Hand washing and drying apparatus and system including waste disposal apparatus and method

Abstract

A disposal apparatus for use with a wash station and a towel dispenser includes a liquid source and a waste disposal unit arranged in fluid communication with the liquid source that (i) collects liquid from the liquid source and receives a spent towel dispensed from the towel dispenser, (ii) disintegrates the spent towel and generates a fluid vortex of liquid and disintegrated spent towel, and (iii) exhausts the fluid vortex. A hand washing and drying apparatus comprises a washing and drying chamber including at least one access port providing access for inserting at least one hand to be washed, a wash liquid dispenser in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing wash liquid within the washing and drying chamber, a blow dryer in fluid communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for providing a directed supply of drying air within the washing and drying chamber, a towel dispenser in communication with the interior of the washing and drying chamber for dispensing a towel, e.g., a disposable paper towel, within the chamber, and a waste disposal unit for disintegrating a spent towel dispensed from the towel dispenser and exhausting disintegrated waste through a drain. The apparatus further may include a control device for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.