WO2017017332A1 - Hair dryer comprising an optimised air inlet channel - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a hair dryer comprising an air circulation chamber (3) equipped with an inlet area (4) and an outlet area (5), and an air circulation system (6) including a motor (8) and a fan (7) both arranged in the circulation chamber so as to draw outside air in through the inlet area and to convey said air from upstream to downstream to the outlet area. The hair dryer comprises a system of channels (15) arranged in the inlet area (4) so as to discharge to the exterior the air blown by the fan (7) into the circulation chamber (3). The invention can be used to eliminate turbulence in the inlet area that disturbs the flow of air drawn into said area.

Description

 HAIRDRYER WITH OPTIMIZED AIR INTAKE CANALIZATION

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of hair dryers for hair treatment by drying. It aims first of all to optimize the performance of drying and feeling.

State of the art

Traditionally, hair dryers include an air inlet area, an air circulation chamber, an air outlet area, an air circulation system and a heating element. The air circulation system and the heating element are integrated in the circulation chamber. The air circulation system includes a motor that drives a propeller to draw outside air through the entrance area. The circulation system also comprises a rectifier equipped with vanes configured to channel the air blown out of the propeller. This blown and ducted air is then conveyed downstream of the flow chamber through the heating element. The more or less heated air is then blown outside, through the outlet area, to dry the hair.

It is known the Japanese patent published under the number JPH02252404 which comprises fins arranged in the inlet area, these fins for channeling the air drawn to the propeller by limiting the pressure losses, which contributes to improving the speed air blown out and, thus, drying and feeling. This type of design remains however can perform acoustically. In fact, the design of this hair dryer, and more generally of all existing hair dryers, does not make it possible to reduce the noise nuisance due in particular to the rotation of the motor. In addition, according to this design of hair dryer and more generally with all previous hair dryers, the flow of air sucked by the propeller undergoes major disturbances in the entrance area of the circulation chamber. Indeed, a large pressure difference exists between the upstream of the propeller and the downstream thereof. Out, for reasons of mounting clearance between the parts, it is necessary to leave a space between the inner wall of the flow chamber and the circumferential contour of the propeller. This results in the existence of a circumferential space in which a pressure equilibrium occurs and a portion of the air is forced back by the propeller instead of being sucked up. This forced air generates turbulence in the entrance zone of the circulation chamber, causing a bad flow of the sucked-up air and losses of charges.

Summary of the invention

The present invention also aims to channel the air sucked towards the propeller by limiting the pressure losses, while mitigating this inconvenience of disturbance of the flow of air in the inlet zone appearing on the hair dryers such as that, for example, that described in JPH02252404.

For this purpose, the hair dryer according to the invention comprises an air circulation chamber provided with an inlet zone and an outlet zone, the hair dryer also comprises an air circulation system which comprises a motor and a propeller configured in the circulation chamber for sucking the outside air through the inlet zone and for conveying this air from upstream to downstream to the exit zone. This air circulation system also comprises a rectifier equipped with blades configured to channel the air sucked out of the propeller. In addition, a heating element is arranged in the circulation chamber downstream of the rectifier, said heating element making it possible to heat more or less the circulating air as it passes around said heating element, before being blown out on the outside. through the exit area.

Remarkably, the hair dryer according to the invention comprises a piping system configured in the inlet zone for discharging to the outside the air discharged by the propeller into the circulation chamber. This air is especially repressed at the circumference of the propeller. The pipe system thus makes it possible to evacuate this air pushed back by the propeller and to drive it outside. rather than leaving it in the circulation chamber. This advantageously avoids any turbulence and disruption of the flow of the sucked air.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the channeling system comprises a conduit having a shape of revolution, arranged in the input area adjacent to the inner wall of the circulation chamber. This form of revolution ensures an evacuation of the air discharged over the entire inner periphery of the circulation chamber, in the entry zone. However, it would be possible to provide several conduits uniformly distributed over the entire periphery in the entry zone, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the pipe system comprises means for reducing the speed of the air discharged to the outside. This reduction in speed avoids generating turbulence outside the entrance area of the hair dryer that could disturb the proper air intake.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the channeling system comprises means of attenuation of noise. This helps to optimize the acoustic performance of the hair dryer.

In a preferred embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the channeling system consists of a conduit having a shape of revolution, said conduit having in a longitudinal section plane a form of baffle. This form in a chicane advantageously allows the implementation of both the means of reducing the speed of the air and means of attenuation of noise, as mentioned above.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, it comprises a base (or cover) assembled with the circulation chamber, in the input zone. This base comprises said channeling system. This design facilitates the separate implementation of the circulation chamber and the base (or hood) with the pipe system. In a preferred embodiment, removable fixing means are implemented between the chamber of circulation and the pellet so as to allow the removal of the pellet. This facilitates access to the interior of the circulation chamber to access the air circulation system, for example for the replacement of the propeller. This also allows the replacement of the cap by another.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the latter comprises at least two fins arranged at the entrance area. These fins are configured together and vis-à-vis the inlet area to form air inlet channels through which the air sucked under the action of the propeller enters the flow chamber. These air intake ducts are oriented towards the propeller, which makes it possible to channel the air towards the propeller by limiting the pressure drops. In addition, these at least two fins are configured to block the lines of sight towards the interior of the circulation chamber, as if a wall closed off the entry zone into the circulation chamber. Thus, the sucked air is channeled towards the helix and the sound waves generated by the rotation of the motor propagate in the channels by bouncing against the fins constituting said closure wall, which attenuates the sound waves during their exit from the channels and, thus, reduces the noise nuisance.

Line of sight in the circulation chamber means lines parallel to a longitudinal axis of the circulation chamber and on the alignment of which a user can place his eye to try to see the inside of the chamber. circulation from the back of the hair dryer.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the fins each have a tulip shape which opens upstream. These fins are nested one inside the other with a spacing between them so as to form said channels oriented towards the helix. In addition, the fins are configured to cover the inlet area and to overlap at least partially successively one after the other so as to block any line of sight to the interior of the flow chamber. This tulip shape promotes the recovery of the entire entrance area to form said closure wall, while having no negative influence on the section of channels implemented. In addition, this tulip shape promotes an outside air intake on the side of the hair dryer.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, it comprises between two and ten tulips. Preferably, the hair dryer comprises two or four tulips.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, it comprises a cap (or cover) as mentioned above with one or other of these characteristics. In addition, this base comprises said at least two fins. This design facilitates the separate implementation of the circulation chamber and the base (or hood) with the pipe system and the fins.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, said base comprises tabs for holding the fins together. This facilitates the implementation of the fins with a regular spacing between them.

In one embodiment of the hair dryer according to the invention, the at least two fins and the ducting system, as mentioned above, are configured so that the air discharged by said ducting system is sucked back by the propeller through air intake channels. In a preferred embodiment, the tulip shape of the fins and the baffle shape of the conduit are configured to allow this implementation.

Brief description of the figures

The following description of a preferred embodiment makes it possible to highlight the object of the invention, in support of figures, among which:

 - Figure 1 illustrates an overall sectional view of a hair dryer according to one embodiment of the invention;

 FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged partial view of the rear portion of the

 hair dryer of Figure 1;

 FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of the base (or hood) that integrates

 in particular the fins;

 - Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3;

- Figure 5 is a front view of a variant of the base; FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the rear part of a variant of a hairdryer incorporating the base of FIG. 5.

detailed description

 In the rest of the description, the same references are used to describe the similar characteristics according to the different embodiments.

 As illustrated in Figure 1, the hair dryer 1 comprises a body 2 which has a more or less cylindrical shape for constituting a circulation chamber 3, which has a longitudinal axis X. This circulation chamber 3 comprises a zone 4 and an exit zone 5. A circulation system 6 is arranged in this circulation chamber 3, which allows the ambient air to be drawn through the inlet zone, and then to convey this air over any the length of the circulation chamber 3 so as to then blow the air outside the hair dryer 1, through the exit zone 5. This circulation system 6 comprises a propeller 7 arranged near the zone input 4, a motor 8 for rotating the propeller 7, and a rectifier 9 arranged downstream of the propeller 7 and for channeling the air output of the propeller 7. The hair dryer 1 also comprises a heating element 10 arranged downstream of the rectifier 9, which makes it possible to heat the air in the downstream part of the circulation chamber 3, before its expulsion through the outlet zone 5. The hairdryer 1 also comprises means for controlling and adjusting the motor 8 and the heating element 10 (not shown) which make it possible to modify individually the speed of rotation of the motor 8 and the heating temperature of the heating element 10, from an off position to a full power position. All these characteristics are generally found on hair dryers, they are not detailed in the following description.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to the implementation of means for channeling the air sucked by the propeller 7 at the level of the inlet zone 4. These channeling means are configured to reduce the losses of loads and to reduce noise pollution due in particular to the operation of the motor 8, the rotation of the propeller 7 and the flow of air flowing in the circulation chamber 3. As illustrated in particular in Figures 1 to 3 and 6, these means are implemented by fins 1 1 arranged on a base 12 (or cap) which is assembled with the inlet zone 4 of the circulation chamber 3 In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, four fins 11a-11d are arranged on the base 12. However, it is possible to provide a different number of fins, preferably between two and ten fins. By way of example, in FIGS. 5 and 6 only two fins 11a, 11b are arranged on the base 12.

 As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the fins 1 1 a - 1 1 d each have the shape of a tulip that opens upstream of the hair dryer 1. In addition, these fins 1 1 a-1 1 d are configured to be spaced regularly between them so as to form three channels 13a - 13c between said fins 1 1 a - 1 1 d. The base 12 comprises a central duct 14 whose wall 14a has a baffle shape as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 3. The fourth fin 1 1 d is furthermore configured with respect to this wall 14 a to constitute a channel 13d, as illustrated in these Figures 2 to 3. Moreover, the four fins 1 1 a - 1 d are configured together to overlap partially one after the other while maintaining the presence of the three channels 13a - 13c . Similarly, the fourth fin 1d and the wall 14a are configured so that said fin 1 d partially covers said wall 14a while maintaining the presence of the fourth channel 13d. These aforementioned partial overlays make it possible to completely cover the central duct 14 disposed in the inlet zone 4 of the circulation chamber 3, as if a wall were disposed in front of this inlet zone 4 to seal it, which is 4. This design advantageously allows the sound waves, produced in particular by the motor 8, the rotation of the propeller 7 and the flow. of circulating air, to escape through the channels 13a-13d by bouncing on the fins 1 1 a-1 1 d and on the wall 14a, which attenuates the sound waves. In addition, this tulip shape of the fins 1 1 a-1 1 d advantageously allows the channels 13a - 13d to channel the air drawn with a linear flow to the propeller 7, which limits the pressure losses.

In the variant embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, characteristics comparable to those of the variant embodiment of FIGS. at 4, with only two fins 1 1 a, 1 1 b which form between them a channel 13b, the second fin 1 1 b forming with the wall 14a of the central duct 14 a channel 13c. In addition, the first tulip 11a is configured to present an axial channel 13a, as illustrated in FIG. 6. This variant of implementation also makes it possible to visually close the access to the central duct 14 of the base 12 and thus to the inlet zone 4 of the circulation chamber 3, as shown in FIG. 5, despite the presence of the channels 13a-13c. This therefore blocks the sight lines inside the circulation chamber 3, allowing attenuation of the sound waves which bounce on the fins 1 1 a, 1 1 b and on the wall 14a exiting through the channels 13a - 13c. As it appears in FIGS. 5 and 6, the axial channel 13a arranged in the center of the first fin 1 1a maintains an access in the circulation chamber 3. Preferably, the section of this axial channel 13a will be reduced, or even eliminated. to favor a first fin 1 1 has comparable to that of Figures 1 to 4, so as to have no line of sight in the circulation chamber 3.

A second aspect of the invention relates to the implementation of a pipe system 15 in the inlet zone 4, configured to discharge the air expelled to the circumference of the propeller 7 in the chamber to the outside. 3. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the ends 16 of the blades 17 of the propeller 7, constituting the circumferential contour of said propeller 7, are spaced relative to the inner wall 3a of the flow chamber 3, for reasons of assembly between said parts. This results in the existence of a circumferential gap 18 between the helix 7 and the inner wall 3a, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, in which a pressure equilibrium occurs. Part of the air sucked is then discharged by the propeller 7 instead of being blown downstream of the circulation chamber 3, because of the existence of a strong pressure difference between the upstream side of the chamber. the propeller 7 and the downstream thereof. The pipe system 15 thus allows this air discharged outside the propeller 7 to be discharged outside rather than to be left in the circulation chamber 3, upstream of the propeller. This advantageously avoids that the discharge air generates turbulence in the inlet zone 4, which would have the disadvantage of disturbing the flow of air sucked and channeled through the fins 1 1 a - 1 1 b or 1 1 a-1 1d. This ducting system 15 is preferably implemented on the base 12, thanks to the presence of a discharge duct 19, arranged around the central duct 14. This duct 19 is arranged at the circumference of the zone. 4, near the circumferential space 18, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 6 for the two embodiments of the hair dryer 1. Thus the air discharged by the propeller 7 is evacuated outside by this exhaust duct 19 rather than generating turbulence in the circulation chamber 3, upstream of the propeller 7, which avoids disturbing the proper flow of air sucked through the channels 13a - 13b or 13a - 13d.

 The inner wall 19a of the exhaust duct 19 is constituted by the wall 14a of the central duct 14, and thus has the form of a baffle, as explained above. The outer wall 19b of the exhaust duct 19 also has a baffle shape which is more pronounced in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 than in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, as it appears with respect to said figures. In both cases, the shapes of the inner 19a and outer 19b walls allow the exhaust duct 19 to have a baffle shape, which advantageously allows to break the speed of the discharged air and evacuating outside of the exhaust duct 19. This avoids disturbing the suction of the outside air through the channels 13a-13c or 13a-13d. This baffle shape of the exhaust duct 19 also makes it possible to block the line of sight in the circulation chamber 3, as appears in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the two embodiments, in a manner similar to the effect produced. by the configuration of the fins 1 1 a - 1 1 b or 1 1 a - 1 1 d. Thus, the exhaust duct 19 also makes it possible to attenuate the noise nuisance by forcing the waves to bounce on the inner 19a and outer 19b walls of said duct.

The tulip shape of the fins 1 1a-1 1b or 1 1a-1 1d makes it possible to have channels 13a-13c or 13a-13d whose upstream ends are oriented on the sides of the hair dryer 1, and not according to its longitudinal axis X, as shown in particular in Figures 2 and 6. This allows to suck the outside air on the sides of the hair dryer 1. In addition, the baffle shape of the exhaust duct 19 expels the air discharged on the sides, near the upstream ends of the channels 13a - 13c or 13a - 13d. This allows advantageously to suck again this discharge air whose flow rate was previously broken during its evacuation.

 In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the base 12 comprises three retaining tabs 20a, 20b, 20c arranged between the fins 11a, 11b and the wall 14a of the central duct 14, to hold said fins 11 a, 1 1 b with regular spacing. These holding lugs 20a, 20b, 20c are uniformly distributed around the base 12, as shown in FIG. 5. Such holding lugs may also be envisaged between the fins 1 1a-1 1d and the wall 14a of the central duct 14. , in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4.

 In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, connection points 21a, 21b, for example three or four, are implemented between the inner wall 19a and the outer wall 19b on the base 12, as illustrated in Figure 2, for maintaining said elements in position relative to each other. Such connection points may be envisaged in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6. Such connection points may also be envisaged between the fins 1 1a-1 1d and the wall 14a, in the embodiment of the figures 1 to 4, or even between the fins 1 1 a, 1 1 b and the wall 14a, in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6.

 As illustrated in particular in Figures 2 and 6, the upstream end 2a of the body 2 of the hair dryer 1 and the downstream end 12a of the base 12 are configured to allow a removable assembly of said base 12, for example to access the propeller 7. It is possible to provide a fitting of the downstream end 12a of the base 12 on the upstream end 2a of the body 2, or even holding fingers (not shown) for snapping the downstream end 12a on the upstream end 2a.

 Other variants are conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it would be possible to provide a base 12 comprising only the fins 11a-11b or 11a-1d and the central duct 14, in this case the evacuation duct 19 would be arranged directly on the body 2 at the level of the entrance zone 4 of the circulation chamber 3.

Claims

Hair dryer (1) comprising an air circulation chamber (3) provided with an inlet zone (4) and an outlet zone (5), an air circulation system (6). ) having a motor (8) and a propeller (7) configured in the circulation chamber for sucking the outside air through the inlet area and for conveying this air from upstream to downstream, up to the outlet zone, characterized in that it comprises a ducting system (15) configured in the inlet zone (4) for discharging to the outside the air discharged by the propeller (7) into the chamber of circulation (3). The hair dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the channeling system (15) comprises a conduit (19) having a shape of revolution, arranged in the entry zone (4) adjacent to the wall internal (3a) of the circulation chamber (3).  3. Hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the pipe system (15) comprises means for reducing the speed of the air discharged to the outside.  4. Hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the channel system (15) comprises means for attenuation of noise.  5. Hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pipe system (15) consists of a conduit (19) having a shape of revolution, said conduit having in a section plane longitudinal a form of baffle.  6. Hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, which comprises a base (or cap) (12) assembled with the flow chamber (3) in the inlet zone (4), the base comprising at least the pipeline system (15). 7. Hair dryer (1) according to claim 6, wherein removable fastening means are implemented between the flow chamber (3) and the base (12) so as to allow the removal of the base. 8. Hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises at least two fins (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) arranged at the inlet area (4), said fins being configured to each other and to the inlet area to form air inlet channels (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) facing the helix and to block the lines of sight inwardly of the circulation chamber.  9. Hair dryer (1) according to claim 8, wherein the fins (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) each have a tulip shape that opens upstream and are nested within each other with a spacing between them so as to form said channels (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), said fins being configured to cover the inlet area (4) and to overlap at least partially successively one after the other so as to block any line of sight towards the interior of the circulation chamber (3).  Hair dryer (1) according to claim 9, which comprises between two and ten tulips (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d).  11. Hairdryer (1) according to claim 10, which comprises two or four tulips (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d).  12. Hair dryer according to one of claims 8 to 11 attached to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the cap (or cap) (12) comprises said at least two fins (11a, 11b, 11c, 11). d).  13. Hair dryer (1) according to claim 12, wherein the base (12) comprises holding tabs (20a, 20b, 20c) fins (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) between them.  The hair dryer (1) according to one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the at least two fins (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) and the channeling system (15) are configured so that the air discharged by said ducting system is sucked back by the propeller (7) through the channels (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) air inlet.