Hardhat dryer that folds efficiently
An efficiently folding hard-bonnet dryer, which can be folded down to only six inches in standing height. This improved design is effected in part by rotating the lower half of the hard bonnet on an axis through the center of the bonnet, and also by telescoping the neck and arranging a pair of motors and a heater in an efficient geometry to span the folded neck.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/555,208 filed on Mar. 22, 2004, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved hard bonnet hairdryer that can be folded into a small package most appropriate for a merchandising shelf.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the art to fold a hardhat hairdryer, also called a hard bonnet hairdryer, into a smaller package in order to take up less space in storage and to fit inside a smaller sales package.
Hardhat dryers are generally made up of: a base, which encloses the heater and fan and which supports a raised structure; a supporting neck which extends up from the base and which also serves as a tubular plenum, carrying warm pressurized air, to the inside of a domed hat; and the hat or bonnet, which serves as a manifold to distribute warm air around the head.
The folded size of these prior art hardhats have, however, been limited by the standing height of the bonnet section of the dryer. The bonnet dimensions cannot be reduced beyond a size to fit the average head. The packaging, which contains the prior art hardhats for sale, exceeds the most efficient size to fit on modem retail shelves. The preferred standing height of a display package should be approximately six inches. The size and therefore the cost of the overlarge package is significant to the success of the product in the market. There is, therefore, need for such a more effective folding design for the bonnet dryer.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art mentioned above. These and other objects are achieved by the present invention described herein.
The present invention is of an efficiently folding hard-bonnet dryer, which can be folded down to only six inches in standing height. This improved design is effected in part by rotating the lower half of the hard bonnet on an axis through the center of the bonnet, and also by telescoping the neck and arranging a pair of motors and a heater in an efficient geometry to span the folded neck.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention is more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment with the drawings identified below.
Referring to
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein disclosed and described, it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A portable hair dryer comprising:
- a base;
- a heater within said base for heating air;
- an extendible neck supported by said base adapted to selectively move between an extended position and a non-extended position;
- a bonnet attached to said neck adapted to distribute said heated air about a user's head; and
- a fan within said base to transfer said heated air from said base to said bonnet.
2. A portable hair dryer according to claim 1, wherein
- said hair dryer is adapted to be able to be folded to a height of less than 8 inches.
3. A portable hair dryer according to claim 1, wherein
- said hair dryer is adapted to be able to be folded to a height of approximately 6 inches.
4. A portable hair dryer comprising:
- a base adapted to rest on a generally flat surface;
- a heater adapted to heat air;
- a bonnet adapted to be positioned adjacent to a user's hair and to direct heated air toward said user's hair;
- a fan adapted to cause said heated air to pass through said bonnet; and
- a neck portion adapted to support said bonnet relative to said base.
5. A portable hair dryer according to claim 4, wherein
- said neck portion is pivotally connected to said base and to said bonnet.
6. A portable hair dryer according to claim 4, wherein
- said neck portion comprises a plurality of telescopically-fitting portions adapted to be extended or compressed in a manner in which said portions are telescopically nested.
7. A portable hair dryer according to claim 4, wherein
- said neck portion is pivotally connected to said base and to said bonnet; and
- said neck portion comprises a plurality of telescopically fitting portions adapted to be extended or compressed in a manner in which said portions are telescopically nested.
8. A portable hair dryer according to claim 7, wherein
- said hair dryer is adapted to be able to be folded to a height of less than 8 inches.
9. A portable hair dryer according to claim 7, wherein
- said hair dryer is adapted to be able to be folded to a height of approximately 6 inches.
10. A portable hair dryer according to claim 7, wherein
- said hair dryer is adapted to be selectively locked in a folded position, and selectively locked in an extended, operating position.
11. A portable hair dryer according to claim 7, further comprising
- a bonnet extension portion pivotally attached to said bonnet and adapted to be selectively positioned to extend downwardly from said bonnet or to extend upwardly from said bonnet.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 22, 2005
Publication Date: Sep 22, 2005
Inventor: Harold Taylor (Stratford, CT)
Application Number: 11/086,776