IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HAND DRYING

• US 20150164287A1
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Gammack, Peter David, Maclaine, Alasdair Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,565,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/00 Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders 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 2210/00 Combinations of water taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers

Abstract

An arrangement incorporates a sink and a hand dryer which extends over the sink. The hand dryer is of the type which uses an air-knife mechanically to wipe the water from the user'"'"'s hands. The hand dryer comprising two elongate air-knife discharge outlets—each outlet discharging a respective air-knife forwardly onto a hand of the user—the air-knife outlets being arranged side-by-side over the basin of the sink. Each air-knife outlet extends along a part of the hand dryer which is swept back at an angle such that the inboard end the air-knife outlet is in front of the outboard end of the air-knife outlet.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising a sink and a hand dryer which extends over the sink, the hand dryer configured to use an air-knife mechanically to wipe the water from the user'"'"'s hands, the hand dryer comprising two elongate air-knife discharge outlets—

each outlet discharging a respective air-knife forwards onto a hand of the user—

the air-knife outlets being arranged side-by-side over the basin of the sink, each air-knife outlet being arranged on an angle such that the inboard end the air-knife outlet is in front of the outboard end of the air-knife outlet.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the outlets additionally extend downwardly at an anhedral angle so that the inboard end of each air-knife discharge outlet is above the outboard end of the air-knife discharge outlet.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each air-knife discharge outlet comprises an elongate discharge aperture or elongate line of discharge apertures.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each air-knife discharge outlet comprises an elongate air slot or plurality of elongate air slots.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the width of the slot(s) is less than 2 mm.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein each air-knife discharge outlet is at least 80 mm long.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a water faucet that extends over the sink and delivers water for washing.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the water faucet has a water delivery nozzle positioned in-between the two air-knife discharge outlets.

9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein the water delivery nozzle and air-knife discharge outlets are provided on a single fixture that can be fitted next to the basin of the sink, the water delivery nozzle and air-knife discharge outlets each being provided on a projecting part of the fixture.

10. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein the water delivery nozzle and the air-knife discharge outlets are provided on a common projecting part of the fixture in the form of a spout.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the water delivery nozzle is connected through the spout to a water supply.

12. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the air-knife discharge outlets are connected through the spout to an air supply.

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the air-knife discharge outlets are provided on branch ducts that branch off from a main air supply duct inside the spout, each air-knife discharge outlet extending along a sidewall of the respective branch duct.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein the branch ducts are swept back at said angle relative to the spout.