HAIRCARE APPLIANCE

Abstract

Disclosed is a haircare appliance including: an air inlet; a moveable member including an air outlet; an airflow generator for generating an airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet; a heater for heating the airflow; and a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair, the hair treatment chamber including an opening through which hair is insertable into the hair treatment chamber, the opening defined by a rim of the hair treatment chamber. The moveable member is moveable between an extended position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a first extent and a retracted position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a second extent less than the first extent.

Claims

1. An attachment for a haircare appliance, the attachment comprising an air inlet, a moveable member comprising an air outlet for emitting an airflow, and a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair, the hair treatment chamber comprising an opening through which hair is insertable into the hair treatment chamber, the opening defined by a rim of the hair treatment chamber; wherein the moveable member is moveable between an extended position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a first extent and a retracted position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a second extent less than the first extent.

2. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable member is biased into the retracted position.

3. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable member is moveable between the retracted position and the extended position in response to airflow from the airflow generator in use.

4. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment comprises a switching arrangement configured to move the moveable member between the extended position and the retracted position.

5. The attachment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the switching arrangement comprises a rotational mechanism configured to move the moveable member between the extended position and the retracted position.

6. The attachment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the switching arrangement comprises a first portion and a second portion, one of the first portion and the second portion configured to slide along a surface of the other of the second portion and the first portion, wherein the first portion comprises the moveable member and the moveable member is configured to move between the retracted position and the extended position when the one of the first portion and second portion slides along the surface of the other of the second portion and the first portion.

7. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable member is configured to move between the extended position and the retracted position in response to a force applied by a user to the moveable member.

8. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein airflow through the air outlet is unrestricted when the moveable member is in the extended position.

9. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein airflow through the air outlet is restricted when the moveable member is in the retracted position.

10. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet is configured to direct airflow toward the opening in the extended position.

11. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet is configured to direct airflow away from the opening in the extended position.

12. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment comprises a plurality of moveable members.

13. The attachment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of moveable members each comprise a respective air outlet.

14. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hair treatment chamber comprises a wall, an aperture formed in the wall and a further air outlet, the further air outlet configured to direct airflow away from the opening and toward the aperture in use.

15. The attachment as claimed in claim 14, wherein the further air outlet is configured to direct airflow in a different direction to the air outlet.

16. The attachment as claimed in claim 14, wherein airflow flows through the further air outlet when the moveable member is in the extended position and the retracted position in use.

17. The attachment as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wall comprises a porous material.

18. The attachment as claimed in claim 17, wherein the porous material defines the aperture.

19. The attachment as claimed in claim 14, wherein the attachment comprises a plurality of apertures formed in the wall.

20. The attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment comprises a sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a property of hair within the hair treatment chamber in use.

21. A haircare appliance comprising: an air inlet; a moveable member comprising an air outlet; an airflow generator for generating an airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet; and a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair, the hair treatment chamber comprising an opening through which hair is insertable into the hair treatment chamber, the opening defined by a rim of the hair treatment chamber; wherein the moveable member is moveable between an extended position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a first extent and a retracted position at which the moveable member extends from the rim by a second extent less than the first extent.

22. The haircare appliance as claimed claim 21, wherein the haircare appliance comprises a handle unit within which the airflow generator is disposed, and an attachment comprising the air inlet, the moveable member comprising the air outlet, and the hair treatment chamber, that attachment removably attachable to the handle unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates a haircare appliance according to an example;

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a handle unit of the haircare appliance of FIG. 1.

[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of an attachment of the haircare appliance of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 3;

[0044] FIG. 5a illustrates a schematic side view of the attachment of FIG. 3;

[0045] FIG. 5b illustrates a further schematic side view of the attachment of FIG. 3;

[0046] FIG. 6a illustrates a schematic side view of a moveable member in a retracted position;

[0047] FIG. 6b illustrates a schematic side view the moveable member of FIG. 6a in an extended position;

[0048] FIG. 7a illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of an example switching arrangement; and

[0049] FIG. 7b illustrates a further schematic view of the switching arrangement of FIG. 6a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] A haircare appliance according to the present invention, generally designated 10, is shown schematically in FIG. 1.

[0051] The haircare appliance 10 comprises a handle unit 12, and an attachment 100 removably attachable to the handle unit 12.

[0052] The handle unit 12 comprises a housing 14, an airflow generator 16, a heater 18, and a control unit 20, as can be seen schematically in FIG. 2.

[0053] The housing 14 is tubular in shape, and comprises an air inlet 22 through which an airflow is drawn into the housing 14 by the airflow generator 16, and an air outlet 24 through which the airflow is discharged from the housing 14. The airflow generator 16 is housed within the housing 14, and comprises an impeller 26 driven by an electric motor 28. The heater 18 is also housed within the housing 14, and comprises heating elements 30 to optionally heat the airflow.

[0054] The control unit 20 comprises electronic circuitry for a user interface 32, a control module 34 and an RFID reader 24. The user interface 32 is provided on an outer surface of the housing 14, and is used to power on and off the haircare appliance 10, to select a flow rate (for example high, medium and low), and to select an airflow temperature (for example hot, medium or cold). In the example of FIG. 1, the user interface comprises a plurality of sliding switches, but other forms of user interface 32, for example buttons, dials or touchscreens, are also envisaged. The RFID reader 24 is to interrogate an RFID tag that forms part of the attachment 100.

[0055] The control module 34 is responsible for controlling the airflow generator 16, and the heater 18 in response to inputs from the user interface 32. For example, in response to inputs from the user interface 32, the control module 34 may control the power or the speed of the airflow generator 16 in order to adjust the airflow rate of the airflow, and the power of the heater 18 in order to adjust the temperature of the airflow.

[0056] Examples of the attachment 100 are shown schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4. The attachment 100 comprises an air inlet 101, a moveable member 102 and a hair treatment chamber 103. The moveable member 102 comprises an air outlet 104. The hair treatment chamber 103 is for receiving hair and comprises an opening 105 through which hair is insertable into the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0057] The hair treatment chamber 103 further comprises a wall 106 and a plurality of apertures 107 formed in the wall 106. The apertures 107 enable airflow to escape from an interior of the hair treatment chamber 103 in use, without having to pass through the opening 105 through which hair is inserted into the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0058] The hair treatment chamber 103 defines a confined space into which the user's hair is placed. As hot air passes into the confined space, the ambient temperature within the hair treatment chamber 103 rises, which can help dry the hair of the user. Moreover, as the hair treatment chamber 103 holds the user's hair in place during use, the user's hair is less likely to be disrupted by the flow of air into the hair treatment chamber 103. As such, relatively high flow rates of air can be used without significantly disrupting the user's hair, which may increase the efficiency and/or speed of drying the user's hair. The flow rate may be at least 6 litres per second, at least 10 litres per second, or at least 13 litres per second.

[0059] The wall 106 of the hair treatment chamber 103 comprises a porous material 108. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a porous material 108 is disposed in the aperture 107 such that collectively the wall 106, which is non-porous, and the porous material 108, define a boundary wall of the hair treatment chamber 103. In FIG. 3, the porous material 108 in shown in a single aperture 107. In some examples, the porous material 108 is disposed in all of the apertures 107. Alternatively, the porous material 108 is disposed in a select number of apertures 107. Pores of the porous material 108 define further apertures in the wall. In the example of FIG. 3, the porous material 108 is a mesh. Alternatively, any other suitably porous material 108 can be used.

[0060] The porous material 108 helps to retain the hair of a user within the hair treatment chamber 103 while also confining the air in the hair treatment chamber 103. As such, air in the hair treatment chamber 103 may heat to higher temperatures to increase the efficiency and/or speed of drying the user's hair.

[0061] In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4 in combination with FIG. 1, the air inlet 101 and the air outlet 104 of the attachment 100 are provided at a first end of the housing 14. The air inlet 101 is therefore disposed in an airflow path between the airflow generator 16 and the air outlet 104. As shown in FIG. 1, the handle unit 12 also has its own air inlet 22 into the housing 14. The airflow generator 16 is configured to generate an airflow from the air inlet 22 of the handle unit 12, through the air inlet 101 of the attachment 100 and to the air outlet 104 in use.

[0062] The opening 105 illustrated in FIG. 3 is generally circular in shape, however other forms and shapes of opening 105 are envisaged. For example, the opening 105 may be substantially oval or semi-circular shaped. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hair treatment chamber 103 is shaped to define a hemi-spherical interior. In other examples, the hair treatment chamber 103 is shaped to define any other suitable hollow interior in which hair can be received.

[0063] The attachment 100 comprises a sensor 109 configured to output a signal indicative of a property of hair within the hair treatment chamber 103 in use. The sensor 109 shown in FIG. 4 is a moisture sensor. In other examples, the sensor 109 is a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor. The signal output by the sensor 109 is received by the control module 34 which is configured to control the haircare appliance 10 in response to the signal from the sensor 109. In some examples, the sensor 109 comprises an RFID tag to transmit information via RFID to the RFID reader 24. In some examples, it is envisaged that other forms of communication, including, for example Bluetooth or near-field communication (NFC), may be utilised.

[0064] Similarly, although thus far wireless methods of communicating between the sensor 109 and the control module 34 have been discussed, it will be appreciated that examples that utilise physical communications connections are also envisaged. For example, the handle unit 12 and the attachment 100 may comprise corresponding contacts which, when connected when the attachment 100 is connected to the handle unit 12, define a communications pathway.

[0065] In some examples, the signal from the sensor 109 is indicative of the user's hair being sufficiently dry and the user is provided with an indication to stop using the haircare appliance 10 based on the signal. For example, the user is provided with a visual indicator, such as a light, when the signal indicates that their hair is sufficiently dry. In some examples, the airflow generator 16 is configured to modify the airflow when the signal indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry. For example, the airflow generator 16 is configured to reduce the flow rate, or stop the generation of airflow, in response to the signal. In some examples, the heater 18 is configured to modify the amount of heat provided to the airflow in response to the signal. For example, the heater 18 may be configured to reduce the amount of heat provided to the airflow, or stop heating the airflow, in response to the signal. This may help to prevent damage to the user's hair which may be caused by excessive or unnecessary drying and/or heating.

[0066] The hair treatment chamber 103 comprises a rim 110 which defines the opening 105 and a further air outlet 111 which directs airflow in a different direction to the air outlet 104 of the moveable member 102. This may allow different parts of the user's hair to be dried at the same time with the haircare appliance 10.

[0067] The further air outlet 111 is configured to direct airflow away from the opening 105 and toward the aperture 107 in use. As hair is inserted through the opening 105, and airflow is directed away from the opening 105, airflow may be directed away from the roots of the hair that is located within the hair treatment chamber 103 in use. This may reduce an amount of direct heat being applied to the user's head which may increase the comfort of using the haircare appliance 10, particularly over an extended period of time.

[0068] The moveable member 102 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is moveable between an extended position at which the moveable member 102 extends from the rim 110 by a first extent (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) and a retracted position at which the moveable member 102 extends from the rim 110 by a second extent less than the first extent. The moveable air outlet 104 allows the user greater flexibility in positioning depending on their needs and requirements.

[0069] In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, airflow flows through the further air outlet 111 of the hair treatment chamber 103 when the moveable member 102 is in the extended position and the retracted position in use. As such, if the user does not wish to apply any heat or airflow through the air outlet 104, for example if their head is becoming too hot, airflow can be restricted through the air outlet 104 of the moveable member 102, but still continue to flow through the further outlet 111 to continue to dry the user's hair.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the extended position, the moveable members 102 extend away from the rim 110 in a direction parallel to a central axis of the hair treatment chamber 103. As such, the moveable members 102 extend away from the hair treatment chamber 103 and toward the head of a user in use. This may allow heated airflow to be directed to the roots of a user's hair in use whilst a tress of hair is located within the hair treatment chamber 103, which may enable targeted drying of the roots of hair in use.

[0071] The attachment 100 comprises a plurality of moveable members 102. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, each moveable member 102 comprises a respective air outlet 104. This may help to increase the amount of airflow directed toward the roots of a user's hair, therefore increasing drying efficiency. In other examples, some of the plurality of moveable members 102 do not comprise a respective air outlet 104.

[0072] FIG. 5a illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the attachment 100 of FIGS. 3 and 4 with the moveable members 102 in the extended position. FIG. 5b illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the attachment 100 of FIGS. 3 and 4 with the moveable members 102 in the retracted position. In the extended position, the moveable members 102 extend from the rim 110 by a first extent. In the retracted position, the moveable members 102 extend from the rim 110 by a second extent which is smaller than the first extent. In the example of FIG. 5b, no part of the moveable member 102 extends from the rim 110 in the retracted position. In other examples, a part of the moveable member 102 extends from the rim 110 in the retracted position.

[0073] When the moveable member 102 is in the extended position, airflow through the air outlet 104 is unrestricted. When the moveable member 102 is in the retracted position, airflow through the air outlet 104 is restricted. In the example of FIG. 5b, when the moveable member 102 is in the retracted position, airflow through the air outlet 104 is prevented. In other words, no airflow can pass through the air outlet 104 when the moveable member 102 is in the retracted position.

[0074] FIG. 6a schematically illustrates the moveable member 102 in the retracted position and FIG. 6b schematically illustrates the moveable member 102 in the extended position. As shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the moveable member 102 defines a flow path 201 from an interior of the rim 110 to the air outlet 104. When the moveable member 102 is in the retracted position, the air outlet 10 is located internally of the rim 110 and when the moveable member 102 is in the extended position, the air outlet 104 is located external of the rim 110. As such, when the moveable member 102 is in the retracted position, airflow is contained in the rim 110 and airflow exits through the further air outlet 111. Airflow can also exit through the further air outlet 111 when the moveable member 102 is in the extended position.

[0075] In the example of FIGS. 6a and 6b, the moveable member 102 is biased toward the retracted position. This may help to save space as the moveable members 102 do not extend fully from the rim 110 when not in use, and this may also help to prevent damage to the moveable members 102 when the attachment 100 is being moved. In other examples, the moveable member 102 is biased toward the extended position. The biasing may be achieved via use of a resiliently deformable member such as a spring.

[0076] Although the biasing of the moveable member 102 is discussed above with reference to a spring, in some examples the biasing is achieved with airflow and without a spring or other resiliently deformable member. In the example of FIGS. 6a and 6b, an airflow provided to the attachment 100 by the airflow generator 16 moves the moveable member 102 from the retracted position to the extended position. As such, the moveable members 102 can remain in the extended position during use, and move to the retracted position when the supply of airflow is stopped. In some examples, the moveable members 102 are configured to move to the extended position when a predetermined flow rate of airflow is reached. When the airflow is below the predetermined flow rate, the moveable members 102 remain, or return to, the retracted position. As such, the airflow generator 16 can be configured to provide a different flow rate depending on an input to the user interface 32 by the user. The user may select a lower flow rate when they do not want to use the air outlets of the moveable members 102, or a higher flow rate when they want the moveable members 102 to move to the extended position.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 6b, when the moveable member 102 is held in the extended position by airflow, the user may move the moveable member 102 to the retracted position by applying a force to an end of the moveable member 102. For example, the user may press the moveable members 102 against their head 202 to move the moveable members 102 to the retracted position. This allows the user to easily control how much airflow is being directly applied to, or near, the roots of their hair. This may improve the comfort of using the haircare appliance 10 and help to prevent the user's hair being damaged from excess drying and/or heating.

[0078] FIGS. 7a and 7b illustrate an alternative example switching arrangement 300 configured to switch the moveable member 102 between the extended position and the retracted position. The switching mechanism 300 comprises a first portion 301 and a second portion 302. In the example of FIGS. 7a and 7b, the first portion 301 is configured to slide along a surface of the second portion 302. In other examples, the second portion 302 is configured to slide along a surface of the first portion 301. The first portion 301 comprises the moveable members 102 and the moveable members 102 move from the retracted position to the extended position when the first portion 301 slides along the surface of the second portion 302.

[0079] FIG. 7a illustrates the moveable members 102 in the retracted position. Corresponding surfaces of the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 are shaped to be sloped. As such, when the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 slide relative to each other, an upper surface 303 of the first portion 301 moves away from a lower surface 304 of the second portion 302. Although a surface of both the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 is sloped in FIGS. 7a and 7b, in some examples only one of the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 are sloped.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 7b, as the first portion 301 moves relative to the second portion 302 in a first direction 305, the moveable members 102 have a component of motion in a second direction 306 such that they extend from the rim 110. In the example of FIGS. 7a and 7b, the first portion 301 linearly slides along the surface of the second portion 302. In other examples, the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 rotate relative to each other. To cause the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 to rotate relative to each other, the user may twist or rotate a part of the attachment 100. For example, an outer surface of the attachment 100 may be operatively connected to one of the first portion 301 and the second portion 302 such that when the outer surface is twisted or rotated, the first portion 301 slides along the surface of the second portion 302.

[0081] Examples are also envisaged where, rather than the haircare appliance 10 comprising a handle unit 12 and an attachment 100, the haircare appliance 10 is a single-piece unit, for example taking the form of the combined handle unit 12 and attachment 100 previously described.