Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for hand drying

US7039301B1 · kind B1 · utility

29Cited by
52References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 4, 2000
Grant dateMay 2, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 14, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA47K10/48
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

After washing, the hands are dried rapidly and comfortably by using a shaped high speed flow of heated air. The air flows in a direction controlled by an air outlet shaped to retain much of the exiting forceful air flow and temperature at a distance where the hands are dried. The air entrainment is controlled so that the properties of the air flow are not diluted by the air entrainment to a point where the drying performance is degraded. The forceful air flow blows off most of the loose water on the hands. The forceful air flow also reduces the stagnation boundary layers in the hands so that the evaporation removal of the remaining film of water is improved. These result in reduced drying time and comfort during and after drying.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.