Hair dryer

Claim 2

A chair-type hair dryer comprising a chair and a drying helmet mounted on said chair, a source of drying air, and air discharge means distributed throughout the front portion of said helmet for directing substantially all of said drying air in a streamline manner toward the rear portion thereof through the user''s hair in a controlled airstream directed tangentially along the contour of the head toward the rear portion thereof and away from the face.

Claim 3

A hair dryer as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for selectively diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through said chair against the user''s back and shoulders.

Claim 4

A hair dryer as recited in claim 2 wherein said airflow diverting means comprises said chair being provided with a plurality of air vents formed in the surface thereof which support the user''s back and shoulders and means for selectively diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through said air vents.

Claim 5

A hair dryer as recited in claim 1 wherein said drying helmet is shaped to conform to the user''s hair line, said helmet having the form of a substantially spherical shell with the frontal and bottom portions removed to receive the user''s head through the front thereof and to allow the user''s face and forehead to be exposed, and having elongate side and rear portions to cover the lower rear portion of the user''s head and neck; said air discharge means includes a perforate liner shell removably mounted within said helmet and having substantially the same shape as said helmet and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough, a number of said passageways being oriented with their axes obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner and being collectively arranged to direct air introduced into said chamber tangentially along the contour of the user''s head and through the user''s hair in a direction toward the back of the head and away from the face; and air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber.

Claim 6

A hair dryer as recited in claim 4 wherein said means for introducing drying air into said chamber comprises a central air duct connected at its lower end to said source of drying air and communicating at its upper end with the rear portion of said chamber and at least two side ducts connected at one end to said main duct and terminating at the other end at a position near the front portion of said chamber on either side of said helmet.

Claim 7

A hair dryer as recited in claim 5 wherein said central air duct is provided with a necked restriction at its upper end, whereby the flow of air through said side ducts is equalized with that issuing from said central duct at the rear of said chamber.

Claim 8

A hair drying device comprising: a. a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried, said chair having a plurality of apertures formed in the surface thereof which support the subject''s back and shoulders; b. a drying helmet mounted on said chair and shaped to conform to the subject''s hairline, said helmet comprising a substantially spherical shell having the frontal and bottom portions removed to receive the subject''s head directly through the front thereof and to allow the subject''s face and forehead to be exposed, and having elongate side and rear portions to cover the lower rear portion of the subject''s head and the neck; c. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said helmet and having substantially the same shape as said helmet and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner and being collectively arranged to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the subject''s head and through the subject''s hair in a direction toward the back of the subject''s head and away from the face; and d. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber including means for selectively diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through the apertures in the back of said chair.

Claim 9

A hair drying device comprising: a. a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried, said chair having a plurality of apertures formed in the surface thereof which support the subject''s back and shoulders; b. a drying helmet mounted on said chair and shaped to conform to the subject''s hairline, said helmet comprising a substantially spherical shell having the frontal and bottom portions removed to receive the subject''s head directly through the front thereof and to allow the subject''s face and forehead to be exposed, and having elongate side and rear portions to cover the lower rear portion of the subject''s head and the neck; c. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said helmet and having substantially the same shape as said helmet and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner and being collectively arranged to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the subject''s head and through the subject''s hair in a direction toward the back of the subject''s head and away from the face; and d. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber including means for selectively diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through the apertures in the back of said chair.

Claim 10

A hair dryer as recited in claim 7 wherein said means for introducing drying air into said chamber comprises a central air duct connected at its lower end to said source of drying air and communicating at its upper end with the rear portion of said chamber and at least two side ducts connected at one end to said main duct and terminating at the other end at a position near the front portion of said chamber on either side of said helmet.

Claim 11

A hair dryer as recited in claim 8 wherein said central air duct is provided with a necked restriction at its upper end, whereby the flow of air through said side ducts is equalized with that issuing from said central duct at the rear of said chamber.

Claim 12

In a salon-type hair dryer having a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried and a drying hood mounted above the chair for receiving the subject''s head the improvement comprising the combination of a. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said hood and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner and being collectively arranged to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the subject''s head and through the subject''s hair in a direction toward the back of the subject''s head and away from the face; and b. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber including means for diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through a plurality of apertuRes formed in the surface of said chair which supports the subject''s back and shoulders.

Claim 13

In a salon-type hair dryer having a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried and a drying hood mounted above the chair for receiving the subject''s head the improvement comprising the combination of a. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said hood and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner and being collectively arranged to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the subject''s head and through the subject''s hair in a direction toward the back of the subject''s head and away from the face; and b. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber including means for diverting a controllable portion of said drying air through a plurality of apertuRes formed in the surface of said chair which supports the subject''s back and shoulders.

Claim 14

A hair dryer as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for introducing drying air into said chamber comprises a central air duct connected at its lower end to said source of drying air and communicating at its upper end with the rear portion of said chamber and at least two side ducts connected at one end to said main duct and terminating at the other end at a position near the front portion of said chamber on either side of said helmet.

Claim 15

A hair dryer as recited in claim 11 wherein said central air duct is provided with a necked restriction at its upper end, whereby the flow of air through said side ducts is equalized with that issuing from said central duct at the rear of said chamber.

Claim 16

A perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity for mounting within a hair drying hood and being so formed as to conform to a user''s hairline and cover a user''s head of hair, said liner having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner shell and being collectively arranged to direct drying air introduced under pressure at the exterior surface thereof into said cavity in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion through the user''s hair in a direction following the contour of the head and toward the back of the head and away from the face.

Claim 17

A perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity for mounting within a hair drying hood and being so formed as to conform to a user''s hairline and cover a user''s head of hair, said liner having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough at the front and rear with substantially all of said passageways at the front having an axis obliquely inclined to the surface of said liner shell and being collectively arranged to direct drying air introduced under pressure at the exterior surface thereof into said cavity in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion through the user''s hair in a direction following the contour of the head and toward the back of the head and away from the face.

Claim 18

A salon-type hair dryer comprising: a. a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried; b. a drying helmet mounted on said chair and shaped to conform to the subject''s hairline, said helmet comprising a substantially spherical shell having the frontal and bottom portions removed to receive the subject''s head directly through the front thereof and to allow the subject''s face and forehead to be exposed, and having elongate side and rear portions to cover the lower rear portion of the subject''s head and the neck; c. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said helmet and having substantially the same shape as said helmet and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough with substantially all of the passageways at the frontal portion of said liner shell being disposed with their axes obliquely inclined to said liner shell so as to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the top and sides of subject''s head toward the rear portion thereof and away from the face; and d. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber.

Claim 19

A salon-type hair dryer comprising: a. a chair for supporting a subject whose hair is to be dried; b. a drying helmet mounted on said chair and shaped to conform to the subject''s hairline, said helmet comprising a substantially spherical shell having the frontal and bottom portions removed to receive the subject''s head directly through the front thereof and to allow the subject''s face and forehead to be exposed, and having elongate side and rear portions to cover the lower rear portion of the subject''s head and the neck; c. a perforate liner shell defining a hair drying cavity and being removably mounted within said helmet and having substantially the same shape as said helmet and being spaced inwardly therefrom to define a chamber therebetween, said liner further having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough with substantially all of the passageways at the frontal portion of said liner shell being disposed with their axes obliquely inclined to said liner shell so as to direct air introduced into said chamber in a streamline airflow toward the rear portion of said cavity and tangentially along the top and sides of subject''s head toward the rear portion thereof and away from the face; and d. air distribution means for introducing drying air into said chamber.