Enclosed towel warmer
First Claim
1. A towel warming device comprising:
- a main body having a substantially rectangular back panel adapted to mount vertically against a wall, a pair of vertical side panels integral with said back panel, and a horizontal bottom panel;
a cover having a substantially rectangular main portion and an integral perpendicular flange portion, said cover being adapted to cooperate with said main body to form a substantially orthogonal enclosure when said cover is disposed in a closed position relative to said main body such that said main portion of said cover is disposed vertically in engagement with said side panels so as to form a front panel of said enclosure, and said flange portion is disposed horizontally so as to form a top panel of said enclosure;
a flat rectangular towel holder member disposed between said side panels and pivotedly attached thereto in a lower region thereof, on a horizontal pivot axis, such that when said cover is disposed in said closed position, said towel holder is caused to become constrained in a substantially vertical position disposed such that a towel may be contained within said enclosure, supported upon said towel holder;
hinge means, disposed along a horizontal hinging axis, hingedly attaching said cover at a lower edge thereof to said bottom panel of said main body, whereby said cover is provided with freedom to move rotationally from said closed position outward from said wall to a tilted open position constrained by stopping means to a predetermined angle less than 45 degrees from vertical, tilting of said pivotally attached towel holder being constrained to about half said predetermined angle, thereby providing access to a towel supported upon said towel holder; and
heating means adapted to warm a thusly supported towel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For commercial and residential use, a wall-mounted enclosed towel warmer has a bottom-hinged tilt-out front cover which includes an integral top panel. In the tilted-out cover position an internal towel holder also tilts outward to provide convenient top access for loading or removal of a towel. When the cover is pushed closed, a latch retains it in the closed position where the exterior presents a smooth flat profile having only a shallow protrusion of a few inches from an unaltered wall surface, providing a high degree of user safety, especially regarding children. In this closed position, the towel becomes intimately sandwiched between several thin profile electric heating elements located on both sides of the towel holder and on inner surfaces of the enclosure, arranged to warm the towel uniformly to avoid hot and cold regions which tend to occur with conventional open type towel-warming devices. A front control panel provides touch pads and illuminated message displays. Automatic shutoff is provided in the event the warmed towel is not removed within a preset time, approximately 15 minutes, after which a new warming cycle could be initiated.
47 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A towel warming device comprising:
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a main body having a substantially rectangular back panel adapted to mount vertically against a wall, a pair of vertical side panels integral with said back panel, and a horizontal bottom panel; a cover having a substantially rectangular main portion and an integral perpendicular flange portion, said cover being adapted to cooperate with said main body to form a substantially orthogonal enclosure when said cover is disposed in a closed position relative to said main body such that said main portion of said cover is disposed vertically in engagement with said side panels so as to form a front panel of said enclosure, and said flange portion is disposed horizontally so as to form a top panel of said enclosure; a flat rectangular towel holder member disposed between said side panels and pivotedly attached thereto in a lower region thereof, on a horizontal pivot axis, such that when said cover is disposed in said closed position, said towel holder is caused to become constrained in a substantially vertical position disposed such that a towel may be contained within said enclosure, supported upon said towel holder; hinge means, disposed along a horizontal hinging axis, hingedly attaching said cover at a lower edge thereof to said bottom panel of said main body, whereby said cover is provided with freedom to move rotationally from said closed position outward from said wall to a tilted open position constrained by stopping means to a predetermined angle less than 45 degrees from vertical, tilting of said pivotally attached towel holder being constrained to about half said predetermined angle, thereby providing access to a towel supported upon said towel holder; and heating means adapted to warm a thusly supported towel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification