Wall-mounted hair dryer

• US 5,181,328 A
• Filed: 11/26/1991
• Issued: 01/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Moulinex SA (SEB SA)
• Original Assignee: Moulinex SA (SEB SA)
• Inventors: Bouverie, Alain P. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ESQUIVEL, DENISE LYNNE
• Application Number:
  US07/798,145
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 34/3, 34/90, 34/91, 34/96, 34/97, 34/98, 34/55, 34/54, 248/314, 248/315, 248/293, 248/674, 392/380, 392/381, 392/382, 392/384
• US Class Current: 34/97
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/16 Fixed installed drying devices

Abstract

A hair dryer comprises a housing (1) of which one portion comprises a mounting for securement on a wall (P), and which contains a hot air generator group (3-4) controlled by a switch (5) and adapted to establish a current of air between an air inlet opening (6) and a hot air outlet opening (7). The hot air outlet opening receives a connector (8) secured to a flexible tube (9) provided with a drying nozzle (10) which can be brought, either into a retracted or rest position in which the switch is open, or into a use position in which the switch is closed. The connector (8) is rotatably movably mounted on the air outlet opening (7), and comprises an actuator (14) for the switch (5) such that the movement of the nozzle (10) from its retracted or rest position to its use position brings, by transmission of the movement of the nozzle to the connector by the flexible tube, the switch into its closed position, and vice versa.

Claims

1. Hair dryer comprising a housing (1) having securement means for mounting on a vertical surface (P), said housing containing a hot air generator group with a motor ventilator (3-4) controlled by an electric switch (5) and adapted to establish a current of air between an air inlet opening (6) and a hot air outlet opening (7) receiving a connector (8) secured to a flexible tube (9) provided with a hair drying nozzle (10), said nozzle being, either into a retracted or rest position in which the switch (5) is in an open condition, or into a use position in which the switch is in a closed position and permits drying of the hair;

wherein the connector (8) is rotatably movably mounted on said hot air outlet opening (7), and comprises actuating means (14) for the switch (5) such that the movement of the drying nozzle (10) from its retracted or rest position to its use position brings, by transmission of the movement of said nozzle (10) to the connector (8) by means of the flexible tube (9), the switch (5) into its closed position, and such that the movement of the drying nozzle from its use position to its retracted or rest position brings, also by transmission of the movement of said nozzle to the connector, the switch into its open position.

2. Hair dryer according to claim 7, wherein the hot air outlet opening (7) comprises a cylindrical bearing (16) with an axis substantially horizontal and parallel to the vertical surface (P), and the connector (8) has a ring (15) of complementary shape mounted rotatably on the bearing (16) about said axis, the bearing (16) and the ring (15) comprising mutual retention means.

3. Hair dryer according to claim 8, wherein the connector (8) has the general shape of an elbow of which one end comprises the ring (15) which carries on its peripheral edge (15'"'"') said actuating means (14) of the switch (5), and whose other end (18) receives the flexible tube (9).

4. Hair dryer according to claim 8, wherein the actuating means (14) of the switch (5) is constituted by a blade which extends according to the arc of a circle which is concentric to the ring (15) and which is defined angularly with respect to the position of the switch (5) in the housing (1) such as to ensure that the switch will be open only when the nozzle (10) occupies its retracted or rest position.

5. Hair dryer according to claim 7, wherein the housing (1) has a general cylindrical shape and comprises a side surface and end closures (1a-1b), said end closures being open to form the air inlet (6) and outlet (7) openings respectively, and one portion of the side surface having a projection (2) carrying said securement means for mounting on the vertical surface (P) so as to maintain said cylinder in a substantially horizontal position and parallel to said vertical surface.

6. Hair dryer according to claim 11, wherein the drying nozzle (10) and the end closure (1b) which forms the air inlet opening (6) include mutual engaging means (12 and 13) for maintaining the nozzle (10) in its retracted position.