Patent Application
20180058760
The present invention relates generally to improvements in lockers or storage cabinets used in athletic or sporting facilities, and more specifically to compartments within such lockers configured and adapted especially for storing equipment such as pads or helmets.
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 may incorporate storage for specific items of equipment, such as helmets and shoes, and features promoting comfort and luxury. One consistent problem in locker rooms of all types is the storage of heavy, cumbersome equipment such as football, lacrosse, or hockey helmets and pads. There is a constant need for improvement in this and other aspects of such lockers.
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 according to 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 the sidewalls 13 of locker 11, a plurality of compartments 15 are defined by shelves or other horizontally extending surfaces or platforms. As used herein, “sidewall” or “sidewalls” may refer to either “main” sidewalls 13 or other upstanding or generally vertical sidewalls arranged between the “main” sidewalls. Multiple additional sidewalls 13 may be placed between the “main” or exterior sidewalls 13 to define compartments 15 in cooperation with generally horizontally extending shelves. Each compartment 15 may be sized and otherwise configured for storage of clothing or sporting equipment or other items and may include at least one door, which may be lockable. Locker 11 may also be provided with a bench seat 17 or similar seating arrangement.
Among the compartments in locker 11 according to the present application may be a helmet or pad compartment, generally located at the upper end of locker 11. An equipment fixture or rack 21 may be disposed on the shelf defining the lower extent of the helmet or pad compartment. Rack 21 may be configured and arranged to store a football or similar helmet alone or together with shoulder pads or other protective equipment. The shelf on which rack 21 is mounted may preferably be provided with drawer slides to permit the shelf and rack 21 to move horizontally in and out of the compartment of locker 11 between an extended or deployed position and a stored position for ease of use, as shown in
As shown in
The fan may be powered by AC or DC electric current and may be provided with a switch to control its operation. The switch may be manually operated, or may be actuated automatically by the weight of the helmet on post 27 and support member 29, manually, by a timer, by voice actuation, by detection of the presence of a condition such as heat, moisture, or odor, or the like.
Rack or fixture 21 may be constructed of steel or aluminum tubing, welded or otherwise secured together in sections comprising posts 23, crossbar 25, and post 27 and secured to its shelf by screws or bolts through a flange, as illustrated. The hollow nature of the preferred tubing may permit passage of electric cables and air or other gases for power or ventilation and reduces the overall weight of rack 21.
Rack or fixture 21 may include lights, speakers, or other functional and/or aesthetic features to improve the desirability of rack or fixture 21. For example, LED lights may be added to rack 21, so that when a helmet is placed on rack 21 the LED light illuminates to backlight the helmet. Such aesthetic features, such as lighting and sound systems, can be integral across a multi-locker system, so that the effects can be controlled from a central location and/or server. It will be appreciated that such automated systems can also be used in managerial and/or security functions to determine the presence or absence of a helmet and/or shoulder pads on rack 21. Thus, an equipment manager can quickly determine from a central server whether specific helmets and/or shoulder pads are missing.
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.
