Hand washing and drying equipment unit

• US 5,522,411 A
• Filed: 06/30/1994
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gloria A. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Gloria A. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Gloria A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US08/268,305
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 4/619, 4/628, 4/630, 4/638, 4/653, 604/289, 134/44, 134/50, 134/95.2, 134/99.2, 134/102.3, 134/104.2, 134/107, 134/198, 134/199, 134/200, 222/181.3, 222/185.1
• US Class Current: 134/95.2
• 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 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable hand washing and drying equipment unit comprises a housing having a front hand receiving opening communicating with a central hand compartment. Adjacently above the hand compartment is an upper compartment having a cleansing liquid reservoir with a valve-controlled flow tube for selectively delivering cleansing liquid from the reservoir to the hand compartment, and an electrically powered fan for providing a flow of hand drying air within the hand compartment. The reservoir and fan are supported by a shelf which is slidable into and out of the housing to enable access to such elements. Adjacently below the hand compartment is a lower compartment having a removable waste liquid receptacle therein for temporarily storing used cleansing liquid.

Claims

1. A hand washing and drying equipment unit comprising:

an external housing, said housing including a pair of spaced side walls, a rear wall, and a front wall cooperating to define an interior hand compartment, said front wall having a hand-receiving opening communicating with said hand compartment;

a cleansing liquid reservoir mounted within said housing and means for selectively delivering cleansing liquid from said reservoir to said hand compartment;

electrically powered air flow means mounted within said housing for selectively providing a flow of air within said hand-wash compartment to dry hands received therein;

support means for mounting said cleansing liquid reservoir and said air flow means within said housing, said support means being slidably mounted in said housing for horizontally directed movement into and out of said housing for enabling access to said cleansing liquid reservoir and said air flow means; and

a waste liquid receptacle beneath said hand compartment for storing used cleansing liquid, said hand compartment opening downwardly toward said receptacle.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said cleansing liquid reservoir contains no-rinse cleansing liquid.

3. A unit according to claim 2, wherein said cleansing liquid reservoir is refillable.

4. A unit according to claim 2, wherein said cleansing liquid reservoir includes means for heating said cleansing liquid.

5. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said cleansing liquid reservoir is mounted above said hand compartment and said means for delivering cleansing liquid includes a flow tube extending from said reservoir to said hand compartment and a control valve for controlling the flow of cleansing liquid through said flow tube, whereby cleansing liquid may be selectively delivered to said hand compartment under the force of gravity.

6. A unit according to claim 5, wherein said housing further includes a hinged top wall for enabling access to said cleansing liquid reservoir and said air flow means.

7. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said hand compartment includes a bottom drain board having a drain opening therein to permit drainage of used cleansing liquid from said hand compartment to said receptacle.

8. A unit according to claim 1, further including a door for said hand receiving opening.

9. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said air flow means is a battery powered fan.

10. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said air flow means is an AC powered fan.

11. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said air flow means is an AC powered hot air blower.

12. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said receptacle is removable from said housing.

13. A unit according to claim 12, wherein said receptacle is slidably mounted in said housing for horizontally directed movement into and out of said housing.

14. A portable, self-contained hand washing and drying apparatus comprising:

an external housing, said housing including a pair of spaced side walls, a front wall, a rear wall, a removable top wall, and a bottom wall cooperating to enclose an upper compartment, a middle hand compartment, and a lower compartment;

said upper compartment including a cleansing liquid reservoir for storing no-rinse cleansing liquid, an electrically powered fan for selectively providing a flow of air within said hand compartment to dry hands received therein, and support means for mounting said cleansing liquid reservoir and said fan in said upper compartment, said support means being slidably mounted in said housing for horizontally directed movement into and out of said housing for enabling access to said cleansing liquid reservoir and said fan;

said hand compartment including a bottom drain board having a drain opening therein, said front wall including a hand-receiving opening communicating with said hand wash compartment;

said lower compartment including a removable waste liquid receptacle for storing used cleaning liquid; and

means for selectively delivering cleansing liquid from said reservoir to said hand wash compartment.