Patent ID: 7171761

Claim:
A forced hot air towel warmer and dehumidifier comprising: a substantially airtight enclosure having a sealable access means to enable placing a towel and the like to be warmed in the substantially airtight enclosure and to enable removing a warmed towel therefrom; first means disposed within the substantially airtight enclosure having air passages there through to support the towel; second means disposed within the substantially airtight enclosure to draw air from above the towel to be warmed and thereby to create and pre-pressurize a stream of air; third means disposed within the substantially air tight enclosure adjacent the second means, to further pressurize and continuously circulate the stream of air within the substantially airtight enclosure; fourth means disposed within the substantially air tight enclosure adjacent the third means to heat the stream of air; fifth means disposed within the substantially air tight enclosure adjacent the fourth means containing a temperature sensor and comprising a constant temperature antechamber in which a volume of pressurized air maintained within a predetermined temperature range is caused to continuously impinge on the towel to be heated; sixth means disposed within the substantially air tight enclosure associated with said stream of air, said second means said third means said fourth means and said fifth means to detect and determine a user's intent, to automatically maintain said stream of pressurized air at a temperature within a predetermined temperature range for a given period of time, and to control the air flow direction either totally within or through the enclosure; seventh means disposed between the towel heating cavity and said second means to selectively direct the air flow to either recycle within said substantially air tight enclosure or to periodically pass through the enclosure; eighth means associated with said substantially air tight enclosure to enable permanent installation of said hot air towel warmer within a bathroom to prevent said hot air towel warmer from falling into a selected one of a tub or shower; said eighth means including a cavity disposed in a wall of said bathroom between adjacent studs of said wall, said cavity being disposed adjacent said selected one of a tub or shower to permanently receive said substantially air tight enclosure, said sealable access means being disposed in an exposed surface of said substantially air tight enclosure, and an electrical power source disposed in said wall connected to said sixth means and thereby controlling power to said second, third and fourth means.