Dryer apparatus for boots and gloves

• US 6,766,594 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scientific Molding Corporation Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Scientific Molding Corporation
• Inventors: DuRapau, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAMTU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US10/291,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 344/37, 341/04, 341/07, 344/42, 342/37, 34/90, 341/03
• US Class Current: 34/437
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/205 with heating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 59/04 for gloves

Abstract

A drying apparatus including a body portion including an upwardly extending drying member which has an upper portion for holding an item of apparel, and a platform coupled to the body portion. The platform can be moved into a first, generally horizontal position over the drying member and can be moved into a second, non-horizontal position not over the drying member such that a user has access to the upper portion of the drying member. The drying apparatus can include an air freshener.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus comprising:

a body portion including an upwardly extending drying member having a lower end coupled to the body portion and in communication with a fan and an upper portion having an opening and for holding an item of apparel such that air is blown by the fan upwardly through the drying member and through the opening; and

a platform movably coupled to the body portion and located above the drying member, wherein the platform can be moved from a first, generally horizontal position covering the drying member to a second, non-horizontal position not covering the drying member such that a user has access to the upper portion of the drying member.

2. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes a plurality of upwardly extending support members and the platform is hingedly coupled to one or more of the upwardly extending support members.

3. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan is located in the base of the body portion.

4. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drying member includes a hollow rigid tube.

5. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body portion includes four upwardly extending drying members, a first pair of the four upwardly extending drying members being shorter than a second pair of the four upwardly extending drying members.

6. The drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform includes lower tray section for holding items of apparel and an upper cover section to cover over the lower tray section.

7. A drying apparatus comprising:

a body portion including a plurality of support members;

a drying member extending upwardly from the body portion and located within an area bounded by the plurality of support members, the drying member including a hollow tube having a first end communicating with a fan to receive an airflow from the fan and having a second end having one or more openings to release the airflow from the drying member, wherein the second end is configured for holding an item of apparel; and

a platform including a first, back side hingedly attached to one or more of the plurality of support members such that the platform can be rotated downward into a position horizontally oriented over the drying member and can be rotated upward allowing for access to the second end of the drying member, wherein when the platform is in the horizontal position, the first, back side of the platform is supported by one or more support members and a second, front side of the platform is supported by a different one or more of the plurality of support members.

8. The drying apparatus of claim 7, including four drying members, a first pair of the four drying members being shorter than a second pair of the four drying members.

9. The drying apparatus of claim 7, wherein the body portion, the plurality of support members, and the drying member are an integral unit of the apparatus.

10. The drying apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fan blows air upwardly through the drying member and through the openings in the second portion of the drying member.

11. The drying apparatus of claim 7, wherein the platform includes lower tray section for holding items of apparel and an upper cover section to cover over the lower tray section.

12. A drying apparatus comprising:

a body portion including an upwardly extending drying member which has an upper portion for holding an item of apparel; and

a platform movably coupled to the body portion and located above the drying member, wherein the platform can be moved from a first, generally horizontal position covering the drying member to a second, non-horizontal position not covering the drying member such that a user has access to the upper portion of the drying member,

wherein the body portion includes four upwardly extending drying members, a first pair of the four upwardly extending drying members being shorter than a second pair of the four upwardly extending drying members.

13. The drying apparatus of claim 12, wherein the body portion includes a plurality of upwardly extending support members and the bench is hingedly coupled to one or more of the upwardly extending support members.

14. The drying apparatus of claim 12, further including a fan coupled to the body portion and configured to blow air through the drying member.

15. A drying apparatus comprising:

a body portion including a plurality of support members;

four drying members, a first pair of the four drying members being shorter than a second pair of the four drying members, each drying member extending upwardly from the body portion and located within an area bounded by the plurality of support members, each drying member including a hollow tube having a first end communicating with a fan to receive an airflow from the fan and having a second end having one or more openings to release the airflow from the drying member, wherein the second end of each drying member is configured for holding an item of apparel; and

a platform including a first side hingedly attached to one or more of the plurality of support members such that the platform can be rotated downward into a position horizontally oriented over the drying members and can be rotated upward allowing for access to the second end of each of the drying members.

16. The drying apparatus of claim 15, wherein the body portion, the plurality of support members, and the drying member are an integral unit of the apparatus.

17. The drying apparatus of claim 15, wherein the platform is supported by the plurality of support members when the platform is in the downward position.

18. The drying apparatus of claim 15, wherein the platform includes lower tray section for holding items of apparel and an upper cover section to cover over the lower tray section.