Patent Application
20080222909
The present disclosure generally relates to an appliance useful for the cleaning and refreshing of fabrics. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to a portable appliance useful for the cleaning, drying, and refreshing of fabrics. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to a collapsible, portable appliance, modular in its construction, so as to handle the cleaning, drying, and refreshing of fabrics in a hanging and/or laying orientation.
Certain fabrics are not suitable for conventional in-home immersion cleaning processes. Home washing machines can, under certain conditions, shrink or otherwise damage silk, linen, wool, and other delicate fabrics. Consumers typically have these delicate fabric items dry-cleaned. Other fabrics are easily wrinkled and ironing of these items is a time consuming and often undesirable task. Finally, some items are often worn only for special occasions and do not require an in-depth cleaning as might be required by clothing worn all-day or during strenuous physical activity. Such items often require nothing more than “freshening up” to be suitable for re-use.
With regard to those fabrics that are typically dry-cleaned, attempts have been made to provide in-home systems that combine the fabric cleaning and refreshing of in-home, immersion laundering processes with the fabric care benefits of dry-cleaning processes. One such in-home system for cleaning and refreshing garments comprises a substrate sheet containing various liquid or gelled cleaning agents, and a plastic enclosure. The garments are placed into the enclosure together with the sheet, and then tumbled in a conventional clothes dryer.
Unfortunately, such in-home processes are designed for use in a conventional clothes dryer. Such an appliance is not always available, and they are often uneconomical. Moreover, in many locales clothes dryers are unnecessary as local weather conditions provide an adequate environment to allow for year-round outdoor drying of clothing in the sun.
Steamer cabinets have also been utilized in the past to treat fabrics with heavy doses of steam, in an effort to both cleanse and deodorize the fabrics. Unfortunately, past steam cabinets were largely uncontrolled with respect to temperature and humidity. The cabinets were generally large appliances that were not portable. Due to the large uncontrolled amounts of steam used a drying step is often required that requires additional time and energy, as well as potentially resulting in undesirable shrinkage of the garment.
In accordance with the present disclosure an apparatus suitable for refreshing/cleaning, steaming, deodorizing, and/or drying cloth fabrics is disclosed. Such apparatus may generally be comprised of a base and a foldable, telescoping rigid frame designed to support a suspended collapsible enclosure. Associated with the enclosure may be a portable heater, blower assembly with integral controls, including a plurality of temperature settings.
The base may be a molded plastic base having an internal configuration for directing any moisture collected from the drying clothing into a receptacle associated therein. Additionally, the base may include an integrally formed duct and vent for directing heated air or steam from the associated heater/blower assembly into the collapsible enclosure.
The enclosure may be comprised of any suitable sturdy material for forming the outermost housing of the apparatus. Such enclosure may be constructed to include internal points of attachment at various locations along its length to support removable shelves suited for supporting garments preferably dried in a horizontal position. Alternatively, such enclosure may further include an internal, collapsible ladder-like frame of suitable material for supporting removable shelves at those points along its length that correspond to the steps of the ladder structure. The shelves may be attached in any known suitable manner, but are preferably formed about a peripheral framework to ensure that the shelves remain in a semi-rigid and supportive configuration under load. Finally, the enclosure may include either a plurality of entry ports for access to clothing at various levels within the apparatus or alternatively, the apparatus may comprise a single access port having a configuration for opening such port from either end or along the entire length of the enclosure.
The enclosure is supported by a foldable, rigid, telescoping frame. Such frame may be comprised of a pair of inverted Y-shaped, telescoping members. Each of the pair of inverted Y-shaped members may be hinged at both of the corners of the side of the base with which it is associated. When opened, the frame may be extended to its full height by using snap lock, ball and detent, or other suitable securing means for maintaining the extended telescoping members. Finally, a single rod may be used to secure the uppermost ends of the pair of inverted Y-shaped members together. Such rod may also serve as the hanging rod for clothes being treated while on a hanger device.
Once fully erected, a user may choose to incorporate the removable shelves in a manner consistent with the structure used to support such shelves. Otherwise, clothing may be introduced into the apparatus through the at least one access port for treatment. The heater/blower may be set as appropriate to the treatment selected and the access port secured to allow the apparatus to either clean, refresh, steam, deodorize, or dry the cloth fabric therein.
A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The present disclosure relates to a portable garment treatment apparatus. The garment treatment apparatus includes a collapsible enclosure supported by an expandable frame. The expandable frame can adjusted to increase or decrease the size of the enclosure, or in the alternative, can be collapsed to minimize the size of the apparatus for storage. A blower unit is attached to the apparatus to provided air into the enclosure.
Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in
The frame members 14 and 16 each include a first mast 22, 24 sliding mounted to the lower frame 18, 20. The first masts 22, 24 are telescoping with respect to the lower frames 18, from a compact first position to an extended second position. A locking mechanism 26, 28 is provided on each of the lower frames 18, 20 for locking the position of the first masts 22, 24 with respect to the lower frames 18, 20.
A second mast 30, 32 is telescopically mounted to each of the first masts 22, 24. The second masts 30, 32 are slideable with respect to the first masts 22, 24 from a retracted first position to an extended second position. A locking mechanism 34, 36 is provided on each of the first masts 22, 24 for locking the position of the second masts 30, 32 with respect to the first masts 22, 24.
The first and second masts 22, 24 and 30, 32 are selective positionable from a retracted position to an extended position. In the retracted position, the first and second masts 22, 24 and 30, 32 are fully retracted within the lower frames 18, 20, such that the lower frames 18, 20 can be rotated to the horizontal position with respect to the base 12. In the extended position, the lower frames 18, 20 are rotated to a vertical position, and the first and second masts 22, 24 and 30, 32 are either partially or fully extended in the vertical direction.
The locking mechanisms 26, 28 and 34, 36 can be snap-lock or detent and ball type locking mechanisms. However, it is contemplated that other known types of locking mechanisms can be utilized to lock the travel of a masts 22, 24 and 30, 32.
A collapsible enclosure 38 is mounted to and supported between that the frame assemblies 14 and 16. The collapsible enclosure 38 can be expanded from a compact position to an expanded position. In the compact position, the enclosure 38 is folded into the base 12, the frame assemblies 14 and 16 being rotated over the enclosure 38. In the expanded position, the enclosure 38 is vertically raised as the first and second masts 22, 24 and 30, 32 are either partially or fully extended in the vertical direction.
A lower end 40 of the enclosure 38 is removable attached about the base 12, such that as the enclosure 38 is expanded, defining an interior space, The interior space is configured for receiving the garments to be treated. A front surface 42 of the enclosure 38 includes an access panel 44 for providing access to the interior space of the enclosure 38. The front surface 42 further includes a closure mechanism 46 for the opening and closing of the access panel 44 to the front surface 42. The closure mechanism can be a zipper, hook and loop, or other types of know closure mechanisms. Only one access panel is depicted in the figures, however, it is contemplated that the enclosure can include one or more access panels.
A handle 48 can be provided on a top surface 50 of the enclosure 38. The handle 48 can be utilized to facilitate the raising and lowering of the enclosure 38.
A blower unit 52 is removable connected to the base 12. The blower unit 52 is connected to the base 12 to provide a continual stream of air to the interior space of the enclosure 38. The blower unit 52 can include a heating element to provide heated air to the interior space of the enclosure 38.
The blower unit 52 can further function as a heater, humidifier, ozonator, ionizer, oderizer, dryer or steamer. The blower unit 52 can also perform a combination of the above noted functions.
Referring to
The base 12 further includes an air duct 62, having a first open end 64 for attachment of the blower 52. The air duct 62 extends through the bottom surface 56 of the tray 54 having a second open end 66 through which the blower 52 vents air into the enclosure 38.
The edge 64 of the indented tray 54 can includes a lipped portion 66 for attachment of the lower end 40 of the enclosure 38. However, is in also contemplated that other attachment mechanisms can be used, including, but not limited to, zippers, hook and loop-, snapper, and other know devices.
Referring also to
Similarly, pivotal connection 70c and 70d are aligned defining an axis of rotation R2. The ends 20a-b of the lower frame 20 are one each connected to the pivotal connections 70c-d, such that lower frame 20 is rotatable about axis of rotation R2.
The extensions 68a-d can be hollow, such that the ends 18a-b and 20a-b of the lower frames 18 and 20 can be slide into the extensions 68a-d. In this manner the lower frames 18,20 can be locked in the vertical position. To rotate that lower frame 18,20 to the horizontal position, the ends 18a-b and 20a-b of the lower frames 18 and 20 lifted out of the extensions 68a-d and the lower frames 18,20 are rotated to the vertical position.
Referring to
A shelf system 76 is supported between the top frame 72 and the base 12. The shelf system 76 includes support members 78a-d extending between the top frame 72 and the base 12. One or more shelves 80 can be position on the support members 78a-d, where the shelves 80 provide a platform for the holding the garments. The shelves 80 can be removable attached to the support members 78a-d, such that the shelves 80 can be removed or repositioned as needed.
Referring to
As previously noted, the size of the garment apparatus 10 of the present disclosure can be selectively increased or decreased. Referring to
Referring also to
In use, the framed 14 and 16 are separated and rotated into a substantially vertically position. The top frame 72 is connected to the ends 30a, 32a of the second masts 30, 32. The first and second masts 22, 24, and 30, 32 are selected raised and locked into place. For a fully size configuration, the first and second masts 22, 24, and 30, 32 are fully extended. The access panel 44 is opened and the garments are positioned in the interior space. The garments can be positioned on the shelves 80, or one or more of the upper the shelves 80 can be removed so that the garments can be hung from the hanging bar 74. Upon sealing the access panel 44, the blower unit 52 is turned on. Optionally, the heating element of the blower unit 52 can be actuated to provide heated air to the interior of the enclosure 80. The blower unit 52 can include differing air and temperature setting for the treatment of different types of fabrics.
Upon completion of use, the garments are removed from the interior space. The collection tray 60 is removed and any accumulated moisture therein is disposed of. The apparatus 10 is then collapsed for storage.
Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification.
All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.
The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/906,636 for Gentle Dryer, filed on Mar. 12, 2007, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60906636 | Mar 2007 | US |
