Air towel

• US 4,685,222 A
• Filed: 06/12/1986
• Issued: 08/11/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Glenn Melvan Houck
• Original Assignee: Glenn M. Houck
• Inventors: Houck, Jasper C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Application Number:
  US06/873,546
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 34/222, 34/225, 34/229, 34/233, 34/243 C, 34/243 R
• US Class Current: 34/229
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 20/16 Fixed installed drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/48 Drying by means of hot air hair-drying devices A45D20/00; curative hot-air baths A61H33/06; electric heating elements H05B

Abstract

A drying device has a blower, a motor for driving the blower, a switch for actuating the blower motor unit, and the heating elements in the duct supplying the blower. The air supplied is received by an air towel having an open upper edge, a back wall, a front wall, and tapering side walls. Air exits the air towel from a slot disposed in the front wall of the enclosure member. The rear wall of the enclosure member also tapers gradually toward the bottom-most portion of the slot, as do the side walls of the enclosure member, so that, with diminishing volume enclosed by the enclosure member, a generally uniform air velocity of air flow outward from the slot along the vertical length thereof. The air is directed downwardly generally at a 45° angle. Also, a flexible hose having a nozzle has an end in communication with the air supplied; the end in communication with the air supply penetrates a side wall of the enclosure member. This permits hand manipulation of the flexible hose and nozzle to supply additional air at any desired location within the reach of the flexible hose. Upstanding flanges are provided to protrude beyond a wall or flush to a wall, so that the enclosure member can be concealed behind the wall while leaving only an aesthetic slot opening and the flexible hose visible, as well as an enclosure member portion which directly lies behind the flexible hose.

Claims

1. A device for providing heated air for drying, comprising:

an inner enclosure;

means for supplying air to said inner enclosure;

means for electrically heating the air supplied to said inner enclosure by said air supplying means;

said inner enclosure having a top edge in communication with said air supplying means; and

said inner enclosure having front, rear, and side walls;

a generally vertical elongated slot provided in said front wall having a top edge and a bottom edge;

said side walls of the inner enclosure tapering generally smoothly from a region intermediate said top edge and said bottom edge of said slot such that the air velocity of the air leaving said slot is generally uniform along the length of said slot;

said inner enclosure being adapted for mounting within an outer enclosure having an outer wall such that said front wall of said inner enclosure is adjacent said outer wall;

said outer wall having an elongated opening therein communicating with said elongated slot;

said outer wall having an interior surface and an exposed surface;

a portion of said front wall of said inner enclosure being mounted adjacent said interior surface of said outer wall;

a flexible hose having opposite ends, one of said ends communicating with said inner enclosure for supplying air through said hose and the other of said ends having nozzle means such that said hose is manipulatable for selectively directing the air flowing through said nozzle;

said front wall of said inner enclosure having an upstanding flange fixed to said inner enclosure and penetrating said elongated opening in said outer wall;

said flange extending across and covering said elongated opening, said flange having a recess adapted to receive said flexible hose for at least partially encasing said hose, wherein said recess comprises a rear wall, and side walls adjacent said rear wall, said recess having a depth sufficient to completely encase said hose;

a means for manually actuating said means for heating air;

said means for actuating being electrically isolated to prevented electrical shock during manual actuation thereof; and

said inner enclosure being composed of an electrically insulating material such that said means for actuating and said inner enclosure are shockproof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is portable.

3. A device providing heated air for drying, comprising:

an inner enclosure;

means for supplying air to said inner enclosure;

means for electrically heating the air supplied to said inner enclosure by said air supplying means;

said inner enclosure having a top edge in communication with said air supplying means; and

said inner enclosure having front, rear, and side walls;

a generally vertical elongated slot provided in said front wall having a top edge and a bottom edge;

said side walls of the inner enclosure tapering generally smoothly from a region intermediate said top edge and said bottom edge of said slot such that the air velocity of the air leaving said slot is generally uniform along the length of said slot;

said inner enclosure being adapted for mounting within an outer enclosure having an outer wall such that said front wall of said inner enclosure is adjacent said outer wall;

said outer wall having an elongated opening therein communicating with said elongated slot;

said outer wall having an interior surface and an exposed surface;

a portion of said front wall of said inner enclosure being mounted adjacent said interior surface of said outer all;

a flexible hose having opposite ends, one of said ends communicating with said inner enclosure for supplying air through said hose and the other of said ends having nozzle means such that said hose is manipulatable for selectively directing the air flowing through said nozzle;

said front wall of said inner enclosure having an upstanding flange fixed to said inner enclosure and penetrating said elongated opening in said outer wall;

said flange extending across and covering said elongated opening, said flange having a recess adapted to receive said flexible hose for at least partially encasing said hose;

a means for manually actuating said means for heating air;

said means for actuating being electrically isolated to prevent electrical shock during manual actuation thereof, wherein said actuating means comprises a switch capable of being remotely actuated by an air pressure actuator that is accessible to a user of said device; and

said inner enclosure being composed of an electrically isulating material such that said means for actuating and said inner enclosure are shockproof.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said device is portable.