Dryer

Abstract

To provide a dryer that further reduces noise during use.SOLUTION: A dryer (1 or 100) according to the present invention comprises: a base (20 or 120); a handle (10 or 110); a housing (30 or 130) comprising a suction port for gas in an axial direction of the handle (10 or 110); and a nozzle (40 or 140) connected to the housing (30 or 130), and comprising a discharge port (42out or 140out) for the gas. The housing (30 or 130) is provided on one surface side of the base (20 or 120). The handle (10 or 110) is provided on the other surface side of the base (20 or 120).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dryer. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, particularly in hair dryers, a housing has gas intake ports on both the left and right sides, and gas flows in through the left and right intake ports. Air is generated by an impeller installed inside, and hot or cold air is then discharged from an exhaust port provided at the tip of a nozzle connected to the housing.

[0003] In this type of dryer, in order to satisfy the demand for further improving the air volume performance of hot or cold air discharged from the nozzle, a dryer has been proposed which includes a housing member provided with an inlet port for drawing in gas from an opening at the top, a gas flow member, an air guide member, and a rotating means member (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2020-503120 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, although the air volume of the dryer of Patent Document 1 was improved to some extent, there was a demand for further improvement in noise generated during use of the dryer.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dryer that reduces noise during use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problems are solved by the present invention, which is described below. That is, the dryer of the present invention includes a base, a handle, a housing having a gas suction port in the axial direction of the handle, and a nozzle connected to the housing and having a gas exhaust port, the housing being provided on one side of the base, and the handle being provided on the other side of the base. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the nozzle side. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from a housing side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the base side. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing configurations of a base and a handle of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the configuration of the dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a left side view showing a configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a right side view showing a configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a top view showing a configuration of a dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the configuration of the dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the nozzle side. [Figure 12]FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the housing side. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the base side and the handle side. [Figure 14] 5A and 5B are perspective views showing configurations of a base and a handle of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of a lower housing main body in a housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of an upper housing main body in a housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 13A and 13B are a plan view and a perspective view showing the external structure of a lower housing main body in a housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the handle side. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the configuration of a dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] <First embodiment of the present invention> Next, a first embodiment for carrying out the dryer 1 according to the present invention will be illustrated with the attached drawings. The first embodiment illustrated below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. The present invention can be modified or improved from the first embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in these attached drawings, the dimensions of each member may be exaggerated or reduced, or hatching may be omitted, in order to facilitate understanding and from the viewpoint of ease of viewing.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the nozzle 40 side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the housing 30 side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the base 20 side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configurations (A) and (B) of the base 20 and the handle 10 of the dryer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5 to 10 are a front view, a rear view, a left side view, a right side view, a top view, and a bottom view showing the configuration of the dryer 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] <Dryer> 1 to 10, the dryer 1 includes a handle 10, a base 20, a housing 30, and a nozzle 40. In the following, the dryer 1 will be described as being normally used by a user with the handle 10 disposed below the base 20 and the housing 30 and the nozzle 40 disposed above the base 20.

[0012] In addition, the up and down directions of the dryer 1 are defined when the handle 10 is positioned below the base 20 and the housing 30 and nozzle 40 are positioned above the base 20, and the handle side on which the handle 10 is positioned relative to the base 20 is defined as the "other side," "bottom side," or "lower side" of the base 20, and the housing side on which the housing 30 is positioned relative to the base 20 is defined as the "one side," "top side," or "upper side" of the base 20.

[0013] In addition, in the dryer 1, the discharge port 42out side of the nozzle 40 is defined as the "front side" of the dryer 1, and the opposite side of the housing 30 from the nozzle 40 is defined as the "rear side" of the dryer 1. Furthermore, the right side when the dryer 1 is viewed from the front side is simply referred to as the "right side," and the left side when the dryer 1 is viewed from the front side is simply referred to as the "left side." The internal structure of the dryer 1 is omitted in Figures 1 to 3.

[0014] <Handle> The handle 10 of the dryer 1 is a part that a user holds with his / her hand when using the dryer 1, and is a rod-shaped member of a predetermined length made of metal, resin, etc. Although not shown, the handle 10 is equipped with operating parts such as a power switch and an operating switch.

[0015] The handle 10 has a circular or elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the central portion of the handle 10 has an outer shape that is more bulging than both ends in the vertical direction. The handle 10 is attached integrally to the base 20. However, this is not limited thereto, and the handle 10 may be attached to the base 20 in a detachable manner, or may be attached in a foldable manner.

[0016] <Bass> 4, the base 20 of the dryer 1 is a member on which the housing 30 and the nozzle 40 are placed. The base 20 has a curved planar shape, specifically, a horseshoe shape when viewed from above. The base 20 is a plate-like member having a predetermined thickness, and is made of metal, resin, or the like.

[0017] The base 20 has an upper end surface (hereinafter referred to as the "upper end surface") 20a large enough to accommodate the entire housing 30 and also the introduction portion 41, which is a part of the nozzle 40 on the housing 30 side.

[0018] Further, on a lower end surface (hereinafter referred to as the "lower end surface") 20b of the base 20, a handle 10 is attached at a predetermined position closer to the outlet 42out of the nozzle 40 than the center of the lower end surface 20b. The detailed positional relationship of the handle 10 in the dryer 1 will be described later.

[0019] The base 20 accommodates electronic components (not shown) such as an impeller 33 provided in the internal space of the housing 30 and a circuit board and a power supply circuit that are electrically connected to a heater (not shown) provided in the internal space of the nozzle 40.

[0020] <Housing> The housing 30 of the dryer 1 is a cylindrical member made of metal, resin, etc. The housing 30 has a cylindrical housing main body 31 and an outlet portion 32 integrally joined with the housing main body 31.

[0021] Housing body 31 has an opening 31h with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of housing body 31 on the upper side opposite handle 10. Opening 31h of housing body 31 is a suction port that draws in gas (air) from the upper side.

[0022] The opening 31h is formed integrally with the three spokes 31u, and gas flows in through the gaps between the three spokes 31u. The three spokes 31u extend across the opening 31h. A mesh-like member (not shown) is attached to the opening 31h to prevent fingers from getting between the three spokes 31u.

[0023] An impeller 33 is provided in the internal space of the housing main body 31. In this embodiment, the impeller 33 is a so-called sirocco fan. By the rotation of the impeller 33, gas flows from the outside into the inside of the housing main body 31 through the opening 31h and is converted into a fluid (hereinafter referred to as a gas flow or wind) having a predetermined level of wind pressure and air volume.

[0024] The impeller 33 rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from above in Fig. 1. Therefore, the wind generated by the impeller 33 inside the housing body 31 advances in a clockwise direction along the side surface (inner circumferential surface) that forms the interior of the housing body 31 toward the nozzle 40. The impeller 33 is accommodated in the internal space of the housing body 31 in a state where it is integrated with an outer rotor type brushless motor (not shown).

[0025] Here, the sirocco fan used as the impeller 33 has a plurality of blades arranged in the rotation direction and a bottom portion that holds the plurality of blades. The sirocco fan has a plurality of elongated blades attached to the bottom portion in a cylindrical shape, and has a space formed inside the plurality of blades. However, the impeller 33 is not limited to this, and impellers of various other configurations may be used, such as an impeller having a plurality of propellers or a mixed-flow impeller in which a plurality of blades are attached to a bottom portion having an inclined surface.

[0026] The outlet section 32 of the housing 30 is a section that connects the housing body 31 and the nozzle 40 described below. This outlet section 32 is a section that outputs the wind generated by the rotation of the impeller 33 to the introduction section 41 of the nozzle 40 at a predetermined level of wind pressure and volume by passing through the internal space of the housing body 31 approximately one revolution.

[0027] The outlet portion 32 is formed to have a size and shape that allows the wind generated by the rotation of the impeller 33 to be delivered to the downstream nozzle 40 without reducing the wind pressure and volume levels.

[0028] The outlet portion 32 is a cylindrical body integrated with the housing body 31. The outlet portion 32 has the same height as the housing body 31 in the up-down direction, and there is no large step at the boundary between the housing body 31 and the outlet portion 32, so that they are connected smoothly.

[0029] In addition, the outlet portion 32 has an end face (hereinafter referred to as the "outlet end face") 32a that is connected to the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40, and is joined to an end face (hereinafter referred to as the "introduction end face") 41a of the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40 described later.

[0030] The outlet end surface 32a of the outlet portion 32 and the inlet end surface 41a of the inlet portion 41 of the nozzle 40 have the same size and shape, so that the wind from the housing body 31 is guided to the inlet portion 41 of the nozzle 40 without leaking to the outside.

[0031] The outlet portion 32 is a part of the housing 30, and extends from a boundary line of a point 31p slightly below the most bulging top portion 31z (FIG. 10) of the housing body 31 toward the nozzle 40. This is because it is desired to make the circumferential length of the housing body 31 as long as possible in order to set the wind generated by the rotation of the impeller 33 to a predetermined level of wind pressure and volume.

[0032] Here, the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30 has an outer side surface 32c that is continuously connected in a straight line to the outer side surface 41c of the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40. That is, the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40 also has an outer side surface 41c that is continuously connected in a straight line to the outer side surface 32c of the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30. That is, the outer side surface 32c of the housing 30 extends in a straight line along the outer side surface 41c of the nozzle 40.

[0033] However, the outlet portion 32 is not limited to this, and as long as a predetermined level of air pressure and air volume can be achieved, the outlet portion 32 may be provided so as to be connected in a straight line to the most expanded top portion 31z of the housing body 31. In this case, the outer surface 31c of the housing body 31 will be continuously and smoothly connected to the outer surface 41c of the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40.

[0034] The housing body 31 and the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30 are fixed together by adhesion or the like while being placed on the base 20. That is, in the housing 30, the lower surface of the housing body 31 opposite the opening 31h is completely attached to the base 20, so that the lower side of the housing body 31 is blocked and gas can be sucked in from the upper opening 31h.

[0035] <Nozzle> The nozzle 40 is a cylindrical member made of resin or the like that heats the air flowing in from the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30 with a heater (not shown) provided in the internal space and discharges it to the outside as hot air.

[0036] The nozzle 40 has an introduction portion 41 connected to the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30, and a nozzle main body portion 42 integrally connected to the introduction portion 41. The introduction portion 41 has an end face (hereinafter referred to as the introduction end face) 41a that is coupled to the outlet end face 32a of the outlet portion 32 of the housing 30.

[0037] The introduction portion 41 has a cylindrical truncated cone shape or a cylindrical approximately truncated cone shape. The width of the introduction portion 41 gradually increases from the introduction end face 41a toward the nozzle body 42. The introduction portion 41 has an end face (hereinafter referred to as the opening end face) 41b having the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the opening end face 42a of the nozzle body 42 on the housing 30 side.

[0038] The nozzle body 42 is a cylindrical or approximately cylindrical member made of resin or the like, and has an outer surface 42c smoothly connected to the outer surface 41c of the introduction portion 41. The width of the nozzle body 42 gradually decreases from the opening end surface 42a toward the discharge port 42out. In other words, the diameter of the discharge port 42out is slightly smaller than the diameter of the opening end surface 42a of the nozzle body 42.

[0039] A heater (not shown) is housed in the internal space of the nozzle body 42. A mesh-like lid 44 is attached to the outlet 42out of the nozzle body 42.

[0040] In the nozzle 40, the entire introduction portion 41, which is a part of the nozzle 40, is placed on the base 20 and fixed thereon by adhesion or the like, but the nozzle main body 42 has an opening end surface 42a disposed outside the outer periphery of the base 20 and is not placed on the base 20. However, this is not limited thereto, and the opening end surface 42a of the nozzle main body 42 may be disposed inside the outer periphery of the base 20, and all or a part of the nozzle main body 42 may be placed on the base 20 and fixed thereon.

[0041] <Handle position> Incidentally, in the dryer 1, the handle 10 attached to the base 20 is disposed between the rotation shaft of the impeller 33 and the nozzle 40.

[0042] In reality, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the handle 10 is not positioned on the axis of the rotation axis X of the impeller 33, but is positioned at a predetermined position shifted from the rotation axis X of the impeller 33 toward the nozzle 40.

[0043] In the above configuration, the dryer 1 has the housing 30 having an opening 31h at the top fixed to the upper end surface 20a of the base 20, so that a one-sided suction structure can be realized in which the gas inlet is the opening 31h, as shown in Figure 2.

[0044] As a result, compared to conventional dryers in which gas flows in through openings on both the left and right sides, in the single-sided suction type dryer 1, the opening that radiates sound is open in a different direction from the direction facing the user, thereby achieving improved noise reduction around the opening 31h.

[0045] Furthermore, in the dryer 1, noise reduction around the base 20 on the rear side of the opening 31h in the housing 30 can be significantly improved.

[0046] Furthermore, the dryer 1 is configured so that the user can grip the handle 10 that is provided so as to extend vertically downward from the lower end surface 20b of the base 20 and use the dryer with the opening 31h of the housing 30 facing upward. This allows for a completely new exterior design that has never been seen before, and also allows for the realization of a dryer 1 that produces even less noise during use.

[0047] 10, in the dryer 1, the outer sides 31c, 32c of the housing 30 extend along the outer sides 41c, 42c of the nozzle 40. Specifically, the outer side 31c of the housing main body 31 of the housing 30 is continuously connected to the outer side 32c of the outlet portion 32, the outer side 32c of the outlet portion 32 is continuously connected to the outer side 41c of the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40, and the outer side 41c of the introduction portion 41 is continuously connected to the outer side 42c of the nozzle main body portion 42.

[0048] That is, in the dryer 1, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 9, the outer surface 31c of the housing main body 31 of the housing 30, the outer surface 32c of the outlet portion 32, the outer surface 41c of the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40, and the outer surface 42c of the nozzle main body 42 are continuously connected in a straight line, thereby realizing an overall unified appearance.

[0049] The dryer 1 also has a nozzle 40 provided on the base 20. Specifically, the nozzle 40 is attached in a state in which an introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40 is placed on an upper end surface 20a of the base 20. Therefore, the dryer 1 can be fixed in a stable state to the base 20 not only in terms of the housing 30 but also in terms of the nozzle 40.

[0050] In this case, in the dryer 1, compared to a case in which the nozzle main body 42 is placed on the base 20 in addition to the introduction part 41, only the introduction part 41 is attached to the base 20, so that the base 20 can be made smaller and lighter, thereby improving the operability for the user.

[0051] In the dryer 1, the handle 10 is disposed between the nozzle 40 and the rotation axis of the impeller 33 housed in the housing 30. This allows the handle 10 to be provided near the center of gravity of the dryer 1, so that the weight balance is excellent when the user holds the handle 10, improving ease of use during use.

[0052] <Second embodiment of the present invention> Next, a second embodiment for carrying out the dryer 100 according to the present invention will be illustrated with the attached drawings. The second embodiment illustrated below is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified or improved from the second embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, in these attached drawings, the dimensions of each member may be exaggerated or reduced, or hatching may be omitted, in order to facilitate understanding and from the viewpoint of ease of viewing.

[0053] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the nozzle 140 side. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the housing 130 side. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the dryer 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the base 120 side. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the configurations (A) and (B) of the base and handle of the dryer according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the lower housing body in the housing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the upper housing body in the housing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a plan view (A) and a perspective view (B) showing the external structure of the lower housing body in the housing according to the second embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the handle side. FIGS. 18 to 23 are a front view, a rear view, a left side view, a right side view, a top view, and a bottom view showing the configuration of the dryer 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] <Dryer> 11 to 23, the dryer 100 includes a handle 110, a base 120, a housing 130, an outlet portion 137, and a nozzle 140. In the following, a state in which the handle 110 is disposed below the base 120 and the housing 130, the outlet portion 137, and the nozzle 140 are disposed above the base 120 in this dryer 100 will be described as a normal usage mode by a user.

[0055] In addition, in the dryer 100, the up and down directions are defined when the handle 110 is positioned below the base 120, and the housing 130, the outlet portion 137, and the nozzle 140 are positioned above the base 120, and the handle side on which the handle 110 is positioned relative to the base 120 is referred to as the "other side," "bottom side," or "lower side" of the base 120, and the housing side on which the housing 130 is positioned relative to the base 120 is referred to as the "one side," "top side," or "upper side" of the base 120.

[0056] Also, in the dryer 100, the exhaust port 140out side of the nozzle 140 is defined as the "front side" of the dryer 100, and the opposite side of the housing 130 from the nozzle 140 is defined as the "rear side" of the dryer 100. Furthermore, the right side when the dryer 100 is viewed from the front side is simply referred to as the "right side," and the left side when the dryer 100 is viewed from the front side is simply referred to as the "left side."

[0057] <Handle> 11 to 13, the handle 110 of the dryer 100 is a part that a user holds with his / her hand when using the dryer 100, and is a rod-shaped member of a predetermined length made of metal, resin, or the like. Although not shown, the handle 110 is provided with operating parts such as a power switch and an operating switch, as in the first embodiment.

[0058] 14(A) and (B), handle 110 is integrally formed with base 120, and the cross section of handle 110 has an elliptical or approximately elliptical shape. Here, since handle 110 and base 120 are integrally formed, they may be collectively referred to as "base handle" 150.

[0059] The handle 110 of the base handle 150 gradually becomes thicker from the lower tip toward the upper base 120, and in particular, the middle part in the vertical direction (the center part in the illustrated example) is shaped to rise toward the front side. Note that the handle 110 becomes slightly thinner from the middle part (center part) toward the upper side.

[0060] The handle 110 of the base handle 150 is attached integrally to the base 120. However, this is not limited thereto, and the handle 110 may be attached detachably to the base 120, or may be attached in a foldable manner.

[0061] Furthermore, the cross section of the handle 110 of the base handle 150 has an elliptical or approximately elliptical shape, and the thickness of the handle is configured to change in the vertical direction, but this is not limited to this, and the cross section may be circular or polygonal, and the thickness of the handle 110 may be configured not to change in the vertical direction.

[0062] <Bass> 14(A) and (B), the base 120 of the base handle 150 is formed integrally with the handle 110, and has a generally truncated cone shape integrated with the upper end of the handle 110. As shown in FIG. 13, the base 120 is a member on which the central portion of the housing 130 and part of the lead-out portion 137 are placed, and is formed of metal, resin, or the like.

[0063] Base 120 is generally bowl-shaped, approximately in the shape of a truncated cone, and has a base main body 120a that bulges downward, and a wall 120w (hereinafter referred to as the "outer peripheral wall") that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of base main body 120a.

[0064] The base main body portion 120a of the base 120 has a smooth surface that gradually reduces in diameter from the outer peripheral wall portion 120w toward the handle 110, and is integrally joined to the upper end portion of the handle 110.

[0065] Four fitted portions 121a to 121d protruding upward from the edge of the outer peripheral wall portion 120w of the base 120 are integrally formed on the outer peripheral wall portion 120w of the base 120. The four fitted portions 121a to 121d are provided at regular intervals.

[0066] Four mating portions 121a to 121d provided on outer peripheral wall portion 120w of base 120 are adapted to mate with four claw portions 134a to 134d provided on wall portion 131w of lower housing main body 131 of housing 130 (FIG. 17) described later.

[0067] Outer peripheral wall 120w of base 120 and wall 131w of lower housing main body 131 have the same shape and are approximately the same size so that the inner surface of wall 131 can be in intimate contact with the outer surface of outer peripheral wall 120w.

[0068] As shown in Figures 19 to 21 and 23, the base 120 is large enough to fix the central portion of the lower housing main body 131 of the housing 130 in a position placed on the base main body portion 120a, and also to be able to place a portion of the lower lead-out portion 135 of the lead-out portion 137 formed integrally with the housing 130 (Figures 20 and 21).

[0069] Base body portion 120a of base 120 and lower housing body 131 of housing 130 (FIG. 17) are joined by fitting outer peripheral wall portion 120w of base 120 and wall portion 131w of lower housing body 131 (FIG. 17(B)).

[0070] In reality, the outer peripheral wall portion 120w of the base 120 fits inside the wall portion 131w of the lower housing main body 131, and at that time, the mating portions 121a to 121d of the outer peripheral wall portion 120w of the base 120 and the claw portions 134a to 134d of the wall portion 131w of the lower housing main body 131 are engaged with each other to be joined.

[0071] In addition, the base main body portion 120a of the base 120 accommodates electronic components (not shown) such as an impeller 133 provided in the internal space of the housing 130 and a heater (not shown) provided in the internal space of the nozzle 140, a circuit board, a power supply circuit, and the like that are electrically connected to the impeller 133 and the heater (not shown) provided in the internal space of the nozzle 140.

[0072] The base handle 150 has a structure in which the base 120 and the handle 110 are integrally formed, but this is not limited to this, and the base handle 150 may have various other structures, such as a structure in which the base 120 and the handle 110 are formed separately and then joined together, or a structure in which the base handle 150 is made up of two parts divided in the left and right directions and the two are joined together.

[0073] <Housing> 13, 15 to 17, the housing 130 of the dryer 100 is made of metal, resin, or the like, and is a member having a substantially cylindrical shape along the rotation axis X (FIGS. 20 and 21). The housing 130 is integrally formed with an outlet portion 137, and a nozzle 140 is integrally formed with the outlet portion 137.

[0074] The housing 130 has a structure integrated with the outlet portion 137 and the nozzle 140, but in reality, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, the housing 130, the outlet portion 137, and the nozzle 140 consist of an upper part and a lower part that are divided into two parts in the vertical direction, and are formed integrally by joining the two.

[0075] The lower parts of the housing 130, the lead-out portion 137, and the nozzle 140 are parts in which the lower part of the housing 130, the lower part of the lead-out portion 137, and the lower part of the nozzle 140 are integrated together. The upper parts of the housing 130, the lead-out portion 137, and the nozzle 140 are parts in which the upper part of the housing 130, the upper part of the lead-out portion 137, and the upper part of the nozzle 140 are integrated together. However, this is not limited to this, and the housing 130, the lead-out portion 137, and the nozzle 140 may each be formed separately, and the three may be joined together.

[0076] Housing 130 is composed of a housing body (hereinafter referred to as the "lower housing body") 131 (Figure 15) which corresponds to the lower part, and a housing body (hereinafter referred to as the "upper housing body") 132 (Figure 16) which corresponds to the upper part.

[0077] 17, housing 130 is integrally formed by bonding or fitting lower housing main body 131 and upper housing main body 132 together while overlapping them in the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to this, and housing 130 does not have to have a two-part structure of lower housing main body 131 and upper housing main body 132, but may have a single cylindrical structure.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 15, the lower housing body 131 is a lower portion when the housing 130 is cut at a position where it is upper and lower halves along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The lower housing body 131 has a lower holding portion (hereinafter, this will be referred to as the "lower holding portion") 131a. This lower holding portion 131a is formed in a cup shape having an inner circumferential surface slightly larger than the outer shape (outer diameter) of the impeller 133 (Figs. 11 and 12) housed in the internal space of the housing 130. In addition, the lower holding portion 131a has a curved (semi-spherical) outer surface 131c that is curved (approximately circular) in a plan view.

[0079] The lower holding portion 131a of the lower housing main body 131 is provided in its center with a circular flat portion 131b (hereinafter referred to as the "motor support portion") that supports a motor (not shown) for rotating the impeller 133.

[0080] The motor support portion 131b has a through hole 131bh for passing the motor wiring therethrough, and three female screw portions 131m for fixing the motor are provided around the through hole 131bh. The through hole 131bh is smaller in diameter than the motor.

[0081] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 16, upper housing body 132 is the upper portion when housing 130 is cut at a position where it is upper and lower halves along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. Upper housing body 132 has an upper holding portion (hereinafter, this will be referred to as "upper holding portion") 132a. This upper holding portion 132a is formed in a cup shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of impeller 133 (Figs. 11 and 12) housed in the internal space of housing 130.

[0082] The upper holding portion 132a has a curved (semispherical) outer surface 132c that is curved (substantially circular) in a plan view. The upper holding portion 132a of the upper housing body 132 and the lower holding portion 131a of the lower housing body 131 have the same shape and the same inner diameter.

[0083] Upper holding part 132a of upper housing body 132 has opening 132h having a size (diameter) smaller than the outer shape (outer diameter) of upper holding part 132a on the upper side opposite handle 110. Opening 132h of upper holding part 132a is a suction port that draws in gas from above.

[0084] The opening 132h of the upper holding part 132a is formed integrally with the three spokes 132u, and gas (air) flows in through gaps between the three spokes 132u. These three spokes 132u extend across the opening 132h. A mesh-like member (not shown) is attached to the opening 132h to prevent the user's fingers from entering between the three spokes 132u.

[0085] An impeller 133 is disposed in the internal space of the upper holding portion 132a. The impeller 133 is a so-called sirocco fan, similar to the first embodiment. Here, the impeller 133 is not limited to a sirocco fan, similar to the first embodiment, and impellers of various other configurations, such as a mixed-flow impeller, may be used.

[0086] In the dryer 100, gas (air) flows in from the outside through the opening 132h by the rotation of the impeller 133 disposed in the internal space of the housing 130 formed by combining the lower housing body 131 and the upper housing body 132, and is converted into a fluid (hereinafter referred to as gas flow or wind) having a predetermined level of wind pressure and air volume.

[0087] 11, the impeller 133 rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from above the housing 130. Therefore, the wind generated by the impeller 133 inside the housing 130 advances in a clockwise direction following the side surface (inner circumferential surface) that forms the internal space of the housing 130, and heads from the outlet portion 137 to the nozzle 140. The impeller 133 is integrated with a motor (not shown) housed in the lower housing main body 131 and housed in the internal space of the housing 130.

[0088] <Derivation part> The outlet portion 137 is a member having a tubular or cylindrical shape that is integrally connected between the housing 130 and the nozzle 140 so as to connect the two. The outlet portion 137 is an outlet path that guides the wind generated by the impeller 133 toward the nozzle 140.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 12, the derivation portion 137 has a derivation portion 135 corresponding to the lower portion (hereinafter referred to as the “lower derivation portion”) and a derivation portion 136 corresponding to the upper portion (hereinafter referred to as the “upper derivation portion”).

[0090] The lower derivation portion 135 is the lower portion when the derivation section 137 is cut in an upper and lower halves along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the upper derivation portion 136 is the upper portion when the derivation section 137 is cut in an upper and lower halves along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0091] Therefore, the lead-out portion 137 is formed by bonding or fitting the lower lead-out portion 135 and the upper lead-out portion 136 together while overlapping them in the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to this, and the lead-out portion 137 does not have to have a two-part structure consisting of the lower lead-out portion 135 and the upper lead-out portion 136, but may have a single cylindrical structure.

[0092] The lower outlet portion 135 is formed integrally with the lower housing body 131 and the lower nozzle body 141 described later, and is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape that extends in the direction of outlet of the wind generated by the impeller 133 to the nozzle 140.

[0093] A closed wall 138 (FIG. 15) is formed inside the lower lead-out portion 135. The wall 138 has three corners on its inner surface, including a corner 138C1 formed by the intersection of a part 138A of the wall 138 with another part 138B, a corner 138C2 formed by the intersection of the part 138A of the wall 138 with a part 131A of the outer periphery of the lower housing main body 131, and a corner 138C3 formed by the intersection of the part 131A of the outer periphery of the lower housing main body 131 with another part 138B of the wall 138. The illustrated wall 138 is formed in a triangular tube or triangular prism shape so that the flow path of the wind generated by the impeller 133 is not expanded and is led to the nozzle 140. In the illustrated example, the wall 138 is closed and is formed together with a part of the lower lead-out portion 135 (the outer periphery of the lower housing main body 131).

[0094] Similarly, the upper outlet portion 136 is formed integrally with the upper housing body 132 and the upper nozzle body 142 described later, and is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape along the direction in which the wind generated by the impeller 133 is guided to the nozzle 140.

[0095] A closed wall 139 (FIG. 16) is formed inside the upper lead-out portion 136 at a position facing the wall 138 of the lower lead-out portion 135. The wall 139 has three corners on its inner surface, including a corner 139C1 formed by the intersection of a part 139A of the wall 139 with another part 139B, a corner 139C2 formed by the intersection of the part 139A of the wall 139 with a part 132A of the outer periphery of the upper housing main body 132, and a corner 139C3 formed by the intersection of the part 132A of the outer periphery of the upper housing main body 132 with another part 139B of the wall 139. The illustrated wall 139 is formed in a cylindrical or columnar shape (triangular columnar shape in the illustrated example) so that the flow path of the wind generated by the impeller 133 is not expanded and the wind is led to the nozzle 140. The wall 138 of the lower lead-out portion 135 and the wall 139 of the upper lead-out portion 136 have the same shape and size. In the illustrated example, the wall 139 is closed and is formed together with a part of the upper lead-out portion 136 (the outer periphery of the upper housing body 132).

[0096] When the lower lead-out portion 135 and the upper lead-out portion 136 are stacked so as to match each other in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 17, a lead-out portion 137 that connects the housing 130 and the nozzle 40 is formed.

[0097] In addition, in the derivation section 137, when the lower derivation portion 135 and the upper derivation portion 136 are overlapped, the wall 138 of the lower derivation portion 135 and the wall 139 of the upper derivation portion 136 are overlapped so as to coincide with each other in the vertical direction, so that a combination is formed in the inner space of the derivation section 137, forming a closed space by the walls 138 and 139.

[0098] As a result, the wind generated by the rotation of impeller 33 in the internal space of housing 30 passes through the internal space of housing 30 approximately one revolution, reaching a predetermined level of wind pressure and air volume, and then passes through a flow path that has been narrowed in the inner space of outlet portion 137 due to the presence of the combined wall 138 and wall 139 of outlet portion 137, and is discharged to nozzle 140.

[0099] In this way, the outlet section 137 can outlet the wind, which has been brought to a predetermined level of wind pressure and volume by the rotation of the impeller 33, to the downstream nozzle 40 without reducing the wind pressure and volume levels by passing the wind through a narrowed flow path via the combination of the walls 138 and 139.

[0100] In addition, the outlet portion 137 is a cylindrical body integrated with the housing 130 and the nozzle 140, has the same height in the vertical direction as the housing 130 and the nozzle 140, and is connected so as to smoothly connect the housing 130 and the nozzle 140 to the outlet portion 137 without any large steps at the boundaries between the housing 130 and the nozzle 140 and the outlet portion 137.

[0101] In reality, there is no clear boundary between the housing 130 and the nozzle 140 and the outlet portion 137, and for the sake of convenience of explanation, the range of the housing 130, the range of the outlet portion 137, and the range of the nozzle 140 are merely defined.

[0102] As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the outer surface 135c of the lower lead-out portion 135 (Figure 23) and the outer surface 136c of the upper lead-out portion 136 (Figure 22) in the lead-out portion 137 are connected so as to smoothly join with the outer surface 131c of the lower housing main body 131 (Figure 23) and the outer surface 132c of the upper housing main body 132 (Figure 22) in the housing 130.

[0103] The outlet portion 137 (the lower outlet portion 135 and the upper outlet portion 136) smoothly extends from a point 130p that is slightly downward from the most bulging top portion 130z of the housing 130 toward the nozzle 140. This is to make the length of the outlet portion 137 as long as possible in order to maintain the wind generated by the rotation of the impeller 133 at a predetermined level of wind pressure and volume.

[0104] Here, the outer surface 135c of the lower lead-out portion 135 and the outer surface 136c of the upper lead-out portion 136 in the lead-out portion 137 are surfaces that are continuously and smoothly connected in a substantially linear manner to the outer surface 141c of the lower nozzle body 141 and the outer surface 142c of the upper nozzle body 142 in the nozzle 140 described below. That is, the outer surface 135c and the outer surface 136c of the lead-out portion 137 extend in a substantially linear manner along the outer surface 141c and the outer surface 142c of the nozzle 140.

[0105] However, the outlet portion 137 is not limited to this, and as long as it can lead out the wind generated by the impeller 133 with a predetermined level of wind pressure and volume to the nozzle 140 while maintaining it, the outlet portion 137 (lower outlet portion 135 and upper outlet portion 136) may be provided so as to be connected in a straight line as shown by the dashed line from the most bulging top portion 130z of the housing 130, as shown in Fig. 22. In this case, the outer side surface 131c and the outer side surface 132c of the housing 130 are continuously and smoothly connected to the outer side surface 135c and the outer side surface 136c of the outlet portion 137 in a straight line.

[0106] The central portion of lower housing main body 131 of housing 130 and a part of lower lead-out portion 135 of lead-out portion 137 are placed on base main body portion 120a of base 120 and then fixed thereto by adhesion or the like.

[0107] At this time, in the housing 130, the lower surface of the lower housing body 131 is placed on the base body portion 20a, so that the lower side of the housing 130 is blocked and outside air is drawn in only through the opening 132h of the upper housing body 132, as shown in Figures 18 and 19.

[0108] <Nozzle> Nozzle 140 is a cylindrical member made of resin or the like that heats the air discharged from housing 130 and outlet portion 137 using a heater (not shown) provided in the internal space of nozzle 140 and discharges it to the outside as hot air.

[0109] Nozzle 140 accommodates a heater (not shown) in the cylindrical internal space. A mesh-like lid 144 (FIG. 11) is attached to outlet 140out of nozzle 140. Nozzle 140 is formed integrally with outlet portion 137, but is not placed on base 20. However, this is not limiting, and a part of nozzle 140 may be placed and fixed on base 20.

[0110] Nozzle 140 has a lower nozzle body (hereinafter referred to as the "lower nozzle body") 141 and an upper nozzle body (hereinafter referred to as the "upper nozzle body") 142. Nozzle 140 is formed by bonding or fitting lower nozzle body 141 and upper nozzle body 142 together while overlapping in the vertical direction.

[0111] 15, the lower nozzle body 141 is a lower semi-cylindrical portion when the nozzle 140 is cut at a position where the upper and lower halves are formed along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The lower nozzle body 141 is formed integrally with the lower lead-out portion 135 of the lead-out portion 137.

[0112] 16, upper nozzle body 142 is the upper semi-cylindrical portion when nozzle 140 is cut at a position where it is in upper and lower halves along a horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. Upper nozzle body 141 is formed integrally with upper lead-out portion 136 of lead-out portion 137.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 23, the lower nozzle body 141 of the nozzle 140 has an outer surface 141 c that is smoothly connected to the outer surface 135 c of the lower lead-out portion 135 of the lead-out portion 137 .

[0114] 22, the upper nozzle body 142 of the nozzle 140 has an outer surface 142c that is smoothly connected to the outer surface 136c of the upper lead-out portion 136 of the lead-out portion 137. In other words, the outer surfaces 141c, 142c of the nozzle 140 and the outer surfaces 135c, 136c of the lead-out portion 137 are smoothly connected to each other.

[0115] Therefore, lower housing body 131 of housing 130, lower lead-out portion 135 of lead-out portion 137, and lower nozzle body 141 of nozzle 140 are smoothly connected to form an integrally formed lower part.

[0116] Similarly, upper housing body 132 of housing 130, upper lead-out portion 136 of lead-out portion 137, and upper nozzle body 142 of nozzle 140 are smoothly connected to form an integrally formed upper part. When these lower and upper parts are joined so as to match in the vertical direction, housing 130, lead-out portion 137, and nozzle 140 are integrally formed as shown in Figures 11 to 13.

[0117] <Handle position> Incidentally, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, in the dryer 100, a handle 110 fixed integrally to the base 120 is disposed between the rotation axis X of the impeller 133 housed in the internal space of the housing 130 and the nozzle 140.

[0118] In reality, the handle 110 is not disposed on the axis of the rotation axis X of the impeller 133, but is disposed at a predetermined position slightly shifted from the rotation axis X of the impeller 133 towards the nozzle 140 side.

[0119] In the above-described configuration, the dryer 100 in the second embodiment has the housing 130 having an opening 132h at the top fixed onto the base main body portion 120a of the base 120, so that a one-side suction structure can be realized in which the gas inlet is the opening 132h, as shown in FIG. 12.

[0120] As a result, compared to conventional dryers in which gas flows in through openings on both the left and right sides, in the single-sided suction dryer 100, the opening 132h that radiates sound opens in a different direction from the direction facing the user, thereby achieving improved noise reduction around the opening 132h.

[0121] Furthermore, in the dryer 100, improvement in noise reduction around the base 120 on the rear side of the opening 132h in the housing 130 can also be achieved.

[0122] Furthermore, the dryer 100 is configured so that a user can grip the handle 110 that is provided so as to extend vertically downward from the base body portion 120a of the base 120 and use the dryer with the opening 132h of the housing 130 facing upward. This allows for a completely new exterior design that has never been seen before, and also allows for the dryer 100 to be realized with even less noise during use.

[0123] In the dryer 100, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, the outer surfaces 135c and 136c of the outlet portion 137 extend along the outer surfaces 131c and 132c of the housing 130, and also extend along the outer surfaces 141c and 142c of the nozzle 140.

[0124] Therefore, in the dryer 100, the outer surface 131c, the outer surface 132c of the housing 130, the outer surface 135c, the outer surface 136c of the outlet portion 137, and the outer surface 141c, the outer surface 142c of the nozzle 140 are all continuously connected in an almost linear and smooth manner, thereby realizing an overall unified appearance.

[0125] In the dryer 100, a central portion of the housing 130 and a part of the outlet portion 137 are placed on and fixed to the base 120. Therefore, in the dryer 100, not only the housing 130 but also the outlet portion 137 can be stably fixed to the base 120.

[0126] In this way, in the dryer 100, the central portion of the housing 130 and a part of the outlet portion 137 are placed and fixed to the base 120, so that the base handle 150 (base 120 and handle 110) cannot be seen when viewed from above due to the presence of the base 120 and the outlet portion 137, as shown in Figures 18 and 19. Therefore, the dryer 100 can give the user an impression of a slim and neat design.

[0127] Furthermore, in dryer 100, only the central portion of housing 130 and a portion of outlet portion 137 are placed and fixed to base 120, so that base 120 can be made smaller and lighter, improving user operability, compared to when the entire housing 130 and the entire outlet portion 137 are placed and fixed to base 120.

[0128] In the dryer 100, the handle 110 is disposed between the rotation axis X of the impeller 133 housed in the housing 130 and the nozzle 140. This allows the handle 110 to be provided near the center of gravity of the dryer 100, so that the weight balance is excellent when the user holds the handle 110, improving ease of use during use.

[0129] <Other embodiments> In the dryer 1 of the first embodiment, the entire housing 30 and the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40 are placed and attached to the upper end surface 20a of the base 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the entire housing 30 and the entire nozzle 40 may be placed and attached to the upper end surface 20a of the base 20. Also, the outlet portion 32 may be at a different height from the housing main body 31 in the vertical direction, and the outlet portion 32 may be connected to the housing main body 31.

[0130] In addition, in the first embodiment of the dryer 1, a case has been described in which a base 20 having a horseshoe shape in a plan view is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a base 20 having the same shape as the surface when the housing 30 and the introduction portion 41 of the nozzle 40 are placed on the upper end surface 20a of the base 20 may be used.

[0131] Furthermore, while the handle 10 in the first embodiment and the handle 110 in the second embodiment are described as having operating parts such as a power switch and an operating switch attached thereto, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operating parts may be attached to any of the base 20, 120, the housing 30, 130, or the nozzle 40, 140 as long as this does not impair the design of the dryer 1 and the dryer 100.

[0132] The dryer of the present invention has been described above with reference to the first and second preferred embodiments, but the dryer of the present invention is not limited to the shapes and structures of the first and second embodiments. In addition, a person skilled in the art can appropriately modify the shape and structure of the dryer of the present invention according to conventionally known knowledge. As long as the configuration of the present invention is still provided even after such modifications, it is of course included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 1,100... dryer, 10,110... handle, 20,120... base, 30,130... housing, 31... housing body, 31h... opening, 31p... point, 31u,132u... spokes, 32,137... outlet portion, 32a... outlet end surface, 32c... outer surface, 33,133... impeller, 40,140... nozzle, 41... introduction portion, 41a... introduction end surface, 41b... opening end surface, 41c...outer surface, 42...nozzle main body portion, 42a...opening end surface, 42out, 140out...discharge outlet, 44, 144...lid, 131...lower housing main body, 132...upper housing main body, 135...lower outlet portion, 136...upper outlet portion, 137...outlet portion, 138, 139...wall, 141...lower nozzle main body, 142...upper nozzle main body, 150...base handle, X...rotation axis.

Claims

1. Bass and, The handlebars and A housing having a gas intake port in the axial direction of the handle, The housing is connected to a nozzle having a gas outlet, The housing is provided on one side of the base, The handle is provided on the other side of the base. Hair dryer.

2. The housing has an outer surface that is continuously connected to the nozzle, The nozzle has an outer surface that is continuously connected to the outer surface of the housing, The outer surface of the housing extends linearly along the outer surface of the nozzle. The hair dryer according to claim 1.

3. The nozzle is provided on one side of the base together with the housing. The hair dryer according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The housing accommodates the impeller, The handle is positioned on the other side of the base between the rotation axis of the impeller and the nozzle. The hair dryer according to claim 1 or 2.

Images