Developments in or relating to hand drying

Abstract

A fixture fits next to the basin of a sink. The fixture has a water spout arranged to project over the basin of the sink. The water spout has a water nozzle arranged for connection through the spout to a water supply. The fixture further includes an elongate air-knife discharge outlet for discharging an air-knife onto a user's hand to dry it. This discharge outlet is arranged for connection to an air supply via an air duct, the air duct having a side wall extending between a first end of the duct and a second end of the duct. The first end of the duct is connected to the air supply, the second end of the duct forms—or is connected to—the air-knife discharge outlet. The outlet extends across the second end of the duct, as opposed to being provided in the sidewall of the duct.

1 . A fixture for fitting next to the basin of a sink, the fixture comprising a water spout arranged to project over the basin of the sink, the water spout having a water nozzle arranged for connection through the spout to a water supply, the fixture further comprising an elongate air-knife discharge outlet for discharging an air-knife onto a user's hand to dry it, the discharge outlet being arranged for connection to an air supply via an air duct, the air duct having a side wall extending between a first end of the duct and a second end of the duct, the first end of the duct connecting to the air supply, the second end of the duct forming—or being connected to—the air-knife discharge outlet, the air-knife discharge outlet extending across the second end of the duct. 
     
     
         2 . The fixture of  claim 1 , wherein each air-knife discharge outlet comprises an elongate discharge aperture or elongate line of discharge apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The fixture arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the air-knife discharge outlet comprises an elongate air slot or plurality of elongate air slots. 
     
     
         4 . The fixture of  claim 3 , wherein in which the width of the slot(s) is less than 2 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the air-knife discharge outlet aperture is at least 80 mm long. 
     
     
         6 . The fixture of  claim 1 , comprising two elongate air-knife discharge outlets. 
     
     
         7 . The fixture of  claim 6 , wherein the two air-knife discharge outlets are arranged to extend laterally either side of the water nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . An arrangement comprising the fixture of  claim 2 , the fixture being fitted next to the basin of a sink, the water nozzle being connected to a water supply, the discharge aperture(s) being connected to an air supply arranged for driving airflow through the discharge aperture(s) at an exit velocity in excess of 80 m/s.