Abstract: A voltage application device according to the present disclosure includes a voltage application circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit causes the voltage application circuit to alternately repeat a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode that raises a voltage while time elapses, and generates a discharge current by promoting corona discharge to dielectric breakdown. The second mode is a mode that lowers the voltage to cut off the discharge current by causing a load to be in an overload state against the voltage application circuit. This can suppress an amount of ozone generated, while increasing an amount of radicals produced.

Abstract: A voltage application device according to the present disclosure includes a voltage application circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit causes the voltage application circuit to alternately repeat a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is a mode that raises a voltage while time elapses, and generates a discharge current by promoting corona discharge to dielectric breakdown. The second mode is a mode that lowers the voltage to cut off the discharge current by causing a load to be in an overload state against the voltage application circuit. This can suppress an amount of ozone generated, while increasing an amount of radicals produced.

Abstract: A charged particle supplying apparatus includes a discharging unit that generates charged particles and discharge the charged particles toward a predetermined position of a human body as an object, and an electric potential holding unit that holds electric potential of the human body so that the discharged charged particles are continuously induced or adsorbed by a predetermined position of the human body, wherein the electric potential holding unit includes an insulation circuit that prevents overcurrent from flowing to the object, and an electrifying unit that is connected to the electric potential holding unit and that is charged by the electric potential holding unit is provided on a surface of a gripping portion that is formed in a predetermined shape such that the gripping portion can be gripped.

Abstract: There is provided an electrostatic atomizer that electrostatically atomizes a liquid supplied to a discharge electrode by electric discharge caused by an electric field formed in response to voltage application to the discharge electrode. The electrostatic atomizer has a high-voltage generation circuit that generates a pulse voltage to be applied to the discharge electrode, and the high-voltage generation circuit includes a high-voltage control circuit that converts an input AC signal to a pulse signal, and an igniter that steps up the pulse signal obtained by the high-voltage control circuit to a voltage value of the pulse voltage to be applied to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: A hair iron can give hair a sufficient amount of negative ions. The hair iron has a grip, and a hair-care section connected to the grip, having a heater for generating heat to hair for hair dressing. Further, it has a negative ion generator which generates negative ions due to discharge around an electrode therein to emit them toward hair held by the hair-care section. The hair-care section has a bar-like shape, and the heater is fixed to an outer surface of the bar-like shape. Then, by winding hair to the hair care section in the hair iron, hair dressing can be performed efficiently.

Abstract: A hair setting instrument is provided which can set hair easily by supplying charges through a separate path. In concrete, the hair setting instrument comprises a mechanism for setting hair of a user, and an electrostatic charger which supplies charges to a body of the user for electrostatic charges generated by a movement for setting the hair. The electrostatic charger has a charging circuit which generates a predetermined voltage, and a charging plate electrically connected to the charging circuit. Wide spreading of the hair, electrostatic cling to the face or the like, dry hair, and the damage to the hair due to charging can be prevented. Further, for example, the body of hair can be decreased by supplying negative charges when the hair is charged with positive electrostatic charges.

Abstract: A hair dryer is provided, which includes a housing having an air outlet, fan disposed in the housing, a pair of air flow channels extending toward the air outlet in the housing, a partition wall for separating the channels from each other, heater disposed in only one of the channels, and a minus-ion generator disposed in the other channel. The partition wall is formed by a tubular member, which is disposed in the housing such that one of the channels is provided by an inner space of the tubular member, and the other channel is provided by a clearance between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the tubular member. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously provide a cold air flow with minus ions and a hot air flow from the air outlet, and thereby efficiently perform hair styling.

Abstract: An ion generating unit is made compact, yet avoids the undesired arc discharge for successfully generating the ions. The ion generating unit includes a dielectric base having a length and carrying a needle electrode and a ground electrode. The needle electrode has a pointed tip and is adapted to receive a high electric voltage relative to the ground electrode for electrically charging particles present in the surrounding air. The dielectric base being a polyhedron having multiple faces including a first face and a second face which are different from each other and have the length of the dielectric base. The needle electrode is mounted on or in a closely adjacent relation to the first face, and has its pointed tip directing forwardly along the length of the dielectric base with the pointed tip receded from the front end of the base. The ground electrode is mounted at the front end of the base in longitudinally spaced relation with the pointed tip.

Abstract: A hair dryer is provided, which includes a housing having an air outlet, fan disposed in the housing, a pair of air flow channels extending toward the air outlet in the housing, a partition wall for separating the channels from each other, heater disposed in only one of the channels, and a minus-ion generator disposed in the other channel. The partition wall is formed by a tubular member, which is disposed in the housing such that one of the channels is provided by an inner space of the tubular member, and the other channel is provided by a clearance between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the tubular member. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously provide a cold air flow with minus ions and a hot air flow from the air outlet, and thereby efficiently perform hair styling.

Abstract: A hair dryer is provided, which includes a housing having an air outlet, fan disposed in the housing, a pair of air flow channels extending toward the air outlet in the housing, a partition wall for separating the channels from each other, heater disposed in only one of the channels, and a minus-ion generator disposed in the other channel. The partition wall is formed by a tubular member, which is disposed in the housing such that one of the channels is provided by an inner space of the tubular member, and the other channel is provided by a clearance between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the tubular member. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously provide a cold air flow with minus ions and a hot air flow from the air outlet, and thereby efficiently perform hair styling.

Abstract: A hair curling device has a hand grip, and a heating barrel extending from the hand grip to have a lengthwise axis. A hair clamp is held by the hand grip to be moveable between a hair lamping position and a release position. The hair clamp is curved in match with the curling surface in order to curl the hair clamped between the hair lamp and the barrel. The device includes at least one negative ion generator with an ion port for emitting negative ions. The negative ion generator gives a cone emission axis along which the negative ions are emitted out through the ion port in an emission cone. The ion port is located at a portion offset axially from the barrel as well as offset circumferentially from the hair clamp with the cone emission axis being oriented in such a direction that the emission cone extends mainly along the axial of the barrel to cover a region outwardly of the curling surface of the barrel, i.e., the hair clamp.

Abstract: An ion generator includes a needle electrode and a ground electrode cooperable with the needle electrode to generate a corona discharge in the air to produce ions. The ground electrode is disposed so as to surround an imaginary extension of a longitudinal axis of the needle electrode and has a portion thereof depleted to provide a split region defined therein. A hairbrush utilizing the ion generator is also disclosed.

Abstract: An ion generating unit is made compact, yet avoids the undesired arc discharge for successfully generating the ions. The ion generating unit includes a dielectric base having a length and carrying a needle electrode and a ground electrode. The needle electrode has a pointed tip and is adapted to receive a high electric voltage relative to the ground electrode for electrically charging particles present in the surrounding air. The dielectric base being a polyhedron having multiple faces including a first face and a second face which are different from each other and have the length of the dielectric base. The needle electrode is mounted on or in a closely adjacent relation to the first face, and has its pointed tip directing forwardly along the length of the dielectric base with the pointed tip receded from the front end of the base. The ground electrode is mounted at the front end of the base in longitudinally spaced relation with the pointed tip.

Abstract: A hair setting instrument is provided which can set hair easily by supplying charges through a separate path. In concrete, the hair setting instrument comprises a mechanism for setting hair of a user, and an electrostatic charger which supplies charges to a body of the user for electrostatic charges generated by a movement for setting the hair. The electrostatic charger has a charging circuit which generates a predetermined voltage, and a charging plate electrically connected to the charging circuit. Wide spreading of the hair, electrostatic cling to the face or the like, dry hair, and the damage to the hair due to charging can be prevented. Further, for example, the body of hair can be decreased by supplying negative charges when the hair is charged with positive electrostatic charges.

Abstract: A hair dryer is provided, which includes a housing having an air outlet, fan disposed in the housing, a pair of air flow channels extending toward the air outlet in the housing, a partition wall for separating the channels from each other, heater disposed in only one of the channels, and a minus-ion generator disposed in the other channel. The partition wall is formed by a tubular member, which is disposed in the housing such that one of the channels is provided by an inner space of the tubular member, and the other channel is provided by a clearance between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the tubular member. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously provide a cold air flow with minus ions and a hot air flow from the air outlet, and thereby efficiently perform hair styling.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying ionized particles is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ionized particle emitter for emitting ionized particles against an object; and an electric potential maintainer for maintaining electric potential of the object at a predetermined level such that the ionized particles emitted against the object by the ionized particle emitter are continuously attracted to the object while the electric potential is maintained. A method for applying ionized particles is also disclosed. The method includes emitting ionized particles against an object, and maintaining electric potential of the object at a predetermined level such that the ionized particles are continuously attracted to the object.

Abstract: A hair iron can give hair a sufficient amount of negative ions. The hair iron has a grip, and a hair-care section connected to the grip, having a heater for generating heat to hair for hair dressing. Further, it has a negative ion generator which generates negative ions due to discharge around an electrode therein to emit them toward hair held by the hair-care section. The hair-care section has a bar-like shape, and the heater is fixed to an outer surface of the bar-like shape. Then, by winding hair to the hair care section in the hair iron, hair dressing can be performed efficiently.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying ionized particles is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ionized particle emitter for emitting ionized particles against an object; and an electric potential maintainer for maintaining electric potential of the object at a predetermined level such that the ionized particles emitted against the object by the ionized particle emitter are continuously attracted to the object while the electric potential is maintained. A method for applying ionized particles is also disclosed. The method includes emitting ionized particles against an object, and maintaining electric potential of the object at a predetermined level such that the ionized particles are continuously attracted to the object.

Abstract: An alternating-current electric power controlling apparatus including a switch and a controller. The switch is configured to be turned on or off to connect or disconnect an alternating-current electric power source and an electric load. The controller is configured to control the switch to turn on or off to adjust supply of electric power from the alternating-current electric power source to the electric load. The switch is configured to be turned on or off when an electric power amplitude is substantially equal to 0.

Abstract: An ion generator includes a needle electrode and a ground electrode cooperable with the needle electrode to generate a corona discharge in the air to produce ions. The ground electrode is disposed so as to surround an imaginary extension of a longitudinal axis of the needle electrode and has a portion thereof depleted to provide a split region defined therein. A hairbrush utilizing the ion generator is also disclosed.