HOOD HAIR DRYER ATTACHMENT

Abstract

A hood hair dryer attachment can include a hood for covering at least a part of a head of a user. The hood has spaced apart inner and outer walls defining an air channel therebetween, and the inner wall includes a plurality of holes for directing air from the air channel onto a head of a user. The hood hair dryer attachment further includes a hose connected at one end to the outer wall of the hood and in communication with the air channel. The hose comprises a collar at another end for mounting to an air delivery conduit of a hair dryer. The collar is resiliently circumferentially expandable and includes a friction-enhancing material exposed on an inner surface of the collar for contacting a surface of the air delivery conduit of a hair dryer.

Claims

1. A hood hair dryer attachment comprising: a hood for covering at least a part of a head of a user, the hood having spaced apart inner and outer walls defining an air channel therebetween, wherein the inner wall comprises a plurality of holes for directing air from the air channel onto the head of the user; and a hose connected at a first end to the outer wall of the hood and in communication with the air channel, said hose comprising a collar at a second end for mounting to an air delivery conduit of a hair dryer, said collar being resiliently circumferentially expandable and comprising a friction-enhancing material exposed on an inner surface of the collar for contacting a surface of an air delivery conduit of a hair dryer.

2. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a flexible material.

3. (canceled)

4. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inside surface of the collar further comprises an elasticated material.

5. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction-enhancing material is stitched or glued into the inside surface of the collar.

6. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the hood is substantially drum shaped with a dome shaped crown.

7. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the hood is substantially drum shaped with a dome shaped crown.

8. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes in the inner wall comprises the holes arranged in rows or columns.

9. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes in the inner wall comprises the holes substantially equidistantly spaced apart.

10. (canceled)

11. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a number of the holes is between 75 and 200.

12. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a number of the holes is between 125 and 160.

13. (canceled)

14. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holes are substantially circular.

15. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diameter of the holes is between 5 mm and 8 mm.

16. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a length of the hose is at least 50 cm.

17. (canceled)

18. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a length of the hose is substantially 100 cm.

19. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction-enhancing material comprises a ring.

20. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction-enhancing material comprises a strip stitched or glued into the inside surface of the collar of the hose.

21. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 20, wherein any gap between two ends of the strip is less than or substantially 2 mm at rest.

22. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction-enhancing material comprises an elastomeric material.

23. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 22, wherein the elastomeric material comprises silicone rubber.

24. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adjustable chin strap for securing the hood to the head of the wearer.

25. A hood hair dryer attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hood comprises a drawstring for tightening a base of the hood.

26. A method of attaching a hood hair dryer attachment according to claim 1 to a hand held hair dryer, the method comprising the step of mounting the means at the second end of the hose over an air delivery conduit of a hand held hair dryer; wherein the hand held hair dryer is frictionally retained in the second end of the hose by the collar.

27-28. (canceled)

Description

[0036] A better understanding of the present invention will be obtained from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment. The description is given by way of example only and makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hood hair dryer attachment in use according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a cut-out view of the hood of the hood hair dryer attachment according to FIG. 1;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a side view of a collar of the hose of a hood hair dryer attachment according to FIG. 1; and

[0040] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the inside of the hose of a hood hair dryer attachment according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The orientations top, side, above, below etc. are taken from an arbitrary datum and are intended solely to simplify the description below.

[0042] A hood hair dryer attachment 1 according to the present invention is shown, in use, in FIG. 1. As is typical, the hood hair dryer attachment 1 comprises a hood 3 and a hose 5. The hood 3 is substantially drum shaped with a dome shaped crown. The hose 5 is attached to the hood 3 at one end, and comprises a collar 6 for mounting to the air delivery conduit 7 of a hair dryer 8.

[0043] The hood 3 and hose 5 comprise a flexible, fabric, material that allows the hood hair dryer attachment to be folded and/or packed flat for ease of transportation and storage.

[0044] A number of ventilation holes 10 are representatively illustrated in the hose 5. It is envisaged that that ventilation holes will be located at the collar 6 of the hose 5 that will be mounted to the hair dryer 8 but any number of holes could equally be provided in any location on the hose 5. The ventilation holes 10 will prevent overheating in the event that the hose 5 bends or kinks in such a way so as to cause a significant backpressure event on the hair dryer 8. In preference, or in addition, to the ventilation holes 10, a ventilation structure may also be provided in the outer wall 2 of the hood 3, providing further means for the hot air to exit the hood 3.

[0045] Referring additionally to FIG. 2, a cut-out view of the hood 3 of the attachment 1 according to FIG. 1 is shown. The hood 3 comprises an inner wall 4 and an outer wall 2 that are spaced apart to define an air channel 14 therebetween. The hood 3 is divided into six panels around the drum and three panels over the crown and includes stitching lines 15 partially stitching the walls together.

[0046] In use, hot air from the hair dryer 8 will be routed to the user's head via the air channel 14 as will be described later. Both the inner wall 4 and the outer wall 2 are substantially drum shaped but any alternative shape could equally be used. A drawstring 11 is provided on the hood 3 to tighten extremities of the inner and outer end walls of the hood 3 against the user's head. An adjustable chin strap 12 is also provided at the lower part of the hood 3 to further secure the hood 3 to the user's head.

[0047] In accordance with the invention, a plurality of holes 13 are provided on the inner wall 4 of the hood 3 for directing air onto and through the user's hair as will be described below. The holes 13 may be arranged in rows, columns or any combination of both. The holes 13 may be equidistantly spaced from one another, or concentrated in particular areas of the inner wall 4. Indeed, any type of distribution or combination of types of distributions can also be provided, depending on the manufacture or the requirements of the type of hair to be dried. For example, holes 13 may be arranged circumferentially, spirally, helically etc . . .

[0048] The number of holes 13 in the inner wall 4 of the hood 3 is above 75, preferably above 100, and most preferably above 140.

[0049] The number of holes 13 in the inner wall 4 of the hood is between 75 and 220, preferably between 105 and 190, and most preferably between 125 and 160. In a particularly preferred embodiment the number of holes 13 is exactly 147.

[0050] The holes 13 are substantially circular and have a diameter of between 5 mm and 8 mm, although, other shapes and other diameters could equally be used. For example, rectangular holes 13 may be used.

[0051] The hose 5 of the hood hair dryer attachment is 100 cm in length. As remarked upon above, this gives the user greater freedom of movement while the hood hair dryer attachment is in use.

[0052] In accordance with the invention, the collar 6 of the hose 5 comprises a friction-enhancing material 9, in this case a ring, which is exposed on the inner surface of the collar 6. In use, the friction-enhancing material mounts the air delivery conduit 7 of the hair dryer 8. According to FIG. 1, the friction-enhancing material 9 on the collar 6 of the hose 5 is silicone rubber. However, other types of friction-enhancing material 9 may be provided in keeping with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0053] The elastomeric material preferably has a high coefficient of friction so as to ensure that the hose 5 remains mounted to the hair dryer 8 when the apparatus is in use. The collar 6 is resiliently circumferentially expandable so it can be stretched an amount sufficient for it to envelop the air delivery conduit 7 of the hair dryer 8. In this way, the elastomeric material is mounted over the air delivery conduit 7 of the hair dryer 8 such that the mouth of the conduit 7 is enveloped in the collar 6 of the hose 5, and the outer surface of the conduit 7 is abutted by the inner surface of the silicone so that the hair dryer 8 is frictionally retained in the hose 5.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the collar 6 of the hose 5 of FIG. 1. The hose 5 comprises a fabric material so as to allow for any movement necessary for mounting the collar 6 over a hair dryer (not shown), and to allow the user to position the hose in a comfortable position. The fabric is also preferably of a kind that can withstand the average temperature of hot air expelled from typical hairdryers so that the hose doesn't reach a temperature that would cause the user discomfort. The friction-enhancing material 9 is substantially toroidal and may be moulded, stitched, glued or otherwise attached to the collar 6 of the hose 5, depending on the manufacture.

[0055] The elastomeric material may be attached to or around the interior of the collar 6 of the hose 5, depending on the manufacture. The elastomeric material 9 is exposed so as to engage with the surface of the air delivery conduit 7 of the hair dryer 8. Pieces of elastomeric material 9 can also be glued, stitched or otherwise attached to the collar 6 of the hose 5. For example, a circumferential ring of spaced apart friction-enhancing dots or strips could be used.

[0056] As the air from the hair dryer 8 will typically be hot air used to dry the user's air, the elastomeric material is preferably heat-resilient. The low thermal conductivity of silicone rubber and its ability to form substantially airtight seals also ensure that the amount of hot air escaping through the collar 6 of the hose when mounted on the hair dryer 8 is reduced.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the collar 26 of a hose 25 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. At rest, the diameter of the mouth 31 of the hose is preferably equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the nozzle of the hand held hair dryer with which it is to be used so that the hair dryer is frictionally retained within the hose 25. For example, the hand held hairdryer may have a nozzle diameter of between about 30 and 45 mm. It should be noted that the nozzle of a hand held hairdryer is not necessarily substantially circular and can be other shapes, for example ellipse, oval, or a generally curved shape. Such a shape can focus, or otherwise direct, the flow of air from the hand held hair dryer. The collar 26 is preferably sufficiently flexible to allow it to conform to such shapes.

[0058] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a strip of elasticated material 33 has been double-stitched around the inside wall of the collar. The elastomeric material 29 is a strip of silicone rubber that has been double-stitched around the mouth 31 of the hose 25 to the elasticated material 33. Here, by double-stitched it is meant two spaced apart, substantially parallel, continuous rows of stitches on opposing sides of the strip. The stitches of the elasticated material 29 are representatively illustrated by lines 32. One consequence of having a strip stitched to the inside of the hose 25 is that there is a gap 30 between the two ends of the strip. It is preferable to keep the gap or overlap as small as possible.

[0059] In one embodiment, the gap is 2 mm when the mouth 31 of the hose 25 is in an unstretched, rest, configuration. In one embodiment, the gap is 4 mm when the mouth 31 of the hose 25 is in a stretched configuration suitable for accepting the conduit of the hair dryer. Preferably the ‘rest’ gap is no more than 2 mm and the ‘stretched’ gap is no more than 4 mm.

[0060] The strip of elasticated material is 11 mm wide and 45 mm in diameter when in a substantially circular, closed, unstretched configuration, and the two rows of stitches are 6 mm apart. However, it is to be understood that alternative widths, diameters, etc . . . could equally be used.

[0061] Although a strip of silicone rubber is shown in FIG. 4, a silicone rubber ring, possibly moulded, could equally be used. Additionally, the ring may be glued, stitched or otherwise connected to the collar 26 of the hose 25 or the elasticated material 33 in keeping with the principles of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the silicone rubber ring is 45 mm in diameter, 8 mm wide and 0.7 mm thick. In one embodiment the silicone rubber ring is double-stitched around the inside wall of the collar 26. In another embodiment, the stitches are 6 mm apart. However, it should be understood that other dimensions could also be used.

[0062] Although an elasticated material is shown in FIG. 4, a substantially rigid silicone rubber ring could equally be used, without the elasticated material. This results in a collar less circumferentially expandable than that comprising the elasticated material. In this embodiment, the diameter of the mouth of the hose is equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the nozzle of the hair dryer. When the collar circumferentially deforms back to its rest configuration, the hair dryer is tightly retained in the mouth of the collar.

[0063] Referring again to FIG. 1, when the apparatus is to be used, the user will place the hood 3 of the hood hair dryer attachment in a vertical orientation over their head, such that the inner wall 4 of the hood 3 substantially abuts the user's head and/or hair, as is representatively illustrated. The hood 3 should be placed such that substantially all of the front, back and sides of the user's hair are enveloped by the hood 3, but the hood 3 should not envelop the user's eyes. The user tightens the drawstring so as to press fit the hood 3 to their head at the user's hairline, and secures the hood 3 to their head using the adjustable chin strap 12.

[0064] The collar 6 of the hose 5 can then be mounted onto the air delivery conduit 7 of a hair dryer 8. When switched on, hot air from the hair dryer 8 enters the hood 3 via the hose 5. The hot air is then directed into and circulated through the air channel of the hood defined in between the inner and outer walls of the hood. The hot air then exits the hood 3 through the plurality of holes in the inner wall 4 and will be directed into and through the hair of the user. The amount of holes provided in the inner wall 4 ensures an efficient, uniform distribution of heat across the user's hair eliminating the localised hot spots that are a problem in the art. In this way, the apparatus causes complete circulation of hot air through the user's hair, thereby drying the user's hair in a quick and efficient manner.

[0065] Risk of the apparatus overheating is reduced using the ventilation holes 10 as described above, and/or holes a ventilation structure in the outer wall 2 of the hood 3. Small air leakage through any gaps between the hood 3 and the user's head may also allow hot air from the hood 3 to escape.

[0066] The length of the hose 5 is sufficient to allow the user to rest the hair dryer on a nearby surface without the risk of the tension in the hose 5 pulling the hair dryer 8 off. Additionally, any bending or kinking in the hose 5 will not result in a backpressure event that will cause the hose 5 to detach from the hair dryer 8, since it will remain frictionally retained in the friction-enhancing material 9.

[0067] The invention thus provides for a hood hair dryer attachment which can be easily and comfortably used to dry the user's hair. The attachment is easily used with a reduced risk of the hair dryer becoming detached.

[0068] The invention is not considered to be limited to the configurations and materials described in the embodiments above. The configuration of the structure as well as the dimensions and, to a certain extent, the material would be dependent on a specific application. For example, the outer and inner wall may be of different shapes to those described herein, and additional materials may be incorporated into the attachment to provide additional insulation, resilience and/or strength etc . . .