Hair care accessories

Abstract

A hair care accessory is provided for use in drying and/or styling hair. The hair care accessory can include an elongate frame having a longitudinal axis and an inner lumen extending there through along the longitudinal axis. The hair care accessory can also include a plurality of plates disposed on the elongate frame. The plurality of plates can include a first row of plates that can be spaced circumferentially around a first longitudinal portion of the elongate frame, and at least one second row of plates that can be spaced circumferentially around a second longitudinal portion of the elongate frame. Each plate in the first row of plates can define a first longitudinally extending outlet and each plate in the second row of plates can define a second longitudinally extending outlet. The second longitudinally extending outlet being circumferentially offset from the first longitudinally extending outlet.

1 . A hair care accessory comprising:
 an elongate hollow frame having a fluid flow path extending there through between an air inlet and a first plurality of outlets spaced circumferentially around and longitudinally along the elongate hollow frame;   a plurality of elongate plates positioned on the elongate hollow frame and having a second plurality of outlets positioned in alignment with the first plurality of outlets, the second plurality of outlets configured to divert fluid flowing along the fluid flow path in a circumferential direction around the plurality of elongate plates; and   an elongate hollow cover positioned over the elongate hollow frame and having a plurality of openings aligned with the plurality of first and second outlets.   
     
     
         2 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate hollow cover comprises a unibody cylindrical body. 
     
     
         3 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in rows and columns on the elongate hollow cover. 
     
     
         4 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising an appliance mating portion adjacent to the air inlet and configured to couple the elongate hollow frame to a hair care appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings in the elongate hollow cover extend in a plurality of rows spaced longitudinally along the elongate hollow cover and a plurality of columns spaced circumferentially around the elongate hollow cover. 
     
     
         6 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of outlets includes a plurality of outlet pairs spaced longitudinally along the plurality of elongate plates, each outlet pair being separated by a vane. 
     
     
         7 . The hair care accessory of  claim 6 , wherein the elongate hollow frame has a first end adjacent to the air inlet and a second end, and wherein the plurality of outlet pairs comprises a first outlet pair having a first vane configured to direct airflow toward the second end, and a second outlet pair having a second vane configured to direct airflow toward the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The hair care accessory of  claim 7 , wherein the first outlet pair is positioned adjacent to the first end. 
     
     
         9 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein each of the second plurality of outlets is defined by first and second radially offset walls defining a longitudinal slot therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The hair care accessory of  claim 9 , wherein each elongate plate comprises first and second longitudinally extending rails spaced a distance from one another, and wherein the first and second radially offset walls of each of the second plurality of outlets form a bridge element extending between the first and second rails. 
     
     
         11 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate hollow frame comprises a plurality of ridges spaced circumferentially there around, the plurality of ridges extending longitudinally along the elongate hollow frame adjacent to the second plurality of outlets in the plurality of plates. 
     
     
         12 . The hair care accessory of  claim 11 , wherein each ridge has an angled surface for directing fluid through the second plurality of outlets. 
     
     
         13 . The hair care accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the outer cover includes at least one conduit extending therethrough having a heating element therein. 
     
     
         14 . The hair care accessory of  claim 13 , further comprising an electrical connector adjacent to the air inlet and configured to electrically couple to a hair care appliance to convey power from the hair care appliance to the heating element in the at least one conduit. 
     
     
         15 . A hair are accessory, comprising:
 a hollow cylindrical body having a plurality of rows of outlets spaced longitudinally there along between first and second ends thereof;   a cylindrical cover positioned over the hollow cylindrical body and having a plurality of rows of openings spaced longitudinally there along between first and second ends thereof, the plurality of rows of openings at least partially overlapping the plurality of rows of outlets; and   a plurality of plates positioned between the hollow cylindrical body and the cylindrical cover, the plurality of plates having diversion openings therein and configured to direct airflow from the plurality of rows of outlets through the plurality of rows of openings in a circumferential direction around the cylindrical cover.   
     
     
         16 . The hair care accessory of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one heater between the cylindrical cover and the hollow cylindrical body configured to heat hair wrapped around the cylindrical cover. 
     
     
         17 . The hair care accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the diversion openings are defined by first and second radially offset plates defining a slot therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The hair care accessory of  claim 15 , wherein each diversion opening comprises a pair of openings separated by a vane. 
     
     
         19 . The hair care accessory of  claim 18 , wherein a first vane of a first diversion opening of the plurality of diversion openings is angled to direct airflow toward the first end of the cylindrical cover and a second vane of a second diversion opening of the plurality of diversion openings is angled to direct airflow toward the second end of the cylindrical cover. 
     
     
         20 . The hair care accessory of  claim 15 , further comprising a mating portion at the first end of the hollow cylindrical body configured to mate with a hair care appliance.