Air jet dryer for people

Abstract

Disclosed is a dryer for people including impellers preferably with blades through which atmospheric air is sucked into the dryer through inlet mouths and blown at a higher speed outside the dryer through outlet mouths. The dryer further includes adjusters to adjust the flow rate of flow of air emitted from the impellers at the outlet mouth, or at each of the outlet mouths if more than one, and/or at each portion of portions into which the outlet mouth can be divided, or one of multiple outlet mouths. The dryer is further preferably capable of independently detecting the height of, and possibly also the portion of space occupied by, a person to be dried, in order to prevent or reduce the emission of flows of air not impacting against the person or impacting against relatively sensitive parts of the body of the person, such as the face, for example.

1 . A dryer for people comprising:
 impellers adapted to impart kinetic energy and/or pressure energy to a gaseous fluid;   one or more inlet mouths through which said impellers:
 communicate with an environment outside said drier 
   and
 are suitable for collecting atmospheric air from said external environment for imparting kinetic energy and/or pressure energy to said air; 
   one or more outlet mouths through which said impellers:
 communicate with said external environment 
   and
 are suitable for emitting into said external environment one or more flows of air collected through said inlet mouths and to which kinetic energy and/or pressure energy has been imparted by said impellers, 
   said one or more outlet mouths being arranged so that a person can position himself/herself, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person;   adjustment means adapted to adjust the flow rate of said one or more flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers:
 through each of said outlet mouths, if more than one, 
   and/or
 through each portion of a plurality of portions into which said outlet mouth can be divided, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one,
 wherein: 
 
   if said dryer comprises a plurality of said outlet mouths and said adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each of said outlet mouths,   said dryer comprises a first plurality of said impellers,   said dryer, for each of said outlet mouths, comprising one impeller of said first plurality associated with said outlet mouth so that said impeller associated with said outlet mouth:
 communicates with said external environment through said outlet mouth with which it is associated 
   and
 is suitable for emitting said flow of air into said external environment through said outlet mouth with which it is associated, 
   said adjustment means comprising first control means of said first plurality of said impellers, said first control means being such that, for each of said outlet mouths, said impeller associated with said outlet mouth is controllable independently of the other impellers of said first plurality associated with the remaining outlet mouths, respectively, so that the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said outlet mouth by said impeller associated with said outlet mouth is adjustable independently of the flow rates of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining outlet mouths, respectively, and by the other impellers of said first plurality, respectively, associated with said remaining outlet mouths, respectively,
 if said adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each portion of said plurality of portions into which said outlet mouth can be divided, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, 
   said dryer comprises a second plurality of said impellers,   said dryer, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, comprising one impeller of said second plurality associated with said portion of said outlet mouth so that said impeller associated with said portion of said outlet mouth:
 communicates with said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth with which it is associated 
   and
 is suitable for emitting said flow of air into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth with which it is associated, 
   said adjustment means comprising second control means of said second plurality of said impellers,   said second control means being such that, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, said impeller associated with said portion of said outlet mouth is controllable independently of the other impellers of said second plurality associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respectively, so that the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth by said impeller associated with said portion of said outlet mouth is adjustable independently of the flow rates of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respectively, and by the other impellers of said second plurality, respectively, associated with said remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The dryer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said dryer comprises a plurality of said outlet mouths and said adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each of said outlet mouths,   wherein said adjustment means for each of said outlet mouths, comprise first occlusion means associated with said outlet mouth and movable at least between:
 a first closing position at which said first occlusion means occlude said outlet mouth so that air cannot be emitted into said external environment through said outlet mouth and 
 a second, at least partial opening position at which said first occlusion means do not occlude, or only partially occlude, said outlet mouth so that air can be emitted into said external environment through said outlet mouth, 
   said adjustment means, for each of said outlet mouths, further comprising first movement means of said first occlusion means associated with said outlet mouth, between said first and second positions, so as to adjust the flow rate of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said outlet mouth,   said adjustment means, for each of said outlet mouths, also comprising third control means of said first movement means of said first occlusion means,   said third control means being such that, for each of said outlet mouths, said first movement means of said first occlusion means associated with said outlet mouth are controllable independently of said first movement means of said first occlusion means associated with the other outlet mouths, so that, for each of said outlet mouths, said first occlusion means associated with said outlet mouth are movable independently of said first occlusion means associated with the other outlet mouths, and therefore the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said outlet mouths is adjustable independently of the flow rates of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the other outlet mouths, respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The dryer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each portion of said plurality of portions into which said outlet mouth can be divided, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one,   wherein said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, comprise second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth and movable at least between:
 a first closing position, at which said second occlusion means occlude said portion of said outlet mouth so that air cannot be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth 
   and
 a second, at least partial opening position at which said second occlusion means do not occlude, or only partially occlude, said portion of said outlet mouth so that air can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth, 
   said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, further comprising second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth, between said first and second positions, so as to adjust the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth,   said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, also comprising fourth control means of said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth,   said fourth control means being such that, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth are controllable independently of said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, so that, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth are movable independently of said second occlusion means associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, and therefore the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth is adjustable independently of the flow rates of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.   
     
     
         6 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , further comprising detection means adapted to detect the height of a person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being connected to said detection means and being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height detected by said detection means,   said level and said height being determined with respect to the same horizontal reference plane.   
     
     
         7 . The dryer according to  claim 6 , wherein said detection means are suitable for detecting the portion of space occupied by said person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air not directed towards said portion of space detected by said detection means.   
     
     
         8 . The dryer according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said dryer comprises a plurality of said outlet mouths,   wherein said outlet mouths are placed side by side.   
     
     
         9 . The dryer according to  claim 8 , wherein the dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouths are placed side by side along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         10 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein said outlet mouth, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, extends lengthwise. 
     
     
         11 . The dryer according to  claim 10 , wherein the dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouth extends vertically lengthwise. 
     
     
         12 . The dryer according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein said adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each portion of said plurality of portions into which said outlet mouth can be divided, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, wherein said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, comprise second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth and movable at least between:
 a first closing position, at which said second occlusion means occlude said portion of said outlet mouth so that air cannot be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth 
   and
 a second, at least partial opening position at which said second occlusion means do not occlude, or only partially occlude, said portion of said outlet mouth so that air can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth, 
   said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, further comprising second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth, between said first and second positions, so as to adjust the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth,   said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, also comprising fourth control means of said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth,   said fourth control means being such that, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth are controllable independently of said second movement means of said second occlusion means associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, so that, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, said second occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth are movable independently of said second occlusion means associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, and therefore the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth is adjustable independently of the flow rates of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The dryer according to  claim 4 , further comprising detection means adapted to detect the height of a person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being connected to said detection means and being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height detected by said detection means,   said level and said height being determined with respect to the same horizontal reference plane.   
     
     
         14 . The dryer according to  claim 5 , further comprising detection means adapted to detect the height of a person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being connected to said detection means and being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height detected by said detection means,   said level and said height being determined with respect to the same horizontal reference plane.   
     
     
         15 . The dryer according to  claim 12 , further comprising detection means adapted to detect the height of a person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being connected to said detection means and being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height detected by said detection means,   said level and said height being determined with respect to the same horizontal reference plane.   
     
     
         16 . The dryer according to  claim 15 , wherein said detection means are suitable for detecting the portion of space occupied by said person when he/she is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to be at least partially opposed to said outlet mouth, or to at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, so as to intercept said flow of air which can be emitted through said outlet mouth, or through said at least one outlet mouth, to which said person is at least partially opposed, for drying said person,
 said adjustment means being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment by said impellers thus preventing the emission of flows of air not directed towards said portion of space detected by said detection means.   
     
     
         17 . The dryer according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein said dryer comprises a plurality of said outlet mouths,   wherein said outlet mouths are placed side by side.   
     
     
         18 . The dryer according to  claim 17 , wherein the dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouths are placed side by side along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         19 . The dryer according to  claim 18 , wherein said outlet mouth, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, extends lengthwise. 
     
     
         20 . The dryer according to  claim 19 , wherein the dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouth extends vertically lengthwise.