WO2008111982A1

WO2008111982A1 - Garment hanger with dryer

Info

Publication number: WO2008111982A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/063997
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Appelman
Original assignee: Michael Appelman
Priority date: 2007-03-14
Filing date: 2007-03-14
Publication date: 2008-09-18

Abstract

A garment hanger of generally traditional configuration further comprises an electrically-operated fan in a fan body generally under a hanger hook central in the hanger that drives air downward though a garment hanging on the hanger. A plurality of holes disbursed throughout the hanger allows air to reach portions of the garment in contact with the hanger.

Description

GARMENT HANGER WITH DRYER

This application claims the benefit of this inventor's earlier provisional application filed 06/ 1 2 /2006 under application no. 60/804,461

BACKGROUND FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to garment hangers, and more particularly, to a garment hanger including a dryer for drying the garment. PRIOR ART

For one who surfs regularly, a wetsuit used one day will not be dry by the following day when the surfer would like to surf again. And the surfer does not want to surf in cold water in a cold and wet wetsuit. A wetsuit is likely to be damaged if dried in a conventional clothes dryer. If one were to hang the wetsuit in the sun, if a warm sun were available, which may in fact also damage the wetsuit, it can take more than 24 hours to fully dry. The wetsuit is only representative of many clothes that preferably need to be dried fairly quickly but are not amenable to drying in a conventional clothes dryer. As another example, a fire fighter's protective coat and pants will often get wet during use and will not normally be dry before another use is required. As the wetsuit, the fire fighter's clothing, and other garments not listed, are not amenable to drying in a clothes dryer but may benefit from a faster drying period than one might experience from ambient room drying.

What is required is a low temperature drying device that will not damage such clothing but will dry the clothing quicker than ambient room temperature such as the wetsuit in about six to eight hours and the fire fighter's protective clothing in a similar period. It is also advantageous that the drying devise operate while the clothing is suspended in use form, such as hanging from a hanger so the clothing maintains its shape.

Although the issue is presented in terms of a wetsuit and a firemen's protective clothing, the low temperature dryer would be equally applicable to other garments, such as motorcycle leathers, snowboarding and ski jackets, flack jackets, hunter jackets, and other recreational and field garments including military garments.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to present a low temperature dryer that operates on clothing, and particularly recreational and work clothing, while the clothing is hanging normally from a clothes hanger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved in a garment hanger of generally traditional configuration with hanger shoulders and a hook central in the hanger between the shoulders from which to suspend the hanger. A fan in a fan body generally under the hook drives air downward though clothes hanging on the hanger. An air freshener is included to freshen air driven by the fan to avoid oders, such as must wetsuit smells generally known as "wetsuit funk." Typically, the fan operates from a household line power source or other external power source but it could also be connected to a 1 2-volt battery. A plurality of holes disbursed throughout the hanger allows air to reach portions of the garment at the hanger and minimize portions of the garment in contact with the hanger.

In practice, a wet or damp garment is mounted on the hanger and the hanger is hung from a support. The fan is actuated for a period of time sufficient for the garment to dry. The garment may be a wet suit, raincoat, shirt, coat, or other clothes item susceptible for hanging from a garment hanger. The hanger is particularly useful when the wet garment is likely to be needed within several hours, shorter than a period otherwise required to dry the garment. A timer may be included with the fan so the fan actuation period may be ended when the garment would be expected to be dried by using the hanger with the fan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hanger of the present invention shown supporting a wet suit thereon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1 showing a battery-operated fan for driving air downward into a garment that is hanging from the hanger.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hanger showing an air freshener and a plurality of fans, including a fan directed toward a garment sleeve at each hanger side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The garment hanger 1 0 of the present invention comprises a body 1 2 with a body frame 1 4 having left and right rounded shoulders 1 6, 1 8 each extending outward laterally from central in the body 1 2 generally in mutually opposite directions as supporting members from which a garment 1 00 may hang. The shoulders 1 6, 1 8 include front and back sides 20, 22 that diverge downward from a top 24 such that the garment 1 0 on the hanger 10 is spread open leaving an air cavity 102 within the garment 1 0 into which a waterproof fan 26 directed downward from within the body drives air from the hanger 1 0. Typically, the fan draws air from above the body and drives the air downward into a garment hanging from the hanger. An air freshener 27 in included, adapted to freshen air driven by the fan 26. The fan 26 may comprise a plurality of fans 26' to enhance air flow for improved garment drying, the fans 26' being located under the body 1 2. Advantageously, a sleeve fan 26" might be directed toward each garment sleeve 108 to assist air movement down each sleeve 108. For these purposes, this description of the hanger 1 0 with a fan 26 is deemed to include a plurality of fans. For Holes 28 through the hanger shoulders 1 6, 1 8 allow moving air to reach garment shoulders 1 04 on the hanger shoulders 1 6, 1 8 so the garment shoulders may also dry from the moving air.

In the normal manner of clothes hangers, the hanger body 1 2 is suspended from a rod 1 06 or other support by a hook 30 that is central in the body 1 2 and which extends vertically from the body 1 2. The hook 30 is suitable for engaging around the rod 1 06 or suitable other support in supporting the hanger 1 0 hanging from the rod.

The fan 26 moves air through the hanger 1 0 into the garment 1 00 at approximately 100 cfm. A three-way fan switch 34 providing off, low and high fan speeds allows one to adjust a drying period as air movement is adjusted. A timer 32 in the hanger body 1 2 electrically is connected between the fan 26 and the electrical power source and regulates the period of operation of the fan 26.

In a first embodiment, air driven by the fan 26 dries the garment 1 00 without the use of a heat source, useful for garments that could be damaged by heat. In a second embodiment, a small heater 36 is added proximate the fan 26 electrically powered from the fan power source to

accelerate the drying process.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention, what is claimed is as follows:

1 . A garment drying hanger including a hook upward directed from the hanger from which to suspend the hanger, comprising left and right shoulders in a garment hanger body adapted to receive a garment to hang from the hanger, an electrically-operated fan in the hanger body adapted to force air about and away from the hanger body, and a power source electrically connected or connectable to the fan.

2. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the fan is central in the hanger body.

3. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the fan directs air downward from the fan body.

4. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the fan comprises a plurality of fans.

5. The garment drying hanger of claim 4 wherein said plurality of fans comprises a fan directed from each body side, respectively, such that when a garment with sleeves hangs from the hanger, said fan drives air down into a garment sleeve at each body side.

6. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 further comprising an air freshener adapted to freshen air driven by the fan.

7. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the left and right shoulders include holes configured to facilitate movement of air from the fan to said garment portions at the left and right shoulders.

8. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the fan is battery operated from batteries located within the hanger body.

9. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 further comprising an electrical timer in the hanger body electrically connected between the fan and the electrical power source adapted to regulate a period of operation of the fan.

1 0. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the shoulders are generally rounded shoulders with front and back sides that diverge downward from a top such that the garment on the hanger is spread open leaving an air cavity within the garment into which the fan drives air from the hanger. 1 . The garment drying hanger of claim 1 further comprising a heater proximate the fan. 2. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 further comprising a switch with at least two on positions that vary fan speed between at least two speeds. 3. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 wherein the fan operated from an electrical power source is located within the hanger body directs air downward from the fan body and further comprising an electrical timer in the hanger body electrically connected between the fan and the electrical power source adapted to regulate a period of operation of the fan. 4. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 0 wherein the left and right shoulders are generally rounded with front and back sides that diverge downward from a top such that the garment on the hanger is spread open leaving an air cavity within the garment into which the fan drives air from the hanger, the shoulders having holes configured to facilitate movement of air from the fan to said garment portions at the left and right shoulders. 5. A garment drying hanger, comprising a garment hanger body adapted to receive a garment to hang from the hanger, an electrically-operated fan in functional cooperation with the garment hanger body adapted to draw air from outside the hanger body and to move the air through said garment when said garment is hanging from the hanger. 6. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 5 wherein the body further comprises garment supporting members from which a garment may hang that are received to hang from the hanger 7. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 6 wherein said supporting members extend outward laterally from central in the body 8. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 6 wherein said supporting members extend in mutually opposite directions as hanger shoulders adapted to support a garment from garment shoulders.

1 9. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 5 comprising a body frame comprising said hanger shoulders, said body frame exposing said garment receivable thereon at the body frame to air moved by the fan therein drying said garment portions at the frame in addition to garment portions hanging from the frame.

20. The garment drying hanger of claim 1 9 wherein the body frame includes a plurality of holes through the body frame configured to facilitate movement of air from the fan to said garment portions at the frame.