Lavatory System with Overflow Prevention and Other Features

• US 20120260418A1
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cory R. Boudreau, Graeme S. Bayley, Jason M. Renner, John M. Loberger, Kenneth A. Kreitzer, Kevin B. Kline, Kevin M. Kohlwey, Mark A. Figurski, Michelle L. Rundberg, Scott I. Biba, Theodore E. Dhein
• Original Assignee: Cory R. Boudreau, Graeme S. Bayley, Jason M. Renner, John M. Loberger, Kenneth A. Kreitzer, Kevin B. Kline, Kevin M. Kohlwey, Mark A. Figurski, Michelle L. Rundberg, Scott I. Biba, Theodore E. Dhein
• Inventors: Rundberg, Michelle L., Kohlwey, Kevin M., Bayley, Graeme S., Loberger, John M., Figurski, Mark A., Dhein, Theodore E., Kreitzer, Kenneth A., Kline, Kevin B., Renner, Jason M., Biba, Scott I., Boudreau, Cory R.
• Application Number:
  US13/088,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20120260418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/623
• 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: A47K 2210/00 Combinations of water taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

Systems and methods for a lavatory system are described that include a bidirectional hand dryer having a top, bottom, back, and right side and multiple sensors and LEDs. Upper and lower nozzles are also provided and respectively connected to upper and lower plenums. At least two flexible air delivery hoses are connected to the plenums. A motor housing is provided and includes a motor, ports connected to the hoses, noise abatement features, and a motor microcontroller. A hand-receiving cavity exists between the top, back, right, and bottom side for receiving at least one hand of a user. Tips are connected to the nozzles and emit high speed colliding columns of air to shear water off of the user'"'"'s hand. The columns of air are spaced and calibrated in such a way as to reduce forces on the user'"'"'s hand which would otherwise move the hand toward the side surfaces.

Claims

1. A lavatory system comprising:

a wash basin;

a faucet operably connected to the wash basin;

a soap dispensing system having a spout operably connected to the wash basin;

a hand dryer in fluid communication with the wash basin and including a hand-receiving cavity, a top portion with an air outlet, and a bottom portion with an air outlet;

a motor in fluid communication with the air outlets for blowing air through the air outlets;

multiple proximity sensors operably connected to the motor; and

a mechanism to prevent water from entering the air outlets.

2. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising generally frustoconical protrusions that extend from the bottom portion air outlet and prevent water from entering into the air outlets and the motor.

3. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising:

a frame supporting the wash basin, the motor, and two end caps, wherein the frame includes a first generally triangular bracket mounted to a lavatory wall and a second generally triangular bracket mounted to a lavatory wall;

a countertop integral with the wash basin and hand dryer;

a drainpipe connected to a single drain in the wash basin;

a cover operably connected to the two end caps to mask the frame and drainpipe; and

a primary air inlet in fluid communication with the motor and including a small gap between the cover and a lavatory wall to minimize sound;

wherein the mechanism is an overflow lip integral with the wash basin and located on a left side front edge of the wash basin and is lower than the bottom portion air outlet.

4. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the motor has air outlet ports in fluid communication with the air outlets and is generally supported by a countertop, and the ports are covered by integral grates to prevent an object from being inserted into the motor.

5. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein at least one hand of a user is inserted into the cavity at about a 5 to 50 degree angle from the horizontal, and the air outlets eject air at about 2.2 to 2.9 PSI at the user'"'"'s hand.

6. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising a service mode wherein a right-most sensor is triggered to allow the hand-receiving cavity to be temporarily cleaned without further engaging the hand dryer motor.

7. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein if only one sensor consistently detects an object, the hand dryer is disabled for 30 to 60 seconds to facilitate cleaning of the hand cavity.

8. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein four sensors in the cavity are continuously queried by a microcontroller to detect the presence of an object in the cavity, and the motor operates when an object is detected.

9. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor control board and motor control board;

and wherein the motor has a pre-programmed unit to cause an activation delay of approximately 400-800 ms.

10. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising a motor housing having an outer casement surrounding the motor;

a microcontroller operably connected to the motor;

a motor housing cap in communication with the casement;

a rubber motor mounting isolation ring and housing gasket operably connected to the motor;

a first and second outlet port operably connected to the motor and each connecting to a hose;

a HEPA media filter to prevent debris from entering the motor; and

insulation to deaden the sound of the motor.

11. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the top portion air outlet and bottom portion air outlet are respectively fluidly connected to a first plenum and a second plenum which respectively connect via hoses to a first outlet port and second outlet port on a motor housing, and wherein each plenum is formed from two pieces of injected-molded plastic.

12. A lavatory system comprising:

a wash basin;

a faucet protruding from the wash basin;

a soap dispensing spout protruding from the wash basin;

a hand dryer integral with the wash basin having a cavity, a top portion with air holes, and a bottom portion with air holes; and

sensors and lights operably connected to the hand dryer to illuminate the hand dryer cavity at a low intensity level when a sensor does not detect the presence of an object and when a sensor detects that an object has entered into the dryer cavity and during dryer activation illuminate at a high intensity level.

13. The lavatory system of claim 12, further comprising a motor housing having an outer casement and operably connected to the hand dryer;

a motor within the casement;

a fan connected to the motor;

an integral control operably connected to the motor;

a housing cap in communication with the casement, wherein the housing cap has perforations;

a rubber motor mounting isolation ring and housing gasket operably connected to the motor;

an outlet for connecting to a hose wherein the outlet contains an integral grate to prevent the touching of any electrical or rotating parts;

a filter to prevent debris from entering the motor;

foam to isolate the sound of the motor;

a filter cover for covering the filter;

an aluminum cover plate on the housing to provide;

a shield for electrical components, a heat sink, a structural mount for cable interfaces, and a common grounding point.

14. The lavatory system of claim 12, further comprising a mechanism for preventing the bottom portion air holes of the hand dryer from being filled with water and including at least one of:

an overflow lip integral with the wash basin and in fluid communication with the dryer cavity that is lower than the bottom portion air holes;

protruding frustoconical nozzles fluidly connected to the air holes; and

an overflow drain integrated into the hand dryer cavity

15. A hand dryer operably connected with a wash basin having a faucet and soap dispenser and comprising:

a top wall, bottom wall, back wall, and single side wall that create a hand cavity with a front and single side opening to allow a user'"'"'s hand to enter only at an oblique angle;

a plurality of generally frustoconical nozzle tips for ejecting opposing columns of air at a hand from the top wall and bottom wall;

a motor having a first air output and second air output in fluid communication with the top and bottom wall nozzle tips;

a motor control circuit board connected to the motor; and

an intake cover containing an air filter to filter the air.

16. The hand dryer of claim 15, wherein the nozzle tips eject air at speeds of approximately 340-360 MPH at approximately 2.2-2.9 PSI to create upper and lower cylindrical columns of air that collide to cause an s-shaped air flow pattern that directs water blown off of a user'"'"'s hand to the bottom wall and back wall and helps minimize splashing of water back onto the user;

and wherein the cylindrical air columns help to minimize net forces exerted by the air on a users'"'"' hands and arms so as not to push them into the top or bottom walls of the hand dryer cavity.

17. The hand dryer of claim 16, further comprising a primary air inlet in fluid communication with the motor and including a small gap between a cover and a lavatory wall to minimize ingestion of foreign materials and improve acoustical sound attenuation;

and wherein the dryer bottom wall, back wall, and single side wall are formed from a polymeric material and the top wall is formed, in part, by a top portion hood that is relatively horizontal and further serves as a shelf.

18. The hand dryer of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

1) UV lighting;

     2) a sterilization technique to disinfect the hand cavity;

     3) a drain in the wash basin and outside of the hand cavity that eliminates the need for another device to catch water from the dryer that must be emptied; and

     4) certain dryer components that have an antimicrobial additive.

19. The hand dryer of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

a second row of holes, a slot, and a port to provide a lower velocity air stream to minimize splashing of water onto a user.

20. The hand dryer of claim 17, further comprising:

a circuit board including a microcontroller and a single bank of sensors that measure distance by triangulation and a microcontroller;

LEDs that continuously illuminate the hand cavity and increase in intensity when the sensors detect a user'"'"'s hand in the cavity; and

a programmable unit on the board that includes a time-delay mechanism and on/off switch for the motor;

wherein the time-delay mechanism allows the user to enter a hand fully into the hand cavity prior to the motor achieving full speed.

21. A lavatory system comprising:

a bidirectional hand dryer having a top side, bottom side, back side, right side, and opposing upper and lower nozzles respectively connected to upper and lower plenums;

at least two flexible air delivery hoses connected to the plenums;

a motor housing including a motor, ports connected to the hoses, and a motor control;

a hand-receiving cavity between the top, bottom, back, and right side for receiving at least one hand of a user; and

upper and lower nozzles tips connected to the nozzles that emit high speed colliding columns of air to blow water off of the user'"'"'s hand;

wherein the columns of air are spaced and calibrated in such a way as to reduce forces on the user'"'"'s hand which would otherwise move the hand toward the upper or lower nozzles or the sides.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the air emitted from the upper plenum is angled about 1 degree from vertical and aimed toward the back side of the cavity and the air emitted from the lower plenum is about 37 degrees from horizontal and aimed toward the back side of the cavity;

and wherein the plenums are two injection-molded pieces bonded and screwed together, and wherein one plenum contains a center post screw to minimize deflection of the plenum when pressurized.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the upper to lower nozzle tip spacing is about 3.5 inches and the hand cavity has a width of about 10 inches to provide the user with optimal comfort when using;

and wherein the tips are frustoconical protrusions that help pull static air into the air columns and prevent water from entering the nozzles.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising lights that flash twice when entering a cleaning mode and three times when approaching a time near the end of a cleaning mode cycle which is approximately 5 seconds prior to the end of the approximately 30-60 second cleaning cycle.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one of:

multiple sensors in a row which utilize triangulation to detect an object and wherein the sensors are positioned so that they are recessed and aimed at a generally oblique angle into the hand cavity;

a sensor board programmed so that all sensors are checked at about 130 ms intervals, and when a sensor flags a detection, it is then rechecked 15 times over about a 15 ms period to ensure it was not a false trigger; and

a touchless cleaning mode feature wherein if one sensor is the only sensor activated within the last two seconds and if activated continuously for about three seconds, the dryer will enter a mode to allow cleaning of the dryer for about 30 seconds without activation of the dryer and then return to normal operation.