Dryer system for shower

• US 6,962,005 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jacuzzi Incorporated (Jacuzzi Brands Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jacuzzi Incorporated (Jacuzzi Brands Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Bob A., Khosropour, Michael, Leung, Harold, Pauls, Jim R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Jiping
• Application Number:
  US10/918,763
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 342/02, 342/18, 342/32, 342/33, 342/34, 342/35, 34/90, 345/46, 345/54, 392/379, 392/380, 392/381, 459/6, 459/7, 459/8
• US Class Current: 34/218
• 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 shower dryer system includes a dryer tower with nozzles for directing heated air into a shower enclosure interior. A programmed controller controls the rate of air flow and the temperature of air flow to and through the air nozzles.

Claims

1. A dryer system for drying the interior of a shower enclosure and a person in said interior, said dryer system comprising, in combination:

a dryer tower including a plurality of spaced air nozzles for directing air into the interior of said shower enclosure;

an air blower;

conduit structure providing air flow communication between said air nozzles and said air blower;

a heater for heating flowing air produced by said air blower prior to exit of said flowing air from said nozzles into the interior of said shower enclosure; and

a seat in the interior of said shower enclosure defining a chamber accommodating said air blower and protecting said air blower from water in the interior of said shower enclosure.

2. The dryer system according to claim 1 wherein said air blower includes an air intake extending from a location outside said shower enclosure to prevent water within the interior of said shower enclosure from reaching said air blower through said air intake.

3. A dryer system for drying the interior of a shower enclosure and a person in said interior, said dryer system comprising, in combination:

a dryer tower including a plurality of spaced air nozzles for directing air into the interior of said shower enclosure;

an air blower;

conduit structure providing air flow communication between said air nozzles and said air blower; and

a heater for heating flowing air produced by said air blower prior to exit of said flowing air from said nozzles into the interior of said shower enclosure, said conduit structure including a vertically disposed conduit in said dryer tower, air nozzles of said plurality of spaced air nozzles disposed at different elevations along the dryer tower and including a bottom air nozzle, said vertically disposed conduit interconnecting the air nozzles disposed at different elevations and allowing water entering the air nozzles above said bottom air nozzle to drain downwardly to and out of said bottom air nozzle into the interior of said shower enclosure.

4. The dryer system according to claim 3 wherein said heater is disposed in said dryer tower at an elevation higher than the elevation of said bottom air nozzle, said heater heating the air flowing into said vertically disposed conduit.

5. A dryer system for drying the interior of a shower enclosure and a person in said interior, said dryer system comprising, in combination:

a dryer tower including a plurality of spaced air nozzles for directing air into the interior of said shower enclosure;

an air blower;

conduit structure providing air flow communication between said air nozzles and said air blower; and

a heater for heating flowing air produced by said air blower prior to exit of said flowing air from said nozzles into the interior of said shower enclosure, said conduit structure including a plurality of vertically disposed conduits in said dryer tower, said plurality of vertically disposed conduits being in fluid flow communication, air nozzles of said plurality of spaced air nozzles disposed at different elevations along the dryer tower and including a plurality of bottom air nozzles, said plurality of vertically disposed conduits interconnecting the air nozzles disposed at different elevations and allowing water entering the air nozzles above said plurality of bottom air nozzles to drain downwardly to and out of said bottom air nozzles into the interior of said shower enclosure.

6. The dryer system according to claim 5 wherein said heater is disposed in said dryer tower at an elevation higher than the elevations of said plurality of bottom air nozzles, said heater heating the air flowing into said plurality of vertically disposed conduits.

7. A dryer system for drying the interior of a shower enclosure and a person in said interior, said dryer system comprising, in combination:

a dryer tower including a plurality of spaced air nozzles for directing air into the interior of said shower enclosure;

an air blower;

conduit structure providing air flow communication between said air nozzles and said air blower;

a heater for heating flowing air produced by said air blower prior to exit of said flowing air from said nozzles into the interior of said shower enclosure;

a controller operatively associated with said air blower and with said heater for controlling the rate of air flow to and through said air nozzles and for controlling the temperature of air flowing to and through said air nozzles; and

a flow switch operatively associated with said controller, said flow switch for sensing shower water flow, and said controller responsive to said sensed water flow to actuate said air blower and heater.