Patent Application
20170295928
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 shoes.
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 wet, muddy, or dirty athletic or sporting shoes, such as football cleats, basketball shoes, or golf spikes. Conventional storage compartments may not promote proper or adequate ventilation or drying and become filled with debris falling from the shoes. This is but one problem confronted in locker design. 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 may be placed between the “main” or exterior sidewalls 13 to define compartments 15 in cooperation with 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.
Among the compartments in locker 11 according to the present application is a shoe-storage compartment 17. Shoe-storage compartment 17 includes a pair of spaced-apart, opposed or opposing front and rear endwalls 19, which are connected at the top and bottom. Heavy-duty drawer slides 21 may be mounted at the top and bottom of end walls 19 and are secured to the interior of sidewalls 13 to permit the enclosure to slide or move between open or extended (see
As shown in
At least one side of compartment 17 must be open in the open position to permit access to projections 23. A perforated stainless steel rear wall 25 may extend between endwalls 19 to add strength to enclosure or compartment 17. The perforations permit air circulation to allow stored shoes to dry. Some lockers 11 may be provided with forced-air ventilation (either wholly or partially self-contained or coupled to building HVAC) for various compartments, including compartment 17. Such ventilation may include anti-odor, anti-fungal, or anti-bacterial treatments. A removable debris tray 27 may be disposed at the bottom of enclosure 17 to catch mud, grass and other debris from shoes stored in enclosure 17. Tray 27 may be removed and debris emptied and replaced.
In operation, the locker user pulls shoe compartment 17 from the stored, closed, or retracted position into the open or extended position and places recently worn, dirty, and/or sweaty or otherwise wet shoes onto projections 23. Compartment 17 then may be closed, where the shoes will dry. Any dried mud or grass or other debris falling from shoes will land on tray 27, which may be removed for disposal of the debris.
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.
