Bathroom management apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10470620-B2
Application number	US-201715693703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A bathroom management apparatus includes a case including a air discharge port for the discharge of air, a discharge vane for opening and closing the air discharge port, and a hanger coupled to the case and including a hanger part, wherein a front end of the discharge vane is positioned behind and under the air discharge port when the air discharge port is opened, wherein the hanger part is positioned between a first tangential line and a first straight line, which define a predetermined angle with respect to each other, and wherein the predetermined angle is an angle between a second tangential line extending along a rear inner surface of the second air discharge port and a second straight line extending through a lower rear end of the second air discharge port and a front end of the opened discharge vane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bathroom management apparatus comprising:
a case including a air discharge port formed in a lower surface thereof so as to allow air to be discharged through the air discharge port;
a discharge vane configured to move to selectively cover or expose the air discharge port; and
a hanger coupled to the lower surface of the case and including a first hanger cylinder,
wherein the first hanger cylinder is positioned between a first tangential line that extends along a front inner surface of the air discharge port and a first straight line obtained by rotating the first tangential line about a lower front end of the air discharge port to a predetermined angle, and
wherein the predetermined angle corresponds to an angle defined between a second tangential line that extends along a rear inner surface of the air discharge port and a second straight line that extends through a lower rear end of the air discharge port and a front end of the discharge vane when moved to expose the air discharge port.

2. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hanger further includes a hanger projection extending rearward therefrom.

3. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the bathroom management apparatus is mounted to a vertical surface,
wherein the hanger further includes a hanger cylinder, which is spaced apart from and is between the first hanger cylinder and the vertical surface, and
wherein the hanger cylinder is positioned between the second tangential line and the second straight line.

4. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second hanger cylinder is positioned vertically further from the lower surface of the case than the first hanger cylinder.

5. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second hanger cylinder and the first hanger cylinder are positioned a same vertical distance from the lower surface of the case.

6. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a projecting hanger, which configured to be slidably inserted into or move out of the case so as to project downward from the case when moved out of the case, and the projecting hanger including a projecting hanger extension.

7. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the air discharge port is a second air discharge port and the discharge vane is a second discharge vane,
wherein the case further includes an air intake port formed in an upper region of a front surface thereof and a first air discharge port formed in a lower region of the front surface,
wherein the bathroom management apparatus further comprises a duct, which is provided in the case so as to allow the air intake port, the first air discharge port and the second air discharge port to communicate with each other,
wherein the case includes a first electric component compartment formed at one lateral side of the duct and a second electric component compartment formed at another lateral side of the duct, and
wherein the case includes an entry hole formed in a region of the lower surface of the case that corresponds to at least one of the first or the second electric component compartments through which the projecting hanger passes.

8. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the projecting hanger includes a holding protrusion formed on a upper surface thereof, and
wherein the bathroom management apparatus further comprises a latch, which is internally coupled to the case so as to selectively hold or release the holding protrusion in response to a user pushing the projecting hanger.

9. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the case includes a latch attachment having a fitting hole into which the latch is fitted, and
wherein the latch includes a hook, which is engaged with the latch attachment.

10. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a guide provided in the case so as to guide vertical sliding movement of the projecting hanger.

11. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air discharge port is a second air discharge port and the discharge vane is a second discharge vane,
wherein the case further includes an air intake port formed in an upper region of a front surface thereof and an first air discharge port formed in a lower region of the front surface, and
wherein the bathroom management apparatus further comprises:
a duct provided in the case so as to allow the air intake port, the first air discharge port and the air discharge port to communicate with each other, and
a blower fan provided in the duct so as to suck air through the air intake port and blow the air toward at least one of the first air discharge port or the second air discharge port.

12. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:
an intake vane that moves to selectively cover or expose the air intake port; and
a first discharge vane that moves to selectively cover or expose the first air discharge port.

13. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a heater provided in the duct so as to heat air in the duct.

14. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising an ionizer provided in the duct so as to generate ions released into the air in the duct.

15. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a filter provided in the air intake port.

16. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising;
a lighting source configured to emit light; and
a reflector provided on a rear surface of the intake vane to reflect the light from the lighting source toward the filter.

17. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a lighting source configured to emit light toward the filter.

18. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a damper provided in the duct so as to selectively direct air in the duct through the air intake port toward one of the first air discharge port or the second air discharge port.

19. The bathroom management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the case further includes an air intake port formed in a front surface thereof, and
wherein the bathroom management apparatus further comprises:
an intake vane motor configured to move an intake vane to selectively cover or expose the air intake port;
a motor configured to move the discharge vane;
a blower fan configured to suck in air through the air intake port and to blow the air toward the air discharge port;
a heater configured to heat the air being blown toward the air discharge port by the blower fan;
a first sensor configured to detect whether an object is hanging on the hanger and to output a first signal value when the object is hanging on the hanger;
a second sensor configured to detect an amount of moisture in the object hanging on the hanger and outputting a second signal value associated with the detected amount of moisture; and
a controller that is configured to activate the intake vane motor so as to move the intake vane to expose the air intake port, activate the motor so as to move the discharge vane to expose the air discharge port, and activate the blower fan and the heater when the first signal value is received from the first sensor and the second signal value indicates that the amount of moisture is equal to or higher than a setting valu

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jun Wheeyoung
• Park Daeyun
• Kim Minjung

Classifications

• F26B23/06

  resistance heating · CPC title

• A61L9/205

  using a photocatalyst or photosensitiser · CPC title

• A61L2103/50

  Textiles, e.g. bedwear or towels · CPC title

• F26B21/50

  Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried · CPC title

• A61L2202/15

  Biocide distribution means, e.g. nozzles, pumps, manifolds, fans, baffles, sprayers · CPC title