LAVATORY WASH STATION WITH INTEGRATED SINK AND SANITIZING HAND DRYER

• US 20130025045A1
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excel Dryer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Excel Dryer Incorporated
• Inventors: Eckhardt, Richard, Gagnon, Denis, Gagnon, William
• Application Number:
  US13/437,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20130025045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/654
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/04 Basins connected to waste pipe E03C1/12; Jugs; Holding devices therefor
• 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 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/01 for combinations of baths, showers, sinks, wash-basins, closets, urinals, or the like combinations of baths, douches, or the like, A47K4/00; cell-like units for special technical purposes E04B1/34869; panels adapted for locating conduits E04C2/52; ducts for installation lines E04F17/08

Abstract

A lavatory wash station includes a wash station housing, a sink basin connected to a front of the housing, wherein the sink basin has a rim, and a sanitizing hand dryer assembly having an air intake and an exit nozzle at the front of the housing. The air intake and the exit nozzle are connected by a dryer flow path and the exit nozzle is disposed at the front of the housing above the rim, where the exit nozzle provides air flow in a substantially downward vertical direction into the sink basin and the sanitizing hand dryer includes an ion generator that treats the air passing through the hand dryer.

Claims

1. A lavatory wash station, comprising:

a wash station housing;

a sink basin connected to a front of the housing, wherein the sink basin has a rim; and

a sanitizing hand dryer assembly having an air intake and an exit nozzle at the front of the housing, where the air intake and the exit nozzle are connected by a dryer flow path and the exit nozzle is disposed at the front of the housing above the rim, where the exit nozzle provides air flow in a substantially downward vertical direction into the sink basin and the sanitizing hand dryer includes an ion generator that treats the air passing through the hand dryer.

2. The lavatory wash station of claim 1, wherein the sanitizing hand dryer further comprises an inlet air filter assembly that includes a coarse filter and HEPA filter, wherein the coarse filter is located upstream of the HEPA filter in the dryer flow path.

3. The lavatory wash station of claim 2, wherein the ion generator includes a grid of wires through which discharge air in the dryer flow path passes, wherein an electrical potential is applied across the grid.

4. A lavatory wash station, comprising:

a wash station housing;

a sink basin connected to a front of the housing, wherein the sink basin has a rim;

a first faucet connected to the rim;

a sanitizing hand dryer assembly having an exit nozzle disposed at the front of the housing above the rim, and comprising ion generator that treats the air passing through the hand dryer; and

a dryer cover that is located above a section of the sink basin, wherein the cover is disposed a lateral distance from the first faucet.

5. The lavatory wash station of claim 4, wherein the sanitizing hand dryer further comprises an inlet air filter assembly that includes a coarse filter and HEPA filter, wherein the coarse filter is located upstream of the HEPA filter in the dryer flow path.

6. The lavatory wash station of claim 5, wherein the dryer cover includes a light source that one of illuminates and sanitizes the sink basin immediately below the dryer cover.

7. The lavatory wash station of claim 6, wherein the light source comprises a UV light source.

8. The lavatory wash station of claim 7, wherein the ion generator includes a grid of wires through which discharge air in the dryer flow path passes, wherein an electrical potential is applied across the grid.

9. The lavatory wash station of claim 5, wherein the sink basin is a unitary assembly that comprises a hand washing section and the hand drying section, wherein the hand drying section is substantially below the exit nozzle and the hand washing section is substantially below the first faucet and the hand washing section is connected to the handing drying section by a surface that slopes downwardly from the handing drying section to the hand washing section.

10. The lavatory wash station of claim 5, wherein the sink basin is a unitary assembly that comprises a first hand washing section, a second hand washing section and the hand drying section and the wash station includes a second faucet, wherein the hand drying section is substantially below the exit nozzle and the first hand washing section is substantially below the faucet and the second hand washing section is substantially below the second faucet, and the first and second hand washing sections are separated by the hand drying section.

11. The lavatory wash station of claim 10, wherein the first hand washing section is connected to the handing drying section by a first surface that slopes downwardly from the handing drying section to the first washing section, the second hand washing section is connected to the handing drying section by a second surface that slopes downwardly from the handing drying section to the section hand washing section.

12. The lavatory wash station of claim 11, wherein the dryer cover includes a light source that one of illuminates and sanitizes the sink basin immediately below the dryer cover.

13. The lavatory wash station of claim 4, wherein the sink basin is a unitary assembly that comprises a first hand washing section, a second hand washing section and the hand drying section and the wash station includes a second faucet, wherein the hand drying section is substantially below the exit nozzle and the first hand washing section is substantially below the faucet and the second hand washing section is substantially below the second faucet, and the first and second hand washing sections are separated by the hand drying section.

14. The lavatory wash station of claim 13, further comprising a photovoltaic sensor that converts ambient light to electrical energy that is stored in a battery within the lavatory wash station.

15. The lavatory wash station of claim 9, further comprising a sidewall that extends upwardly from the hand drying section surface and a transition surface having a relatively smooth contour that extends from the sidewall to the hand drying surface section, wherein the sink basin, sidewall and transition surface are a unitary formed component.

16. A lavatory wash station, comprising:

a wash station housing;

a sink basin connected to a front of the housing, wherein the sink basin has a washing section surface and a drying section surface wherein the drying section surface is sloped towards the washing section surface and a countertop surface;

a sidewall that extends upwardly from the drying section surface and a transition surface from the sidewall to the drying surface section has a relatively smooth contour, wherein the wash station housing, sink basin and sidewall are a unitary formed component;

an automatic faucet that directs water into the washing section;

an automatic hand dryer assembly having an exit nozzle that directs forced air towards the drying section surface; and

a system that sanitizes one or more surfaces of the wash station proximate to the drying section surface.

17. The lavatory wash station of claim 16, where the hand dryer comprises (i) an ion generator that treats the air passing through the hand dryer and is located downstream of a blower motor of the hand dryer, and (ii) a HEPA filter element located upstream of a blower motor.

18. The lavatory wash station of claim 16, wherein the sink basin is a unitary assembly that comprises a hand washing section and the hand drying section, wherein the hand drying section is substantially below the exit nozzle and the hand washing section is substantially below the faucet, and the hand washing section is connected to the handing drying section by a surface that slopes downwardly from the handing drying section to the hand washing section which includes a drain.

19. The lavatory wash station of claim 18, wherein the hand dryer assembly includes a dryer cover comprising a light source that one of illuminates and sanitizes the sink basin below the dryer cover.

20. The lavatory wash station of claim 19, wherein the countertop surface substantially planar with the dryer cover.