Patent Application
20200256007
This invention relates to an attachment for an air vent that may be used to dry articles of clothing and the like.
Many outdoor activities such as shoveling and cold weather sports like skating, skiing, sledding, snowboarding, and snowmobiling require users to wear clothing items on their heads, hands, and feet for warmth and insulation. For example, users often wear winter hats, gloves, mittens, and socks to cover their extremities. Other outdoor sports require users to wear these clothing items for better performance. For example, golf gloves are often worn for better grip of a golf club.
The outdoor environment can cause such clothing items, even weatherproof or weather resistant clothing items, to lose their warmth, insulation and gripping functions. For example, rain or snow can cause clothing articles to get damp or even soaked through to the interior of the article, resulting in loss of insulation and warmth. Wet articles of clothing can also get slippery resulting in loss of its gripping function. As such, there is a need for quick and convenient drying of such clothing items.
The present invention recognizes that most buildings and automobiles have ventilation air vents that are used to circulate warm or cold air through the building or vehicle. Most air vents haves louvers or vanes for controlling the horizontal orientation of air emitted from the air vent and/or for controlling the vertical orientation of air emitted from the air vent. The vanes can typically also be opened or closed to allow or block air from being emitted from the air vents. The air vents provide a convenient source of airflow that can be used to dry the clothing articles mentioned above.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an air vent attachment includes a cage member having at least one air conduit extending between an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface abutting an exterior surface of an air vent and the outer surface distanced outwardly from the exterior surface of the air vent. A securing rod has an inner end and an outer end, the inner end having a securing member securing the rod to the air vent and the outer end retaining the cage member to the rod. A biasing member is positioned between the cage member and the outer end of the securing rod to bias the cage member toward the inner end of the securing rod.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an air vent attachment includes a cage member having at least one air conduit extending from an inner surface to an outer surface, the inner surface abutting an exterior surface of an air vent and the outer surface distanced from the exterior surface of the air vent. The inner and outer surfaces of the cage member are formed by opposed outer frame portions extending opposite and substantially parallel to each other and a number of support bars extending therebetween the opposed outer frames. A securing member retains the cage member against the exterior surface of the air vent.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of drying an article of clothing includes the acts of providing a vent attachment having a cage member having at least one air conduit permitting the flow of air from an inner surface to an outer surface; a securing rod having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end having a securing member and the outer end retaining the cage member; and a biasing member positioned between the cage member and the outer end of the securing rod to bias the cage member toward the inner end of the securing rod. The inner surface of the cage member is placed against an exterior surface of an air vent. The securing rod is employed to secure the vent attachment to the air vent. An article of clothing is placed around or over the cage member to allow air to flow into an opening of the article of clothing providing access to an interior of the article of clothing.
In one embodiment, the securing rod extends through the cage member and the cage member is slidable with respect to the securing rod. At least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the cage member may support a central hole or opening supporting extension of the securing rod therethrough. A width of the securing rod may be sized to fit between vanes of the air vent. The securing member may be a hook. The outer end of the securing rod may carry an outer handle.
The securing rod may allow the cage member to be attached to many different sizes and shapes of air vents and air vent vanes.
In one embodiment, the biasing member is a spring coil extending around the securing rod.
The inwardly biased engagement mechanism allows for the cage member to be quickly attached to the exterior surface of the air vent with enough force to retain the article of clothing to the air vent without the cage member disengaging from the air vent.
In one embodiment, the cage member is frustoconical in shape where a broader end carries the inner surface and the narrower end carries the outer surface. The inner and. outer surfaces of the cage member may be circular frames extending opposite and substantially parallel to each other with a number of support bars extending between the circular frames.
The cage-like construction of the cage member allows air to flow around and through the cage member so that the air flows into all cavities and recesses of the clothing item. The broad cage member also supports expansion of the clothing item to open up all the cavities and recesses of the clothing item to air flow.
Other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating certain embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
A clear conception of the advantages and features constituting the present invention, and the construction and operation of typical mechanisms provided with the present invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiment illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate the same elements can be several views, and in which:
In describing the embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity, However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents, which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the words “connected,” “attached,” or terms similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection or attachment, but include connection or attachment to other elements where such connection or attachment is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art.
The various features and advantageous details of the subject matter disclosed herein arc explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments described in detail in the following description.
The base frame 16 provides a frustoconical shaped cage allowing air to flow therethrough while also supporting the glove 14 thereon. In this respect, multiple air conduits are provided through the base frame 16 allowing air to flow through, The base frame 16 has an outer circular base 24 opposite an inner circular base 26. The outer circular base 24 is smaller in area than the inner circular base 26, and the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 extend along parallel planes that are spaced in separation by a curved outer surface 27 of the base frame 16 to form a frustum of a cone.
The outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 are defined by outer rings 28a, 28b, respectively, similar to a rim or outer edge of a wheel, and defining a perimeter of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26, respectively. The outer rim 28a of the outer circular base 24 has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the inner rim 28b of the inner circular base 26.
Extending inwardly from each of the outer rims 28a, 28b of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 to a center of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 are three spokes 30a, 30b, 30c of the outer rim 28a, and three spokes 30e, 30f, 30g of the inner rim 28b, spaced equally around the perimeters of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26, respectively. Each of the spokes 30 has an outer end 31 attached to the outer rim 28 and an inner end 33 attached to a center hub 32. The spokes 30a, 30b, 30c of the outer circular base 24 are generally equal in length while the spokes 30e, 30f, 30g of the inner circular base 26 are generally equal in length. The spokes 30a, 30b, 30c of the outer circular base 24 and shorter than the spokes 30e, 30f, 30g of the inner circular base 26 since the diameter of the outer circular base 24 is less than the diameter of the inner circular base 26. It is understood that different numbers of spokes 30 may be provided about each rim 28, such as two, four, or five or more.
A center hub 32 is positioned at the center of both the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26, carried by the spokes 30, and defined by a ring 34 that defines a central hole 35. The holes 35 of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 extend along a common axis 38. The spokes 30 of the circular bases 24, 26 are generally aligned along planes intersecting the axis 38 in a cross or star-like formation.
The outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 are joined by three equally spaced support rods 40 extending between the outer rims 28a, 28b of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26. The support rods 40a, 40b, 40c may generally extend between the outer rims 28a, 28b at positions where the outer ends 31 of the spokes 30 meet the outer rims 28a, 28b. The support rods 40a, 40b, 40c are angled outwardly from the outer rim 28a to the outer rim 28b to define the curved outer surface 27 of the frustoconical shaped cage. A central space between the support rods 40a, 40b, 40c and between the center spokes 32 of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 is clear from obstruction to allow the securing rod 20 to extend therethrough as further described below. It is understood that different numbers of support rods 40 may be provided, such as two, four, or five or more.
The securing rod 20 is defined by an inner end 50 carrying an L-shaped or shaped hook 52 extending to a center portion 54 defined by a straight section and further extending to an outer end 56, The outer end 56 carries a handle 58 extending perpendicular to the center portion 54 and defined by a circular disk having a diameter greater than the securing rod 20 with teeth 62 on an outer perimeter of the disk to provide a gear shape handle 58 for gripping. The handle 58 may be attached to the center portion 54 of the securing rod 20 by a screw extending into the center portion 54 as seen in
The coil spring 22 is installed around the center portion 54 of the securing rod 20 to abut the handle 58 (the handle 58 retains the coil spring 22 on the securing rod 20) on one end and the base frame 16 (the base frame 16 retains the coil spring 22 on the securing rod 20) on the other end. The base frame 16 is installed around the center portion 54 of the securing rod 20 to abut the coil spring 22 on one end and to abut and be retained by the J-shaped hook 52 on the other end.
The securing rod 20 is inserted through the central holes 35 of the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 of the base frame 16 such that the outer circular base 24 abuts the coil spring 22 and the inner circular base 26 is retained by the J-shaped hook 52 on the securing rod 20. The size of the central holes 35 is slightly larger than the securing rod 20 to allow the securing rod 20 to freely slide therethrough. The securing rod 20 may need to be manipulated in order to initially slide the J-shaped hook 52 of the securing rod 20 through the central holes 25, or the hook 52 may be formed or applied on or to the end of the securing rod 20 after the securing route 20 has been inserted through the central holes 25.
A tension of the coil spring 22 may generally correspond with a tension allowing the base frame 16 to be pressed toward the handle 58 by approximately 3-5 inches, thus allowing the inner end 50 carrying the J-shaped hook 52 to be extended approximately 2-4 inches into the air vent 12.
Referring to
The vent attachment 10 is attached to the automobile air vent 12 by placing the inner circular base 26 of the base frame 16 against the exterior surface 18 of the automobile air vent 12 while the outer circular base 24 is spaced outwardly from the exterior surface 18. While the base frame 16 is held against the exterior surface 18, the user manipulates the securing rod 20 to insert the J-shaped hook 52 between adjacent vanes 72, 75 of the automobile air vent 12. The vanes 72, 75 are generally placed in an open position (by turn wheels 69, 71, respectively) to facilitate the securing rod 20 being advanced into the automobile air vent 12.
The orientation of the J-shaped hook 52 may be so that the J-shaped hook 52 will more easily fit between the vanes 72, 75. For example, for horizontal vanes 72 that extend horizontally, the J-shaped hook 52 is oriented to extend sideways (left or right) to provide a narrowed height, For vertical vanes 75 that extend vertically, the J-shaped hook 52 is oriented to extend upwards or downwards to provide a narrowed width.
Referring to
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In one embodiment, the glove 14 is snugly fit over the base frame 16 to prevent the glove 14 from falling off the base frame 16. In another embodiment, the opening 74 of the glove 14 may be coupled to the exterior surface 18 of the automobile air vent 12, for example by a clip or adhesive, to prevent the glove 14 from being removed from the base frame 16 by the airflow 78. The base frame 16 extends approximately 2-4 inches, into the interior cavity 76 to expand the interior cavity 76 and open up the smaller cavities (for the fingers) of the glove 14.
As seen in
It is understood that the shape of the base frame 16 provides a broad structure for carrying the glove 14 thereon in an expanded state allowing airflow 78 into the cavities of the glove 14. In alternative embodiments, the base frame 16 may be cylindrical, spherical, or rectangular in shape.
It is also understood that the multiple air conduits extending between the outer and inner circular bases 24, 26 of the base frame 16 allow air to flow freely between the inner circular base 26 and the outer circular base 24, and around the outer rims 28a, 28b; spokes 30; center hub 32; and support rods 40a, 40b, 40c of the base frame 16. The airflow 78 within the glove 14 allows for quick and convenient drying of the glove 14.
It is also understood that the coil spring 22 provides an inward biasing force on the base frame 16 against the exterior surface 18 of the automobile air vent 12 to retain the base frame 16 perpendicular to the exterior surface 18 of the air vent 12 against the downward weight of the glove 14 on the base frame 16. The tensioning of the coil spring 22 also allows the vent attachment 10 to fit different sizes of automobile air vent 12 and in particular, vanes 72, 75 of different depths and thicknesses.
Although the vent attachment 10 is shown being attached to an automobile air vent 12, it is understood that the vent attachment 10 can be attached to any air vent, including, but not limited to, a conventional forced-air wall vent in a home or other building, or to a fan, dryer or the like having an outlet with vanes or other airflow directing structure. In this regard, while the invention is shown and described with the work being engaged with vanes such as 72, 75, it can be appreciated that the hook may also be engaged with any other structure of the air vent that enables airflow from the air vent to pass into and through the vent attachment 10. Such structure may include, for example, fixed-position fins or louvers at the outlet of the air vent or any other satisfactory structure. And while the vent attachment 10 is illustrated as being used in connection with drying a glove 14, the vent attachment 10 can be used to dry any article of clothing having an interior cavity 74, such as hats, mittens, socks, etc.
It should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is also understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention.
