Hand-dryer

• US 9,538,886 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ffuuss 2013, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Ffuuss 2013, S.L.
• Inventors: Ros Marn, scar
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/766,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 34/90, 342/18, 342/33, 462/3, 462/6, 392/384, 392/385
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/20 Heat consumers
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0405 using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between F24H3/06, F24H3/08, F24H3/10 take precedence

Abstract

Hand dryer 1 wherein the control means 9 are configured for operate at least in two operating regimes, a normal operating regime wherein the motor 5 pumps the air for drying the hands and which is activated by the sensor detection 8 and a motor heating operating regime 5 wherein the stator 7 and/or the rotor 6 of the motor 5 are fed for increasing its temperature and maintain it to a predetermined temperature for accumulating heat which is activated by no detection of the sensor 8, such that at the start of the normal operating regime, the motor 5 has stored heat for ensuring that the air exits already heated.

Claims

1. Hand dryer (1) comprising:

a housing (2);

a volume (3) for receiving hands (4);

a circuit for pumping air;

a drive motor (5) which drives a fan (T) arranged in the circuit provided with a rotor (6) and a stator (7);

a hand presence sensor (8) in a volume (3);

operation control means (9);

wherein the operation control means (9) are configured for operating at least in two operating regimes;

a normal operating regime wherein the drive motor (5) pumps air for drying hands and which is activated by the hand presence sensor detection (8);

a motor heating operating regime (5) wherein the stator (7) and/or the rotor (6) of the motor (5) are fed for increasing temperature and maintain a predetermined temperature for accumulating heat activated by no detection of the hand presence sensor (8);

such that at a start of a normal operating regime, the drive motor (5) is provided with stored heat for ensuring that the air exits heated.

2. Hand dryer according to claim 1, which does not comprise a separate heating circuit apart from motor circuits.

3. Hand dryer according to claim 2, wherein the motor is an alternating current motor.

4. Hand dryer according to claim 3, comprising, arranged in series:

a first portion of stator winding (L1);

a second portion of stator winding (L2);

rotor-brushes assembly;

a third portion of stator winding (L3);

a fourth portion of stator winding (L4).

5. Hand dryer according to claim 4, comprising:

a first relay (RL1) between supply voltage (F) and first portion of stator winding (L1);

a second relay (RL2) between neutral point (N) and fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

a third relay (RL3) for grounding of connecting point between second portion of stator winding (L2) and rotor-brushes assembly;

a fourth relay (RL4) for the grounding of connecting point between third portion of stator winding (L3) and the rotor-brushes assembly;

the relays (RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4) being connected to the operation control means (9).

6. Hand dryer according to claim 4, comprising:

a first relay (RL1) between the supply voltage (F) and the first portion of stator winding (L1);

a second relay (RL2) between the neutral point (N) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

a third relay (RL3) for short-circuiting terminals of the rotor-brushes assembly;

the relays (RL1, RL2, RL3) being connected to the operation control means (9).

7. Hand dryer according to claim 4, comprising:

a first relay (RL1) between the supply voltage (F) and the first portion of stator winding (L 1);

a second relay (RL2) between the neutral point (N) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

a third relay (RL3) between the first portion of stator winding (L 1) and the second portion of stator winding (L2);

a fourth relay (RL4) between the third portion of stator winding (L3) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

the third relay (RL3) being arranged for connecting terminal of the first winding either with the second portion of stator winding (L2) or with the neutral point (N);

the fourth relay (RL4) being arranged for connecting the terminal of the fourth portion of stator winding either with the third portion of stator winding (L3) or with the supply voltage;

the relays (RL1, RL2) being connected to the operation control means (9).

8. Hand dryer according to claim 4, comprising:

a first relay (RL1) between the supply voltage (F) and the first portion of stator winding (L1);

a second relay (RL2) between the neutral point (N) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

the relays (RL1, RL2) being connected to the operation control means (9).

9. Hand dryer according to claim 3, comprising, arranged in series:

a first portion of stator winding (L1);

a second portion of stator winding (L2);

the rotor-brushes assembly;

a third portion of stator winding (L3);

a fourth portion of stator winding (L4).

10. Hand dryer according to claim 9, comprising a relay (RL1) for short-circuiting the terminals of the rotor-brushes assembly connected to the operation control means (9).

11. Hand dryer according to claim 9, comprising:

a first relay (RL1) between the first portion of stator winding (L1) and the second portion of stator winding (L2);

a second relay (RL2) between the third portion of stator winding (L3) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

the relays being connected between them such that the first and fourth portions can be connected between them;

the relays (RL1, RL2) being connected to the operation control means (9).

12. Hand dryer according to claim 9, comprising:

a first relay (RL 1) between the first portion of stator winding (L1) and the second portion of stator winding (L2);

a second relay (RL2) between the third portion of stator winding (L3) and the fourth portion of stator winding (L4);

the first relay (RL1) being arranged for connecting the terminal of the first winding or either with the second portion of stator winding (L2) or either with the neutral point (N);

the second relay (RL2) being arranged for connecting the terminal of the fourth portion of stator winding either with the third portion of stator winding (L3) or with the supply voltage;

the relays (RL1, RL2) being connected to the operation control means (9).

13. Hand dryer according to claim 5, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

14. Hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a brushless motor.

15. Hand dryer according to claim 6, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

16. Hand dryer according to claim 7, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

17. Hand dryer according to claim 10, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

18. Hand dryer according to claim 11, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

19. Hand dryer according to claim 12, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.

20. Hand dryer according to claim 8, comprising a voltage regulating unit (REG) arranged in series between the fourth portion of stator and the neutral point.