Step-In Dryer Device for Hands-Free Foot and Shoe Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals face difficulties in drying their feet, ankles, and lower legs without bending over, and there is a need for an efficient method to dry shoes made of unsuitable materials for conventional dryers.
Innovation Solution
A step-in dryer device with a housing, blower unit, actuator mechanism, air inlets, vent, and top cover that allows users to step in and dry their feet or shoes by automatically generating heated air upon detection, featuring a motor-driven fan, heating element, and airflow control mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional dryer is used to dry shoes, then shoes made of unsuitable materials can be dried, but the shoes may be damaged due to high heat and tumbling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the drying parameters by using ambient temperature air flow instead of high heat, and uses a stationary air stream instead of tumbling motion. This allows drying of heat-sensitive materials without damage while maintaining effective drying capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device creates a simplified version of dryer functionality by providing only the essential air flow component without the damaging elements (heat and tumbling). This copied function enables drying of unsuitable materials safely.
2Productivity
If an individual bends over to manually dry feet with a towel, then feet can be dried, but it is difficult for individuals who cannot bend over
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the user to actively dry their feet by bending over and using a towel, the device inverts the approach by having the air flow come to the user's feet. The user simply steps into the device and the air flow does the drying work passively.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables self-service drying by allowing users to step in and have their feet automatically dried by the air flow, without requiring manual intervention or physical bending.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If shoes are left to air dry, then material damage is avoided, but drying efficiency is low and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by generating a controlled air flow through a blower to actively remove moisture from shoes. This accelerated air movement significantly reduces drying time compared to passive air drying while maintaining material safety through ambient temperature 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
Enables efficient drying of feet, ankles, and shoes without bending over, accommodating various materials and allowing control over airflow, thus providing a convenient and versatile drying solution.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one blower is encased in the housing for generating heated air
Implementation Method 2
The at least one blower unit includes at least one motor driven fan
Data Source
AI summary
A step-in dryer device including a housing, at least one blower unit, an actuator mechanism, a pair of air inlets, a pair of air inlet covers, a vent, a vent cover and a top cover. The at least one blower is encased in the housing for generating heated air. The actuator mechanism for activating and deactivating the blower unit. The pair of air inlets are integrated into the housing and positioned on opposite sides of the blower unit. The pair of air inlet covers are each attached to a respective air inlet. The vent is integrated into the housing and positioned in a perpendicular manner relative to the top cover. The vent receives the heated air generated from the at least one blower unit. The vent cover is attached to a front surface of the vent and includes a plurality of narrow openings for outputting the generated heated air and to prevent an object from getting into the blower unit. The top cover is integrated in the housing and is positioned in between the pair of air inlets. The top cover is configured to receive to an object or a user's feet.