Hand drying systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019174974-A1
Application number	US-201916273863-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Jun 13, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hand drying system and method for a lavatory includes a blower housing that includes a blower that is configured to generate airflow within an air chamber. An exhaust vent is configured to be secured to the lavatory. The exhaust vent defines an air outlet. A conduit includes a first end in fluid communication with the air chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the air outlet. The conduit distally locates the blower housing from the lavatory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hand drying system for a lavatory, the hand drying system comprising:
a blower housing that includes a blower that generates airflow within an air chamber; an exhaust vent defining an air outlet; and a conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the air chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the air outlet, wherein the conduit distally locates the blower housing from the lavatory.

2 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust vent is coupled to the lavatory.

3 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , wherein the blower comprises a magnetic motor and a propeller magnetically coupled to the magnetic motor.

4 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising acoustic insulation coupled to the blower housing.

5 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the air chamber.

6 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one acoustic dampening barrier disposed within the conduit.

7 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) light assembly disposed within one or both of the blower housing or the conduit, wherein the UV light assembly sanitizes the airflow with sanitizing UV light before the airflow passes through the air outlet.

8 . The hand drying system of claim 7 , wherein the UV light assembly is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit, wherein the conduit prevents the UV light from passing out of the air outlet.

9 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating coil disposed within the conduit, wherein the heating coil is configured to heat the airflow before the airflow passes through the air outlet.

10 . The hand drying system of claim 9 , wherein the heating coil is positioned proximate to the second end of the conduit.

11 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising an activation sensor configured to detect a presence of a hand within an activation zone and output a presence signal, wherein the blower is configured to be activated when the activation sensor detects the presence of the hand within the activation zone.

12 . The hand drying system of claim 1 , further comprising a dryer control unit in communication with the blower, wherein the dryer control unit is configured to control operation of the blower.

13 . A hand drying system for a lavatory, the hand drying system comprising:
a blower housing that includes a blower that generates airflow within an air chamber; and an exhaust vent defining an air outlet, wherein the exhaust vent is coupled to the lavatory.

14 . A hand drying method for a lavatory, the hand drying method comprising:
coupling an exhaust vent having an air outlet to the lavatory; and fluidly coupling a first end of a conduit to an air chamber of a blower housing;

15 . The hand drying method of claim 14 , further comprising coupling acoustic insulation to the blower housing.

16 . The hand drying method of claim 14 , further comprising disposing at least one acoustic dampening barrier within one or both of the air chamber or the conduit.

17 . The hand drying method of claim 14 , further comprising:
fluidly coupling a second end of the conduit to the air outlet of the exhaust vent; and distally locating the blower housing from the lavatory by the fluidly coupling.

18 . The hand drying method of claim 14 , further comprising generating airflow within the air chamber of the blower housing with a blower.

19 . The hand drying method of claim 19 , further comprising magnetically coupling a propeller to a magnetic motor of the blower.

20 . The hand drying method of claim 14 , further comprising:
disposing an ultraviolet (UV) light assembly within the conduit; emitting sanitizing UV light into airflow before the before the airflow passes through the air outlet; and sanitizing the airflow by the emitting.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Childress Jamie

Classifications

• A61L9/20

  Ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• A47K10/48 Primary

  Drying by means of hot air · CPC title