Ambulatory hairdryer

• US 7,946,056 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kroll Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Kroll Family Trust
• Inventors: Kroll, Mollie B., Kroll, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/018,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 34/96, 34/97, 341/00, 341/01, 341/04, 341/05, 622/593, 624/76, 132/233, 132/247, 210/2, 428/438, 705/1, 705/14
• US Class Current: 34/96
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/22 Helmets with hot air supply or ventilating means, e.g. electrically heated air current
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/30 Electric circuitry specially adapted for hair drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/42 Additional devices or measures, e.g. for noise damping, for musical entertainment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component

Abstract

A portable self-contained hair drying helmet is taught that has thermal storage, desiccants, a phase change material, and thin lithium ion polymer batteries to allow one to dry their hair while walking around and performing personal and household duties.

Claims

1. A personal ambulatory hair dryer system comprising:

an approximately head-conforming shell, the shell comprising a desiccant, a phase change material for storing and releasing energy, at least one heating element, a fan, and a battery weighing less than 1 kilogram,

wherein the phase change material comprises a first state and a second state, in the first state the phase change material is solid and in the second state the phase change material is liquid,

wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the fan and the at least one heating element, and

wherein the shell is constructed and arranged to be positioned upon a base unit, the base unit further comprising electrical contacts to recharge the battery in the shell.

2. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the desiccant contains zeolite.

3. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the desiccant contains silica gel.

4. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the self-contained battery is a lithium ion battery.

5. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, further comprising a humidity sensor mounted on either the shell or the base unit to read the local humidity to control the drying of the shell during a regeneration cycle.

6. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the phase change material has a melting point of from about 30°

C. to about 61°

C.

7. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the phase change material has a latent heat of fusion of from about 205 J/g to about 251 J/g.

8. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, wherein the shell further comprises standoffs so that a separation space is created between the shell and the wearer'"'"'s hair.

9. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor.

10. The personal ambulatory hair dryer of claim 9, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted inside the phase change material.

11. A personal ambulatory hair dryer system comprising:

an approximately head-conforming shell, the shell comprising a desiccant, a phase change material for storing and releasing energy, at least one heating element, a fan, and a lithium ion battery weighing less than 1 kilogram,

wherein the phase change material comprises a first state and a second state, in the first state the phase change material is solid and in the second state the phase change material is liquid,

wherein the desiccant comprises zeolite and silica gel, and

wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the fan and the at least one heating element, and

wherein the shell is constructed and arranged to be positioned upon a base unit, and

wherein the hair dryer system further comprises a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, standoffs, and electrical contacts to recharge the battery in the shell.