Insulative and securement sleeve for conduits

Abstract

A sleeve attachable to a barrel of a heated conduit to insulate users handling the nozzle, wherein the sleeve can increase the securement of a nozzle attachment to the barrel. The sleeve provides an alternating arrangement of elastic sheets and more plastic insulative sheets that define the generally tubular sleeve body. The elastic sheets urge the coextensive insulative sheets toward an aligned, stacked position when the sleeve is unloaded. In the loaded condition, when the nozzle is slid through the sleeve, the elastic sheets impose a compressive force thereto. A securement mechanism along one or each of the insulative sheets enables a user to increase or decrease the compressive force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sleeve for a barrel of a handheld dryer, the sleeve comprising:
 an alternating arrangement of elastic sheets and insulative sheets, wherein said sheets are joined by way of their longitudinal edges or inward thereof to define a tubular body; and   a securement mechanism connecting along one of the insulative sheets for selectively stretching adjacent elastic sheets joined thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sheets bias the tubular body toward a flat condition. 
     
     
         3 . The sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the insulative sheets are approximately coextensive, and wherein the flat condition is defined by the insulative sheets aligned in a stacked position. 
     
     
         4 . The sleeve of  claim 3 , wherein the securement mechanism is a reclosable fastener connected at two spaced apart connection points along said one insulative sheet, wherein the reclosable fastener is movable between an open condition and a closed condition that stretches the adjacent elastic sheets joined thereto. 
     
     
         5 . The sleeve of  claim 4 , wherein the securement mechanism is a zipper. 
     
     
         6 . The sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is dimensioned to circumscribe a nozzle attachment operatively associated with the barrel.