Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Apparatus – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-24
2002-05-28
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3749)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Apparatus
Combined
C034S231000, C034S232000, C392S380000, C392S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393717
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to health care products and more particularly to a foot dryer device with diffused heated air flow system for thoroughly drying the feet of a user to help prevent athletes foot and other foot conditions, the foot dryer device including a molded bottom housing, a heater assembly, and a user support grate; the user support grate being constructed from rigid, non-heat conductive plastic having an outer support frame supporting a planar grating structure forming a number of diffused, heated air flow passageways and providing a user support surface of sufficient size and strength to support a user standing thereon; the molded bottom housing having a dome-shaped diffuser structure completely covering the top area of the molded bottom housing and having a number of air diffusion passageways formed entirely therethrough between the top surface of diffuser structure top and the bottom surface of diffuser structure top each having a diffuser passageway diameter less than the thickness between the top surface of diffuser structure top and the bottom surface of diffuser structure top, a bottom housing top opening sized to receive therein the outer support frame of the user support grate and defined by a top interior housing edge, a circumferential foot grate frame support ledge extending into an air space cavity, defined above the top surface of diffuser structure top and below the top interior housing edge, from an interior sidewall surface of the molded bottom housing, a user support grate retainer in mechanical relation with the outer support frame of the user support grate to maintain the outer support frame slidably positioned above the circumferential foot grate frame support ledge, a number of drain holes provided through the sidewall of the base housing .at a level even with the top surface of diffuser structure top such that water dripping from a user supported on the user support grate onto the dome-shaped diffuser structure is channeled by the top surface of diffuser structure top toward one of the number of drain holes whereupon it flows out of the molded bottom housing, and an air intake opening provided through the molded bottom housing into connection with the dome-shaped diffuser structure; the heater assembly including a variable speed fan having a fan blade for generating a fan air flow along an air flow path connected to the dome-shaped diffuser structure beginning with air flowing in through the air intake opening of the molded bottom housing and ending with diffused air currents exiting from the number of air diffusion passageways of the dome-shaped diffuser structure, a variable speed fan controller in controlling electrical connection with the variable speed fan in a manner to control the intensity of the fan air flow, an electric heater element positioned in the airflow path in a manner to add heat to the air of the fan air flow, a temperature controller in controlling connection with the electric heater element, a normally open, watertight momentary contact switch in power source controlling electrical connection with the variable speed fan and the electric heater element having an actuator positioned in connection between the molded bottom housing and the user support grate such that the weight of a user supported on the user support grate generates and maintains an actuating force sufficient to actuate and maintain the normally open, watertight momentary contact switch in the closed state supplying electrical power to the variable speed fan and the electric heater element, a detachable air filter positioned in the air intake opening of the molded bottom housing, and a two-position power switch wired in parallel electrical relation to the normally open, watertight, momentary contact switch to allow a user to manually activate the foot dryer device without the need for pressing down on the user support grate to actuate the normally open, watertight, momentary contact switch.
BACKGROUND ART
It is often difficult for an individual to properly dry his/her feet prior to putting on shoes. Because a damp foot placed within a shoe can provide favorable conditions for fungal infections, such as athlete's foot and the like, to occur and to spread, it would be a benefit to have a foot dryer device which provided a hot air stream which could be blown onto the feet to completely dry the feet before placing them into shoes. Because most air blowing dryers, such as hair dryers, can generate hot spots if directed at the same location for too long, it would be a further benefit to have a foot dryer device for completely drying the feet of the user that utilized a blower mechanism in connection with an air diffusion assembly that diffused a heated air stream so as to prevent uncomfortable hot spots from occurring on the feet of the user as well as to ensure that the entire foot of the user was covered with an even flow of heated air in order to ensure rapid complete drying.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a foot dryer device with diffused heated air flow system that includes a molded bottom housing, a heater assembly, and a user support grate; the user support grate being constructed from rigid, non-heat conductive plastic having an outer support frame supporting a planar grating structure forming a number of diffused, heated air flow passageways and providing a user support surface of sufficient size and strength to support a user standing thereon; the molded bottom housing having a dome-shaped diffuser structure completely covering the top area of the molded bottom housing and having a number of air diffusion passageways formed entirely therethrough between the top surface of diffuser structure top and the bottom surface of diffuser structure top each having a diffuser passageway diameter less than the thickness between the top surface of diffuser structure top and the bottom surface of diffuser structure top, a bottom housing top opening sized to receive therein the outer support frame of the user support grate and defined by a top interior housing edge, a circumferential foot grate frame support ledge extending into an air space cavity, defined above the top surface of diffuser structure top and below the top interior housing edge, from an interior sidewall surface of the molded bottom housing, a user support grate retainer in mechanical relation with the outer support frame of the user support grate to maintain the outer support frame slidably positioned above the circumferential foot grate frame support ledge, a number of drain holes provided through the sidewall of the base housing at a level even with the top surface of diffuser structure top such that water dripping from a user supported on the user support grate onto the dome-shaped diffuser structure is channeled by the top surface of diffuser structure top toward one of the number of drain holes whereupon it flows out of the molded bottom housing, and an air intake opening provided through the molded bottom housing into connection with the dome-shaped diffuser structure; the heater assembly including a variable speed fan having a fan blade for generating a fan air flow along an air flow path connected to the dome-shaped diffuser structure beginning with air flowing in through the air intake opening of the molded bottom housing and ending with diffused air currents exiting from the number of air diffusion passageways of the dome-shaped diffuser structure, a variable speed fan controller in controlling electrical connection with the variable speed fan in a manner to control the intensity of the fan air flow, an electric heater element positioned in the airflow path in a manner to add heat to the air of the fan air flow, a temperature controller in controlling connection with the electric heater element, a normally open, watertight momentary contact switch in power source controlling electrical connection with the variable speed fan and the electric heater element having an actuator positioned in connection between
Santos Victor M.
Zapata Maria C.
Breaux Joseph N.
Lazarus Ira S.
O'Malley Kathryn S.
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