Hair dryer

Abstract

A hair dryer including a main body having a handle and a housing. The hair dryer includes a first module and a second module, both selectably coupleable and thereby functionally coupleable to the main body. The first module and the second module each include a hair dryer component selected from the group of hair dryer components consisting of a heater module and a blower module. The first module is a blower module including a motor. The second module is a heater module including a heating element. The first module includes an identification device configured to identify a characteristic of the first module and wherein the housing includes a communication module configured to read an identification device and communicate a read characteristic to a control module. The hair dryer includes a plurality of interchangeable first modules that include varying operational characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair dryer, comprising:
 a) a main body including:
 a1) a handle; 
 a2) a housing coupled to the handle; and 
 a3) a first module interface structure coupled to the housing; and 
   b) a first module selectably coupleable and thereby functionally coupleable to the first module interface structure of the main body and including a hair dryer component selected from the group of hair dryer components consisting of heater module and blower module.   
     
     
         2 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a) a second module interface structure coupled to the housing and disposed opposite the first module interface structure; and   b) a second module selectably coupleable and thereby functionally coupleable to the second module interface structure of the main body and including a hair dryer component selected from the group of hair dryer components consisting of heater module and blower module.   
     
     
         3 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module interface structure includes a reusable power coupling with mating contacts. 
     
     
         4 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module is a blower module including a motor. 
     
     
         5 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module interface structure includes a data connection configured to communicate data between the main body and the first module. 
     
     
         6 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module is a heater module including a heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module includes a heater module and a blower module. 
     
     
         8 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module includes a fan. 
     
     
         9 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module interface structure includes a first alignment structure that mates with a second alignment structure disposed on the first module and wherein mating of the first and second alignment structures results in functional alignment of the first module with the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the first module includes an identification device configured to identify a characteristic of the first module and wherein the housing includes a communication module configured to read an identification device and communicate a read characteristic to a control module. 
     
     
         11 . The hair dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of interchangeable first modules including varying operational characteristics. 
     
     
         12 . A hair dryer comprising a selectably removable motor having a reusable power coupling module with mating power contacts. 
     
     
         13 . The hair dryer of  claim 12 , wherein the selectably removable motor includes an identification device configured to identify a characteristic of the selectably removable motor and wherein the hair dryer includes a communication module configured to read an identification device and communicate a read characteristic to a control module. 
     
     
         14 . The hair dryer of  claim 13 , further comprising a selectably removable heater having a reusable power coupling with mating power contacts. 
     
     
         15 . The hair dryer of  claim 14 , further comprising an alignment structure included with at least one of the selectably removable motor and the selectably removable heater, wherein the alignment structure facilitates alignment during coupling. 
     
     
         16 . The hair dryer of  claim 15 , further comprising a data connection between the heater and a housing of the hair dryer and a communication module within the hair dryer in communication with the data connection. 
     
     
         17 . The hair dryer of  claim 16 , wherein the selectably removable heater includes an identification device configured to identify a characteristic of the selectably removable heater. 
     
     
         18 . The hair dryer of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of interchangeable selectably removable motors and a plurality of interchangeable selectably removable heaters. 
     
     
         19 . The hair dryer of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of selectably interchangeable removable motors and heaters include varying operational characteristics. 
     
     
         20 . A hair dryer kit, comprising:
 a) a main body including:
 a1) a handle; 
 a2) a housing coupled to the handle; 
 a3) a first module interface structure coupled to the housing; and 
 a4) a second module interface structure coupled to the housing and disposed opposite the first module interface structure; 
   b) a plurality of interchangeable heater modules including heating elements selectably coupleable and thereby functionally coupleable to the first module interface structure of the main body; and   c) a plurality of interchangeable blower modules including motors selectably coupleable and thereby functionally coupleable to the second module interface structure of the main body.