Patent Publication Number: US-2012042536-A1

Title: Dryer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/375,915 filed Aug. 23, 2010. This related application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to field of drying people after swimming. More specifically, embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to an air handler for blowing air at a person in order to dry the person. 
     Typically people exit a pool or hot tub and dry their bodies with a towel. They may dry themselves prior to entering their home, or other building proximate the pool. After drying themselves, the towels must be washed. There is a need for a more efficient way to dry after swimming. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments described herein comprise a drying system. The drying system may be configured to dry a person after exiting a water feature. The water feature may have a blower system configured to blow a gas proximate the person and a controller system for operating the blower. The gas may be configured to dry to the person after getting at least partially wet in the water feature. The water feature may be a pool, a hot tub, a splash pad, or any other suitable water feature. The blower system may be a turbine, or any other suitable blower system. The blower system may have ducting configured to channel the gas toward the person. The drying system may have a heating system configured to heat the gas prior to the gas engaging the person. The heating system may be one or more electric coils, a gas furnace, or any other suitable heating system configured to heat the gas. The dryer system may have a cooling system configured to cool the gas engaging the person. The cooling system may be an air conditioner, or any other suitable cooling system. The blower may be configured to be located proximate a structure and configured to dry the person prior to entering the structure. The blower system may be located at least partially under a deck, or within any suitable structure, and configured to blow the gas through the deck and onto the person. The deck may have a grating that the person can stand on. The blower system may be a stand alone unit that may be located about the water feature. The blower system may be located at least partially within an exterior wall of a structure proximate the water feature. The controller may a button, or any other suitable actuator, proximate the blower system for turning the blower system on. The controller system may have a timer configured to shut the blower system off after a suitable time has elapsed and wherein the suitable time is a typical dry time of the person. The controller system may have a moisture sensor configured to determine if the person is dry and wherein the controller system automatically shuts down the blower system when the person is dry. The controller system may have a proximity sensor configured to detect when the person is in front of the blower system. 
     Embodiments described herein comprise a method of drying a person after exiting a water feature. The method comprises exiting the water feature, actuating a drying system, blowing a gas past the person, and drying the person with the gas. The method may comprise actuating the drying system by pushing a button, standing on a grating or any, being detected by a sensor, other suitable actuation method. The method may comprise sensing a condition proximate the drying system. The method may comprise sensing a condition by detecting the air temperature. The method may comprise controlling a temperature of the gas based on the air temperature. The method may comprise treating the gas prior to engaging the person with the gas. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present embodiments may be better understood, and numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic a drying system  100  according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2A  depicts an embodiment of the blower system  102  according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2B  depicts an embodiment of the blower system  102  according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a method of using the dryer system  100  according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The description that follows includes exemplary apparatus, methods, techniques, and instruction sequences that embody techniques of the present inventive subject matter. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a schematic a drying system  100  according to an embodiment. The drying system  100  as shown has a blower system  102  (or dryer) and a control system  104 . The blower system  102  may blow and/or push a gas  106  to a location proximate a person  108 , and/or a plurality of people. The control system  104  may be configured to control the blower system  102 . The blower system  102  may be located proximate one or more water features  110 . The person  108  may get wet, or partially wet, in the water feature  110 . Prior to entering a structure  112 , or a vehicle (not shown), located proximate the water feature  110 , the person may use the blower system  102  to blow the gas  106  near them. The gas  106  may substantially dry, or partially dry, the person prior to entering the structure  112 . By drying with the drying system  100 , the person  108  may alleviate the need to use towels to dry. 
     The one or more water features  110  as shown are a pool  114  and a hot tub  116  located in a backyard  118  of a residence. However, the one or more water features  110  are shown as the pool  114  and the hot tub  116 , the one or more water features  110  may be any suitable water features including, but not limited to, a splash pad, a water slide, a lake, a river, a bayou, a sprinkler system, a spool, a community pool, an outdoor shower, and the like. 
     The structure  112  as shown is a house, or residence. However, the structure  112  may be any suitable structure for use proximate the one of more water features  110  including, but not limited to, a training center, a school, a recreation center, a restaurant, an office, a vehicle, and the like. 
       FIG. 2A  depicts an embodiment of the blower system  102  according to an embodiment. The blower system  102  may have a gas mover  200 , a motor  202 , and a ducting system  204 . Optionally, the blower system  102  may have a gas treatment system  206  located in the ducting system  204  and/or the gas mover  200 . 
     The gas mover  200  may be configured to move the gas into the ducting system  204  and/or toward the person  108 . The gas mover  200  may have an inlet  208  and an outlet  210 . The inlet  208  may be in communication with a gas source and configured to pull, or suck, the gas  106  into the gas mover  200 . The gas source may be the air around the gas mover  200 , or another gas source including, but not limited to, a gas tank, treated air from an HVAC unit, purified gas, and the like. The outlet  210  may be in direct communication with the ducting system  204 , or blow directly onto the person  108 . The air mover  200  may be any suitable device for moving gas  106  including, but not limited to, a fan, a turbine, an air handler, a compressor, a pump, a blower, and the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2A , the blower system  102  is located under a deck  212 , or floor. At the deck  212  surface  214 , a grating  216  may couple to the ducting system  204 . The grating may allow the gas  106  to pass through the deck  212  while allowing the one or more persons  108  to stand on the deck  212  and/or the grating  216 . By locating the blower system  102  under the deck  212 , the blower system  102  may be substantially hidden from view. Although, the blower system  102  is shown located under the deck  212 , it should be appreciated that the blower system  102  may be located at any suitable location proximate the one or more water features  110  including, but not limited to, in an exterior wall of the structure, or residence, within a portion or panel of a vehicle, and the like. 
       FIG. 2B  depicts the blower system  102  as a free standing blower system unit that may be moved to any suitable location about the one or more water features  110 . As shown, the blower system unit  102  may have one or more wheels  218  for rolling the blower system unit  102 . Although shown as having wheels  218 , there may any suitable mounting system including, but not limited to, legs, telescoping legs, an adjustable bracket for changing the angle or the blower system  102 , and the like. The gas mover  200  as shown in  FIG. 2B  is a fan  220  driven by a drive shaft  222  coupled to the motor  202 , although it may be any suitable gas mover  200  including those described herein. 
     The motor  202 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , may be any suitable device for operating the air mover  200 . The motor  202  may be a single speed motor configured to turn the air mover  200  on or off. In another embodiment, the motor  202  may be a variable speed configured to vary the speed on the gas mover  200 . The speed of the gas mover  200  may be varied for any suitable reason including, but not limited to, saving power during start up, the moisture content of the person, the size of the person, the number of people, the outside air temperature, the humidity, and the like. The motor  202  may be an electric motor or any other suitable motor including, but not limited to, an air driven motor, a combustion engine, a diesel engine, and the like. 
     The ducting system  204  may direct the flow of the gas  106  from the gas mover  200  to the person  108 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , the ducting system is a ducting that couples the outlet  201 , or exhaust, of the gas mover  200  to the grating  216 .  FIG. 2B  depicts the ducting system  204  as a plume for channeling the gas  106  toward the person  108 . The ducting system  204  may be any suitable ducting or delivery system including, but not limited to, a flexible ducting, an air sock, textile ducts, fiberglass duct board, sheet metal ducting, sheet metal piping, HVAC ducting, plumes, dampers, and the like. 
     The optional gas treatment system  206  may condition, or treat the gas  106  prior to the gas engaging the person  108 . For example, the gas treatment system  206  may be a heater configured to heat the gas  106  prior to engaging the person  108 . The heated gas may dry the person  108  faster than ambient air. Further, the heated gas may prevent the person  108  from becoming too cold after exiting the water feature  110 , for example when exiting a hot tub in the winter. The heater may be any suitable heater for treating the gas. In an example, the heater has a heating element made of Nichrome that generates up to fifty (50) degrees above ambient air temperature. The gas  106  is blown over the heating element thereby transferring heat to the gas  106 . Although the heating element is described as being Nichrome, it may be any suitable heating element, or heating system, for heating the gas including, but not limited to, metal coils, a gas heater, an electric heater, electric coils, a gas furnace, and the like. 
     In another example, the gas treatment system  206  may cool the gas  106 . For example an AC unit, or misting unit, may cool the gas  106  prior to engaging the person  108 . Although the gas treatment system  206  is described as heating or cooling the gas  106 , it may perform any suitable treatment to the gas  106  including, but not limited to, purifying, ionizing, and the like. 
     Therefore the blower system  102  may be any suitable device for pushing the gas  106  toward the person  108 . The blower system  102  may be configured to heat and/or dry the individual while the person  108  is drying. The blower system  102  may blow ambient air (or air at the outside, or room temperature), or heated air at the person  108  while drying the person  108 . If the blower system  102  is blowing ambient air, it may be configured to simply dry the person prior to leaving the water feature  110 . If the blower system  102  is blowing heated air, it may be configured to warm and dry the person  108  prior to leaving the water feature  110 . The blower system  102  may further be configured to blow cool (or air conditioned air) at the person, for example, to cool a person after finishing exercise or yard work. Further still, the blower system  102  may have the capacity to switch between cooling and/or heating the person  108  based on the temperature outside, and/or the type of tasks the person  108  was performing. 
     The gas  106  may be any suitable gas for drying the person  108 . Typically the gas  106  is air. However, the gas  106  may be any suitable gas for drying the person  108  including, but not limited to oxygen, a gas mixture substantially comprised of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and the like. 
     The control system  104  may be configured to operate the gas mover  200  and thereby dry the person  108 . The control system  104  may have an actuator  224 , one or more sensors  226 , one or more controllers  228  and one or more communication links  230 . The communication links  230  may be any suitable communication link for communicating between the components of the drying system  100 . As shown the communication links  230  are wired connections, although the communication links  230  may be any suitable communication connection including, but not limited to, wireless connections, fiber optic connections, infrared connections, acoustic connections, optical connections, and the like. 
     The actuator  224  may be any suitable device for actuating the motor  202  and thereby the gas mover  200 . The actuator  224  may be a button that the person  108  pushes in an example. The button may be activated by the hand, the foot, and/or any other suitable body part of the person  108 . For example, the button may be a foot pedal, or button in an embodiment. Further, the button may be couple to the gating  216 . In this example, if the person  108  stands on the grating  216  the gas will be pushed past the person  108 . In another embodiment, the actuator  224  may be a sensor configured to detect the presence of the person  108 . The actuator  224  sensor may be any suitable sensor for detecting the presence of the person  108  including, but not limited to, an infrared sensor, a motion detector, a strain gauge, an optical sensor, moisture detector, a thermal sensor, and the like. If the person  108  is detected by the sensor  226 , the gas mover  200  may by automatically turned on by the control system  104 . 
     The one or more sensor(s)  226  may be any suitable sensor for detecting conditions about the dryer system  100 . The one or more sensor(s)  226  may include, but are not limited to, an infrared sensor, a motion detector, a strain gauge, an optical sensor, moisture detector, a thermal sensor, a thermometer, a barometer, and the like. The one or more sensor(s)  226  may send data and/or instructions to the motor  202 , the gas treatment system  206  and the like. 
     The controller  228  may collect, store, and/or manipulate the data sent via the communication links  230  from the actuator  224  and/or the sensor  226  in order to determine the proper operation of the blower system  102 . For example, if the person  108  activates the actuator  224  (such as by pushing a button), the controller  228  may activate the motor  202 . Optionally the controller  228  may control the time and/or the speed of the motor  202 . In another example, the one or more sensors(s)  226  may detect the air temperature, or other environmental conditions, about the dryer system. This temperature data may be sent to the controller  228 . The controller  228  may then determine the appropriate treatment to the gas  106  exiting the blower system  102 . When a person  108  actuates the actuator  224 , the controller  228  may actuate the motor  202  for the appropriate time and speed. In addition, the controller  228  may determine the need to treat the gas  106  with the gas treatment system  206 . For example, if the air temperature is cold, the controller  228  may activate the gas treatment system  206  to heat the gas  106 . Further, the sensors  226  may continuously detect the moisture of the person  108 . When the moisture falls below a certain fixed level, the controller  228  may instruct the motor  202  to shut down. 
     The controller  228  may be any suitable device for storing, processing, sending, receiving and/or manipulating data about the dryer system  100 . In an embodiment, the controller  228  is a computer. However, it should be understood that the controller  228  may be any suitable device capable of controlling the dryer system  100 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a flow diagram of a method of using the dryer system. The flow begins at block  300  wherein a person exits a water feature. The flow continues at block  302  wherein a drying system  100 , and/or the blower system  102  is actuated. The flow continues at block  304  wherein a gas is blown past the person with the drying system. The flow optionally continues at block  306  wherein a condition is sensed proximate the drying system. The flow optionally continues at block  308  wherein a portion of the drying system is controlled based on the actuation of the drying system and/or the sensing of the condition. The flow optionally continues at block  310  wherein the gas is treated with the treatment system  206  prior to engaging the person with the gas  106 . The flow continues at block  312  where the person is dried. 
     While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subject matter is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements are possible. For example, the techniques used herein may be applied to any drying system of persons and/or animals using any recreational facility such as the ocean, a lake, snow, and the like. 
     Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.