Abstract:
An apparatus for drying gloves and boots is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pipe, a fan, a plurality of first tubes connected to the pipe and a plurality of second tubes connected to the first tubes. Also disclosed is a method of assembling an apparatus for drying gloves and boots.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/518,219, filed on Nov. 7, 2003. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates generally to drying devices and, more particularly, to an apparatus for drying gloves and boots.  
         [0006]     2. Related Art  
         [0007]     A firefighter must wear gloves and boots in the performance of his or her duties. While performing his or her duties, the gloves and/or boots frequently get wet. A firefighter must wear gloves and boots even if they are wet. Many full-time firefighters work 24 hours on and 48 hours off. When they return to work, their gloves and boots are often still wet. Volunteer firefighters are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They often respond to calls several days in a row most often wearing wet gloves and boots especially in the winter time.  
         [0008]     Frequently a firefighter&#39;s boots and gloves are lined with a biohazard barrier which causes poor ventilation. This lack of ventilation often prevents the gloves and boots from drying. The moisture within the gloves and boots causes premature wear of these articles. Additionally, the moisture gives rise to mildew which can cause significant odors in the gloves and boots.  
         [0009]     Wet gloves and boots can cause other problems as well. When firefighters enter a fire with wet gloves and boots, water steams and burns their hands or feet. In the winter, a person&#39;s skin gets cold 25 times faster when it is wet than when it is dry. Hence, wearing wet gloves and boots can cause frostbite too. Additionally, prolonged wearing wet boots will cause the firefighter&#39;s feet to blister and peel; thus, providing an ideal environment for fungus to grow.  
         [0010]     The National Fire Protection Association, Inc. (NFPA) has established standards for drying gloves and boots. One such standard is NFPA 1851. NFPA 1851 is entitled “Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Structural Fire Fighting Protective Ensembles.” NFPA 1851 specifies that gloves must not be dried with heat and that footwear must be air dried. Moreover, NFPA 1851 specifies that ensembles or elements should be dried without heat, but if heat must be used, then the machine basket temperature should not exceed 40° C. (105° F.).  
         [0011]     Some fire departments have a large air dryer located in the fire station where the fireman can dry their turn out gear off duty. However, these machines are often large and expensive. They are not convenient for firefighters because they must travel to another station on their own time. Moreover, firefighters find it inconvenient for use of gloves or boots when other clothes take higher priority.  
         [0012]     Apparatus for drying garments are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,289 issued to Guindon on Oct. 22, 1991, discloses a device for drying garments. The device includes a base having a heating coil and a blower. An air plenum and an adapter are connected to the base. Flexible bellows tubes are connected to the adapter.  
         [0013]     The Guindon device has several problems. First, this type of device cannot be used with a leather glove or boot because heated air adversely affects the size of the article. For example, heated air will cause a wet leather glove to shrink. Additionally, NFPA 1851 discourages the use of heat. Second, the flexible bellows tubes will not support the weight of a heavy boot such as that of fireman. Third, the device disclosed by Guindon only allows for the drying of a pair of articles.  
         [0014]     Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,928 issued Reithel on May 9, 1995 discloses a dehydration device consisting of a frame work and a mechanism for removing moisture from various garments and articles. The mechanism includes a manifold and an air forcing assembly attached to the side of the manifold. The air forcing assembly also includes a heater for heating the air.  
         [0015]     The device disclosed by Reithel has several drawbacks. First, the device disclosed by Reithel is very expensive. Due to its expense, fire departments usually must share devices of the type disclosed by Reithel. Second, the device disclosed by Reithel is not portable and, thus, cannot be used in the field by fire personnel. Third, placement of the air forcing assembly on the side of the manifold adversely affects airflow.  
         [0016]     There remains a need in the art for an apparatus for drying gloves and boots that is portable and capable of drying several pairs of gloves and boots.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     It is in view of the above problems that the present invention was developed. The invention is an apparatus for drying gloves and boots. The apparatus includes a pipe, a fan attached to one end of the pipe, several first tubes connected in a vertical direction to the pipe, and second tubes angularly connected to the first several tubes.  
         [0018]     The apparatus includes a sufficient number of first and second tubes to allow for drying of several pairs of gloves and boots simultaneously.  
         [0019]     The apparatus dries articles by providing cool air-flow within the article. The cool air does not harm bio-hazard linings.  
         [0020]     The apparatus is portable such that it can be used indoors or out.  
         [0021]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for drying gloves and boots in the first embodiment;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an apparatus for drying gloves and boots in a second embodiment;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like elements,  FIG. 1  illustrates an apparatus for drying gloves and boots  10 . In  FIG. 1 , drying gloves and boots are depicted in phantom. The apparatus  10  includes a pipe  12  having a first end  14  and a second end  16 . In the depicted embodiment, the pipe  12  is made of plastic. A plastic pipe has the advantages of being lightweight and cost-effective. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the pipe  12  could be made of other materials, such as metal. A first fan  18  is attached to the first end  14  of the pipe  12 . A second fan  20  is attached to the second end  16  of the pipe  12 . The fans  18 ,  20  are roughly the same size as the diameter of the ends  14 ,  16  of the pipe  12 . The fans  18 ,  20  may operate on alternating current or direct current. In the depicted embodiment, both fans  18 ,  20  move air towards a center of the pipe  12 . However, those skilled in the art will understand that one of the fans  18 ,  20  could move air away from the center.  
         [0027]     First tubes  22  are connected to the pipe  12 . In the depicted embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the first tubes  22  are shown arranged connected in a perpendicular direction to an axis of the pipe  12 . There are four first tubes  22  shown in  FIG. 1 . However, a greater or lesser number of first tubes  22  may be used. Second tubes  24  are operatively connected to the first tubes  22 . The second tubes  24  are angularly connected to the first tubes  22 . In the depicted embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the second tubes  24  are connected at an angle of 45° to the first tubes  22 . Additionally in the depicted embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the first tubes  22  are longer than the second tubes  24 . However, those skilled in the art will understand that first tubes  22  and second tubes  24  could be of the same length. There are eight second tubes  24  shown in  FIG. 1 . However, a greater or lesser number of second tubes  24  may be used. First and second tubes  22 ,  24  each include a plurality of holes  25 . In some embodiments, a switch  27  may be included and electrically connected to the first and second fans  18 ,  20 . Additionally, the pipe  12  may be connected to a base  26 . The base  26  may be made of wood, metal, or plastic and merely supports the pipe  12 . The arrangement of the pipe  12 , the fans  18 ,  20 , and the tubes  22 ,  24  allows the apparatus  10  to be compact and portable.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  illustrates a second embodiment of the apparatus for drying gloves and boots  10 . This second embodiment includes only one fan  220  attached either at a first end  214  or a second end  216  of a pipe  212 . A plug  230  is attached to whichever end of the pipe  212  that is not connected to the fan  220 . The plug  230  caps the end of the pipe  212  such that air from the fan  220  is forced through a plurality of first tubes  222  and a plurality of second tubes  224 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  illustrates a variation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 3 , an insert  40  is inserted into the pipe  12  between the first and second fans  18 , 20 . In the depicted embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the insert  40  is placed in the center of the pipe  12 . In this case, each fan  18 ,  20  only feeds two of the first tubes  22 .  
         [0030]     In operation, a user (not shown) places at least one pair of boots and at least one other pair of gloves and/or boots on the respective first or second tubes  22 ,  24 . The user connects the fans  18 ,  20  to electrical current. In some embodiments, the user operates the switch  27 . The electrical current causes the fans  18 ,  20  to move air, and the fans  18 ,  20  force air into the pipe  12 . The air travels through the pipe  12  parallel to the pipe&#39;s axis. The air flow changes direction and enters into the tubes  22 ,  24 . The air then flows out the tubes  22 ,  24  through the holes  25  and into a glove and/or a boot. The air thereby assists in the rapid dehydration of the glove and/or boot.  
       Method of Assembly  
       [0031]     In a first step, fans  18 ,  20  are operatively connected to the pipe  12 . First tubes  22  are operatively connected and perpendicular to the pipe  12  in a second step. In a third step, second tubes  24  are angularly connected to the first tubes  22 . In an optional step, the fans  18 ,  20  are connected to the switch  27 . In a further optional step, the base  26  is operatively connected to the pipe  12 .  
         [0032]     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several advantages of the invention are achieved and attained.  
         [0033]     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.  
         [0034]     As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. For example, while only four first tubes are shown, a greater or lesser number of first tubes may be used. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.