Styling hair dryer nozzle

Abstract

A device which maintains exit temperature of hot air from a hair dryer passing through a nozzle attachment seated on the hair dryer. The hair dryer heats air and blows it out of an opening, with the nozzle attachment seated on the hair dryer opening. The nozzle attachment channels the heated air from the hair dryer opening to and out of a narrowed slotted opening in the nozzle attachment. The device comprises a heat conductive element configured to be securely seated on an interior surface of the nozzle attachment at a position adjacent the narrow slotted opening in the nozzle attachment without substantially impeding heated air from exiting the slotted opening. The heat conductive element is of sufficient dimensions to substantially maintain hot air exit temperature from the hair dryer opening as it exits the slotted opening of the nozzle attachment, without significant heating of the nozzle attachment.

Claims

1. A device, in combination with a nozzle attachment for a hair dryer, the device configured to substantially maintain exit temperature of hot air discharged from a hair dryer through a non-heat conductive hollow nozzle attachment comprised of a tapered portion and a narrowed distal portion terminating in an opening edge, the nozzle seated on an opening of the hair dryer, wherein the device comprises: a hollow heat conductive element formed of heat-conducting metal, comprising a planar portion configured to form an internal cladding surface for the nozzle attachment, extending to a distal end thereof, the cladding formed by opposing rectilinear surfaces connected by rounded end sections forming a hollow circumferential surface configured to match an internal shape of the nozzle attachment to which it is configured to engage; a projecting lip portion, configured to extend outward from the distal end such that the projecting lip portion is configured to he seated entirely outward and beyond an opening edge of the nozzle, forming an outer terminal end of the nozzle attachment.

2. The device, in combination with a nozzle attachment, of claim 1, wherein the lip element is configured to be seated on an external edge of the opening edge.

3. The device, in combination with a nozzle attachment, of claim 2, wherein the device comprises a continuous shape configured to have sufficient dimensions to permit heated aft to pass through the opening edge without any impeding of the air.

4. The device of claim 1, in combination with a nozzle attachment, the device is configured to be integrated with the nozzle attachment.

5. The device of claim 1, in combination with a nozzle attachment, the device is configured to be removably attached to the nozzle attachment.

6. The device of claim 1, in combination with a nozzle attachment, for a hair dryer, for use in hair styling, the device forming a narrowed slot at its distal end.

7. A method for facilitating hair styling with a hair dryer and the device of claim, comprising the step of using the nozzle attachment with heated air exiting therefrom and the heated device on hair segments and sealing and styling the hair segment therewith.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side isometric view of a typical prior art electric hair dryer;

(2) FIG. 2 is a front view of a prior art nozzle styling attachment for use with the hair dryer of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 depicts the hair styling nozzle attachment of FIG. 2 as emplaced on the hair dryer of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 is the heat conductive sleeve of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a nozzle of the type shown in FIG. 2 with an inserted sleeve of FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross section view 6-6 of the nozzle with inserted sleeve of FIG. 5;

(7) FIGS. 7a and 7b are views of the hair dryer with nozzle of FIG. 5 as utilized on hair being stylized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The device comprises a heat conductive sleeve for a hair dryer nozzle configured to be snugly inserted through the nozzle opening and to circumferentially extend along an inner surface perimeter of the nozzle and inwardly extend along a longitudinal distance for a distance sufficient to conduct hair dryer heat, as emitted, to an overlying lip of the sleeve at the end of the nozzle at its exit opening. With prior art nozzles, heat is effectively dissipated at the nozzle exit to about 170 degrees F. and the heat conductive sleeve The heated lip is applied directly or proximate to the hair being styled to facilitate the styling at the higher conducted temperature which is close to the temperature of the air originally emitted from the hair dryer. Because of the small surface area of the heated lip and its end rather than lateral location, the hair stylist and/or person having the hair style is not significantly exposed to any safety and inadvertent burning problems. The positioning of the heat conductive device primarily within the non-heat conductive nozzle enables the nozzle to still fully provide protection from inadvertent burning. Heat conductive materials are primarily metals, such zinc alloy of varying softness and smoothness which can efficiently both conduct heat and smooth hair being styled. Thickness of the metal or heat conductive sleeve is sufficient to maintain structural integrity and position of the sleeve while being brought into continued contact with hair being stylized. It should also have a thickness, depending on the specific material and heat conductivity of the heat conductive sleeve to provide an increase of nozzle air exit temperature (generally about 170 degrees F.) of at least 5 to 10 degrees F.

(9) The method of the invention comprises the step of providing a heat conductive element within an insulated hair dryer nozzle attachment which is exposed to hot air emitted from the hair dryer whereby heated air in the area of the nozzle loses a minimal amount of heat with the conducted heat to the exit point of the nozzle. The method comprises a further step of providing a heat conductive lip element on the nozzle opening edge whereby heat conduction thereto elevates the emitted hot air temperature.

(10) As shown in FIG. 1, a typical prior art hair dryer 1 is comprised of a non-heat conductive structural plastic with controls 2 on a handle 3. When activated, hot air is generated internally by electrically resistive elements and an internal fan (not shown) blows the hot air out of opening 4 having a grating 5 to safely prevent accidental finger insertion. The hair dryer nozzle attachment 10 is shown in FIG. 2 with cylindrical section 11 configured and sized to fit onto the hair dryer adjacent opening 4 of the hair dryer with hot air generated by the hair dryer being funneled through the nozzle 10 with tapered section 12 and out of narrowed slot 13. FIG. 3 depicts the hair dryer 1 with emplaced nozzle 10 positioned along the width of the hair dryer barrel 1a.

(11) Sleeve 30 shown in FIG. 4 is comprised of a continuous elongated rectilinear open sided form 31 with rounded ends 31a configured to snugly conform to the inner area of the nozzle 13a adjacent the slot opening 13. A rectilinear continuous bead 32 is formed on an open side of the sleeve 30 and is sized and outwardly extended to be fully seated on lip 13b of the opening of slot 13 when seated on the nozzle, as shown in FIG. 5. Cross section 6-6 of FIG. 6 shows the downward or inward extension 33 of rectilinear form 31 as it extends within nozzle 10 to a position proximate to the point 14 at which the tapered section 12 leads into the walls 13c of slot 13.

(12) Hot air flows in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 6 from the end of the hair dryer opening 4 as inserted into nozzle cylindrical section 11, with a portion of the hot air initially hitting tapered section 12 of the nozzle as it is funneled to exit from slot 13. The hot air then engages with walls 13c of the slot and the heat conductive extension 33 of sleeve 30. Bead 32, with heat conduction, is at about the temperature at which the hot hair initially engages conductive extension 33 with the heat conductivity of the walls of the extension 33 substantially maintaining the heat of the hot air within the narrowed air exit of slot 13.

(13) As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the hair styling procedure is effected with a brush 100 used to engage, stretch and pull a section 101 of a person's wet hair outwardly with the hair dryer 1 being activated to blow hot air through nozzle attachment 10 and brought into proximate contact with the hair section as sequentially shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. The nozzle slot 13, with heat conductive sleeve 30, is shown as being brought into engagement with the hair section 101 whereby the hot air and the heated bead dries and seals the hair for styling. The increased hot air temperature and heated bead temperature provide for a quicker and more efficient drying, sealing and styling than was possible with the standard plastic nozzle attachment alone.

(14) It is understood that the above description and drawings are only illustrative of the invention and that changes in structure, elements, materials and the like may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.