Apparel drying and deodorizing system

• US 5,666,743 A
• Filed: 02/26/1996
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bonnie D. Dawson
• Original Assignee: Bonnie D. Dawson
• Inventors: Dawson, Bonnie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOSTER GREENE, DINNATIA JO
• Application Number:
  US08/606,556
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 34/218, 34/219, 34/202, 34/233, 34/225
• US Class Current: 34/219
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/205 with heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/003 Small self-contained devices, e.g. portable

Abstract

The apparel conditioner system of this invention includes an apparel conditioning device that can be used to dry and deodorize apparel. The apparel conditioning device can be supported inside an outer enclosure to comprise an apparel conditioner system used to improve the deodorizing of apparel along with drying the apparel. The apparel conditioning device includes a fan to force ambient air through an air passage defined within a housing of the apparel conditioning device. An adjustable apparel rack is positioned within the air flow passage using an adjustable rack mount. The position of the apparel rack is selected for supporting and holding the apparel such that a flow of ambient air can circulate to the inside surfaces of apparel having an inside surfaces and envelop the outside surfaces of the apparel at the same time. The fan has a speed adjustment to obtain a velocity of the flow of the ambient air to improve the circulation in and envelopment around the apparel. Apparel includes not only any article of clothing but also sporting gear.

Claims

1. An apparel conditioner system for drying an deodorizing apparel with a flow of ambient air comprising:

an apparel conditioning device having housing with an external surface, an inlet and an outlet;

an air flow passage defined within said housing between said inlet and said outlet in which a flow of unheated ambient air is established to condition said apparel within said housing;

a fan carried by said housing and positioned in said inlet of said housing for forcing said flow of ambient air through said air flow passage;

an adjustable apparel rack carried within said housing for supporting said apparel in a position to be conditioned;

an adjustable rack mount for adjusting the position of said adjustable apparel rack in said air flow passage to be at an angle with respect to said housing to provide said flow of unheated ambient air within said air flow passage so that said flow of unheated ambient air provides circulation of air to inside surfaces of said apparel and envelops outside surfaces of said apparel at the same time for rapid drying;

an outer enclosure having an inner surface forming a chamber for receiving and containing said apparel conditioning device within said outer enclosure; and

an air channel defined between said inner surface of said outer enclosure and said external surface of said housing so that said unheated ambient air is circulated within said air channel for providing said flow of unheated ambient air in a recirculating path defined by an internal air flow through said air passage and an external air flow through said air channel generally without being exhausted from said outer enclosure, whereby said apparel is conditioned within minimum amount of lapsed time without the use of a heating means.

2. The device set forth in claim 1, wherein said air flow passage within said housing is defined by:

a top wall, a bottom wall and space d apart side walls bridging said top and bottom walls;

said air flow passage having said inlet at one end and said outlet at another end for directing said flow of unheated ambient air in a parallel path from said inlet end to said outlet end to be recirculated within said air channel of said outer enclosure to return to said inlet end.

3. The device set forth in claim 2, wherein said bottom wall supports said apparel rack within said air flow passage at said angle with respect to said bottom wall;

and

said side walls including at least one side wall surface for containing a portion of said adjustable rack mount.

4. The system set forth in claim 2, wherein said adjustable rack mount includes:

a series of rack rests carried by said housing adjacent said outlet of said housing; and

said adjustable rack includes a rack support to engage said rack rests for holding and supporting said rack within said air flow passage at said angle.

5. The system set forth in claim 4 wherein said series of rack rests are each formed by a cutout in said side wall surface of said housing and said rack support is formed by horizontal rack support member having at least one free end that engages a respective rack rest such that said angle is selected for said flow of unheated ambient air.

6. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said flow of ambient air includes:

an internal air flow within said apparel for transferring moisture and foul air from said inside surfaces of said apparel to said ambient air; and

an external air flow around said apparel for transferring moisture and foul air from said external surfaces of said apparel to said ambient air.

7. The system set forth in claim 1, including:

a power cable to provide electrical power to said fan;

an enclosure grill for equalizing pressures between the atmosphere and the ambient air inside the system;

an fan grill for protecting the user from physical harm and for keeping apparel from being damaged by said fan; and

fan controls located in said enclosure having a switch and a rheostat, said fan controls being connected to said power cable for adjusting a speed of said fan to change a velocity of said flow of ambient air within said air passage, wherein said fan speed and said angle are both selected for improved conditioning of said apparel.

8. An apparel conditioner system for drying and deodorizing apparel with a flow of ambient air comprising:

a housing having an inlet, an outlet, an interior wall surfaces and an exterior surface an outer enclosure having an inner surface for receiving and containing said apparel conditioning device within said outer enclosure;

an air flow passage defined within said housing in which a flow of unheated ambient air is established;

a fan carried by said housing and positioned in said inlet to force said flow of unheated ambient air through said air flow passage;

an adjustable apparel rack carried within said housing for supporting said apparel in a position to conditioned; and

an adjustable rack mount to position said adjustable rack in said air flow passage at an angle with respect to said interior surface of said housing to provide said flow of unheated ambient air within said air flow passage so that said flow of unheated ambient air at least envelops the outside surfaces of said apparel for conditioning said apparel within a reasonable amount of lapsed time without the addition of a heating unit to said device an air channel provided between said exterior surface of said housing and said inner surface of said outer enclosure for recirculating said unheated ambient air from said outlet of said housing to said inlet of said housing for providing a flow of ambient air in a recirculating path through said air passage without said unheated ambient air being exhausted from said outer enclosure.

9. The device set forth in claim 8, wherein said air flow passage defined within said housing comprises:

said interior wall surfaces for directing said flow of ambient air from said fan at said inlet to said outlet removed from said fan;

said interior wall surfaces including a bottom wall surface for supporting said apparel rack within said air passage at said angle with respect to said bottom wall surface; and

said interior wall surfaces including at least one side wall surface for containing a portion of said adjustable rack mount.

10. The device set forth in claim 9, wherein said adjustable rack mount includes:

a series of rack rests formed in said side wall surface of said housing adjacent said outlet; and

said adjustable rack includes a rack support to engage said rack rests for holding and supporting said rack within said air flow passage at said angle.

11. The device set forth in claim 10, wherein said series of rack rests are each formed by a cutout in said housing and said rack support is formed by a horizontal rack support member having at least one free end that engages a respective rack rest such that said angle is selected for said flow of ambient air.

12. The device set forth in claim 8, including:

a power cable for providing electrical power to said fan;

a switch having a rheostat connected to said power cable for adjusting a speed of said fan to change a velocity of said flow of ambient air within said air passage, wherein said fan speed is selected along with said angle for said improved flow of ambient air.

13. The device set forth in claim 8, including:

an enclosure door for providing an opening to place said apparel within said outer enclosure and said conditioning device.

14. The device set forth in claim 13, including:

a power cable to provide electrical power to said fan;

a fan grill for protecting a user from physical harm and for protecting said apparel from damage; and

fan controls located in said housing having a switch and a rheostat, said fan controls being connected to said power cable for adjusting a speed of said fan to change a velocity of said flow of air within said air passage, wherein said fan speed and said angle are both selected for conditioning of said apparel.

15. The system set forth in claim 8, including a deodorizer placed within the outer enclosure that discharges particles of an odoriferous substance for providing fresh air to combine with said flow of ambient air for deodorizing said apparel.

16. An apparel conditioner device for drying and deodorizing apparel with a flow of ambient air comprising:

a housing having an inlet, an outlet, interior wall surfaces and an exterior surface;

an air flow passage defined within said housing in which said flow of ambient air is established;

a fan carried by said housing and positioned in said inlet to force said flow of ambient air through said air flow passage;

an adjustable apparel rack carried within said housing for supporting said apparel in a position to be conditioned;

an adjustable rack mount to position said adjustable rack in said air flow passage at an angle with respect to said interior surface of said housing to provide said flow of ambient air within said air flow passage so that said flow of ambient air at least envelops the outside surfaces of said apparel for conditioning said apparel within a reasonable amount of lapsed time;

said air flow passage defined within said housing comprises said interior wall surfaces for directing said flow of ambient air from said fan at said inlet to said outlet removed from said fan;

said interior wall surfaces including a bottom wall surface for supporting said apparel rack within said air passage at said angle with respect to said bottom wall surface;

said interior wall surfaces also including at least one side wall surface for containing a portion of said adjustable rack mount;

said adjustable rack mount includes a series of rack rests formed in said side wall surface of said housing adjacent said outlet;

said adjustable rack includes a rack support to engage said rack rests for holding and supporting said rack within said air flow passage at said angle; and

said series of rack rests are each formed by a cutout in said housing and said rack support is formed by a horizontal rack support member having at least one free end that engages a respective rack rest such that said angle is selected for said improved flow of ambient air.