Mounting fixture for a hand-held hair dryer

• US 5,636,815 A
• Filed: 08/16/1995
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dorina S. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Dorina S. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Dorina S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILLA, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/515,951
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 248/125.9, 248/125.8, 248/125.7, 248/125.3, 248/125.2, 248/219.2, 248/316.7, 248/104, 248/106, 248/910, 248/687, 248/316.1, 248/309.1, 248/176.3, 34/90, 34/96, 34/97, 34/99
• US Class Current: 248/125.9
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/12 Details thereof or accessories therefor, e.g. nozzles, stands
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2020/126 Stands therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/028 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections

Abstract

A mounting fixture for a hand-held electric hair dryer comprising a base with a support surface and a hollow collar extending perpendicularly therefrom; an elongate rod supported within the hollow collar; and clamping elements on the upper end of the rod. The clamping elements include two planar clamp pads mounted in two dish-like members. The clamping elements are spring biased to accommodate the hair dryer therebetween. The spring bias is achieved either by a yoke formed of spring steel or by two pivotally secured flat members having a compression spring located between adjacent ends of the flat members. The direction of the barrel of the dryer and accordingly the direction of the column of warm air exiting from the barrel can be easily adjusted horizontally and vertically over a wide angular range allowing a user of this type of hair dryer free use of both hands while drying hair.

Claims

1. A mounting fixture for supporting a hand-held hair dryer having an elongated handle and a barrel extending from a central portion, the handle and barrel having a generally perpendicular orientation with respect to one another, said mounting fixture comprising:

a base having a support surface and including a hollow collar extending from said base in a direction perpendicular to said support surface;

an elongate rod supported within said hollow collar for translation toward and away from said support surface and having an upper end; and

clamp means secured at said upper end of said elongate rod, wherein said clamp means comprises first and second planar clamp pads formed of resilient deformable material, means supporting said clamp pads in vertical planes in parallel confronting relationship with one another, and means for spring-biasing said supporting means toward one another, said supporting means adapted to be separated against the bias of said spring-biasing means a distance sufficient to receive the dryer handle between said clamp pads and then released to firmly grip the handle between said pads;

said clamp pads being circular in shape, and wherein said means for supporting said pads comprise first and second rigid, circular, shallow dish-like members for respectively supporting said first and second pads, and wherein said means for spring-biasing said supporting means toward one another comprises first and second flat members pivotally secured to said upper end of said rod and disposed in parallel vertical planes in parallel confronting relationship, means securing a first end of said first and second flat members to said first and second dish-like members, respectively, and compression spring means disposed between said first and second flat members near a second end and adapted to urge said dish-like members toward one another.

2. The mounting fixture of claim 1 wherein each of said clamp pads is formed of foamed plastic and has a pattern of protuberances on the surface thereof that confronts the other pad.

3. A mounting fixture for supporting a hand-held hair dryer having an elongated handle and a barrel extending from a central portion, the handle and barrel having a generally perpendicular orientation with respect to one another, said mounting fixture comprising:

a base having a support surface and including a hollow collar extending from said base in a direction perpendicular to said support surface;

an elongated rod supported within said hollow collar for translation toward and away from said support surface and having an upper end;

clamp means secured at said upper end of said elongate rod, wherein said clamp means comprises first and second planar clamp pads formed of resilient deformable material, means supporting said clamp pads in vertical planes in parallel confronting relationship with one another, and means for spring-biasing said supporting means toward one another, said supporting means adapted to be separated against the bias of said spring-biasing means a distance sufficient to receive the dryer handle between said clamp pads and then released to firmly grip the handle between said pads;

said clamp pads being formed of a foamed plastics material, are circular in shape and each has a pattern of protuberances on the surface thereof that confronts the other pad,

wherein said means for supporting said pads comprise first and second rigid circular, shallow dish-like members in which said first and second clamp pads are respectively received with a press fit, and

wherein said means for spring-biasing said supporting means toward one another comprises a generally U-shaped tension yoke formed of strip spring steel, wherein said yoke has first and second generally parallel arms extending from a closed end and at said closed end has a circularly curved section for receiving said upper end of said rod and securing said yoke thereto, and means for securing a distal end of said first and second arms of said yoke to said first and second dish-like members, respectively.