Hair care appliance

Abstract

A hair care appliance is disclosed comprising an airflow generator for generating an airflow and an air outlet for discharging the airflow from the hair care appliance. The hair care appliance further includes a sensor configured to sense one or more of a position and orientation of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance; and a control mechanism configured to control a parameter of the airflow at the air outlet based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to hair care appliances, accessories and external accessories. Background Art

[0002] Traditionally, hair care appliances can include multiple styling attachments. These styling attachments can direct the airflow from the airflow generator in the main body to the outlet in a variety of ways. To effectively style their hair, the user must typically move the hair care appliance to control the direction of the airflow from the outlet. To adjust the characteristics of the airflow, the user can toggle switches to select the temperature and airflow speed, typically from preset options. In some cases, the user must guess at the appropriate time to make these changes. For example, they may need to guess when their hair is nearly dry to set the style using a cool spray (lower airflow) temperature. These issues, individually or in combination, can make styling hair difficult and frustrating for the user. The present invention aims to at least partially alleviate some of these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a hair care appliance is provided, comprising: an airflow generator for generating an airflow; an air outlet for emitting the airflow from the hair care appliance; a sensor configured to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of an external accessory relative to the hair care appliance; and a control mechanism configured to control parameters of the airflow at the air outlet based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory. Using the sensor to control the parameters of the airflow can improve the usability of the hair care appliance compared to arrangements that do not control the airflow in response to an external accessory. That is, the sensor can improve the user's styling experience by customizing the parameters of the airflow based on one or more of the position and orientation of the hair care appliance relative to the external accessory.

[0004] The hair care appliance can track the external accessories via sensors and control various parameters of the airflow accordingly. Controlling the parameters of the airflow at the outlet can include actuating the airflow on and off in addition to or as an alternative to adjusting the current parameters.

[0005] The sensor senses the position and / or orientation of the external accessory relative to the sensor. The sensor can be mounted on the exterior of the hair care appliance. In some examples, the hair care appliance can have multiple sensors that communicate to determine the position and / or orientation of the external accessory.

[0006] The external accessory may include any one of a brush, a comb, a hair clip or a headband. The external accessory may be a wearable attachment for the user's hand.

[0007] The control mechanism may include a movable member movable between first and second positions to at least one of: direct the airflow in a first direction or a second direction; and provide the airflow at the air outlet at respective first and second velocities.

[0008] Changing the airflow direction and / or speed can allow for more precise styling of hair because accessories such as bushings can be effectively tracked by the airflow, for example, eliminating dependence on the user's hand position. For example, the control mechanism can change the direction of the airflow to follow the position and / or orientation of the external accessory.

[0009] Movement of the movable member between the first and second positions can change the cross-sectional area of the air outlet. For example, the air outlet can include a first cross-sectional area when the movable member is in its first position, and a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area when the movable member is in its second position. Changing the cross-sectional area of the air outlet can change the airflow velocity at the air outlet.

[0010] The movable member can rotate between a first position and a second position. Rotating the position of the movable member can rotate the direction of the airflow to match the external accessory. The rotation can occur simultaneously with changing the shape of the outlet. This can be particularly advantageous when the hair care appliance includes a concentrator to ensure that the concentrated airflow is primarily directed toward the external accessory. Furthermore, the rotation can provide the user with a visual indication of the external accessory's tracking. Although described throughout as rotating between a first position and a second position, it should be understood that the first position is simply a position different from the second position. That is, the movable member can rotate from one position to any other position, then to another position, or return to the original first position. The movable member can rotate approximately 360 degrees.

[0011] For example, the movable member may include a housing that directs airflow (a concentrator, a diffuser, etc.), which may be rotatably attached to a fixed portion of the hair care appliance (e.g., via a track around which the housing can rotate). By rotating a portion of the hair care appliance (i.e., the housing that directs airflow), the direction of the airflow may be changed based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

[0012] The control mechanism may include a valve arrangement including a plurality of valves spaced about the movable member, wherein airflow flows through the valve arrangement toward the outlet. The control mechanism may be configured to selectively actuate one or more of the plurality of valves based on one or more of a position and an orientation of the external accessory, such that airflow through the movable member causes rotation between the first position and the second position based on actuation of the plurality of valves.

[0013] The force of airflow through selected valves causes the movable member to rotate. For example, if several valves in different zones are open and the remaining valves are closed, the force of the airflow through them causes a rotational force. Compared to motors, this can be a quieter way to vary airflow. Furthermore, compared to valve arrangements, motors can add more weight to a hair care appliance, and reducing the weight of a hair care appliance for greater comfort can be preferable, for example.

[0014] The control mechanism may include a motor configured to move the movable member between the first position and the second position.

[0015] Compared to the valves described above, a motor may provide easier and / or more precise control of the rotation of a portion of the movable member.

[0016] The outlet may comprise a further movable member configured to move the direction of the airflow exiting the outlet between a third direction and a fourth direction, the third direction and the fourth direction being in a different plane than the first direction and the second direction.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively to rotating the movable member, the hair care appliance can cause the airflow to oscillate in an up-and-down motion relative to the hair care appliance. The oscillating airflow can allow the airflow direction to track the position and / or orientation of the external accessory in a plane different from the plane of rotational movement. In other words, another movable member can be moved between an upper position and a lower position to change the direction of the airflow in response to the determined position of the external accessory. In the example where the movable member is rotatable, the air direction of the airflow can be controlled along two axes.

[0018] The sensor may include at least one magnetic sensor configured to interact with a magnetic field of the external accessory to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance.

[0019] The magnetic sensor can be, for example, a magnet. Using a magnet and / or magnetic sensor can allow for sensing the position and / or orientation of an external device, even if the external device is completely obscured by the user's hair. Furthermore, using magnetic interactions to alter parameters of the airflow (such as its direction) can allow for a passive system requiring little or no electrical input. That is, the magnet can be mechanically coupled to the movable member so that it passively moves the movable member between a first position and a second position. This can eliminate the need for a controller, thereby reducing the power burden on the control mechanism. In other words, movement of the sensor can passively pull the movable member into position.

[0020] The sensor may include an electromagnetic detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves from the external accessory.

[0021] Using electromagnetic waves can reduce the manufacturing costs of hair care appliances, as they can be easier to manufacture than other sensor options. Furthermore, the electromagnetic waves can be, for example, visible light, which can provide the user of the hair care appliance with an additional visual indication of the position and / or orientation of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance. In some cases, this can allow the user to learn the position and orientation of the external accessory or the hair care appliance based on the emitted light to improve styling.

[0022] The hair care appliance or external accessory may include LEDs that can be sensed by a sensor and used to calculate the position and / or orientation of the external accessory. In some examples, the hair care appliance may include an LED array. The LED array may be pulsed (turned on and off) in a sequence that can be reflected by the external accessory. The relative brightness of the reflections can be sensed by the sensor and used to determine the relative position and / or orientation of the external accessory.

[0023] External accessories can reflect or generate electromagnetic waves.

[0024] The hair care appliance may include a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves to an external accessory.Having both the electromagnetic transmitter and the detector on the hair care appliance allows both to be powered via the hair care appliance, so the accessory does not necessarily require a power source.

[0025] The sensor may include a position sensor configured to communicate with another position sensor in the external accessory to determine the position of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance.

[0026] The orientation sensor can determine the acceleration and orientation of each device. The sensor or the hair care appliance can include a receiver configured to receive orientation information transmitted from another orientation sensor on the external accessory. This data can then be used to determine the relative position and / or orientation of the external device. To this end, the sensor can include a controller configured to perform these calculations and then feed them to the control mechanism or another controller thereof. In some cases, the controller can apply filtering methods, such as a Kalman filter, to improve the accuracy of measurements from one or both sensors.

[0027] Any of the above-described communications between a sensor on the hair care appliance, another sensor on the external accessory, and / or the controller may be via one or more of Bluetooth, RF communication, and Wi-Fi or a wired connection.

[0028] The control mechanism may also include a controller configured to: receive one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory from the sensor; compare one or more of the position and orientation with corresponding one or more of the predetermined positions and predetermined orientations to determine a distance between one or more of the position and orientation and corresponding one or more of the predetermined positions and predetermined orientations; and control the movable member between the first position and the second position if the determined distance is above a predetermined threshold; or maintain the movable member if the determined distance is below the predetermined threshold.

[0029] Using the controller to compare the position and / or orientation with corresponding predetermined positions and / or orientations can allow the control mechanism to reduce unwanted movement, such as slight hand tremors from a user holding the hair care appliance. This can improve user usability by reducing unintended movement of the hair care appliance. The predetermined position and / or orientation can be a previous position and / or orientation sensed by the sensor, that is, the most recent previous position and / or orientation. For example, the controller can compare the previously received position with the new position to determine the distance between them, and only control the movable member if the distance is above a predetermined threshold. In this way, the controller can limit changes to those based on expected user movement of the external accessory.

[0030] In some examples, the controller also controls a haptic device in the handle of the hair care appliance to provide tactile feedback based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory. In some examples, the haptic device is an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) actuator, which includes an unbalanced weight attached to a motor shaft or a piezoelectric actuator. The haptic device providing tactile feedback can include the haptic device causing vibration when the controller determines that the determined distance is above a predetermined threshold. This can support the user in positioning the external device and the hair care appliance when changing airflow parameters. The haptic device can provide user feedback while the controller controls the position of the movable member.

[0031] The hair care appliance may include a main body housing the air flow generator and the heater, and an accessory releasably connected to the main body, wherein the accessory may define an air outlet and may include at least one of a sensor and a control mechanism. This may allow the main body to be coupled with different accessories to be used with the same movable member, such as concentrator nozzles of different sizes, which may then all be rotated while attached to the main body.

[0032] There may be an internal electrical connection between the accessory and the main body which allows communication between the control mechanism and the sensor, and the internal electrical connection may also be releasably coupled. The releasable attachment between the accessory and the main body may be, for example, a magnetic coupling.

[0033] The accessory may include a device for transmitting one or more of a position and orientation of the external accessory to the main body, and the control mechanism may control one or more of the heater temperature and the airflow generator speed based on the one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

[0034] In some examples, the body can further house an ionizer configured to ionize the airflow. In these examples, the control mechanism can further control the ionizer to ionize (or cease ionization of) the airflow based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

[0035] Airflow parameters may include airflow speed or velocity; airflow temperature; airflow direction; airflow charge; or combinations thereof. For example, a sensor positioned at a distance from an external accessory could cause the hair care appliance to change the airflow speed to and from zero, in other words, to activate the hair care appliance on and off. Furthermore, proximity to the external accessory could cause a control mechanism to lower the airflow temperature, which could prevent damage to, for example, hair. In some cases, this could also reduce the device's energy usage, which could be environmentally beneficial.

[0036] Advantageously, the attachment can be removably coupled to the main body so that it can be interchanged with other attachments for different styling functions. Suitable attachments may include magnetic strips, clips, or threaded fasteners. The coupling between the main body and the attachment may also provide an electrical connection for any components within the attachment.

[0037] The hair care appliance may also include a user controllable interface to override or change the control of the air flow parameters at the air outlet. In some cases, the user may prefer to customize or turn off the control mechanism to suit personal preferences.

[0038] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an attachment for a hair care appliance, wherein the attachment comprises: an inlet for receiving an air flow, and an outlet for directing the air flow toward the user's hair; a sensor configured to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of an external accessory relative to the attachment, and a control mechanism configured to control parameters of the air flow at the air outlet based on one or more of the sensed positions or orientations of the external accessory.

[0039] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an external accessory for use with a hair care appliance and / or the accessories described above.

[0040] The external accessory may include a target comprising at least one of: a magnet for generating a magnetic field to interact with the accessory; an electromagnetic wave source for emitting electromagnetic waves toward the accessory; an electromagnetic wave reflector for reflecting electromagnetic waves toward the accessory; and an orientation sensor configured to communicate with the accessory.

[0041] The target can be coupled to the body of the external accessory, and the external accessory can include a removable styling head. Having the target coupled to the body means that multiple different styling heads can be used with an accessory that has a common body. This can be cheaper to produce than multiple styling tools, each including a target. For example, the removable styling head could be a brush head that is interchangeable with a comb head.

[0042] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which description refers to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1a A schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of a hair care appliance according to the present invention is shown;

[0044] Figure 1b Shown Figure 1a Block diagram;

[0045] Figure 2a A schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of a hair care appliance according to the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2b Shown Figure 2a Block diagram;

[0047] Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of a hair care appliance according to the present invention;

[0048] Figure 4a shows a schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of a hair care appliance according to the present invention;

[0049] Figure 4b Shown Figure 4a Block diagram;

[0050] Figure 5a a first view showing a schematic diagram of an attachment of a fifth embodiment; and

[0051] Figure 5b Shown Figure 5b Another view of the diagram. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Figure 1a There is schematically shown a first embodiment of a hair care appliance 10 and an external accessory 16. The hair care appliance 10 comprises a main body 12 and an accessory 14 releasably attachable to the main body 12.

[0053] Body 12 includes a handle portion 18 , a head 20 , an airflow generator 22 , a heater 24 , a user interface 26 , a haptic device 27 , a controller 28 , a drive motor 30 , and a clutch 32 .

[0054] The handle portion 18 is generally cylindrical and hollow in form and houses the air flow generator 22. The handle portion 18 has an air inlet 38 at a first end 40 of the handle portion 18 in the form of a plurality of perforations.

[0055] The head 20 is generally cylindrical and hollow in form and is disposed at the second end 42 of the handle portion 18, with the central axis of the head 20 being orthogonal to the central axis of the handle portion 18, such that the body 12 is generally T-shaped. The head 20 houses the heater 24, the controller 28, the drive motor 30, and the clutch 32. The head 20 includes a bore 44 through which air is entrained, and a flow path toward an air outlet 46. The air outlet 46 is generally annular around the periphery of the bore 44. The head 20 also includes an annular magnet (not shown) for releasably connecting the handle unit 12 to the accessory 14. The annular magnet is positioned around the circumference of the air outlet 46. The head 20 includes a protrusion 48 extending into the bore 44, wherein the drive motor 30 is retained within the bore 44 by the protrusion 48.

[0056] A user interface 26 is provided on the handle portion 18 and includes an electronic interface having controls to turn the device on and off and to control one or both of the temperature and flow rate of the air flow.

[0057] The haptic device 27 is positioned within the handle portion 18 and comprises an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) actuator that causes the handle portion to vibrate.

[0058] The controller 28 is responsible for controlling the airflow generator 22, the heater 24, the haptic device 27, the drive motor 30, and the clutch 32. For example, in response to input from the user interface 26, the controller 28 is configured to power the airflow generator 22 and / or the heater 24 on and off. In addition, the controller 28 is configured to control the power or speed of the airflow generator 22 to change the flow rate of the airflow. Similarly, the controller 28 is configured to control the power of the heater 24 to change the temperature of the airflow. The controller 28 also controls the haptic device 27 and the drive motor 30 in response to sensed information from the sensor arrangement 68, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0059] The user interface 26 or head 20 may also include a control to instruct the controller 28 to enter a user override mode and not control any of the airflow generator 22, heater 24, drive motor 30, and clutch 32 in response to the sensor arrangement 36. In such a user override mode, the user may manually control features of the accessory 14, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0060] The drive motor 30 is capable of driving a load at a speed within a range of 200-600 rpm. The drive motor 30 comprises any suitable motor, whether brushed or brushless, for applying rotational force to the output of the drive motor 30. The clutch 32 extends substantially coaxially with the central longitudinal axis of the bore 44. The clutch 32 is a connection mechanism for connecting the drive motor 30 to the accessory 14. The clutch 32 is configured to selectively disconnect the drive motor 30 from the accessory 14 in response to a command from the controller 28, thereby protecting the drive motor 30.

[0061] The attachment 14 is a concentrator and comprises an inlet body 50 , a nozzle 52 , an outlet body 54 , a further drive motor 56 , a light source 58 and a sensor arrangement 60 .

[0062] The inlet body 50 is generally annular and includes a magnetic strip (not shown) to magnetically couple with the head 20 at the air outlet 46. The inlet body 50 includes an annular inlet (not shown) that is fluidly connected to the air outlet 46 when the accessory is attached to the head 20.

[0063] The nozzle 52 is substantially hollow and tapers from the inlet body 50 at a first end toward the outlet end of the nozzle 52. The nozzle 52 is coupled to the inlet body 50 by a track, which allows the nozzle 52 to rotate relative to the concentrator body 50 about an axis of rotation R, which corresponds to the axis of rotation of the output of the drive motor 30. The nozzle 52 can thus be rotated between a plurality of different configurations.

[0064] The nozzle 52 has a rigid member 64 that extends rearwardly from the nozzle 52 and through the inlet body 50 such that the rigid member 64 protrudes rearwardly from the inlet body 50. The rigid member 64 has a length and a connecting member (not shown) that enables the rigid member to be releasably coupled to the clutch 32 (and therefore to the drive motor 30) when the accessory 14 is attached to the body 12.

[0065] The outlet end of the nozzle 52 includes an opening within which the outlet body 54 is located. The outlet body 54 is generally cylindrical and hollow, and includes a first slot 62 and a second slot 66. The first slot 62 is in fluid communication with the nozzle 52 and is located on the outlet body 66 approximately opposite the second slot 66. The second slot 66 defines the air outlet for the accessory 14. One or both of the first slot 62 and the second slot 66 may have an adjustable width. In this example, another drive motor 56 drives a blocking member (not shown) to widen or narrow one or both of the first slot 62 and the second slot 66.

[0066] The outlet body 54 is rotatably mounted in the outlet end of the nozzle by a rotation gear mechanism (not shown), wherein the outlet body 54 is rotatable about an axis of rotation S that is orthogonal to the axis of rotation R of the nozzle 52 .

[0067] Another drive motor 56 is mounted inside the nozzle 52 and its output is coupled to a rotary gear mechanism so that the other drive motor 56 can cause the outlet body 54 to rotate relative to the nozzle 52. The other drive motor 56 communicates with the controller 28.

[0068] Light source 58 comprises an LED that forms part of a position sensing system for external accessory 16. Light source 58 is mounted on inlet body 50 at a location toward the area of inlet body 50 coupled to air outlet 46. Light source 58 is configured to emit light of a known wavelength toward external accessory 16.

[0069] Sensor arrangement 60 includes a light sensor 68 mounted on inlet body 50 and a temperature sensor 70 mounted within nozzle 52. Examples are also contemplated in which light sensor 68 is mounted on nozzle 52 (and thus rotates with nozzle 52). Light sensor 68 is configured to sense the wavelength and intensity of light from light source 58 reflected by a target 72 on external accessory 16. For example, light sensor 68 may be a photoresistor or a photodiode. Temperature sensor 70 takes a temperature reading of the airflow within the nozzle. Light sensor 68 and temperature sensor 70 communicate separately with controller 28 (e.g., wirelessly, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RF, or wired) to transmit their respective sensed values.

[0070] The external accessory 16 is a comb having attached thereto a target 72. The target 72 is formed of a light reflective material.

[0071] Figure 1b is a block diagram illustrating the connections of the various components described above and their corresponding connections during use of the hair care appliance 10. Upon activation of the hair care appliance 10 (via a user inputting a command to the user interface 26), the controller 28 controls the airflow generator 22 to draw air through the air inlet 38, through the handle portion 18, and into the head 20. The airflow travels over the heater 24 and out of the air outlet 46 into the attachment 14 attached to the body 12. The airflow then travels through the attachment 24 and exits the second slot 66.

[0072] While generating the airflow, the controller 28 controls the light source 58 to emit light of different wavelengths at different angles relative to the light source 58 (for example, light in the red spectrum may be emitted between 45° and 90°, and light in the blue spectrum may be emitted between 91° and 135°). When the user manipulates the external accessory 16 relative to the hair care appliance 10, light of different wavelengths illuminates the target 72 depending on the relative angle between the target and the light source 58, and the light is reflected by the target 72. The light sensor 68 of the sensor arrangement 60 detects the wavelength and intensity of the received reflected light and transmits these values to the controller 28.

[0073] The controller 28 then determines the angle of the external accessory 16 relative to the light sensor based on the wavelength of the received reflected light. Using this determined relative angle, the controller 28 instructs the drive motor 30 and the further drive motor 56 to rotate the nozzle 52 and the outlet body 54, respectively. In this way, the airflow passing through the second slot 66 is directed to the determined relative angle of the external accessory 16. The controller 28 can further control the haptic device 27 to vibrate the handle portion 18 based on the determined relative angle. For example, if the controller determines that the relative angle is above or below an angle range, such as between 20 degrees in either direction from the rotation axis R, the controller 28 can control the haptic device 27 to vibrate.

[0074] Controller 28 also receives an intensity value for the reflected light. Controller 28 uses this value to calculate the distance between target 68 and sensor arrangement 36. Based on the calculated distance, controller 28 controls one or both of airflow generator 22 and heater 24 to change the airflow velocity and / or temperature, respectively. For example, if controller 28 determines that the calculated distance is below a preset threshold distance, such as 15 cm, controller 28 reduces the temperature and air velocity. Alternatively or additionally, if controller 28 determines that the calculated distance is below a preset threshold distance (e.g., 15 cm), controller 28 instructs another drive motor 56 to widen first slot 62 and / or second slot 66 to reduce the velocity of the airflow.

[0075] Instead of allowing the controller 28 to control the direction of the airflow from the accessory based on the sensor readings, the user can select a user override mode on the user interface 26. When the user override mode is selected, the controller 28 can instruct the clutch 32 to disengage from the rigid member 64 of the nozzle 52 and de-energize the light source 58 and the sensor arrangement 36. Alternatively, in the user override mode, the clutch 32 can still engage with the rigid member 64 of the nozzle 52, but the user can manually control the movement of the nozzle and / or the outlet body 54 via the user interface 26, rather than the controller 28 controlling the movement of the nozzle 52 and / or the outlet body 54. This can still allow for directional airflow, but here the direction is user-controlled rather than automatically controlled.

[0076] exist Figure 1a and 1b In the embodiment of the present invention, any one of the nozzle 52 and the outlet body 54 can be considered a movable member that moves in response to the determined position and orientation of the external accessory 16. The combination of the controller 28 and the drive motor 30 can be considered a control mechanism. Other embodiments of the hair care appliance having an attachment having a movable member that is driven in response to a sensed parameter are also contemplated.

[0077] Figure 2a There is shown a second embodiment of a hair care appliance 100. The hair care appliance 100 comprises a main body 101 and an attachment 103. An external accessory 105 is also shown.

[0078] The body 101 is substantially similar to the body 12 of the above-described embodiment of the hair care appliance 10 .

[0079] The accessory 103 is also substantially similar to the accessory 14 of the above-described embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the accessory 103 has a different sensor arrangement 106 , which includes a temperature sensor 107 and a magnetic flux sensor 108 .

[0080] A temperature sensor 107 is mounted within the nozzle 52 and is configured to sense the temperature of the airflow within the nozzle 52. A magnetic flux sensor 108 is mounted on the nozzle 52 toward the outlet end and is positioned substantially above the midpoint of the outlet body 54. The magnetic flux sensor 108 is configured to detect changes in the magnetic field generated by an external accessory, which will be discussed in detail below. Both the magnetic flux sensor 108 and the temperature sensor 107 of the sensor arrangement 106 individually transmit their respective sensed values to the controller 28 via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RF communication, or wired communication.

[0081] The external accessory 105 includes a retrofittable magnet, in this case a magnetic strip 110 , which is attached to the external accessory 105 with adhesive tape.

[0082] Figure 2b is a block diagram illustrating the connections of the various components described above and their corresponding connections during use of the hair care appliance 100. Upon activation of the hair care appliance 100 (via a user inputting a command to the user interface 26), the controller 28 controls the airflow generator 22 to draw air through the handle portion 18 and into the head 20 via the air inlet 38. The airflow travels over the heater 24 and from the air outlet 46 into the attachment 103. The airflow then travels through the attachment 24 and exits the second slot 66.

[0083] Airflow is generated when the user manipulates the external accessory 105 relative to the hair care appliance 100. The sensor arrangement 106 and controller 28 operate in essentially the same manner as the first embodiment, except that in this example, the sensor arrangement 106 detects magnetic flux readings (as opposed to reflected light) from the magnet 110 within the external accessory 105. In this example, the sensor arrangement 106 measures the field strength in three directions and, from this, determines the flux angle. Based on the flux angle and using the Pythagorean theorem, the direction-independent magnitude of the field is then calculated.

[0084] Controller 28 then determines the relative position and orientation of external accessory 105 by comparing the determined values to a preprogrammed lookup table that converts the sensed flux angle and field amplitude into the relative position and orientation of external accessory 105. In some examples, the controller may use a formula approximation of the lookup table or a machine learning algorithm to determine the relative position and orientation of external accessory 105.

[0085] Using this determined relative distance and orientation, the controller 28 instructs the drive motor 30 and the further drive motor 56 to rotate the nozzle 52 and the outlet body 54, respectively. In this manner, the airflow through the second slot 66 is directed to the determined relative position and orientation of the outer accessory 105. As described above, the controller 28 can further control the slots 62, 66 to vary the velocity of the airflow; and / or the haptic device 27 to vibrate the handle portion 18.

[0086] Furthermore, as described above, based on the sensed distance, the controller 28 controls one or both of the airflow generator 22 and the heater 24 to vary the airflow velocity and / or temperature.

[0087] exist Figure 2a and 2b In the embodiment of the present invention, any one of the nozzle 52 and the outlet body 54 can be considered a movable component that moves in response to the determined position and orientation of the external accessory 16. The combination of the controller 28 and the drive motor 30 can be considered a control mechanism. Other embodiments of the hair care appliance having an attachment having a movable member that is driven in response to a sensed parameter are also contemplated.

[0088] The third embodiment of the hair care appliance 200 is Figure 3 As shown in the block diagram.

[0089] The hair care appliance 200 comprises a main body 201 and an attachment 203. Both the main body 201 and the attachment 203 are substantially similar to the second embodiment described above. However, in this embodiment, the sensor arrangement 206 is mounted within the main body 201 rather than on the attachment.

[0090] The sensor arrangement 206 includes a nine-degree-of-freedom sensor, which is a combination of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer, and senses position and orientation in space. The sensor arrangement 206 transmits the sensed position and orientation in space to the controller 28 via a wired connection within the body 201.

[0091] In this embodiment, the external accessory 205 also includes another sensor arrangement 208, which is a nine-degree-of-freedom sensor. The other sensor arrangement 208 senses the position and orientation of the external accessory 205 in space. The other sensor arrangement 208 is configured to transmit the position and orientation of the external accessory 205 in space to the controller 28.

[0092] When the hair care appliance 200 is activated (by a user inputting a command to the user interface 26), the controller 28 controls the air flow generator 22 to draw air flow through the air inlet 38 in the same manner as described above.

[0093] Airflow is generated when the user manipulates the external accessory 205 relative to the hair care appliance 200. Sensor arrangement 206 and another sensor arrangement 208 transmit the positions of the hair care appliance 200 and the external accessory to controller 28. Controller 28 applies a Kalman filter to the sensed position of the external accessory 205 to account for small user movements. Controller 28 then calculates the relative distance and orientation of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance 200. Using this determined relative distance and orientation, controller 28 instructs drive motor 30 and another drive motor 56 to rotate nozzle 52 and outlet body 54, respectively. In this manner, airflow through second slot 66 is directed to the determined relative position and orientation of external accessory 205. As discussed in the above embodiments, controller 28 can further control slots 62, 66 to vary the velocity of the airflow and / or haptic device 27 to vibrate handle portion 18.

[0094] Furthermore, similar to the embodiments discussed above, the controller 28 also controls the heater 24 and the airflow generator 22 to vary the temperature and velocity of the airflow.

[0095] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present invention, any one of the nozzle 52 and the outlet body 54 can be considered a movable member that moves in response to the determined position and orientation of the external accessory 16. The combination of the controller 28 and the drive motor 30 can be considered a control mechanism. Other embodiments of the hair care appliance having an attachment having a movable member that is driven in response to a sensed parameter are also contemplated.

[0096] Figures 1a to 3 The accessories can be interchangeable on the same body. That is, the controller 28 can be capable of receiving sensed parameters from any of the above-mentioned sensor arrangements (including combinations thereof).

[0097] exist Figure 4a and 4b A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 4a A first embodiment of a hair care appliance 300 and an external accessory 302 is schematically shown. Figure 4b A block diagram of components of a hair care appliance 300 and an external accessory 302 is shown.

[0098] As in the above embodiments, the hair care appliance 300 includes a main body 304 and an accessory 306 releasably attached to the main body 304 .

[0099] The main body 304 includes a handle portion 308, a head 310, an airflow generator 312, a heater 314, a user interface 316, and a main body controller 318. The main body 304 has a similar structural arrangement to the above-described embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the main body 304 does not include a drive motor within the hole 326.

[0100] A user interface 316 is provided on the handle portion 308 and includes an electronic interface with controls to turn the device on and off and to control one or both of the temperature and flow rate of the airflow. A controller 318 is responsible for controlling the airflow generator 312 and the heater 314 in response to user input through the user interface 316.

[0101] The attachment 306 is a concentrator and includes an inlet body 330 , a nozzle 332 , an outlet body 334 , a first drive motor 336 and another drive motor 338 , an attachment controller 340 , and a sensor arrangement 342 .

[0102] The inlet body 330 is generally annular and includes a magnetic strip (not shown) to magnetically couple with the head 310 at the air outlet 328. The inlet body 330 includes an annular inlet (not shown) that is fluidly connected to the air outlet 328 when the accessory is attached to the head 310. The inlet body 330 includes a first drive motor 336 that couples the inlet body 330 and the nozzle 332.

[0103] The first drive motor 336 includes a first rotation gear mechanism such that the first drive motor 336 can cause the nozzle 332 to rotate relative to the inlet body 330 about the rotation axis R. The first drive motor 336 is in communication with the attachment controller 340 .

[0104] The nozzle 332 is substantially hollow and tapers from the inlet body 330 at a first end toward the outlet end of the nozzle 332. The nozzle 332 is coupled to the inlet body 330 by a track, which allows the nozzle 332 to rotate relative to the concentrator body 330 about the rotation axis R when driven by a first drive motor 336. The nozzle 332 can thus be rotated between a plurality of different configurations.

[0105] The outlet end of the nozzle 332 includes an opening, within which an outlet body 334 is positioned. The outlet body 334 is generally cylindrical and hollow, and includes a first slot 342 and a second slot 346. The first slot 342 is in fluid communication with the nozzle 332 and is generally located on the outlet body 346 opposite the second slot 346. The second slot 346 defines an air outlet for the attachment 306. The outlet body 334 is rotatably mounted within the outlet end of the nozzle via a second rotary gear mechanism (not shown), wherein the outlet body 334 is rotatable about an axis of rotation S, which is orthogonal to the axis of rotation R of the nozzle 332.

[0106] Another drive motor 338 is mounted inside the nozzle 332 and its output is coupled to a rotary gear mechanism so that the other drive motor 338 can cause the outlet body 334 to rotate relative to the nozzle 332. The other drive motor 338 communicates with an attachment controller 340.

[0107] The accessory controller 340 is housed within the nozzle 332 and communicates with the first drive motor 336 and the other drive motor 338 (e.g., wirelessly, such as via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RF communication, or wired communication). The accessory controller 340 controls the rotation of the first drive motor 336 and the other drive motor 338 based on information from the sensor arrangement 342, which will be discussed in detail below. Furthermore, the main body controller 318 and the accessory controller 340 communicate wirelessly.

[0108] Sensor arrangement 342 includes a nine-degree-of-freedom sensor, which is a combination of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer, and senses the position and orientation in space of accessory 306. Sensor arrangement 342 transmits the sensed position and orientation in space to accessory controller 340.

[0109] In this embodiment, external accessory 302 also includes another sensor arrangement 344, which is a nine-degree-of-freedom sensor. Another sensor arrangement 344 senses the position and orientation of external accessory 302 in space. Another sensor arrangement 344 is configured to communicate the position and orientation of external accessory 302 in space to accessory controller 340.

[0110] Figure 4b3 is a block diagram illustrating the connections of the various components described above and their corresponding connections during use of the hair care appliance 300. Upon activation of the hair care appliance 300 (via a user inputting a command to the user interface 316), the body controller 318 controls the airflow generator 312 to draw air through the body 304 to the attachment 306 and out of the second slot 346, as described above. The body controller 318 also sends a command to the attachment controller 340 to activate the sensor arrangement 342.

[0111] While generating airflow, the user manipulates the external accessory 302 relative to the hair care appliance 300. The sensor arrangement 342 and the further sensor arrangement 344 transmit the positions of the hair care appliance 200 and the external accessory to the accessory controller 340. The accessory controller 340 is then able to calculate the relative distance and orientation of the external accessory relative to the accessory 306. Using this determined relative distance and orientation, the accessory controller 340 instructs the drive motor 336 and the further drive motor 338 to rotate the nozzle 332 and the outlet body 334, respectively. In this manner, the airflow through the second slot 346 is directed to the determined relative position and orientation of the external accessory 302.

[0112] Similarly, for the first embodiment, the user can activate the user override mode via the user interface 316. When the user override mode is activated, the controller 240 instructs the sensor and the further sensor arrangement 342, 344 to de-energize and then stops controlling the drive motors 336, 338 to rotate the nozzle 332 and the outlet body 334 so that the hair care appliance can be used without airflow directed at the outer accessory 302.

[0113] exist Figure 4a and 4b In the embodiment of the present invention, any one of the nozzle 332 and the outlet body 334 can be considered as a movable member that moves in response to the determined position and orientation of the external accessory 302. The drive motors 336, 338 serve as a control mechanism for directing the airflow. In addition, although the sensor arrangement of the fourth embodiment is described as using a nine-degree-of-freedom sensor, any of the sensor arrangements described in the first to third embodiments can be used in conjunction with an accessory having a controller. Although not shown, Figure 4a and Figure 4b Embodiments may include a haptic device and an adjustable slot, as described with reference to Figures 1a to 3 The embodiments are described in detail.

[0114] The fifth embodiment is substantially the same as the fourth embodiment except that the attachment 306 includes a valve arrangement 500 in place of the first drive motor. Figure 5a and 5b As shown in Figure 5a and 5b Accessory 306 is shown separately. Figure 5a FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the attachment 306 viewed along the rotational axis R. The valve arrangement 500 includes a plurality of valves 502 equally spaced around a blocking element 504 between the inlet body and the nozzle 332. The attachment controller 340 is configured to selectively open and close these valves 502. The open valve position dictates the flow path within the nozzle 332 toward the outlet of the second slot 346. This air flow through the blocking element 504 impacts the interior of the nozzle and exerts a force thereon. Because the nozzle 332 is rotatably coupled to the concentrator body 330, the force causes the nozzle 332 to rotate so that the airflow from the blocking element 504 aligns with the outlet of the second slot 346. For example, if the second slot 342 rotates clockwise relative to the open valve 502 in the blocking element 504, air will be redirected clockwise from the blocking element 504 to the second slot 342 within the nozzle 332. This air direction generates a counterclockwise reaction force on the nozzle 332, causing it to rotate counterclockwise. This rotation will continue until the second slot 346 aligns with the open valve 502 in the blocking element 504. At this point, the air will no longer be redirected and there will be no reaction force to rotate the nozzle 332.

[0115] The valve arrangement may also be used in combination with any of the sensor arrangements described above in any of the first to fourth embodiments.

[0116] The above embodiments should be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Other embodiments of the present invention are contemplated. For example, in the first embodiment, the light source is described as being mounted on an accessory. In other embodiments, the light source may be mounted on an external accessory or on the main body. In any of these locations, the light source is configured so that the emitted light is directed in the same direction as the air flow from the main body's outlet. Furthermore, the light source may be pulsed on and off (or have varying intensity) instead of emitting a constant light.

[0117] Any of the above-described sensor arrangements can include multiple different sensors and different sensor combinations. For example, some embodiments can combine a light sensor and a magnetic sensor. The controller can be configured to determine the relative position and orientation of the external accessory by averaging the different sensor readings. In addition, examples are contemplated in which the accessory or body includes a combination of the above-described sensor arrangements. In these examples, the controller can include different sensor modes for different external accessories. Thus, the user can select the sensor mode via a user interface, or the controller can automatically detect the accessory type and select the associated mode.

[0118] While the above-described accessories have been described as rotating on two axes, embodiments are also envisioned in which the movable member or members are omitted, such that the accessory has only a single axis of rotation.

[0119] It should be understood that any feature described with respect to any embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment, or in any combination of any other embodiment. In addition, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hair care device comprising: an airflow generator for generating an airflow; an air outlet for emitting an air flow from the hair care appliance; a sensor configured to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of an external accessory relative to the hair care appliance; and A control mechanism is configured to control a parameter of the air flow at the air outlet based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

2. The hair care appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism comprises a movable member movable between a first position and a second position to achieve at least one of the following: directing airflow in a first direction or a second direction, respectively; and Air flow is provided at the air outlet at respective first and second velocities.

3. The hair care appliance of claim 2, wherein the movable member is rotatable between the first position and the second position.

4. The hair care appliance of claim 3, wherein the control mechanism comprises a valve arrangement including a plurality of valves spaced about the movable member, wherein the air flow flows through the valve arrangement to the outlet; and wherein the control mechanism is configured to selectively actuate one or more of the plurality of valves based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory such that airflow through the movable member causes rotation between the first position and the second position based on actuation of the plurality of valves.

5. The hair care appliance of claim 3, wherein the control mechanism comprises a motor configured to move the movable member between the first position and the second position.

6. The hair care appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the outlet comprises a further movable member configured to move the direction of the airflow exiting the outlet between a third direction and a fourth direction, the third direction and the fourth direction being in a different plane than the first direction and the second direction.

7. The hair care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sensor comprises at least one magnetic sensor configured to interact with the magnetic field of the external accessory to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance.

8. The hair care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sensor comprises an electromagnetic detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves from the external accessory.

9. The hair care appliance of claim 8, wherein the hair care appliance comprises a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic waves toward the external accessory.

10. The hair care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sensor comprises a position sensor configured to communicate with another position sensor in the external accessory to determine the position of the external accessory relative to the hair care appliance.

11. The hair care appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a controller configured to: receiving one or more of a position and an orientation of the external accessory from the sensor; comparing one or more of the position and the orientation to corresponding one or more of predetermined positions and predetermined orientations to determine a distance between the one or more of the position and the orientation and the corresponding one or more of the predetermined positions and predetermined orientations; and If the determined distance is above a predetermined threshold, controlling the movable member between the first position and the second position; or If the determined distance is below a predetermined threshold, the movable member is maintained.

12. The hair care appliance of claim 11, wherein the controller further controls a haptic device in a handle of the hair care appliance to provide haptic feedback based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

13. A hair care appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hair care appliance comprises a main body housing the air flow generator and heater, and an accessory releasably connected to the main body, and The accessory defines the air outlet, and the accessory includes at least one of the sensor and the control mechanism.

14. The hair care appliance of claim 13 , wherein the attachment comprises a device for transmitting one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory to the main body, and wherein the control mechanism controls one or more of the heater temperature and the airflow generator speed based on one or more of the position and orientation of the external accessory.

15. The hair care appliance of any preceding claim, wherein the hair care appliance further comprises a user controllable interface to override or vary control of parameters of the air flow at the air outlet.

16. An attachment for a hair care appliance, wherein the attachment comprises: an inlet for receiving an airflow, and an outlet for directing the airflow toward the user's hair; a sensor configured to sense one or more of a position and an orientation of the external accessory relative to the accessory, A control mechanism is configured to control a parameter of the air flow at the air outlet based on one or more of the sensed position or orientation of the external accessory.

17. An external accessory for use with a hair care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or an attachment according to claim 16.

18. The external accessory of claim 17, wherein the external accessory comprises a target, the target comprising at least one of: a magnet for generating a magnetic field to interact with the accessory; an electromagnetic wave source, configured to emit electromagnetic waves toward the attachment; an electromagnetic wave reflector, for reflecting electromagnetic waves toward the attachment; and A position sensor is configured to communicate with the accessory.

19. The external accessory of claim 18, wherein the target is coupled to a body of the external accessory, and the external accessory comprises a removable styling head.

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