Hairdryer Assembly with Interchangeable Styling Cartridges

Abstract

This invention relates to a refillable and/or interchangeable cartridge that can attach and detach from a hairdryer. Prior to, concurrent with or subsequent to hair drying, a user can activate the cartridge to dispel, mist, steam or otherwise disperse the cartridge's product onto the user's hair, skin, scalp or fur. Each cartridge can contain various hair treatment products, styling products and/or nutrients. A cartridge can attach and detach at various points along the hairdryer including but not limited to inside the front outlet or rear inlet, primarily annularly around either the front outlet or rear inlet, along the top of the housing, through the core of the housing, or in the handle. The hairdryer also has improved heat transfer, fluid flow, reduced noise and vibration, weight and a shorter main housing barrel to make it easier for a user to treat and style the user's hair, skin, scalp or fur.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A hairdryer assembly comprising:
 a main housing having an exterior and interior surface, the housing body having at least one inlet to allow ambient air to enter the housing and at least one outlet to allow heated air to exit and dry a user's target area, a motor, an impeller, a power source to power the motor, a handle such that a user can hold the hairdryer assembly, at least one heating element inside the housing to heat a primary air flow entering through the at least one inlet, a first grill through the at least one inlet, a second grill through the at least one outlet preventing debris from entering the housing, a control mechanism to activate the impeller and control the impeller speed, a control mechanism to activate and regulate the at least one heating element, and at least one cartridge capable of containing a hairstyling or treatment product that can be coupled and decoupled from the hairdryer assembly and release a cartridge product upon activation by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one cartridge is attached to the housing via at least one cartridge socket that is capable of attaching and detaching from the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cartridge socket is capable of rotating around the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge socket has a magnet that can attach and detach from the at least one cartridge. 
     
     
         5 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a belt drive motor, the impeller has a bearing that the belt from the motor can attach to in order to rotate the impeller. 
     
     
         6 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a gearbox, the motor having a shaft, and the shaft having a gear. 
     
     
         7 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is surrounded by a dampening, sound reducing and vibration reducing foams. 
     
     
         8 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is surrounded by a dampening, sound reducing and vibration reducing ribs. 
     
     
         9 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is surrounded by a dampening, sound reducing and vibration reducing foams. 
     
     
         10 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is surrounded by a dampening, sound reducing and vibration reducing ribs. 
     
     
         11 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is in line with the impeller in the main housing and the at least one cartridge is attached through the central-axis of the front outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is located in a nacelle at the bottom of the handle, and the power source is a plug with a loop. 
     
     
         13 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet is primarily partially annular near the rear of the main housing. 
     
     
         14 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is in the handle and the impeller is in the main housing, the impeller has a gear that meshes and rotates about a gear shaft connected to the motor. 
     
     
         15 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein and the at least one cartridge is attached through the central-axis of the rear inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein there is a second primarily annular heating element inside the main housing outlet, downstream of the impeller. 
     
     
         17 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge has a flexible diaphragm on one end that can be pressed by a user to dispel the cartridge product. 
     
     
         18 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle has at least one orifice wherein ambient air can enter the handle and cool the motor. 
     
     
         19 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge is attached to the hairdryer assembly through the core of the housing and the at least one cartridge can dispel cartridge product from the front outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The hairdryer assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge has a valve with an outlet that can dispel cartridge product into the interior of the housing.