Portable hooded hair moisturizer and dryer

Claim 2

A portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer comprising, in combination: a base assembly, a head support assembly, and a rigid head assembly, said assemblies being arranged in an articulated nestable ''''Z'''' configuration whereby said dryer may be arranged in an operating position with said head assembly elevated from a supporting surface, or in a storage position with said head assembly overlying said base and head support assemblies, and which further comprises steam generating means including a drawer-shaped reservoir, said drawer-shaped reservoir being mounted in said dryer so as to be removable therefrom only when the dryer is in an operating configuration, the path of said drawer-shaped reservoir being obstructed to prevent removal of said drawer while said dryer is in said storage position.

Claim 3

The portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer of claim 1 in which said drawer-shaped reservoir is mounted in said head support assembly.

Claim 4

A portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer comprising, in combination: a base assembly, a head support assembly and a rigid heat assembly, said head support assembly extending generally upwardly between, and being connected to, said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in an operating configuration; said dryer further comprising means for positioning said head support assembly within said head assembly in a region between said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in a storage configuration; said dryer including steam generating means including a drawer-shaped reservoir, said drawer-shaped reservoir being removably mounted in said head mounting assembly whereby said drawer-shaped reservoir is confined within said head mounting assembly in the region between said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in said storage configuration, separation of said drawer from said head mounting assembly being prevented by a member selected from the group consisting of said head assembly and said base assembly.

Claim 5

A portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer comprising, in combination: a base assembly, a head support assembly and a rigid heat assembly, said head support assembly extending generally upwardly between, and being connected to, said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in an operating configuration; said dryer further comprising means for positioning said head support assembly within said head assembly in a region between said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in a storage configuration; said dryer including steam generating means including a drawer-shaped reservoir, said drawer-shaped reservoir being removably mounted in said head mounting assembly whereby said drawer-shaped reservoir is confined within said head mounting assembly in the region between said base assembly and said head assembly when said dryer is in said storage configuration, separation of said drawer from said head mounting assembly being prevented by a member selected from the group consisting of said head assembly and said base assembly.

Claim 6

The portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer of claim 3 in which said base assembly and said rigid head assembly are pivotally attached to said head support assembly at respective opposite ends of said head support assembly, wherein said dryer has the configuration of a nestable ''''Z'''', and in which said drawer-shaped reservoir is mounted into said head support assembly in the wall thereof which faces said base assembly when said dryer is in said storage configuration, and in which said base obstructs the path of at least a portion of said drawer from separation from said head support element when said dryer is in said storage configuration.

Claim 7

The portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer of claim 3 in which said base assembly and said rigid head assembly are pivotally attached to said head support assembly at opposite ends thereof, and in which said head support assembly is formed from opposing elongated cup-shaped housing elements which meet at a longitudinally extending mid-line, one of said cup-shaped elements having a recess extending laterally from said mid-line; said drawer-shaped reservoir being mounted in said housing in a separate drawer housing enclose having a facing element which is adapted to be closely received in said recess, said facing elemeNt having mating means around its perimeter for meeting with portions of said housing element defining said recess, to secure said drawer housing to said head support assembly housing.

Claim 8

The combination hair moisturizer and dryer of claim 5 in which the end of said head support assembly to which said rigid head assembly is pivotally mounted includes a horizontally extending plenum portion, and means for connecting said plenum portion with said head assembly, said moisturizer and dryer also including conduit means extending from said drawer housing and communicating directly with said plenum portion.

Claim 9

A portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer which includes a base, a head support assembly, and a rigid head assembly, said head support assembly being pivotally mounted in said base and including an air impeller housing at the lower end thereof, said impeller housing having supported therein a centrifugal blower having an axis of rotation; said base including air intake means communciating with said blower and positioned axially with respect to the axis of rotation of said blower, said pivot means having an axis of pivot which coincides with said axis of rotation of said blower; said head mounting assembly including elongated conduit means extending therethrough for directing impeller driven air to said head assembly; drawer housing means mounted in said head mounting assembly; a removable drawer in said drawer housing, said drawer having means for generating steam and electrical switch means for controlling said steam generating means; heating means mounted in said head mounting assembly for heating impeller-driven air passing therethrough, and switch means for controling said impeller and said heater means; said head support assembly also including a horizontal plenum at the top end thereof, said horizontal plenum communicating with said elongated conduit means and with said head assembly; conduit means for directing steam generated by said steam generating means for discharge directly into said horizontal plenum at the top of said head mounting assembly, and means for nesting that portion of the head mounting assembly having said drawer therein between said base and said head assembly in a storage configuration.

Claim 10

A portable combination hair moisturizer and dryer which includes a base, a head support assembly, and a rigid head assembly, said head support assembly being pivotally mounted in said base and including an air impeller housing at the lower end thereof, said impeller housing having supported therein a centrifugal blower having an axis of rotation; said base including air intake means communciating with said blower and positioned axially with respect to the axis of rotation of said blower, said pivot means having an axis of pivot which coincides with said axis of rotation of said blower; said head mounting assembly including elongated conduit means extending therethrough for directing impeller driven air to said head assembly; drawer housing means mounted in said head mounting assembly; a removable drawer in said drawer housing, said drawer having means for generating steam and electrical switch means for controlling said steam generating means; heating means mounted in said head mounting assembly for heating impeller-driven air passing therethrough, and switch means for controling said impeller and said heater means; said head support assembly also including a horizontal plenum at the top end thereof, said horizontal plenum communicating with said elongated conduit means and with said head assembly; conduit means for directing steam generated by said steam generating means for discharge directly into said horizontal plenum at the top of said head mounting assembly, and means for nesting that portion of the head mounting assembly having said drawer therein between said base and said head assembly in a storage configuration.

Claim 11

A combination hair moisturizer and dryer comprising: a drawer adapted to receive water and to contain boiling water; said drawer being removable by a user; steam-generating means in said drawer including a pair of spaced-apart electrodes positioned to be immersed in said water and having respective electrical contact means for making electrical connection thereto; drawer housing into which the drawer is inserted for generation of steam; said housing means having a projection extending from the rear wall thereof towards the front of said drawer and including electrical connection means adapted for electrically connecting with the said electrical contact means of respective electrodes in said drawer, said electrodes being generally situated in planes which are upwardly extending and parallel to the direction of insertion and withdrawal of said drawer into said drawer housing; said electrical contact means having respective rearwardly extending electrical connector blades adapted to mate with the respective housing connectors, said rearwardly extending contact means being positioned substantially entirely within the perimeter of said drawer.

Claim 12

A combination hair moisturizer and dryer comprising: a drawer adapted to receive water and to contain boiling water; said drawer being removable by a user; steam-generating means in said drawer including a pair of spaced-apart electrodes positioned to be immersed in said water and having respective electrical contact means for making electrical connection thereto; drawer housing into which the drawer is inserted for generation of steam; said housing means having a projection extending from the rear wall thereof towards the front of said drawer and including electrical connection means adapted for electrically connecting with the said electrical contact means of respective electrodes in said drawer, said electrodes being generally situated in planes which are upwardly extending and parallel to the direction of insertion and withdrawal of said drawer into said drawer housing; said electrical contact means having respective rearwardly extending electrical connector blades adapted to mate with the respective housing connectors, said rearwardly extending contact means being positioned substantially entirely within the perimeter of said drawer.

Claim 13

The combination hair moisturizer and dryer of claim 8 in which the electrodes are formed from a single sheet of conducting metal, and in which the respective electrodes include a pair of submerged plate portions thereof, a laterally extending offset portion thereof, and a vertically extending shank portion thereof, said rearwardly extending contact means extending from said shank portion; and in which a portion of each of the electrodes is supported at the lower edge of said blade, and at the rearward edge of said shank portion by abuttment with adjacent portions of said drawer, and in which said electrodeS are secured with respect to the bottom of the drawer by means of fixed attachment of a tab extending laterally from a generally mid-portion of said electrode to a projection extending upwardly from the bottom of said drawer.