Hand drying apparatus

• US 8,201,344 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Sawabe, Kenji, Fukano, Manabu, Nishimura, Shigeki, Itoigawa, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/601,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20100192399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 31/90, 31/95, 312/02, 312/10, 312/18, 312/42, 311/05, 392/380, 239/329, 239/418, 132/73.5, 219/521, D28/54.1
• US Class Current: 34/95
• 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 drying apparatus includes a high-pressure airflow generator that takes air through an air inlet and generates a high-pressure airflow, a main body casing, a first air path that is protruded from the main body casing, and a nozzle that is located in a position ahead of the main body casing in a direction of the first air path. The main body casing includes a main-body air inlet through which outside air is taken and a second air path that causes air from the main-body air inlet to flow upward and then downward to a level where the air inlet of the high-pressure airflow generator is located.

Claims

1. A hand drying apparatus comprising:

a high-pressure airflow generator that takes air through an air inlet arranged at a lower portion of the high-pressure airflow generator and generates a high-pressure airflow;

a main body casing in which the high-pressure airflow generator is accommodated;

a first air path that is protruded from the main body casing and that allows passage of air from the high-pressure airflow generator; and

a nozzle that is located in a position ahead of the main body casing in a direction of the first air path and that blows air from the first air path toward a front portion and side portions of a drying space under the first air path, wherein

the main body casing includes

a main-body air inlet through which outside air is taken, and

a second air path that causes air from the main-body air inlet to flow upward and then downward to a level where the air inlet of the high-pressure airflow generator is located.

2. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle includes a nonlinear portion.

3. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is arranged in one row or a plurality of rows and changes the air from the first air path to a high-speed airflow in a line shape.

4. A hand drying apparatus comprising:

a high-pressure airflow generator that takes air through an air inlet arranged at a lower portion of the high-pressure airflow generator and generates a high-pressure airflow;

a main body casing in which the high-pressure airflow generator is accommodated;

a first air path that is protruded from the main body casing and that allows passage of air from the high-pressure airflow generator; and

a nozzle that is located in a position ahead of the main body casing in a direction of the first air path and that blows air from the first air path toward a drying space under the first air path, wherein

the main body casing includes

a main-body air inlet through which outside air is taken, and

a second air path that causes air from the main-body air inlet to flow upward and then downward to a level where the air inlet of the high-pressure airflow generator is located, and

the nozzle is formed into slits arranged in a front row and a rear row in the direction of the first air path, and each of the slits is formed into a plurality of blowing ports divided by a partitioning portion and arranged in one row in a longitudinal direction of each of the slits.

5. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the partitioning portion includes a downward tilted surface on its inner side toward each of the blowing ports.

6. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a tilt angle of the tilted surface is set to 15 degrees to 45 degrees.

7. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the blowing ports in the front and the rear rows are arranged in a zigzag pattern.

8. A hand drying apparatus comprising:

a high-pressure airflow generator that takes air through an air inlet arranged at a lower portion of the high-pressure airflow generator and generates a high-pressure airflow;

a main body casing in which the high-pressure airflow generator is accommodated;

a first air path that is protruded from the main body casing and that allows passage of air from the high-pressure airflow generator; and

a nozzle that is located in a position ahead of the main body casing in a direction of the first air path and that blows air from the first air path toward a drying space under the first air path, wherein

the nozzle is formed into slits arranged in a front row and a rear row in the direction of the first air path,

each of the slits is formed into a plurality of blowing ports divided and arranged in one row in a longitudinal direction of each of the slits, and

the blowing ports on both sides of one of the slits in the front row located farther away from the main body casing in the direction of the first air path are arranged such that outer edges of the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are located close to one of the slits in the rear row.

9. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein blowing directions of the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are tilted in a direction such that the blowing directions are located away from the main body casing with respect to a longitudinal direction.

10. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein blowing directions of the blowing ports other than the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are tilted in a direction such that the blowing directions are located close to the main body casing with respect to a longitudinal direction.

11. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the blowing ports other than the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row and the blowing ports of the one of the slits in the rear row are arranged in a zigzag pattern.

12. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a wind receiving plate that is arranged on a front side of a lower portion of the main body casing such that the wind receiving plate is opposed to the blowing ports of the nozzle to receive the airflow from the nozzle.

13. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate includes a plurality of air holes.

14. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a tilted surface is formed around each of the air holes in a tapered manner.

15. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate is attached to the main body casing in a lateral direction.

16. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate is attached to the main body casing such that the wind receiving plate is tilted downward in a forward direction.

17. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate is retractable into the lower portion of the main body casing.

18. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate is rotatable upward and downward between a substantially horizontal position and an upward position.

19. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wind receiving plate is rotatable in a lateral direction around a shaft arranged on a bottom of the main body casing.

20. A hand drying apparatus comprising:

a high-pressure airflow generator that takes air through an air inlet arranged at a lower portion of the high-pressure airflow generator and generates a high-pressure airflow;

a main body casing in which the high-pressure airflow generator is accommodated;

a first air path that is protruded from the main body casing and that allows passage of air from the high-pressure airflow generator; and

a nozzle that is located in a position ahead of the main body casing in a direction of the first air path and that blows air from the first air path toward a drying space under the first air path, wherein

the main body casing includes

a main-body air inlet through which outside air is taken, and

a second air path that causes air from the main-body air inlet to flow upward and then downward to a level where the air inlet of the high-pressure airflow generator is located,

the nozzle is formed into slits arranged in a front row and a rear row in the direction of the first air path,

each of the slits is formed into a plurality of blowing ports divided and arranged in one row in a longitudinal direction of each of the slits, and

the blowing ports on both sides of one of the slits in the front row located farther away from the main body casing in the direction of the first air path are arranged such that outer edges of the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are located close to one of the slits in the rear row.

21. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 20, wherein blowing directions of the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are tilted in a direction such that the blowing directions are located away from the main body casing with respect to a longitudinal direction.

22. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 20, wherein blowing directions of the blowing ports other than the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row are tilted in a direction such that the blowing directions are located close to the main body casing with respect to a longitudinal direction.

23. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the blowing ports other than the blowing ports on the both sides of the one of the slits in the front row and the blowing ports of the one of the slits in the rear row are arranged in a zigzag pattern.

24. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a wind receiving plate that is arranged on a front side of a lower portion of the main body casing such that the wind receiving plate is opposed to the blowing ports of the nozzle to receive the airflow from the nozzle.

25. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate includes a plurality of air holes.

26. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a tilted surface is formed around each of the air holes in a tapered manner.

27. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate is attached to the main body casing in a lateral direction.

28. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate is attached to the main body casing such that the wind receiving plate is tilted downward in a forward direction.

29. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate is retractable into the lower portion of the main body casing.

30. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate is rotatable upward and downward between a substantially horizontal position and an upward position.

31. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the wind receiving plate is rotatable in a lateral direction around a shaft arranged on a bottom of the main body casing.