Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters
A heated hairdryer employs flat, thick film ceramic heaters. The ceramic heaters are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters that operate at a high temperature. A conductor is applied to one or both sides of either a fired or green ceramic plate. The conductor is then applied in circuit tracks upon the ceramic surface or surfaces. The conductive material is then covered by a second plate or by glass or other high temperature enamel to prevent the conductive circuit from oxidizing. The plate is then fired at high temperatures. These ceramic heaters can be formed into a variety of configurations for use as hairdrying heating elements.
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair appliances and, more particularly, to a heated hairdryer, especially of the type employing a fired ceramic heater.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the art to employ positive temperature coefficient ceramic heaters and high-fired ceramic supports for wire heaters in hand-held, pistol-style hairdryers. These heater designs are robust and avoid problems with the overheating and rupturing of resistance wire heaters that can spit coils and cause burns. These prior art ceramic hairdryer heaters, however, because of their relatively large mass and relatively small surface areas, are slow to heat up and are not efficient at heating the moving air.
While various known hair-drying devices exist generally, there is a need for a hairdryer that offers the robust structure of a ceramic heater, but that also improves on the surface area to mass ratio.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a hair-drying device that overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair-drying device that heats up quickly and is efficient at heating moving air. These and other objects are described below or inherent with respect to the present invention.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a heated hairdryer employs flat, thick film ceramic heaters. The ceramic heaters are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters that operate at a high temperature. A conductor is applied to one or both sides of either a fired or green ceramic plate. The conductor is then applied in circuit tracks upon the ceramic surface or surfaces. The conductive material is then covered by a second plate or by glass or other high temperature enamel to prevent the conductive circuit from oxidizing. The plate is then fired at high temperatures. These ceramic heaters can be formed into a variety of configurations for use as hairdrying heating elements.
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.
The present invention is directed to a hair-drying device that employs a fired ceramic heater in the form of an array of flat, thick ceramic heaters or of a spiral cone formed of printed and fired ceramic plates. As shown in
The ceramic heaters applied in this device are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters. The ceramic heater technology is developed out of IC thick film technologies and is distinguished by a relatively thin and light substrate of high fired ceramic, Alumina or aluminum nitride, for example.
Referring to
The most common heater form is a simple flat rectangular plate, approximately 3 mm thick or less. The plates can be grouped together in various configurations to be used in the heating of moving air, such as in a hairdryer.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A hair styling device comprising:
- a handle;
- a barrel extending from an end of said handle; and
- a ceramic heater, wherein said ceramic heater comprises a ceramic plate and a conductor applied to one or more surfaces of said ceramic plate.
2. A hair styling device according to claim 1, further comprising
- a second plate covering said conductor.
3. A hair styling device according to claim 2, wherein
- said second plate is formed from ceramic.
4. A hair styling device according to claim 2, wherein
- said second plate is formed from glass.
5. A hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein
- said conductor is in the form of circuit tracks on said one or more surfaces of said ceramic plate.
6. A hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein
- said ceramic heater is adapted to be fired at high temperatures.
7. A hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein
- said ceramic heater is adapted to be formed into any one of a variety of configurations.
8. A hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein
- said ceramic heater is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of high fired ceramic, alumina and aluminum nitride.
9. A method of producing a heater comprising the steps of:
- applying a conductor to one or more surfaces of a ceramic plate;
- covering said conductor;
- firing said plate at a high temperature; and
- forming said heater into one of a variety of configurations.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein
- the conductor is applied in the form of circuit tracks.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising
- producing solder pads in the form of plated or vacuum metallized solder pads.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein
- said covering is a second plate.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein
- said covering is a glass.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein
- said covering is a high temperature enamel.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 18, 2005
Publication Date: May 24, 2007
Inventor: Leandro Rizzuto (Sheridan, WY)
Application Number: 11/283,078
International Classification: A45D 2/36 (20060101);