Hand drying apparatus

• US 7,596,883 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kameishi, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/585,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070144034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 34/60, 34/90, 342/01, 342/02, 342/18, 392/381, 250/432.R
• 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

Abstract

In a hand drying apparatus, a first air opening and a second air opening are arranged on opposing surfaces. The first air opening is displaced towards an interior of the hollow portion, for inserting wet hand, with respect to the second air opening such that axes of air jets output from the first air opening and the second air opening do not collide. Moreover, a surface that receives the air jet from an air opening on opposing surface is inclined toward the interior of the hollow portion.

Claims

1. A hand drying apparatus comprising:

a hand insertion chamber having, a hollow portion and an opening for inserting a wet hand in the hollow portion, the hollow portion being defined by a first inner surface and a second inner surface substantially opposing the first inner surface;

a first air opening arranged on the first inner surface and configured to blow a first air jet towards the second inner surface; and

a second air opening arranged on the second inner surface and configured to blow a second air jet toward the first inner surface,

wherein the first air opening is arranged at an interior side of the hollow portion with respect to the second air opening such that axes of the first air jet and the second air jet do not collide, and a portion of the first inner surface, between the opening of the hollow portion and the first air opening, that receives the second air jet from the second air opening is inclined toward the interior of the hollow portion in order to flow the second air jet from the opening to the interior side of the hollow portion and distance the first air jet from the second air jet.

2. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the first inner surface that receives the second air jet forms a streamlined concave curved surface.

3. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the second inner surface that receives the first air jet from the first air opening is inclined toward the interior of the hollow portion.

4. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a displacement between the axes of the first air jet axis and the second air jet axis is 5 mm to 30 mm.

5. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air opening and the second air opening are oriented such that axes of the first air jet axis and the second air jet are any one of parallel and diverge from each other.

6. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air opening includes an array of air outlets and the second air opening includes an array of air outlets.

7. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air opening and the second air opening are integrated into one elongated slit as an air outlet.

8. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air opening includes an array of air outlets, the second air opening includes an array of air outlets, and the first air opening and the second air opening are arranged in the shape of the letter v.

9. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air opening includes a first elongated slit as an air outlet, the second air opening includes a second elongated slit as an air outlet, and the first elongated slit and the second elongated slit are arranged in the shape of the letter v, with a gap between two limbs of the letter.

10. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein among the first air opening and the second air opening, the one that faces the palms of the hand blows more amount of air.