Drying machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11013376-B2
Application number	US-201916576431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2019
Priority date	Sep 19, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A drying machine includes a dryer and a stand. The dryer includes a casing having a front opening, a grip including a cylindrical grip body downwardly extended from the casing, and a lower cover covering a lower opening part of the grip body. The stand includes a hollow portion matched up with the grip, and a seating unit in which the dryer is rotatably seated. The grip includes a first electrical terminal positioned in the grip body and a second electrical terminal positioned in the lower cover. The seating unit includes a first contact terminal positioned in the hollow portion and electrically connected to the first electrical terminal, and a second contact terminal positioned in the hollow portion and electrically connected to the second electrical terminal. The first and second contact terminals maintain an electrical connection with the first and second electrical terminals regardless of the rotation of the dryer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drying machine, comprising:
a dryer, the dryer including:
a casing having a front opening;
a grip extending from a side of the casing, the grip including a grip body configured to be grasped by a hand of a user of the dryer, the grip further including a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal; and
a lower cover covering a lower opening part of the grip body; and

a stand, the stand including:
a seat in which the dryer is rotatably receivable, the seat including a hollow portion configured to receive the grip therein, the seat further including a first contact terminal located in the hollow portion and a second contact terminal located in the hollow portion,

wherein the first electrical terminal is electrically connected to the first contact terminal when the grip is located in the hollow portion,
wherein the second electrical terminal is electrically connected to the second contact terminal when the grip is located in the hollow portion, and
wherein the first and second electrical terminals maintain an electrical connection with the first and second contact terminals, respectively, regardless of a rotational position of the dryer with respect to the seat when the grip is located in the hollow portion.

2. The drying machine of claim 1 , wherein the stand further comprises a barrel-shaped stand housing supporting the seat, and
wherein a depth of the hollow portion of the seat is more than twice a width of the hollow portion to stably support the grip within the hollow portion.

3. The drying machine of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical terminal is located in the grip body,
wherein the second electrical terminal is located in the lower cover,
wherein the seat comprises:
a guide located at an upper portion of the seat, the guide having a ring-shaped opening located therein;
a cylindrical sidewall extending downward from an inside edge of the guide; and
a bottom cover covering a lower opening part of the sidewall, and

wherein the grip is inserted into the hollow portion of the seat through the opening.

4. The drying machine of claim 3 , wherein an internal diameter of the sidewall is the same as an external diameter of the grip body.

5. The drying machine of claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the opening of the guide is greater than the internal diameter of the sidewall, and
wherein the diameter of the opening increases from a lower portion of the guide to an upper portion of the guide.

6. The drying machine of claim 3 , wherein the first electrical terminal is located on an outer circumference surface of the grip body, the first electrical terminal being ring shaped, and
wherein the second electrical terminal is located in a center portion of a bottom of the lower cover, the second electrical terminal being concave inward and having a circular lateral cross-section.

7. The drying machine of claim 6 , wherein the first contact terminal is located on an inner circumference surface of the sidewall at a position corresponding to a position of the first electrical terminal, the first contact terminal being ring shaped, and
wherein the second contact terminal is located on a center portion of the bottom cover at a position corresponding to a position of the second electrical terminal, the second contact terminal being convex upward to couple with the second electrical terminal.

8. The drying machine of claim 3 , wherein the lower cover has a hemispheric shape that is downwardly convex,
wherein the bottom cover has a hemispheric shape that is upwardly concave, and
wherein the lower cover is receivable within the bottom cover.

9. The drying machine of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical terminal is located on an outer circumference surface of the grip body, the first electrical terminal being ring shaped,
wherein the second electrical terminal is located in a center portion of a bottom of the lower cover, the second electrical terminal being concave inward,
wherein the first contact terminal is extended from an inner side of the hollow portion and protruded into the hollow portion at a position corresponding to a position of the first electrical terminal, and
wherein the second contact terminal is located at a center portion of an inside bottom surface of the hollow portion at a position corresponding to a position of the second electrical terminal, the second contact terminal being convex upward to couple with the second electrical terminal.

10. The drying machine of claim 9 , wherein the seat comprises:
a guide located at an upper portion of the seat, the guide having a ring-shaped opening located therein;
a cylindrical sidewall extending downward from an inside edge of the guide; and
a bottom cover covering a lower opening part of the sidewall, and
wherein the grip is inserted into the hollow portion of the seat through the opening.

11. The drying machine of claim 10 , wherein the first contact terminal comprises:
a first protruded electrode extended from an inner side of the sidewall in a first direction forming an acute angle with the inner side of the sidewall, and
a second protruded electrode extended from one end of the first protruded electrode toward the inner side of the sidewall in a second direction forming an acute angle with the inner side of the sidewall.

12. The drying machine of claim 11 , wherein the first contact terminal comprises a conductive material having shape elasticity.

13. The drying machine of claim 10 , wherein the second contact terminal is located at a center portion of the bottom cover, and
wherein the second contact terminal has a circular lateral cross-section.

14. The drying machine of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical terminal is located on an outer circumference surface of the grip body, the first electrical terminal being ring shaped,
wherein the second electrical terminal is located on the outer circumference surface of the grip body, the second electrical terminal being ring shaped, the second electrical terminal being parallel to and spaced apart from the first electrical terminal,
wherein the first contact terminal is extended from an inner side of the hollow portion and protruded into the hollow portion at a position corresponding to a position of the first electrical terminal, and
wherein the second contact terminal is extended from the inner side of the hollow portion and protruded into the hollow portion at a position spaced apart from the first contact terminal and corresponding to a position of the second electrical terminal.

15. The drying machine of claim 14 , wherein the seat comprises:
a guide located at an upper portion of the seat, the guide having a ring-shaped opening located therein;
a cylindrical sidewall extending downward from an inside edge of the guide; and
a bottom cover covering a lower opening part of the sidewall, and
wherein the grip is inserted into the hollow portion of the seat through the opening.

16. The drying machine of claim 15 , wherein each of the first contact terminal and the second contact terminal comprises:
a first protruded electrode extended from an inner side of the sidewall in a first direction forming an acute angle with the inner side of the sidewall, and
a second protruded electrode extended from one end of the first protruded electrode toward the inner side of the sidewall in a second direction forming an acute angle with the inner side of the sidewall.

17. The drying machine of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical terminal is located at a bottom of the lower cover, the first el

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yoo Hyunsun
• Chun Jaehung
• Eun Yousook
• Kim Joogyeom
• Kim Sungkyung
• KIM Myongsun

Classifications

• A47K10/48 Primary

  Drying by means of hot air · CPC title

• A45D20/12 Primary

  Details thereof or accessories therefor, e.g. nozzles, stands · CPC title

• A45D2020/126

  Stands therefor · CPC title

• A45D2020/128

  involving features of the hand-held hair dryer · CPC title

• A45D20/14

  Portable drying stands · CPC title