Storage and Drying Unit for Storing and Drying Outerwear, Sports Clothing and Equipment

Abstract

A storage and drying unit for storing and drying outerwear, sports clothing or equipment is provided. The unit comprises an enclosure having a back wall, a top wall, and two side walls defining at least one chamber with an open front. The chamber may also include shelf members for supporting the outerwear, sports clothing or equipment. The walls and any shelf members include aeration holes for allowing movement of air through the chamber in order to facilitate the drying of the outerwear, sports clothing or equipment placed in the chamber. The unit may be provided with a drying fan to encourage an airflow past the outerwear, sports clothing or equipment in the chamber to facilitate drying of same. The unit may also be provided with hangars for hanging the outerwear, sports clothing or equipment. These hangars are sized and shaped to be removably inserted into any one of the aeration holes.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to storage units such as lockers and, more particularly, to lockers for storing outerwear, sports clothing, equipment and accessories.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Professional athletes such as baseball, basketball and football players have personal lockers in the locker rooms of stadiums and the like in which their personal equipment is stored. Such lockers are constructed of heavy gauge metal frame members which are welded together, and sheet metal wall and shelf panels which are either welded, riveted or bolted to the frame members to provide the necessary structural integrity for the intended use and expected abuse of the locker during use. Having such a locker is coveted as being a symbol of belonging or having made a certain team.[0003]Sports teams market their entertainment to various groups, including young people, such as preteen and teenagers, who may identify with such professional athletes and athletic teams. I...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention is directed to a simple and yet effective device to prevent the moisture associated with recently worn outerwear, sports clothing and sports equipment from encouraging the growth of bacteria and mold which tend to generate foul odours. The device encourages rapid drying of sweat and other moisture and is attractively designed to encourage its use by young athletes.

[0013]In another aspect the present invention provides a simple kit of structural elements which are light weight and easy to make, use and assemble, but on the other hand include functional elements to promote the drying of wet outerwear, sports clothing and equipment. These elements include an open front and walls having ventilation openings. Shelving can be included in the locker which can also include air passageways for improved ventilation. Most preferably the device includes a drying fan, and the ventilation openings are positioned relative to the fan to promote the flow of air past objects stored in the locker to facilitate drying. An ionizer can also be included to deodorize the air, and is functionally positioned relative to the drying fan to have an optimum deodorizing effect, such as by being able to remove airborne particles, including, bacteria, mold and odour particles from the air circulated by the fan through the locker.

Problems solved by technology

Many sports also involve the use of protective equipment, some of which is bulky and not easily washed.

In the case of hockey equipment, it is usually stored in a hockey bag, which is convenient for transporting and collecting all of the gear, but tends to cause the sweaty gear to be left in a closed airless bag between uses which can result in bacterial and mold growth, leading to foul smells and unsanitary conditions.

A problem with such protective equipment is that it is not easily washable.

Thus, in the event that the equipment becomes foul, the only recourse is to have it sent out for expensive custom cleaning.

However, often the children are not motivated to use the drying rack.

In not using the drying racks the sports equipment becomes foul and is no longer tolerable in the bedrooms or even in the dwelling space, and may have to be consigned to garages and porches where the smell is excluded from the living space.

However, while this design is an improvement over prior sports lockers due to its open air design, it is still largely unsuitable for locations of a house lacking in sufficient air circulation.

Thus bacterial and mold formation and the resulting foul odours are still a problem with designs of this type.

However, lockers of this type require complicated ducting and venting paths to be built into the building and connected to the locker and are difficult and expensive to install.

Moreover, sanitizing cabinets of this sort are intended to be used on a commercial basis for sanitizing sports equipment and are not suitable for home use, such as for children to store and dry their sports clothing and equipment in a bedroom.

However, such drying cabinets are similarly not intended for children to store and dry their sports clothing and equipment in their bedroom.

A problem with such prior inventions is that they are generally too expensive to be widely implemented.

Further they require some adult supervision and maintenance and so are not so suitable for young athletes.

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