Hair drying apparatus

Abstract

A hair drying apparatus includes a body defining an air inlet, an air outlet and an air flow path therethrough. An impeller generates a flow of air from the air inlet, through the air flow path and to the air outlet. A motor drives the impeller and a heating element heats air flowing through the air flow path. The heating element, motor and impeller are supported within the body. A handle is mounted to the body and a housing is at least partially surrounded by the body and at least partially surrounds the air flow path. The motor is supported within the housing. At least one vibration isolation member is located between an inner surface of the body and an outer surface of the housing.

1 . A hair drying apparatus comprising:
 a body defining an air inlet, an air outlet and an air flow path therethrough;   an impeller for generating a flow of air from said air inlet, through said air flow path and to said air outlet;   a motor for driving said impeller;   a heating element for heating air flowing through said air flow path, said heating element, motor and impeller supported within said body;   a handle mounted to said body;   a housing at least partially surrounded by said body and at least partially surrounding said air flow path, said motor supported within said housing; and   at least one vibration isolation member located between an inner surface of said body and an outer surface of said housing.   
   
   
       2 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one vibration isolation member surrounds at least a portion of said housing. 
   
   
       3 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one vibration isolation member creates or at least partially fills a space between said inner surface of said body and said outer surface of said housing. 
   
   
       4 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one vibration isolation member is in the form of a band that surrounds said outer surface of at least a portion of said housing. 
   
   
       5 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one vibration isolation member is in the form of a ring that surrounds a projection extending generally perpendicular from said outer surface of said housing. 
   
   
       6 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the drying apparatus includes two spaced-apart vibration isolation members. 
   
   
       7 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flow acceleration nozzle at least partially surround by said body, wherein said flow acceleration nozzle promotes flow of air from said heating element to said air outlet.   
   
   
       8 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said air inlet is in the form of a louvered vent that is oriented generally perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal axis of said body. 
   
   
       9 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sound-absorbing member co-axially aligned with said air flow path and located proximate said air inlet.   
   
   
       10 . A hair drying apparatus comprising:
 a body defining an air inlet, an air outlet and an air flow path therethrough;   an impeller for generating a flow of air from said air inlet, through said air flow path and to said air outlet;   a motor for driving said impeller;   a heating element for heating air flowing through said air flow path, said heating element, motor and impeller supported within said body;   a handle mounted to said body; and   a sound-absorbing member co-axially aligned with said air flow path and located proximate said air inlet.   
   
   
       11 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said sound-absorbing member includes an interior surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said body. 
   
   
       12 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said air inlet is in the form of a louvered vent that is oriented generally perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal axis of said body. 
   
   
       13 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said louvered vent surrounds at least a portion of an interior surface of said sound-absorbing member. 
   
   
       14 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a housing at least partially surrounded by said body and at least partially surrounding said air flow path; and   a flow acceleration nozzle at least partially surround by said body, wherein said flow acceleration nozzle promotes flow of air from said heating element to said air outlet.   
   
   
       15 . A hair drying apparatus comprising:
 a body defining an air inlet, an air outlet and an air flow path therethrough;   an impeller for generating a flow of air from said air inlet, through said air flow path and to said air outlet;   a motor for driving said impeller;   a heating element for heating air flowing through said air flow path, said heating element, motor and impeller supported within said body; and   a handle removably mountable to said body, said handle having an upper portion surrounding an outer surface of at least a portion of said body and a lower portion extending generally perpendicular from a longitudinal axis of said body.   
   
   
       16 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said handle is formed of a first half removably mountable to a second half. 
   
   
       17 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said handle halves are near mirror images of each other. 
   
   
       18 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said upper portion of each handle half is generally arcuate in shape to conform to an arcuate shape of said outer surface of said body. 
   
   
       19 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a housing at least partially surrounded by said body and at least partially surrounding said air flow path; and   a flow acceleration nozzle at least partially surround by said body, wherein said flow acceleration nozzle promotes flow of air from said heating element to said air outlet.   
   
   
       20 . The hair drying apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said air inlet is in the form of a louvered vent that is oriented generally perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal axis of said body.