PORTABLE HAIRSTYLER DRYING BONNET

Abstract

A portable hairstyler drying bonnet includes a hair cover, a band, a control system, and a power unit. The hair cover is designed to surround hair of a user. The hair cover includes a flexible material and a plurality of heating elements embedded in the flexible material to heat wet hair of a user. The band is designed to secure the hair cover to the head of the user. The control system attached to the band and designed to permit a user to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet. The power unit is attached to the band and operatively connected to the control system and the heating elements.

Claims

1. A portable hairstyler drying bonnet comprising: a hair cover being configured to surround hair of a user, wherein said hair cover comprises a flexible material and a plurality of heating elements embedded in said flexible material to heat wet hair of a user; a band being configured to secure said hair cover to a head of a user; a control system attached to said band and configured to permit a user to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet; and a power unit attached to said band and operatively connected to said control system and said heating elements.

2. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein said band is adjustable to permit said band to fit onto heads of different sizes.

3. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 2, wherein said band comprises a resiliently elastic material.

4. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein the portable hairstyler drying bonnet comprises a connecting structure detachably connecting said hair cover and said band.

5. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 4, wherein said connecting structure comprises a zipper.

6. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein said flexible material comprises a microfiber cloth.

7. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein said hair cover comprises an interior surface layer configured to facilitate cleaning of the interior of said hair cover.

8. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein each of said heating elements comprises a wire.

9. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 8, wherein said wires are disposed essentially parallel to one another in a wavy pattern.

10. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein said control system comprises a temperature control panel, a timer control panel, and a microprocessor

11. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 10, wherein: said temperature control panel comprises a display showing a selected operating temperature and an actual operating temperature of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet and buttons to permit a user to increase or decrease the selected operating temperature; said timer control panel comprises a display showing a selected operating time and remaining operating time of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet and buttons to permit a user to increase or decrease the selected operating time; and said microprocessor is operatively connected to said temperature control panel and said timer control panel to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet according to a selected operating time and a selected operating temperature.

12. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 1, wherein said power unit is operatively connected to a power button to turn said power unit on and off.

13. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 12, wherein said power unit comprises batteries.

14. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 13, wherein said batteries comprise rechargeable batteries and said power unit comprises a charging port.

15. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 14, wherein said charging port comprises a receptacle configured to receive a USB connector.

16. A portable hairstyler drying bonnet comprising: a hair cover being configured to surround hair of a user; said hair cover comprises a flexible material and a plurality of heating elements embedded in said flexible material to heat wet hair of a user; said flexible material comprises a microfiber cloth; each of said heating elements comprises a wire; said wires are disposed essentially parallel to one another in a wavy pattern; said hair cover comprising an interior surface layer configured to facilitate cleaning of the interior of said hair cover; a band being configured to secure said hair cover to a head of a user; said band is adjustable to permit said band to fit onto heads of different sizes; said band comprises a resiliently elastic material; a control system attached to said band and configured to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet; said control system comprises a temperature control panel, a timer control panel, and a microprocessor, wherein: said temperature control panel comprises a display showing a selected operating temperature and an actual operating temperature of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet and buttons to permit a user to increase or decrease the selected operating temperature; said timer control panel comprises a display showing a selected operating time and remaining operating time of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet and buttons to permit a user to increase or decrease the selected operating time; said microprocessor is operatively connected to said temperature control panel and said timer control panel to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet according to a selected operating time and a selected operating temperature; and a power unit attached to said band and operatively connected to said control system and said heating elements; said power unit is operatively connected to a power button to turn said power unit on and off; said power unit comprises batteries; said batteries comprise rechargeable batteries and said power unit comprises a charging port; said charging port comprises a receptacle configured to receive a USB connector.

17. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet of claim 16, wherein the portable hairstyler drying bonnet further comprises a connecting structure detachably connecting said hair cover and said band, and said connecting structure comprises a zipper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] 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:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a portable hairstyler drying bonnet according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an interior view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a close-up view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a close-up view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a box diagram of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, a new portable hairstyler drying bonnet embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0021] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8, the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 includes a hair cover 12, a band 14, a control system 16, and a power unit 18. The hair cover 12 is designed to surround the hair 72 of a user 70, which could be a man or woman of any age. The hair cover 12 is made of a flexible material 20 and a plurality of heating elements 22 embedded in the flexible material 20 to heat wet hair 72 of a user 70. The flexible material 20 can be made of a microfiber cloth, such as a cotton microfiber, or another breathable material such as a mesh. Each of the heating elements 22 is in the form of a wire, though any suitable heating element shape is within the scope of the disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the wires are positioned essentially parallel to one another in a wavy pattern to produce an even heating over the entire hair cover 12, and thus an even drying effect, with minimal hot spots or concentrations of heat. As shown in FIG. 3, the hair cover 12 includes an interior surface layer 24 designed to facilitate cleaning of the interior of the hair cover 12, such as a smooth plastic layer that can be wiped down with a cloth and possibly with gentle cleaners to remove oils and hair product residues. The band 14 is designed to secure the hair cover 12 to a head 74 of the user 70, such as by wrapping around the forehead and nape area of the head as shown in FIG. 7. The band 14 is adjustable to permit the band 14 to fit onto heads 74 of different sizes. In one embodiment, the band 14 includes a resiliently elastic material, such that the band 14 will stretch and then spring back to fit heads of different sizes, though other means of adjustability, such as a belt or snap assembly, could be used. The portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 also includes a connecting structure 26 detachably connecting the hair cover 12 and the band 14. In the embodiment shown, the connecting structure 26 is a zipper, though snaps, buttons 36, hook-and-loop, and other such connections could be used. This detachability of the hair cover 12 would allow for easier cleaning of the interior. In addition, hair covers 12 of different sizes could be attached to one band 14.

[0022] The control system 16 is attached to the band 14 and designed to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10. The control system 16 includes a temperature control panel 28, a timer control panel 30, and a microprocessor 32. The temperature control panel 28 includes a display 34 showing a selected operating temperature and an actual operating temperature of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 and buttons 36 to permit the user 70 to increase or decrease the selected operating temperature. The timer control panel 30 includes a display 34 showing a selected operating time and remaining operating time of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 and buttons 36 to permit the user 70 to increase or decrease the selected operating time. As shown in the box diagram of FIG. 6, the microprocessor 32 is operatively connected to the temperature control panel 28 and the timer control panel 30 to control the operation of the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 according to a selected operating time and a selected operating temperature. The microprocessor 32 could be programmable to run set drying programs that run at one or more temperatures over a predetermined time.

[0023] The power unit 18 is attached to the band 14 and operatively connected to the control system 16 and the heating elements 22. The power unit 18 is operatively connected to a power button 38 to turn the power unit 18 on and off. The power unit 18 includes batteries. The batteries can be regular batteries or rechargeable batteries 48 that can be recharged via a charging port 38 in the power unit 18. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the charging port 38 is a USB-style port that includes a receptacle 40 designed to receive a USB connector 76.

[0024] To use the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10, the user 70 places the band 14 around his or her head as shown in FIG. 7, with the hair cover 12 surrounding the wet hair 72. Before or after putting on the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10, the user 70 powers on the power unit 18 and selects a desired operating temperature and operating time via the temperature control panel 28 and the timer control panel 30. The heating elements 22 are activated and heated to the desired operating temperature. The user 70 can then either allow the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 to run until the time expires, at which point the control system 16 will deactivate the heating elements 22, or the user 70 can manually turn it off when the user 70 feels that his or her hair is sufficiently styled and/or dry. Since the entire portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 is seated on the head 74 of the user 70, the user 70 is free to move around and do other things while his or her hair 72 is being styled and/or dried.

[0025] In one possible alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the portable hairstyler drying bonnet 10 further includes a fan 42 to blow air into the hair cover 12. The fan 42 would be operatively connected to the power unit 18 for power. The fan 42 is attached to the band 14, though the fan 42 could be attached elsewhere, such as on the power unit 18 or the hair cover 12. The hair cover 12 includes an air inlet 44 operatively connected to the fan 42 to permit inflow of air into the hair cover 12 and at least one air outlet 46 positioned in a top portion of the hair cover 12 to permit outflow of air out of the hair cover 12. In this embodiment, air could be circulated by the fan 42 through the hair cover 12 to assist in drying the hair 72, spread heat evenly within the hair cover 12, and help exhaust heat and moisture rising up out of the hair cover 12.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.