Granted Patent B1

US 12,628,893 · App. 19/215,643 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventors: Zachary Ernest Backlin (Carlsbad, CA); Thomas Olin Koger (Ramona, CA); Douglas William Wierenga (Encinitas, CA)

Assignee: Open Space Labs Capital, LLC

A41D27/285F04D29/441F04D29/541

Abstract

Claims (58)

1 . A moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:

a housing ( 102 ) having at least one air inlet ( 102 A) and at least one air outlet ( 102 B);

an airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) positioned in the housing ( 102 );

a nozzle ( 106 ) configured for removable peripheral connection to an article ( 10 , 20 ), without insertion into the article's interior volume, from which moisture is to be removed, wherein the nozzle ( 106 ) includes:

at least one air inlet ( 106 A) connected to the air outlet ( 102 B) of the housing ( 102 ); and

at least one air outlet ( 106 B) in communication with at least one access opening ( 10 A, 20 A) of the article ( 10 , 20 ); and

a moisture exhaust regulating mechanism ( 108 ) comprising a movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) movably positioned onto the nozzle ( 106 ).

2 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 106 ) includes at least one moist air bypass passage ( 106 C) having:

at least one moist air inlet ( 106 D) in fluid communication with the article ( 10 ); and

a plurality of moist air outlets ( 106 E) located adjacent to a corresponding end of the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S).

3 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the moist air inlet ( 106 D) of the at least one moist air bypass passage ( 106 C) of the nozzle ( 106 ) is configured to facilitate entry of moist air (MA) from the article ( 20 ) to the moist air bypass passage ( 106 C) of the nozzle ( 106 ); and

the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is configured to be moved to one of:

a closed position in which the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is configured to close the moist air outlets ( 106 E) of the nozzle ( 106 ); and

an open position in which the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is configured to allow the moist air outlets ( 106 E) of the nozzle ( 106 ) to exhaust/vent the moist air (MA) when the article ( 20 ) connected to the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) is a single-opening article.

4 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) includes:

a plurality of moist air blocking members ( 108 SB), wherein each moist air blocking member ( 108 SB) is configured to align with the corresponding moist air outlet ( 106 E) of the nozzle ( 106 ) thereby blocking or closing the corresponding moist air outlet ( 106 E) of the nozzle ( 106 ) when the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is in the closed position; and

a plurality of moist air outlets ( 108 SA), wherein each moist air outlet ( 108 SA) is defined in between corresponding adjacent moist air blocking members ( 108 SB), wherein each moist air outlet ( 108 SA) is configured to align with the corresponding each moist air outlet ( 106 E) of the nozzle ( 106 ) for venting/exhausting the moist air (MA) when the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is in the open position.

5 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) is manually moved to one of the open position and the closed position.

6 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) is configured to draw ambient air (A) into the housing ( 102 ) via its air inlet ( 102 A) and directs the ambient air (A) to flow into or across the article ( 10 , 20 ) via the air outlet ( 106 B) of the nozzle ( 106 ) thereby facilitating removal of moisture from the article ( 10 , 20 ).

7 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the ambient air (A) received by the article ( 10 ) is configured to flow into or across an interior space of the article ( 10 ) to carry away the moisture thereof and subsequently the moist air (MA) is exhausted/vented via multiple openings ( 10 V) of the article ( 10 ) thereby facilitating removal of moisture from the article ( 10 ) when the article ( 10 ) connected to the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) is a multiple-opening article.

8 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) remains in the closed position when the moist air (MA) exhausted/vented via the multiple openings ( 10 V) of the article ( 10 ) when the article ( 10 ) connected to the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) is the multi-opening article.

9 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) is a low volume airflow fan configured to generate low-volume ambient airflow at a rate ranging from 2 to 10 CFM (cubic feet per minute);

the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) is adapted to remove the odor while removing the moisture from the article ( 10 , 20 ); and

the nozzle ( 106 ) is configured to direct the ambient air (A) flow into or across the article ( 10 , 20 ) during operation of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ).

10 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the moisture exhaust regulating mechanism ( 108 ) includes an actuator ( 108 M) configured to move the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) to one of an open position and a closed position,

wherein

the actuator ( 108 M) is one of a linear actuator or a rotary actuator.

11 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 10 , wherein an electronic control unit (ECU) ( 112 A) of an on-board control unit ( 112 ) is in communication with the actuator ( 108 M) of the moisture exhaust regulating mechanism ( 108 ),

wherein

the ECU ( 112 A) is configured to determine the type of article based on one of date/signal from a user selectable control module ( 114 A), or data/signal corresponding to a parameter relevant to detecting the type of article received from a sensor module ( 118 ) or a remote user interface device ( 116 ), and accordingly the ECU ( 112 A) is configured to operate the actuator ( 108 M) to move the movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) to one of the closed position and the open position when the article ( 10 , 20 ) coupled to the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) is one of a multi-opening article ( 10 ) and a single-opening article ( 20 ) respectively.

12 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

a power source ( 110 ) configured to supply electric current to the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), wherein the power source ( 110 ) is one of a plug-in power source or a rechargeable battery that is integrated with the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ),

wherein

the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) is portable.

13 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) includes:

an on board control unit ( 112 ) having an electronic control unit (ECU) ( 112 A) configured to be coupled to a power source ( 110 ) and the airflow generating unit ( 104 ); and

a user interface unit ( 114 ) coupled to the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ),

wherein

the ECU ( 112 A) is configured to operate the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) when the ECU ( 112 A) receives signal(s) or command(s) from one of the user interface unit ( 114 ) or a remote user interface device ( 116 ), wherein the remote user interface device ( 116 ) is configured for wired or wireless communication with the ECU ( 112 A).

14 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) includes:

an odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) in communication with the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) is configured for reducing or neutralizing undesirable odors present in the article ( 10 , 20 ) when the odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) is operated by the ECU ( 112 A); and

a sensor module ( 118 ) in communication with the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the sensor module ( 118 ) is configured to detect/sense at least one of humidity level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), an odor level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), a parameter relevant to detecting type of article (single-opening article or multi-opening article), and accordingly the sensor module ( 118 ) sends the sensed data(s)/signal(s) to the ECU ( 112 A).

15 . The moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the user interface unit ( 114 ) includes:

a user selectable control module ( 114 A) coupled to the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the user selectable control module ( 114 A) is configured for selecting at least one of an operational status (ON or OFF) of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), an air flow rate (CFM) of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), a speed level of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), operating modes (auto or continuous or pulse or drying) of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), and an operational status (ON or OFF) of the odor neutralizing module ( 120 ); and

an indicating module ( 114 B) coupled to the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the indicating module ( 114 B) is configured for indicating at least one of the selected operational status of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), current air flow rate of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), selected speed level of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), selected operating mode of the airflow-generating unit ( 104 ), a humidity level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), detected odor level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), type of article, a battery charge level, a battery temperature, a battery health, a battery voltage, a battery estimated remaining runtime and a battery charging status,

wherein

the user selectable control module ( 114 A) is at least one of a separate module that is coupled to the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), or an integral part of the indicating module ( 114 B); and

the indicating module ( 114 B) is at least one of a display unit, light emitting diodes (LEDs), a touchscreen with integrated user selectable controls, an audio unit and a combination thereof.

16 . A moisture removal apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:

a housing ( 102 ) having at least one air inlet ( 102 A) and at least one air outlet ( 102 B);

an airflow-generating unit ( 104 ) positioned in the housing ( 102 );

an on-board control unit ( 112 ) having an electronic control unit (ECU) ( 112 A) configured to be coupled to a power source ( 110 ) and the airflow-generating unit ( 104 );

an odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) in communication with the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) is configured for reducing or neutralizing undesirable odors present in an article ( 10 , 20 ) when the odor neutralizing module ( 120 ) is operated by the ECU ( 112 A);

a sensor module ( 118 ) in communication with the ECU ( 112 A) of the on-board control unit ( 112 ), wherein the sensor module ( 118 ) is configured to detect/sense at least one of humidity level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), an odor level in the article ( 10 , 20 ), a parameter relevant to detecting type of article (single-opening article or multi-opening article), and accordingly the sensor module ( 118 ) sends the sensed data(s)/signal(s) to the ECU ( 112 A);

a nozzle ( 106 ) configured for removable peripheral connection to the article ( 10 , 20 ) from which moisture is to be removed, wherein the nozzle ( 106 ) includes:

at least one air inlet ( 106 A) connected to the air outlet ( 102 B) of the housing ( 102 ); and

at least one air outlet ( 106 B) in communication with at least one access opening ( 10 A, 20 A) of the article ( 10 , 20 ); and

a moisture exhaust regulating mechanism ( 108 ) comprising a movable moisture exhaust regulator ( 108 S) movably positioned onto the nozzle ( 106 ).

Assignments (2)

References Cited (24)