HAND DRYER

• US 20140165418A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: SMITH, Stephen Farrar, STEPHENS, Philip Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,989,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/227
• 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: F26B 21/004 Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes F26B3/082, F26B13/104, F26B13/108, F26B21/006 take precedence

Abstract

A hand dryer comprising a jetting nozzle comprising a duct in fluid communication with a slot which forms a nozzle outlet, and a blower which blows air through the jetting nozzle to produce an air jet. The jetting nozzle is configured such that the angle of inclination of the air jet with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slot varies in the longitudinal direction of the slot.

Claims

1. A hand dryer comprising:

a jetting nozzle comprising a duct in fluid communication with a slot which forms a nozzle outlet, and

a blower which blows air through the jetting nozzle to produce an air jet, wherein the jetting nozzle is configured such that the angle of inclination of the air jet with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slot varies in the longitudinal direction of the slot.

2. The hand dryer of claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the air jet with respect to the horizontal is less at a central region of the slot than at regions of the slot each side of the central region.

3. The hand dryer of claim 1, the slot being provided with a lip which extends forward of the slot, wherein the lip is arranged to guide the air as it exits the slot such that the angle of inclination of the air jet with respect to the direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slot varies in the longitudinal direction of the slot.

4. The hand dryer of claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the air jet varies substantially sinusoidally in the longitudinal direction of the jet.

5. The hand dryer of claim 1, wherein the jetting nozzle is a first jetting nozzle and the hand dryer further comprises a second jetting nozzle which opposes the first jetting nozzle, the second jetting nozzle comprising a second duct in fluid communication with a second slot which forms a second nozzle outlet.

6. The hand dryer of claim 5, wherein the jetting nozzles are arranged such that each nozzle generates a jet of air which intersects the jet of air generated by the other nozzle.

7. The hand dryer of claim 6, wherein the nozzles are arranged such that the variation in the angle of inclination of the air jet generated by the first jetting nozzle varies the height of the intersection of the jets in the longitudinal direction of said slot.

8. The hand dryer of claim 6, wherein the nozzles are arranged such that the distance between the intersection of the jets and at least one of the slots varies in the longitudinal direction of said slot.

9. The hand dryer of claim 5, wherein the jetting nozzles are arranged such that at least one of the nozzles directs air in a downward direction.

10. The hand dryer of claim 5, wherein the nozzles are arranged such that the distance between the respective slots varies in the longitudinal direction of said slot.

11. The hand dryer of claim 10, wherein the distance between the slots is less at a central region of said slot than at the regions of said slot each side of the central region of said slot.