Body drier for shower or bath
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current body drying apparatuses after a shower or bath are inefficient and uncomfortable, particularly for people with disabilities, as they require users to adopt unnatural postures to dry their feet, leading to increased risk of falling and high energy and resource costs due to the need for multiple towels and frequent washing.
Innovation Solution
A body drier apparatus with a column of average human height, featuring a fan-driven airflow system with strategically positioned diffusion openings and a mouthpiece configuration that optimizes air flow and pressure for uniform drying without requiring users to change posture, ensuring effective drying of the entire body without towels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If air is projected through diffusers in a vertical column to dry the body, then drying effectiveness is improved, but the ability to dry feet effectively deteriorates because users must lift their feet and adopt uncomfortable postures
Solution Approach 1:
The column is divided into multiple segments (first vertical segment, second upwardly inclined segment, third downwardly inclined segment) with diffusers distributed across different orientations. This segmentation allows air to be projected at various angles to cover different body parts including feet, eliminating the need for users to adopt uncomfortable postures while maintaining drying effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a purely vertical column configuration to a three-dimensional structure with upwardly and downwardly inclined segments. This dimensional change enables air projection in multiple directions (upward, downward, lateral) from diffusers positioned on different surfaces of the column, allowing effective foot drying without requiring user movement.
2Productivity
If the column is made taller to cover the entire body including feet, then integral drying is improved, but the risk of falling and discomfort increases due to unstable postures
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single tall vertical column, the invention segments the column into multiple sections with different orientations (vertical, upwardly inclined, downwardly inclined). Each segment contributes to drying specific body parts, achieving integral drying coverage while maintaining a stable, short column structure that does not require users to adopt unstable postures.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the column have different orientations and diffuser arrangements optimized for specific body parts. The downwardly inclined segment with downwardly directed diffusers specifically addresses foot drying needs, providing localized effective drying without requiring the entire column to be tall and unstable.
3Productivity
If air pressure is increased to improve drying speed, then drying effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The column is segmented into multiple sections with diffusers distributed across different surfaces and orientations. This segmentation allows air to be projected efficiently in multiple directions simultaneously, improving drying speed without requiring excessive air pressure or fan energy consumption, as the air is utilized more effectively across the entire body surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed diffusers across multiple column segments ensure continuous and uniform air projection over the entire body surface including feet. This continuous action maximizes the utilization of the driven air, improving drying speed without wasting energy, as air is delivered continuously and effectively to all areas requiring drying.
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 apparatus enables efficient and comfortable drying of the entire body, including feet, without the need for towels, reducing energy expenditure and improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities by maintaining optimal air flow and pressure, thus enhancing user safety and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
a fan (10) for driving air and a column (20) which is about the average height of a person, longitudinally defining a channel on the inside thereof
Implementation Method 2
a distribution of openings defined with an outwardly protruding edge are open on the front part of the column... flow out through the openings of the front part acting as diffusers for projecting the air to the outside
Implementation Method 3
which prevents head loss of the air in said inflow, taking optimal advantage of the action of the fan driving the air
Implementation Method 4
the inner channel of the column through which air circulates to flow out through the diffusion openings for projecting the air outwards becomes progressively narrower from top to bottom, thereby defining a compensation for the loss of speed in the circulation of the air
Implementation Method 5
the outwardly protruding edge of the diffusion openings is envisaged, where appropriate, according to a curved taper, with a radius of curvature and a ratio between the end aperture and the base aperture, which favors the outflow of air without any head loss
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a body drier for a shower or bath, formed by a column which longitudinally defines a channel (6) on the inside thereof, said channel becoming progressively narrower from the upper part to the lower part, with a distribution of diffusion openings (7) for the outflow of air on the front part and an opening (8) on the upper part, in relation to which a mouthpiece (9) is arranged, to which the air outlet of a fan (10) is coupled.