Air-flow dryer and method

• US 6,745,496 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony Cassella
• Original Assignee: Anthony Cassella
• Inventors: Cassella, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ragonese, Andrea M.
• Application Number:
  US10/100,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 345/28, 345/34, 345/46, 345/62, 34/90, 341/07, 341/03, 346/18, 346/21, 342/02, 342/10, 342/15, 342/18, 342/35, 346/03, 346/04, 341/38, 342/39, 342/40, 211/113, 211/123, 211/204, 223/68, 223/70, 223/92, 312/109, 219/385
• US Class Current: 34/621
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/26 Condition of the drying air, e.g. air humidity or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/10 Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 73/02 having one or more treatment chambers

Abstract

The invention is an apparatus and method for drying and de-wrinkling an article of clothing, which includes a housing having an upper compartment, a lower compartment, and a dividing wall separating the compartments. An exhaust hole is disposed through one side of the upper compartment of the housing, and an intake hole and an outflow hole are disposed through the dividing wall. A mechanical assembly is disposed within the upper compartment and includes a fan, heater, thermostat and humidity sensor. An exhaust fan is in fluid communication with the exhaust hole and is adapted to control a flow of air through the exhaust hole in the side of the housing. A control system is disposed within the upper compartment and accepts an input from a user, a temperature input, and a humidity input, and controls the heater, the fan and the exhaust fan based upon the temperature input and the humidity input.

Claims

1. An apparatus for drying and de-wrinkling an article of clothing, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having an interior, an exterior and at least one side, wherein said interior of said housing comprises an upper compartment, a lower compartment, and a dividing wall separating said upper compartment and said lower compartment, wherein an exhaust hole is disposed through said at least one side in said upper compartment of said housing, wherein an intake hole and are outflow hole are disposed through said dividing wall; and

wherein at least two vent holes are disposed in said lower compartment for allowing an exhaust of air therethrough, said holes of sufficient number and size, and disposed at a location within said lower compartment, wherein an overall pressure within said lower compartment is reduced such that a volume of air is allowed to pass over the article of clothing at a sufficient velocity to force moisture held within the clothing downward towards a bottom of the article of clothing;

a mechanical assembly disposed with said upper compartment of said housing, said mechanical assembly comprising a blower dimensioned to blow air downward through said outflow hole into said lower compartment of said housing;

an exhaust fan disposed in fluid communication with said exhaust hole and adapted to control a flow of air through said exhaust hole;

a control system disposed within said upper compartment of said housing for controlling an operation of said blower and for controlling an operation of said exhaust fan.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower compartment of said housing comprises an open front, and wherein a door is movably attached to said housing.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said door comprises a substantially transparent viewing panel.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said door further comprises a contact in communication with said control system for controlling an operation of said mechanical assembly based upon a position of said door.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mechanical assembly further comprises a heater, a thermostat and a humidity sensor.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said control system comprises means for accepting an input from a user, means for accepting a temperature input from said thermostat, means for accepting a humidity input from said humidity sensor, and means for controlling said heater, said fan and said exhaust fan based upon said temperature input and said humidity input.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means for accepting an input from a user, means for accepting said temperature input from said thermostat, means for accepting said humidity input from said humidity sensor, and means for controlling said heater, said fan and said exhaust fan based upon said input from said user and said temperature input and said humidity input, comprise a microprocessor and a memory into which a control algorithm is stored.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said input from said user comprises a drying setting and wherein said control algorithm comprises a means for determining a temperature set paint and a humidity set point based upon said drying setting, means for comparing said temperature input and said humidity input with said temperature set point and said humidity set point, and means for sending an output to said open or close said exhaust fan when a temperature exceeds said temperature set point or said humidity exceeds said humidity set point.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said control system further comprises a timer for measuring an actual drying time, and wherein said control algorithm further comprises a means for determining a desired drying time based upon said drying setting, means for comparing said actual drying time with said desired drying time, and means for sending an output to cease operation of said mechanical assembly when said actual drying time exceeds said desired drying time.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a means for accepting an input from a user.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for accepting an input from a user comprises a control console disposed upon said exterior of said housing.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a hanging device disposed within said lower compartment of said housing.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lower compartment comprises a bottom and wherein said at least two holes comprises a plurality of holes disposed through said bottom of said lower compartment.

13. An apparatus for drying and de-wrinkling an article of clothing, said apparatus comprising:

a housing having an interior, an exterior and at least one side, wherein said interior of said housing comprises an upper compartment, a lower compartment, and a dividing wall separating said upper compartment and said lower compartment, wherein an outflow hole is disposed through said dividing wall, and wherein at least one hole is disposed through said lower compartment of said housing for allowing air to exhaust therefrom said at least one hole being of sufficient number and size to reduce an overall pressure within the lower compartment such that a volume of air is allowed to pass over the article of clothing at a sufficient velocity to force moisture held within the clothing downward towards a bottom of the article of clothing;

a mechanical assembly disposed with said upper compartment, said mechanical assembly comprising a blower dimensioned to blow air downward into said lower compartment; and

a control system disposed within said upper compartment of said housing for controlling an operation of said blower.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said control system comprises a timer measuring an actual drying time.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said lower compartment of said housing further comprises an open front, and wherein a door is movably attached to said housing.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said lower compartment comprises a bottom and wherein said at least two holes comprises a plurality of holes disposed through said bottom of said lower compartment.