Sanitary hand dryer

• US 4,876,435 A
• Filed: 01/13/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Junior F. Hawkins
• Original Assignee: Junior F. Hawkins
• Inventors: Hawkins, Junior F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Application Number:
  US07/143,332
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 219/364, 219/381, 219/366, 219/368, 219/369, 219/370, 219/371, 219/374, 219/379, 219/502
• US Class Current: 392/381
• 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

Abstract

A device which, after washing hands, permits hands to be dried rapidly using hot air directed over, under, and around the hands. The hot air is activated when a hand is placed in position for drying and remains activated until the hand is removed. A touchless switch eliminates the spread of germs by eliminating the need to touch a switch or other object touched by and perhaps contaminated by others who previously used the hand drying device. Furthermore, since the hot air remains activated until the hand is removed, there is no need to retrigger the device since hot air is available as long as it is needed to dry the hands.

Claims

1. A sanitary hand dryer comprising:

a housing having a box-like structure defined by a top, a pair of sides secured to the top, and an upright face secured normally to the top and to the pair of sides, said upright face having a structure defining a longitudinal opening wherethrough warm air can pass;

a blower means disposed in said housing for blowing air;

a heating coil means disposed in said housing in proximity to said blower means;

an electronic circuitry means electrically connected to said heating coil means and to said blower means in order to energize said blower means and said housing coil means such that the blower means blows air over the heating coil means to heat the same and discharge warm air through said longitudinal opening, said electronic circuitry means comprises a light sensor means;

a top vane air deflector means secured to said housing at the securing point where said top secures normally to said face and extending over said longitudinal opening to deflect warm air passing through said longitudinal opening; and

a pair of opposed side vane air deflector means secured to said housing at the securing point where said upright front secures normally to said pair of sides for deflecting warm air, and each of said opposed side vane air deflector means has an arcuate shape and terminates in an end and said light sensor means comprises a first light sensor means mounted on the end of one of said side vane air deflector means, and a second light sensor means mounted on the end of the other side vane air deflector means.

2. The sanitary hand dryer of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuitry means comprises a first variable resistor means electrically connected to said first light sensor means, said first light sensor means communicating with a first voltage source means;

a first transistor means having a first emitter, a first base, and a first collector, and said first base is electrically connected at a point between said first variable resistor and said first light sensor means, said first emitter being grounded and said first collector communicating with said first voltage source means.

3. The sanitary hand dryer of claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry means additionally comprises a second transistor means having a second base, a second collector electrically engaged to said first collector and a second emitter being grounded;

a second variable resistor means communicating with said first voltage source means and with said second light sensor means, said second base is electrically connected at a point between said second variable resistor and said second light sensor means;

a current limiting resistor electrically connected to said first collector; and

a first diode electrically connected in series with said current limiting resistor; and

a first gate resistor means secured in series with said first diode; and

a silicon controlled rectifier means electrically connected across said first gate resistor means.

4. The sanitary hand dryer of claim 3 wherein said blower means electrically connects with said rectifier means and said heating coil means electrically connects across said blower means, and said blower means and said heating coil means and said rectifier means and said first gate resistor means electrically communicate with an alternating current power source.

5. A sanitary hand dryer comprising:

a housing having a structure defining an opening wherethrough warm air can pass;

a blower means disposed in said housing for blowing air;

a heating coil means disposed in said housing in proximity to said blower means;

an electronic circuitry means electrically connected to said heating coil means and to said blower means in order to energize said blower means and said heating coil means such that the blower means blows air over the heating coil means to heat the same and discharge warm air through said opening, said electronic circuitry means comprises a light sensor means;

a top vane air deflector means secured to said housing and extending over said opening to deflect warm air passing through said opening; and

a pair of opposed side vane air deflector means secured to said housing for deflecting warm air, said light sensor means is mounted to said site vane air deflector means;

said pair of side vane air deflector means is arcuate in shape; and

each of said opposed site vane air deflector means has an arcuate shape and terminates in an end;

and said light sensor means comprises a first light sensor means mounted on the end of one of said side vane air deflector means, and a second light sensor means mounted on the end of the other side vane air deflector means, and said electronic circuitry means comprises a first variable resistor means electrically connected to said first light sensor means, said first light sensor means communication with a first voltage source means;

a first transistor means having a first emitter, a first base, and a first collector, and said first base is electrically connected at a point between said first variable resistor and said first light sensor means, said first emitter being grounded and said first collector communicating with said first voltage source means.