EP1694902B1 - Device for storing and drying sports equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device ( 1 ) which is used to store and dry sports equipment. Said device comprises two vertical supports ( 2 ) which are connected together in a communicating manner by means of a transversal carrier ( 3 ). Several tubular elements ( 12, 13, 18, 20 ) are strapped to the two vertical supports ( 2 ) which also communicate therewith. The above-mentioned tubular elements comprise air outlets ( 30 ). Air is blown through said air outlets ( 30 ), said air being introduced into the communicating tubes by means of a ventilator ( 31 ). A flange element ( 32 ), which is embodied in the form of a T in the transversal carrier ( 3 ) is used in order to mount the ventilator ( 31 ). The individual tubular elements are formed in such a manner that they can be adapted, in a particularly precise manner, to the various elements of sports equipment.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for storing and drying a sports equipment according to the preamble of claim 1.

Sports equipment, especially for ice hockey, inline hockey and football players, includes many parts that are not suitable for drying in the tumbler. This particularly applies to shoes, shin guards, armored pants, elbow pads, breastplates, gloves and helmets. Such equipment is relatively heavy and bulky. Accordingly, the storage and drying of such sports equipment is problematic. Drying over a heater on hangers or clotheslines is rarely feasible. In order to solve in particular the drying reasonably, are provided in the wardrobes of various sports clubs above compartments, which are suitable for storing the sports equipment, air suction. Also for drying individual parts of sports equipment Various special drying devices are known. Thus, for example, from US-A-5,974,693 a frame is known, which can be arranged in a drum of a tumbler and on which a plurality of shoes are clamped for drying. Racks that are generally suitable for hanging and drying clothes are also available. For example, reference is here made to US-D-468,873 S, which shows a clothes dryer with a sheath and a blower, or, for example, a silent servant, as known from US-A-3,722,703. This mute servant, as well as, for example, the laundry hanging drying rack according to GB-A-860'208 are used for hanging clothes, the suspension racks are designed to save space. Also racks, which are particularly suitable for the storage of sports equipment, are known. For this purpose, reference may be made, for example, to US Pat. No. 6,164,465 or US Pat. No. 5,617,958. However, these two latter racks, just like the device according to US Pat. No. 6,340,188, are not suitable for drying sports equipment.

Devices are also known for the storage and drying, in particular of sports equipment for ice hockey players or football players, see eg U5 2003/0222038. Thus, US-A-3,802,573 shows a multi-unit suspension hook, which is also suitable for receiving breastplates.

A device of the type mentioned is known from US-A-5,377,849. This is a frame which is zusammenschraubbar from a variety of pipe or rod elements and which serves in particular the storage and transport of such sports equipment. Particular care is taken not to overlap the individual elements of the sports equipment in order to improve their drying. In this known solution, care is taken that the entire frame of individual pipe elements, namely pipe sections, pipe bends, pipe branches, etc., can be screwed together. This allows the entire frame to be made from a set of sub-elements that can be bolted together by a buyer.

This known solution is hardly suitable for active drying and is extremely expensive to produce.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for drying and storage of sports equipment, especially for hockey players and football players, which can be rationally manufactured and the active drying of sports equipment is used.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiment variants emerge from the dependent claims and their meaning will be discussed in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figur 1

eine Aufsicht auf die erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung und

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht derselben Vorrichtung, während

Figur 3

eine Sicht von oben auf die Vorrichtung zeigt. In

Figur 4

ist ein Teilschnitt durch das Flanschelement dargestellt, an dem der Ventilator montiert ist.

Figur 5

zeigt einen axialen Längsschnitt durch einen Vertikalträger im Bereich eines Anschlusses mit kommunizierender Verbindung und

Figur 6

einen Diametralschnitt durch die Verbindung entlang der Linie A-A in Figur 5.

In the drawing, a preferred embodiment and certain details are shown. It shows:

FIG. 1

a plan view of the inventive device and

FIG. 2

a side view of the same device while

FIG. 3

a view from above of the device shows. In

FIG. 4

is a partial section through the flange shown on which the fan is mounted.

FIG. 5

shows an axial longitudinal section through a vertical support in the region of a connection with communicating connection and

FIG. 6

a diametral section through the connection along the line AA in Figure 5.

The device according to the invention is designated overall by 1. It comprises two vertical beams 2, which are indirectly connected to each other via a cross member 3 and are bent from two pipe sections. And extend in a plane. The lower ends of the two vertical beams 2 are each formed into a stand 4. For this purpose, a first pipe section 5 obliquely backwards and downwards bent, whereupon a second horizontally extending pipe section 6 follows, which forms the actual footprint. This pipe section 6 extends with respect to the plane in which the two vertical beams 2 extend, a little further forward than they are behind the said plane. Subsequent to the horizontal pipe section 6, the free pipe ends 8, which serve for attaching the shoes only in a first vertical section 7 upwards and then directed in a horizontal section 9 obliquely directed towards the center, finally to end in a vertical end portion 10. The end portions 10 are closed at 11. The horizontal portion 9 runs towards the center, so as to lay the weight on the footprint, which is defined by the two horizontal pipe sections 6, and in particular but also to extend the distance of the horizontal section 9, thereby also shoes with a high Shank to be able to attach to the free pipe ends 8.

On the obliquely backwards and downwards directed first pipe section 5 is a circular, open bracket 12 is attached in each case. Both brackets 12 are used to hold shin guards. They are attached via connecting points 44 on the pipe section 5 and closed at the end with a pin 45.

Above the two free pipe ends 8 for storage and drying of the shoes, a pipe element 13 is communicating attached with the two vertical beams 2. This tube member 13 extends to a junction 14 in a first support portion 15 horizontally forward and towards the center. Subsequently, two perpendicular to the plane, which span the two support sections 15, vertically upwardly directed retention bends 16. Between the two retaining bows 16, a connecting portion 17 is present, which in turn extends in the plane formed by the two support sections 15. The entire tube member 13 serves to suspend an armored or padded pants. The two retaining bows 16 come to lie in the two legs.

Above the tubular element 13, a hook-shaped tubular element 18 is attached to the two vertical beams 2 each at the same height. The two hook-shaped tube elements are bent hairpin-shaped from their respective junction 19 and run at an acute angle with respect to the plane which is spanned by the two vertical beams 2. These hook-shaped tube elements 18 serve on the one hand for receiving elbow protectors, which come to hang down at the bend, while the free ends of the hook-shaped tube elements 18 serve for attaching the gloves.

In the example shown here, a further tubular element 20 is present, which is bent in a U-shape and can serve as a towel holder. This designed as a towel holder tube element extends with respect to the plane which is spanned by the two vertical beams 2, vertically backwards. Correspondingly, the connection points 21 of this tubular element 20 are located diametrically opposite the connection points 19 of the hook-shaped tubular elements 18 on the two vertical supports 2. The free distance between the tubular element 20 and the two circular, open brackets 12 is relatively large, so that the tubular element 20, which is formed as a towel holder, is also suitable for hanging and drying a jersey.

Finally, an upwardly bent, centrally arranged bracket 22 is fastened to the upper cross member 3. The bracket 22 serves to hold a helmet. The bracket 22 is connected via the two connection points 23 with the cross member 3.

The cross member 3 itself serves to store a breastplate. The breathing of the breastplate is done by the intake air of the fan.

So that the entire device 1 not only serves to store and hold sports equipment, but can additionally serve for active drying, the various tube elements, which are connected to the two vertical supports 2, have air outlet openings 30. Only the two vertical beams 2, the cross member 3 and the bracket for the helmet 22 have no air outlet openings 30. In particular, air outlet openings on the hook-shaped Pipe elements 18, to the two retaining bow 16 of the tubular element 13, the circular open bracket 12 and finally to the end portions 10 of the feet 4 available. Also serving as a towel rail tube member 20 may be provided with air outlet openings 30. The air supply to the air outlet openings 30 by means of a fan 31. This is held on a flange 32. The electric fan 31 is fed via a hinted cable 33 shown. The low-voltage fan 31 may have a transformer integrated in the flange, but advantageously only one connector 34 is provided to connect the cable 33. The cable 33 can then be easily connected to different transformers and adapters.

As already mentioned, the two vertical beams and the cross member 3 may be made of a single pipe section. It is easier, however, to manufacture the two vertical beams with a part of the cross member 3 individually and to use the flange member 32 for connecting the two cross member sections. In this case, the bracket 22 at the same time has the function of a reinforcement over the flange member 32 and leads to a better clamping of the flange in the cross member 3. The cross connection between the two vertical beams 2 is additionally increased by the tubular members 20 and 13. After all, it can be useful between the two Stand feet 4 to provide a stiffening support 35 which lies vertically below the horizontal cross member 3 and therefore only in the figure 1 can be seen. Of course, more stiffening beams could be arranged between the two vertical beams 2, but this should hardly be required. The stiffening carrier 35 has no air outlet openings 30. He is not airworthy either. This also applies to the bracket 22.

The flange element 32 is shown in detail in FIG. The fan 31 is indicated only schematically. The flange 32 is designed as a tee. The two lateral ends are formed as sleeves 36, in which the two sections of the cross member 3 are kept pluggable. The branch of the T-piece is designed as a console 37, on which the fan 31 may be screwed or glued, for example. The T-piece can also be technically made of plastic injection molding material and thereby make the valve housing as part of the T-piece.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the possible configuration of the connection points, as they occur at 14, 19 and 44, is shown in detail. For example, purely the connection point 14 is shown here. The connection point 14 represents the connection between the vertical support 2 and the tubular element 13. By means of a gauge, the threaded bolts 40 are mounted on the vertical support 2 and the air connection opening 41 is bored in the vertical support 2.

The bolts 40 may be welded or screwed on the vertical support 2. In the latter case, the void is a pure drill hole, and in the two holes that serve to receive the bolts 40, a thread is cut accordingly. In Figures 5 and 6, the connection is shown as a welded connection. The already drilled pipe element 13 is pressed together at its end on a die, which has the cross-sectional shape of the vertical support 2. Subsequently, one with a drill hole, which mount the same holes to set the bore for the bolts 40 and the air connection 41 corresponding holes. Now, the compressed end 42 of the tubular element 13 can be pushed over the bolts 40, and at the same time the air connection opening 43 of the tubular element 13 comes to lie exactly over the air connection opening 41 in the vertical support 2. In principle, a seal could be applied in the area of the two communicating air connection openings 41 and 43, but this is usually not necessary. The free passage in the region of the air connection openings 41 and 43 is substantially larger than the eventual leakage opening. Any air that may escape at the leakage openings also serves for drying anyway, since it also acts in the area of the sports equipment to be dried. As we know, the air will take the path of least resistance. Accordingly, it is preferably in the upper region, ie on the chop-shaped tubular elements 18 and designed as a towel dryer tube element 20th less air outlet openings or these provided with a smaller diameter; The air outlet openings 30 at the end sections 10, which come to rest in the shoes, can again be made slightly larger, or the number of air outlet openings 30 can be greater here , Compared to the known prior art, the device according to the invention not only has the advantage that it is much cheaper to manufacture than the device forming the closest prior art, but in particular by the active air promotion of the drying process is significantly accelerated. This is extremely important especially for active athletes, since the training and play intervals are relatively short, and accordingly the equipment must be dried quickly. As is known, such sports equipment is expensive, and it is therefore not possible for most athletes to have all the equipment multiple times. The active ventilation of the sports equipment also significantly reduces the formation of germs.

List of reference numbers

1

contraption

2

vertical support

3

crossbeam

4

Standfüsse

5

first pipe section

6

horizontal pipe section

7

vertical section

8th

free pipe ends

9

Horizontal section

10

end

11

shutter

12

circular open hanger

13

tube element

14

junction

15

bearing section

16

Retaining bow

17

connecting portion

18

hook-shaped pipe element

19

junction

20

Pipe element as a towel holder

21

junction

22

Strap for helmet

23

junction

30

Air outlet openings

31

fan

32

flange

33

electric wire

34

connection

35

Verstufungsträger

36

Clutches

37

console

40

bolts

41

Air communication port

42

End pipe element

43

Air communication port

44

connection

45

spigot

Claims (11)

1. A device for storing and drying sports equipment, consisting of a support stand formed of tubes and in the form of a valet with at least one vertical support (2) and a transverse support (3) suitable for holding a breast plate (3), as well as two tube ends (8, 11) for sticking on shoes, as well as several holders of tube elements (12, 13, 18, 20), which are integrally formed on at least one vertical support (2), for receiving further parts of sports equipment, wherein the at least one vertical support (2) and the transverse support (3) as well as all tube elements (12, 13, 18, 20) are in communicating connection, and a flange element (32,36) with a ventilator (31) fastened thereto and with an electrical connection (34) for feeding the ventilator (31) is provided, and that the tube elements (12, 13, 18, 20) and tube ends (8, 11) for sticking on the shoes, comprise air exit openings (30),
   characterised in that two vertical supports (2) and at least one air-leading transverse support (3) are present, which serve for the transport of air and are free of air exit openings, and that
   the two vertical supports (2) at their upper end are connected by a transverse support (3), and at the lower ends (8, 11) are in each case bent into a standing foot (4, 5), so that the vertical supports (2) are located approximately centrally over the standing surfaces (6) of the standing feet (4,5), and wherein all previously mentioned parts are bent from a tube.
2. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the flange element (32, 36) with the ventilator (31) is arranged on at least one transverse support (3).
3. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the air flow produced by the ventilator (31) is divided and introduced in both directions into the transverse support (32) by the flange element (32, 36).
4. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the two free ends (8, 11) of the tube forming the standing foot are bent towards the centre (9) and upwards (7, 10), and are suitable for receiving shoes, wherein air exit openings (30) are only present in the last, vertically upwardly projecting section (10).
5. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that circular, open bows (12) of tube elements are present on the standing feet (4, 5) at the region (44) which lies opposite the ends (8, 11) serving for receiving the shoes, and these tube elements are provided with air exit openings (30) and are suitable for holding shin pads.
6. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the two vertical supports (2) are connected to one another above the standing feet (4, 5) by way of a tube element (13,15,17,42), wherein the tube element (13, 15, 17, 42), out of the plane in which the two vertical supports (2) run, is bent to the front to the front end (7) of the standing feet (4, 5) and here in a plane parallel to the plane of the two vertical supports (2), is shaped into two upwardly directed retaining bows (16), wherein the tube element at least in the region of the retaining bows (16) comprises air exit openings (30).
7. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that in each case a tube element (18) as a hang-up hook with air exit openings (30) is integrally formed on the two vertical supports (2) at approximately the same height, and serve to receive elbow protectors and gloves.
8. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the two vertical supports (2) are connected to one another (21) below the transverse support (3) by way of a tube element (20) which is bent to the rear out of the plane of the vertical supports (2), but runs parallel to the transverse support (3).
9. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that an upwardly bent, centrally arranged bow (22) is arranged (23) on the transverse support (3), and is suitable for serving as a helmet carrier.
10. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that all tube elements (13,18) connecting to the two vertical supports (2) and the transverse support (3), at their connection locations (14, 19) are pressed together according to the outer shape of the vertical supports (2), and comprise punchings for the screwable fastening (40) on the mentioned supports (2), as well as in each case an air connection opening (41) which communicates with an air connection opening (43) in the corresponding support in the assembled position.
11. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the flange element (32, 36) as a T-piece is provided with a support bracket (37) for the ventilator (31), and an electrical plug-and-socket connection (34) is provided for feeding the ventilator (31).

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