FR3031663A1 - HAND DRIVE DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hand dryer device comprising a frame (2) carrying: (i) means (3) for producing an air flow which are extended by a conduit (4) for the circulation of said flow of air (ii) at least one nozzle (5) which is provided at a downstream end (42) of said conduit (4) and is adapted to generate an air jet for drying the hands of a user. Said at least one nozzle (5) is formed in a movable outlet part (10) which is positioned at said downstream end (42) of said duct (4) and which cooperates with said frame (2) through means linker (11) defining at least one degree of freedom (11 '). And said hand dryer device (1) comprises means (12) for generating a movement of said output piece (10) and said at least one nozzle (5) according to said degree of freedom (11 ') when said means of production of the air flow (3) are in the running configuration.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES The present invention relates to hand dryer devices for drying a user's hands.

BACKGROUND ART Most hand dryer devices are electrically powered and are intended to be installed near a water point, generally in wall mounting. These hand dryer devices usually use a flow of air that is sprayed onto the still wet hands of a user, after washing, to remove residual water. For this, these hand-drying devices conventionally comprise a frame carrying: - means for the production of an air flow which are extended by a duct for the circulation of the air flow produced, - at least one nozzle which is arranged at a downstream end of this duct and which is capable of generating an air jet intended to dry the hands of a user, and - means for controlling the means for producing the flow of air between walk and stop configurations. The jet of drying air obtained then allows removal of the water by an evaporation phenomenon and / or by a mechanical phenomenon of thrust in a determined drying zone. However, for optimum efficiency and to limit the size of the nozzle, it is often necessary that this drying zone has reduced dimensions. The user is then forced to move his hands constantly within the drying zone, in practice very directional, which is not always very ergonomic.

There is thus a need for a hand dryer device whose drying area has increased dimensions, capable of impacting the maximum of the surface of the hands, while preserving an optimal drying efficiency and without causing additional congestion of the OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In this context, the Applicant has developed a new structure of hand dryer device which has the advantage of having an increased drying zone, without requiring an oversizing of the flow production means. 'air. For this, the hand dryer device according to the invention comprises a frame carrying: (i) means for producing an air flow which are extended by a conduit for the circulation of said air flow, (ii) at least one nozzle which is provided at a downstream end of said duct and which is capable of generating an air jet intended to dry the hands of a user, and (iii) means for controlling said means of production air flow between on and off configurations, and according to the invention, said at least one nozzle is formed in a movable outlet piece which is positioned at said downstream end of said duct and which cooperates with said frame by means of connecting means defining at least one degree of freedom, and said hand dryer device comprises means for generating a movement of said movable outlet piece and said at least one nozzle according to said degree of freedom when said means of Airflow production are in the run configuration. In general, preferably, the means for generating the movement of the outlet piece comprise at least one thrust surface which equips said outlet piece and which is shaped to cooperate with the flow of air from said flow production means. in the running configuration so as to generate the movement of said output piece. According to a preferred embodiment, the output piece cooperates with the frame of the device via pivot connection means defining an axis of rotation about which said output piece is pivotable, and the means for generating the movement of said moving output part consist of means for generating a rotation of said output piece and said at least one nozzle about said axis of rotation, when said means of production of the air flow are in running configuration, so as to obtain at least one drying air jet which pivots about said axis of rotation. According to advantageous embodiments of this preferred embodiment: said at least one nozzle is delimited by two opposite faces, and at least one of said two faces forms an angle of attack with respect to the axis of rotation. to form said thrust surface; said at least one nozzle advantageously consists of a slot extending radially with respect to said axis of rotation. Preferably, the outlet part comprises at least two nozzles regularly distributed around said axis of rotation; - The downstream end of the duct consists of a circular opening, and the output part comprises a disc which surrounds said circular opening and in the thickness of which is provided said at least one nozzle; advantageously, the circular opening of the duct is delimited by a frustoconical surface and the disc of the outlet piece is extended by a frustoconical inner lip conforming to said frustoconical surface of the circular opening; - The pivot connection means are formed between said rotating part, and a frame support structure which extends within the flow duct of the air flow, upstream of its downstream end; - The output part cooperates with means for braking its rotation about its axis of rotation; the corresponding braking means preferably comprise a friction member which is supported between a movable bearing surface coupled in rotation with the output piece, and a fixed bearing surface. According to another embodiment, the output piece cooperates with the frame by means of translation link means defining a translation line along which said output piece is able to walk; and the means for generating the movement of said moving output part consist of means for generating a translation of said output piece and said at least one nozzle along said translation line when said means for producing the air flow are in walking configuration.

In this case, preferably, the output piece is movable between two end positions relative to a guide housing: - a retracted position within said guide housing, when the means of production of the air flow are in stop configuration, and - a deployed position relative to said guide housing, when the means for producing the air flow are in running configuration, and said output piece is associated with return means in the retracted position.

The outlet piece and the guide housing advantageously each comprise an upstream orifice and a downstream orifice, for the circulation of the air flow; and, in the deployed position, said outlet orifices are in the extension of one another to each form a nozzle capable of generating an air jet.

In a general manner and preferably: the frame has a lower face intended to be oriented downwards, and the outlet piece is located within said lower face; the device comprises at least one proximity detector provided with a detection zone, and the control means are intended to start said means for producing the air flow when the hand or hands of the user in said detection zone. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be further illustrated, without being limited in any way, by the following description of particular embodiments in connection with the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the dry device; hands according to the invention, shown with a vertical sectional plane to show the arrangement of the output piece, movable in rotation, cooperating with the frame by means of pivot connection means; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary outlet part and the associated pivot connecting means constituting the hand dryer device of FIG. 1; - Figure 3 shows in perspective the output part of the device of Figures 1 and 2, seen from the side of its lower face; - Figure 4 still shows the outlet part in perspective, seen here on the side of its upper face and with a cutting plane passing through one of its nozzles; and FIG. 5 represents, very schematically, another hand dryer device according to the invention, in which the output piece cooperates with the frame by means of translation linkage means. The hand dryer device 1, shown in FIG. 1, consists of a device that is able to dry the hands of a user and that operates with electrical energy.

This hand dryer device 1 comprises a frame 2 carrying: - means 3 for the production of an air flow F, - a duct 4, for guiding this air flow F from its flow production means. air 3, - at least one nozzle 5 which is provided at a downstream end of the duct 4 and which is capable of generating an air jet J intended to dry the hands of a user in a drying zone Z, and - means 6 for the control of the production means of the air flow 3. The frame 2 is formed mainly by a housing or a housing, of generally parallelepiped shape. This frame 2 comprises a set of faces: - a rear face (not shown), intended to bear and be fixed on a vertical support (for example a wall), - a front face (not shown), in front of which the user is placed, - two lateral faces 21, - a lower face 22, intended to be oriented towards the ground, and - an upper face 23, intended to be oriented towards the ceiling. The means 3 for the production of the air flow advantageously consist of an electric fan, conventional in itself. The duct 4, extending these production means of the air flow 3, comprises two ends: an upstream end 41, connected to the production means of the air flow 3, and a downstream end 42, at the level of which is / are provided (s) or the nozzles 5 and which is arranged here at the lower face 22 of the frame 2. The control means 6 provide control of the air flow production means 3, for the implementation of operating these during the presence of the hands of the user in the drying zone Z. These control means 6 consist for example in at least one electronic card which comprises a printed circuit comprising the electronic and / or electrical components useful for the operation of this hand dryer device 1. These control means 6 are in particular able to control the production means of the air flow 3 between two configurations: - a gait configuration, in which the flow production means of air 3 generate an air flow F within the circulation duct 4 and corollary a jet of air J through said at least one nozzle 5, and - a stop configuration, wherein the means of production of air flow 3 do not generate said air flow F and said air jet J. These control means 6 include in particular means for detecting the presence of the user's hands in the area of drying Z, which consist for example of a capacitive proximity sensor. Such a capacitive proximity detector generates a detection zone, advantageously within the drying zone Z, for the operation of the air flow production means 3 when the user's hands are present in this zone. detection. Such a capacitive proximity detector aims to detect a variation of the capacitance of the system, related to the presence of an object in the detection zone.

This hand dryer device 1 according to the invention has the advantage of providing a drying zone Z which is optimized spatially (optimization of the impact surface on the hands), without compromising on the efficiency of the air jet J (directional aspect to push the water) and without requiring an increase in the caliber of the means of production of the air flow 3.

For this, according to the invention, or the nozzles 5 are formed in an outlet part 10 which is positioned at the downstream end 42 of the duct 4 and which is movable relative to the frame 2 during the passage in configuration 3. For this, on the one hand, this output piece 10 cooperates with the frame 2 by means of connecting means 11 defining at least one degree of freedom for said piece of air. associated output 10, advantageously a degree of freedom in rotation 11 '(Figures 1 to 4) or a degree of freedom in translation 11 "(Figure 5). On the other hand, this hand dryer device 1 comprises means 12 for generating a movement of said outlet piece 10, and corollary of the or associated nozzles 5, according to the degree of freedom 11 ', 11 "supra when the means for producing the air stream 3 are in the running configuration. The means 12 for generating the movement of the outlet piece 10 advantageously comprise at least one thrust surface 121 which equips said outlet piece 10 and which is shaped to cooperate with the air flow F coming from the production means of the flow stream. 3 in the running configuration (flowing in the duct 4), so as to generate the movement of said outlet piece 10. According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the outlet piece 10 cooperates with the frame 2 by means of connecting means 11 which consist of pivot connection means defining a degree of freedom 11 'in the form of an axis of rotation about which the output piece 10 is intended to pivot. In this regard, the output piece 10 consists of a disc 101 having a central axis 101 'which is intended to extend coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation 11' above.

The disc 101 in question comprises: - an upper face 1011, oriented towards the duct 4, - a lower face 1012, opposite, facing the ground, and - a circular peripheral edge 1013. The circular peripheral edge 1013 of this disc 101 marries the downstream end 42 of the duct 4 which takes the form of a circular opening.

This circular peripheral edge 1013 is further extended, on the side of the upper face 1011, by an inner lip 102. The inner lip 102 has a generally frustoconical shape, the diameter of which decreases in the lower face 1012 / upper face 1011 direction.

The upper face 1011 of this outlet piece 10 also comprises a central monoblock pin 103 which extends coaxially with respect to the central axis 101 'of the disk 101 and which is assembled with the connecting means 11. This disk 101 of the outlet piece 10 is traversed by the nozzles 5, here two in number. These nozzles 5 are regularly distributed around the central axis 101 'of the disk 101 and the axis of rotation 11', on two diametrically opposite radii. Each of these nozzles 5 here has a generally elongate shape, defining a longitudinal axis 5 'extending radially relative to the central axis 101' of the disc 101 (Figure 4). Each nozzle 5 is delimited by two opposite faces 51, 52 projecting from the lower face 1012 of the disc 101. These faces 51, 52 of the nozzle 5 delimit two opening holes 53, 54: an orifice upstream 53, located in the plane of the upper face 1011, and - a downstream orifice 54, arranged at a distance from the lower face 1012. These faces 51, 52 of the nozzle 5 are arranged to constitute the means 12 for generating the rotation of the outlet part 10 when the air flow production means 3 are in the running configuration. For this purpose, a first face 51 forms an angle of attack A with respect to the aforementioned axis of rotation 11 ', to form the thrust surface 121 which cooperates with the air flow F so as to generate the rotational movement of the outlet piece 10, and therefore associated nozzles 5.

This angle of attack A has for example a value between 100 and 15 °. The second face 52 extends here parallel, or at least approximately parallel, to the axis of rotation 11 ', so as to refine the air gap.

The pivot connection means 11 consist of bearing means, advantageously a plain bearing or a rolling bearing, which is arranged to define the axis of rotation 11 'of the output piece 10. These pivot connection means 11 are for this purpose arranged between: - the upper face 1011 of the disk 101 of the output part 10, in this case at its pin 103, and - a support structure 15 carried by the frame 2 and which extends on the side of the downstream end 42 of the duct 4. The support structure 15 is visible in particular in Figure 2, with a median vertical section plane. This support structure 15 comprises a tubular piece 151 comprising an inner face 1511 forming a downstream portion of the duct 4. This inner face 1511 has a lower edge 1512 forming the downstream opening 42 of the duct 4.

This lower edge 1512 has a frustoconical general shape, the section of the downstream opening is increasing from top to bottom and intended to match the inner lip 102 of the outlet piece 10. The inner face 1511 of the tubular piece 151 comprises still another radial arm 152 of which: - a peripheral end 1521 is secured to said inner face 1511 of the tubular piece 151, and - a central end 1522 forms a housing receiving the bearing means 11. These bearing means 11 are secured to the piece of output 10 through its pin 103. The output piece 10 and the bearing means 11 cooperate with means 16 for braking the rotation of the output piece 10 about its axis of rotation 11 ', so as to limit the speed maximum rotation of the output piece 10.

For this purpose, these braking means 16 comprise a friction member 161, which here consists of a spring member, attached between two parts: a rotatable piece 162, coupled in rotation with the outlet piece 10 and forming a lower surface support 1621 (Figure 1), and - a fixed part 163 formed diametrically within the inner surface 1511 of the tubular member 151 and forming an upper bearing surface 1631 (Figure 1). The spring member 161 is thus maintained in compression between its two surfaces 1621, 1631 which are opposite and at a distance from one another. As shown in FIG. 1, the rotating part 162 consists of a cylindrical, generally cylindrical piece comprising: a bottom wall constituting the lower bearing surface 1621, and a tubular wall 1622, extending this bottom wall. 1621.

The fixed part 163 consists of a plate which is attached to two radial arms 153 carried by the inner surface 1511 of the tubular part 151. In practice, in the absence of hands of the user in the detection zone, the production means of the air stream 3 are in stop configuration. In the absence of air flow F, the outlet part 10 is stationary. When a user places his hands in the detection zone, the means for producing airflow 3 are controlled in run configuration by the control means 6.

These air flow production means 3 thus generate the flow of air F which travels along the duct 4, from its upstream end 41 to its downstream end 42. At this downstream end 42, the flow of air Air F travels within each nozzle 5, from its upstream orifice 53 to its downstream orifice 54, to come out in the form of an air jet J having the shape of an air knife. During this path within the slots 5, the air flow F generates a pressure on their respective first faces 51, which generates a rotation of the output part 10 about its axis of rotation 11 '. The nozzles 5 also rotate around this axis of rotation 11 ', thereby generating air jets J whose longitudinal axis 5' pivots around the axis of rotation 11 '. The drying zone Z generated by the outlet piece 10 thus corresponds to the diameter swept by the rotating nozzles 5 (FIG. 1). Such a phenomenon thus makes it possible to generate a drying zone Z whose surface area is significantly greater than that of the nozzles 5, without requiring means for producing air streams 3 whose size would be increased. Note that the rotational speed of the output part 10 is limited by the braking means 16, so as to avoid a high speed with the risk of excessive shocks with the user's hands that would result. When the operator extracts his hands from the detection zone, the means for producing air flow 3 return to the stop configuration. The output piece 10 then stops rotating gradually.

A second particular embodiment of the hand dryer device 1 is illustrated in FIG. 5. The corresponding hand dryer device 1 is similar to that described above in relation with FIGS. 1 to 4, in that it comprises a frame 2 carrying: (i) means for the production of an air flow (not visible) which are extended by a duct 4 for the circulation of said air flow, (ii) at least one nozzle 5 which is arranged at a downstream end 42 of said duct 4 and which is capable of generating an air jet J intended to dry the hands of a user, and (iii) means for controlling said means for producing the flow of air (not shown) between on and off configurations. This hand dryer device 1 differs from the previous device of Figures 1 to 4, in particular by its connecting means 11 which are here consist of translational link means.

In this case, the output pieces 10 are two in number, arranged symmetrically on either side of a median plane P parallel to the side walls 21 of the frame 2. These output pieces 10 cooperate with the frame 2 by by means of connecting means 11 each defining a degree of freedom of translation which forms a translation line 11 "along which each output piece 10 is able to travel, in this case, this translation line 11" is curved preferably with a generally arcuate shape.

These translational linking means 11 comprise for this purpose two guide housings 115 in each of which is connected one of the outlet parts 10. The guide housing 115 has different orifices 116: an upstream orifice 1161, connected to the duct 4 and located on the side of the median plane P, - a downstream orifice 1162 intended to form a nozzle 5 for the production of an air jet J, which is formed in the lower wall 22 of the frame 2 and situated on the median plane side P and - a lateral orifice 1163, for the passage of the outlet piece 10 during its translation guide, which is also formed in the lower wall 22 of the frame 2 and located at a distance from the median plane P. The output piece 10 is movable within and along its guide housing 115 between two end positions: - a retracted position within its guide housing 115 (left of Figure 5), when the flow generating means air 3 are in trust stopping gure, and - an extended position relative to its guide housing 115 and through its lateral orifice 1163 (on the right of FIG. 5), when the means for producing air flow 3 are in the configuration of FIG. walk. On its side, the outlet piece 10 consists of a part whose outer shape is complementary to the guide housing 115. This outlet piece 10 is recessed / hollow, with a recess 104 which is delimited by a set of walls 105: an upstream wall 1051, on the side of the duct 4, - a downstream wall 1052, adjoining the lower wall 22 of the frame 2, - a side wall 1053, at a distance from the median plane P, and - two end walls 1054, opposite the front and rear walls of the chassis 2.

This outlet piece 10 is provided with two orifices 106 for the flow of air through its housing 104: an upstream orifice 1061, located in its upstream wall 1051 and on the median plane side P, intended to be connected to the duct 4 regardless of the configuration of the outlet piece 10, and - a downstream orifice 1062, located in its bottom wall 1052 and facing the bottom wall 22 of the frame 2, intended to form a nozzle 5 when the outlet piece 10 is in the deployed position. The means 12 for generating the movement of the outlet piece 10, from its retracted position to its extended position, also comprise a thrust surface 121 which equips said outlet piece 10 and which is shaped to cooperate with the flow of the pressure. F air coming from the means of production of the air flow in running configuration. This thrust surface 121 is constituted by the side wall 1053 of the outlet piece 10, arranged at a distance from the median plane P and opposite its upstream orifice 1061. Each outlet piece 10 is also associated with means 117. for its return to the retracted position when the air flow production means 3 pass from a run configuration to a stop configuration.

In this case, a traction spring member 117 is attached between: - the guide housing 115, and - the output part 10, in this case its thrust surface 121. This pulling spring member 117 then passes through of the upstream orifice 1061 of the outlet piece 10.

In practice, when the means for producing the air stream 3 are in a stop configuration, the outlet pieces 10 are in the retracted position (on the left in FIG. 5), in particular under the effect of the return means 117. The lower face 22 of the frame 2 is thus devoid of any projecting element.

When the operator positions his hands in the detection zone, the production means of the air flow 3 are then controlled in run configuration. The air flow F thus generated then causes a thrust phenomenon on the thrust surface 121 of the output parts 10 in the presence, with a force greater than the traction force caused by the return means 117. The output parts 10 are then maneuvered and guided in translation along their respective translation axes 11 ", through the lateral orifice 1163 of the guide housing 115, thus causing their displacement in their deployed position (right in Figure 5).

In this deployed position, the downstream orifice 1162 of the guide housing 115 and the downstream orifice 1062 of the outlet piece 10 come in the extension of one another, in a juxtaposed manner, to each form a suitable nozzle 5 to generate an air jet J.

The flow of air F travels thus: - for a part, through the downstream orifice 1162 of the guide housing 115, and - for another part, through the upstream orifice 1061 of the outlet piece 10, then in its recess 104 before coming out through its downstream orifice 1062. When the operator extracts his hands from the detection zone, the means for producing the air flow 3 return to the stop configuration. The elastic return means 117 then cause the return of the output pieces 10 from their deployed position to their retracted position. This embodiment according to Figure 5 has the advantage of expanding the air outlet around the two hands that are in the center, here in a generally circular arc shape, so as to obtain a constant distance with the surface of 'impact.20

Claims (11)

1. A hand dryer device comprising a frame (2) carrying: (i) means (3) for producing an air flow which are extended by a conduit (4) for the circulation of said flow of air. (ii) at least one nozzle (5) which is provided at a downstream end (42) of said conduit (4) and is adapted to generate an air jet for drying the hands of a user, and (iii) means (6) for controlling said air flow generating means (3) between on and off configurations, characterized in that said at least one nozzle (5) is provided in a movable outlet part (10) which is positioned at said downstream end (42) of said duct (4) and which cooperates with said frame (2) through connecting means (11) defining at least one degree of freedom (11 ', 11 "), and in that said hand dryer device (1) comprises means (12) for generating a movement of said output piece (10) and the said at least one nozzle (5) according to said degree of freedom (11 ', 11 ") when said means for producing the air flow (3) are in the running configuration. 2. A hand dryer device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (12) for generating the movement of the output piece (10) comprise at least one thrust surface (121) which equips said output piece (10). ) and which is shaped to cooperate with the airflow from said air flow producing means (3) in a run configuration so as to generate the movement of said output piece (10). 3. A hand dryer device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the output piece (10) cooperates with the frame (2) by means of pivot connection means (11) defining an axis of rotation (11 ') around which said output piece (10) is pivotable, and in that the means (12) for generating the movement of said output piece (10) consist of means (12) for generating a rotation of said outlet piece (10) and said at least one nozzle (5) about said axis of rotation (11 ') when said air flow producing means (3) are in a walking configuration, so obtaining at least one drying air jet which pivots about said axis of rotation (11 '). 4. A hand dryer device according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one nozzle (5) is delimited by two faces (51, 52) facing each other, and in that at least one of said two faces ( 51) forms an angle of attack (A) with respect to the axis of rotation (11 ') to form the thrust surface (121). 5. A device for a hand dryer according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said at least one nozzle (5) consists of a slot extending radially relative to said axis of rotation (11 '). 6. Hand dryer device according to claim 5, characterized in that the outlet piece (10) comprises at least two nozzles (5) regularly distributed around said axis of rotation (11 '). 7. A hand dryer device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the downstream end (42) of the duct (4) consists of a circular opening, and in that the outlet piece (10) ) comprises a disk (101) which matches said circular opening and in the thickness of which is provided said at least one nozzle (5). 8. A hand dryer device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the output piece (10) cooperates with the frame (2) by means of translation link means (11) defining a a translation line (11 ") along which said output piece (10) is able to travel, and in that the means (12) for generating the movement of said output piece (10) consist of means (12) ) to generate a translation of said outlet piece (10) and said at least one nozzle (5) along said translational line (11 ") when said air flow generating means (3) is in configuration Steps. 9. A device for a hand dryer according to claim 8, characterized in that the output piece (10) is movable between two end positions relative to a guide housing (115): - a retracted position within said guide housing (115), when the air flow generating means (3) is in a stopping configuration, and a deployed position relative to said guide housing (115), when the flow generating means the air (3) are in the running configuration, and in that said outlet piece (10) is associated with return means in the retracted position (117). 10. A hand dryer device according to claim 9, characterized in that the outlet piece (10) and the guide housing (115) each comprise an upstream orifice (1061, 1161) and a downstream orifice (1062, 1162). , for the circulation of the air flow, and in that, in the deployed position, said downstream orifices (1062, 1162) are in the extension of one another to each form a nozzle (5) capable of generating a air jet. Hand dryer device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the frame (2) has a bottom face (22) which faces downwards and that the outlet piece ( 10) is implanted within said lower face (22).