Hand held electric hair-dryer

Claim 2

A hand-operated electric hair dryer comprising a casing which contains a resistance-type heating element associated with an impeller driven by an electric motor, and an air-ejection nozzle directed radially outwardly with respect to said casing, said casing comprising a first substantially hemispherical cap joined to a second substantially hemispherical cap which carries the ejection nozzle, both joined caps of the casing thus forming a substantially spherical body, at least one air-admission opening between joined edges of said caps, and a projecting beading on the edge of one of said caps arranged substantially around said spherical body and protecting said opening, said impeller being arranged for air to be drawn first into the casing through the air-admission opening, then to pass in heating contact with the heating element, and finally to pass through the impeller to be discharged from the casing through the nozzle, and the dimensions of both caps and of said projecting beading being such as to permit an easy holding of said first hemispherical cap against the palm of the hand with the projecting beading being grasped by the ends of the outspread fingers of said hand, said heating element and said air ejection nozzle having a common axis substantially coincident with the axis of revolution of the impeller, said heating element being secured within the casing by means of radial supports disposed radially with respect to said axis of revolution, each of said radial supports being fixed at one end within recesses of the cap which carries the ejection nozzle.

Claim 3

A hair-dryer as defined in claim 1, wherein said radial supports are locked in position by clamping between the first hemispherical cap and the cap which carries the ejection nozzle.

Claim 4

A hair-dryer as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one bearing of the motor is secured to the radial supports of the heating element.

Claim 5

A hair-dryer as defined in claim 3, wherein the motor bearing is secured in rigidly fixed relation to the radial supports by securing means comprising a head-piece forming a bearing retention cup, an edge of said head-piece being engaged in locking recesses disposed on the radial supports at the ends remote from the points of attachment of said supports to the cap which carries the ejection nozzle.

Claim 6

A hair-dryer as defined in claim 4, wherein the head-piece for securing the bearing to the radial supports is provided opposite to the heating element with a profile which is substantially parallel to the surface of said heating element.

Claim 7

A hand-operated electric hair dryer comprising a casing which contains a resistance-type heating element associated with an impeller driven by an electric motor, and an air-ejection nozzle directed radially outwardly with respect to said casing, said casing comprising a first substantially hemispherical cap joined to a second substantially hemispherical cap which carries the ejection nozzle, both joined caps of the casing thus forming a substantially spherical body, at least one air-admission opening between joined edges of said caps, and a projecting beading on the edge of one of said caps arranged substantially around said spherical body and protecting said opening, said impeller being arranged for air to be drawn first into the casing through the air-admission opening, then to pass in heating contact with the heating element, and finally to pass through the impeller to be discharged from the casing through the nozzle, and the dimensions of both caps and of said projecting beading being such as to permit an easy holding of said first hemispherical cap against the palm of the hand with the projecting beading being grasped by the ends of the outspread fingers of said hand, the impeller on its side nearest to the ejection nozzle, comprising a downstream cheek having openings at its periphery for the ejection of hot air, said downstream cheek comprising in its central portion a solid disc centered on the axis of the impeller, the ejection nozzle having a substantially circular transverse cross-section with peripheral hot air ejection openings and a solid central portion substantially corresponding to the openings and to the central disc of said impeller cheek, respectively.

Claim 8

A hand-operated electric hair dryer comprising a casing which contains a resistance-type heating element associated with an impeller driven by an electric motor, and an air-ejection nozzle directed radially outwardly with respect to said casing, said casing comprising a first substantially hemispherical cap joined to a second substantially hemispherical cap which carries the ejection nozzle, both joined caps of the casing thus forming a substantially spherical body, at least one air-admission opening between joined edges of said caps, and a projecting beading on the edge of one of said caps arranged substantially around said spherical body and protecting said opening, said impeller being arranged for air to be drawn first into the casing through the air-admission opening, then to pass in heating contact with the heating element, and finally to pass through the impeller to be discharged from the casing through the nozzle, and the dimensions of both caps and of said projecting beading being such as to permit an easy holding of said first hemispherical cap against the palm of the hand with the projecting beading being grasped by the ends of the outspread fingers of said hand, the impeller on its side nearest to the ejection nozzle, comprising a downstream cheek having openings at its periphery for the ejection of hot air, said downstream cheek comprising in its central portion a solid disc centered on the axis of the impeller, the ejection nozzle having a substantially circular transverse cross-section with peripheral hot air ejection openings and a solid central portion substantially corresponding to the openings and to the central disc of said impeller cheek, respectively.

Claim 9

A hand-operated electric hair dryer comprising a casing which contains a resistance-type heating element associated with an impeller driven by an electric motor, and an air-ejection nozzle directed radially outwardly with respect to said casing, said casing comprising a first substantially hemispherical cap joined to a second substantially hemispherical cap which carries the ejection nozzle, both joined caps of the casing thus forming a substantially spherical body, at least one air-admission opening between joined edges of said caps, and a projecting beading on the edge of one of said caps arranged substantially around said spherical body and protecting said opening, said impeller being arranged for air to be drawn first into the casing through the air-admission opening, then to pass in heating contact with the heating element, and finally to pass through the impeller to be discharged from the casing through the nozzle, and the dimensions of both caps and of said projecting beading being such as to permit an easy holding of said first hemispherical cap against the palm of the hand with the projecting beading being grasped by the ends of the outspread fingers of said hand, said impeller having an axial inlet, said heating element being disposed immediately upstream of the axial inlet of the impeller, at least an additional air inlet being provided on the cap bearing the ejection nozzle, a second series of air passages in communication with the additional air inlet, said second series of passages being disposed between the upstream part of the impeller and the heating element, and terminating in the said axial inlet of the impeller.

Claim 10

A hand-operated electric hair dryer comprising a casing which contains a resistance-type heating element associated with an impeller driven by an electric motor, and an air-ejection nozzle directed radially outwardly with respect to said casing, said casing comprising a first substantially hemispherical cap joined to a second substantially hemispherical cap which carries the ejection nozzle, both joined caps of the casing thus forming a substantially spherical body, at least one air-admission opening between joined edges of said caps, and a projecting beading on the edge of one of said caps arranged substantially around said spherical body and protecting said opening, said impeller being arranged for air to be drawn first into the casing through the air-admission opening, then to pass in heating contact with the heating element, and finally to pass through the impeller to be discharged from the casing through the nozzle, and the dimensions of both caps and of said projecting beading being such as to permit an easy holding of said first hemispherical cap against the palm of the hand with the projecting beading being grasped by the ends of the outspread fingers of said hand, said impeller having an axial inlet, said heating element being disposed immediately upstream of the axial inlet of the impeller, at least an additional air inlet being provided on the cap bearing the ejection nozzle, a second series of air passages in communication with the additional air inlet, said second series of passages being disposed between the upstream part of the impeller and the heating element, and terminating in the said axial inlet of the impeller.