Apparatus and method for drying an object

Abstract

To provide apparatuses and methods for drying objects.SOLUTION: An apparatus can comprise: a housing configured to provide an airflow channel having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; an airflow generating element configured to effect an airflow through the airflow channel; and one or more radiation energy sources configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation toward an exterior of the housing. At least a portion of at least one of the one or more radiation energy sources does not contact the airflow channel or the airflow, thereby maintaining an operating temperature of the radiation energy source within a predetermined range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to International Application No. PCT / CN2020 / 089408, filed May 9, 2020, and International Application No. PCT / CN2020 / 095146, filed June 9, 2020, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION This disclosure relates generally to devices for drying objects. More specifically, this disclosure relates to hair dryers that utilize infrared (IR) radiation to heat and remove water from hair. [Background technology]

[0003] Conventional hair dryers (e.g., blow dryers) blow warm air to dry wet hair. Hair dryers extract room-temperature air with a motorized impeller and heat the airflow with a resistive heating element (e.g., nichrome wire). The hot airflow increases the temperature of the hair and the air surrounding it. Evaporation of water from wet hair is accelerated because the increased temperature helps individual molecules in the water droplets overcome their mutual attractive forces and change from a liquid state to a gaseous state. As the temperature of the air surrounding the hair increases, the relative humidity around the wet hair also decreases, which further accelerates the evaporation process.

[0004] During heating of the airflow, conventional hair dryers use a resistive heating element to convert electrical energy into convection heat. However, convection heat can have low heat transfer efficiency because only a portion of the hot airflow reaches the hair, and only a portion of the heat carried by the hot airflow that reaches the hair is transferred to the hair and the water on the hair (e.g., some of the heat is absorbed by the surrounding air). In addition, with the convection heat used by conventional hair dryers, the hair is excessively exposed to the hot airflow in order to completely dry it. The hair is only heated on the surface, which can lead to frizzy, dry, and damaged hair. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a need for improved devices for drying hair and other objects, such as fabrics, with greater energy efficiency. Infrared (IR) radiation is utilized as a thermal energy source to remove water and moisture from objects in the drying device of the present disclosure. The infrared radiation energy source can emit infrared energy to provide stable and consistent heat. The infrared energy can be directed toward the object (e.g., hair) so that heat is transferred directly to the object via radiative heat transfer, which increases heat transfer efficiency.

[0006] Infrared radiant energy sources require management of their operating temperatures to prevent overheating and, therefore, shortening of their useful life. The operating temperature of the infrared radiant energy source is managed by positioning a portion of the infrared radiant energy source in contact with the airflow path or airflow within the airflow path, thereby allowing excess heat from the infrared radiant energy source to be transferred to the airflow path or airflow.

[0007] There is a need for a compact, lightweight cordless device for drying objects. The cordless drying device of the present disclosure can be powered by a rechargeable and / or replaceable built-in battery, making the drying device portable and convenient. As a result of the improved heat transfer efficiency and energy efficiency of the infrared radiant energy source, the operating time of a battery-powered cordless drying device can be extended while maintaining a high output power density for sufficient drying effectiveness.

[0008] There is also a need for a device that dries hair without damaging the hair with heat. The hair drying device can be equipped with multiple sensors to measure parameters of the user's hair, the surrounding environment, and / or the operation of the device. The hair drying device can provide tactile feedback to the user, for example, if the user is holding the device too close to the hair or if an abnormality is detected within the device, allowing the user to adjust or stop the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Disclosed herein is an apparatus for drying an object. The apparatus can include a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, an airflow generating element housed within the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path, one or more radiant energy sources configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation outside the housing, wherein at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources includes a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path, and a power supply element configured to provide power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element. A method for drying an object is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed in the housing; generating infrared radiation via one or more radiant energy sources and directing the infrared radiation toward an exterior of the housing, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources including a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path; and supplying power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element via a power supply element.

[0010] Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for drying an object. The apparatus can include a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, an airflow generating element housed in the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path, one or more radiant energy sources housed in the housing and configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing, a thermal coupling coupled to at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources and configured to dissipate heat from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources, and a power supply element configured to provide power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element. Also disclosed is a method for drying an object. The method includes the steps of providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed within the housing; generating infrared radiation via one or more radiant energy sources housed within the housing and directing the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing; dissipating heat from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources via a thermal coupling coupled to at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources; and supplying power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element via a power supply element.

[0011] Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for drying an object. The apparatus can include a housing, one or more radiant energy sources configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing, each of the one or more radiant energy sources including a reflector having an opening toward the exterior of the housing, and a power supply element configured to supply power to at least the radiant energy sources. At least one of the reflectors of the one or more radiant energy sources can have a cutout shape.

[0012] Also disclosed herein is a radiant energy source. The radiant energy source can include a radiation emitter configured to generate infrared radiation and a reflector having at least one vertex and an opening facing the exterior of the radiant energy source, the reflector configured to direct the infrared radiation toward the exterior of the radiant energy source. The radiation emitter can be positioned and oriented such that a distal end of the radiation emitter does not face the opening. Also disclosed is a radiation emitter. The radiation emitter can include a radiation generating element configured to generate radiation when powered on, a radiation reflecting element positioned below the radiation generating element and configured to reflect at least a portion of the radiation toward the exterior of the radiation emitter, and a sealing member configured to seal the radiation generating element and the radiation reflecting element.

[0013] Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for drying an object, the apparatus including a housing, one or more radiant energy sources configured to generate and direct infrared radiation toward an exterior of the housing, each of the one or more radiant energy sources including a radiation emitter of the present disclosure, a reflector having an opening toward the exterior of the housing, and a power supply element configured to provide power to at least the radiant energy sources.

[0014] Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for drying an object, the apparatus including: a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; an airflow generating element housed in the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path, the airflow generating element including at least a low-noise motor; a radiant energy source housed in the housing and configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation out of the housing; and a power supply element configured to provide power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element.

[0015] Also disclosed herein is a method for drying an object, the method including the steps of: providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed in the housing, the airflow generating element including at least a low-noise motor; generating infrared radiation via a radiant energy source housed within the housing and directing the infrared radiation out of the housing; and supplying power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element via a power supply element.

[0016] Other aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, in which only one illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure is shown and described, merely as an illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the disclosure. As will be apparent, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

[0017] Incorporation by Reference All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0018] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an airflow generating element and a radiant energy source in an exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary radiant energy source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an exterior view of an exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating the appearance of another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an airflow generating element and a radiant energy source in another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary radiant energy source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating the appearance of another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another exemplary radiant energy source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the exemplary radiant energy source of FIG. 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating yet another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensor configuration in a hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14A] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary configuration of a radiant energy source according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figures 15A-15C] 1A-1C illustrate exemplary configurations of radiant energy sources relative to airflow paths according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figures 16A-16C]10A-10C illustrate exemplary configurations of radiant energy sources relative to airflow paths according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus having a thermal coupling according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figures 18A-18D] 10A-10C illustrate exemplary configurations of devices having thermal couplings according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figures 19A-19C] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus having a thermal coupling according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figures 20A-20D] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus having a thermal coupling according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying objects, in which the reflectors of one or more radiant energy sources have a cutout shape, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 22] 10A-10C are simulation results illustrating the relationship between reflector aperture diameter, output power at the reflector aperture, and power received at a given distance in front of the device, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 23-24] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying an object according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 25-26] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating exemplary configurations of radiant energy sources according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 27-28] 1A-1C are cross-sectional views illustrating exemplary configurations of radiation emitters according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 29] 1 illustrates an example of an appliance control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Various modifications, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be used to practice the invention.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and specialized terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. The terms used in the description of the present invention herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. When used in the English description of the present invention and the appended claims, the singular articles (a, an, the) are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0022] Unless otherwise noted, all numerical values ​​expressing components, technical effects, and other parameters used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the terms "about" or "substantially." Accordingly, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and appended claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties and effects sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be construed in light of the number of significant digits and ordinary rounding approaches.

[0023] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values ​​set forth in the specific examples are provided as precisely as possible. However, any numerical value inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Every numerical range recited throughout this specification includes every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

[0024] An apparatus and method for drying an object are provided. The drying apparatus of the present disclosure can remove water and moisture from an object (e.g., hair, fabric) by using an infrared (IR) radiation energy source as a thermal energy source. The infrared radiation energy source can emit infrared energy having a predetermined wavelength range and power density to heat the object. The heat carried by the infrared energy is transferred directly to the object via radiation, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency compared to conventional convection (e.g., in radiation, very little heat is absorbed by the surrounding air, whereas in conventional convection, most of the heat is absorbed by the surrounding air and then blown away). The infrared radiation energy source can be used in conjunction with an airflow generating element (e.g., a motor-driven impeller), and this airflow further accelerates evaporation of water from the object.

[0025] Another advantage of using infrared radiation as a thermal energy source is that infrared heat penetrates through the hair shaft to the outer layer of the hair cuticle, thereby drying hair faster and relaxing and softening it. Infrared energy is also believed to promote scalp health and stimulate hair growth by increasing scalp blood flow. The use of an infrared radiation energy source also allows for a compact and lightweight drying device, since a resistive wire grid is not required to heat the airflow. The improved heat transfer efficiency and energy efficiency of an infrared radiation energy source also allows for a cordless drying device, which can be powered by an embedded battery and operate for a longer operating time.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hair dryer may include a housing 101. Various electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical components, such as an airflow generating element 102, a radiant energy source 103, control circuitry (not shown), and a power adapter (not shown), may be received within the housing 101. The radiant energy source 103 may be configured to generate radiant heat energy and direct the heat energy toward a user's hair. The airflow generating element 102 may be configured to generate an airflow that facilitates evaporation of water from the user's hair. The hair dryer may include a power supply element configured to provide energy to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element.

[0027] The hair dryer can be powered from an external power source. The power element can include a power adapter that regulates the voltage and / or current received from the external power source. For example, the hair dryer can be powered by electrically connecting it to an external battery or to a power grid via a power cord. Additionally or alternatively, the hair dryer can be powered by an embedded power source. The power element can include one or more batteries received within the housing. The one or more batteries can be rechargeable (e.g., secondary batteries) and / or replaceable. In a representative example, one or more batteries 104 can be received within the hair dryer housing (e.g., in the handle of the housing). Battery status (e.g., battery charge state, remaining power) can be provided, for example, by a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator on the screen or housing.

[0028] The housing can include a body and a handle, each of which can receive at least some of the electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical components therein. In some cases, the body and handle can be integral. In some cases, the body and handle can be separate components. For example, the handle can be detachable from the body. In a typical example, the detachable handle can house one or more batteries therein, which are used to power the hair dryer. The housing can be made from an electrically insulating material that has a high resistance to electrical current. Examples of electrically insulating materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polyester, polyolefin, polystyrene, polyurethane, thermoplastics, silicone, glass, fiberglass, resin, rubber, ceramic, nylon, and wood. The housing can also be made from a metal material coated with an electrically insulating material or a combination of an electrically insulating material and a metal material with or without an electrically insulating material coating. For example, the electrically insulating material can form an inner layer of the housing, and the metal material can form an outer layer of the housing.

[0029] The housing may provide one or more airflow paths therein. The airflow generated by the airflow-generating element may be directed and / or adjusted toward the user's hair through the airflow paths. For example, the airflow paths may be shaped to adjust at least the speed, throughput, divergence angle, or vorticity of the airflow exiting the hair dryer. The airflow paths may include an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet. In a typical example, the airflow inlet and the airflow outlet may be positioned at opposite ends of the hair dryer along its length. The airflow inlet and the airflow outlet may each be a vent to enable efficient airflow throughput. Ambient air may be extracted into the airflow path through the airflow inlet to generate an airflow, and the generated airflow may exit the airflow path through the airflow outlet.

[0030] In some cases, one or more air filters may be provided at the airflow inlet to prevent dust and hair from entering the airflow path. For example, the air filter may be a mesh having an appropriate mesh size. The air filter may be removable or replaceable for cleaning and maintenance. In some cases, an airflow conditioner may be provided at the airflow outlet. The airflow conditioner may be a removable nozzle, comb, or curler. The airflow conditioner may be configured to adjust the velocity, throughput, divergence angle, or vorticity of the airflow exiting the airflow outlet. For example, the airflow conditioner may be shaped to converge (e.g., concentrate) the airflow a predetermined distance ahead of the airflow outlet. For example, the airflow conditioner may be shaped to diverge the airflow exiting the airflow outlet.

[0031] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 2 , which is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating an airflow generating element and a radiant energy source in an exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the airflow generating element 102 can include an impeller 1021 driven by a motor 1022. The impeller can include multiple blades. When activated by the motor, rotation of the impeller extracts ambient air into the airflow path through the airflow inlet to generate an airflow, pushes the generated airflow into the airflow path, and expels the airflow through the airflow outlet. The motor can be supported by a motor holder or housed within a motor shroud. The motor can be a brushless motor, and its rotational speed can be adjusted under the control of a controller (not shown). For example, the rotational speed of the motor can be controlled by a preset program, user input, or sensor data. The motor's dimensions, measured in any direction, can range from 14 mm (millimeters) to 21 mm. The motor's power output can range from 35 to 80 watts (W). The maximum velocity of the airflow exiting the airflow outlet may be at least 8 meters per second (m / s).

[0032] 1 and 2 as being received within the body of the housing, those skilled in the art will appreciate that it can also be positioned within the handle. For example, rotation of the impeller draws air into a vent (e.g., an airflow inlet) in the handle and pushes the air through an airflow path to an airflow outlet at the end of the body of the housing. The airflow path can thus extend through the handle and the body of the housing.

[0033] The radiant energy source 103 can be configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation toward the exterior of the housing. The radiant energy source can be supported by a radiant energy source holder or housed within a radiant energy source shroud. In some embodiments, the radiant energy source can be an infrared lamp, which converts electrical energy into infrared radiant energy. In representative examples, the infrared lamp can include a radiation emitter configured to emit radiation having a predetermined wavelength and a reflector configured to reflect the radiation toward the outlet of the airflow path. In other representative examples, the infrared lamp can also be an infrared light-emitting diode (LED) or a laser device, such as a carbon dioxide laser. In representative examples where a laser device is utilized as a lamp, a reflector may not be necessary. Optics can be provided to disperse radiation from the laser device and increase the area illuminated by the infrared radiation. The radiant energy can be directed toward the user's hair. Thus, heat is transferred to the hair via radiant heat transfer, which improves the heat transfer efficiency of the hair dryer. Details of infrared lamps are described later in this disclosure.

[0034] In the representative example shown in FIG. 2 , an airflow path enclosure 105 can be provided to define an airflow path 107 (e.g., as a boundary of the airflow path). The airflow path enclosure 105 can extend substantially from one longitudinal end of the hair dryer to the other longitudinal end. The motor and impeller can be positioned near the inlet end of the airflow path enclosure. The airflow characteristics (e.g., velocity, divergence angle, or vorticity) can be adjusted by the airflow path enclosure. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the airflow path enclosure can be varied along its length to achieve a desired velocity distribution and / or divergence angle of the airflow exiting the airflow outlet. In some cases, the infrared lamp can be housed in an infrared lamp enclosure 106. The infrared lamp enclosure can serve to protect the infrared lamp. A vacuum can be provided in the space between the outer surface of the infrared lamp and the inner surface of the infrared lamp enclosure. In some embodiments, the infrared lamp enclosure 106 can be positioned within the airflow path enclosure 105. As shown in FIG. 2, at least a portion of the airflow path 107 can be defined by the airflow path enclosure 105 and the infrared lamp enclosure 106. A side view of a hair dryer having this configuration is shown in FIG. 4, where the output of the infrared lamp 103 is surrounded by the airflow outlet of the airflow path 107. In some embodiments, the infrared lamp enclosure can be positioned outside the airflow path enclosure (e.g., the infrared lamp enclosure is not surrounded by the airflow path enclosure). A side view of a hair dryer having this configuration is shown in FIG. 5, where the output of the infrared lamp 103 is separated from the airflow outlet of the airflow path 107. Those skilled in the art will recognize that both the airflow path enclosure and the infrared lamp enclosure can be optional.

[0035] 1 and 2 as extending from an airflow inlet at one end of the length of the body of the housing to an airflow outlet at the other end of the length of the body of the housing, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the airflow inlets and / or airflow outlets may be distributed over the housing of a hair dryer of the present disclosure, and that multiple airflow paths and / or branching airflow paths may be provided within the hair dryer housing. In some examples, at least a portion of the airflow inlet may be located in the handle of the housing. In other examples, at least a portion of the airflow outlet may be located in the handle of the housing, whereby a portion of the airflow may be directed to and flow through one or more batteries received within the handle, thereby cooling the one or more batteries.

[0036] 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary radiant energy source according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the radiant energy source may be an infrared lamp. The infrared lamp 103 may include a reflector 1032 having an opening directed toward the airflow outlet of the airflow path, and a radiation emitter 1031 positioned inside the reflector. The radiation emitter 1031 may be configured to emit radiation in a predetermined wavelength range. The radiation emitted from the radiation emitter may be reflected toward the exterior of the hair dryer by a reflective surface (e.g., an inner surface) of the reflector 1032.

[0037] The radiation emitter can be a conductive heater (e.g., a heater operated with a metal resistor or carbon fiber) or a ceramic heater. Examples of metal resistors include tungsten filaments and chromel (e.g., an alloy of nickel and chromium, also known as nichrome) filaments. Examples of ceramic heaters include positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters and metal ceramic heaters (MCH). Ceramic heaters include a metal heating element embedded in a ceramic, such as tungsten in silicon nitride or silicon carbide. The radiation emitter can be provided in the form of a wire (e.g., a filament). The wire can be patterned to increase its length and / or surface area (e.g., a spiral filament). The radiation emitter can also be provided in the form of a rod. In a representative example, the radiation emitter can be a silicon nitride rod, a silicon carbide rod, or a carbon fiber rod having a predetermined diameter and length.

[0038] In some cases, the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter can substantially cover the visible spectrum from 0.4 μm to 0.7 μm and the infrared spectrum longer than 0.7 μm. In some cases, the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter can substantially cover only the infrared spectrum. In a typical example, the radiation emitter, when energized, can emit radiation having a wavelength from 0.7 μm to 20 μm. The power density of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter can be at least 1 kW / m 2 , 2kW / m 2 , 3kW / m 2 , 4kW / m 2 , 5kW / m 2 , 6kW / m 2 , 7kW / m 2 , 8kW / m 2 , 9kW / m 2 , 10kW / m 2 , 20kW / m 2 , 30kW / m 2 , 40kW / m 2 , 50kW / m 2, 60kW / m 2 , 70kW / m 2 , 80kW / m 2 , 90kW / m 2 , 100kW / m 2 , 120kW / m 2 , 140kW / m 2 , 160kW / m 2 , 180kW / m 2 , 200kW / m 2 , 220kW / m 2 , 240kW / m 2 , 260kW / m 2 , 280kW / m 2 , 300kW / m 2 , 350kW / m 2 , 400kW / m 2 , 450kW / m 2 , 500kW / m 2 , or even more.

[0039] Objects emit radiation in the infrared to visible wavelength range in the form of heat transfer. This heat transfer is called blackbody radiation. Blackbody radiation can be used as an infrared source. Blackbody radiation is broadband radiation. The central wavelength and spectral bandwidth decrease with increasing temperature. The total energy is S x T 4where S is the surface area and T is the temperature. In order to obtain higher infrared emission, it is important to increase the temperature. The temperature of the radiation emitter 1031 can be at least 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, or 2000 degrees Celsius (°C). In a typical example, the temperature of the radiation emitter can be between 900 and 1500 degrees Celsius. The central wavelength or wavelength range of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter may be adjustable, for example by at least 0.5, 1.0, 105, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, or 10.0 μm. The power density of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter may be adjustable in different operating modes of the hair dryer (e.g. quick dry mode, hair health mode, etc.) by, for example, varying the voltage and / or current supplied thereto.

[0040] The reflector 1032 can be configured to condition the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter. For example, the reflector can be shaped to reduce the divergence angle of the reflected beam of radiation. In some embodiments, the reflector 1032 can have a substantially conical shape, as shown in FIG. 2 . For example, the cross section of the reflective surface of the reflector can be parabolic. The radiation emitter 1031 can be positioned at the focus of the paraboloid, such that the reflected beam of radiation is a substantially parallel beam of radiation. The radiation emitter can also be positioned offset from the focus of the paraboloid, such that the reflected beam of radiation converges or diverges a distance in front of the hair dryer. The position of the radiation emitter 1031 within the reflector 1032 can be adjustable, thereby changing the degree and / or direction of convergence of the output beam of radiation. The shape of the reflector and the shape of the radiation emitter can be varied with respect to each other to optimize for a desired heating power output at a desired location outside the hair dryer.

[0041] The reflective surface of the reflector can be coated with a coating material that has a high reflectivity for a wavelength or range of wavelengths of radiation emitted by the radiation emitter. For example, the coating material can have a high reflectivity for wavelengths in both the visible and infrared spectrums. Materials with a high reflectivity can be highly effective at reflecting radiant energy. Examples of coating materials can include metallic and dielectric materials. Metallic materials can include, for example, gold, silver, and aluminum. Dielectric coatings can have alternating layers of dielectric materials, such as magnesium fluoride and calcium fluoride. The reflectivity of the coated reflective surface of the reflector can be at least 90% (e.g., 90% of incident light is reflected by the reflective surface of the reflector), 90.5%, 91%, 91.5%, 92%, 92.5%, 93%, 93.5%, 94%, 94.5%, 95%, 95.5%, 96%, 96.5%, 97%, 97.5%, 98%, 98.5%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, or more. In some cases, the reflectivity of the coated reflective surface of the reflector can be substantially 100%, meaning that substantially all of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter can be reflected toward the exterior of the hair dryer. As a result, the temperature on the surface of the reflector is not substantially increased by the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter, even if the temperature of the radiation emitter is high.

[0042] An optical element 1033 can be provided in the reflector aperture. The optical element can be in airtight contact with the reflector aperture. The optical element can include a lens, a reflector, a prism, a grating, a beam splitter, a filter, or a combination thereof that modulates or redirects light. In some embodiments, the optical element can be a lens. In some embodiments, the optical element can be a Fresnel lens.

[0043] The interior of the reflector can be configured to have a certain degree of vacuum. The pressure within the interior of the reflector can be 0.9 standard atmospheres (atm), 0.8 atm, 0.7 atm, 0.6 atm, 0.5 atm, 0.4 atm, 0.3 atm, 0.2 atm, 0.1 atm, 0.05 atm, 0.01 atm, 0.001 atm, 0.0001 atm, or less. In a typical example, the pressure within the interior of the reflector can be about 0.001 atm or less. The vacuum can inhibit evaporation and / or oxidation of the radiation emitter 1031, thereby extending the life of the infrared lamp. The vacuum can also prevent thermal convection or conduction between the radiation emitter and the optical element and / or reflector. In some cases, the interior of the reflector can be filled with a certain amount of non-oxidizing gas while still maintaining a certain vacuum level and reducing the temperature rise of the air within the space formed by the inner surface of the optical element and the coated reflector, which, although small, is due to thermal convection and conduction. Examples of non-oxidizing gases can include nitrogen (N2), helium (He), argon (Ar), neon (Ne), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), radon (Rn), and nitrogen (N2). The presence of an inert gas can further protect the material of the radiation emitter from oxidation and evaporation.

[0044] The optical element can be made of a material that is highly infrared transparent. Example materials for the optical element can include oxides (e.g., silicon dioxide), metal fluorides (e.g., calcium fluoride, barium fluoride), metal sulfides or selenides (e.g., zinc sulfide, zinc selenide), and crystals (e.g., crystalline silicon, crystalline germanium). Additionally or alternatively, one or both sides of the optical element can be coated with a visible and ultraviolet spectrum-absorbing material, thereby allowing only wavelengths in the infrared range to pass through the optical element. Radiation outside the infrared spectrum can be filtered out (e.g., absorbed) by the optical element. The infrared transmittance of the optical element can be at least 95% (e.g., 95% of incident radiation in the infrared spectrum is transmitted through the optical element), 95.5%, 96.0%, 96.5%, 97.0%, 97.5%, 98.0%, 98.5%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%, 99.9%, or more. In a typical example, the infrared transmittance of the optical element can be 99%.

[0045] The optical element can filter out (e.g., absorb) radiation having a particular wavelength or range of wavelengths from the radiation reflected by the reflector. For example, the optical element can selectively filter out the visible and / or ultraviolet spectrum from the reaching radiation, such that only radiation in the infrared spectrum is directed toward the user's hair. In a typical example, the radiation emitter can emit radiation having a wavelength between 0.4 μm and 20 μm, the reflector can reflect all of the radiation toward the optical element (e.g., the radiation is not absorbed by the reflective surface), and the optical element can filter out all of the visible spectrum wavelengths between 0.4 μm and 0.7 μm from the reflected radiation, such that only radiation in the infrared spectrum is emitted from the infrared lamp.

[0046] The optical element may be shaped to converge or diverge the impinging radiation in a particular direction, or to reduce the divergence angle of the impinging radiation beam. The optical element may be a convex lens, a concave lens, a collection of convex and / or concave lenses, or a Fresnel lens. For example, if a conductive resistor, ceramic heater, or LED is used as the radiation emitter, the optical element may be configured to converge the reflected radiation in a predetermined direction at a predetermined convergence angle to form a radiation spot having a predetermined shape and a predetermined size a predetermined distance in front of the hair dryer. For example, if a laser device is used as the radiation emitter, the optical element may be configured to diverge the generated radiation beam in a predetermined direction at a predetermined divergence angle to increase the area of ​​the user's hair that is illuminated by the infrared radiation.

[0047] The temperature rise in the optical elements can be negligible. The visible and ultraviolet spectrum components in the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter 1031 can be low. Depending on the material of the radiation emitter 1031, the energy carried by the radiation in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum can represent less than 5%, 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3%, 2.5%, 2%, 1.5%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.4%, 0.3%, 0.2%, or 0.1% of the total energy in the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter. In other words, only a small portion of the radiant energy emitted by the radiation emitter 1031 (e.g., energy carried by radiation in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum) is absorbed by the optical elements, causing a temperature rise. The temperature rise in the optical element can be further suppressed by a vacuum within the reflector (e.g., the space enclosed by the optical element and the reflective surface of the reflector), which prevents thermal convection or conduction between the radiation emitter and the optical element. In some cases, a portion of the airflow can be drawn from the airflow path to the outer surface of the optical element (e.g., blown across the optical element), thereby keeping the temperature of the optical element and surrounding area substantially constant during operation of the infrared lamp. As a result, the temperature rise of the optical element can be minimal, even if the temperature of the radiation emitter is high.

[0048] A thermal insulating material (e.g., fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose, polyurethane foam, or polystyrene) can be sandwiched between the radiation emitter and the reflector, thereby insulating the radiation emitter from the reflector. The insulation can keep the reflector from heating up, even if the radiation emitter is hot. Thermal insulating material can also be sandwiched between the periphery of the optical element and the reflector, thereby insulating the optical element from the reflector.

[0049] As previously mentioned, the temperature on the exterior surface of the reflector is not substantially increased by the radiation generated by the radiation emitter, even when the radiation emitter is energized. The reduced temperature increase on the exterior surface of the reflector can be achieved by a high reflectivity coating on the reflective surface of the reflector, a vacuum inside the reflector, high infrared transmittance of the optical element, thermal insulation between the radiation emitter and the reflector and between the optical element and the reflector, or a combination thereof. As a result, the airflow is not substantially heated by the infrared lamps while traveling through the airflow path and exiting the hair dryer. The temperature increase of the airflow due to the infrared lamps can be less than 5 degrees Celsius (°C), 4.5°C, 4.0°C, 3.5°C, 3.0°C, 2.5°C, 2.0°C, 1.5°C, 1.0°C, 0.5°C, 0.1°C, or less. In a typical example, the temperature increase of the airflow due to the infrared lamps can be less than 3°C. In other words, the radiation produced in the infrared lamp does not substantially cause a temperature rise in the airflow.

[0050] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the temperature of the airflow may inevitably be elevated to some degree by electrical components of the hair dryer, such as circuitry, electrical wires, power leads, power adapter, and controller, etc. For example, the temperature increase of the airflow traveling through the entire airflow path may be 20°C, 19°C, 18°C, 17°C, 16°C, 15°C, 14.5°C, 14.0°C, 13.5°C, 13.0°C, 12.5°C, 12.0°C, 11.5°C, 11.0°C, 10.5°C, 10.0°C, 9.5°C, 9.0°C, 8.5°C, 8.0°C, 7.5°C, 7.0°C, 6.5°C, 6.0°C, 5.5°C, 5.0°C, or less. In a typical example, when the room temperature is 25°C, the temperature rise of the airflow traveling through the entire airflow path of the hair dryer of the present disclosure is a maximum of 15°C. As a result, the temperature of the airflow at the airflow outlet is a maximum of 40°C, which is much lower than the temperature of the airflow blown out from a conventional hair dryer that mainly uses hot air. In a comparative example, the temperature of the airflow blown out from Conventional Hair Dryer No. 1 (Dyson @ HD01) is approximately 140°C. In another comparative example, the temperature of the airflow blown out from Conventional Hair Dryer No. 2 (Panasonic @ EH-JNA9C) is approximately 105°C. In the comparative example, even when the power supply to the nichrome wire heater is turned off, the temperature of the airflow blown out from Conventional Hair Dryer No. 1 is approximately 36°C at a room temperature of 27°C (for example, the airflow is heated by approximately 9°C by electrical components other than the nichrome wire heater).

[0051] The temperature of the airflow reaching the user's hair may be lower than the temperature measured at the airflow outlet of the hair dryer due to heat dissipation into the air. In a typical example, the airflow temperature 10 cm in front of the airflow outlet of the hair dryer of the present disclosure is approximately 28°C under conditions of room temperature of 25°C and airflow temperature at the airflow outlet of approximately 40°C. In a comparative example, the airflow temperature 10 cm in front of the airflow outlet of conventional hair dryer No. 1 is approximately 74.4°C under conditions of room temperature of 25°C and airflow temperature at the airflow outlet of approximately 140°C.

[0052] A relatively cool airflow (e.g., room temperature) can be advantageous in drying and styling a user's hair. For example, frizzy, dry, and damaged hair can be avoided, which may otherwise occur with conventional hair dryers that emit hot airflow. Another advantage of a cool airflow is that the hair dryer can be equipped with various sensors that do not operate at high temperatures. The sensors can include temperature sensors, proximity / ranging sensors, and / or humidity sensors. The sensors can be positioned, for example, on the airflow outlet side of the housing to monitor the condition (e.g., humidity) of the user's hair. The area where the airflow is directed at the hair can substantially surround the area of ​​infrared radiation (e.g., radiation spot) on the hair. The airflow can accelerate evaporation of heated water from the hair by blowing away moist air around the hair. The airflow can also reduce the temperature of the hair irradiated with infrared radiation, avoiding hair damage. The temperature of the hair and water on the hair must be maintained within an appropriate range to accelerate the evaporation of water from the hair while preventing the hair from becoming too hot. A suitable temperature range can be 50-60 degrees Celsius. The speed of the airflow impinging on the hair can be adjusted to maintain the hair temperature within the appropriate temperature range, for example, by blowing away heated water and excess heat. The proximity / ranging sensor and temperature sensor work together to determine the hair temperature and adjust the airflow speed via feedback loop control to maintain a constant or programmed temperature of the hair.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the main body of the hair dryer of FIG. 6. The hair dryer can be powered by an external power source and / or an internal battery. The hair dryer can include a housing 601. The housing can include a main body and a handle. An airflow generating element 602, a radiant energy source 603, and various other electrical and mechanical components can be received within the housing. The radiant energy source 603 can be configured to generate and direct thermal energy toward a user's hair. The airflow generating element 602 can be configured to generate airflow through an airflow path provided within the housing.

[0054] The airflow generating element 602 may include an impeller 6021 driven by a motor 6022. The generated airflow may be forced out of the hair dryer through an airflow path 607. The radiant energy source 603 may be an infrared lamp having a substantially ring shape. As shown schematically in FIG. 8 , the ring-shaped radiant energy source 603 may include a substantially ring-shaped reflector 6032 and a substantially ring-shaped radiation emitter 6031 positioned inside the reflector. The radiation emitter may be a substantially ring-shaped filament. The radiation emitter 6031 may also include multiple sections, which together form the substantially ring shape. The radiation emitter may be configured to emit radiation within a predetermined wavelength range. In some cases, the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter may substantially cover the visible and infrared spectrum. The reflector 6032 may have an opening facing the exterior of the hair dryer.

[0055] Radiation emitted from the radiation emitter may be reflected towards the user's hair by a reflective surface (e.g., an inner surface) of the reflector 6032. The divergence angle of the reflected radiation beam may be reduced by the reflective surface to concentrate the reflected radiant energy into a radiation spot having a predetermined shape and a predetermined size a predetermined distance in front of the hair dryer. The reflective surface of the reflector may be parabolic in cross section. The radiation emitter 6031 may be positioned at or off-focus from the focus of the parabolic reflective surface (e.g., paraboloid) of the reflector. The position of the reflective emitter within the reflector may be adjusted by moving the radiation emitter relative to the reflector. The reflective surface of the reflector may be coated with a coating material having a high reflectivity for the wavelength range of radiation generated by the radiation emitter, thereby reflecting substantially all of the radiation emitted by the radiation emitter towards the user's hair. As a result, the temperature on the outer surface of the reflector is not substantially increased by radiation from the radiation emitter because substantially no energy is absorbed by the reflective surface of the reflector.

[0056] A substantially ring-shaped optical element 6033 can be provided at the reflector's opening. The optical element can filter out (e.g., absorb) radiation having a predetermined wavelength range from the radiation reflected by the reflector. For example, the optical element can selectively filter out the visible and / or ultraviolet spectrum from the reflected radiation, thereby directing only radiation within the infrared spectrum toward the user's hair. The interior of the reflector can be configured to have a vacuum to prevent heat convection or heat conduction between the radiation emitter and the optical element and / or reflector. In some cases, the interior of the reflector can be filled with a volume of inert gas to protect the radiation emitter from oxidation and / or evaporation. As previously mentioned, the temperature of the airflow is not substantially increased by the infrared lamps while traveling through the airflow path, and the relatively cool airflow can be advantageous for drying and styling the user's hair.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the axial dimension of the housing (e.g., the direction from the airflow generating element to the opening of the infrared lamp, which is shown as the horizontal direction in FIGS. 6 and 7 ) can be further reduced as a result of the ring-shaped infrared lamp configuration. For example, at least a portion of the airflow generating element can be received within the space surrounded by the ring-shaped infrared lamp, thereby shortening the axial airflow path. A chamber 611 can be positioned within the space surrounded by the infrared lamp. The opening of the chamber can be directed toward the user's hair. The opening can be covered with a transparent sealing material (e.g., SiO 2 glass). The opening can be covered with a colored sealing material (e.g., coated SiO 2 glass) for an aesthetic appearance. The chamber can be provided to house various components, such as sensors. Examples of sensors can include temperature sensors, proximity / ranging sensors, and humidity sensors. The walls of the chamber can be made of an electrically insulating and / or thermally insulating material. The temperature within the chamber can be maintained at room temperature to improve the accuracy of the sensor measurements, since, as mentioned above, the airflow flowing through the airflow path is not substantially heated by the infrared lamp.

[0058] In the representative example shown in Figures 6 and 7, the airflow outlet of airflow path 607 can be positioned between infrared lamp 603 and chamber 611. Figure 9 shows a side view of the hair dryer of Figures 6 and 7, with the chamber positioned in the center and the airflow exiting airflow path 607 surrounded by infrared lamp 603. Although not shown, in an alternative embodiment, the airflow outlet of airflow path 607 can be positioned between housing 601 and infrared lamp 603, creating a configuration in which the infrared lamp is surrounded by the airflow exiting the airflow path.

[0059] Alternatively or additionally, the radiant energy source 603 of FIGS. 6 and 7 may include multiple infrared lamps. The multiple infrared lamps may be arranged along the contour of any shape, such as a ring, a triangle, a square, or a sector. FIGS. 10 and 11 schematically illustrate a radiant energy source 603 having multiple infrared lamps arranged along a ring. Each of the multiple infrared lamps may have substantially the same configuration as described above with respect to FIG. 3. For example, each of the multiple infrared lamps may include a reflector 6032 having an opening facing the exterior of the hair dryer, an optical element abutting the reflector opening, and a radiation emitter 6031 positioned inside the reflector. The reflective surface of the reflector may be coated with a coating material having a high reflectivity for the wavelength range of radiation generated by the radiation emitter. The optical element may filter out radiation having a predetermined wavelength or range of wavelengths, such as radiation in the visible and / or ultraviolet spectrum.

[0060] The cross section of the reflective surface of each reflector can be parabolic. The divergence angle of the reflected beam of radiation can be reduced by the parabolic reflector of each infrared lamp. The shape of the radiation emitter and the shape of the reflector can be optimized using optical simulation software to maximize the radiation output at a desired distance outside the hair dryer. The axes of the parabolic reflective surfaces of each of the reflectors of the multiple infrared lamps can be substantially parallel to each other. The axis of the paraboloid can be referred to as the symmetry axis of the paraboloid, which is the vertical line that passes through the apex of the paraboloid and divides the paraboloid into two congruent halves. The axes of the parabolic reflective surfaces of each of the reflectors of the multiple infrared lamps can also intersect with each other, as shown in Figures 11 and 12. The intersection angle between the axes of the parabolic reflective surfaces of each of the reflectors of the multiple infrared lamps can be adjustable, for example, by changing the tilt angle of one or more infrared lamps with respect to the axial direction of the hair dryer housing. In the illustrated representative example, the airflow can be insulated from the infrared lamps: the airflow is not heated by the radiation produced by the infrared lamps.

[0061] The infrared radiation emitted from the multiple infrared lamps can at least partially overlap at a predetermined distance in front of the hair dryer, thereby forming a radiation spot having a predetermined shape and size. The radiation spot can have, for example, a circular shape. In a typical example, a circular spot with a diameter of about 10 centimeters can be formed at a distance of about 10 centimeters in front of the hair dryer. The shape and / or size of the radiation spot at a specific distance in front of the hair dryer can be adjusted by adjusting at least one of the size (e.g., diameter) of each infrared lamp, the offset of the radiation emitter from the focal point of each reflector, the intersection angle between the axes of each reflector, and the optical characteristics of the optical elements of each infrared lamp. The radiation spot can account for at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or more of the total energy carried by the infrared radiation emitted from each one of the multiple infrared lamps. The average power density within the radiation spot can be at least 1×10 3 , 2 × 10 3 , 3×10 3 , 4×10 3 , 5×10 3 , 6×10 3 , 7×10 3 , 8×10 3 , 9×10 3 , 1×10 4 , 2 × 10 4 , 3×10 4 , 4×10 4 , 5×10 4 , 6×10 4 , 7×10 4 , 8×10 4 , 9×10 4 , 1×10 5 Watts per square meter (W / m 2 ) or more.

[0062] Although not shown, the infrared lamps may also be arranged in an array of any shape. The infrared lamps arranged in an array may or may not be coplanar. For example, the infrared lamps may also be arranged to cover an area having any shape, such as a circle, a triangle, a square, or a sector. The offset of the radiation emitter from the focal point of each reflector and the intersection angle between the axes of the reflectors of the infrared lamps in the array may have substantially the same configuration as described above with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. For example, infrared radiation emitted from each of the infrared lamps in the array may overlap at a predetermined distance in front of the hair dryer to form a radiation spot with a desired size and power density. Whether arranged in a ring or an array, the infrared lamps are not necessarily positioned contiguously. For example, any one of the infrared lamps shown could be replaced with a sensor or other component, or any position along the ring or array could be left blank, as long as a radiation spot having the desired average energy density is produced at the hair.

[0063] The infrared lamps can be positioned either inside or outside the ring-shaped airflow outlet of the airflow path. For example, the infrared lamps can be positioned to surround the airflow outlet or to be surrounded by the airflow outlet when viewed from the side of the hair dryer. The infrared lamps can also be positioned away from the airflow outlet of the airflow path. For example, the area covered by the infrared lamps does not have to overlap with the area covered by the airflow outlet when viewed from the side of the hair dryer. A chamber can be provided, for example, within the space surrounded by the infrared lamps. A transparent sealing member can be covered over the opening of the chamber, with the opening facing the exterior of the hair dryer. The chamber can be provided to receive various components, such as a sensor, therein. The temperature within the chamber can be maintained at room temperature to improve the accuracy of the sensor's measurements because the airflow flowing through the airflow path is not substantially heated by the infrared lamps.

[0064] The hair dryer of the present disclosure can have a reduced dimension in at least the axial direction (e.g., the horizontal direction shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 ) compared to conventional designs. In certain examples, a small-sized infrared lamp can be used as the radiant energy source. Thus, a conventional heater cavity receiving a nichrome wire grid is not provided in the hair dryer of the present disclosure. By utilizing a ring-shaped infrared lamp or multiple infrared lamps arranged along a ring, the axial dimension of the hair dryer can be further reduced as described above. The hair dryer can include a housing having a body and a handle. The dimension of the body can be 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, or 4 centimeters or less in at least one direction, such as the axial and radial directions (e.g., perpendicular to the plane of FIGS. 1 and 6 ). In a typical example, the dimension of the body can be 10 centimeters or less in at least one direction. In another representative example, the dimension of the body can be 8 centimeters or less in at least one direction. In another representative example, the dimension of the body can be 6.5 centimeters or less in at least one direction. The dimension of the body can be 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, or 5 centimeters or less in any of its directions. In a representative example, the dimension of the body can be 8 centimeters or less in any of its directions. In another representative example, the dimension of the body can be 6.5 centimeters or less in any of its directions.

[0065] The hair dryer of the present disclosure can have a reduced weight. A lightweight radiant energy source can be utilized as a thermal energy source instead of conventional heavy nichrome wire or rod. The hair dryer can include a housing having a body and a handle. The hair dryer can be operated by either one or more batteries received within the handle or an external power source. The handle can be detachable from the body of the housing. The weight of the hair dryer, including the one or more batteries, can be 1500, 1450, 1400, 1350, 1300, 1250, 1200, 1150, 1100, 1050, 1000, 950, 900, 850, 800, 750, 700, 650, 600, 550, 500, 450, 400, 350, or 300 grams or less. In a representative example, the weight of the hair dryer, including the battery(ies), may be 800 grams or less. In a representative example, the weight of the hair dryer, including the battery(ies), may be 600 grams or less. In another representative example, the weight of the body of the hair dryer, excluding the handle, may be 300 grams or less. In yet another representative example, the weight of the body of the hair dryer, excluding the handle, may be 250 grams or less. A user can therefore easily grip and operate the hair dryer during the hair drying process.

[0066] The hair dryer of the present disclosure can have lower power consumption. A radiant energy source such as an infrared lamp can be used as a heat energy source for the hair dryer of the present disclosure. The effective energy ratio of the total radiant energy generated by the infrared lamp that is transferred to the user's hair or the water on the hair can be at least 80%, because, as described above, most of the radiation generated by the infrared lamp is within the infrared spectrum. In addition, the heat carried by the infrared energy can be directly transferred and added to the hair and the water on the hair via radiative heat transfer, resulting in improved heat transfer efficiency. In a typical example, approximately 90% of the radiation generated by an infrared lamp is within the infrared spectrum. Only a small percentage of the infrared energy can be lost in the reflector and optical elements, while most of the infrared energy reaches the user's hair via thermal radiation, resulting in an effective energy ratio of more than 80%. However, in conventional nichrome wire hair dryers that utilize conventional convective heat transfer, the effective energy ratio and heat transfer efficiency are much lower because most of the heat is absorbed by the surrounding air before reaching the user's hair. In a pilot experiment using a conventional hair dryer (Dyson@HD01), the air temperature at the airflow outlet was approximately 140°C, but the temperature of the airflow dropped to 74°C at a distance of 10 cm from the hair dryer and to 60°C at a distance of 20 cm from the hair dryer. The rapid drop in airflow temperature in convective heat transfer is due to some of the heat being absorbed by the surrounding air before reaching the hair. At a room temperature of 25°C, at least 50% of the energy carried by the hot airflow is lost before reaching the hair. After reaching the hair, some of the hot air is reflected in various directions without contributing to heating the hair or the water on the hair, resulting in low effective energy ratio and heat transfer efficiency.

[0067] In a representative example, the hair dryer of the present disclosure can be powered by one or more embedded batteries. The total battery capacity can be at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90 watt-hours (Wh; e.g., 100 watt-hours can deliver 100 watts of power for 1 hour or 20 watts of power for 5 hours). In pilot experiments, a battery with a total capacity of 66.6 Wh can power a hair dryer for approximately 20 minutes at a total power output of 200 W (e.g., the total power output of all electricity-consuming components, including the motor, infrared lamp, and all circuitry), or 13 minutes at a total power output of 350 W, which is sufficient to thoroughly dry a user's hair.

[0068] The hair dryer of the present disclosure can provide a powerful airflow that accelerates the evaporation of water from hair. Compared to conventional nichrome wire hair dryers, the airflow generated by the airflow generating element travels along the airflow path without passing through a nichrome wire grid and is therefore not slowed down, resulting in a faster output airflow being blown out from the hair dryer. The velocity of the output airflow can be at least 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 m / s. In a typical example, the velocity of the output airflow can be at least 18 m / s. The airflow blown onto the hair can reduce the temperature of the hair and the water on the hair by removing excess heat, which would otherwise be damaged by high temperatures caused by infrared radiation. As mentioned above, the evaporation of water from hair can depend on both the temperature of the hair and the water on the hair and the relative humidity of the air surrounding the hair. The appropriate temperature range for drying hair is 50-60 degrees Celsius, which can balance water evaporation and hair health. The speed of the output airflow blown onto the hair can be adjusted to maintain the temperature of the hair and the water on the hair within an appropriate temperature range to induce water evaporation, while the airflow removes excess heat from the hair, which makes the local environment surrounding the hair less humid and accelerates evaporation.

[0069] As the airflow passes through the airflow path, the temperature of the airflow is not substantially increased by the radiation generated by the infrared lamps as described above. The relatively cool airflow may be beneficial to the health of the user's hair when drying and styling it. In addition, the hair dryer may be equipped with various sensors that do not operate at high temperatures.

[0070] The hair dryer of the present disclosure may be provided with one or more sensors configured to measure at least one of hair parameters, the operation of the hair dryer, and / or the ambient environment in which the hair dryer operates. A central processing unit may be provided internal to the hair dryer or external to the hair dryer (e.g., a remote device, on the cloud) to regulate the operation of the hair dryer. Examples of regulating the operation of the hair dryer may include adjusting the operation of one or more of the airflow generating elements and the radiant energy source based on measurements received from one or more sensors. Examples of sensors may include, but are not limited to, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, motion sensors, contact sensors, and humidity sensors. The sensor may be located on the housing of the hair dryer, embedded in the housing of the hair dryer, disposed on the circuitry of the hair dryer, or provided within the hair dryer (e.g., in a chamber located within the space surrounded by the infrared lamp, as described elsewhere in this disclosure). 13, which is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensor configuration in a hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, sensors 1301-1305 can communicate via wired or wireless links with a central processing unit 1306. The central processing unit can also communicate with other components of the hair dryer, such as airflow generating element 1307 and radiant energy source 1308, thereby enabling adjustments to component operation based on sensor measurements.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include a proximity sensor configured to measure the proximity of the hair dryer to the user's hair, onto which the infrared radiation is irradiated. For example, the proximity sensor may be an infrared time-of-flight (TOF) sensor, which measures the time interval for emitted infrared light to return to the sensor and determines the distance between the sensor and the target object based on the time interval. The spectrum of the infrared TOF sensor may be different from that of the infrared radiation emitted from the radiant energy source. In another example, the proximity sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor, which measures the distance to the target object by emitting ultrasonic pulses. In yet another example, the proximity sensor may be a millimeter-wave radar. In yet another example, the proximity sensor may be implemented with a binocular or monocular camera that determines the distance to the target object using a distance measurement algorithm. The proximity sensor may be located on the housing of the hair dryer, for example, near the airflow outlet of the airflow path. The proximity sensor may also be located in a space surrounded by multiple infrared lamps, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The proximity sensor can be configured to measure a distance of 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, 12 cm, 13 cm, 14 cm, 15 cm, 16 cm, 17 cm, 18 cm, 19 cm, 20 cm, 22 cm, 24 cm, 26 cm, 28 cm, 30 cm, 35 cm, 40 cm, 45 cm, 50 cm, 60 cm, 70 cm, 80 cm, 90 cm, or 100 cm from the hair dryer to the hair with an accuracy / precision of less than 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1%. In one example, the proximity sensor can measure a distance of 10 cm from the hair dryer to the hair with an accuracy / precision of ±0.1 cm. The accuracy / precision of the proximity sensor's measurements may not be adversely affected by the airflow generated by the airflow generating element because, as previously described in this disclosure, the airflow is not substantially heated by the radiant energy source.

[0072] In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from one or more sensors may indicate that the proximity of the hair dryer to the hair irradiated by the radiant energy source is less than a predetermined distance. As previously described in this disclosure, a radiation spot may be formed on the user's hair by infrared radiation from the radiant energy source. The radiation spot may have a predetermined size at a predetermined distance in front of the hair dryer as a result of the divergence of the infrared radiation. For example, by bringing the hair dryer closer to the user's hair, the radiation spot size may be smaller, and the average power density within the radiation spot may be higher. A higher average power density within the radiation spot may result in a higher hair temperature within the radiation spot. However, unreasonably high temperatures may be damaging to the hair and should therefore be avoided. The central processing unit may be configured to alert the user, reduce the total output of the radiant energy source, and / or increase the airflow velocity from the airflow generating elements if the proximity of the hair dryer to the hair is detected to be less than a predetermined distance (e.g., 10 cm). In exemplary embodiments where the radiant energy source shown in Figures 10 and 11 includes multiple infrared lamps, reducing the total power output of the radiant energy source may include turning off one or more of the multiple infrared lamps.

[0073] Measurements received from the one or more sensors may also indicate that the proximity of the hair to be irradiated by the radiant energy source of the hair dryer is greater than a predetermined distance. An optimal distance from the hair dryer to the hair may be determined based on at least the output power of the radiant energy source, the output of the airflow generating elements, and / or attributes of the hair (e.g., long or short, wet, curly, or straight, etc.). Hair drying efficiency may be optimal when the distance from the hair dryer to the hair is maintained at an optimal distance. The central processing unit may be configured to increase the total power output of the radiant energy source and / or slow the airflow velocity from the airflow generating elements when the proximity of the hair dryer to the hair is detected to be greater than the predetermined optimal distance, thereby optimizing hair drying effectiveness.

[0074] In other exemplary embodiments, the one or more sensors may include a temperature sensor. Temperature sensors may be provided in various components of the hair dryer to measure the operating temperatures of the components. Temperature sensors may also be provided to measure the temperature of the hair. Temperature sensors may also be provided to measure the temperature of the surrounding environment. In certain exemplary embodiments, the temperature sensor may be thermally coupled to an outer surface of the radiant energy source. For example, the temperature sensor may be located on or near the outer surface of the radiant energy source. The temperature sensor may be a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor, a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a thermocouple, or a semiconductor-based sensor. Measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate an operational status of the hair dryer. In some examples, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate a malfunction of the radiant energy source. As discussed herein, a vacuum may be maintained within the space between the outer surface of the infrared lamp and the inner surface of the infrared lamp enclosure, as well as within the interior of the infrared lamp. The temperature of the exterior surface of the infrared lamp can rise rapidly if the vacuum is not properly maintained, for example, due to air leakage from a faulty sealing member. An abnormality in the infrared lamp can include a temperature at or near the exterior surface of the infrared lamp being higher than a predetermined temperature, a temperature increase at or near the exterior surface of the infrared lamp being greater than a predetermined value, or a temperature increase rate at or near the exterior surface of the infrared lamp being greater than a predetermined rate. The central processing unit can be configured to send an alert to a user and / or turn off the radiant energy source if an abnormality is detected in the radiant energy source. In some examples, a multi-stage warning mechanism can be provided, where an alert is sent to a user when the temperature of the exterior surface of the infrared lamp exceeds a first threshold, and the infrared lamp is turned off when the temperature of the exterior surface of the infrared lamp exceeds a second threshold that is higher than the first threshold.

[0075] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include a temperature sensor thermally coupled to the airflow generating element. For example, the temperature sensor may be coupled to the motor driving the impeller. The temperature sensor may be coupled to either the exterior surface or the rotor of the motor to detect the operating temperature of the motor. The temperature sensor may also be provided at the outlet of the airflow path to measure the temperature of the airflow. For example, an abnormally high temperature of the motor or the airflow may indicate a motor malfunction. In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate that the temperature of the motor is higher than a predetermined temperature. The central processing unit may be configured to send an alert to a user, reduce the total power output of the airflow generating element, and turn off the airflow generating element if the temperature of the motor is higher than the predetermined temperature. In one example, a multi-stage warning mechanism may be provided, where the total power output of the motor is reduced (e.g., the rotational speed of the motor is reduced) when the temperature of the motor exceeds a first threshold, and the motor is turned off when the temperature of the motor exceeds a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

[0076] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU), which is configured to measure the movement and / or attitude and / or orientation of the hair dryer. In some cases, exposing an object or a portion of an object to infrared radiation should be avoided to prevent damage to the object or safety hazards. For example, hair temperature may rise rapidly if hair is continuously exposed to infrared radiation and water on the hair is removed, and this high temperature may cause damage to the hair. For example, hair dryers may often be used to dry objects other than hair, such as clothes. In drying clothes, hair dryers may often be positioned stationary with respect to a support member. Therefore, it may be desirable to turn off the hair dryer if the hair dryer remains stationary for a predetermined duration. In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate that the attitude of the device has remained constant for a time longer than a predetermined duration threshold. The central processing unit can be configured to send an alert to a user of the hair dryer, increase the rate of airflow from the airflow generating elements, reduce the output power of the radiant energy source, and / or turn off the radiant energy source. In one example, a multi-stage warning mechanism can be provided, where an alert can be sent to the user when the position of the hair dryer remains constant for a first duration threshold, the rate of airflow from the airflow generating elements is increased and / or the output power of the radiant energy source is reduced when the position of the hair dryer remains constant for a second duration threshold that is longer than the first duration threshold, and the radiant energy source is turned off when the position of the hair dryer remains constant for a third duration threshold that is longer than the second duration threshold.

[0077] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include a sensor configured to determine when a user has contacted the hair dryer (e.g., when the user has grasped the handle). In one example, a proximity sensor may be provided on the hair dryer, such as on its handle. When a user grasps the handle and touches the proximity sensor, a signal may be generated to confirm the user's contact. The hair dryer may not operate unless the user properly grasps the handle. In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate that the user is not grasping the hair dryer. The central processing unit may be configured to send an alert to the user, increase the speed of the airflow from the airflow generating elements, reduce the output power of the radiant energy source, and / or turn off the radiant energy source and / or the airflow generating elements.

[0078] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include a hair temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the user's hair irradiated with infrared radiation from the radiant energy source. In one example, the hair temperature sensor may be an infrared temperature sensor. The hair temperature sensor may be located in the housing of the hair dryer, for example, near the airflow outlet of the airflow path. The hair temperature sensor may also be located within a space surrounded by multiple infrared lamps, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 . In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate that the hair temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature. The central processing unit may be configured to send an alert to the user, reduce the total power output of the radiant energy source, and / or increase the airflow velocity from the airflow generating elements, thereby preventing thermal damage to the user's hair.

[0079] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the one or more sensors may include a humidity sensor configured to measure the humidity of the ambient environment in which the hair dryer operates. In some cases, high humidity in the ambient environment may increase the power output of the radiant energy source and / or decrease the velocity of the airflow from the airflow generating elements to effectively dry hair. The humidity sensor may be provided in the housing of the hair dryer, for example, at the inlet of the airflow path. In this exemplary embodiment, measurements received from the one or more sensors may indicate that the humidity of the ambient environment is higher than a predetermined humidity. The central processing unit may be configured to increase the total power output of the radiant energy source and / or decrease the velocity of the airflow from the airflow generating elements.

[0080] The aforementioned sensors can be used individually or collectively. Measurements from two or more sensors can be combined or fused. Data from one or more sensors can be processed relative to each other. Data from one or more sensors can be weighted based on accuracy and / or reliability, etc.

[0081] The sensor data, which may include individual sensor data or combined sensor data, can be provided to a central processing unit that coordinates the operation of the hair dryer. For example, the central processing unit can be configured to determine the total output power of the radiant energy source and / or the speed of the airflow from the airflow generating elements based on at least one of the proximity of the hair dryer to the hair, the temperature of the hair being irradiated with infrared radiation, and the humidity of the surrounding environment. The central processing unit can determine the radiant energy source and / or the parameters of the radiant energy source by searching a predetermined lookup table. In one example, if sensor readings from the proximity sensor indicate that a user is holding the hair dryer too close to the hair and sensor readings from the hair temperature sensor indicate that the hair temperature is higher than a predetermined healthy temperature, the central processing unit can determine to reduce the output power of the radiant energy source and increase the speed of the airflow from the airflow generating elements to reduce the hair temperature to a value that is safe and healthy for the hair. In another example, if sensor readings from the hair temperature sensor indicate that the hair temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature and sensor readings from the IMU indicate that the hair dryer has remained stationary for longer than a predetermined duration, the central processing unit may decide to first send an alert to the user and then turn off the radiant energy source if the user does not move the hair dryer after the predetermined duration has elapsed.

[0082] The measurements from the one or more sensors can be stored in a data storage device, which can be built into the hair dryer or remotely in the cloud. The data storage device can be a flash memory that retains data even without a power supply. The data storage device can also store any system error data therein, which can be read by an external device via a wired or wireless method. In some examples, a communication interface can be provided on the hair dryer housing (e.g., in the handle) to facilitate reading data from the data storage device. The sensor measurements and system error data stored in the data storage device can also enable maintenance personnel to identify the location of any faulty components. The hair dryer can be rendered inoperable unless an error code in the data storage device is cleared by authorized maintenance personnel.

[0083] The hair dryer of the present disclosure can be provided with a feedback element configured to provide tactile feedback based on measurements received from one or more sensors. The tactile feedback can include at least one of visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. In some examples, the feedback element can include a light indicator, such as one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs can be arranged in a ring on the housing (e.g., the handle or body) of the hair dryer. The LEDs can provide various illumination patterns to indicate different states of the hair dryer. The illumination patterns can include at least one of an illumination frequency, a color, and a number of LEDs that are turned on. For example, the LEDs can illuminate at a first frequency to indicate that the hair dryer is not being held by a user and illuminate at a second, higher frequency to indicate that the hair dryer has remained stationary for a duration longer than a predetermined duration threshold. In some examples, the feedback element can include a vibrator. The vibrator can vibrate at different frequencies and / or intensities to indicate different states of the hair dryer. In some examples, the feedback element can include a speaker or a buzzer. In some examples, no dedicated feedback element is provided for the hair dryer, but the motor (e.g., airflow generating element) can indicate different states of the hair dryer by driving the impeller at different speeds or in different patterns. For example, if measurements from a proximity sensor indicate that the user is holding the hair dryer too close to the hair, the motor can switch its rotational speed between a first high speed and a second low speed at a predetermined frequency, thereby producing an effect such as a vibration to notify the user.

[0084] FIG. 14A shows a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary configuration of a radiant energy source for use in a hair dryer of the present disclosure. Each radiant energy source 1403 can have a reflector 1432 and a radiant emitter 1431 positioned within the reflector. The axial cross-section (e.g., cross-section along the axis) and / or radial cross-section (e.g., cross-section perpendicular to the axis) of the reflector can be provided as a paraboloid or polynomial shape. In some cases, the profile of the axial cross-section and / or radial cross-section can be a polynomial having multiple segments. For example, a first segment of the profile can be represented by a polynomial of a first set of parameters, and a second segment of the profile can be represented by a polynomial of a second set of parameters.

[0085] FIG. 14A provides an example of a radiant energy source in which the radiation emitter is a tungsten lamp including a filament and a bulb. In an exemplary configuration, the tungsten lamp can maintain a specific vacuum. The vacuum can inhibit evaporation and / or oxidation of the filament, extending the life of the tungsten lamp. The vacuum can also prevent heat convection or conduction between the filament and the bulb. In another exemplary configuration, the radiation emitter is a tungsten-halogen lamp including a filament and a bulb. A halogen, an inert gas, or a mixture thereof can be filled into the tungsten-halogen lamp to inhibit evaporation and / or oxidation of the filament, extending the life of the tungsten-halogen lamp. An optical element 1433 can be provided at the aperture of the reflector. Optical elements can include lenses, reflectors, prisms, gratings, beam splitters, filters, or combinations thereof. In an exemplary configuration, one optical element can be provided at the aperture of multiple radiant energy sources. The bulb of the lamp absorbs a specific frequency range of infrared radiation emitted by the filament inside the lamp, thereby causing heat to accumulate in the bulb. Furthermore, heat conduction and convection also occur between the filament and the bulb. In configurations where the interior of the reflector is not an absolute vacuum, heat generated in the radiant emitter may be partially transferred to the reflector. At least a portion of the emitted radiation may be absorbed by the inner walls of the reflector. Therefore, the temperature in the reflector may increase when the radiant energy source is powered on. To extend the life of the radiant emitter and reflector while avoiding adverse effects on radiation efficiency (e.g., at temperatures below a predetermined operating temperature range), the operating temperature of the radiant energy source must be controlled within a predetermined temperature range. For example, excess heat dissipation from the radiant energy source may cause the operating temperature of the radiant energy source to fall below the predetermined operating temperature range, thereby requiring more electrical energy to be converted into thermal energy to maintain the temperature required for blackbody radiation of the radiant emitter.The present disclosure provides an arrangement for controlling heat dissipation and managing the operating temperature of a radiant energy source, where at least one of one or more radiant energy sources includes a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path. The controlled heat dissipation and managed operating temperature of the radiant energy source can result in increased power efficiency, thereby extending the operating duration of a device (e.g., a battery-powered portable device) after a charge.

[0086] FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary hair dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hair dryer can include a housing 1401. The housing can include a body and a handle. The housing can be configured to provide an airflow path 1407 having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet. An airflow generating element 1402, a radiant energy source 1403, and various other electrical and mechanical components can be received within the housing. The airflow generating element can be contained within the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path. One or more radiant energy sources can be configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation outside the housing. Examples of radiant energy sources can include infrared lamps, as described herein. The hair dryer can be powered by a power supply element (e.g., an embedded battery and / or an external power source) configured to power at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element. The device can further include a controller connected to the power supply element and, optionally, to one or more radiant energy sources. In some cases, the device may not need to be provided with any additional heat sources other than one or more radiant energy sources.

[0087] In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources may include a first portion 1432a positioned so as not to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path. The first portion of the radiant energy source may be a portion of an outer wall of a reflector within the radiant energy source. In some cases, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources does not include a portion positioned so as to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources may further include a second portion 1432b positioned so as to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path.

[0088] Heat can be transferred from the second portion of the radiant energy source to the airflow path and / or the airflow within the airflow path, thereby decreasing the temperature of the radiant energy source while increasing the temperature of the airflow. A radiant energy source with a reduced operating temperature can reduce thermal stress on the components of the radiant energy source, thereby extending the service life of the radiant energy source. Here, the reduced operating temperature can be maintained within a temperature range that does not adversely affect the generation of radiation by the radiant energy source (e.g., a temperature range that maintains the blackbody radiation of the radiant emitter). Furthermore, a radiant energy source with a reduced operating temperature can prevent the hair dryer housing from overheating, thereby improving the user's hair dryer experience. Controlling the operating temperature of the radiant energy source can also extend the operating time of a cordless, battery-powered hair dryer. Meanwhile, a warmer airflow (e.g., by 1 to 3 degrees) can contribute to the evaporation of water from a wet object, reducing the relative humidity around the object, which further accelerates the evaporation of water from the object.

[0089] As used herein, the term "contact" can mean physical contact (e.g., directed coupling, engaging, touching, or otherwise relating) or thermal contact (e.g., heat transfer via thermal coupling therebetween). A first portion of a radiant energy source that is not in contact with an airflow path or airflow can mean that the first portion does not substantially affect, exert an influence thereon, or change the parameters of the airflow within the airflow path. A second portion of a radiant energy source that is in contact with an airflow path or airflow can mean that the second portion substantially affects, exerts an influence thereon, or changes the parameters of the airflow within the airflow path. Airflow parameters can include, but are not limited to, the temperature, volume, velocity, velocity distribution, field area, resistance, pressure, direction, vortex, and divergence of the airflow.

[0090] The second portion of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources can be in contact with the airflow path through a physical connection. In some cases, the second portion of the radiant energy source can be in direct contact with an exterior or interior wall of the airflow path, can form at least a portion of the airflow path, can be integral with at least a portion of the airflow path, or can be a part of the airflow path. The surface of the second portion can follow the contours of the exterior or interior wall of the airflow path. In some cases, the second portion of the radiant energy source can be in contact with the airflow path through a thermal connection. Heat can be transferred from the radiant energy source to the airflow path and / or the airflow within the airflow path through physical contact or a thermal connection. In some examples, the first portion can have a larger surface area than the second portion, and vice versa. Additionally or alternatively, the second portion can partially protrude into the airflow path. For example, protruding members (e.g., fins) can extend from the second portion of the radiant energy source into the airflow path; in this configuration, the second portion of the radiant energy source may or may not be physically connected to the wall of the airflow path. The protruding members may be made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, such that heat is transferred from the radiant energy source to the airflow path and / or the airflow within the airflow path. Materials having a high thermal conductivity may include, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum, tungsten, graphite, or zinc.

[0091] Aspects of the present disclosure also provide a method for drying an object. The method can include providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed in the housing, generating infrared radiation via one or more radiant energy sources and directing the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing, and powering at least the radiant energy sources and the airflow generating element via a power supply element. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources can include a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path.

[0092] 15A-15C illustrate exemplary configurations of radiant energy sources relative to the airflow path, with at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1403 positioned between the airflow path 1407 and the housing 1401. Panel A is a schematic diagram, and Panel B illustrates various exemplary cross-sectional views of Panel A. The one or more radiant energy sources can be positioned in various configurations relative to the airflow path. For example, Panel B of FIG. 15A illustrates radiant energy sources positioned along the periphery of the airflow path. In some examples, the one or more radiant energy sources can be positioned along the periphery of the airflow outlet. For example, Panel B of FIG. 15B illustrates one or more radiant energy sources positioned juxtaposed to the airflow path. In some examples, the one or more radiant energy sources can be positioned juxtaposed to the airflow outlet. The one or more radiant energy sources can be arranged in an array. The one or more radiant energy sources can be provided in various shapes, such as a circle, a ring, or an arch. Panel B of Figure 15C shows a radiant energy source having a ring or arch shape (e.g., a central angle of substantially 180 degrees, 120 degrees, or 90 degrees). A controller connected to the power supply element can be positioned along the periphery of the airflow path. The contour (e.g., inner surface) of the controller follows the contour of the airflow path. For example, the controller (e.g., circuit board) can be provided as a circular band surrounding the outer wall of the airflow path.

[0093] At least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1403 can include a first portion 1432a positioned so as not to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 15A-15C, the first portion can be a portion facing away from the airflow path or positioned closer to the housing than the airflow path. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources does not have a portion positioned so as to contact the airflow path or the airflow. For example, at least one of the radiant energy sources positioned juxtaposed with the airflow path does not have a portion positioned so as to contact the airflow path. In some embodiments, the at least one radiant energy source can further include a second portion 1432b positioned so as to contact the airflow path or the airflow within the airflow path. Note that in FIG. 15C, the second portion can be on the opposite side of the radiant energy source 1403 from the first portion 1432a; this second portion is not visible in panel A of FIG. 15C. In some examples, the second portion can be in physical contact with an outer wall of the airflow path. In other examples, the second portion can be integrally formed with the outer wall of the airflow path. In yet another example, the second portion can form at least a portion of the outer wall of the airflow path. In yet another example, the second portion can be thermally coupled to the outer wall of the airflow path, but the second portion does not physically contact the airflow path. The thermal coupling can be achieved by a thermal coupling member connecting the second portion and the airflow path. Thus, by transferring heat from the second portion 1432b of the at least one radiant energy source, the operating temperature of the radiant energy source can be maintained or reduced within a predetermined range.

[0094] 16A-16C show exemplary configurations of radiant energy sources relative to the airflow path, with at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1403 positioned within the airflow path 1407. Panel A is a schematic diagram, and panels B and C are various exemplary cross-sectional views of panel A. As used herein, the term "positioned within" may mean that at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources is within the region of the airflow path when viewed in a cross-sectional view of the hair dryer. The one or more radiant energy sources may be provided in various shapes, such as a circular shape (e.g., as shown in FIG. 16A or 16C), a ring shape, or an arch shape (as shown in FIG. 16C).

[0095] In an exemplary configuration, one airflow path can be provided within the housing. One or more radiant energy sources can be positioned within the area of ​​the airflow path. For example, one or more radiant energy sources can be positioned substantially at the geometric center of the airflow path, as shown in Figures 16A and 16B. For example, multiple radiant energy sources can be dispersed within the area of ​​the airflow path, as shown in panel B of Figure 16C. In another exemplary embodiment, multiple airflow paths can be provided within the housing, with one of the airflow paths separated from the other paths, as shown in panel C of Figure 16C. The area of ​​one radiant energy source can at least partially overlap with the area of ​​one airflow outlet.

[0096] At least one radiant energy source can be at least partially contained within the chamber 1441, such that at least a first portion 1432a of the at least one radiant energy source is positioned within the chamber and therefore does not contact the airflow in the airflow path. In the example shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, multiple radiant energy sources can be collectively at least partially enclosed within a common chamber. In the example shown in FIG. 16C, multiple radiant energy sources can each be at least partially enclosed within a separate chamber. In some embodiments, at least one radiant energy source can be completely contained within the chamber, such that no portion of the radiant energy source contacts the airflow. In some embodiments, a second portion 1432b of the at least one radiant energy source can be positioned so that it is not enclosed by the chamber and therefore contacts the airflow in the airflow path.

[0097] The chamber can have at least one opening facing the exterior of the device. The chamber can be configured to isolate at least a portion of the radiant energy source. The chamber can further receive a portion of at least one of the controller, the power supply, or the sensor. The controller can be connected to the power supply and the radiant energy source and can also be positioned within the airflow path, in which case the contour of the outer wall of the controller can follow the contour of the inner wall of the airflow path. The airflow can flow through a passage between the airflow path and the chamber. At least a portion of the chamber that contacts the airflow can be streamlined to reduce airflow resistance. The chamber can include a cooling element configured to dissipate heat generated by a radiant energy source partially or completely housed therein. For example, one or more fins can protrude from the exterior of the chamber and transfer heat from the radiant energy source into the airflow, thereby reducing or maintaining the operating temperature of the radiant energy source within a predetermined range.

[0098] The chamber can be positioned within the airflow path by a support structure. The support structure can include arms extending from an interior wall of the device housing to support the chamber in place within the airflow path. The chamber can be coupled to at least one of the housing or the airflow path by an airflow guiding member. The airflow guiding member can be configured to guide airflow within the airflow path.

[0099] An aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for drying an object, the apparatus including a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, an airflow generating element housed within the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path, one or more radiant energy sources housed within the housing and configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing, a thermal coupling coupled to at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources and configured to dissipate heat from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources, and a power supply configured to power at least the radiant energy sources and the airflow generating element.

[0100] The thermal coupling can facilitate heat dissipation from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources to which the thermal coupling is coupled. In some cases, the radiant energy source can be in physical contact with either the exterior or interior wall of the airflow path, the device housing, and / or the airflow generating element. The thermal coupling can include a portion of the radiant energy source that is in physical contact with the airflow path, the device housing, or the airflow generating element. In some cases, the radiant energy source is not in physical contact with the airflow path, the device housing, or the airflow generating element. The thermal coupling can include a thermal coupling member that is coupled to or integral with the radiant energy source and one of the airflow path, the device housing, or the airflow generating element. In some examples, the thermal coupling can be made of the same material as the airflow generating element, the housing, or the airflow path and / or have the same thermal expansion characteristics as the airflow generating element, the housing, or the airflow path. In some examples, the thermal coupling can be coupled to a support connected to the airflow generating element, the housing, or the airflow path. In some instances, the thermal coupling may dissipate heat by at least one of thermal conduction or thermal convection.

[0101] Aspects of the present disclosure also provide a method for drying an object, the method including the steps of: providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed within the housing, generating infrared radiation via one or more radiant energy sources housed within the housing and directing the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing, dissipating heat from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources via a thermal coupling coupled to at least one of the one or more energy sources, and supplying power to at least the radiant energy sources and the airflow generating element via a power supply element.

[0102] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary configuration of the device, in which the thermal coupling includes at least one second portion 1732b of one or more radiant energy sources 1707 positioned to contact the airflow path 1703. The second portion can be a region of the radiant energy source where the radiant energy source is coupled to an outer wall of the airflow path (e.g., the radiant energy source is positioned between the airflow path and the housing of the device) or an inner wall (e.g., the radiant energy source is positioned inside the airflow path). In some cases, the radiant energy source can be welded, glued, or otherwise secured to the airflow path at the second portion. In some cases, at least a portion of the second portion can form part of either the outer or inner wall of the airflow path. In some cases, the second portion can at least partially protrude into the airflow path. The protruding portion of the second portion can include an airflow guide configured to adjust the characteristics of the airflow (e.g., direction, volume, velocity, velocity distribution, field area, resistance, direction, vortex, pressure, divergence, etc.). In some examples, the protruding portion of the second portion can be proximate to the airflow outlet. Heat can be dissipated from the radiant energy source to the airflow path and / or the airflow within the airflow path by thermal conduction, thereby reducing or maintaining the operating temperature of the radiant energy source within a predetermined temperature range and / or increasing the temperature of the airflow within the airflow path. The area of ​​the second portion can be determined based on the heat dissipation efficiency and the operating temperature of the radiant energy source. While the radiant energy source is coupled to the airflow path in FIG. 17, the radiant energy source can be coupled at the second portion to either the housing or the airflow generating element of the device, thereby allowing heat to be transferred from the radiant energy source to the housing or the airflow generating element of the device.

[0103] FIG. 18A is a partial cutaway side view, and FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 18A , illustrating an exemplary configuration of a device in which the thermal coupling includes a thermal coupling member. In some cases, the thermal coupling member 1741 is an integral part of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources and can be thermally coupled to the airflow path 1703, the airflow generating element, or the housing of the device. In some cases, the thermal coupling member 1741 is an integral part of the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the housing of the device and can be thermally coupled to the radiant energy source. Heat can be transferred from the radiant energy source to the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the housing of the device by thermal conduction, thereby reducing or maintaining the operating temperature of the radiant energy source and / or increasing the temperature of the airflow. The thermal coupling member can include a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 20, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 Watts per meter-Kelvin (W / (m·K)) or more. Materials with high thermal conductivity can include, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum, tungsten, graphite, or zinc. In some cases, the thermal coupling member can be a cooling member or heat sink.

[0104] In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources may not be in physical contact with the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing. In other words, the radiant energy source does not include a portion positioned to contact the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing. A thermal coupling member may be coupled between optional portions of the radiant energy source and the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing. Multiple thermal coupling members may be coupled to a single radiant energy source. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources may be in partial contact with the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing. In other words, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources may have a first portion positioned not to contact the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing, and a second portion that contacts the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the device housing. A thermal coupling member can be coupled between a first portion of the radiant energy source and the airflow path, the airflow generating element, and / or the housing of the device.

[0105] In the example of FIGS. 18A and 18B , at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1707 can be positioned between the device housing 1701 and the airflow path 1703. A thermal coupling or cooling member 1741 can be thermally coupled between at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1707 and an outer wall of the airflow path 1703 and at least one of the device housing 1701, and configured to dissipate heat from at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources. In other examples, at least one radiant energy source can be disposed within the airflow path (e.g., the radiant energy source is at least partially enclosed within a chamber, as described in FIGS. 16A-16C ). In such a configuration, a thermal coupling member can be provided as long as a portion of the thermal coupling member is in contact with the airflow, thereby dissipating heat from the at least one radiant energy source. Optionally, a thermal coupling member thermally coupled between the at least one radiant energy source and at least one of the interior walls of the airflow path, the walls of the chamber, or the chamber, thereby transferring heat from the at least one radiant energy source to the interior walls of the airflow path, the walls of the chamber, or the at least one of the chamber. While the examples of Figures 18A and 18B show that the at least one radiant energy source is not in physical contact with the airflow path, in some other examples, the at least one radiant energy source can be in physical contact with the airflow path at a second portion thereof, and the thermal coupling member or cooling member can be a thermal coupling member added to the second portion of the at least one radiant energy source.

[0106] 18C and 18D, the thermal coupling member 1741 can protrude at least partially into the airflow path 1703. The protruding portion of the thermal coupling member can include an airflow guide, such as a fin. The airflow guide can be configured to adjust the characteristics of the airflow (e.g., volume, velocity, velocity distribution, field area, resistance, pressure, direction, vortex, divergence, etc.). In some cases, the protruding portion of the thermal coupling member can be positioned downstream of the airflow with respect to the airflow generating element. The axes of the parabolic or polynomial reflectors of each of the multiple radiant energy sources can intersect with each other, such that radiation from the multiple radiant energy sources can at least partially overlap a predetermined distance ahead of the device.

[0107] 19A-19C illustrate exemplary configurations of a device in which a thermal coupling includes a first through-hole 1951 that communicates with the interior of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources 1707. The first through-hole can be configured to introduce airflow into the interior of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources, thereby reducing or maintaining the operating temperature of the radiant energy source by thermal convection. In some cases, the first through-hole 1951 can be located on a first portion of the radiant energy source, which does not contact the airflow path 1703, as shown in FIG. 19A. Air from outside the airflow path (e.g., air from outside the device) can enter the interior of the radiant energy source through the first through-hole. In some cases, the first through-hole 1951 can be located on a second portion of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources, which does contact the airflow path 1703, as shown in FIG. 19B. Air from within the air passage can enter the interior of the radiant energy source through the first through-hole.

[0108] In some embodiments, the thermal coupling portion can further include a second through-hole 1952 configured to exhaust air from the interior of at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources. In some cases, the second through-hole can be located at an infrared radiation outlet (e.g., an opening in a reflector of the radiant energy source). In configurations where the reflector opening is covered by an optical element, the second through-hole can be provided in the optical element. In some cases, the second through-hole can be located at a portion of the at least one radiant energy source. In certain examples, the portion of the at least one radiant energy source can be a second portion of the at least one radiant energy source, which second portion contacts the airflow path, as shown in FIG. 19A . Air can be introduced into the interior of the radiant energy source from outside the radiant energy source (e.g., outside the device through a vent in the device housing) and exit from the interior of the radiant energy source into the air path. In another example, the portion of the at least one radiant energy source can be a first portion of the at least one radiant energy source, which does not contact the airflow path, as shown in FIG. 19B. Air can be introduced into the interior of the radiant energy source from the air path and exit from the interior of the radiant energy source to the outside of the device (e.g., through a vent in the housing of the device). In yet another example, both the first through-hole and the second through-hole can be provided in the first portion of the at least one radiant energy source. Air can be introduced from the outside of the device into the interior of the radiant energy source through a vent in the housing and exit again from the interior of the radiant energy source to the outside of the device through the vent. In yet another example, both the first through-hole and the second through-hole can be provided in the second portion of the at least one radiant energy source. Air can be introduced into the interior of the radiant energy source from the air path and exit again from the interior of the radiant energy source to the air path.

[0109] FIG. 19C illustrates an exemplary configuration of the device in which at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources is not in physical contact with the airflow path 1703. The thermal coupling can include an air duct 1956 in communication with the first through-hole 1951. The air duct can further communicate with either the airflow within the airflow path or the exterior of the housing. The air duct can be fabricated from a thermally conductive material. A second through-hole configured to exhaust air from the interior of the radiant energy source can additionally be provided in the configuration of FIG. 19C, and the air duct can be provided in the second through-hole. The first or second through-hole can be provided in either the first or second portion of the radiant energy source, as described in FIGS. 19A and 19B. Although the examples of Figures 19A-19C show one or more radiant energy sources positioned outside the airflow path, the one or more radiant energy sources can also be positioned within the airflow path, with the first and second through holes allowing air to be introduced into and expelled from the interior of the radiant energy source.

[0110] 20A-20D show exemplary configurations of the device in which the thermal coupling includes a third through-hole 1953 in communication with the airflow in the airflow path. The third through-hole can be located in a wall of the airflow path. In some cases, as shown in FIGS. 20A-20D, the third through-hole can be configured to direct air from the airflow path 1703 toward at least an outer surface of at least one or more radiant energy sources 1707. The air introduced from the airflow path and blown onto at least an outer surface of the at least one radiant energy source removes at least a portion of the heat from the outer surface of the radiant energy source, thereby reducing the temperature of the radiant energy source.

[0111] The thermal coupling portion can further include a fourth through-hole configured to exhaust the air introduced from the air path to the outside of the device or back into the air path. Air circulating from the third through-hole to the fourth through-hole can facilitate heat removal from the radiant energy source, thereby lowering the temperature of the radiant energy source. In the example shown in FIG. 20B , the fourth through-hole 1955 can be provided in the device housing 1701. The air introduced from the air flow path can flow through at least a portion of the outer surface of the radiant energy source and exit the device through the fourth through-hole. In the example shown in FIG. 20C , the optical element 1733 can be provided to cover the opening of the reflector of the radiant energy source and the gap between the edge of the reflector opening and the device housing 1701. The fourth through-hole 1955 can be provided in the portion of the optical element that covers the gap. The air introduced from the air flow path can flow through at least a portion of the outer surface of the radiant energy source and exit the device through the fourth through-hole. In the example shown in Figure 20D, a fourth through-hole 1955 can be provided in the wall of the air flow path 1703. Air introduced from the air flow path can flow through at least a portion of the outer surface of the radiant energy source and re-enter the air flow path through the fourth through-hole. It will be apparent that multiple fourth through-holes can be provided in the housing of the device, the optical elements of the radiant energy source, and / or the wall of the air flow path.

[0112] The present disclosure also provides a configuration of an apparatus for drying objects, in which the reflectors of one or more radiant energy sources have a cutout shape. In compact apparatuses containing multiple radiant energy sources (e.g., infrared lamps) with parabolic or polynomial reflectors, the reflectors occupy the interior space of the apparatus and therefore affect the configuration and / or arrangement of the airflow path, which in turn may affect the airflow characteristics. For example, the speed and volume of the airflow can affect the efficiency of drying objects, and increased airflow resistance can generate greater noise. On the other hand, infrared lamps with miniaturized reflectors may also cause reduced radiation efficiency. In addition, the presence of internal devices and / or positioning components within the reflector may not significantly reduce the size of the reflector (e.g., aperture diameter, longitudinal length from the aperture to the apex). Therefore, there is a need to provide a radiant energy source with a reflector that balances radiation efficiency, airflow characteristics (e.g., volume, velocity, velocity distribution, field area, resistance, pressure, direction, vortex, divergence, etc.), functionality, and space efficiency.

[0113] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying objects, in which the reflectors of one or more radiant energy sources have a cutout shape. Panel B is a side view of the schematic diagram of Panel A. The apparatus for drying objects can include a housing, one or more radiant energy sources configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation outside the housing, and a power supply element configured to power at least the radiant energy sources. Each of the one or more radiant energy sources can include a reflector. The reflector can have an opening facing the outside of the housing. A radial cross section (e.g., a cross section perpendicular to the axis) of the reflector can be a portion of a curved surface. In some cases, the profile of the axial cross section and / or the radial cross section of the reflector can be a polynomial having multiple segments. For example, a first segment of the profile can be represented by a polynomial of a first set of parameters, and a second segment of the profile can be represented by a polynomial of a second set of parameters. The axes of the parabolic reflective surfaces of each of the reflectors of the multiple radiant energy sources can intersect with one another, thereby allowing radiation emitted from the multiple radiant energy sources to at least partially overlap at a predetermined distance in front of the apparatus.

[0114] In the example shown in FIG. 21 , one or more radiant energy sources can be positioned between the airflow path and the device housing. At least one of the reflectors of the one or more radiant energy sources can have a cutout shape. As used herein, the term “cutout shape” can refer to a three-dimensional shape that is not a complete cone, truncated cone, cylinder, sphere, or spheroid. A cutout shape has at least a portion of the periphery of the three-dimensional shape removed. As shown in panel A of FIG. 21 , at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors of the radiant energy sources can include at least a first portion 2161 that is coupled to, integral with, or forms the outer wall of the airflow path 2103. In this disclosure, the first portion is described as part of the cutout-shaped reflector. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the first portion can also be considered part of the wall of the airflow path or a shared or coupled portion of the reflector and the airflow path. The first portion can contact the airflow within the airflow path. The first portion can be configured to transfer heat generated by the radiant energy source to the airflow path by thermal conduction. The cutout-shaped first portion of the reflector can follow the contours of the airflow path. The shape of the cutout-shaped first portion of the reflector can have a curvature. In some cases, the curvature can be concave with respect to the geometric center of the device, as shown in FIG. 21 . The radial cross-section of the reflector can be a portion of the curvature. In some cases, the radial cross-section can vary along the axis of the reflector.

[0115] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors can further include a second portion 2162 positioned on the reflector opposite the first portion 2161. The second portion can have substantially the same or a different curvature as that of the first portion. The second portion can be positioned so as not to contact the airflow path. In some cases, the second portion can include a portion that couples to the housing of the device. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors can further include a third portion 2163 connecting the first and second portions. The third portion of the cutout-shaped reflector can be coupled to the third portion of an adjacent cutout-shaped reflector, as shown in FIG. 21 . The material of the first portion 2161 can be different from the second and / or third portions, e.g., having a higher thermal conductivity.

[0116] Panels C and D of FIG. 21 provide schematic diagrams illustrating an exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying objects, in which one or more radiant energy source reflectors have a cutout shape in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Panel D is a cutout side view of the schematic diagram of Panel C. In the example shown in Panels C and D of FIG. 21 , an airflow path 2103 can be provided between the apparatus housing 2101 and one or more radiant energy sources 2107. At least one of the one or more radiant energy source reflectors can have a cutout shape. As shown in Panel C of FIG. 21 , at least one of the radiant energy source cutout-shaped reflectors can include at least a first portion 2161 that follows the contour of the housing. The first portion can include a portion coupled to the inner surface of the housing. In some cases, at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors can further include a second portion 2162, which is located on the opposite side of the reflector from the first portion 2161. In some cases, at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors can further include a third portion 2163 connecting the first and second portions. The third portion of the cutout-shaped reflector can be connected to the third portion of an adjacent cutout-shaped reflector, as shown in panels C and D of FIG.

[0117] Experiments and simulations show the radiant power distribution patterns and radiation efficiencies (e.g., the ratio of the output radiant power at the reflector's opening to the input power of the radiant energy source) of a radiant energy source with a notched reflector and a radiant energy source with a full conical reflector, which have the same size (e.g., diameter) at the opening, as shown in Figure 22. The radiation efficiency of the radiant energy source with the notched reflector is 88.1%, which is as high as the radiation efficiency of the radiant energy source with a full conical reflector, which is 88.93%, while the profile of the notched reflector is kept smaller.

[0118] FIG. 23 shows another exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying objects. Among multiple radiant energy sources positioned between the apparatus housing and the airflow path 2303, at least one radiant energy source includes a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path. For example, radiant energy source 2307a can include a first portion positioned facing the airflow path, while radiant energy source 2307a can further include a second portion positioned so as to contact the airflow path. For example, radiant energy source 2307b can be positioned away from the airflow path and therefore does not include a portion in contact with the airflow path. In an exemplary embodiment, a thermal coupling can be coupled to radiant energy source 2307b and configured to dissipate heat from radiant energy source 2307b. As described elsewhere in this disclosure, the thermal coupling can include a thermal coupling member or a cooling member connected to the airflow path or the apparatus housing. The thermal coupling can include a first through-hole that communicates with the interior of radiant energy source 2307b. The first through-hole can be configured to introduce air into the interior of the radiant energy source 2307b. The thermal coupling can include a third through-hole, which communicates with the airflow in the airflow path. The third through-hole can be configured to direct air from the airflow path to an exterior surface or interior of the radiant energy source 2307b. The radiant energy source 2307a can be positioned adjacent to the airflow path. A second portion of the radiant energy source 2307a can contact the airflow path. As described elsewhere in this disclosure, the reflector of the radiant energy source 2307a can have a cutout shape. The cutout-shaped reflector can include at least a first portion that couples to the airflow path. The first portion can follow the contour of the airflow path.

[0119] FIG. 24 illustrates another exemplary configuration of an apparatus for drying objects. Multiple radiant energy sources 2407 can be positioned within the housing 2401 of the apparatus. Airflow paths can be provided in spaces defined between the radiant energy sources. For example, a first airflow path 2403a can be provided in the space between two or more radiant energy sources. For example, a second airflow path 2403b can additionally or alternatively be provided in the space surrounded by radiant energy sources positioned near the geometric center of the housing. In certain examples, a thermal coupling can be coupled to at least one of the radiant energy sources and configured to dissipate heat from the radiant energy source, as described elsewhere in this disclosure. In certain examples, a reflector of at least one of the radiant energy sources (e.g., a radiant energy source abutting the airflow path or the housing of the apparatus) can have a notched shape, as described elsewhere in this disclosure. The axes of the parabolic reflectors of each of the multiple radiant energy sources can intersect with one another, so that radiation from the multiple radiant energy sources can at least partially overlap at a distance in front of the device.

[0120] The present disclosure further provides a radiant energy source (e.g., a radiant bulb) capable of efficiently reflecting the generated radiation. The radiant energy source can be used in the apparatus for drying an object of the present disclosure. FIG. 25 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a radiant energy source of the present disclosure. The radiant energy source can include a radiant emitter 2531 and a reflector 2532. The radiant emitter can be configured to generate infrared radiation when powered. The reflector can have a parabolic or polynomial cross section with at least one vertex and an opening facing the exterior of the radiant energy source. The reflector can be configured to direct the infrared radiation toward the exterior of the radiant energy source. The reflector opening can be covered by an optical element 2533. In configurations where multiple radiant energy sources are provided, the openings of multiple reflectors can be covered by a single optical element. For example, the optical element can be a lens, a lens coated with a coating filter, or an optical system other than a lens.

[0121] The radiation emitter can be positioned and oriented such that the distal end 2534 (e.g., tip portion) of the radiation emitter faces away from the aperture. In the exemplary radiant energy source of FIG. 25, the radiation emitter can be oriented such that its longitudinal axis (e.g., from lead to tip) is substantially perpendicular to the aperture of the reflector. For example, the radiation emitter can be supported at or near a side portion 2535 of the reflector, i.e., near the apex of the reflector, the side portion being the portion of the reflector that does not include the apex. The reflector can have at least one through-hole to accommodate coupling (e.g., wires) between a power source and the emitter. The at least one through-hole can be sealed with a sealing member capable of blocking at least one of electricity, radiation, or water.

[0122] In the exemplary radiant energy source shown in FIG. 26 , the radiation emitters can be oriented in substantially opposite directions with respect to the aperture of the radiant energy source. For example, the distal end portion 2534 of the radiant bulb can face the apex of the reflector, while the proximal end portion of the radiant bulb faces the aperture of the reflector. The radiation emitter 2531 can be supported by a support 2536 that extends into the aperture of the radiant energy source, thereby orienting the radiation emitter to direct radiation toward the apex of the reflector. The support means can include a groove to accommodate a coupling (e.g., a wire) between a power source and the power lead of the radiation emitter. Advantages of the radiant energy sources shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 can include improved reflective efficiency and optical properties. For example, configurations of embodiments of the present disclosure can position the radiation emitter (e.g., a filament) substantially at or near the focus of a parabolic or polynomial reflector, resulting in a substantially parallel reflected beam of radiation.

[0123] The present disclosure also provides a radiation emitter (e.g., an infrared lamp, etc.) with improved radiation emission. The radiation emitter can be used in a radiant energy source for an apparatus for drying an object of the present disclosure. FIG. 27 shows an exemplary embodiment of a radiation emitter of the present disclosure. The radiation emitter can include a radiation-generating element 2704, which is enclosed within a bulb 2701 and configured to generate radiation when powered on. The tip portion of the bulb can include a lens 2703, which modulates the divergence and / or direction of the radiation exiting the radiation emitter. The radiation-generating element 2704 can be a filament (e.g., a tungsten wire filament) having a predetermined width and height. Leads or pins 2705 can support the filament and couple it to a power supply element. The radiation emitter can include a first radiation-reflecting element 2706, which is positioned below the radiation-generating element 2704 and configured to reflect at least a portion of the radiation toward an exterior of the radiation emitter.

[0124] The first radiation reflecting element may have a reflective surface facing the radiation generating element. The reflective surface may be substantially parabolic with a focal point, and the radiation generating element may be positioned near or at the focal point. In some cases, the reflective surface may have a coating that reflects infrared radiation. The first radiation reflecting element may be fabricated from a refractory metal. Examples of refractory metals may include molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, copper, and steel.

[0125] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 28 , the radiation emitter may further include a second reflecting element 2707, which is positioned on the opposite side of the radiation generating element 2704 with respect to the first reflecting element 2706. The second reflecting element may have a reflective surface facing the emitting element and reflecting at least a portion of the radiation towards the first reflecting element. The reflective surface may be substantially parabolic with a focal point, and the radiation generating element is positioned near or at the focal point. The second reflecting element may have a hole 2708 at its geometric center. The second reflecting element is provided to adjust the divergence angle of the radiation exiting the radiation emitter. For example, only radiation whose divergence angle is equal to or smaller than a predetermined divergence angle can pass through the hole in the second reflecting element and exit the radiation emitter. All radiation emitted from the filament or reflected by the first radiation reflecting element but whose divergence angle is larger than the predetermined divergence angle can be reflected by the second radiation reflecting element back to the first reflecting element. In some cases, a portion of the radiation emitted from the filament may be reflected multiple times between the first reflective element, the second reflective element, and / or the inner surface of the reflector before exiting the radiation emitter and / or through the aperture of the reflector, such that the radiation exits the radiation emitter and / or reflector aperture collimated.

[0126] The first and / or second radiation reflecting elements may be supported by a support member. The support member may be insulating. The support member may be made of a non-conductive material. In some cases, the support member may be separate from and different from the support that supports the radiation-generating elements. In some cases, the support member may also support the radiation-generating elements and transfer power thereto. In the latter case, insulation may be provided where the support member contacts the first and second radiation reflecting elements.

[0127] The present disclosure also provides an apparatus for drying objects that generates low noise. The apparatus may include a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; an airflow generating element housed in the housing and configured to generate airflow through the airflow path; a radiant energy source housed in the housing and configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation out of the housing; and a power supply element configured to power at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element. The airflow generating element may be positioned downstream of the airflow with respect to at least a portion of the power supply element. At least a portion of the radiant energy source may be located downstream of the airflow with respect to the airflow generating element. At least a portion of the radiant energy source may be coupled to at least a portion of the airflow path.

[0128] The airflow generating element may include at least a low-noise motor. The airflow generating element may include a fan driven by the motor, and when activated, the rotation of the fan generates airflow through the airflow path. The fan may include multiple blades. The rotational speed of the motor may be specified based on the number of blades so that a blade-passing frequency, which is correlated to the product of the motor rotational speed and the number of blades, is substantially within the ultrasonic frequency range. Therefore, motor noise can be suppressed because humans do not detect sounds with frequencies in the ultrasonic range. The motor may be a high-speed motor. In some cases, the rotational speed of the motor may exceed at least 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, 80,000, 90,000, 100,000, or more revolutions per minute (rpm). The number of blades may be a prime number greater than two. In some examples, the number of blades can be 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 or 17 or more.

[0129] The high-speed motor can be combined with any other aspect of the present disclosure in an apparatus for drying objects. For example, in an apparatus for drying objects having a high-speed motor, at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources can include a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path. This configuration is possible because the high-speed motor generates a large volume of airflow within the airflow path, which reduces the temperature increase in the airflow path and the airflow even when heat is transferred from the radiant energy source. For example, the volume of the airflow generated by the motor can be at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 cubic feet per minute (CFM) as measured at the output opening of the apparatus. The heat dissipation efficiency of the radiant energy source can be determined from the volume of the airflow generated by the motor and the temperature required for blackbody radiation of the radiant emitter, and the area of ​​the radiant energy source required for heat dissipation can be determined based on the heat dissipation efficiency. The area required for heat dissipation can be that portion of the total area of ​​the exterior wall of the radiant energy source required to maintain the operating temperature of the radiant energy source within a predetermined temperature range (e.g., the temperature range required to maintain the radiant emitter in a blackbody radiation state). Therefore, it may be sufficient to have a portion of the exterior surface of the radiant energy source in contact with the airflow path, connect a thermal coupling to the radiant energy source, and / or extend relatively short protruding members (e.g., fins) from the radiant energy source into the airflow path to maintain the operating temperature of the radiant energy source within the predetermined temperature range. The large volume of airflow generated by a high-speed motor can efficiently remove heat transferred from the radiant energy source to the airflow path or airflow without substantially increasing the temperature of the airflow path or airflow. In some cases, the temperature increase of the airflow in the airflow path due to heat transferred from the radiant energy source can be less than 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 degrees.

[0130] The motor can be coupled within the housing by a mounting element, which can be part of the airflow generating element. The motor can be received within a chamber of the mounting element. The mounting element can prevent or reduce vibrations and / or noise generated by the motor from being transmitted to the housing. The mounting element can include, for example, a support member made of a resilient material. In some examples, the mounting element can include a portion coupled to at least one of the housing, the airflow path, or the radiant energy source.

[0131] The present disclosure also provides a method for drying an object, the method including the steps of: providing an airflow path through a housing, the airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; generating airflow through the airflow path via an airflow generating element housed within the housing, the airflow generating element including at least one low-noise motor; generating infrared radiation via a radiant energy source housed within the housing and directing the infrared radiation to an exterior of the housing; and supplying power to at least the radiant energy source and the airflow generating element via a power supply element.

[0132] Although the object drying device of the present disclosure is described with reference to drawings depicting a hair dryer, one skilled in the art will recognize that the object drying device is not limited to a hair dryer, so long as a radiant energy source (e.g., one or more infrared lamps) is utilized as the thermal energy source. In some embodiments, the object drying device of the present disclosure can also be implemented as a clothes dryer or hand dryer. Clothes dryers can use one or more infrared lamps as a heat source associated with an airflow-generating element to facilitate evaporation of water from various fabrics, such as clothes, sheets, curtains, and stuffed toys. The housing of the clothes dryer can include a support means or stand. The height of the support means or stand is adjustable.

[0133] 29 illustrates an example of an appliance control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which can be programmed to implement the methods and apparatus of the present disclosure.

[0134] The equipment control system includes a central processing unit (CPU, also referred to herein as "processor" and "computer processor") 2905, which can be a single-core or multi-core processor or multiple processors for parallel processing. The equipment control system also includes memory or storage locations 2910 (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory), an electronic storage unit 2915 (e.g., hard disk), a communication interface 2920 (e.g., network adapter) for communicating with one or more other systems, and peripherals 2925, such as cables, other memory, data storage, and / or electronic display adapters. The memory 2910, storage unit 2915, interface 2920, and peripherals 2925 communicate with the CPU 2905 through a communication bus (solid lines) such as a motherboard. The storage unit 2915 can be a data storage unit (or data repository) for saving data. The equipment control system can be operatively coupled to a computer network ("network") 2930 using the communication interface 2920. Network 2930 can be the Internet, an internet and / or an extranet, or an intranet and / or extranet in communication with the Internet.

[0135] Network 2930 in some cases is a telecommunications and / or data network. Network 2930 can include one or more computer servers, which can enable distributed computing, e.g., cloud computing. For example, one or more computer servers may enable cloud computing ("cloud") on network 2930 to perform various aspects of the analysis, calculation, and generation of the present disclosure, such as capturing the configuration of one or more experimental environments, performing product (e.g., application) usage analysis, and providing project statistics output. Such cloud computing may be provided by cloud computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS®), Microsoft Azure®, Google Cloud Platform, and IBM Cloud. Network 2930, in some cases, can utilize an instrument control system to implement a peer-to-peer network, whereby instruments coupled to the instrument control system may operate as both clients and servers.

[0136] The CPU 2905 can execute sequences of machine-readable instructions, which may be embodied in a program or software. The instructions may be stored in a memory location, such as memory 2910. The instructions may be directed to the CPU 2905, which may then program or otherwise configure the CPU 2905 to perform methods of the present disclosure. Examples of operations performed by the CPU 2905 may include fetch, decode, execute, and writeback.

[0137] The CPU 2905 may be part of a circuit, such as an integrated circuit. One or more other components of the system may be included in the circuit. In some cases, the circuit is an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0138] The storage unit 2915 can store files such as drivers, libraries, and saved programs. The storage unit 2915 can store user preference data, such as user preferences and user programs. The equipment control system can, in some cases, include one or more additional data storage units external to the equipment control system, for example, on a remote server that communicates with the equipment control system over an intranet or the Internet.

[0139] The equipment control system can communicate with one or more remote equipment control systems over network 2930. For example, the equipment control system can communicate with a remote equipment control system of a user (e.g., a user of a laboratory environment). Examples of remote equipment control systems include a personal computer (e.g., a portable PC), a slate or tablet PC (e.g., an Apple® iPad®, a Samsung® Galaxy Tab), a telephone, a smartphone (e.g., an Apple® iPhone®, an Android®-enabled device, a Blackberry®), or a personal digital assistant. The user can access the equipment control system via network 2930.

[0140] The methods described in this disclosure can be performed by machine (e.g., a computer processor) executable code stored in an electronic storage location of the appliance control system, such as memory 2910 or electronic storage unit 2915. The machine-executable or machine-readable code can be provided in the form of software. During use, the code can be executed by processor 2905. In some cases, the code can be read from storage unit 2915 and stored on memory 2910 for easy access by processor 2905. In some situations, electronic storage unit 2915 can be eliminated, and machine-executable instructions can be stored in memory 2910.

[0141] The code may be pre-compiled and configured for use with a machine having a processor adapted to execute the code, or may be compiled at run-time. The code may be provided in a selectable programming language such that the code can be executed in a pre-compiled or run-time compiled manner.

[0142] Aspects of the systems and methods provided herein, such as the appliance control system 1401, can be embodied in programming. Various aspects of this technology may be considered "products" or "articles of manufacture," typically in the form of machine- (or processor-) executable code and / or associated data carried on or embodied in some type of machine-readable medium. The machine-readable code may be stored on an electronic storage unit, such as memory (e.g., read-only memory, random-access memory, flash memory) or a hard disk. "Storage" type media may include computer, processor, or other tangible memory or associated modules, such as semiconductor memory, tape drives, disk drives, and any other tangible memory, that may provide non-transitory storage for software programming at any time. All or portions of the software may be communicated from time to time over the Internet or various other telecommunications networks. Such communication may, for example, enable the software to be loaded from one computer or processor to another, such as from a management server or host computer to an application server computer platform. Therefore, other types of media that may carry software elements include light waves, radio waves, and electromagnetic waves, such as those used in physical interfaces between local equipment through wired and optical terrestrial communication networks and in various air links. Physical elements that propagate such waves, e.g., wired or wireless links, optical links, or others, may also be considered software-bearing media. As used herein, if not limited to non-transitory, tangible "storage" media, terms such as computer or machine "readable medium" refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.

[0143] Thus, a machine-readable medium, such as a computer-executable code, may take various forms, including, but not limited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium, or a physical transmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the computer or other storage devices that may be used to implement databases, etc., as illustrated in the figures. Volatile memory includes dynamic memory, such as the main memory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a bus within a device control system. Carrier wave transmission media may take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer readable media thus include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, any other magnetic media, CD-ROMs, DVDs or DVD-ROMs, any other optical media, punched card paper tape, any other physical storage medium with a pattern of holes, RAM, ROM, PROMs and EPROMs, FLASH®-EPROMs, any other memory chips or cartridges, carrier waves carrying data or instructions, cables or links carrying such carrier waves, or any other medium from which a computer may read programming code and / or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution.

[0144] The equipment control system can include or communicate with an electronic display 2935 that includes a user interface (UI) 2940 for providing, for example, various components of the model management system (e.g., lab, launch pad, control center, knowledge center, etc.). Examples of UIs include, but are not limited to, graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and web-based user interfaces. The electronic display can be a display on a user device such as a smartphone.

[0145] The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure can be implemented by one or more algorithms. The algorithms can be executed by software executed by the central processing unit 2905. The algorithms can, for example, generate instructions for operating one or more components of the sample transport system.

[0146] From the foregoing, it should be understood that, while specific examples have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto and are contemplated herein. It is also not intended that the present invention be limited by the specific examples provided herein. While the present invention has been described in terms of the present disclosure, the descriptions and illustrations of the preferred embodiments herein should not be construed in a limiting sense. Aspects of the preferred embodiments can be combined in other embodiments. For example, one or more radiant energy sources having a first portion positioned so as not to contact the airflow path, a thermal coupling coupled to at least one of the one or more radiant energy sources, a reflector for one or more radiant energy sources having a cutout shape, a radiant energy source in which the radiation emitter is positioned and oriented such that the distal end of the radiation emitter faces away from the opening in the reflector, a radiation emitter having one or more radiation reflecting elements, and a high-speed motor can optionally be combined in other embodiments not specifically described in the present disclosure. Furthermore, it should be understood that all aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific depictions, configurations, or relative proportions set forth herein, as these may depend on various conditions and variables. Various modifications in form and details of the embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is therefore intended that the present invention covers such modifications, variations and equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for drying an object, comprising: a housing configured to provide an airflow path having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet; an airflow generating element housed in the housing and configured to generate an airflow through the airflow path; one or more radiant energy sources configured to generate infrared radiation and direct the infrared radiation toward an exterior of the housing, the radiant energy sources being one or more infrared lamps, each including a reflector having an opening toward the exterior of the housing; a power supply element configured to provide power to at least the radiant energy source; Including, at least one of the reflectors of the one or more radiant energy sources is not a complete cone, truncated cone, cylinder, sphere, or spheroid, but has a cutout shape in which at least a portion of the periphery of a three-dimensional shape is removed; At least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors includes at least a first portion coupled to the airflow path; the first portion is configured to dissipate heat from the one or more radiant energy sources into the airflow path.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion follows the contour of the airflow path.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion contacts the airflow in the airflow path.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is coupled to, integral with, or forms at least a portion of the airflow path.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the first portion comprises a curve.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the curvature is concave relative to a geometric center of the device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors further includes a second portion disposed opposite the first portion of the reflector.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second portion does not contact the airflow path.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second portion has a different curvature than that of the first portion.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second portion comprises a portion coupled to the housing.

11. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the cutout-shaped reflectors further includes a third portion connecting the first and second portions.

12. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third portion of the cutout-shaped reflector is connected to the third portion of an adjacent cutout-shaped reflector.

13. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector has an axial cross-sectional and / or radial cross-sectional profile that is polynomial.

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