CA2412700C - Drying bag for sports equipment and the like - Google Patents
Drying bag for sports equipment and the like Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2412700C CA2412700C CA002412700A CA2412700A CA2412700C CA 2412700 C CA2412700 C CA 2412700C CA 002412700 A CA002412700 A CA 002412700A CA 2412700 A CA2412700 A CA 2412700A CA 2412700 C CA2412700 C CA 2412700C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- bag
- fan
- housing
- mounting member
- opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/30—Drying processes
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/10—Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means
- D06F58/14—Collapsible drying cabinets; Wall mounted collapsible hoods
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/20—General details of domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/203—Laundry conditioning arrangements
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for drying and/or scenting sports equipment and the like. A sports bag is designed such that it has two openings which are covered by a mesh fabric or a rigid plastic screen. One opening is used to receive a blower fan engaged onto the mounting at the opening. The other opening is used to allow air to escape. Wet and/or foul smelling sports equipment is placed into the sports bag. An air freshener is inserted into a pocket located in the blower fan housing, or near to the opening of the intake opening of the sports bag. The fan is turned on (with or without a timer). In a relatively short period of time the sports equipment is dry, with little effort required or foul odor released outside the sports bag.
Description
The present invention relates to sports equipment bags and more particularly to a novel method to expand the use of sports bag from transport/proteGtion utiity only to also drying and optional scenting utility.
Sports equipment, and notably hockey and football equipment, is often comprised of many items for the individual user. Together these many items make for a bulky and unwieldy combination of items to move from place to place. Thus, this sports equipment is usually transported in a bag.
Sports equipment has a near legendary reputation for becoming wet from sweat, and for becoming foul-smelling as well. The foul smelling sports equipment, and the space necessary to dry it, is currentiy an ongoing source of conflict in many living situations. Players are often forced to dry their sports equipment in risky, unsuitable, or destructive environments, such as back yards, garages, balconies, where they may be subject to theft or cold or damp weather.
Also, since many games are played in close proximity to each other from a time perspecotive, a player often does not have enough time to dry the equipment before the next use. This makes for a clammy and unpleasant feeling; putting on wet equipment.
In current practice, the problems of wetness and foul smell are addressed in the following ways.
For wetness, the sports equipment is removed from the sports bag, and spread out to dry on racks, on the ground, or in the sun, and then, when the equipment is dry, the equipment is placed back into the sports bag. This requires diligence and lengthy periods of time.
Sports equipment, and notably hockey and football equipment, is often comprised of many items for the individual user. Together these many items make for a bulky and unwieldy combination of items to move from place to place. Thus, this sports equipment is usually transported in a bag.
Sports equipment has a near legendary reputation for becoming wet from sweat, and for becoming foul-smelling as well. The foul smelling sports equipment, and the space necessary to dry it, is currentiy an ongoing source of conflict in many living situations. Players are often forced to dry their sports equipment in risky, unsuitable, or destructive environments, such as back yards, garages, balconies, where they may be subject to theft or cold or damp weather.
Also, since many games are played in close proximity to each other from a time perspecotive, a player often does not have enough time to dry the equipment before the next use. This makes for a clammy and unpleasant feeling; putting on wet equipment.
In current practice, the problems of wetness and foul smell are addressed in the following ways.
For wetness, the sports equipment is removed from the sports bag, and spread out to dry on racks, on the ground, or in the sun, and then, when the equipment is dry, the equipment is placed back into the sports bag. This requires diligence and lengthy periods of time.
2 For foul odor, it is common practice to place aroma packs, air fresheners and the like into the sports equipment bag. However, if the sports equipment is not removed from the bag to dry, the air fresheners effect is greatiy minimized.
Hanging drying andlor antf-wrinkiing bags for clothes are shown in US Patents 5555648 (Griffin) issued Sep 17, 96; 5730006 (Conley) issued Mar 24, 98; 4572364 (Jordan) issued Feb 25, 86 and 3739492 (Brooks) issued June 19, 73 but none of these is suitable for sporting equipment including pads and the like which are awkward and bulky and many of these include heat and/or steam which are unsuitabie for the sports equipment.
There remains then, an opportunity to Improve the situation. The present Invention allows for such improvement.
SUMMMY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concemed with a method and apparatus to allow wet and foui smelling sports equipment to remain in the sports bag and yet, while still remaining in tfie sports bag, the equipment will become dry and fairer smelling.
Acoor+ding to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for drying spordng equipment comprising:
a bag formed of a flexible fabric material having a bag bottom, fabric bag side weils standing upwardly from the bag bottom, a closable filler opening through which the equipment is inserted into the bag and handles on the bag side wails for carrying the bag;
an air flow opening deflned in a bag side wall separate from the
Hanging drying andlor antf-wrinkiing bags for clothes are shown in US Patents 5555648 (Griffin) issued Sep 17, 96; 5730006 (Conley) issued Mar 24, 98; 4572364 (Jordan) issued Feb 25, 86 and 3739492 (Brooks) issued June 19, 73 but none of these is suitable for sporting equipment including pads and the like which are awkward and bulky and many of these include heat and/or steam which are unsuitabie for the sports equipment.
There remains then, an opportunity to Improve the situation. The present Invention allows for such improvement.
SUMMMY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concemed with a method and apparatus to allow wet and foui smelling sports equipment to remain in the sports bag and yet, while still remaining in tfie sports bag, the equipment will become dry and fairer smelling.
Acoor+ding to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for drying spordng equipment comprising:
a bag formed of a flexible fabric material having a bag bottom, fabric bag side weils standing upwardly from the bag bottom, a closable filler opening through which the equipment is inserted into the bag and handles on the bag side wails for carrying the bag;
an air flow opening deflned in a bag side wall separate from the
3 flller opening;
a peripherai mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted In a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripherai mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripherai mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing inciuding a front perForated screen in front of the fan rotor;
and the peripherai mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
Preferably the mounting member has a first damping element on an inner surface of said bag wall and a second clamping element on the outer surface of said bag wall for clamping said bag wall therebetween.
Preferably the perforated screen of the mounting member has a concave outside face and the perorated screen of the fan housing has a convex face fitting against the perforated screen of the moundng member.
Preferably a second peripherai mounting member identicai to said
a peripherai mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted In a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripherai mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripherai mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing inciuding a front perForated screen in front of the fan rotor;
and the peripherai mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
Preferably the mounting member has a first damping element on an inner surface of said bag wall and a second clamping element on the outer surface of said bag wall for clamping said bag wall therebetween.
Preferably the perforated screen of the mounting member has a concave outside face and the perorated screen of the fan housing has a convex face fitting against the perforated screen of the moundng member.
Preferably a second peripherai mounting member identicai to said
4 peripheral mounting member is arranged in a wall of the bag opposite to said peripheral mounting member.
Preferably there is provided an air freshener housfng located on the fan housing.
Preferabiy the air freshener housing Is located on an outside faoe of the fan housing.
Preferably the air freshener housing can be opened and closed to allow entry Into the bag of a variable amount of an air freshener material evaporafed from the air freshener housing.
According to a seoond aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for mounting at an air flow opening defined in a bag side wall comprising;
a peripheral mounfing member having a peripheral clamping collar arranged to be damped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounfing coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperatinQ mounting coupling on the peripherai mounfing member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing inciuding a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor;
and the peripheral mounting member inoluding a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
The invention as defined above may have one or more of the foliowing advantages.
Since the equipment remains in the sports bag, extra space is not needed to dry the equipment This also results In less conflict for those individuals who share the space in which the sports equipment would be dried by traditional methods.
Since the equipment remains in th$ sports bag, extra effort of spreading or hanging the equipment is not needed to dry the equipment Since the present invendon allows for easy drying and scenting of sports equipment, the overall pleasure in participating in the sport for which the equipment is designed, is increased.
Since the equipment remains In the bag, and since it is scented during the proposed drying process, iittie to no foul smell Is present outside the bag, quite unlike traditional drying methods.
Since the equipment can be easily dried quickly on a regular basis, the growth of bacteria on the sports equipment is greatly minimized In preferred embodiments, the blower fan would have an on-off switch and a timer, In preferred embodiments, the fan does not have a heating function, as heat drying may degrade sports equipment, especially parts made of leather. However a low heating acfion which does not excessively heat the equipment may also be possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical cross-secUonai view through a sporting equipment beg according to the present invenpon.
Figure 2 1s a vertical cross-sectlonal view through the fan and mounfing ring of figure 1 on an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a front eievafional view of the mounting ring of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a rear eievational view of the mounting ring of flgure 1.
Figure 5 is a front etevational view of the fan housing of figun:1.
Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the fan housing of figure 1.
Figure 7 is a cross-secdonal view on an enlarged scale of the scent dispensing riousing of the fan housing of figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A sports equipment bag is shown in figure 1 as indicated at 10 for receiving sports equipment schematlcally indicated at 11 within the bag for transportation and storage. The bag indudes a bottom wali 12 which has a stiffener plate 13 so the bottom can rest upon the floor or other support surface with the sports equipment resting on the bottom in loose or random arrangement within the beg. The bag indudes side walls 14 and a top 15. At the top 15 is provided one or more handles 16 by which the bag can be carried. Adjacent or at the top 15 Is provided an opening 17 with a closure member in the farm of a zipper by which the opening can be opened for inserdon and removal of the spordng equipment and the closure member reclosed to enclose the sporting equipment.
While the bag is shown generally rectangular, in most cases the bag is reiativeiy eiongate so as to define two of the side walls 14 as end waiis 18 and 19 with the handle 16 having ends at or adjacent the end walls 18 and 18 so that the bag is carried longitudinally.
The sporting equipment generally may include bulky items such as helmets, skates, pads, boots and gloves all of which are reiativeiy bulky and thick so that they cannot be readily washed and/or tumble dried.
In the end wai} 18 Is provided an opening 20 which is cut Into the fabric of the end wall so as to form a circular opening in which the fabric is removed. At the end wall 19 is provided a similar circular opening 21 cut in the fabric forming the end wap 19.
Each of the openings 20 and 21 Is filled by a rigid piastics mounting member 22 which is clamped to the edge of the fabric surrounding the opening 20, 21 and spans the opening so as to provide a ciosure member for the opening.
The mounting members 22 are identical in the arrangement as shown so that each is manufactured from the same parts and each can operate interchangeably with the other. This arrangement is preferred to minimize the number of parts manufactured but it wiii be appreciated that only one of the mounting members cooperates, at one time, with a fan 23 which is attached to the selected mounting member so as to support the fan at the end of the bag.
The mounting member comprises an outside ring 24 and an inside ring 25 so that the outside ring is mounted on the outside surface of the bag wall and the inside ring is mounted on the inside surface of the bag well. The inside and outside rings provide matching abutting clamping elements 26 and 27 which are annular In shape and which grasp the edge portion of the fabric at the opening. The clamping eiements include rings projecting outwardly from the face of the clamping element which cooperate with recesses in the other of the clamping elements so that the fabric Is clamped between the rings and recesses to be held in place around the full periphery of the opening.
The outside ring 24 has a circular opening 27 which is open and allows access to the interior of the inside ring 25 through the opening 27.
The inside ring 25 includes a screen 28 spanning the opening with a screen having a plurality of slot shaped openings 29 which extend generally radially from a central ciosed area 30 to an outer edge 31 adjecent to but spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the outside ring 27. The slot sh$ped openings 29 allow the penetration of air irom the exterior through the opening 27 into the interior of the beg or vice versa. The screen 28 is curved so as to define aoonvex surface facing inwardly into the bag and a concave surface facing outwardly of the bag.
The two porfions of the mounting ring are clamped together by screws 32A.
The outside ring 24 as shown in figure 3 inciudes a multi-lobed (in the example three lobes) bayonet receptacle 32 for receiving the male lobes 33 on the peripheral edge of the fan housing 23 as shown in figure 5. Thus the fan housing can be mounted on either on of the mounting rings 22 and is attached simply by aligning the male lobes 33 with the female receptacles 32 and by rotating the housing so that the male lobes move behind shoulders 34 of the ring 24 to lock the lobes 33 in place on the ring 24.
The fan 23 includes a housing 35 formed by a front piece 36 and a rear piece 37 which are clamped together by screw fasteners 38.
The front portion 36 forms a domed convex shape Ncing forwardiy of the front portion 36 so that it can closely foiiow the curvature of the concave surface of the mounting ring. Behind the domed front face of the fan housing is provided a fan rotor 40 mounted on a central shaft 41 of a motor 42. The fan rotor extends across the housing inside the front f8ce so as to drive air through the housing outwardly through the front face to pass through the openings 29 of the mount;ng ring. The front face of the fan housing therefore has slot shaped openings 44 shaped to match and align with the openings 29 in the mounting ring.
The motor 42 is mounted within a motor mount 45 carried within the interior of the housing 35. The motor is arranged along a centrai axis of the fan housing behind the rotor 40 and in front of a central closed area of the rear por6on 37 of the fan housing. The rear portion is also domed and inciudes a series of radially extending slots 47 extending outwardly from the centrai area to an outer periphery of the rear porfion 37.
A timer T and an on/off switch S are shown schematicaiiy in flgure and are located in the central dosed area of the rear portion 37 for manual operation.
Centrally of the closed central area of the rear portion 37 is provided an air freshener or scent dispensing housing 50 which contains a block of scenting materiai 51 which releases scenting gases. The scenting material Is contained within a slidable member 52 which can be manually pulled outwardly from the centrai area by a manually graspabie handle 53 to open the sceniing housing or the housing can be ckned by pushing the handle 53 inwardly so that a cover 54 moves over the scenting block 51 to cover the scenting block. The cover 54 includes sides 55 with slots 56 in the side so that air flow into the fan housing is drawn from the area over the sCenting block thus tending to pull gases discharged from the scenting block into the fan housing for discharge into the bag. The amount of scenting material can thus be controlled by pulling or pushing on the handle 53 so as to open and close the slots 56 from a fully dosed position in which the cover 64 covers the scenting block to a fully open position in which the siots are pulled to their maximum open width allowing the maximum air freshener material to escape.
While the above describes a particular method of dispensing scent, it is proposed that various methods of providing a controlled scent release function is possible without materiaiiy departing from the intent of the present Invention.
In operation, the user of the sporting equipment when retuming from a sporting event simply leaves the equipment requiring drying within the bag resting in a loose or disordered coiiection within the bag sitting on the bottom of the bag. The fan housing is then taken from a storage location and inserted onto a seleCted one of the mounting rings.
If the user desires it, the scent caVdy is checked and/or loaded with a sosnt block, and the soent controller is set to the desired level.
The fan is then actuated by the on/off switch and/or the timer so that air is pushed through the fan housing and through the screen section of the mounting ring into the interior of the bag. That air thus tends to inflate the bag with air beyond the air necessary for the inflaflon escaping through the other mounting ring to maintain the bag pressurized and air flow through the maberiais within the bag.
When the required drying flme has elapsed, the fan housing can be removed from the bag and the bag used to carry the equipment to the new iocation for the next sportng event. The same fan housing can of course be used on other simiiar bags by other persons at the same iocation. The fan and the fan housing is driven by mains eiectricity from a supply cable (NOT
SHOWN).
The mounting ring at one end Is shown arranged so that the fan housing can be mounted by the end of the bag. However one of the rings may be mounted in the reverse direction with the domed screen facing outwardly so as to ma)amize the area available within the bag. This iimits the mounting of the fan housing to the other concave end.
The mounting rings and the fan housing can be readily attached to a conventional sporflng equipment bag so there is no need for purchase of a special bag for use with the present invention. The conventionai bag can therefore be modified simply by cutting the necessary openings at each end and by attaching the mounting rings. In practice, therefore, the mounting rings and the fan can be sold separately as items to be used as required. Thus a user could purchase addition$i mounting rings for additional bags which would then be used with a single fan housing which would be moved from bag to bag as required. A family having multipie bags could therefore use a single fan housing and would purchase only the single fan housing to cooperate with muiflpie mounting rings.
In an aitemative arrangement (not shown) the inlet opening can be formad of fabric In a specialiy designed bag where the opening preferably has a closure around the opening which allows R to be clamped around the lip or concave outer surface of the fan. Thus it may indude an elastically pulled lip sticking out from the outer edge of a fabric mesh cover to engage over the fan, or may inciude a draw string in a sleeve at the edge of the lip. Thus the fan is held in piace firmly at the end of the bag and the bag can expand under air pressure to allow drying throughout lhe equipment.
The equipment is transported in the same bag simply by disconnecting the fan and picking up the bag by the handles. There is no need to remove or handle the equipment before or after drying. Surprisingly, the bag which is substantiaiiy closed apart from the inlet and a similarly sized outlet, causes pressure and air flow witlhin the bag to cause the drying air to permeate throughout the equipment, even into skate boots.
A par6cuiariy Important discovery has been made in the development of the present invenfion. It was expected that the present invention would not work very well because sports equipment Is often densely packed within a sports bag. The question was how well trould room-temperature fon:ed air dry very wet sports equipment which was tighUy packed? Also, how could fresh air be introduced into cavities such as the inside of hockey skates and the iike?
As experiments showed, it appears that the pressure created by the fan,(the bag puffs up quite noticeably) allows air to be "forced' throughout the whole Interior of the bag, and throughout all of the equipment, almost regardless of how t~ghtiy padced they were.
It is preferred not to use a heater in the fan because, in practice, in addifion to the added cost to manufacture the blower fan, the life span of some sports equipment decreases when dried with heat and drying occurs quite rapidly without heated air.
It must be noted that many placement options for the openings on the bag, the size of the fan, and the placement of the air freshener and Its pocket, the shape and position of the fan/fan housing, ihe type of fan blade and motor, the shape, size, and placement of the eonnecting apparatus can be made without materialiy departing from the Intent of the present invention. For example, the connecting apparatus could be friction fit like a vacuum cleaner hose, siide fit, snap on, etc.
Preferably there is provided an air freshener housfng located on the fan housing.
Preferabiy the air freshener housing Is located on an outside faoe of the fan housing.
Preferably the air freshener housing can be opened and closed to allow entry Into the bag of a variable amount of an air freshener material evaporafed from the air freshener housing.
According to a seoond aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for mounting at an air flow opening defined in a bag side wall comprising;
a peripheral mounfing member having a peripheral clamping collar arranged to be damped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounfing coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperatinQ mounting coupling on the peripherai mounfing member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing inciuding a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor;
and the peripheral mounting member inoluding a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
The invention as defined above may have one or more of the foliowing advantages.
Since the equipment remains in the sports bag, extra space is not needed to dry the equipment This also results In less conflict for those individuals who share the space in which the sports equipment would be dried by traditional methods.
Since the equipment remains in th$ sports bag, extra effort of spreading or hanging the equipment is not needed to dry the equipment Since the present invendon allows for easy drying and scenting of sports equipment, the overall pleasure in participating in the sport for which the equipment is designed, is increased.
Since the equipment remains In the bag, and since it is scented during the proposed drying process, iittie to no foul smell Is present outside the bag, quite unlike traditional drying methods.
Since the equipment can be easily dried quickly on a regular basis, the growth of bacteria on the sports equipment is greatly minimized In preferred embodiments, the blower fan would have an on-off switch and a timer, In preferred embodiments, the fan does not have a heating function, as heat drying may degrade sports equipment, especially parts made of leather. However a low heating acfion which does not excessively heat the equipment may also be possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical cross-secUonai view through a sporting equipment beg according to the present invenpon.
Figure 2 1s a vertical cross-sectlonal view through the fan and mounfing ring of figure 1 on an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a front eievafional view of the mounting ring of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a rear eievational view of the mounting ring of flgure 1.
Figure 5 is a front etevational view of the fan housing of figun:1.
Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the fan housing of figure 1.
Figure 7 is a cross-secdonal view on an enlarged scale of the scent dispensing riousing of the fan housing of figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A sports equipment bag is shown in figure 1 as indicated at 10 for receiving sports equipment schematlcally indicated at 11 within the bag for transportation and storage. The bag indudes a bottom wali 12 which has a stiffener plate 13 so the bottom can rest upon the floor or other support surface with the sports equipment resting on the bottom in loose or random arrangement within the beg. The bag indudes side walls 14 and a top 15. At the top 15 is provided one or more handles 16 by which the bag can be carried. Adjacent or at the top 15 Is provided an opening 17 with a closure member in the farm of a zipper by which the opening can be opened for inserdon and removal of the spordng equipment and the closure member reclosed to enclose the sporting equipment.
While the bag is shown generally rectangular, in most cases the bag is reiativeiy eiongate so as to define two of the side walls 14 as end waiis 18 and 19 with the handle 16 having ends at or adjacent the end walls 18 and 18 so that the bag is carried longitudinally.
The sporting equipment generally may include bulky items such as helmets, skates, pads, boots and gloves all of which are reiativeiy bulky and thick so that they cannot be readily washed and/or tumble dried.
In the end wai} 18 Is provided an opening 20 which is cut Into the fabric of the end wall so as to form a circular opening in which the fabric is removed. At the end wall 19 is provided a similar circular opening 21 cut in the fabric forming the end wap 19.
Each of the openings 20 and 21 Is filled by a rigid piastics mounting member 22 which is clamped to the edge of the fabric surrounding the opening 20, 21 and spans the opening so as to provide a ciosure member for the opening.
The mounting members 22 are identical in the arrangement as shown so that each is manufactured from the same parts and each can operate interchangeably with the other. This arrangement is preferred to minimize the number of parts manufactured but it wiii be appreciated that only one of the mounting members cooperates, at one time, with a fan 23 which is attached to the selected mounting member so as to support the fan at the end of the bag.
The mounting member comprises an outside ring 24 and an inside ring 25 so that the outside ring is mounted on the outside surface of the bag wall and the inside ring is mounted on the inside surface of the bag well. The inside and outside rings provide matching abutting clamping elements 26 and 27 which are annular In shape and which grasp the edge portion of the fabric at the opening. The clamping eiements include rings projecting outwardly from the face of the clamping element which cooperate with recesses in the other of the clamping elements so that the fabric Is clamped between the rings and recesses to be held in place around the full periphery of the opening.
The outside ring 24 has a circular opening 27 which is open and allows access to the interior of the inside ring 25 through the opening 27.
The inside ring 25 includes a screen 28 spanning the opening with a screen having a plurality of slot shaped openings 29 which extend generally radially from a central ciosed area 30 to an outer edge 31 adjecent to but spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the outside ring 27. The slot sh$ped openings 29 allow the penetration of air irom the exterior through the opening 27 into the interior of the beg or vice versa. The screen 28 is curved so as to define aoonvex surface facing inwardly into the bag and a concave surface facing outwardly of the bag.
The two porfions of the mounting ring are clamped together by screws 32A.
The outside ring 24 as shown in figure 3 inciudes a multi-lobed (in the example three lobes) bayonet receptacle 32 for receiving the male lobes 33 on the peripheral edge of the fan housing 23 as shown in figure 5. Thus the fan housing can be mounted on either on of the mounting rings 22 and is attached simply by aligning the male lobes 33 with the female receptacles 32 and by rotating the housing so that the male lobes move behind shoulders 34 of the ring 24 to lock the lobes 33 in place on the ring 24.
The fan 23 includes a housing 35 formed by a front piece 36 and a rear piece 37 which are clamped together by screw fasteners 38.
The front portion 36 forms a domed convex shape Ncing forwardiy of the front portion 36 so that it can closely foiiow the curvature of the concave surface of the mounting ring. Behind the domed front face of the fan housing is provided a fan rotor 40 mounted on a central shaft 41 of a motor 42. The fan rotor extends across the housing inside the front f8ce so as to drive air through the housing outwardly through the front face to pass through the openings 29 of the mount;ng ring. The front face of the fan housing therefore has slot shaped openings 44 shaped to match and align with the openings 29 in the mounting ring.
The motor 42 is mounted within a motor mount 45 carried within the interior of the housing 35. The motor is arranged along a centrai axis of the fan housing behind the rotor 40 and in front of a central closed area of the rear por6on 37 of the fan housing. The rear portion is also domed and inciudes a series of radially extending slots 47 extending outwardly from the centrai area to an outer periphery of the rear porfion 37.
A timer T and an on/off switch S are shown schematicaiiy in flgure and are located in the central dosed area of the rear portion 37 for manual operation.
Centrally of the closed central area of the rear portion 37 is provided an air freshener or scent dispensing housing 50 which contains a block of scenting materiai 51 which releases scenting gases. The scenting material Is contained within a slidable member 52 which can be manually pulled outwardly from the centrai area by a manually graspabie handle 53 to open the sceniing housing or the housing can be ckned by pushing the handle 53 inwardly so that a cover 54 moves over the scenting block 51 to cover the scenting block. The cover 54 includes sides 55 with slots 56 in the side so that air flow into the fan housing is drawn from the area over the sCenting block thus tending to pull gases discharged from the scenting block into the fan housing for discharge into the bag. The amount of scenting material can thus be controlled by pulling or pushing on the handle 53 so as to open and close the slots 56 from a fully dosed position in which the cover 64 covers the scenting block to a fully open position in which the siots are pulled to their maximum open width allowing the maximum air freshener material to escape.
While the above describes a particular method of dispensing scent, it is proposed that various methods of providing a controlled scent release function is possible without materiaiiy departing from the intent of the present Invention.
In operation, the user of the sporting equipment when retuming from a sporting event simply leaves the equipment requiring drying within the bag resting in a loose or disordered coiiection within the bag sitting on the bottom of the bag. The fan housing is then taken from a storage location and inserted onto a seleCted one of the mounting rings.
If the user desires it, the scent caVdy is checked and/or loaded with a sosnt block, and the soent controller is set to the desired level.
The fan is then actuated by the on/off switch and/or the timer so that air is pushed through the fan housing and through the screen section of the mounting ring into the interior of the bag. That air thus tends to inflate the bag with air beyond the air necessary for the inflaflon escaping through the other mounting ring to maintain the bag pressurized and air flow through the maberiais within the bag.
When the required drying flme has elapsed, the fan housing can be removed from the bag and the bag used to carry the equipment to the new iocation for the next sportng event. The same fan housing can of course be used on other simiiar bags by other persons at the same iocation. The fan and the fan housing is driven by mains eiectricity from a supply cable (NOT
SHOWN).
The mounting ring at one end Is shown arranged so that the fan housing can be mounted by the end of the bag. However one of the rings may be mounted in the reverse direction with the domed screen facing outwardly so as to ma)amize the area available within the bag. This iimits the mounting of the fan housing to the other concave end.
The mounting rings and the fan housing can be readily attached to a conventional sporflng equipment bag so there is no need for purchase of a special bag for use with the present invention. The conventionai bag can therefore be modified simply by cutting the necessary openings at each end and by attaching the mounting rings. In practice, therefore, the mounting rings and the fan can be sold separately as items to be used as required. Thus a user could purchase addition$i mounting rings for additional bags which would then be used with a single fan housing which would be moved from bag to bag as required. A family having multipie bags could therefore use a single fan housing and would purchase only the single fan housing to cooperate with muiflpie mounting rings.
In an aitemative arrangement (not shown) the inlet opening can be formad of fabric In a specialiy designed bag where the opening preferably has a closure around the opening which allows R to be clamped around the lip or concave outer surface of the fan. Thus it may indude an elastically pulled lip sticking out from the outer edge of a fabric mesh cover to engage over the fan, or may inciude a draw string in a sleeve at the edge of the lip. Thus the fan is held in piace firmly at the end of the bag and the bag can expand under air pressure to allow drying throughout lhe equipment.
The equipment is transported in the same bag simply by disconnecting the fan and picking up the bag by the handles. There is no need to remove or handle the equipment before or after drying. Surprisingly, the bag which is substantiaiiy closed apart from the inlet and a similarly sized outlet, causes pressure and air flow witlhin the bag to cause the drying air to permeate throughout the equipment, even into skate boots.
A par6cuiariy Important discovery has been made in the development of the present invenfion. It was expected that the present invention would not work very well because sports equipment Is often densely packed within a sports bag. The question was how well trould room-temperature fon:ed air dry very wet sports equipment which was tighUy packed? Also, how could fresh air be introduced into cavities such as the inside of hockey skates and the iike?
As experiments showed, it appears that the pressure created by the fan,(the bag puffs up quite noticeably) allows air to be "forced' throughout the whole Interior of the bag, and throughout all of the equipment, almost regardless of how t~ghtiy padced they were.
It is preferred not to use a heater in the fan because, in practice, in addifion to the added cost to manufacture the blower fan, the life span of some sports equipment decreases when dried with heat and drying occurs quite rapidly without heated air.
It must be noted that many placement options for the openings on the bag, the size of the fan, and the placement of the air freshener and Its pocket, the shape and position of the fan/fan housing, ihe type of fan blade and motor, the shape, size, and placement of the eonnecting apparatus can be made without materialiy departing from the Intent of the present invention. For example, the connecting apparatus could be friction fit like a vacuum cleaner hose, siide fit, snap on, etc.
Claims (13)
1. Apparatus for drying sporting equipment comprising:
a bag formed of a flexible fabric material having a bag bottom, fabric bag side walls standing upwardly from the bag bottom, a closable filler opening through which the equipment is inserted into the bag and handles on the bag side walls for carrying the bag;
an air flow opening defined in a bag side wall separate from the filler opening;
a peripheral mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the tan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripheral mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing including a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor, and the peripheral mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
a bag formed of a flexible fabric material having a bag bottom, fabric bag side walls standing upwardly from the bag bottom, a closable filler opening through which the equipment is inserted into the bag and handles on the bag side walls for carrying the bag;
an air flow opening defined in a bag side wall separate from the filler opening;
a peripheral mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the tan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripheral mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing including a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor, and the peripheral mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the mounting member has a first clamping element on an inner surface of said bag wall and a second clamping element on the outer surface of said bag wall for clamping said bag wall therebetween.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the perforated screen of the mounting member has a concave outside face and the perorated screen of the fan housing has a convex face fitting against the perforated screen of the mounting member.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein a second peripheral mounting member identical to said peripheral mounting member is arranged in a wall of the bag opposite to said peripheral mounting member.
5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein there is provided an air freshener housing located on the fan housing.
8. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the air freshener housing is located on an outside face of the fan housing.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the air freshener housing can be opened and dosed to allow entry into the bag of a variable amount of an air freshener material evaporated from the air freshener housing.
8. Apparatus for mounting at an air flow opening defined in a bag side wall comprising;
a peripheral mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar arranged to be clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripheral mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing including a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor, and the peripheral mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
a peripheral mounting member having a peripheral clamping collar arranged to be clamped onto the bag side wall so as to peripherally surround the opening;
and a fan having a fan rotor driven by a fan motor mounted in a fan housing;
the fan housing being separate from the mounting member;
the fan housing having an outer peripheral mounting coupling surrounding the fan housing and surrounding the fan rotor therein;
the outer peripheral mounting coupling of the fan housing being arranged to engage with a cooperating mounting coupling on the peripheral mounting member so as to readily releasable lock the fan housing in place in the mounting member so as to locate the fan rotor at the opening to blow air through the opening into the bag;
the fan housing including a front perforated screen in front of the fan rotor, and the peripheral mounting member including a perforated screen at the opening and bridging across the opening.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the mounting member has a first clamping element and a second clamping element for damping said bag wall therebetween.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the perforated screen of the mounting member has a concave outside face and the perorated screen of the fan housing has a convex face fitting against the perforated screen of the mounting member.
11. The apparatus according to claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein there is provided an air freshener housing located on the fan housing.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the air freshener housing is located on an outside face of the fan housing.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the air freshener housing can be opened and closed to allow entry into the bag of a variable amount of an air freshener material evaporated from the air freshener housing.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US21148500P | 2000-06-14 | 2000-06-14 | |
| US60/211,485 | 2000-06-14 | ||
| PCT/CA2001/000919 WO2001096646A2 (en) | 2000-06-14 | 2001-06-14 | Drying bag for sports equipment and the like |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2412700A1 CA2412700A1 (en) | 2001-12-20 |
| CA2412700C true CA2412700C (en) | 2008-01-22 |
Family
ID=22787099
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002412700A Expired - Fee Related CA2412700C (en) | 2000-06-14 | 2001-06-14 | Drying bag for sports equipment and the like |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU2001267235A1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2412700C (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001096646A2 (en) |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2793444A (en) * | 1955-07-22 | 1957-05-28 | Arthur A Turner | Portable clothes drier |
| US4959911A (en) * | 1987-05-11 | 1990-10-02 | John Wolens | Apparatus for drying garments |
| US5528840A (en) * | 1994-06-20 | 1996-06-25 | Kenneth J. Pajak | Portable footwear and small apparel drying apparatus |
| GB2307399A (en) * | 1995-11-22 | 1997-05-28 | Peter Anthony Rees Matthews | Garment freshener |
| US5930915A (en) * | 1997-07-14 | 1999-08-03 | Dhaemers; Gregory L. | Bag with air distributor and method for removing moisture and odors from within the bag |
-
2001
- 2001-06-14 WO PCT/CA2001/000919 patent/WO2001096646A2/en active Application Filing
- 2001-06-14 CA CA002412700A patent/CA2412700C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-06-14 AU AU2001267235A patent/AU2001267235A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2412700A1 (en) | 2001-12-20 |
| WO2001096646A3 (en) | 2002-08-01 |
| WO2001096646A2 (en) | 2001-12-20 |
| AU2001267235A1 (en) | 2001-12-24 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20170614 |