Towel drying systems

Abstract

A towel drying cabinet can include a cabinet structure defining an interior portion. The interior portion can be configured to be enclosed by one or more doors. The cabinet structure can include a first inner sidewall portion and a second inner sidewall portion. The towel drying cabinet can also include a first towel holding structure and a second towel holding structure. The first towel holding structure can be operatively connected to the first inner sidewall and can be configured to move between a stowed position and an extended position. In the stowed position, the first towel holding structure can be within the interior portion. In the extended position, at least a portion of the first towel holding structure can extends from the interior portion, through an opening in the cabinet structure and beyond the cabinet structure. The second towel holding structure can be operatively connected to the second inner sidewall and can be configured to move between the stowed position within the interior portion, through the opening in the cabinet structure and the extended position beyond the interior portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A towel drying cabinet, comprising:
 a cabinet structure defining an interior portion, wherein the interior portion is configured to be enclosed by one or more doors, wherein the cabinet structure includes:
 a first inner sidewall portion; and 
 a second inner sidewall portion; 
   a first towel holding structure operatively connected to the first inner sidewall configured to move between a stowed position, wherein the first towel holding structure is within the interior portion when in the stowed position, and an extended position, wherein at least a portion of the first towel holding structure extends from the interior portion, through an opening in the cabinet structure and beyond the cabinet structure;   a second towel holding structure operatively connected to the second inner sidewall configured to move between the stowed position within the interior portion, through the opening in the cabinet structure, and the extended position beyond the interior portion.   
     
     
         2 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the first towel holding structure is operatively connected to the first sidewall via a first hinge, wherein the second towel holding structure is operatively connected to the second sidewall via a second hinge, wherein the first hinge and the second hinge are offset from one another such that the first hinge is closer to the opening of the cabinet structure than the second hinge. 
     
     
         3 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the first towel holding structure and the second towel holding structure are configured to pivot outwardly 180 degrees from the interior portion moving between the stowed position and the extended position. 
     
     
         4 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 2 , further comprising a receiving structure configured to hold the second towel holding structure in the stowed position. 
     
     
         5 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 4 , wherein the second towel holding structure is configured to be received by the receiving structure in the stowed position. 
     
     
         6 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 5 , wherein the receiving structure is on or extending from the first hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 5 , wherein the receiving structure includes a detent configured to receive the second towel holding structure. 
     
     
         8 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second towel holding structures are spaced apart in the stowed position to prevent towels placed on the first and second towel holding structures from touching each other. 
     
     
         9 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second towel holding structures are U-shaped bars. 
     
     
         10 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 4 , wherein the receiving structure is a spring clip, wherein the receiving structure is configured to be pushed back towards the first sidewall to release the second towel holding structure. 
     
     
         11 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 1 , further comprising a drying box configured to house a heating element and a fan, wherein the drying box is at a bottom portion of the interior portion. 
     
     
         12 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 11 , further comprising an air inlet at the bottom portion of the interior portion defining an airflow path, operatively connected and configured to supply air to the interior portion, wherein, the drying box and the air inlet are in fluid communication such that air from outside the cabinet structure enters the drying box. 
     
     
         13 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to control the drying box to control the fan and heating element. 
     
     
         14 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to be connected to a power supply via a spine running along a back wall portion of the interior portion, wherein the spine houses a wire which connects the controller to the power supply. 
     
     
         15 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is connected to the drying box via the spine. 
     
     
         16 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 13 , wherein the controller further includes a first button for drying and a second button for heating such that when in a drying mode, the first button operates the fan and when in a heating mode, the second button operates the heating element and the fan. 
     
     
         17 . The towel drying cabinet of  claim 13 , further comprising an internal humidity sensor operatively connected to the controller, wherein the internal humidity sensor is configured to detect humidity within the interior portion and communicate humidity information to the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The towel drying box of  claim 11 , wherein the drying box further comprises a compartment for a fragrance and/or a cleaning product to be dispersed through the air flow path. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a drying mode signal from a first switch (e.g., a button);   initiating a drying mode in response to receiving the drying mode signal by turning on a drying box;   receiving a humidity signal from a humidity sensor;   sensing humidity within an interior portion of a towel drying cabinet indicative of dryness of a towel; and   turning off the drying mode by turning off the drying box when detection of a predetermined humidity is reached within the interior portion.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a computer to perform a method, the method of claim  23 , further comprising:
 receiving a heating mode signal from a second switch (e.g., a button) by turning on the drying box;   running a heating mode for a preset time; and   sending a signal to the controller to turn off the heating mode when the preset time runs out.