Locker with air conditioning system in hinge bar
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern lockers in athletic and sporting facilities face challenges in efficiently storing and drying heavy, cumbersome equipment such as football, lacrosse, or hockey helmets and pads, with a need for improved storage solutions that enhance comfort and luxury.
Innovation Solution
The lockers incorporate ventilated compartments with integrated air conditioning systems, including HVAC plenums, ventilation grilles, circulation fans, and equipment drying fixtures, along with movable and tilting racks to facilitate easy access and drying of equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional storage compartments are used for heavy equipment, then storage capacity is provided, but equipment drying efficiency is insufficient and odor control is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines storage and drying functions into a single integrated compartment system. The storage compartment serves dual purposes: storing equipment and drying it through integrated ventilation grilles and circulation fans, eliminating the need for separate drying facilities and improving drying efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation system operates automatically to dry equipment stored in the compartments. Circulation fans and ventilation grilles create continuous air flow that self-dries equipment without user intervention, addressing the drying efficiency problem while maintaining relatively simple operation.
2Reliability
If equipment is stored in enclosed compartments, then protection is provided, but air circulation for drying is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements localized ventilation features within enclosed compartments. Ventilation grilles are strategically positioned at specific locations (top and bottom of compartments) to create effective air circulation patterns, while the rest of the compartment remains enclosed for protection. This localized approach maintains protection while enabling adequate air circulation for drying.
3Ease of operation
If heavy equipment is stored on fixed racks, then storage organization is achieved, but accessibility and ease of removal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs movable and tilting racks instead of fixed racks. The racks can be tilted forward and moved along rails, transforming from a static configuration to a dynamic one that enables easy equipment access. This dynamic mechanism improves accessibility while maintaining relatively simple structural complexity through the use of basic mechanical elements like rails and tilting joints.
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 solution provides effective storage and drying of equipment, enhancing user convenience and maintaining equipment quality by ensuring rapid drying and odor reduction.
Implementation Method 1
an air conditioning system in the hinge bar of the cabinet door. The air conditioning system includes a plenum, a ventilation grille, a circulation fan, and a thermostat
Implementation Method 2
The air conditioning system includes a plenum, a ventilation grille, a circulation fan, and a thermostat
Data Source
AI summary
A locker includes a pair of spaced-apart upstanding sidewalls and at least one shelf extending between the sidewalls, the shelf and sidewalls defining a compartment. A tray is carried on the shelf in the compartment and supported by a pair of rollers and coupled to a pair of rails mounted on the sidewalls above the shelf, wherein the tray slides forward and backward relative to the shelf and rotates about the rollers. Located on the tray are a set of equipment racks for storing and drying equipment when not in use.