Hand dryer
US6038786A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 16, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 16, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA47K10/48
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A wall-mounted hand dryer provides a heated pulsating or modulating air stream to break down a boundary layer of moisture on a user's hands to reduce the drying time. The hand dryer accomplishes this by quickly generating a heated air stream at a maximum temperature that is tolerable to the user, increasing the air stream velocity and turbulence to blow off loose water droplets and break down the boundary layer disposed on the user's hands. The hand dryer includes a blower, heater, a modulator and/or a turbulator for blowing heated air through an air duct. The modulator and turbulator break up the laminar flow of the air stream to provide a modulating or pulsating turbulent flow of air to retard the formation of the boundary layer and dry the hands quickly. The hand dryer further includes an infrared heating source for heating the surface of a user's hands to replace the heat lost as a result of the evaporation of the water from the user's hands. The operation of the hand dryer is controlled by a controller which actuates the components of the hand dryer for a predetermined time period (i.e., 10 seconds) in response to an actuation signal provided by a push button switch or proximi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.