KR20210117875A - A Drying arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure is to dry a person's body using a plurality of drying modules. According to the present disclosure, a configuration for drying a human body comprises: a primary drying module having a body, a bar movable with respect to the body, and a bar having an air outlet for discharging an air flow in a first air flow direction; a housing; and a secondary drying module having a housing having an air outlet for discharging an air flow in a second air flow direction. The first air flow direction and the second air flow direction are configured for drying different from each other.

Description

A Drying arrangement

The present disclosure relates to a construction for drying, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus for drying a person or part of a person.

In this specification to which a document, act, or item of knowledge is referenced and discussed, it is clear that the reference or discussion indicates that the document, act, or item of knowledge or a combination thereof was publicly available, known, and common at the priority date. It is not an admission that it is part of or is otherwise known to constitute prior art in accordance with applicable law or to an attempt to solve the problems associated with this specification.

A regular shower or bath is a common activity in modern society. In many cultures, shower tubs are used daily. For example, if you do some form of exercise during the day, you may want to wash more than once a day.

A person may get wet as a result of a shower or because of sweating. Drying of this moisture is very important for human health to prevent the growth of bacteria or mold on the person.

Given the right environment, such moisture can evaporate on its own, but for convenience and comfort, most people wash themselves or wipe themselves after exercise. Wiping with a towel is a good way to remove moisture from a person, but to effectively prevent bacteria and mold - especially around the feet - drying can take time and such areas can dry inappropriately. Towel drying your hair can be annoying and complicated, especially for people with long hair.

Aside from the issue of using towels to dry people as much as they want, the number and frequency of towels used means that towels make up a significant portion of the total laundry. This is especially true when towels are used only once, such as in gyms, sports clubs and hotels.

Washing of towels is energy intensive, and consumption of clean water is also problematic from an environmental point of view. The depletion of freshwater resources is known to be a widespread problem in many parts of the world. The number of towels washed and how often they are washed in general consumes a significant amount of water resources.

In Republic of Korea Registered Utility Model No. 20-0232774 (Prior Document 1), while the space in which the user's body is accommodated is not completely partitioned from the bathroom, high-temperature air is sprayed to all parts of the body to dry. In Prior Document 1, although both sides and the back or front of the body can be dried at the same time, it is almost impossible for the provided airflow to be delivered to the entire body of the user at the same time. have.

Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2018-0033637 (Prior Document 2) discloses a drying booth for a bathroom, which is installed in a bathroom and the like and used for drying after a shower. Here, it is partitioned from the outside by a frame, and it is possible to go inside through a door and proceed with drying. However, the drying booth of Prior Document 2 is partitioned separately from the bathroom, various configurations for providing air for drying are provided, and a ventilation fan for air flow between the bathroom and the booth is provided. Accordingly, there is a problem in that a separate space is occupied in the bathroom.

It is intended to solve or improve one or more of the above-mentioned problems by providing a drying system that at least provides the public with a useful alternative.

While certain aspects of prior art have been discussed for ease of description, Applicants in no way deny such technical aspects, it is contemplated that the claimed invention may include or have one or more of the existing technical aspects discussed herein. do.

(0010) The present disclosure seeks to address one or more of the problems noted above by providing devices and methods that not only improve health and hygiene, but also have a positive impact on the environment. For example, the devices, configurations and methods of the present disclosure provide efficient and effective drying of a person or part of a person, thereby reducing or eliminating reliance on towels.

The present disclosure is to dry a person's body using a plurality of drying modules.

The present disclosure is to allow the forced air flow provided by a plurality of drying modules to be positioned at predetermined angular intervals to completely dry a person's body.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the claimed invention includes any and all combinations of features, configurations and/or steps described herein, and is not limited to those features, configurations and/or steps as set forth in the appended claims. should be understood as including

A configuration for drying for drying a person's body, the configuration for drying comprising: a body; a bar movable relative to the body and including an air outlet; a first air inlet; a first flow generator that receives intake air from the first air inlet and creates a primary air flow, wherein the main air flow includes: a primary drying module discharged from the bar air outlet; and a housing; a second air inlet; a second flow generator that receives intake air from the second air inlet and creates a secondary air flow; and a secondary drying module including; a second air outlet in the housing for discharging the secondary air flow from the second flow generator, wherein the primary drying module and the secondary drying module operate a drying system. Each of the primary airflow from the bar air outlet of the primary drying module and the secondary airflow from the secondary air outlet of the secondary drying module relative to the person's body: different for the lateral edge of the person's body starting from the position and configured to be guided towards a common longitudinal axis of the body of the person.

As used herein, the term “and/or” means “and” or “or”, or both.

As used herein, "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular form of the noun.

For the purposes of this specification, the term “plastic” should be interpreted to mean a general term for a broad range of synthetic or semi-synthetic polymerization products and includes hydrocarbon-based polymer(s).

For the purposes of this specification, when method steps are described in order, the order means that the steps must be arranged in that order over time, unless explicitly stated or otherwise logically stated to interpret the order. it is not doing Notwithstanding this, the invention alternatively comprises performing the steps of the methods described herein in the specific order or sequence set forth in the specification and/or claims.

Many changes in the construction of the present invention and widely other embodiments and other applications may be suggested to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosure and description herein are purely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting in any sense.

Other aspects of embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The configuration for drying according to the present invention provides at least one or more of the following effects.

In the present invention, there is a primary drying module that has a bar moving with respect to the body and provides primary air flow from the bar, and a secondary drying module that sucks air and pressurizes it to discharge the secondary air flow. and the secondary airflow are each configured to originate from a different location relative to the lateral edge of the user's body so that the primary and secondary airflow are directed toward a common longitudinal axis of the user's body. According to this configuration, almost all parts of the user's body can be quickly dried at the same time.

In the secondary drying module, the nozzle through which the secondary air flow is discharged can be oriented in various directions through a direction mechanism controlled by a controller and a motor, so that the secondary air flow in various directions, such as the vertical direction of the user's body. It is possible to provide it, and there is an effect that drying on the user's body becomes more efficient.

In the present invention, a plurality of secondary drying modules may be used. In this case, the plurality of secondary drying modules are arranged to have a predetermined angular interval together with the primary drying module to provide air flow to the user's body at the same time, so that more quickly and efficient drying.

The configuration for drying of the present invention is to be installed in a structure or a partitioned area, and a primary drying module and a secondary drying module are installed separately on respective surfaces constituting the inner surface of the structure or the partitioned area. Accordingly, the user located in the structure or the partitioned area can be quickly dried by the air flow from the plurality of drying modules.

(0019) The objects and features of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and claims set forth below. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis is instead placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers are used to denote like parts throughout the drawings.
(0020) Preferred embodiments or aspects of the present invention are described by way of example only and reference is made to the drawings.
1 is a perspective view of a configuration for drying according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a side view of a configuration for drying according to another embodiment.
3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a configuration for drying;
4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the configuration for drying.
5 is a plan view schematically showing a still further embodiment of a configuration for drying;
6 is a perspective view of a configuration for drying according to another embodiment.
Figure 7a is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the secondary drying module.
Figure 7b is a block diagram of the secondary drying module of Figure 7a.
8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a configuration for drying.
9 is a side view of the drying apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
10 is a front view of the drying apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIG.
11 is a perspective view showing an upper region of the drying apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing an inner element of a part of the upper region of Fig. 11;
Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing the airflow through the inner element of the upper region of Fig. 12;
Figure 14 shows the airflow through the inner element of the upper region from another direction;
15 is a view showing the connection between the flow generator and the first air outlet in the embodiment of the present invention.
16A is a view showing a connection between a flow generator and a first air outlet in another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 16B is a rear perspective view showing the connection between one of the flow generators of Fig. 16 and the first air outlet;
17 is a cross-sectional view of the first air outlet taken along line A-A' of FIG. 10 .
Fig. 18A is a perspective view of the drying apparatus of Fig. 1 with a bar in a first position;
Fig. 18B is a perspective view of the drying apparatus of Fig. 1 with a bar in a second position;
19A is a perspective view showing a driving device for a drying device in an embodiment of the present invention.
19B is an enlarged perspective view of area A of FIG. 19A.
Fig. 19C is a bottom view of Fig. 19B.
19D is an exploded perspective view showing the fixing mechanism of the bar of the drying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
20 is a perspective view showing a drying apparatus including an additional bar in an embodiment of the present invention.
21A is a perspective view showing a drive mechanism for a drying apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 21B is an enlarged view of part B of FIG. 21A.
Fig. 21C is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the driving device of Figs. 21A to 21B;
22 is a top perspective view showing a bar of the drying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
23 is a bottom perspective view showing the bar of FIG. 22 .
24 is a rear perspective view showing a bar of another embodiment of the present invention.
25 is a partial perspective view showing various internal parts of the bar of FIGS. 22 to 24 in an embodiment of the present invention;
26 is an exploded perspective view showing various parts of the bar of FIGS. 22 to 25 in an embodiment of the present invention.
27 and 28 are diagrams illustrating exemplary paths of a forced air flow that may be discharged from a bar of FIG. 22 in FIG. 26 in an embodiment of the present invention.
29 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the drying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
30 is a flowchart for control of a temperature-humidity index (THI) by a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
31 is a flowchart for the control of the wind speed cooling index (Wind-Chill Index) by the controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
32A and 32B are views showing a user drying with a bar of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
33 is a flowchart for drying by a user by a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.
34 is an exploded perspective view of the upper region of the drying apparatus showing the filter unit according to the embodiment of the present invention is disassembled.
35 is another exploded perspective view of the filter unit of FIG. 26 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
36 is a front view showing an air inlet and an inlet path in the flow generator housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
37 is a partially exploded perspective view of the air inlet of FIG. 36;
38 is a front perspective view of an upper region of a drying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
39 is a perspective view of a drying apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
40 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' of FIG. 39 .
41 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(0069) One or more embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example shown in the accompanying drawings.

(0059) A drying apparatus and/or a configuration for drying may be provided in accordance with the present disclosure for a variety of applications. In at least a primary application, the dryer may be a dryer for drying a person after such as a bath or shower. The dryer may be provided to supplement towel drying, or may be provided as a substitute for towel drying in various preferred forms. By using the dryer as a body dryer, a person can be placed in the dryer and dried by one or more forced airflow of the dryer. Additionally, the drying device and/or the drying arrangement can be used to regulate or ideally optimize the environmental conditions in the periphery of the space in which it is located. For example, a drying device and/or a drying arrangement may be used to alter one or more environmental components such as humidity and/or temperature.

(0071) Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the drying apparatus 10 may include a body 100 and a bar 200 . Although the term 'bar' is used, 'bar' should not be construed as being limited to the shape of a bar, and may have various types of shapes according to design standards or intended results. The bar 200 may be driven with respect to the body 100 by a driving device, which will be described in more detail herein.

(0072) The drying device 10 may be sized to correspond to the size of a human body. For example, in the configuration of the drying apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 , the drying apparatus 10 , and in particular the body 100 , is sized in proportion to the size of the human body so as to enable the transfer of forced air across the human body. can be The drying apparatus 10 has different dimensions so that the prospective user can select the required size of the drying apparatus 10, for example, by determining the size that most closely corresponds to the size, shape and dimensions of the user's body. The branches may be made available in other sizes (ie, longitudinal length L1 and/or lateral width W1).

(0073) The forced air flow may be provided through the first air outlet 101 disposed along at least a portion of the edge of the drying surface 14 of the body 100 . The forced air flow may also be provided through the second air outlet 201 in the bar 200 . Unlike the first air outlet 101, which is fixed with respect to the body 100, the second air outlet 201 is movable, and the second air outlet 201 is moved to another part of the human body. To provide forced airflow, the bar 200 can move along the longitudinal length L1 of the body 100 as indicated by the vertical double-headed arrows in FIG. 1 . In other words, the bar 200 can move upwards or downwards, as indicated by the vertical double-headed arrows, traversing all or part of the longitudinal length L1 . According to some embodiments, the distance moved by the bar 200 along the longitudinal length of the body 100 may be set and/or adjusted according to a required range of the user's body.

(0074) The body 100 may define a drying side or a drying surface 14 adjacent to a part where the user is for drying by the drying device 10 . The drying surface 14 may generally define a surface or plane through which the forced air flow provided by the drying apparatus 10 through the first air outlet 101 and/or the second air outlet 201 is provided. can

As further shown in FIG. 1 (0075), drying apparatus 10 may be associated with one or more surfaces. The one or more surfaces may be associated with a structure or partitioned area 60 . According to some embodiments, the drying apparatus 10 may be mounted on a surface such as the surface of the wall 61 associated with the structure or partitioned area 6 . The dryer 10 occupies a predetermined area and can be mounted at a location on a surface or wall 61 , which corresponds to the upper and lower boundaries of the height of the person using the dryer 10 . The structure or partitioned area 60 may include one or more surfaces or walls. According to some non-limiting embodiments, the structure or partitioned area 60 may include one or more associated surfaces; one or more walls; door; floor; zenith; Or any combination thereof may be additionally included.

(0076) The direction of the airflow from the second air outlet 201 of the bar 200 may be adjusted manually and/or automatically according to a further embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the bar 200 may be mounted on the body via a pivot 240 so that the bar 200 and the air outlet 201 associated therewith are rotated at an angle. It can be positioned as PA, and can be diverted both upwards or downwards as indicated by arrows PA with heads at both ends in FIG. 2 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2 , the directed airflow DA can be aimed and reach an area that does not directly correspond to a longitudinal position along the target body 100 . For example, the directed airflow DA may be aimed at a lower extremity of the user's body, such as the foot or lower leg area, and/or may be directed towards the floor 65 of the structure or compartmentalized area 60 . can Although not shown precisely in FIG. 2 , the bar may be rotated in the opposite direction, or angled upwards towards the upper extreme of the user's body or towards the portion of the wall or ceiling associated with the structure or partitioned area 60 . It is clear that this can be lost. The pivot 240 may be formed by any suitable mechanical, electromechanical, electromagnetic, pneumatic, or other alternative structure so long as the desired repositioning or direction of the airflow from the bar 200 can be achieved. have. As previously described, the bar 200 may be moved manually via the pivot 240 , or the movement may be driven by a suitable drive or by modes of movement relative to each other or alternatively.

(0077) FIG. 3 shows a drying apparatus 10' configured according to an alternative embodiment. The drying apparatus 10' has all of the same construction and function of the drying apparatus 10 described herein, but includes a plurality of movable bars 200,300. According to the illustrated embodiment, there is thus provided a movable second bar 300 having an associated air outlet 301 . In this regard, the second bar 300 is additionally movable along the longitudinal direction L1 with respect to the body 100 . According to a further optional embodiment, the second bar 300 is relatively movable along the longitudinal direction L1 with respect to the movement of the first bar 200 . In other words, the longitudinal movements of the first and second bars 200 and 300 with respect to the body 100 may be synchronized. Alternatively, the longitudinal movement of the first and second bars 200 , 300 relative to the body 100 may be independent of each other. As mentioned above, the second bar 300 may also be mounted to the body 100 through the pivot 240 having the features and functions described above. The pivot used to mount the second bar 300 may have the same structure as the pivot 240 used to mount the first bar to the body. Alternatively, the pivot used to connect the first and second bars 200 , 300 may be provided by other structures and/or mechanisms. The rotational movements of the first and second bars 200 and 300 may also be synchronized, or may be independent of each other.

(0078) FIG. 4 is a diagram of a configuration 800 for dispersed drying formed in accordance with certain embodiments. The dispersed drying component 800 may be formed of a plurality of drying components or drying modules. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the configuration 800 includes a primary drying module 801 and one or more secondary drying modules (eg, 802a and 802b). The primary drying module 801 and one or more secondary drying modules 802a and 802b may be configured and arranged to discharge airflow in different directions with respect to each other. When a plurality of secondary drying modules are provided, at least two secondary drying modules may be arranged such that the air flow discharged from each secondary drying module flows in different directions. For example, the secondary drying modules (802a, 802b) may be arranged opposite to each other as shown in FIG.

(0079) The configuration 800 for dispersed drying may be associated with a variety of surfaces according to certain alternative embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , various modules (eg, 801 , 802a , 802b ) may be configured on each wall or surface (eg, 61 , 62 , 63 ) of a structure or partitioned area 60 . ,64,65,66). However, the modules of configuration 800 for drying may be positioned and positioned relative to each other by a number of other alternative mechanisms, such as by hanging, use of a stand, and the like.

(0080) FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a configuration 800 for dispersed drying according to another embodiment. The primary drying module 801 has an air outlet (eg, 201 ) and is otherwise constructed and arranged to discharge an airflow 803 dfm in a first airflow direction D1 . Likewise, each of the one or more secondary drying modules 802a and/or 802b has an air outlet (eg 811, FIG. 7a ), and otherwise, the second air drive direction D2 and/or the third It is constructed and arranged to discharge the airflows 804 and 805 in each of the airflow directions D3. As shown in FIG. 5, the air flow direction D1 discharged from the primary drying module 801 is the air flow direction D2 and/or discharged from one or more secondary drying modules 802a and/or 802b. or D3).

(0081) Generally speaking, the configuration 800 for distributed drying may be constructed and arranged such that the air flow direction of the primary drying module forms an angle with respect to the air flow direction of one or more secondary drying modules. have. In addition, when one or more secondary drying modules are provided, the air flow directions of the secondary drying modules may form one or more angles with respect to each other. These angles may be varied within suitable ranges. For example, the angular relationship between airflows described herein may range from greater than 0° to 180° (0°< and up to 180°). For example, the non-limiting schematic implementation of FIG. 5 . According to an example, the air flow direction D1 associated with the primary drying module 801 may form an angle a1 of approximately 90° with the air flow direction D2 associated with the secondary drying module 802a. The air flow direction D1 associated with the primary drying module 801 may form an angle a2 of approximately 90° with the air flow direction D2 associated with the secondary drying module 802b. The air flow direction D2 associated with the secondary drying module 802a may form an angle a3 of approximately 180° with the air flow direction D3 associated with the secondary drying module 802b. In other words, the relative positions of the primary and secondary drying modules and their relative angles as well as the associated airflow directions can be varied in accordance with the principles of the present invention as described herein.

5 , further shown in FIG. 5 , according to a further embodiment, a person 34 is shown in top view, and is additionally positioned within the structure or partitioned area 60 to contact the airflow for drying. . The longitudinal axis 806 of the person 34 faces into the drawing sheet in FIG. 5 . The drying modules may be positioned at different positions relative to the user, and the airflow from each module may come out in different directions (eg, D1, D2, D3) and at different angles to each other. (e.g., a1, a2, a3). For example, as shown in Figure 5, the airflow 803, 804, 805 is directed to the person 34 from different angles and all have a common longitudinal axis. to (806). According to a particular further embodiment, the primary drying module 801 may be positioned on the first wall 61 and the secondary drying modules 802a and 802b respectively the second wall 62 and the third wall. (63). It is further contemplated that the primary and/or secondary drying module may be associated with other or additional walls and surfaces, and may go beyond what is included in the illustrated embodiments. For example, in accordance with one alternative embodiment, one or more secondary drying modules may be disposed at or coincident with the wall 64 .

(0083) The airflows 803, 804, 805 may be fixed, such as in the additional configuration shown in FIG. 5, or alternatively one or more of the airflows 803, 804, 805 may be positioned It may be made movable to change direction.

A configuration 800 for drying configured according to an alternative embodiment (0084) is shown in FIG. 6 . The configuration 800 for drying shown therein is a drying device 10' in which the primary drying module as described in relation to FIG. 3 additionally includes a bar 200 as well as a second bar 300. It is similar in terms of construction and construction for drying described above, except that it includes The second bar 300 is additionally movable with respect to the body 100 of the drying device 10'. Additionally, the second bar 300 may be configured to have the same configuration and function as the bar 200 . Alternatively, the second bar 300 may have a different configuration and/or function as compared to the bar 200 .

(0085) Accordingly, for example, the primary drying module 801 may include a drying device 10 as shown in FIG. 4 . Alternatively, the primary drying module 801 may include a drying device 10', as shown in FIG. 6 . The configuration and function of the drying devices 10 and 10' will be described in more detail below.

(0086) According to a specific embodiment, the configuration of the secondary drying module 802 (eg, 802a, 802b) is shown in FIGS. 7A and 8B . According to the illustrated embodiment, the secondary drying module 802 includes a housing 810 formed of any suitable material, such as plastic. The housing 810 may include an air outlet 811 and an air inlet 812 . The secondary drying module 802 may further include an air flow generator 814 for providing a flow of air from the air inlet 812 to the air outlet 811 . The air flow generator 814 may be configured according to the same configuration and characteristics and the same principle as the air flow generator associated with the drying apparatuses 10 and 10', which will be described in more detail below. For example, the air flow generator 814 may be the air flow generator 110 of the body 100 (see FIGS. 16A and 16B ) or the flow generator 204 of the bar 200 (see FIG. 26 ). can be made the same as or similar to

(0087) The secondary drying module 802 may further include a resistance heater 120 located downstream of the air inlet 812 and upstream of the flow generator 814. During operation, the resistance heater 120 may heat the intake air of the air inlet 812 before being sucked into the air flow generator 814 . This embodiment considers having two air inlets 812 , each air inlet 812 associated with one resistance heater 120 . However, other configurations may have one air inlet or two or more air inlets. In addition, other configurations may have one resistance heater or two or more resistance heaters. Also, instead of the resistance heater, a thermoelectric device (to be described below) may be used. A thermoelectric device can be advantageous in that the thermoelectric device can heat or cool the intake air, so that the secondary drying module 802 can provide each of warm air and cool air.

(0088) According to one embodiment, the air outlet 811 is fixed relative to the housing 810 . According to an alternative embodiment, the air outlet 811 is movable with respect to the housing 810 . For example, the air outlet 811 may be in the form of a movable nozzle, similar in structure to the nozzle of an aircraft ventilation system located above an aircraft seat, but is movable using a motor. This configuration is preferable when the forced air flow can be directed from the upper position to the lower position, thereby drying the user from the upper position to the lower position. Alternative arrangements for redirecting the air outlet 811 and relocating the flow of air therefrom are contemplated and encompassed by the present invention.

Configuration 800 for distributed drying (0089) may include a controller 530 . The controller 530 may be a microprocessor, integrated circuit, electrical circuit, logic circuit, or the like. The controller 5300 may control the operation of the secondary drying module 802. For example, the controller 530 may control the operation of the air flow generator 814, the resistance heater 120 or If a thermoelectric device is used, it can control the operation of the thermoelectric device, and if the nozzle is movable, it can control the direction of the nozzle. The controller 530 can operate automatically. The controller 530 may sense the user's humidity using a thermal sensor (to be described in more detail below) located in the secondary drying module 802 or in the configuration 800 for distributed drying and The nozzle can be controlled to move up/down for drying.

(0090) In another configuration, the controller 530 may be under the control of or operate under the control of the controller 53 (see FIG. 29). The control signal may be received by wire or wirelessly. The controller 53 located in the primary drying module 801 may control the operation of the primary drying module 801 and additionally the secondary drying module 802 . In this configuration, the controller 53 instructs the controller 530 about the operation of the secondary drying module 802 . For example, the controller 53 may instruct the controller 530 to move the nozzle of the secondary drying module 802 to follow the vertical movement of the bar 200 of the primary drying module 801 . In another example, the controller 53 may instruct the controller 530 to move the nozzle so that it faces the user's hair. Accordingly, the secondary drying module 802 dries the hair, while the primary drying module 801 can dry the user's body. Many configurations of the operation of the secondary drying module 802 in cooperation with the operation of the primary drying module 801 may be implemented and included in the present invention.

(0091) Alternatively, the respective controllers 530 of the secondary drying module 802 work in conjunction with each other to provide the desired drying effect. The one or more controllers 530 may receive signals from one or more sensors disposed in the secondary drying module or modules 802 or disposed in the configuration 800 for distributed drying, where The sensors are a thermal sensor, a humidity sensor, a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, and the like. Signals received from these sensors can be used by the controller to influence the operation of the configuration 800 for distributed drying. For example, if it is determined that the lateral lateral portion of the user is properly dried based on the output from the sensor, the controller 530 may reduce or stop the motion of the flow generator associated with airflow towards the portion of the user's body. can do. Additionally, the airflow may be redirected or directed towards an area of the user's body that has not yet been adequately dried. Additional details regarding the control structure and operation will be described in more detail below.

A configuration 800' for distributed drying made in accordance with a further embodiment (0092) is shown in FIG. 8 . The configuration 800' for dispersed drying is similar to the configuration 800 of FIG. 4, and may retain the same general features and functions previously described herein. The main difference is that the one or more secondary drying modules 802 have at least one longitudinally movable bar 200 having a respective air outlet 201 . For example, the moving bar 200 may have the configuration shown in FIGS. 22 to 28 . According to the illustrated embodiment, each of the two opposing secondary drying modules 802a ′, 802b ′ each has a movable bar 200 with an air outlet 201 . The movable bar 200 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the secondary drying module 802 . The movable bar 200 has the same features and functions as the movable bar 200 associated with the primary drying module 801, which will be further described herein. This may be provided by a movable bar 200 having a guide member or members 45 . This movement may be manual, automatic, or a combination of both. The dnlkgs special mechanism for driving the movable bar of both the primary drying module and the secondary drying module will be described in more detail below. According to a further alternative embodiment, the one or more secondary drying modules 802 may include a plurality of movable bars 200 as one non-limiting example, such as the drying apparatus 10 ′ of FIG. 3 . may include

The installation, features and functions of the drying apparatuses 10 and 10' associated with the primary drying module 8010 of the configuration 800 for distributed drying (0093) will now be described in detail. Although central, it should be understood that the principles, features and functions described herein apply equally to the installation and function of alternative drying apparatus 10' Similarly, features, functions and control of movable bar 200 It should be understood that the following description of the following applies not only to the secondary drying module 802 having such a movable bar, but also to the movable bar associated with the primary drying module 801 as well. It should be understood that the following description applies to the movable bar of both the primary and secondary drying modules.

(0094) When the dryer 10 is provided in a confined space, such as a bathroom, it may be required that a minimal amount of space is occupied by the dryer 10 and possibly aesthetically pleasing. To this end, the portion including the drying surface 14 of the body 100 may be provided with a less protruding external shape as shown in FIG. 9 , as shown in the side view of FIG. 10 . This less protrusion can provide a slimmer shape.

(0095) In order to achieve such a slim shape, the bulky internal components of at least a part of the body are made of the body 100 so as not to prevent the part having the drying surface 14 from protruding less. It may be disposed on the side of the upper region (around the air inlet 102 shown in FIG. 2 ). The upper region of the body 100 may be located at or above the user's head. The upper region may include bulky elements such as flow generators, thermoelectric devices, flow guides, and the like. In another embodiment, the internal components of the body 100 may be disposed toward the lower region of the body 100 while being provided in the upper region of the body to have a minimized depth.

(0096) FIG. 11 is a detailed view of an exemplary upper region of the body 100 . Specifically, in FIG. 11 , the front cover of the upper region has been removed to expose the outlet of one of the two flow guides 116 adjacent to the filter unit 104 . The other air flow guide 116 is not visible in FIG. 11 , but may be disposed on the other side of FIG. 11 . The filter unit 104 opposes and/or cooperates with the flow guide 116 and is disposed in a space in the center of the body. The filter unit 104 may be replaceable or non-replaceable. The front cover (not shown in FIG. 11 ) can be removed to replace the old filter unit 104 with a new filter unit. FIG. 12 shows that the overlay has been removed to expose some internal components of the upper region of the body 100 shown in FIG. 11 .

(0097) Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 together, the upper region of the body 100 includes a pair of flow generators 110, a pair of flow guides 116, and a pair of thermoelectric devices 117 (this device is, (including, for example, a thermoelectric module, thermoelectric cooler, or other suitable device), a pair of air inlets 102 , the filter unit 104 , and a flow generator housing 103 surrounding the internal components. can do. One embodiment uses a thermoelectric device, a device that uses a thermoelectric effect such as the Peltier effect, while another embodiment uses a pump, compressor, and evaporator, resistance heating element, combustion or other chemical reaction to control temperature. This may include an air management or heat pump system. However, other types of air management devices may be used. According to one aspect, the upper region may be considered as an air management system of the body 100 .

(0098) In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of flow generators 110 is used. In other embodiments, only one flow generator or a large number of flow generators may be used. The flow generator may be an axial fan or the like. Embodiments including multiple flow generators may cooperate to create a uniform airflow into the body 100 . Embodiments may also include generating independent airflow into the body 100 to vary the intensity of the airflow in various portions of the body 100 . In the present embodiment, external air may be received into the flow generator housing 103 by the operation of the pair of flow generators 110 through the pair of air inlets 102 . The pair of air inlets 102 provide an inlet point for external air to the body 100 .

(0099) As shown in FIG. 12, each flow generator 110 has its own air inlet 102, respectively. However, a single inlet 102 may be used with the pair of flow generators 110 . Alternatively, two or more air inlets may be used with the pair of flow generators.

(00100) The air entering the air inlet 102 is guided by the respective flow guides 116 positioned between the air inlet 102 and the filter unit 104 . In this embodiment, each flow guide 116 has an outlet air flow path 105 ( 14) can be partially defined. More details of the flow path including the outlet air flow path 105 will be described in conjunction with the description of FIGS. 13 and 14 .

(00101) Since the present embodiment has been described as including a pair of flow guides 116, the following description of one flow guide 116 also reflects the other flow guides of the pair of flow guides 116. To this end, each flow guide 116 may have a curved shape as shown in FIG. 12 . One end of each flow guide 116 is connected to each air inlet 102 , and the other end is opened upstream of the filter unit 104 . The body of each flow guide 106 includes a curved inner surface and a curved outer surface. The curved inner surface faces the outlet air flow path 105 and forms part of the flow path between the downstream side of the filter unit 104 and each flow generator 110 .

(00102) Thus, each flow guide 116 forms a flow path between the respective air inlet 102 and the upstream portion of the filter unit 104 . In addition, each flow guide 116 forms, at least in part, a wall of a flow path between the downstream side of the filter unit 104 and each flow generator 110 . In this configuration, each of the flow guides 116 is capable of passing the air entering through the respective air inlets 102 and delivering the air to the filter unit 104 . The air passing through the filter unit 104 may flow to the outlet air flow path 105 through which the flow generator 110 sends air to the first air outlet 101 .

(00103) In the above configuration, each flow guide 116 may function to separate between the inlet side and the outlet side of the filter unit 104 . Each flow guide 116 may function to separate the air entering from the air inlet 102 from the purified air flowing toward the flow generator 110 .

(00104) In an alternative configuration, the flow guide 116 may not have both a function of guiding intake air to the filter unit and a function of guiding purified air between the flow generator and the outlet of the filter unit. For example, the air inlet 102 , the flow guide 116 , the filter unit 104 , and the flow generator 110 may be installed in a line or sequentially adjacent to each other. Here, each flow guide 116 can only transmit air between the air inlet 102 and the filter unit 104 .

The principles, features, and structures associated with the (00105) air flow generator 110 may be used to provide an air flow generator 814 of similar structure and function to the secondary drying module 802 described above.

(00106) A pair of thermoelectric devices 117 may be included in the upper region of the body 100 . Each thermoelectric device 117 may be, for example, a semiconductor device that heats or cools air using the Peltier effect. In alternative embodiments, other types of known thermal elements may be employed, such as heaters, coolers, or combinations thereof. For example, a refrigeration cycle having a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser may be used to provide cooling and/or heating of the air. In another embodiment, a resistive heater may be used to provide heating of the air.

(00107) In this embodiment, there is a pair of thermoelectric devices 117 . Accordingly, the following description is for one thermoelectric device 117, and the other thermoelectric devices are the same. To this end, each thermoelectric device 117 has a first surface 118 and a second surface 119 . Depending on the direction of the current supplied to the thermoelectric device 117, one surface may be cooled or heated while the other surface may be heated or cooled, respectively. For example, when the first surface (ie, the outer surface) 118 is heated, the second surface (ie, the inner surface) 119 is heated. Conversely, when the first surface 118 is heated, the second surface 119 is cooled.

(00108) Each thermoelectric device 117 can heat or cool the air in the outlet air flow path 105 (see FIG. 14) passed through the filter unit 104. To facilitate this, the second surface 119 of the thermoelectric device 117 may be exposed to the outlet air flow path 105 . According to the operation mode of the thermoelectric device 117 , the second surface 119 may heat or cool the air passing through the outlet air flow path 105 . The heated or cooled air may be sucked into each flow generator 110 .

(00109) The processor may control the direction of the current flowing to the thermoelectric device 117 . For example, a voltage source connected to the thermoelectric device 117 may be connected to an analog-to-digital converter (A/D). The A/D converter may be adapted to generate a positive or negative value for controlling the voltage so that the current is applied to the thermoelectric device 117 . In another embodiment, the A/D converter may have a half of its output value corresponding to a negative current and a half corresponding to a positive current.

(00110) The exhaust port 130 may be located in the upper region of the body 100 when the thermoelectric device 117 is used in the drying device. 12 shows a pair of exhaust ports 130 associated with a pair of thermoelectric devices 117 included in the upper region of the body 100 . Each exhaust port 130 may be connected to one first surface 118 of each of the thermoelectric devices 117 . One or more vents 130 may be located in the upper region of the body.

(00111) When the thermoelectric device 117 operates as a heater, cold exhaust air may be discharged to the outside of the drying device 10 by the respective exhaust ports 130 . When the thermoelectric device 117 operates as a cooler, warm exhaust air may be discharged by the exhaust port 130 .

(00112) The principles, features, and structures related to the thermoelectric device 117 may be used to provide a secondary drying module 802 having a thermoelectric device having a similar structure and function.

(00113) FIG. 13 shows an air flow passing through a portion of the upper region of the body 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 14 is another illustration of the airflow through a portion of the upper region of the body 100 . Since the air flow passing through the components of the upper region of the body 100 is similar to that of the other flow generators 110, one flow generator 110 will be described.

(00114) This embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14 . When the flow generator 110 is operated, air is sucked in through the air inlet 102 and the filter unit 104 through the flow guide 116 as indicated by the air flow arrows 106 and 107 in FIG. 14 . arrives at the front of The purified air is discharged through the sides of the filter unit (104).

(00115) The purified air, after exiting the filter unit 104, reaches the outlet air flow path 105 as indicated by the air flow arrow 108 in FIG. The purified air may be heated or cooled by the thermoelectric device 117 in the outlet air flow path 105 . Air from the thermoelectric device 117 may be exhausted through the outlet 130 as described above, and as indicated by the airflow arrow 131 . As indicated by the air flow arrow 108, heated or cooled air is sucked down by the flow generator 110 and pressurized by the flow generator 110, as indicated by the air flow arrow 109 in FIG. As shown, it goes to the first air outlet 101 .

(00116) The configuration of the air management system of the body 100 has been described above. The drying apparatus 10 having the above-described configuration may discharge cold or warm air in order to control the state of the space in which the drying apparatus is installed. The space may be a bathroom. During hot days, the dryer 10 can cool the bathroom. During cold days, the drying device 10 can warm the bathroom. The drying device may also use the air management system described herein to dry the user. For example, cool or warm air pressurized by the flow generator 110 is discharged by the first air outlet 101 along the edge of the body on the drying surface 14 (see FIG. 10 ). can be The user on the drying surface can be dried by the exhausted cold air or warm air.

(00117) FIG. 15 is a view showing a connection between the flow generator 110 and the first air outlet 101 of the body 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown (00118), the flow generator 110 provides an air flow to the duct 121. The duct 121 guides the combined forced air flow through the common opening 125 to the first air outlet 101 of the body 100 . In this embodiment, the resistance heater 120 is disposed in the cavity opening 125 to further heat the forced air flow. This configuration can be used when the forced air flow heated from the flow generator 110 needs to be further heated before going to the air outlet 101 . For example, this configuration can be used when rapid heating of the bathroom is required or when additional heated forced airflow is required during drying of the user.

(00119) Although a resistive heater is shown in FIG. 15, any other suitable thermal element may be used. In other embodiments, the thermal element may be used to selectively heat or cool the airflow flowing out of the cavity opening 125 .

(00120) FIG. 16A shows the connection between the flow generator 110 and the first air outlet 101 of the body 100 in an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 , the outlet of each flow generator 110 is directly connected to the first air outlet 101 of the body 100 according to an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 16A . The first air outlet 101 includes an air opening 128 on the upper side of the first air outlet 101 . Each air opening 128 is directly connected to a respective outlet of one of the flow generators 110 . By having the outlet of each flow generator 110 directly connected to the first air outlet of the body 100 , the connection structure can be simplified and the forced air flow is directed to the first air outlet 101 . can be moved.

(00121) In this embodiment, the forced air flow may be stronger than the forced air flow shown in FIG. 15 . This is because in the forced air flow of FIG. 15, the vertical forced air flow of each flow generator flows in the horizontal direction by the duct 121, and collides with each other to form a single forced air flow. Then, the duct 121 allows the single forced air flow to flow vertically downward to the first air outlet 101 . In contrast, in the embodiment of FIG. 9A , the forced air flow of each flow generator directly flows vertically downward to the first air outlet 101 .

(00122) FIG. 16B is a rear perspective view showing the connection between one of the flow generators and the first air outlet of FIG. 16A. As shown in FIG. 16B , in this configuration, the flow generator 110 includes a fan assembly 1101 and a conduit 1102 . The fan assembly may be an axial fan or the like. More preferably, the fan assembly includes a high-speed motor capable of sucking in and discharging air at high speed. ^{For example, the fan assembly may include a smart inverter motor (Smart Inverter Motor TM} ) of LG Electronics of Korea that can operate up to 115,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). A similar fan assembly may be used.

(00123) The fan assembly 1101 is connected to a conduit 1102 , which may be a cylindrical tube connected to the first air outlet 101 . However, it goes without saying that the conduit 1102 is not limited to a cylindrical tube, and other configurations may be used, such as an elliptical tube, a square tube, a rectangular tube, and the like. The conduit 1102 includes air sucked in by the fan assembly 1101 within the range of the conduit 1102, and when the speed of the forced air flow cannot be maintained, the speed of the forced air flow discharged is measured by the fan assembly 1101. is increased by Accordingly, a relatively high velocity forced air flow is introduced into the first air outlet 101 .

(00124) FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of FIG. 10 further showing the first air outlet 101 of the body of the embodiment of the present invention. As partially illustrated, the first air outlet 101 is disposed along an edge of at least a portion of the body 100 . In this embodiment, the first air outlet 101 actually follows the shape of the edge of the drying surface 14 of the body 100 (see FIG. 10 ). However, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the air outlet 101 may take on any one of a number of different configurations. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the first air outlet 101 has a plurality of slits positioned vertically and/or horizontally across the drying surface 14 (see, eg, FIG. 39 ). can be composed of

(00125) Referring back to FIG. 17 , the first air outlet 101 according to the present embodiment includes a duct 122 , a vent 126 , and a pin 127 . The duct 122 receives the forced air flow from the upper region of the body 100 and transmits the forced air flow along the edge of the body 100 .

(00126) The duct 122 extends along the edge of the body 100 and connects to a vent 126 that is visible from the drying side 14 of the body 100 (see FIG. 10). The forced air flow exits the body 100 through the vent 126 . The pin 127 may be disposed in the vent 126 extending along the edge of the body 100 and divides the space formed by the vent 126 into two. The pin 127 may help guide the forced air flow out of the vent 126 . In this embodiment, the pin 127 is fixed to the vent 126 and guides the forced air flow outward and straight in one direction.

(00127) In an alternative embodiment, the pin may be adjusted to move left or right to guide the forced airflow exiting the body 100 in a left or right direction, as desired. For example, the pin on the left side of the body 100 can move in the right direction so that at least a portion of the forced air flow can converge inward toward the center with respect to the body 100 , and the right side of the body 100 . The pin on the left can be moved in the left direction. Conversely, the pin on the left side of the body 100 can move in the left direction so that at least a part of the forced air flow branches outward from the center with respect to the body 100 , and the pin on the right side of the body 100 is can move to the right.

(00128) So far, the body 100 of the drying apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described. The drying device 10 may include a bar 200 capable of providing a forced air flow. The bar 200 is movable relative to the body 100 , as mentioned above.

(00129) Figures 18A and 18B show the bar 200 in two separate driving positions along the longitudinal length L1 of the body 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(00130) The bar 200 may be driven by a driving device to be described later to move along the longitudinal length L1 of the body 100 . The moving range of the bar 200 may be fixed to match the longitudinal length L1 of the body 100 or, alternatively, may be adjusted to more closely match the height of a specific user. That is, when the user is positioned adjacent to the drying surface 14 in the drying device 10 , the user's required length (eg, key) is reduced by the movement of the bar 200 to the second air. The outlet 201 may be covered by airflow for drying. For example, the bar 200 may move from the upper position shown in FIG. 18A to the lower position shown in FIG. 18B while discharging the forced air flow from the second air outlet 201 (repeat if desired). ), here, the distance moved between the positions of the bar 200 in FIGS. 18A and 18B may correspond to the height of the user.

(00131) FIG. 19A is a view showing a driving device of the bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 19B is an enlarged view of the driving device shown in section A of Fig. 19A. Fig. 19C is a bottom perspective view of the driving device shown in Fig. 19B, and Fig. 19D is a view showing an exemplary fixing mechanism 210 of the bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(00132) Referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B , the driving device 11 drives the bar 200 with respect to the body 100 . The driving device 11 may be located on the body 100 . According to this exemplary embodiment, the driving device 11 includes a lead screw 40, a nut 41, and a motor 50 (see Fig. 20). is formed and may have a length corresponding to the longitudinal length L1 of the drying surface 14 of the body 100 . The motor 50 may be located in the upper region of the body 100 . However, in the motor 50, the nut 41 according to the rotation direction of the lead screw 40, the lead screw 40 along the longitudinal length L1 of the drying surface of the body 100. It may be located at any position as long as the motor 50 can rotate the lead screw 40 to move up and down. The shaft of the motor 50 may be coupled to one end of the lead screw 40 (eg, an upper end of the lead screw 40 ). Accordingly, when the motor rotates the shaft clockwise, the lead screw 40 rotates clockwise. When the motor 50 rotates the shaft counterclockwise, the lead screw 40 rotates counterclockwise.

(00133) Referring to FIGS. 19B and 19C , the nut 41 is screwed to correspond to the thread of the lead screw 40 and is coupled to the lead screw 40 . The nut 41 is fixed to the bar 200 . In this embodiment, the nut 41 is fixed to the bracket assembly 44 on which the bar 200 is mounted. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other configurations for securing the nut 41 to the bar 200 , directly or indirectly, are possible. When the lead screw 40 is rotated by the motor 50 , the nut 41, in turn, moves up and down on the lead screw 40 to move the bar 200 up and down.

(00134) For example, when the motor 50 rotates the lead screw 40 clockwise, the nut 41 moves above the lead screw 40, and in turn the bar 200 moves upward relative to and along the longitudinal length of the body 100 . On the other hand, when the motor 50 rotates the lead screw 40 counterclockwise, the nut 41 moves downward of the lead screw 40, and in turn turns the bar 200 into the It moves down relative to and along the longitudinal length of the body 100 .

(00135) In another example, when the motor 50 rotates the lead screw 40 clockwise, the nut 41 moves to a lower portion of the lead screw 40, and in turn, the bar ( 200) relative to and along the longitudinal length of the body 100 downward. When the motor 50 rotates the lead screw 40 in the counterclockwise direction, the nut 41 moves to the upper part of the lead screw 40, and in turn, the bar 200 rotates the body ( 100) and move upwards along the longitudinal length.

(00136) Referring to FIGS. 19C and 19D, the bracket assembly 44 includes one or more guide members 45 for movement along one or more corresponding guide tracks 46 of the body 100. can have In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13 , the double guide track is used and includes guide tracks 46 extending perpendicularly to both sides of the body 100 . Together with this, the guide member 45 and the guide track 46 guide the bar 200 along a predetermined vertical path.

(00137) For example, the guide member 45 and guide track 46 hold the bar 200 against rotational motion about a longitudinal axis that may result from rotation of the leadscrew 40. can be operated to The double guide track 46 may also provide stability to the bar 200 when moving up and down along the body 100 .

(00138) In this embodiment, the bar 200 may include a fixing mechanism 210 for fixing to the guide member 45 of the bracket assembly 44 . The fixing mechanism 210 is provided at both ends of the bar 200 in this embodiment. The guide member 45 may include a space 47 having a shape corresponding to the shape of the fixing mechanism 210 . When the bar 200 is mounted on the bracket assembly 44 , the fixing mechanism 210 slides into the space 47 of the guide member 45 , whereby the fixing mechanism 210 moves into the bracket assembly 44 . It is mounted on the guide member (45).

(00139) The fixing mechanism 210 may include one or more protrusions 212 protruding from the side of the fixing mechanism 210 . The one or more protrusions 212 may be elastically deformable or may be spring loaded. When the fixing mechanism 210 is fully inserted into the space 47 of the guide member 45 , the one or more protrusions 212 attach the bar 200 to the bracket assembly 44 . It can be hung in one or more corresponding slots in the space 47 for this purpose.

(00140) The fixing mechanism 210 may provide for easy separation of the bar 200 from the bracket assembly 44 . Since the protrusion 212 is elastically deformable or contains a spring, the bar 200 can be separated from the body 100 by applying a sufficient force. The bar 200 can be replaced with other bars 200 and can be serviced without the need to take the entire dryer 10 for maintenance.

(00141) An embodiment of a drive device using a lead screw and a nut has been described. In another exemplary configuration, the bar 200 may be driven on the body 100 by components other than the lead screw and the nut. In practice, any suitable drive capable of providing the required relative motion may be used. For example, the leadscrew and nut may be replaced by a rack and pinion system, a pulley and belt drive, or a linear actuator if the desired motion is a linear motion.

(00142) FIG. 20 is a front view showing a drying apparatus including a bar 200 and a second bar 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(00143) Referring to FIG. 20 , the drying apparatus 10 may include a bar 200 and a second bar 300 . The second bar 300 may include a third air outlet 301 , and may be movably driven with respect to the body 100 . The second bar 300 may be connected to its own nut 43 , and the nut 43 may be connected to its own lead screw 42 . The nut 43 is fixed to its own bracket assembly 48 so that the second bar 300 can be driven relative to the body 100 . The leadscrew 42 may be driven by its own motor 52 . Components related to the driving of the second bar 300, and their functions, are similar to those described above with respect to the bar 200, and thus, further descriptions are omitted to avoid overlapping descriptions.

(00144) Based on the configuration of the exemplary embodiment described above, it is readily conceivable by those skilled in the art that even more bars may be employed in the drying apparatus 10 . The driving device 11 may be modular to accommodate a plurality of bars in the body 100 .

(00145) As shown in FIG. 20 , for example, the bar 200 is associated with its own motor 50 , a leadscrew 40 , a nut 41 , and a bracket assembly 44 . By the operation of the motor 50 , the lead screw 40 , and the nut 41 , the bar 200 moves up and down with respect to the body 100 . Similarly, the second bar 300 is associated with its own motor 52 , leadscrew 42 , nut 43 , and bracket assembly 48 . The second bar 300 moves up and down with respect to the body 100 by the operation of the motor 52 , the lead screw 42 , and the nut 43 . The motor, leadscrew, nut and bracket assembly associated with one bar does not operate on the other bar. That is, the motor, leadscrew, nut, and bracket assembly of one bar operates only with respect to that bar.

(00146) Thus, for each additional bar, a corresponding motor, leadscrew, nut and bracket assembly can be added to the drive to receive that bar. In this way, the drying apparatus 10 may be configured to have a plurality of bars on the body 100 according to the user's preference. Alternatively, each drive may receive one or more bars spaced apart from each other and moving together along the longitudinal length of the body.

(00147) FIG. 20 shows the bar 200 and the second bar 300 using the same guide track(s). In an exemplary alternative configuration, the bar 200 and the second bar 300 may use separate guide tracks. With this configuration, the bar 200 or the second bar 300 moves to a desired position along the range of its own driving path, regardless of the position of the bar 200 or the second bar 300 . can be operated.

(00148) FIG. 21A is a view showing a rack and pinion drive assembly according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 21B is an enlarged view of the rack and pinion drive assembly of part B, and FIG. 21C is the rack and pinion drive assembly of FIG. 21B It is an exploded perspective view of the drive assembly.

(00149) Referring to FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 21C, the bar 200 may be moved up and down along the extended height of the first body 100 driven by the rack and pinion assembly. The rack and pinion assembly may include a rack 54 , a stepper motor 55 , and a pinion gear 56 coupled to the stepper motor 55 . The rack 54 may be positioned vertically along the side of the body 100 . However, the rack 54 may be installed in any position of the body 100 . For example, the rack 54 may be located in the longitudinal direction at the center of the body 100 . In another embodiment, the rack 54 may be positioned perpendicular to the side of the body 100 .

(00150) In this embodiment, the rack 54 extends vertically along the side of the body 100 and has a length to cover the stroke of the bar 200 . The rack 54 may be located only on one side of the body 100 . In this embodiment, the rack 54 is located on both sides of the body 100 . Having racks 54 on both sides of the body 100 may allow the bar 200 to move more stably along the body 100 .

(00151) The bar 200 may include guide members 45 installed at both ends of the bar 200. (See FIGS. 19A to 19D) In another embodiment, the bar 200 includes Only one guide member 45 can be used to correspond to a drying apparatus using a single rack 54 . The guide member 45 of the bar 200 may be movably installed at a position corresponding to the guide track 46 located on the first body 100 . Each guide track 46 may be disposed adjacent to a corresponding rack. As the bar 200 moves up and down with respect to the body 100 , the guide track 46 maintains the bar 200 in a predetermined diameter path through the guide member 45 .

(00152) The stepper motor including the pinion gear may be installed on the guide member 45 . The rack may include a plurality of teeth along the surface of the rack that can correspond to the moving distance of the bar 200 . The pinion gear in the stepper motor engages with the teeth of the rack to move the bar 200 along the rack. The stepper motor 55 drives the movement of the bar 200 . For example, when the stepper motor 55 rotates clockwise, the bar 200 may move upwards of the rack. When the stepper motor rotates counterclockwise, the bar can move downward along the rack.

(00153) In this embodiment, one stepper motor 55 may be installed on one guide member 45 to move the bar 200, and the other guide member 45 serves only as a guide. There is no stepper motor installed there. Another rack 54 may be installed on the other side of the body 100 and may include a plurality of teeth. In this configuration, a freely rotating pinion gear may be provided on the other guide member 45 to engage the teeth of the other rack 54 . Having two guide members 45 working together with the two racks 54 can provide equal support at both ends of the bar 200 . In another configuration, the two pinion gears 56 are united with each other and can be operated by one stepper motor 55 . Alternatively, two stepper motors 55 may be used to drive each pinion gear 56 .

(00154) In configuration 800 for distributed drying, primary drying modules 801 and 801 ′ may include a rack and pinion drive assembly as described with reference to FIGS. 21A through 21C . Additionally, when one or more secondary drying modules include a movable bar 200 (FIG. 8), the one or more secondary drying modules 802 include the rack and pinion drive assembly described above. can do.

(00155) Fig. 22 is a top perspective view of the bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 23 is a bottom perspective view of the bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 24 is an alternative shown in Fig. 23 It is a rear perspective view of the bar 200 according to the general configuration.

(00156) Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, the bar 200 provides a forced air flow at a different position corresponding to the body 10 according to the position of the bar 200 with respect to the body 100. A first air outlet 201 may be included. As described above with respect to the drive device 11 between the bar 200 and the body 100 , the two guide members 45 guide the bar 200 in its movement relative to the body 100 . can guide you

(00157) One or more air inlets 205 may be located at the end of the bar 200. The air inlet 205 may be protected in a cavity formed between the end of the bar 200 and the shield 206 . The shield 206 may extend from the end of the bar 200 to form a shield on its top and side surfaces except for the bottom surface. The open bottom surface of the shield 206 allows the air inlet 205 to access the intake air. This configuration is operable to prevent water from entering the air inlet 205 by falling or splashing. The air inlet 205 supplies intake air to enter the shopping bar 200 accommodating one or more flow generators 204 (see FIG. 25).

(00158) FIG. 24 shows two air inlets 202 located at the rear end of the bar 200 for supplying air discharged from the second air outlet 201 . In contrast, in the configuration of FIG. 23 , as described above, the air inlets 205 are located at each end of the bar 200 . As the bar 200 extends laterally toward the user, it may be more prone to getting wet than the body 100 because the bar 200 is closer to the user. Accordingly, it may be desirable for one or more air inlets 202 to be positioned away from the user. As such, in the configuration of FIG. 24 , the air inlet 202 is provided at the rear side of the bar 200 , as described above.

(00159) FIG. 25 is a partial perspective view showing various internal parts of the bar 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 25 shows a pair of flow generators 204 and a bar 200 with its cover removed to expose an air conduit 207 . The bar 200 may include a pair of flow generators 204 that receive the intake air from the air inlet 202 and generate a forced air flow through the air conduit 207 . The air conduit 207 may include an intermediate outlet 208 through which the forced air flow passes and is discharged by the second air outlet 201 .

(00160) FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view showing various parts of the bar 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above with respect to FIG. 25 .

26, the bar 200 includes a pair of flow generators 204, a pair of motors 220, and a pair of thermal devices (eg, resistance heaters, thermoelectric devices, and other suitable devices). may be used), and its cover 230 separated to reveal the various internal components including the air conduit 207 . The bar 200 has a flow generator 204 that receives intake air from one or more air inlets (see FIGS. 23 and 24). generate airflow. For example, the flow generator may be a smart inverter motor that sucks in and discharges air at a high speed by operating at a maximum of 115,000 RPM. However, other types of axial fan assemblies may be used.

(00162) The forced air flow from the pair of flow generators 204 passes through the air conduit 207 to be discharged from the intermediate outlet 208. The air conduit 207 is shown in a cylindrical shape, but the shape is not limited thereto, and an oval tube, a square tube, a rectangular tube, etc. may be used. The air conduit 207 has air sucked in by the pair of flow generators 204 within the range of the air conduit 207, and when the velocity of the forced air flow cannot be maintained, the pair of flow generators 204 increase the velocity of the forced air flow discharged by the Accordingly, a relatively high-speed forced air flow is introduced into the intermediate outlet 208 . The discharged air is eventually discharged to the outside of the second air outlet (201). Although this embodiment is illustrated as using a pair of flow generators, one flow generator or two or more flow generators may be used in other configurations.

(00163) In this embodiment, a pair of resistance heaters 120 are shown as components of the bar 200 . Resistance heaters 120 are located downstream of each flow generator 204 . In alternative embodiments, the resistance heater may be located upstream of the flow generator or may be integral to the flow generator. In this embodiment, the flow generator 204 and the resistance heater 120 may be at least partially enclosed within the air conduit 207 (see FIG. 25 ). The air conduit 207 is the resistance The air heated by the heater 120 may be guided toward the intermediate outlet 208 and may be discharged through the second air outlet 201 .

(00164) While this embodiment uses a resistance heater to heat the intake air flow, in other exemplary embodiments, for example, a thermoelectric device using the Peltier effect may be used to heat or cool the intake air flow. have. In this configuration, the bar 200 is not limited to discharging heated air, but may also discharge cold air.

(00165) The bar 200 may further include one or more motors 220 . 26 , one or more motors 220 may be positioned along the longitudinal axis of the bar 200 , which may be parallel to the drying surface 14 of the body 100 . The one or more motors 220 may cause the bar 200 to tilt up and down by rotating about its longitudinal axis. By tilting the bar 200 up and down, the bar 200 can expand an area to which a forced air flow can be applied. In addition, by continuously tilting the bar 200 up and down while blowing a forced air flow, the bar can improve drying performance.

(00166) FIGS. 27 and 28 show that, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, pressurized air is discharged from the second air outlet 201 based on the shape and/or size of the second air outlet 201 . It is a diagram illustrating an example manner in which it may be

(00167) The second air outlet 201 may be configured such that the discharged air flow covers the width of the user as the bar 200 moves up and down along the user's height. The bar 200 may have a suitable secondary air outlet 201 capable of directing a forced airflow across the entire width of the user.

(00168) Referring to FIG. 27 , more specifically, the second air outlet 201 may be configured to provide a forced air flow that spreads laterally. As the forced air flow flows further away from the second air outlet 201, the forced air flow expands to further cover at least the width of the user's body in the horizontal direction. An example of a structure for forming an expansion of the forced air flow is shown in FIG. 26 .

(00169) The intermediate outlet 208 of the air conduit 207 may be a circular, elliptical or quadrilateral air outlet so as to exhaust the forced air flow when the air flow further flows from the second air outlet 201. . For example, the circular air outlet may be formed to be relatively narrow, but may create a relatively strong forced air flow over a small area of the user's body. The rectangular air outlet can be made relatively wider but can create a weaker forced air flow over a larger area of the user's body.

(00170) The angle at which the forced air flow is discharged may be determined by the angle of the arc at the intermediate outlet 208 . For example, a narrow arc can create a narrow but strong airflow that covers a small portion of the user's body. A wider arc creates a wider but weaker airflow that covers a larger portion of the user's body. The shape and arc angle of the intermediate outlet 208 can be selected according to the desired effect of the forced air flow on the user's body.

(00171) Referring now to FIG. 28, the second air outlet 201 has a longitudinal length of the bar 200 (in the lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal length of the body) so as to discharge the outlet air in the form of a flat blade. may be a slit to extend across In one configuration, the length of the slit may be sufficient to cover the width of the user's body. In this configuration, the bar 200 vertically moves up and/or down with respect to the body 100, so that the forced air flow of the second air outlet 201 can cover all parts of the user's body. . For this configuration, the intermediate outlet 208 may be formed as an elongated slot formed across the longitudinal length of the air conduit 207 . As shown in FIG. 28 , the second air outlet 201 which is an extended slit corresponds to the slit of the intermediate outlet 208 .

(00172) FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the drying apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 53 controls the overall operation of the drying apparatus 10 . The controller 53 may be a microprocessor, an integrated circuit, an electric circuit, a logic electric circuit, or the like.

(00173) The controller 53 may control the operation of the flow generator 110 and the thermoelectric device 117 of the body 100, and the controller 53 is associated with the flow generator 204 and the bar. It is possible to control the operation of the resistance heater 120 , and above all, it is possible to control the motor 220 . Various operations performed by the components have been described above, and further descriptions are omitted. The controller 53 may store and access information in the memory 58 to control the operation of the drying apparatus 10 .

(00174) The drying apparatus (10) may include one or more sensors (209) which are also controlled by the controller (53). The sensor 209 may be variously associated with the body 100 and the bar 200 (eg, FIGS. 19C and 23 ). In some embodiments, one or more sensors 209 may It may be located remote from the device 10 .

(00175) According to various embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 19C and 23 , for example, the one or more sensors 209 may be associated with the bar 200 . The controller 53 may receive sensing information from one or more sensors 209 of the bar 200 and the controller 53 may operate the drying apparatus 10 using the sensor information as an operating parameter. can

(00176) For example, sensing information of one or more sensors may be used by the controller 53 to determine various characteristics and/or user conditions and/or various characteristics of the environment surrounding the device. For example, the sensory information may include the presence of the user, the user's physical characteristics, including overall and/or specific dimensions of the user, the degree of humidity of the user's body and/or other parts of the body, in particular the temperature of the surrounding air or It can be used to determine heat and/or humidity of the surrounding air. To achieve this, the drying device 10 may include one or more sensors 209 described below.

(00177) The one or more sensors 209 may include a thermal sensor, such as an infrared sensor. The infrared sensor may be used to obtain information about ambient heat. For example, the infrared sensor may be used as a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of ambient air. Information about the ambient air temperature can be obtained to determine whether to condition the ambient air.

(00178) The infrared sensor may be used for the user's body located adjacent to the drying device (10). The information from the infrared sensor can be used to infer or determine the humidity level of the user's body and/or specific parts of the user's body. The information from the infrared sensor may be used to obtain an indicator for the entire body of the user, wherein the temperature of the ambient air and body temperature are different.

(00179) The one or more sensors 209 may include a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor may be used to determine the user's proximity to the drying device (10). For example, the information from the proximity sensor may be used to determine the user's distance from the drying surface of the drying apparatus 10 . When the user is within a predetermined distance from the drying surface 14 , the drying device may be operated to dry the user. The information from the proximity sensor may be used to adjust the velocity of the forced airflow from the air outlet 101 and/or the air outlet 201 according to the distance of the user, in order to obtain a desired velocity of the forced airflow towards the user. .

(00180) The proximity sensor may be used to determine if the user is too close to the dryer or a part thereof. For example, for safety reasons, it may be desirable to limit or prevent movement of the bar 200 when a person is within or at a specific position relative to the bar. This may include a case where a part of the person's body is above or below the bar 200, or within the path of its movement.

(00181) The one or more sensors 209 may include an image sensor. The image sensor may be used to obtain image information of the surroundings, to determine the presence of a user, and to determine the dimensions of the entire body of the user and/or a specific part of the user's body. The image sensor may be used in conjunction with or instead of a thermal sensor for information as mentioned above to obtain more accurate information.

(00182) The one or more sensors 209 may include a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor may be used to obtain information about the humidity level of the surrounding air, for example, the humidity level of the bathroom in which the drying device is installed. The drying device 10 may be used or operated to remove moisture from the air until the humidity level is below a predetermined level. The humidity sensor may also be used to obtain information on the level of wetness/dryness of the user's skin. This information can be used to adjust the heat applied to the forced air stream so that the user's skin does not become too dry.

(00183) In addition to the exemplary sensor described above, other sensors known in the art may be used to achieve the desired results.

(00184) As mentioned above, the drying apparatus 10 may perform air management of a given space. For example, the space may be a bathroom. On a hot day, the dryer 10 can cool the bathroom, and on a cold day, the dryer 10 can warm the bathroom for the user's comfort. In this scenario, the controller 53 may determine the ambient temperature or ambient heat level of the bathroom and use this information to adjust the temperature to the user's satisfaction. It should be noted that in configurations 800 and 800' for distributed drying, similar operations may be performed. For example, if the controller 530 is operating automatically, the controller 530 may make a decision performed by the controller 530 as above, however, the controller 530 may To control the operation of the secondary drying module 802. Alternatively, when the controller 530 receives the control information from the controller 53, the controller 530 controls the temperature. It is possible to operate the secondary drying module or modules 802 under the control of.

(00185) For example, in a hot bathroom, a user may sweat to keep cool. The sweat evaporates while taking some heat from the user's body to provide a cool feeling. However, when the humidity level in the bathroom is high, the sweat does not evaporate effectively and thus remains as moisture on the user's body. This may cause discomfort to the user by making the user feel more covered than the temperature of the bathroom.

(00186) Accordingly, the controller 53 and/or the controller 530 managing the bathroom may need to consider humidity as well as temperature. In one embodiment, the controller 53 and/or controller 530 needs to consider a comfort index that correlates temperature and humidity to determine user comfort. A temperature-humidity index (THI), known as the discomfort index, may be used to determine a comfort perception for a currently sensed temperature and a currently sensed humidity.

(00187) There are several formulas developed for determining THI. one formula is

THI = T _d - (0.55 - 0.55RH)(T _d - 58).

where T _d is the dry-bulb temperature in °F and RH is the relative humidity in percentage, expressed in decimal. For example, 50% relative humidity is 0.5.

(00188) It should be noted that the THI is relative, not absolute. Temperature affects people differently. A variety of factors, such as height, weight, gender, health status, etc., can cause certain people to feel the temperature differently than others.

(00189) The table below reflects the comfort of a general person.

level THI range comfort level very high 80 or more everyone feels uncomfortable height 75-80 or less 50% feel uncomfortable commonly 68-75 or less start to feel uncomfortable lowness 68 or less no discomfort

(00190) FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a method for regulating the temperature of a given space using the temperature-humidity index (THI) by the controller 53 and/or the controller 530 in an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 53 controls the operation of the primary drying module 801 and the controller 530 controls the operation of the secondary drying module 802 . For simplicity of description, the controller 53 and/or controller 530 will be referred to as "controller". This applies to the description related to FIGS. 30 to 33 .

(00191) Referring to FIG. 30, in step S100, the controller 53 may receive sensing information from the thermal sensor. The information may be the ambient temperature of the bathroom. In step S110, the controller 53 may obtain detection information from the humidity sensor. The information may be a humidity level of the bathroom. In step S120, the controller 53 may use the obtained temperature information and humidity information to determine the THI. One equation that the controller 53 can use to obtain the THI may be the equation provided above. The equation may be stored in the memory 58 so that it can be accessed by the controller 53 .

(00192) In step S130, the controller 530 may determine whether the obtained THI is greater than or equal to 75. The reference index 75 may be stored in the memory 58 . It should be noted that the reference index of 75 is not absolute. For example, the reference index 75 may be increased or decreased in the memory 58 according to the needs of the individual user. If the THI is less than 75, the controller 53 may continue to step S160, and the controller 53 may exit the adjustment of the THI.

(00193) Otherwise, if the controller determines that the THI is greater than or equal to 75 in step S130, the controller may continue with step S140. In step S140, the controller may send a signal for operating the flow generator. The flow generator can be turned on or off and generates a constant air flow. Alternatively, the controller may be configured to control the variable air intake by using an air intake value corresponding to a desired airflow. For example, the flow generator may be the flow generator 110 located in the body of the primary drying module 801 . For example, the flow generator may be a flow generator located in the secondary drying module 802 . In step S150, the controller may operate the thermoelectric device. It should be noted that the operation of the flow generator and thermoelectric device need not be sequential, it may be done simultaneously or in reverse order.

(00194) The controller may send a signal to the thermoelectric device 117 to cool (or heat) the air sucked in through the air inlet 102 . The cooled air may not only lower the temperature of the sucked air but also dehumidify the air. The cooled and dehumidified air may be discharged through the air outlet 101 . The controller may be configured to adjust the amount of heating or cooling via the thermal level. The heat level value may correspond to a cooler or higher heat level than ambient air. The controller may continue step S100 to repeat step S130 from step S100.

(00195) In step S130, the controller 53 may determine again whether THI is greater than or equal to 75. If the controller 53 again determines that the THI is equal to or greater than 75, the controller 53 continues steps S140 and S150 and sucks air and cools the air. The controller 53 continues unless and until the controller 53 determines that THI is less than 75 in step S130. In this case, the controller 53 goes to step S160, and the controller 53 ends the method.

(00196) In some cases, forced airflow provides a wind chill to the user, and the system can be used to regulate air intake and temperature to a comfortable level. This is the case when the user detects airflow at a lower temperature than that of the ambient air temperature. There are several formulas designed to determine wind speed cooling. To illustrate this, we can refer to the North American and UK wind cooling indices as follows.

T _wc =13.12+0.6215 T _a - ^35.75 v +0.16 + 0.4275T _a v ^+0.16

where T _wc is the wind speed cooling index based on the Celsius temperature unit, T _a is the air temperature in Celsius, and v is the air flow velocity in km/hour.

(00197) Based on the above equation, the higher the forced air flow speed, the lower the temperature of the air flow felt by the user. Accordingly, when the airflow speed increases, the controller 53 may increase the temperature of the forced airflow to obtain the target temperature.

(00198) Embodiments may not have a sensor to determine the airflow velocity, but may assume due to known constraints within the system. For example, the size of the chamber for airflow, the power of the airflow generator, and the size of the outlet for the airflow are all known variables. Accordingly, embodiments include estimating airflow velocity based on these known parameters. Embodiments may also include a table correlating the airflow rate with the speed at which the airflow generator operates. Thus, for a known airflow generator input, the system can know the airflow velocity based on a corresponding predetermined value. In one embodiment, the target surface skin temperature for the user may be between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius. Therefore forced air heating and cooling can be provided to create or maintain this temperature.

(00199) In one embodiment, the temperature of the forced air flow produced by the primary drying module and/or the secondary drying module should be such that there is little or no discomfort to the user. The Humidex of apparent temperature can provide an adequate guide to the level of comfort or discomfort provided by the temperature applied to the user's skin. The discomfort index considers both temperature and relative humidity in determining the level of comfort or discomfort. The discomfort index formula is as follows.

Here, H represents the discomfort index, T _air is the air temperature _{in °C, and T dew} is the dew point temperature in °C.

(00200) In some embodiments, the apparent temperature applied to the user is between 20 and 39°C. In a preferred embodiment, the apparent temperature applied to the user is between 20 and 29°C. As described above, the apparent temperature may be determined in consideration of the wind speed cooling index of the air flow temperature.

(00201) FIG. 31 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the temperature using the wind speed cooling index by the controller in the embodiment of the present invention.

(00202) Referring to FIG. 31 , the controller may control the flow generator for providing a forced air flow to the user's body through the air outlet based on the thermal sensor information and the wind speed cooling index. In step S200, the controller receives information from the thermal sensor. The information may reflect, for example, the ambient air temperature of the bars of the primary drying module and/or secondary drying module where each thermal sensor may be located.

(00203) In step S210, the controller receives the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the flow generator. In this configuration, the RPM of the flow generator is varied. In the configuration where the flow generator is not variable and is fixed, the controller retrieves the RPM stored in memory. The RPM of the flow generator is equal to the air flow speed of the forced air flow.

(00204) In step S220, the controller may determine the wind speed cooling index with the temperature and the forced air flow velocity in the bar and/or the secondary drying module. One formula that the controller can use to derive the wind speed cooling index may be the formula provided above. The formula may be stored in a memory accessible by the controller.

(00205) In step S230, the controller 53 determines whether the obtained wind speed cooling index is equal to or greater than a predetermined target. The predetermined target may be selected from among many different temperatures or temperature ranges. For example, the target may be a target surface skin temperature of approximately 30 to approximately 32°C. The target may be stored in memory 58 .

(00206) If the wind speed cooling index is lower than the target, the controller may continue to step S240. In step S240, the controller may increase the temperature of the forced air flow by heating the air flow using a resistance heater in the bar and/or the secondary drying module. The controller may continue with step S200, and then repeat step S230 from step S200. Since the thermal sensor is adjacent to the air outlet, the thermal sensor can detect an increase in temperature. Also, step S210 may be skipped if the RPM of the flow generator is not changed.

As described in (00207), the controller repeats the above process until and unless the controller determines, in step S230, that the wind speed cooling index is equal to or greater than the target. If the wind speed cooling index is equal to or greater than the target, the controller proceeds to step S250, turns off the resistance heater, and ends the method.

(00208) Figures 32A and 32B are diagrams showing that the user is dried by the bar of the primary drying module and/or the secondary drying module in the embodiment of the present invention.

(00209) Referring to FIGS. 32A and 32B, the bar and/or secondary drying module includes a sensor 209, which may be a thermal sensor positioned to face the user when the user is in the configuration for the distributed drying. do. The bar 200 may be located at any position along the longitudinal length L1 of the drying surface 14 of the body 100, and in this embodiment, the starting position of the bar 200 is the drying surface ( 14) can be anywhere adjacent to the central part. When the bar is used for both a primary drying module and a secondary drying module, such as in configuration 800' for distributed drying, the bar can be positioned at any position along the longitudinal length of the user's shoot. . The bar configuration for the primary drying module and the secondary drying module is used as shown, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. To simplify the description, the bar of the primary drying module and/or the bar of the secondary drying module will be referred to as "bars". The bars of the primary drying module may move independently of the bars of the secondary drying module, or the bars may move in synchronization with each other (eg one bar follows the movement of another bar). In this embodiment, the starting position of the bar may be anywhere near the middle part of the user's body. When the configuration for distributed drying is operated, the bar can be driven upward in the direction of arrow 1 . At the same time, the thermal sensor can be activated.

(00210) As the bar is driven upward, the thermal sensor scans the user. When the thermal sensor no longer detects heat from the user, the height of the user may be determined by what was reached and the movement of the bar may be stopped. The bar can move downward in the direction of arrow 2 . At the same time, the thermal sensor scans the user. The thermal sensor may detect humidity in the part of the user being scanned. The thermal sensor may measure the degree of humidity at a lower temperature and detect the degree of drying as a warmer temperature. The flow generator and possibly a resistance heater can be operated to dry the user.

(00211) In another configuration, the flow generator and possibly the thermoelectric device can be operated to dry the user. The flow generator and resistance heater or thermoelectric device 117 may be operated continuously until the bar reaches the user's floor and then the flow generator and resistance heater or thermoelectric device may be deactivated.

32A, the bar may be positioned next to the user's head. Since hair generally retains a lot of water, the thermal sensor can detect significant humidity when the bar is in this position. Accordingly, the bar is heated to dry the user's hair and may not move while the forced air flow is discharged from the second air outlet. When the thermal sensor detects that the user's hair is sufficiently dry, the bar may move downward in the direction of the arrow (2).

(00213) As the bar 200 moves downward in the direction of the arrow 2, the heated forced air flow discharged from the air outlet may dry the head, body, and eventually the legs. As the bar moves from the head to the legs, dry the part of the user that is more moist than the other parts, before the bar moves further down in the direction of the arrow (2) until it reaches the bottom of the drying surface. The bar can be stopped to do so.

(00214) In another embodiment, after initially arriving at the user's head, the bar may repeatedly move up and down from head to toe until the thermal sensor detects that the user is dry. The movement of the bar described is exemplary and other forms of movement of the bar for building the user are conceivable.

(00215) FIG. 33 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method for drying a user by the controller in an embodiment of the present invention.

(00216) Referring to FIG. 33, in step S300, the controller moves the bar upward with respect to the body. The controller also receives thermal information from the thermal sensor. In step S310, the controller determines whether the thermal sensor detects heat. If the thermal sensor detects heat, the controller continues to move the bar upward in step S300. Alternatively, if the thermal sensor does not detect heat, the controller assumes that the bar has reached the user's height and stops the movement of the bar and continues with step S320.

(00217) In step S320, the controller moves the bar downward by a predetermined amount equal to the width of the user's body covered by the forced air flow from the bar. In step S330, the controller operates the flow generator. At this stage, the controller can operate the flow generator and possibly the thermoelectric device. Therefore, the forced air flow from the air outlet can dry the corresponding portion of the user adjacent to the bar. In addition, the forced air flow from the air outlet can help the user to dry. Therefore, the controller continues with step S340.

(00218) In step S340, the controller determines whether the heat sensor has sensed heat equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may indicate that the user's portion is sufficiently dry. If the heat sensor detects heat less than a predetermined amount, the controller continues to step S330, where the controller continues to dry the corresponding user's part. Otherwise, the controller continues with step S350.

(00219) In step S350, the controller determines whether the bottom of the drying surface has been reached. If the bar has not reached the bottom of the drying surface, the controller continues to step S320, and repeats steps S320 to S340. Otherwise, if the bar has reached the bottom of the dry side, the controller turns off the flow generator and resistance heater.

(00220) FIG. 34 is an exploded perspective view of the upper region of the drying apparatus showing the disassembled state of the filter unit in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 35 is another exploded perspective view of the filter unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

(00221) As described above, the above principles and configurations may be applied to not only the drying apparatuses 10 and 10' of the primary drying modules 801 and 801', but also to the secondary drying module 802.

(00222) The filter unit 104 may provide one or more filtration or treatment of the intake air flow. Particularly in urban or other urban settings, the ambient air may contain undesirable levels of suspended solids. Such solids may be hazardous to human health, and if provided to the user when using a drying device to dry the user's body, may adversely affect the human skin.

(00223) For example, the solid may be basic or acidic, and thus may damage the user's body. The filter unit 104 may include one or more particulate filters 113, as shown in FIG. 27, to trap solids. The one or more particulate filters 113 may be of a generally usable type such as, for example, a glass fiber filter, a polyester filter, or a HEPA filter.

(00224) Ambient air may contain bacteria or viruses, which pose a risk of infection to the user of the dryer. If the particulate filter 113 is not present, the filter unit 104 may include a bacterial and/or virus filter 114 . Such filters may include antibacterial or antibacterial elements.

(00225) It is necessary to reduce or remove moisture from the intake air before it is discharged for drying. The filter unit 104 may include, for example, one or more dehumidifying filters 115 having a desiccant.

(00226) In the present embodiment, a pair of air inlets 102 respectively deliver intake air to the filter unit 104 . The use of a single filter unit 104 is advantageous to provide a single point of maintenance for any filter within the filter unit, especially when there are multiple flow generators.

(00227) FIG. 36 is a front view of an air inlet and an inlet path in the flow generator housing in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 37 is an exploded perspective view of the air inlet of FIG.

(00228) Referring to FIG. 36 , the inlet path including the air inlet 102 and the flow guide 116 guides intake air from the air inlet 102 to the filter unit 104 . However, the drying device 10, such as a bathroom or shower room. Because it can be used in a humid environment, water can splash into the drying device 10 or the air surrounding the drying device 10 , including the air inlet 102 . Additionally, during use, there may be water intake at the air inlet 102 due to the operation of the flow generator 110 which may draw ambient water into the air inlet 102 . It is undesirable for such water to enter the drying apparatus 10 . In addition to the water entering the air inlet 102 , the flow path can suck other substances that have passed through the air inlet 102 and direct it to the flow guide 116 .

(00229) As shown in FIGS. 36 and 37 , the air inlet 102 provides an upwardly biased flow path to the flow guide 116 . This upward deflection may act as a gravitational barrier against water or other solid material entering the drying apparatus 10 . In order to further prevent unwanted water or other objects from entering the flow path, an obstruction may additionally or alternatively be provided in the inlet flow path in the form of an inlet filter 111 , for example as shown in FIG. 37 . . The inlet filter 111, more specifically, may be in the form of a particulate filter for filtering particles from the intake air.

(00230) Alternatively, the inlet filter 111 may be in the form of a macroscopic filter such as a macroscopic mesh filter for preventing the inflow of larger objects. When it is desirable to protect from water flowing into the intake air or to dehumidify the intake air of the intake filter 111, a desiccant for absorbing water may be included.

(00231) As an additional measure for dehumidifying the intake air, a resistance heater (not shown) may be located adjacent to the inlet filter 111 . In operation, the resistance heater may heat the intake air to remove moisture from the air. Additionally, the resistance heater may remove moisture in the inlet filter 111 in order to increase the lifespan of the inlet filter 111 .

(00232) FIG. 38 is a front perspective view of an upper region of a drying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. For example, similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 9 , the connection between the flow generator 110 and the first air outlet 101 of the body 100 is such that the outlet of each flow generator 110 is the body 100 . ) is the same as directly connected to the first air outlet (101). It may be desirable to further heat the air heated by the thermoelectric device 117 to provide additional comfort and/or increased drying efficiency to the user. As shown in FIG. 30 , the airflow from the filter unit 104 may pass through one side of the thermoelectric device 117 to be selectively heated or cooled.

(00233) FIG. 38 shows a square thermoelectric device 117 covering a portion of the discharge air flow path 105, but the thermoelectric device 117 may be rectangular covering both outlets of the discharge air flow path. . That is, the thermoelectric device 117 may have a rectangular shape covering all of the purified air in the air flow path starting at the outlet of the filter unit 104 and ending at the inlet of the flow generator 110 . If the air is heated further, it may be better to heat the heated air downstream of the flow generator 110 .

A thermal element such as (00234) resistance heater 120 may be provided downstream of each flow generator 110 . The resistance heater 120 may further heat the air pressurized by the flow generator 110 toward the first air outlet 101 . The resistance heater 120 may be used as an accelerating device for further heating or overheating the air heated by the thermoelectric device 117 .

(00235) Although the thermal element is shown as a resistive heater in FIG. 38, other suitable thermal elements may be used. In another configuration, the thermal element may be a thermoelectric device that may be used to selectively heat or cool the air downstream of the flow generator.

(00236) Fig. 39 shows a drying apparatus 20 of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of the body 100 and the bar 200 of the drying apparatus of FIG. 39 .

(00237) As shown in FIG. 39 , in the drying apparatus 20 , the first air outlet 101 may be disposed across at least a portion of the drying surface of the body 100 . Unlike the drying device 10 described above, when the first air outlet 101 is along the edge of the body 100 , the first air outlet 101 of the drying device 20 is connected to the drying surface 14 . ) including an outlet duct 123 disposed across the surface. In this embodiment, the outlet duct 123 is a plurality of vertical slits extending along the longitudinal length of the body 100 and is disposed across the drying surface 14 . The outlet duct 123 is located in two regions, an upper region 124 and a lower region 129 . This configuration can allow a difference in discharge between different areas of the first air outlet 101 .

(00238) FIG. 40 is B of FIG. 39 crossing the body 100 and the bar 200 when the first air outlet 101 is an outlet disposed across the drying surface 14 of the body 100 -B' is a cross-sectional view. In the drying device 20 , a pair of flow generators 110 includes a duct 121 (similar to that shown in FIG. 15 ) through which a forced air flow is discharged from the drying device 20 , a duct 122 , and finally a plurality of It is possible to send a forced air flow to the outlet duct 123 of the dog. Shown in cross-sectional view is a duct 122 that can receive a forced air flow from the duct 121 . The duct 122 may include a plurality of vertical slits extending along the longitudinal length of the body corresponding to the vertical slits of the outlet duct 123 . The duct 122 may discharge a forced air flow to a plurality of outlet ducts 123 through a plurality of slits sequentially discharged to the outside of the body 100 by the outlet duct 123 . The duct 122 and the plurality of outlet ducts 123 may include the first air outlet 101 .

(00239) In this embodiment, the bar 200 may receive air from the flow generator and the generator 110 of the body 100 . For example, the bar 200 may have one or more inlets, such as an air inlet 203 as shown in FIG. 32 . One example of a bar 200 having this configuration is shown in FIG. 24 . Referring to FIG. 24 , the bar 200 having a pair of air inlets 202 at the rear end of the bar 200 is formed from a portion of a plurality of outlet ducts 123 covering the pair of air inlets 202 . You can get forced airflow. Referring to FIG. 40 , one or more air inlets 203 receive air from the flow generator 110 inside the body 100 and discharge the air from the second air outlets 201 .

(00240) In this embodiment, the bar 200 includes a pair of flow generators 204 for further accelerating the pressurized air received from the flow generator 110 of the body 100 . However, in another embodiment, the bar 200 does not have the flow generator 204 and discharges the forced air flow received from the flow generator 110 of the body 100 as it is. Although not shown, the bar 200 may include a resistance heater 120 as shown in FIG. 26 . Although not shown, the bar 200 may include a thermoelectric device instead of a resistance heater. The bar 200 may further adjust the forced air flow received from the body 100 . Alternatively, the bar 200 may not include an air management device and force regulated by the thermoelectric device 117 of the body 100 without further regulating the forced airflow received from the body 100 . Airflow can be exhausted.

(00241) Referring back to FIG. 39, the drying apparatus 20 may further include a footrest 400 on which a person can place his or her feet. The duct 122 may further extend to be connected to the footrest 400 . The duct 122 may supply an air flow to one or more air outlets of the footrest 400 so that the air discharged from the one or more air outlets may dry the person's feet. In the configuration shown in FIG. 39 , the footrest 400 may be configured to be retracted into the body 100 of the drying apparatus 20 when not in use, for example. However, in another embodiment, the footrest 400 may be fixed by being supported by the floor without retracting.

(00242) Figure 41 is an exploded perspective view of a body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(00243) The body 100 may be covered with an injected plastic cover. 41 , the injected plastic cover may include a rear panel 140 , a side panel 142 , and a front panel 144 covering the body 100 . In another embodiment, the plastic cover may have a thin metal plate attached to its surface. The parts of the plastic cover can be snapped together. For example, one part may have a protrusion and the other part to be joined may have a corresponding grooved part. When the two parts are snap-fitted to each other, the protrusion enters and engages the groove portion and the two parts are fixed to each other. The plastic cover forms the appearance of the body 100 and provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Since they are snap-coupled to each other, the plastic cover of the body 100 is separated by pulling the plastic cover from the body 100 and replaced with another plastic cover having a design and pattern that satisfies the user's preference, so that their taste can be optimized for the user. The plastic cover 230 (see FIG. 26 ) of the bar 200 is also removable and can be replaced with another plastic cover having a design and pattern satisfying the user's taste, thereby optimizing the user according to the user's taste. You have to know that it can be.

(00244) Exemplary embodiments of the drying apparatus have been described above. Embodiments may be modified for a particular use and suitability.

(00245) Where the preceding description refers to elements or integers having known equivalents, such equivalents are included as if they were individually presented.

(00246) Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It will be appreciated that various changes may be made. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment should be considered only in terms of description and not for the purpose of limitation, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. Moreover, the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the detailed description of the invention, all differences falling within the scope of which are to be construed as included in the present disclosure.

(00247) Any numbers expressed herein are to be construed as being modified in all instances by the term "approximately", as well as including alternatively the exact numerical values set forth herein. Numerical figures presented herein are expressed as precisely as possible. However, the numerical values presented may inherently contain certain errors or inaccuracies as evident from the standard deviations in their respective measurement techniques, eg, which are intended to be covered by the modifier "approximately".

(00248) No feature recited herein shall be construed as referring to 35 USC 112(f) unless the term "means" is explicitly used.

(00249) Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10: drying device 11: driving device
14: dry side 40: lead screw
41, 42: nut 44: bracket assembly
45: guide member 46: guide track
53: controller 58: memory
60: structure or partitioned area
61,62,63,64,65,66: wall or surface
100: body 101: first air outlet
102: air inlet 103: flow generator housing
104: filter unit 106, 107, 108: air flow arrow
110: flow generator 111: inlet filter
113: particulate filter 114: virus filter
115: dehumidification filter 116: flow guide
117: thermoelectric device 118: first side
119: second surface 120: resistance heater
121, 122: duct 123: outlet duct
124: upper region 125: common opening
126: vent 127: pin
128: air opening 129: lower area
130: exhaust port 140: rear panel
142: side panel 144: front panel
200: bar 201: second air outlet
202: air inlet 203: air inlet
204: flow generator 205: air inlet
206: shield 207: air conduit
208: intermediate exit 209: sensor
220: motor 230: cover
400: footrest 800: configuration for dispersed drying
801: primary drying module 802: secondary drying module
810 housing 811: air outlet
812: air inlet 814: flow generator

Claims (20)

A composition for drying for drying a human body, comprising:
body;
a bar movable relative to the body and including an air outlet;
a first air inlet;
A primary drying module comprising a; a first flow generator that receives intake air from the first air inlet and generates a primary air flow discharged from the bar air outlet; and
housing;
a second air inlet;
a second flow generator for receiving intake air from the second air inlet and generating a secondary air flow; and
and a secondary drying module comprising a; a second air outlet in the housing to discharge the secondary air flow from the second flow generator,
The primary drying module and the secondary drying module have a primary air flow from the bar air outlet of the primary drying module and a second air flow from the second air outlet of the secondary drying module for the body of a person using the drying system. Each of the vehicle airflows:
originating from a different location relative to the lateral edge of the user's body, and
A configuration for drying configured to be oriented toward a common longitudinal axis of the user's body.
According to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of secondary drying module, each secondary drying module includes an air outlet for discharging the secondary air flow, the secondary air flow from each secondary drying module is a configuration for drying that may originate from a different location with respect to the lateral edge of the person's body and may face a common longitudinal axis of the person's body.
3. The configuration for drying according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary drying modules includes a direction mechanism operative to control the direction of the air outlet of the secondary drying module.
According to claim 3, wherein the direction mechanism,
controller;
Nozzle; and
A configuration for drying comprising a motor, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor for changing the direction of the nozzle corresponding to the direction of the air outlet of the secondary drying module.
The configuration for drying according to claim 2, further comprising a structure or a partitioned area, wherein the primary drying module and the plurality of secondary drying modules are installed on respective surfaces.
The configuration for drying according to claim 5, comprising two secondary drying modules, each of the primary drying module and the two secondary drying modules being installed on the other one of the plurality of surfaces.
According to claim 1, wherein the primary drying module further comprises a drive device positioned between the body and the bar, the drive device is configured to move the bar relative to the body to move the position of the bar air outlet. composition for drying.
The configuration for drying according to claim 7, wherein the driving device is operative to move the position of the bar air outlet along a longitudinal axis of the body of the primary drying module.
According to claim 1, wherein the body of the primary drying module:
body entrance;
body outlet;
body air flow generator; and
Body thermal element; further comprising,
wherein the body thermal element selectively manages intake air from the body inlet, and wherein the body airflow generator forms a forced airflow to discharge selectively managed intake air from the body outlet.
According to claim 1, wherein the primary drying module further comprises a bar thermal element for selectively managing the primary air flow coming from the bar air outlet, and the secondary drying module is a selective secondary air flow Configuration for drying further comprising a secondary thermal element for maintenance.
The configuration for drying according to claim 1, further comprising a controller operative to control the primary drying module and the secondary drying module to provide for cooperative drying of a person's body.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of controllers, wherein one controller is operative to control the primary drying module and the other controller is operative to control the secondary drying module, wherein the one controller and the other controller are configured to control the primary drying module. A configuration for drying that operates so that the drying module and the secondary drying module are synchronized.
The configuration for drying of claim 1, further comprising: a controller; and a sensor, wherein the controller is configured to determine a moisture content of a person's body based on information from the sensor.
The method of claim 1, further comprising a controller, a first sensor associated with the primary drying module, and a second sensor associated with the secondary drying module, wherein the controller is configured based on information from the first sensor and the second sensor. A configuration for drying, configured to determine a moisture content of a person's body in two different respective areas about a lateral edge of the person's body.
The configuration for drying according to claim 6, wherein the first outlet of the first drying module is located on the movable bar.
16. The configuration for drying according to claim 15, wherein the movable bar of the first drying module is longitudinally movable within the guide member.
The configuration for drying according to claim 16, wherein the first drying module further comprises a driving device for moving the movable bar of the first drying module.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein one controller further comprises a plurality of controllers operable to control the driving device of the primary drying module and the other controller operative to control the second driving device of the secondary drying module, The controller and the other controller are configured for drying in which the driving device of the primary drying module and the second driving device of the secondary drying module are operated to synchronize.
The method of claim 1, wherein the primary drying module comprises:
a pair of air inlets in the body to receive intake air guided to the upstream side of the filter unit;
a pair of body flow generators for generating a first forced air flow, each having a first end and a second end, each of the first ends being opened to a downstream side of the filter unit;
a pair of thermoelectric devices configured to control the temperature of the first forced air stream; and
and a first air outlet communicating with the second end of each body flow generator, receiving a forced air flow from the body flow generator, and discharging the forced air flow to the outside of the body.
The method of claim 1, wherein the primary drying module further comprises a driving device configured to drive the bar movably with respect to the body, the bar comprising:
a pair of second flow generators for generating a second forced air flow;
A configuration for drying further comprising a pair of resistance heaters for controlling the temperature of the second forced air flow, wherein the second forced air flow is discharged through an air outlet of the bar.

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