Abstract:
A drying apparatus includes an outer case, a portion of the outer case defining a cavity in which articles can be dried and an outlet disposed at the lower end of the cavity. A removable liquid treatment module is arranged downstream of the outlet and within the outer case, the liquid treatment module including a liquid dispersal unit. By providing a liquid treatment module that is removable, the liquid treatment module can be easily and quickly replaced by an unskilled user without undue burden. The invention is particularly suitable for use in a hand dryer.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a national stage application under 35 USC 371 of International Application No. PCT/GB06/004437, filed Nov. 29, 2006, which claims the priority of United Kingdom Application No. 0600536.7, filed Jan. 12, 2006, the contents of both of which prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to drying apparatus. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to drying apparatus including a liquid treatment module for collecting, treating and disposing of a waste liquid such as water. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Conventional arrangements for collecting and removing waste water from drying apparatus such as hand dryers are well known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,944. Waste water is collected via a duct or similar and transferred to a drip collector for subsequent manual removal. Such storage of waste water is unhygienic, may lead to the spread of bacteria and requires regular maintenance to empty the drip collector and maintain a sanitary environment. 
         [0004]    The addition of an antibacterial water absorption sheet with a large surface area to encourage evaporation is known from JP 11-18999 A. This counters some of the problems of bacterial infestation and results in less frequent emptying of a water collector. However, waste water is still present in the hand dryer for longer than is desirable, and maintenance is still required. 
         [0005]    An alternative arrangement involves the evaporation of the waste water through use of a thermal source. This can also be used in conjunction with a stream of air. These techniques are known from JP 2002-345681A. The use of electrical components often means that, when these components require maintenance or replacement, the machine will have to be repaired by a trained engineer. This is time consuming and results in the machine being out of action for a significant period of time. This is inconvenient and potentially costly for the consumer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide drying apparatus which is capable of collecting and dispersing liquid and which, in use, can be maintained more quickly and easily than prior art apparatus. 
         [0007]    The invention provides drying apparatus comprising an outer case, a portion of the outer case defining a cavity in which articles can be dried, an outlet disposed at the lower end of the cavity and a liquid treatment module arranged downstream of the outlet, the liquid treatment module being removable from the drying apparatus and including a liquid dispersal unit, wherein the drying apparatus further comprises a chamber for removably receiving the liquid treatment module, electrical connectors being provided within the chamber and on the liquid treatment module to connect electrically the liquid treatment module to the drying apparatus, the electrical connectors forming electrical connections when the liquid treatment module is received in the chamber. 
         [0008]    By providing a liquid treatment module that is removable as a unit, the drying apparatus can be maintained easily and quickly by an unskilled user without undue burden. This allows the liquid treatment module to be installed easily in the drying apparatus and electrical connections to be made automatically as the liquid treatment module is inserted into the chamber. Further, any electronic components included in the liquid treatment module can be replaced easily by an unskilled person simply by replacing the liquid treatment module. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the electrical connectors are located so as to be inaccessible to a user when the liquid treatment module is removed from the drying apparatus. This prevents any danger of injury to a user which may be present if a live electrical connector were accessible when the liquid treatment module is removed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of a hand dryer according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   b  is a side view of the hand dryer of  FIG. 1   a;    
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a section through the hand dryer of  FIG. 1   a;    
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged version of part of  FIG. 2  showing the internal workings of the hand dryer in greater detail; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the liquid treatment module removed from the hand dryer of  FIG. 1   a;    
           [0016]      FIG. 5   a  is perspective view from above of the hand dryer of  FIG. 1   a  showing the liquid treatment module partially removed from the hand dryer; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view from below of the hand dryer of  FIG. 1   a  showing the liquid treatment module partially removed from the hand dryer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  show a hand dryer  10  according to the present invention. The hand dryer  10  includes an outer case  12 , a front wall  14   a , a rear wall  14   b , two side walls  14   c ,  14   d  and a cavity  16 . The rear wall  14   b  may include elements suitable for attaching the hand dryer  10  to a wall surface or other suitable fixture. Elements for connecting the hand dryer  10  to a power source may also be included. 
         [0019]    The cavity  16  is defined by opposing arcuate front and rear walls  16   a ,  16   b . The cavity  16  is open at its upper end  18 , and the dimensions of the opening are sufficient to allow a user&#39;s hands (not shown) to be inserted easily into the cavity  16  for drying. A high-speed airflow is generated by a motor unit having a fan (not shown). The motor unit and fan are located inside the outer case  12 . The high-speed airflow is expelled through two slot-like openings  20  disposed at the upper end  18  of the cavity  16  to dry the user&#39;s hands. These features are not material to the present invention and will not be described any further here. The cavity  16  is open at the sides as can be seen in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b.    
         [0020]    As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , a drain channel  22  is located at the lower end  24  of the cavity  16 . The drain channel  22  is delimited by the lower edges of the front wall  16   a  and the rear wall  16   b  of the cavity  16  and slopes downwardly towards one side of the cavity  16 . An outlet  26  is located in the drain channel  22 . The outlet  26  can take any suitable form. In this embodiment, it comprises a circular aperture with a central plug  26   a . The outlet  26  and plug  26   a  delimit a narrow, annular opening. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a chamber  40  is formed in a lower part of the outer case  12  below the cavity  16 . The chamber  40  is delimited by a plurality of chamber walls  40   a  and has an open lower end. A liquid treatment module  30  is located in the chamber  40  and is held in place by clips, quarter turn fastenings or other fastening means (not shown). 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the liquid treatment module  30  includes a filter  33  located in a passageway  34 . The passageway  34  has an open upper end which communicates with the outlet  26  when the liquid treatment module  30  is located in the chamber  40 . 
         [0023]    The filter  33  is designed to filter particulates and impurities from the water, and to kill bacteria in the water. The filter  33  includes a ceramic material impregnated with an iodine-containing resin. The ceramic material has pores of a specific size to remove unwanted impurities and particulates. The iodine-containing resin acts as a sterilising compound to kill any bacteria present in the water. 
         [0024]    The liquid treatment module  30  further includes a liquid dispersion unit  35  located below the filter  33 . An opening  36  is located at the lower end of the passageway  34  and allows water to flow into the liquid dispersion unit  35 . An exhaust conduit  37  located within the liquid dispersion unit  35  provides a communication path from the liquid dispersion unit  35  to the outside of the outer case  12  of the hand dryer  10 . The liquid dispersion unit  35  further includes a collector  100  for collecting water from the outlet  26 . The collector  100  has a base  100   a . A high frequency agitator in the form of a piezo-electric device  102  is located at the base  100   a . A fan  104  is supported on one of the chamber walls  40   a . The fan  104  is located outside the chamber  40  separate from the liquid treatment module  30 . The fan  104  is configured to direct an airflow into the collector  100  through an aperture  38  provided in the liquid treatment module  30 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5   a , electrical connectors  32  are located on an upward facing surface  31  of the liquid treatment module  30 . The electrical connectors  32  project upwardly from the upward facing surface  31  towards the upper end of the liquid treatment module  30 . When the liquid treatment module  30  is located in the chamber  40 , the electrical connectors  32  are received by a guide  41  which is mounted on one of the side walls  40   a  of the chamber  40 . Electrical connectors  42  are located at the upper end of the guide  41 . The width and length of the guide  41  and the position of the electrical connectors  42  are selected such that the electrical connectors  42  are inaccessible to probing fingers. When the liquid treatment module  30  is located inside the chamber  40  (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the electrical connectors  32  are in contact with the electrical connectors  42  in order to supply power to the liquid treatment module  30 . 
         [0026]    In use, the water removed from a user&#39;s hands during the drying process flows down the front wall  16   a  and the rear wall  16   b  of the cavity  16  and into the drain channel  22  disposed at the lower end  24  of the cavity  16 . The drain channel  22  collects and guides the water towards the outlet  26 . 
         [0027]    Upon entering the outlet  26 , the water passes into the passageway  34 , through the filter  33  and into the collector  100  through the opening  36 . The ceramic compound in the filter  33  removes impurities and particulates from the water in order to clean it. Further, the iodine-impregnated resin within the filter  33  sterilises the water by killing any bacteria in the water. The cleaned and sterilised water collects at the base  100   a  of the collector  100  which is in communication with the piezo-electric device  102 . The piezo-electric device  102  is set to oscillate at a pre-determined frequency and magnitude such that sufficient vibrational energy is imparted to water molecules on the surface of the water in the collector  100  to overcome surface tension effects. Therefore, the water is turned into a fine mist in the interior space of the collector  100 . 
         [0028]    The fan  104  directs an airflow downwardly into the collector  100 . This directs the fine mist towards, and down, the exhaust conduit  37  which leads to the outside of the outer case  12 . This process continues until all the water contained within the collector  100  is efficiently and hygienically removed from the collector  100 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  illustrate the removal of the liquid treatment module  30  from the outer case  12  for maintenance or replacement. The liquid treatment module  30  is removed downwardly from the hand dryer  10 . When this is done, the electrical connectors  32 ,  42  are disconnected before the liquid treatment module  30  has been fully removed. This reduces the risk of an electric shock. Further, the electrical connectors  42  are positioned and/or arranged so that they are not accessible to a user when the liquid treatment module  30  is removed from the chamber  40 . 
         [0030]    A replacement liquid treatment module  30  can be inserted upwardly into the chamber  40 . When this is done, the electrical connectors  32  are received by the guide  41  located inside the chamber  40 . When the liquid treatment module  30  is located in the chamber  40 , the electrical connectors  32  automatically come into contact with the electrical connectors  42  located in the chamber  40  and power can then be supplied to the liquid treatment module  30 . 
         [0031]    The present invention allows the hand dryer  10  to be maintained easily. The liquid treatment module  30  can be removed simply and quickly from the hand dryer  10  by an unskilled user, and a replacement module inserted should replacement be required. This is of benefit to a consumer because the liquid treatment module  30  contains electronic components which, if they fail, could result in a significant period of downtime whilst a skilled engineer is called. However, the removable nature of the liquid treatment module  30  enables it to be replaced so that the hand dryer  10  can be returned to use quickly. 
         [0032]    It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details described above. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to the skilled reader. 
         [0033]    For example, the drying apparatus need not take the form of a hand dryer. The drying apparatus could be a condenser-type laundry dryer. In such a laundry dryer, water evaporated from wet textiles in the drum (cavity) of the laundry dryer can be condensed and then collected in a liquid treatment module to be removed by agitation or evaporation. Should maintenance or replacement be required, the liquid treatment module can be removed from the laundry dryer. 
         [0034]    Further, the invention could be utilized in other forms of drying apparatus; for example, other forms of domestic or commercial drying apparatus such as washer-dryers, ventilation-type laundry dryers or full-length body dryers. 
         [0035]    Additionally, other forms of liquid dispersion unit can be used to disperse the collected liquid; for example, an ultrasonic generator, a fan, a heating element or electrolysing apparatus. Any of these devices could be used in place of a piezo-electric device to agitate, evaporate or electrolyse the water (or other liquid) as required. 
         [0036]    The liquid treatment module need not be located inside a chamber present in the drying apparatus. Other arrangements are possible; for example, the module could form a part of the outer case, or could be mounted on or outside the outer case of the drying apparatus. 
         [0037]    Further, the liquid treatment module need not be removed from the lower part of the drying apparatus. The liquid treatment module may form part of the upper side or top of the drying apparatus, and be removed sideways or upwardly depending upon the requirements of the drying apparatus. 
         [0038]    As a further variation, other forms of airflow generator are possible. For example, an air bleed or exhaust airflow could be taken from a motor unit. For example, the motor unit for driving the drying process of the hand dryer has a fan. This fan could be used to generate an airflow to vent the evaporated water to the outside of the drying apparatus rather than using an additional fan. 
         [0039]    Additionally, the filter need not be a ceramic filter impregnated with an iodine-containing resin. Other types of filter media could be used; for example, glass-fibre or plastic brushes. Further, the filter could be impregnated with alternative bacteria-killing media; for example, Titanium dioxide or UV-radiation activated silver nanoparticles. Alternatively, the particulate-filtering media and the bacteria-killing media may form separate stages in the filter and do not need to be combined. 
         [0040]    As a further variation, the filter need not be removable from the drying apparatus. The filter could remain inside the casing of the drying apparatus when the liquid treatment module is removed. The filter could either be removable separately from the liquid treatment module or be fixed permanently inside the casing of the drying apparatus.