FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated shoe covering devices. More particularly, this invention relates to an accessory for an automatic shoe cover removal apparatus.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The outer surfaces of shoes collect many undesirable substances such as dirt and mud while worn by a person on any given day. Many industries such as construction, farming, and manufacturing involve work environments in which the collection of undesirable materials on shoes is particularly substantial. The collection of such substances on shoes and the subsequent transfer of such substances to the interior of homes, buildings, or other structures by foot traffic is undesirable and may raise concerns regarding the cleanliness of the interior of such structures. Shoes may be removed before entering a home, building, or other similar structure to avoid such problems. However, in environments where such a practice of removing shoes from feet before entering such structures is not common or otherwise impractical, shoe coverings are often used.

[0003] Disposable shoe covers are commonly employed to avoid the need for persons to remove their shoes before entering homes, buildings, or other structures. However, placing shoe covers on shoes (particularly, unclean shoes) is inconvenient and may require a person to use hands to place a shoe cover over a shoe, thereby exposing the user's hands to the substances on the shoe. In addition to adding shoe covers to the feet or shoes of a user, the shoe covers that are put on must be removed. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanically reliable and simplified automatic shoe cover removal apparatus that is capable of automatic removal of a shoe cover from a user's shoe.

[0004] There is also a need to perform the automatic removal of shoe covers in a manner that leaves little or no dirt, dust, germs, bacteria, fungus, viruses, toxins, drugs, small particulate matter, and/or other contaminants near or around the shoe cover removal apparatus. For example, certain activities in certain industries require what are often referred to as "clean rooms." Often, shoe covers are used in a clean room and then must be removed in the clean room because much of the work done in clean rooms includes the handling of material (both non-living and living) that is desirably kept isolated and contained in such rooms. Accordingly, in some applications of an automatic shoe cover remover, it is desirable to collect and store the removed shoe covers containing the contaminants in an area remote from the shoe cover removal apparatus. [0005] Many different rooms in a building (or floor of a building), such as a hospital, will often preferably contain multiple shoe cover removal apparatuses in various rooms and/or sections of the building. In addition to collecting the removed shoe covers in an area remote from the shoe cover removal apparatus, it would also be beneficial to collect the shoe covers from a plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses in a central location.

[0006] What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus capable of efficiently removing a shoe cover from the appendage of a wearer. Additionally, it is desirable that such a device is able to be connected a central system for collecting the removed shoe covers from a plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses and storing/disposing of the removed shoe covers in an area remote from the shoe cover removal apparatuses.

SUMMARY

[0007] The above and other needs are met by an apparatus which includes a shoe cover removal vacuuming system for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe. The system includes a shoe cover removal apparatus and a central vacuuming system. The shoe cover removal apparatus includes a trough for receiving a user's shoe, the trough including a removal portal. The central vacuuming system includes a central vacuum unit having a suction motor, a collection container disposed in a room remote from the shoe cover removal apparatus for collecting shoe covers removed by the shoe cover removal apparatus, and tubing for connecting the removal portal of the shoe cover removal apparatus to the central vacuum unit and the collection container.

[0008] According to another embodiment, the shoe cover removal vacuuming system includes a plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses and a central vacuuming system. The shoe cover removal apparatuses each include a trough for receiving a user's shoe, each trough including a removal portal. The central vacuuming system includes a central vacuum unit having a suction motor, a collection container disposed in a room remote from the plurality of shoe cover removal apparatus for collecting shoe covers removed by the plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses, and tubing for connecting the removal portals of the plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses to the central vacuum unit and the collection container.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the shoe cover removal apparatuses each include an actuator for triggering a signal causing the central vacuum unit to activate, the activation of the vacuum unit being capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into one of the troughs. The shoe cover removal apparatuses may also include a transmitter for wirelessly sending the signal to the central vacuum unit.

[0010] In other embodiments, the central vacuum unit includes a vacuum unit suction portal operably connected to the suction motor and the collection container includes a first suction portal and a second suction portal, the tubing including a first hose for connecting the vacuum unit suction portal to the first suction portal of the collection container, a second hose for connecting the second suction portal of the collection container to a wall inlet portal, and in wall tubing connecting the plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses to the wall inlet portal. The collection container may include a first section having the first suction portal and a second section having the second suction portal, the division between the first section and second section being porous so that air is able to flow through the container while removed shoe covers are prevented from being sucked into the first section.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses are operable to be disposed in a plurality of rooms of a building and the central vacuum unit is operable to be disposed in a central location of the building. The collection container may be operable to be disposed adjacent the central vacuum unit. In other embodiments, the collection container and central vacuum unit are a single unit.

[0012] In another embodiment, an apparatus for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe includes a trough for receiving a user's shoe. The trough includes a removal portal. The apparatus includes flexible hose having a first end for connecting to a wall inlet portal of a central vacuuming system and a second end for connecting to the removal portal. An actuator is triggered by the placement of an object in the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing the central vacuuming system to activate. The vacuum activation causes the shoe cover to be sucked through the removal portal and the hose into the wall inlet portal of the central vacuuming system.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the actuator further includes a motion detection system including a motion detecting sensor, wherein power delivered to the apparatus from the central vacuuming system is controlled by the motion detection system. The motion detection system may include a transmitter for sending a wireless signal to the central vacuuming system causing the central vacuuming system to activate. A manual override may be provided switch for cutting power to the apparatus.

[0014] In some embodiments, a secondary collection container may be connected to in-wall tubing of the central vacuuming system, the collection container for collecting removed shoe covers and preventing removed shoe covers from being deposited in a main collection container of the central vacuuming system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 depicts an overhead schematic view of a shoe cover vacuuming system installed in a building according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 depicts a front perspective view of a shoe cover removal apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0018] FIG. 3 depicts an overhead view of the interior of the frame of the shoe cover removal apparatus shown in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 depicts an overhead view of a shoe cover removal apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0020] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a central vacuum unit and collection container according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0021] FIG. 6 depicts an overhead view of the interior of a collection container according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 7 depicts an overhead schematic view of a shoe cover vacuuming system installed in a building according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0023] FIG. 8 depicts an overhead schematic view of a portion of a central vacuuming system having a secondary collection container according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe cover removal vacuuming system 10 installed in a building. The vacuuming system 10 includes a container 11 for collecting removed shoe covers, a central vacuum unit 12, in- wall tubing 14, multiple wall inlet portals 16, and a plurality of shoe cover removal apparatuses 20 each disposed in a particular room. The central vacuum unit 12 is located at a central location in the building and includes a suction motor. The collection container 11 is preferably disposed adjacent the central vacuum unit 12 at the central location. Flexible hose 13 connects the central vacuum unit 12 to the collection container 11, and flexible hose 15 connects the collection container 11 to the in- wall tubing 14. The wall inlet portals 16 are then provided at one or more areas throughout the building, and the in- wall tubing 14 connects each of the wall inlet portals 16 to the collection container 11 and central vacuum unit 12.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of an apparatus 20 for removing a shoe cover from the shoe of a user. The apparatus preferably includes a trough 22, a frame 24 for supporting various internal parts of the apparatus 20, a flexible hose 26, and an actuator 28. A removal portal 30 is disposed in the base 23 of the trough 22 so that a shoe cover may be removed from below a user's foot. However, the removal portal 30 could also be located at other positions along the trough 22. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, disposed within the frame 24 is tubing 34 for connecting the removal portal 30 to a frame exit portal 34. The flexible hose 26 includes a first end 36 connected to the frame exit portal 34 and in flow communication with tubing 34 and a second end 38 for connecting to a wall inlet portal 16 of the shoe cover vacuuming system 10. The connections between the first end of hose 26 and the frame exit portal 34 and between the second end 38 and the wall inlet portal 16 are preferably substantially hermetically sealed when the central vacuuming system 10 is activated to suck shoe covers off of the shoe of a user and to prevent debris and contaminants from escaping the apparatus 20.

[0026] In alternate embodiments, tubing 34 of apparatus 20 may be connected directly to the in- wall tubing 14 of the central system 10 without the use of flexible hose 26. In this embodiment, the apparatus 20 is more permanently connected to the system 10. Further, apparatus 20 may include a "booster" motor within its frame 24 for providing additional suction to the removal portal 30 and assisting in removing shoe covers from a user's shoe.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of an apparatus 20 for removing a shoe cover from the shoe of a user is shown. Similar to the embodiment described above, the apparatus includes a trough 22 having a removal portal 30, a flexible hose 26, and an actuator 28. A first end 36 of the flexible hose 26 is connected to the removal portal 30 of the trough 22. The trough 22 is connectable to the central shoe cover vacuuming system 10 by connecting a second end 38 of the flexible hose 26 to a wall inlet portal 16. This connection is preferably substantially hermetically sealed when the central vacuuming system 10 is activated to suck shoe covers off of the shoe of a user and to prevent debris and contaminants from escaping the apparatus.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 5-6, the central vacuum unit 12 includes a suction motor (not shown) and a vacuum unit suction portal 40 operably connected to the motor. Collection container 11 includes a first suction portal 42 and a second suction portal 44. Flexible hose 13 has a first end 41 for attaching to the vacuum unit suction portal 40 and a second end 43 for attaching to the first suction portal 42 of the collection container 11. Flexible hose 15 has a first end 45 for attaching to the second suction portal 44 of the collection container 11 and a second end 47 for connecting the collection container 11 to the in- wall tubing 14.

[0029] The first suction portal 42 is preferably disposed adjacent the bottom 48 of the container 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the interior of the collection container 11 includes porous screen 50 and filter 52 disposed above the first suction portal 42 for separating the collection container into top and bottom sections. The second suction portal 44 is disposed in the container 11 above the screen 50 and filter 52. During operation of the vacuum system 10, as explained further below, removed shoe covers travel through the second suction portal 44 and into the container 11. The screen 50 and filter 52 prevent the removed shoe covers and limit dirt and dust particles collected from the removed shoes covers from being sucked through the first suction portal 42. A lid 54 is provided for accessing the interior of the collection container 11 for removing collected shoe covers. The second suction portal 44 is preferably disposed on top of lid 54. The connection between the lid 54 and the remainder of the collection container 11 is preferably substantially hermetically sealed when the lid 54 is in a closed position. [0030] In alternate embodiments, the container 11 may include a bag or carrier for collecting the removed shoe covers when they enter container 11. The carrier would preferably be porous, allowing for air to flow through the container 11 but prohibiting shoe covers from escaping the carrier. The carrier may be removed from the container 11 when the lid 54 is in an open position, thereby facilitating the removal of shoe covers from the system 10. The carrier may also be replaceable so that new clean carriers may be inserted into the container 11 , and the removed shoe covers may be easily disposed of along with the replaceable carrier.

[0031] The arrangement between the container 11 and vacuum unit may vary. For example, according to another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum unit 12 may be connected to the in- wall tubing 14 and the container 11 may be disposed outside of the building. In this embodiment, the container 11 is may be an ordinary trash receptacle, such as a dumpster, and the vacuum unit may be provided with a second motor for blowing the removed shoe covers out flexible hose 13 or may operate to deliver the shoe covers to the receptacle using a venturi mechanism. In some embodiments, the vacuum the container 11 and vacuum unit 12 may included together into one unit. For example, the vacuum unit could be integral with the 54 lid of the container 11.

[0032] In some embodiments, the central vacuum unit 12 is automatically powered when the flexible hose 26 of a shoe cover removal apparatus 20 is connected to a wall inlet portal 16. However, in preferred embodiments, the central vacuum unit 12 is in rest mode until the actuator 28 detects when a user places an object in the trough 22. The actuator 28 may take various forms. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the actuator may be a user operated push button. Referring to FIG. 3, the actuator 28 includes at least one detection sensor for detecting when a user places an object in the trough 22, preferably using infrared light detection. In alternate embodiments, the detection sensor could be a pressure sensor or other suitable sensors. Thus, when a user wearing a shoe with a shoe cover places the shoe into the trough 22, the sensor sends a signal to the central vacuum unit 12 causing the suction motor in the central vacuum unit 12 to activate. Preferably, the actuator 28 and/or sensors include a wireless transmitter for sending an activation signal to a wireless receiver at the central vacuum unit 12 for activating the central vacuum unit 12. However, in alternate embodiments the system may use a wired transmitter. [0033] After the central vacuum unit 12 is activated, a vacuum is created within the in- wall tubing 14, through the flexible hose 26 and tubing 34 of the apparatus 20 connected thereto, and ultimately within the trough 22 at the removal portal 28 such that the shoe cover is removed from the shoe of the user. The removed shoe covers are sucked through the removal portal 30, tubing 34, and flexible hose 26 of apparatus 20 into the wall inlet portal 16 and in- wall tubing 14 of the shoe cover vacuuming system 10. The removed shoe covers then travel through the in-wall tubing 14 to the collection container 11. Booster motors may also be provided within the in- wall tubing 14 for providing extra suction power.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the central vacuum unit 12 shuts off when a user removes the shoe from the trough 22. In alternate embodiments, the central vacuum unit 12 shuts off automatically after a pre-determined period of time programmed in the control logic or when the flexible hose 26 is disconnected from the wall inlet portal 16. In certain embodiments, the apparatus 20 also includes a manual override control that is capable of cutting power to the central vacuum unit 12.

[0035] In another embodiment, certain components of system 10, including apparatus 20 for removing shoe covers, are connectable to an existing central vacuuming system of a building. In other words, the flexible hose 26 of apparatus 20 for removing shoe covers may be configured for connecting to wall inlet portals of an existing central vacuuming system. In this embodiment, the removed shoe covers travel through the wall inlet portal and the in-wall tubing due to the vacuum created by the vacuum unit of the existing central vacuuming system. A collection container 11 is preferably provided that is connectable to the in-wall tubing and central vacuum unit of the existing central vacuuming system so that removed shoe covers may be collected in a separate collection container than the collection container of the existing central vacuuming system.

[0036] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, a secondary collection container 60 may be connected to the in-wall tubing 64 adjacent to the wall inlet portal 66a through which an apparatus 20 is connected. While the secondary collection container 60 is more often added to embodiments wherein the apparatus 20 is connected to an existing central vacuuming system, one or more secondary collection containers 60 may also be provided in the shoe cover removal vacuuming system 10. A control valve 62 may be provided in the in- wall tubing 64 so that the suction motor of the central vacuum unit may provide suction to the apparatus 20 but which will prevent the removed shoe covers from flowing back through the in-wall tubing 64 to the central vacuum unit. Thus, the central vacuum unit provides suction to the apparatus 20 to remove a shoe cover from the shoe of the user, but the control valve 62 allows the secondary collection container 60 to collect the removed shoe covers instead of the collection container of the central vacuum unit. The control valve 62 preferably operates to direct removed shoe covers to the secondary collection container 60 based on the existence of apparatus 20 inserted into the wall inlet portal 66a. For example, when apparatus 20 is connected to the wall inlet portal 66a, the apparatus transmits a wireless signal to the control valve 62. After receiving the wireless signal, the control valve recognizes that the in- wall tubing is being for transporting removed shoe covers and operates to direct the removed shoe covers to the secondary collection container 60. The secondary collection container 60 may also be provided with its own suction motor to assist in collecting the removed shoe covers traveling through the wall inlet portal 66a and control valve 62.

[0037] The secondary collection container 60 may also be provided within the in- wall tubing 14 of the central vacuuming system to collect removed shoe covers. In this embodiment, the secondary collection container 60 fits within the in- wall tubing 14 and is porous, allowing for air to flow through the container 60 but prohibiting shoe covers from escaping the container 60 after being sucked through the wall inlet portal 66a. Preferably, the porosity of the secondary collection container 60 allows other dust, particles, and smaller debris to continue through the in- wall tubing to the collection container of the central vacuum unit. Thus, the secondary collection container 60 would be able to remain in the in-wall tubing even if a vacuum unit was used at the wall inlet portal 66a instead of the apparatus 20 for removing shoe covers. In preferred embodiments, the secondary collection container 60 is easily removable within the in-wall tubing so that the secondary collection container 60 may be removed when the apparatus 20 is not being used.

[0038] All of the connections between portals and hoses/tubing of the shoe cover removal vacuuming system 10 provide flow communication between the respective connected units, portals, and/or system components. The connections are preferably substantially hermetically sealed so that the operation of the system 10 is effective to suck shoe covers off of the shoe of a user and to prevent debris and contaminants from escaping the system 10. Gaskets are preferably used with all interconnections of various portions of the system 10. Such gaskets are preferably made from synthetic rubber, synthetic rubber and flouropolymer elastomer (e.g., Viton® from DuPont Performance Elastomers, LLC, of Wilmington, Delaware), polysiloxane, or flouropolymers (e.g., Teflon® from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, of Wilmington, Delaware).

[00391 The trough 22 is preferably made from polymers such as polyvinylchloride (PVC). The collection container 11 is preferably made from metal or a metal alloy (e.g., aluminum, steel, iron). The flexible hoses and tubing are preferably a flexible vacuum hose or flexible polyvinyl chloride PVC tubing, respectively. While the term "flexible hose" is generally used when a flexible vacuum type hose is preferred and the term "tubing" is used when flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is preferably used, it should be understood that the term "tube" and "hose" are generally synonymous as either material may be used for the respective hose or tubing identified. However, in various embodiments of the invention, other suitable materials may be used for each of the system components.

[0040] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.