Hair dryer with a nozzle having a separate operational ambient air conduit

Abstract

A hair dryer having a first and second air flow conduit and wherein the first conduit contains a heating element and the second conduit has means to be isolated from air flow therethrough such that when selected air can flow either only through the conduit having a heating element or through both conduits to either provide heated air only or heated and ambient air together. Further, the second conduit is located and designed so that the ambient air can be directed at the skin of the neck and face of the user to allow hair to be dried, by air coming from the first conduit, while the user remains relatively cooler by enjoying flow of ambient air from the second conduit. The second conduit being selectively opened and closed to flow as desired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand-held hair dryer comprising:
 a handle;   a fan for pushing air;   a nozzle having a main conduit and a second conduit adjacent thereto, the main and second conduits being adjacent to and in air flow communication with the fan, the nozzle having a first end proximal to the handle and a second open end distal thereto;   a heating element within the main conduit of the nozzle and in a generally down-wind direction from the fan;   wherein when the hair dryer is operated and the heating element is engaged, the main conduit directs heated air out from the distal end of the nozzle in the direction where pointed and the second conduit can direct ambient air out of the nozzle in a flow adjacent thereto such that ambient air is directed at exposed skin while the heated air is directed at the hair.   
     
     
         2 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 1 , including a panel to selectively block communication between the fan and the second conduit such that only air traversing the main conduit is allowed out of the nozzle. 
     
     
         3 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the panel slides to selectively open and close the communication between the fan and the second conduit 
     
     
         4 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the panel pivots to selectively open and close the communication between the fan and the second conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The hand-held dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the panel can be manipulated to only partially block the second conduit to allow only a desired volume of air through the second conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 1 , including means to disengage the heating element such that ambient temperature air is directed through at least the main conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 1  including an airfoil within the nozzle to further direct the flow of air leaving the hair dryer. 
     
     
         8 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the second conduit is located below the main conduit. 
     
     
         9 . A hand-held hair dryer comprising:
 a handle;   a fan for pushing air;   a nozzle having a main conduit and a second conduit adjacent thereto, the main and second conduits being adjacent to and in air flow communication with the fan, the nozzle having a first end proximal to the handle and a second open end distal thereto, the second conduit being located below the main conduit;   a heating element within the main conduit of the nozzle and in a generally down-wind direction from the fan and means to allow the heating element to be temporarily disengaged by action of the user;   wherein when the hair dryer is operated the main conduit directs heated air out from the distal end in the direction where pointed and the second conduit can direct ambient air in a flow adjacent thereto such that ambient air can be directed where desired while heated air is directed at the hair.   
     
     
         10 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 9 , including a panel to selectively block communication between the fan and the second conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 10 , wherein the panel slides to selectively open and close the communication between the fan and the second conduit 
     
     
         12 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 10 , wherein the panel pivots to selectively open and close the communication between the fan and the second conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 10 , wherein the panel can be manipulated to only partially block the second conduit to allow a desired volume of air through the second conduit and thereby adjust the flow of ambient air onto the skin. 
     
     
         14 . The hand-held hair dryer of  claim 9  including an airfoil to further direct the flow of air leaving the hair dryer. 
     
     
         15 . A method of drying and/styling hair including providing a hair dryer having a main conduit, having an air heating element within, and a second conduit, the second conduit being situated below the main conduit and selectively allowing the passage of ambient temperature air therethrough, such that the hair of a person may be dried or styled using heated or ambient temperature air while the skin of the person remains relatively cool due to the flow of ambient air thereon when the hair dryer is engaged and aimed at the hair and skin of a person. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the hair dryer is pointed so that the heated air is aimed at the hair of a person and the second conduit, by operation of the hair dryer, provides cooler air to the neck and face of the person.