EP3383240A1

EP3383240A1 - Blower-type hand dryer

Info

Publication number: EP3383240A1
Application number: EP16809184.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Roux
Original assignee: Ghenossis-Vagenas Jean Georges
Current assignee: Ghenossis-Vagenas Jean Georges
Priority date: 2015-12-04
Filing date: 2016-12-02
Publication date: 2018-10-10
Also published as: WO2017093968A1; AU2016362792B2; MA43369A; CN108601490A; AU2016362792A1; FR3044537A1

Abstract

This hand dryer (1) comprises a housing forming at least one air induction opening, a cavity (3) into which to insert the hands, and one or more ducts (4) for blowing air into this cavity, and contains an air-purification subassembly (7) and a blower (8). According to the invention: – the air-purification subassembly is a photocatalysis system (7) situated underneath a tubular component (5) delimiting the said cavity (3); – the photocatalysis system (7) comprises a rigid framework (20) intended to be connected to the parts (8b) of the body of the blower (8) delimiting the induction opening (8a) of this blower (8), and comprises an absorption membrane mounted on this framework (20), facing toward this induction opening (8a) of the blower (8); – the hand dryer (1) comprises a plate (9) interposed between this absorption membrane and the body of the blower (8); and – the said second air-flow duct is delimited by a component (10) of fully or partially circular shape, engaged around the said tubular component (5) facing the said air-blowing ducts (4).

Description

BLOWING HAND DRESSERS

The present invention relates to a blowing hand dryer, usable in any type of premises but in particular in rooms for collective use such as public toilets.

It is well known to provide blower hand dryers in public toilets. A hand dryer of this type comprises a housing forming at least one air suction opening, a fan and one or more air blowing openings on the hands.

Some hand dryers also include a hand-engaging cavity into which the air blowing openings on the hands open.

Existing hand dryers have the disadvantage of blowing the ambient air into the premises, previously sucked on the user's hands; this mode of operation is not very hygienic in view of what contains the air in a room such as toilets.

In addition, some devices have a tendency, during the blowing of the air, to raise the water present on the hands towards the sleeves of the user, and wet these sleeves.

Patent Application Publication No. EP 2 656 762 A2 describes an apparatus which more or less overcomes these disadvantages. However, the description of this apparatus remains theoretical, particularly with regard to the air purifying means that this device is supposed to understand.

The present invention aims to overcome all the disadvantages of the apparatus according to the prior art, and in particular to provide a structure for perfectly purifying the air blown on the hands of a user.

The hand dryer concerned comprises, in a manner known per se, a housing forming at least one air intake opening, a hand-engaging cavity and one or more air-blowing ducts in this cavity, and containing a fan;

- The hand dryer comprises a tubular member internally defining said hand engagement cavity, which is open on one side of the hand dryer; the air blower ducts open into an anterior part of the tubular piece and the rear part of this tubular piece communicates with a first air flow duct connected to the inlet of the blower;

the hand dryer comprises a subset of purification of the air, located on this first air flow duct; and

- The hand dryer comprises a second air flow duct, connecting the outlet of the fan to the air blower ducts.

According to the invention,

the subset of purification of the air is a photocatalyst system situated below the tubular part;

the posterior end of the tubular piece is connected to a posterior flange sized and shaped so as to close the space situated between the tubular piece, the photocatalyst system and the surrounding walls of the casing;

the photocatalyst system comprises a rigid chassis intended to be connected to the parts of the fan body delimiting the suction opening of this fan, and comprises an absorption membrane mounted on this chassis, turned towards the opening of this fan; fan suction;

- The hand dryer comprises a flange interposed between the absorption membrane and the fan body, having outer edges that coincide with those of said frame, so as to maintain the outer edges of said membrane, and having a central support portion of the central part of the membrane, this flange forming at least one air flow opening between said outer edges and said central portion of this flange; and

said second air flow duct is delimited by a piece of totally or partially circular shape, engaged around said tubular piece opposite said air blowing ducts.

It will be understood that the terms "anterior" and "posterior" are to be considered in relation to the direction of introduction of the hands into said tubular piece.

Thus, the hand dryer according to the invention forms an air flow circuit which is partly closed; indeed, a major part of the air blown by the air blowing ducts is captured by said first air flow duct and passes through the photocatalyst system before being sucked by the fan; this air recirculated is thus purified before being fed by the fan in said second air flow duct and then to be distributed again by the air blower ducts.

As a result, the air blown on the user's hands is purified by photocatalysis, and is therefore perfectly hygienic.

In addition, the air to which the hands of the user are exposed flows from said air blower ducts, which are in anterior position in said tubular piece, towards said rear part of this tubular piece; this air thus flows substantially from the wrists of the user, towards the end of the fingers of this user, and therefore tends to remove the residual water present on the hands of the user vis-à-vis this user's sleeves, eliminating the risk of wet sleeves.

The structure of the hand dryer is perfectly adapted to receive a photocatalyst system as a subset of purification of the air blown on the hands; it is simplified by the direct mounting of the photocatalyst system on the fan inlet, this direct mounting being made possible by said flange, which maintains said absorption membrane notwithstanding the suction force exerted by the fan. The rigid frame that necessarily comprises the photocatalyst system for supporting at least one ultraviolet lamp is perfectly integrated into the apparatus, being in sealing relationship with the suction opening of the fan.

Said first air flow duct is constituted in a simple manner, essentially delimited by said flange and by said surrounding walls of the casing; the piece of totally or partially circular shape constituting said second air flow duct makes it possible to direct the purified air to the user's hands without risk of mixing with unpurified air.

The air blowing ducts could open into said hand-engaging cavity in a purely radial manner; preferably, however, each air blowing duct is arranged through the wall of said tubular piece in a direction oblique with respect to a plane tangential to this wall at an opening of this duct, and the different ducts. Air blowing are arranged so that the air they blow flows in said tubular piece in a circular motion.

This circular movement is combined with the axial suction movement of the air generated by the fan through said first airflow duct, so that a swirling flow of air is created within said airflow duct. cavity of engagement of the hands. This swirling flow proves to achieve a very efficient drying of the hands.

Said oblique direction may form an angle of about 20 to 60 ° relative to said tangent plane.

The air blowing ducts may not be evenly distributed around the periphery of the tubular part; preferably, they are regularly distributed around this periphery.

The tubular piece may in particular comprise four air blower ducts, thus positioned at about 90 ° from each other.

The hand dryer according to the invention may not include means for heating the air flowing in it; it may also include such heating means; in this case, because the air is recycled, the energy consumption for heating this air is reduced.

The hand dryer further comprises a hand dryer detector in operation, detecting the presence of hands in said cavity.

Said tubular piece could have a constant section; preferably, however, this piece has a slightly frustoconical shape, having an anterior portion of smaller section than the posterior portion.

This characteristic is favorable to the flow of air through said tubular part and thus the drying of hands.

Preferably, in this case, the cone generating said slightly frustoconical shape is an oblique cone, and said tubular piece is positioned in the hand dryer so that it has a lower generatrix which is inclined with respect to a central axis of the tubular piece, so that the front part of the tubular piece is located at a level higher than the rear part of this piece. The evacuation of the water falling from the hands of the user against the lower portion of the wall of the tubular piece is thus perfectly assured, without risk of stagnation in this tubular piece.

Advantageously, the hand dryer comprises:

a reservoir of disinfectant and / or perfuming liquid product and a subset of nebulization of this liquid product, the outlet orifice of which opens out on the outside of the hand dryer casing, and

- A bypass tube connected to said second air flow duct, an outlet port opens near the outlet of the nebulization subassembly.

The air blown by this bypass tube makes it possible to widely diffuse, in the room equipped with the hand dryer, the nebulized product emitted by the sub-assembly of nebulization. The realization of this branch tube and simplified by the presence of said part totally or partially circular.

The invention will be better understood, and other features and advantages thereof will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawing, showing, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the blowing hand dryer concerned.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, in the assembled state;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view, at the same angle of view as in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, at an angle of view more or less opposite to that in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in the assembled state, in section along a median vertical plane, with strapping a detail;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the detail circled in Figure 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of the hand dryer in assembled state, from the side and in vertical median section, with representation of the flow path of the air through the hand dryer, and

Figure 7 is a view of the hand dryer in the assembled state, at a substantially opposite angle to that of Figure 4, and with omission of two shells forming the housing of the hand dryer. Figures 1 to 4 and 6 show a hand dryer blowing 1, usable in any type of premises but in particular in rooms for collective use such as public toilets.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the hand dryer 1 comprises a casing 2, a hand-engaging cavity 3 and one or more ducts 4 for blowing air into this cavity 3. The cavity 3 is open on one face Anterior of the hand dryer 1 and the front opening of this cavity, through which a user engages his hands in the cavity 3, also forms an air suction opening in the hand dryer 1, as will appear later .

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it appears that the hand dryer 1 comprises a tubular member 5 internally defining said cavity 3, a posterior flange 6, a photocatalyst system 7, a fan 8, a flange 9 interposed between the system of photocatalysis 7 and the fan 8, a quasi-circular part 10 and a nebulization assembly 1 1.

The casing 2 is formed by an anterior shell 2a and a posterior shell 2b connected to each other. The front shell 2a forms an anterior opening in which, in the mounting position, is engaged in a fitting manner the anterior opening of the tubular part 5. The posterior shell 2b forms a recess 15 at its rear surface, more particularly visible on FIG. 6, and has a lateral opening 16, visible in FIG. 3, for diffusion of the perfuming and / or disinfectant product nebulized by the nebulizing assembly 11 and a lateral opening 17 for blowing air. The posterior shell 2b may also have an opening in one of its side walls or in its bottom, closed by a hatch, to access the photocatalyst system 7 for installation and removal of this system through of this opening.

The tubular piece 5 is cone-shaped not straight, having, as shown in Figure 6, an upper zone perpendicular to the plane of the front and rear openings of this room and a lower area inclined relative to these plans. The air blowing ducts 4 open into an anterior part of the tubular piece 5 and the rear end of this tubular piece receives the flange 6 fittedly engaged with it, this flange having a corresponding opening. This tubular piece 5 could also be purely cylindrical. The tubular part 5 has dimensions such that not only the user can introduce both hands into the cavity 3 that it delimits but it can also rub his hands in this cavity 3.

The ducts 4 for blowing air are four in number and are evenly distributed around the periphery of the tubular part, two ducts 4 being placed, when the hand dryer 1 is in the state of use, substantially in the vertical plane and the other two ducts 4 are therefore placed in the horizontal plane.

Figure 5 shows a duct 4 on an enlarged scale. It appears that each duct 4 is arranged through the wall of the tubular piece 5 in a direction oblique to a plane tangential to this wall at an opening of this duct, so that the duct 4 is delimited, in a plane parallel to the planes of the openings of this part 5, by oblique surfaces 5a. The inclination of a surface 5a with respect to said tangent plane may especially be such that a straight line passing through it forms an angle of about thirty or forty degrees with said plane.

The four ducts 4 have these surfaces 5a which are inclined identically from one duct 4 to the other, so that the air they blow flows in the tubular part 5 in a circular motion.

The flange 6 takes place on the rear end of the tubular part 5 as mentioned above; apart from its upper engagement opening on this part 5, it comprises a wall having lateral edges which, in the example shown, are inclined; in the mounting position, these lateral edges come in close proximity to corresponding inclined walls formed by the shell 2b at the upper part of the recess 15. Said wall of the flange 6 also has a dimension in the vertical direction, c ' that is to say in a direction radial to said opening, which is such that the lower edge of the flange 6, opposite the opening, comes in the immediate vicinity of the photocatalyst system 7, located below the tubular part 5 .

This photocatalyst system 7 comprises a chassis frame 20, two ultraviolet lamps 21 of cylindrical shape, mounted in this frame, two support grids, placed on the openings of the frame 20, and nonwoven membranes coated with carbon dioxide. these grids, these membranes being visible in FIG. 6 but not shown in FIGS. of the photocatalyst system 7 and these constituent elements are known per se and are therefore not described in detail.

It appears in FIGS. 4 and 6 that the photocatalyst system 7 is mounted in the shell 2b so that the rear edges of the frame 20 come in close proximity to the corresponding walls formed by the shell 2b at the bottom of the shell. 15. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the flange 6 is dimensioned and shaped so as to close the space between the tubular part 5, the photocatalyst system 7 and the surrounding walls of the shell. 2b of the housing, and that all of these elements are used to define a first airflow duct 25 going towards the suction opening 8a formed by the fan 8.

On its side opposite this duct 25, the frame 20 is connected to the parts of the fan body delimiting this suction opening 8a but with interposition of the flange 9.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, this flange 9 has outer edges that coincide with those of said frame 20, so as to maintain the outer edges of the membrane that comprises the subassembly 7 on this side of the frame 20, and having a central support part of the central part of this membrane, this central part being connected to the rest of the flange 9 by a lateral edge. The flange 9 thus delimits, between said outer edges and said central portion, a U-shaped air flow opening.

The fan 8 is of known type and is therefore not particularly described in detail. Apart from its square-shaped suction opening 8a, corresponding to the shape of the frame 20, and a flange 8b for receiving and mounting the flange 9, it has an air-blowing opening 8c connected to the part circular 10.

This piece 10 is intended to be engaged in an adjusted manner on the tubular piece 5, as can be seen in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7. It is hollow internally and, on its radially inner wall, forms orifices intended to coincide with the ducts 4 of air blowing. At one end, it forms an opening adapted to be sealingly connected to the opening 8c of air blowing that forms the fan 8, and is closed at its opposite end. At this opposite end, it receives, as more particularly visible in FIG. 7, a tube of directing branch 26 of air near the delivery port of the nebulized product.

Part 10 thus forms a second duct 30 for air flow.

The nebulizing assembly 11 comprises the above-mentioned tube 26, a reservoir 35 of liquid product to be sprayed, a subset 36 for nebulizing this product, terminating in a nozzle forming a delivery orifice for the nebulized product, and a base 37 tank support 35.

The reservoir 35 and the subassembly 36 are of known types and are therefore not described in detail.

The delivery orifice of the nebulized product is located, after assembly, facing the opening 16, and the end of the tube 26 is opposite the orifice 17; the air blown by this tube makes it possible to diffuse widely, in the room equipped with the hand dryer 1, the nebulized product emitted by the nebulizing assembly 1 1. The blowing of this air creates a part of the load which is compensated by the air entering through the front opening of the tubular part 5.

It thus appears that the hand dryer 1 forms an air flow circuit, represented by arrows in FIG. 6, which is partially closed; in fact, a major part of the air blown by the air blower ducts 4 is captured by the first air flow duct 25 and passes through the photocatalyst system 7 before being sucked by the fan 8; this recirculated air is purified before being fed by the fan 8 into the second duct 30 of air flow and then being distributed again by the ducts 4 of air blowing.

In addition, the air to which the hands of the user are exposed in the cavity 3 flows from the air blowing ducts 4 to the rear part of the tubular piece 5; this air thus flows substantially from the wrists of the user, towards the end of the fingers of this user, and therefore tends to remove the residual water present on the hands of the user vis-à-vis this user's sleeves.

The invention therefore provides a hand dryer blowing 1, usable in any type of premises but in particular in rooms for collective use such as public toilets, which has the decisive advantages: - to blow on the hands of the user purified air by photocatalysis, and therefore perfectly hygienic;

- eliminate the risk of wetting the user's sleeves;

to create a vortex flow of the air inside the hand-engaging cavity 3, which proves to perform a very efficient drying of the hands;

- Have a structure made simple and compact, resulting in particular the direct mounting of the frame 20 in the shell 2b and the fan 8, and the implementation of the flanges 6 and 9;

- Spread widely, in the room equipped with the hand dryer 1, the nebulized product emitted by the nebulizing assembly 1 1.

Claims

A blowing hand dryer (1), comprising a housing (2) forming at least one air suction opening, a hand-engaging cavity (3) and one or more blowing ducts (4). the air in this cavity, and containing a fan (8);

- The hand dryer comprises a tubular member (5) internally defining said cavity (3) of hand engagement, which is open on one face of the dryer (1);

the air-blowing ducts (4) open into an anterior part of the tubular piece (5) and the rear part of this tubular piece (5) communicates with a first air-flow duct (25) connected to the fan inlet (8);

- The hand dryer (1) comprises a subassembly (7) of air purification, located on the first conduit (25) of air flow; and

- the hand dryer (1) comprises a second duct (30) for air flow, connecting the outlet of the fan (8) to the ducts (4) for blowing air;

characterized in that

the air purification subassembly is a photocatalyst system (7) located below the tubular piece (5);

the posterior end of the tubular piece (5) is connected to a posterior flange (6) dimensioned and shaped so as to close the space situated between the tubular piece (5), the photocatalyst system (7) and the surrounding walls of the housing (2);

the photocatalyst system (7) comprises a rigid chassis (20) intended to be connected to the parts (8b) of the fan body (8) delimiting the suction opening (8a) of this fan (8), and comprises an absorption membrane mounted on this frame (20), turned on the side of this suction opening (8a) of the fan (8);

- the hand dryer (1) comprises a flange (9) interposed between the absorption membrane and the fan body (8), having outer edges which coincide with those of said frame (20), so as to maintain the edges external of said membrane, and having a central support portion of the central portion of the membrane, this flange (6) forming at least one air flow opening between said outer edges and said central portion of said flange (9). ; and - Said second air flow duct is delimited by a part (10) of totally or partially circular shape, engaged around said tubular member (5) facing said ducts (4) for blowing air.

2. Hand dryer (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each duct (4) blowing air is arranged through the wall of said tubular member (5) in a direction oblique to a tangent plane at this wall at an opening of this duct, and in that the different ducts (4) for blowing air are arranged so that the air they blow flows in said tubular piece (5) in a circular motion.

3. A hand dryer (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said oblique direction forms an angle of about 20 to 60 ° relative to said tangent plane.

4. Hand dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ducts (4) for blowing air are evenly distributed around the periphery of the tubular part (5).

5. A hand dryer (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the tubular member (5) comprises four ducts (4) blowing air, so positioned at about 90 ° from each other.

6. Hand dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises means for heating the air flowing in it.

7. A hand dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said tubular member (5) has a slightly frustoconical shape, having an anterior portion of smaller section than the rear portion.

8. A hand dryer (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the cone generating said slightly frustoconical shape is an oblique cone, and in that said tubular piece (5) is positioned in the hand dryer (1). such that it has a lower generatrix which is inclined with respect to a central axis of the tubular piece (5), so that the front part of the tubular piece (5) is located at a higher level than the rear part of this piece.

9. A hand dryer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises:

a reservoir (35) of disinfecting and / or perfuming liquid product and a subassembly (36) for nebulizing this liquid product, the outlet orifice of which opens onto the exterior of the hand dryer housing (2) ( 1), and

- a bypass tube (26) connected to said second airflow duct (30), an outlet port opens near the outlet of the nebulization subassembly (36).