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US5013891A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Personal appliance having shock protection circuitry

Assignee: Conair LLC
•
Filing: 1987-07-06
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Granted: 1991-05-07
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Expires: 2007-07-06
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Abstract

Abstract A personal appliance, such as hair dryer, with enhanced shock hazard protection, and including a housing formed of two complementary and interfitting sections, electrical units mounted within the housing, a power cord leading to the housing, an IDCI on the power cord, and a sensing wire associated with the power cord leading from said housing to said IDCI, electroconductive coating on the internal surfaces of the housing sections, with the coating being electrically connected to the sensor wire, whereby water contacting the coating and the power cord or any of the electrical units will cause a voltage in the sensing wire and thereby trigger the IDCI.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard E. Shoemaker

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 22:50
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02H; H02H5/00; H02H5/08; H02H5/083; A; A45; A45D; A45D20/00; A45D20/04; A45D20/08; A45D20/10; A45D20/12; A45D20/22; A45D20/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 107 words
In a personal appliance adapted for shock hazard protection and having a two-section housing, electrical units mounted within the housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire leading from said housing to said IDCI, that improvement including electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, means for interconnecting said coating on each of said surfaces, and said sensing wire being connected to said coating, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 107 words
In a personal appliance adapted for shock hazard protection and having a two-section housing, electrical units mounted within the housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire leading from said housing to said IDCI, that improvement including electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, means for interconnecting said coating on each of said surfaces, and said sensing wire being connected to said coating, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
In a personal appliance as set forth in claim 1 that improvement in which said interconnecting means is a spring interconnector connecting said coatings on said surfaces and means for holding said spring in interconnecting position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
In a personal appliance as set forth in claim 1 that improvement including at least one opening in one of said housing sections and a protective screen covering said opening, said coating being spaced from said screen, and said screen being free from electrical connections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 135 words
A personal appliance, such as a hair dryer, having enhanced shock hazard protection, said appliance including a housing, said housing being formed of two complementary and interfitting sections, electrical units mounted within said housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire associated with said power cord leading from said housing to said IDCI, electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, and means for interconnecting said coating to said sensor wire, and said opening including a protective screen, said coating being spaced from said screen, and said screen not being electrically connected, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 135 words
A personal appliance, such as a hair dryer, having enhanced shock hazard protection, said appliance including a housing, said housing being formed of two complementary and interfitting sections, electrical units mounted within said housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire associated with said power cord leading from said housing to said IDCI, electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, and means for interconnecting said coating to said sensor wire, and said opening including a protective screen, said coating being spaced from said screen, and said screen not being electrically connected, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 150 words
A personal appliance, such as a hair dryer, having enhanced shock hazard protection, said appliance including a housing, said housing being formed of two complementary and interfitting sections, electrical units mounted within said housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire associated with said power cord leading from said housing to said IDCI, electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, and means for interconnecting said coating to said sensor wire, and an interconnecting spring positioned within said appliance and interconnecting said coating on one of said housing sections with said coating on the other of said housing sections, and means for holding said spring in position, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 150 words
A personal appliance, such as a hair dryer, having enhanced shock hazard protection, said appliance including a housing, said housing being formed of two complementary and interfitting sections, electrical units mounted within said housing, a power cord leading to said housing, an IDCI on said power cord, and a sensing wire associated with said power cord leading from said housing to said IDCI, electroconductive coating on substantial portions of the internal surfaces of said housing sections, and means for interconnecting said coating to said sensor wire, and an interconnecting spring positioned within said appliance and interconnecting said coating on one of said housing sections with said coating on the other of said housing sections, and means for holding said spring in position, whereby water contacting said coating and said power cord or any of said electrical units will cause a voltage in said sensing wire and thereby trigger said IDCI.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4270158A Cited
US4464582A Cited
US4687906A Cited
US4550358A Cited
US4706153A Cited
US4683369A Cited
US4712154A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-05-06 1994-11-05 1995-05-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-05-06 1998-11-05 1999-05-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-05-06 2002-11-05 2003-05-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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