GB1602115A - Hot air driers - Google Patents
Hot air driers Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB1602115A GB1602115A GB3950877A GB3950877A GB1602115A GB 1602115 A GB1602115 A GB 1602115A GB 3950877 A GB3950877 A GB 3950877A GB 3950877 A GB3950877 A GB 3950877A GB 1602115 A GB1602115 A GB 1602115A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- hot air
- compartment
- air blast
- generating means
- housing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
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
Description
(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
HOT AIR DRIERS
(71) 1, BRIAN AIKEN AROA, of 52A Weldene Avenue, Greenfield,
Auckland, New Zealand, a British subject and New Zealand citizen, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a Patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it it to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to hot air driers, and more particularly relates to driers for hands or other objects including provision for a hot air blast to be directed onto the hands or objects. Hereinafter reference will be made only to 'hands'.
The basic principles of hot air blast drying of hands or other objects are well known, but one purpose or object of the present invention is to provide an improved hot air blast drier which is more efficient in operation than most, if not all, known hot air blast driers of comparable size.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hot air blast drier capable of being manufactured and sold at relatively low cost when compared with conventional driers of similar capacity.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description.
According to a first aspect of this invention, therefore, there is provided a hot air drier for hands comprising a housing defining in part or mounted adjacent a compartment with an opening whereby hands can be inserted into said compartment, hot air blast generating means mounted within said housing and arranged to direct a hot air blast through an outlet in a wall of the housing and into said compartment, an air intake to the housing separate from the outlet and opening to said compartment whereby at least part of the how air directed into the compartment by the hot air blast generating means is recirculated to said air blast generating means. and actuating means electrically connected to the hot air blast generating means and arranged to produce an electrical field or beam within the compartment so that hands inserted into the compartment will distort or interrupt said field or beam to effect operation of said hot air blast generating means without effecting manual electrical switching to direct a hot air blast into said compartment.
Preferably said hot air blast generating means has an electric resistance heating element in the form of an involute conical or pyramidal spiral with inner apex part thereof offset towards an air impeller or the air blast generaitng means and the outer part nearest an air outlet to the compartment.
Preferred aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of one preferred form of a drier in accordance with the invention,
Figure 2 is a partly diagrammatic front elevational view of the drier shown in
Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the drier of Figures 1 and 2,
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but including a modification to the invention, and
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a further modification.
The housing, generally indicated by the arrow 1, can be manufactured from any suitable material or materials and may for example be constructed entirely of metal or entirely of plastics or a combination of metal and plastics. For example the housing 1 may include a rear wall member 2 of aluminium or any other metal and the remaining part 3 of the housing 1 may be at least substantially of one piece construction from such as a fibre-glass reinforced or other plastics material of suitable strength and rigidity; the rear wall member 2 being adapted for fixedly mounting to a wall of a building such as by bolting or screwing and the remaining fibre-glass or plastics part 3 of the housing 1 being in the form of a cover which is detachably engageable with the rear wall part 2 such as by having a hooked part or parts, or an appropriate recess or recessses at the upper rear edge, complementary to and engageable over a projection or projections upstanding from the upper part of the rear wall member 2, with the cover 3 being subsequently securable in position such as by one or more screws engaging the bottom part of the cover 3 with the rear wall part 3 or a base plate extending therefrom.
The compartment 4 in which hands can be placed is preferably formed integrally with the fibre glass or plastics housing main part 3 and for example in the lower part thereof so as to be defined by a base wall 5 with conjoining side walls 6 and 7 a rear wall 8 and an upper wall 9, leaving the front of the compartment 4 opening to the front of the housing 1. The compartment base wall 5 is preferably inclined slightly towards the open front side so that any condensation or water drips that may collect in the compartment may easily drain therefrom.
The base wall 5 may be separable from the remainder of the cover if desired.
The hot air blast generating means may (and as shown by way of example in figures 2 and 3 of the drawings) comprise a centrifugal fan or blower 10 with a turbine or like impeller 10a arranged to be driven by a suitable electric motor 11, and an electric resistance element 12 is provided at the outlet to the fan or blower unit 10, which outlet is directed towards and may terminate in close proximity to (or is associated with ducting which terminates in close proximity to), a hot air outlet aperture 13 or series of apertures defined by or provided with a grill movement in the upper wall 9 to the compartment 4 so that hot air may be blasted downwardly into such compartment 4 and onto hands placed therein with no danger of such hands contacting the heating element 12.In a modification of the invention shown by way of example in figure 4 of the drawings, an axial flow fan or impeller 10b and electric motor 1 la may be employed to force air over the heating element 12 and through the outlet 13.
Preferably the heating element 12, which may be a coil or spirally wound wire electric resistance element (either circular, oval or substantially rectangular in plan) is spirally positioned in a mounting so as to be of generally involute conical or pyramidal form with the base of the cone or pyramid directed towards the compartment hot air
outlet 13 and the apex or inner spiral part of the element 12 directed towards the impeller 10a or 10b. There being little or no space between adjacent parts of the element when viewed endwise or axially, so that impelled air to be heated by the outer base part of the element 12 is preheated by the inner part of the element and thus maximum heating of the air can take place in providing efficient and effective air heating with a relatively small kilowatt element.The element may for example be a two to three kilowatt coil protected by a reset cut out to protect over heating of the coil, and it has been found by experiment that such an arrangement of element in combination with the substantially closed compartment and air recirculating arrangement hereinafter described can give a drying temperature of approximately 210 Fahrenheit with a l/lOth horse power motor drawing .75 amps at 7000 r.p.m. and delivering 150 cubic feet of air per minute.
Part of the air intake for the blower unit 10 can be by way of a grilled aperture 14 in the housing 1 at any suitable position, for example in the base wall 5 of the housing behind the compartment 4 or at either side thereof, but at least one side wall 7 of the compartment 4 is also apertured (with a protective grill) to provide at least one air intake 15 whereby at least some of the heated air directed into the compartment 4 may be recirculated back to the air blast generating unit so that air to such unit is again preheated for maximum efficiency and operation. It is envisaged that the air intake 15 in the compartment wall 7 can be the sole air intake for the hot air blast generating unit and the housing exterior walls need not be provided with an air intake.
Conventionally, hot air hand driers are actuated by such as a foot pedal or other pressure operated switch, but this embodiment provides a photo electric cell actuating means whereby a beam of light indicated by the broken line 16 is continually transmitted between the side walls 6 and 7 of the compartment 4 e.g.
through the wall 7 of the compartment 4 remote from the wall 7 having the air intake 15 towards the air intake 15, so that when hands are placed in the compartment 4 the beam of light 16 is interrupted and the hot air blast generator activated so that the unit is in operation whilst hands are in the compartment.
Alternatively, and as illustrated diagrammatically in broken outline in figures 2, 3 and 4, the photo electric call and beam actuating means can be replaced by an electrical energy field generated within the compartment 4 by a suitable field generating unit 18 located in an extended part la of the housing 1 below the compartment 4. interruption of said energy field 17 by hands serving to actuate switch mechanism for operation of the hot air blast generating unit.
The invention may include the single unit described and illustrated but a further modification of the invention envisages a single elongate housing with a plurality, for example two or three or more, of hand receiving compartments and associated independent hot air blast generating units and pulsed or continuous infra-red light beam or photo electric cell actuating means (or energy field actuating means) for each compartment. Such a construction of multiple units is of particular advantage in such as large wash rooms to avoid any waiting and such a unit can be constructed and supplied at substantially less cost than when providing a plurality of completely independent single units.
Referring now to figure 5 of the drawings, in a further modification of the invention and of particular advantage for such as industrial, catering or hospital and nursing applications where a user frequently needs to wash the forearms as well as the hands, the housing la defines a compartment 8a which is of channel form, open to the sides as well as the front of the housing la to enable reception and lateral movement of the users forearms. In this arrangement the air intake 15a for recirculation of at least some of the hot air blasted into the compartment 8a via outlet 13a in the compartment upper wall 9a, can be located to also be in said upper wall 9a to one side of the outlet 13a (there can also be a second
intake not shown, to the other side of the outlet 1 3a).This construction, having a more open compartment 8a may involve more hot air loss than the previously described hand driers but compensation may be obtained by varying the components and output of the hot air blast generating means, and in one experiment the arrangement includes an 1/8th horse power electric motor drawing 1--5 amps at 6800 R.P.M.
and delivering 348 cubic feet of air per minute, with a resultant compartment drying temperature of approximately 1800 Fahrenheit. It will be appreciated however,
that the invention is not restricted to this or the previously mentioned example of hot air blast generating means.
Also, in this alternative form of the invention and as the compartment 8a does not have side walls, switching on and off the air blast generating means can be effected by providing a pulsed or continuous infrared beam actuating means whereby a beam of light is intermittently or continuously transmitted into the compartment 8a from the area near the base of the housing lb below or near the outlet 13a, or alternatively in the upper wall 9a near the outlet 13a. So that when the user's hands or arms are placed in the compartment 8a
the beam is reflected to effect actuation of
the hot air blast generating means.
Thus it will be seen, that by this invention,
there is provided an improved hot air blast
hand drier which is both efficient and
effective in operation and capable of being
manufactured and sold at relatively low
cost. Particular forms of the invention have
been described and illustrated by way of
example, but it will be apPreciated that
other variations of and modifications to the
invention can take place without departing
from the scope of the appended claims.
WHAT I CLAIM IS:
1. A hot air drier for hands comprising a
housing defining in part or mounted
adjacent a compartment with an opening
whereby hands can be inserted into said
compartment, hot air blast generating
means mounted within said housing and
arranged to direct a hot air blast through an outlet in a wall of the housing and into said
compartment, an air intake to the housing separate from the outlet and opening to said
compartment whereby at least part of the
hot air directed into the comparatment by the
hot air blast generating means is
recirculated to said air blast generating
means, and actuating means electrically
connected to the hot air blast generating
means and arranged to produce an
electrical field or beam within the
compartment so that hands inserted into the
compartment will distort or interrupt said
field or beam to effect operation of said hot
air blast generating means without effecting
manual electrical switching to direct a hot
air blast into said compartment.
2. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1
wherein said hot air blast generating means
has an electric resistance heating element in
the form of an involute conical or pyramidal
spiral with the inner apex part thereof offset
towards an air impeller of the air blast
generating means and the outer part nearest
an air outlet to the compartment.
3. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1 or
claim 2 wherein said actuating means
comprises a photo-electric cell arranged to
continually transmit a light beam between
side walls of the compartment so that when
hands are placed in the compartment the
beam of light is interrupted and the hot air
blast generating means activated during the
period of interruption.
4. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1 or
claim 2 wherein said actuating means
comprises an electrical energy field
generating unit arranged to generate an
electrical energy field within the
compartment so that interruption of said
field by hands placed in the compartment
serves to actuate switch mechanism for
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.
Claims (16)
1. A hot air drier for hands comprising a
housing defining in part or mounted
adjacent a compartment with an opening
whereby hands can be inserted into said
compartment, hot air blast generating
means mounted within said housing and
arranged to direct a hot air blast through an outlet in a wall of the housing and into said
compartment, an air intake to the housing separate from the outlet and opening to said
compartment whereby at least part of the
hot air directed into the comparatment by the
hot air blast generating means is
recirculated to said air blast generating
means, and actuating means electrically
connected to the hot air blast generating
means and arranged to produce an
electrical field or beam within the
compartment so that hands inserted into the
compartment will distort or interrupt said
field or beam to effect operation of said hot
air blast generating means without effecting
manual electrical switching to direct a hot
air blast into said compartment.
2. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1
wherein said hot air blast generating means
has an electric resistance heating element in
the form of an involute conical or pyramidal
spiral with the inner apex part thereof offset
towards an air impeller of the air blast
generating means and the outer part nearest
an air outlet to the compartment.
3. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1 or
claim 2 wherein said actuating means
comprises a photo-electric cell arranged to
continually transmit a light beam between
side walls of the compartment so that when
hands are placed in the compartment the
beam of light is interrupted and the hot air
blast generating means activated during the
period of interruption.
4. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1 or
claim 2 wherein said actuating means
comprises an electrical energy field
generating unit arranged to generate an
electrical energy field within the
compartment so that interruption of said
field by hands placed in the compartment
serves to actuate switch mechanism for
operation of the hot air blast generating unit.
5. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said hot air blast generating means comprises a centrifugal blower with a turbine or like impeller driven by an electric motor and arranged to impel air over an electric resistance heating element and through an opening in a wall of the housing communicating with the compartment.
6. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 inclusive, wherein said hot air blast generating means comprises an axial flow fan and electric motor unit arranged to impel air over an electric resistance heating element and through an opening in a wall of the housing communicating with the compartment.
7. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein air intake for the hot air blast generating means is provided solely by way of an apertured wall of the compartment.
8. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 inclusive wherein air intake for the hot air blast generating means is provided by way of an apertured wall of the compartment and an exterior wall of the housing not defining the compartment.
9. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hot air blast generating means included two or three kilowatt electric resistance heating element and air recirculating and compartment arrangement capable of providing a drying temperature of approximately 210 Fahrenheit within the compartment utilising a 1/lOth horsepower air impeller unit drawing .75 amps at 7000
R.P.M. and delivering 150 cubic feet of air per minute.
10. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 inclusive wherein the hot air blast generating means includes a two to three kilowatt electric resistance heating element and air recirculating compartment arrangement capable of providing a drying temperature of approximately 1800
Fahrenheit within the compartment utilising 1/8th horsepower elelctric air impeller unit drawing 1--5 amps at 6800
R.P.M. and delivering 348 cubic feet of air per minute.
Il. A hot air drier as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the compartment is defined by the housing and is of open channel formation opening to the front and sides of the housing.
12. A hot air drier as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least major outer parts of the housing and compartment are of integrally moulded rigid plastics material substantially as described with reference to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A hot air drier for hands, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 inclusive, and wherein the housing is a single housing defining a multiple of the compartments each having an air intake opening thereto for a hot air blast generating means for each compartment and whereby at least part of the hot air directed into each compartment is recirculated thereto by way of the respective air intake and air blast generating means.
14. A hot air drier for hands, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a major outer part of the housing and at least a major part of the compartment are integrally formed of moulded rigid plastics material.
15. A hot air for hands, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
16. A hot air drier for hands, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB3950877A GB1602115A (en) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-05-26 | Hot air driers |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB3950877A GB1602115A (en) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-05-26 | Hot air driers |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB1602115A true GB1602115A (en) | 1981-11-04 |
Family
ID=10409934
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB3950877A Expired GB1602115A (en) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-05-26 | Hot air driers |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB1602115A (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2130698A (en) * | 1982-11-15 | 1984-06-06 | Giacomo Sacerdote | A sports racket handle drying device |
| GB2147804A (en) * | 1983-10-10 | 1985-05-22 | Norman Leslie Matthews | Hand drier |
| FR2588741A1 (en) * | 1985-10-22 | 1987-04-24 | Lamy Marcel | Filtered and recycled air hand-drier |
| GB2364242A (en) * | 2000-06-27 | 2002-01-23 | Matthew Edward Thomas White | Hand-driers |
| EP1827650A1 (en) * | 2004-11-30 | 2007-09-05 | Panache Global Holdings PTY LTD | Improved sterilising filter arrangement, apparatus & method |
| EP2636347A1 (en) * | 2012-03-06 | 2013-09-11 | Hokwang Industries Co., Ltd. | Water spot-free hand dryer |
-
1978
- 1978-05-26 GB GB3950877A patent/GB1602115A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2130698A (en) * | 1982-11-15 | 1984-06-06 | Giacomo Sacerdote | A sports racket handle drying device |
| GB2147804A (en) * | 1983-10-10 | 1985-05-22 | Norman Leslie Matthews | Hand drier |
| FR2588741A1 (en) * | 1985-10-22 | 1987-04-24 | Lamy Marcel | Filtered and recycled air hand-drier |
| GB2364242A (en) * | 2000-06-27 | 2002-01-23 | Matthew Edward Thomas White | Hand-driers |
| GB2364242B (en) * | 2000-06-27 | 2004-04-14 | Matthew Edward Thomas White | Hand-driers |
| EP1827650A1 (en) * | 2004-11-30 | 2007-09-05 | Panache Global Holdings PTY LTD | Improved sterilising filter arrangement, apparatus & method |
| EP1827650A4 (en) * | 2004-11-30 | 2013-02-20 | Alpha Technologies Corp Ltd | Improved sterilising filter arrangement, apparatus & method |
| EP2636347A1 (en) * | 2012-03-06 | 2013-09-11 | Hokwang Industries Co., Ltd. | Water spot-free hand dryer |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS | Patent sealed | ||
| 732 | Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| 732 | Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee | ||
| 728C | Application made for restoration (sect. 28/1977) | ||
| 728W | Application withdrawn (sect. 28/1977) |