Footwear cleaning system

Abstract

A footwear cleaning system employs two footwear cleaning components, one to be positioned on each foot of a user. Each footwear component has a base upon which footwear retaining straps or equivalent shoe-type coverings are located to allow wearers of various foot sizes to use the footwear components. Attached to the lower surface of the base of the footwear component, by Velcro® connectors or similar connecting devices, is a cleaning pad consisting of a plurality of cleaning sheets, each with adhesive surfaces. The adhesive surface of the top cleaning sheet on the cleaning pad picks up dirt, dust, and other loose debris from a soiled surface when the wearer walks on the surface with the footwear components. When a cleaning sheet becomes overly soiled, it is torn off the pad to expose a fresh clean cleaning sheet and the cleaning process immediately continues.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous cleaning tools and products on the market which promote ease of use, and the industry continues to develop new products designed to assist the user in cleaning more efficiently, effectively, and in less time. The herein invention addresses these objectives, by providing for a unique footwear cleaning system.

In the past, footwear designed for cleaning has been accomplished by employing some variation of a single cleaning surface located at the bottom of footwear. Such cleaning surfaces may be permanently attached as a part of the footwear or they may be removeably secured to the upper section of the footwear. Other systems use a cleaning cover into which one's shoe or foot is inserted. However, when the cleaning component becomes soiled, all these products and systems require its removal and replacement or the washing of a soiled cleaning surface or covering before the cleaning process can continue. There is no footwear cleaning system which provides for the continuous, immediate use of the cleaning footwear, even after cleaning surfaces become soiled beyond effectiveness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages and limitations of prior footwear cleaning products and systems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a footwear cleaning system which permits the user to easily and simply clean dirt, dust, and other loose debris from soiled surfaces by simply walking over the surfaces.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a footwear cleaning system which permits the user to immediately dispose of overly soiled cleaning surfaces and continue the cleaning operation without removing the footwear or changing or washing the soiled cleaning surfaces.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a footwear cleaning system which employs a cleaning pad with a plurality of cleaning sheets with adhesive surfaces designed to pick up loose dirt, dust, and debris from soiled surfaces.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a footwear cleaning system which permits the user to remove the soiled cleaning surface, in the form of a cleaning sheet, from a cleaning pad with a plurality of cleaning sheets, to allow immediate, continual cleaning of the soiled surfaces.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a footwear cleaning system which provides for removal of a spent cleaning pad and immediate reattachment of a new cleaning pad comprising fresh cleaning sheets.

These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a footwear cleaning system which has two footwear cleaning components, one to be positioned on each foot of a user. Each footwear component has a base upon which footwear retaining straps or equivalent shoe-type coverings are located to allow wearers of various foot sizes to use the footwear components. Attached to the lower surface of the base of the footwear component, by Velcro® connectors or similar connecting devices, is a cleaning pad consisting of a plurality of cleaning sheets, each with adhesive surfaces. The adhesive surface of the top cleaning sheet on the cleaning pad picks up dirt, dust, and other loose debris from a soiled surface when the wearer walks on the surface with the footwear components. When a cleaning sheet becomes overly soiled, it is torn off the pad to expose a fresh clean cleaning sheet and the cleaning process immediately continues.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a footwear component of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a footwear component of the present invention with its cleaning pad removed.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a footwear component and a top view of a cleaning pad in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the cleaning pad of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The footwear cleaning system of the present invention comprises two separate footwear components. The footwear components are identical, except that one is configured to be worn on the right foot and the other is configured to be worn on the left foot. For illustrative purposes, footwear component 2 for the right foot is shown in the FIGS. Each footwear component comprises cleaning base 6 with upper surface 8 and lower surface 10. Strap, tie down laces, foot enclosure, or equivalent foot retention support 12 extends from upper surface 8 and is configured to retain the foot of the user on base 6. Grooves 14 and 16 extending inward from lower surface 10, are inset into base 6. Connector elements 18 and 19, e.g. Velcro® or its equivalent, are secured within grooves 14 and 16. Connector elements 18 and 19 extend from the bottom of grooves 14 and 16 and terminate at lower surface 10, so that the connector elements are flush with the lower surface.

Cleaning pad 20 comprises a plurality of cleaning sheets 22. Each cleaning sheet 22 has a layer of adhesive 24 on its lower surface which allows the sheets to be attached together to form cleaning pad 20. The first sheet 26 on pad 20 has its adhesive layer 24 exposed. The adhesive layer of the next sheet in cleaning pad 20 is positioned over first sheet 26 and the subsequently stacked sheets 22 of the pad each have their respective adhesive layers 24 similarly positioned. Cleaning pad 20 can thus be described as a Post-it® type pad. Cleaning sheets are cut diagonally at 29 to allow ready removal of the sheets from the pad.

Cleaning pad 20 also comprises secondary connector elements 30 and 31 extending outwardly from top surface 21 of the pad. Connector elements 30 and 31 are the corresponding Velcro® connectors to elements 18 and 19. Elements 30 and 31 are located on cleaning pad 20 such that placement of the elements over elements 18 and 19 will fully match, surface to surface. This will result in base 6 and cleaning pad 20 being removeably secured one to the other.

As seen in FIG. 3, base 6 is configured to correspond to the shape of the user's foot. Cleaning pad 20 is similarly shaped, but is configured as a mirror image in order to neatly mate with base 6 to form the shape of a footwear sole when elements 18 and 19 and elements 30 and 31 are connected.

In use, two footwear components 2 are provided and the user places one foot into each of the components, just as he or she would put on a sandal, shoe, or like footwear. The user then simply walks over soiled surfaces, adhesive layer 24 of the lowermost or first adhesive sheet 26, contacting and collecting loose dust, dirt, and other debris. When sheet 26 is full of this dust and debris, it is peeled off cleaning pad 20 from angled section 29 to expose the next cleaning sheet 22 on the pad and its lower adhesive layer 24. Footwear components can immediately again be used on the soiled surface with a fresh, clean sheet.

When all cleaning sheets 22 on cleaning pad 20 are used, pad 20 is simply removed from base 6, by pulling the pad off the base, thereby disconnecting elements 18 and 19 and elements 30 and 31. A new cleaning pad 20 having clean sheets 22 is then attached to elements 18 and 19 of base 6, by elements 30 and 31 on the new cleaning pad.

It is contemplated that base 6 will be a soft, cushy foam type material, to allow for the comfort of the user. Connector elements 18 and 19 can be glued or stapled into grooves 14 and 16 of base 6. However, the invention described herein should not be considered limited in scope by the materials used or the manner of assembly of the footwear components.

Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A footwear cleaning system comprising:

a footwear cleaning base comprising a lower surface, an upper surface, and foot retention means to position and maintain the foot of a user on the upper surface;

a pad comprising a plurality of stacked cleaning sheets, each sheet having a surface with adhesive means for the collection and adherence of dirt and debris onto the surface of the sheet; and

means to removeably secure the pad to the lower surface of the base to expose the surface of one of the sheets for the collection and adherence and hence cleaning of dirt and debris from soiled surfaces.

2. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 1 wherein the adhesive means also comprises means to attach the plurality of cleaning sheets to each other to form the pad.

3. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 2 wherein the means to attach permits ready detachment between the sheets, whereby when the surface of one of the sheets has collected dirt and debris from a soiled surface, said sheet can be removed from the pad to expose the surface of another of the plurality of cleaning sheets.

4. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 1 wherein the pad comprises a Post-it® type pad.

5. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 1 wherein the lower surface of the base comprises groove means for the placement of the means to removeably secure the pad.

6. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 1 wherein the means to removeably secure the pad comprises first connecting means located on the lower surface and second connecting means located on the pad, whereby the pad is removeably secured to the lower surface upon the interconnection between said first and second connecting means.

7. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 6 wherein the first and second connecting means comprises Velcro® connectors.

8. The footwear cleaning system as in claim 1 wherein the cleaning base has a designated shape and the pad has a shape substantially identical to the shape of the cleaning base.

9. A method of cleaning comprising the steps of:

providing a first footwear component with a cleaning base having foot retention means;

providing a first pad with a plurality of stacked cleaning sheets, each sheet having a surface with adhesive material thereon;

attaching the pad to the cleaning base;

positioning the foot of the user within the foot retention means;

providing a second footwear component with a cleaning base having foot retention means;

providing a second pad with a plurality of cleaning sheets, each sheet having a surface with adhesive material thereon;

positioning the other foot of the user into the foot retention means of the second footwear;

walking over a soiled surface on which there is loose dirt and debris with the first and second footwear components;

picking up the dirt and debris onto the surface of one of the plurality of cleaning sheets of the first pad by the adherence of the dirt and debris onto the surface of the cleaning sheet;

picking up the dirt and debris onto the surface of one of the plurality of cleaning sheets of the second pad by the adherence of the dirt and debris onto the surface of the cleaning sheet;

removing the dirt and debris containing cleaning sheets from each of the pads; and

continuing to walk over the surface on which there is loose dirt and debris with the first and second footwear components such that the dirt and debris adhere to a second of the plurality of cleaning sheets on each pad.

10. The method as in claim 9 comprising the further step of removing each of the pads from their cleaning bases and reattaching another pad comprising a plurality of stacked cleaning sheets onto each cleaning base.