Hand drying systems and methods

• US 10,264,931 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Childress, Jamie
• Primary Examiner(s): Gravini, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US15/273,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20180084956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 34429, 34 90, 34487
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/48 Drying by means of hot air hair-drying devices A45D20/00; curative hot-air baths A61H33/06; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/20 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/02 Toilet fittings of general application A47K

Abstract

A hand drying system and method for a lavatory includes a blower housing that includes a blower that is configured to generate airflow within an air chamber. An exhaust vent is configured to be secured to the lavatory. The exhaust vent defines an air outlet. A conduit includes a first end in fluid communication with the air chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the air outlet. The conduit distally locates the blower housing from the lavatory.

Claims

1. A hand drying system for a lavatory, the hand drying system comprising:

a blower housing that includes a blower that generates airflow within an air chamber, wherein the blower includes a magnetic motor, and a propeller magnetically coupled to the magnetic motor;

an exhaust vent secured to the lavatory, wherein the exhaust vent defines an air outlet; and

a conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the air chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the air outlet, wherein the conduit distally locates the blower housing from the lavatory.

2. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising acoustic insulation coupled to the blower housing.

3. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising an acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the air chamber.

4. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising at least one acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the conduit.

5. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) light assembly disposed within one or both of the blower housing or the conduit, wherein the UV light assembly sanitizes the airflow with sanitizing UV light before the airflow passes through the air outlet.

6. The hand drying system of claim 5, wherein the UV light assembly is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit, wherein the conduit prevents the UV light from passing out of the air outlet.

7. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising a heating coil disposed within the conduit, wherein the heating coil is configured to heat the airflow before the airflow passes through the air outlet.

8. The hand drying system of claim 7, wherein the heating coil is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit.

9. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising an activation sensor configured to detect a presence of a hand within an activation zone and output a presence signal, wherein the blower is configured to be activated when the activation sensor detects the presence of the hand within the activation zone.

10. The hand drying system of claim 1, further comprising a dryer control unit in communication with the blower, wherein the dryer control unit is configured to control operation of the blower.

11. A hand drying method for a lavatory, the hand drying method comprising:

securing an exhaust vent having an air outlet to the lavatory;

fluidly coupling a first end of a conduit to an air chamber of a blower housing;

coupling acoustic insulation to the blower housing;

disposing at least one first acoustic dampening barrier within the air chamber;

disposing at least one second acoustic dampening barrier within the conduit

fluidly coupling a second end of the conduit to the air outlet of the exhaust vent;

distally locating the blower housing from the lavatory by the fluidly coupling; and

generating airflow within the air chamber of the blower housing with a blower including a magnetic motor and a propeller magnetically coupled to the magnetic motor.

12. The hand drying method of claim 11, further comprising:

disposing an ultraviolet (UV) light assembly within the conduit;

emitting sanitizing UV light into the airflow before the before the airflow passes through the air outlet; and

sanitizing the airflow by the emitting.

13. The hand drying method of claim 12, wherein the disposing the UV light assembly within the conduit comprises positioning the UV light assembly proximate to the second end of the conduit.

14. The hand drying method of claim 11, further comprising:

disposing a heating coil within the conduit; and

using the heating coil to heat the airflow before the airflow pass through the air outlet.

15. The hand drying method of claim 14, wherein the disposing the heating coil within the conduit comprises positioning the heating coil proximate to the second end of the conduit.

16. The hand drying method of claim 11, further comprising:

operatively coupling a dryer control unit to the blower; and

using the dryer control unit to control operation of the blower.

17. A vehicle comprising:

an internal cabin;

a lavatory within the internal cabin, wherein the lavatory defines an internal space; and

a hand drying system for the lavatory, the hand drying system comprising;

a blower housing that includes a blower that is configured to generate airflow within an air chamber, wherein the blower includes a magnetic motor, and a propeller magnetically coupled to the magnetic motor;

an exhaust vent secured to the lavatory, wherein the exhaust vent defines an air outlet that is in fluid communication with the internal space of the lavatory;

a conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the air chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the air outlet, wherein the conduit distally locates the blower housing from the internal space of the lavatory;

acoustic insulation coupled to the blower housing;

at least one first acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the air chamber;

at least one second acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the conduit, wherein the acoustic insulation, the at least one first acoustic dampening barrier, and the at least one second acoustic dampening barrier reduce noise generated by the blower;

a heating coil disposed within the conduit, wherein the heating coil is configured to heat the airflow before the airflow passes through the air outlet into the internal space of the lavatory, wherein the heating coil is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit;

an activation sensor configured to detect a presence of a hand within an activation zone and output a presence signal, wherein the blower is configured to be activated when the activation sensor detects the presence of the hand within the activation zone; and

a dryer control unit in communication with the blower, the heating coil, and the activation sensor, wherein the dryer control unit is configured to control operation of the hand drying system.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the hand drying system further comprises an ultraviolet (UV) light assembly disposed within one or both of the blower housing or the conduit, wherein the UV light assembly is configured to sanitize the airflow with sanitizing UV light before the airflow passes through the air outlet into the internal space of the lavatory.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the UV light assembly is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit.