Collapsible Garment Drying Chamber With Forced-Air Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for drying 'drip-dry' or 'permanent press' garments often result in shrinkage or damage, and existing drying techniques are inefficient, taking too much time and space, especially in home or travel settings.
Innovation Solution
A compact, collapsible garment drying apparatus with a blower assembly and expandable wall that forms a chamber for air circulation, allowing for quick drying and storage, featuring telescoping support poles, a sealing member, and a blower assembly for efficient air circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If garments are dried by exposure to atmosphere using traditional methods, then the drying process is simple, but it takes too much time and requires adequate room space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the drying environment by using a blower assembly to force air circulation through the chamber, transforming passive atmospheric drying into active controlled drying. This increases drying speed while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The blower assembly creates pressurized air flow that is directed through the chamber containing the garment. This pneumatic system enables rapid moisture removal without requiring large storage spaces, resolving the contradiction between drying efficiency and space consumption.
2Volume of moving object
If a garment drying apparatus is designed to be compact for storage, then it is easy to store and transport, but it may not provide adequate space for drying garments
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus employs telescoping support poles that can extend and collapse, allowing the chamber volume to dynamically adjust between compact storage configuration and expanded drying configuration. This enables the device to provide adequate drying space when needed while maintaining small storage footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping support poles are nested within each other in a collapsed state, minimizing the overall volume of the apparatus for storage and transport. When extended, they provide sufficient chamber volume for effective garment drying, resolving the volume-capacity contradiction.
3Productivity
If washing machines are used to wash garments, then washing is efficient, but they may shrink and damage drip-dry or permanent press garments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drying function from the washing machine cycle, providing a separate dedicated drying apparatus. This separation allows drip-dry and permanent press garments to be handled gently without the mechanical agitation and heat of machine washing, eliminating garment damage while maintaining efficient drying through forced air circulation.
4Productivity
If a blower assembly is added to circulate air through the chamber, then drying speed increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower assembly serves multiple functions: it forces air circulation for rapid drying, creates pressurized flow to press the garment, and can be integrated with the collapse mechanism. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering superior drying performance and compactability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus efficiently dries garments quickly, is compact for storage and travel, and can be easily set up in limited spaces, addressing the inefficiencies and space constraints of traditional drying methods.
Implementation Method 1
A blower assembly may be located within the lower housing to circulate air through one or more vents, wherein when the wall is in the expanded position, the blower assembly circulates air through the one or more vents and into the chamber to dry and press the garment
Implementation Method 2
The wall may have a sealing member to selectively open and close the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A garment drying apparatus including upper and lower housings with an expandable and collapsible wall extending therebetween. The apparatus may include at least one support pole and/or bracket to support the upper housing to expand the wall. The upper and lower housings may include openings to slidably receive ends of the at least one support pole and/or bracket. A blower assembly can be located within the lower housing configured to circulate air through one or more vents, wherein when the wall is in an expanded position, the blower assembly circulates air through the one or more vents and into the chamber to dry and press the garment.