curved wall 252 and the curvature is convex or radially outwards
from the motor mount and the longitudinal axis Y-Y of the motor
mount 100. The curved wall 252 assists in replacing a projecting
element 132, 134 within a respective recess 270 in the event that
one or more of the projecting elements 132, 134 is pulled out of a
respective recess 270 by a movement of the fan unit 70 with respect
to the housing 250 for example if the appliance were dropped from a
sufficient height.
[0034] The curved wall 252 engages with the lip seal 140 around the
circumference of the motor mount 100. The lip seal 140 is of
sufficient length to achieve this alternatively, the arc shape is
sized so the lip seal engages with the inner surface of the inner
wall.
[0035] The invention has been described in detail with respect to a
hot styling device however, it is applicable to any appliance that
draws in a fluid and directs the outflow of that fluid from the
appliance.
[0036] The appliance can be used with or without a heater; the
action of the outflow of fluid at high velocity has a drying
effect.
[0037] 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.
[0038] In the specific embodiment described above the sleeve is
cylindrical. However, it should be appreciated that this is not
essential to the invention and the sleeve may instead have a
different cross sectional profile. Here, the profile is cylindrical
so as to match the cylindrical profile of the motor casing since
the sleeve should conform to its outer surface. It follows,
therefore that the sleeve may have whatever profile is required to
mate with an outer casing of a motor, although cylindrical motor
casings are most common.
[0039] The invention is not limited to the detailed description
given above. Variations will be apparent to the person skilled in
the art.
* * * * *