Versatile cordless portable hair dryer for direct or bonnet usage on demand

Abstract

A lightweight, portable hair dryer device including a rechargeable battery component and configured insulated structures to accord suitable protections for the user from excessive heating to the skin is provided. Such a hair dryer is configured to provide either a hand-held application or a flexible add-on conduit with a bonnet component. Additionally, the hair dryer device exhibits a small profile to reduce the overall size thereof for ease in handling and stowage during use and may also be outfitted with a proper attachment clip to allow for placement on a user's clothing. Coupled with an insulation portion to prevent heat transfer of deleterious levels to the user's skin during hands-free utilization thereof, the all-in-one hair dryer allows for user maneuverability and hands-free or hand-held use on demand with free movement unfettered by an electrical cord. Multiple devices for salon usage, or single personal use devices are thus available.

Claims

1. A portable, battery-powered hair dryer comprising: a single housing having an external surface and an internal cavity; wherein said internal cavity comprises a battery, an integrated motor and fan assembly, heat generating means, and a wall portion including an insulating material therein; wherein said dryer further comprises an air intake aligned with said integrated motor and fan assembly; wherein said external surface comprises an attached clip assembly, a stowable handle, and at least one switch for power and temperature control of said hair dryer; wherein said clip assembly, said internal cavity wall portion, and said stowable handle are present on a side of said hair dryer opposite that of said air intake and provide insulation on such a hair dryer side from heat generated by said heat generating means; and wherein said hair dryer further comprises a nozzle for heated air discharge, said nozzle attachable to a hose with a hair drying bonnet implement for directed transfer of heated air through said bonnet and also usable without said hose and bonnet for directed transfer of heated air with said handle in an unstowed position.

2. The hair dryer of claim 1 wherein said battery is rechargeable either upon removal from said hair dryer or through direct connection of a charging device thereto when present within said hair dryer.

3. A method of drying a user's hair with said hair dryer of claim 1, said method comprising selecting a first operation mode or a second operation mode, wherein said first operation mode includes attaching said attachment clip to said user's clothing and attachment of said hose with said hair drying bonnet implement to said nozzle for hands-free operation thereof; wherein said attachment clip, insulating material within said internal cavity wall, and said stowed handle all provide insulation from heat generated by said hair dryer in said hands-free operation; wherein the second operation mode includes utilizing said nozzle without any hose and bonnet attached thereto, unstowing said handle for hand-held operation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said battery of said hair dryer is rechargeable either upon removal from said hair dryer or through direct connection of a charging device thereto when present within said hair dryer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side perspective cut-away view of one potentially preferred embodiment of a versatile hair dryer device.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top perspective cut-away view of the hair dryer device with a hose attachment.

(4) FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a hands-free bonnet utilization of the inventive hair dryer of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is a side perspective cut-away view of the hair dryer of FIG. 1 with the handle released from a stowed position.

(6) FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a hand-held utilization of the inventive hair dryer of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new portable, versatile hair dryer embodying the principles and concepts of the invention, without any limitation of breadth of the overall invention intended.

(8) FIG. 1 presents a side perspective cut-away view of one potentially preferred configuration of an inventive cordless hair dryer 10 that provides dual capability of hands-free and hand-held operation. The dryer 10 includes a housing 12 within which are situated heating elements 26, a fan and motor 24 with fan blades 25, air deflection panels 28, 29, a battery compartment 22, and rechargeable battery 20. The housing 12 further includes, externally, a heated air discharge nozzle 14 with hose attachment indentations 16, and a switch 18 for control of power, at least (in conjunction, for instance, with the battery 20). Such a battery 20 may be removed from the compartment 22 for recharging, or, alternatively, a power source may be attached through a port (not illustrated), as one example, for such a purpose. The dryer 10 further includes an attachment side 30 that includes an attachment clip 34 that permits secure placement of the dryer 10 over, for instance, a pants waistband (such as 54 in FIG. 3), a belt, etc., on demand. The attachment side 30 also includes a housing wall portion 32 that includes extra insulating material to alleviate the heat transferred from the heating elements 26 outwardly through the housing 12, thus protecting a user (such as 50 in FIG. 3) from such generated heat while wearing such a dryer 10. Additionally, the attachment side 30 includes a stowable handle 38 attached thereto the side 30 through a rotating hinge 36. Such a handle 38 accords insulating properties, as well, for the user (such as 50 in FIG. 3) from any heat generated within the housing 12 (such as by the fan and motor 24, for instance, in addition to the heating elements) when utilized in hands-free mode (FIG. 3).

(9) FIGS. 2 and 3 thus provide views of the same dryer 10 with a hose 44 attached through a connecting elastic opening 42 around the nozzle indentations 16. The attachment of the dryer 10 to a waistband 54 of the clothing of a user 50, allows for hands-free movement (particularly within a cord needed for power supply capability). The hose 44 leads to a bonnet 52 that covers at least a portion of the user's hair (such as 56 of FIG. 5). In this manner, again, the user is free to move about the location and with his or her hands completely free for other activities while his or her hair is drying under the bonnet 52, all while being suitably protected from excessive heat generated thereby by the attachment side (30 of FIG. 1) insulating components (wall portion 32, attachment clip 34 and stowed handle 36). Additionally, an air intake 40 is provided over the fan 24 to permit air to enter and be forced through heating elements (26 of FIG. 1).

(10) The versatility of the inventive dryer 10 is further shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as the handle 38 is shown in unstowed position, allowing the user 50 to ability to not only utilize such a handle 38 in his or her hand 58 to dry his or her hair 56, but also with the freedom to maneuver around his or her location without being limited by power a needed power cord.

(11) Such a hair dryer device may thus be supplied for personal use at a person's home (or to be taken to different locations, as desired), or one or more may be provided in a salon setting allowing for customers free movement and avoidance of stationary helmet drying machines while undergoing a suitable hair drying treatment step.

(12) With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

(13) Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.