Faucet with integral air dryer

Abstract

A faucet includes a faucet body that includes a faucet outlet for dispensing at least one of a water stream and an air stream. The faucet includes an air blower that has an air blower outlet and a junction valve. The junction valve includes a first inlet that is connected to a water source and a second inlet that is connected to the air blower outlet. The junction valve also includes a junction valve outlet that is connected to the faucet outlet. The faucet includes a controller connected to the junction valve. The controller is configured to control the junction valve so that at least one of the air stream or the water stream is provided from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet based on a user input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A faucet comprising:
 a faucet body including a faucet outlet for dispensing at least one of a water stream and an air stream;   an air blower having an air blower outlet;   a junction valve including:
 a first inlet connected to a water source; 
 a second inlet connected to the air blower outlet; 
 a junction valve outlet connected to the faucet outlet; and 
   a controller connected to the junction valve, wherein the controller is configured to control the junction valve so that at least one of the air stream or the water stream is provided from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet based on a user input.   
     
     
         2 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the air blower is a compressor. 
     
     
         3 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the user input is received at a user input device on the faucet body. 
     
     
         4 . The faucet of  claim 3 , wherein the user input device is a button. 
     
     
         5 . The faucet of  claim 4 , further comprising a second input device, the second input device comprising a control button. 
     
     
         6 . The faucet of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixing valve positioned in communication with the water source, wherein the water source passes through the mixing valve prior to entering the junction valve via the first inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the faucet outlet can only dispense a single fluid, either the water stream or the air stream, at a time. 
     
     
         8 . The faucet of  claim 1 , comprising a single conduit extending between the junction valve outlet and the faucet outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The faucet of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of conduits extending between the junction valve outlet and the faucet outlet allowing concurrent output of an air stream and a water stream. 
     
     
         10 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the air blower includes a heater element. 
     
     
         11 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the faucet body comprises one of a primary faucet or a pull-out side-spraying faucet. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a faucet, the method comprising:
 receiving a user input at a user input device;   operating a junction valve having an output in fluid communication with a faucet outlet of a faucet, a first inlet in communication with a water source and a second inlet in communication with an air source, so that at least one of a water stream from the first inlet of the junction valve or an air stream from the second inlet of the junction valve is provided to the junction valve outlet based on the user input received at the user input device; and   delivering fluid from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein operating the junction valve comprises actuating the junction valve via a controller communicatively connected to the user input device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein delivering fluid from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet comprises delivering one of a water stream or an air stream at the faucet outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving a second user input at the user input device, the second user input toggling the junction valve to select a different fluid from the fluid delivered from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet for subsequent delivery from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet. 
     
     
         16 . A retrofit kit for a faucet, the retrofit kit comprising:
 an air blower having an air blower outlet;   a junction valve including:
 a first inlet adapted to be fluidically connected to a water source; 
 a second inlet adapted to be fluidically connected to the air blower outlet; and 
 a junction valve outlet fluidically connectable to a faucet outlet via a single conduit through a faucet body of the faucet; and 
   a controller configured to control the junction valve so that at least one of the air stream or the water stream is provided from the junction valve outlet to the faucet outlet via the single conduit based on a user input received by the controller.   
     
     
         17 . The retrofit kit of  claim 16 , wherein the air blower comprises a compressor. 
     
     
         18 . The retrofit kit of  claim 16 , further comprising a signal line electrically connectable between a user input device of the faucet and the controller, the controller being configured to receive a signal representative of the user input via the signal line. 
     
     
         19 . The retrofit kit of  claim 16 , wherein the first inlet is adapted to be connected to an output of a mixing valve of the faucet. 
     
     
         20 . The retrofit kit of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to control the junction valve such that the junction valve outlet can only dispense a single fluid, either the water stream or the air stream, at a time.