Patent Application
20180209735
The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of sports accessories and more specifically relates to sporting gear drying equipment.
Protective pads, helmets, gloves, special footgear, colorful clothing and other apparel and equipment have become more popular (and more expensive) for a variety of sports. Proper care and conditioning of such equipment is important so that the equipment lasts longer and is comfortable and safe to wear. Soccer, hockey, football, lacrosse and even inline skating are examples of sports that typically require protective elbow pads, knee pads, shin pads, gloves, helmets, special footwear, and, in the case of hockey and inline skating, skates, which are frequently made of leather.
Through use, such equipment becomes damp from sweat. When the equipment is used frequently, such as for daily practice and games, unless it is stored and conditioned properly, it does not dry between uses, but stays damp and becomes smelly and unsanitary. This problem is compounded during periods when, for example, the equipment is used for a tournament or training camp, in which it is typically used several times a day, perhaps for several days in a row.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,015,955 to Jean-François Vezina, Pierrot Lebel relates to a Collapsible Drying Container. Lebel describes a container for storing and drying garments or sport equipment, which comprises an external envelope comprising a resistant material; and a ventilation structure through which air can be blown for drying the garments or sports equipment. The Lebel ventilation structure supports the external envelope, and comprises hanging elements for hanging the garments or sports equipment thereon. The ventilation structure is capable of adopting a retracted position and an extended position. When in the extended position, the ventilation structure occupies more space than when in the retracted position.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known sports accessories art, the present disclosure provides a novel sporting equipment drying rack. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a sporting equipment drying rack may comprise a collapsible structure useful for holding sporting gear and equipment. The sporting equipment drying rack may be compact for portability, and may be particularly useful for drying and deodorizing wet and smelly hockey equipment after use. An exemplary, non-limiting example of sporting equipment may be a set of hockey equipment.
A sporting equipment drying rack is disclosed herein. The sporting equipment drying rack may generally comprise a base frame, a first “C” shaped tubular member, a second “C” shaped tubular member, at least one first tubular post, and at least one second tubular post.
The base frame may be formed by a plurality of tubular frame members that include a front frame member, a first-side frame member, a second-side frame member, and a back frame member. In a preferred embodiment, the base frame is substantially rectangular and comprises a plurality of fittings for removably coupling the first “C” shaped tubular member, the second “C” shaped tubular member, the first tubular post, and the second tubular post. Further, the base frame may comprise an air flow inlet port configured to internally receive a flow of air from an air blower (such as an air blower).
The first “C” shaped tubular member may be removably coupleable to a midpoint of the first-side member of the base frame, to a midpoint of the second-side of the base frame and in perpendicular orientation to a plane formed by the base frame.
The second “C” shaped tubular member may be removably coupleable to the back frame member, in perpendicular orientation to the plane formed by the base frame, and in parallel orientation to a plane formed by the first “C” shaped tubular member.
The first tubular post(s) may be removably coupleable and in perpendicular orientation to the base frame. The second tubular post(s) may be removably coupleable and in perpendicular orientation to the base frame. Further, the second tubular post(s) may be shorter than the first tubular post(s). As may be appreciated, the first tubular post(s) and the second tubular post(s) may comprise a plurality of ventilation holes therein for allowing the ventilation of air.
A method of using the sporting equipment drying rack is also disclosed herein. The method of may comprise the steps of: assembling the sporting equipment drying rack; placing various sporting equipment and/or athletic gear on the sporting equipment drying rack; connecting an air blower to the air flow inlet port; activating the air blower; and drying the sporting equipment and/or athletic gear. An optional step of using fragrance pellets is also suggested for freshening the scent of very smelly sporting gear.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a sporting equipment drying rack, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sports accessory and more particularly to a sporting equipment drying rack as used to improve the drying of sporting equipment and athletic apparel after use.
Generally, a sporting equipment drying rack may comprise a collapsible structure useful for holding sporting gear and equipment. The sporting equipment drying rack may be compact for portability, and may be particularly useful for drying and deodorizing wet and smelly sporting equipment (such as hockey gear and apparel) after use.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in
Furthermore, the base frame 102 may be formed by a plurality of tubular frame members 104 that include a front frame member 106, a first-side frame member 108, a second-side frame member 110, and a back frame member 112. Preferably, the base frame 102 is substantially rectangular and comprises a plurality of fittings 135 for removably coupling the first “C” shaped tubular member 115, the second “C” shaped tubular member 120, the first tubular post 125, and the second tubular post 130. In other embodiments, the base frame 102 may comprise other shapes and dimensions.
Further, the base frame 102 may comprise an air flow inlet port 160 configured to internally receive a flow of air from an air supply 20 (such as an air blower). As shown, the air flow inlet port 160 may be connected to the base frame 102 of the sporting equipment drying rack 100.
The first “C” shaped tubular member 115 may be removably coupleable to a midpoint of the first-side member of the base frame 102, to a midpoint of the second-side of the base frame 102 and in perpendicular orientation to a plane formed by the base frame 102.
The second “C” shaped tubular member 120 may be removably coupleable to the back frame member 112, in perpendicular orientation to the plane formed by the base frame 102, and in parallel orientation to a plane formed by the first “C” shaped tubular member 115.
The first tubular post(s) 125 may be removably coupleable and in perpendicular orientation to the base frame 102. The second tubular post(s) 130 may be removably coupleable and in perpendicular orientation to the base frame 102. Further, the second tubular post(s) 130 may be shorter than the first tubular post(s) 125. As may be appreciated, the first tubular post(s) 125 and the second tubular post(s) 130 may comprise a plurality of ventilation holes 155 therein for allowing the ventilation of air. As may be further seen, a third tubular post 165 may be coupled to the base frame 102 by the first “C” shaped tubular member 115. As shown, the third tubular post 165 may comprise the plurality of ventilation holes 155.
In continuing to refer to
As may further be seen, the first tubular post 125 may comprise an end cap 175, the second tubular post 130 may comprise an end cap 175, and the third tubular post 165 may comprise an end cap 175. In such a manner, air may be contained within the hollow volume of the sporting equipment drying rack 100 such that air may only escape through the plurality of ventilation holes 155.
During use, sporting equipment 5 and other athletic apparel is hung on, about, and over the first tubular post 125, the second tubular post 130, the third tubular post 165, the first “C” shaped tubular member 115, and the second “C” shaped tubular member 120 of the sporting equipment drying rack 100. In such a manner, used and sweaty sporting equipment 5 will be spread out and dried by the air supply 20 as directed through the interior hollow volume of the sporting equipment drying rack 100 and out the plurality of ventilation holes 155. In one embodiment, the air flow inlet port 160 may comprise an open tube of a back of the hollow base frame 102 as shown in
In continuing to refer to
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the air flow inlet port 160 may comprise a cavity for retaining fragrance pellets. Fragrance pellets may be useful for adding a freshening scent agent into air flow as generated by the air supply 20 throughout the hollow base frame 102 and through the first “U” shaped member, the second “U” shaped member, and the at least two posts with the first length and second length. The end cap 175 may work to seal the air flow within such that the air flow may only escape through the ventilation holes 155.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, there may be exactly four posts with the first length and exactly two posts with the second length. The first length may comprise a length of 8 inches and the second length may comprise a length of 24 inches.
In continuing to refer to
In one embodiment, the base member 102 may comprise a single integrated tubing. In other embodiments, the base member 102 may comprise a plurality of connecting members. For example, the base member may comprise 12 T-connecting members. Other members may be utilized for constructing the base member. In all embodiments, the base member is hollow such that air is able to flow there-through.
In yet another embodiment, the sporting equipment drying rack 100 may comprise the following parts: nine (9) 90 degree elbow members; twelve (12) “T” tubular members; seven (7) end caps; and 21 feet of 1½ tubing. In such a manner, the base member 102 may comprise 28 separate pieces fitted together to form the base member 102.
It should be noted that step six 506 is an optional step and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use 500 are illustrated using dotted lines in
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
