Attachment for hair care appliance

Abstract

An attachment for a hair care appliance is described. The accessory includes an inlet for receiving a gas flow and a body including one or more pairs of outlets, each pair including a first outlet and a second outlet. The accessory further includes a valve movable relative to the body between a first position, in which the valve blocks the first outlet and airflow is discharged from the second outlet of each pair of outlets, and a second position, in which the valve blocks the second outlet and airflow is discharged from the first outlet of each pair of outlets, the valve including a sealing element, a sealing element contacts the body at a location between the first outlet and the second outlet of each pair of outlets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an accessory for a hair care appliance, and a hair care appliance including the accessory. Background Art

[0002] Hair care appliances may include accessories for drying or styling hair. Air can be discharged from the accessory at different speeds and / or in different directions to achieve different drying and / or styling results. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides an accessory for a hair care appliance, the accessory including an inlet for receiving an air flow; a body including one or more pairs of outlets, each pair of outlets including a first outlet and a second outlet; and a valve capable of moving between a first position and a second position relative to the body, in the first position, the valve blocking the first outlet and the air flow discharging from the second outlet of each pair of outlets, in the second position, the valve blocking the second outlet and the air flow discharging from the first outlet of each pair of outlets, wherein the valve includes a sealing element that contacts the body at a position between the first outlet and the second outlet of each pair of outlets.

[0004] Thus, by moving the valve, air can be discharged from the first outlet or the second outlet. The outlets can be configured such that the air flow is discharged in different directions and / or at different speeds according to the position of the valve. For example, the accessory can be generally cylindrical, and the outlets can be configured such that the air flow is discharged from the first outlet in a clockwise direction and from the second outlet in a counterclockwise direction. In another example, the size of the first outlet can be smaller than that of the second outlet, such that the air flow is discharged from the first outlet at a higher speed.

[0005] There may be a leakage path between the valve and the body. For example, when the valve is in the first position, a portion of the air flow can flow between the valve and the body in a direction from the second outlet to the first outlet, and then it is discharged from the first outlet. Similarly, when the valve is in the second position, a portion of the air flow can flow between the valve and the body in a direction from the first outlet to the second outlet, and then it is discharged from the second outlet. Therefore, the valve includes a sealing element that contacts the body at a position between the first outlet and the second outlet. Thus, leakage along this leakage path can be significantly reduced, thereby improving the performance of the accessory.

[0006] The body may include inwardly projecting ridges, and for each pair of outlets, when the valve is in the first position to block the first outlet, the sealing element may abut the first ridge, and when the valve is in the second position to block the second outlet, the sealing element may abut the second ridge. Thus, when the valve is in each of the first and second positions, the sealing element provides at least two sealing points. In particular, the sealing element abuts the ridge to block the first or second outlet of each pair of outlets. In addition, the sealing element contacts the body at a position between the first and second outlets of each pair of outlets. Thus, leakage of air flow through the blocked outlet can be further reduced.

[0007] The body may include multiple pairs of outlets, and each ridge may be located between adjacent pairs of outlets. Then, when the valve is in the first position, the sealing element may abut the first side of each ridge, and when the valve is in the second position, the sealing element may abut the second side of each ridge. This provides a relatively compact arrangement in which the valve abuts the same ridge to block the first outlet of one of the pair of outlets when in the first position and the second outlet of the other of the pair of outlets when in the second position.

[0008] The sealing element may include a first lip seal and a second lip seal for each of the pair of outlets. Then, when the valve is in the first position, the first lip seal contacts the body at a first sealing position between the first and second outlets, and when the valve is in the second position, the second lip seal contacts the body at a second sealing position between the first and second outlets. By providing two lip seals for each pair of outlets, sealing between the valve and the body can be achieved without unduly hindering movement of the valve relative to the body. For example, the first lip seal may contact the body only when the valve is close to the first position, and the second lip seal may contact the body only when the valve is close to the second position. Additionally or alternatively, providing two lip seals can create a more leak-restrictive path between the valve and the body. Thus, leakage can be further reduced.

[0009] When moving to the first position, the valve may move in a first direction, and when moving to the second position, the valve may move in a second, opposite direction. Then, the first seal may be tilted backward relative to the first direction, and the second seal may be tilted backward relative to the second direction. Thus, the seals may deform in a more controllable manner when contacting the body. In addition, when the valve moves between the two positions, the lip seals are less likely to be lifted by the air flow, which otherwise could cause the lip seals to contact the body during valve movement, making it potentially more difficult to move the valve.

[0010] The body may include a protrusion protruding inwardly towards the valve, and / or the valve may include a protrusion protruding outwardly towards the valve, and the protrusion may be located at a position between a first outlet and a second outlet of one or more pairs of outlets. Accordingly, the protrusion creates a restriction within the leakage path between the valve and the body. Thus, leakage along the leakage path can be further reduced.

[0011] The valve may include a plurality of openings through which air flows. When the valve is in the first position, the openings may be aligned with the second outlet, and when the valve is in the second position, the openings may be aligned with the first outlet. When the valve is in the first or second position, by using the openings aligned with the outlets, leakage between the valve and the body can be further reduced.

[0012] The valve may include an opening for each pair of outlets. Then, when the valve is in the first position, each opening may be aligned with the second outlet of one of the paired outlets, and when the valve is in the second position, each opening may be aligned with the first outlet of the other of the paired outlets. Accordingly, each opening is aligned with two different outlets depending on the position of the valve. The advantage of this is that a valve with fewer openings can be used, thus reducing the number of potential leakage paths. Additionally, a smaller stroke amount may be required to move the valve between the first and second positions.

[0013] The body and the valve may each be cylindrical. This has the advantage that hair can be wrapped around the attachment for drying and / or styling. Additionally or alternatively, the attachment can be used on different sides of the head without reorienting the attachment.

[0014] The valve may rotate relative to the body between a first position and a second position. Accordingly, a relatively compact arrangement for the attachment can be achieved.

[0015] The attachment may have a longitudinal axis, and each outlet may extend parallel to the longitudinal axis. Accordingly, the attachment can be used to dry and / or style relatively wide hair bundles.

[0016] Airflow may be discharged from the first outlet in a clockwise direction and from the second outlet in a counterclockwise direction. Accordingly, the attachment can be used to curl hair, and the direction of curling is determined by the direction of the airflow. By providing an attachment capable of providing clockwise and counterclockwise airflow, the user can quickly and conveniently change the direction of curl formation.

[0017] The attachment may include a user-actuated selector for moving the valve between the first and second positions. This has the advantage that the user can select whether to discharge the airflow from the first outlet or the second outlet.

[0018] The selector may include a turntable that rotates to move a valve between a first position and a second position. The rotatable turntable provides a relatively intuitive way for the user to change the position of the valve. This is especially true when the valve rotates relative to the body. For example, the user can rotate the turntable clockwise and counterclockwise to select a first outlet or a second outlet.

[0019] The selector may be bistable and may have two stable positions corresponding to the first and second positions of the valve. The advantage of this is that the selector and thus the valve are less likely to move inadvertently during the use of the hair care appliance. In addition, the user does not need to accurately position the selector during use.

[0020] The present invention also provides a hair care appliance that includes a blower for generating an air flow and an attachment as described in any of the preceding paragraphs.

[0021] The hair care appliance may include a handle unit that houses the blower. The attachment may then be detachably attached to the handle unit. This has the advantage that the handle unit can be used with other types of attachments (such as a styling brush or a hair dryer nozzle). Alternatively, the attachment may be permanently attached to the handle unit. Description of the Drawings

[0022] Embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 A hair care appliance is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view through the handle unit of the hair care appliance;

[0025] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the electrical components of the handle unit;

[0026] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the attachment of the hair care appliance;

[0027] Figure 5 is a side view of the attachment;

[0028] Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the attachment;

[0029] Figure 7 is along Figure 6 a horizontal cross-sectional view through the attachment along line A-A, where the valve of the attachment is in a first position in (a) and in a second position in (b);

[0030] Figure 8 shows the user changing the position of the valve of the attachment;

[0031] Figure 9 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the attachment taken along line B-B of Figure 6 ;

[0032] Figure 10 is a portion of a horizontal slice of the attachment taken along line A-A of Figure 6 with potential leak paths highlighted; and

[0033] Figure 11 is the same horizontal slice as Figure 10 ; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Figures 1 to 3 The hair care appliance 10 of Figures 1 to 3 includes a handle unit 20 and an attachment 100 detachably attached to the handle unit 20.

[0035] The handle unit 20 includes a housing 30, a blower 40, a heater 50, and a control unit 60.

[0036] The housing 30 is tubular and includes an inlet 31 and an outlet 32. Airflow is drawn into the housing 30 by the blower 40 through the inlet 31 and is discharged from the housing 30 through the outlet 32. The blower 40 is housed within the housing 30 and includes a fan 41 driven by an electric motor 42. The heater 50 is also housed within the housing 30 and includes a heating element 51 to optionally heat the airflow.

[0037] The control unit 60 includes user controls 61 and a control module 62.

[0038] The user controls 61 are provided on the surface of the housing 30 for turning the hair care appliance 10 on and off, selecting a flow rate (e.g., high, medium, low), and selecting an air temperature (e.g., hot, warm, cold). In this example, each user control 61 includes a slide switch. However, other forms of user controls, such as buttons, dials, or touchscreens, may be used.

[0039] The control module 62 is responsible for controlling the blower 40 and the heater 50 in response to inputs from the user controls 61. For example, in response to an input from the user controls, the control module 62 may control the power or speed of the blower 40 to adjust the flow rate of the airflow and control the power of the heater 50 to adjust the temperature of the airflow.

[0040] Now referring to Figures 4 to 11 , the attachment 100 includes a body 110, a valve 120, and a turntable 130.

[0041] The body 110 is cylindrical, open at one end and closed at the other. The open end serves as the inlet 111 of the body 110. The body includes one or more pairs of outlets 112, 113 located around the body 110. Each outlet 112, 113 includes a slot extending along the length of the body 110. In the specific example shown in the figure, the body 110 includes five pairs of outlets 112, 113 evenly spaced around the body 110.

[0042] The body 110 includes a sleeve 114 and a plurality of slats 115. The sleeve 114 is cylindrical and includes a plurality of openings 116 arranged in columns 117, 118 extending along the length of the sleeve 114. More specifically, the openings 116 are arranged in one or more pairs of columns 117, 118. Similarly, in the specific example shown in the figure, the sleeve 114 includes five pairs of columns 117, 118 evenly spaced around the sleeve 114.

[0043] Each pair of columns 116, 117 is spaced apart by a ridge 119, and each slat 115 is attached to the corresponding ridge 119, for example, by snap - fit. Each slat 115 extends on either side of the ridge 119 and covers each column 117, 118 of the openings. The longitudinal edges of the slat 115 are radially spaced from the sleeve 114 to define a pair of outlets 112, 113 extending along the length of the body 110.

[0044] The valve 120 is cylindrical in shape and is located within the body 110. The valve includes a plurality of slots 121 extending along the length of the valve 120. In the specific example shown in the figure, the valve 120 includes five slots 121.

[0045] The valve 120 is movable relative to the body 110. More specifically, the valve 120 rotates relative to the body 110 about the longitudinal axis 140 of the body 110. The valve 120 is movable between a first position and a second position. When in Figure 7 the first position shown in (a), the valve 120 abuts one side of each ridge 119 of the body 110 to block each first column 117 of the openings in the body 110. In addition, each slot 121 in the valve 120 is aligned with one of the second columns 118 of the openings in the body 110. When in Figure 7 the second position shown in (b), the valve 120 abuts the opposite side of each ridge 119 of the body 110 to block each second column 118 of the openings in the body 110. Each slot 121 in the valve 120 is then aligned with one of the first columns 117 of the openings in the body 110.

[0046] During use, when the attachment 100 is attached to the handle unit 20, the airflow generated by the handle unit 20 enters the interior of the main body 110 through the inlet 111. From there, the airflow moves radially outward through the slot 121 in the valve 120. Then, the airflow passes through the opening 116 in the main body 110. More specifically, the airflow passes through the first column 117 of openings or the second column 118 of openings according to the position of the valve 120. Then, the airflow is deflected by the slats 115 and discharged from the main body 110 through the first outlet 112 or the second outlet 113 of each pair of outlets.

[0047] When the valve 120 is in the first position ( Figure 7 (a)), the valve 120 blocks the first outlet 112, and the airflow is discharged from the second outlet 113 of each pair of outlets. Therefore, the airflow is discharged from the attachment 100 in a clockwise direction. When the valve 120 is in the second position ( Figure 7 (b)), the valve 120 blocks the second outlet 113 and the airflow is discharged from the first outlet 112 of each pair of outlets. Therefore, the airflow is discharged from the attachment 100 in a counterclockwise direction. Therefore, by changing the position of the valve 120, the direction of the airflow discharged from the attachment 100 can be changed from clockwise to counterclockwise.

[0048] The turntable 130 is located at the closed end of the main body 110 and is attached to the valve 120 (in this example, attached by screws 134). The turntable 130 is used to move the valve 120 between the first position and the second position. For example, as Figure 8 shown, the user can grasp and twist or rotate the turntable 130 to move the valve 120 between the two positions. Therefore, the user can change the direction of the airflow discharged from the attachment 100. More specifically, the user can select whether to discharge the airflow in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

[0049] Now referring to Figure 9 , the attachment 100 includes one or more springs 135, and the turntable 130 includes one or more tabs 131, and each tab 131 engages with a corresponding spring 135. In Figure 9 the example shown, the attachment 100 includes three springs 135, while the turntable 130 includes three tabs 131. The springs 135 bias the turntable 130 (and thus the valve 120) to the first position or the second position. In Figure 9In the example shown, the turntable 130 is biased to the first position. When the turntable 130 rotates from the first position, each tab 131 pushes against its respective spring 135, causing the biasing force of the spring 135 to increase. When the turntable 130 passes through the midpoint between the first position and the second position, the biasing force of each spring 135 cooperates with the rotation rather than opposing it. Therefore, the turntable 130 is biased by the springs 135 towards the second position. Thus, the turntable 130 can be considered bistable and has two stable positions corresponding to the first position and the second position. Such an advantage is that the turntable 130 and the valve 120 are less likely to move inadvertently during use of the hair care appliance 10. In addition, misalignment of the valve 120 relative to the body 110 can be avoided because the turntable 130 is biased to the first position or the second position. Therefore, the user does not need to accurately position the turntable 130 during use.

[0050] It should be understood that the turntable 130 having two stable positions can be implemented in other ways. For example, the body 110 can include one or more inverted V-shaped ramps, and the turntable 130 is biased against the one or more inverted V-shaped ramps by one or more springs. Rotating the turntable 130 from the first position causes the turntable 130 to move upward along one side of the ramp against the biasing force of the spring. When passing through the apex in the ramp, the turntable 130 is biased downward by the spring to the second position along the other side of the ramp.

[0051] Figure 10 and Figure 11 A cross-sectional slice showing a part of the accessory 100 is shown. The valve 120 is in the first position and thus blocks the first outlet 112 of each pair of outlets. Then, the air flow exits from the second outlet 113 of each pair of outlets. However, there are two potential leakage paths, labeled A and B in Figure 10 and a part of the air flow can travel along these leakage paths and exit from the blocked outlet 112.

[0052] When the valve 120 is in the first position, the valve contacts one side of each ridge 119 of the body 110 to block each first outlet 112. If the valve 120 is formed as a single rigid part, there may be a gap between the valve 120 and one or more ridges 119 due to geometric tolerances in the valve 120 and the body 110 to create Figure 10 the leakage path labeled A in

[0053] When moving between the first and second positions, the valve 120 rotates relative to the body 110. To reduce friction and ensure that the valve 120 can rotate relatively easily between the two positions, the valve 120 is radially spaced from the body 110. This spacing then creates a potential leakage path between the valve 120 and the body 110, in Figure 10It is marked as B in the middle. Then, a part of the air flow moves along the leakage path in the direction from the second outlet 113 to the first outlet 112.

[0054] Although Figure 10 Figure 1 shows the possible leakage paths when the valve 120 is in the first position, but it should be understood that similar leakage paths exist when the valve 120 is in the second position.

[0055] To reduce the air flow along these leakage paths, the valve 120 includes a sleeve 122 to which a sealing member 124 is attached.

[0056] The sleeve 122 is cylindrical, with one end open and the other end closed. The slot 121 of the valve 120 is formed in the sleeve 122. Figure 4 The sealing member 124 is omitted in the figure so that the sleeve 122 and the slot 121 can be seen more easily.

[0057] The sealing member 124 is formed of an elastic material such as rubber and can be attached to the sleeve 122 by overmolding. Alternatively, the sealing member 124 can be formed in a separate process and then attached to the sleeve 122 by using fastening features or adhesives during a manual or automated assembly process. The sealing member 124 includes four seals for each pair of outlets 112, 113 in the body 120: two face seals 125, 126 and two lip seals 127, 128.

[0058] When the valve 120 is in the first position, one face seal 125 and one lip seal 127 contact the body 120. Conversely, when the valve 120 is in the second position, the other face seal 126 and the other lip seal 128 contact the body 120.

[0059] Each face seal 125, 126 contacts the ridge 119 of the body 120 and is deformed by the ridge 119 of the body 120 to block the leakage paths of the type marked as A. More specifically, when the valve 120 is in the first position blocking the first outlet 112, the first face seal 125 contacts the first ridge 119 and is deformed by the first ridge 119, and when the valve 120 is in the second position blocking the second outlet 113, the second face seal 126 abuts against the second ridge 119'. The deformation of the face seals 125, 126 serves to absorb the geometric tolerances in the sleeve 122 of the valve 120 and the body 110, so that an effective seal can be formed between the valve 120 and the ridges 119, 119'.

[0060] Each lip seal 127, 128 contacts the body 110 at a position between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113 and is deformed by the body 110. More specifically, when the valve 120 is in the first position, the first lip seal 127 contacts the body at a first sealing position between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113, and when the valve 120 is in the second position, the second lip seal 128 contacts the body 120 at a second sealing position between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113.

[0061] In this particular example, at any given time, only one of the pair of lip seals 127, 128 contacts the body 120. Additionally, the first lip seal 127 only contacts the body 120 when the valve 120 is approaching the first position, while the second lip seal 128 only contacts the body 120 when the valve 120 is approaching the second position. The advantage of this is that an effective seal can be formed between the valve 120 and the body 110 without unduly impeding the rotation of the valve 120 relative to the body 110.

[0062] Although only one of the lip seals 127, 128 contacts the body 110 at any given moment, the other lip seal still restricts the leakage path between the valve 120 and the body 110. Therefore, the potential leakage along the path of the type marked B can be further reduced. In fact, to further restrict these leakage paths, the sleeve 122 of the valve 120 includes a plurality of protrusions 123, each of which protrudes outwardly towards the body 110 at a point between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113. In this particular example, each protrusion 123 is located between the two lip seals 127, 128. In addition to further reducing potential leakage, the protrusions 123 have two further advantages. First, the protrusions 123 help to center the valve 120 within the body 110, that is, to make the two substantially concentric. Second, if the valve 120 moves radially relative to the body 110 during rotation of the valve 120, it is the protrusions 123 rather than the sealing member 124 that contact the body 110. The coefficient of friction of the sleeve 122 of the valve 120 is lower than that of the sealing member 124. Therefore, the rotation of the valve 120 is not unduly impeded by the valve 120 contacting the body 110.

[0063] In this particular example, the protrusions are provided on the valve 120. However, the same behavior and benefits would be achieved if the protrusions were provided on the body 110; that is, the body 110 could include protrusions that protrude inwardly towards the valve 120 at positions between each pair of outlets 112, 113.

[0064] When moved to the first position, the valve 120 rotates in a first direction (e.g., clockwise in the figure), and when moved to the second position, the valve 120 rotates in an opposite second direction (e.g., counterclockwise). The first lip seal 127 then tilts backward relative to the first direction, and the second lip seal 128 tilts backward relative to the second direction. As a result, the lip seals 127, 128 deform in a more controllable manner when the valve 120 rotates. In contrast, if the lip seals 127, 128 tilt in the opposite direction, the trailing lip seal can be lifted by the airflow moving along the leakage path. The trailing seal can then conceivably contact the body 110 and roll backward due to the movement of the valve 120 relative to the body 110, creating unwanted friction.

[0065] For each pair of outlets 112, 113 in the body 110, when the valve 120 is in the first position or the second position, the sealing element 124 provides two sealing points. In particular, one of the face seals 125, 126 contacts the ridge 119 of the body 120 to block the first outlet 112 or the second outlet 113. Additionally, one of the lip seals 127, 128 contacts the body at a position between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113. As a result, the leakage of airflow through the blocked outlet is reduced.

[0066] Although a specific geometry of the sealing element 124 has been described, it should be understood that alternative geometries are possible. For example, the sealing member 124 can include a single seal (e.g., a bubble seal) that contacts the body 110 instead of a pair of lip seals 127, 128 to create a seal at a position between the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113.

[0067] Using the above-described attachment 100, the valve 120 moves between the first position and the second position. When in the first position, the first outlet 112 in each pair of outlets is blocked by the valve 120, and the airflow exits from the second outlet 113. Conversely, when in the second position, the second outlet 113 in each pair of outlets is blocked by the valve 120, and the airflow exits from the first outlet 112.

[0068] In the above example, the outlets 112, 113 are configured such that when the valve 120 is in the first position, the airflow exits in a clockwise direction, and when the valve 120 is in the second position, the airflow exits in a counterclockwise direction. Additionally, the airflow exits from the outlets 112, 113 in a direction substantially tangent to the outer surface of the body 110. As a result, the airflow adheres to the outer surface of the body 110 by the Coandă effect. The advantage of this is that the hair supplied to the attachment 100 is attracted to the body 110 and wraps around the body 110.

[0069] In other examples, the outlets 112, 113 may be configured such that the air flow is discharged in a direction different from the above direction and / or at a different speed. For example, the outlets 112, 113 may be configured such that when the valve 120 is in the first position, the air flow continues to be discharged in a direction tangential to the outer surface of the body 110. However, when the valve 120 is in the second position, the air flow may be discharged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the body 110. In another example, the first outlet 112 and the second outlet 113 may have different sizes such that the air flow is discharged from the outlets at different speeds.

[0070] Although the above-described attachment 100 is cylindrical and is intended for curling hair, a valve provided to move relative to the body to block one of a pair of outlets may be used with other types of attachments. By way of example, the attachment may take the form of a brush having bristles. The body may include one or more pairs of outlets through which the air flow is discharged in the direction of the bristles, and the valve may slide, pivot, rotate, or otherwise move between a first position and a second position to block one of each pair of outlets.

[0071] The attachment 100 is removably attached to the handle unit 10 of the hair care appliance 10. This has the advantage that the handle unit 10 can be used with other types of attachments (such as a styling brush or a hair dryer nozzle). However, it is conceivable that the hair care appliance 10 may include the attachment 100 permanently attached to the handle unit 20.

[0072] Although specific examples and embodiments have been described so far, it should be understood that these are merely illustrative and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. An accessory for a hair care appliance, comprising: An inlet for receiving an air stream; A body including one or more pairs of outlets, each pair of outlets including a first outlet and a second outlet; And A valve capable of moving relative to the body between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the valve blocks the first outlet and the air stream discharges from the second outlet of each pair of outlets. In the second position, the valve blocks the second outlet and the air stream discharges from the first outlet of each pair of outlets, Wherein the valve includes a sealing element that contacts the body at a position between the first outlet and the second outlet of each pair of outlets.

2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the body includes inwardly projecting ridges, and for each pair of outlets, when the valve is in the first position to block the first outlet, the sealing element abuts the first ridge, and when the valve is in the second position to block the second outlet, the sealing element abuts the second ridge.

3. The accessory according to claim 2, wherein the body includes multiple pairs of outlets, each of the ridges is located between adjacent pairs of outlets, when the valve is in the first position, the sealing element abuts the first side of each of the ridges, and when the valve is in the second position, the sealing element abuts the second side of each of the ridges.

4. The accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing element includes a first lip seal and a second lip seal for each of the pairs of outlets, when the valve is in the first position, the first lip seal contacts the body at a first sealing position between the first outlet and the second outlet, and when the valve is in the second position, the second lip seal contacts the body at a second sealing position between the first outlet and the second outlet.

5. The accessory according to claim 4, wherein the valve moves in a first direction when moving to the first position, and moves in an opposite second direction when moving to the second position, and wherein the first seal is inclined backward relative to the first direction and the second seal is inclined backward relative to the second direction.

6. The accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body includes a projection projecting inwardly towards the valve, or the valve includes a projection projecting outwardly towards the valve, and the projection is located at a position between the first outlet and the second outlet.

7. The accessory according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve includes a plurality of openings through which air flows, when the valve is in the first position, the openings are aligned with the second outlet, and when the valve is in the second position, the openings are aligned with the first outlet.

8. The attachment according to claim 7, wherein the valve includes an opening for each pair of outlets, and when the valve is in the first position, each opening is aligned with the second outlet of one of the paired outlets, and when the valve is in the second position, each opening is aligned with the first outlet of the other of the paired outlets.

9. The attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve rotates relative to the body between the first position and the second position.

10. The attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body and the valve are each cylindrical.

11. The attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment has a longitudinal axis, and each outlet extends parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12. The attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air flow is discharged from the first outlet in a clockwise direction and from the second outlet in a counterclockwise direction.

13. The attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment includes a user-actuated selector for moving the valve between the first position and the second position.

14. The attachment according to claim 13, wherein the selector includes a turntable that rotates to move the valve between the first position and the second position.

15. The attachment according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the selector is bistable and has two stable positions corresponding to the first position and the second position of the valve.

16. A hair care appliance, comprising a blower for generating an air flow and an attachment according to any one of the preceding claims.

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