Annular Hand Dryer Airflow Layout Without a Water Collection Trough
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hand dryers face issues with water collection and disposal, leading to watermarks, bacterial growth, and the need for regular maintenance due to the presence of a water collection trough.
Innovation Solution
A watermark-free hand dryer design featuring a main body that generates high-pressure airflow through an annular air discharge portion with nozzles, combined with a water absorbing portion made of ceramics or porous materials, which absorbs and evaporates water drops without a water collection trough, utilizing an infrared sensor for activation and a channeling system to manage water effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a water collection trough is used to collect water drops, then water gathering is facilitated, but watermarks form and bacterial growth occurs requiring regular maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the water collection trough entirely from the hand dryer system. Instead of collecting water drops in a trough that requires maintenance, the invention directs water drops away from the drying area through specifically oriented air outlets, eliminating the source of watermarks and bacterial growth while maintaining effective water management
Solution Approach 2:
The hand dryer uses its own high-pressure airflow to manage water drops. The air outlets are designed to blow water drops away from the drying area during the drying process itself, without requiring separate water collection mechanisms or maintenance interventions
2Productivity
If air outlets are positioned to eject air downwards, then hand drying effectiveness is improved, but water drops are scattered creating untidy environment and safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
Different air outlets are positioned and oriented differently to perform different functions. Some outlets are positioned to provide downward airflow for effective hand drying, while other outlets are specifically oriented to blow water drops away from the drying area, creating localized air flow patterns that address different problems simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The air discharge system is divided into multiple separate air outlets with different orientations and positions. This segmentation allows the system to provide both effective hand drying airflow and water drop management airflow through distinct outlets, rather than relying on a single air outlet to perform both functions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively eliminates watermarks and bacterial growth by absorbing and evaporating water drops, eliminating the need for regular trough maintenance and preventing water spills, thus enhancing hygiene and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
The water absorbing portion is made of materials selected from the group consisting of water absorbing ceramics and porous materials
Implementation Method 2
the water absorbing portion absorbs and evaporates water drops which are introduced by the high pressure airflow into the air discharge side
Implementation Method 3
the at least one nozzle outputs the high pressure airflow towards the air discharge side at an angle
Data Source
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AI summary
A waterspit-free hand dryer includes a main body (10), an annular air discharge portion (20) and a water absorbing portion (30). The main body (10) generates high pressure airflow. The annular air discharge portion (20) is connected to the main body (10) and includes at least one extending section (21) extended from the main body (10) and a connecting section (22) connected to the extending section (21). The extending section (21) and connecting section (22) surround to form an annular hand drying passage (40) to receive user's hands. The annular air discharge portion (20) further has at least one nozzle (25) on an air discharge surface (23) communicating with the annular air discharge portion (20). The nozzle (25) forms an air discharge angle (α) against the air discharge surface (23) to output the high pressure airflow towards an air discharge side (24). The water absorbing portion (30) is located on the main body (10) and relative to the air discharge side (24) to receive the high pressure airflow output from the nozzle (25).