Hair dryer attachment with axial and radial flow

Abstract

A hair dryer attachment is provided for use with a hand held hair dryer having a barrel with an outlet. The attachment has a substantially tubular body with a perforated sidewall having a generally uniform diameter. A first end of the attachment is configured for receiving the barrel, and a second end having an outlet is configured for dispensing air flow from the dryer. There are a plurality of openings along the length of said sidewall which are configured for permitting the radial ingress and egress of air flow to and from the attachment.

1 . An aeration barrel attachment for use with a hand held hair dryer having a barrel with an outlet, said attachment comprising: 
 a substantially tubular body with a perforated sidewall defining a generally uniform diameter along said tubular body;    a first end for receiving the barrel, and a second end with an outlet configured for dispensing air flow axially from the dryer; and    a plurality of openings along the length of said sidewall configured for permitting the radial ingress of air to the attachment when a low pressure differential exists in the attachment and egress from the attachment when a high pressure differential exists in the attachment.    
   
   
       2 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 1  further including a plurality of spaced, radially projecting annular ribs provided on said sidewall.  
   
   
       3 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 1  wherein the flow rate of air dispensed from said outlet increases when there is radial ingress of air to the attachment at the openings.  
   
   
       4 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 1  wherein said openings are different sizes.  
   
   
       5 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 4  wherein said openings are smaller towards said outlet and larger towards the hand held dryer.  
   
   
       6 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 2  wherein said annular ribs divide said openings into transverse rows of openings, and wherein within each row the openings are the same size.  
   
   
       7 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 6  wherein said openings in the first three rows disposed adjacent said outlet are the smallest openings, wherein said second two rows of openings are medium sized openings, and wherein said three rows disposed adjacent the hand dryer are the largest openings.  
   
   
       8 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 7  wherein said smallest openings are about 3/16 of an inch in diameter.  
   
   
       9 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 7  wherein said largest openings are about 5/16 of an inch in diameter.  
   
   
       10 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 1  wherein when said outlet is substantially impeded, at least a portion of the air flowing into said attachment from the hand held dryer flows radially outward through said openings, and such that when the outlet is not substantially impeded, air flows radially inward through said openings and out said outlet.  
   
   
       11 . An aeration barrel attachment for use with a hand held hair dryer having a barrel with an outlet, said attachment comprising: 
 a substantially tubular body with a perforated sidewall defining a generally uniform diameter along said tubular body;    a first end for receiving the barrel, and a second end having an outlet configured for dispensing air flow axially from the dryer, such that when said outlet is substantially impeded, at least a portion of the air flowing into said attachment from the dryer flows radially outward through said openings, and when the outlet is not substantially impeded, air flows radially inward through said openings and out said outlet.    
   
   
       12 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 1   1  further including a plurality of spaced, radially projecting annular ribs provided to said sidewall.  
   
   
       13 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 11  wherein the flow rate of air dispensed from said outlet increases when there is radial ingress of air to the attachment at the openings.  
   
   
       14 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 11  wherein said openings are smaller towards said outlet and larger towards the hand held dryer.  
   
   
       15 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 12  wherein said annular ribs divide said openings into transverse rows of openings, and wherein within each row the openings are the same size.  
   
   
       16 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 15  wherein said openings in the first three rows disposed adjacent said outlet are the smallest openings, wherein said second two rows of openings are medium sized openings, and wherein said three rows disposed adjacent the hand dryer are the largest openings.  
   
   
       17 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 16  wherein said smallest openings are about 3/16 of an inch in diameter.  
   
   
       18 . The aeration barrel attachment of  claim 16  wherein said largest openings are about 5/16 of an inch in diameter.  
   
   
       19 . A combination of a hand held hair dryer and an attachment, comprising: 
 a hair dryer including a housing and a generally tapered barrel with an outlet, said barrel being provided with at least one engagement formation for retaining said attachment thereto;    said attachment being provided with at least one complementary formation for releasably engaging said corresponding engagement formation for releasably locking said attachment to said barrel, said at least one complementary formation being disposed on an apron of said corresponding attachment, said apron being generally flared and being configured for being supported by said barrel between said at least one engagement formation and said outlet;    wherein said engagement formation is enclosed by an enclosure structure.    
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said at least one engagement formation is a radially extending lug.