Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K10/00—Body-drying implements; Toilet paper; Holders therefor
  • A47K10/48—Drying by means of hot air

Definitions

• the present invention relates to hand dryer devices operating with electrical energy and intended to be installed in wall mounting.
• This type of device comprises for this (i) means for producing an air flow, as well as (ii) a drying zone comprising an opening for the passage of hands; and this opening is equipped with at least one slit-shaped nozzle providing the projection of at least one air knife adapted to remove the water present on the user's hands, by pushing phenomenon.
• This technology is relatively efficient and interesting in that it is fast and consumes little energy.
• GB-2 249 026 discloses a hand dryer device comprising (i) means for producing a flow of air and (ii) a drying zone comprising an opening for the passage of the hands of the user who is equipped with a slot-shaped nozzle for the projection of an air knife able to eliminate the water.
• This passage opening is delimited by an annular inner surface having two longitudinal portions connected by two lateral portions.
• the slot-shaped nozzle is provided only along the length of the upper longitudinal portion of the annular inner surface.
• the flow of air passing through this nozzle is oriented vertically downward.
• the hand dryer device according to GB-2 249 026 would not yet allow an optimal action of removing the water present on the hands the user; there is also a risk of splashing towards the user, because of the power and orientation of the air gap.
• the Applicant has developed a new structure of the latter type of hand dryer to optimize the action and efficiency of the blade (s) of air drying (s).
• This hand dryer device comprises (i) means for producing an air flow and (ii) a drying zone comprising an opening for the passage of the hands of the user who is equipped with at least one nozzle in the form of slot for the projection of at least one air knife capable of removing the water present on said hands; which passage opening of the drying zone is delimited by an annular inner surface having two longitudinal portions, one upper and the other lower, connected by two lateral portions.
• the hand dryer device with corresponding air blade (s) is characterized in that said one or more slot-shaped nozzles are provided along the entire length, or at least approximately the entire length, of the two longitudinal portions of the annular inner surface, for generating two longitudinal air knives; and the nozzle or nozzles are arranged so that said longitudinal air blades are oriented towards each other and backward with respect to the passage opening, opposite the user.
• Such a structure allows optimal positioning of the user's hands within the opening of the drying zone; it also allows an optimal arrangement of the nozzle or nozzles for the projection of drying air blades.
• the drying air slats are generated simultaneously at the two longitudinal portions of the passage opening, and are oriented towards each other and towards the rear (opposite the user).
• the slot-shaped nozzle or nozzles extending over the upper and lower longitudinal portions of the annular inner surface are arranged so that the two longitudinal air blades together define an outside angle of between 100 ° and 150 °.
• the slot-shaped nozzle or nozzles extending over the upper longitudinal portion define a plane forming an angle (a) whose value is between 20 ° and 30 ° relative to a vertical plane
• the slot-shaped nozzle or nozzles extending over the lower longitudinal portion define a plane forming an angle (b) whose value is between 30 ° and 40 ° with respect to a vertical plane.
• the passage opening and the slot-shaped nozzles extend in a general plane which is inclined backwards, from bottom to top, with respect to a vertical plane.
• the air jet nozzle or nozzles are also advantageously provided on at least a portion of the length of the lateral portions of this annular inner surface, to project air also on the outer edge of the hands.
• the hand dryer device advantageously comprises two nozzles which are each formed on one of the longitudinal portions of the annular inner surface, to each generate a longitudinal air gap.
• the nozzle advantageously consists of an annular slot (continuous or discontinuous) which is provided along the entire length of the annular inner surface of the opening of the drying zone.
• the hand dryer device includes a duct for the flow of air flow, which duct comprises - an upstream chamber connected to the means for producing the air flow, and - a downstream tubular part which runs along opening the drying zone over at least a portion of its circumference and which is connected to the one or more air jets.
• downstream tubular portion of the duct has, in association with the upstream chamber, advantageously an annular shape surrounding the passage opening over its entire circumference; which downstream tubular portion and which upstream chamber are partially defined by the annular inner surface provided with said nozzle or nozzles.
• the device advantageously comprises two structural parts, one before and one rear, secured in airtight manner to define the duct for the air path, which rear part is provided with at least one orifice connected to the means for producing the air flow; in addition, these two structural parts comprise complementary annular parts to form together the annular inner surface associated with the downstream tubular portion of the duct, which annular portions of the front and rear pieces have complementary edges which are arranged close to one another to define one or more slots forming said projection nozzles; 'air.
• the device comprises a lower portion extended by two lateral arms connected by an upper longitudinal arm, together forming the annular inner surface defining the opening for the passage of the hands of the user.
• downstream tubular portion of the duct advantageously comprises two lateral sections integrated in the lateral arms and connected by a downstream longitudinal section integrated in said upper longitudinal arm.
• the device comprises a front face in which is formed the opening for the passage of hands;
• the drying zone comprises a water collecting member which is formed at the rear of the opening for the passage of hands, and - an upper opening formed opposite said manifold.
• FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of this device dryer
• FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the hand dryer device of FIG. 1, in a vertical and transverse sectional plane, on which are diagrammatically illustrated, in particular, the fan means, the duct for the flow of the air flow, and the projection nozzle of the air knife;
• FIG. 3 is a front view of a possible embodiment of the front structure of the hand dryer device according to FIGS. 1 and 2, forming in particular the duct for the flow of air, and the opening equipped with the projection nozzle of the air knife;
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the plane IV-IV of the front structure shown in Figure 3;
• FIG. 5 is a partial and enlarged view of FIG. 4, detailing the structure of the opening for the passage of hands; - Figure 6 illustrates, in perspective and exploded manner, the two constituent parts of the front structure of the hand dryer shown in Figures 3 to 5.
• the hand dryer device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, operates with electrical energy and uses air-blade technology to mechanically remove the water present on wet hands. wetness of a user (removal of water by pushing and sliding on the skin, possibly associated with an evaporation phenomenon).
• This hand dryer device 1 comprises a body 2 of parallelepipedal general shape, having - a rear face 2a, intended to bear and to be fixed on a vertical support (for example a wall), - a front face 2b, facing of which is placed the user, - two side faces 2c, - a lower face 2d, intended to be oriented towards the ground, and - an upper face 2e, intended to be oriented upwards.
• the body 2 incorporates means 3 for producing a flow of air for supplying the drying air knife or blades; these means 3, shown very schematically in Figures 2 and 4, advantageously consist of at least one electric fan.
• the body 2 comprises a drying zone 4 in which the user places his hands for drying under the action of the aforementioned air blade (s).
• This drying zone 4 comprises a housing 5 provided at the upper part of the body 2, delimited by the upper face 2e and the upper parts of the front faces 2b, rear 2a and side 2c_.
• This housing 5 is provided with:
• the front opening 6 is delimited by an annular inner surface 10 comprising two longitudinal portions 1 1, one upper 1 1 a and the other lower 1 1 b, connected by two lateral portions 12.
• This front opening 6 is of generally oblong shape, the major axis of which extends horizontally or at least approximately horizontally, with:
• two lateral portions 12 which are curved, in the general shape of a semicircle.
• the upper portion 11a of the annular inner surface 10 extends here in a horizontal plane, or at least approximately horizontal.
• the lower portion 11b of the annular inner surface 10 extends in turn in a plane inclined downhill from the front face 2b to the rear face 2a of the body 2.
• the annular inner surface 10 is delimited by:
• the front opening 6 is dimensioned for the introduction of hands in a juxtaposed manner and in the same plane, relative to each other.
• the front edge 13 of the annular inner surface 10 has the following dimensions:
• This front opening 6 is equipped with a nozzle 15 connected to the fan means 3 by a duct 16 (shown very schematically in FIG. 2).
• the nozzle 15 is arranged and structured for the projection of an air gap L in the space defined by the annular inner surface 10 of the front opening 6, in order to progressively eliminate the water present on the hands of the when withdrawing from the dwelling 5.
• this nozzle 15 preferably consists of a continuous slot, which is provided along the entire length of the annular inner surface 10, the side of the edge before 13 of the opening before 6.
• This nozzle 15, slot-shaped thus comprises several sections shown very schematically in Figure 2, namely - two longitudinal sections 15a and 15b which extend, respectively, along the length of the upper longitudinal portions 1 1 a and lower 1 1b, and two lateral sections 15c, each extending along the length of one of the two lateral portions 12.
• the nozzle 15 generates an annular air space L composed of two longitudinal air waves, diffused in the direction of one another through the two longitudinal sections 15a and 15b, and two lateral air knives, also diffused in the direction of one another through the two lateral sections 15c.
• the air gap L generated by the nozzle 15 is oriented rearwardly with respect to the front opening 6, that is to say the opposite of the user and slightly towards the rear face 2a.
• the zone of intersection Z of the jets produced by each of the sections 15a, 15b and 15c of the nozzle 15 lies behind a general plane P passing through the latter.
• This zone of intersection Z is thus advantageously in the form of a line of intersection of the longitudinal airfoils diffused in the direction of one another through the two longitudinal sections 15a and 15b.
• This feature aims to optimize the thrust action exerted by the air knife on the water wetting the hands of the user (the direction of the air gap is slightly opposite to the direction of withdrawal of the hands of the user. 'user).
• These two longitudinal air gaps have between them an outside angle (on the side of the user and the front face 2b of the body 2) between 100 ° and 150 °, more preferably between 1 10 ° and 130 °.
• This air gap L advantageously has a thickness of the order of 0.3 to 0.7 mm (preferably 0.5 mm), for a speed of the order of 300 to 350 km / h.
• the water collecting member 7 consists of a kind of bowl.
• It comprises a lower orifice 7a which allows the evacuation of liquids removed from the hands by the air knife L.
• the upper opening 8 extends through the upper face 2e and part of the height of the side walls 2c.
• the front opening 6, with its nozzle 15 and its duct 16, is constituted by a front structure 20 which is attached to the body 2.
• This front structure 20, illustrated in Figures 3 to 6, comprises - an upper part 20a, provided with said front opening 6 associated with the nozzle 15, and - a lower part 20b, forming a base for its attachment to the rest of the body 2 .
• the upper part 20a is provided with the front opening 6 which is delimited by the annular inner surface 10 in which is formed, on the side of its front edge 13, the nozzle 15 in the form of a continuous annular slot .
• annular inner surface 10 is here formed by:
• the two lateral arms 20aJ_ and the upper longitudinal arm 20a2 thus together form a generally loop-shaped element, extending in the extension of the lower part 20b.
• the width of the nozzle 15 is advantageously between 0.3 and 0.7 mm, preferably 0.5 mm.
• the sections 15a, 15b and 15c nozzle 15 in question each define a plane inclined relative to a vertical plane V and oriented rearwardly.
• the upper longitudinal segment 15a defines a plane 15a ⁇ forming here a counter-clockwise angle ⁇ with respect to a vertical plane V, the value of which is advantageously between 20 ° and 30 ° (preferably between 20 ° and 25 °).
• the lower longitudinal portion 15b extends meanwhile in a plane 15t here forming a clockwise angle b with respect to a vertical plane V, the value of which is advantageously between 30 ° and 40 ° (preferably between 35 ° and 40 °).
• the angles a and b extend in opposite directions relative to each other.
• the planes 15a and 15b of the longitudinal sections 15a and 15b define the inclination of the respective longitudinal air sections.
• the front structure 20 further integrates the conduit 16 for the flow of air flow from the fan means 3 to the nozzle 15.
• This duct 16 comprises - an upstream chamber 21, formed in the lower part 20b of the front structure 20 and connected to the fan means 3, and - a downstream tubular part 22, formed in the upper part 20a of the front structure 20, along the front opening 6 on its circumference and connected to the nozzle 15.
• the downstream tubular portion 22 of the duct 16 defines a generally annular shape in combination with the upstream chamber 21, to surround the front opening 6 over its entire circumference.
• the upstream chamber 21 is delimited here, in the upper part, by the lower longitudinal portion 11b of the annular inner surface 10.
• This upstream chamber 21 thus supplies air to the lower longitudinal section 15b of the nozzle 15.
• the downstream tubular portion 22 of the duct 16, here U-shaped, comprises two lateral sections 22a (not visible, but designated in Figure 3 for guidance) integrated in the tubular side arm 20aJ_.
• the two lateral sections 22a are connected on the upstream side to the upstream chamber 21 and, on the downstream side, by a downstream longitudinal section 22b of the downstream tubular part 22 which is integrated in the longitudinal arm 20a2 also of tubular shape.
• the lateral sections 22a and the downstream longitudinal section 22b of the downstream tubular part 22 thus supply air, respectively, the lateral sections 15c and the upper longitudinal section 15a of the nozzle 15.
• the front edge 13 of the front opening 6, and the nozzle 15, extend in a general plane P which is inclined rearward, from the bottom upwards, with respect to the vertical plane V (FIG. 5).
• the angle ç defined by this general plane P, with respect to the vertical, consists here of a time angle, the value of which is advantageously between 15 ° and 25 ° (preferably of the order of 20 °).
• the front structure 20 is constituted here by two parts, one before 25 and the other rear 26, secured in an airtight manner to delimit the duct 16 for the path air.
• the two structural parts 25 and 26 each comprise two parts complementary to each other, namely:
• annular upper part 25a and 26a to form together the upper part 20a of the front structure 20 (in particular the annular inner surface 10 associated with the downstream tubular part 22 of the duct 16), and
• the rear part 26 is provided with an orifice 27 for the passage of the air generated by the fan means 3.
• the distance between these two complementary annular edges 25a and 26a is advantageously between 0.3 and 0.7 mm, preferably of the order of 0.5 mm.
• this hand dryer device 1 comprises appropriate electronic means (not shown) to control its operation, including proximity detection means for detecting the introduction of the user's hands through the front opening 6 and means for controlling the operation of the fan means 3.
• the user introduces his wet hands through the front opening 6, next to each other and approximately in the same plane.
• the fan means 3 When the hands of the user are fully introduced through the front opening 6 and reach the housing 5, the fan means 3 are operated so as to generate the air flow through the nozzle 15.
• This air flow circulates in the duct 16, formed by the upstream chamber 21 and the downstream tubular part 22, and is projected through the nozzle 15 whose shape assures its ring air configuration and its orientation towards the rear (slightly towards the rear face 2a).
• the air knife L When the user moves his hands in translation through the front opening 6 to remove them from the drying zone 4, the air knife L then acts to eliminate the water by phenomena combining push, barrier to water and evaporation.
• the water flowing from the hands is here recovered by the collector 7. If necessary, especially to optimize drying, the user can proceed one or more other round trips through the front opening 6.
• This drying device is particularly effective, because its drying air blade provides action on the top and bottom of the hands, but also on the sides.
• two separate slot-shaped nozzles are each formed along the length of one of the two longitudinal portions 1 1 of the annular inner surface 10, each to generate a longitudinal air gap.
• the lateral portions 12 of the annular inner surface 10 may be devoid of air jet nozzles; they may also be each equipped with a secondary nozzle, in the form of a slot to form together a discontinuous slot, for the projection of a side air plate in addition to the two longitudinal air blades mentioned above.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Nozzles (AREA)
• Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
• Bidet-Like Cleaning Device And Other Flush Toilet Accessories (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=46508087

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2011
  • 2011-06-20 FR FR1155384A patent/FR2976474B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2012
  • 2012-06-19 WO PCT/FR2012/051376 patent/WO2012175860A1/fr unknown
  • 2012-06-19 EP EP12734971.0A patent/EP2720596B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2012-06-19 ES ES12734971.0T patent/ES2551861T3/es active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events