Hair dryer with spiral blower

• US 5,144,757 A
• Filed: 12/04/1990
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elite S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Elite S.r.l.
• Inventors: Sasso, Pasquale
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennet, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L. F.
• Application Number:
  US07/621,962
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 34/96, 34/97, 34/90, 34/91, 416/223 R, 392/360, 392/363, 392/379, 392/380, 392/381
• US Class Current: 34/97
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/04 Hot-air producers A45D20/20, A45D20/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/16 Fixed installed drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/082 the unit having provision for cooling the motor
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/4226 Fan casings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5806 Cooling the drive system

Abstract

A hair drying apparatus comprises a blower with a scroll internally provided with a fan having radial blades with flat lower edges and upper edges shaped to adapt to the scroll so as to define a substantially spiral path. Disposed below the scroll is an open external air inlet chamber containing the lower part of a motor which drives the fan so that said motor is cooled by the air in transit from the outside. The chamber substantially constitutes an extension of the spiral path in the scroll to which it is connected through a vertical aperture above which is disposed a horizontal baffle substantially flush with the lower edges of the blades of the fan.

Claims

1. A hair drying apparatus having an air blower of the type having a scroll, internally provided with a fan having a rotation axis and radial blades with flat lower edges shaped on the upper part to adapt to the scroll, the fan being keyed onto the shaft of an electric motor, the scroll defining a spiral path with a substantially radial initial air inlet aperture below the scroll and a final air outlet aperture leading into a tangential extension duct containing electric heating elements, the initial air inlet aperture opening from a chamber disposed below the scroll having a circumferential wall with an air inlet opening, said motor protruding centrally into said chamber so as to be lapped by air moving from said air inlet opening to the initial air inlet aperture, characterized in that the initial air inlet aperture is disposed on a plane substantially parallel to the fan rotation axis, and is connected to the inside of the scroll by an air flow passage having an inclined surface constituting a substantial extension of said spiral path of the scroll.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the blades are higher than 20 in number.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the blower is composed of two half-shells moulded from plastic and joined together by substantially airtight shaped edges.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the chamber beneath the scroll has an inserted bottom.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the fact that said inserted bottom is formed by the bearing wall of the scroll inside the apparatus.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the blades are higher in number than 30.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the blades are 40 in number.

8. A hair drying apparatus having an air blower, of the type having a scroll, internally provided with a fan with radial blades with flat lower edges and shaped on the upper part to adapt to the scroll, keyed onto the shaft of an electric motor, defining a spiral path with a substantially radial initial air inlet aperture below the scroll and a final air outlet aperture from a tangential extension duct of the scroll and containing electric heating elements, characterized by the fact that disposed below the scroll is a chamber with a circumferential wall with an air inlet opening, constituting a substantial extension of the spiral path inside the scroll, said motor protruding centrally into said chamber so as to be lapped by the air moving in a substantially circular direction from said air inlet opening to the initial air inlet aperture leading into the scroll, characterized by the fact that the initial aperture is delimited from above by a baffle disposed on the plane close to the lower edge of the blades of the fan and with its leading edge slanting with respect to the radial direction, so as to be crossed by the blades at a skew.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the fact that the slant of the baffle ranges substantially from 20°

to 60°

.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the fact that the angle between the leading edge of the baffle and the initial aperture ranges from 30°

to 50°

.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the fact that the baffle and the surface of the spiral path beneath it constitute a tapered duct between the lower chamber and the inside of the scroll.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said angle is about 40°

.

13. A hair drying apparatus having an air blower, of the type having a scroll, internally provided with a fan with radial blades with flat lower edges and shaped on the upper part to adapt to the scroll, keyed onto the shaft of an electric motor, defining a spiral path with a substantially radial initial air inlet aperture below the scroll and a final air outlet aperture from a tangential extension duct of the scroll and containing electric heating elements, characterized by the fact that disposed below the scroll is a chamber with a circumferential wall with an air inlet opening, constituting a substantial extension of the spiral path inside the scroll, said motor protruding centrally into said chamber so as to be lapped by the air moving in a substantially circular direction from said air inlet opening to the initial air inlet aperture leading into the scroll, characterized by the fact that the internal peripheral wall of the scroll is substantially tapered in the initial area of the spiral duct so as to constitute, on rotation of the fan, a surface with which the lateral ends of the blades gradually converge after they have crossed the portion of the scroll which opens out onto the tangential duct.