Draining system for wet objects on single and multi level trays

A draining system comprising a single or multi-layer tray designed to store and dry wet objects like winter boots, rain boots or dishes that are placed on the tray. This system provides effective utilization of space to store wet objects. Water from the wet objects placed on the tray goes into waste collection bin which can easily be removed without disrupting the tray set-up to dispense waste water without creating a mess.

BACKGROUND

In winter or in rainy season, snow or water gets on the boots that makes the indoors messy. Often, snow is mixed with dirt and salt and when it comes off the boots, it leaves residue on the floor which is difficult to clean. There are trays available, but they only are meant to contain the waste water and they become pool of waste water over time. By storing boots in such trays dirty water goes back on the floor with the boots. These trays do not address the mess issue effectively. Also, these trays take a lot of floor space. There is a need for a better boot storing system to dry the boots and increase usage of limited floor area to store boots.

SUMMARY

In accordance to first aspect of this invention the draining system comprises of one tray and a waste collection bin placed under the tray. The tray provides a surface to keep the wet objects and provides a passage for waste water to flow from the wet objects into the waste collection bin. The tray has a sloped base member and at least one drain hole. The slope of the base member can be a straight slope or a curved slope. The sloped surface of the base member is made in a way that when water falls on the surface it is directed towards the drain hole. Offset from this sloped surface of the base member there is another virtually flat surface above the sloped surface formed by top of the ribs originating from the sloped surface. This virtually flat surface is designed to receive wet objects. Due to the offset between the virtually flat surface and the bottom sloped surface, waste water from the wet object drips down from the virtually flat surface to the bottom sloped surface by gravity and then it is directed to the drain hole. The virtually flat surface and the bottom sloped surface can be made as one part or two separate parts. The tray is raised from the floor either by built-in feet or by separate feet, the feet makes room to put a waste collection bin under the drain hole of the tray. The waste collection bin receives waste water from the tray. The waste collection bin can be removed for emptying without disrupting the tray and wet objects placed on the tray.

In accordance to second aspect of this invention, the draining system comprises of multiple trays that are stacked one over another in a way that the trays are connected by one or more hollow pillar or pillars and there is a waste collection bin placed under the bottom most tray. The bottom most tray is raised from the floor either by built-in feet or by separate feet, the feet makes room to put a waste collection bin under the drain hole of the bottom most tray. The pillar is a hollow tubular structure with a through hole and two flat ends. The pillar act as support structure as well as a draining connection between each tray. Structure of each tray is same as the tray explained in first aspect of this invention. The drain hole in the tray has a post around it which has a step feature and a side cut-out throughout the post height, this post is designed to receive one end of the pillar. There is a tubular feature around the drain hole on bottom of the tray to receive another end of the pillar. The step feature in the post above the drain hole is designed in a way that when a pillar is assembled in the post a gap is created between the pillar and the sloped surface of the tray so that water from all the trays continues to pass through the drain hole of each tray, then passes through the pillar and then travels into the waste collection bin on the floor level.

In accordance to third aspect of this invention, the waste collection bin as explained in above two aspects of this invention has a built-in electric heater to rapidly evaporate water that comes into the waste collection bin.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION

As shown inFIG. 1a tray body100is rectangular in shape. Tray100has a sloped base member101and a virtually flat surface above the base member101made by peaks of multiple ribs102. The virtually flat surface formed by the peaks of multiple ribs102provides a surface for placing wet objects. The base member101of the tray100is surrounded by walls113. In this figure sloped base member101and ribs102are shown as one part, but they can be separate parts: one part making sloped base and the other part above the slopped base making a flat surface with perforations to allow water to pass through. Base member101has four drain holes103astrategically placed at the four corners of the tray100, these four corners are the bottommost points of the sloped base member101. In these illustrations four drain holes are shown, but they can be fewer or more depending on shape and the direction of the slope. Note that the virtually flat surface formed by ribs102is higher than sloped base member's surface101, this height difference allows water to flow from the wet object placed on the virtually flat surface to sloped base surface101and then flows towards the drain holes103aby gravity. Drain holes103aare surrounded by tubular features103bat the bottom of tray100on the opposite side of sloped base101. The drain hole103ais surrounded by a post121on top of the sloped base feature101and is fused with the tray walls113.

InFIG. 2, flat ribs102of the tray100are removed to show the sloped base member101clearly. In this figure, the sloped base member101is shown as a curved profile converging into drain holes103a. Profile of the base member101can be a straight inclined profile in one direction or multiple straight inclined profiles in multiple directions. The sloped shape can converge into one drain hole or multiple drain holes.

As shown inFIG. 3, the sloped base member101is spherical in shape, having a slope in the direction shown by curve104and curve105.

FIG. 4shows the flow of water over the sloped base member101. Waste water drips off the wet objects placed on the tray100, flows over the sloped base member and flow into the drain hole103a.FIG. 4also shows the post121, the first recess114inside the post121, a side cut-out115in post114and the step106in the post114on top of drain holes103a.

FIG. 5shows tray100raised by two feet108. These feet108raise the tray100from the floor to create space109under the drain holes103a. In this figure two feet are shown but there could be many variations of raised feet depending on shape and size of trays.

FIG. 6shows two removable waste collections bins110placed under the tray100. The left waste collection bin110is shown in assembled state properly placed under drain holes103aof the tray100and the right waste collection bin110is shown in a pulled-out state. In this figure one waste collection bin110is big enough to collect water from two drain holes103a, but there could be many variations of waste collection bin110depending on the number, location and size of drain holes. Waste water passing through the drain holes103ais stored in the waste collection bin110. Waste collection bin110can be removed for emptying and can be re-placed in opening109for subsequent water collection.

FIG. 7aandFIG. 7bshows multi-trays setup. As shown inFIG. 7atwo trays100can be stacked one over the other by using pillars107.FIG. 18clearly shows the construction of pillar107. The pillar107is hollow with a through opening120. The pillar107has two ends, first end116and the second end117. Outer size118of the pillar107matches the first recess114of the tray post121and the inner size119of the pillar107matches the outer size of tray's tubular feature103bsuch that first end116of the pillar107fits inside the first recess114of bottom tray100and the second end117of the pillar107fits around the tubular feature103bof the top tray100. First end116of the pillar107butts against the step106of the tray100, this assembly of pillar and tray leaving gap111between sloped surface101and pillar107so that waste water from the bottom tray100can flow through the drain hole103a. InFIG. 7aandFIG. 7b, four pillars107are shown between two trays, but they can be more than four or less depending on the shape and size of the trays100and placement of drain holes in the tray. The pillars107provide support to top tray100and acts as a draining connection between two trays. This way, trays can be stacked up in two layers as shown inFIG. 7aor 3 layers as shown inFIG. 7bor even more layers (not shown). Water from top tray100flows through the pillar107, then through the drain hole103aof bottom tray100, and then into the waste collection bin110at floor level.

FIG. 8clearly shows gap111created above the drain hole in bottom tray100in multi-tray set-up. Gap111allows water from bottom tray100to flow through drain hole103a.

FIG. 9shows an exploded view of three-layer tray setup. In this illustration, there are two holes112shown in foot108. Holes112are designed to receive tubular feature103bof bottom tray100, so that water from drain hole103acan flow through the foot108, and into removable waste collection bin110. Holes112in foot108also act as tray locating holes for assembly purpose. The holes112will not be required if the foot is of a different design, an example of such foot is shown inFIG. 12a,FIG. 12b,FIG. 13aandFIG. 13b.

FIG. 10shows a three-layer tray setup with footwear122on each layer. This illustration also shows that pillars107have created enough space between the two trays100to accommodate tall boots122.

FIG. 11shows a three-layer tray setup with various dishes and cutlery123on trays100.

FIG. 12aandFIG. 12bshow a tray100with built-in feet124to raise the tray100to make space for the waste collection bin110under the drain holes of the tray100.FIG. 12bshows space109under the tray100to accommodate waste collection bin110.

FIG. 13aandFIG. 13bshow a tray100with separate feet125to raise the tray100to make space for the waste collection bin110under the drain holes of the tray100.FIG. 13bshows the feet125in disassembled state and this figure also shows space109under the tray100to accommodate waste collection bin110.

FIG. 14aandFIG. 14bshow a post121on top of the sloped base member101. In these figures the post is shown fused with the tray walls113. The post121has a first recess114, a second recess126, a step106between the two recesses and a side cut-out115throughout the post height. The sloped base member101has a drain hole103ainside the post121.FIG. 14bshows a pillar107assembled into the post121such that first end116of the pillar107fits into the first recess114of the post121and butts against the step106. This assembly of pillar107and tray post121creates a gap111for water to flow through drain hole103a.FIG. 14billustrates a multi-layer tray set-up.

FIG. 15aandFIG. 15bshow a post121on top of the sloped base member101. In these figures the post is shown independently standing on the sloped base member101and not fused with tray walls113. The post121has a first recess114, a second recess126, a step106between the two recesses and a side cut-out115throughout the post height. The sloped base member101has a drain hole103ainside the post121.FIG. 15bshows a pillar107assembled into the post121such that first end116of the pillar107fits into the first recess114of the post121and butts against the step106. This assembly of pillar107and tray post121creates a gap111for water to flow through drain hole103a.FIG. 15billustrates a multi-layer tray set-up.

FIG. 16aandFIG. 16bshow a post121on top of the sloped base member101. In these figures the post is shown independently standing on the sloped base member101and not fused with tray walls113. The post121has a first protrusion128, a second protrusion127, a step106between the two protrusions and a side cut-out115throughout the post height. The sloped base member101has a drain hole103ainside the post121.FIG. 16bshows a pillar107assembled onto the post121such that first end116of the pillar107fits onto the second protrusion127of the post121and butts against the step106. This assembly of pillar107and tray post121creates a gap111for water to flow through drain hole103a.FIG. 16billustrates a multi-layer tray set-up.

FIG. 17aandFIG. 17bshow bottom view of the tray100in a multi-layer tray set-up.FIG. 17ashows the tubular feature103bsurrounding the drain hole103aon bottom face of the tray100.FIG. 17bshows pillar107assembly with the tubular feature103bsuch that the second end117of the pillar107fits on to the tubular feature103bof the tray100.

FIG. 18clearly shows the construction of pillar107. The pillar107is hollow with a through opening120. The pillar107has two ends, first end116and the second end117. Outer size118of the pillar107matches the first recess114of the tray post121and the inner size119of the pillar107matches the outer size of tray's tubular feature103b. In case of the post121described inFIG. 16aandFIG. 16b, inner size119of the pillar107matches outer size of the second protrusion127of the post121and inner size119of the pillar107also matches the outer size of tray's tubular feature103b.

FIG. 19ashows a two-tray set-up of the draining system.FIG. 19bshows sagittal cross-section of the unit through the pillar107.FIG. 19cshows zoomed in view of the sagittal cross-section. As shown inFIG. 19bandFIG. 19cwater from the top tray100flows on the sloped base member101, then through the drain hole103a, then through the pillar107, then through the drain hole103aof the bottom tray and then finally reaches the waste collection bin110. Also shown inFIG. 19bandFIG. 19cwater from the bottom tray100flows on the sloped base member101, passes through the gap111, enters the drain hole103aand finally reaches the waste collection bin110.

FIG. 20ashows a two-tray set-up of the draining system.FIG. 20bshows frontal cross-section of the unit through the pillar.FIG. 20cshows zoomed in view of the frontal cross-section. As shown inFIG. 20cwater from the top tray100flows down through the pillar107, then through the drain hole103aof the bottom tray and then finally reaches the waste collection bin110. In the bottom tray100water from peaks of the multiple ribs102flows down to the sloped base member101, passes through the gap111, enters the drain hole103aand finally reaches the waste collection bin110.