Portable hand dryer

• US 5,873,178 A
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jimmy L. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Jimmy L. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Jimmy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, PAMELA ANNE
• Application Number:
  US08/912,074
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 34/90, 34/91, 34/96, 34/97, 34/98, 34/104, 34/202, 392/381, 392/382, 392/383, 392/380
• US Class Current: 34/90
• 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 9/003 Small self-contained devices, e.g. portable

Abstract

A portable hand dryer (10) for drying wetness from an individual'"'"'s hands as well as from the instruments or objects being held in their hands. The portable hand dryer (10) includes a casing (12) having an upper housing (16) defining a through opening (18) and a lower housing (20) defining having an interior cavity (24), an air current generator (14) disposed within the through opening (18) of the upper housing (16), a motor (13) received in the inner cavity (24) of the lower housing (20), and at least one control (28) to operated the hand dryer (10). In operation, manipulation of the control (28) activates the motor (13) to power the air current generator (14) to create an air current to dry object placed within the stream of that current.

Claims

1. A portable hand dryer comprising:

a casing having an upper housing and a lower housing, said upper housing being carried by said lower housing, said upper housing defining a through opening, said lower housing defining an interior cavity, said lower housing being configured to permit said portable hand dryer to be free-standing;

a closure positioned proximate said interior cavity of said lower housing;

a closure device for releasably securing said closure to said lower housing to close said interior cavity;

an attachment device received on said casing for enhancing portability of said hand dryer;

an air current generator for generating an air current, said air current generator being disposed within said through opening of said upper housing;

a motor for operating said air current generator, said motor being received in said interior cavity of said lower housing, said motor having capacity for receiving and storing power;

at least one power source to power said motor; and

at least one control to activate operation of said hand dryer such that manipulation of said at least one control activates said at least one power source to power said motor and induce said air current generator to generate an air current which dries moisture from objects placed within said air current.

2. The portable hand dryer of claim 1 further comprising a heater for heating air in said air current generated by said air current generator.

3. The portable hand dryer of claim 2 wherein said air current generator generates an air current from said through opening of said upper housing.

4. The portable hand dryer of claim 2 wherein said air current generator generates an air current in a uniform direction from said through opening of said upper housing.

5. The portable hand dryer of claim 4 wherein said air current generator is a fan.

6. The portable hand dryer of claim 5 wherein said straight blade fan includes seven blades for circularly rotating about a centrally disposed fan hub.

7. The portable hand dryer of claim 6 wherein said portable hand dryer includes two power sources, a first power source being a rechargeable battery and a second power source being at least one solar energy cell for gathering and converting solar energy to directly power said portable hand dryer and recharge said rechargeable battery.

8. The portable hand dryer of claim 7 wherein said rechargeable battery is received in said interior cavity of said lower housing.

9. The portable hand dryer of claim 7 wherein said rechargeable battery is rechargeable by removal of said battery from said hand dryer and charging independent of said portable hand dryer.

10. The portable hand dryer of claim 7 wherein said casing further includes at least one electrical contact for enabling communication of electrical current from an external power source to said rechargeable battery, said electrical contact being disposed on said casing, said battery also being rechargeable by connection of said battery to the external power source.

11. The portable hand dryer of claim 7 wherein said second power source includes a plurality of solar energy cells, said plurality of said solar energy cells being disposed said upper housing of said casing such that absorption of solar energy is optimized.

12. The portable hand dryer of claim 2 wherein said heater is disposed about a circumference of said through opening of said upper housing proximate said air current generator.

13. The portable hand dryer of claim 1 wherein said portable hand dryer further comprises a plurality of controls to facilitate independent operation of different features of said portable hand dryer.

14. The portable hand dryer of claim 13 wherein said controls are selected from a group of controls consisting essentially of switches and sensors.

15. The portable hand dryer of claim 13 wherein said portable hand dryer includes three controls disposed on a common side of said casing, a first control for powering operation of said air current generator, said first control being an air current generator switch, a second control for activating said heater to heat air passing through said air current generator, said second control being a heater switch, and a third control having its operation integrally associated with said air current generator and said heater such that operation of each said switch is independently automated, said third control being a sensor.

16. The portable hand dryer of claim 1 wherein said closure is a hinge and a contact snap arrangement, said hinge and said snap of said hinge and contact snap arrangement being disposed on opposed sides of said lower housing proximate said interior cavity.

17. The portable hand dryer of claim 16 wherein said distal end of said lower housing further includes a seal disposed about a periphery defined by said distal end of said housing, said seal for enhancing impermeability of said closure to moisture and wetness, said seal being a gasket.

18. The portable hand dryer of claim 1 wherein said attachment device is a resilient clip.

19. A portable hand dryer comprising:

a casing having an upper housing and a lower housing, said upper housing defining a through opening, said upper housing being carried by said lower housing, said lower housing defining an interior cavity, said lower housing being configured to permit said portable hand dryer to be free-standing;

a closure having a closure device and a seal for securing said inner cavity from exposure to moisture and wetness, said closure device for releasably securing said closure to said lower housing proximate said interior cavity, said closure being configured to enable said portable hand dryer to be free standing, said closure device including a hinge and a contact snap arrangement, said hinge and said snap being disposed on opposed sides of said lower housing, proximate said interior cavity said seal being disposed about a periphery defined by said distal end of said lower housing, said seal being a gasket;

an air current generator disposed within said through opening of said upper housing for generating an air current of said through opening of said upper housing, said air current generator being a fan selected from the group of fans consisting essentially of a straight blade fan, an oscillating fan and a vibrating fan;

a heater for heating air in said air current generated by said air current generator, said heater being disposed about a circumference of said through opening of said upper housing proximate said air current generator;

a motor for operating said air current generator, said motor being received in said interior cavity of said lower housing, said motor having capacity for receiving and storing power;

two power sources to power said motor, a first power source being a rechargeable battery and a second power source being at least one solar energy cell for gathering and converting solar energy to directly power said portable hand dryer and recharge said rechargeable battery said rechargeable battery being received in said interior cavity of said lower housing, said battery being rechargeable by any combination of two recharging means in addition to said at least one solar energy cell, a first recharging means being removal of said battery from said housing and charging said battery independent of said hand dryer and a second recharging means being recharging said battery through an electrical contact which enables electrical communication from an external power source to said rechargeable battery, said at least one solar energy cell being disposed on said upper housing of said casing; and

a plurality of controls to activate operation of said hand dryer, said controls being selected from the group of controls consisting essentially of sensors and switches, manipulation of at least one of said controls activating at least one of said power sources to power said motor and said air current generator to produce an air current which dries moisture from objects placed within said air current.

20. A portable hand dryer comprising:

a casing, having an upper housing and a lower housing, said upper housing defining a through opening, said upper housing being carried by said lower housing, said lower housing defining an interior cavity, said lower housing being configured to permit said portable hand dryer to be free-standing;

a closure having a closure device and a seal for securing said inner cavity from exposure to moisture and wetness, said closure device for releasably securing said closure to said lower housing proximate said interior cavity, said closure being configured to enable said portable hand dryer to be free standing, said closure device including a hinge and a contact snap arrangement, said hinge and said snap being disposed on opposed sides of said lower housing, said seal being disposed about a periphery defined by said distal end of said lower housing, said seal being a gasket;

an air current generator disposed within said through opening of said upper housing for generating an air current in a uniform direction from said through opening of said upper housing, said air current generator being a straight blade fan having seven circularly disposed blades for rotating about a centrally disposed fan hub;

a heater for heating air in said air current generated by said air current generator, said heater being disposed about a circumference of said through opening of said upper housing proximate said air current generator;

a motor for operating said air current generator, said motor being received in said interior cavity of said lower housing, said motor having capacity for receiving and storing power;

two power sources to power said motor, a first power source being a rechargeable battery and a second power source being a plurality of solar energy cells for gathering and converting solar energy to directly power said portable hand dryer and recharge said rechargeable battery, said rechargeable battery being received in said interior cavity of said lower housing, said battery being rechargeable by any combination of two recharging means in addition to said plurality solar energy cells, a first recharging means being removal of said battery from said housing and charging said battery independent of said hand dryer and a second recharging means being recharging said battery through an electrical contact which enables electrical communication from an external power source to said rechargeable battery, said plurality of solar energy cells being disposed on said upper housing of said casing; and

three controls for activating operation of said hand dryer, said controls being disposed on a common side of said casing, said controls including a first control for powering operation of said air current generator, a second control for activating said heater, and a third control whose operation is integrated with that of said air current generator and said heater such that operation of each switch is automated, said third control being a sensor, manipulation of at least one of said controls activating at least one of said power sources to power said motor and said air current generator to produce an air current which dries moisture from objects placed within said air current.