US5003707A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portable boot drying apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-03-19
•
Granted: 1991-04-02
•
Expires: 2010-03-19
Abstract
Abstract An accessory apparatus is provided for adaption to receive a flow of heated air from the tubular discharge end of a commercial hair dryer, and to provide therefrom two like divided flows deliverable via flexible tubing to the inner volume of each boot of a given pair of ski boots or other foot wear.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Chu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:17
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L23/00; A47L23/20; A47L23/205; F; F26; F26B; F26B21/00; F26B21/001; F26B21/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening comprising a single counterbore of diameter exceeding that of a dryer discharge end to be used therewith, and an annular insert of flexible yieldable material retained in said counterbore, said insert having a bore which is characterized by a taper which reduces in the direction of dryer flow into said body, said taper ranging from a diameter exceeding that of the dryer discharge end and reducing to a diameter less than that of the dryer discharge end.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening comprising a single counterbore of diameter exceeding that of a dryer discharge end to be used therewith, and an annular insert of flexible yieldable material retained in said counterbore, said insert having a bore which is characterized by a taper which reduces in the direction of dryer flow into said body, said taper ranging from a diameter exceeding that of the dryer discharge end and reducing to a diameter less than that of the dryer discharge end.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are secured in their connection to said body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are removbly connected to said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening comprising a stepped axial succession of generally cylindrical counterbores of incrementally reducing diameter, the diameter of each counterbore being selected for telescoping reception of a different dryer discharge diameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening comprising a stepped axial succession of generally cylindrical counterbores of incrementally reducing diameter, the diameter of each counterbore being selected for telescoping reception of a different dryer discharge diameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a radial shoulder stop is defined at transition from one counterbore to the next-succeeding counterbore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are secured in their connection to said body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are removably connected to said body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening having a bore which is characterized by a taper which reduces in the direction of dryer flow into said body, said taper ranging from a diameter exceeding that of the dryer discharge end and reducing to a diameter less than that of the dryer discharge end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for use with a portable hair dryer having a tubular discharge end, and for supplying a flow of warm air to a pair of ski boots, comprising an adaptor fitting having a body with a tubular inlet opening and a pair of outlet openings and a communicating passage therebetween, said inlet opening being adapted to internally receive insertion of the discharge end of the hair dryer, and separate lengths of flexible tubing connected to said adaptor at the respective outlet openings, each of said tubing lengths being selected to extend both downwardly into a boot as well as to bend forward with extension at least substantially to the toe end of the interior of a boot, said inlet opening having a bore which is characterized by a taper which reduces in the direction of dryer flow into said body, said taper ranging from a diameter exceeding that of the dryer discharge end and reducing to a diameter less than that of the dryer discharge end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are secured in their connection to said body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said lengths of flexible tubing are removably connected to said body.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-04-01 | 1994-10-01 | 1995-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-04-01 | 1998-10-01 | 1999-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-04-01 | 2002-10-01 | 2003-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |