Axial fan hair dryer

A portable hair dryer comprising a dryer housing having a handle portion and an air flow portion, said air flow portion defining an air inlet of generally circular shape and defining a single air outlet of generally rectangular shape adapted to releasably receive a mating attachment, said air flow portion including an axial fan means, including a fan mounted on a motor through a motor shaft which passes through said fan, said fan being axially disposed within said air flow portion for drawing a stream of air into said air inlet, through said air flow portion and out said air outlet, said axial fan means being aligned with said air outlet to cause the stream of air to pass directly from said axial fan means through said air outlet without change of direction, and means for substantially preventing hair entanglement from said air inlet including stationary substantially air-impervious, dome shaped shield means for blocking the line of sight path to the portion of said motor shaft between said axial fan and said air inlet, said shield means being disposed about and substantially enveloping the portion of said motor shaft beyond said fan, an inlet structure mounted in said air inlet, said shield means including a mounting post around which loose hair, which gets through said inlet structure, tends to collect, wherein said shield means is connected to said inlet structure at said mounting post, and collar means disposed between said axial fan and said motor and affixed to said fan for movement therewith wherein said collar means blocks the line of sight path to the portion of said motor shaft between said axial fan and said motor.