Patent Publication Number: US-11041269-B2

Title: Inflatable shirt drying system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/615,709 filed on Jan. 10, 2018. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a shirt drying system. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a shirt drying system having an inflatable balloon with a plurality of micro-perforations, allowing a shirt to be dried from the outside and inside simultaneously. 
     Many people wear expensive T-shirts and dress shirts which need to be treated delicately to prevent damage thereto. Typically, when washing and drying clothing, people use a traditional drying machine, which often causes shrinkage, wrinkles, and the like to clothing. Should a shirt shrink, the user may be forced to buy a replacement, whereas correcting wrinkles in clothing can be time-consuming and frustrating as it typically requires a user to repeatedly iron the article of clothing. Alternatively, many people air dry their clothes by putting the clothing on a hanger to dry naturally, however this takes significantly longer to dry than a dryer, and often results in unsightly indentations in the shoulders of the shirt where the weight of the wet shirt pressed into the hanger. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that can quickly and efficiently dry a shirt without causing shrinkage, wrinkles, or hanger indentations. 
     In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing shirt drying systems. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shirt drying systems now present in the known art, the present invention provides an inflatable shirt drying system wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when drying shirts quickly and without generating wrinkles. 
     The present system comprises a balloon having a torso and a pair of arms extending therefrom, such that the balloon is configured to emulate a human torso when in an inflated state. An inlet valve is disposed on the balloon, wherein the inlet valve is in fluid communication with an interior volume of the balloon. A plurality of micro-perforations are disposed across the balloon, wherein the plurality of micro-perforations are in fluid communication with the interior volume, such that when the pressure within the interior volume exceeds a threshold pressure, the plurality of micro-perforations emit a stream of fluid therefrom. An air supply is removably securable to the inlet valve, wherein the air supply comprises an air inlet, an air outlet, and a pump therebetween, wherein the pump is configured to inflate the balloon to a desired pressure. In some embodiments, the balloon further comprises a neck extending from an upper portion thereof, the neck configured to extend through an opening in a shirt. In another embodiment, the inlet valve is disposed on the neck. In other embodiments, the inlet valve comprises a one-way valve. In yet another embodiment, a ring is removably securable to the inlet valve, wherein the ring is configured to receive a fastener therethrough. In some embodiments, a base of the torso comprises a planar surface. In another embodiment, the air supply further comprises a heating element therein, wherein the heating element is configured to heat air passing through the air supply to a desired temperature. In other embodiments, the heating element comprises a heat control configured to adjust the temperature of the heating element. In yet another embodiment, the air supply further comprises a pressure sensor configured to detect the pressure within the interior volume. In some embodiments, the pump is configured to adjust the flowrate of air through the air supply to maintain a desired pressure within the interior volume as detected by the pressure sensor. In another embodiment, the air supply further comprises a pressure control configured to adjust the flowrate through the air outlet to a desired flowrate. In other embodiments, the plurality of micro-perforations are evenly distributed across the balloon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. 
         FIG. 3  shows an enlarged perspective view of the micro-perforations of an embodiment 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic view of the air supply of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the inflatable shirt drying system. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. The inflatable shirt drying system  11  comprises a balloon  12  having a torso  13  and a pair of arms  14  extending therefrom, such that the balloon  12  is configured to resemble a human torso when in an inflated state. The balloon  12  further comprises a plurality of micro-perforations (as shown in  FIGS. 3, 17 ) thereacross, wherein the plurality of micro-perforations are in fluid communication with an interior volume  16  of the balloon  12 . The balloon  12  is configured to receive a shirt thereon, wherein the pair of arms  14  extend through the sleeves of the shirt. In this way, fluid, such as air, expelled from the interior volume  16  through the plurality of micro-perforations is configured to dry an interior of the shirt while an exterior of the shirt is simultaneously dried via exposure to the surrounding atmosphere. Furthermore, the structure of the balloon  12  maintains the shirt in a position similar to that when the shirt is worn, thereby preventing the formation of wrinkles as typically caused by traditional drying machine usage. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a base  24  of the balloon  12  comprises a planar surface, such that the base  24  is configured to rest flush on a support surface, such as a table. In this way, the balloon  12  can maintain stability when inflated on a surface, such that a user is able to use both hands to place a shirt about the balloon  12 . Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the balloon  12  further comprises a neck  22  configured to extend through a corresponding opening in a shirt, such that the shirt is stabilized on the balloon  12  in a desired position. 
     The balloon  12  further comprises an inlet valve  15  in fluid communication with the interior volume  16  of the balloon  12 . The inlet valve  15  is configured to be a one-way valve, such that fluid, such as air, directed into the interior volume  16  remains therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet valve  15  is disposed on the neck  22  such that the balloon  12  can be continuously inflated while a shirt is placed on the balloon  12 , however in alternate embodiment, the inlet valve  15  is disposed on other accessible areas of the balloon  12 , such as at an end of either of the pair of arms  14 . The inlet valve  15  is further configured to removably secure an air outlet  21  thereto, wherein the air outlet  21  is in fluid communication with an air supply  18 . The air supply  18  is configured to provide a stream of fluid through the air outlet  21  and into the interior volume  16  via the inlet valve  15 . In this way, the balloon  12  can be maintained in an inflated position, allowing a shirt to dry thereon in a position emulated that of when the shirt is worn such that wrinkles do not form thereon. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an exploded view of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. In the illustrated embodiment, a cap  40  is removably securable to the inlet valve  15 . The cap includes a curved member  23  having a first end  41  affixed to an upper side  42  of the cap  40  and a second end  43  affixed to the upper side  42  of the cap  40 . The curved member  23  defines a ring having an opening  45  configured to receive a fastener  30 , such as a hook as shown in  FIG. 2 , for hanging the balloon from a support structure  31 , which may be a horizontal rod as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cap  40  is removably securable to the inlet valve  15  via threaded engagement, however in alternate embodiments, other fastening methods are contemplated, such as friction fit. The fastener  30  is further configured to removably secure to a rod  31 , such that the balloon  12  can be hung therefrom, such as in a closet, wardrobe, or other storage location. In this way, the balloon  12  can be stored in a hanging position to allow easier storage. Additionally, hanging the balloon  12  while a shirt is drying thereon allows the shirt to dry more quickly, as the shirt is exposed to air on all sides thereof, thereby increasing surface area in contact with air such that convective drying is maximized. Furthermore, when the balloon  12  is no longer in use, the balloon  12  can be deflated and hung from the ring  23  such that the form factor of the balloon  12  is minimized for storage when not in use. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an enlarged perspective view of the micro-perforations of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. The balloon  12  further comprises a plurality of micro-perforations  17  disposed across a surface thereof, wherein the plurality of micro-perforations  17  are in fluid communication with the in tenor volume  16 . The plurality of micro-perforations  17  are configured to expel a stream of fluid, such as air, from the interior volume  16  when the pressure within the interior volume  16  exceeds a threshold pressure. In this way, the balloon  12  can be fully inflated to allow the shirt to rest thereon in a desired position before air is forced from the interior volume  16  through the plurality of micro-perforations  17 . In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of micro-perforations  17  are evenly distributed across the balloon  12  such that air from the interior volume  16  is expelled across an entire surface of the balloon  12  at the same flowrate, allowing even drying of a shirt placed thereon. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a schematic view of the air supply of an embodiment of the inflatable shirt drying system. The inflatable shirt drying system further comprises an air supply  18  having a pump  19  therein, wherein the pump  19  is configured to draw air from the surrounding atmosphere via an air inlet  20  and expel the air through the air outlet  21  at a desired volumetric flowrate. In some embodiments, the air supply  18  is operably connected to a power source, such that the pump  19  is provided power thereby. In this way, the air supply  18  can maintain the balloon in an inflated position. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the air supply  18  further comprises a heating element  25  configured to heat the air received by the air inlet  20  to a desired temperature. In this way, the air supplied to the balloon is at a desired increased temperature, such that a shirt placed thereon can be more efficiently dried thereby. In some embodiments, the air supply  18  further comprises a heat control  26  operably connected to the heating element  25  such that the user can selectively adjust the temperature of the heating element  25 . In this way, the user can determine the optimal temperature of air to most efficiently dry clothing of various materials in order to minimize damage thereto, such as via shrinking. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the air supply  18  further comprises a pressure control  28  operably connected to the pump  19  such that a user can selectively adjust the volumetric flowrate of fluid passed through the pump  19 . In this way, the user can adjust the pump  19  to increase the pressure within the balloon should it be underinflated, or alternatively, decrease the pressure within the balloon should the balloon be in danger of bursting. In some embodiments, the air supply  18  further comprises a pressure sensor  27  operably connected to the pressure control  28  and the pump  19 , such that the pressure sensor  27  is configured to detect the pressure within the balloon and adjust the flowrate output by the pump  19  to maintain a constant desired pressure within the balloon. In this y, the balloon is prevented from overinflating or underinflating, ensuring a constant stream of fluid expelled via the plurality of micro-perforations. This allows the user to ensure that a shirt placed thereon is efficiently and thoroughly dried in a desired position. 
     In one exemplary use, the user secures the air outlet  21  to the inlet valve such and adjusts the flowrate from the air supply  18  to a desired level. In some embodiments, the user can then set the desired temperature of the air expelled from the air outlet  21  for a particular material of the item of clothing. The balloon is then inflated, and a shirt is placed thereon, such that the pair of arms extend through the sleeves of the shirt. Air from the interior volume is then expelled from the plurality of micro-perforations and directed to an interior surface of the shirt, such that the shirt is simultaneously dried from the interior and the exterior thereof. A ring can then be removably secured to the inlet valve such that the user can hang the balloon therefrom to ensure an even flow of air across an entire exterior thereof to promote efficient drying of the shirt. When the shirt is fully dry, the shirt can be removed and stored, while the balloon can then be deflated and hung from the ring to minimize storage space occupied thereby. 
     It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.