Hair Care Equipment

Abstract

An attachment (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) for a hair care device (10) is disclosed, the attachment (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) comprises an air inlet (101) for receiving an air flow, an air outlet (102) for releasing an air flow, and a hair treatment chamber (103) for receiving hair and in fluid communication with the air outlet (102), the hair treatment chamber (103) comprising a wall (104), an opening (105) through which a hair can be inserted into the hair treatment chamber (103), and an aperture (106) formed in the wall (104), the air outlet (102) being configured to direct the air flow away from the opening (105) and towards the aperture (105) in use.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hair care device and an attachment for a hair care device. [Background technology]

[0002] Hair care devices are commonly used to treat or style the hair, and some hair care devices may use air flow to treat or style the hair. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an attachment for a hair care device comprising an air inlet for receiving an air flow, an air outlet for releasing the air flow, and a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair and in fluid communication with the air outlet, the hair treatment chamber comprising a wall, an opening through which hair can be inserted into the hair treatment chamber, and an aperture formed in the wall, the air outlet configured to direct the air flow away from the opening towards the aperture in use.

[0004] The hair treatment chamber may hold the user's hair in place during use such that the user's hair is not significantly disturbed by the flow of air into the hair treatment chamber, thereby allowing a relatively high flow rate of air to be used without significantly disturbing the user's hair. The flow rate may be at least 6 litres / second, at least 10 litres / second, or at least 13 litres / second.

[0005] When hair is inserted through the opening and the airflow is directed away from the opening, the airflow may be directed away from the roots of the hair. In use, a user may place hair into the hair treatment chamber and place the periphery of the opening against their head. The airflow within the hair treatment chamber is directed away from the opening towards the aperture. In this way, the airflow may be initially directed away from the user's head in use. This reduces the amount of direct heat applied to the user's head, which may increase comfort when using the hair care device, especially over extended periods of time.

[0006] The opening of the hair treatment chamber may be provided in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hair treatment chamber, for example a central longitudinal axis of the hair treatment chamber, and the aperture may be arranged radially from the longitudinal axis. In use, air flow may be directed from or adjacent the air outlet in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hair treatment chamber. The aperture may extend around the longitudinal axis, for example with the longitudinal axis of the hair treatment chamber passing through a centre point of the opening.

[0007] The air outlet may be configured to direct the air flow substantially along a surface of the wall in use. The wall of the hair treatment chamber may be shaped to further direct the air flow in use. For example, the wall may be curved and the air flow may be directed to follow the curvature of the wall. This may further direct the air flow away from the opening while remaining in contact with the wall. The air flow may flow from the air outlet into the interior of the hair treatment chamber in use.

[0008] The hair treatment chamber, for example the walls of the hair treatment chamber, may be shaped to define a hemispherical interior.

[0009] The walls of the hair treatment chamber may include a porous material. The porous material may define apertures. The porous material may be, for example, a mesh. The porous material may be air permeable such that air can flow through the permeable material. The porous material may help to trap air in the hair treatment chamber while retaining the user's hair within the hair treatment chamber. As such, the air in the hair treatment chamber may be heated to a higher temperature to increase the efficiency and / or speed of drying the user's hair.

[0010] The walls of the hair treatment chamber may include a plurality of apertures. For example, there may be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 100, 1000 or 10,000 apertures. The plurality of apertures may be spaced around the periphery of the hair treatment chamber. The provision of multiple apertures may provide a more diversified airflow from the hair treatment chamber in use.

[0011] The air outlet may extend around at least a portion of the periphery of the hair treatment chamber. The air outlet may extend around the entire periphery of the hair treatment chamber. The air outlet may be an annular slot provided around at least a portion of the periphery of the hair treatment chamber. The hair treatment chamber may include a rim defining an opening and the air outlet may be located on the rim such that, in use, the air flow is directed away from the periphery of the opening. The rim may be formed by a protrusion in a wall of the hair treatment chamber and the air outlet may be formed in the protrusion.

[0012] The width of the air outlet may vary around the periphery of the hair treatment chamber. Advantageously, this may allow the air flow rate to remain constant around the entire air outlet, regardless of the distance from the air flow generator. The width of the air outlet may be greatest at a point of the hair treatment chamber furthest from the air flow generator. The attachment may comprise a conduit located on a first side of the hair treatment chamber. The conduit may provide a flow path from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air outlet may be greatest in width at a second side of the hair treatment chamber opposite the first side. The first side and the second side may be located on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the hair treatment chamber.

[0013] The attachment may comprise a sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a characteristic of the hair in the hair treatment chamber when in use. The signal may indicate that the user's hair is sufficiently dry, for example, the user may be provided with instructions to stop using the hair care device based on the signal. For example, the user may be provided with a visual indicator, such as a light, when the signal indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry. The airflow generator may be configured to modify the airflow when the signal indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry. For example, the airflow generator may be configured to reduce the flow rate or stop generating the airflow in response to the signal. Alternatively or additionally, the heater may be configured to modify the amount of heat provided to the airflow in response to the signal. For example, the heater may be configured to reduce the amount of heat provided to the airflow or stop heating the airflow in response to the signal. This may help to prevent the user's hair from being damaged by excessive or unnecessary drying and / or heating.

[0014] The sensor may be located within or adjacent to the hair treatment chamber, and multiple sensors may be provided to provide redundancy in case of sensor failure.

[0015] The sensor may comprise any of a humidity sensor, a sensor capable of spectral analysis, an infrared or temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, or a sensor capable of capacitive sensing of moisture.

[0016] A portion of the wall remote from the air outlet may be shaped to direct the airflow in the hair treatment chamber towards the opening. For example, the portion of the wall may protrude towards the opening such that the hair treatment chamber includes a substantially toroidal internal shape. This allows the airflow to be directed towards the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber in use, for example hot air leaving the air outlet may be initially directed away from the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber, then slightly cooled and then directed towards the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber.

[0017] The attachment may comprise a further air outlet configured to direct the air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet, which may provide greater flexibility for drying different sections of hair, for example compared to an attachment that only comprises a single air outlet configured to direct the air flow in a single direction.

[0018] The further air outlets may be configured to direct the air flow perpendicular to or opposite to the direction in which the air flow is directed by the air outlets, which may direct the air flow away from portions of the hair adjacent the walls of the hair treatment chamber, thereby allowing targeted drying and improving drying efficiency.

[0019] The further air outlet may be configured to direct the air flow through the aperture towards the opening, such that the aperture can diffuse air from the further air outlet towards the opening.

[0020] Where the hair treatment chamber comprises a rim defining an opening, the air outlet may be located on the rim such that the air flow is directed towards the hair treatment chamber, away from the periphery of the opening, and the further air outlet may be located on the rim such that the air flow is directed away from the periphery of the opening and away from the hair treatment chamber, which may allow drying parts of the hair not located within the hair treatment chamber, for example the roots which are located within the hair treatment chamber.

[0021] The attachment may comprise a protrusion extending away from the opening and the further air outlet may be located on the protrusion, which may allow the further air outlet to be positioned at a distance from the hair treatment chamber in use, thereby allowing multi-location drying.

[0022] The protrusions may be fixed relative to the rim, which may allow the protrusions to engage the hair in use to enhance styling capabilities. The protrusions may be movable relative to the rim, for example between an extended position and a retracted position, which may, for example, provide airflow through a further air outlet in the extended position but not the retracted position, and may, for example, selectively dry hair roots in use.

[0023] The attachment may comprise a plurality of further air outlets spaced around a periphery of the opening, each of the plurality of further air outlets configured to direct the air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet, which may enable an even distribution of the air flow around the periphery of the air outlet, thereby providing more predictability for drying hair.

[0024] The attachment may have a first configuration in which airflow through the air outlet is unrestricted and airflow through the further air outlet is restricted, and a second configuration in which airflow through the air outlet is restricted and airflow through the further air outlet is unrestricted, which may allow for more flexibility in drying by selectively providing airflow through the air outlet and the further air outlet.

[0025] The attachment may comprise a valve to switch between the first and second configurations. The valve may provide a simple mechanism to switch airflow from one air outlet to another, or vice versa. The valve may be actuated by a user, for example to allow the user to switch the hair care appliance between the first and second configurations.

[0026] The attachment may be switchable between the first and second configurations by rotating a first part of the attachment relative to a second part of the attachment, allowing a user to relatively easily switch the attachment between the first and second configurations.

[0027] If the protrusion comprises a further air outlet and is movable relative to the rim, movement of the protrusion from a retracted position to an extended position moves the attachment from a first configuration to a second configuration, and vice versa. The movement of the protrusion may be controlled either by air flow or by a user applied force. The movement of the protrusion may also be controlled by a motor, the operation of which is automated. The motor may operate in response to a signal received from a sensor. For example, a signal from the sensor may indicate that the user's head is in proximity to the attachment, and the motor may operate in response to this signal to move the protrusion.

[0028] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a hair care device comprising an attachment according to the first aspect and an air flow generator for generating an air flow from an air inlet to an air outlet.

[0029] The hair care device may comprise a heater for heating the hair received in the hair treatment chamber. For example, the heater may be for heating an air flow. Advantageously, when the hair treatment chamber defines an enclosed space, the ambient temperature within the hair treatment chamber increases when the hot air enters the enclosed space. This may help to improve the efficiency and / or speed of drying the user's hair.

[0030] The hair care device may comprise a handle unit having an air flow generator disposed therein, and the attachment according to the first aspect may be removably attachable to the handle unit. By providing the above-mentioned air inlet, hair treatment chamber and air outlet as part of the removable attachment, the functionality described herein may be selectively provided by a user.

[0031] The attachment may communicate with the handle unit to modify the operation of the hair care appliance. For example, the attachment may communicate with the airflow generator to modify the airflow provided to the attachment. The attachment may communicate with the hair care appliance to communicate information indicative of a desired airflow rate. The airflow generator may operate based on the information to provide the desired airflow rate. The attachment may include an RFID tag that includes information indicative of a desired airflow rate for the attachment. This information may be read from the RFID tag and transmitted to the airflow generator such that the airflow generator generates the desired airflow rate. Alternatively or additionally, the attachment may communicate with the hair care appliance by Bluetooth or other suitable wireless communication standards and / or by a wired connection.

[0032] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a hair care device comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, an air flow generator to generate an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet, and a hair treatment chamber adapted to receive hair and in fluid communication with the air outlet, the hair treatment chamber comprising a wall, an opening through which the hair can be inserted into the hair treatment chamber, and an aperture formed in the wall, the air outlet configured to direct air flow away from the opening towards the aperture in use.

[0033] Optional features of aspects of the invention may be equally applied to other aspects of the invention, where appropriate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 shows a hair care device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a handle unit of the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 11a] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 10. [Figure 11b] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 10. [Figure 12a] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the attachment of FIG. 10. [Figure 12b] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the attachment of FIG. 10. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an attachment for the hair care device of FIG. 1. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the attachment of FIG. 13. [Figure 15a] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 13. [Figure 15b] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 13. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] A hair care device according to the present invention, generally designated 10, is shown diagrammatically in FIG.

[0036] The hair care device 10 includes a handle unit 12 and an attachment 100 that is removably attachable to the handle unit 12.

[0037] The handle unit 12 comprises a housing 14, an airflow generator 16, a heater 18, and a control unit 20, as seen diagrammatically in FIG.

[0038] The housing 14 is tubular in shape and includes an air inlet 22 through which airflow is drawn into the housing 14 by an airflow generator 16, and an air outlet 24 through which airflow is expelled from the housing 14. The airflow generator 16 is contained within the housing 14 and includes an impeller 26 driven by an electric motor 28. The heater 18 is also contained within the housing 14 and optionally includes a heating element 30 that heats the airflow.

[0039] The control unit 20 comprises electronic circuitry for a user interface 32, a control module 34 and an RFID reader 24. The user interface 32 is provided on the exterior of the housing 14 and is used to power the hair care device 10 on and off, select an airflow rate (e.g. high, medium, low) and select an airflow temperature (e.g. hot, medium, cold). In the example of Figure 1, the user interface comprises a number of slide switches, although other forms of user interface 32 are envisaged, such as buttons, dials or touch screens. The RFID reader 24 is for interrogating an RFID tag forming part of the attachment 100. Although RFID has been described here, other forms of wireless or wired communication may be used.

[0040] The control module 34 is responsible for controlling the airflow generator 16 and the heater 18 in response to input from the user interface 32. For example, in response to input from the user interface 32, the control module 34 may control the power or speed of the airflow generator 16 to regulate the flow rate of the airflow, and may control the power of the heater 18 to regulate the temperature of the airflow.

[0041] An embodiment of the attachment 100 is shown diagrammatically in Figures 3 and 4. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the attachment 100 comprises an air inlet 101, an air outlet 102 and a hair treatment chamber 103. The hair treatment chamber 103 is for receiving hair and is in fluid communication with the air outlet 102. The hair treatment chamber 103 comprises a wall 104, an opening 105 through which the hair can be inserted into the hair treatment chamber 103 and an aperture 106 formed in the wall 104. The air outlet 102 is configured to direct an air flow away from the opening 105 towards the aperture 106 in use.

[0042] The hair treatment chamber 103 defines an enclosed space in which the user's hair is placed. As the hot air enters the enclosed space, the ambient temperature within the hair treatment chamber 103 increases, which may aid in drying the user's hair. Furthermore, because the hair treatment chamber 103 holds the user's hair in place during use, the user's hair is less disturbed by the flow of air into the hair treatment chamber 103. Thus, a relatively high flow rate of air can be used without significantly disturbing the user's hair, which may increase the efficiency and / or speed of drying the user's hair and improve the user's final hairstyle. The flow rate may be at least 6 liters / second, at least 10 liters / second, or at least 13 liters / second.

[0043] In the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 in combination with Figure 1, an air inlet 101 and an air outlet 102 of the attachment 100 are provided at a first end of the housing 14. The air inlet 101 is therefore arranged in the air flow path between the air flow generator 16 and the air outlet 102. As shown in Figure 1, the handle unit 12 also has its own air inlet 22 to the housing 14. The air flow generator 16 is configured to generate an air flow from the air inlet 22 of the handle unit 12 through the air inlet 101 of the attachment 100 to the air outlet 102, in use.

[0044] The opening 105 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is generally circular in shape, although openings of other forms and shapes are envisioned. For example, the opening 105 may be substantially elliptical or semicircular in shape. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the hair treatment chamber 103 is shaped to define a hemispherical interior. In other embodiments, the hair treatment chamber 103 is shaped to define any other suitable hollow interior capable of receiving hair.

[0045] The hair treatment chamber 103 includes a rim 116 that defines an opening 105. The air outlet 102 is located on the rim 116 such that air flow is directed into the hair treatment chamber 103 and away from a periphery 117 of the opening 105.

[0046] When hair is inserted through the opening 105 and the airflow is directed away from the opening 105, the airflow may be directed away from hair roots that are located within the hair treatment chamber 103 in use. For example, in use, a user may place hair within the hair treatment chamber 103 and place the rim 116 against their head such that the periphery 117 of the opening 105 is located adjacent to hair roots contained within the hair treatment chamber 103. When the airflow within the hair treatment chamber 103 is directed away from the opening 105 and towards the aperture 106, the airflow may be initially directed away from the user's head in use. This reduces the amount of direct heat applied to the user's head, which may increase comfort when using the hair care device 10, especially over extended periods of time.

[0047] The air outlet 102 is configured to direct the air flow along a surface 107 of the wall 104 in use, as shown by arrow 114. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 is curved. The air outlet 102 directs the air flow along the curved wall 104 towards the apex of the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0048] 3 and 4, the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 includes a plurality of apertures 106. The plurality of apertures 106 are disposed on the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 at equal intervals.

[0049] The wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 includes a porous material 119. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the porous material 119 is disposed in the apertures 106, and the non-porous wall 104 and the porous material 119 collectively define a boundary wall of the hair treatment chamber 103. In Figure 3, the porous material 119 is shown in a single aperture 106. In some embodiments, the porous material 119 is disposed in all apertures 106. Alternatively, the porous material 119 is disposed in a selected number of apertures 106. The pores of the porous material 119 define additional apertures in the wall 104. In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the porous material 119 is a mesh. Alternatively, any other suitable porous material can be used.

[0050] The porous material 119 helps to trap air within the hair treatment chamber 103 while retaining the user's hair within the hair treatment chamber 103. As such, the air in the hair treatment chamber 103 may be heated to a higher temperature to increase the efficiency and / or speed of drying the user's hair.

[0051] 3 and 4, the air outlet 102 extends around the entire periphery 108 of the hair treatment chamber 103. In other embodiments, the air outlet 102 extends around only a portion of the periphery 108 of the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0052] The width of the air outlet 102 varies around the periphery 108 of the hair treatment chamber 103. This may allow the air flow rate to remain constant around the entire air outlet 102 regardless of the distance from the air flow generator 16. A conduit 109 is located on a first side 110 of the hair treatment chamber 103. The conduit 109 provides a flow path 111 from the air inlet 101 to the air outlet 102. The air outlet 102 is widest at a second side 112 of the hair treatment chamber 103 opposite the first side 110. In some embodiments, the air outlet 102 is uniform in width around the entire periphery 108 of the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0053] The attachment 100 comprises a sensor 113 configured to output a signal indicative of a characteristic of the hair in the hair treatment chamber 103 in use. The sensor 113 shown in FIG. 4 is a moisture sensor. In other embodiments, the sensor 113 is a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor. The signal output by the sensor 113 is received by a control module 34 configured to control the hair care appliance 10 in response to the signal from the sensor 113. In some embodiments, the sensor 113 comprises an RFID tag that transmits information to the RFID reader 24 via RFID. It is envisaged that in some embodiments other forms of communication may be utilized including, for example, Bluetooth or near field communication (NFC).

[0054] Similarly, while the foregoing has described methods of wireless communication between the sensor 113 and the control module 34, it will be appreciated that embodiments utilizing a physical communication connection are also contemplated. For example, the handle unit 12 and the attachment 100 may include corresponding contacts that, when connected, define a communication path when the attachment 100 is connected to the handle unit 12.

[0055] In some embodiments, the signal from the sensor 113 indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry, and the user is provided with an instruction to stop using the hair care device 10 based on the signal. For example, the user is provided with a visual indicator, such as a light, when the signal indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry. In some embodiments, the airflow generator 16 is configured to modify the airflow when the signal indicates that the user's hair is sufficiently dry. For example, the airflow generator 16 is configured to reduce the flow rate or stop generating the airflow in response to the signal. In some embodiments, the heater 18 is configured to modify the amount of heat provided to the airflow in response to the signal. For example, the heater 18 may be configured to reduce the amount of heat provided to the airflow or stop heating the airflow in response to the signal. This may help prevent the user's hair from being damaged by excessive or unnecessary drying and / or heating.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an attachment 200 of another embodiment. The attachment 100 of FIG. 5 is substantially the same as the attachment 100 shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, and like features are indicated with like reference numerals. A portion of the wall 104 of the attachment 200 of FIG. 5 is shaped to direct the airflow in the hair treatment chamber 103 toward the opening 105. As shown in FIG. 5, the wall 104 is shaped to have a peak 201 that extends toward the opening 105 inside the hair treatment chamber 103. Thus, the airflow from the air outlet 102 follows the surface of the wall 104 and is directed toward the opening 105 by the peak 201 of the wall 104.

[0057] 5, a portion of the wall 104 protrudes towards the opening 105 such that the hair treatment chamber 103 includes a substantially toroidal internal shape. This allows airflow to be directed towards the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber 103 in use, for example hot air exiting the air outlet 102 may be initially directed away from the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber 103, subsequently cooled slightly and then directed towards the roots of the hair in the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0058] Figures 6 and 7 show a further embodiment of another attachment 300. Like features compared to the attachment 100 of figures 3 and 4 are indicated with like reference numerals. The attachment 300 comprises a further air outlet 301, which is configured to direct the air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet 102. This may provide increased flexibility for drying different sections of the hair, for example, compared to a hair care device 20 that comprises only a single air outlet 102 configured to direct the air flow in a single direction.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the further air outlet 301 is configured to direct the air flow in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the air flow is directed by the air outlet 102. In other embodiments, the further air outlet 301 is configured to direct the air flow in a direction opposite to the direction in which the air flow is directed by the air outlet 102. This may allow the air flow to be directed away from the portion of the hair adjacent the wall 104 within the hair treatment chamber 103, which may allow targeted drying and improve drying efficiency.

[0060] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the further air outlet 301 is located on the rim 116 such that the air flow is directed away from the periphery 117 of the opening 105 and away from the hair treatment chamber 103. This may allow drying parts of the hair that are not located within the hair treatment chamber 103, for example the roots.

[0061] The attachment 300 shown in Figures 6 and 7 comprises a protrusion 302 extending away from the opening 105. A further air outlet 301 is located on the protrusion 302. This allows the further air outlet to be positioned at a distance from the hair treatment chamber 103 in use, thereby allowing drying in multiple locations. In the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, the protrusion 302 is fixed relative to the rim 116. In some embodiments, the protrusion 302 is configured to be movable such that the protrusion 302 can be retracted into the rim 116.

[0062] The attachment 300 comprises a plurality of further air outlets 301 spaced around the periphery of the opening 105. Each of the plurality of further air outlets 301 is configured to direct the air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet 102. This may allow for an even distribution of air flow around the periphery of the air outlet 102, thereby providing more predictability for drying hair.

[0063] The attachment 300 of Figures 6 and 7 may have a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, airflow through the air outlet 102 is unrestricted and airflow through the further air outlet 301 is restricted. In the second configuration, airflow through the air outlet 102 is restricted and airflow through the further air outlet is unrestricted. The air outlet 102 or the further air outlet 301 may be blocked in the first or second configuration, respectively, restricting airflow through the air outlet 102 or the further air outlet 301, respectively. This allows selective provision of airflow through the air outlet 102 and the further air outlet 301, which may provide greater flexibility for drying.

[0064] In some embodiments, the protrusion 302 is movable to block the further air outlet 301 in the first configuration. Alternatively or additionally, the attachment 300 is provided with a valve to direct the air flow to one of the air outlet 102 or the further outlet 301 in one of the first or second configurations, respectively. In some embodiments, the attachment 300 is configured to operate in one of the first or second configurations upon receiving an input via the user interface 32 on the handle unit 12. In other embodiments, the attachment 300 is configured to operate in one of the first or second configurations in response to a signal from the sensor 113.

[0065] Figures 8 and 9 show a further embodiment of an attachment 400 for the hair care device of Figure 1. Like reference numerals refer to like features to the attachment shown in Figures 3 and 4. The attachment 400 includes two apertures 106 disposed in a wall 104 of a hair treatment chamber 103. In some embodiments, a porous material (not shown), for example a mesh, is disposed in the apertures 106.

[0066] In the attachment 400 shown in Figures 8 and 9, the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 defines an air flow passage 120 between the air inlet 101 and the air outlet 102. The attachment 400 defines a rim 116 which is shaped to direct the air flow through the air outlet 102 towards the air inlet 101.

[0067] Figure 10 shows a further embodiment of an attachment 500 for the hair care device 10 of Figure 1. Similar features to the attachment shown in Figures 3 and 4 are indicated with similar reference numerals. The attachment 500 comprises a number of manifolds 501 (shown in more detail in Figures 11a and 11b) extending between the air inlet 101 and the air outlet 102. Although three manifolds 501 are shown in Figure 10, in other embodiments a greater or lesser number of manifolds 501 may be provided. For example, in some embodiments (similar to the embodiments of Figures 8 and 9) two manifolds 501 are provided. In other embodiments four, five or six manifolds 501 may be provided.

[0068] As shown in Figure 10, the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 has a number of apertures 106 or holes formed therein. The number of apertures 106 may help to increase / improve the diffusion of air from the air outlet 102. The wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 in Figure 10 is integrally formed as part of the attachment 500. In other embodiments, the wall 104 may be formed separately such that the wall 104 is removable from the attachment 500. This allows the wall 104 to be removed for cleaning or replacement.

[0069] The air outlet 102 of the attachment of FIG. 10 may extend around the entire periphery of the hair treatment chamber 103. To help ensure consistent airflow from the air outlet 102 around the entire periphery, an air guide member may be provided between the manifold 501 and the air outlet 102 to direct the airflow from the manifold 501 around the periphery of the hair treatment chamber 103. This may help improve the consistency of drying and / or styling a user's hair regardless of the position of the user's hair in the hair treatment chamber 103. In other embodiments, this may be achieved alternatively or additionally by modifying the shape (e.g. width) of the air outlet 102 around the periphery of the hair treatment chamber 103.

[0070] The attachment 500 of Fig. 10 comprises a first configuration and a second configuration. The first and second configurations are explained in more detail below with reference to Figs. 12a and 12b. Fig. 11a shows a cross-sectional view of the attachment 500 of Fig. 10 in the first configuration. In the first configuration, as indicated by the arrow X1, the air flow from the air inlet 101 flows through a passage 505 in the manifold 501 towards the air outlet 102. The air outlet 102 is configured to direct the air flow away from the opening 105 towards the aperture 106. Fig. 11b shows a cross-sectional view of the attachment 500 of Fig. 10 in the second configuration. For ease of reading, the wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 is not shown in 11b. In the second configuration, as indicated by the arrow X2 in Fig. 11b, the air flow is configured to flow from the air inlet 101 through the passage 505 to the further air outlet 502. In this embodiment, the further air outlet 502 is configured, in the second configuration, to direct the air flow through the aperture 106 of the attachment 500 towards the opening 105. This enables the aperture 106 to diffuse the air flow from the further air outlet 502.

[0071] The attachment 500 is changeable by a user between a first configuration and a second configuration, allowing the user to select whether they want forward flow (e.g. from the further air flow outlet 502 towards the opening 105) or reverse flow (e.g. from the air flow outlet 102 towards the aperture 106) depending on their requirements (e.g. depending on how they want to style their hair).

[0072] As shown in Figure 11b, the further air outlet 502 comprises a plurality of elongated air outlets. The wall 104 of the hair treatment chamber 103 is spaced from the further air outlet 502 such that apertures 106 formed in the wall 104 help to diffuse the air flow from the further air outlet 502. This may help to improve the quality of drying and / or styling the user's hair in use.

[0073] Figures 12a and 12b show schematic plan views of the attachment 500 of Figure 10. Figure 12a shows a first configuration of the attachment 500 and Figure 12b shows a second configuration of the attachment 500.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 12a, in the first configuration, the further air outlet 502 is substantially blocked such that air flow through the further air outlet 502 is restricted. In the second configuration, air flow through the further air outlet 502 is not restricted. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12a, air flow through the air outlet 102 is not restricted in the second configuration, while in other embodiments air flow through the air outlet 102 is restricted in the second configuration. This helps to ensure that air flow only flows through the air outlet 102 in the first configuration and only through the further air outlet 502 in the second configuration, which may help to improve drying and / or styling of a user's hair.

[0075] In this embodiment, the attachment 500 is changeable between a first configuration and a second configuration by rotation of a first portion 503 of the attachment 500 relative to a second portion 504 of the attachment 500. When part of the hair care device 10 of FIG. 1, the second portion 504 is fixed to the handle unit 12 such that the first portion 503 is rotatable relative to the handle unit 12. This allows a user to more easily hold the second portion 504 in place while rotating the first portion 503. In other embodiments, the second portion 504 is not fixed to the handle unit 12 and is free to rotate relative to the handle unit 12.

[0076] In other embodiments, the attachment 500 may be alterable between the first and second configurations in any other suitable manner. For example, the attachment 500 may be alterable by linear movement of the first portion 503 of the attachment 500 relative to the second portion 504 of the attachment 500. In other embodiments, the attachment 500 may be alterable between the first and second configurations by using a user-controllable actuator, for example a linear actuator. The attachment 500 may be alterable to move from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the user pressing a portion of the attachment 500, for example the rim 116, against the head. This allows the user to easily alter the attachment 500 between the first and second configurations during use. For example, a protrusion may extend from the rim 116, and the attachment 500 may be configured to switch between the first and second configurations when a force is applied to the protrusion. In other embodiments, the rim 116 may be movable such that a force applied to the rim 116 causes the attachment 500 to switch between the first and second configurations. In other examples, a sensor (e.g., a strain gauge) may be provided on a portion of the attachment 500 and configured to detect a force applied to the rim 116. In response to detecting the force applied to the rim 116, the sensor may be in communication with an actuator to cause the attachment 500 to switch between the first and second configurations.

[0077] Figures 13 and 14 show further embodiments of an attachment 600 for the hair care device 10 of Figure 1. Similar features to the attachment shown in Figures 3 and 4 are indicated with similar reference numerals. The attachment 600 comprises a plurality of first manifolds 601 (three first manifolds in this embodiment) and a plurality of second manifolds 602 (three second manifolds in this embodiment). The first manifolds 601 extend from the air inlet 101 to the rim 116 of the attachment 600. The second manifolds 502 extend from the air inlet 101 towards the rim 116 but do not extend all the way to the rim 116. As shown in Figure 14, each of the second manifolds 602 comprises a further air outlet 603. In some embodiments, the second manifolds 502 also extend to the rim 116 of the attachment 600. In such an embodiment, air flow is prevented from passing from the second manifold 502 to the air outlet 102 , for example by sealing the second manifold 502 from the air outlet 102 .

[0078] Figures 15a and 15b show cross-sectional views of the attachment 600 of Figures 13 and 14. Figure 15a shows a first configuration of the attachment 600 and Figure 15b shows a second configuration of the attachment 600. In the first configuration, airflow is directed from the air inlet 101, through a passage 606 in the first manifold 601 and out of the air outlet 102. In the second configuration, airflow is directed from the air inlet 101, through a passage 607 in the second manifold 602 and out of the further air outlet 603. As with the attachment of Figure 10, in the first configuration, airflow through the air outlet 102 is unrestricted and airflow through the further air outlet 603 is restricted, and in the second configuration, airflow through the further air outlet 603 is unrestricted and airflow through the air outlet 102 is restricted.

[0079] As shown in Figures 15a and 15b, the attachment 600 is switchable between a first configuration and a second configuration by rotation of a first portion 604 of the attachment 600 relative to a second portion 605 of the attachment. As shown in Figure 15a, in the first configuration, the first portion 604 rotates such that airflow to the second manifold 602 is restricted and airflow to the first manifold 601 (indicated by arrow X3) is not restricted. In the second configuration (shown in Figure 15b), the first portion 604 rotates such that airflow to the first manifold 601 is restricted and airflow to the second manifold 602 (indicated by arrow X4) is not restricted. The first portion 604 and the second portion 605 may be rotatable or otherwise movable relative to each other in the same manner as described with respect to the attachment 500 of Figures 12a and 12b. Furthermore, the attachment 600 of Figure 13 may be switchable between the first and second configurations in any of the ways described with respect to the attachment 500 of Figures 12a and 12b.

[0080] Rather than the hair care device 10 comprising a handle unit 12 and an attachment 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, embodiments are also envisaged in which the hair care device 10 is an integrated unit, for example taking the form of a combination of the handle unit 12 and attachment 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 as previously described.

Claims

1. an air inlet for receiving an air flow; an air outlet for discharging the air flow; a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair and in fluid communication with the air outlet; An attachment for a hair care device comprising: the hair treatment chamber comprises a wall formed to define a curved interior space configured to receive hair, an opening through which hair can be inserted into the interior space of the hair treatment chamber, and an aperture formed in the wall, the air outlet configured to direct an air flow away from the opening towards the aperture in use; The wall comprises a porous material.

2. The internal space is substantially hemispherical, The attachment according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is located at a bottom surface of the substantially hemispherical shape of the internal space.

3. 2. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air outlet is arranged to direct air flow along a surface of the wall in use.

4. The attachment of claim 1 , wherein the porous material defines the aperture.

5. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment comprises a plurality of apertures formed in the wall.

6. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the air outlet extends around at least a part of a periphery of the hair treatment chamber.

7. 7. The attachment of claim 6, wherein the air outlet extends around the entire periphery of the hair treatment chamber.

8. 8. An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the width of the air outlet varies around the periphery of the hair treatment chamber.

9. 9. The attachment of claim 8, wherein the attachment comprises a conduit located on a first side of the hair treatment chamber, the conduit providing a flow path from the air inlet to the air outlet, the air outlet having a greatest width at a second side of the hair treatment chamber opposite the first side.

10. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment comprises a sensor configured, in use, to output a signal indicative of a characteristic of hair in the hair treatment chamber.

11. An attachment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a part of the wall remote from the air outlet is shaped to direct airflow within the hair treatment chamber towards the opening.

12. An attachment according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment comprises a further air outlet arranged to direct an air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet.

13. 13. An attachment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the further air outlet is arranged to direct the air flow in a direction perpendicular or opposite to the direction in which air flow is directed by the air outlet.

14. 14. An attachment as described in claim 12 or 13, wherein the hair treatment chamber has a rim defining the opening, the air outlet is located on the rim such that air flow is directed into the hair treatment chamber away from a periphery of the opening, and the further air outlet is located on the rim.

15. An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the attachment comprises a protrusion extending away from the opening, and the further air outlet is located on the protrusion.

16. 16. An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the attachment comprises a plurality of further air outlets spaced around a periphery of the opening, each of the plurality of further air outlets configured to direct an air flow in a different direction to the air flow directed by the air outlet.

17. 17. An attachment as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising a first configuration in which air flow through the air outlet is unrestricted and air flow through the further air outlet is restricted, and a second configuration in which air flow through the air outlet is restricted and air flow through the further air outlet is unrestricted.

18. A hair care device comprising: an attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 17; and an air flow generator that generates an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet.

19. 19. The hair care appliance of claim 18, wherein the hair care appliance comprises a handle unit within which the air flow generator is disposed, and wherein the attachment is removably mountable to the handle unit.

20. An air inlet; An air outlet; an air flow generator for generating an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet; a hair treatment chamber for receiving hair and in fluid communication with the air outlet, the hair treatment chamber comprises a wall formed to define a curved interior space configured to receive hair, an opening through which hair can be inserted into the interior space of the hair treatment chamber, and an aperture formed in the wall, the air outlet configured to direct an air flow away from the opening towards the aperture in use; The wall comprises a porous material.

21. The internal space is substantially hemispherical, The hair care device according to claim 20 , wherein the opening is located at a bottom surface of the substantially hemispherical shape of the internal space.

Images