Apparatus for drying a wetsuit

Abstract

An apparatus for drying a wetsuit (‘Dryer Cup’) is composed of an elongate member and a fluid receptacle. The dryer cup is configured such that the retained water in the wetsuit drains into the fluid receptacle. This allows the user to dry the wetsuit indoors without dripping water on the floor. The elongate member keeps the sleeves of the wetsuit open for air exchange. This improves dry time of the wetsuit, and allows for the option to introduce a fan or other method to improve air flow through the wetsuit garment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The embodiments of this invention relate to the drying of sports equipment. More specifically the invention relates to the drying of wetsuits used for insulation in water related activities.

Description of the Related Art

Water related activities often require wetsuits to protect the user from the cold, abrasion and provide buoyancy. Wetsuits and wetsuit boots are typically made from foamed neoprene rubber. The neoprene rubber provides a barrier to the water and insulates. Wetsuit construction can also include fabrics, textiles and various densities of foams to provide various levels of comfort, flexibility and insulation. These materials will retain water after their use. The retained water can harbor bacteria that cause odor and retained water is undesirable when the user repeatedly wears the apparel. For these reasons it is desirable to dry the apparel quickly before the next use.

Drying wetsuits and wetsuit boots usually entails hanging the apparel to allow the water to run off the apparel and evaporate. Drying apparel can be done outside where the water can drip onto the ground. However, when drying the apparel indoors it can often be a challenge to find a good place to hang the wetsuit and let it drip dry due to water dripping off the apparel on to the ground. Drying the wetsuit indoors is important for users in an apartment or an office setting where access to an outdoor area is not possible.

There are some products on the market out there to address the challenge of drying a wetsuit indoors. Special hangers (U.S. Pat. No. 8,621,762) have been developed to speed up the drying process using fans to facilitate the evaporation. Another product has been developed (U.S. Pat. No. 8,739,432) to facilitate the drying process by keeping the sleeve and leg holes open.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention, in brief, is a wetsuit dryer cup. The dryer cup is composed of a top surface, bottom surface, outside surface, inside surface and fluid receptacle. The outside surface of the dryer cup is configured to fit inside the opening of the wetsuit garment. The outside surface of the dryer cup also provides a fluid pathway to the fluid receptacle. The inner surface provides a pathway for air to enter the garment. The fluid receptacle is configured to catch and retain water that flows off the outer surface of the dryer cup and the outside of the garment. The dryer cup is inserted into the opening of the garment to collect the fluid and provide a pathway for airflow to assist in the drying of the garment.

In one embodiment of the invention, the outside surface fluid pathway is a helical groove. The helical groove is configured to be ‘threaded’ into the garment opening such that the outside surface diameter is greater than the garment diameter and slightly stretches the garment to provide enough grip to hold the dryer cup in place where it can collect water. The inside surface provides an opening for air to easily enter and exit the garment.

In another embodiment of the invention, the dryer cup is held in place by flexible fingers that spring outwards to provide the grip necessary to hold the cup in place.

In another embodiment of the invention, the outside surface fluid pathways are inner cuts that divide the outside surface of the invention into lobes, allowing the fluid to flow through.

In another embodiment an electric fan is mounted to the inner surface to force air through the garment via a cylindrical channel in the middle portion of an elongate member.

The present invention may also include a fan system integrated into the outside portion of the invention, which can be removed from the invention. The outside portion can be attached to the inside portion of the invention, thereby creating a negative pressure inducing pathway for air flow that can multiply the rate of air flow into the wetsuit garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the dryer cup.

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of a wetsuit.

FIG. 3. is a perspective view with dryer cups installed in the leg openings of a wetsuit.

FIG. 4. is a cross-section view of the dryer cup installed in the leg opening of a wetsuit.

FIG. 5. is a perspective view of the dryer cup with flexible members.

FIG. 6. is a cross-section view of the dryer cup with electric fan in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7. is a perspective view of the dryer cup with two inner surfaces in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8. is a cross-section view of the dryer cup with fluid and air flow vectors to show intended function of the invention.

FIG. 9. is a close-up view of the helical groove in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10. is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11. is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12. is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention that may include different components in an assembly.

FIG. 13. is an exploded cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14. is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ELEMENTS

Specific embodiments of the disclosed device and method of use will now be described with reference to the drawings. Nothing in this detailed description is intended to imply that any particular component, feature, or step is essential to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment of the dryer cup (1) where a tubular elongate member (2) is connected to a fluid receptacle (3). The elongate member has cylindrical outer surface starting at a diameter (4) at the top surface (5) and increases in diameter to a point down the outer surface towards the bottom surface (6). The outer surface reaches a widest point (7) that is wider than at the top surface (5) and is configured to be wider than the diameter of the garment. The outer surface decreases in diameter from the widest section (7) towards the bottom surface (6). At the bottom surface (6) the outer surface interfaces with the fluid receptacle (3). The outer surface has two helical grooves (8) that are 180 degrees apart. The helical grooves allow the user to thread the elongate member (1) into the garment and provides a fluid pathway from the inside of the garment to the fluid receptacle (3).

The fluid receptacle diameter (9) is greater than the greatest diameter of the outer surface (7). The fluid receptacle is configured to have sufficient volume to retain all of the water shed from the garment.

At the top surface (5), the outer surface interfaces with the cylindrical inner surface (10). The inner surface (10) extends from the top surface (5) to the bottom surface (6). The inner surface (10) is configured to allow air to flow in and out of the garment.

FIG. 2. is a wetsuit (11). The wetsuit has openings at the neckline (12), end of the sleeves (13) and at the end of the legs (14).

FIG. 3. is a wetsuit (11) with a dryer cup (1) installed in each of the leg openings (14).

FIG. 4. is a cross-section of dryer cup (1) installed in an opening (13,14) of a garment. The garment engages the outside surface of the elongate member (2). The fluid receptacle (3) is attached to the elongate member (2) at the bottom surface (6). The cross-section view clearly shows the inside surface (10) of the elongate member (2).

FIG. 5. is another embodiment of the dryer cup (1) where the elongate member has a plurality of longitudinal slits (15) to create flexible members (16).

FIG. 6. is a cross-section of a dryer cup (1) with an electric fan (17) mounted to the inner surface (10) of the elongate member (2).

FIG. 7. is a perspective view of the dryer cup with two elongate members (18) with one fluid receptacle (19) attached to both elongate members (18).

FIG. 8. is a cross-section view of the of the dryer cup (20) with fluid (21) and air (22) flow vectors to show intended function of the invention.

FIG. 9. is a close-up view of the helical groove in one preferred embodiment (23).

FIG. 10. is another preferred embodiment of the dryer cup (24) where a tubular elongate member with an increased material volume (25) is connected to a fluid receptacle (26). The specific preferred embodiment in FIG. 10 functions similarly to the preferred embodiment described in FIG. 1, where the bulbous member attached to the elongate tubular member is intended to be pushed inside of the opening of the wetsuit garment sleeve. This embodiment may include cuts (27) in the bulbous member to allow for fluid flow from the garment into the fluid receptacle portion (26) of the embodiment.

FIG. 11. is another preferred embodiment of the dryer cup in which a tubular elongate member (28) with a diameter intended to be larger than the garment sleeve opening may be included. The preferred embodiment may include ridges (29) along the elongate member to aid in the insertion of said elongate member into the wetsuit garment sleeve opening.

FIG. 12. is another preferred embodiment of the dryer cup in which the embodiment exists as three separate components; an outer component (30) an inner component (31) and a component designed to house an electric fan (32). This specific embodiment in FIG. 12. functions similarly to the preferred embodiment described in FIG. 10, where the bulbous member (33) attached to the elongate tubular member is intended to be pushed inside of the opening of the wetsuit garment sleeve. This embodiment may include cuts for fluid flow path as well.

FIG. 13. is an exploded cross sectional assembly view of the embodiment described in FIG. 12. A possible attachment method between the outer component (30) and inner component (31) in the form of a threaded feature (34) is demonstrated in FIG. 13. A possible location for the insertion of an electric fan on the component designed to house an electric fan (32) is shown (35). A possible attachment method between the component designed to house an electric fan (32) and the outer component (30) in the form of shafts (36) and holes (37) is shown.

FIG. 14. is a cross sectional assembly view of the embodiment described in FIG. 12. A possible air flow path driven by the location of an electric fan (35) is shown (38). Such a path may increase the efficiency of air flow through negative pressure air multiplication, while still allowing external air to flow through the middle of the tubular elongate member of the outer component (30). The external air flow path through the elongate member is demonstrated as shown (39)

Claims

1. A dryer cup to facilitate drying of garments comprising;

At least one elongate member, where the elongate member is substantially tube shaped having an outside surface, inside surface, top surface and bottom surface. The outside surface is configured to engage the inside of the garment opening. The inside surface is configured to provide an opening for air exchange.

A bowl shaped fluid receptacle which may be attached to the elongate member to allow fluid to flow from the garment to the outside surface and collect in the fluid receptacle.

2. A dryer cup in claim 1 where the outside surface diameter changes along its length

3. A dryer cup in claim 1 that is comprised of two parts;

At least one outer component that is able to be connected to and removed from an inner component, where the inner component is comprised of a bowl shaped fluid receptacle attached to an elongate member.

4. A dryer cup in claim 1 where an electric fan is mounted to the inside surface to force air through the garment

5. A dryer cup in claim 1 where an electric fan is mounted to the inside surface in such a way that allows for removal of the electric fan

6. A dryer cup in claim 1 where an electric fan is mounted to the outside surface to force air through the garment

7. A dryer cup in claim 1 where the outside surface has at least one helical groove that provides a pathway(s) for fluid to drain from the inner surface of the garment

8. A dryer cup in claim 1 where the outside surface has at least one extruded cut that provides a pathway(s) for fluid to drain from the inner surface of the garment

9. A dryer cup in claim 1 where the elongate member has a plurality of longitudinal cuts to create flexible elongate members that flex for insertion into the garment.