WO2012019608A1

WO2012019608A1 - A shoe sole cleaning device

Info

Publication number: WO2012019608A1
Application number: PCT/DK2011/000092
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ricky Linder
Original assignee: Ricky Linder
Priority date: 2010-08-11
Filing date: 2011-08-10
Publication date: 2012-02-16

Abstract

A shoe sole cleaner device (1) for wiping off the sole (24) of a shoe (20) comprises a cloth (2) shaped to cover a substantial part of the lateral vamp (21) of a shoe (20) and, furthermore, the shoe sole cleaner device (1) comprises one or more fasteners (6,10,11) to attach said cloth (2) to the lateral vamp (21) of said shoe (20). Use of the shoe sole cleaner device (1) for e.g. marketing use.

Description

A shoe sole cleaning device

The invention relates to a shoe sole cleaner device for wiping of the sole of a shoe. The invention also relates to the use of the shoe sole cleaner device.

When using shoes for particular activities it may be required that the soles of the shoes are clean. An example of such an activity is badminton. When playing badminton, the game is basically to hit the shuttlecock with a racket. The shuttlecock is in most cases made from bird feathers and when they are exposed to hard smashing from the racket they may slowly disintegrate and thereby spread tiny parts of feather over the badminton court. When the players step on these tiny parts from feathers they may stick to the soles of the players shoes. If a sufficient numbers of tiny feather parts are sticking to the soles of the players shoes the soles may become very slippery and dangerous situations may arise. Thus, to avoid that the soles become slippery and to avoid dangerous situations it is normal procedure to place pieces of a carpet next to the badminton courts in which the players can wipe off their shoe soles during intermissions in the game. When the game is on, the players may try to wipe off their shoe sole of one shoe on the lateral vamp of the other shoe. This is, however, not very efficient and increases the wear on the shoes.

Similar problems with shoe soles may arise in other indoor athletic activities such as tennis, squash, hand ball, basket ball, dance, fitness or many other indoor activities.

The international patent application WO 99/55215 discloses shoe sole cleaners that can be mounted on a shoe by use of Velcro. A similar shoe sole cleaning device is known from US patent no. 4,823,426. However, the disclosed shoe cleaners are only attached to the laces of the shoes and have a tendency of sliding on the shoe when used. Thus, the solution is not very stable or convenient in use. Consequently, there is a need for a cleaning device which is fast and easy and convenient to use during a game, and which will not cause interruptions for a substantial period of time.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device for shoe soles that is easy and convenient to use and will remain in a stable position when mounted on a shoe and used for cleaning shoe soles. Thus, in a first aspect the invention relates to a shoe sole cleaner device for wiping off the sole of a shoe where said shoe sole cleaner device comprises a cloth shaped to cover a substantial part of the lateral vamp of a shoe and the cloth comprises one or more fasteners to attach said cloth to the lateral vamp of said shoe and wherein the shoe sole cleaner device further comprises fastening means to be attached on the lateral vamp of the shoe and in particular the front part of the shoe, which fastening means are adapted to engage with at least a part of the fasteners on the cloth.

When the shoe sole cleaner is attached to the lateral vamp of a shoe constituting one of the shoes of a pair of shoes it is possible for the user to wipe the sole of the other shoe on the sole cleaner device. Preferably both shoes in a pair of shoes are mounted with a shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention. In this manner it is possible to clean both shoe soles rapid and efficient. The shoe sole on a shoe on one foot can be cleaned by wiping it on the shoe sole cleaner device on the shoe on the other foot. This procedure can be done with both feet in a very simple procedure; in particular this procedure is very natural to badminton players, who as described above use the lateral vamp of their shoes to wipe off their shoes.

The fact that the shoe sole cleaner device comprises fastening means to be attached on the lateral vamp of the shoe and in particular the front part of the shoe, which fastening means are adapted to engage with at least a part of the fasteners on the cloth have the effect that the cloth has an extremely good grip on the vamp of the shoe. The fastening means may be strips with an adhesive on one side to be attached to the shoe and e.g. Velcro on the other side to engage with corresponding Velcro strips on the cloth. In this context the fasteners are mounted on the cloth and the fastening means are mounted on the shoe. The fasteners and the fastening means may be different or identical.

In an embodiment the shoe sole cleaner according to the invention comprises means to engage with a heel portion of the shoe. The means to engage with a heel portion is preferably a strap or a band which passes around the heel of the shoe and is attached to the cloth. This solution provides for a shoe sole cleaner that is very stable and has a good hold on the shoe, i.e. the shoe sole cleaner has very little tendency of sliding on the lateral vamp of the shoe. Thus, it is possible to obtain an even better grip of the shoe sole cleaner device on the lateral vamp of the shoe.

In an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device the one or more fasteners to attach the shoe sole cleaner to the shoe is adapted to engage with latches, buckles, strips or other means for tying the shoe. In this manner it is possible to provide a good grip of the shoe sole cleaner device on the shoe.

Moreover, in an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner the cloth comprises one or more through-going holes for laces. Thus, the laces on the shoe may be guided through the holes and provide for a better attachment of the shoe sole cleaner to the shoe. The holes may be provided with metal rings or metal eyelets for the shoelaces which will improve the strength and protect the cloth material. Although the one or more fasteners and fastening means may be selected among several possibilities, such as clip devices, elastic means etc, according to an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention the one or more fasteners and fastening means to attach the shoe sole cleaner to the shoe comprises one or more bands or strips and one or more fastening means selected from press studs, clasps, strips, snap-locks or Velcro tape. The bands will have a sufficient flexibility and strength and will be easy to draw under the laces or buckles of the shoes and provide an excellent attachment of the shoe sole cleaning device to the shoe. Strips may also be very useful, and strips can be made to have adjustable lengths, which make them suitable for use with several different sizes of shoes. Devices, such as press studs, clasps, strips, snap-locks or Velcro tape are easy and convenient to use and can be acquired at low prices.

The cloth may be made from any material that has properties to function as a shoe sole cleaning device, i.e. the cloth preferably has a non-smooth surface which is able to catch and retain tiny particles sticking to a foot sole, e.g. particles from a shuttlecock. However, in an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device the cloth is made from cloth material selected from woven or un-woven cloth, terry cloth, fleece or flogged cloth. Such material has good properties in respect of catching and retaining particles. More particular the material may be made from cotton, flax, hemp, nylon, polyester, rayon or other natural or synthetic material suitable for a cloth. The cloth material may be a mixture of several natural and/or synthetic materials.

The shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention should be able to adapt to the surface of the lateral vamp of the shoe and preferably the cloth material is flexible. When the cloth material is flexible it is capable of following the curved surface on the lateral vamp of a shoe and to obtain a relatively tight connection with the shoe. Tiny weights in part of the edge of the cloth material or Velcro may facilitate this. The weights may e.g . be in the form of a logo. However, the weights should not increase the weight of the shoe sole cleaner device to much. The shoe sole cleaner device should be able to stay in the desired position on the lateral vamp of the shoe and preferably the cloth material is substantially non-elastic. Cloth material that is substantially non-elastic is more likely to stay in the desired position than cloth material being elastic which may have a tendency of displacement.

As the cloth material is intended for cleaning shoe soles it is desirable if the cloth material is washable and preferably the cloth material is water permeable and, thereby, washable. When the cloth material is water permeable it will also provide good breathing properties, i.e. allow the material in the shoe vamp to breath through the cloth material.

In some embodiments of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention the cloth material comprises a coating. The coating may be in the form of an extra layer, e.g. a plastic or a rubber layer which may e.g. improve the friction properties of the shoe sole cleaner device and serve to keep it in place. The coating may also be a layer that is spray onto the cloth, e.g. to make it more dirt resistant or to improve its capacity to catch and retain particles.

In case the coating is an extra layer the fasteners may be integrated in such a layer and, moreover, the fasteners may be made of the same material as the coating layer, e.g. a plastic or rubber material.

Although the shoe sole cleaner device may have any desired shape it is, however, preferred that the cloth material has an edge where at least a part of the edge is curved and the curve has a circular, ellipsoid or parabola shape. Such a curved edge makes it easier to adapt the cloth material to fit with the lateral vamp of a shoe. Moreover, the edge of the cloth material may be reinforced to improve the strength of the shoe sole cleaner device.

For the purpose of obtaining the best possible fit it of the shoe sole cleaner device to the lateral vamp of a shoe the cloth material is in a preferred embodiment shaped with a substantially crescent-like shape. Such a shape provides a very good fit of the cloth to lateral vamp of the shoe.

In principal the shoe to be used with a shoe sole cleaner device according to invention may be any kind of shoe where it is desirable to be able to clean the sole regularly. However, the shoe is preferably an athletic shoe and more preferably an athletic shoe for indoor use, even more preferably badminton, tennis or handball shoes. The invention also relates to use of a shoe sole cleaner device as described above, wherein two shoe sole cleaner devices are used for a pair of shoes. Thus, each shoe is equipped with a shoe sole cleaner device, which makes it very easy to clean the soles on both pair of shoes.

Moreover, the use includes providing the shoe sole cleaner device with a print, a printed text or a logo. The print may e.g . be a number in a tournament or a club name. The print may also be a commercial slogan or logo and in this manner the use is for commercial or marketing purposes.

The shoe sole cleaner device can be made in several different sizes and, consequently fit with all shoe sizes. Furthermore, the shoe sole cleaner device can be made in any desired color or pattern to match the colors or patterns on the shoes on which they are to be used.

The invention will now be described in further details with reference to some drawings of which :

Fig. 1 shows a shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention seen from the top, Fig. 2 shows the shoe sole cleaner device of fig. 1 seen from the bottom, Fig. 3 shows a shoe sole cleaner device being mounted on a shoe, Fig. 4 shows the shoe sole cleaner of fig. 3 mounted on the shoe,

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention with a crescent-like shape,

Fig. 6 shows the embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to figure 5 mounted on a shoe, Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention having a crescent-like shape and a band to pass under the sole of a shoe.

Fig. 8 shows the embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to figure 7 mounted on a shoe,

Fig. 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention, Fig. 10 shows the embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to figure 9 mounted on a shoe, Fig. 11 shows yet an embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device according to the invention,

Fig. 12 shows the shoe sole cleaner device in figure 11 seen from below,

Fig. 13 shows a pair of shoes adapted to be mounted with a shoe sole cleaner according to the invention,

Fig. 14 shows one of the shoes mounted with a shoe sole cleaner,

Fig. 15 shows a further embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device seen from the upper side, and

Fig. 16 shows the shoe sole cleaner device of figure 15 seen from below.

In the following the same reference numbers will be used for the same parts in the drawings. The cloth material may be any cloth material suitable material to catch and retain particles and particulate material sticking to the sole of a shoe. The cloth material may be a web, woven or non-woven and consist of natural or synthetic material.

Figure 1 shows a shoe sole cleaner device 1 according to the invention seen from the top, i.e. the surface intended for cleaning a shoe sole. The shoe sole cleaner device 1 is made from a cloth 2 which are cut to have an approximate symmetric parabola shape. The edges 3 of the cloth 2 are reinforced. The reinforcement 4 is made with a band 5 that is bend around the edge 3 of the cloth 2 and attached to the cloth 2 by sewing. Alternatively the band 5 may be attached by gluing. The reinforcement 4 serves to improve the durability and the lifetime of the shoe sole cleaner device 1. The cloth 2 may be made from cotton and be woven to have a surface structure like a dish cloth. However, the cloth 2 may also be made from terry cloth or the like.

As it can be seen the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is equipped with a band 6 intended to engage with a heel portion of a shoe thereby improving the attachment of the shoe sole cleaner device to the shoe. The band may be made from cotton or similar material. The band may also be made from rubber or plastic material. The band should preferably have slip-resistant properties to ensure that band remains in position and thereby keep the shoe sole cleaner device in position.

Furthermore, in this embodiment the cloth 2 is applied with a text 7 to be displayed.

Alternatively, the surface of the cloth can be applied with a logo, company name or a number.

Figure 2 shows the shoe sole cleaner device 1 of figure 1 seen from the bottom, i.e. the surface of the shoe sole cleaner device intended for engagement with the lateral vamp of a shoe. As it can be seen the band 6 is attached to the cloth 2 by attachment 8 in one side of the cloth 2. The band 6 can be attached to the second side of the cloth 2 by means of a press stud system 9a and 9b. The pressure stud part 9a is attached to the band 6 and the press stud part 9b is attached to the cloth 2.

The shoe sole cleaner device 1 is equipped with two more bands 10 and 11 with attachments 12a and 12b to the cloth 2. The bands 10 and 11 and the cloth 2 is further equipped with press studs 13. The press stud parts 13a are fastened on the bands 10 and 11, whereas the press stud parts 13b are fastened to the cloth 2. These press stud parts should be able to ensure a strong attachment which will not lose its grip during the activity. Thus, the bands 10 and 11 can be lead under the laces or closing straps of a shoe and attached to the cloth 2 by means of the press studs 13a and 13b. The bands 10 and 11 in corporation with band 6 provide an excellent attachment of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 to the lateral vamp of a shoe. Preferably the shoe sole cleaner device is equipped with a tiny load 14 in the tip to facilitate the shoe sole cleaner device in following the curves of the lateral vamp.

Figure 3 shows the mounting of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 to a shoe 20. The shoe sole cleaner device 1 is attached to the lateral vamp 21 of the shoe 21 by means of the band 6 and the bands 10 and 11. The band 6 is lead behind the heel portion 22 of the shoe 20 and the bands 10 and 11 are lead under the laces 23. When the bands 6, 10 and 11 are brought into proper position, they are attached to the cloth 2 by use of press studs and the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is attached to the shoe 20. Although press studs are used in this embodiment, other attachment means such as e.g. clasps, strips or Velcro tape can be used equally well. Figure 4 shows the situation where the shoe sole cleaner 1 device is attached to the shoe 20. The shoe sole cleaner device 1 covers the lateral vamp 21 of the shoe 20. Moreover, the shoe sole cleaner device 1 covers the laces. Thus, the shoe sole cleaner device may help to prevent the laces from untying. The shoe sole cleaner device 1 is kept in tight attachment with the shoe 20 by means of the band 6 and the adjustable bands 10 and 11 (not visible).

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner 1 according to the invention. The cloth 2 is substantially crescent-like shape and has two bands 6 and 10 for attachment of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 to a shoe. The two bands 6 and 10 are permanent attached to the cloth 2 at points 8 and 12. The permanent attachments 8 and 12 can be achieved by sewing with a thread or by gluing. Alternatively, the bands can be attached to an adjustable unit so the length of the band easily can be adjusted and adapted to several sizes of shoe. The bands 6 and 10 and the cloth 2 is further equipped with press studs 9 and 13 for temporary attachment. By use of only two bands 6 and 10 the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is very easy to attach and the crescent-like shape of the cloth 2 provides an excellent fit with the lateral vamp of a shoe. Figure 6 shows the shoe sole cleaning device 1 of figure 5 attached to a shoe 20. The band 6 engaging with the heel portion 22 of the shoe 20 is the only visible fastener when the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is attached to lateral vamp of the shoe 20.

Figure 7 shows yet an alternative embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner 1 according to the invention. This particular embodiment is provided with a band 16 to engage with the sole of a shoe. The band 16 is permanent attached to the cloth 2 at point 17 and the band 16 and the cloth 2 further comprises a press stud device 19 for temporary attachment.

Figure 8 shows the shoe sole cleaning device 1 of figure 7 attached to a shoe 20. The band 6 engaging with the heel portion 22 of the shoe 20 and the band 16 engaging with the sole 24 of the shoe 20 are the visible fasteners when the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is attached to the lateral vamp of the shoe 20.

Figure 9 shows a further alternative embodiment of the shoe sole cleaning device 1 according to the invention. In this embodiment the cloth 2 has extensions 6a and 6b designed to engage with the heel portion of a shoe. The extensions 6a and 6b replace a band intended for engagement with the heel portion of the shoe. The extensions 6a and 6b are equipped with fasteners 9a and 9b. The fasteners 9a and 9b is in this case Velcro tape where 9a is the loop part and 9b is the hook part.

The cloth 2 of shoe sole cleaner device 1 is further equipped with bands 10 and 11, which are permanent attached to the cloth 2 at 12a and 12b. The bands 10 and 11 each carry a press stud part 13a to engage with a press stud part 13b on the cloth 2. The bands 10 and 11 serve to provide a good grip with the lateral vamp of a shoe, e.g. by engagement with the laces of the shoe. Figure 10 shows the shoe sole cleaner device 1 of figure 9 mounted on a shoe 20. The extension part 6 of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 passes around the heel portion 22 of the shoe 20 and provides an excellent grip of the shoe sole device 1.

Figure 11 shows another embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 according to the invention. This embodiment is equipped with two metal eyelets for shoe laces. The shoe sole cleaner device further comprises a band 6 adapted to pass around and engage with a heel portion of a shoe. The band 6 has fastening means 9a to attach to other fastening means 9b (not visible on figure 11). The fastening means 9a and 9b are preferably of the hooks and loops type, e.g. Velcro.

Figure 12 shows the shoe sole cleaner device 1 of figure 11 seen from below, i.e. the surface that will be in contact with the lateral vamp of the shoe. The shoe sole cleaner device comprises to fastening means 9b and 9c that are offset in respect of each other. Thereby it is made possible to adjust the length of the band 6 around a heel portion of a shoe as the fastening means 9a on the band 6 can engage with either 9b or 9c. Thus, it is possible to adjust the band 6 and the shoe sole cleaner device 1 for use on shoes of different sizes.

Moreover, the band 6 is provided with a piece 26, e.g. of a rubber-like material that will provide friction between the band 6 and a heel portion so the band 6 will not slide up and down on the heel portion.

The shoe sole cleaner device 1 is, furthermore, equipped with fasteners 28a and 28b that can engage with corresponding fastening means 29a and 29b mounted on a shoe 20 as shown in figure 13. The fasteners 28 and fastening means 29 are preferably of the hooks and loops type, e.g. Velcro. The fastening means 29a and 29b are shaped as strips and attached to the shoe 20 by means of a suitable adhesive.

Figure 14 shows the shoe sole cleaner device 1 being mounted on a shoe 20. The laces 23 of the shoe is lead through the metal eyelets in the shoe sole cleaner device 1, whereby the shoes laces may be used to attach the device 1 to the shoe 20. The band 6 is lead around the heel portion 22 of the shoe 20 and attached with shoe sole cleaner device 1 by fastening means 9. Moreover, the shoe sole cleaner device 1 is attached to the shoe 20 by means of fasteners 28 and fastening means 29 (not visible in figure 14). Figure 15 shows and embodiment of the shoe sole cleaner device 1 comprising four holes 25 for laces. The holes 24 are made with metal eyelets. Moreover, there are tiny holes 26 in the cloth to provide better ventilation to the shoe on which the shoe sole cleaner device is mounted. The edge of the cloth has been reinforced.

Figure 16 shows the shoe sole cleaner device of figure 15 seen from below. Here it can be seen that fasteners 28 are attached to a part of the edge of the cloth 1. The fasteners 28 are attached to the part of the cloth 1 which is intended to engage with the front part of the shoe. A strip 29 with fastening means is shown below the shoe sole cleaner device 1. The strip 29 is adapted to be mounted on the front part of a shoe by use of adhesive and interact with the fasteners 28 on the cloth 1.

In this embodiment the fasteners 28 and fastening means 29 are of the hook and loop type, such as Velcro. The fastening means 29 may be delivered with the shoe sole cleaner device 1 mounted on a separate releaser liner from which it can easily be removed and mounted on a front part of a shoe.

The invention provides a unique way to clean a sole of shoe from particulate material sticking to the sole. The user of the shoe sole device according to the invention just have raise his foot a little to wipe the sole of the shoe on the foot on the shoe sole cleaner device mounted on the shoe on the other foot. The same procedure is repeated with both feet and the sole of the shoes are cleaner and no longer slippery. The shoe sole cleaner devices according to the invention are preferable sold in pairs for a pair of shoes. The shoe sole cleaner devices can be made in different sizes to fit with different sizes of shoes, e.g. extra small, small, medium, large and extra large. It is also possible to produce the shoe sole cleaner device in adjustable version where on version is able to fit with several sizes of shoes. Moreover, the shoe sole cleaner devices can be colored and decorated as desired.

As it can be understood the present invention provides a highly advantageously solution for fast and un-complicated cleaning of a shoe sole. The shoe sole cleaning device according to the invention is simple cost-effective to produce and, furthermore, easy for the user to attach to a shoe and use. Although the invention has been described with reference to only a few embodiments it is to be understood that the invention comprises several other embodiments, which are all within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A shoe sole cleaner device for wiping off the sole of a shoe where said shoe sole cleaner device comprises a cloth shaped to cover a substantial part of the lateral vamp of a shoe and the cloth comprises one or more fasteners to attach said cloth to the lateral vamp of said shoe and wherein the shoe sole cleaner device further comprises fastening means to be attached on the lateral vamp of the shoe and in particular the front part of the shoe, which fastening means are adapted to engage with at least a part of the fasteners on the cloth.

2. A shoe sole cleaner device according to claim 1, wherein the shoe sole cleaner device comprises means to engage with a heel portion of the shoe.

3. A shoe sole cleaner device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more fasteners to attach the shoe sole cleaner to the shoe is adapted to engage with laces, strips or buckles on the shoe.

4. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the cloth comprises one or more through-going holes for laces.

5. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more fasteners and fastening means to attach the shoe sole cleaner to the shoe comprises one or more bands or strips and one or more fasteners and fastening means selected from press studs, clasps, snap-locks or Velcro tape.

6. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth is made from cloth material selected from woven or un-woven cloth, terry cloth, fleece or flogged cloth.

7. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material is flexible.

8. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material is substantially non-elastic.

9. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material is water permeable.

10. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material comprises a coating.

11. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material has an edge where at least a part of the edge is curved and the curve has a circular, ellipsoid or parabola shape and preferably the edge comprises one or more weights.

12. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the edge of the cloth material is reinforced.

13. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloth material is shaped with a substantially crescent-like shape.

14. A shoe sole cleaner device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the shoe is an athletic shoe preferably an athletic shoe for indoor use, more preferably a badminton shoe, a handball shoe or a tennis shoe.

15. Use of a shoe sole cleaner device according to anyone of the claims 1- 14, wherein two shoe sole cleaner devices are used for a pair of shoes.

16. Use according to claim 15, wherein the use includes providing the shoe sole cleaner with a print, a printed text or a logo.

17. Use according to claim 16, wherein the use is commercial or marketing use.