SPORTS EQUIPMENT BAG WITH INTEGRAL DRYING RACK

Abstract

A garment transportation and the drying device is provided with a transportation frame for carrying a container for garments, and a drying frame, the drying frame being deployable for supporting garments to be dried when the device is used in drying mode. The transportation frame provides support for a container such as a hockey bag and may be mounted on wheels to operate as a dolly. The drying frame includes a series of drying supports, preferably in the form of cantilevered arms extending from a central support post. Items to be dried such as gloves, etc., may be slid over the free ends of the cantilevered arms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the garment transportation and the drying device of the invention positioned in transportation mode without a garment container positioned thereon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the garment transportation and the drying device of the invention positioned in the drying mode without a garment container positioned thereon and with the drying frame and the supports deployed.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the garment transportation and the drying device of the invention positioned in transportation mode without a garment container positioned thereon.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the device of FIG. 2 with a garment bag in place and the drying frame and the supports deployed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts a garment transportation and the drying device 1 according to the invention having a transportation frame 2 for carrying a container for garments. This transportation frame 2 has two vertical support elements 2A. Within the transportation frame 2 is a drying frame 3 carried by the transportation frame 2. The drying frame 3 has a central post 4 hinged at its lower end to a lower transverse member 5 of the transportation frame 2, at a point which is preferably midway between two wheels 6. Optionally, this post 4 could be hinged from the lower transverse member 5 at a point laterally from a central location. This would serve to permit the use of longer horizontal drying support members 10. The post 4 may also form part of dual support posts (not shown) with posts located on either side of the center of the transportation frame 2. The hinge 7 allows the central post 4 to be swung outwardly along an arc extending from the transportation frame 2, converting the assembly into the drying configuration.

At the bottom of the transportation frame 2 two horizontally protruding container support members 8 preferably extend at an angle, preferably generally perpendicular, from the plane of the vertically extending transportation frame 2 for carrying the garment container 9

The drying frame 3 includes a series of drying supports 10 in the form of cantilevered arms extending from the central support post 4. Through the use of cantilevered arms 10, gloves and other items that may have a tube-like shape can be more easily mounted on the drying rack of the invention.

An upper end portion of the post 4 has a protruding handle portion 11 which permits the user to pull the entire garment transportation and drying device 1 along on its wheels 6, once the drying frame 3 has been swung into its traveling configuration. The protruding handle portion 11 is telescopically mounted to the drying frame 3 permitting it to be extended outwardly when the device 1 is pulled along as a dolly.

The transportation frame 2 has an upper transverse member 12 with a notch 13 formed therein, the notch 13 being aligned to receive the support post 4, permitting the post 4 to lie when “parked” a generally within a common plane defined by the vertical supports 2A of the transportation frame 2. This allows the drying frame 3 to nest within the transportation frame 2 when the device 1 is in its traveling configuration.

Strapping 14 that is extendable between the transportation frame 2 and the central post 4 and drying frame 3 serves as a tether to limit the extent by which the drying frame 3 may be displaced and angled outwardly away from the transportation frame 2.

A pair of deployable struts 15 are carried by the transportation frame 2 to ensure that the device 1 remains upright even when the drying frame 3 is deployed. These struts 15, fixed in positioned by hinges 16 mounted on the transportation frame 2, may be swung outwardly, past the drying frame 3, to contact the ground and thereby ensure that the transportation frame 2 and drying frame 3 assembly remains in an upright orientation when loaded with garments. The struts 15 are able to rotate into alignment with the transportation frame 2 for storage. While such struts 15 are shown as mounted to the transportation frame as the preferred configuration, they may optionally also be mounted to the drying frame 3.

An advantage of allowing the drying frame 3 to extend outwardly at an angle from the transportation frame 2 when deployed is that, with the drying frame central support 4 angled off the vertical, the garments will tend to hang more nearly vertically, thus improving the flow of drying air between garments.

In this manner, of a mobile carrying support for an athletic bag may also serve to provide a rack for drying of athletic equipment when such equipment has become moistened by the presence of perspiration arising from athletic activity.

CONCLUSION

The foregoing has constituted a description of specific embodiments showing how the invention may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The invention in its broadest, and more specific aspects, is further described and defined in the claims which now follow.

These claims, and the language used therein, are to be understood in terms of the variants of the invention which have been described. They are not to be restricted to such variants, but are to be read as covering the full scope of the invention as is implicit within the invention and the disclosure that has been provided herein.

Claims

1. A garment transportation and drying device capable of being employed either in transportation mode or in drying mode comprising: a) a transportation frame for carrying a container for garments, andb) a drying frame carried by the transportation frame,

2. The device as in claim 1 wherein the transportation frame comprises support means for extending beneath said container when said container is positioned thereon, both when the device is in transportation mode and when it is in drying mode.

3. The device as in claim 1 wherein the drying frame is positionable adjacent to or within the transportation frame when the device is in its transportation mode.

4. The device as in claim 1 comprising wheels mounted on the transportation frame to provide that the device may be manually propelled as a dolly.

5. The device as in claim 1 wherein said drying frame comprises a central support post with a series of drying supports in the form of one or more cantilevered arms that are extendable from said central support post.

6. The device as in claim 5 wherein the central support post is fitted to the transportation frame by a hinge means, allowing the post to be swung outwardly from the transportation frame along an arc thereby extending the drying frame into a drying configuration.

7. The device as in claim 6 comprising two wheels mounted on the transportation frame wherein the hinge means is positioned and joined to the transportation frame along a line extending approximately between the two wheels.

8. The device as in claim 7 wherein the central support post comprises an upper end portion having a protruding handle portion which permits the user to pull the entire garment transportation and drying device along on its wheels, once the drying frame has been swung into the configuration for its traveling mode.

9. The device as in claim 8 wherein the protruding handle portion is telescopically mounted to the drying frame permitting it to be extended outwardly when the device is pulled along on its wheels.

10. The device as in claim 5 wherein the transportation frame defines a common plane and the device comprises a transverse member with a notch formed therein, the notch being aligned to receive the support post, permitting the post to lie when “parked” within the common plane defined by the transportation frame.

11. The device as in claim 5 comprising a restraining means extending between the transportation frame and drying frame to limit the extension of the drying frame when the drying frame is extended in drying mode.

12. The device as in claim 11 wherein the restraining means is in the form of strapping that serves as a tether.

13. The device as in claim 5 comprising a supplemental device support means carried by the transportation frame or drying frame to provide support for the device to remain upright even when the drying frame is deployed in drying mode.

14. The device as in claim 13 wherein the supplemental device support means comprises a pair of deployable struts carried by the transportation frame or drying frame that may be swung outwardly, away from the transportation frame or drying frame to contact the ground and support the drying frame in an upright orientation, when loaded with garments.

15. The device as in claim 14 wherein the struts are supported by hinges carried by the transportation frame or drying frame that allow such struts, when deployed, to extend downwardly and contact the ground and permit the hinged struts to rotate into alignment with the transportation frame for storage.