US 6,742,276 B1Granted

Plastic suit drying system

AssigneeUniFirst Corporation

InventorsKent D. Anderson, Les Case, Michael R. Fuller, David K. Welcher, II, Richard F. Tardy

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Abstract

A plastic suit drying system comprises a drying chamber with an air warmer, and a mobile dryer rack. The mobile rack has a wheeled air plenum base, a number of drying positions (each comprising three perforated air pipes protruding up from the base), and a flanged air inlet in the back of the base that mates with a connection flange in the drying chamber. Through this flanged connection hot air is forced into the base/plenum and then into the perforated pipes. For use, wet plastic suits are placed upside down on the drying positions. Then, the mobile rack is rolled into the drying chamber so that the rack's flange mates with the drying cabinet's connection flange. Next, the drying chamber doors are closed, and the drying cycle started, during which heated air is blown into the mobile rack plenum and up into the air pipes extending into the suits.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A suit drying system,comprising:

a. a drying cabinet comprising:
an interior accessible by at least one door;
a transition duct terminating at a connector positioned in the cabinet interior;
and an air warming unit configured to blow heated air through the transition duct and out the connector;
and
b. a mobile suit drying rack comprising:
a wheeled air plenum having a plenum interior that terminates at an air inlet configured to mate with the connector;
and a plurality of drying stations attached to a top of the wheeled air plenum and in fluid communication with the plenum interior, each of said drying stations having at least one perforated pipe upstanding from the top of the wheeled air plenum;
wherein for drying suits:
the suits are respectively placed upside down on the drying stations, with the perforated pipes extending up into the suits;
the drying rack is wheeled into the cabinet interior and the cabinet door is shut;
and the air warming unit is activated for blowing heated air through the transition duct, out the connector, into the interior of the wheeled air plenum, through the perforated pipes, and into the interiors of the suits.

9 more elements

A suit drying system comprising:

a. a drying cabinet comprising:
an interior accessible by at least one door;
a transition duct extending down the back of the drying cabinet and terminating at a connector positioned in the cabinet interior near the bottom of the drying cabinet;
a fan located on top of the drying cabinet and in fluid communication with the transaction duct;
at least one heater located in the interior of the transition duct;
and a controller electrically connected to the fan and heater for controlling the fan and heater;
and
b. a mobile suit drying rack comprising:
a wheeled air plenum having a plenum interior that terminates at an air inlet configured to mate with the connector;
and a plurality of drying stations attached to a top of the wheeled air plenum and in fluid communication with the plenum interior, each of said drying stations comprising two leg perforated pipes and a torso perforated pipe, wherein:
the torso perforated pipe is positioned between the two leg perforated pipes and is shorter than the two leg perforated;
and the leg perforated pipes and the torso perforated pipes of each drying station are linearly aligned and the drying stations are angled with respect to the wheeled air plenum;
c. wherein for drying suits:
the suits are respectively placed upside down on the drying stations, with the perforated pipes extending up into the suits;
the drying rack is wheeled into the interior of the drying cabinet such that the air inlet mates with the connector;
the at least one cabinet door is shut;
and the fan and heater are activated for blowing heated air through the transition duct, out the connector, into the interior of the wheeled air plenum, through the perforated pipes, and into the interiors of the suits.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.