FIELD OF APPLICATION
[0001] This invention patent specification particularly refers to a new resistive element,
built from an absolutely innovative formal structure, notably developed to be applied
to hair drying heating equipment and other similar equipment that require heat to
use, said resistive element including innovative formal features that provide, in
practice, higher efficiency in utilization as well as increased power savings, belonging
specially to the field of ohmic resistance heating devices and components, heating
elements including a surface that essentially extend across two dimensions, for example,
heating plates, heating elements structurally combined to coupling elements or to
supports, hair drying devices and accessories, electrically heated air production
devices, handheld drying devices, for example, air dryers or similar equipment.
PREAMBLE
[0002] Said resistive element may be used in equipment that require a certain amount of
heat to be generated and maintained inside said equipment, either for air heating,
in the case of hair dryers, or for heating ceramic plates, in the case of hair straightening
devices or any other similar uses that require using a high performance resistive
element capable of heating and maintaining a high temperature for use.
STATE OF THE ART
[0003] The current state of the art comprises modern equipment that feature resistive elements,
which are, as a rule, shaped through usually linear filaments, with said resistive
element models failing to achieve proper performance and, therefore, having their
utility restricted, as they fail to provide the required efficiency in heating and
maintaining heat inside the equipment, and having greatly reduced useful life due
to this fact.
[0004] Hair dryers and other equipment that function based on a heating principle normally
feature electric resistances which, when heated, provide, through heat exchange effects,
heating of the airflow that circles through said resistances.
[0005] For hair dryers and equipment comprised in the state of the art, electric resistances
are usually mounted onto a support structure, around which the helical body that defines
electric resistance must be properly placed and fixed.
[0006] The electric resistances of the state of the art feature a helical and malleable
physical constitution, which requires use of specific machines and equipment for handling
and installation.
[0007] In addition, from an operational viewpoint in which this resistance model is used,
said resistances may also be assembled manually, which proves to be time-consuming
and increases respective operational cost, thus increasing the final cost to the customer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] With the aforementioned issues in mind, and striving to provide improvements to the
consumer market, the inventor created and developed this resistive element applied
to heating equipment, which should stand out amongst its counterparts and establish
its preference in the consumer market due to the fact that it features, as its primary
objective, a resistive element of flat laminar structure and wave-shaped alignment,
previously defined for use in electric equipment, obtained via a stretching process
and deriving from various forms, "blank".
[0009] Another objective of THIS invention patent application refers to the manufacturing
process of said resistive element, said process being particularly used in powering
the embodiment of the resistive element, object of this patent application.
[0010] In addition, another important objective of said resistive element applied to heating
equipment is to enable the dimensions of said on the same construction platform of
standard resistances, built in helical shape, to reach ideal working temperature,
depending on the equipment, with at least a 35% reduction in power consumption.
[0011] Another objective of the present patent application is to provide a device including
a flat resistive element, which features a shaping pattern that maximizes the area
of contact with the fluid media to be heated (air, in the case of hair dryers and
similar equipment).
[0012] Said resistive element is mounted on an insulating material structure, combined with
internal ducts for concentrated direction of the heat flow.
[0013] The flat profile resistive element is produced through a stretching or wire drawing
process in a flat profile tool, intended for use as replacement to standard helical-shaped
electric resistances, either in hair dryers and similar equipment, or other types
of heating equipment, the flat profile resistive element may be produced from conductor
sections of various shapes, as a "blank" from a strip or coil made of a material alloy
that features a known resistive coefficient.
[0014] Hair dryers and other equipment that function based on a heating principle normally
feature electric resistances which, when heated, provide, through heat exchange effects,
heating of the airflow that circles through said resistances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In order to complement this invention and achieve better understanding of the features
of this invention, and according to a preferred practical application of said invention,
the following a set of drawings is attached to the invention, in which, in an exemplified
manner, though not limiting, the functionality of this invention is represented:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the resistive element applied to a hair drying
type equipment.
Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the support structure on which the
resistive element is mounted, in addition to the resistive element itself.
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a specific detail of the applied resistive element.
Figure 4 shows an expanded detail, taken from Figure 3, such as indicated by arrow
"A" on Figure 3, of a section of the resistive element, showing the airflows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In accordance with the aforementioned figures, this invention patent application
concerning a resistive element applied to heating equipment features a resistive element
1 of a flat and aligned profile assembled in a wave-shaped format 2, in which a certain
number of support structure units 3, each including four radial vanes, is mounted
and able to be used in a hair dryer model SC or any other similar equipment, considering
that said support structure 3 receives, as well as the units of the resistive element
1, the respective connection terminals and a thermostat, in addition to electrical
wires required to power the resistive elements 1.
[0017] Conceptually, the resistive element 1 is mounted on stamped support structures 3
radially placed with each other, featuring, for this purpose, four vanes manufactured
in demicanite or other insulating material with similar characteristics.
[0018] Thus, the resistive element 1 with a flat profile and wave-shaped alignment 2 features
a substantially higher efficiency regarding conventional resistances.
[0019] In a practical way, the flat profile resistive element 1, when used, for example,
in a hair dryer SC powered with a standard 127 or 220 V voltage, generates around
1300W in power due to the cold airflow FAF passing in between the resistive elements
1 of a hair dryer SC, for example, which is optimized due to its laminar wave-shaped
format 2, receiving cold air FAF and delivering, therefore, an amount of hot air in
the form of a hot airflow FAQ that is higher and more efficient, with less power consumption.
[0020] The resistive element 1, object of this invention patent application, when applied
to a hair dryer SC, for example, and when set up in its maximum combination of temperature
and airflow, provides around 35% in power savings if compared to the power of other
devices comprised in the state of the art which, on the other hand, often require
generating between 2100 and 2200 watts of power to be able to deliver the same work
temperature.
[0021] The low power consumed by the flat profile resistive element 1 is harnessed much
more efficiently, in face of the higher concentrated heat generation, resulting from
the wave-shaped format 2 of said profile.
[0022] The resistive value of the flat profile is significantly higher, providing less power
consumption and comparable work temperature to the other versions comprised in the
state of the art, that feature a higher power consumption.
[0023] Another fundamental aspect in the concept of the resistive element 1, object of this
invention patent application, is that the flat profile resistive element 1 is obtained
through a stretching process and the product obtained via said process allows establishing
different shapes, thus demanding a higher flexibility for placement in the spaces
available within a design, substantially decreasing difficulties in placement, which
are common in other well-known equipment in the consumer market.
[0024] The U or V wave-shaped format 2 may be obtained through specific forming machinery,
enabling relatively accurate sizes and widespread repeatability.
[0025] The flat profile resistive element 1 is obtained via a metal alloy strip 4 with a
previously known resistive coefficient.
[0026] It should be highlighted that the flat profile and wave-shaped 2 resistive element
1, however, is not limited to this format, considering that the setting described
herein was specifically developed for use in hair dryers SC, and while it does not
constitute a limiting factor to the use of the resistive element 1 for this type of
embodiment, other shape configurations may be demanded, provided the main characteristics
of this resistive element 1 are respected, namely flexibility, placement onto a support
structure manufactured in demicanite or other insulating material of equivalent features,
and laminar shape structure.
[0027] In the aforementioned use example, in which the resistive element 1 is applied to
a hair dryer SC, the amount of units/waves 2 or resistive element units 1 may vary
to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the technical requirements of its specific
embodiment.
[0028] Although this invention is detailed herein, it is important to note that its embodiment
is not limited to the details and steps described herein. The invention is able to
be applied in other models and to be practiced or executed in various ways. It should
be understood that the terminology used herein is intended for description, and not
as limiting.
1. A resistive element applied to heating equipment characterized in that it comprises at least one flat and aligned profile resistive element (1) mounted
in a wave-shaped format (2), on which at least one support structure unit (3) with
four radial vanes is mounted, and able to receive, aside from the resistive element
units (1), the respective connection terminals and a thermostat, as well as electrical
wires.
2. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
stamped support structures (3) are placed radially with each other, featuring, for
this purpose, four vanes manufactured in demicanite.
3. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
flat profile resistive element (1) provides between 30% and 40% reduction in power
consumption.
4. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
resistive element (1) is obtained through a stretching process.
5. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
resistive element (1) is flexible and adaptable in shape to various uses.
6. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
resistive element (1) is manufactured in zigzag or other similar shapes.
7. The resistive element applied to heating equipment according to claim 1 wherein the
resistive element (1) is used in hair dryers (SC) and other similar equipment.