Field of application of the invention

The present invention finds application in the field of air jet dryers, i.e., in the field of apparatuses adapted to dry an object, and in particular the external sur- face thereof, impacting a flow of air emitted by the apparatuses against said ob ject.

The present invention relates, in particular, to dryers of the aforesaid type adapted to dry a large object or, preferably, a person (e.g., after a shower or a bath in a domestic bath tub or a swimming pool). Overview of the prior art

Air jet dryers for people usually comprise a fan or a compressor adapted to take air from the external environment through one or more inlet mouths, and re-emit said air outside the dryer through one or more outlet mouths, at a higher speed than that at which the air was collected. Dryers for people are usually bulky and for this reason are generally connected integrally to the ground or to a wall. In order for a person to be able to dry himself/herself using a dryer, he/she must be positioned so as to intercept the flows of air exiting from the dryer with his/her body (i.e., so that said flows of air impact against said person). However, as is known, people have different shapes and sizes due to, by way of example, their age and weight. As a result of this, not infrequently in known air jet dryers for people, part of the flows of air exiting from the dryer do not impact against the person being dried, thus being “wasted”. This problem especially occurs when a dryer is used to dry a short person, such as a child, for example.

Objects of the invention

It is the object of the invention to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks by indicat ing an air jet dryer for people which is capable of emitting one or more flows of air being preferably capable of being portioned and/or modulated in speed, as a function of the shape and size of the person to be dried.

Summary and advantages of the invention

The present invention relates to a dryer for people comprising:

• gas-operated means adapted to impart kinetic energy and/or pressure ener gy to a gaseous fluid;

• at least one inlet mouth through which said gas-operated means:

- communicate with an environment outside said dryer and

- are suitable for collecting atmospheric air from said external environment for imparting kinetic energy and/or pressure energy to said air;

• at least one outlet mouth through which said gas-operated means:

- communicate with said external environment and

- are suitable for emitting into said external environment one or more flows of air collected through said inlet mouth and to which kinetic energy and/or pressure energy has been imparted by said gas-operated means, 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, where, according to the invention, said dryer further comprises 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 gas-operated means:

• 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.

Due to the presence of the adjustment means, if the dryer of the invention com prises a plurality of outlet mouths, a user of the dryer can, through the adjust- ment means, adjust the flow of air exiting from each of said outlet mouths. Addi tionally or alternatively to this, if the dryer of the invention comprises a single outlet mouth preferably extending in length and divisible, by way of example, in to a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end portion opposing each other (or if at least one of the outlet mouths, if there are more than one, preferably extends in length and is divisible, by way of example, into a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end portion opposing each other), the aforesaid user can adjust the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each of said three portions.

The dryer of the invention is thus advantageously operable so as to reduce or eliminate the flows of air exiting from respective outlet mouths, if more than one, and/or from respective portions of the outlet mouth (or of at least one of the out let mouths, if more than one) which do not impact against a person being dried. Other innovative features of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and mentioned in the dependent claims. According to an aspect of the invention, where 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 gas-operated means, said dryer, for each of said outlet mouths, comprising gas-operated means of said first plurality associated with said outlet mouth so that said gas-operated means associated with said outlet mouth:

• communicate with said external environment through said outlet mouth with which they are associated and

• are suitable for emitting said flow of air into said external environment through said outlet mouth with which they are associated, said adjustment means comprising first control means of said first plurality of said gas-operated means, said first control means being such that, for each of said outlet mouths, said gas-operated means associated with said outlet mouth are controllable inde- pendently of the other gas-operated means 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 gas-operated means associated with said outlet mouth is adjustable in dependently 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 gas-operated means of said first plurality, respectively, associated with said remaining outlet mouths, respectively.

According to this aspect of the invention, each outlet mouth is associated with its own gas-operated means and the adjustment means are suitable for adjust- ing the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the external envi ronment at each outlet mouth by controlling the operation of the gas-operated means of each of the aforesaid mouths. According to this aspect of the inven tion, the gas-operated means could include an impeller with blades at each out let mouth, for example. In this case, the adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each (outlet) mouth preferably takes place by adjusting the flow rate of air blown by each of the aforesaid impellers (e.g., by controlling the rota tion speed of each impeller).

According to another aspect of the invention, where 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 is divisible, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, said dryer comprises a second plurality of said gas-operated means, said dryer, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, comprising gas- operated means of said second plurality associated with said portion of said outlet mouth so that said gas-operated means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth: • communicate with said external environment through said portion of said out let mouth with which they are associated and

• are suitable for emitting said flow of air into said external environment through said portion of said outlet mouth with which they are associated, said adjustment means comprising second control means of said second plu rality of said gas-operated means, said second control means being such that, for each of said portions of said out let mouth, said gas-operated means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth are controllable independently of the other gas-operated means of said second plurality associated with the remaining portions of said outlet mouth, re spectively, 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 gas- operated means 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 gas-operated means of said second plurality, re spectively, associated with said remaining portions of said outlet mouth, respec tively. According to this aspect of the invention, each portion of the outlet mouth (or of at least one of the outlet mouths if more than one) is associated with its own gas-operated means and the adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the external environment at each portion of the outlet mouth by controlling the operation of the gas-operated means associated with each of the aforesaid portions. Again with reference by way of example and for convenience of disclosure to the case in which the dryer comprises a single outlet mouth preferably extending in length and divisible into a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end por tion opposing each other (or to the case in which at least one of the outlet mouths, if more than one, preferably extends in length and is divisible, by way of example, into a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end portion opposing each other), according to this aspect of the inven- tion the dryer could for example include an impeller with blades at each portion of the outlet mouth. In this case, the adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each portion of the outlet moth preferably takes place by adjusting the flow rate of air blown by each of the aforesaid impellers (e.g., by controlling the rotation speed of each impeller).

Incidentally, this aspect of the invention may be dependent or not on the pre ceding aspect.

If this aspect of the invention is not dependent on the preceding aspect and the dryer comprises a single outlet mouth preferably extending in length, the dryer comprises a (second) plurality of gas-operated means associated with portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.

Conversely, if this aspect of the invention is dependent on the preceding aspect (and thus the dryer comprises a plurality of outlet mouths), in addition to com prising gas-operated means (of the first plurality) for each outlet mouth, the dry- er comprises, for at least one of the outlet mouths a (second) plurality of gas- operated means associated with portions of said outlet mouth, respectively. That is, the gas-operated means of the first plurality associated with at least one of the outlet mouths consist of the second plurality of gas-operated means as sociated with portions of said outlet mouth, respectively. With reference again to the example in which the gas-operated means comprise impellers with blades, all the outlet mouths comprise at least one impeller with blades (corresponding to the gas-operated means of the first plurality) and at least one of the outlet mouths comprises multiple impellers with blades (corresponding to the second plurality of gas-operated means) at portions of said outlet mouth, respectively. According to another aspect of the invention in which said dryer comprises a plurality of said outlet mouths and said adjustment means are suitable for ad justing the flow rate of said flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment through each of said outlet mouths, said adjustment means for each of said outlet mouths, comprising 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 asso ciated with said outlet mouth, 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. According to this aspect of the invention, each outlet mouth is associated with its own occlusion means and the adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the external environ ment at each outlet mouth by controlling the operation of the (first) movement means of the (first) occlusion means of each of the aforesaid mouths. According to this aspect of the invention, the (first) occlusion means could for example in clude a sliding door at each outlet mouth. In this case, the adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each (outlet) mouth takes place by adjust ing the position of each door. According to another aspect of the invention, where 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 is divisible, or at least one of said outlet mouths, if more than one, said adjustment means, for each of said portions of said outlet mouth, compris ing 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 associ ated with said portion of said outlet mouth, between said first and second posi- tions, 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 sec ond occlusion means associated with said portion of said outlet mouth, said fourth control means being such that, for each of said portions of said out let mouth, said second movement means of said second occlusion means as sociated 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. According to this aspect of the invention, each portion of the outlet mouth (or of at least one of the outlet mouths if more than one) is associated with its own oc clusion means and the adjustment means are suitable for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the external environment at each portion of the outlet mouth by controlling the operation of the (second) move- ment means of the (second) occlusion means of each of the aforesaid portions. Again with reference by way of example and for convenience of disclosure to the case in which the dryer comprises a single outlet mouth preferably extend ing in length and divisible into a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end portion opposing each other (or to the case in which at least one of the outlet mouths, if more than one, preferably extends in length and is divisible, by way of example, into a central portion interposed between a first end portion and a second end portion opposing each other), according to this aspect of the invention the (second) occlusion means could for example in clude a sliding door at each portion of the outlet mouth. In this case, the adjust- ment of the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each portion of the outlet mouth takes place by adjusting the position of each door.

Incidentally, this aspect of the invention could be dependent or not on the im mediately preceding aspect, as well as on the other preceding aspects.

If this aspect of the invention is not dependent on the immediately preceding aspect and the dryer comprises a single outlet mouth preferably extending in length, the dryer comprises a (second) plurality of occlusion means associated with portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.

Conversely, if this aspect of the invention is dependent on the preceding aspect (and thus the dryer comprises a plurality of outlet mouths), in addition to com- prising occlusion means (of the first plurality) for each outlet mouth, the dryer comprises, for at least one of the outlet mouths, a (second) plurality of occlusion means associated with portions of said outlet mouth, respectively. That is, the occlusion means of the first plurality associated with at least one of the outlet mouths consist of the second plurality of occlusion means associated with por tions of said outlet mouth, respectively. With reference again to the example in which the occlusion means comprise sliding doors, all the outlet mouths com- prise at least one door (corresponding to the occlusion means of the first plurali ty) and at least one of the outlet mouths comprises multiple doors (correspond ing to the second plurality of occlusion means) at portions of said outlet mouth, respectively.

According to another aspect of the invention, said dryer comprises 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 gas-operated means thus preventing the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height (of said person) detect- ed by said detection means, said level and said height being determined with respect to the same horizontal reference plane.

According to this aspect of the invention, the dryer of the invention independent ly eliminates the flows of air exiting from respective outlet mouths, if more than one, and/or from respective portions of the outlet mouth (or of at least one of the outlet mouths if more than one) which do not impact against a person being dried.

According to another aspect of the invention, said detection means are suitable for detecting not only the height of a person when the latter is positioned, with respect to said dryer, so as to intercept with his/her own body at least one of said flows of air which can be emitted through one of said portions of said outlet mouth, or at least one of said outlet mouths if more than one, but also the por tion of space occupied by said person, said adjustment means being suitable for adjusting the flow rate of said flows of air which can be emitted into said ex ternal environment by said gas-operated means preventing not only the emis sion of flows of air at a higher level than the height of said person but also, more generally, the emission of flows of air not impacting against said person, i.e. , the emission of flows of air not directed towards said portion of space (occupied by said person) detected by said detection means.

Also according to this aspect of the invention, the dryer of the invention inde pendently eliminates the flows of air exiting from respective outlet mouths, if more than one, and/or from respective portions of the outlet mouth (or of at least one of the outlet mouths if more than one) which do not impact against a person being dried.

According to another aspect of the invention, where said dryer comprises a plu rality of said outlet mouths, said outlet mouths are placed side by side.

According to another aspect of the invention, said dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouths are placed side by side along a vertical direction.

According to another aspect of the invention, said outlet mouth, or at least one of said outlet mouths if more than one, extends in length.

According to another aspect of the invention, said dryer is positionable so that said outlet mouth extends vertically in length.

Advantageously, according to these aspects of the invention, the flows of air ex it from the dryer above one another, i.e., in the direction in which a person ex tends when standing upright.

Brief description of the drawings

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof and from the accompanying drawings, merely given by way of non-limiting explana tion, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic front view of a dryer according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a side plan view of the dryer in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic front plan view of a first variant of the dryer in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic front plan view of a second variant of the dryer in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic front plan view of a third variant of the dryer in Figure 1.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention hereinafter in the present description, a drawing may also be shown with refer ence to elements not expressly indicated in that drawing but indicated in other drawings. The scale and proportions of the various elements depicted do not necessarily correspond to the real ones.

Figures 1 and 2 show a dryer 1 of the invention of the “air jet” type and “for people”, i.e., adapted to dry a person for example after the latter has had a shower or a bath in a domestic bath tub or a swimming pool.

The dryer 1 is preferably substantially shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped which may preferably rest on the ground at a lower base 2 and extending in height. The dryer 1 includes one or more gas-operated work machines capable of imparting kinetic energy (by acceleration) and/or pressure energy (by com pression) to a gaseous fluid. Said work machines comprise, for example, one or more motors connected to one or more impellers with blades 3, respectively, for rotating the latter about a respective axis. The gas-operated work machines are substantially known. Therefore, no further details will be provided.

The dryer 1 comprises one or more inlet mouths 4 preferably obtained at one of the four side walls of the dryer 1 located to the back in Figure 1 and laterally to the right in Figure 2. Said side wall is distinguished in the figures by reference numeral 5. Through the mouths 4 the aforesaid gas-operated work machines, and in particular the impellers 3, communicate with the external environment to the dryer 1 and take atmospheric air from said environment. The mouths 4 are shown, by way of example, to be five in number.

The dryer 1 also comprises one or more outlet mouths 6 preferably obtained at another of the four side walls of the dryer 1 opposite the wall 5. Said other side wall, located frontally in Figure 1 and laterally to the left in Figure 2, is distin guished in the figures by reference numeral 7. Through the mouths 6 the afore- said gas-operated work machines, and especially the impellers 3, communicate with the external environment to the dryer 1 and emit into said environment one or more flows of air collected from the external environment through the mouths 4 and to which kinetic energy and/or pressure energy has been imparted by said gas-operated work machines. The mouths 6, also shown, by way of exam ple, to be five in number, are preferably arranged above one another, i.e. , placed side by side along a preferably vertical direction when the dryer 1 is op erating (e.g., resting on the ground at the base 2).

The dryer 1 preferably comprises a plurality of gas-operated work machines op- erating (i.e., “rotating about a respective axis”) a plurality of impellers 3, respec tively. More precisely, the dryer 1 preferably comprises a gas-operated work machine, with the respective impeller 3, for each mouth 6. Each gas-operated work machine, with the respective impeller 3, is therefore associated with one of the mouths 6 so that each gas-operated work machine communicates with the environment outside the dryer 1 through the mouth 6 with which it is associated, and can emit a flow of air into said external environment through the mouth 6 with which it is associated.

The dryer 1 comprises a control unit connected to the gas-operated work ma chines and capable of operating (and thus controlling) the gas-operated work machine associated with each of the mouths 6 independently of the other gas- operated work machines associated with the remaining mouths 6, respectively, so that the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 through a mouth 6 of the gas-operated work machine asso ciated with said mouth 6 is adjustable independently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the re maining mouths 6, respectively, from the other gas-operated work machines, respectively, associated with the remaining mouths 6, respectively.

In light of the above, the control unit of the gas-operated work machines is suit able for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 at each mouth 6 from the gas-operated work machine associated with said mouth 6. The adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment at each mouth 6 preferably takes place by controlling the rotation speed of the impeller 3 con nected to the gas-operated work machine associated with said mouth 6.

The aforesaid plurality of gas-operated work machines were previously identi fied by the term “first plurality of gas-operated means”. The aforesaid control unit of the gas-operated work machines falls within the category of the previous ly mentioned “first control means”.

When a person wishes to dry himself/herself using the dryer 1, said person must stand in front of the wall 7, so as to be at least partially opposed to one or more mouths 6 and intercept the flow of air emitted through said mouth 6, or said mouths 6, to which said person is at least partially opposed. In other words, the mouths 6 are arranged so that a person can be located, with respect to the dyer 1 , so as to be at least partially opposed to at least one mouth 6 so as to be able to intercept the flow of air which can be emitted through said mouth 6, for drying said person. By means of the aforementioned control unit, said person can adjust the rotation speed of each impeller 3 and thus the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each mouth 6. For example, it is possible to adjust the dryer 1 so as to reduce or eliminate the flows of air (exiting from the mouths 6, respectively) which do not impact against the aforesaid person being dried, or which impact against the aforesaid person at particularly sensitive areas of the latter, such as the face or genitals.

In light of the above, the dryer 1 is capable of emitting flows of air which can preferably be portioned and/or modulated as a function of the shape and size of the person to be dried.

The dryer 1 preferably comprises a device 8 adapted to detect the height of a person when the latter is positioned, as specified above, so as to be at least partially opposed to one or more mouths 6 and intercept the flow of air emitted through said mouth 6, or said mouths 6, to which said person is at least partially opposed. The control unit is connected to the device 8 and is preferably suitable for independently adjusting the flow rate of the flows of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 by gas-operated work machines so as to prevent the emission of flows of air at a higher level than the height detected by the device 8, i.e. , so as to prevent the emission of flows of air not impacting against the person being dried (as they are emitted above the latter). The con trol unit can be programmed so as to prevent the emission of flows of air not on ly at a higher level than the height detected by the device 8, but also at the face and/or genitals of said person. For this purpose, the control unit preferably has access to a database containing information on the location of the face and genitals of a person standing upright, as a function of the height of said person. The device 8, which falls within the category of the previously mentioned “detec tion means”, preferably comprises a vertical strip of proximity sensors installed at the wall 7. Incidentally, the level at which the flows of air are emitted and the height of the person being dried are determined with respect to the same horizontal refer ence plane, preferably coinciding with the plane where the base 2 lies.

The dryer 8, in addition to being suitable for detecting the height of a person when the latter is positioned so as to be at least partially opposed to one or more mouths 6 and intercept the flow of air emitted through said mouth 6, or said mouths 6, to which said person is at least partially opposed, is preferably suitable for detecting the portion of space occupied by said person. In this case, the device 8, additionally or alternatively to the vertical strip of proximity sen sors, preferably comprises a three-dimensional scanner, and the control unit, connected to the device 8, is preferably suitable for independently adjusting the flow rate of the flows of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 from the gas-operated work machines so as to prevent the emission of flows of air not only at a higher level than the height detected by the device 8, but also so as to prevent the emission of flows of air not directed towards the portion of space occupied by said person and detected by the device 8, i.e. , so as to prevent the emission of flows of air which do not impact against the per son being dried. If, as previously mentioned, the control unit is programmable so as to prevent the emission of flows of air at the face and/or genitals of said person, in this case the control unit is preferably capable of recognizing the lo- cation of the face and genitals of a person being dried directly from the portion of space occupied by said person and detected by the device 8.

The device 8 could detect the portion of space occupied by a person being dried continuously during drying so that, if said person changes position during drying, the control unit can adjust the flow rate of the flows of air emitted through the mouths 6 as a function of the new position taken by said person. Incidentally, the flow rates of air which can be emitted through all the mouths 6 are not necessarily adjustable by the control unit as specified above. In other words, the dryer 1 could comprise one or more mouths 6 through which flows of air are always emitted when the dryer 1 is operated, regardless of the height of, or the portion of space occupied by, the person being dried. That is, the dryer 1 could comprise one or more mouths 6 through which the flows of air are emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 by at least one gas-operated work ma chine the actuation of which is not adjustable as a function of the height of, or by the portion of space occupied by, a person being dried.

The dryer 1 could advantageously comprise, preferably for each gas-operated work machine, a heater adapted to heat the air before the latter is emitted through the mouths 6.

Figure 3 shows a dryer 10 which differs from the dryer 1 as it comprises a sin gle outlet mouth 11 in place of a plurality of mouths 6. The mouth 11, like the mouths 6, is preferably obtained at the wall 7 and preferably extends in length. The mouth 11 preferably extends in a vertical direction when the dryer 1 is op- erating (e.g., resting on the ground at the base 2).

Similarly to dryer 1, the dryer 10 preferably comprises a plurality of gas- operated work machines operating (i.e. , “rotating about a respective axis”) a plurality of impellers 3, respectively.

The mouth 11 can be divided into a plurality of portions. By way of example, the mouth 11 can be divided into a central portion 11b interposed between a first and a second end portion 11a and 11c mutually located at the top and at the bottom, respectively. The dryer 10 comprises a gas-operated work machine, with the respective impeller 3, for each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c. Each gas-operated work machine, with the respective impeller 3, is therefore associ- ated with one of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c so that each gas-operated work machine communicates with the environment outside the dryer 1 through the portions 11a, 11b and 11c with which it is associated, and can emit a flow of air into said external environment through the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c with which it is associated.

Similarly to dryer 1, the dryer 10 comprises a control unit connected to the gas- operated work machines and capable of operating (and thus controlling) the gas-operated work machine associated with each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c independently of the other gas-operated work machines associated with the remaining portions 11a and/or 11b and/or 11c, respectively, so that the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 10 through one of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c from the gas-operated work ma- chine associated with said portion 11a, 11b or 11c is adjustable independently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said external envi ronment through the remaining portions 11a and/or 11b and/or 11c, respective ly, from the other gas-operated work machines, respectively, associated with the remaining portions 11 a and/or 11 b and/or 11 c, respectively. In light of the above, the control unit of the gas-operated work machines is suit able for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 at each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c from the gas-operated work machine associated with said portion 11a, 11b or 11c. The adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment at each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c preferably takes place by controlling the rotation speed of the impeller 3 connected to the gas- operated work machine associated with said portion 11a, 11 b or 11 c.

The aforesaid plurality of gas-operated work machines comprised in the dyer 10 were previously identified by the term “second plurality of gas-operated means”. The aforesaid control unit of the gas-operated work machines comprised in the dryer 10 falls within the category of the previously mentioned “second control means”.

When a person wishes to dry himself/herself using the dryer 10, said person must stand in front of the wall 7, so as to be at least partially opposed to the mouth 11 and intercept the flow or flows of air emitted through the portions 11a and/or 11b and/or 11c. In other words, the mouth 11 is arranged so that a per son can be located, with respect to the dyer 10, so as to be at least partially op- posed to the mouth 11 so as to be able to intercept the flow or flows of air which can be emitted through the portions 11a and/or 11b and/or 11c, for drying said person. By means of the aforementioned control unit, said person can adjust the rotation speed of each impeller 3 and thus the flow rate of the flow of air ex- iting from each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c. For example, it is possible to adjust the dryer 1 so as to reduce or eliminate the flows of air (exiting from the portions 11a, 11b and 11c, respectively) which do not impact against the afore said person being dried, or which impact against the aforesaid person at par ticularly sensitive areas of the latter, such as the face or genitals. In light of the above, the dryer 10, like the dryer 1 , is capable of emitting flows of air which can preferably be portioned and/or modulated in speed as a function of the shape and size of the person to be dried.

As said for the dryer 1, the dryer 10 preferably comprises the device 8 and the control unit is preferably suitable for independently adjusting the flow rate of the flows of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 10 from the gas-operated work machines as a function of the detections carried out by the device 8, as specified above.

Incidentally, the flow rates of air which can be emitted through all the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c are not necessarily adjustable by the control unit as specified above. In other words, through one of the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c flows of air could be emitted still when the dryer 10 is operated, regardless of the height of, or the portion of space occupied by, the person being dried. Through one of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c, flows of air could be emitted by at least one gas- operated work machine the actuation of which is not adjustable as a function of the height of, or by the portion of space occupied by, a person being dried.

The dryer 10 could advantageously comprise, preferably for each gas-operated work machine, a heater adapted to heat the air before the latter is emitted through the mouth 11.

Incidentally, one of the mouths 6 of the dryer 1 could correspond to the mouth 11 of the dryer 10. That is, one of the mouths 6 could be divided into a plurality of portions and the dryer 1 could comprise a gas-operated work machine, with the respective impeller 3, for each of said portions. In this case, the control unit of the dryer 1 is capable of operating (and thus controlling) the gas-operated work machine associated with each of the aforesaid portions independently of the other gas-operated work machines associated with the remaining portions, respectively, so that the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 through one of the aforesaid portions from the gas-operated work machine associated with said portion is adjustable inde pendently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said ex ternal environment through the remaining portions, respectively, from the other gas-operated work machines, respectively, associated with the remaining por- tions, respectively.

Figure 4 shows a dryer 15 which differs from the dryer 1 in that it comprises, for each mouth 6, a movable door 16, and preferably sliding, between a first closing position, at which the door 16 occludes said mouth 6 so that the air cannot be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 15 through said mouth 6, and a second, at least partial opening position at which the door 16 does not occlude, or only partially occludes, said mouth 6 so that the air can be emitted into said external environment through said mouth 6. The dryer 15 further comprises, for each door 16 (and thus for each mouth 6), an apparatus capable of moving said door 16 between the aforesaid first and second positions. The dryer 15 comprises a control unit connected to the aforesaid apparatuses for moving the doors 16 and capable of operating (and thus controlling) the ap paratus for moving the door 16 associated with each of the mouths 6 inde pendently of the other apparatuses for moving the doors 16 associated with the remaining mouths 6, respectively, so that the door 16 associated with said mouth 6 is movable independently of the doors 16 associated with the remain ing mouths 6, and thus the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 through a mouth 6 of the gas-operated work machine associated with said mouth 6 is adjustable independently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining mouths 6, respectively, from the other gas-operated work machines, respectively, associated with the remaining mouths 6, respectively.

In light of the above, the control unit of the movement apparatuses is suitable for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the envi ronment outside the dryer 15 at each mouth 6 from the gas-operated work ma chine associated with said mouth 6. The adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment at each mouth 6 preferably takes place, additionally or alternatively to the control of the rotation speed of the impeller 3 connected to the gas-operated work machine associat ed with said mouth 6, by adjusting the position of the door 16 associated with said mouth 6.

According to a variant of the dryer 15, the latter comprises, in place of the aforesaid plurality of gas-operated work machines, a single gas-operated work machine communicating with the external environment through all the mouths 6, and adapted to emit into the environment outside the dryer one or more flows of air through each of the mouths 6. According to this variant, the adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said external environ- ment at each mouth 6 preferably takes place by adjusting the position of the door 16 associated with said mouth 6.

The aforesaid movement apparatuses (of the doors 16) have previously been identified by the term “first movement means”. The aforesaid control unit of the movement apparatuses falls within the category of the previously mentioned “third control means” and could coincide with the control unit connected to the gas-operated work machines comprised in the dryer 15.

As said for the dryer 1, when a person wishes to dry himself/herself using the dryer 15, said person must stand in front of the wall 7, so as to be at least par tially opposed to one or more mouths 6 and intercept the flow of air emitted through said mouth 6, or said mouths 6, to which said person is at least partially opposed. In other words, the mouths 6 are arranged so that a person can be lo cated, with respect to the dyer 15, so as to be at least partially opposed to at least one mouth 6 so as to be able to intercept the flow of air which can be emit ted through said mouth 6, for drying said person. By means of the aforemen- tioned control unit of the movement apparatuses, additionally or alternatively to adjusting the rotation speed of each impeller 3, said person can adjust the posi tion of each door 16 and thus the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each mouth 6. For example, it is possible to adjust the dryer 15 so as to reduce or eliminate the flows of air (exiting from the mouths 6, respectively) which do not impact against the aforesaid person being dried, or which impact against the aforesaid person at particularly sensitive areas of the latter, such as the face or genitals.

In light of the above, the dryer 15, like the dryer 1 , is capable of emitting flows of air which can preferably be portioned and/or modulated in speed as a function of the shape and size of the person to be dried.

As said for the dryer 1, the dryer 15 preferably comprises the device 8 and the control unit of the movement apparatuses, additionally or alternatively to the control unit of the gas-operated work machines, is preferably suitable for inde pendently adjusting the flow rate of the flows of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 15 through the mouths 6 as a function of the de tections carried out by the device 8, as specified above. Incidentally, the flow rates of air which can be emitted through all the mouths 6 are not necessarily adjustable by the control unit or by the control units as spec ified above. In other words, the dryer 15 could comprise one or more mouths 6 which are never occluded by the respective doors 16, regardless of the height of, or the portion of space occupied by, the person being dried. That is, the dry- er 15 could comprise one or more mouths 6 through which the flows of air are emitted into the environment outside the dryer 15 at a non-adjustable flow rate as a function of the height of, or by the portion of space occupied by, a person being dried.

The dryer 1 could advantageously comprise, preferably for each gas-operated work machine, a heater adapted to heat the air before the latter is emitted through the mouths 6.

Figure 5 shows a dryer 20 which differs from the dryer 10 (therefore also “indi rectly” constituting a variant of the dryer 1) in that it comprises, for each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c, a movable door 21, and preferably sliding, between a first closing position, at which the door 21 occludes said portion 11a, 11b or 11c so that the air cannot be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 15 through said portion 11a, 11b or 11c, and a second, at least partial opening po- sition at which the door 21 does not occlude, or only partially occludes, said por tion 11a, 11b or 11c so that the air can be emitted into said external environ ment through said portion 11a, 11b or 11c. The dryer 20 further comprises, for each door 21 (and thus for each portion 11a, 11b or 11c), an apparatus capable of moving said door 21 between the aforesaid first and second positions.

The dryer 20 comprises a control unit connected to the aforesaid apparatuses for moving the doors 21 and capable of operating (and thus controlling) the ap paratus for moving the door 21 associated with each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c independently of the other apparatuses for moving the doors 21 asso- dated with the remaining portions 11a, 11b and 11c, respectively, so that the door 21 associated with said portion 11a, 11b or 11c is movable independently of the doors 21 associated with the remaining portions 11a, 11b and 11c, and thus the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 1 through one of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c is adjustable independently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining portions 11a and/or 11b and/or 11 c, respectively.

In light of the above, the control unit of the movement apparatuses is suitable for adjusting the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the envi- ronment outside the dryer 20 at each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c from the gas-operated work machine associated with said portion 11a, 11b or 11c. The adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said ex ternal environment at each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c preferably takes place, additionally or alternatively to the control of the rotation speed of the im- peller 3 connected to the gas-operated work machine associated with said por tion 11a, 11b or 11c, by adjusting the position of the door 21 associated with said portion 11a, 11 b or 11 c.

According to a variant of the dryer 20, the latter comprises, in place of the aforesaid plurality of gas-operated work machines, a single gas-operated work machine communicating with the external environment through all the portion 11a, 11b and 11c, and adapted to emit into the environment outside the dryer one or more flows of air through each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c. Accord- ing to this variant, the adjustment of the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into said external environment at each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11c preferably takes place by adjusting the position of the door 21 associated with said portion 11a, 11 b or 11 c. According to another variant of the dryer 20, the latter, in addition to comprising, in place of the aforesaid plurality of gas-operated work machines, a single gas- operated work machine communicating with the external environment through all the portions 11a, 11b and 11c and adapted to emit into the environment out side the dryer 20 one or more flows of air through each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c, comprises, in place of a plurality of doors 21 , a single door (and thus a single movement apparatus) sliding parallel to the direction in which the mouth 11 extends (i.e. , preferably vertically) so as to occlude, in sequence, the portion 11 a, the portion 11 b, and the portion 11 c.

The aforesaid movement apparatuses (of the doors 21) comprised in the dryer 20 have previously been identified by the term “second movement means”. The aforesaid control unit of the movement apparatuses comprised in the dryer 20 falls within the category of the previously mentioned “fourth control means” and could coincide with the control unit connected to the gas-operated work ma chines comprised in the dryer 20. As said for the dryer 10, when a person wishes to dry himself/herself using the dryer 20, said person must stand in front of the wall 7, so as to be at least par tially opposed to the mouth 11 and intercept the flow of air emitted through one or more portions 11a, 11b and 11c, to which said person is at least partially op posed. In other words, the mouth 11 is arranged so that a person can be locat- ed, with respect to the dyer 20, so as to be at least partially opposed to the mouth 11 so as to be able to intercept the flow of air which can be emitted through one or more of the portions 11a, 11b or 11c, for drying said person. By means of the aforementioned control unit of the movement apparatuses, addi tionally or alternatively to adjusting the rotation speed of each impeller 3, said person can adjust the position of each door 21 and thus the flow rate of the flow of air exiting from each of the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c. For example, it is pos sible to adjust the dryer 20 so as to reduce or eliminate the flows of air (exiting from the portions 11a, 11b and 11c, respectively) which do not impact against the aforesaid person being dried, or which impact against the aforesaid person at particularly sensitive areas of the latter, such as the face or genitals.

In light of the above, the dryer 20, like the dryer 1 , is capable of emitting flows of air which can preferably be portioned and/or modulated as a function of the shape and size of the person to be dried.

As said for the dryer 1 , the dryer 20 preferably comprises the device 8, and the control unit of the movement apparatuses, additionally or alternatively to the control unit of the gas-operated work machines, is preferably suitable for inde- pendently adjusting the flow rate of the flows of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 20 through the portions 11a, 11b and 11c as a function of the detections carried out by the device 8, as specified above. Incidentally, the flow rates of air which can be emitted through all the portions 11a, 11b and 11 c are not necessarily adjustable by the control unit as specified above. In other words, the dryer 11 could comprise one or more portions 11a, 11b and 11c which are never occluded by the respective doors 21, regardless of the height of, or the portion of space occupied by, the person being dried. That is, the mouth 11 could comprise one or more portions 11a, 11b and 11c through which the flows of air are emitted into the environment outside the dryer 20 at a non-adjustable flow rate as a function of the height of, or by the portion of space occupied by, a person being dried.

The dryer 20 could advantageously comprise, preferably for each gas-operated work machine, a heater adapted to heat the air before the latter is emitted through the mouth 11. Incidentally, one of the mouths 16 of the dryer 15 could correspond to the mouth 21 of the dryer 20. That is, one of the mouths 16 could be divided into a plurality of portions and the dryer 15 could comprise a gas-operated work ma chine, with the respective impeller 3, for each of said portions. In this case, the control unit of the dryer 15 is capable of operating (and thus controlling) the gas-operated work machine associated with each of the aforesaid portions in dependently of the other gas-operated work machines associated with the re maining portions, respectively, so that the flow rate of the flow of air which can be emitted into the environment outside the dryer 15 through one of the afore said portions from the gas-operated work machine associated with said portion is adjustable independently of the flow rates of the flows of air which can be emitted into said external environment through the remaining portions, respec- tively, from the other gas-operated work machines, respectively, associated with the remaining portions, respectively.

Based on the description given for a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that some changes may be introduced by those skilled in the art, without however departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.