Abstract:
The present disclosure is related to an apparatus suitable for cleaning, refreshing, steaming, deodorizing, and/or drying cloth items. Such appliance comprises a molded base form with an associated heater/blower assembly and a water receptacle, a rigid, telescoping framework hingedly affixed to the base form, and a collapsible enclosure defining a void space, and having at least one access port thereto and a plurality of removable shelves for inclusion therein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/906,636 for Gentle Dryer, filed on Mar. 12, 2007, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to an appliance useful for the cleaning and refreshing of fabrics. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to a portable appliance useful for the cleaning, drying, and refreshing of fabrics. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to a collapsible, portable appliance, modular in its construction, so as to handle the cleaning, drying, and refreshing of fabrics in a hanging and/or laying orientation. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Certain fabrics are not suitable for conventional in-home immersion cleaning processes. Home washing machines can, under certain conditions, shrink or otherwise damage silk, linen, wool, and other delicate fabrics. Consumers typically have these delicate fabric items dry-cleaned. Other fabrics are easily wrinkled and ironing of these items is a time consuming and often undesirable task. Finally, some items are often worn only for special occasions and do not require an in-depth cleaning as might be required by clothing worn all-day or during strenuous physical activity. Such items often require nothing more than “freshening up” to be suitable for re-use. 
         [0004]    With regard to those fabrics that are typically dry-cleaned, attempts have been made to provide in-home systems that combine the fabric cleaning and refreshing of in-home, immersion laundering processes with the fabric care benefits of dry-cleaning processes. One such in-home system for cleaning and refreshing garments comprises a substrate sheet containing various liquid or gelled cleaning agents, and a plastic enclosure. The garments are placed into the enclosure together with the sheet, and then tumbled in a conventional clothes dryer. 
         [0005]    Unfortunately, such in-home processes are designed for use in a conventional clothes dryer. Such an appliance is not always available, and they are often uneconomical. Moreover, in many locales clothes dryers are unnecessary as local weather conditions provide an adequate environment to allow for year-round outdoor drying of clothing in the sun. 
         [0006]    Steamer cabinets have also been utilized in the past to treat fabrics with heavy doses of steam, in an effort to both cleanse and deodorize the fabrics. Unfortunately, past steam cabinets were largely uncontrolled with respect to temperature and humidity. The cabinets were generally large appliances that were not portable. Due to the large uncontrolled amounts of steam used a drying step is often required that requires additional time and energy, as well as potentially resulting in undesirable shrinkage of the garment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In accordance with the present disclosure an apparatus suitable for refreshing/cleaning, steaming, deodorizing, and/or drying cloth fabrics is disclosed. Such apparatus may generally be comprised of a base and a foldable, telescoping rigid frame designed to support a suspended collapsible enclosure. Associated with the enclosure may be a portable heater, blower assembly with integral controls, including a plurality of temperature settings. 
         [0008]    The base may be a molded plastic base having an internal configuration for directing any moisture collected from the drying clothing into a receptacle associated therein. Additionally, the base may include an integrally formed duct and vent for directing heated air or steam from the associated heater/blower assembly into the collapsible enclosure. 
         [0009]    The enclosure may be comprised of any suitable sturdy material for forming the outermost housing of the apparatus. Such enclosure may be constructed to include internal points of attachment at various locations along its length to support removable shelves suited for supporting garments preferably dried in a horizontal position. Alternatively, such enclosure may further include an internal, collapsible ladder-like frame of suitable material for supporting removable shelves at those points along its length that correspond to the steps of the ladder structure. The shelves may be attached in any known suitable manner, but are preferably formed about a peripheral framework to ensure that the shelves remain in a semi-rigid and supportive configuration under load. Finally, the enclosure may include either a plurality of entry ports for access to clothing at various levels within the apparatus or alternatively, the apparatus may comprise a single access port having a configuration for opening such port from either end or along the entire length of the enclosure. 
         [0010]    The enclosure is supported by a foldable, rigid, telescoping frame. Such frame may be comprised of a pair of inverted Y-shaped, telescoping members. Each of the pair of inverted Y-shaped members may be hinged at both of the corners of the side of the base with which it is associated. When opened, the frame may be extended to its full height by using snap lock, ball and detent, or other suitable securing means for maintaining the extended telescoping members. Finally, a single rod may be used to secure the uppermost ends of the pair of inverted Y-shaped members together. Such rod may also serve as the hanging rod for clothes being treated while on a hanger device. 
         [0011]    Once fully erected, a user may choose to incorporate the removable shelves in a manner consistent with the structure used to support such shelves. Otherwise, clothing may be introduced into the apparatus through the at least one access port for treatment. The heater/blower may be set as appropriate to the treatment selected and the access port secured to allow the apparatus to either clean, refresh, steam, deodorize, or dry the cloth fabric therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a front isometric view of the portable garment treatment apparatus of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a back isometric view of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts the base of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts the base of  FIG. 3  including a blower; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts the frame system of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  depicts the shelving system of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  depicts the shelving support structure of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  depicts the removable top frame member of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  depicts a side view of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a fully expanded configuration; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  depicts a side view of the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a partially expanded configuration; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  depicts the portable garment treatment apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed configuration 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    The present disclosure relates to a portable garment treatment apparatus. The garment treatment apparatus includes a collapsible enclosure supported by an expandable frame. The expandable frame can adjusted to increase or decrease the size of the enclosure, or in the alternative, can be collapsed to minimize the size of the apparatus for storage. A blower unit is attached to the apparatus to provided air into the enclosure. 
         [0025]    Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designators refer to like elements, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a garment treatment apparatus  10  of the present disclosure. The garment treatment apparatus includes a base  12  having a pair of opposingly mounted telescoping frame assemblies  14  and  16 . Each frame member  14  and  16  includes a lower frame member  18 ,  20  pivotally mounted to the base  12 . The lower frame members  18 ,  20  are pivotable with respect to the base  12  between a substantially vertical position, for when the apparatus  10  is in use, and a substantially horizontal position, for storage of the apparatus  10 . In the horizontal position the lower frame members  18 ,  20  are rotated onto the base  12 , minimizing the vertical height of the apparatus  10 . 
         [0026]    The frame members  14  and  16  each include a first mast  22 ,  24  sliding mounted to the lower frame  18 ,  20 . The first masts  22 ,  24  are telescoping with respect to the lower frames  18 , from a compact first position to an extended second position. A locking mechanism  26 ,  28  is provided on each of the lower frames  18 ,  20  for locking the position of the first masts  22 ,  24  with respect to the lower frames  18 ,  20 . 
         [0027]    A second mast  30 ,  32  is telescopically mounted to each of the first masts  22 ,  24 . The second masts  30 ,  32  are slideable with respect to the first masts  22 ,  24  from a retracted first position to an extended second position. A locking mechanism  34 ,  36  is provided on each of the first masts  22 ,  24  for locking the position of the second masts  30 ,  32  with respect to the first masts  22 ,  24 . 
         [0028]    The first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are selective positionable from a retracted position to an extended position. In the retracted position, the first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are fully retracted within the lower frames  18 ,  20 , such that the lower frames  18 ,  20  can be rotated to the horizontal position with respect to the base  12 . In the extended position, the lower frames  18 ,  20  are rotated to a vertical position, and the first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are either partially or fully extended in the vertical direction. 
         [0029]    The locking mechanisms  26 ,  28  and  34 ,  36  can be snap-lock or detent and ball type locking mechanisms. However, it is contemplated that other known types of locking mechanisms can be utilized to lock the travel of a masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32 . 
         [0030]    A collapsible enclosure  38  is mounted to and supported between that the frame assemblies  14  and  16 . The collapsible enclosure  38  can be expanded from a compact position to an expanded position. In the compact position, the enclosure  38  is folded into the base  12 , the frame assemblies  14  and  16  being rotated over the enclosure  38 . In the expanded position, the enclosure  38  is vertically raised as the first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are either partially or fully extended in the vertical direction. 
         [0031]    A lower end  40  of the enclosure  38  is removable attached about the base  12 , such that as the enclosure  38  is expanded, defining an interior space, The interior space is configured for receiving the garments to be treated. A front surface  42  of the enclosure  38  includes an access panel  44  for providing access to the interior space of the enclosure  38 . The front surface  42  further includes a closure mechanism  46  for the opening and closing of the access panel  44  to the front surface  42 . The closure mechanism can be a zipper, hook and loop, or other types of know closure mechanisms. Only one access panel is depicted in the figures, however, it is contemplated that the enclosure can include one or more access panels. 
         [0032]    A handle  48  can be provided on a top surface  50  of the enclosure  38 . The handle  48  can be utilized to facilitate the raising and lowering of the enclosure  38 . 
         [0033]    A blower unit  52  is removable connected to the base  12 . The blower unit  52  is connected to the base  12  to provide a continual stream of air to the interior space of the enclosure  38 . The blower unit  52  can include a heating element to provide heated air to the interior space of the enclosure  38 . 
         [0034]    The blower unit  52  can further function as a heater, humidifier, ozonator, ionizer, oderizer, dryer or steamer. The blower unit  52  can also perform a combination of the above noted functions. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the base  12  includes an indented tray  54  configured to collect moisture from garments positioned in the enclosure  38 . The bottom surface  56  of the tray  54  is provided at an incline to facilitate movement of the collected fluid toward and exit port  58  for collection in a removable collection tray  60 . 
         [0036]    The base  12  further includes an air duct  62 , having a first open end  64  for attachment of the blower  52 . The air duct  62  extends through the bottom surface  56  of the tray  54  having a second open end  66  through which the blower  52  vents air into the enclosure  38 . 
         [0037]    The edge  64  of the indented tray  54  can includes a lipped portion  66  for attachment of the lower end  40  of the enclosure  38 . However, is in also contemplated that other attachment mechanisms can be used, including, but not limited to, zippers, hook and loop-, snapper, and other know devices. 
         [0038]    Referring also to  FIG. 5 , that base includes extensions  68   a - d , each have a pivotally connection  70   a - d . The pivotal connections  70   a  and  70   b  are aligned defining an axis of rotation R 1 . The ends  18   a - b  of the lower frame  18  are one each connected to the pivotal connections  70   a - b , such that lower frame  18  is rotatable about axis of rotation R 1 . 
         [0039]    Similarly, pivotal connection  70   c  and  70   d  are aligned defining an axis of rotation R 2 . The ends  20   a - b  of the lower frame  20  are one each connected to the pivotal connections  70   c - d , such that lower frame  20  is rotatable about axis of rotation R 2 . 
         [0040]    The extensions  68   a - d  can be hollow, such that the ends  18   a - b  and  20   a - b  of the lower frames  18  and  20  can be slide into the extensions  68   a - d . In this manner the lower frames  18 , 20  can be locked in the vertical position. To rotate that lower frame  18 , 20  to the horizontal position, the ends  18   a - b  and  20   a - b  of the lower frames  18  and  20  lifted out of the extensions  68   a - d  and the lower frames  18 , 20  are rotated to the vertical position. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a top frame  72  is affixed the top ends  30   a ,  32   a  of the second masts  30 ,  32 . The top frame  72  is shaped to conform to and support the top of the enclosure  38 , where the enclosure  38  is fitted over the top frame  72 . The top frame  72  can include a hanging bar  74 , which can be utilized to support hanging garments. 
         [0042]    A shelf system  76  is supported between the top frame  72  and the base  12 . The shelf system  76  includes support members  78   a - d  extending between the top frame  72  and the base  12 . One or more shelves  80  can be position on the support members  78   a - d , where the shelves  80  provide a platform for the holding the garments. The shelves  80  can be removable attached to the support members  78   a - d , such that the shelves  80  can be removed or repositioned as needed. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the top frame  72  is removable connected to the top ends  30   a ,  32   a  of the second mast members  30 ,  32 . The top frame  72  includes first and second extensions  82 , 84  extending downwardly. To connect the top frame  72  to the second masts  30 ,  32 , the first and second extensions  82 ,  84  are aligned with and inserted into the top ends  30   a ,  32   a  of the second masts  30 ,  32 . Locking mechanisms  86 ,  88  are provided at each of the top ends  30   a ,  32   a , which engage and secure the first and second extensions  82 ,  84  into the top ends  30   a ,  32   a . To remove the top frame  72 , the locking mechanisms  86 ,  88  are actuated and the top frame  72  is removed. The locking mechanisms  86 ,  88  can be snap-lock or detent and ball type locking mechanisms. However, it is contemplated that other known types of locking mechanisms can be utilized to lock the top frame  72  to the second masts  30 ,  32 . 
         [0044]    As previously noted, the size of the garment apparatus  10  of the present disclosure can be selectively increased or decreased. Referring to  FIG. 9 , in a fully expanded condition, the first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are fully extended, where the masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  and locking into position by locking mechanisms  26 , 28  and  34 , 36 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 10 , in a partially expanded condition, the first masts  22 , 24  are fully extended, where the first masts  22 , 24  are locked in position by locking mechanisms  26 , 28 . The second masts  30 , 32  are un-extended, remaining nested within the first mast  22 , 24 . In is also contemplated that first second masts can be separately, partially, extended, allowing for variation in the size of the garment apparatus  10 . 
         [0045]    Referring also to  FIG. 11 , to collapse the apparatus, the first and second masts  22 ,  24  and  30 ,  32  are fully retracted. The second masts  30 ,  32  are retracted into the first masts  22 ,  24  and the first masts  22 ,  24  are retracted into the lower frames  18 ,  20 . The top frame  72  is detached from the end  30   a ,  32   a  of the second masts  30 ,  32 , such that the top frame  72  and enclosure  38  can be compressed onto the base  12 . The lower frames  18  and  20  are separately rotated toward the base, such the frames  14  and  16  overlay each other on top of the collapsed enclosure  38 . The frame assemblies  14 ,  16  can be held in place with locking member  80 . In the collapsed configuration, the apparatus  10  can be stored. 
         [0046]    In use, the framed  14  and  16  are separated and rotated into a substantially vertically position. The top frame  72  is connected to the ends  30   a ,  32   a  of the second masts  30 ,  32 . The first and second masts  22 ,  24 , and  30 ,  32  are selected raised and locked into place. For a fully size configuration, the first and second masts  22 ,  24 , and  30 ,  32  are fully extended. The access panel  44  is opened and the garments are positioned in the interior space. The garments can be positioned on the shelves  80 , or one or more of the upper the shelves  80  can be removed so that the garments can be hung from the hanging bar  74 . Upon sealing the access panel  44 , the blower unit  52  is turned on. Optionally, the heating element of the blower unit  52  can be actuated to provide heated air to the interior of the enclosure  80 . The blower unit  52  can include differing air and temperature setting for the treatment of different types of fabrics. 
         [0047]    Upon completion of use, the garments are removed from the interior space. The collection tray  60  is removed and any accumulated moisture therein is disposed of. The apparatus  10  is then collapsed for storage. 
         [0048]    Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification. 
         [0049]    All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
         [0050]    It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.