hair dryer

Abstract

To provide a hair dryer capable of reliably mixing and discharging an airflow heated by a heater with positive ions and negative ions. [Solution] The hair dryer has a cylindrical main housing with an air outlet on the front side and an air intake on the rear side, a blower disposed within the main housing, a heater for heating the airflow generated by the blower, a positive ion generating electrode for generating positive ions, and a negative ion generating electrode for generating negative ions, and is provided with an inner cylinder disposed within the main housing, an air passage communicating with the air outlet is defined between the main housing and the inner cylinder, the heater is disposed within the air passage, and the positive ion generating electrode and negative ion generating electrode are disposed between the air outlet and the heater in the axial direction of the inner cylinder, with at least a portion of them protruding into the air passage.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, hair dryers that emit airflow, which is blown by a blower and heated by a heater, together with positive and negative ions have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By emitting positive and negative ions, it is possible to eliminate the electrostatic charge phenomenon on hair and reduce damage to hair. In the hair dryer described in Patent Document 1, the positive and negative ions are emitted from an outlet separate from the outlet from which the airflow is emitted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5800772 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the hair dryer described in Patent Document 1, positive ions and negative ions are emitted from an outlet separate from the air outlet through which the airflow is discharged. Therefore, the discharge electrodes (positive ion generating electrode and negative ion generating electrode) that generate positive ions and negative ions are disposed radially outward of the heater support plate that supports the heater. This prevents the positive ions and negative ions from mixing with the airflow, which has been guided by the heater support plate and has increased in speed and temperature. This creates a problem in that the positive ions and negative ions generated by the discharge electrodes do not reach the depths of the hair or the scalp.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a hair dryer that can reliably mix and discharge airflow heated by a heater with positive ions and negative ions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is a hair dryer having a cylindrical main housing having an air outlet on the front side and an air inlet on the rear side, an air blower disposed within the main housing, a heater for heating the airflow generated by the air blower, a positive ion generating electrode for generating positive ions, and a negative ion generating electrode for generating negative ions, wherein the hair dryer has an inner cylinder disposed within the main housing, an air passage communicating with the air outlet is defined between the main housing and the inner cylinder, the heater is disposed within the air passage, and the positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode are disposed between the air outlet and the heater in the axial direction of the inner cylinder, with at least a portion of them protruding into the air passage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hair dryer that can reliably mix and discharge an airflow heated by a heater with positive ions and negative ions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hair dryer as viewed from the rear. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hair dryer. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hair dryer. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front cover, an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, a heater, a positive ion unit, a negative ion unit, etc. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of FIG. 3. [Figure 8] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a modified example in which a plurality of positive ion generating electrodes and a plurality of negative ion generating electrodes 54 are provided. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair dryer 1 according to an embodiment, seen from the front; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hair dryer 1, seen from the rear; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hair dryer 1; and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hair dryer 1.

[0011] [Overall configuration of Hair Dryer 1] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the hair dryer 1 according to this embodiment mainly comprises a cylindrical main body housing 2, a handle portion 3 connected to the main body housing 2, a blower fan 4 arranged within the main body housing 2, and a motor 5 that drives the fan 4.

[0012] The main body housing 2 has, at both opposing ends, an air intake 21 and an air outlet 22. The air intake 21 is provided on the rear end side of the main body housing 2, and air is drawn into the main body housing 2 through the air intake 21.

[0013] The fan 4 and motor 5 constitute the blower 7, which outputs air drawn in through the air intake 21 as an airflow toward the air outlet 22. The motor 5 is a small motor such as a DC motor. The blower 7 is disposed on the central axis O (see FIG. 3) of the main body housing 2, with the fan 4 facing the air intake 21. Hereinafter, the upstream side of the airflow generated by the blower 7 (the side where the air intake 21 is located relative to the blower 7) will be referred to simply as the "upstream side," and the downstream side of the airflow (the side where the air outlet 22 is located relative to the blower 7) will be referred to simply as the "downstream side." A heater 8 is disposed inside the main body housing 2 to heat the airflow generated by the blower 7 to generate warm air.

[0014] The handle 3 is provided with a push switch 9 for turning the power on and off, a slide switch 10 for adjusting the airflow rate, and a push switch 11 for switching between hot and cold air modes. The handle 3 also houses a first circuit board 12 for a control circuit that controls the entire hair dryer 1, and electronic components such as switches and sensors are also mounted on this first circuit board 12. A power cord 13 is connected to the first circuit board 12, and this power cord 13 is led out from the bottom end of the handle 3.

[0015] The inside of the air intake 21 is covered with a mesh filter 23 and a grill cover 24 (rear cover). The mesh filter 23 makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust and hair to get into the main housing 2. The grill cover 24 has a plurality of ribs 24a (see FIG. 2) arranged in parallel and at equal intervals. The grill cover 24 allows air to pass through the ventilation holes defined by the ribs 24a. The grill cover 24 is located upstream of the mesh filter 23.

[0016] Provided inside the main body housing 2 are a positive ion unit 25, a negative ion unit 26, a high-voltage generator 27, an inner cylinder 31, a motor housing 32 (cylindrical housing), and a connection part 33. The inner cylinder 31 is disposed along the direction of the central axis O of the main body housing 2.

[0017] The main housing 2 has an outer cylinder 35 that defines an air passage 34 together with the inner cylinder 31, a front cover 36 that covers the downstream side of the air passage 34, an outer cover 37, and a fixing ring 38.

[0018] The outer cover 37 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the main housing 2. The outer cylinder 35 is a cylindrical member fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer cover 37. However, this is not limiting, and the outer cylinder 35 and the outer cover 37 may be formed integrally. The air passage 34 is an annular space defined by the inner cylinder 31 and the outer cylinder 35. The downstream end face of the outer cylinder 35 is connected to the front cover 36. In addition, the outer cylinder 35 has a narrowed portion 35a at its downstream end, the radial dimension of which narrows toward the front cover 36.

[0019] A recess 35b is formed in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 35 that is sandwiched between the front cover 36 and the throttling portion 35a. In this embodiment, two recesses 35b are formed in one outer cylindrical body 35. The recesses 35b are positioned opposite each other across the central axis O, in other words, positioned symmetrically about the central axis O. The positive ion unit 25 and the negative ion unit 26 are respectively attached to the recesses 35b. The recess 35b is defined by a pair of walls 35c that stand radially outward from the throttling portion 35a, the front cover 36, and the throttling portion 35a. Because the recess 35b is positioned between the front cover 36 and the throttling portion 35a, the cross section of the recess 35b when viewed from the circumferential direction of the outer cylindrical body 35 is triangular.

[0020] A through-hole 35d is formed inside the recess 35b, in other words, between the pair of walls 35c. The through-hole 35d is a through-hole that passes through the throttle portion 35a in the radial direction, and a positive ion generating electrode 51 and a negative ion generating electrode 54, which will be described later, are inserted through the through-hole 35d.

[0021] The front cover 36 is a disk-shaped member that fits onto the inner circumferential surface of the outer cover 37. The front cover 36 is formed integrally with the outer cylindrical body 35. The front cover 36 has a second partition wall 39 that closes the downstream side of the inner cylindrical body 31, and a plurality of air outlets 22 formed around the second partition wall 39. The second partition wall 39 is formed in a concave shape that is concave from the downstream side to the upstream side.

[0022] The fixed ring 38 is located at the downstream end of the main housing 2 and is an annular member that fits onto the inner circumferential surface of the outer cover 37. The fixed ring 38 has a plurality of first locking holes 38a (see FIG. 4). The first locking holes 38a are through-holes that penetrate the fixed ring 38 in the radial direction. The inner circumferential surface of the outer cover 37 is formed with first locking claws 37a (see FIG. 4) that protrude radially inward. The first locking holes 38a are locked by the first locking claws 37a. This fixes the fixed ring 38 to the outer cover 37. The fixed ring 38 abuts against the front cover 36. This prevents the outer cylindrical body 35 and the front cover 36 from coming apart in the axial direction.

[0023] Next, the configuration of the inner cylindrical body 31, heater 8, motor housing 32, connecting portion 33, etc. will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hair dryer 1, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the front cover, outer cylinder, inner cylinder, heater, motor housing, and motor, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts taken along line VI-VI in FIG.

[0025] [Configuration of inner cylinder 31] 3 to 5, the inner cylinder 31 is located inside the outer cylinder 35 and has a first partition wall 41 that closes the upstream side. A through hole 41a is formed in the first partition wall 41. The through hole 41a passes through the first partition wall 41 parallel to the central axis O.

[0026] The inner cylinder 31 has a first tapered outer peripheral surface 42, a constant diameter outer peripheral surface 43, and a second tapered outer peripheral surface 44. The first tapered outer peripheral surface 42 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first partition wall 41 and is a tapered outer peripheral surface whose outer diameter increases from the upstream side to the downstream side. The constant diameter outer peripheral surface 43 is an outer peripheral surface that extends with a constant diameter from the first tapered outer peripheral surface 42 along the direction of the central axis O. The second tapered outer peripheral surface 44 is a tapered outer peripheral surface whose outer diameter increases from the constant diameter outer peripheral surface 43 toward the second partition wall 39 of the front cover 36.

[0027] [Heater 8 Configuration] The heater 8 is disposed inside the air passage 34. Specifically, the heater 8 is supported by a heater support plate 45 disposed inside the air passage 34. The heater support plates 45 are erected on the uniform outer peripheral surface 43 of the inner cylindrical body 31 at intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner cylindrical body 31. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , six heater support plates 45 are provided on the uniform outer peripheral surface 43 and are disposed at equal angular intervals of 60°. The heater 8 is, for example, a bent electric heating wire that is wound spirally around the outer edge of the heater support plate 45. Power is supplied to the heater 8 under the control of a control circuit, and the temperature thereof increases. As a result, the airflow blown from the blower 7 is heated inside the air passage 34, and the heated air is discharged from the air outlet 22.

[0028] [Configuration of rectifying fin 46] A plurality of rectifying fins 46 are erected on the first tapered outer peripheral surface 42. The plurality of rectifying fins 46 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner cylindrical body 31. More specifically, the plurality of rectifying fins 46 are integrally formed inside the connecting portion 33, and the inner cylindrical body 31 and the connecting portion 33 are connected and integrated together, thereby arranging the rectifying fins 46 so as to surround the first tapered outer peripheral surface 42. The airflow blown from the blower 7 is dispersed by the rectifying fins 46 and sent into the air passage 34.

[0029] [Configuration of air outlet 22] The air passage 34 communicates with a plurality of air outlets 22 formed in the front cover 36. The air outlets 22 are arranged in a circumferential direction around the inner cylinder 31 and the second partition wall 39. More specifically, the air outlets 22 are formed in the shape of arcuate slits centered on the central axis O. However, the shape of the air outlets 22 is not limited thereto, and they may be linear slit-shaped openings or multiple circular or polygonal through-holes. Alternatively, a combination of these slit-shaped openings and circular or polygonal through-holes may be used. As described above, the inner cylinder 31 has the second tapered outer peripheral surface 44, and the outer cylinder 35 has the narrowed portion 35a, so that the air passage 34 tapers toward the air outlets 22.

[0030] [Configuration of motor housing 32] The motor housing 32 holds the blower 7 therein and is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter smaller than the air passage 34. More specifically, the motor 5 is coaxially fixed to the motor housing 32 along the central axis O. The motor housing 32 is disposed upstream of the inner cylindrical body 31. The upstream end of the motor housing 32 is connected to the upstream end of the main housing 2. More specifically, the inner diameter of the motor housing 32 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the constant diameter outer peripheral surface 43 of the inner cylindrical body 31.

[0031] [Configuration of connection part 33] The connecting portion 33 connects the air passage 34 and the motor housing 32, and is formed in a truncated cone shape with an inner diameter that increases from the upstream side to the downstream side. This allows the airflow generated by the blower 7 to pass through the connecting portion 33 and be sent into the air passage 34.

[0032] The connecting portion 33 is integrally formed with the aforementioned rectifying fin 46 and abutment portion 47. The abutment portion 47 is a disk-shaped member located at the center of the connecting portion 33 and has a female screw hole 47a in its center. The rectifying fin 46 connects the outer circumferential surface of the abutment portion 47 to the inner circumferential surface of the connecting portion 33. In other words, the abutment portion 47 is connected to the connecting portion 33 via the rectifying fin 46. The connecting portion 33 has a plurality of second engaging holes 33a (see FIG. 5). The second engaging holes 33a are through holes that penetrate the connecting portion 33 in the radial direction. Second engaging claws 35e that protrude radially outward are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical body 35. The second engaging holes 33a are engaged with the second engaging claws 35e. This connects the connecting portion 33 to the outer cylindrical body 35.

[0033] The female screw hole 47a is threadedly engaged with a screw 48 (see FIG. 3) inserted into the through hole 41a of the first partition wall 41. This fastens the first partition wall 41 to the abutment portion 47. In other words, fastening the first partition wall 41 to the abutment portion 47 connects the inner cylinder body 31 to the connecting portion 33 and the motor housing 32.

[0034] A second circuit board 49 is disposed in the space defined between the motor housing 32 and the main housing 2. The second circuit board 49 is connected to the motor 5, heater 8, and first circuit board 12 via wiring (not shown). A temperature sensor (not shown) provided inside the air passage 34 is also connected to the second circuit board 49. Various circuit elements such as semiconductors for controlling the motor 5 and heater 8 are mounted on the second circuit board 49.

[0035] Next, the positive ion unit 25, the negative ion unit 26, the high voltage generator 27, and the second circuit board 49 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 8. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main part taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 3, Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of Fig. 3, and Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment including a plurality of positive ion units 25 and a plurality of negative ion units 26. Note that in Figs. 6 to 8, high voltage wires 53 and 56 are omitted from the illustration to avoid complication.

[0036] [Configuration of high voltage generator 27] The high-voltage generator 27 is disposed inside the main housing 2 and upstream of the inner cylinder 31. More specifically, it is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the motor housing 32. The high-voltage generator 27 converts household power supplied via the power cord 13 into, for example, a positive high-voltage pulse voltage (positive high voltage) and a negative high-voltage pulse voltage (negative high voltage).

[0037] [Configuration of positive ion unit 25] The positive ion unit 25 includes a positive ion generating electrode 51, an insulating member 52, and a high-voltage wire 53 (see FIG. 5). The positive ion generating electrode 51 is connected to the high-voltage generator 27 via the high-voltage wire 53. The positive ion generating electrode 51 is a metal plate-shaped member extending in the radial direction of the main body housing 2, perpendicular to the central axis O. A tip end 51a of the positive ion generating electrode 51 on the inner side in the radial direction is bent in an L-shape, and a base end on the outer side in the radial direction is bent in a U-shape.

[0038] The insulating member 52 is made of insulating resin such as silicon, etc. The insulating member 52 is integrally molded by, for example, insert molding, in which the base end of the positive ion generating electrode 51 is disposed inside and insulating resin is injected around it.

[0039] The insulating member 52 has an outer shape formed to fit the recess 35b, and its cross section when viewed from the circumferential direction of the outer cylinder 35 is triangular. The insulating member 52 fits into the recess 35b of the outer cylinder 35. This positions the positive ion unit 25 in the circumferential, radial, and axial directions relative to the outer cylinder 35. When the insulating member 52 fits into the recess 35b and is positioned, the tip 51a of the positive ion generating electrode 51 of the positive ion unit 25 penetrates the through-hole 35d. This causes the tip 51a, which is part of the positive ion generating electrode 51, to protrude into the air passage 34. The positive ion unit 25 is fixed to the outer cylinder 35 by, for example, gluing the insulating member 52 fitted into the recess 35b. In other words, the positive ion generating electrode 51 is held by the outer cylinder 35 via the insulating member 52. The positive ion generating electrode 51 is held in a state where it passes through the center of the through-hole 35d and is covered with an insulating member 52. This insulates the positive ion generating electrode 51 from the outer cylinder 45, preventing high voltage generated during ion emission from leaking to the outer cylinder 35.

[0040] The positive ion generating electrode 51 is disposed at a position between the air outlet 22 and the heater 8 in the direction of the central axis O. More specifically, the positive ion generating electrode 51 is located in a space S (see FIG. 7) sandwiched between the air outlet 22 and the downstream end of the heater support plate 45. The positive ion generating electrode 51 located in the space S has a tip 51a located in a portion of the air passage 34 that tapers toward the air outlet 22. The tip 51a is bent toward the air outlet 22.

[0041] [Configuration of negative ion unit 26] The negative ion unit 26 includes a negative ion generating electrode 54, an insulating member 55, and a high-voltage line 56 (see FIG. 5). The negative ion generating electrode 54 and the insulating member 55 are made of the same material and have the same shape as the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the insulating member 52, and are disposed symmetrically to the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the insulating member 52 with respect to the central axis O, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0042] The negative ion generating electrode 54 is connected to the high-voltage generator 27 via a high-voltage line 56. The negative ion generating electrode 54 is a plate-shaped member extending in the radial direction of the main body housing 2. The insulating member 55, like the insulating member 52 of the positive ion unit 25, is integrally molded with the base end of the negative ion generating electrode 54 located inside.

[0043] The insulating member 55, like the insulating member 52, is fitted into the recess 35b of the outer cylindrical body 35. This positions the negative ion unit 26 in the circumferential, radial, and axial directions relative to the outer cylindrical body 35. The negative ion unit 26 is fixed to the outer cylindrical body 35 by adhesively bonding the insulating member 55 fitted into the recess 35b. The negative ion generating electrode 54, like the positive ion generating electrode 51, is located in the space S.

[0044] The negative ion unit 26 is positioned by fitting the insulating member 55 into the recess 35b, and a tip portion 54a, which is a part of the negative ion generating electrode 54, protrudes into the air passage 34. In other words, the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis O. The negative ion unit 26 is fixed to the outer cylinder 35 by, for example, gluing the insulating member 55 fitted into the recess 35b. In other words, the negative ion generating electrode 54 is held by the outer cylinder 35 via the insulating member 55. Like the positive ion generating electrode 51, the negative ion generating electrode 54 is held while being covered with the insulating member 52 so as to pass through the center of the through-hole 35d.

[0045] The positive ion unit 25 and the negative ion unit 26 are not limited to being fixed to the outer cylindrical body 35, and may be fixed to the inner cylindrical body 31. In this case, the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 are held by the inner cylindrical body 31 via insulating members. When the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 are held by the inner cylindrical body 31, the high-voltage generator 27 may be disposed inside the inner cylindrical body 31 and held by the inner cylindrical body 31.

[0046] The negative ion generating electrode 54 is located in the space S. More specifically, the negative ion generating electrode 54 located in the space S has a tip 54a located in a portion of the air passage 34 that tapers toward the air outlet 22. The tip 54a is bent toward the air outlet 22.

[0047] The high-voltage generator 27 connected to the positive ion generating electrode 51 generates a positive high voltage, and the high-voltage generator 27 connected to the negative ion generating electrode 54 generates a negative high voltage. As a result, discharges occur at the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54, respectively.

[0048] At the positive ion generating electrode 51 to which a positive high voltage is applied, water molecules in the air are ionized to generate hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions combine with water molecules in the air to generate positive ions. The positive ions are then emitted from the tip 51 a.

[0049] At the negative ion generating electrode 54 to which a negative high voltage is applied, oxygen molecules or water molecules in the air are ionized to generate oxygen ions. These oxygen ions combine with water molecules in the air to generate negative ions. The negative ions are then emitted from the tip 54a.

[0050] The high-voltage lines 53, 56 are arranged between the main body housing 2 and the motor housing 32. More preferably, the high-voltage lines 53, 56 may be arranged between the main body housing 2 and the outer cylinder 35.

[0051] [Configuration of second circuit board 49] As described above, second circuit board 49 is connected to first circuit board 12, and first circuit board 12 controls the power supplied to each component in response to the user's operation of switches 9 to 11. Second circuit board 49 controls motor 5 and heater 8 in response to control signals from first circuit board 12 and temperature detection signals from the temperature sensor. Specifically, second circuit board 49 controls motor 5 and heater 8 in response to temperature measurement values ​​corresponding to the temperature detection signals and the selection states of switches 9 to 11.

[0052] The second circuit board 49 controls the high-voltage generator 27 in response to a temperature detection signal from the temperature sensor. This allows the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 to emit positive ions and negative ions in accordance with the temperature conditions of the outside air and the airflow, and allows the positive ions and negative ions to be mixed into the airflow discharged from the air outlet 22.

[0053] [Effects of the embodiment] As described above, the hair dryer 1 according to this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0054] The positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 are disposed between the air outlet 22 and the heater support plate 45 in the direction of the central axis O, with their tips 51a and 54a protruding into the air passage 34. This ensures that the airflow W1 heated by the heater 8 is mixed with the positive ions and negative ions emitted from the tips 51a and 54a. In other words, the positive ions and negative ions mixed with the airflow W1 discharged from the air outlet 22 reach the depths of the hair or the scalp. Furthermore, the high-voltage generator 27 is controlled in response to a temperature detection signal from a temperature sensor provided inside the air passage 34. This allows the positive ions and negative ions to be emitted in amounts that correspond to the ambient air temperature or the temperature of the air being blown. This ensures that the appropriate amount of ions is always emitted in accordance with the operating environment of the hair dryer 1. Furthermore, the appropriate amount of ions can be emitted and air blown for each user's hair, which varies depending on the operating environment.

[0055] Furthermore, since the high-voltage generator 27 is disposed upstream of the inner cylinder 31 and the high-voltage wires 53, 56 are disposed between the main body housing 2 and the motor housing 32, the high-voltage wires 53, 56 are not affected by the heat of the heater 8. In other words, damage to the high-voltage wires 53, 56 due to the heat of the heater 8 can be prevented, and a drop in the voltage supplied to the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 can be prevented.

[0056] Furthermore, the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54 are held by the outer cylinder 35, and the tip portions 51 a, 54 a are bent toward the outlet 22, so that the positive ions and negative ions can be more reliably mixed with the blown airflow W1 heated by the heater 8. The bending angles at which the tip portions 51 a, 54 a are bent may be different for the positive ion generating electrode 51 and the negative ion generating electrode 54.

[0057] [Other Examples] In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which one hair dryer 1 is provided with only a pair of positive ion generating electrodes 51 and negative ion generating electrodes 54. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a plurality of positive ion generating electrodes 51 and a plurality of negative ion generating electrodes 54 are provided. In this case, as shown in Fig. 8, the positive ion generating electrodes 51 and the negative ion generating electrodes 54 are disposed symmetrically with respect to the central axis O and are disposed alternately in the circumferential direction around the inner cylinder 31. This provides the same effects as the above embodiment, and in addition, it is possible to generate more positive ions and negative ions, which are heated by the heater 8 and mixed with the incoming airflow W1.

[0058] In the example shown in FIG. 8 , the hair dryer includes three positive ion generating electrodes 51 and three negative ion generating electrodes 54, and the positive ion generating electrodes 51 and the negative ion generating electrodes 54 are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals of 60° around the central axis O along the circumferential direction of the inner cylindrical body 31. The number of positive ion generating electrodes 51 and negative ion generating electrodes 54 is not limited to this, and may be two each, or four or more. The positive ion unit 25 and the negative ion unit 26 are each fixed to a recess 35b formed in the outer cylindrical body 35, as in the above embodiment. The materials and shapes of the positive ion generating electrodes 51, the insulating member 52, the negative ion generating electrodes 54, and the insulating member 55 are the same as in the above embodiment.

[0059] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, and all technical matters included in the technical ideas described in the claims are subject to the present invention. The above-described embodiments and examples are preferred examples, but a person skilled in the art can realize various alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements from the contents disclosed in this specification, and these are included in the technical scope described in the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 hair dryer 2 Main body housing 3 Handle 4 Fans 5 motors 7. Blower 8 Heater 21 Air intake 22 Air outlet 25 positive ion unit 26 Negative ion unit 31 Inner cylinder 32 Motor housing 33 Connection 34 Ventilation passage 35 outer cylinder 35a Constriction section 35b recess 35c wall 35d through hole 36 Front cover 37 Outer cover 38 Fixed ring 39 Second bulkhead 41 First Bulkhead 42 First tapered outer surface 43 Equal diameter outer circumferential surface 44 Second tapered outer surface 45 Heater support plate 46 Straightening fin 51 Positive ion generating electrode 52 Insulating material 53 High-voltage lines 54 Negative ion generating electrode 55 Insulating materials 56 High Voltage Lines

Claims

1. A hair dryer comprising: a cylindrical main body housing having an air outlet on a front side and an air intake on a rear side; an air blower disposed within the main body housing; a heater for heating an airflow generated by the air blower; a positive ion generating electrode for generating positive ions; and a negative ion generating electrode for generating negative ions, an inner cylinder disposed inside the main body housing; an air passage communicating with the air outlet is defined between the main housing and the inner cylinder; the heater is disposed inside the air passage, the positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode are disposed between the air outlet and the heater in the axial direction of the inner cylinder, and at least a portion of each of the electrodes protrudes into the air passage.

2. The hair dryer according to claim 1, a high voltage generator that generates positive and negative high voltages; high-voltage wires connecting the high-voltage generator to the positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode, respectively; a cylindrical housing that holds the air blower therein, that is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter smaller than the air blowing passage, and that is positioned upstream of the air flow relative to the inner cylinder, the high-voltage generator is disposed upstream of the airflow from the inner cylinder; The hair dryer according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage wire is disposed between the main body housing and the cylindrical housing.

3. The hair dryer according to claim 1, the main body housing includes an outer cylinder that defines the air passage together with the inner cylinder, the positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode are held by the outer cylinder; 10. The hair dryer according to claim 9, wherein the positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode have tips bent toward the air outlet.

4. The hair dryer according to claim 1, The positive ion generating electrode and the negative ion generating electrode are are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the inner cylindrical body, a plurality of the inner cylinder members are arranged alternately in a circumferential direction around the inner cylinder member.

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