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  Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heatersUSPTO Application #: 20070114219Title: Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters Abstract: A heated hairdryer employs flat, thick film ceramic heaters. The ceramic heaters are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters that operate at a high temperature. A conductor is applied to one or both sides of either a fired or green ceramic plate. The conductor is then applied in circuit tracks upon the ceramic surface or surfaces. The conductive material is then covered by a second plate or by glass or other high temperature enamel to prevent the conductive circuit from oxidizing. The plate is then fired at high temperatures. These ceramic heaters can be formed into a variety of configurations for use as hairdrying heating elements. (end of abstract)
Agent: Steven A. Garner, Esq. Conair Corporation - Stamford, CT, US Inventor: Leandro Rizzuto USPTO Applicaton #: 20070114219 - Class: 219222000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electric Heating, Heating Devices, Tool Or Instrument, Hair Heaters The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070114219. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] None. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to hair appliances and, more particularly, to a heated hairdryer, especially of the type employing a fired ceramic heater. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] It is known in the art to employ positive temperature coefficient ceramic heaters and high-fired ceramic supports for wire heaters in hand-held, pistol-style hairdryers. These heater designs are robust and avoid problems with the overheating and rupturing of resistance wire heaters that can spit coils and cause burns. These prior art ceramic hairdryer heaters, however, because of their relatively large mass and relatively small surface areas, are slow to heat up and are not efficient at heating the moving air. [0006] While various known hair-drying devices exist generally, there is a need for a hairdryer that offers the robust structure of a ceramic heater, but that also improves on the surface area to mass ratio. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair-drying device that overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings. [0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair-drying device that heats up quickly and is efficient at heating moving air. These and other objects are described below or inherent with respect to the present invention. [0009] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a heated hairdryer employs flat, thick film ceramic heaters. The ceramic heaters are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters that operate at a high temperature. A conductor is applied to one or both sides of either a fired or green ceramic plate. The conductor is then applied in circuit tracks upon the ceramic surface or surfaces. The conductive material is then covered by a second plate or by glass or other high temperature enamel to prevent the conductive circuit from oxidizing. The plate is then fired at high temperatures. These ceramic heaters can be formed into a variety of configurations for use as hairdrying heating elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] The present invention is more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment with the drawings identified below. [0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an electric hairdryer with a spiral wound ceramic heater. [0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the components of a heater plate. [0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an electric hairdryer with a square tube array of ceramic heater plates. [0014] FIG. 4 is an illustration of various alternative configurations of ceramic heater plates. [0015] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a ceramic heater formed into a spiral wound tube and a spiral wound cone. [0016] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a ceramic heater assembled of increasing diameter tubes and a stack of increasing diameter cones. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] The present invention is directed to a hair-drying device that employs a fired ceramic heater in the form of an array of flat, thick ceramic heaters or of a spiral cone formed of printed and fired ceramic plates. As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the device is a hairdryer 12 that employs a ceramic heater 14 as the primary heat source. [0018] The ceramic heaters applied in this device are high Watt density, low mass, resistance heaters. The ceramic heater technology is developed out of IC thick film technologies and is distinguished by a relatively thin and light substrate of high fired ceramic, Alumina or aluminum nitride, for example. [0019] Referring to FIG. 2, the conductor 16 is applied to one or both sides of either a fired or green ceramic plate 18. The resistive conductor 16 is generally applied as conductive ink and often contains tungsten or precious metals. There are also systems using carbon conductors. The conductor 16 is applied in circuit tracks upon the ceramic surface or surfaces 18. The conductive material 16 is then covered by a second plate 20 or alternatively, by glass or other high temperature enamel to prevent the conductive circuit from oxidizing. The plate is then fired at high temperatures. Contact areas 22 are plated or vacuum metallized to make solder pads 22 for the applied circuits. The result is a relatively low mass, but high temperature, heater. Continue reading... Full patent description for Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: System for detecting an alignment of vehicle mounted sensors Next Patent Application: Electric oven Industry Class: Electric heating ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Hair dryers containing high-watt density ceramic heaters patent info. 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