JP2023024881A - hand dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hand dryer capable of reducing the possibility that the air outgoing from a blowout port leaks from an opening into which a hand is inserted, not from a suction port.

SOLUTION: A passage part has a suction passage connected to a suction port, into which the air sucked from the suction port flows, a circulation flow passage connected to the suction passage and a first blowout port, for sending the air flowing into the suction passage to the first blowout port, and a discharge flow passage connected to the suction passage and a discharge port formed out of a dry space, and sending a part of the air sucked from the suction passage to the discharge port, thereby generating a negative pressure in the dry space.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

Aspects of the present invention relate to a hand dryer for drying a user's hands.

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a hand drying device capable of discharging air sucked from a suction port toward a user's hand from a blowing port.

In such a general hand dryer, if bacteria or viruses are attached to the user's hands, the air that collides with the user's hands from the air outlet blows the bacteria or viruses out of the hand dryer. It could have been ejected. In order to prevent such a problem, the applicant provides a suction port in the drying space where the blowing port is installed, so that the air blown from the blowing port is sucked into the suction port provided in the drying space. I thought of a hand drying device like this. Such a hand dryer is known, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, in such a hand dryer, there is a possibility that the air emitted from the blowout port is not sufficiently sucked from the suction port in the drying space and leaks from the opening into which the hand is inserted.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-299636

The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such problems, and provides a hand drying device that reduces the possibility that the air discharged from the blowing port will leak from the opening into which the hand is inserted rather than the suction port. for the purpose.

A first invention comprises a first wall portion formed with a first outlet, and a drying space facing the first wall portion and having an opening for putting a wet hand in between the first wall portion. a bottom portion connected to the first wall portion and the second wall portion and forming the bottom of the drying space; formed on the wall portion or on the bottom portion a blowing unit for sucking the air in the drying space from the suction port and discharging the air from the first blowing port to the drying space; a flow passage portion through which air flows; and a filter portion provided in the flow passage portion, wherein the flow passage portion is connected to the suction port and into which the air sucked from the suction port flows; a circulating flow path connected to the suction flow path and the first outlet for sending the air flowing in from the suction flow path to the first outlet; and formed outside the suction flow path and the drying space. a discharge passage connected to an outlet for generating a negative pressure in the drying space by sending part of the air that has flowed in from the suction passage to the discharge port. It is a hand dryer.

According to this hand drying device, the circulation flow path that sends the air that has flowed in from the suction flow path to the first blowout port, and the part of the air that has flowed in from the suction flow path that is sent to the discharge port. By providing a flow path portion having a discharge flow path that generates negative pressure in the drying space, the air discharged from the first outlet is prevented from leaking out from the opening for inserting the hand in the drying space. The air can be more effectively sucked from the suction port formed in the drying space, and the air can be easily circulated.
Therefore, when bacteria or viruses are attached to the user's hands, the air that collides with the user's hands from the first outlet prevents the bacteria or viruses from being discharged outside the hand dryer. can.

A second invention is the hand dryer according to the first invention, wherein the circulation channel is configured to have a channel cross-sectional area larger than that of the discharge channel.

According to this hand dryer, the cross-sectional area of the circulation channel is larger than that of the discharge channel. While ensuring the maximum negative pressure, most of the air sucked from the suction port can be made to flow easily into the circulation flow path.

In a third aspect based on the first or second aspect, the blower section is provided in the suction flow path and sucks air in the drying space from a suction port formed in the wall section or the bottom section. 1 air blower, and a second air blower provided in the circulation flow path upstream of the discharge flow path for discharging air from the first outlet. is.

According to this hand dryer, a part of the air is supplied to the discharge channel by providing the first blower in the suction channel and providing the second blower in the circulation channel upstream of the discharge channel. By flowing the air, most of the air sucked from the suction port can be easily flowed to the circulation flow path while ensuring the minimum necessary negative pressure in the drying space.

According to a fourth invention, in the third invention, a detection unit for detecting a user's hand, and drive control of the first blower unit and the second blower unit are executed based on the detection result of the detection unit. and a control unit, wherein the control unit drives the first blower when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and after a predetermined time has passed since the first blower is driven, the The hand dryer is characterized by executing control for driving the second air blower.

According to this hand dryer, after the inside of the drying space is made negative pressure by driving the first air blower, the hand drying operation is started by driving the second air blower. It is possible to blow out from the first outlet by driving the second air blower while firmly suppressing leakage from the opening.

In a fifth aspect based on the fourth aspect, the controller stops driving the second blower when the detector stops detecting the user's hand, and the second blower stops driving. The hand dryer is characterized in that the control for stopping the driving of the first air blowing section is executed after a predetermined time has passed since the drying.

According to this hand dryer, the drying space D It can firmly prevent the air inside from leaking from the opening.

According to a sixth invention, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the suction flow path has a water receiving portion for collecting water droplets adhering to the user's hand, and the filter portion The hand drying device is characterized in that it is provided downstream of the water receiver in the suction flow path upstream of the discharge flow path.

According to this hand dryer, the filter is provided in the suction flow path, so that the air from the suction port can efficiently collect dust before it flows into the circulation flow path and the discharge flow path. can be done. In addition, by installing the filter on the downstream side of the water receiver, it is possible to prevent the filter from being clogged with water droplets or the like.

A seventh invention is the hand dryer according to the sixth invention, wherein the filter section has a HEPA filter.

According to this hand dryer, bacteria and the like can be efficiently collected before the air from the suction port flows into the circulation channel and the discharge channel.

According to an eighth invention, in any one of the first to seventh inventions, the flow path section further has an intake port for taking in air from the outside and an intake flow path connected to the circulation flow path. drying equipment.

According to this hand drying device, a part of the air flows into the discharge passage, thereby ensuring the minimum necessary negative pressure in the drying space, while the amount of air blown out from the first blowout port is reduced to the intake port. and from the intake channel, the user's hands can be thoroughly dried.

In a ninth aspect based on the third aspect, the first blowing section and the second blowing section are configured such that the volume of air sucked from the suction port is greater than the volume of air blown from the blowout port. The hand dryer is operable, wherein the outlet includes the first outlet and blows air sucked from the drying space into the drying space.

According to this hand drying device, the volume of air sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the volume of air blown from the blowing port, and leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening can be further suppressed.

In a tenth aspect based on the ninth aspect, the first blower and the second blower operate so that the output of the first blower is greater than the output of the second blower. It is characterized by a hand dryer.

According to this hand dryer, by operating the first blowing part with a larger output than the second blowing part, the air volume sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the air volume blown from the blowing port. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening can be further suppressed.

An eleventh invention is the hand dryer according to any one of the first to tenth inventions, wherein the filter section is positioned upstream of the discharge port in the channel section.

According to this hand dryer, the air discharged from the discharge port can be cleaned by locating the filter portion upstream of the discharge port.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a housing having an inner surface and an opening for a user to insert a hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface; a suction port provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space; a flow path connecting the suction port and the discharge port; an air blower that sucks in air and blows out at least part of the air sucked into the suction port from the blowout port through the flow channel; and a discharge port for discharging from the part.

According to this hand dryer, it is possible to prevent the air in the drying space from leaking through the opening during drying of the hands. By providing the outlet, an amount of air, for example, equal to the amount of air discharged through the outlet can be taken into the drying space from outside the drying space through the opening, so that leakage of air in the drying space from the opening can be further suppressed. can improve usability.

A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a housing having an inner surface and an opening for a user to insert a hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface; a first suction port and a second suction port; a discharge port provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space; a discharge port for discharging the air sucked from the second suction port; a first flow path connecting the mouth and the outlet; a second flow path connecting the second suction port and the discharge port; and a first suction port for sucking air into the first suction port. and a blower section, wherein the second flow path section is a flow path different from the first flow path section.

According to this hand dryer, the air in the drying space can be prevented from leaking from the opening during drying of the hands, and the usability can be improved. In addition, the air sucked from the second suction port is discharged from the discharge port to the outside of the drying space, so that the air volume of the air sucked from the first suction port and the second suction port is reduced to the air blown from the blow port. , and the leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

A fourteenth aspect of the invention is the hand dryer according to the thirteenth aspect, further comprising a second air blowing section for sucking air into the second suction port.

According to this hand dryer, by providing the second blower, the air volume sucked from the first suction port and the second suction port can be increased, and the air in the drying space can be removed from the opening into which the hands are inserted. Leakage can be further suppressed.

In a fifteenth aspect based on the fourteenth aspect, the detecting unit detects a user's hand, and drive control of the first blowing unit and the second blowing unit is executed based on the detection result of the detecting unit. and a control unit, wherein the control unit drives the second blower when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and after a predetermined time has passed since the second blower is driven, the The hand dryer is characterized by executing control for driving the first air blower.

According to this hand dryer, since the second air blower is driven before the first air blower, it is possible to start discharging the air in the drying space before the blowing, so that the air in the drying space can be further suppressed from leaking from the opening.

In a sixteenth aspect based on the fifteenth aspect, the controller stops driving the first blower when the detector stops detecting the user's hand, and the first blower stops driving. The hand dryer is characterized in that the control for stopping the driving of the second air blowing section is executed after a predetermined time has passed since the drying.

According to this hand dryer, by stopping the driving of the first air blower before the driving of the second air blower, it is possible to continue sucking the air in the drying space for a predetermined time even after the blowing drive is stopped. It is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space from leaking from the opening.

A seventeenth invention is a housing having an inner surface, an opening for a user to insert his or her hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface, a suction port for sucking air in the drying space, and the suction. a discharge port for discharging air sucked from a mouth; a blowout port provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space; an outside air suction port for sucking air from the outside of the drying space; a first flow path portion connecting the outlet, a second flow path portion connecting the blowout port and the outside air suction port, a first air blowing portion for sucking air into the suction port, and the outside air suction and a second blower for making the mouth suck air, wherein the first blower and the second blower have a volume of air sucked from the suction port that is equal to that of the air blown from the blowout port. It is a hand drying device characterized in that it operates so as to be larger than the air volume.

According to this hand dryer, the air in the drying space can be prevented from leaking from the opening during drying of the hands, and the usability can be improved. In addition, the amount of air sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the amount of air blown from the blowout port, and the leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the user inserts his hand can be further suppressed.

In an eighteenth aspect based on the seventeenth aspect, the first blower and the second blower operate so that the output of the first blower is greater than the output of the second blower. It is characterized by a hand dryer.

According to this hand dryer, the first air blower operates with a larger output than the second air blower, so that the air volume sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening can be further suppressed.

According to a nineteenth invention, in the seventeenth or eighteenth invention, a detection unit for detecting a user's hand, and driving control of the first blower unit and the second blower unit based on the detection result of the detection unit wherein the control unit drives the first blower when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and a predetermined time after the first blower is driven It is a hand dryer characterized by performing control which drives a said 2nd blower part after progress.

According to this hand dryer, since the first air blower is driven before the second air blower, it is possible to start discharging the air in the drying space before the blowing, so that the air in the drying space can be further suppressed from leaking from the opening.

In a twentieth aspect based on the nineteenth aspect, the controller stops the second blower when the detector stops detecting the user's hand, and the second blower stops. The hand dryer is characterized in that the control for stopping the first air blowing section is executed after a predetermined time has elapsed since.

According to this hand dryer, by stopping the driving of the second air blower before the driving of the first air blower, even after the blowing drive is stopped, for example, the air in the drying space is maintained for a predetermined time. Since the suction of air can be continued, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space from leaking through the opening.

According to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a hand drying apparatus that reduces the possibility that air from the outlet leaks from the opening through which the hand is inserted rather than from the suction port.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing a hand dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the hand dryer of FIG. 1; 2 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing a portion of the hand dryer of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the air flow of the hand dryer of FIG. 1; 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the airflow of the hand dryer of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating another hand dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); Fig. 6(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); Fig. 6(b) is a schematic diagram showing the air flow of the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); Fig. 6(b) is a schematic perspective view showing part of the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing part of the hand dryer of FIG. 10; Fig. 6(b) is a schematic perspective view showing part of the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); Fig. 6(b) is a schematic exploded view showing the hand dryer of Fig. 6(a); FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing airflow of another hand dryer according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing airflow of another hand dryer according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing airflow of another hand dryer according to an embodiment;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a hand dryer according to an embodiment of the invention. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the hand dryer of FIG. 1. FIG. Moreover, FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view showing a part of the hand dryer of FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hand dryer 100 includes a first wall portion 2 formed with a plurality of first outlets 2a and a plurality of second outlets 4a ( (not shown) formed thereon, a wall 6 having a second wall 4 (not shown), connected to the first wall 2 and the second wall 4, and forming the bottom of the drying space D a bottom portion 8 for The second wall portion 4 forms a drying space D between itself and the first wall portion 2, which has an upper opening for putting in wet hands.

The hand dryer 100 includes an air blower 12 for sucking the air in the drying space D from the suction port 10 formed in the bottom 8 and discharging the air into the drying space D from the first outlet 2a, and the air blower 12. It is provided with a channel portion 14 through which air sucked from the suction port 10 flows, and a filter portion 16 provided in the channel portion 14 .

The flow path portion 14 is connected to the suction port 10 and is connected to a suction flow path 18 into which air sucked from the suction port 10 flows, and to the suction flow path 18 and the first blowout port 2a. It is connected to a circulation flow path 20 for sending the inflowed air to the first blowout port 2a, and a discharge port 22 formed outside the suction flow path 18 and the drying space D, and part of the air flowed in from the suction flow path 18. and a discharge channel 24 for generating a negative pressure in the drying space D by sending a portion to the discharge port 22 . The suction channel 18 is longer than the circulation channel 20 and longer than the discharge channel 24 . Also, the circulation channel 20 is longer than the discharge channel 24 . The outlet 22 is formed on the bottom surface of the hand dryer 100 .

The air blower 12 includes a first air blower 26 that is a blower fan provided in the suction flow path 18 and a second blower 28 that is a blower fan provided in the circulation flow path 20 upstream of the discharge flow path. and have In this way, by providing the first air blower 26 in the suction flow path 18 and providing the second air blower 28 in the circulation flow path 20 upstream of the discharge flow path 24, a part of the air is discharged into the discharge flow path. 24, most of the air sucked from the suction port 10 can be easily flowed to the circulation flow path 20 while securing the minimum required negative pressure in the drying space D. - 特許庁

The suction channel 18 has a water receiving portion 30 for collecting water droplets adhering to the user's hand. The water receiving part 30 is formed in a water receiving tray 32 that can be detachably attached to the body of the hand dryer. The filter section 16 has a first filter section 34 , a second filter section 36 and a third filter section 38 . The first filter portion 34 is provided downstream of the water receiving portion 30 in the suction channel 18 located upstream of the discharge channel 24 . By providing the first filter part 34 in the suction flow path 18, the air from the suction port 10 can efficiently collect dust before it flows into the circulation flow path 20 and the discharge flow path 24. can be done. In addition, by installing the first filter portion 34 downstream of the water receiving portion 30, clogging of the first filter portion 34 by water droplets or the like can be suppressed. The second filter part 36 is a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) that can collect bacteria and the like, and is formed in the discharge channel 24 . The third filter part 38 is a HEPA filter that can collect bacteria and the like, and is formed in the circulation flow path 20 .

The circulation channel 20 is configured to have a channel cross-sectional area larger than that of the discharge channel 24 . That is, the magnitude of the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the circulation channel 20 is configured to be smaller than the magnitude of the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the discharge channel 24 . As a result, most of the air sucked from the suction port 10 is transferred to the circulation flow path 20 while ensuring the minimum necessary negative pressure in the drying space D by flowing a part of the air to the discharge flow path 24. It can be made easier to flow.

The channel portion 14 has an intake port 44 for taking in air from the outside and an intake channel 46 connected to the circulation channel 20 . The air taken in from the intake port 44 flows into the circulation channel 20 and is blown out into the drying space D from the first outlet 2a and the second outlet 4a. As a result, the air blown out from the first outlet 2a and the second outlet 4a while ensuring the minimum necessary negative pressure in the drying space D by allowing a part of the air to flow into the discharge passage 24. can be ensured, and the user's hands can be thoroughly dried. An inlet 44 is formed in the lower surface of the hand dryer and is arranged side by side with the outlet 22 .

The hand dryer 100 includes a detection section 40 which is a sensor provided on the first wall section 2 . The hand dryer 100 also includes a control section 42 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) that controls the driving of the first blower section 26 and the second blower section 28 according to the signal from the detection section 40 .

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the air flow of the hand dryer of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the air flow of the hand dryer of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. The arrows illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 represent the air flow.

When the user inserts a wet hand into the drying space D through the opening, the hand is detected by the detection section 40 provided on the first wall portion 2 . When the detection unit 40 detects a hand, a signal is transmitted from the detection unit 40 to the control unit 42 . Upon receiving the signal, the control unit 42 executes control to drive the first blower unit 26 . Then, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of driving the first air blower 26, the control for driving the second air blower 28 is executed. That is, when the detection unit 40 detects the hand, the first blower unit 26 is driven, and then the second blower unit 28 is driven with a delay. As a result, after the inside of the drying space D is made to have a negative pressure by driving the first air blower 26, the hand drying operation is started by driving the second air blower 28, so the air in the drying space D is reduced. It is possible to blow out from the first blowout port 2a and the second blowout port 4a by driving the second air blower 28 while firmly suppressing leakage from the opening.

Note that when the wet hand is pulled out of the drying space D through the opening, the detection unit 40 stops detecting the hand. At this time, the control unit 42 executes control to stop the driving of the second blower unit 28 . After that, after a predetermined time has passed since the driving of the second air blower 28 is stopped, the control for stopping the driving of the first air blower 26 is executed. That is, when the hand is no longer detected by the detection unit 40, the driving of the second air blowing unit 28 is stopped, and then the driving of the first blowing unit 26 is stopped with a delay. As a result, the driving of the second air blower 28 is stopped before the driving of the first air blower 26 in a state where the inside of the drying space D is set to a negative pressure by driving the first air blower 26. It can firmly prevent the air inside from leaking from the opening.

The first air blower 26 is driven while the second air blower 28 is driven. That is, while the second air blower 28 is being driven, the control unit 42 performs control as if the first air blower 26 is being driven. As a result, while the second air blower 28 is driven, the inside of the drying space D becomes negative pressure due to the driving of the first air blower 26, so that the air in the drying space D does not leak from the opening. can be strongly suppressed.

When the first air blower 26 is driven, the air in the drying space D is sucked into the main body of the hand dryer, that is, into the suction channel 18 . As a result, the inside of the drying space D becomes a negative pressure state, and it is possible to prevent the air in the drying space D from leaking from the opening. The air sucked into the suction channel 18 collides with the water receiver 30 .

The air sucked into the suction channel 18 collides with the water receiver 30 . As a result, the moisture adhering to the hands of the user can be collected and stored in the air containing the moisture. The accumulated water can be drained by the user pulling out the water receiving tray 32 from the hand dryer main body.

The air that has collided with the water receiver 30 is sent to the first air blower 26 after passing through the first filter 34 . Dust and the like contained in the air can be removed by the first filter section 34 . The air that has passed through the first air blowing section 26 is branched into the circulation channel 20 or the discharge channel 24 after passing through the second filter section 36 . At this time, since the circulation flow path 20 is configured to have a flow path cross-sectional area larger than that of the discharge flow path 24, a part of the air is allowed to flow through the discharge flow path 24, thereby reducing the amount of air required in the drying space D. Most of the air sucked from the suction port 10 flows into the circulation flow path 20 while ensuring the minimum negative pressure.

The air that has flowed through the discharge channel 24 is discharged from the discharge port 22 . The air discharged from the discharge port 22 is converted into clean air by the second filter section 36, which is a HEPA filter.

The air that has flowed through the circulation channel 20 joins the air that has flowed from the intake channel 46 . The air merged with the air flowing from the intake channel 46 is sent to the second air blower 28 after passing through the third filter section 38 . The air that has passed through the second blower 28 is blown into the drying space D from the first outlet 2a and the second outlet 4a. The air blown into the drying space D from the first outlet 2a and the second outlet 4a is sucked again into the main body of the hand dryer, that is, into the suction channel 18 by driving the first air blower 26. Become.

Further, for example, when the first blowing unit 26 and the second blowing unit 28 are driven, the first blowing unit 26 and the second blowing unit 28 blow the amount of air sucked from the suction port 10 from the blowing port. It operates to be greater than the air flow rate. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space D from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed. It should be noted that the term "during driving" may be at least part of the time during which the first blower unit and the second blower unit are driven, excluding a transitional state such as immediately after the start of driving. Further, as described above, the outlets for ejecting air into the drying space may be a plurality of openings (in this example, a plurality of first outlets 2a and a plurality of second outlets 4a). In such a case, "the amount of air blown out from the outlet" may be the total amount of air in each of the plurality of openings. That is, the "blowout port" in the "air volume of air blown out from the blowout port" refers to a plurality of openings (for example, all openings) that blow the air sucked from the drying space into the drying space, including the first blowout port. good. More specifically, the “volume of air blown out from the outlets” is, for example, the sum of the volumes of air blown out from all the first outlets and the second outlets.

Also, in this example, the suction port is one opening. However, the suction port for sucking the air in the drying space may be a plurality of openings. In such a case, "the amount of air sucked from the suction port" may be the total amount of air at each of the plurality of openings. That is, the "suction port" in "the amount of air sucked from the suction port" may be a plurality of openings (for example, all the openings) for sucking the air in the drying space.

Further, for example, in the case of FIG. 5, the air volume in the second air blower 28 may be used as "the air volume blown out from the outlet". Further, for example, in the case of FIG. 5, the air volume in the first air blower 26 may be used as the "air volume of air sucked from the suction port". The amount of air in the blower is, for example, the amount of air in an opening serving as an inlet or an outlet for the air of the blower.

When driving the first blower 26 and the second blower 28, the first blower 26 and the second blower 28 operate so that the output of the first blower 26 is greater than the output of the second blower 28. do. The output of the blower (for example, the first blower 26 or the second blower 28) corresponds to, for example, the output (power consumption (watts)) of the motor that drives the blower fan included in the blower. That is, the control unit 42 executes control to make the output of the blower fan motor of the first blower unit 26 higher than the output of the blower fan motor of the second blower unit 28 .

Thus, by operating the first air blowing part 26 with a larger output than the second air blowing part 28, the air volume sucked from the suction port 10 can be made larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space D from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

However, the air volume of the air blower may be controlled not only by the output of the motor but also by the structure of the blower fan. For example, the air volume can be appropriately adjusted by changing the position, number, shape, size, etc. of blades of the blower fan. The blower fan can be of any configuration that generates wind through blade movement, such as, for example, a propeller fan, sirocco fan, or turbofan.

Further, for example, when the first air blower 26 and the second air blower 28 are driven, the air volume blown out from the air outlet may be larger than the air volume discharged from the air outlet 22 . Since the air outlet blows out a relatively large amount of air, the drying performance can be maintained.

Note that in this example, the outlet is one opening. However, a plurality of openings may be used as the discharge port for discharging the air in the flow path to the outside. In such a case, "the amount of air discharged from the outlet" may be the total amount of air at each of the plurality of openings. That is, the "exhaust port" in the "air volume of air discharged from the discharge port" may be a plurality of openings (for example, all the openings) for discharging the air in the flow path section to the outside.

In order to measure the air volume of a blower during a certain drive, the blower to be measured is driven with the same output as that drive, and the airflow is measured with the other blowers stopped. The device is used to measure the amount of air flowing through the blower section to be measured. A device capable of measuring the air volume-static pressure characteristic (PQ characteristic) of the fan (PQ device, etc.) can be used as the air volume measuring device.

Specifically, for example, the second blower 28 is stopped, and the first blower 26 is driven with the same output as when the first blower 26 and the second blower 28 are driven. In this state, an air volume measuring device is used to measure the volume of air flowing through the first air blower 26 . The measurement result may be used as "the amount of air sucked from the suction port". Then, for example, the first air blower 26 is stopped, and the second air blower 28 is driven with the same output as when the first air blower 26 and the second air blower 28 are driven. In this state, an air volume measuring device is used to measure the volume of air flowing through the second air blower 28 . The measurement result may be used as "the amount of air blown out from the outlet".

Alternatively, to measure the air volume at an opening, the wind velocity (m/s) at the opening and the area (m ² ) of the opening are measured. The air volume can be calculated from the product of the wind speed and the area. The wind speed can be measured by using an anemometer that converts pressure difference into wind speed (for example, a pitot tube type) or a hot-wire anemometer. A detector (for example, a probe) of an anemometer is installed approximately in the center of the opening or just upstream or downstream thereof to measure the wind speed.

Specifically, for example, when the first air blower 26 and the second air blower 28 are driven, a wind speed is measured by installing an anemometer detector in the suction port 10 . The air volume at the suction port 10 can be measured from the product of the wind speed and the area of the suction port 10 . The measurement result may be used as "the amount of air sucked from the suction port". Then, for example, when the first air blower 26 and the second air blower 28 are driven, a wind speed is measured by installing an anemometer detection part at one outlet (first outlet 2a or second outlet 4a). do. From the product of the wind speed and the area of the one outlet, the air volume at the one outlet can be measured. The total air volume measured at each outlet may be used as the "air volume blown from the outlet".

As described above, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the hand dryer 100 according to the embodiment includes an inner surface (eg, the first wall portion 2, the second wall portion 4, and the bottom portion 8) and a drying area surrounded by the inner surface. and an opening for inserting a user's hand into the space D. Furthermore, the hand drying device 100 includes a suction port 10, a blowing port (for example, at least one of the first blowing port 2a and the second blowing port 4a), a flow path part 14, a blowing part 12, and an outlet 22. , has A suction port 10 is provided on the inner surface and sucks the air in the drying space D. The air outlet is provided on the inner surface and blows air into the drying space D. The flow path part 14 connects the inlet 10 and the outlet. The blower part 12 is provided in the flow path part 14 , sucks air into the suction port 10 , and blows out at least part of the air sucked into the suction port 10 from the blowout port via the flow path part 14 . The discharge port 22 discharges part of the air sucked from the suction port 10 from the flow path portion 14 . As a result, as already described, it is possible to prevent the air in the drying space from leaking through the opening during drying of the hands. By providing the outlet, it is possible to further suppress leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening, thereby improving usability.
Further, the filter portion 16 (for example, the first filter portion 34 and the second filter portion 36) is located upstream of the discharge port 22 in the air flow path portion 14 from the suction port 10 to the discharge port. By locating the filter part 16 upstream of the discharge port 22, the air discharged from the discharge port 22 can be cleaned.

In addition, the upstream of the flow path means the side of the flow path that is closer to the suction port along the direction of air flow. For example, the direction from upstream to downstream on the flow path section is the direction from the inlet to the outlet along the direction of air flow. Also, the connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection.

6(a) and 6(b) are schematic perspective views illustrating another hand dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6(a) is a front perspective view of the hand dryer 200 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6(b) is a rear perspective view of the hand dryer 200. FIG. In addition, in the description of the present embodiment, the front side of the hand dryer 200 is defined as "front", and the back side thereof is defined as "rear". A user using the hand dryer 200 inserts wet hands into the drying space SP while standing in front of the hand dryer 200 facing backward, for example. "Upward", "downward", "right side", and "left side" are directions viewed from a user standing facing forward.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the hand dryer 200 has a housing 50 (case). The housing 50 has an inner surface 50i facing inward and an opening 50A through which a user inserts his or her hand into the drying space SP surrounded by the inner surface 50i. The opening 50A faces upward.

For example, the housing 50 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape elongated in the vertical direction and provided with an opening 50A at the top. An outer surface 50 j of the housing 50 is formed by a front surface 91 , a rear surface 92 , a right side surface 93 , a left side surface 94 and a bottom surface 95 .

The hand dryer 200 has outlets (first outlet 61 and second outlet 62) provided on the inner surface 50i. The blowout openings (the first blowout opening 61 and the second blowout opening 62) blow air into the drying space SP. The user can dry his or her wet hands by holding the hands against the air (wind) blown out from the outlet.

7 and 8 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the hand dryer of FIG. 6(a).
7 shows a cross section along line AA shown in FIG. 6(a), and FIG. 8 shows a cross section along line BB shown in FIG. 6(a).

As shown in FIG. 8, the inner surface 50i of the housing 50 includes a first surface 51 (eg, first wall), a second surface 52 (eg, second wall), a bottom surface 55 (eg, bottom), have The first surface 51 is a rear facing surface and the second surface 52 is a front facing surface. The second surface 52 is located behind the first surface 51 and faces the first surface 51 . The bottom surface 55 connects the first surface 51 and the second surface 52 and forms the bottom of the drying space SP.

The first outlet 61 is provided on the first surface 51 . For example, the first outlet 61 is an opening provided in the first surface 51 and positioned above the first surface 51 . In this example, a plurality of first outlets 61 are arranged in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 6B). Also, the second outlet 62 is an opening provided in the second surface 52 and is positioned above the second surface 52 . In this example, a plurality of second outlets 62 are arranged in the horizontal direction (see FIG. 6A). The first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62 are not limited to openings, and may be outlets such as nozzles attached to the first surface 51 and the second surface 52, for example.

In the cross section of FIG. 8, the first surface 51 and the second surface 52 are curved surfaces. Specifically, the first surface 51 has a curved portion protruding rearward. The second surface 52 has a curved portion protruding forward. Therefore, the width (length in the front-rear direction) of the drying space SP varies along the vertical direction. The drying space SP is widest at the upper end and has a narrower portion below the upper end. The first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62 are provided below the upper end of the drying space SP. The first blowout port 61 faces rearward and downward, and blows air downward and rearward. The second outlet 62 faces forward and downward, and blows air forward and downward.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the inner surface 50 i of the housing 50 further has a third surface 53 and a fourth surface 54 facing the third surface 53 . The third surface 53 is a surface facing left, and the fourth surface 54 is a surface facing right. The third surface 53 and the fourth surface 54 are surfaces connecting the first surface 51 and the second surface 52, respectively.

In addition, in the embodiment, the shape of the housing 50 (the inner surface 50i and the outer surface 50j) is not limited to the above. For example, the opening for inserting the user's hand into the drying space may face upward, forward, rightward, and/or leftward. The housing may be provided with an upper surface. Also, the position, shape, number, etc. of the outlets are not limited to those described above. For example, the outlet may be provided on at least one of the first surface 51 , the second surface 52 , the third surface 53 and the fourth surface 54 . Alternatively, if the inner surface 50i of the housing 50 has an upper surface, the upper surface may be provided with an air outlet. For example, the hand dryer may blow downward air from above the user's hands inserted into the drying space from the front.

As shown in FIG. 7, the hand dryer 200 has a suction port 63 for sucking the air in the drying space SP. The suction port 63 is provided on the inner surface 50 i of the housing 50 . For example, the suction port 63 is provided at the lower portion of the inner surface 50i and positioned below the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62 . In this example, the suction port 63 is provided in the bottom surface 55 and is an opening facing upward.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the hand dryer 200 has a channel portion 70 that connects the suction port 63 and the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62). The flow path part 70 is provided inside the housing 50 . The flow path part 70 is a flow path that guides at least part of the air sucked from the suction port 63 to the blowout ports (the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62).

In this example, as shown in FIG. 7, the channel section 70 has a first channel 71 (for example, a suction channel) and a second channel 72 (for example, a circulation channel). Also, the flow path section 70 may have a third flow path 73 (for example, a discharge flow path), as will be described later with reference to FIG. 9 .

The first flow path 71 extends downward from the suction port 63 and continues to the bottom of the hand dryer 200 . The first flow path 71 guides the air sucked from the suction port 63 onto the lower case member 56 forming the bottom of the housing 50, as indicated by the arrow A1 shown in FIG.

The second flow path 72 is provided downstream of the first flow path 71 in the flow path section 70 . A second flow path 72 extends upward from the lower portion of the hand dryer 200 . The second flow path 72 directs at least part of the air supplied by the first flow path 71 to the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62) as indicated by the arrow A2 shown in FIG. lead.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the second channel 72 has a channel 72a and a channel 72b. In other words, the second flow path 72 branches into flow paths 72a and 72b. The flow path 72a continues to the first outlet 61 as indicated by an arrow A3, and guides air to the first outlet 61. As shown in FIG. The flow path 72b continues to the second outlet 62 as indicated by an arrow A4, and guides air to the second outlet 62. As shown in FIG.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, the hand dryer 200 has a filter 67 and an air blower 65 . The blower section 65 is provided in the flow path section 70 . Specifically, the air blower 65 is provided in the second flow path 72 . The blower 65 is, for example, one blower fan that can be driven by one motor. By driving the air blower 65 , a wind from upstream to downstream of the flow path 70 is generated in the flow path 70 . That is, the air blower 65 sucks air into the suction port 63 and blows at least a part of the air sucked into the suction port 63 through the flow path 70 to the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet). 62) into the drying space SP. In addition, in the embodiment, the blower unit may have two or more motors. The hand dryer may be provided with two or more fans having one or more motors.

The filter 67 has a first filter portion 67a and a second filter portion 67b. The first filter portion 67 a is provided in the second flow path 72 . The first filter portion 67 a is positioned above the lower case member 56 and below the blower portion 65 . In other words, the first filter portion 67 a is positioned downstream of the lower case member 56 and upstream of the blower portion 65 in the flow path portion 70 . The first filter portion 67 a collects particles (bacteria and dust) in the second flow path 72 . The first filter portion 67a can collect particles smaller than the particles collected by the second filter portion 67b. For example, a HEPA filter can be used for the first filter unit 67a. HEPA filters have particle collection efficiencies greater than 99.97% for 0.3 μm particles at rated flow rates. The initial pressure loss of the HEPA filter is, for example, 245 Pa or less.

The second filter portion 67b is provided in the first flow path 71. As shown in FIG. The second filter part 67b collects particles in the first channel 71 . A mesh filter containing resin, metal, or the like can be used for the second filter portion 67b. In this example, two filters, the first filter portion 67a and the second filter portion 67b, are provided as the filter 67, but in the embodiment, the number of filters may be one or three or more.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the hand dryer 200 may be provided with a heating section 68 . The heating section 68 warms the air inside the flow path section 70 . The heating unit 68 may be any heater or the like that can heat the gas flowing toward the outlet. By heating the air in the heating unit 68, warm air can be blown out from the outlet. As a result, for example, when drying the user's hands, it is possible to alleviate the user's feeling of coldness, thereby improving usability. In this example, the heating unit is provided, but the heating unit may not be provided in the embodiment. In the channel portion 70, the heating portion 68 is provided upstream of a branch point at which the channel portion 70 branches into the channel 72a and the channel 72b. In this example, in the flow path section 70, the heating section 68 is located downstream of the blower section 65 and upstream of a third flow path 73, which will be described later.

When the user puts his/her hand into the drying space SP through the opening 50A, the detection unit 48 (see FIG. 7) provided on the second surface 52 detects the user's hand. The detector 48 outputs the detection result to the controller 69 (see FIG. 7). The detection unit is, for example, a transmissive optical sensor (photointerrupter). The detection unit is not limited to this, and may be any sensor that can detect the user's hand. The detection unit may be, for example, a reflective optical sensor, a distance measuring sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, a capacitance sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a microwave sensor, or the like.

The control section 69 is electrically connected to the detection section 48 , the blower section 65 and the heating section 68 . The control unit 69 controls operations of the air blowing unit 65 and the heating unit 68 according to the detection result of the detection unit 48 . For example, when the detection unit 48 detects the user's hand, the control unit 69 outputs a signal for starting operation to the blower unit 65 and the heating unit 25 . Further, for example, when the detection unit 48 no longer detects the user's hand, the control unit 69 outputs a signal to stop the operation of the blower unit 65 and the heating unit 68 . Note that the control unit is a control circuit including a processor and the like. A control part contains a microcomputer, for example.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the air flow of the hand dryer of FIG. 6(a).
Arrows in FIG. 9 represent the flow of air, that is, the direction of the wind. The hand dryer 200 further includes an outlet 64, as shown in FIG. The discharge port 64 discharges part of the air sucked from the suction port 63 from the flow path portion 70 . In addition, the channel portion 70 has a third channel 73 (for example, a discharge channel) connected to the discharge port 64 .

In this example, the third flow path 73 branches off from the second flow path 72 . That is, part of the air that has flowed into the second flow path 72 passes through the third flow path 73 and is discharged from the discharge port 64 to the outside of the flow path portion 70 . Another part of the air that has flowed into the second flow path 72 passes through the flow paths 72a and 72b of the second flow path 72 and is discharged from the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62).

For example, in the flow path section 70, the branch point between the second flow path 72 and the third flow path 73 is downstream of the blower section 65 and upstream of the branch point between the flow paths 72a and 72b. In the flow path section 70 , the branch point between the second flow path 72 and the third flow path 73 may be downstream or upstream of the heating section 68 . However, not limited to this, the third flow path 73 may branch from any position on the flow path portion between the suction port and the blowout port. For example, the third channel 73 may branch from the first channel 71 .

The outlet 64 is provided on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50, for example. That is, the outlet 64 is exposed on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50. As shown in FIG. In this case, the discharge port 64 directly discharges the air inside the flow path portion 70 to the outside of the housing 50 , that is, the outside of the hand dryer 200 . The outlet 64 is provided, for example, on the rear surface 92 of the housing 50 (see FIG. 6B). Without being limited to this, the discharge port 64 may be provided on at least one of the front surface 91 , the right side surface 93 , the left side surface 94 , and the bottom surface 95 of the housing 50 .

The outlet 64 may be located inside the housing 50 . In other words, the outlet 64 does not have to be exposed on the outer surface 50j. In this case, the discharge port 64 discharges the air inside the flow path portion 70 to the inside of the housing 50 , that is, the inside of the hand dryer 200 .

In addition, in the embodiment, the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64 may not necessarily be provided. For example, the third channel 73 may be omitted, and the discharge port 64 may be an opening provided at an arbitrary position in the channel section 70 such as the first channel 71 or the second channel 72 . In addition, the channel portion 70 may be provided with an intake port or an intake channel for taking in air from the outside, if necessary.

When the hand of the user in the drying space SP is detected and the air blower 65 is driven, the circulating air w1 is generated. The circulating air w1 is a flow of air sucked downward from the suction port 63 . The circulating air w1 passes through the first flow path 71, flows into the second flow path 72, and rises. The circulating air w1 passes through the first filter portion 67a and the air blowing portion 65. As shown in FIG. The circulating air w1 that has passed through the air blower 65 generates dry air w2 and exhaust air w3. The dry air w2 is part of the air sent by the circulating air w1, and is a flow of air discharged from the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62). The drying air w2 includes air w2a discharged from the first outlet 61 into the drying space SP and air w2b discharged from the second outlet 62 into the drying space SP. The exhaust air w3 is another part of the air sent by the circulating air w1 and is a flow of air discharged from the outlet 64. As shown in FIG. Further, when the air blower 65 is driven, a suction air w4 is generated. The suction air w4 is a flow of air that flows from the outside of the hand dryer 200 into the drying space SP through the opening 50A.

For example, the amount of circulating air w1 (the amount of air that moves per unit time) corresponds to the sum of the amount of drying air w2 and the amount of exhaust air w3. Also, for example, the air volume of the suction air w4 corresponds to the air volume of the exhaust air w3. The hand dryer 200 is a circulation-type hand dryer that circulates at least part of the air in the drying space SP between the drying space SP and the flow path section 70 .

For example, the hand dryer 200 sucks air from the suction port 63 and blows air from the air outlet (first air outlet) so as to prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking to the outside from the opening 50A while the air blower 65 is being driven. It is configured to blow air from the mouth 61 and the second blowout port 62).

As a result, for example, it is possible to suppress the generation of wind from inside the drying space SP toward the user (for example, the user's face), so that the user can comfortably dry his or her hands, which is convenient. Further, for example, due to the air that collides with the user's hand from the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62), water droplets adhering to the user's hand become droplets and are scattered from the opening 50A. can be suppressed. Even if bacteria or viruses adhere to the hands of the user, the air that hits the hands of the user from the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62) causes the bacteria and viruses to be dispersed along with the droplets. The possibility of being discharged out of the hand dryer 200 can be reduced, and the hygiene is good.

For example, while the air blower 65 is being driven, the inside of the drying space SP is in a negative pressure state, which is lower than the outside of the hand dryer 200 . As a result, the air in the drying space SP can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the opening 50A. In the embodiment, a suction port 63 is provided in the drying space SP. By sucking the air in the drying space SP from the suction port 63, the inside of the drying space SP can be brought into a negative pressure state. As described above, the hand dryer according to the embodiment is configured to ensure the minimum necessary negative pressure by sucking the air in the drying space from the suction port with the air blower that can be driven by one motor. may

As described above, part of the air in the flow path portion 70 is discharged through the discharge port 64 . In that case, for example, the air volume of the circulating air w1 is greater than the air volume of the drying air w2. For example, the amount of dry air w2 corresponds to the amount obtained by subtracting the amount of exhaust air w3 from the amount of circulating air w1. By discharging part of the air sucked from the suction port 63 from the flow path part 70, it becomes easier to make the inside of the drying space SP into a negative pressure state, and to easily secure the necessary minimum negative pressure. Therefore, by providing the discharge port 64, it is possible to further suppress leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening 50A, thereby improving usability.

For example, the fact that the inside of the drying space SP is in a negative pressure state means that if the opening 50A (opening directly leading from the drying space SP to the outside of the housing 50) is closed and the air blower 65 is driven, then the drying space SP Corresponds to negative pressure inside. At this time, the first blowout port 61, the second blowout port 62, the suction port 63, etc. (openings leading from the drying space SP to the inside of the housing 50) are left open. That is, the negative pressure state means that the amount of air flowing out of the drying space is higher than the amount of air flowing into the drying space, excluding the amount of air flowing in and out of the opening where the user puts his/her hand. is larger.

Further, for example, the suction air w4 is generated while the air blower 65 is being driven. As a result, the air in the drying space SP can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the opening 50A. In the embodiment, the air inside the drying space SP is sucked through the suction port 63 . Thereby, the suction air w4 flowing into the drying space SP can be generated. In this example, the direction of the circulating air w1 is downward, which is the opposite direction to the opening 50A. Also, the direction of the drying air w2 is obliquely downward, which is the opposite direction to the opening 50A. Thereby, it is easy to generate a downward air flow in the drying space SP. As a result, it is easy to draw outside air into the drying space SP through the opening 50A and generate the suction air w4. For example, the air volume of the drying air w2 is increased, or the air velocity of the drying air w2 is increased. As a result, a downward air flow is generated, and the suction air w4 is likely to be generated. The wind speed of the dry air w2 may be higher than the wind speed of the circulating air w1.

Further, in the present embodiment, the air blower 65 can suck air from the suction port 63 and blow air from the blowout ports (the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62) with one motor. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide two or more motors, and the hand dryer 200 can be made compact.

In addition, in a circulation type hand dryer, the temperature of air tends to rise in some cases. For example, the circulating air is repeatedly heated by heating section 68 . On the other hand, by discharging a part of the air from the discharge port 64, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the wind. As a result, for example, damage to substrates such as the control unit due to heat is suppressed, and the operation becomes more stable. As described above, in this example, the discharge port 64 directly discharges the air in the flow path section 70 to the outside of the machine. As a result, it is possible to further suppress the increase in the temperature of the wind. Further, the discharge port 64 directly discharges the air in the flow path portion 70 to the outside of the machine, thereby making it easier to generate the suction air w4, and the suction air w4 can suppress the temperature rise of the air.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9 , the first filter portion 67a is located upstream of the discharge port 64 in the flow path portion 70 . By locating the first filter portion 67a upstream of the discharge port 64, the air discharged from the discharge port 64 can be cleaned, and usability can be improved.

In this example, the first filter section 67a is provided upstream of the blower section 65. As shown in FIG. The first filter portion 67 a may be provided downstream of the blower portion 65 or may be provided in the third flow path 73 . When the first filter portion 67a is provided upstream of the branch point between the second flow path 72 and the third flow path 73, not only the air discharged from the discharge port 64 but also the first blowout port 61 , the air blown out from the second outlet 62 can also be cleaned, and usability can be further improved.

Further, for example, the volume of air blown out from the outlet (the volume of dry air w2) is smaller than the volume of air sucked in from the suction port 63 (the volume of circulating air w1), and is discharged from the outlet 64. is greater than the volume of air (the volume of exhaust air w3). In this case, since the amount of air sucked from the suction port 63 is relatively large, it is possible to suppress leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening 50A. In addition, the drying performance can be maintained by setting the volume of air blown out from the blowing port to be greater than the volume of air discharged from the discharge port 64 . For example, more air can be delivered to the user's hands, which tends to dry the hands faster. The amount of air blown out from the outlet is the sum of the amount of air blown out from the first outlet 61 and the amount of air blown out from the second outlet 62 .

Each air volume can be appropriately adjusted, for example, by the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through each flow path. The pressure loss can be adjusted as appropriate by, for example, the cross-sectional area of the channel. For example, the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the first flow path 71 is smaller than the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the second flow path 72 and the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the third flow path 73 . For example, the minimum cross-sectional area of the first channel 71 is greater than the minimum cross-sectional area of the second channel 72 and greater than the minimum cross-sectional area of the third channel 73 . Also, for example, the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the second flow path 72 is smaller than the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the third flow path 73 . For example, the minimum cross-sectional area of the second channel 72 is larger than the minimum cross-sectional area of the third channel 73 .

For example, when a user standing in front of the hand dryer 200 inserts his hand through the opening 50A, the first outlet 61 discharges air onto the palm of the user's hand, and the second outlet 62 allows the user to Exhale air on the back of your hand. Thereby, both sides of the user's hands can be dried at the same time, and the drying performance is improved. For fast drying, it is desirable to blow air at high speed.

For example, the direction D2 in which the second outlet 62 blows air is downward from the direction D1 in which the first outlet 61 blows air. In other words, the angle θ2 formed between the direction D2 and the vertically downward direction is smaller than the angle θ1 formed between the direction D1 and the vertically downward direction. In this case, since the second outlet 62 blows air relatively downward, it is easy to blow air from above onto the back of the user's hand. As a result, the water can be easily moved (dropped) downward, and the splashing of water droplets from the opening can be further suppressed.

The direction D<b>1 can be appropriately adjusted according to the direction and shape of the opening of the first outlet 61 . When the air blown out from the first outlet 61 spreads in the vertical direction, the direction D1 may be represented by, for example, the center line of the range in which the first outlet 61 blows out the air. Similarly, the direction D2 can be appropriately adjusted depending on the direction and shape of the opening of the second outlet 62 . When the air blown out from the second outlet 62 spreads in the vertical direction, the direction D2 may be represented by, for example, the center line of the range in which the second outlet 62 blows out the air.

Also, for example, the volume of air blown out from the first outlet 61 is greater than the volume of air blown out from the second outlet 62 . In this case, since the air volume of the first outlet 61 is relatively large, it is possible to maintain the drying performance while suppressing the power consumption. For example, by blowing more air to the palm side of the user's hand, which is likely to have more water droplets, it is easier to dry the hand quickly.

Note that when a plurality of first outlets 61 are provided, the amount of air blown out from the first outlets 61 is the total amount of air blown out from all the first outlets 61 . Similarly, when a plurality of second outlets 62 are provided, the amount of air blown out from the second outlets 62 is the total amount of air blown out from all the second outlets 62 .

For example, the pressure loss of fluid flowing through channel 72a is smaller than the pressure loss of fluid flowing through channel 72b. For example, the minimum cross-sectional area of channel 72a is greater than the minimum cross-sectional area of channel 72b.

Also, for example, the wind speed of the air blown out from the first outlet 61 may be higher than the wind speed of the air blown out from the second outlet 62 . The wind speed of the air blown out from the first outlet 61 can be appropriately adjusted by the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the flow path 72a and the shape of the first outlet 61 (for example, the size of the opening diameter). Also, the wind speed of the air blown out from the second outlet 62 can be appropriately adjusted by the pressure loss of the fluid flowing through the flow path 72b and the shape of the second outlet 62 (for example, the size of the opening diameter).

As shown in FIG. 7, the hand dryer 200 has a drain port 80, a water channel 81, and a water receiver . The water receiving part 82 is a water receiving tray that collects water in the drying space SP. The water in the drying space SP is, for example, water droplets attached to the user's hand. The drain port 80 discharges water in the drying space SP to the water receiver 82 . The water channel 81 connects the drain port 80 and the water receiver 82 . The water channel 81 guides water in the drying space SP from the drain port 80 to the water receiver 82 .

The drain port 80 is provided on the inner surface 50 i of the housing 50 . The position of the drain port 80 is different from the position of the suction port 63 . That is, the drain port 80 is separated from the suction port 63 . In this example, the drain port 80 is an opening provided in the bottom surface 55 . More specifically, the drain port 80 is located at one end (left end) of the bottom surface 55 , and the suction port 63 is located at the other end (right end) of the bottom surface 55 . In other words, the drain port 80 is provided adjacent to the fourth surface 54 and the suction port 63 is provided adjacent to the third surface 53 . Thus, by providing the drain port 80 different from the suction port 63, it is possible to separate water and air in the drying space. As a result, the air passing through the flow path becomes cleaner, and usability can be further improved.

The water channel 81 and the water receiving portion 82 are separated from the flow channel portion 70 . That is, the water channel 81 and the water receiving portion 82 are provided independently of the flow channel portion 70 . In this example, channel 81 is adjacent to fourth surface 54 and extends downwardly from outlet 80 . The water receiver 82 is positioned below the water channel 81 . On the other hand, the first flow path 71 of the flow path portion 70 is adjacent to the third surface 53 and extends downward from the suction port 63 .

For example, when the water in the water receiving portion comes into contact with the air, the air may be polluted by substances and odors contained in the water. In contrast, in the embodiment, by separating the water in the water receiving portion 82 from the air passing through the channel portion 70, it is possible to prevent the air passing through the channel portion 70 from being contaminated. That is, it is possible to make the air blown out and circulated from the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62, the air discharged from the outlet 64, and the air passing through the first filter portion 67a cleaner. can. As a result, for example, the unpleasant odor of the air blown out from the first outlet 61, the second outlet 62, and the outlet 64 can be suppressed, and hygiene can be improved. Further, for example, by suppressing contact between the first filter portion 67a and dirty air, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the performance of the filter.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 7 , the bottom surface 55 has a downward slope from the suction port 63 toward the water discharge port 80 . That is, the position of the drain port 80 is lower than the position of the suction port 63 . As a result, since the water on the bottom surface 55 flows toward the drain port 80 , it is possible to prevent water from entering the channel portion 70 from the suction port 63 .

Ribs 57 are provided on the bottom surface 55 . The rib 57 protrudes upward from the end of the suction port 63 . The ribs 57 can prevent water on the bottom surface 55 from entering the channel portion 70 through the suction port 63 .

A rib 59 may be provided above the suction port 63 as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. The rib 59 is a canopy projecting obliquely downward from the third surface 53 . The rib 59 overlaps at least part of the suction port 63 in the vertical direction. The ribs 59 can prevent the water in the drying space SP from entering the channel portion 70 through the suction port 63 .

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing part of the hand dryer of FIG. 6(a).
11(a) and 11(b) are schematic sectional views showing a part of the hand dryer of FIG. 10. FIG.
FIG. 10 shows the periphery of the lower case member 56 of the hand dryer 200. As shown in FIG. FIG. 11(a) represents a cross section taken along line CC shown in FIG. FIG. 11(b) represents a cross section taken along line DD shown in FIG.

The lower case member 56 is a member that forms part of the flow path section 70 . The lower case member 56 is dish-shaped and serves as the bottom portion of the flow path portion 70 . The air inside the flow path portion 70 passes over the lower case member 56 .

As shown in FIG. 10 , the hand dryer 200 has a water channel 83 , a water receiver 84 and a water level sensor 88 . The hand dryer 200 further has a drain 85 (see FIG. 11(a)) and a partition 86 (see FIG. 11(b)).

The water receiving portion 84 is a water receiving tray that collects water that has entered the channel portion 70 . The water receiving portion 84 is arranged below the lower case member 56 . In other words, the water receiving portion 84 is positioned below the flow path portion 70 .

The drain port 85 is provided in the channel portion 70 and discharges water that has entered the channel portion 70 to the water receiving portion 84 . As shown in FIG. 11( a ), the drain port 85 is an opening provided on the side surface of the lower case member 56 .

The water channel 83 is provided in the channel portion 70 and guides water entering the channel portion 70 to the drain port 85 . As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11( a ), the water channel 83 is a recess provided on the upper surface of the lower case member 56 . The water channel 83 extends from the central portion of the lower case member 56 to the drain port 85 . The water channel 83 has a downward slope from the central portion of the lower case member 56 toward the drain port 85 . Further, the upper surface of the lower case member 56 is inclined downward toward the central portion of the lower case member 56 . As a result, water droplets or the like that have entered the channel portion 70 and adhered to the lower case member 56 pass through the water channel 83 and are discharged from the drain port 85 to the water receiving portion 84 .

As shown in FIG. 11(b), the partition 86 is provided between the channel portion 70 and the water receiving portion 84. As shown in FIG. For example, the partition 86 is a part of the lower case member 56 and partitions the flow path portion 70 and the water receiving portion 84 in the vertical direction. The partition 86 covers at least a portion above the water receiving portion 84 . For example, the partition 86 covers the entire water receiving area of the water receiving portion 84 .

With such a configuration, even if water enters the channel portion 70 , the water entering the channel portion 70 can be separated from the air in the channel portion 70 . As a result, the air passing through the flow path portion 70 becomes cleaner, and usability can be further improved. That is, by separating the water receiving portion 84 and the air passing through the flow path portion 70, it is possible to prevent the air passing through the flow path portion 70 from being contaminated. The air blown out and circulated from the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62, the air discharged from the discharge port 64, and the air passing through the first filter part 67a can be kept in a cleaner state.

A water level sensor 88 is attached to the lower case member 56 . A water level sensor 88 detects the water level on the lower case member 56 . As a result, even if a large amount of water enters the flow path portion 70, the water accumulated on the lower case member 56 can be detected. Any sensor capable of detecting the water level on the lower case member 56, such as a capacitance type, pressure type, or float type, can be used as the water level sensor.

FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing part of the hand dryer of FIG. 6(a).
As shown in FIG. 12, the hand dryer 200 may further include a drain cap 87. As shown in FIG. A drain cap 87 is attached to the drain port 85 . By removing the drain cap 87 , the water flowing through the water channel 83 can be discharged from the drain port 85 to the outside of the channel portion 70 .

FIG. 13 is a schematic exploded view showing the hand dryer of FIG. 6(a).
The water receiving portion 82 is exposed on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50. As shown in FIG. For example, the water catcher 82 forms part of the front face of the hand dryer 200 . As shown in FIG. 13 , the water receiver 82 is attachable to and detachable from the housing 50 . A user or administrator of the hand dryer 200 can pull out the water receiver 82 from the housing 50 to remove the water collected in the water receiver 82 or clean the area around the water receiver 82 .

Below the water receiver 82, a cover 91a that forms part of the front surface of the hand dryer 200 is detachably provided. When the cover 91a is removed from the housing 50, the cover 91b and the water receiving portion 84 are exposed. The water receiving portion 84 is detachable from the lower case member 56 . A user or administrator of the hand dryer 200 can pull out the water receiving portion 84 from the lower case member 56 to remove the water collected in the water receiving portion 84 or clean the area around the water receiving portion 84. . Also, the cover 91b is detachable. By removing the cover 91b, the user or administrator of the hand dryer 200 can remove and replace the first filter section 67a. Since the first filter portion 67a and the water receiving portions 82 and 84 are detachable, maintenance is easy. For attachment and detachment of the water receiving portion 82, the water receiving portion 84, the cover 91a, and the cover 91b, for example, an engagement portion such as a claw or unevenness may be appropriately provided. The attachment/detachment is not limited to this, and any configuration that allows attachment/detachment of the water receiving portion 82, the water receiving portion 84, the cover 91a, and the cover 91b may be employed.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the airflow of another hand dryer according to the embodiment.
In the hand dryer 201 shown in FIG. 14, instead of the blower 65, a blower 65a (first blower) and a blower 65b (second blower) are provided. Further, in the hand dryer 201, similarly to the hand dryer 200, the housing 50 having the inner surface 50i and the opening 50A, the suction port 63, the outlet (first outlet 61 and second outlet 62), the flow A path portion 70, a discharge port 64, a control portion 69, a filter portion (a first filter portion 67a and a second filter portion 67b), and the like are provided.

Each of the blower section 65a and the blower section 65b is a blower fan having a motor. For example, the blower portion 65a is provided upstream of the blower portion 65b and the first filter portion 67a on the flow path portion 70 . The air blower 65 a is provided in the first flow path 71 . The blower section 65b is provided downstream of the first filter section 67a and upstream of the third flow path 73 on the flow path section 70 . The air blower 65 b is provided in the second flow path 72 . The control unit 69 controls the driving of each of the blower unit 65a and the blower unit 65b.

When the user inserts a wet hand into the dry space SP through the opening, the hand is detected by the detection unit 48 . When the detection unit 48 detects the hand, a signal is transmitted from the detection unit 48 to the control unit 69 . Upon receiving the signal, the control unit 69 executes control to drive the blower unit 65a. Thereafter, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of driving the air blower 65a, the control for driving the air blower 65b is executed. That is, when the detection unit 40 detects the hand, the blower unit 65a is driven, and then the blower unit 65b is driven with a delay. By driving the air blower 65a before the air blower 65b, it is possible to further prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the driving of the air blower 65b is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but it is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

When the wet hand is pulled out of the drying space SP through the opening, the detection unit 48 stops detecting the hand. At this time, the control unit 69 executes control to stop driving the blower unit 65b. After that, after a predetermined time has passed since the driving of the air blower 65b is stopped, the control for stopping the driving of the air blower 65a is executed. That is, when the detection unit 48 no longer detects the hand, the blower unit 65b is stopped and then the blower unit 65a is stopped after a delay. By stopping the driving of the air blowing part 65b before the driving of the air blowing part 65a, it is possible to further prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the stoppage of driving of the air blower 65a is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

The blower 65a is driven while the blower 65b is driven. That is, the control unit 69 performs control such that the blower unit 65a is driven while the blower unit 65b is being driven. As a result, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking through the opening. That is, while the air is being blown into the drying space SP from the blow-out port, the air in the drying space SP is easily sucked in from the suction port 63, so that the air in the drying space SP is prevented from leaking through the opening. more controllable.

Further, for example, when the air blowing unit 65a and the air blowing unit 65b are driven, the air blowing unit 65a and the air blowing unit 65b are configured such that the air volume sucked from the suction port 63 is larger than the air volume blown from the air blowing port. works. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

For example, when driving the blower portions 65a and 65b, the blower portions 65a and 65b operate so that the output of the blower portion 65a is greater than the output of the blower portion 65b. That is, the control unit 69 executes control to increase the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65a than the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65b.

By operating the air blower 65a with a larger output than the air blower 65b in this manner, the air volume sucked from the suction port 63 can be made larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

Further, for example, when the blowing units 65 a and 65 b are driven, the amount of air blown out from the outlet may be larger than the amount of air discharged from the outlet 64 . Since the air outlet blows out a relatively large amount of air, the drying performance can be maintained.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the airflow of another hand dryer according to the embodiment.
In the hand dryer 202 shown in FIG. 15, a suction port 63b (second suction port) and a channel portion 70b (second channel portion) are provided. Further, in the hand dryer 202, similarly to the hand dryer 200, the housing 50 having the inner surface 50i and the opening 50A, the suction port 63 (first suction port), the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet). Blowout port 62), flow path part 70 (first flow path part), blower part 65 (first blower part), control part 69, filter part (first filter part 67a and second filter part 67b), detection part 48 etc. are provided.

In this example, the third channel 73 and the discharge port 64 are not provided. However, the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64 may be provided as necessary. Also, in FIG. 15, the illustration of the water receiving portion 82 is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

The suction port 63 b is an opening provided on the inner surface 50 i of the housing 50 . The suction port 63b sucks air in the drying space SP. For example, the suction port 63b is provided on at least one of the bottom surface 55 and the side surfaces of the inner surface 50i, and is exposed on the inner surface 50i. The side surfaces of the inner surface 50i are surfaces extending upward from the bottom surface 55, and are, for example, the first surface 51 and the second surface 52 described above. The suction port 63b is positioned below the outlets (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62). In this example, the suction port 63b is open upward and sucks the air in the drying space SP downward.

The discharge port 64b discharges the air in the drying space SP sucked from the suction port 63b to the outside of the drying space SP. For example, the discharge port 64b is an opening provided on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50 and exposed on the outer surface 50j. In this case, the discharge port 64b discharges the air to the outside of the hand dryer 202, that is, the outside of the housing 50. FIG. The discharge port 64b is provided, for example, on the bottom surface 95 of the outer surface 50j, opens downward, and discharges air downward. This can prevent the discharge port 64b from discharging air toward the user. However, the outlet 64b may be provided on the rear surface 92, the right side 93, or the left side 94 of the outer surface 50j, and the air may be discharged rearwardly or laterally.

The flow path part 70b connects the suction port 63b and the discharge port 64b. The flow path portion 70b extends downward from the suction port 63b to the discharge port 64b. The air sucked from the suction port 63b passes through the flow path portion 70b and is discharged from the discharge port 64b.

The channel portion 70 b is a channel different from the channel portion 70 . In other words, the channel portion 70 and the channel portion 70b are separated from each other and independent. The channel portion 70b does not merge with the channel portion 70 . The flow channel portion 70b does not share a part of the flow channel with the flow channel portion 70b.

The hand dryer 202 may have an air blower 65c (second air blower) for sucking air into the suction port 63b. The blower section 65c is, for example, a blower fan provided in the flow path section 70b. The blower 65 (first blower) and the blower 65c (second blower) are blowers each having a motor.

When the air blowing section 65 (first air blowing section) is driven, air is generated in the flow path section 70 . As a result, the air in the drying space SP is sucked through the suction port 63 . The air sucked from the suction port 63 is blown out from the blowout ports (the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62 ) and circulates inside the hand dryer 202 . On the other hand, when the air blowing portion 65c (second blowing portion) is driven, air is generated in the flow path portion 70b. As a result, the air in the drying space SP is sucked through the suction port 63b. The air sucked from the suction port 63b flows downward through the flow path portion 70b and is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 64b.

Thus, the air in the drying space SP is sucked by the suction port 63 and the suction port 63b. As a result, the air in the drying space SP can be prevented from leaking from the opening during drying of the hands, and usability can be improved. Further, the air sucked from the suction port 63b is discharged from the discharge port 64b to a place other than the drying space SP, so that the amount of the air sucked from the suction port (the suction port 63 and the suction port 63b) is blown out from the discharge port. The amount of air in the drying space SP can be made larger than the amount of air to be supplied, and the leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening can be further suppressed.

The control unit 69 controls the driving of each of the blower unit 65 and the blower unit 65c. When the user inserts a wet hand into the dry space SP through the opening, the hand is detected by the detection unit 48 . When the detection unit 48 detects the hand, a signal is transmitted from the detection unit 48 to the control unit 69 . Upon receiving the signal, the control unit 69 executes control to drive the blower unit 65c. After that, after a predetermined time has passed since the start of driving the air blower 65c, the control for driving the air blower 65c is executed. That is, when the hand is detected by the detection unit 48, the blower unit 65c is driven, and then the blower unit 65 is driven with a delay. By driving the air blower 65c before the air blower 65, it is possible to further suppress leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the driving of the air blower 65 is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

When the wet hand is pulled out of the drying space SP through the opening, the detection unit 48 stops detecting the hand. At this time, the control unit 69 executes control to stop driving the blower unit 65 . After that, after a predetermined time has passed since the driving of the air blower 65 is stopped, the control for stopping the driving of the air blower 65c is executed. That is, when the detection unit 48 no longer detects the hand, the blower unit 65 is stopped, and then the blower unit 65c is stopped after a delay. By stopping the driving of the air blower 65 before the driving of the air blower 65c, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the stoppage of driving of the air blower 65c is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

While the air blower 65 is driven, the air blower 65c is driven. In other words, while the air blower 65 is being driven, the controller 69 performs control such that the air blower 65c is being driven. As a result, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space from leaking through the opening. That is, while the air is blown into the drying space SP from the blow-out port, the air in the drying space SP is more likely to be sucked in from the suction port 63b. more controllable.

Further, when the air blowing unit 65 and the air blowing unit 65c are driven, the air blowing unit 65 and the air blowing unit 65c operate so that the air volume sucked from the suction port becomes larger than the air volume blown from the air blowing port. . As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed. In this example, the volume of air sucked from the suction port is the sum of the volume of air sucked from the suction port 63 and the volume of air sucked from the suction port 63b.

For example, as shown in FIG. 15, when the flow path portion 70 is not provided with the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64, etc., the air volume in the air blowing portion 65 is used as the "air volume of the air blown out from the air outlet". may Also, in this example, the amount of air in the air blower 65 may be used as the amount of air sucked from the suction port 63 . Further, for example, the air volume in the air blower 65c may be used as the air volume sucked from the suction port 63b.

When the air blower 65 and the air blower 65c are driven, the amount of air blown out from the outlet may be smaller than the amount of air drawn in from the inlet 63b. In other words, the amount of air sucked through the suction port 63 may be smaller than the amount of air sucked through the suction port 63b when the blowing unit 65 and the blowing unit 65b are driven. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

Alternatively, when the blowing unit 65 and the blowing unit 65c are driven, the amount of air blown from the outlet may be larger than the amount of air drawn from the suction port 63b. In other words, the amount of air sucked through the suction port 63 may be greater than the amount of air sucked through the suction port 63b when the blower portions 65 and 65c are driven. In this case, the air outlet blows out a relatively large amount of air, so the drying performance is improved.

For example, the blower section 65 and the blower section 65c operate so that the output of the blower section 65c is greater than the output of the blower section 65 . The control unit 69 executes control to make the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65c higher than the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65c. In this way, by operating the air blower 65c with a larger output than the air blower 65, the air volume sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

Alternatively, the blower 65 and the blower 65c operate so that the output of the blower 65 is greater than the output of the blower 65c. The control unit 69 executes control to make the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65 larger than the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65c. In this way, by operating the air blower 65 with a larger output than the air blower 65c, it is possible to increase the amount of air blown out from the outlet. In this case, the air outlet blows out a relatively large amount of air, so the drying performance is improved.

The hand dryer 202 may further have a filter portion 67c. The filter portion 67c is provided in the flow path portion 70b and positioned upstream or downstream of the blower portion 65c. By providing the filter portion 67c, the air discharged from the discharge port 64b can be made cleaner.

Note that the air blower 65c is provided as necessary and may be omitted as appropriate. For example, even if the air blowing unit 65c is not provided, the air in the drying space SP is blown by the ventilation duct of the building where the hand dryer 202 is installed and the fan or the like provided in the ventilation duct. In some cases, the drying space SP can be discharged from the portion 70b and the discharge port 64c. On the other hand, when the air blowing part 65c is provided, it is easy to increase the amount of air sucked from the suction port 63 and the suction port 63b, and it is possible to further suppress the leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted. can be done.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the airflow of another hand dryer according to the embodiment.
The hand dryer 203 shown in FIG. 16 is provided with an exhaust port 64c and an outside air intake port 66 . Instead of the channel portion 70, a channel portion 70c (first channel portion) and a channel portion 70d (second channel portion) are provided. Instead of the blower 65, a blower 65d (first blower) and a blower 65e (second blower) are provided. Also, in the hand dryer 203, similarly to the hand dryer 200, the housing 50 having the inner surface 50i and the opening 50A, the suction port 63 and the outlet (the first outlet 61 and the second outlet 62), the control unit 69, a filter portion (first filter portion 67a), a detection portion 48, a water receiving portion 82, and the like are provided.

The discharge port 64c discharges the air in the drying space SP sucked from the suction port 63 to the outside of the drying space SP. For example, the discharge port 64c is an opening provided on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50 and exposed on the outer surface 50j. In this case, the exhaust port 64 c exhausts the air to the outside of the hand dryer 203 , that is, the outside of the housing 50 . The discharge port 64c is provided, for example, on the bottom surface 95 of the outer surface 50j, opens downward, and discharges air downward. This can prevent the discharge port 64c from discharging air toward the user. However, the outlet 64c may be provided on the rear surface 92, the right side 93, or the left side 94 of the outer surface 50j, and the air may be discharged rearwardly or laterally.

The outside air intake port 66 sucks air from the outside of the drying space SP. For example, the outside air intake port 66 is an opening provided on the outer surface 50j of the housing 50 and exposed on the outer surface 50j. In this case, the outside air intake port 66 takes in air from the outside of the hand dryer 203 , that is, the outside of the housing 50 . For example, the outside air intake port 66 is provided on the bottom surface 95 of the outer surface 50j, opens downward, and sucks air downward. However, the outside air intake port 66 may be provided on the front surface 91, the rear surface 92, the right side surface 93, or the left side surface 94 of the outer surface 50j.

The flow path portion 70c connects the suction port 63 and the discharge port 64c. In this example, the channel portion 70c extends downward from the suction port 63 to the discharge port 64c. The air sucked from the suction port 63 is discharged from the discharge port 64 through the flow path portion 70c.

The flow path portion 70d connects the external air intake port 66 and the blowout ports (the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62). The channel portion 70 d has a channel 72 a leading to the first outlet 61 and a channel 72 b leading to the second outlet 62 . In this example, the channel portion 70d extends upward from the outside air intake port 66 and branches into a channel 72a and a channel 72b. The air sucked from the outside air intake port 66 passes through the flow path portion 70d and is blown out from the blowout ports (the first blowout port 61 and the second blowout port 62) into the drying space SP.

The channel portion 70c is a channel different from the channel portion 70d. In other words, the channel portion 70c and the channel portion 70d are separated from each other and independent. The channel portion 70c does not merge with the channel portion 70d. The channel portion 70c does not share a portion of the channel with the channel portion 70d.

In addition, in this example, the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64 are not provided. However, the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64 may be provided as necessary.

The air blowing portion 65d is provided in the flow path portion 70c and causes the suction port 63 to suck air. The air blowing portion 65e is provided in the flow path portion 70d and causes the external air suction port 66 to suck air. Each of the blower section 65d and the blower section 65e is a blower fan having a motor.

When the air blowing portion 65d is driven, air is generated in the flow path portion 70c. As a result, the air in the drying space SP is sucked through the suction port 63 . The air sucked from the suction port 63 flows downward through the flow path portion 70c and is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 64c. On the other hand, when the air blowing portion 65e is driven, air is generated inside the flow path portion 70d. As a result, outside air is sucked through the outside air intake port 66 . The air sucked from the outside air intake port 66 flows upward through the flow path portion 70d, passes through the flow path 72a and is blown out from the first blowout port 61 into the drying space SP, or passes through the flow path 72b. is blown out from the second outlet 62 into the drying space SP.

Even in a hand dryer that takes in air from the outside and discharges it to the outside through the suction port in the drying space, the air blown into the drying space is not sufficiently sucked in from the suction port, and the hand is inserted through the opening. There is a risk of leakage. On the other hand, in the hand dryer 203, the air blowing section 65d and the air blowing section 65e operate so that the air volume sucked from the suction port 63 is larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet.

Thus, the air in the drying space SP is sucked through the suction port 63 . As a result, the air in the drying space SP can be prevented from leaking from the opening during drying of the hands, and usability can be improved. In addition, the volume of air sucked from the suction port 63 can be made larger than the volume of air blown from the blowing port, and the leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 16, when the flow path portion 70d is not provided with the third flow path 73 and the discharge port 64, etc., the air volume in the air blowing portion 65e is used as the "air volume of the air blown out from the blowout port". may Further, for example, the amount of air in the air blower 65 d may be used as the amount of air sucked from the suction port 63 .

For example, the air blower 65d and the air blower 65e operate so that the output of the air blower 65d is greater than the output of the air blower 65e. The control unit 69 executes control to make the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65d larger than the output of the motor of the blower fan of the blower unit 65e. In this way, by operating the air blower 65d with a larger output than the air blower 65e, the air volume sucked from the suction port can be made larger than the air volume blown from the air outlet. As a result, leakage of the air in the drying space from the opening into which the hand is inserted can be further suppressed.

The control unit 69 controls the driving of each of the blower unit 65d and the blower unit 65e. When the user inserts a wet hand into the dry space SP through the opening, the hand is detected by the detection unit 48 . When the detection unit 48 detects the hand, a signal is transmitted from the detection unit 48 to the control unit 69 . Upon receiving the signal, the control unit 69 executes control to drive the blower unit 65d. After that, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of driving the air blower 65d, the control for driving the air blower 65e is executed. That is, when the detection unit 48 detects the hand, the blower unit 65d is driven, and then the blower unit 65e is driven with a delay. By driving the air blower 65d before the air blower 65e, it is possible to further suppress leakage of the air in the drying space SP from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the driving of the air blower 65e is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but it is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

When the wet hand is pulled out of the drying space SP through the opening, the detection unit 48 stops detecting the hand. At this time, the control unit 69 executes control to stop driving the blower unit 65e. After that, after a predetermined time has passed since the driving of the air blower 65e is stopped, the control for stopping the driving of the air blower 65d is executed. That is, when the detection unit 48 no longer detects the hand, the blower unit 65e is stopped and then the blower unit 65d is stopped after a delay. By stopping the driving of the air blowing part 65e before the driving of the air blowing part 65d, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space SP from leaking from the opening. The predetermined time for delaying the stoppage of driving of the air blower 65d is, for example, approximately 0.01 seconds or more and 2.0 seconds or less, but is not particularly limited and can be determined as appropriate.

The blower 65d is driven while the blower 65e is driven. That is, while the blower 65e is being driven, the controller 69 performs control so as to drive the blower 65d. As a result, it is possible to firmly prevent the air in the drying space from leaking through the opening. That is, while the air is being blown into the drying space SP from the blow-out port, the air in the drying space SP is easily sucked in from the suction port 63, so that the air in the drying space SP is prevented from leaking through the opening. more controllable.

As shown in FIG. 16, the first filter portion 67a is provided upstream of the blower portion 65e in the flow path portion 70d. The first filter portion 67a can clean the air blown into the drying space SP from the outlet.

The hand dryer 203 may further have a filter portion 67d. The filter portion 67d is provided in the flow path portion 70c and positioned upstream or downstream of the blower portion 65d. By providing the filter portion 67d, the air discharged from the discharge port 64c can be made cleaner.

As described above, for high-speed drying, it is desirable that the air outlets blow air at high speed. Specifically, for example, when the air blower for sending air to the outlet is driven, each outlet (first outlet 2a, second outlet 4a, first outlet 61 and second outlet The wind speed of the air blown out from each of the outlets 62 is 90 m/s (meters per second) or more, preferably 92 m/s or more. In addition, when the blowing unit for sending air to the blowing port is driven, the amount of air blown from the blowing port (the amount of air blown from each first blowing port 2a and each second blowing port 4a The total air volume, or the total air volume of air blown out from each first outlet 61 and each second outlet 62) is 2.0 m ³ /h (cubic meters per hour) or more, preferably 2.2 m ³ / h or more. As a result, it is possible to realize high-speed drying that can dry the user's hands in, for example, about 10 seconds. However, in a hand drying device capable of high-speed drying that blows air at high speed, a large amount of air is blown out from the blow-out port, so the air that comes out of the blow-out port is sufficiently sucked in from the suction port in the drying space. There was a possibility that it would leak from the opening where the hand was inserted without being For example, if the force of the wind is strong, the wind that collides with the user's hand or the like is likely to spread to the surroundings, so there is a risk that the wind will leak through the opening into which the hand is inserted without being sucked in through the suction port. On the other hand, according to the hand dryers 100, 200 to 203 according to the embodiments, as already mentioned, there is a possibility that the air coming out of the outlet may leak from the opening into which the hand is inserted instead of the suction port. can be further reduced. The comparison of the air volume (or output) may be performed in at least a part of the state excluding the transient state of the air volume (or output) such as immediately after the start of driving of each air blower, for example.

As described above, according to the embodiments, it is possible to provide a hand dryer capable of improving quality.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the invention is not limited to these descriptions.

Although the suction port 10 is provided in the bottom portion 8 in the embodiment of the present invention, it may be provided in the first wall portion 2 or the second wall portion 4, for example.

Appropriate design changes made by those skilled in the art with respect to the above embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, etc. of each element provided in the hand dryers 100, 200 to 203 are not limited to those illustrated and can be changed as appropriate.

Moreover, each element provided in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as it is technically possible, and a combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

2 first wall portion 2a first outlet 4 second wall portion 4a second outlet 6 wall portion 8 bottom portion 10 suction port 12 blower portion 14 channel portion 16 filter portion 18 suction channel 20 circulation channel 22 discharge port 24 Discharge channel 25 Heating section 26 First blower section 28 Second blower section 30 Water receiving section 32 Water receiving tray 34 First filter section 36 Second filter section 38 Third filter section 40 Detection section 42 Control section 44 Inlet 46 Intake Channel 48 Detector 50 Housing 50A Opening 50i Inner surface 50j Outer surface 51-54 First to fourth surfaces 55 Bottom surface 56 Lower case member 57, 59 Rib 61 First outlet 62 Second outlet 63, 63b Suction port 64, 64b, 64c discharge port 65, 65a to 65e blower portion 66 outside air intake port 67 filter 67a first filter portion 67b second filter portion 67c, 67d filter portion 68 heating portion 69 control portion 70, 70b, 70c, 70d flow path portion 71 First channel 72 Second channel 72a, 72b Channel 73 Third channel 80 Drain port 81 Water channel 82 Water receiving part 83 Water channel 84 Water receiving part 85 Drain port 86 Partition 87 Drain cap 88 Water level sensor 91 Front face 91a, 91b Cover 92 Back 93 Right side 94 Left side 95 Bottom 100, 200-203 Hand dryer

Claims (20)

a first wall portion formed with a first outlet;
a second wall facing the first wall and defining between the first wall and the first wall a drying space having an opening for putting in wet hands;
a bottom portion connected to the first wall portion and the second wall portion and forming a bottom of the drying space;
an air blower for sucking the air in the drying space from a suction port formed in the wall or the bottom and for discharging the air from the first outlet into the drying space;
a flow passage portion in which the air blowing portion is installed and through which the air sucked from the suction port flows;
and a filter portion provided in the flow path portion,
The flow path part
a suction channel connected to the suction port into which air sucked from the suction port flows;
a circulating flow path connected to the suction flow path and the first outlet for sending the air flowing in from the suction flow path to the first outlet;
A negative pressure is generated in the drying space by connecting the suction channel and an outlet formed outside the drying space and sending a part of the air flowing in from the suction channel to the outlet. and a discharge channel for allowing a hand dryer. 2. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the circulation channel is configured to have a channel cross-sectional area larger than that of the discharge channel. The air blowing section includes a first air blowing section provided in the suction flow path for sucking air in the drying space from a suction port formed in the wall or the bottom, and a first air blowing section located upstream of the discharge flow path. 3. The hand dryer according to claim 1, further comprising a second air blower provided in one of the circulation channels for blowing out air from the first outlet. a detection unit that detects a user's hand;
a control unit that executes drive control of the first blower and the second blower based on the detection result of the detector,
The control unit drives the first blower unit when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and controls the second blower unit to be driven after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first blower unit was driven. 4. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The control unit stops driving the second blower when the detection unit no longer detects the user's hand, and the first blower after a predetermined time has passed since the second blower stopped driving. 5. The hand dryer according to claim 4, wherein the control for stopping the driving of the is executed. The suction channel has a water receiving part for collecting water droplets adhering to the user's hand,
6. The filter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the filter section is provided downstream of the water receiving section in the suction flow path upstream of the discharge flow path. hand dryer. 7. A hand dryer according to claim 6, wherein said filter section comprises a HEPA filter. The hand dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the channel part further has an intake port for taking in air from the outside and an intake channel connected to the circulation channel. The first blowing unit and the second blowing unit operate so that the volume of air sucked from the suction port is greater than the volume of air blown from the blowing port,
4. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the air outlet includes the first air outlet and blows out the air sucked from the drying space into the drying space. 10. The hand dryer according to claim 9, wherein the first blower and the second blower operate such that the output of the first blower is greater than the output of the second blower. The hand dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the filter section is positioned upstream of the discharge port in the channel section. a housing having an inner surface and an opening for a user to insert a hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface;
a suction port provided on the inner surface for sucking air in the drying space;
an air outlet provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space;
a channel portion connecting the suction port and the outlet;
an air blowing unit provided in the flow path portion for drawing air into the suction port and for blowing at least part of the air sucked into the suction port from the blowout port through the flow channel portion;
a discharge port for discharging a part of the air sucked from the suction port from the flow path;
A hand drying device comprising: a housing having an inner surface and an opening for a user to insert a hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface;
a first suction port and a second suction port provided on the inner surface for sucking air in the drying space;
an air outlet provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space;
a discharge port for discharging the air sucked from the second suction port;
a first flow path portion connecting the first inlet and the outlet;
a second flow path portion connecting the second suction port and the discharge port;
a first air blower for sucking air into the first suction port;
with
The hand drying device, wherein the second flow channel is a separate flow channel from the first flow channel. 14. The hand dryer according to claim 13, further comprising a second air blower for sucking air into the second suction port. a detection unit that detects a user's hand;
a control unit that executes drive control of the first blower and the second blower based on the detection result of the detector,
The control unit drives the second blower when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and controls the first blower after a predetermined time has passed since the second blower was driven. 15. A hand dryer as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that it performs: The control unit stops driving the first blower unit when the detection unit stops detecting the user's hand, and the second blower unit stops driving after a predetermined time has passed since the first blower unit stops driving. 16. The hand dryer according to claim 15, wherein the control for stopping the driving of the is executed. a housing having an inner surface and an opening for a user to insert a hand into a drying space surrounded by the inner surface;
a suction port for sucking air in the drying space;
a discharge port for discharging the air sucked from the suction port;
an air outlet provided on the inner surface for blowing air into the drying space;
an outside air inlet for sucking air from outside the drying space;
a first channel portion connecting the suction port and the discharge port;
a second flow path portion connecting the outlet and the outside air intake;
a first air blower for sucking air into the suction port;
a second air blower for sucking air into the outside air inlet;
with
The hand dryer, wherein the first blower and the second blower operate so that the volume of air sucked from the inlet is greater than the volume of air blown from the outlet. 18. The hand dryer according to claim 17, wherein the first blower and the second blower operate such that the output of the first blower is greater than the output of the second blower. a detection unit that detects a user's hand;
a control unit that executes drive control of the first blower and the second blower based on the detection result of the detector,
The control unit drives the first blower unit when the detection unit detects the user's hand, and controls the second blower unit to be driven after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first blower unit was driven. 19. A hand dryer according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that it performs The control unit stops the second blower when the detection unit no longer detects the user's hand, and stops the first blower after a predetermined time has passed since the second blower stopped. 20. The hand dryer according to claim 19, wherein the control to allow the drying is executed.

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