Hand Dryer with Point of Ingress Dependent Air Delay and Filter Sensor

• US 20140230269A1
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley IP, LLC (Watts Water Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Btadley IP LLC
• Inventors: Bayley, Graeme S., Figurski, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,441,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/487
• 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: A47K 4/00 Combinations of baths, douches, sinks, wash-basins, closets, or urinals, not covered by a single other group of this subclass such combinations when connected to water supply or waste pipe E03C1/01
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/12 Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow , e.g. by varying fan speed, by modifying cross flow area F26B21/004 takes precedence; changing air flow pattern F26B21/022

Abstract

A lavatory system includes a hand dryer with at least a first proximity sensor and a second proximity sensor to detect an object for drying. A controller is communicatively linked to the first and second proximity sensors. The controller activates a drying operation after a first delay period if the first proximity sensor first detects the object for drying and activates a drying operation after a second delay period if the second proximity sensor first detects the object for drying. A filter flow sensor may also be provided to ensure proper filtering of the dryer'"'"'s air.

Claims

1. A hand dryer comprising:

first and second proximity sensors operative to detect presentment of an object for drying; and

a controller communicatively linked to the first and second proximity sensors, and wherein the controller commences activation of a drying operation after a first delay period if the first proximity sensor first detects the object for drying and commences activation of a drying operation after a second delay period if the second proximity sensor first detects the object for drying.

2. The hand dryer of claim 1 wherein the first delay period is negligible.

3. The hand dryer of claim 1 wherein the first delay period falls in the range of zero to 300 milliseconds.

4. The hand dryer of claim 3 wherein the second delay period falls in the range of 200 milliseconds to 800 milliseconds.

5. The hand dryer of claim 2 wherein the second delay period exceeds the first delay period.

6. The hand dryer of claim 1 further comprising a drying zone, and wherein the first sensor is operable to detect a side-presentment of the object to the drying zone and wherein the second sensor is operable to detect a front-presentment of the object to the drying zone.

7. The hand dryer of claim 6 further comprising an upper plenum and a lower plenum spaced from the upper plenum and wherein the drying zone is defined by a hand-receiving cavity formed between the upper and the lower plenums.

8. A lavatory system comprising:

a wash basin;

a faucet 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, the hand-receiving cavity having first and second points of entry;

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

a controller that activates the blower motor after observance of a first delay period if an object to be dried is presented to the hand-receiving cavity at the first point of entry and activates the blower motor after observance of a second delay period if an object to be dried is presented to the hand-receiving cavity at the second point of entry.

9. The lavatory system of claim 8 wherein the first point of entry is defined generally at a side of the hand-receiving cavity and the second point of entry is defined at a front of the hand-receiving cavity.

10. The lavatory system of claim 8 wherein the second delay period is longer than the first delay period.

11. The lavatory system of claim 8 further comprising a first sensor that detects side-presentment of the object to be dried to the hand dryer and a second sensor that detects front-presentment of the object to be dried to the hand dryer.

12. The lavatory system of claim 8 further comprising a soap dispenser having a spout in fluid communication with the wash basin.

13. The lavatory system of claim 8 wherein the first delay period is between zero and 300 milliseconds;

and wherein the second delay period is between 200 and 800 milliseconds.

14. The lavatory system of claim 8 wherein the blower motor includes a fan that generates a flow of drying air to be delivered to the hand-receiving cavity and drives rotation of the fan, and wherein the blower motor includes:

an air intake cavity open to atmosphere and flow coupled to the blower motor;

an air filter disposed in the air intake cavity; and

an air filter sensor operative to measure air flow through the filter.

15. A method of supplying drying air to drying chamber having first and second points of ingress, comprising:

iteratively scanning a first detection zone including the first point of ingress;

iteratively scanning a second detection zone including the second point of ingress;

supplying air with a first delay if an object is detected in the first detection zone;

and

supplying air with a second delay if an object is detected in the second detection zone, wherein the second delay is greater than the first delay period.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first delay period has a time value between zero and 300 milliseconds.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second delay period has a time value between 200 and 800 milliseconds.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first detection zone is exclusive of the second drying zone.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the second detection zone is exclusive of the first drying zone.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first detection zone is defined generally near a side opening of the drying chamber and the second detection zone is defined generally near a front opening of the drying chamber.