Patent Application
20190284748
The present invention relates generally to improvements in lockers or storage cabinets used in athletic or sporting facilities, and more specifically to compartments of such lockers for storing wet equipment.
The aesthetics and utility of lockers or storage cabinets in “locker rooms” of athletic and sporting facilities of sports teams and country clubs, for example, have become a measure of the quality and prestige of such organizations and an increasingly important aspect of recruiting new team or club members. Modern lockers are a far cry from the simple wood or metal cabinets of the past.
Modern lockers incorporate storage for specific items of equipment, such as helmets and shoes, and features promoting comfort and luxury. There is a constant need for improvement in both functional and aesthetic aspects of such lockers, including the ability to store athletic or sporting equipment in ways that prolong their useful life.
The novel features believed characteristic of the embodiments of the present application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the embodiments themselves, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the assembly and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims.
Illustrative embodiments of the locker and high-speed drying unit of the present application are provided below. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with assembly-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
Referring now to
Between sidewalls 13 of locker 11, a plurality of compartments 15 are defined by dividers 17 that may include vertical panels parallel to sidewalls 13, or shelves or other horizontally extending surfaces, panels, or platforms that serve to connect sidewalls 13 and lend rigidity and strength to locker 11, in addition to forming compartments 15. Each compartment 15 may be sized and otherwise configured for storage of clothing, sporting equipment, or other items, and may include doors, ventilation grills, sliding components, tilting components, equipment racks, and equipment holders, any of which may be lockable. Locker 11 may also include a generally horizontal seat 19, which sits atop a “footlocker” or lowermost footlocker compartment 16, which may be forward of the remainder of locker 11, and which may form a door to the footlocker compartment 16.
Referring now also to
Upper 35 and lower 37 shelves or horizontal dividers are preferably formed of corrosion-resistant metallic or polymer material (preferably stainless steel) and are hollow and open at least the forward or front ends and serve as air intakes. Shelves 35 and 37 extend at least partially between sidewalls 13 and are in fluid communication with right and left compartment sidewalls 39, which may be formed of at least partially perforated metallic or polymer material, again preferably stainless steel, and may be hollow structures. Compartment sidewalls 39 are just interior of locker sidewalls 13 and extend between and connect shelves 35 and 37. In a similar fashion, a rear wall 41 may be at least partially perforated and formed or metallic or polymeric material to resist corrosion.
As shown in
The unique functionality and capacity of drying unit 31 is best understood by an actual example performed with a working prototype of drying unit 31. In the example, a pair of adult cleats were filled with water and the water was allowed to soak in for two minutes. After two minutes, the remaining water was poured out of the cleats. In addition, a pair of knee braces were dunked under water for several seconds and then removed from the water. Then, the water-soaked cleats and the water-soaked knee braces were placed in drying unit 31. Drying unit 31 was turned on and the cleats and the knee braces were dry in about seventy-five minutes. This example was performed without the use of the optional heating elements described below.
Locker 11 may include a forced-air ventilation system, and the forced-air ventilation system may be connected to an HVAC system for the locker room, so that the “dirty” air being circulated throughout locker 11 may be vented and/or filtered outside of the locker room. Drying unit 31 may be separate from such forced-air ventilation system contain in locker 11, or may be integrated with such forced-air ventilation system of locker 11. Indeed, it may be desirable to exhaust the air from drying unit 31 to an external location to assist in eliminating any odor contained within drying unit 31 and/or the items being dried. Thus, drying unit 31 may include conduits and adapters for attachment to the forced-air ventilation system and/or the HVAC system.
Drying unit 31 may include one or more heating elements to assist in the high-speed drying of the clothing and/or equipment placed in drying unit 31. The heating elements selectively heat the air that is circulated by fans 43, thereby accelerating the time required to dry the equipment and/or clothing. In addition, drying unit 31 may include one or more chemical dispensing units for selectively dispensing chemicals, such as detergents, deodorants, anti-bacterial chemicals, anti-static substances, etc. during the operation of drying unit 31. The heating elements and the chemical dispensing units are preferably disposed within void spaces in upper and lower shelves 35 and 37, side walls 39, and/or rear wall 41 of drying unit 31. It will be appreciated that the fans 43, the heating elements, and/or the chemical dispensing units may be controlled by a specialized microprocessor-controlled computerized control system and/or computer network that may be selectively programmed to control the operational parameters and maintenance of drying unit 31. In this manner, multiple drying units 31 over multiple lockers 11 may be networked together to perform the efficient operation of drying units 31. It will be appreciated that the heating elements may be in communication with a centralized source of heat, such as a main gas or electric heater, boiler, or other heat source, where the heat is distributed to the individual lockers 11. Similarly, the chemical dispensing units may be in communication with a centralized source of chemicals, such as tank or reservoir, where the chemicals are distributed to the individual lockers.
In operation, wet clothing and/or equipment may be inserted into drying unit 31. Fans 43 may be energized or turned on by a manual switch or automatically via the control system. The control system may include an optical or other type of sensor that detects the presence of items in drying unit 31 and energizes fans 43 only while items are present and require drying. Fans 43 may alternatively run “full-time” or on a timer on a specific, predetermined schedule, for example, at night, or for two hours after events or practices are scheduled to end.
Fans 43, when energized, draw air from the exterior of locker 11 through hollow shelves or panels 35 and 37, into sidewalls 39, and into the interior of compartment 31. Shelves or panels 35 and 37 and compartment sidewalls 39 act as intakes and ducts for the air moved by fans 43. The circulating, forced air assists in drying the items in compartment 31. Air may be exhausted through perforated rear panel 41, either to the atmosphere external to locker 11, or to the plenum of a forced-air ventilation system as described in commonly invented U.S. application Ser. No. 15/897,875, filed Feb. 15, 2018, and Ser. No. 15/823,073, filed Dec. 5, 2017, which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The heating elements and/or the chemical dispensers may be selectively utilized during the drying process.
It is apparent that a system with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description and claims. Although the present embodiments are shown above, they are not limited to just these embodiments, but are amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
