Patent Publication Number: US-2011074256-A1

Title: Drying Locker Array For Firefighter Turnout Gear

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the field of locker arrays and particularly to locker arrays having a climate-controlled storage region, suitable for drying firefighting turnout gear and the like. 
     Firefighters wear fire and heat resistant uniforms, called turnout gear, for protection while battling a fire. These uniforms breakdown quickly when subjected to ultraviolet (“UV”) light generated by the sun and some fluorescent bulbs. To protect the turnout gear, many fire departments store the gear within lockers away from UV light. In use, however, the turnout gear typically gets wet from water suppression used on the scene of a fire and also from perspiration. Accordingly, firefighters often enclose the freshly used turnout gear in the lockers with at least some degree of wetness. As a result, the gear may be damp and cold at the time of next use. In the worst case, mold, mildew, and the like develops on the gear, which can be noxious and allergenic to some users. Accordingly, improvements in the presently available locker arrays for storing firefighter turnout gear are desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     A locker array apparatus has been developed, which is suitable for the storage of wet, damp, or dry firefighter turnout gear. The locker array apparatus directs an airflow past each turnout gear within the locker array to promote evaporation of any water, which the turnout gear has absorbed. Accordingly, the locker array prevents mold, mildew, and the like from developing on the turnout gear while also shielding the turnout gear from ultraviolet light. The locker array apparatus includes a cabinet including a storage region, a plurality of air inlets of the storage region formed in an inlet portion of the cabinet, and a plurality of air outlets of the storage region formed in an outlet portion of the cabinet, the outlet portion being distal from the inlet portion and the storage region having a volume configured to contain at least one set of firefighter turnout gear, an airflow apparatus configured to generate an airflow, and a plenum in communication from the airflow apparatus to the plurality of air inlets to direct the airflow into the storage region through the plurality of air inlets, the plenum being separate from the storage region. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The foregoing aspects of a locker array apparatus for the storage of firefighter turnout gear are explained in the detailed description, with reference to the following figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a locker array apparatus having an airflow apparatus configured to circulate air through a locker array; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the locker array apparatus of  FIG. 1  having doors of the locker array removed; and 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the locker array apparatus of  FIG. 1  also having the doors of the locker array removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the apparatus described herein, reference is made to the embodiments illustrated in the figures and described in the following written description. It should be understood that no limitation to the scope of the apparatus is thereby intended. It is further understood that the apparatus includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the apparatus as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this apparatus pertains. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a locker array apparatus  100  for the storage of articles including firefighter turnout gear. The locker array  100 , which may also be referred to as a locker cabinet or a locker cabinet apparatus, includes a cabinet  104 , an airflow apparatus  112 , and a plenum  120 . The cabinet  104  may be formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum, galvanized steel, or a zinc coated steel that is corrosion resistant. In a particular embodiment, the cabinet  104  may be constructed from a sheet of the material that is bent to form a top side  132 , a backside  136  ( FIG. 2 ), and a bottom side  140  ( FIG. 2 ). The backside  136  forms the back of the locker array  100  and in one exemplary embodiment, is 95″ wide and 84″ tall. Sidewalls  144 ,  148  ( FIG. 2 ) of the cabinet  104  are formed and installed on each end of the cabinet to construct and form a box on five sides open to the front. The cabinet  104  defines a storage region  156  ( FIG. 2 ) within the boundaries of the five sides having a volume suitable to contain at least one set of firefighter turnout gear  158 ′ ( FIG. 3 ). The material of the cabinet  104  prevents the passage of UV light through the cabinet and into the storage region  156 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the storage region  156  of the cabinet  104  includes multiple locker units  152  defined by dividers  160  and the cabinet  104 . The dividers  160  extend from the top side  132  to bottom side  140  and from the backside  136  to the front of the cabinet  104 . Each divider  160  includes an air vent  164  in the form of a numerous of perforations, to enable air to flow through the divider from one locker unit  152  to the next. The perforations of the air vents  164  are sized to prevent user access from a first locker unit  152  to an adjacent locker unit through the air vent. In some embodiments, the air vents  164  are provided as gaps between the dividers  160  and the cabinet  104 . In some other embodiments the perforations of the air vents  164  are louvers or slots. 
     The cabinet  104  defines an air inlet portion  154  and an air outlet portion  158 , which, together, enables air to enter the cabinet, flow through the storage region  156 , and then exit the cabinet. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the inlet portion  154  is the bottom side  140  and includes numerous air inlets  162  each associated with a corresponding one of the locker units  152 . In other embodiments, however, the inlet portion  154  may be defined by any other portion(s) of the cabinet  104 , such as the sidewalls  144  and  148 , the top side  132 , or the backside  136 . The air inlets  162  are provided as a plurality of perforations, enlarged in scale for clarity. The outlet portion  158  is distally positioned with respect to the inlet portion  154  and includes an air outlet  166  to enable air to escape after it has circulated the entire length of the cabinet  104 . The outlet portion  158  is an upper portion of the sidewall  144 ; however, in other embodiments, the outlet portion may be defined by any other portion(s) of the cabinet  104  that is distally positioned from the inlet portion  154 . The air outlet  166  is provided as numerous perforations, enlarged in scale for clarity. The perforations of the air outlet  166  and the air inlets  162  may be any shape, but typically define an opening less than two square centimeters in area. In another embodiment, one or more of the air inlets  162  and the air outlets  166  may be provided as louvers or slots. Depending on the direction of airflow through the cabinet  104  the air may enter or exit the air inlets  162  and air may enter or exit the air outlets  166 . 
     Each locker unit  152  includes a shelf element  170  positioned near an upper portion of a corresponding locker unit. The shelf  170  divides the locker unit  152  into an upper locker unit portion and a lower locker unit portion. An air vent  174  is provided in each shelf  170  to enable airflow between the upper and lower locker unit portions. The air vent  174  may be provided as numerous perforations, slots, or louvers. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a support element, such as a rod  178 , is mounted below one of the shelves  170 . The rod  178  extends between two dividers  160  or between a divider and a sidewall  144 ,  148 . The rod  178  is of sufficient strength to support a full set of firefighter turnout gear  158 ′ ( FIG. 3 ), which has been saturated with water. Therefore, in one embodiment, the rod  178  is configured to support at least 30 kilograms. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , doors  172  form a front side of each of the locker units  152 . Each door  172  is hinged to a corresponding one of dividers  160  or a corresponding one of the sidewalls  144 ,  148 . The doors  172  are formed of the same sheet material as the cabinet  104 . A locking element  176  is provided with each door  172 . The doors  172  and the cabinet  104  are generally imperforate to limit the exposure of the equipment within the locker units  152  to UV light and to form an airflow path through each portion of the cabinet when the doors are closed. Nonetheless, in some embodiments the doors  172  may include louvers on upper portion thereof. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the airflow apparatus  112  includes an electrical motor (not shown) and a fan (not shown) mounted at one end of the cabinet  104 . The electrical motor, when connected to a supply of electrical energy, rotates the fan to generate an airflow. The fan may be a squirrel-cage fan that generates an airflow of clean, dry air. The airflow apparatus  112  is positioned outside of the storage region  156  of the cabinet  104 . In one embodiment, the airflow apparatus  112  may include an electrical heating element (not shown), to enable the airflow apparatus to generate a heated airflow. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the plenum  120  is an air guide in communication from the airflow apparatus  112  to the storage region  156  of the cabinet  104 . The plenum  120  defines an internal cavity through which the airflow travels between the airflow apparatus  112  and the storage area  156  through the air inlets  162 . In particular, if the airflow apparatus  112  generates a positive airflow the plenum  120  directs air into the cabinet  104  through the air inlets  162 , and if the airflow apparatus generates a negative airflow the plenum directs air withdrawn from the cabinet through the air inlets toward the airflow apparatus. The plenum  120  extends from the airflow apparatus  112  across the bottom side  140  of the cabinet  104 , and an upper side of the plenum forms a base upon which the cabinet is positioned. The plenum  120  is separate from the storage region  156 , such that the plenum does not extend into the storage region  156  and does not reduce the volume or quantity of articles that may be stored within the cabinet  104 . Depending on the position of the air inlets  162  and the airflow apparatus  112  the plenum  120  may be positioned to contact any portion or portions of the cabinet  104  including the sidewalls  144  and  148 , the top side  132 , and the backside  136 . 
     In some embodiments, the locker array  100  includes a humidity sensor  180  electronically connected to the airflow apparatus  112 . The humidity sensor  180  is positioned within the storage region  156  to the contact the air within the cabinet  104 . The humidity sensor  180  monitors the relative humidity of the air within the cabinet  104  and generates an electronic humidity value, which is received by the airflow apparatus  112 . In embodiments of the locker array  100  having a humidity sensor  180 , the airflow apparatus  112  includes a controller (not shown) that compares the relative humidity measured by the humidity sensor to a predetermined humidity value. If the controller determines that the measured humidity value is above the predetermined humidity value, the controller may activate the electrical motor to generate the airflow; whereas, if the controller determines that the measured humidity value is below the predetermined humidity value, the controller may deactivate the electrical motor to cease the airflow and conserve electrical energy. 
     In operation, the locker array apparatus  100  stores and dries articles stowed within the locker units  152 . The locker array  100  is described herein as being useful for the storage and drying of firefighter turnout gear  158 ′; however, any type(s) of article may be stored and dried within the array  100  that fits within one of the locker units, including sporting equipment and outdoorsman gear. An exemplary set of firefighter turnout gear  158 ′ suitable for storage within one of the locker units  152  is shown in  FIG. 3  and includes trousers, boots, and a jacket. A user of the locker array  100  places his or her turnout gear  158 ′ within one of the open locker units  152 . The user may employ the rod  178  to hang certain of the equipment, thereby exposing a greater surface area of the gear to the airflow as compared to piling the turnout gear  158 ′ at the bottom of the locker unit  152 . 
     Next, the user closes each door  172  and energizes the airflow apparatus  112 , which generates a dry airflow that emanates from the air inlets  162 . The airflow flows through each locker unit  152 , including the regions above the shelves  170 . One particular airflow path extends from the leftmost locker unit  152  of  FIG. 2 , flows through each of the dividers  160  and exits the cabinet  104  through the distally positioned air outlets  166 . The airflow in each other locker unit  152  undergoes a similar path of entering one of the locker units, flowing through a divider  160 , or an air vent  174 , and then exiting the cabinet  104  through the air outlets  166 . The airflow fills the cabinet  104  with an abundance of dry air to promote evaporation of any water absorbed within the turnout gear  158 ′. Accordingly, the turnout gear  158 ′ within the locker array  100  dries more quickly than turnout gear placed within a typical locker array. This is because the typical locker array houses stagnant air that quickly becomes saturated with water vapor from the damp turnout gear. The stagnant and saturated air prevents further drying of the turnout gear, which over time promotes the development of mold and mildew within the cabinet and on the turnout gear. Accordingly, the abundant flow of dry air through the locker array  100  eliminates the potential for development of mold, mildew, and the like by carrying the water vapor released from the damp turnout gear out of the cabinet. Depending on the embodiment, the airflow apparatus  112  may be timer controller or may be work in conjunction with the humidity sensor  180 . 
     An alternative embodiment of the locker array  100 ′ is shown in  FIG. 3 . The locker array  100 ′ includes the same elements and operates in the same manner as the locker array  100 , except for the following differences. The dividers  160 ′ are imperforate and the air outlets  166 ′ of the outlet portion  158 ′ are formed on the top side  132 ′ of the cabinet  104 ′, such that each locker unit is associated with a corresponding one of the air outlets. Accordingly, the airflow enters one of the locker units  152 ′, flows upward through the locker unit, and then exits the locker unit through its corresponding air outlet  166 ′ in the top side  132 ′ of the cabinet  104 ′. The embodiment of  FIG. 3  may be useful for preventing airborne elements of a first locker unit  152 ′ from permeating through the entire cabinet  104 ′. Also in the locker array  100 ′, the humidity sensor  180 ′ is in an alternative location within the storage region  156 ′. 
     The locker units  152 ,  152 ′ of the locker array  100  and  100 ′ may be freestanding locker units each having a sidewalls, a bottom side, a top side, and a backside. The freestanding locker units may be placed adjacent to each other to form the cabinet  104 ,  104 ′ of the locker array  100 ,  100 ′. Additionally, the freestanding locker units may be modified to receive and to expel the airflow generated by airflow apparatus  112 ,  112 ′. 
     While the locker array apparatus  100 ,  100 ′ has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the foregoing detailed description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications, and further applications that come within the spirit of the apparatus are desired to be protected.