Haircare appliance

Abstract

A haircare appliance is described having first and second arms that define a hair treatment chamber, an emitter configured to emit radiation into the hair treatment chamber, and an airflow generator configured to generate an airflow within the hair treatment chamber. The emitter includes an incandescent source of radiation.

1 : A haircare appliance comprising first and second arms that define a hair treatment chamber, an emitter configured to emit radiation into the hair treatment chamber, and an airflow generator configured to generate an airflow within the hair treatment chamber, wherein the emitter comprises an incandescent source of radiation. 
     
     
         2 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the emitter comprises an incandescent source of infrared radiation. 
     
     
         3 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the emitter is configured to emit radiation comprising a peak wavelength in the region of 700 nm-1 mm. 
     
     
         4 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the emitter extends along at least 50% of the length of the hair treatment chamber. 
     
     
         5 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the emitter is located in one of the first and second arms, and the haircare appliance comprises a further emitter located in the other of the second and first arms. 
     
     
         6 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the further emitter extends along at least 50% of the length of the hair treatment chamber. 
     
     
         7 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second arms comprises an air outlet through which airflow from the airflow generator is discharged into the hair treatment chamber. 
     
     
         8 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the air outlet comprises a length greater than or equal to a length of the emitter. 
     
     
         9 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the air outlet comprises a single aperture. 
     
     
         10 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the air outlet has a maximal width of less than 4 mm. 
     
     
         11 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the haircare appliance comprises an air inlet, the airflow generator is configured to generate airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet along an airflow path, and the emitter is disposed in the airflow path. 
     
     
         12 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the other of the second and first arms comprises a further air outlet through which airflow from the airflow generator is discharged into the hair treatment chamber. 
     
     
         13 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the further air outlet comprises a length greater than or equal to a length of the emitter. 
     
     
         14 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the further air outlet comprises a single aperture. 
     
     
         15 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein further the air outlet has a maximal width of less than 4 mm. 
     
     
         16 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second arms comprises a hair contacting rib. 
     
     
         17 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms are movable relative to one another to selectively vary a width of the hair treatment chamber, and the hair treatment chamber has a minimal width of greater than or equal to 5 mm. 
     
     
         18 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the emitter is configured to output radiation comprising a power density greater than 10 W/cm 2 . 
     
     
         19 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the haircare appliance comprises a first mode of operation in which the emitter is configured to output radiation comprising a first power density, and a second mode of operation in which the emitter is configured to output radiation comprising a second power density less than the first power density, and the first power density is greater than 10 W/cm 2 . 
     
     
         20 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  19 , wherein the airflow generator is configured to generate airflow at a first flow rate in the first mode of operation, and at a second flow rate less than the first flow rate in the second mode of operation. 
     
     
         21 : The haircare appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the haircare appliance comprises a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of hair within the hair treatment chamber in use, and a controller configured to modify power supplied to the emitter in response to an output of the temperature sensor.