Hair dryer

Claim 2

A portable hair dryer unit having means for forcing drying air into a defined region for receiving the head of a user, said dryer having a dryer head assembly with a rigid, generally annular plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings in the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, and a cover for said plenum, said cover being mounted for movement relative to said plenum, whereby said cover may be raised to increase the volume in said region to accomodate the head of a user and may be lowered to a position of reduced height to decrease the volume in said region for storage of said dryer.

Claim 3

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover unit is of a rigid, self-supporting construction.

Claim 4

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover unit is mounted near one end thereof for pivotal movement between said raised and said lowered positions.

Claim 5

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said plenum is somewhat elongated from front to rear.

Claim 6

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said plenum is of increased cross section adjacent the air inlet thereof, and of reduced cross section in the areas farthest spaced from the inlet, said plenum being approximately circular in cross section adjacent the inlet end thereof and being oval in cross section in said spaced areas.

Claim 7

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover includes means lying generally in the top surface thereof for permitting escape of air from said region.

Claim 8

A hair dryer as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover includes means in the top thereof for permitting drying air to be exhausted from said interior region of said head assembly, said means permitting control of the volume of air permitted to escape therEfrom.

Claim 9

A dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said exterior wall of said plenum includes a generally upwardly directed surface for receiving a counterpart, downwardly directed surface on a lower portion of said cover unit, whereby said cover unit may be supported by the exterior of said plenum in said lowered position.

Claim 10

A dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said plural openings in said inwardly directed walls include openings having means associated therewith for controlling the air flow therethrough.

Claim 11

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said plenum includes a generally tubular section having means associated therewith for permitting relative movement between said tubular section and the remainder of said plenum, and means permitting adjustment between said tubular section and said remainder of said plenum.

Claim 12

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 which includes means in the form of a stiff but resilient latch having one end thereof fixed to said cover and another end thereof receivable within said plenum.

Claim 13

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 1 which includes means in the form of a stiff but resilient latch having integrally formed fingers thereon for engaging a portion of said plenum in both raised and lowered positions of said cover.

Claim 14

A dryer unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes vent means associated with said cover, said vent means including a door unit and a vent opening disposed at least partially within the upper surface of said cover and at least partially within a forwardly directed surface of said cover.

Claim 15

A dryer unit as defined in claim 1 which further includes means for permitting air to escape from said cover under controlled conditions, said means including an opening in said cover and a door unit disposed thereover and having means associated therewith permitting the door to be moved to any one of a plurality of different opened positions.

Claim 16

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 10 wherein said means permitting adjustment includes relatively movable portions having means for maintaining them in a locked together position with sufficient force to prevent unintentional relative movement between said portions.

Claim 17

A dryer unit as in claim 14 wherein said means for permitting plural open positions of said door includes a leaf spring having a rib thereon and a cooperating cam unit having plural grooves therein for reception of said rib, one of said ribs and said cam being mounted on said door and the other being mounted to a portion of said cover.

Claim 18

A dryer unit as defined in claim 14 wherein said door unit has single means associated therewith for biasing said door alternately into open and closed positions thereof.

Claim 19

A unit as defined by claim 17 wherein said means for biasing said door into said alternate positions includes a spring unit having a center coil portion and two legs extending therefrom, with one end portion of one of said legs being received in said door and the end of said other leg being received in said cover, said spring unit being mounted for movement of said coil and one of said ends through an arc upon door movement so as to provide a snap-over-center action to bias said door alternately in said open and closed positions thereof.

Claim 20

A portable hair dryer unit having means for forcing drying air into a defined region for receiving the head of a user, said dryer having a dryer head assembly with a rigid, generally annular plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings in the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, and a separate cover for said plenum, said separate cover having an upper portion thereof which defines a top portion of said defined region, said cover having means in an upper surface thereof permitting air to be exhausted from said region.

Claim 21

A portable hair dryer unit having means for forcing drying air into a defined region for receiving the head of a user, said dryer having a dryer head assembly with a rigid, generally annular plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings in the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, and a separate cover for said plenum, said separate cover having an upper portion thereof which defines a top portion of said defined region, said cover having means in an upper surface thereof permitting air to be exhausted from said region.

Claim 22

A hair dryer unit as defined in claim 19 wherein said means permitting said air to be exhausted includes means for controlling the volume of air passing therethrough.

Claim 23

A Hair dryer unit as defined in claim 19 wherein said means for permitting said air to be exhausted includes plural openings in said cover unit, a plate mounted for movement with respect to said cover unit, and openings in said plate, said movement permitting registration of said plate openings with said cover openings to permit the control of air exhausted from said region.

Claim 24

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination, a base unit, a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base, and a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, an air impeller housed within said one end portion of said mounting assembly, means in said mounting assembly for directing air from said one end of said assembly to said other end thereof, means in said other end for cooperation with a portion of said head assembly to permit relative movement between said head assembly and said other end, a generally annular plenum formed in part by portions of said head assembly and in part by said other end of said mounting assembly, said plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings on the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, a cover element disposed over said plenum and defining, with said plenum, the interior of a region to which drying air is directed by said impeller, means mounting said cover for relative movement with respect to said plenum, and means permitting relative movement between said head mounting portion and said base unit.

Claim 25

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination, a base unit, a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base, and a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, an air impeller housed within said one end portion of said mounting assembly, means in said mounting assembly for directing air from said one end of said assembly to said other end thereof, means in said other end for cooperation with a portion of said head assembly to permit relative movement between said head assembly and said other end, a generally annular plenum formed in part by portions of said head assembly and in part by said other end of said mounting assembly, said plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings on the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, a cover element disposed over said plenum and defining, with said plenum, the interior of a region to which drying air is directed by said impeller, means mounting said cover for relative movement with respect to said plenum, and means permitting relative movement between said head mounting portion and said base unit.

Claim 26

A portable hair dryer as in claim 22 wherein said means mounting said cover for movement are arranged to permit pivotal movement thereof, whereby the front portion of said cover may be moved between raised and lowered positions thereof.

Claim 27

A portable hair dryer as defined in claim 22 wherein means are provided in said other end for controlling the volume of air flow into said region.

Claim 28

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination, a base unit, a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base, and a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, an air impeller housed within said one end portion of said mounting assembly, means in said mounting assembly for directing air from said one end of said assembly to said other end thereof, means in said other end for cooperation with aportion of said head assembly to permit relative movement between said head assembly and said other end, a generally annular plenum formed in part by portions of said head assembly and in part by said other end of said mounting assembly, said plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings on the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, a cover element disposed over said plenum and partially defining, with said plenum, the interior of a region to which drying air is directed by said impeller, means permitting relative movement between said head mounting portion and said base unit, and means in said cover for permitting drying air to be exhausted from said region.

Claim 29

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination, a base unit, a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base, and a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, an air impeller housed within said one end portion of said mounting assembly, means in said mounting assembly for directing air from said one end of said assembly to said other end thereof, means in said other end for cooperation with aportion of said head assembly to permit relative movement between said head assembly and said other end, a generally annular plenum formed in part by portions of said head assembly and in part by said other end of said mounting assembly, said plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings on the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, a cover element disposed over said plenum and partially defining, with said plenum, the interior of a region to which drying air is directed by said impeller, means permitting relative movement between said head mounting portion and said base unit, and means in said cover for permitting drying air to be exhausted from said region.

Claim 30

A portable hair dryer as defined in claim 25 wherein said means is arranged to permit control of the volume of air exhausted from said region.

Claim 31

A portable hair dryer unit having means for forcing drying air into a defined region for receiving the head of a user, said dryer having a dryer head assembly with a rigid, generally annular plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings in at least the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, and a cover for said plenum, said cover closing off the upper portion of said dryer head and being of single wall construction so as to be entirely free of means for receiving or directing said forced air into said defined region.

Claim 32

A portable hair dryer unit having means for forcing drying air into a defined region for receiving the head of a user, said dryer having a dryer head assembly with a rigid, generally annular plenum having imperforate exterior walls and plural openings in at least the radially inwardly directed walls thereof, and a cover for said plenum, said cover closing off the upper portion of said dryer head and being of single wall construction so as to be entirely free of means for receiving or directing said forced air into said defined region.

Claim 33

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination: A base unit; a head mounting assembly having one end portion pivotally received by said base unit; a dryer head assembly pivotally attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, said dryer head assembly includIng a defined region for receiving a portion of the head of a user therein; hinge articulation means for moving said head assembly and base unit back and forth between a plurality of operating configurations and a storage configuration in which the head assembly and said base unit nest together with said head mounting assembly positioned therebetween in said region; and releasable locking means for temporarily immobilizing said hinge articulation means when the dryer is in a desired operating configuration.

Claim 34

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination: A base unit; a head mounting assembly having one end portion pivotally received by said base unit; a dryer head assembly pivotally attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, said dryer head assembly includIng a defined region for receiving a portion of the head of a user therein; hinge articulation means for moving said head assembly and base unit back and forth between a plurality of operating configurations and a storage configuration in which the head assembly and said base unit nest together with said head mounting assembly positioned therebetween in said region; and releasable locking means for temporarily immobilizing said hinge articulation means when the dryer is in a desired operating configuration.

Claim 35

The portable hair dryer of claim 28 in which said hinge articulation means comprise upper and lower pivot means for connecting ends of said mounting assembly to said head assembly and said base unit, respectively, wherein said pivot means have substantially parallel, horizontal axes, and wherein said respective first and second pivot means are connected to said head assembly and said base unit at respective portions thereof which are located at opposite portions of said region when said head assembly and said base unit are in said storage position; said releasable locking means comprising means for temporarily immobilizing each of said pivot means when the dryer is in a desired operating configuration.

Claim 36

The dryer of claim 28 which includes releasable latch means for securing said dryer in said storage configuration.

Claim 37

The dryer of claim 28 in which said releasable locking means includes ratchet and releasable pawl means.

Claim 38

The portable hair dryer of claim 28 in which said base unit includes tray assembly means for receiving pins, curlers, and the like, said tray assembly means being positioned to be covered by a portion of said head assembly when said dryer is in said storage configuration.

Claim 39

The portable hair dryer as defined in claim 28 in which said upper and lower pivot means include a hollow portion thereof; said dryer including a squirrel cage air impeller housed within said lower pivot means; motor means for driving said impeller around an axis which is substantially parallel to said pivot axes, said motor means also being housed within said hollow portion of said lower pivot means; said dryer also including an air intake means for admitting air to the hollow portion of said lower pivot means from both ends of said pivot means, and conduit means in said mounting assembly for directing air from said impeller in said lower pivot means to the upper pivot means thereof, and means in said upper pivot means for distributing air passing through said mounting assembly to said head assembly.

Claim 40

The portable hair dryer as defined in claim 33 wherein means for heating said air are positioned in said conduit means in said mounting assembly.

Claim 41

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination: a base unit; a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base unit; a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, said dryer head assembly including a defined region for receiving a portion of the head of a user therein; hinge articulation means for moving said head assembly and base unit back and forth between operating configurations and a storage configuration in which said head assembly and said base unit nest together with said head mounting assembly positioned therebetween in said region; said hinge articulation means comprising upper and lower pivot means for connecting respective ends of said mounting assembly to said head assembly and said base unit respectively, wherein said pivot means have substantially parallel horizontal axes, and wherein said respective first and second pivot means are connected to said head assembly and said base unit respectively at respective portions thereof which are located at opposite portions of said region when said head assembly and base unit are in said storage configuration; said upper and lower pivot means including a hollow portion thereof, said lower pivot means having air conduit means for admitting air inwardly through both ends thereof, incluDing centrifugal blower means including a squirrel cage blower, and motor means for rotating said squirrel cage blower about an axis which is substantially parallel to said pivot axes, said blower means and said motor means being housed in said hollow portion of said lower pivot means; said head mounting assembly having conduit means for directing air from said blower to the other end of said mounting assembly; said upper pivot means including air distribution means extending through said hollow portion thereof axially outwardly through opposite ends of said upper pivot means to distribute air from said conduit means to said head assembly; and releasable locking means for temporarily immobilizing each of said pivot means when the dryer is in a desired operating configuration.

Claim 42

A portable hair dryer comprising, in combination: a base unit; a head mounting assembly having one end portion thereof received by said base unit; a dryer head assembly attached to the other end of said head mounting assembly, said dryer head assembly including a defined region for receiving a portion of the head of a user therein; hinge articulation means for moving said head assembly and base unit back and forth between operating configurations and a storage configuration in which said head assembly and said base unit nest together with said head mounting assembly positioned therebetween in said region; said hinge articulation means comprising upper and lower pivot means for connecting respective ends of said mounting assembly to said head assembly and said base unit respectively, wherein said pivot means have substantially parallel horizontal axes, and wherein said respective first and second pivot means are connected to said head assembly and said base unit respectively at respective portions thereof which are located at opposite portions of said region when said head assembly and base unit are in said storage configuration; said upper and lower pivot means including a hollow portion thereof, said lower pivot means having air conduit means for admitting air inwardly through both ends thereof, incluDing centrifugal blower means including a squirrel cage blower, and motor means for rotating said squirrel cage blower about an axis which is substantially parallel to said pivot axes, said blower means and said motor means being housed in said hollow portion of said lower pivot means; said head mounting assembly having conduit means for directing air from said blower to the other end of said mounting assembly; said upper pivot means including air distribution means extending through said hollow portion thereof axially outwardly through opposite ends of said upper pivot means to distribute air from said conduit means to said head assembly; and releasable locking means for temporarily immobilizing each of said pivot means when the dryer is in a desired operating configuration.

Claim 43

The portable hair dryer of claim 35 which includes heating means for heating said air, said heating means being positioned within said conduit means in said head mounting assembly.

Claim 44

The portable hair dryer of claim 35 which includes releasable latch means for securing said dryer in said storage configuration.

Claim 45

The portable hair dryer of claim 35 in which said releasable locking means includes ratchet and releasable pawl means.

Claim 46

The portable hair dryer of claim 35 in which said base unit includes tray assembly means for receiving pins, curlers, and the like, said tray assembly means being positioned to be covered by a portion of said head assembly when said dryer is in said storage configuration.