Pushbutton hand dryer timer and method

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6295410
  • Patent Number
    6,295,410
  • Date Filed
    Monday, February 7, 2000
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 25, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A hand dryer timer having a switch in electrical communication with, and controlling the operation of a heater, a fan motor and a timer motor which are electrically connected to two nonneutral lines of a power source. A cam is mounted on a drive shaft of the timer motor such that the cam rotates with the drive shaft and also slides longitudinally over the drive shaft. The cam has a cam lobe adjacent an actuating arm of the switch. A biasing element is located between the timer motor and the cam and biases the cam to a first position aligning the cam lobe with the actuating arm of the switch. The switch includes two sets of switch contacts in a power circuit for the heater and fan motor, so that at the end of a drying cycle, the two sets of switch contacts are effective to electrically isolate the heater and fan motor from both non-neutral lines of the power source.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to the field of appliance controls and, more particularly, to an improved pushbutton hand dryer timer.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Timing mechanisms have been utilized for decades in the control of many different appliances. The present invention relates generally to electric dryers, and more particularly to a pushbutton hand dryer of the type commonly found in public rest rooms. With such a hand dryer, a user pushes a button or knob to start a drying cycle. During the drying cycle, a timing motor, a heater and a fan are turned on; and at the end of a drying cycle, as determined by the timing motor, the timing motor, heater and fan are automatically turned off. Such dryers must be simple, rugged and durable in construction and operate with great reliability over a long service life. To achieve such features, the hand dryer should have the fewest possible parts that operate in the simplest possible way.




As shown in

FIG. 6

, with known timer circuits, the heater H and fan motor FM are connected to the two non-neutral lines L


1


, L


2


of a 220 volt (“V”) source by a single switch S


1


. When the switch S


1


is open, one side of each of the heater H and fan motor FM is disconnected from one of the non-neutral lines L


1


; however, the other side of each of the heater H and fan motor FM remain connected to the other of the non-neutral lines L


2


. Therefore, any inadvertent electrical contact of the one side of the heater and/or fan motor to a ground, for example, the metal dryer housing or base etc., will result in 120 being applied thereto. Thus, the heater H and/or fan motor FM will be operated at half power. Such an inadvertent electrical contact with ground can result from a frayed, nicked or broken wire or other conductor accidently contacting a neutral or ground potential.




Therefore, there is a need to better isolate the heater and fan motor from the non-neutral wires of a power source.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides an improved pushbutton hand dryer that reduces the probability of any inadvertent or uncommanded operation of the heater and fan motor. The improved pushbutton hand dryer reduces the chances that a frayed, nicked or broken wire or other electrical malfunction will result in the heater or fan motor operating at a reduced voltage. More specifically, the improved pushbutton hand dryer of the present invention provides an improved electrical isolation between the heater and fan motor and the non-neutral lines of a power source. Therefore, present invention has the advantage of providing a pushbutton hand dryer that operates more reliably with a longer service life.




In accordance with the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiments, the present invention provides a hand dryer operable with first and second nonneutral power wires having a voltage potential therebetween. The hand dryer includes a heater, fan motor and timer motor all rated to operate at the voltage potential. A first switch is operated by the timer motor and has a first side electrically connected to the heater and fan motor and an opposite side electrically connected to the timer motor and the first nonneutral power wire. A second switch is operated by the timer motor and has a first side electrically connected to the heater and the fan and timer motors and an opposite side electrically connected to the second nonneutral power wire.




In one aspect of the invention, the first switch includes first switch contacts that connect and disconnect the heater and fan motor respectively to and from the first nonneutral power wire, and the second switch includes switch contacts that connect and disconnect the heater and fan and timer motors respectively to and from the second nonneutral power wire. Thus, with two switches, the isolation of the heater and fan motor from the nonneutral wires is improved over hand dryers using only a single switch.




In a further embodiment of the invention, the first switch has an actuating arm switching a state of first electrical contacts at a consistent repeatable first time in response to operation of the timer motor, and the second switch has an actuating arm switching a state of second electrical contacts at a consistent repeatable second time in response to operation of the timer motor.




In one aspect of this further embodiment, the actuating arms are mechanically connected such that motion of the actuating arms causes the first switch to switch prior to the switching of the second switch. Therefore, the heater and fan motor will always be disconnected from the power source prior to disconnecting the timer motor, and both switches will always operate.




In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of operating a hand dryer in which a timer motor has a cam lobe initially engaged with an actuating arm of the first and second switches, thereby causing switch contacts to electrically disconnect the heater, fan motor and timer motor from the power source. The cam lobe is then disengaged from the actuating arm, thereby causing the first and second switches to electrically connect the heater, the fan motor and the timer motor to first and second nonneutral wires of the power source. Thereafter the timer motor moves the cam lobe into engagement with the actuating arm to operate the first switch and electrically disconnect the heater and fan motor from the first nonneutral wire. After that, the timer motor continues to move the cam lobe and actuating arm, thereby operating the second switch to electrically disconnect the timer motor, heater and fan motor from the second nonneutral wire.




These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description together with the drawings herein.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a side elevation view of the timer assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a front elevation view of the timer assembly taken along line


2





2


of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line


3





3


of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is an end view of the microswitch illustrating the operation of the two switch modules.





FIG. 5

is a schematic circuit diagram of a pushbutton hand timer circuit in accordance with the principles of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is a schematic circuit diagram of a known pushbutton hand timer circuit.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a timer assembly


20


includes a bracket


21


(

FIG. 2

) that includes a mounting or support plate


22


. The mounting bracket


21


is attached in a known manner within a pushbutton hand dryer


24


. A timing motor


26


of a known construction is mounted to the inner side


28


of the support plate


22


by means of threaded fasteners


30


. The fasteners


30


may be threaded into the plate


22


or pass through the plate


22


and secured by nuts (not shown). To maintain the timer motor


26


at a desired distance from the inner side


28


of the support plate


22


, the threaded fasteners


30


pass through tubular sleeves


32


of equal length. The motor


26


has an output or drive shaft


34


that preferably has a noncircular cross-sectional profile as shown in FIG.


2


.




A cam


36


includes a central longitudinal bore


38


having a noncircular cross-sectional profile similar to that of the output shaft


34


, so that the cam


36


can be slidably mounted on the output shaft


34


. Thus, any rotation of the output shaft


34


is transmitted directly to the cam


36


; however, the cam


36


can slide longitudinally along the output shaft


34


. The cam


36


has a main body portion


40


that is cylindrical in shape and extends through a clearance hole


42


(

FIG. 2

) in the mounting plate


22


. The clearance hole


42


includes diametrically opposed slots


43


that permit cam lobes


48


to pass through the support plate


22


. A flange


44


is mounted at an inner end


45


of the cam


36


and is larger than the clearance hole


42


, thereby restraining the inner end


45


of the cam


36


from fully passing through the clearance hole


42


. The flange


44


is pushed or biased against an inner surface


28


of the mounting plate


22


by biasing element, for example, a compression spring


46


thereby defining a first or outermost position of the cam


36


. In that outermost position, diametrically opposed cam lobes


48


on the cam


36


are aligned to contact or engage an actuating arm


50


of a first microswitch


52


. The microswitch


52


is mounted to the outer side


54


of the mounting plate


22


.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, the body portion


40


of the cam


36


includes peripheral tubular wall


56


that is connected by means of ribs


58


with a central tubular member


60


that includes the central longitudinal bore


38


. The interconnecting ribs


58


extend from an outer end


62


(

FIG. 1

) of the cam


36


longitudinally through the cam


36


to approximately the location of the cam lobes


48


. An annular opening


64


is formed within the cam


36


between the cylindrical inner surface of the peripheral wall


56


and the cylindrical inner surface of the inner tubular member


60


. The compression spring


46


is normally sized to be received within the annular opening


64


within the cam


36


. A top wall


65


located at the outer end


62


of the cam


36


covers the annular opening


64


.




The cam lobes


48


are generally L-shaped, and each lobe


48


has a lower leg or wall member


70


that is in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline


72


of the cam


36


and generally parallel to the plate


22


. The wall members


70


strengthen the respective cam lobes


48


. Further, each of the L-shaped cam lobes


48


has a side wall


74


extending substantially perpendicularly along a forward edge of the bottom wall


70


toward the outer end


62


of the cam


36


. Thus, the side wall


74


is generally perpendicular to the mounting plate


22


. As viewed from the outer end


62


of the cam


36


, the side wall


74


is curved and has a nonlinear cross-sectional profile in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline


72


of the cam


36


and generally parallel to the mounting plate


22


. The side wall


74


of each cam lobe


48


is formed by an inner side wall section


78


and an outer side wall section


76


. The inner side wall


78


preferably forms an included angle of approximately 21° with a line


77


bisecting the cam lobes


48


in a plane parallel to the plate


22


. The outer side wall


76


preferably forms an included angle of approximately 23° with the line


77


bisecting the cam lobes


48


in a plane parallel to the plate


22


. Further, a straight line passing through the distal end


80


of the outer side wall section


76


and the point at which the inner side wall section


78


joins the body portion


40


of the cam


36


does not pass through the centerline


72


of the cam


36


.




Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 4

, the microswitch


52


is comprised of a first switch module


81


and a second switch module


83


. The first switch module


81


has an actuating arm


50


that extends over a switch actuating button


87


. The switch module contacts


110


(

FIG. 5

) change state in response to the actuating arm


50


depressing the button


87


. The actuating arm


50


has a second actuating arm or paddle


85


rigidly connected to outer directed side


51


of the actuating arm


50


and is thus offset slightly from the arm


50


. The second arm


85


extends over a switch actuating button


89


for the second switch module


83


. Thus, motion of the actuating arm


50


and the paddle


85


depresses the button


89


causing the contacts


112


of the second switch module


83


to change state. It should be noted that the second arm


85


is rigidly attached to an outer side


51


the arm


50


, and hence, the arm


50


contacts the button


87


prior to the arm portion


85


contacting the button


89


. Therefore, as the actuating arm


50


and arm portion


85


are moved, the button


87


is consistently pushed prior to the button


89


; and the contacts


110


consistently change state prior to the contacts


112


changing state.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, the switch module


81


includes normally closed contacts


110


, and switch module


83


includes normally closed contacts


112


. One side


114


of the normally closed contacts


110


is connected to a first side or a first power connection of each of the fan motor


86


and heater


88


. The opposite side


116


of the contacts


110


is connected to one side or a first power connection of the timer motor


26


and the non-neutral line L


2


. The other non-neutral line L


1


is connected to one side


118


of the contacts


112


, and the other side


120


of the contacts


112


is connected to the other side or second power connection of each of the timer motor


26


, the fan motor


86


, and the heater


88


.




In use, in its quiescent or nonoperating state, referring to

FIG. 2

, the distal end


80


of an outer wall section


76


of one of the cam lobes


48


is in contact with a distal end


82


of the actuator arm


50


of the microswitch


52


. Further, the distal end


80


of the cam lobe


48


is applying sufficient pressure on the actuator arm


50


so as to actuate the switch modules


81


,


83


and hold the normally closed contacts


110


,


112


of

FIG. 4

in their open state. With the contacts


110


,


112


open, power cannot be applied to the timer motor


26


, fan motor


86


and heater


88


; and the timer motor


26


, fan motor


86


and heater


88


remain off. To operate the hand dryer


24


, a user depresses or pushes the knob or pushbutton


90


(

FIG. 1

) of the hand dryer


24


. The inner end


92


of the knob


90


contacts the outer end


62


of the cam


36


and moves the cam


36


to the left, as viewed in

FIG. 1

, over the shaft


34


of the timer motor


26


to a second position illustrated in phantom. As the cam


36


is moved along the output shaft


34


toward its second position, the cam lobe


48


disengages and loses contact with the actuator arm


50


of the switch


52


. After losing contact with the cam lobe


48


, the actuating arm


50


and its paddle


85


are then free to pivot to a second position illustrated in phantom in FIG.


2


. Upon the user releasing the pushbutton


90


, the cam


36


is returned by the biasing spring


34


to its original, first position as illustrated in FIG.


1


. Normally, the pushbutton


90


is mounted in the hand dryer


24


with its own return spring. Referring to

FIG. 2

, the unique shape of the side wall


74


of the cam lobe


48


reduces the potential for, and preferably eliminates interference between the cam lobe


48


and the actuator arm


50


as the cam


36


returns to its original position.




After the cam


36


loses contact with and releases the actuator arm


50


, the actuator arm


50


and its paddle


85


pivot to the position shown in phantom in

FIG. 2

, thereby changing the state of the switch modules


81


,


83


, and referring to

FIG. 4

, closing the normally closed contacts


110


,


112


. Closing the contacts


110


,


112


initiates a drying cycle by applying power to the timer motor


26


, the fan motor


86


and the heater


88


, thereby turning those devices on. Turning the timer motor


26


on causes the output shaft


34


and cam


36


to rotate in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIG.


2


. The timer motor


26


, fan motor


86


and heater


88


continue to operate until rotation of the timer motor


26


causes the distal end


80


of a cam lobe


48


to again contact and depress, or move, the actuating arm


50


of the microswitch


52


.




With the present invention, the actuating button


87


of the switch module


81


is mechanically connected to the contacts


110


, and the actuating button


89


is mechanically connected to the contacts


112


. The relative positions of the arms


50


,


85


cause the actuating arm


50


to predictably and repeatably initially depress button


87


and first pickup, that is, open, the normally-closed contacts


110


. Opening the contacts


110


electrically disconnects one side of the fan motor


86


and heater


88


from one of the non-neutral leads L


2


of the power source. However, the timer motor


26


continues to run until the actuating arm portion


85


depresses the button


89


causing the normally-closed contacts


112


to consistently and predictably open after the opening of the contacts


110


. Opening the contacts


112


electrically disconnects the timing motor


26


, fan motor


86


and heater from the other non-neutral lead L


1


of the power source. Thus, the switch


52


is effective to electrically disconnect the fan motor


86


and heater


88


from both non-neutral leads L


1


and L


2


of the power source.




The output shaft


34


of the timer motor


26


rotates at an angular velocity such that a drying cycle of a desired duration is achieved during one-half of a full rotation of the output shaft


34


. Thus, the cam


36


contains two diametrically opposed cam lobes


48


and provides two full drying cycles for each rotation of the output shaft


34


and the cam


36


. As will be appreciated, the number of cam lobes


48


on the cam


36


may be changed to conform to different angular velocities of the output shaft


34


and different desired time periods for the drying cycle.




The hand dryer timer described with respect to

FIGS. 1-4

provides a substantial improvement over prior timer assembly designs. First, the timing motor circuit completely isolates the fan motor and heater from the non-neutral leads of the power source. Hence, in the event that the circuit through some failure becomes inadvertently connected to a neutral or grounded component, for example, the frame


21


or the metal housing


24


, no voltage will be applied to the fan motor


86


or heater


88


. Thus, the probability that the fan motor


86


or heater


88


will inadvertently be turned on is remote.




While the invention has been set forth by a description of the one embodiment in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those who are skilled in the art. For example, in the described embodiment, the main body


40


of the cam


36


is cylindrical and the cam lobes


48


extend radially therefrom; however, as will be appreciated, the cam


36


can have other shapes such as a multilateral shapes or even noncircular shapes in which the cam lobes


48


are mostly or fully integrated within the main body


40


of the cam


36


. As will be appreciated, the successful operation of the present invention is independent of the lower wall


70


on the cam lobes


48


, and therefore, the low wall


70


may be eliminated. The cam


36


is preferably injection molded from a glass reinforced


66


nylon material commercially available as “ZYTEL” 70G 33L nylon material from Du Pont Corporation. However, the cam


36


may be made from other materials consistent with the desired performance specifications. Further, while the cam


36


is preferably molded of a plastic material as shown herein, the cam


36


may have many other configurations, for example, a solid part, and may be made of other materials such as metal, ceramic, a fiber composition, etc.




As described herein, the noncircular cross-sectional profiles of the shaft


34


and bore


38


are multilateral, for example, square, triangular, hexagonal, etc. Alternatively, the noncircular cross-sectional profiles of the output shaft


34


and bore


38


may be elliptical, star-shaped, splined, etc. Further, as shown, the cross-sectional profile of the output shaft


34


and bore


38


are noncircular. Those cross-sectional profiles may be circular but interconnected such that the cam


36


rotates with the shaft


34


and is able to slide longitudinally with respect to the shaft


34


. Such mechanical interconnections are well known and include, for example, a slot and key or simply a diametric pin extending through the cam and a longitudinal slot in the output shaft


34


.




In the described embodiment, the cam


36


is slidably mounted directly on the drive shaft


34


of the timer motor


26


. However, as will be appreciated, the drive shaft


34


can be a spline or similar shaft, and the cam


36


slidably and rotationally mounted independent of the drive shaft


34


. The flange


44


of the cam


36


can also be formed with peripheral gear teeth that mesh with the spline or an intervening gear. Thus, the cam


36


can be mounted independent of the drive shaft


34


but be driven rotationally by the drive shaft spline and also slide longitudinally to operate identically to the cam assembly described herein.




In the described embodiment, the compression spring


46


extends into an annular opening


64


within the cam


36


. Alternatively, the compression spring


46


may be sized such that it does not fit within the annular opening


64


. In that embodiment, the inner end of the cam


36


may be molded with a protruding boss on which the spring


46


may be located.




Further, the timer assembly herein is part of a pushbutton hand dryer timer; however, as will be appreciated, hand dryers as used herein often have an adjustable output duct allowing the drying air to be directed to areas other than the hands, for example, the face and hair. The dryer timer assembly of the present invention is applicable to any “hand dryer” type of dryer which is manually turned on and automatically turns off, thereby operating in an identical or similar fashion to the hand dryer described herein.




As earlier described, the contacts


110


should consistently and predictably open before the contacts


112


. While the use of an offset actuating arm paddle


85


is one way of providing that capability, any other switch or mechanism for operating the switch that achieves the same result is consistent with the claimed invention. Further, if it is possible to provide a switch


52


in which the contacts


110


and


112


consistently and predictably open simultaneously, such a switch may be used in place of the switch described herein to practice the claimed invention. In addition, as will be appreciated, while the motors are connected to the 220 volts source, the motors may be rated at 120 volts and operated with a dropping resistor or other voltage dropping device.




Therefore, the invention in its broadest aspects is not limited to the specific detail shown and described. Consequently, departures may be made from the details described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims which follow.



Claims
  • 1. A hand dryer operable with first and second nonneutral power wires having a voltage potential therebetween, the hand dryer comprising:a heater operatively connected to the voltage potential; a fan motor operatively connected to the voltage potential; a timer motor operatively connected to the voltage potential; a first switch operated by the timer motor having a first side electrically connected to the heater and fan motor and an opposite side electrically connected to the timer motor and the first nonneutral power wire; and a second switch operated by the timer motor and having a first side electrically connected to the heater and the fan and timer motor and an opposite side electrically connected to the second nonneutral power wire.
  • 2. A hand dryer of claim 1 wherein the first switch comprises first switch contacts having a first state connecting the heater and fan motor to the first nonneutral power wire and a second state disconnecting the heater and fan motor from the first nonneutral power wire.
  • 3. A hand dryer of claim 1 wherein the second switch comprises second switch contacts having a first state connecting the heater and fan and timer motor to the second nonneutral power wire and a second state disconnecting the heater and fan and timer motor from the second nonneutral power wire.
  • 4. A hand dryer of claim 1 wherein the voltage potential is approximately 240 volts.
  • 5. A hand dryer operable with first and second nonneutral power wires having a voltage potential therebetween, the hand dryer comprising:a heater operatively connected to the voltage potential and having first and second power connections; a fan motor operatively connected to the voltage potential and having first and second power connections; a timer motor having a cam and operatively connected to the voltage potential, the timer motor having first and second power connections; a first switch having a first contact in electrical communication with the first power connections of the heater and the fan motor and a second contact in electrical communication with the first power connection of the timer motor and the first nonneutral power wire, the first switch being mechanically operated by the timer motor and having a first state placing the first and second contacts of the first switch in electrical communication in response to operation of the hand dryer being initiated, and the first switch having a second state interrupting the electrical communication between the first and second contacts of the first switch in response to the cam on the timer motor actuating the first switch; and a second switch having a first contact in electrical communication with the second power connections of the heater and the fan and timer motors and a second contact in electrical communication with the second nonneutral power wire, the second switch being mechanically operated by the timer motor and having a first state placing the first and second contacts of the second switch in electrical communication in response to operation of the hand dryer being initiated, and the second switch having a second state interrupting the electrical communication between the first and second contacts of the second switch in response to continued operation of the timer motor after the cam actuates the first switch, the operation of the heater and timer and fan motors being started in response to the first and second switches being in the first state, the operation of the heater and fan motor being terminated in response to the first switch being in the second state and the second switch being in the first state, and the operation of the timer motor being terminated in response to the first and second switches being in the second state.
  • 6. A hand dryer of claim 5 wherein the first and second contacts of the first switch is a pair of normally-closed contacts.
  • 7. A hand dryer of claim 5 wherein the first and second contacts of the second switch is a pair of normally-closed contacts.
  • 8. A hand dryer of claim 5 wherein the voltage potential is approximately 240 volts.
  • 9. A hand dryer operable with first and second nonneutral power wires having a voltage potential therebetween, the hand dryer comprising:a heater electrically connected to the nonneutral power wires and rated to operate at approximately the voltage potential; a fan motor electrically connected to the nonneutral power wires and rated to operate at approximately the voltage potential; a timer motor electrically connected to the nonneutral power wires and rated to operate at approximately the voltage potential; a first switch mechanically operated by the timer motor and electrically connected between one of the nonneutral power wires and the heater and fan motor, the first switch having a first actuating arm switching a state of first electrical contacts at a consistent repeatable first time in response to operation of the timer motor; and a second switch mechanically operated by the timer motor and electrically connected between one of the nonneutral power wires and the fan motor, the second switch having a second actuating arm switching a state of second electrical contacts at a consistent repeatable second time in response to operation of the timer motor.
  • 10. A hand dryer of claim 9 wherein the second actuating arm is connected to the first actuating arm.
  • 11. A hand dryer of claim 10 wherein the second actuating arm switches the state of the second electrical contacts at a consistent repeatable second time in response to motion of the first actuating arm.
  • 12. A hand dryer of claim 11 wherein the first and second actuating arms are mechanically connected such that motion of the actuating arm causes the first switch to switch at the first time prior to the second switch switching at the second time.
  • 13. A method of operating a hand dryer comprising:providing a timer motor having a drive shaft with a cam lobe mounted thereon, the cam lobe being initially engaged with an actuating arm of first and second switches having contacts electrically disconnecting a heater, fan motor and timer motor from a power source; disengaging the cam lobe from the actuating arm, thereby causing the first and second switches to electrically connect the heater, the fan motor and the timer motor to first and second nonneutral wires of the power source; thereafter engaging and moving the actuating arm with the cam lobe to operate the first switch and electrically disconnect the heater and fan motor from the first nonneutral wire; and thereafter continuing to move the actuating arm with the cam lobe to operate the second switch and electrically disconnect the timer motor, heater and fan motor from the second nonneutral wire.
  • 14. A method of operating a hand dryer comprising:providing a timer motor with a drive shaft having a cam lobe in contact with an actuating arm of first and second switches, the switches having contacts electrically disconnecting a heater, fan motor and the timer motor from a power source; moving the cam lobe out of engagement with the actuating arm, thereby permitting the actuating arm to move to a position operating the switches and connecting the heater, the fan motor and the timer motor to two nonneutral wires of the power source; moving the cam lobe into alignment with the cam lobe being rotated by the timer motor; and rotating the cam lobe into contact with the actuating arm, thereby operating the first switch to disconnect the heater and the fan motor from the first nonneutral wire and thereafter operating the second switch to disconnect the heater, the fan motor and the timer motor from the second nonneutral wire.
  • 15. A method of operating a hand dryer comprising:providing a timer motor having a drive shaft with a cam slidably mounted thereon, the cam placing a cam lobe in contact with an actuating arm of first and second switches having contacts electrically disconnecting a heater, fan motor and the timer motor from a power source; moving the cam in a first direction to disengage the cam lobe from the actuating arm, thereby permitting the actuating arm to move to a position causing the first and second switches to electrically connect the heater, fan motor and timer motor to first and second nonneutral wires of the power source; moving the cam in an opposite direction to align the cam lobe with the actuating arm of the switches; rotating the cam lobe with the timer motor into contact with the actuating arm; moving the actuating arm with the cam lobe to operate the first switch and electrically disconnect the heater and fan motor from the first nonneutral wire; and continuing to move the actuating arm with the cam lobe to operate the second switch and electrically disconnect the timer motor, heater and fan motor from the second nonneutral wire.
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Number Name Date Kind
1419712 Bassette Jun 1922
1423800 Hibbard et al. Jul 1922
1578047 Lum Mar 1926
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