Sports bag, device and method for drying textile

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for drying textiles, comprising a body with an outer surface with a winding section for winding the textile to be dried on the outside of the body, which body is a hollow body with an inner space comprising an air supply opening and an air outlet opening, which outlet opening is located in the winding section for discharging the air to the outside of the body.

Description

[0001] SPORTS BAG, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRYING TEXTILE

[0002] The invention relates to a bag for drying textiles according to the preamble of claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to a device for drying textiles for use with the bag. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for drying textiles using the bag and using the device according to the invention . In particular, the invention relates to a sports bag that is provided with a device according to the invention .

[0003] Devices for drying textiles are known in the art . This state of the art will be described below. The known devices have the disadvantage that they are large and only suitable for a fixed installation, for example in a home or another building.

[0004] There is therefore a need for a device and a method for drying textiles at a location outside the home or during transport .

[0005] The invention aims to provide a device and method with which a drying device can be taken along by a user at all times so that textiles, for example but not exclusively clothing such as sportswear, can be dried at any random location .

[0006] In particular, it is an objective that an athlete can dry his wet clothing immediately after use, without first having to go home or to a launderette .

[0007] Furthermore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a device and method with which a user, for example an athlete, can dry his wet (sports) textiles in any random place, for example in the car, at work or any other random location .

[0008] In order to achieve at least one of the stated objectives, the invention provides, according to a general description, a bag, in particular a sports bag, which is provided with a device for drying textiles, which device is provided with a drying space for positioning the textiles to be dried therein, an air supply de- vice, such as a fan, for supplying air to the drying space and outlet opening for discharging humidified air to the environment .

[0009] Preferably, the bag is provided with a power supply for electrically powering a motor for driving the fan . The power supply is preferably a battery for electrically powering an electric motor . This makes the bag particularly versatile and easy to carry.

[0010] The invention further relates to a device for drying textiles, which is suitable for use in the bag according to the invention .

[0011] To this end, the invention provides a device according to claim 1. The device provides the advantage that textiles can easily be positioned and dried in the device . Due to its design, the device takes up very little space compared to devices from the prior art, making it suitable for inclusion in a bag, such as a sports bag. Furthermore, due to the embodiment of the device according to the invention, a heating element is not necessary to dry the textile . Ambient air is sufficient to remove the moisture from the textile . This is a major additional advantage .

[0012] The invention therefore also relates to a device for drying textiles, comprising a body with an outer surface with a winding section for positioning the textile to be dried on the outside of the body, which body is a hollow body with an inner space comprising an air supply opening and an air outlet opening, which outlet opening is located in the winding section for discharging the air to the outside of the body. By positioning the textile around the body, for example by wrapping it or simply draping it around it so that the body is covered all around by textile, and then passing air through the body to and through the textile, the moisture is removed from the textile . The continuous or intermittent air flow ensures adequate removal of moisture . Because textiles themselves tend to distribute moisture absorbed from relatively wetter to relatively drier parts of the textile, drying of the entire textile material will eventually be achieved, even when so-called leakage flows of air occur through the textile .

[0013] The body can suitably be a cylindrical hollow shaft with which an even air outflow is obtained and an even ventilation of the textile to be dried.

[0014] Air can be supplied to the body in various ways and then from the body to the textile to be dried. According to a first variant, it is preferred that the device comprises a supply fan for supplying air to the interior space of the body via the supply opening. In this case, the fan will be located upstream of the body and this fan will supply the air under increased pressure into the body.

[0015] According to another variant, it is preferred that the device comprises an exhaust fan for extracting air from the interior space of the body. In this case the fan will be located downstream of the body and this fan will suck or pull the air by applying a relatively reduced pressure in the body and then through the textile to be dried.

[0016] An efficient embodiment is obtained when the body is accommodated in a housing, forming a drying device, which housing comprises a drying space downstream of the outlet opening in the body, and which housing comprises openings for discharging air from the drying space . The textile to be dried is positioned around the body in the drying space of the housing . The air is thereby efficiently passed through the textile . The housing advantageously has as its only access the supply opening in the body, preferably the supply opening is designed as several openings, and as its only exit an opening to the exhaust fan . This ensures that air is only supplied to the textile via the body and is removed from the drying space and the housing through the textile .

[0017] Furthermore, according to a preferred variant, the body and the supply fan are accommodated in a housing, which housing comprises an opening for supplying air from the environment to the fan .

[0018] In order to be able to position the textile easily around the body, it is preferable that the body is detachably accommodated in the housing .

[0019] After exercising, there is a chance that the clothing will emit unwanted odours . Especially when the device is placed in a living space, it is preferable to prevent the emission of unwanted odours . IInn tthhaatt ccaassee,, a solution can be obtained by providing a fragrance at a position upstream of the outlet opening in the body.

[0020] According to an alternative embodiment, an odour-absorbing or odour-degrading device can be provided at a position downstream of the drying space . The air is preferably moved by a fan . The fan can advantageously be driven by an electric motor, whereby a power supply for feeding the electric motor is one of a battery and a connection for an external power supply. The external power supply can for example be a fixed mains connection or an external battery.

[0021] A special further variant of the device, or of the drying device, according to the invention comprises a connection for an exhaust pipe downstream of the openings in the housing for discharging air from the drying space . The connection can serve to connect an exhaust pipe thereto . The invention accordingly also relates to a device which further comprises a discharge pipe connected to the connection . This discharge pipe can for example lead to the environment, so that the air discharged from the device, which contains the moisture of the textile, does not pollute the living space .

[0022] An alternative way, compared to the previously mentioned detachable body, to be able to position textiles easily in the device according to the invention, provides that the drying space comprises a detachable cover to provide access from the environment to the drying space .

[0023] Although it is not necessary for the operation of the device, in some cases it may be satisfactory to a user that the air supplied to the textiles to be dried is heated. In that case, the device according to the invention advantageously comprises a heating element for heating the air . This can be the air to be passed through the body, so that the textiles are also heated, or it can be the air passed through the textiles . In the latter case, the advantage is obtained that the moist air has a lower relative humidity when it leaves the device . The chance of condensation is thereby greatly prevented.

[0024] A further improvement of the air conduction and an improved uniformity of the passage of the air through the textile is obtained when the device comprises a spacer element for positioning between two layers of textile to be dried. This forms an even layer of air so that the air is passed more evenly through the textile . This accelerates the drying process . This spacer element can for example be a grid-shaped plastic plate-shaped element that has excellent air permeability and that can assume a wrapped shape around the body. Air that has penetrated a layer of textile will be distributed via the spacer element over a larger surface to the next layer or layers of textile .

[0025] According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a bag, such as a sports bag, with a device according to the invention for drying textile in the bag . The device according to the invention can be included in a storage compartment of the bag, for example a sports bag. The device is at least partially enclosed by the material of the bag . The discharge opening for discharging air with moisture can advantageously be placed behind a mesh material in a wall of the bag.

[0026] In this context, the invention relates to a bag, further com- prising a device with at least one of the preferred measures as mentioned above .

[0027] In particular, the invention also relates to a bag, in particular a sports bag, which is formed by the device for drying textiles in the bag according to the invention . In this variant, the device according to the invention therefore itself forms the sports bag . The housing of the device according to the invention functions in this case as the material of the bag, for example a sports bag .

[0028] According to yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for drying textiles using a device according to the invention, comprising the step of positioning moist textiles around the body and passing air through the discharge opening in the body and through the textile positioned around it .

[0029] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a method as mentioned above, further comprising positioning the spacer element between two layers of textile to be dried.

[0030] Briefly stated, the invention relates for example to the following combinations of preferred embodiments, whereby these serve only as an example :

[0031] A portable dryer which can function as a sports bag or can be placed in a sports bag with or without an odour filter and with or without a battery whereby the motors are supplied with voltage by a battery or voltage via the mains or another source .

[0032] The drying shaft in the invention is a demountable drying shaft which can be removed over which the user can easily roll the textile around the drying shaft and can replace it in the invention whereby the drying shaft is an integral part of the invention . The drying shaft is designed in such a way that there is no air passage on one side of the drying shaft, on the side where the air is sucked in outside the opening where the pushing fan pushes the air through the drying shaft and on the side where a secondary fan sucks in the air from the room where the drying shaft is placed, there is a possibility to extract air and moisture .

[0033] Various parts such as the drying shaft and the holder of the drying shaft can be manufactured from plastic or any other type of material .

[0034] A dryer with a function where there is an odor filter on the side where the fan pushes the air into the body.

[0035] A connection of an external hose on the side where the fan pushes the air out of the device so that when the invention is placed in a sports bag, it can guide the moist air out of the sports bag.

[0036] The device can include a provision for hanging shoes . The facility may also include an integral facility where the facility, or for example a bag that includes the facility, can also carry or dry shoes .

[0037] The device is provided in the attached drawing with a hinged cover to open the drying space at the top, but this can also be a completely separable top .

[0038] A portable dryer, with the option of using odor filters so that the dried textiles not only dry but are also provided with a pleasant scent, on battery for in a sports bag or which can function as a sports bag, which can dry textiles by means of two or more low-voltage centrifugal motors, whereby the motors are of low voltage and can be driven by means of a battery or on low voltage, because a low-voltage centrifugal motor, further in this description also referred to as a fan, pushes air through a tube which reaches the textile on the shaft by means of an opening, for example several slots or holes, and is thus pushed through the textile and a low-voltage centrifugal motor on the other side of the roll on which textiles can be rolled or bag draws away the applied air again and this creates an effect that the textile on the roll around which the textile is wrapped, is dried. This invention dries a wet towel, pants, t-shirt and underwear cupboard in a short time and can run completely on a battery or on mains voltage . Because the clothes are cupboard dry, there is a better preservation of the textile and this prevents unpleasant odors in the clothing when you have exercised and then go to an event such as your work. You can then leave the device in a working state in the car and the used clothing with towel will then be cupboard dry when you have finished work so that no more unpleasant odors can arise . In addition, there is the possibility to use an odor filter that you can place in front of the unique drying shaft so that the textile in the present device immediately provides a fresh scent .

[0039] The current portable dryers that are available consist of dryers that work on mains voltage, where a permanent power connection must always be present and you cannot use them immediately after a sporting event, or an event where it is useful to dry textiles immediately, in order to dry your textiles . As a result, the current portable dryers are more focused on people who go on a trip and stay in a hotel or the like . Because the current portable dryers always need warm air to dry the textiles, a high wattage is always required. Because the present invention cleverly handles air and energy and there have been thoughts about how air moves, it is now possible to dry textiles immediately after each sporting event, which reduces the chance of bacteria forming. Textiles therefore remain odorless and last longer . For example, if you exercise in the morning and go straight to work, bacteria will multiply in the bag with wet clothing, causing the textiles to start to smell . With the present invention you put the sports bag in the car and turn on the fan and when you come home after work, all the textiles on the shaft are completely dry so that they go into the washing machine cleaner or end up dry on the dirty laundry pile which ensures that no additional bacteria formation occurs from the textiles that come from the device according to the present invention . This invention dries a wet towel, pants, t-shirt and underwear to a cupboard dry state in a short time and can run completely on a battery or on mains voltage . Because the clothes are cupboard dry, the textiles are better preserved and this prevents unpleasant odors in the clothing when you go to sports and then go to an event such as your work. You can then leave the device in a working state in the car and the used clothing with towel will then be cupboard dry when you have finished work so that no more unpleasant odors can arise . In addition, there is the possibility to use an odor filter that you can place upstream the dryer roller so that the textiles in the invention are immediately provided with a fresh scent . The unique dryer shaft makes it incredibly easy to wrap your wet textiles around the dryer shaft . You can easily place your clothes in or around a wet towel and wrap the textiles around the dryer shaft, after which you place the dryer shaft in the dryer with the fan and can turn on the fan which will immediately start the drying process .

[0040] The state of the art describes several devices for drying textiles .

[0041] Many well-known publications describe a device that brings textiles into contact with warm air . Other publications hang the textiles out and bring them into contact with air . A device that positions the textiles around a body and passes air through them is not described in the state of the art .

[0042] The invention achieves the effect that textiles do not smell musty after sports, swimming or another activity in which textiles can get wet, and can even smell fresh by means of the odour fil- ter, without using a heat source, so only by means of normal air . Because you can easily wrap the wet textiles loosely around the drying roller, the air is able to find its way through the damp textiles . By creating an overpressure situation in the dryer shaft by a first fan and by another fan downstream, a negative pressure situation is created in the space where the body, also referred to as a dryer shaft, is placed, so that the wet textile can become cupboard dry in just a few hours .

[0043] The aim is that the device can function directly in or as a sports bag. The aim is therefore also to provide a portable dryer that can be placed in a sports bag and can function as a dryer .

[0044] The aim of the dryer shaft is to ensure that you can easily wrap the clothing around the dryer shaft in an airy manner, so that the openings, or air holes or slots, in the dryer shaft can follow the natural flow of the air flow that is created in the dryer shaft in order to have maximum efficiency of the air flow that is created in the dryer shaft .

[0045] The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various examples of the various components of the device with cross-sections and an example of the possible design of the final product with the components included that may be applicable in and to the invention . The apparatus and components of the present specification are not intended to limit the scope of what is taught in any way. In the drawings :

[0046] Figure 1 shows a simplified view of the device according to the invention;

[0047] Figure 2 shows a simplified side view of the device according to the invention;

[0048] Figure 3 shows a simplified side view of the side of the device according to the invention;

[0049] Figure 4 shows a simplified perspective view of the outside of the device according to the invention;

[0050] Figure 5 shows a simplified perspective view of the outside of the device according to the invention; and

[0051] Figure 6 shows a simplified perspective view of the back of the device according to the invention .

[0052] In the figures, like components are indicated by like reference numerals . However, not all components necessary for a practical implementation of the invention are shown for the sake of simplicity of representation .

[0053] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention . The device according to the invention, formed of a hollow body comprising a supply opening for supplying air to an internal space of the hollow body and at least one outlet opening in a wall of the hollow body for removing the air from the internal space from the body, is included in a drying device 1. The drying device is shown in an exploded view. The various parts of the device are enclosed, in the representation according to Fig . 1, during use by a housing which in the embodiment shown is formed by a base part 10 and a cover 28. The cover 28 fits at least substantially airtightly to the base part 10. The essence of the device according to the invention, a body 8 with in the variant shown a plurality of air outlet openings 12, is included within a drying space 17 defined by the base part 10 and the cover 28. The drying space 17 can be a substantially cylindrical space 17, which has the effect that the textile to be dried is positioned symmetrically around the hollow body 8 provided with air outlet openings and drying can take place efficiently.

[0054] The body 8 is provided at one end with a supply opening 4 through which air is fed into the interior of the body 8, for example by a supply fan (not shown) . The supply fan can be located outside the housing . The body 8 projects with the end with the supply opening 4 through an opening 5 of the housing . The other, opposite end of the body 8 rests in a receiving element of the housing so that the body 8 is firmly positioned in place during use . Textile to be dried is positioned around the body 8 in the drying space 17 during use .

[0055] According to an alternative embodiment, the body 8 can be provided near both ends with support elements 3, 66,, which rest on the bottom of the bottom part 10. In this variant, the drying device 1 according to the invention comprises a drying roller or shaft 2 which comprises the body and the two support elements 3, 6. For example, the support element 6, at the closed end of the body 8, can be provided with openings 7 through which humidified air can escape from the drying space 17 and can be discharged from the housing via opening 9. The support element 6 can also be completely closed, whereby the humidified air can be discharged from the drying space between the periphery of the support element and an inner wall of the housing via opening 9.

[0056] The various components of the drying device 1 can have any suitable shape and size to accommodate the drying device 1 in a bag, such as a sports bag, or to design the drying device as such as a bag, such as a sports bag . A fragrance element can be provided in the drying device .

[0057] In combination with the device according to Fig . 1, an ex- haust fan can also be placed on the downstream side, which forms a negative pressure in the drying space 17 to draw the air from the body 8, through the textile to be dried. For example, the exhaust fan can be placed between the support element 6 and the opening 9 in the housing. The exhaust fan can also be placed outside the housing, i . e . downstream of the opening 9.

[0058] A fan is also referred to in this description as a centrifugal motor .

[0059] The device can also be provided with two fans, for example a first fan serving as a supply fan upstream of the drying space and a second fan serving as an exhaust fan, inside or downstream of the drying space 17 .

[0060] For example, the exhaust fan can be placed in the opening 9 and the supply fan can be placed near or in the supply opening 4 of the body 8 .

[0061] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of the drying roller 2 according to the invention . On the supply side 13, the supply opening 4 is provided in the body 8. At the opposite end 11, the body 8 is sealed. The supply opening 4 is connected to the environment in order to be able to supply air from there to the drying space 17 through the air outlet openings 12 . Humidified air is removed from the drying space via openings in the support element 6.

[0062] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the drying device 1 according to the invention . The body 8 is placed with the opening 4 in an opening 18 of the housing to allow a supply of air into the body 8. The drying roller 2 according to Fig. 2 is accommodated in the housing according to Fig . 3 in the shown variant . The cover 28 is placed in a closing manner on the bottom part 10. The support elements 3, 6 rest on the bottom 16 of the bottom part 10. An exhaust fan can be placed near the discharge side 14. For example, the exhaust fan can be placed in fan space 15 . An inlet fan can be advantageously placed near the inlet side 18, preferably close to the opening 4 in order to keep aerodynamic losses as small as possible . The shape and size of the device, both the bottom part and the walls 19 of the cover, can be adjusted as desired in order to be able to dry a suitable amount of textile .

[0063] Fig . 4 shows an example of the outside of a drying device 1 according to the invention . The drying device 1 can be designed as a bag, such as a sports bag, but also as a separate drying device 1 that can be placed in a regular bag, such as a sports bag. In the latter case, a sports bag can be used that is significantly larger than the drying device 1, for example to take other items, such as water bottles and shoes, with you in the bag .

[0064] In the variant according to Fig. 4, the drying device 1 comprises a handle 20. A fragrance element can be accommodated at the opening 21 for supplying air to the device . A battery can be accommodated in a suitable manner at the bottom of the drying device 1 in a power supply space 22, as well as any control electronics or converters for connection to mains voltage . An on / off button is also provided at the bottom of the device to switch the device on or off as desired. The cover 28 of the drying device 1 can be coupled to the bottom part 10 of the drying device 1 by means of a regular lock 24.

[0065] Humidified air is discharged from the drying device 1 via the discharge opening 25, as shown in Fig . 5. The exhaust fan can be placed in a suitable manner near this opening 25.

[0066] It should be noted that when the drying device 1 is placed in a bag, a discharge guide, such as a flexible hose, can be provided at the opening 25 towards the environment in order to discharge the humidified air from the bag.

[0067] Finally, Fig . 6 shows a set of hinges with which the lid 28 and the bottom part 10 are hingedly connected to each other .

[0068] When the drying device 1 is designed as a bag, a suspension element 27 can be provided for attaching a carrying strap .

[0069] The invention also extends to any combination of measures that have been described independently of each other above . The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the figures . The invention is only limited by the appended claims .

Claims

C L A I M S1. A bag, in particular a sports bag, which is provided with a device for drying textiles, further provided with a drying space for positioning the textiles to be dried therein, an air supply device, such as a fan, for supplying air to the drying space, and an outlet opening for discharging humidified air to the environment .

2. A bag according to claim 1, further provided with a power supply for powering a motor for driving the fan .

3. A bag according to claim 2, wherein the motor is an electric motor and the power supply is a battery for electrically powering the electric motor .

4. A device for drying textiles for use in the bag according to claim 1, 2 or 3, comprising a body with an outer surface with a winding section for positioning the textiles to be dried on the outside of the body, which body is a hollow body with an inner space comprising an air supply opening and an air outlet opening, which outlet opening is located in the winding section for discharging the air to the outside of the body.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the device comprises a supply fan for supplying air to the inner space of the body via the supply opening.

6. A device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the device comprises an exhaust fan for discharging air from the inner space of the body.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the body is accommodated in a housing, which housing comprises a drying space downstream of the outlet opening in the body, and which housing comprises openings for discharging air from the drying space .

8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the body and the supply fan are accommodated in a housing and which housing comprises an opening for supplying air from the environment to the fan .

9. A device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the body is detachably accommodated in the housing.

10. A device according to claim 4, wherein a fragrance is provided at a position upstream of the outlet opening in the body.

11. A device according to claim 7, wherein an odour-absorbing or odour-degrading facility is provided at a position downstream of the drying space .

12. A device according to any of claims 5-11, comprising a power supply for powering an electric motor for the fan, which power supply is one of a battery and a connection for external power supply.

13. A device according to any of claims 7-12, wherein downstream of the openings in the housing for discharging air from the drying space, a connection for a discharge pipe is provided.

14. A device according to claim 13, further comprising a discharge pipe connected to the connection .

15. A device according to any of claims 7-14, wherein the drying space comprises a detachable cover for providing access from the environment to the drying space .

16. A device according to any of claims 4-15, wherein the device comprises a heating element for heating the air to be passed through the body.

17. A device according to claim 4, further comprising a spacer element for positioning between two layers of textile to be dried.

18. A bag, such as a sports bag with a device according to any of claims 4-17 for drying textile in the bag .

19. A bag, such as a sports bag formed by a device according to any of claims 1-17 for drying textile in the bag .

20. A bag according to claim 1, further comprising a device according to one or more of claims 4-17.

21. A method for drying textile in a bag according to any of claims 1-3, 18-20, or using a device according to any of claims 4-17, comprising positioning damp textile around the body and passing air through the outlet opening in the body and through the textile positioned around it .

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising positioning the spacer element as mentioned in claim 17 between two layers of textile to be dried.

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