WET-FLOOR-DRYER CAUTION SIGN

• US 20080271338A1
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas Gordon Muir, Terry L. Brookshire
• Original Assignee: Douglas Gordon Muir, Terry L. Brookshire
• Inventors: Brookshire, Terry L., Muir, Douglas Gordon
• Application Number:
  US12/015,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/201
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/001 Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure

Abstract

A device that dries a wet surface, or defrosts a frozen surface, and warns of a slippery condition created by the wet surface, or any hazardous condition in that vicinity. The wet surface may be dried by a fan circulating heated or non-heated air discharged from the center of the hazardous location in an efficient 360 degree pattern via a diffuser. The warning may be visual or audible. The device may be battery powered or powered via a standard extension cord from a common power outlet. The battery may be rechargeable from either standard power outlets or onboard solar cells. The device may be able to disperse deodorizers or insect repellent or insecticides or any combination of these. The device may be able to filter the air. The device is typically quite portable.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a warning unit;

an air circulating unit to circulate air; and

an enclosure having a base and a top with at least one first opening proximate the base and one or more second openings proximate the top, the enclosure having at least one inner side to attach the warning unit and to attach the air circulating unit and to permit the air to circulate through the interior of the enclosure and through the at least one first opening in the base,

wherein at least one first opening in the base permits air flow in substantially 360 degrees at the base, into or out of the enclosure.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit is a visual display unit.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the visual display unit includes one of a light emitting diode (LED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit comprises an audio output unit.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device has eye level pole attachment of visual or audible warning device.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the air circulating unit is a fan.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the fan is surrounded by a shroud that lies substantially perpendicular to the direction of airflow through the fan.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprises an air treatment section and wherein the air flows past the air treatment section and disperses a deodorizer, insect repellent, insecticide, or any combination thereof.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an air treatment section to filter the air.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a battery, wherein the warning unit and the air circulating unit are powered by the battery.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the battery recharges from a solar unit.

13. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a diffuser in the enclosure to diffuse the air flow proximate the base.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein power is supplied by an extension cord.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit to heat the air flow.

16. A device comprising:

means to provide warning of a wet surface; and

means for drying the wet surface so that an air flow is created at a base of the device in a direction substantially 360 degrees outwardly from the base to flow across the wet surface to dry the wet surface by evaporation.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the warning means is visual.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the warning means is audible.

19. The device according to claim 16, further comprising an extension attachment to display a visual or audible warning device at a substantially elevated height.

20. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a heating unit to heat the air flow.

21. A device according to claim 16, wherein the drying means circulates air through an enclosure containing the drying means.

22. A device according to claim 16, further comprising a battery to power the warning means and the drying means.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

24. A device according to claim 22, wherein the battery recharges from a solar unit.

25. The device according to claim 16 wherein the air flow is configured to disperse a deodorizer, insect repellent, insecticide, or any combination thereof.

26. The device according to claim 16, further comprising an air filter unit to filter the air flow.

27. The device of claim 16, further comprising a power cord retractor to retract a power cord.

28. The device of claim 16, further comprising a control panel to control operation of the means for drying and the means for warning.