JP6541890B2 - Hand dryer and hygiene management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hand dryer for drying wet hands after cleaning and a hygiene management system using the same.

  In order to maintain the hands in a hygienic condition, along with the hand washing procedure, the drying procedure after washing also needs to be conducted hygienically. Therefore, instead of wiping the wet hand with a towel or handkerchief after washing, a hand dryer that sprays a high-speed air stream on the hand inserted in the hand insertion part and blows off the water adhering to the hand to dry the hand Is used.

  In a hand dryer that blows off water adhering to the hand and dries the hand, it is important for the hand to hygienically dry the hand that the hand does not contact the wall surface of the hand insertion part. This is because the wall of the hand insertion part may have water adhering to the wall, and in addition to water splashed from the hand, substances that may cause the hand to contaminate the hand, including human sebum, may be attached. Because it may adhere to the Therefore, in Patent Document 1, in order to prevent the user's hand inserted in the hand insertion portion from contacting the wall surface, a hand provided with means for detecting that the hand has approached the wall surface and a notification means A drying device is disclosed.

JP 2012-125375 A

  The hand dryer disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an optical proximity sensor that detects the approach of the hand, and a notification unit including a buzzer or an electronic light display device, and a buzzer indicating that the hand is approaching the wall surface. Alternatively, the user is notified by the electronic display device. That is, the hand dryer disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes it possible for the user who recognizes that the hand is approaching the wall surface by giving notice that the hand does not touch the wall surface. I am trying to prevent the hands from becoming unsanitary.

  However, before the notification recognizes that the hand is approaching the wall and the position of the hand is corrected, the hand may already be in contact with the wall. In addition, even when the user attempts to correct the position of the hand, the hand may be pushed against the wall of the user against the user's intention due to the high-pressure air flow ejected from the nozzle. . Depending on the accuracy of the optical proximity sensor, the distance between the wall and the hand can not be measured accurately, and the hand may already be in contact with the wall at the time of notification. As described above, even when the user reports that the hand has approached the wall surface, the hand may not be prevented from touching the wall surface.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and informs the user that the hand has touched the wall surface of the hand insertion portion, and restores the hand to a hygienic state by washing the hand again and the like. Aim to obtain a hand dryer that can

  In order to solve the problems described above and to achieve the object, the hand dryer according to the present invention is provided with a housing in which a hand insertion part capable of inserting and removing a hand is formed and a housing to generate high pressure air flow. A high-pressure air flow generator for generating air flow, a nozzle provided on the wall of the hand insertion part to eject high-pressure air flow toward the inside of the hand insertion part, and an electrode provided on the wall of the hand insertion part to detect capacitance And. Further, it is determined that the hand is inserted in the hand insertion unit based on the comparison between the first threshold and the capacitance, and based on the comparison between the second threshold different from the first threshold and the capacitance. A determination unit is provided that determines that a hand has touched a wall surface of the hand insertion unit.

  The hand dryer according to the present invention can notify the user that the hand has come in contact with the wall surface of the hand insertion part, and can promote recovery of the hand to a hygienic state by washing the hand again and the like. Play an effect.

Cross-sectional view of the hand dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention viewed from the side FIG. 6 is a graph showing a change in capacitance detected by an electrode in the hand dryer according to the first embodiment. Block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control unit in the first embodiment The figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the control part in Embodiment 1. The figure which shows schematic structure of the hygiene management system using the hand dryer concerning Embodiment 1.

  Hereinafter, a hand dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention and a hygiene management system using the same will be described in detail based on the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a hand dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side. Hatching is omitted in FIG. The left side of the drawing is the front side of the hand dryer 20, and the right side of the drawing is the back side of the hand dryer 20.

  The hand dryer 20 includes a housing 21 having a hand insertion unit 1 configured as a concave space at the top. A suction port 21 a is formed in the bottom of the housing 21. Further, in the housing 21, the nozzle 2 a is formed on the wall surface 1 a on the front side of the hand insertion unit 1, and the nozzle 2 b is formed on the wall surface 1 b on the back side of the hand insertion unit 1. An air passage 22 connecting between the suction port 21a and the nozzles 2a and 2b is formed in the housing 21.

  The air passage 22 incorporates a high pressure air flow generating device 10 that generates a high pressure air flow. The high pressure air flow generator 10 has a motor 11 and a turbofan 12 rotated by the motor. The motor 11 is, for example, a DC (Direct Current) brushless motor.

  When the high pressure air flow generation device 10 operates, an air flow from the suction port 21 a toward the nozzles 2 a and 2 b is generated in the air passage 22. An air passage upstream of the high-pressure air flow generation device 10 in this air flow is referred to as an upstream air passage 22a, and an air passage downstream thereof is referred to as a downstream air passage 22b. When the high pressure air flow generating device 10 operates, air is drawn into the upstream air passage 22a through the suction port 21a. The air sucked from the suction port 21a is blown out from the high pressure air flow generator 10 to the downstream air passage 22b as a high pressure air flow. The high pressure air flow blown out from the high pressure air flow generating device 10 is guided to the nozzles 2a and 2b through the downstream air passage 22b, and is jetted from the nozzles 2a and 2b toward the hand insertion portion 1.

  By blowing the high-speed air flow spouted from the nozzles 2a and 2b to the hand inserted into the hand insertion portion 1, the moisture adhering to the hand inserted into the hand insertion portion 1 is blown away. The water blown off from the hand is led to a drain tank 5 from a drainage port provided in a water receiving portion 4 at the lower part of the hand insertion portion 1, and is stored here.

  The housing 21 is provided with an electrode 7 a in close contact with the wall surface 1 a of the hand insertion portion 1. Further, the housing 21 is provided with an electrode 7 b in close contact with the wall surface 1 b of the hand insertion portion 1. The electrodes 7a and 7b function as a capacitance sensor that detects capacitance. The electrodes 7a and 7b may be provided integrally with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b.

  Inside the housing 21, the control unit 6 is provided at a position avoiding the air passage 22. The control unit 6 determines that a hand has been inserted into the hand insertion unit 1 and determines that a hand has contacted the wall surfaces 1a and 1b based on the capacitances detected by the electrodes 7a and 7b. The detection method of the capacitance sensor configured by the electrodes 7a and 7b includes two methods of a self-capacitance method and a mutual-capacitance method. Whichever method is used, the amount of change in capacitance when a human body comes in contact is large, so it is suitable for determining the presence or absence of hand contact with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b. Although the first embodiment will be described by taking an example in which the capacitance is detected by the mutual capacitance method, the same detection can be performed even when the self-capacitance method is used.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a change in capacitance detected by the electrodes 7a and 7b in the hand dryer 20 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the capacitance detected by the electrodes 7 a and 7 b changes due to insertion of the hand into the hand insertion portion 1 or the like. In FIG. 2, the hand is not inserted in the hand insertion unit 1 in the a section, the hand is inserted in the hand insertion unit 1 in the b section, and the hand is in contact with the wall surfaces 1 a and 1 b in the c section.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the control unit 6 in the first embodiment. The control unit 6 includes a storage unit 31, a determination unit 32, an operation control unit 33, and a transmission unit 34.

  The storage unit 31 stores a first threshold value of capacitance for determining that a hand has been inserted into the hand insertion unit 1. The first threshold is indicated by line A in FIG. Further, the storage unit 31 stores a second threshold value for determining that a hand has touched the wall surfaces 1 a and 1 b of the hand insertion unit 1. The second threshold is indicated by line B in FIG.

  The determination unit 32 inserts the hand into the hand insertion unit 1 and the wall surface based on the capacitance detected by the electrodes 7a and 7b and the first threshold and the second threshold stored in the storage unit 31. It is determined that there has been hand contact with 1a and 1b.

  In the section a shown in FIG. 2, since the capacitance exceeds the first threshold value indicated by the line A, the determination unit 32 determines that a hand is not inserted in the hand insertion unit 1. In this section a, although there is fluctuation due to noise, the capacitance shows a stable numerical value.

  Thereafter, when a hand is inserted into the hand insertion unit 1, the capacitances detected by the electrodes 7a and 7b decrease and become smaller than the first threshold indicated by the line A. The determination unit 32 determines that a hand is inserted in the hand insertion unit 1 in a section b in which the capacitance is smaller than the first threshold. When determining that a hand is inserted into the hand insertion unit 1, the determination unit 32 transmits a hand insertion determination signal indicating that a hand is inserted into the hand insertion unit 1 to the operation control unit 33.

  When the hand comes in contact with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b from the state in which the hand is inserted into the hand insertion portion 1, the capacitance detected by the electrodes 7a and 7b is further reduced and is smaller than the second threshold indicated by the line B Become. The determination unit 32 determines that the hand inserted in the hand insertion unit 1 contacts the wall surfaces 1a and 1b in the section c in which the capacitance is smaller than the second threshold. If the determination unit 32 determines that a hand has touched the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, a contact signal, which is a detection signal indicating that the hand has touched the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, is directed to the transmission unit 34 and a notification unit 23 described later. Send. In addition, when the hand is pulled out from the hand insertion portion 1 without detection of the hand contact with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, the determination unit 32 performs the first operation without the capacitance being smaller than the second threshold value. If it exceeds the threshold value of (1), a completion signal indicating that the drying of the hand has been performed normally is transmitted to the transmission unit 34 and the notification unit 23 described later.

  The operation control unit 33 operates the high pressure air flow generation device 10 when the hand insertion determination signal is received. As a result, a high pressure air flow is spouted from the nozzles 2a and 2b, and the moisture attached to the hand inserted into the hand insertion portion 1 is blown away. The operation control unit 33 stops the high pressure air flow generation device 10 when the hand insertion determination signal is not received.

  The transmitter 34 transmits the touch signal or the completion signal to the outside of the hand dryer 20 when the touch signal or the completion signal is received.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the control unit 6 in the first embodiment. The control unit 6 is realized by, for example, a microcomputer 40 in which a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41 and a memory 42 are mounted. In the microcomputer 40, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41 functions as a determination unit 32, an operation control unit 33, and a transmission unit 34 by executing a program. Further, a memory 42 such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) functions as the storage unit 31. The program executed by the CPU 41 may be stored in the storage unit 31 or may be stored in another storage medium.

  The hand dryer 20 is provided with a notification unit 23. The notification unit 23 notifies that the user's hand is in contact with the wall surfaces 1 a and 1 b of the hand insertion unit 1. The notification unit 23 is provided on a place where a user who is inserting a hand into the hand insertion unit 1 can easily grasp, for example, on the top surface of the housing 21. When the notification unit 23 receives the contact signal, the notification unit 23 notifies that the user's hand has touched the wall surfaces 1a and 1b. The method of notification is not particularly limited. For example, the notification unit 23 may be turned on, or character information such as "Please wash your hands again because the hand has touched the wall surface" is displayed. It is also good. In this way, by informing the user that there is a possibility that the hands have been contaminated by the hands touching the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, the hands are restored to the hygienic state by washing the hands again. Can be In addition, when the notification unit 23 receives the completion signal, the notification unit 23 may notify information indicating that the hand has been hygienically dried. For example, when the hand contacts the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, a place different from the place to be lit may be lit, or text information such as "sanitarily drying of the hand is completed" is displayed. It may be.

  In section b shown in FIG. 2, the user moves the hand inserted in the hand insertion portion 1 to dry the hand, so the detected capacitance is not stable, and the first threshold indicated by the line A is It also occurs in the short term when it exceeds. However, by providing a delay in the time from when the removal of the hand is detected until the high pressure air flow generating device 10 is stopped, the high pressure air flow generating device when the capacitance exceeds the first threshold in a short period of time Stable operation is realized by preventing 10 from stopping.

  Since the electrodes 7a and 7b are formed closely or integrally formed on the wall surfaces 1a and 1b of the hand insertion portion 1, when the user's hand contacts the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, as shown in section c of FIG. The capacitance changes largely compared to the amount of fluctuation of the capacitance when the hand is inserted. In particular, in the case where the electrostatic capacitance is detected by the mutual capacitance method, since the same behavior as in the case where the electrodes 7a and 7b are grounded is exhibited, the electrostatic capacitance is hardly detected. Therefore, it is easy to secure a sufficient width between the first threshold and the second threshold, and become smaller than the second threshold due to the fluctuation of the capacitance when the hand is inserted in the hand insertion portion 1 Is less likely to occur. Thereby, it can be made hard to misdetect that a hand touched wall surfaces 1a and 1b.

  Also, by setting the first threshold and the second threshold, it is determined that an electrode for determining that a hand has been inserted in the hand insertion unit 1 and that the hand has come into contact with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b. Can be made common. Thereby, the number of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hygiene management system using the hand dryer 20 according to the first embodiment. The hand dryer 20 is installed in the space where the door 50 is provided. The door 50 is an automatic door that opens automatically when a person approaches. Opening and closing of the door 50 is controlled by the door control unit 51. When the door control unit 51 receives the contact signal transmitted from the transmission unit 34 of the hand dryer 20, the door control unit 51 regulates that the door is opened. At the same time, the door control unit 51 may cause the door notification unit 52 provided on the side of the door 50 or the like to display “Please wash your hands again and dry it”.

  Further, when the door control unit 51 receives the completion signal transmitted from the transmission unit 34 of the hand dryer 20, the door control unit 51 permits the door to open. Therefore, the user of the hand dryer 20 can not move to another space through the door 50 without completing hygienic hand drying. In addition, when the completion signal is received, the door control unit 51 may cause the door notification unit 52 to display a message such as “sanitarily drying of the hand is completed”.

  According to the hygiene management system described above, the user of the hand dryer 20 is restricted from moving from the space where the hand dryer 20 is provided to another space in a state where there is a possibility of contamination. Can. This can prevent another space at the end of the door 50 from being contaminated by the user's hand. For example, if this hygiene management system is applied to a food factory or the like that requires strict hygiene management, it is possible to prevent workers from entering the workplace with unsanitary hands.

  In the first embodiment, although the example using the mutual capacitance type electrostatic capacitance sensor has been described, there is no problem even if the self capacitance type is adopted. In the case of the mutual capacitance method, when the user's hand comes in contact with the wall surfaces 1a and 1b, the electrostatic capacitance becomes a small value. When the capacitance is a large value, the touch of the hand can be detected. Therefore, when the capacitance is detected by the self-capacitance method, the magnitude relationship between the first threshold and the second threshold is opposite to the relationship shown in the first embodiment.

  Further, in consideration of the manufacturing cost, a sensor for detecting the insertion of the hand into the hand insertion portion 1 and an electrode for detecting the contact of the hand to the wall surfaces 1a and 1b may be separately provided. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which transmits a contact signal or a completion signal outside, without providing the alerting | reporting part 23 in the hand dryer 20. FIG.

  The configuration shown in the above embodiment shows an example of the contents of the present invention, and can be combined with another known technique, and one of the configurations is possible within the scope of the present invention. Parts can be omitted or changed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 hand insertion part, 1a, 1b wall surface, 2a, 2b nozzle, 4 water receiving part, 5 drain tank, 6 control part, 7a, 7b electrode, 10 high pressure air flow generator, 11 motor, 12 turbo fan, 20 hand drying Device, 21 case, 21a suction port, 22 air passage, 22a upstream air passage, 22b downstream air passage, 23 notification unit, 31 storage unit, 32 determination unit, 33 operation control unit, 34 transmission unit, 40 microcomputer, 41 CPU, 42 memories, 50 doors, 51 door control unit, 52 door notification unit.

Claims (6)

A housing in which a hand insertion portion capable of inserting and removing a hand is formed;
A high pressure air flow generator provided in the housing for generating a high pressure air flow;
A nozzle which is provided on a wall surface of the hand insertion portion and jets the high-pressure air flow toward the inside of the hand insertion portion;
An electrode provided across the hand insertion portion to detect capacitance;
It is determined that a hand is inserted in the hand insertion part on the basis of the comparison between the first threshold and the capacitance, and the comparison between the second threshold different from the first threshold and the capacitance And a determination unit that determines that a hand has come into contact with a wall surface of the hand insertion unit. The hand dryer according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is provided in close contact with a wall surface of the hand insertion part. The hand dryer according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a notification unit that notifies that the determination unit has determined that a hand has touched a wall surface of the hand insertion unit. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising: a transmission unit that transmits to the outside a contact signal indicating that the determination unit has determined that a hand has touched a wall surface of the hand insertion unit. . When the determination unit determines that a hand is inserted in the hand insertion unit and then determines that the hand is pulled out from the hand insertion unit without determining that the hand is in contact with the wall surface, Determined that the drying of the hand was completed hygienically,
5. The hand drying apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission unit transmits a completion signal to the outside when the determination unit determines that the drying of the hand is hygienically completed. A hand dryer according to claim 4 ;
A door provided in a space where the hand dryer is installed;
And a door control unit configured to control the opening and closing of the door and to receive the contact signal.
The said door control part regulates that the said door is opened, when the said contact signal is received, The hygiene management system characterized by the above-mentioned.

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