Device for drying feet and/or footwear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current foot drying devices are inadequate for users with reduced mobility, as they often require elevated structures that pose tripping hazards and fail to provide comprehensive drying, leaving users to choose between incomplete drying options or risking accidents.
Innovation Solution
A foot dryer with a casing that directs air through lower and lateral holes at varying heights, eliminating the need for elevated structures, and incorporating presence sensors, air sanitization systems, and optional features like infrared heating and ultraviolet light for complete and safe drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bridge structure is added to dry the top and front of the foot, then the drying coverage is improved, but the device complexity increases and it poses a high risk of tripping for users with reduced mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the drying function into multiple air outlet zones: lower holes for the sole, lateral holes for the sides and instep, and upper holes for the top of the foot. This segmentation allows comprehensive drying without requiring a complex bridge structure, resolving the contradiction between drying coverage and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces lateral walls with holes at different heights to project air onto the upper part of the foot, adding a vertical dimension to air projection. This eliminates the need for horizontal bridge extensions while achieving complete foot coverage, resolving the contradiction between drying coverage and device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a bridge structure is added to dry the top and front of the foot, then the drying coverage is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to tripping risks
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments air outlets into lower, lateral, and upper holes distributed across different surfaces of the casing. This eliminates the need for a protruding bridge structure that could trip users, while still achieving comprehensive drying coverage, thus resolving the contradiction between drying coverage and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By using lateral walls with vertically distributed holes, the patent projects air onto the upper foot area without extending horizontally into the user's path. This resolves the contradiction between drying coverage and ease of operation by eliminating tripping hazards while maintaining complete foot drying.
3Device complexity
If air outlets are positioned at the same height on the upper surface, then the device complexity is reduced, but the drying completeness deteriorates as it cannot properly dry the entire foot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments air outlets into three distinct groups at different heights: lower holes for the sole, lateral holes at intermediate height for the sides and instep, and upper holes for the top of the foot. This segmentation achieves complete drying coverage without significantly increasing device complexity, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and drying completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of lateral walls with holes at different vertical positions adds height variation to air projection. This enables comprehensive drying of all foot surfaces while maintaining relatively simple device architecture, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and drying completeness.
4Productivity
If elevated structures are used to project air onto the foot, then the drying effectiveness is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to tripping risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the casing into lower, lateral, and upper surfaces with distributed air outlets. This eliminates the need for elevated bridge structures while achieving effective drying of all foot areas, resolving the contradiction between drying effectiveness and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By using lateral walls with vertically distributed holes, the patent achieves effective air projection onto the upper foot without creating horizontal protrusions that could trip users. This resolves the contradiction between drying effectiveness and ease of operation.
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 device ensures comprehensive foot drying without tripping hazards, is easy to use, and includes sanitization features to prevent foot diseases, making it suitable for users with mobility issues.
Implementation Method 1
a motor housed inside a casing, the casing having an opening, through which the motor absorbs air into the casing and subsequently expels it out of the casing through different lower holes located on the upper surface of the casing
Implementation Method 2
the lateral holes being located at different heights with respect to the upper surface of the casing. In this way, the outflow of air from the lateral holes goes over the corresponding lateral area of the foot and the upper part of the foot, surrounding the foot with the air that comes out of the inside of the casing, thereby completely drying the foot
Implementation Method 3
The device has presence sensors which, when detecting that an object placed in the proximity of the drying area, activate the motor to start the drying
Implementation Method 4
The device can incorporate different inflow air cleaning systems, such as a HEPA particle filter, an ozone converter or/and an ultraviolet light emitter, with the function of sanitising and disinfecting the air introduced into the motor
Implementation Method 5
The device can incorporate different inflow air cleaning systems, such as a HEPA particle filter, an ozone converter or/and an ultraviolet light emitter, with the function of sanitising and disinfecting the air introduced into the motor
Data Source
AI summary
A device for drying feet and/or footwear, having a casing with at least one opening for the inflow of air into the casing; an upper surface of the casing for receiving the sole of the foot and/or footwear, with at least one lower hole for the outflow of air from inside the casing to the exterior contacting with the sole of the foot and/or footwear; lateral walls projecting from the upper surface, with at least two lateral holes for the outflow of air from inside the casing; and a motor that absorbs air through the air inflow opening expelling it through the air outflow holes, wherein the lateral holes are located at least at two different heights with respect to the upper surface of the casing in order to expel the air over the sides and the instep of the foot and/or footwear.