Storage rack

• US 6,880,711 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Ultimate Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Ultimate Group, LLC
• Inventors: Collier, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROBERT W
• Application Number:
  US10/442,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 211/85.7, 211/85.3, 211/34, D 6/552, 34/90, 341/03, 341/04
• US Class Current: 211/85.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/0671 Dress valets
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/16 for complete outfits A47G25/40, A47G25/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 59/02 for garments

Abstract

A storage rack provides a convenient means to both dry and store often cumbersome athletic clothing and equipment. The storage rack is of an endo-type design in the sense that the stored athletic equipment and clothing is substantially draped over or encapsulated various appendages of a hollow shell of the rack. Internal surfaces of the athletic equipment and clothing are dried by a series of air flow apertures carried by each appendage which communicate inwardly with a common air chamber held at superatmospheric pressure and defined by the shell. Preferably an inlet supply air passage is also carried by the shell for receiving superatmospheric air into the air chamber.

Claims

1. A storage rack for the drying and storage of athletic clothing and equipment having outward surfaces which face outward from the athlete when worn and inward surfaces which bear upon the body of the athlete when being worn, the drying rack comprising:

a hollow shell having an external face and an internal face defining an air chamber;

an air passage carried by the shell and communicating with the air chamber;

a plurality of apertures extending through the shell, wherein superatmospheric air flows from the air chamber, through the aperture and against the inward surface of the athletic clothing-and-equipment;

wherein the air passage is constructed and arranged to flow superatmospheric air into the air chamber;

a frame engaged to a ventilation grill;

a flexible duct defining the air supply passage and engaged between the frame and the shell; and

wherein forced air flowing through the ventilation grill flows into the air chamber as the superatmospheric air.

2. The storage rack set forth in claim 1 wherein the ventilation grill is metallic and a magnetic strip of the frame secures the frame to the grill.

3. A storage rack for the drying and storage of athletic clothing and equipment having outward surfaces which face outward from the athlete when worn and inward surfaces which bear upon the body of the athlete when being worn, the drying rack comprising:

a hollow shell having an external face and an internal face defining an air chamber;

an air passage carried by the shell and communicating with the air chamber;

a plurality of apertures extending through the shell, wherein superatmospheric air flows from the air chamber, through the aperture and against the inward surface of the athletic clothing-and-equipment;

the external face having a front portion, a back portion, a first side, and an opposing second side, wherein the first and second sides extend between the front and back portions;

a slot of the shell opened downwardly and defined between the first and second sides;

an elongated foot member disposed substantially horizontally and perpendicular to the shell; and

a slot carried by and extending laterally through the foot member, wherein the foot member is press fitted into the slot of the shell and the shell is press fitted into the slot carried by the foot member.

4. A storage rack for the drying and storage of athletic clothing and equipment having outward surfaces which face outward from the athlete when worn and inward surfaces which bear upon the body of the athlete when being worn, the drying rack comprising:

a hollow shell having an external face and an internal face defining an air chamber;

an air passage carried by the shell and communicating with the air chamber;

a plurality of apertures extending through the shell, wherein superatmospheric air flows from the air chamber, through the aperture and against the inward surface of the athletic clothing-and-equipment;

a hollow torso of the shell communicating directly with the air passage;

a plurality of hollow appendages of the shell, wherein one of the plurality of hollow appendages communicates directly with the hollow torso;

wherein the plurality of apertures are distributed amongst the plurality of hollow appendages and the athletic clothing and equipment is draped selectively over respective ones of the plurality of hollow appendages;

a pair of legs of the plurality of hollow appendages extending downward from the hollow torso;

a pair of elongated feet members disposed perpendicular to the pair of legs, wherein each one of the pair of elongated feet members is engaged to a respective one of the pair of legs for bracing the torso in an upright position;

a pair of arms of the plurality of hollow appendages spaced above the pair of legs; and

a pair of gloves supported by the pair of arms for drying.

5. The storage rack set forth in claim 4 also comprising a head of the plurality of hollow appendages projecting upward from the hollow torso between the pair of arms.

6. The storage rack set forth in claim 4 comprising a pair of stanchions of the plurality of hollow appendages wherein each one of the pair of stanchions project upward from each respective one of the pair of legs.

7. The storage rack set forth in claim 4 comprising:

a top member of the torso;

a bottom member of the torso press fitted to the top member;

a first arm of the pair of arms projecting outward from the top member;

a second arm of the pair of arms projecting outward from the top member and in an opposite direction from the first arm; and

the pair of legs projecting outward from the bottom member.

8. A storage rack for the drying and storage of athletic clothing and equipment having outward surfaces which face outward from the athlete when worn and inward surfaces which bear upon the body of the athlete when being worn, the drying rack comprising:

a hollow shell having an external face and an internal face defining an air chamber;

an air passage carried by the shell and communicating with the air chamber;

a plurality of apertures extending through the shell, wherein superatmospheric air flows from the air chamber, through the aperture and against the inward surface of the athletic clothing-and-equipment;

a hollow torso of the shell communicating directly with the air passage;

a plurality of hollow appendages of the shell wherein one of the plurality of hollow appendages communicates directly with the hollow torso;

wherein the plurality of apertures are distributed amongst the plurality of hollow appendages and the athletic clothing and equipment is draped selectively over respective ones of the plurality of hollow appendages;

a pair of legs of the plurality of hollow appendages extending downward from the hollow torso;

a pair of elongated feet members disposed perpendicular to the pair of legs, wherein each one of the pair of elongated feet members is engaged to a respective one of the pair of legs for bracing the torso in an upright position;

a pair of arms of the plurality of hollow appendages disposed above the pair of legs; and

a reinforcement webbing engaged between the exterior face at the torso and the exterior face at each one of the pair of arms.

9. The storage rack set forth in claim 8 wherein the reinforcement webbing is disposed below the pair of arms and has an eyelet for suspending a hanger.

10. A storage rack for the drying and storage of athletic clothing and equipment having outward surfaces which face outward from the athlete when worn and inward surfaces which bear upon the body of the athlete when being worn, the drying rack comprising:

a hollow shell having an external face and an internal face defining an air chamber;

an air passage carried by the shell and communicating with the air chamber;

a plurality of apertures extending through the shell, wherein superatmospheric air flows from the air chamber, through the aperture and against the inward surface of the athletic clothing-and-equipment;

a hollow torso of the shell communicating directly with the air passage;

a plurality of hollow appendages of the shell, wherein one of the plurality of hollow appendages communicates directly with the hollow torso;

wherein the plurality of apertures are distributed amongst the plurality of hollow appendages and the athletic clothing and equipment is draped selectively over respective ones of the plurality of hollow appendages;

a pair of legs of the plurality of hollow appendages extending downward from the hollow torso;

a pair of elongated feet members disposed perpendicular to the pair of legs, wherein each one of the pair of elongated feet members is engaged to a respective one of the pair of legs for bracing the torso in an upright position; and

wherein the air passage is defined by a crotch member disposed between the pair of legs.

11. The storage rack set forth in claim 10 wherein the hollow shell is made of plastic.

12. The storage rack set forth in claim 11 wherein the hollow shell is made of molded plastic.

13. The storage rack set forth in claim 10 wherein the hollow shell is made of polyvinyl chloride piping.

14. The storage rack set forth in claim 10 comprising a scenting element disposed in the air chamber.

15. An endo-type storage rack for organizing athletic clothing and equipment, the storage rack comprising:

a torso having an upright stature;

a first bent leg projecting downward from the torso;

a first stanchion projecting upward from the first bent leg for storing a first shoe in an inverted position;

a first foot engaged to and disposed perpendicular to the first leg;

a first arm engaged directly to the torso and spaced above the first leg for storing a first glove; and

a head projecting upward from the torso for storing a helmet.

16. The endo-type storage rack set forth in claim 15 comprising:

a second bent leg projecting downward from the torso;

a second stanchion projecting upward from the second bent leg for storing a second shoe in an inverted position;

a second foot engaged to and disposed perpendicular to the first leg and parallel to the first foot; and

a second arm projecting from the torso and away from the first arm and spaced above the second leg for storing a second glove.

17. The endo-type storage rack set forth in claim 16 wherein the first and second arms each have a horizontal portion engaged directly to the torso and a distal vertical portion projecting from the horizontal portion, and wherein the head is centered horizontally between the horizontal portions of the first and second arms, the first and second gloves are fitted over the respective distal vertical portions, and shoulder pads are draped over the horizontal portion.

18. The endo-type storage rack set forth in claim 17 comprising:

an air chamber defined by the torso, the first and second arms, the head, the first and second legs and the first and second stanchions;

an air inlet passage carried by the torso and communicating with the air chamber for supplying superatmospheric air to the air chamber; and

a plurality of apertures communicating with the air chamber and distributed amongst the first and second arms, the head, and the first and second stanchions.