JPH10155699A - Hand drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit the time of the finish of a drying process as guidance to a time elapsed until getting a sufficiently dry state, to a user through a display device, regarding a hand drying device for hygienically drying a wet hand after washing. SOLUTION: The surface of a hand drying device body 1 is fitted with a display device 11 and an air volume selector switch 13, and a temperature sensor is provided in the vicinity of an opening. A microcomputer has a drying timer, with a guidance drying coping with the change of an air volume and ambient temperature is actuated at the time of starting an operation. Concurrently, the display device 11 is made to light over the time set in the timer, thereby showing a guidance time to be elapsed until the finish of a drying process. According to this construction, a hand drying device capable of drying hands in a proper time can be provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand dryer for sanitarily drying wet hands after washing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, hand-drying devices for drying wet hands after washing in a sanitary and economical manner have been widely used.

Hereinafter, the configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. As shown in the figure, a hand dryer main body 101 incorporates a blower motor 102 for generating high-speed hot air and a ceramic heater 103, and a high-speed hot air outlet 104 is provided at the lower end of the main body 101, and the blowing direction is downward. It faces the drying chamber 105. In addition, a hand detection device 108 including an infrared light emitter 106 and an infrared light receiver 107 is provided near the outlet 104.

A control unit 109 is provided inside the main body 101 of the hand dryer.
The control unit 109 receives the detection signal of the hand detection device 108 and controls the energization of the motor control unit 110 and the heater driving unit 103a. The motor control unit 110 controls the operation of the blower motor 102,
“a” controls the operation of the ceramic heater 103. Microcomputer 113 provided in control unit 109
Determines the light receiving signal of the infrared light receiver 107, and controls energization of the motor control unit 110, the heater driving unit 103a, and the like. Further, a power supply control unit 111 that supplies power to the control unit 109 and the motor control unit 110 is provided.
An air volume changeover switch 112 is provided on a side surface of the main body 101.

[0005] With the above configuration, the infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitter 106 is reflected by the hand to which the infrared light is emitted, the reflected light is received by the infrared light receiver 107, and the received light signal is determined by the microcomputer 113. The blower motor 102 is operated to generate high-speed warm air from the outlet 104 to dry the hand that is inserted into the drying chamber 105.

Further, by switching the air volume changeover switch 112 from high to low, the air volume of the blower motor 102 can be reduced and used.

[0007]

In such a conventional hand dryer, the hand inserted into the drying chamber 105 is dried by high-speed hot air blown out from the outlet 104. Depending on the user's judgment, you may feel stress during the waiting time during the drying operation, or you will end up with insufficient drying or continue the useless operation because the drying time is unnecessarily long There is a problem that the end time, which is a guide for the user, can be perceived during drying.

When the wind speed is switched at the turn of the season or when the ambient temperature changes gradually, the drying time also changes, so that it is difficult for the user to use it in accordance with the changing drying time. Therefore, it is required to be able to perceive a change in drying time due to a difference in use conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and transmits the end of drying, which is a guide to a sufficient drying state, to a user by means of a display device, thereby causing the user to feel stress. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a hand drying device capable of sufficiently exhibiting a drying function.

A second object is to display the end of drying, which is a guide even when the wind speed is switched, and to inform the user of the end of drying.

A third object of the present invention is to display the end of drying, which is a guideline, to notify the user of the end of drying, corresponding to the ambient temperature of the installation location of the hand dryer.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, a hand dryer according to the present invention includes a hand dryer having a built-in blower motor, a hand detector provided near a drying chamber of the hand dryer, and A display device provided on the surface of the hand drying device main body, a microcomputer that receives a detection signal from the hand detection device and controls the energization of the blower motor and the display device, and drying that sets a rough timer time as a hand drying time. The microcomputer has a configuration in which the microcomputer turns on the display device for the timer time of the drying timer.

[0013] According to the present invention, the end of drying, which is a guide to a sufficient drying state, is transmitted to the user through the display device so that the user does not feel stress and can sufficiently perform the drying function. A possible hand drying device is obtained.

Another means has a switching means for switching the rotation speed of the blower motor, and the microcomputer receives the switching signal from the switching means and changes the setting of the timer time of the drying timer. .

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a hand drying apparatus capable of displaying the end of drying as a guide even when the wind speed is switched and transmitting the indication to the user.

Another means has a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature, and the microcomputer is configured to change the setting of the timer time of the drying timer according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a hand dryer capable of displaying the end of drying as a guide and transmitting it to the user in accordance with the ambient temperature of the installation location of the hand dryer.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention relates to a hand drying device main body having a built-in blower motor, a hand detecting device provided near a drying chamber of the hand drying device, and a display device provided on the surface of the hand drying device main body. A microcomputer that receives a detection signal from the hand detection device and controls the power supply to the blower motor and the display device; and a drying timer that sets a rough timer time as a hand drying time, wherein the microcomputer includes the drying timer. The operation of the hand dryer is started and the microcomputer turns on and displays the display for a predetermined time which is a measure of the end of drying, so that the user waits for drying. When the time elapses, drying is completed by pulling out the hand that was provided when the lighting display was completed. An effect that can be dried.

Further, the microcomputer has switching means for switching the rotation speed of the blower motor, and the microcomputer changes the setting of the timer time of the drying timer in response to the switching signal of the switching means, and changes the rotation speed of the blower motor. By changing the display time of the display device, which is an indication of the drying time when the wind speed is switched, even when the wind speed changes, the user stops the operation by pulling the hand out in accordance with the end display of the display device. This has an effect that the drying operation can be performed in an appropriate time.

Further, the microcomputer has a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature, and the microcomputer changes the setting of the timer time of the drying timer in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. By changing the display time of the display device, which is an indication of the end of drying, according to the temperature, the user pulls out the hand in accordance with the end display on the display device even when the ambient temperature changes, and operates By stopping the operation, the drying operation can be performed in an appropriate time.

[0021]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in the figure, a blower motor 2 is built in a hand drying device main body 1, a ceramic heater 3 is provided as a heating element below the blower motor 2, and an outlet 4 is provided to communicate with a lower portion thereof toward the drying chamber 5. ing. In addition, near the outlet 4, an infrared light emitting device 6 is provided.
And a hand detection device 8 including an infrared receiver 7. A control unit 9 is provided inside the hand drying device main body 1, and the control unit 9 receives the detection signal of the hand detection device 8 and controls the energization of the motor control unit 10 and the heater driving unit 13. The motor control unit 10 controls the operation of the blower motor 2,
The heater driving unit 13 controls the operation of the ceramic heater 3. The power control unit 12 supplies power to the control unit 9. The microcomputer 16 provided in the control unit 9 determines the light receiving signal of the infrared light receiver 7 and controls the energization of the motor control unit 10, the heater driving unit 13, and the like. The microcomputer 16 has a drying timer 16a for setting a reference drying time.

On the surface of the main body 1 of the hand drying apparatus, there is provided a display device 11 for displaying an operation state. The display device 11 has a plurality of LEDs arranged in a row.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below.
The infrared light emitter 6 of the hand detection device 8 emits infrared light in the direction of the drying chamber 5, but when the user puts out his hand, the reflected light is received by the infrared light receiver 7 and the received light signal is transmitted to the control unit 9. The microcomputer 16 makes a judgment process to energize the ceramic heater 3 and rotate the blower motor 2 to generate warm air and dry hands. At this time, when the hand is detected by the hand detection device 8, the microcomputer 16 starts the operation of the ceramic heater 3 and the blower motor 2 and operates a preset drying timer 16a to display the display device 1
1 is lit only for the timer time, and the estimated time until the end of drying is displayed.

As a display method, as shown in FIG. 2, at the start of drying, all the LEDs of the display device 11 are turned on.
When D is turned off one by one from the right to reach the drying end time, only one drying end LED 11a on the left end is turned on.

The drying end LED 11a continues to be lit as long as the hand is detected by the hand detecting device 8, but after a certain period of time, the blower motor 2 and the ceramic heater 3 are stopped to prevent heating of the hand. Prevent hand heating,
At the same time, the drying end LED 11a is also turned off.

(Embodiment 2) In FIGS. 1 to 3, an air volume changeover switch 13 is provided on a side surface of the hand drying device main body 1 so that the rotation speed of the blower motor 2 can be switched in multiple stages. The microcomputer 16
Changes the set time of the drying timer 16a according to the switching position of the air volume changeover switch 13. That is, when the air volume is small, the timer setting time is lengthened.

In the above configuration, when the drying is started by first setting the air volume changeover switch 13 to be strong, the microcomputer 16 sets the timer setting time t1 to be as short as about 15 seconds, and turns on the display device 11 at the start of operation. When the set time t1 has elapsed, only the drying end LED 11a is turned on. At this time, if the user pulls out the extended hand, the operation of the blower motor 2 and the ceramic heater 3 is stopped.

Next, when drying is started by weakening the air volume changeover switch 13, the microcomputer 16 sets the timer set time t2 to be as long as about 20 seconds, and after the set time t2 elapses, turns on only the drying end LED 11a. Operation is stopped by the same operation as. In this way, the timer setting time t1,
By setting t2, the lighting time of the display device 11 changes, and the user can dry his / her hands at an appropriate time using the lighting of the display device 11 as a guide.

(Embodiment 3) In FIGS. 1 to 3, an opening 2 is provided on a side surface of a hand drying device main body 1 to serve as an air inlet of a blower motor 2, and a temperature sensor 15 is attached near the opening. The outside air temperature is detected.

In the above configuration, a timer time corresponding to the ambient temperature range is set in the microcomputer 16 in advance, and the microcomputer 16 determines the detection value of the temperature sensor 15 and always selects an appropriate drying timer. I have. Then, when the user puts his hand out and starts the operation, the microcomputer 16 determines the optimum timer setting time by performing the judgment processing based on the detection value of the temperature sensor 15 and turns on the display device 11 at the start of the operation. After a lapse of time, the drying end LED 11a
Only light up. At this time, if the user pulls out the extended hand, the operation of the blower motor 2 and the ceramic heater 3 is stopped. Thus, even when the ambient temperature changes, the user can dry his / her hands in an appropriate time using the display device 11 as a guide. Further, when the detection value of the temperature sensor 15 is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, it is possible to dry the hands only by blowing air without energizing the ceramic heater 3 at the start of operation.

[0031]

As is apparent from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the progress of the drying operation can be notified by the change of the lighting of the display device, and the user can visually check the lighting condition of the display device during driving. By doing so, it is possible to provide a hand-drying device that has an effect of reducing the stress of the waiting time during the drying operation and drying in an appropriate time.

Further, when the wind speed is changed, the set time of the drying timer is changed according to the wind speed, and the end time of the lighting of the display device is changed to notify the user, so that the user can change even if the wind speed changes. It is possible to provide a hand drying device which has an effect of drying in an appropriate time.

Further, the set time of the drying timer is changed in response to the change of the ambient temperature, and the end of lighting of the display device is changed to notify the user of the change. Thus, it is possible to provide a hand-drying device having an effect that drying can be performed with the hand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a hand dryer according to first to third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional hand dryer.

FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hand drying device main body 2 Blower motor 8 Hand detection device 11 Display device 13 Air volume changeover switch (switching means) 15 Temperature sensor 16 Microcomputer 16a Drying timer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A hand drying device main body including a blower motor, a hand detection device provided near a drying chamber of the hand drying device, a display device provided on a surface of the hand drying device main body, and the hand detection device. A microcomputer that receives the detection signal and controls the blower motor and the display device to be energized; and a drying timer that sets an approximate timer time as a hand drying time. The microcomputer displays the display only for the timer time of the drying timer. Hand drying device with lighting display. 2. The hand dryer according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for switching the rotation speed of the blower motor, wherein the microcomputer receives the switching signal from the switching means and changes the setting of the timer time of the drying timer. 3. The hand dryer according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting an ambient temperature, wherein the microcomputer changes a setting of a timer time of a drying timer according to a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.