Drying Apparatus Comprising a Filter

• US 20080317448A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Brown, Nathan Charles, Saville, Toby James
• Application Number:
  US12/162,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/380
• 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

Abstract

A drying apparatus includes an outer case, a portion of the outer case defining a cavity in which articles can be dried, an outlet disposed at the lower end of the cavity and a filter unit arranged downstream of the outlet, wherein the filter unit includes a particulate filter and a sterilising filter. By providing this filter unit including both a particulate filter and a sterilising filter, solid matter and bacteria can be removed from the waste liquid. This results in a hygienic and sanitary waste liquid output from the filter unit.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus comprising an outer case, a portion of the outer case defining a cavity in which articles can be dried, an outlet disposed at the lower end of the cavity and a filter unit arranged downstream of the outlet, wherein the filter unit comprises a particulate filter and a sterilising filter.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilising filter is located downstream of the particulate filter.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter unit further comprises a filter inlet, a filter outlet and a sump having a maximum level of liquid.

4. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sterilising filter is located in the sump.

5. The drying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sterilising filter is located below the maximum level of liquid.

6. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the particulate filter is located in the sump.

7. The drying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the particulate filter is located below the maximum level of liquid.

8. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the filter outlet includes a portion which determines the maximum level of liquid.

9. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the filter unit further comprises a flow directing guide guiding liquid through the filter unit.

10. The drying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the flow directing guide comprises a partition for guiding liquid through the filter unit.

11. The drying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the partition defines a convoluted path from the filter inlet to the filter outlet.

12. The drying apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a part of the partition located within the sump is arranged to guide the liquid along a U-shaped path.

13. The drying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the partition is arranged to separate at least a part of the sterilising filter.

14. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sterilising filter comprises a material including an anti-bacterial agent.

15. The drying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the material is a resin.

16. The drying apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the resin comprises particles having a dimension of at least 0.1 mm.

17. The drying apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the resin comprises particles having a dimension no more than 2 mm.

18. The drying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the anti-bacterial agent comprises a halogen-containing material or a precursor to a halogen-containing material.

19. The drying apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the halogen-containing material includes a component selected from the group consisting of Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, Hypochlorite and Hypobromide.

20. The drying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the resin is arranged to release the anti-bacterial agent into the liquid at a concentration of at least 1 ppm.

21. The drying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the resin is arranged to release the anti-bacterial agent into the liquid at a concentration no greater than 5 ppm.

22. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the particulate filter comprises a layer of beads.

23. The drying apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the diameter of the beads is at least 1 mm.

24. The drying apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the diameter of the beads is no more than 6 mm.

25. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit forms part of a liquid treatment module which is removable from the drying apparatus.

26. The drying apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the liquid treatment module further comprises a liquid dispersal unit including a collector located downstream of the filter unit and an evaporation unit in communication with the collector for evaporating liquid collected therein.

27. The drying apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the evaporation unit is a high frequency agitator.

28. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drying apparatus is a hand dryer and the cavity is dimensioned to receive a user'"'"'s hands.

29. (canceled)