Abstract:
A unit for cleaning, drying and disinfecting equipment. The unit comprises a cabinet, a baffle disposed in the cabinet spaced apart from a rear wall of the cabinet, a plurality of adjustable nozzles for directing chemically treated air at the equipment, and a means for applying atomized chemicals into the flow of air.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    I. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to sanitizing and deodorizing equipment. More specifically, it relates to a device for sanitizing equipment by applying a disinfecting and deodorizing chemical to equipment by means of a directed airflow, said airflow also used to dry the equipment. 
         [0003]    II. Discussion of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Many sports teams have a strong interest in protecting the health and safety of their players. Bacterial infections can keep a player from competing, or least from performing to their greatest potential. After use, sports equipment such as hockey padding, jerseys or the like, can grow bacteria and mold. This bacteria and mold can cause infections as well as unpleasant-smelling odors. Eliminating or preventing the growth of mold or bacteria on uniforms and equipment worn by player athletes will give teams the greatest chance of having consistent and productive seasons. Further, eliminating or preventing bacteria and molds in sports equipment will reduce unpleasant odors which make storage and use of sports equipment unpleasant. 
         [0005]    Others have a need to sanitize and deodorize equipment as well. For example, hunting clothing, snowmobile clothing and other articles may need to be dried, sanitized and deodorized as well. 
         [0006]    Previously, sports teams on the professional and amateur levels have sprayed their equipment directly with sanitizing compounds, such as ozone. Sprinkler systems have been used in locker rooms whereby ozone is sprayed throughout the entire locker room to kill bacteria and mold. Alternatively, shelving units have been created where sports equipment is placed on the shelving and sprayed with a sanitizing chemical. The problem with these prior art approaches is they do not evenly distribute the sanitizing compound (be it ozone or an atomized chemical), leaving pockets of untreated equipment or uniforms. This can leave health-threatening bacteria on the sports equipment and still leave the equipment with the unpleasant odor. Alternatively, boot driers and glove driers and the like do not isolate odor from the environment of the room. The air is allowed to circulate in the room, resulting in smelly locker rooms. 
         [0007]    What is needed, then, is an enclosed unit where equipment can be placed for cleaning and drying. To ensure that the equipment is efficiently cleaned and dried, what is needed is an enclosed unit which uses a directed airflow for simultaneously cleaning and drying the equipment. 
         [0008]    One object of the present invention is to provide a unit for sanitizing equipment which injects chemicals directly onto each item of equipment and dries the equipment using a moving, directed airflow. 
         [0009]    It is still another object of this invention to provide a unit which uses moving air, heat, an ozone generator, a dehumidifier, an atomized chemical and ultraviolet light to eliminate bacteria and mold from equipment. 
         [0010]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide an enclosed unit for sanitizing and deodorizing equipment wherein the enclosed unit can ventilate excess air through a filter to help eliminate odors after treatment. 
         [0011]    It is a still further object of this invention to provide a unit for sanitizing and deodorizing equipment which is adaptable to a home, locker room or work setting. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The unit for cleaning, drying and disinfecting equipment is provided. Said unit comprises a cabinet formed to define a chamber having a generally flat bottom surface, mutually perpendicular opposed side walls, a top wall and a rear wall and an open front and a latchable door assembly for closing the cabinet. At least one baffle is placed in the cabinet spaced apart from the rear wall to form a vertical passage between the baffle and the rear wall. The baffle includes a plurality of rows of regularly spaced apart ports wherein said rows are regularly spaced apart along the height dimension of the baffle. A plurality of adjustable nozzles is inserted into the ports. Each nozzle includes a first end and a second end wherein the first end is inserted into the port of the baffle and the second end extends at an angle with respect to the mid portion of the nozzle. An exterior inlet is disposed on the top wall of the unit. A blower assembly is placed in a housing section of the unit, said blower is adapted to mix air from the interior and exterior of the unit and pull air from the exterior of the unit in through the air inlet. A means for applying atomized chemicals into the flow of air from the exterior of the unit as the air mixes with the air from the interior unit is also provided. The directed airflow passes through the vertical passage and sprays through the nozzles such that atomized chemicals are applied to the equipment disposed between the baffle and the door assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The foregoing features, aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the second embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a sectional side view of the second embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    This description of the preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. In the description, relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “above”, “below”, “up”, “down”, “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally”, “downwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawings under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. 
         [0022]    Terms such as “connected”, “connecting”, “attached”, “attaching”, “join” and “joining” are used interchangeably and refer to one structure or surface being secured to another structure or surface or integrally fabricated in one piece, unless expressively described otherwise. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  there is provided a unit  10  for cleaning, drying and disinfecting equipment. The unit  10  includes a cabinet  12  defined by a floor  14 , first and second opposed side walls  16  and  18 , a rear panel  20  and an open front  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a pair of front panels  24  is hingedly connected to the cabinet  10  for selectively closing the open front. A locking handle  26  on one front panel engages the other front panel  24  to close the compartment. In  FIG. 2 , four of the nozzles  36  are not shown in order to more clearly show the front of the plugs  34 . Furthermore, the user may selectively place either a plug  34  or a nozzle  36  in a port  32 . 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a sheet metal baffle  28  is disposed within the cabinet. The baffle  28  extends from the floor  14  to an upper housing portion  30  of the cabinet  12 . The upper housing portion  30  is defined by a chamber ceiling  31   a,  an upper cabinet wall  31   b , an upper portion  20   b  of the rear panel  20  and a top front panel portion  22   b.  The baffle  28  includes a plurality of ports  32  of uniform size. The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes five rows with four ports  32  each. The ports  32  may be selectively filled either with a plug  34  or a nozzle member  36 . The baffle  28  is offset from the rear panel  20  creating a plenum space  38  for directed airflow on one side of the baffle and chamber  40  on the other. 
         [0025]    The nozzle members  36  are angularly adjustable so that they can be directed for maximum efficiency. The nozzles  36  may be selectively removed from the ports  32  and also replaced by plugs  34 . 
         [0026]    The upper housing  30  contains a blower assembly  42  and a means for applying atomized chemicals  44  and a heater  46 . Optionally, the unit  10  may also include a dehumidifier unit  48 , an ozone generator  50  and/or an ultraviolet light  52 . 
         [0027]    The blower  42  is connected to an exterior air inlet  54 . By way of example, OEM Specialty Blowers, such as a PSC Blower, may be used for blower  42 . The air inlet  54  is disposed on the upper cabinet wall  31   b  of the unit  10 . The air inlet  54  pulls air from the exterior of the unit  10  under influence of the blower  42  and mixes the air with air from the interior of the unit  10 . The blower  42  forces the mixed air past a heater  46  which heats the directed airflow. A number of commercially available electric heaters  46  may be used in the unit  10  to heat the airflow. Atomized chemicals with a dose of disinfecting, deodorized spray are injected into the directed airflow by the means for applying atomized chemicals  44  after the airflow is heated by the heater  46 . The atomized chemical may be a protective coating spray with an antimicrobial agent proven to prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria. The means for applying atomized chemicals  42  may be any atomist sprayer such as the RL Flo-Master Electric Atomist Sprayer. 
         [0028]    After the directed airflow has been heated by the heater  46  and injected with disinfecting, deodorized spray, the directed airflow flows into the plenum chamber  38 . The directed airflow egresses from the plenum chamber through the ports  32  in the baffle  28 , and enters into the chamber  40  via nozzles  36  where items to be cleaned have previously been hung by the user. Nozzles  36  direct the heated, atomized airflow on to the items thus disinfecting them. 
         [0029]    The optional ozone generator  50  may be mounted in the upper housing portion  30  proximate the heater  46 . Commercially available ozone generators such as those manufactured by New Comfort are suitable. The ozone generator  50  circulates ozone into the directed airflow before it egresses into the chamber  40 . It should be noted that the ozone-containing air circulates throughout the chamber  40  in order to ensure it contacts all the equipment. The optional ultraviolet light source  52  may depend from the upper housing  30  into the chamber  40 . In certain other embodiments the dehumidifier  48  is also disposed in the upper housing  30 . The dehumidifier  48  decreases the relative humidity in the unit  10  and thereby slows down the degeneration of O 3  to O 2 . 
         [0030]    The unit may also further include an activated charcoal filter  58  disposed on a lower portion  20   c  of the rear panel  20 . Exhaust air in the airflow stream can be filtered using the activated charcoal filter  58  to trap undesirable odors before releasing exhaust air into the environment. An on/off switch  59  is mounted to the unit  10  for activating the blower, heater and other components of the unit. The on/off switch  59  may include a timer for keeping the unit running for a designated time. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show an alternative embodiment of the unit designated as  10   b . Here, the cabinet  70  is defined by a bottom panel  72 , an open top  74 , first and second opposed side walls  76  and  78 , a front wall  80  and a rear wall  82 . A latchable door  84  is hingedly connected to the unit  10   b  for sealing the cabinet. In the second embodiment the baffle  88  is spaced apart from the bottom panel  72 , forming a horizontal plenum chamber  90  between the baffle  88  and the bottom panel  72 . Like in the preferred embodiment, the baffle  88  includes a plurality of rows of ports  95 . The rows  92  are regularly spaced along the length of the baffle  88 . 
         [0032]    In  FIG. 6 , the side housing  93  is disposed along the first side wall  76 . The side housing  93  houses a blower assembly  94 . Two exterior air inlets  96  are cut into the first side wall  76  for allowing exterior air to enter the unit  10   b.  Air from the exterior and interior of the unit mixes in the side housing  93 . The blower  94  forces the mixed air past a heater which heats the mixed air. A means for applying atomized chemicals injects an atomized disinfecting, deodorizing chemical into the mixed air after the mixed air has been heated by the heater. The heated, atomized air then flows into the horizontal plenum chamber  90 . 
         [0033]    Once in the horizontal plenum chamber  90 , the air egresses from the chamber through the ports  95  and a plurality of nozzles  98  mounted on the ports  95 , and then is applied to equipment placed in the chamber  90 . An activated charcoal filter  102  is disposed on the second side wall  78 . Exhaust air in the airflow stream is filtered through the activated charcoal filter  102  to trap undesirable odors before releasing exhaust air into the environment. 
         [0034]    As with the preferred embodiment, the alternative embodiment may include an ozone generator  104  as in  FIG. 7 . The ozone generator  104  is mounted in the side housing  93  and mixes ozone with the mixed air before the mixed air is directed to the horizontal plenum chamber  90 . Likewise, an ultraviolet light (not shown) may be installed in the side housing  93 . A dehumidifier  108  may also be disposed in the side housing  93 . 
         [0035]    This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices, and that various modifications, both as to the equipment and operating procedures, can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.