JP2013102985A - Hand dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hand dryer for drying hands by sending airflow toward an inner part of a box body at high speed by inserting the hands into the inner part of the box body, which can operate with comfortable air volume without waste of air by changing the air volume during operation according to a level of moisture of hands at the start of the operation.SOLUTION: The hand dryer includes a device 6 for detecting the level of moisture and gradually evaluates the level of moisture by a means 11 for calculating the level of moisture during the start of the operation and is configured to decide the air volume by an air volume control means 12 according to the level of moisture. Consequently, the air volume is adjusted according to the level of moisture of the hands and the hand dryer which can operate with comfortable air volume without waste of air is obtained.

Description

  The present invention relates to a hand-drying device that applies air to a wet hand after washing to dry the hand.

  Conventionally, this type of hand-drying device is known to dry hands by inserting a hand into the box body and sending an air flow toward the inside of the box at high speed (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

JP-A-11-178744

  In such a conventional hand dryer, since it is not operated according to the degree of wetness of the hand at the start of operation, if there is little moisture adhering to the hand, operate with an air flow more than necessary When there is a lot of waste due to water and there is a lot of water adhering to the hand, there is a problem of giving discomfort due to the scattering of water in order to start blowing with a strong air flow.

  Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and evaluates the degree of wetness of the hand and determines the amount of air according to the evaluation result, thereby adjusting the amount of air according to the degree of wetness of the hand and reducing waste. An object is to provide a hand-drying device that can be operated with a comfortable air volume.

  In order to achieve this object, the present invention is a box body having a hand insertion portion into which a hand can be inserted from the upper surface or the front surface, and the body has a multistage adjustment of air flow in the hand insertion portion. From the blower that blows air, the hand detection device that detects the hand in the hand insertion portion, the water wetness detection device that detects the water wetness degree of the hand, the hand detection device, and the water wetness detection device Comprising a control device for controlling the operation of the blower using information, the control device, hand detection determination means for determining the presence or absence of a hand in the hand insertion unit based on a signal from the hand detection device; The water wetness calculating means for stepwise evaluating the water wetness degree of the hand based on the signal of the water wetness detection device, and the air blowing according to the level of the water wetness calculated by the water wetness degree calculating means. Hand with air volume control means to determine the air volume of the device Is obtained by a 燥 device, thereby it is to achieve the intended purpose.

  According to the present invention, the hand dryer main body is provided with a water wetness detection device, the water wetness calculation means is evaluated stepwise by the water wetness calculation means at the start of operation, and the air flow is controlled by the air flow control means according to the water wetness degree. By adopting the determined configuration, the air volume can be adjusted according to the degree of wetness of the hand, and therefore, there is an effect that the vehicle can be operated with a comfortable air volume without waste.

Side sectional view which shows the structure of the hand-drying apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the hand-drying apparatus of Embodiment 1 The block diagram which shows the structure of the hand-drying apparatus of Embodiment 2

  The hand drying device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a box body having a hand insertion portion into which a hand can be inserted from an upper surface or a front surface, and the air flow is adjusted in multiple stages in the hand insertion portion. Information from the hand detection device, the water wetness detection device for detecting the water wetness degree of the hand, the hand detection device and the water wetness detection device. And a control device for controlling the operation of the blower using the hand detection determination means for determining the presence or absence of a hand in the hand insertion unit based on a signal from the hand detection device, Water wetness calculating means for stepwise evaluating the water wetness degree of the hand based on the signal of the water wetness detection apparatus, and the air blower according to the stage of the water wetness degree calculated by the water wetness degree calculating means With air volume control means to determine the air volume of .

  Thereby, the control device evaluates the water wetness degree of the hand step by step by the water wetness calculation means, and determines the air volume by the air flow control means according to the calculated stage, so that it corresponds to the hand wetness degree. The air volume can be adjusted, and operation is possible with a comfortable air volume without waste.

  In the hand drying device according to claim 2, when the control device determines that the hand detection is performed by the hand detection determination means, the water wetness calculation means sets the degree of water wetness by the water wetness calculation means before starting the operation. ”,“ Medium water wetness ”, and“ high water wetness ”are evaluated in three stages. When the water flow control means is“ low water wetness ”, operation is performed with a small air flow. In some cases, the vehicle is operated with a medium amount of air flow, and in the case of “high water wetness”, the device is operated with a small amount of air for a predetermined time after the start of operation and then operated with a large amount of air.

  As a result, the air volume control means switches the air volume according to the water wetness degree “low water wetness”, “medium water wetness”, and “high water wetness” calculated by the water wetness calculation means, so there is no waste. I can drive. In particular, in the case of “high water wetness”, by switching to a large air volume after driving with a small air volume, the hand can be quickly dried while suppressing the scattering of water, and the effect of being able to operate with a comfortable air volume Can also be obtained.

  Further, the hand drying device according to claim 3 includes a water drop weight detection device that detects the weight of a water droplet dropped on the bottom of the hand insertion portion as the water wetness detection device, and the water insertion degree calculation means includes a hand insertion portion. The water wetness degree is detected based on the increase in the weight of the water droplet weight detection device due to the water droplets dropped when the hand is inserted into the water droplets.

  Thus, by using the water drop weight detection device as the water wetness detection device, the water wetness calculation means can calculate the water wetness degree of the hand based on the weight of the water drop dripping on the hand insertion portion. By determining the air volume with the air volume control means in accordance with the determined stage, the air volume can be adjusted according to the degree of wetness of the hand, and operation can be performed with a comfortable air volume without waste.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the hand drying device, the hand detection device and the water wetness detection device are configured by a temperature detection device that detects the temperature of an object in the hand insertion portion in a non-contact manner, and is disposed on a side surface of the hand insertion portion. The hand detection judging means detects the hand by comparing the change pattern of the detected temperature at the time of hand insertion registered in advance with the change of the detected temperature in the temperature detecting device, and based on the detected temperature. In this configuration, the degree of water wettability is detected.

  Thereby, by configuring the hand detection device and the water wetness detection device with a temperature detection device, the water wetness calculation means can calculate the water wetness degree of the hand according to the detected temperature of the temperature detection device, and at the calculated stage. Accordingly, by determining the air volume by the air volume control means, it is possible to adjust the air volume according to the degree of wetness of the hand, so there is no waste and it is possible to operate with a comfortable air volume. In particular, the temperature detection device can be used both as a hand detection device and a water wetness detection device, and the number of components can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the hand dryer in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the hand drying device main body 1 includes a hand insertion unit 2 through which a hand can be inserted and removed from the upper surface or the front surface of the hand drying device main body 1, a blower device 3 for sending air to the hand insertion unit 2, 3, a blowout port 4 for sending air sent from the hand insertion unit 2 to the hand insertion unit 2, a hand detection device 5 for detecting the hand in the hand insertion unit 2, and a water wetness detection device for detecting the wetness of the inserted hand. 6, and a control device 7 that controls the operation of the blower 3 using information from the hand detection device 5 and the water wetness detection device 6. The blower 3 is driven by a DC motor, and controls the rotation of the DC motor to adjust the air volume in multiple stages to blow. By rotating the DC motor, air is taken in from the suction port 8 at the lower part of the main body of the hand dryer, and air is sent out from the blowout port 4. The hand detection device 5 is composed of a pair of an infrared light emitting LED and a light receiving element arranged on the opposite side thereof. If the light receiving element receives light from the infrared light emitting LED, no sensor input is received. It is what you want.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the hand dryer in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the water wetness detection device 6 includes a water droplet weight detection device 9. The water drop weight detection device 9 detects the weight of a water drop dripped on the bottom of the hand insertion unit 2. A flat saucer for receiving water droplets is provided at the bottom of the manual insertion portion 2, and the weight of the saucer is measured. The saucer is drained by placing a hole or tilting it slightly. In the control device 7, the hand detection determination means 10 for determining presence / absence of hand detection with respect to the signal of the hand detection device 5 and the water wetness degree of the hand based on the signal of the water wetness detection device 6 are stepwise. A water wetness degree calculating means 11 to be evaluated and an air volume control means 12 for determining the air volume of the blower 3 according to the level of the water wetness degree calculated by the water wetness degree calculating means 11 are provided.

  In such a hand dryer, the conventional hand dryer does not operate according to the degree of wetness of the hand at the start of operation. When there is a lot of water attached to the hand, there is a problem of giving discomfort due to the scattering of water in order to start blowing with a strong air flow when there is a lot of water adhering to the hand.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the hand-drying device main body 1 is provided with the water wetness detecting device 6, and the water wetness calculating means 11 evaluates the water wettability step by step at the start of operation, and the air volume control is performed according to the water wettability. The air flow is determined by means 12.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to adjust the air volume according to the degree of wetness of the hand, and it is possible to operate with a comfortable air volume without waste. The detailed flow will be described below.

  When the power is turned on, the hand drying device main body 1 enters a standby state and starts sensing by the hand detection device 5. At the same time, the measurement of the water droplet weight detection device 9 used as the water wetness detection device 6 is started. The hand detection determination means 10 reads the signal from the hand detection device 5 at regular intervals and determines whether or not there is a hand detection. When it is determined by the hand detection determination means 10 that there is a hand detection, the water wetness calculation means 11 evaluates the increase in the weight of the water drop weight detection device 9 from the previous point of no hand detection in three stages. Here, when the weight increase is the least, the degree of water wetness is low, when the weight increase is intermediate, the level of water wetness is medium, and when the weight increase is the highest. Judged as “high water wetness”.

  After the water wetness degree is calculated by the water wetness degree calculating means 11, the air volume control means 12 adjusts the air volume of the blower 3 according to the calculated water wetness degree. Specifically, in the case of “low wetness”, the operation is started with a small air volume, and the operation is continued with the same air volume until it is determined by the hand detection determination means 10 that there is no hand detection. In the case of “medium wetness”, the operation is started with a medium air volume, and the operation is continued with the same air volume until it is determined by the hand detection determination means 10 that there is no hand detection. In the case of “high water wetness”, the operation is started with a small air volume, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the operation is switched to a large air volume, and the operation is continued with the same air volume until it is determined by the hand detection determination means 10 that there is no hand detection. When switching from a small air volume to a large air volume, the air volume may be increased stepwise. If the degree of water wetness is large, many water droplets will scatter when operation is started with a large air volume, so it is possible to use more comfortably by switching to a large air volume after dropping water drops to some extent with a small air volume in advance. become able to.

  As described above, by changing the air volume according to the degree of wetness of the hand, which is evaluated using the weight of water drops dripping at the start of operation (by decreasing the air volume when the hand wetness is low, increasing the airflow when it is large) In addition, it is possible to reduce the waste of air volume and suppress the consumption of electric power more than necessary, and even when the degree of wetness of the hand is large, it is possible to operate with a comfortable air volume while suppressing the scattering of water.

(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 3, the configuration of the hand drying device according to the second embodiment is different from the configuration of the hand drying device according to the first embodiment in that the hand detection device 5 and the water wetness detection device 6 are combined. The detection device 13 is provided.

  According to such a configuration, the temperature detection device 13 can be used as both the hand detection device 5 and the water wetness detection device 6, and the number of components can be reduced.

  The temperature detection device 13 is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of an object in the hand insertion portion without contact. By installing the temperature detection device 13 on the side surface of the hand insertion portion 2, the temperature of the air in the hand insertion portion 2 is detected when there is no hand in the hand insertion portion 2, and there is a hand in the hand insertion portion 2. In this case, the temperature of the hand in the hand insertion part 2 can be detected. In the hand detection determination means 10, a change pattern of the detected temperature when the hand is inserted into the hand insertion unit 2 is registered in advance, and the registered pattern is compared with the temperature change detected by the temperature detection device 13. Based on this, the presence or absence of hand detection is determined. The water wetness calculation means 11 uses the fact that the temperature of the hand is lowered due to the adhesion of water, estimates the amount of water attached to the hand from the temperature data detected by the temperature detector 13, ”,“ Medium water wet ”, and“ high water wet ”.

  As described above, comfortable operation can be performed without waste by changing the air volume according to the degree of wetness of the hand, which is evaluated using the temperature change in the hand insertion portion 2.

  The hand drying device according to the present invention adjusts the amount of driving air according to the degree of wetness of the hand at the start of operation, and is useful as a hand drying device for washing hands in a bathroom or toilet and drying wet hands. It is.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hand dryer main body 2 Hand insertion part 3 Air blower 4 Outlet 5 Hand detection device 6 Water wetness detection device 7 Control device 8 Suction port 9 Water drop weight detection device 10 Hand detection judgment means 11 Water wetness calculation means 12 Air volume control Means 13 Temperature sensing device

Claims (4)

A box body having a hand insertion portion into which a hand can be inserted from the upper surface or the front surface. The body includes a blower that blows air to the hand insertion portion by adjusting air flow in multiple stages, and a hand in the hand insertion portion A hand detection device that detects water wetness, a control device that controls the operation of the blower device using information from the hand detection device and the water wetness detection device With
The control device includes hand detection determination means for determining presence / absence of a hand in the hand insertion portion based on a signal from the hand detection device, and a degree of water wetness of the hand based on a signal of the water wetness detection device. And a water volume control means for determining the air volume of the blower according to the level of the water wetness calculated by the water wetness calculation means. Hand dryer. When the control device determines that the hand detection is detected by the hand detection determination means, before starting the operation, the water wetness calculation means sets the water wetness degree to “low wetness”, “medium wetness”, “water wetness”. It is evaluated in three stages, “large”, and when the “water wetting degree is low”, it is operated with a small air volume, and when it is “medium water wetness”, it is operated with a medium air volume. 2. The hand-drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case of “high water wetness”, the air dryer is operated with a large air volume after being operated with a small air volume for a predetermined time after the start of operation. As a water wetness detection device, equipped with a water drop weight detection device that detects the weight of a water drop dripped on the bottom of the hand insertion part, the water wetness calculation means is based on water drops dripped when a hand is inserted into the hand insertion part The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the water wetness is detected based on an increase in weight of the water drop weight detector. The hand detection device and the water wetness detection device are composed of a temperature detection device that detects the temperature of an object in the hand insertion portion in a non-contact manner, and is arranged on the side surface of the hand insertion portion. A hand is detected by comparing a change pattern of the detected temperature when the hand is inserted and a change in the detected temperature by the temperature detecting device, and the water wetness is detected based on the detected temperature. The hand dryer according to claim 1.

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