Hair dryer

Abstract

To provide a hair dryer having a simple structure, allowing for inexpensive mass production and efficiently humidifying blown-out hot air.SOLUTION: A hair dryer includes: a fan 4 for sucking air and sending it to a blowout flow path 11; a motor 5 for rotating the fan 4; a heater 5 for heating the air to be sent to the blowout flow path 11 to produce warm air; and a humidifying unit 2 disposed in the blowout flow path 11 of the warm air, where the humidifying unit 2 includes a water-absorbing rock 30 composed of a hydrophilic, porous and absorbent calcined volcanic rock 31 formed by calcining a volcanic rock, and disposed to be exposed to the blowout flow path 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hair dryer that can humidify the hot air it blows out. [Background technology]

[0002] Hair dryers that can humidify the warm air they blow out have been developed (Patent Documents 1 and 2). The hair dryer in Patent Document 1 includes a fan that draws in and blows out air, a heater that heats the air blown by the fan, a water tank that stores water to humidify the air being blown, a steam generator that heats the water in the water tank to generate water vapor, and a steam passage through which the water vapor released from the steam generator joins with air upstream of the heater. This hair dryer heats the water stored in the water tank with the heater to generate water vapor, and supplies this water vapor to the warm air blown by the fan, thereby blowing out humidified warm air. However, because this hair dryer requires a water tank to generate water vapor and heats the water in the water tank with a heater to generate water vapor, the structure for releasing the water vapor is complex.

[0003] The hair dryer of Patent Document 2 does not have a water tank, but instead has a water-retentive humidifying material located near the hot air outlet. The humidifying material is heated by the hot air blown out from the heater and releases absorbed water as water vapor. The humidifying material is made of water-retentive paper, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, cotton, sponge, porous ceramic, or the like. This hair dryer heats the humidifying material with the hot air blown into the hot air outlet, vaporizing the water absorbed into the humidifying material and blowing out humidified hot air. However, none of the humidifying materials satisfy all physical properties, such as heat resistance, durability, shape retention, water retention, and manufacturing cost. Hair dryers that use water-retentive paper, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, cotton, sponge, or the like as the humidifying material have issues with the heat resistance of the humidifying material, while hair dryers that use ceramic as the humidifying material have issues with the manufacturing cost of the water-absorbent ceramic. In particular, the water absorption properties of water-absorbing ceramics change depending on the composition of the raw materials used, the firing temperature, the firing time, etc., so it is difficult to inexpensively manufacture ceramics with optimal water absorption properties. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-210385 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-199003 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention was developed with the objective of solving the above problems. One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a hair dryer that can blow out humidified warm air while reducing production costs by simplifying the structure of the humidifying section that releases water vapor when heated, and by mass-producing the water-absorbing rock that releases water vapor when heated at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A hair dryer according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a fan that draws in air and blows it into an outlet flow path, a motor that rotates the fan, a heater that heats the air blown into the outlet flow path to turn it into warm air, and a humidifier unit that is arranged in the outlet flow path for the warm air, and the humidifier unit is made of calcined volcanic rock that is hydrophilic, porous, and absorbent, and is arranged exposed in the outlet flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The hair dryer of the present disclosure has a simple structure, can be mass-produced at low cost, and has the advantage of being able to efficiently humidify the hot air that is blown out. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2]FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the sintered block of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, terms indicating specific directions or positions (e.g., "upper," "lower," and other terms including these terms) will be used as necessary. However, the use of these terms is intended to facilitate understanding of the invention with reference to the drawings, and the meaning of these terms does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, parts that appear with the same reference numerals in multiple drawings indicate the same or equivalent parts or components. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are specific examples of the technical concept of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention thereto. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described below are intended as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Furthermore, the content described in one embodiment or example can also be applied to other embodiments or examples. Furthermore, the sizes and positional relationships of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation.

[0010] A hair dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fan that draws in air and sends it to an outlet flow path, a motor that rotates the fan, a heater that heats the air sent to the outlet flow path to turn it into warm air, and a humidifier unit that is arranged in the outlet flow path for the warm air, and the humidifier unit is made of calcined volcanic rock that is hydrophilic, porous, and absorbent, and is arranged exposed to the outlet flow path.

[0011] The above hair dryers have the advantage of being able to mass-produce hair dryers capable of blowing out humidified warm air at low cost by simplifying the humidifying unit, which is heated by warm air and releases water vapor to humidify the air. In particular, the above hair dryers have the advantage of being able to efficiently release water vapor to humidify the air for a long period of time while reducing both the manufacturing cost and assembly cost of the humidifying unit.

[0012] In the above hair dryer, absorbent calcined volcanic rock, obtained by calcining volcanic rock, is placed exposed to the outlet flow path in the humidifying section that emits water vapor. Calcined volcanic rock is hydrophilic, porous, and water-absorbent, and is characterized by its ability to quickly absorb large amounts of water. The absorbent calcined volcanic rock is heated by hot air, releasing water vapor and humidifying the hot air in the outlet flow path. In the above hair dryer, absorbent calcined volcanic rock, which has been calcined and activated to be hydrophilic, is placed in the humidifying section that emits water vapor, so the absorbent rock in the humidifying section quickly absorbs water and releases a large amount of water vapor into the hot air.

[0013] The humidifier located in the hot air outlet path must be heat-resistant, so it must have excellent heat-resistance properties. Volcanic rocks, such as rhyolite, are formed when magma cools and solidifies. Because of their excellent heat-resistance, fired volcanic rocks are suitable as absorbent rocks for emitting water vapor when placed in the hot air outlet path. However, volcanic rocks are generally fine-grained and hard, making them difficult for water to penetrate. Therefore, they are not used in applications requiring water absorption. The hair dryer described above uses water-resistant volcanic rock, but by firing it, the hydroxyl groups (OH-) on the surface of the volcanic rock are liberated and activated to release hydrocarbons. This activates the hydrophilic properties of the rock, resulting in porous, highly absorbent fired volcanic rock. This successfully commercializes a hair dryer capable of humidifying with an extremely simple structure.

[0014] The hair dryer described above is characterized by the fact that the volcanic rock in the humidifying section, which is difficult for water to penetrate, is baked to produce hydrophilic, porous, and water-absorbent baked volcanic rock, and this baked volcanic rock is placed in the hot air outlet flow path as water-absorbent rock. The hydrophilicity of the rock surface depends on the hydroxyl group (OH-) exposed on the surface. - ) is an extremely active functional group that has the property of adsorbing hydrocarbons over time and decreasing its hydrophilicity.

[0015] The hair dryer described above uses the simple process of calcining volcanic rock, which is difficult for water to penetrate, to liberate hydrocarbons from hydroxyl groups (OH-), activating its hydrophilic properties and turning it into calcined volcanic rock that is hydrophilic, porous, and has excellent water absorption. This calcined volcanic rock is then placed in the air outlet as water-absorbing rock. Since calcined volcanic rock has excellent water absorption properties and quickly absorbs large amounts of water, a hair dryer placed in the air outlet can heat the calcined volcanic rock with the hot air it blows out, vaporizing the absorbed water and releasing a large amount of water vapor.

[0016] Furthermore, preferably, the absorbent calcined volcanic rock, which is placed exposed to the airflow path, is heated by hot air each time a user uses a hair dryer, liberating the hydrocarbons adsorbed to the hydroxyl groups (OH-). Heating the surface to 100°C or higher liberates the hydrocarbons adsorbed to the hydroxyl groups (OH-). Therefore, the surface of the absorbent calcined volcanic rock is activated each time a user uses it, preventing a decrease in its hydrophilicity. Therefore, the absorbent calcined volcanic rock maintains its favorable water absorption properties over a long period of time, suppressing a decrease in the amount of water vapor it releases, and maintaining its characteristic of being able to release a large amount of water vapor.

[0017] Furthermore, the above hair dryer has a simple structure in which porous, water-absorbent calcined volcanic rock that has been calcined to activate its hydrophilicity is placed in the airflow path, allowing for inexpensive mass production while efficiently heating the calcined volcanic rock with hot air in the airflow path to release water vapor. Calcined volcanic rock with activated hydrophilicity quickly absorbs water supplied to its surface, allowing the absorbed calcined volcanic rock to be heated with hot air, converting the absorbed water into water vapor and releasing it to the outside, resulting in the blowout of humidified hot air. In particular, the above hair dryer does not require a water tank as in conventional hair dryers. Instead, it heats the absorbed calcined volcanic rock with hot air to generate water vapor, which is then supplied to the hot air to blow out humidified hot air. This allows for the blowout of humidified hot air despite its extremely simple structure.

[0018] Furthermore, the above hair dryer can heat the water vapor released by evaporating the water absorbed by the water-absorbing rock with hot air and blow out the water vapor as superheated steam. Therefore, when the user blows hot air onto their hair, the superheated steam prevents the hair from losing moisture rapidly, allowing them to dry their hair in a moisturized state.

[0019] In a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the water-absorbing rock can be calcined rhyolite obtained by calcining rhyolite produced in Ehime Prefecture.

[0020] The hair dryer described above uses calcined rhyolite, an absorbent rock made from calcined rhyolite from Ehime Prefecture, which maintains its desirable water absorbency over a long period of time, inhibiting a decrease in the amount of water vapor released and maintaining its characteristic of being able to emit a large amount of water vapor. Rhyolite from Ehime Prefecture, when uncalcined, does not have the hydrophilic properties that would allow water droplets adhering to its surface to be absorbed into the interior. However, by calcining and activating the hydroxyl groups (OH-), the calcined rhyolite becomes hydrophilic and porous, allowing water droplets adhering to the surface to be quickly absorbed into the interior. A humidifier using calcined rhyolite, which quickly absorbs surface water, has the advantage of being able to quickly absorb a large amount of water by, for example, sprinkling water on the surface of the absorbent calcined rhyolite or immersing it in water.

[0021] Even more advantageously, the rhyolite can be sintered to a hard state during the heating and firing process, without breaking or cracking like other natural rocks. Sintered, highly hard rhyolite can be crushed more easily than unsintered rhyolite, allowing it to be efficiently crushed into conveniently usable sizes and processed into absorbent rock. Because the absorbent rock obtained by crushing rhyolite through firing has already been fired at high temperatures, it can be placed in the outlet of a hair dryer and not altered or deformed by contact with the high-temperature hot air blown out from the hair dryer, allowing for extremely stable use over long periods of time.

[0022] Furthermore, calcined rhyolite, a water-absorbing rock, not only quickly absorbs water that adheres to its surface, but also has a high water absorption capacity. This absorbent rock is characterized by its ability to supply a large amount of steam to hot air for humidification. Calcined rhyolite is made by calcining volcanic rock at a temperature that makes it hydrophilic and porous, making it water-absorbent, for example, between 200°C and 1,100°C. For example, rhyolite from Ehime Prefecture, calcined for one hour at 600°C, quickly absorbs approximately 25 cc of water per 400g (volume 100cc). This 25cc of water vaporizes and expands to approximately 42,500cc of water vapor. Calcined rhyolite, a water-absorbing rock, vaporizes and expands the absorbed water, releasing approximately 1,700 times its own volume (at 1 atmosphere and 100°C), allowing it to supply a large amount of steam to hot air for humidification.

[0023] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the humidifying section includes a ventilation case arranged in a hot air outlet flow path, and water-absorbing rock filled in the ventilation case. The ventilation case has a plurality of water-absorbing rock particles formed by crushing fired volcanic rock into granules, irregularly arranged inside, and an outlet flow path is provided between the plurality of water-absorbing rock particles. The hot air in the outlet flow path passes through the outlet flow path, heating the water-absorbing rock particles and being sprayed to the outside.

[0024] The hair dryer described above has a ventilation case disposed in the hot air outlet path, and multiple absorbent rock particles made of crushed burned volcanic rock are irregularly arranged within the ventilation case. This allows for a simple structure for humidifying the hot air, while increasing the contact area between the hot air and the absorbent rock particles, allowing the absorbent rock particles to be efficiently heated by the hot air. The increased contact area between the hot air and the absorbent rock particles allows the absorbent rock particles to be efficiently heated by the thermal energy of the hot air flowing over the surface. Furthermore, because the absorbent rock particles are irregularly arranged in the ventilation case, the hot air passes through the outlet path between the irregularly arranged absorbent rock particles while colliding with their surfaces. The hot air impinges on the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles, stirring them as it is blown, effectively heating the absorbent rock particles. The absorbent rock particles are efficiently heated by the thermal energy of the warm air, heating the absorbed water inside and quickly releasing water vapor.

[0025] Another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure allows the absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case to be randomly sized. The randomly sized absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case create irregular hot air passages, efficiently heating the absorbent rock particles and generating water vapor. Furthermore, the randomly sized absorbent rock particles allow the smaller particles to quickly release water vapor, followed by the larger particles slowly releasing water vapor. This allows the hair dryer to quickly humidify the hot air from the beginning and extend the humidification time.

[0026] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case can be made into crushed surfaces of fired rhyolite. This hair dryer has the advantage that the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles are made into crushed surfaces of fired rhyolite, so that the hot air blown across the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles can efficiently heat the particles and quickly release water vapor. This is because the absorbent rock particles, whose surfaces are crushed surfaces of fired rhyolite, are irregularly packed in the ventilation case. The blowing flow path between the absorbent rock particles does not allow the hot air to flow in a straight line. Instead, the hot air collides with the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles and changes direction as it is blown.

[0027] In a hair dryer according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the surface of the absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case can be polished by grinding the crushed surface of the fired rhyolite. This hair dryer has the advantage of being able to smoothly flow hot air through the outlet flow path between the absorbent rock particles. The hot air smoothly flowing through the outlet flow path can forcefully blow out hot air humidified by the absorbent rock particles. This hair dryer is convenient for blowing hot air at high speed onto the user's hair.

[0028] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the number of absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case can be between 10 and 200. This hair dryer has the advantage that it can circulate hot air through the gaps formed between the numerous absorbent rock particles, increasing the contact area between the hot air and the absorbent rock particles, allowing the absorbent rock particles to be efficiently heated by the hot air and release water vapor.

[0029] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the average particle size of the absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case can be 3 mm or more and 2 cm or less. This hair dryer is characterized by the ability to circulate hot air through the gaps formed between the absorbent rock particles of a specified particle size, increasing the contact area between the hot air and the absorbent rock particles, allowing the absorbent rock particles to be efficiently heated by the hot air and release water vapor.

[0030] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the absorbent rock particles packed in the ventilation case can include particles with a diameter of 3 mm to 2 cm. This hair dryer has the advantage of being able to circulate hot air through the gaps formed between the absorbent rock particles of a certain diameter, thereby increasing the contact area between the hot air and the absorbent rock particles, allowing the absorbent rock particles to be efficiently heated by the hot air and release water vapor.

[0031] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the ventilation case can have an openable lid that allows the water-absorbing rock particles to be inserted and removed. The hair dryer has the advantage that the water-absorbing rock particles can be easily replaced, changed, or added for convenient use.

[0032] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the ventilation case may have a blower duct area that is not filled with water-absorbing rock particles. This hair dryer has a feature that the blower duct area is not filled with water-absorbing rock particles, which reduces attenuation of the kinetic energy of the hot air passing through this area, allowing the hot air to be blown out forcefully.

[0033] In another embodiment of the hair dryer of the present disclosure, the ventilation case may have a central or peripheral air duct area that is not filled with water-absorbing rock particles. Because the ventilation case has a central or peripheral air duct area, the hair dryer has the advantage of being able to blow out hot air forcefully to the outside with less attenuation of the kinetic energy of the hot air passing through the central or peripheral area. (Hair dryer 100)

[0034] The hair dryer 100 shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 includes a fan 4 that draws in and blows out air, a motor 5 that rotates the fan 4, a heater 6 that heats the air blown by the fan 4 to turn it into warm air, and a humidifier 2 that is disposed in an outlet flow path 11 through which the warm air heated by the heater 6 passes and that supplies water vapor to the blown warm air to humidify it. The hair dryer 100 can blow humidified warm air containing moisture (water vapor), moisturize the hair, and dry and style the hair while preventing or minimizing damage to the hair.

[0035] The hair dryer 100 in FIG. 1 has a fan 4, a motor 5, and a heater 6 arranged inside a main body casing 1. This disclosure does not specify the structure, shape, size, or material of the main body casing 1. The main body casing 1 can be made of, for example, plastic or metal. The main body casing 1 has a hollow tubular portion 10 to which a grip 9, which serves as a handle for a user to hold, is connected. The main body casing 1 in FIG. 1 has the fan 4, motor 5, and heater 6 arranged linearly inside the tubular portion 10, and the grip 9 extending approximately perpendicular to the tubular portion 10 is provided at the rear end (near the rear end) of the tubular portion 10. The grip 9 is gripped by the hand of a user using the hair dryer 100. An outlet flow path 11 for air forced by the fan 4 is provided inside the tubular portion 10. The outlet flow path 11 is an area through which the air forced by the fan 4 is blown in the axial direction of the tubular portion 10. The motor 5 in FIG. 1 has the fan 4 fixed to a rotating shaft protruding from the rear end. The air drawn in by the fan 4 from the intake port 13 is sent between the motor 5 on the air outlet 12 side and the inner wall of the main body case 1 (tubular portion 10). An air outlet flow path 11 is provided inside the cylindrical portion 10, and a heater 6 is disposed on the outlet side of the air outlet flow path 11 of the motor 5. The heater 6 heats the air in the air outlet flow path 11 to turn it into warm air. (Heater 6)

[0036] The heater 6 heats the air blown into the airflow path 11 to produce hot air. For example, the heater 6 in FIG. 1 is a spiral nichrome wire heater wrapped around a heat-resistant plate located adjacent to the motor 5 and placed on the discharge side (blowout side) of the airflow path 11. The heat-resistant plate is positioned parallel to the flow direction of the blown air to reduce air flow resistance. The heater 6 is, for example, formed by wrapping the wire around the outer periphery of two heat-resistant plates connected in a cross shape and placed in a fixed position via the heat-resistant plate. A thermal fuse connected in series with the heater 6 is placed on the cross-shaped heat-resistant plate. The thermal fuse is a protective element that cuts off the current to the heater 6 in the event of an abnormal temperature rise, and melts at a set temperature of, for example, 200°C or less to cut off the current to the heater 6. (Humidification unit 2)

[0037] The tubular portion 10 of the main body case 1 in FIG. 1 has a hot air outlet 12 at its tip where hot air is blown out and an air inlet 13 at its rear end where air is drawn in, and an outlet flow path 11 is formed from the inlet 13 to the outlet 12. The main body case 1 in the figure has a humidifier 2 on the outlet 12 side at the tip of the outlet flow path 11. The humidifier 2 has water-absorbing rocks 30 arranged inside it, and the water-absorbing rocks 30 are heated by the hot air blown into the outlet flow path 11, releasing water vapor. The water-absorbing rocks 30 inside the humidifier 2, which are arranged in the hot air outlet flow path 11, release water vapor, and the hair dryer 100 can blow humidified hot air containing moisture (water vapor). The humidifier 2 has a ventilation case 20 inside which the water-absorbing rocks 30 are arranged. The humidifier 2 has the water-absorbing rocks 30 arranged inside the ventilation case 20. The ventilated case 20 is a ventilated container or case with an internal blow-out flow path 11. The ventilated case 20 may have multiple openings and be ventilated using mesh or netting. The ventilated case 20 can be connected or fitted to the main case 1 in a shape that matches the main case 1 to which it is connected or fitted. The ventilated case 20 can serve as an outer cover that covers the absorbent rock 30 inside, preventing users from accidentally touching the absorbent rock 30 being heated by hot air, ensuring safety during use. The humidifier 2 can further include a cylindrical ring 21 inside the ventilated case 20 for storing and arranging the absorbent rock 30. The ring 21 can be detachable from either the ventilated case 20 or the main case 1 and can be connected to either or both of them. The ring 21 can be detachable from the ventilated case 20, improving ease of handling, such as maintenance, replacement of the absorbent rock 30, and water absorption. The cylindrical ring 21 has a lid 22 that can be opened and closed freely, and by opening and closing the lid 22, the water-absorbing rock 30 can be removed and replaced, and water can be absorbed into the water-absorbing rock 30. The ventilated case 20 can be used in combination with the cylindrical ring 21, or can be configured without the cylindrical ring 21.

[0038] The humidifying unit 2 can be detachably connected to the main case 1. For example, the humidifying unit 2 can be detachably connected to the ventilation case 20, or the humidifying unit 2 can be integrally or fixed thereto, allowing the ventilation case 20 to be detachably connected to the main case 1. Furthermore, the cylindrical ring 21 can be detachably connected to the ventilation case 2 and / or the main case 1. The hair dryer 100 shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 is configured so that the ventilation case 20 of the humidifying unit 2 is detachably connected to the tip side (air outlet 11 side) of the tubular portion 10 of the main case 1. The cylindrical ring 21 has both end faces or one end face closed by an openable / closeable breathable lid 22 made of a heat-resistant mesh material or a perforated plate. In the ventilation case 20 of FIG. 1, the cylindrical ring 21 has the openable lid 22, and the cylindrical ring 21 is detachably connected to the tip of the tubular portion 10 of the main case 1. The ventilation case 20 in FIG. 1 has an inner shape slightly larger than the outer shape of the tip of the tubular portion 10, and is designed to be detachable but can be inserted and connected in a manner that will not drop.

[0039] The humidifying section 2 can be structured to allow the storage and removal of the water-absorbing rock 30. For example, the ventilated case 20 can be structured so that at least one of the breathable lids 22 can be connected to the cylindrical ring 21 so that it can be opened, closed, and removed, allowing the water-absorbing rock 30 to be placed in and removed from the cylindrical ring 21. The water-absorbing rock 30 that can be placed in and removed by opening and closing the breathable lid 22 can be removed from the ventilated case 20 and immersed in water to absorb water, and also has the advantage that water-absorbing rock 30 whose water absorption ability has decreased can be replaced with new water-absorbing rock 30.

[0040] The humidifying unit 2 can be separated from the main case 1, and the entire ventilated case 20 or cylindrical ring 21 can be immersed in water to allow the water-absorbent rock 30 to absorb water. Alternatively, the humidifying unit 2 can be immersed in water without separating it from the main case 1, with the tip of the cylindrical portion 10 of the main case 1 facing downward, allowing the water-absorbent rock 30 to absorb water. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, water absorption holes 24 can be provided on the outer periphery of the ventilated case 20 (cylindrical ring 21), and water can be supplied through the water absorption holes 24 to allow the water to be absorbed into the water-absorbent rock 30. (Water absorption rock 30)

[0041] The absorbent rock 30 is calcined volcanic rock 31, which is made by calcining volcanic rock. The calcined volcanic rock becomes porous, absorbent, and hydrophilic. The absorbent rock 30 is placed in the humidifying unit 2 in a water-absorbing state and heated by the warm air blown into the outlet flow path 11. The water absorbed by the absorbent rock 30 is heated and vaporized to release water vapor. The humidifying unit 2 in FIG. 1 contains multiple absorbent rock particles 30a, which are small pieces of calcined volcanic rock 31, randomly arranged and stored in the ventilation case 20. Various gaps of various sizes are formed between the irregularly arranged absorbent rock particles 30a, forming the outlet flow paths 11 through which the blown air passes. The absorbent rock particles 30a are randomly stored in the ventilation case 20 in a manner that creates the outlet flow paths 11, i.e., with the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles 30a exposed to the outlet flow paths 11. The forcedly blown hot air flows through the outlet flow path 11 where the surfaces of the water-absorbing rock particles 30a are exposed, heating the water-absorbing rock particles 30a and causing them to release water vapor.

[0042] The hair dryer 100 described above has a simple structure in which absorbent rock granules 30a, which can be mass-produced inexpensively by crushing porous, hydrophilic burned volcanic rock 31, are randomly placed in the ventilated case 20. This structure allows the exposed surface of the absorbent rock granules 30a in the ventilated case 20 to be increased, thereby increasing the contact area with the blown warm air. This structure allows the absorbent rock granules 30a to efficiently absorb and heat the thermal energy of the warm air flowing over their exposed surfaces. Heated by the thermal energy of the warm air, the absorbent rock granules 30a heat the water absorbed within them and release it as water vapor to the outside. The water vapor released from the absorbent rock granules 30a humidifies the blown air and warm air passing through the outlet 11, and the hair dryer 100 blows out the humidified warm air from the outlet 12. Therefore, the hair dryer 100 described above has the advantage of being able to efficiently humidify the hot air with the water absorbed in the water-absorbing rock particles 30a and blow the humidified hot air outward from the outlet 12.

[0043] Furthermore, because the humidifier 2 has the water-absorbing rock particles 30a arranged irregularly in the ventilation case 20, it can be mass-produced at low cost. This also allows the hot air to efficiently heat the water-absorbing rock particles 30a, quickly converting the water absorbed by the particles into steam and releasing it to the outside. This is because the hot air accelerated by the fan 4 and flowing through the outlet passage 11 collides with the surfaces of the irregularly arranged water-absorbing rock particles 30a while passing through the outlet passage 11 between the particles. In this state, the hot air blown into the humidifier 2 collides with the surfaces of the water-absorbing rock particles 30a, stirring them as it is blown and ventilated. This efficiently heats the water absorbed by the particles 30a, quickly converting it into steam and releasing it to the outside.

[0044] In the humidifier 2, the ventilation case 20 is irregularly filled with absorbent rock particles 30a of non-uniform, random particle size and shape. This creates irregular hot air passages between the absorbent rock particles 30a packed in the ventilation case 20, allowing the hot air to efficiently heat the absorbent rock particles 30a and generate water vapor. This is because the hot air flowing through the irregular outlet flow path 11 collides with the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles 30a, heating them. Furthermore, in the humidifier 2, the ventilation case 20 is filled with absorbent rock particles 30a of non-uniform, random particle size. This allows the small absorbent rock particles 30a to quickly release water vapor, and then the larger absorbent rock particles 30a to slowly release water vapor. This allows the humidifier 2 to quickly humidify the warm air from the beginning of use of the hair dryer 100, while extending the humidification time. The water-absorbing rock particles 30a can quickly release water vapor from the surface and near the surface, and then slowly release water vapor from the deep center. Large water-absorbing rock particles 30a have larger centers than small particles, so a hair dryer 100 with a mixture of large particles has the advantage of being able to quickly humidify the warm air from the start and to humidify it for a long time.

[0045] The absorbent rock particles 30a packed into the ventilation case 20 can have crushed surfaces of calcined rhyolite 31a. This humidifier 2 is characterized by its efficient heating of the absorbent rock particles 30a with hot air flowing over their surfaces, allowing for rapid release of water vapor. This is because the absorbent rock particles 30a, whose surfaces are crushed surfaces of calcined rhyolite 31a, are irregularly packed into the ventilation case 20. The outlet flow path 11 between the absorbent rock particles 30a does not allow for smooth, straight flow of hot air. Instead, the hot air collides with the surfaces of the absorbent rock particles 30a, changes direction, and is blown while encountering resistance from the crushed surfaces. This results in repeated collisions of the exposed, resistant surfaces of the crushed calcined rhyolite 31a.

[0046] The surfaces of the absorbent rock particles 30a in the humidifying unit 2 can be polished by grinding the crushed surfaces of the fired rhyolite 31a. This humidifying unit 2 has the advantage of reducing resistance through the polished surface, allowing warm air to flow smoothly through the outlet flow path 11 between the absorbent rock particles 30a. The warm air smoothly flowing through the outlet flow path 11 can forcefully blow out warm air humidified by the absorbent rock particles 30a. This hair dryer 100 is convenient for blowing warm air at high speed onto the user's hair.

[0047] The humidifier 2 fills the ventilation case 20 with an appropriate number of water-absorbing rock particles 30a, taking into consideration the particle size of the water-absorbing rock particles 30a, the internal volume of the ventilation case 20, the air volume, the humidification time, etc., and therefore does not specify the number of water-absorbing rock particles 30a to be filled in the ventilation case 20. However, the number of water-absorbing rock particles 30a to be filled in the ventilation case 20 can be, for example, 10 to 200, preferably 15 to 100, and more preferably 20 to 80. Reducing the number of water-absorbing rock particles 30a reduces the airflow resistance and / or increases the flow rate and volume of the warm air by enlarging the outlet flow path 11, but using too few particles reduces the amount of water vapor released. In addition, by increasing the number of water-absorbing rock particles 30a, the surface area can be increased and the amount of water vapor released can be increased, but if there are too many, the flow rate and air volume will decrease, so the above range is set depending on the size of the hair dryer 100, the heat output of the heater 6, the air volume, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, the humidifier 2 sets the average particle size of the water-absorbent rock particles 30a filled in the ventilation case 20 to an optimal value or range taking into account the pressure loss of the hot air passing through the humidifier 2, the heating state of the water-absorbent rock particles 30a, the amount of water vapor released from the water-absorbent rock particles 30a, the humidification time, and the humidification start-up time, and therefore sets the optimal value or range taking into account the humidification state desired by the user. Therefore, while this disclosure does not specify the average particle size of the water-absorbent rock particles 30a, if it is too small, the outlet flow path 11 between the water-absorbent rock particles 30a will become narrow, increasing the pressure loss of the hot air passing through the humidifier 2 and reducing the outlet flow rate of the hot air. Therefore, the average particle size of the water-absorbent rock particles 30a is set to, for example, 3 mm or more, preferably 5 mm or more. Furthermore, if the average particle size of the water-absorbing rock particles 30a is too large, the blowing flow path 11 becomes larger and the heating effect of the hot air on the water-absorbing rock particles 30a decreases, so the average particle size of the water-absorbing rock particles 30a is, for example, 2 cm or less, preferably 1.5 cm or less.

[0049] The water-absorbing rock 30 is produced by firing volcanic rock. The volcanic rock is fired to release hydroxyl groups (OH - ) releases hydrocarbons to form calcined volcanic rock 31, which is hydrophilic, porous, and water-absorbent. Volcanic rock is rock formed when magma cools rapidly on or near the surface of the earth, and includes rhyolite, andesite, and basalt. Volcanic rock is a porphyritic rock with a mixture of groundmass and phenocrysts, and can be made hydrophilic and porous by calcining. Calcined volcanic rock 31 includes calcined rhyolite 31a, which is made by calcining rhyolite, calcined andesite, which is made by calcining andesite, and calcined basalt, which is made by calcining basalt.

[0050] The fired volcanic rock 31 can be fired rhyolite 31a, which is obtained by firing rhyolite. Rhyolite is produced, for example, at the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi in Shikoku, which is located on the Median Tectonic Line that runs from Kanto to Kyushu. The fired rhyolite 31a can be produced by firing rhyolite, preferably from Ehime Prefecture.

[0051] The fired volcanic rock 31 is preferably prepared by crushing volcanic rock into large, gravel-sized particles and firing them in an oxidizing atmosphere. Crushed large rock particles can be fired for a shorter time than uncrushed raw rock, allowing for thorough firing. This is because the surface area per unit weight can be increased compared to uncrushed raw rock. The fired large rock particles can be further crushed to produce absorbent rock particles 30a of an optimal particle size for placement in the discharge channel 11. The fired large rock particles are sintered, making them hard and brittle, which allows for efficient crushing into absorbent rock particles 30a. The crushed fired volcanic rock 31 can then be sorted and classified into a predetermined size range to produce absorbent rock particles 30a of an optimal particle size.

[0052] Volcanic rock can be fired at, for example, 600 to 1300°C to produce hydrophilic, porous, and water-absorbent fired volcanic rock 31, but volcanic rocks such as rhyolite, andesite, and basalt can be fired at more optimal temperatures within the above temperature ranges. If the firing temperature for volcanic rock is too low, it will not be fired evenly to the inside, and conversely, if the firing temperature is too high, some of the rock will melt, reducing the porous voids.

[0053] The firing temperature for rhyolite, andesite, and basalt can be set to an appropriate temperature within the above temperature range, taking into consideration the type of rock, but for rhyolite, for example, it is 600°C to 1300°C, preferably 700°C to 1250°C, and more preferably 800°C to 1000°C. Firing can be performed continuously by placing large crushed volcanic rock on a conveyor in a continuous furnace, or the large rocks can be fed into a rotating trommel positioned on a downward slope and transported while being stirred by the trommel, allowing for efficient and uniform firing.

[0054] During the firing process, the potassium oxide and other substances contained in volcanic rock, which have a low melting point, melt and some of them disappear, creating tiny voids, making the rock porous and hydrophilic. Igneous rock fired in this state quickly absorbs and retains water supplied to its surface. In addition, some of the low-melting potassium oxide melted during the firing process acts as a fusing agent, hardening and sintering the large rock particles. The sintered large rock particles can be efficiently crushed by impact to form water-absorbing rock particles 30a.

[0055] Volcanic rock containing low-melting-point materials such as potassium oxide, which has a low melting point, can be fired to release hydrocarbons from hydroxyl groups (OH-) and activate its hydrophilicity. In addition, the low-melting-point materials are eliminated during the firing process, creating minute voids, resulting in sintering into an open-cell porous material. Furthermore, volcanic rock that has been fired to become open-cell porous can prevent cracking during the firing process, and also has the advantage of being able to absorb large amounts of water and smoothly release the retained moisture to the outside as steam when heated.

[0056] The water-absorbent rock particles 30a can be produced by crushing fired volcanic rock 31 into granules. The water-absorbent rock particles 30a are preferably produced by firing rhyolite produced in Ehime Prefecture. These water-absorbent rock particles 30a can be produced by crushing fired rhyolite 31a into granules. Rhyolite, a type of volcanic rock produced in Ehime Prefecture, is not hydrophilic when not fired, but becomes hydrophilic and porous when fired, and has the physical property of quickly absorbing water that adheres to its surface into its interior. Water-absorbent rock particles 30a made of fired rhyolite 31a from Ehime Prefecture, which quickly absorbs surface water into its interior, have the characteristic that they can quickly absorb large amounts of water by sprinkling water on the surface of the water-absorbent rock particles 30a.

[0057] Rhyolite from Ehime Prefecture can be sintered hard during the heating and firing process without breaking or cracking like other volcanic rocks. Hardly sintered fired rhyolite 31a can be crushed more easily than unfired rhyolite, allowing it to be crushed into gravel- or sand-like sizes and efficiently processed into water-absorbent rock particles 30a. Furthermore, since the water-absorbent rock particles 30a obtained by crushing fired rhyolite 31a have already been fired at high temperatures, they can be placed in the outlet 12 of a hair dryer 100 and used as extremely stable water-absorbent rock particles 30a for extended periods without being altered or deformed by exposure to the hot air blown out of the hair dryer 100.

[0058] Ehime Prefecture's fired rhyolite 31a not only quickly absorbs water that adheres to its surface, but also has a large water absorption capacity, with a 10cc volume of fired rhyolite 31a absorbing approximately 3cc of water. 3cc of water vaporizes to approximately 5,000cc of steam, so the water-absorbing rock grains 30a of fired rhyolite 31a have the advantage of being able to vaporize and expand the absorbed water, releasing approximately 1,700 times the volume of water vapor at 1 atmosphere and 100°C.

[0059] Burnt rhyolite 31a from Ehime Prefecture contains the following components as determined by X-ray fluorescence analysis and EZ scan. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) 70.9% Aluminum oxide (Al2O3)...16.6% Sodium oxide (Na2O)...3.7% Potassium oxide (K2O)……………2.8% Ferric oxide (Fe2O3) 2.2% Calcium oxide (CaO) 3.0% Magnesium oxide (MgO)...0.2% Titanium dioxide (TiO2) 0.2%

[0060] In the above-described fired volcanic rock 31, the low-melting potassium oxide is not completely lost during the firing process and remains. The remaining potassium oxide hardens and sinters the fired volcanic rock 31. The hard fired volcanic rock 31 has the advantage of being able to be crushed into sizes optimal for various uses. (Other Examples)

[0061] 2 to 9 illustrate examples of absorbent rock 30 in the humidifying unit 2 according to other embodiments. The absorbent rock 30 can be granular absorbent rock particles 30a (FIG. 1) or sintered blocks 32 (FIGS. 2 to 9) that are larger than the granular absorbent rock particles and / or have a specific shape. The absorbent rock particles 30a can also be combined with the sintered blocks 32. In the humidifying unit 2 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the calcined volcanic rock 31 of the absorbent rock 30 is a sintered block 32 with a through-hole 33. The sintered block 32 can be produced by cutting pre-calcined volcanic rock into a block shape and calcining it, or by cutting the calcined volcanic rock 31 into a block shape. The outer shape of the sintered block 32 is slightly smaller than the inner shape of the ventilated case 20 (or cylindrical ring 21) so that it can be placed inside the ventilated case 20. The sintered blocks 32 shown in Figures 2 to 4 have multiple parallel through-holes 33 for blowing hot air in the axial direction, forming the airflow path 11. As the hot air flows through the airflow path 11 of the through-holes 33, it heats the surfaces of the through-holes 33. As shown in the perspective view of Figure 3, the humidifier unit 2 in Figure 2 has one sintered block 32 with multiple through-holes 33 arranged inside the ventilation case 20. The humidifier unit 2 in Figure 4 has multiple sintered blocks 32 (two sintered blocks 32 in Figure 4) arranged spaced apart in the airflow direction (axial direction) of the airflow path 11. The positions of the through-holes 33 in the multiple sintered blocks 32 can be easily adjusted. For example, the humidifier unit 2 in Figure 4 is arranged so that the through-holes 33 of adjacent sintered blocks 32 do not face each other. This allows the hot air discharged from the inlet-side sintered block 32 to collide with the surface of the outlet-side sintered block 32, stirring the flowing hot air and allowing it to pass through the sintered blocks 32. The agitated hot air blown through the through-holes 33 of the sintered block 32 diffuses the released water vapor evenly throughout the hot air, humidifying it before being blown out. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the absorbent rock 30 in the sintered block 32 with through-holes 33 has the advantage of increasing the volume of the absorbent rock 30, i.e., the volume excluding the through-holes 33, and thereby increasing the amount of water absorbed. The sintered block 32 can also be formed by stacking, arranging, connecting, or bonding multiple pieces of burnt volcanic rock 31 in the shape of plates, rods, or granules.The cross-sectional shape of the through holes 33 can be regular, such as circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral (rectangular), trapezoidal, polygonal, or irregular, and can be the same or similar size and shape, or different or unequal size and shape.

[0062] The absorbent rock 30 of the humidifying section 2 shown in Figures 5 and 6 has a sintered block 32 placed inside the ventilation case 20. This sintered block 32 has multiple ridges 34 extending radially and in the airflow direction, and outlet flow paths 11 are provided between the ridges 34 inside the ventilation case 20. The sintered block 32 in Figure 5 has four ridges 34 with a square cross-section, giving it a cross-shaped cross-section. The sintered block 32 in Figure 6 has eight ridges 34 with a triangular pyramid shape (triangular cross-section), and an outlet flow path 11 is provided between adjacent ridges 34. The sintered blocks 32 shown in these figures have the advantage of increasing the volume of the absorbent rock 30 to increase the amount of water absorbed, while also increasing the exposed area of the outlet flow path 11, allowing the absorbent rock 30 to be efficiently humidified with warm air and release water vapor. Furthermore, the blow-out flow path 11 has the advantage of being able to reduce the air flow resistance and blow out hot air smoothly and forcefully.

[0063] Furthermore, the sintered block 32 in Figure 7 uses cylindrical fired volcanic rock 31 as the absorbent rock 30. This absorbent rock 30 has the advantage of being able to blow out hot air smoothly and forcefully, with the inside serving as an outlet flow path 11, while increasing the volume of the absorbent rock 30. In the sintered block 32 in Figure 7, the cylindrical absorbent rock 30 itself can be used as the ventilation case 20 (or cylindrical ring 21), and can be connected to the main body case 1 without providing a ventilation case 20 (or cylindrical ring 21). Furthermore, the ventilation case 20 may be provided on the outside of the cylindrical absorbent rock 30 as a cover.

[0064] Furthermore, the humidifier 2 can have a localized air duct area 23 inside the ventilation case 20 that is not filled with water-absorbing rock 30. The humidifier 2 of Figure 8 has an air duct area 23 that is not filled with water-absorbing rock 30 in the center (central part) of the ventilation case 20, while the humidifier 2 of Figure 9 has an air duct area 23 that is not filled with water-absorbing rock 30 on the outer periphery of the ventilation case 20. These humidifiers 2 have an air duct area 23, which has the advantage of reducing attenuation of the kinetic energy of the warm air that passes through this area and allowing it to be blown out forcefully. [Industrial Applicability]

[0065] The present disclosure is suitably used as a hair dryer that has a simple structure, can be mass-produced at low cost, and can efficiently humidify the hot air that is blown out. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 100...Hair dryer 1...Main unit case 2...Humidification unit 4...Fan 5...Motor 6...Heater 9. Grip 10...Cylinder part 11...Blowout flow path 12…Air outlet 13...Intake port 20...Ventilated case 21...Cylinder ring 22…Lid 23...Ventilation duct area 24…Water absorption hole 30…water absorption rock 30a…Water-absorbing rock grains 31...fired volcanic rock 31a... Burnt rhyolite 32...Sintered block 33...Through hole 34...Convex strip

Claims

1. a fan that draws in air and blows it into the outlet flow path; a motor that rotates the fan; a heater that heats the air blown into the outlet flow path to generate hot air; a humidifying unit disposed in the blowout flow path of the hot air, The humidifying unit Calcining volcanic rocks, It is made of hydrophilic, porous, and absorbent baked volcanic rock. A hair dryer in which water-absorbing rock is placed exposed in the outlet flow path.

2. 2. A hair dryer according to claim 1, The water-absorbing rock This hair dryer is made from fired rhyolite, which is produced in Ehime Prefecture.

3. 2. A hair dryer according to claim 1, The humidifying unit a ventilation case disposed in the hot air outlet flow path; The water-absorbing rock is filled in the ventilation case, The ventilation case is A plurality of water-absorbing rock particles obtained by crushing the fired volcanic rock into granules, Irregularly arranged inside, The blowing flow path is provided between a plurality of the water-absorbing rock particles, The hot air in the blow-out flow path Passing through the outlet flow path, The absorbent rock particles are heated and sprayed outwards like a hair dryer.

4. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case are A hair dryer with random particle size.

5. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The surface of the water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case Hair dryer, a fractured surface of fired rhyolite.

6. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The surface of the water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case A hair dryer with a polished surface made from crushed fired rhyolite.

7. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The number of the water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case is A hair dryer having 10 or more and 200 or less.

8. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The average particle size of the water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case is A hair dryer having a diameter of 3 mm or more and 2 cm or less.

9. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The water-absorbing rock particles filled in the ventilation case are A hair dryer containing particles with a particle size of 3 mm to 2 cm.

10. 4. A hair dryer according to claim 3, The ventilation case is The hair dryer is provided with an openable lid through which the water-absorbing rock particles can be put in and taken out.

11. A hairdryer according to any one of claims 3 to 10, The ventilation case is A hair dryer having an air duct area that is not locally filled with the water-absorbing rock particles.

12. 12. A hairdryer according to claim 11, The ventilation case is A hair dryer having an air duct region in the center or outer periphery that is not filled with the water-absorbing rock particles.

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