Compartmentalized and Semi-Compartmentalized Devices for Removal of Moisture

Abstract

The invention provides devices for removal of moisture. The devices include desiccant contained in the interior of the device and barriers that restrict movement of the desiccant within the interior of the device. The invention also provides wearable apparatuses that include devices for moisture removal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to devices for removal of moisture from athletic gear, military gear, and clothing.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Equipment for sporting and military uses, such as gloves, pads, helmets, masks, shoes, boots, skates, and other articles of clothing, must protect the body from a variety of physical stresses. To provide adequate protection, such gear must fit securely over various parts of the user's body, typically either in direct contact with the skin or over an undergarment made of thin material, such as a sock or undershirt. The exertion during sporting or military activity causes most individuals to sweat, even in cold environments, and the proximity of the gear to the user's skin results in inundation of the equipment with perspiration. When the athlete or soldier removes the equipment, storage of the sweat-soaked gear allows the proliferation of bacteria and other microorganisms, which produce foul-smelling odors. The offensive...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]The devices are useful for removing moisture that accumulates in athletic or military gear when the user sweats during physical activity. After a sporting activity, the device can be inserted into a helmet, shoulder pad, or other piece of gear that generally restricts the flow of air around damp padding. By maintaining the distribution of desiccant throughout the device, the compartmentalized or semi-compartmentalized structure keeps the desiccant positioned in proximity to all of the sweat-soaked portions of the helmet or pad. This facilitates absorption of perspiration by the device and drying of the equipment's interior, thereby minimizing growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that produce offensive odors. After moisture removal is complete, the device can be removed from the piece of gear and placed in a dry environment. Under dry conditions, the flow of moisture is reversed: water is released from the desiccant and wicked outward across the external material, where it evaporates from the outer surface of the device. Consequently, the device is restored to its original state and ready for reuse. By cycling between phases of moisture absorption and evaporation, the device can be used repeatedly without loss of its functionality.

Problems solved by technology

The barriers may partially or completely restrict movement of the desiccant from one region of the device to another.

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