Dryer

Abstract

A dryer (1) comprises: a housing (2) including an impeller (4), a base (29) adjacent to the impeller (4), and a suction port (25) and a discharge port (27) partitioned by the base (29); and a non-contact sensor (3) provided on a surface of the base (29) on the suction port (25) side.

Description

Dryer

[0001] The present invention relates to a dryer.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a body dryer for removing moisture from a body or clothing with moisture adhered thereto. The temperature of air blown out from an air outlet is initially controlled to a high temperature, and is controlled to a low temperature lower than the high temperature after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-46277

[0004] It is favorable if the entire body and clothing have a uniform moisture content, but it is normally assumed that parts of the body or clothing partially have different moisture contents. In this case, only controlling the temperature of the blown air causes uneven drying, which takes time to complete drying.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an example of an object of the present invention is to provide a dryer capable of efficient drying.

[0006] A dryer according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing having an impeller, a base adjacent to the impeller, and a suction port and a discharge port partitioned by the base, and a non-contact sensor provided on a surface of the base on the suction port side.

[0007] This is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a partially exploded perspective view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a partially side view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in Figure 3. This is a perspective cross-sectional view along line 5-5 in Figure 3. This is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a heater 5 according to one specific example. This is an exploded perspective view showing the dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention with the suction port cover 26 removed. This is an exploded perspective view showing the dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention with the suction port cover 26 removed. This is an exploded perspective view showing the dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention with the non-contact sensor 3 and discharge port cover 28 removed. This is a diagram for explaining how to use a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a dryer 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to Figure 4. This is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the structure of a dryer 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to Figure 5.

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In one example, this dryer 1 is a hair dryer intended for use on hair. However, the dryer 1 may be used for purposes other than hair drying. For the sake of explanation, with respect to the dryer 1, one side will be defined as the upper side and the other side as the lower side in the direction along the axis x, which is the rotation axis of the dryer 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "rotation axis direction"), but these two sides do not necessarily have to coincide with the direction in which gravity acts.

[0009] The dryer 1 includes a housing 2 that extends in the direction of the rotation axis. The housing 2 has a nozzle 21 and a handle portion (hereinafter referred to as "handle") 22. In this example, the nozzle 21 extends upward from the upper end of the handle 22. The nozzle 21 and the handle 22 are integrally formed from, for example, a resin material. Both the nozzle 21 and the handle 22 extend elongated in the direction of the rotation axis defined along the axis x. The handle 22 has dimensions that allow it to be grasped by hand in the radial direction perpendicular to the axis x. In this example, the nozzle 21 has larger dimensions in the radial direction than the handle 22.

[0010] The handle 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape with axis x as its central axis. The cross-sectional contour of the handle 22, defined in a plane perpendicular to axis x, is formed, for example, as an ellipse or oblong shape. On the outer surface of the handle 22, in the area facing the front of the dryer 1 (described later), a switch 23 for controlling the on / off state of the dryer 1 is arranged. In this example, the switch 23 is located adjacent to the upper end of the handle 22. Although not shown in Figure 1, a cable extends outward from the lower end of the handle 22. A plug is connected to the end of the cable. The plug can be inserted, for example, into a household outlet. Power is supplied to the dryer 1 from the commercial power supply via this cable.

[0011] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both Figure 1 and Figure 2, the nozzle 21 has a main body 24, a cover (hereinafter referred to as "suction port cover") 26 that covers a suction port 25 which is an opening formed in the main body 24, and a cover (hereinafter referred to as "discharge port cover") 28 that covers a discharge port 27 which is an opening formed in the main body 24. The suction port 25 is an opening for drawing air from the outside of the housing 2 into the inside of the housing 2. The discharge port 27 is an opening for discharging air from the inside of the housing 2 to the outside of the housing 2. Note that in Figure 2, the suction port cover 26 and the discharge port cover 28 are shown removed from the main body 24.

[0012] The main body portion 24 is the part that extends upward from the upper end of the handle 22. The main body portion 24 as a whole is formed in a cylindrical shape with axis x as its central axis. The contour of the main body portion 24 in a plane perpendicular to axis x is formed by curves and straight lines, and has a tapered shape that narrows as it approaches the discharge port 27 from axis x. In this example, the suction port 25 is formed on the side surface 24a which forms part of the outer circumferential surface (outer surface) of the main body portion 24 around axis x. The side surface 24a defines the side of the dryer 1, and the suction port 25 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape in a side view of the dryer 1. In one example, the side surface 24a is formed by a plane extending parallel to axis x and a curved surface that extends while curving in the circumferential direction defined around axis x.

[0013] On the other hand, the discharge port 27 is formed on a side surface 24b that is separate from the side surface 24a which forms part of the outer circumferential surface of the main body 24. In one example, the side surface 24b is formed as a plane extending parallel to the axis x. In this example, the side surface 24b defines the front of the dryer 1. The discharge port 27 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front of the dryer 1. The side surfaces 24a and 24b of the main body 24 are adjacent to each other and intersect in the circumferential direction around the axis x. In this example, the plane that constitutes part of the side surface 24a and the plane that constitutes the side surface 24b intersect at a predetermined obtuse angle. Note that the angle between the plane that constitutes part of the side surface 24a and the plane that constitutes the side surface 24b is not limited to an obtuse angle, but may be a predetermined angle such as an acute angle.

[0014] The suction port cover 26 has a frame 26a that is generally rectangular in shape when viewed from the front, and one or more reinforcing parts 26b that are aligned with a part of the frame 26a that extends in the circumferential direction. In this example, three reinforcing parts 26b extend parallel to each other in the circumferential direction and are connected to the frame 26a. The suction port cover 26 has a mesh-like filter 26c that is attached to the frame 26a and covers the entire frame 26a. On the other hand, the discharge port cover 28 has a frame 28a that is generally rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. The discharge port cover 28 has a mesh-like filter 28b that is attached to the frame 28a and covers the entire frame 28a. The filter 26c prevents foreign matter such as dust from entering the housing 2. The filter 28b prevents foreign matter from being discharged to the outside of the housing 2.

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic partial side view showing the structure of a dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 to 3 together, the dimensions of the suction port 25 in the direction of rotation axis are set to be approximately equal to the dimensions of the discharge port 27 in the direction of rotation axis. Similarly, the dimensions of the suction port 25 in the circumferential direction around axis x are set to be larger than the dimensions of the discharge port 27 in the circumferential direction. In this example, the dimensions of the circumferential suction port 25 are set to be about twice the dimensions of the circumferential discharge port 27. Thus, the area of ​​the suction port 25 is set to be larger than the area of ​​the discharge port 27. That is, the area of ​​the suction port 25 is set to be about twice the area of ​​the discharge port 27. Note that the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27 may have shapes and dimensions different from those described above.

[0016] The dryer 1 includes a non-contact sensor 3 incorporated into the housing 2. In this example, the non-contact sensor 3 is located inside the side surface 24a of the housing 2. The non-contact sensor 3 is positioned between the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27 on the side surface 24a of the housing 2. The non-contact sensor 3 is also positioned between both ends 25a and 25b of the suction port 25 in the direction of rotation axis. In this example, the non-contact sensor 3 is positioned equidistant from both ends 25a and 25b of the suction port 25. However, the non-contact sensor 3 may be positioned biased toward either end 25a or 25b in the direction of rotation axis. As shown in Figure 2, the non-contact sensor 3 is held in a holder 31 in this example. In this example, the non-contact sensor 3 is oriented toward the front of the dryer 1 between the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27.

[0017] The non-contact sensor 3 is, in one example, an infrared temperature sensor. Specifically, the non-contact sensor 3 is a temperature sensor that can detect the temperature of an object by detecting infrared radiation emitted from the object. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the detection range DR of the non-contact sensor 3 is set to a conical shape. The vertex angle θ of the isosceles triangle containing the central axis of this cone is set to, for example, about 55 degrees. The detection distance L of the detection range DR is set to, for example, about several tens of centimeters. The non-contact sensor 3 can detect the temperature of an object placed in front of the dryer 1. As will be described later, the non-contact sensor 3 is configured to detect the temperature of hair, which is the target of the dryer 1. It is desirable that the spot diameter R of the non-contact sensor 3 be set to a size that covers a certain area of ​​hair.

[0018] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in Figure 3. Referring to Figures 2 and 4 together, for example, the non-contact sensor 3 is attached to the base 29 of the nozzle 21 while being held in the holder 31. The base 29 is integrally formed with the main body 24 of the nozzle 21. The base 29 is located in the space inside the housing 2. In this example, the base 29 is a flat plate extending in the direction of the rotation axis, alongside the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27. In one example, the base 29 extends along a plane that intersects (orthogonal to) the side surface 24b that defines the discharge port 27 of the main body 24. The base 29 is located between the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27, separating them from each other.

[0019] Specifically, the base 29 has a first portion 29a and a second portion 29b. The first portion 29a is a plate-shaped portion that extends along a plane perpendicular to the side surface 24b between the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27, and the second portion 29b is a plate-shaped portion that extends along a plane parallel to the side surface 24b of the main body 24. The second portion 29b extends along the discharge port 27 from the end (inner end) of the first portion 29a on the side opposite to the discharge port 27. The holder 31 that holds the non-contact sensor 3 is positioned adjacent to the end (outer end) of the first portion 29a on the discharge port 27 side. The end (outer end) of the first portion 29a on the discharge port 27 side is in contact with the inner end of the frame 28a of the discharge port cover 28. In one example, the first portion 29a and the second portion 29b are formed integrally with each other.

[0020] The non-contact sensor 3 is located in a recess 26d formed in the frame 26a of the suction port cover 26. In this example, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a part of the holder 31 is exposed within the recess 26d. The non-contact sensor 3 is also located in a recess 28c formed in the frame 28a of the discharge port cover 28. The recesses 26d and 28c are aligned with each other in the direction of the rotation axis and face each other in the circumferential direction. As shown in Figure 4, the side surface 24a of the main body 24 is inclined with respect to the side surface 24b. In this example, the entire non-contact sensor 3 is located inside this side surface 24a. That is, the non-contact sensor 3 does not protrude outward from the side surface 24a. The non-contact sensor 3 is also provided on the base 29 so as to face the surface 29c of the first portion 29a of the base 29 on the suction port 25 side. However, if necessary, the non-contact sensor 3 may protrude outward from the side surface 24a.

[0021] An air passage P is formed inside the nozzle 21, extending from the suction port 25 to the discharge port 27. The air passage P is formed by a pair of opposing inner surfaces 24c and 24d of the main body portion 24 of the nozzle 21. One inner surface 24c extends in a partially curved manner from one end 25a of the suction port 25 to one end 27a of the discharge port 27. The other inner surface 24d is formed in this example at the inner end of the second portion 29b of the base 29. The inner surface 24d is positioned between the other end 25b of the suction port 25 and the other end 27b of the discharge port 27. The inner surface 24d partially faces the one inner surface 24c. In the direction of extension of the air passage P, the inner surface 24c extends longer than the inner surface 24d.

[0022] Referring together to Figures 2 and 4, the impeller 4 is housed within the ventilation passage P between the inner surfaces 24c and 24d of the main body 24. In this example, the impeller 4 is positioned radially adjacent to the base 29 of the nozzle 21. The impeller 4 can rotate about axis x. In one example, the impeller 4 is used in a cross-flow fan. The impeller 4 has a plurality of blades 41 arranged at predetermined intervals (for example, equally spaced) in the circumferential direction. Each blade 41 extends along the axis of rotation. Each blade 41 has a curved shape (arc-shaped) in a cross section perpendicular to axis x.

[0023] In one example, in the direction of rotation, the dimensions of the impeller 4 are larger than the dimensions of the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27. The impeller 4 is configured to rotate around axis x by a motor (not shown) housed in the nozzle 21 below the impeller 4. The motor is housed, for example, in the main body 24 of the nozzle 21. Multiple blades 41 of the impeller 4 face the suction port 25. When viewed in the direction shown in Figure 4, the impeller 4 rotates clockwise CW. When the impeller 4 rotates around axis x, an airflow F is generated from the suction port 25 toward the discharge port 27. The generated airflow F flows along a pair of inner surfaces 24c and 24d within the main body 24 of the nozzle 21. This airflow F is blown out from the front of the dryer 1 through the discharge port 27.

[0024] Figure 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view along the line 5-5 in Figure 3. Referring together to Figures 2, 4, and 5, the dryer 1 includes a heater 5 positioned in the air passage P and configured to heat the airflow F flowing through the air passage P. The heater 5 is positioned inside the discharge port 27 and adjacent to the discharge port 27 within the air passage P. In this example, the heater 5 is positioned to cover a portion of the air passage P and a portion of the discharge port 27. For example, the heater 5 has dimensions similar to those of the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27 in the direction of the rotation axis. Also, the heater 5 has dimensions similar to those of the discharge port 27 in the circumferential direction. In one example, the heater 5 is supported and fixed to the main body 24 and base 29 of the nozzle 21.

[0025] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a heater 5 according to one specific example. Referring further to Figure 6, the heater 5 has, for example, a pair of circuit boards 51, 51 facing each other, and a plurality of support plates 52 connecting the pair of circuit boards 51, 51. Specifically, these circuit boards 51 are boards in which a heat-generating nichrome wire is sandwiched between mica, which is an insulating material. Each circuit board 51 extends, for example, along a plane parallel to the axis x. In this example, the circuit boards 51 extend parallel to the first portion 29a of the base 29. Each support plate 52 extends, for example, along a plane perpendicular to the axis x. In this example, two support plates 52 are arranged at one end of the pair of circuit boards 51, 51 in the direction of the rotation axis, two support plates 52 are arranged at the other end of the pair of circuit boards 51, 51, and two intermediate support plates 52 are arranged between these two support plates 52.

[0026] The heater 5 has two heating units 5A and 5B arranged side by side in the direction of rotation. The heating units 5A and 5B are separated by a pair of intermediate support plates 52, 52. Each heating unit 5A and 5B has a plurality of conductors 53. Both ends of the plurality of conductors 53 are supported by support plates 52, 52 that face each other in the direction of rotation. Each conductor 53 is formed, for example, by winding a heating wire in a spiral shape. The heating wire is, for example, a round wire, such as a nichrome wire. In this example, each heating unit 5A and 5B has four conductors 53 that extend parallel to each other in the direction of rotation. The four conductors 53 are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other. Each of these conductors 53 is electrically connected to a corresponding circuit board 51.

[0027] One or more electronic components 54 are mounted on the inner surfaces of the opposing circuit boards 51, 51. In one example, the electronic components 54 are triacs corresponding to the heating units 5A and 5B, respectively. The aforementioned non-contact sensors 3 are electrically connected to the circuit boards 51, 51. The output values ​​of the non-contact sensors 3 are supplied to the circuit boards 51, 51. The electronic components 54 control the voltage applied to the conductors 53 of each heating unit 5A and 5B based on the output values ​​of the non-contact sensors 3. This voltage control controls the amount of heat generated by the conductors 53 of each heating unit 5A and 5B. This heat generated by the conductors 53 heats the airflow F passing through the conductors 53 of each heating unit 5A and 5B. The temperature of the airflow F is adjusted by controlling the amount of heat generated by the conductors 53.

[0028] Furthermore, the temperature of the conductor 53 of each heating unit 5A and 5B may be controlled individually and independently, thereby allowing the temperature of the airflow F passing through each heating unit 5A and 5B to be controlled independently. By controlling the temperature of the airflow F passing through each heating unit 5A and 5B in this way, airflows F with different temperatures can be blown onto different areas of the hair. Alternatively, instead of controlling the amount of heat generated by the conductor 53 of heating unit 5A, the rotation speed of the impeller 4 may be adjusted based on the output value of the non-contact sensor 3. In this way, the airflow velocity, i.e., the airflow rate, of the airflow F may be controlled by adjusting the rotation speed of the impeller 4. Alternatively, both the amount of heat generated by the conductor 53 and the airflow rate of the airflow F may be controlled based on the output value of the non-contact sensor 3.

[0029] Figures 7 and 8 are exploded perspective views showing the dryer 1 with the suction port cover 26 removed, according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 7, two permanent magnets 26e are attached to the inner surface of the frame 26a of the suction port cover 26, on the side opposite in the circumferential direction from the side where the recess 26d is formed. In this example, the permanent magnets 26e are attached to the inner surface of one end of the frame 26a, which is defined along a curved surface of the suction port cover 26. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 8, two magnetic materials 26f are attached to the outer surface of the main body 24 to which the suction port cover 26 is attached. The permanent magnets 26e can exert a magnetic attractive force on the magnetic materials 26f. Alternatively, the permanent magnets 26e may be attached to the outer surface of the main body 24, while the magnetic materials 26f are attached to the inner surface of the frame 26a of the suction port cover 26.

[0030] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention with the non-contact sensor 3 and discharge port cover 28 removed. Referring further to Figure 9, a pair of claw portions 26g are formed in the area other than the recess 26d on the other end of the frame 26a to which the permanent magnet 26e is attached, in the area opposite in the circumferential direction to one end. On the other hand, a pair of groove portions 28d corresponding to the pair of claw portions 26g are formed on the inner surface of the frame 28a of the discharge port cover 28. The claw portions 26g and groove portions 28d extend in the direction of the rotation axis. When the suction port cover 26 is attached to the main body 24, the permanent magnet 26e is attracted to the magnetic material 26f. At this time, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the claw portions 26g of the suction port cover 26 fit into the groove portions 28d.

[0031] To attach the suction port cover 26 to the main body 24, first, the claw portion 26g of the suction port cover 26 is fitted into the groove portion 28d of the discharge port cover 28. Then, the permanent magnets 26e, 26e on the inner surface of the suction port cover 26 are attracted to the magnetic materials 26f, 26f on the outer surface of the main body 24, respectively, and adhere tightly. In this way, the suction port cover 26 is attached to the main body 24. Since the suction port cover 26 is attached by the permanent magnets 26e and the magnetic materials 26f, the suction port cover 26 can be easily removed from the main body 24. By making the suction port cover 26 removable in this way, the filter 26c can be easily cleaned or replaced. As shown in Figure 9, the non-contact sensor 3 is held and fixed in the holder 31 by being inserted in the rotation axis direction into a pair of grooves 32, 32 formed in the holder 31.

[0032] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a usage mode of a hair dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In one example, the hair dryer 1 may be held on a stand 6. The stand 6 has a base 61, a pole 62, an arm 63, and a holder 64. The base 61 is formed, for example, in the shape of a disc and is configured to be supported on a floor or the like. The pole 62 stands upright from the base 61 at a predetermined height. In one example, the pole 62 can rotate around the base 61 about an axis x1 that constitutes the central axis of the pole 62. In this example, the arm 63 extends for a predetermined length in a direction perpendicular to the axis x1. The arm 63 is fixed to the pole 62. The holder 64 can hold the handle 22 of the hair dryer 1. In one example, the holder 64 can swing around the pole 62 about a pivot axis x2 that is perpendicular to the direction in which the pole 62 extends. The stand 6 may be configured so that the height of the arm 63 relative to the pole 62 can be changed.

[0033] The hair dryer 1 described above is used, for example, by the user gripping the handle 22. The non-contact sensor 3 faces the front of the hair dryer 1, just like the airflow outlet 27, so it can detect the temperature of the hair to which the airflow F is blown without contact. The temperature of the conductor 53 of the heater 5 is controlled so that the detected hair temperature does not rise above a predetermined threshold temperature (for example, 60 degrees). For example, the temperature of wet hair has not reached the predetermined threshold temperature (it is relatively low), so the temperature of the conductor 53 is increased. This increase in the temperature of the airflow F promotes the drying of the hair. In this way, the hair dryer 1 can dry the hair efficiently, thus shortening the drying time. In addition, it is possible to prevent the hair temperature from rising more than necessary, and the hair can be dried without damaging it.

[0034] On the other hand, the temperature of sufficiently dry hair is expected to exceed a predetermined threshold temperature (e.g., 60 degrees Celsius) (i.e., it is relatively high). In this case, the temperature of the conductor 53 is reduced. By reducing the temperature of the airflow F in this way, over-drying of the hair can be prevented. Furthermore, the non-contact sensor 3 is positioned inward from the side surface 24a of the main body portion 24 of the nozzle 21. That is, the non-contact sensor 3 does not protrude outward from the side surface 24a of the main body portion 24. This configuration does not affect the external design of the nozzle 21, i.e., the dryer 1. Also, since the non-contact sensor 3 is not positioned in the air passage P but between the suction port 25 and the discharge port 27, the non-contact sensor 3 does not obstruct the airflow F. Furthermore, the non-contact sensor 3 does not operate beyond its own operating temperature range, for example.

[0035] Furthermore, the dryer 1 is configured to be held in a holder 64 of the stand 6. The holder 64 may be, for example, an annular member, or a clamp member that can grip the handle 22 from both sides. The holder 64 can swing about a pivot axis x2. The holder 64 can also rotate together with the arm 63 about an axis x1 of the pole 62. In this way, the user can freely change the direction of the outlet 27 of the dryer 1. As a result, the user can dry their hair using the dryer 1 hands-free. Also, since the opening area of ​​the outlet 27 of the dryer 1 is relatively large, the airflow F can be applied uniformly to a wide area of ​​hair. As a result, the drying speed of the hair can be improved.

[0036] Figure 11 corresponds to Figure 4 and is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a dryer 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 corresponds to Figure 5 and is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view showing the structure of a dryer 1A according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 11 and 12 together, in the housing 2 of the dryer 1A, a base 29A is integrally formed with the main body 24 in place of the aforementioned base 29. The base 29A, like the base 29, has a first portion 29a and a second portion 29b, and a non-contact sensor 3 supported by a holder 31 is fixed on the surface 29c of the first portion 29a. The aforementioned inner surface 24d facing the impeller 4 is formed on the second portion 29b. Other components similar to those of the dryer 1 described above are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations here are omitted.

[0037] In this base 29A, the dimensions (length) of the first portion 29a in the radial direction are shortened compared to the first portion 29a of the base 29 described above. In this example, in the radial direction of the impeller 4, the rear end of the holder 31 is positioned at approximately the same location as the second portion 29b of the base 29A. That is, the rear end of the holder 31 and the inner surface 24d of the second portion 29b are defined along approximately the same plane. In addition, the dimensions (length or height) of the second portion 29b in the direction perpendicular to the radial direction are also shortened. Thus, the end of the second portion 29b in the direction perpendicular to the radial direction is supported on one circuit board 51. This one circuit board 51 extends radially toward the impeller 4 side beyond the second portion 29b of the base 29 relative to the discharge port 27.

[0038] In this dryer 1A, the distance between the base 29 and the impeller 4 in the radial direction is shortened as the dimension (length) of the first portion 29a in the radial direction is shortened. That is, compared to the dryer 1 described above, the impeller 4 is closer to the base 29A. To allow this proximity, a recess (hereinafter referred to as a "notch") 52a is formed at the rear end of the support plate 52 of the heater 5, recessing from the rear end toward the discharge port 27. This notch 52a is formed of a plurality of inclined surfaces (in the illustrated example, two inclined surfaces 52a1 and 52a2) that extend toward the interior of the support plate 52. The two inclined surfaces 52a1 and 52a2 are inclined at a predetermined angle to each other and face the blades 41 of the impeller 4. Furthermore, as these dimensions are shortened, for example, the suction port 25 as a whole has a curved shape around the axis x of the impeller 4. With this configuration, as with the dryer 1 described above, a passage P for the airflow F is formed from the suction port 25 to the discharge port 27, and the flow rate of the airflow F is also ensured in the same way as described above.

[0039] With this dryer 1A, by shortening the dimension of the first portion 29a of the base 29 in the radial direction, in one example, the non-contact sensor 3 and the impeller 4 can be brought closer to each other in the radial direction. Also, the distance between the impeller 4 and the heater 5 can be brought closer to each other. By bringing the distance between the parts housed in the housing 2 closer in this way, the parts can be densely packed, so the housing 2, i.e., the dryer 1, can be made smaller. Furthermore, by making the housing 2, i.e., the dryer 1, smaller, the dryer 1 can also be made lighter. As a result, the operability when the user grips the handle 22 and uses the dryer 1 can be improved.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described above through the embodiments described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the embodiments above. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the embodiments described above. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0041] The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. Furthermore, the embodiments described above do not limit the scope of application of the present invention, and the present invention may encompass anything as its target application. The components of the above embodiments, as well as their arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate.

[0042] For example, the present invention includes differences that arise in the implementation of manufacturing tolerances, etc. Furthermore, components shown in different embodiments can be partially substituted or combined to the extent that they do not conflict with the technical requirements. In addition, each component can be selectively combined as appropriate to achieve at least some of the above-mentioned problems and effects.

[0043] 1, 1A Dryer, 2 Housing 2, 21 Nozzle, 22 Handle, 23 Switch, 24 Main body, 24a Outer surface (side), 24b Side, 24c, 24d Inner surface, 25 Suction port, 25a, 25b End, 26 Cover (suction port cover), 26a Frame, 26b Reinforcement part, 26c Filter, 26d Recess, 26e Permanent magnet, 26f Magnetic material, 26g Claw part, 27 Discharge port, 27a End, 27b End, 28 Cover (discharge port cover), 28a Frame, 28b Filter, 28c Recess, 28d Groove, 29, 29A Base, 29a First part, 29b Second part, 29c Surface, 3 Non-contact sensor, 31 Holder, 32 Groove, 4 Impeller, 41 Blade, 5 Heater, 5A, 5B Heating unit, 51 Circuit board, 52 Support plate, 52a Recess (cutout), 52a1, 52a2 Inclined surface, 53 Conductor, 54 Electronic component, 6 Stand, 61 Base, 62 Pole, 63 Arm, 64 Holder, F Airflow, P Ventilation path, x Axis, x1 Axis, x2 Oscillating axis

Claims

1. A hair dryer comprising: an impeller; a base adjacent to the impeller; a housing having a suction port and a discharge port separated by the base; and a non-contact sensor provided on the surface of the base on the suction port side.

2. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the housing has a surface that slopes from the suction port toward the discharge port, and the non-contact sensor is positioned on the inside of the sloped surface adjacent to the impeller.

3. The dryer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-contact sensor is positioned between both ends of the suction port in the rotation axis direction of the impeller.

4. The hair dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the non-contact sensor is an infrared sensor.

5. A hair dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a cover that covers the suction port, a permanent magnet attached to one of the cover and the housing, and a magnetic material that is attracted to the permanent magnet attached to the other of the cover and the housing.

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