JPH11128115A - Hand dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove dirt simply, improve the appearance and cleaning properties, and provide a sanitary hand dryer by providing a blow-out nozzle blowing out the air to remove water adhering to hand and covering a wall face forming a hand insertion part with an optical catalyst layer. SOLUTION: The air supplied from an air supply means 2 provided in a main body 1 is blown out of a blow-out nozzle 4, a water receive part 7 is provided below the main body 1, and a hand insertion part 6 is formed between the main body 1 and the water receive part 7. Here, a bottom wall face 7a, a front wall face 7b, side wall faces 7c, 7d, and a front wall face 7e of the water receive part 7 are covered with an optical catalyst layer 12, optical catalyst is excited by ultraviolet rays of a fluorescent lamp 5 below the main body 1 to activate the optical catalyst, and a surface of the optical catalyst layer 12 is made hydrophilic greatly. Consequently, it is possible to simply remove hand dirt contained in the water causing the pollution and an organic pollution substance such as soap scum by merely spraying water so that bacteria and microoragnisms which adhere on a surface of the optical catalyst layer perish by the sterilization action of the optical catalyst.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand drying apparatus which can dry hands without using a towel or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a hand drying apparatus described in, for example, JP-A-6-154125 is known which can dry wet hands without using a towel or the like.

In this method, a wet hand is inserted into a hand insertion portion and hands are dried by warm air blown out from a blower outlet. A receiving portion for receiving water droplets and the like that is blown off is provided.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional configuration, water droplets and the like adhere to the tray, and the dirt and soap contained in the water droplets and the like in the process of drying the attached water droplets and the like. Organic contaminants such as scum remain in the pan and remain as dirt.

If the dirt is gradually accumulated, it becomes difficult to remove the dirt and the cleaning property is deteriorated. In addition, there is a problem that the appearance is deteriorated and bacteria are easily generated, which is not preferable for hygiene.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sanitary hand drying apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems, easily removes dirt, improves the appearance and cleanability, and provides a hygienic hand dryer.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hand insertion portion, a blowing nozzle for blowing air to remove water or the like attached to the hand, and an air supplying air to the blowing nozzle. Supply means, and at least one wall surface forming the hand insertion portion is coated with a photocatalyst layer.

According to this configuration, the photocatalyst is photoexcited by ultraviolet rays from a light source such as a fluorescent lamp installed in a room or the like, so that the photocatalyst is activated and the surface of the photocatalyst layer is highly hydrophilized. A superhydrophilized surface has a much greater affinity for water than it does for hydrophobic contaminants, so if the surface gets wet, water will seep between the surface and the contaminant and become contaminated. Acts to pull the material away from the surface.

Therefore, even if water or the like removed from the hand adheres to the wall surface coated with the photocatalyst layer, hydrophobic organic contaminants such as grease and soap scum contained in the water and the like that become the base of the dirt are water. It is easily removed simply by applying water, and the cleanability and appearance are greatly improved, and bacteria and microorganisms attached to the surface of the photocatalyst layer are sanitized because they are killed or their growth is suppressed by the bactericidal action of the photocatalyst. .

If a light source for photo-exciting the photocatalyst layer is provided, it can be used alone in a place where no light source is installed, and the above-mentioned effects can be obtained.

Further, since the photocatalyst layer is coated on the bottom wall surface for receiving water or the like removed from the hands, cleaning can be easily performed on the portion where dirt is most likely to adhere, and cleanliness can be maintained.

Furthermore, if the bottom wall surface is inclined, dirt collects at one location, making cleaning easier.

If a heating means is provided upstream of the blowing nozzle to blow warm air or blow high-speed air, water or the like adhering to the surface of the photocatalyst layer is dried quickly. The amount of dirt due to organic contaminants such as hand grit and soap scum contained in the product is reduced, and cleaning is further facilitated.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the hand drying device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a central sectional view of FIG.

The hand drying apparatus A includes an air supply means 2 provided in the main body 1, a blowing nozzle 4 for blowing air supplied from the air supply means 2, a water receiving section 7 provided below the main body 1, It is composed of a hand insertion portion 6 formed between the main body 1 and the water receiving portion 7.

In the above configuration, when a wet hand is inserted into the hand insertion portion 6 and a hand is detected by a hand detection sensor (not shown), the air supply means 2 operates to take in the air from the air inlet 8 provided in the lower portion of the main body 1. The sucked air is sucked from the air suction port 9 and supplied to the blowing nozzle 4.

Therefore, water or the like adhering to the hand is removed by the air blown from the blowing nozzle 4, and the hand dries.

Water or the like removed from the hands adheres to the bottom wall surface 7a, front wall surface 7b, side wall surfaces 7c and 7d, and front wall surface 7e of the water receiving portion 7. These wall surfaces 7a, 7b and 7
The photocatalyst layer 12 is coated on c, 7d, and 7e, and the photocatalyst is photoexcited by the ultraviolet light of the fluorescent lamp 5, which is a light source provided in the lower portion of the main body 1, so that the photocatalyst is activated and the surface of the photocatalyst layer 12 becomes Since it is highly hydrophilized, organic contaminants such as dirt and soap scum contained in water and the like, which are the basis of dirt, can be easily removed only by applying water, and adhere to the surface of the photocatalyst layer 12. The germs and microorganisms are killed or their growth is suppressed by the bactericidal action of the photocatalyst, which is sanitary.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment, in which a bottom wall surface 7a of a water receiving portion 7 is inclined rightward and downward in the drawing. Reference numeral 10 denotes a drain hole for discharging water and the like, and reference numeral 11 denotes a water receiving tray for receiving water and the like discharged from the drain hole 10.

With this configuration, if water is applied to the organic contaminants attached to the photocatalyst layer 12, dirt will collect in one place, making cleaning very easy.

It is preferable that the thickness of the photocatalyst layer 12 be 0.2 μm or less. When the thickness is 0.2 μm or less, the photocatalyst layer 12 can be made sufficiently transparent, and color formation due to light interference can be prevented. can do.

As a photocatalyst, titania (TiO 2)
2) is most preferable, and when the photocatalyst layer 12 of titania (TiO 2) is photoexcited, the surface of the photocatalyst layer 12 becomes 10 ° or less, more preferably 5 ° or less, particularly 0 ° in terms of the contact angle with water. Is superhydrophilized.

The above description relates only to each embodiment of the present invention, and does not mean that the present invention is limited only to the above content. For example, a heater unit 3 is provided between the air supply means 2 and the blow-out nozzle 4 to blow hot air from the blow-out nozzle 4, or a means for generating high-speed air such as a turbo fan as the air supply means 2. A high-speed airflow may be blown out from the blowing nozzle 4 using such a method. Since water or the like adhering to the surface of the photocatalyst layer is dried quickly with this configuration, it is possible to remove grease and soap residue contained in the water and the like. The degree of contamination by organic contaminants is reduced, making cleaning easier.

As the light source for photoexciting the photocatalyst, an electric lamp such as an incandescent lamp, a metal halide lamp, a mercury lamp or a fluorescent mercury lamp can be used in addition to a fluorescent lamp.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a hand drying device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a central sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hand drying device 2 ... Air supply means 3 ... Heater unit (heating means) 4 ... Blowing nozzle 5 ... Fluorescent lamp (light source) 6 ... Hand insertion part 7 ... Water receiving part 7a ... Bottom wall surface 7b ... Front wall surface 7c, 7d ... side wall surface 7e ... front wall surface 8 ... air intake port 9 ... air suction port 10 ... drain hole 11 ... water receiving tray 12 ... photocatalyst layer

Continued on the front page (72) Mitsuo Rikimaru 2-1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A hand insertion part, a blowing nozzle for blowing air to remove water or the like attached to the hand, and an air supply means for supplying air to the blowing nozzle, forming the hand insertion part. A hand drying device comprising a photocatalyst layer coated on at least one wall surface. 2. The hand drying device according to claim 1, further comprising a light source for exciting the photocatalyst layer. 3. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface is a bottom wall surface for receiving water or the like removed from a hand. 4. The hand dryer according to claim 3, wherein said bottom wall is inclined. 5. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a heat generating means is provided upstream of said blow nozzle. 6. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein said air supply means supplies high-speed air.