Cross flow hand drier

• US 6,185,838 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Derek W. Moore
• Original Assignee: Derek W. Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Derek W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Pamela
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAGONESE, ANDREA M
• Application Number:
  US09/401,778
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 34/90, 34/91, 342/01, 342/02, 344/27, 392/380, 392/381
• US Class Current: 34/202
• 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 hand drier for drying the hands in a turbulent air flow region of cross flowing multiple air streams, and for recycling already heated air for reheating to conserve energy and having a housing and a fan in the housing to create air flow, scrolls for dividing the air flow into two air streams, and guiding them in opposite directions, a heater for heating the air, and, air outlets spaced apart from one another for receiving the air streams so as to redirect respective air streams from opposite directions and cause them to flow countercurrent in opposition to one another to produce a turbulent air flow where the two countercurrent air streams meet, in which the hands can be placed for drying.

Claims

1. A hand dryer, for drying hands in a turbulent air flow region of cross-flowing multiple air streams and for recycling heated air, comprising:

a housing formed by a frame with a central opening;

a fan mounted on said frame in said housing;

a motor for driving said fan to create air flow;

air flow dividing means for dividing the air flow from said fan into at least two air streams and guiding said at least two air streams in opposite directions;

heating means for heating air;

said hand dryer further comprising;

at least two air outlets spaced apart from one another for receiving said at least two air streams from said housing, said air outlets being oriented to redirect said air streams, respectively, from the housing, said air streams flowing in opposite directions, countercurrent in opposition to one another;

said turbulent air flow region created at intersection of at least two countercurrent air streams wherein said hands are placed for drying;

an integral one-piece thermoplastic molding formed by at least one air outlet and at least one end wall of the housing, said molding is identical for each side of the housing, wherein molding comprises an outer wall, said outer wall has a curved end portion, an inner wall attached to said outer wall, said inner wall is formed by at least one inwardly radiussed air flow constriction and at least one generally sinusoidal-shaped ledge extending upwardly from opposite side of said central opening, and a support flange; and

air flow recycling means for recycling a portion of heated air for reuse in at least one of said countercurrent air streams.

2. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, said central opening comprises an air inlet in said hand dryer substantially intermediate said at least two air outlets through which air is inducted by said fan, said fan re-inducts a substantial proportion of the heated air flowing from said at least two air outlets and continuously recycles the heated air to recover a portion of the calorific value of the heated air.

3. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising thermal control means in said housing for maintaining a constant internal air temperature during operation of said hand dryer to prevent overheating caused by induction of said fan and said recycling of the heated air.

4. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two air outlets are located at opposite ends of said housing, said air outlets direct said at least two air streams across exterior of said housing from opposite sides and procure turbulent air circulation adjacent a region intermediate said at least two outlets, said region including an air induction opening in said turbulent air flow region of the heated air, said heated air is inducted from said turbulent air flow region created by opposition of said at least two air streams.

5. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least two air outlets are located below said housing and said air induction opening is located in an underside of said housing between said at least two air outlets.

6. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan is a centrifugal fan mounted on said frame in said housing to rotate, said frame including two scrolls to collect air from around said centrifugal fan and to direct air into said at least two air streams flowing towards opposite ends of said housing.

7. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air intake grill, wherein said air intake grill is attached to said support flange to provide support to said air intake grill.

8. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an infrared presence sensor mounted in said housing and oriented towards region between said at least two air outlets, said sensor being activated by the presence of hands in the region between said at least two air outlets, wherein activating said sensor starts said motor and said heating means.

9. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an infrared presence sensor mounted in said housing and oriented towards region between said at least two air outlets, said sensor being deactivated by the absence of hands in the region between said at least two air outlets, wherein deactivating said sensor stops said heating means and said motor.

10. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 9, further comprising heater control means for switching off heater a predetermined time after removal of hands from the region between said at least two air outlets, said heater control means thereafter switching off said motor to progressively shutdown said heating means and thereafter shutdown said fan.