Drying apparatus

• US 8,347,522 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Gammack, Peter David, Dyson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/997,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 34/90, 34/80, 341/37, 341/04, 341/05, 342/02, 342/10, 342/18, 392/380, 392/381, 392/384, 462/6, 165/201, 68/3.R, 68/38, 2 1/6, 134/26
• 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

A drying apparatus has a casing, a cavity formed in the casing for receiving an object, a fan located in the casing and creating an airflow, a motor arranged to drive the fan. At least one opening communicates with the fan and is arranged in the casing so as to direct an airflow transversely across the cavity. The motor and fan arrangement generate an airflow across the cavity, wherein, in use, the pressure of the airflow emitted through the opening is at least 8 kPa. The motor has a rotor which, in use, may rotate at a speed of at least 80,000 rpm. The high velocity, high pressure airflow provided by the apparatus is capable of drying an object efficiently and quickly and is suitable for use in a hand dryer.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, comprising a casing, a cavity formed in the casing for receiving an object, a fan located in the casing and creating an airflow, a motor arranged to drive the fan, and at least one slot-like opening communicating with the fan and arranged in the casing so as to direct an airflow transversely across the cavity, wherein, in use, the pressure of the airflow emitted through the slot-like opening is at least 8 kPa, wherein the width of the slot-like opening is no more than 0.7 mm, and wherein the drying apparatus is a hand dryer.

2. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor has a rotor which, in use, rotates at a speed of at least 80,000 rpm.

3. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the motor has a rotor which, in use, rotates at a speed of at least 100,000 rpm.

4. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the motor is a switched-reluctance motor.

5. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan is a two stage fan, the motor being arranged to drive the first and second stages in parallel.

6. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the motor comprising a first and a second motor and the fan comprising a first fan and a second fan, the first motor arranged to drive the first fan and the second motor arranged to drive the second fan, wherein the first and second motors are arranged to drive the first and second fans in series.

7. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 6, wherein the at least one slot-like opening comprises a pair of opposed slot-like openings arranged to direct an airflow across the cavity.

8. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the width of each slot-like opening is no more than 0.5 mm.

9. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in use, the velocity of the airflow emitted through the slot-like opening is at least 100 m/s.

10. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 6, wherein, in use, the pressure of the airflow emitted through the slot-like opening is at least 15 kPa.

11. The drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 6, wherein, in use, the pressure of the airflow emitted through the slot-like opening is at least 20 kPa.