Hand dryer

Abstract

A hand dryer includes a drying chamber, a blowing chamber, a duct, and a hose. The blowing chamber is below the drying chamber in a first direction along an up-down direction. The duct is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical, and connects a lower portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. At least one hose is provided to connect an upper portion of the drying chamber with the blowing chamber. The upper portion of the drying chamber includes a drying-chamber opening, open in the first direction and communicating with an outside. In the drying chamber includes a blower, producing an airflow passing from bottom up through the hose. The duct includes a duct upper portion, a duct connection portion, and a duct lower portion. The duct upper portion, wider in the second direction, communicates with the lower portion of the drying chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand dryer comprising:
 a drying chamber;   a blowing chamber that below the drying chamber in a first direction extending in an up-down direction;   a duct that is cylindrical or substantially cylindrical and provides a connection between a lower portion of the drying chamber and the blowing chamber; and   at least one hose that provides a connection between an upper portion of the drying chamber and the blowing chamber; wherein   a drying-chamber opening is provided in the upper portion of the drying chamber, the drying-chamber opening being open in the first direction and communicating with an outside;   the drying chamber includes:
 a side wall that surrounds the drying chamber from opposite sides in a second direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction and from opposite sides in a third direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to both the first and second directions, the side wall extending in the first direction; and 
 a blower provided in the drying chamber to produce an airflow that passes from bottom up through the hose; 
   the duct includes:
 a duct upper portion that communicates with the lower portion of the drying chamber, the duct upper portion being wider in the second direction; 
 a duct connection portion that extends from a lower portion of the duct upper portion in a direction including a third direction component, the duct connection portion being wider in the second direction; and 
 a duct lower portion that communicates with the duct connection portion, the duct lower portion being located below the duct connection portion and being wider in the second direction; and 
   a width of the duct lower portion in the second direction is about 40% or more and about 70% or less of a width of the duct upper portion in the second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The hand dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a width of the duct connection portion decreases continuously from the duct upper portion toward the duct lower portion; and   a minimum value of the width of the duct connection portion in the second direction is equal or substantially equal to the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction.   
     
     
         3 . The hand dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction is about 50% or more of a width of the blowing chamber in the second direction. 
     
     
         4 . The hand dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hose includes:
 a hose lower portion that communicates with the blowing chamber;   a hose upper portion that communicates with the drying chamber; and   a hose connection portion that connects together the hose lower portion and the hose upper portion; and   an outer cylinder portion of the hose connection portion curves smoothly from the hose lower portion toward the hose upper portion.   
     
     
         5 . The hand dryer according to  claim 3 , wherein the hose includes:
 a hose lower portion that communicates with the blowing chamber;   a hose upper portion that communicates with the drying chamber; and   a hose connection portion that connects together the hose lower portion and the hose upper portion; and   an outer cylinder portion of the hose connection portion curves from the hose lower portion toward the hose upper portion.   
     
     
         6 . The hand dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The hand dryer according to  claim 3 , wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction. 
     
     
         8 . The hand dryer according to  claim 4 , wherein an outside diameter of the hose is about 15% or more and about 20% or less of the width of the duct lower portion in the second direction.