Abstract
A garment drying device particularly adapted for drying pants such as jeans, khakis, chinos, shorts, or other types of trousers. The garment drying device includes a spreader bar having a hanger retained thereto and the ends of the spreader bar are provided with arcuate surfaces and spring clips shaped so as to be juxtaposed to the arcuate surfaces for clipping to the opening of the pant legs with the result that the pants are hung to dry in an inverted position, promoting air flow for even drying of the pants, so that the wet weight of the material comprising the pants exerts constant downward force on the pants, minimizing shrinkage of the pants in the vertical dimension.
Claims
1. A device for drying a garment comprising: first and second clips; an elongate spreader bar having said first and second clips affixed proximate the ends thereof; and the inside surfaces of each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.
2. The drying device of claim 1 wherein the inside surfaces of said clips are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips.
3. The drying device of claim 2 wherein said garment retaining structure comprises a bow extending from the inside surfaces of each of said clips.
4. The drying device of claim 3 wherein each of said bows is comprised of a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open.
5. A device for drying a garment comprising: first and second spring-loaded clips; an elongate spreader bar having arcuate surfaces formed either at or proximate the ends thereof, said first and second clips being affixed to the respective ends of said spreader bar and being formed so that the spring-loaded portion of said clips is juxtaposed to the respective arcuate surfaces; and each of said clips being provided with structure for gripping the garment at an opening of the garment and retaining the garment to said respective clip, the opening of the garment being spread open by spring operation of each said clip.
6. The drying device of claim 5 wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction for retaining the garment to said clips.
7. The drying device of claim 5 wherein either the arcuate surface of said spreader bar, the spring-loaded surface of said clip, or both the arcuate surface of said spreader bar and the spring-loaded surface of said clip are provided with a material that tends to spring back to its original shape for retaining the opening of the garment open.
8. A method of drying a garment comprising the steps of inverting the garment, gripping the garment at an opening of the garment, retaining the garment on a spreader bar for hanging the garment in the inverted position for drying, and opening one or more of the openings of the hanging garment for promoting airflow through the inverted garment.
9. The method of claim 8 additionally comprising the step of retaining the opening of the garment open during drying.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0019] FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are side elevational, end elevational, and bottom plan views, respectively, of a first embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
[0020] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are side elevational, end elevational, and top plan views, respectively, of a second embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
[0022] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are side elevational, end elevational, top plan, and bottom plan views, respectively, of the garment drying apparatus of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Referring now to the figures, a first embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown, the present invention comprises an elongate spreader bar 12 having a hook 14, preferably a swivel hook, affixed thereto for hanging spreader bar 12 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described below.
[0024] As best shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, first and second clips 16 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 12 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each of clips 16 is spring-loaded (the spring not being visible in the drawing) and one end of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 18 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 16 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 16 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art.
[0025] Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a material such as silicone or other polymer having a high coefficient of friction is applied as at reference numeral 20 to one or both of the inside surfaces of the clips 16 to help retain a garment to clip 16 on spreader bar 12. Alternatively, the inside surface of the clips 16 is provided with grooves or other textured surface that can, for instance, be molded into the plastic or other material comprising clip 16, for retaining a garment on spreader bar 12.
[0026] A second embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 22 in FIG. 2. In the embodiment 20, the present invention comprises an elongate spreader bar 32 and hook 34, preferably a swivel hook, affixed to spreader bar 32 for hanging spreader bar 32 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described below.
[0027] As best shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, first and second clips 36 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 32 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, each of clips 36 is spring-loaded (the spring not being visible in the drawing) and one end of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 38 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 36 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 36 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art and as explained above in connection with the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, each of the inside surfaces of clips 36 is provided with a bow 38, preferably comprised of a resilient material such as a polymeric plastic so that it can deformed while tending to spring back to its original shape, to hold the opening of a pant leg (shown in dotted, or shadow, lines in FIG. 2) open as best shown in FIG. 2C for promoting air flow through the pantleg and uniform drying of the fabric comprising the pants. Although the material comprising each of the bows 38 is preferably of a type that accomplishes this function, as described above in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a material such as silicone or other polymer having a high coefficient of friction (not shown) may be applied to one or both of the inside surfaces of the clips 36 to help retain a garment to clip 36 on spreader bar 32.
[0028] Those skilled in the art will recognize the desirability of retaining the opening of a pant leg open for promoting air flow from the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, above. That same goal can be accomplished with structure other than that shown in FIG. 2, however. For instance, although not accomplish the intended result as well as the structure shown n FIG. 2, even the structure shown in FIG. 1 functions in similar fashion to hold open the opening into the pant leg of a pair of pants retained to spreader bar 12. Lightweight forms (not shown) that are tethered to spreader bar 12 may also be provided for inserting down into the opening of the pant leg for this same purpose and of course it will be recognized that the bows 38 shown in FIG. 2 may extend further around the arc visible in FIG. 2C, even all the way around the arc to form a circle, if needed to function even better for this purpose. It is envisioned that a bow that extends so far around the inside of the opening of the pant leg as to form a circle is particularly useful for holding open the openings of pants of the type known as wide leg and/or bell bottom pants. The opposing ends of bows 38 that extend so far around the opening of the pant leg as to form a circle can also be provided with a clip (not shown) of a type known in the art for stretching the material comprising the pant leg if necessary or desirable for holding the opening open to promote uniform drying and improved air flow through the pant leg.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of a garment drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 40. Garment drying apparatus 40 is comprised of an elongate spreader bar 42 and hook 44, preferably a swivel hook, affixed to spreader bar 42 for hanging spreader bar 42 from a shower rod, drying rack, or other appropriate structure when a garment is clipped thereto as described above in connection with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.
[0030] As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, first and second clips 46 are provided proximate the ends of spreader bar 42 for engaging a garment to be air dried. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of clips 46 is spring-loaded (the spring not being shown in the drawings for purposes of clarity) and one side of the clip is angled as at reference numeral 48 to provide a fulcrum for opening clip 46 for inserting a garment into the clip, the spring causing clip 46 to retain the garment in a manner known in the art and as explained above in connection with the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Although those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that other structure will function similarly to achieve the same result, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the inside surfaces of clips 46 is provided with a resilient material such as a polymeric plastic either with a high coefficient of friction or soft enough that it can deformed while tending to spring back to its original shape, to hold the opening of a pant leg (not shown) open for promoting air flow through the pantleg and uniform drying of the fabric comprising the pants.
[0031] Those skilled in the art will recognize the desirability of retaining the opening of a pant leg open for promoting air flow from the description of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, above and, to that end, the garment drying apparatus 40 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided with arcuate surfaces 50 (best shown in FIGS. 3, 4C and 4D) either forming the ends or being located proximate the ends of spreader bar 42. Clips 46 are provided with curved arms 52 extending laterally from the angled side 48 of each clip, the curve of the arms 52 being shaped so that the arms are juxtaposed, or fit closely against, the arcuate surfaces 50 of spreader bar 42 when the clips 46 are not being held open against the tension of the spring. When retained to spreader bar 42 by clips 46, the interaction of the arcuate surfaces 50 formed in spreader bar 42 and the curved, laterally-extending arms 52 of clips 46 retains the opening into the garment in an open position. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this description will recognize that the spreader bar 42 need not itself be curved at each end to provide the arcuate surfaces described herein. The results described herein can also be achieved by, for instance, a spreader bar that is straight along its entire length, one side of such a straight spreader bar having a concave surface formed therein proximate the ends of the spreader bar with the clips 46 being mounted to the straight spreader bar at the concave surface. In another embodiment, the spreader bar is curved along much or all of its length so as to better approximate the shape of certain garments when the garment is retained to the spreader bar for drying. Note that the spreader bar may be curved along its length for this purpose in either direction, or even curved upwardly or downwardly from the point at which hanger 44 is affixed to the spreader bar, depending upon the type of garment that is to be retained thereon.
[0032] Regardless of the particular embodiment utilized, those skilled in the art will recognize from this description that the jeans, pants, shorts, or other garment retained to spreader bar 12, 32, or 42 is retained on the spreader bar in an inverted position. As used herein, the term inverted is intended to refer to the retention of the garment to the spreader bar by engaging the opening of the pant leg with the garment hanging downwardly from the spreader bar. As described above, when retained to the spreader bar in this inverted fashion, the damp weight of the garment provides prolonged, evenly-distributed, downward force on the fabric comprising the garment that tends to resist or counteract shrinkage of the fabric, especially in the vertical dimension.
[0033] The unique design of the apparatus of the present invention improves air flow through the garment. As a result, the improved airflow leads to uniform garment drying and elimination of possible prolonged exposure to moisture during the drying cycle, thus reducing or eliminating nuisance bacteria and possible odor development. (i.e., the sour smell).
[0034] Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that certain changes can be made to the component parts of the apparatus of the present invention without changing the manner in which those parts function and/or interact to achieve their intended result. All such changes, and others that will be clear to those skilled in the art from this description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended to fall within the scope of the following, non-limiting claims.
