High-speed drying unit for locker

• US 10,640,910 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aim Design Co.
• Original Assignee: John Allen, Sam Allen
• Inventors: Allen, Sam, Allen, John
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, John P
• Application Number:
  US16/429,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20190284748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 34235, 34210, 34201, 34202, 34209, 34212
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 57/122 for attachment by clamping between two retaining-planes
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/10 Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/001 Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/004 Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes F26B3/082, F26B13/104, F26B13/108, F26B21/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/04 the gas or vapour circulating over or surrounding the materials or objects to be dried F26B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/06 in stationary drums or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

A locker includes a pair of spaced-apart upstanding sidewalls and at least one compartment defined between the upstanding sidewalls. A drying compartment includes an upper and lower horizontal panels, at least one of the upper and lower panels being hollow and extending at least partially between the sidewalls of the locker. A pair of compartment sidewalls are connected to the panels, at least one of the compartment sidewalls being in fluid communication with the at least one hollow upper and lower panels. A perforated rear panel is connected to the compartment sidewalls and the upper and lower panels and is in fluid communication with an interior of the drying compartment. At least one fan is disposed in one of the compartment sidewalls, wherein the fan draws air from the at least one hollow upper and lower panels, directs it into the interior of the drying compartment, and the air is exhausted from the compartment though the perforated rear panel.

Claims

1. A drying unit for a locker, comprising:

upper and lower horizontal panels;

a pair of drying unit sidewalls extending between the upper and lower horizontal panels;

a rear panel extending between the pair of drying unit sidewalls and between the upper and lower horizontal panels;

a front hinged door disposed between the pair of drying unit sidewalls and between the upper and lower horizontal panels;

at least one fan disposed in at least one of the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, or the door; and

wherein the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, and the door define an interior portion of the drying unit;

wherein at least one of the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, and the door are hollow and are at least partially perforated, so as to be in fluid communication with the interior portion;

wherein the fan is configured to direct air into and out of the interior portion; and

wherein the drying unit is a separate stand-alone unit that may be removed from and reinstalled into the locker.

2. The drying unit according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower horizontal panels are hollow, are in fluid communication with the fan, and serve as air intakes.

3. The drying unit according to claim 1, wherein two fans are disposed in each of the pair of drying unit sidewalls.

4. The drying unit according to claim 1, wherein the rear panel is at least partially perforated and the air is exhausted through the perforated rear panel to an exterior of the drying unit.

5. The drying unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a conduit system for coupling the drying unit to a forced-air ventilation system.

6. The drying unit according to claim 5, wherein the forced-air ventilation system is in fluid communication with a HVAC system in a locker room.

7. The drying unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control system for selectively controlling operational parameters of the drying unit.

8. The drying unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cable attached to the door to prevent over-travel and to provide support; and

a handle attached to the door.

9. A locker, comprising:

a pair of spaced-apart upstanding sidewalls;

at least one compartment defined between the upstanding sidewalls; and

a drying unit disposed within the compartment, the drying unit comprising;

upper and lower horizontal panels;

a pair of drying unit sidewalls extending between the upper and lower horizontal panels;

a rear panel extending between the pair of drying unit sidewalls and between the upper and lower horizontal panels;

a front hinged door disposed between the pair of drying unit sidewalls and between the upper and lower horizontal panels; and

at least one fan disposed in at least one of the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, or the door;

wherein the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, and the door define an interior portion of the drying unit;

wherein at least one of the upper and lower horizontal panels, the pair of drying unit sidewalls, the rear panel, and the door are hollow and are at least partially perforated, so as to be in fluid communication with the interior portion; and

wherein the fan is configured to direct air into and out of the interior portion; and

wherein the drying unit is a separate stand-alone unit that may be removed from and reinstalled into the locker.

10. The locker according to claim 9, wherein the upper and lower horizontal panels are hollow, are in fluid communication with the fan, and serve as air intakes.

11. The locker according to claim 9, wherein two fans are disposed in each of the pair of drying unit sidewalls.

12. The locker according to claim 9, wherein the rear panel is at least partially perforated and the air is exhausted through the perforated rear panel to an exterior of the drying unit.

13. The locker according to claim 9, further comprising:

a forced-air ventilation system;

wherein the drying unit is in fluid communication with the forced-air ventilation system.

14. The locker according to claim 13, wherein the forced-air ventilation system is in fluid communication with a HVAC system in a locker room.

15. The locker according to claim 9, further comprising:

a control system for selectively controlling operational parameters the drying unit.

16. The locker according to claim 9, further comprising:

a cable attached to the door to prevent over-travel and to provide support.