Abstract:
Apparatus and method for controlling air flow of a drying unit. The apparatus includes a housing mounted below the dryer unit and a frame member coupled to the housing member. The frame member functions to intersect and deflect the air flow in a direction away from a floor surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the invention relate to control of air flow, and more particularly relate to an apparatus and method for controlling air flow for use with air hand drying systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Air hand drying systems such as high velocity hand dryers are an efficient means of drying hands while also reducing the cost and waste associated with paper towels. According to a study by Ansari et al, “the interior of a hand dryer has bacteria counts two to four times lower than other surfaces in the bathroom, such as sinks, doorknobs and soap dispensers.” This study is disclosed in the website, http://www.bmmag.com, Vol. 9, Issue 1, January 2009. 
         [0003]    A typical high velocity dryer unit  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the down blast of air is released from air exhaust port  12  under the dryer unit  10 . The major issue with such high velocity dryer is caused by the down blast of air from the air exhaust port  12  under the drying unit  10  where hands (not shown) are positioned for drying. The direction of air flow is represented by the arrows as shown in  FIG. 1 . The blast of air flows downward directly on a floor surface, s below the drying unit  10  where particles, p such as dirt, dust, debris, chemicals, etc. are forced into the air. These particles are typically contaminated with bacteria and viruses that are spread through the air. 
         [0004]    Thus, there is a need to provide a system and method of reducing or eliminating flow of unwanted or undesirable particles in the air in the area proximate the floor surface. 
         [0005]    It is also desirable to provide an apparatus which may be readily and securely inserted in position proximate the hand dryer for easier usage. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the invention solve these and other needs by methods and apparatuses for controlling air flow blown from the drying units. Embodiments of the present invention provide for methods and apparatuses that function to control an air flow by intersecting a column of air and safely diverting it away from the floor surface and into the air column where it decelerates harmlessly. 
         [0007]    The apparatus includes a housing mounted below the drying units and one or more frame members coupled to the housing member. The one or more frame members function as deflectors to intersect and deflect air flow in a direction away from the floor surface. In the embodiments of the present invention, the one or more frame members function to redirect air first horizontally and then vertically which safely diverts it nearly perpendicular to and away from the floor surface 
         [0008]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the frame member includes a first deflecting surface and a second deflecting surface both of which function to intersect and deflect the air flow in a direction away from the floor surface. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame member includes a first frame and a second frame both of which function to intersect and deflect the air flow in a direction away from the floor surface. 
         [0010]    In further embodiments of the present invention there is a method for controlling the air flow operating the apparatus as described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic view of the dryer unit of prior art. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a schematic view of an apparatus for controlling air flow in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a schematic view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2A  in conjunction or in use with the dryer unit; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a schematic view of an apparatus for controlling air flow in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a schematic view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A  in conjunction or in use with the dryer unit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2A  there is shown a perspective view of an apparatus to control air flow in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The air controller apparatus  20  includes a housing  22  of an elongate, semi-enclosed substantially flat member mounted preferably to a wall (not shown). It is noted that the housing  22  is substantially rectangular in shape, however, the invention is not limited to a rectangular form and the housing may be another suitable shape such as for example, circular, triangular, square etc. The housing  22  is preferably made of any suitable, conventional sheet metal. However, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the housing may preferably be constructed of other materials such as plastic, wood, fiberglass etc. As shown in  FIG. 2A , the housing  22  includes a front portion  22   a , a rear portion  22   b , top portion  22   c  and a bottom portion  22   d , left side  22   e  of the bottom portion  22   d  and right side  22   f  of the bottom portion  22   d . The rear portion  22   b  is mounted to a wall (not shown). As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the apparatus  20  also includes a frame member  24  shaped preferably in substantially inverted V configuration securely mounted to the bottom portion  22   d  of the housing  22 . It is noted that the frame member  24  is substantially rectangular in an inverted V shape configuration, however, the invention is not limited to this shape and/or form and the frame member may be another suitable shapes and/or forms known to one skilled in the art. The frame member  24  is preferably made of any suitable, conventional sheet metal. However, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the frame member may preferably be constructed of other materials such as plastic, fiberglass or other suitable materials known to one skilled in the art having benefit of this disclosure. The frame member  24  includes first and second deflecting surfaces  24   a  and  24   b  each of which include a slope. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A , the frame member  24  includes two deflecting surfaces  24   a  and  24   b  as a one piece member with each end of the deflecting surfaces  24   a  and  24   b  connected to the bottom portion  22   d  of the housing  22 . In another embodiment, the frame member  24  may include two separate incline components joined together at one end and other end connected to the bottom portion  22   d  of the housing  22 . The frame member  24  functions as a baffle to direct air flow away from a floor surface (not shown) as will be described in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 2A  herein below. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2B , there is shown the perspective view of the air flow control apparatus  20  in conjunction or use with the drying unit  10 . The air flow control apparatus  20  is mounted below the drying unit  10 . An area a, between the drying unit  10  and the frame member  25  is preferably in the range of four inches to six inches in order to provide enough space to allow a person to comfortably insert their hands (not shown) in the area a for drying purposes. As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the arrows represent the direction of the air flow. The downward arrows correspond to the air flow from the drying unit  10  which intersects with the frame member  24 . Specifically, the air flow intersects with a first deflecting surface  24   a  of the frame member  24  causes the air flow to deflect towards the left side  22   e  of the bottom portion  22   d  of the housing  22  and substantially perpendicular to the floor surface s. Similarly, the air flow intersects with a second deflecting surface  24   b  of the frame member  24  causes the air flow to deflect towards the right side  22   f  of the bottom portion  22   d  of the housing  22  and substantially perpendicular to the floor surface s. This deflection of the air flow by the frame member  24  causes the air to move in a direction away from the floor surface s thus reducing or eliminating the particles p from traveling into the air proximate the floor surface s. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 3A  there is shown a perspective view of an apparatus  30  to control the air flow in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The air controller apparatus  30  includes a housing  32  having an elongate, semi-enclosed substantially flat, planar member preferably to a wall (not shown). It is noted that the housing  32  is substantially rectangular in shape, however, the invention is not limited to a rectangular form and the housing may be another suitable shape such as for example, circular, triangular, square etc. The housing  32  is preferably made of any suitable, conventional sheet metal. However, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the housing may preferably be constructed of other materials such as plastic, wood, fiberglass etc. As shown in  FIG. 3A , the housing  32  includes a top portion  32   a , a bottom portion  32   b , a front portion  32   c  and a rear portion  32   d  mounted to a wall (not shown). The apparatus  30  also includes a first frame member  34  having a substantially L-shape configuration securely connected to left side of the housing  32  and a second frame member  36  securely connected to right side of the housing. It is noted that the first and the second frame members  34  and  36  respectively are substantially of L-shape configuration, however, the invention is not limited to this shape and/or form and the frame members may be another suitable shapes and/or forms known to one skilled in the art. The first and the second frame members  34  and  36  respectively are preferably made of any suitable, conventional sheet metal. However, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the frame members may preferably be constructed of other materials such as plastic, wood, fiberglass etc. As illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the first frame member  34  includes a first flat support surface  34   a  extending from the top portion  32   a  to the bottom portion  32   b  and a first deflecting surface  34   b  which preferably is an incline expanding from the flat support surface  34   a  towards center of the bottom portion  32   b  of the housing  32 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the second frame member  36  includes a second flat support surface  36   a  extending from the top portion  32   a  to the bottom portion  32   b  and a second deflecting surface  36   b  which preferably is an incline expanding from the flat support surface  36   a  towards center of the bottom portion  32   b  of the housing  32 . Even though the first and the second frame members  34  and  36  are shown as a one piece frame, alternatively, they may be two pieces of frames joined together with the similar configuration as appreciated by one skilled in the art. Both the first and the second frame members  34  and  36  respectively function as a baffle to direct air flow away from a floor surface (not shown) as will be described in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 3B  herein below. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3B , there is shown a perspective view of the air flow control apparatus  30  in conjunction or use with the drying unit  10 . The apparatus  30  is mounted below the drying unit  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3B , the arrows represent the direction of the air flow. The downward arrows correspond to the air flow from the drying unit  10  which intersects with the first and the second frame members  34  and  36  respectively. Specifically, the air flow intersects with the first deflecting surface  34   b  of the first frame member  34  which causes the air flow to deflect towards the first flat surface  34   a  of the first frame member  34  as show in  FIG. 3B . Similarly, the air flow intersects with the second deflecting surface  36   b  of the first frame member  36  which causes the air flow to deflect towards the second flat surface  36   a  of the first frame member  36 . Eventually, the air flows upwards and parallel to the first and the second flat surfaces  34   a  and  36   a  respectively, which is substantially perpendicular to the floor surface s. This deflection of the air flow by the first and the second frame members  34  and  36  drive the air flow in the direction away from the floor surface s thus reducing or even eliminating the particles p from traveling into the air proximate the floor surface s. 
         [0020]    While the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with the above embodiments, many variations and modifications, as will be evident in those skilled in the art, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are thus not to be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction set forth above, as such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.