Patent Publication Number: US-9423181-B2

Title: Apparatus for drying sporting equipment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application 61/918,773, filed on Dec. 20, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This application relates to an apparatus for drying sporting equipment, in particular hockey equipment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Properly drying out sporting equipment, whether at home or while traveling, is a problem for both professional and non-professional athletes. Incompletely dried equipment can become a breeding ground for bacteria leading to diseases, especially skin diseases and conditions, and to the development of unpleasant odors. 
     There are a number of drying apparatuses for sporting equipment available on the market and proposed in the art. These apparatuses suffer from one or more drawbacks as follows: high cost, assembly required, lack of portability, insufficient structural strength, insufficient capacity to properly dry a full set of equipment and taking up too much space with less drying surface. 
     There remains a need for an apparatus for drying sporting equipment that addresses one or more of these drawbacks. 
     SUMMARY 
     An apparatus for drying sporting equipment comprises: at least two hangers removably positionable in a spaced-apart configuration on a substantially horizontal hanger support, each hanger comprising one or more hanger protrusions and/or hanger apertures for hanging sporting equipment therefrom; at least one flexible connector mounted on each of the at least two hangers; and, a first shelf connected to the at least two hangers by the flexible connectors, the first shelf suspended below the at least two hangers when the at least two hangers are positioned on the horizontal hanger support, the first shelf comprising a plurality of interior through apertures through which sporting equipment may hang supported by the first shelf, the first shelf further comprising one or more shelf protrusions for hanging sporting equipment thereon. 
     A system for drying sporting equipment comprises: a free-standing base; at least two spaced-apart telescoping struts connected to and extending upwardly from the base; a substantially horizontal hanger support connecting at least two of the telescoping struts; and, an apparatus as defined above configured to hang from the hanger support. 
     Compared to prior art drying apparatuses, the apparatus provided herein provides one or more of lower cost, no assembly required, portability, sufficient structural strength for all equipment including heavy equipment such as skates, sufficient capacity to properly dry a full set of equipment and taking up less space with more drying surface 
     Further features will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description. It should be understood that each feature described herein may be utilized in any combination with any one or more of the other described features, and that each feature does not necessarily rely on the presence of another feature except where evident to one of skill in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For clearer understanding, preferred embodiments will now be described in detail by way of example without limiting the generality of the foregoing description, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a system for drying sporting equipment having an apparatus for drying sporting equipment; 
         FIG. 2  depicts the system and apparatus of  FIG. 1  with hockey equipment supported thereon; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a hanger for an apparatus for drying sporting equipment; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a shelf for an apparatus for drying sporting equipment; 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the shelf of  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side view of the shelf of  FIG. 4A ; and, 
         FIG. 4D  is an end view of the shelf of  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The apparatus comprises at least two hangers. More than two hangers, for example, three, four, five or more hangers may be used, but two hangers are preferred. The hangers comprise one or more hanger protrusions and/or hanger apertures for hanging sporting equipment therefrom. Each hanger preferably comprises at least one hanger protrusion from which sporting equipment can hang and at least one hanger aperture in which sporting equipment can be supported. Preferably, there is one larger hanger aperture, although two, three or more other hanger apertures may be present. The hanger apertures may be used to hang gloves, boots, cleats, pants, jocks and the like, but are particularly well suited for receiving and supporting large gloves, for example hockey gloves. Preferably the hanger comprises a plurality of hanger protrusions, for example two hanger protrusions, or three hanger protrusions or more, from which sporting equipment may be hung. The hanger protrusions may be clips, hook-shaped, straight, or any other suitable shape to receive sporting equipment, for example pads (e.g. knee pads, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads and the like). The hanger protrusions may protrude from any portion of the hanger, for example one or more of the edges of the hanger. A hanger is preferably shaped as a typical coat hanger with a least one hanger aperture therein defined by a substantially triangular frame. The hanger may have a hook for removably positionably supporting the hanger on the horizontal hanger support. The hook may protrude upward from an apex of the triangular frame as in a typical coat hanger. The at least two hangers may be spaced apart when hung from the substantially horizontal hanger support to provide balanced support for the shelf or shelves suspended below in such a manner that the shelf or shelves remain substantially horizontal when suspended from the hangers. The hangers may have one or more connector mounts to which the at least one flexible connector is mounted. The connector mounts may be apertures, hooks or other protrusions. 
     The at least one flexible connector is mounted on each of the at least two hangers in any suitable manner, for example by tying or wrapping the flexible connector on the hanger, for example a frame element of the substantially triangular frame. Preferably, the flexible connectors are mounted at the one or more connector mounts of the hangers. Preferably there are two flexible connectors on each hanger. Preferably the flexible connectors on each hanger are spaced apart on the hanger in a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal hanger support on which the hangers are removably positioned. This arrangement provides greater stability to the shelf or shelves suspended below the hangers. The flexible connectors are preferably sufficiently flexible that the entire apparatus may be collapsed together when not in use without needing to disconnect the connectors. The flexible connectors may be straps, ropes, belts, strips or the like. The flexible connectors may comprise cloth, rubber or any other material the can be coiled, folded or bunched to permit compacting of the apparatus. The flexible connectors are preferably straps, for example cloth straps. Sporting equipment may be hung from the flexible connectors, for example by tying the sporting equipment to the connectors. 
     The apparatus comprises at least one shelf connected to at least two hangers by the at least one flexible connector mounted on each hanger. The flexible connectors may be secured to the shelf in any suitable manner, for example by tying or wrapping the flexible connector on the shelf, for example on a frame element of the shelf or at one or more connector mounts of the shelf. Preferably, the shelf comprises an outer frame having connector apertures therein for receiving the flexible connectors. The outer frame may comprise an outer edge and an inner edge and the connector apertures may be through apertures through the outer frame between the outer and inner edges through which the flexible connectors are mounted to connect the shelf to the hangers. The apparatus may comprise more than one shelf, for example two, three, four or more shelves. Preferably, the apparatus comprises two shelves. Each shelf may be different from or substantially identical to any other shelf in the apparatus. 
     Preferably, each extra shelf is connected by flexible connectors to an immediately preceding shelf such that the shelves form a vertical series, preferably a series where each shelf is suspended directly below the shelf above, when the apparatus is hung from the hanger support. Thus, the first shelf would be suspended under the hangers, a second shelf would be suspended under the first shelf, a third shelf would be suspended under the second shelf, and so forth. While a given flexible connector may be a continuous length of material connecting all of the shelves to the hangers, it is preferable that each shelf is connected above and below by different flexible connectors. For example, the second shelf may be flexibly connected to the first shelf by different flexible connectors than the flexible connectors connecting the first shelf to the hangers. The flexible connectors extending up and down may be mounted at different locations on the shelf or at the same location. Preferably, the same connector mounts on a shelf may accommodate both the flexible connector extending upwardly and the flexible connector extending downwardly. For example, the flexible connectors connecting the second shelf to the first shelf may be mounted through the connector apertures of the first shelf, the connector apertures of the first shelf also being used to mount the flexible connectors connecting the first shelf to the hangers. 
     The shelf comprises a plurality of interior through apertures through which sporting equipment may hang supported by the shelf. The plurality of interior through apertures may be defined by the outer frame and at least one interior frame element, the outer frame and the interior frame element providing support for the sporting equipment while permitting portions of the equipment to hang through the interior through apertures. There may be one, two, three, four or more interior frame elements defining any number of interior through apertures, for example, two, three, four or five interior through apertures. The shelf has an area and the plurality of interior through apertures preferably comprises at least 50% of the area, more preferably at least 75% of the area. The area may be defined by the perimeter dimensions of the shelf. One or more of the interior frame elements may be moveable and/or removable to provide more or fewer interior through apertures and/or interior through apertures of alternate dimensions. Various arrangements for moveable and/or removable interior frame elements may be employed, for example, elastic cords (e.g. bungee cords), elongated elements with pin and hole structures, elongated elements with track and slide structures, and the like. The shelf may be made of any suitably durable and moisture resistant material, for example a plastic (e.g. polycarbonate), aluminum, and the like. The outer frame and/or interior frame elements may be solid pieces, or hollow pieces in whole or in part to reduce weight and cost. The shelf may comprise a single molded part or comprise two or more parts that may be secured together. If the shelf comprises two or more parts, the parts may be secured together by one or more fasteners, for example welds, snaps, clips, screws, bolts, rivets, adhesives and the like. 
     The shelf also comprises one or more shelf protrusions, for example one shelf protrusion, or two shelf protrusions, or three shelf protrusions or more, for hanging sporting equipment thereon. The shelf protrusions may be clips, hook-shaped, straight, or any other suitable shape to receive sporting equipment, for example pads (e.g. knee pads, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads and the like). The shelf protrusions may protrude from any portion of the shelf, for example one or more of outer frame or interior frame elements. The shelf protrusions may protrude upward, downward or outward from the shelf, or inward into an interior through aperture, or any combination thereof. The shelf protrusions may comprise an elongated element suited for hanging a jersey. Preferably, at least one shelf protrusion protrudes outward from the shelf from the outer frame. Preferably, the at least one shelf protrusion also comprises an elongated element extending upwardly for hanging a jersey. The number of protrusions including hanger and shelf protrusions on the apparatus is greater than the number of protrusions on prior art drying apparatuses. 
     The apparatus may be comprised of an integrally formed single piece or assembled from parts. Either way, the apparatus may be packaged in a ready-to-use manner so that the end consumer does not need to assemble anything. Each hanger and shelf is preferably made of a strong material and preferably has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 500 kPa, more preferably at least 700 kPa. The shelves, flexible connectors and hangers together may provide at least 1.5 times more drying space, or at least 2 times more drying space, or at least 3 times more drying space than prior art apparatuses while taking up less overall space. Thus, the drying surface to total volume ratio of the apparatus is greater than prior art apparatuses. The apparatus may provide at least 2 meters of drying space, preferably at least 4 meters of drying space, more preferably at least 6 meters of drying space. Further, the apparatus is lighter than prior art apparatuses and can collapse to a size that is easily transported for travel. 
     In addition to the apparatus, the system for drying sporting equipment comprises a free-standing base, at least two spaced-apart telescoping struts connected to and extending upwardly from the base and a substantially horizontal hanger support connecting at least two of the telescoping struts. Because the apparatus can be hung from any horizontal hanger support in any location, for example shower rods, closet rods, wooden dowels supported on J-hooks and the like at home, in hotel rooms, in locker rooms and the like, the apparatus does not need to be used in association with the other components of the system, which is useful for travel, but the system provides certain benefits. The base is free-standing; therefore the system can be moved to different locations and could, if desired, be transported during travel as well. The base is preferably a single unit from which all of the struts extend. The upwardly extending telescoping struts and the hanger support may be dismantleable from the base for ease of transport. The telescoping struts permit raising the hanger support to a greater height, which ensures that the sporting equipment does not touch the ground and may also permit utilization of more shelves in the apparatus. The telescoping struts preferably extend substantially vertically from the base. There are preferably two telescoping struts between which the apparatus would hang when the apparatus is removably positioned on the hanger support. The hanger support preferably connects the telescoping struts proximate the top of the struts. The hanger support may extend horizontally beyond the struts, which permits supporting even more sporting equipment for drying. The hanger support is preferably telescoping beyond the struts, which permits yet even more sporting equipment to be dried. The hanger support is preferably a rod. 
     The apparatus and system are useful for drying any type of sporting equipment, for example hockey equipment, football equipment, soccer equipment, ski equipment, baseball equipment, and the like. The apparatus and system are especially well suited for drying hockey equipment. For example, for hockey equipment, at least two of the interior though apertures may be configured to support hockey skates with the skates turned upside down with blades pointing up and the ankle support pointing down through the through aperture. A hockey helmet may rest on one of the shelves, gloves may be inserted into the hanger apertures, and pads may be tied to, hung from or otherwise mounted on the hanger protrusions and shelf protrusions. Jerseys, pants, undershirts, stockings, socks and other clothing items may be draped over the outer frame or inner frame elements to hang down through the interior through apertures. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 4A-D , an embodiment of a drying system  1  for drying sporting equipment comprises a drying apparatus  100  for drying sporting equipment in the system  1 .  FIG. 2  illustrates hockey equipment  200  supported on the apparatus  100  of the system  1 .  FIG. 3  illustrates in more detail a hanger  105  of the apparatus  100  and  FIGS. 4A-D  illustrates in more detail a shelf  150  of the apparatus  100 . While the apparatus  100  is shown in the context of the system  1 , it is evident to one skilled in the art that the apparatus  100  could be used wherever there is a suitable rod or the like (e.g. a shower rod) from which to hang the apparatus  100 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  100  for drying sporting equipment, especially hockey equipment, comprises two hangers  105  having hooks  102  that engage horizontal rod  50  to suspend the drying apparatus  100  from the rod  50 . As best seen in  FIG. 3 , each hanger  105  has a substantially triangular frame  106  having a bottom  108  and two sides  109  meeting at an apex  107  from which the hook  102  extends. The bottom  108  and the two sides  109  of the triangular frame  107  define a large aperture  110  in which sporting equipment like hockey gloves may be supported (see  FIG. 2 ). The large aperture  110  is sectioned by crossbars  111  proximate the vertices where the bottom  108  meets the two sides  109  to form smaller apertures  112  in which other sporting equipment like elbow pads may be supported (see  FIG. 2 ). Two clips  113  protruding downward from the bottom  108  of the hanger  105  proximate a center of the bottom  108  are utilized to support more sporting equipment like shin pads (see  FIG. 2 ). Two side clips  103  protruding from the sides  109  may also be used to support more sporting equipment like socks. Two strap mounts  114  protruding downward from the bottom  108  of the hanger  105  proximate each end of the bottom  108  have flexible cloth straps  115  secured thereto (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     As best seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIGS. 4A-D , the four straps  115  secured to the two hangers  105 , two straps per hanger, are also secured to a top shelf  150  so that the top shelf  150  is suspended below the hangers  105  and remains substantially horizontal. The four straps  115  are secured to the top shelf  150  through four strap apertures  151 , the straps passing horizontally through a corresponding horizontal shelf aperture, two through one outer frame width element  152  and two through an opposing outer frame width element  153  of the top shelf  150 . As best seen in  FIGS. 4A-D , the shelf  150  comprises a substantially rectangular outer frame  154  comprising opposed outer frame width elements  152 , 153  connected to opposed outer frame length elements  155 , 156  defining a through aperture  157  (labelled as  157   a - e ) through the shelf  150 , the through aperture being subdivided into five smaller through apertures  157   a - e  by two substantially parallel longitudinal interior elements  158  extending between the opposed outer frame width elements  152 , 153  and two substantially parallel transverse interior frame elements  159  extending between the two longitudinal interior elements  158 . The shelf  150  further comprises two clips  160 , one protruding outwardly from each of the outer frame width elements  152 , 153 . 
     Another four straps  165  secured to the top shelf  150  through four strap apertures  151 , two on outer frame width element  152  and two on outer frame width element  153  extend downwardly and are secured to a bottom shelf  180  to suspend the bottom shelf  180  directly below the top shelf  150 . The bottom shelf  180  is identical in construction to the top shelf  150 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the shelves  150 , 180  are able to support sporting equipment like a helmet, skates, a jersey, shirts, socks, pants and shoulder pads. Central aperture  157   c  of the shelves is well suited for supporting a helmet, while flanking apertures  157   b , 157   d  are well suited for supporting skates. The opposed outer frame length elements  155 , 156  are well suited for supporting articles of clothing as they act like bars over which clothing may be hung. The clips  160  assist in hanging shoulder pads on the shelf. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the drying apparatus  100  is suspended from the horizontal rod  50 . The horizontal rod  50  is secured proximate a top of two vertical telescoping poles  40  extending upward from a base  20 . The horizontal rod  50  extends between and beyond two vertical telescoping poles  40 . The horizontal rod  50  is capable of telescoping in the portions  51  beyond the vertical poles  40  to provide extra space from which to hang sporting equipment. The telescoping poles  40  permit adjusting the height of the apparatus  100  off the ground so that equipment does not touch the ground. The base  20  is a single piece to provide stability to the system  1 . The base  20 , poles  40  and rod  50  may be dismantled for storage and packing. 
     The novel features will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon examination of the description. It should be understood, however, that the scope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the wording of the claims and the specification as a whole.