Document Rp3ggBB6ZvDJbgKNzNLm6ze08

FILE NAME: Asbestos in Hair Dryers (HD) DATE: 2005 DOC#: HD020 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Patent Search on Hair Dryers STEPHEN L. BERGER, P.E. PATENT AGENT 4418 Pleasant Valley Court Oakland, California 94611 510 658-2256 Joshua Haffner Law Offices o f Bemie Bemheim 4725 Rubio Avenue Encino, California 91436 Dear Mr. Haffner: PATENT SEARCH ON HAIR DRYERS Enclosed please find the results o f my patent search on asbestos in hair dryers. Unfortunately, there was nothing o f interest assigned to the corporations you harj mentioned. It seems that the corporations, like Conair, are more interested in the design aspect of hair dryers, rather than the inventing part. I was able to locate some patents that disclosed the use o f asbestos and mica, as summarized below. Patents disclosing the use o f asbestos: 1,764,462 1930 Mosier 2,425,056 1947 Younger 3,724,092 1973 Scovili Manufacturing Company 3,955,095 4,201,703 1976 S E B S.A. 1980 Ethyl Corporation Patents disclosing die use o f mica: Page 1, lines 49-61 Asbestos or similar material Col. 3, lines 10-26 Asbestos not required Col. 3, lines 7-13 Asbestos mounting board Col. 2, line 66-col. 3, line 4 Col. 5, lines 4-11 Col. 6, lines 58-63 Asbestos can be used a filler in plastic moldings useful as hair dryer parts 1,508,735 1924 Fitzgerald Manufacturing Company Page 2, lines 89-99 M ica insulating cross bars 1,720,302 2,962,576 1929 Eugene, Ltd. Page 2, lines 70-77 Page 2, lines 109-114 Mica insulating material 1960 Handy Hannah Products Corporation Col. 2, Unes 42-54 Mica sheets I have also enclosed a short history of electric hair dryers, which states that mica and asbestos were both commonly used. I also enclosed three trademark records for Conair: the Pro Style, the Pro Style 1200, and the Pistol Power 1200, all o f which, I believe contained asbestos. The important points from all o f this are that both asbestos and mica (and perhaps other insulating materials) were known and used from the earliest hair dryer inventions. When asbestos was banned in hair dryers, they replaced it with mica. Therefore, if companies knew of or suspected asbestos was a hazard, it would have been a simple matter to replace it. Sincerely, Stephen Berger, F.E.