"SHOE-POLISHING MACHINE "

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The present invention refers to a cleaning machine and in particular to a machine for cleaning objects such as, for exam- pie, footwear, which will be exclusively referred to in the following by way of example only.

As a matter of fact, a machine according to the present invention may be used for cleaning any object which requires the action of brushes or cloths for its cleaning, as will be de- tailed in the following.

A number of machines for cleaning footwear are known which in general comprise at least one cleaning element, a brush or similar device, movable so as to exert a cleaning or polishing action on an item of footwear next to the brush. A first example of shoe-polishing machine has a support frame for a substantially cylindrical brush having a horizontal rotation axis, which may be easily reached by the foot of a generic user.

Thereby, by placing the foot next to the rotating brush, cleaning of the shoe is performed; in this case it is the user who - by suitably moving the foot - tries to clean or polish as evenly as possible the entire surface of the shoe by putting it next to the brush, one portion at a time. Given the type of machine, usually one shoe at a time is polished, with poor results due to the difficulty of polishing the entire shoe evenly due to the limited foot mobility.

Other models of shoe-polishing machines with a higher degree of automation also exist. In general these machines have a housing wherein the shoe is placed, and one or more brushes act- ing on the shoe for the cleaning of the same, through a relative motion between the brushes and the shoe.

In such respect two types of machines are presently known, a first one wherein the shoe is secured in the housing in a suitable position and one or more rotating brushes are movable across the shoe surface to clean it, and a second one wherein the shoe is moved with respect to the rotating brushes, which

maintain their rotation axis substantially stationary inside the machine .

However, automatic shoe-polishing machines of the known type have some serious drawbacks . The use of brushes rotating about an own axis is not a fully efficient method to accomplish the cleaning of the entire shoe surface.

The architecture of known machines is then generally extremely complex and the use of the same is relatively compli- cated.

Moreover, known machines are not particularly versatile, since they are hardly adjustable to different types of footwear or to footwear of remarkably different sizes.

In known machines, moreover, a stable and precise locking of the footwear, inside the housing where cleaning occurs, is particularly difficult with respect to the brushes performing the detergent action.

In the known machines, moreover, the shoe must be positioned exactly in the above-said housing, for the treatment it undergoes to be effective.

In this context, the specific technical task of the present invention is that of proposing a shoe-cleaning machine free from the above-said drawbacks.

A first object of the present invention is hence of pro- posing a shoe-cleaning machine which is simple and effective to obtain full cleaning of the entire surface of a shoe.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a shoe-cleaning machine which is versatile, and hence easily adaptable to different shoe types and sizes. A further object is to propose a shoe-cleaning machine wherein the shoes may be easily positioned and locked with respect to the brushes or to other cleaning elements.

The set out technical task and the specified objects are substantially reached by a shoe-cleaning machine having the technical features detailed in independent claim 1. Further features are defined in the dependent claims.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following explanatory and hence non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment of a shoe-cleaning machine, as illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein : fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a shoe- cleaning machine according to the present invention in an open configuration, with some parts removed for greater clarity; fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the machine of fig. 1 in a closed configuration, with some parts removed for greater clarity; fig. 3 shows a schematic front view of the machine of fig. 1 in the open configuration; fig. 4 shows a schematic front section of the machine of fig. 1 in the closed configuration; fig. 5 shows a schematic side view of the machine of fig. 1 in the closed configuration; fig. 6 shows a schematic top plan view of the machine of fig. 1 with some parts removed for greater clarity; fig. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of a detail of the polishing machine according to the present invention; fig. 8 shows a schematic side view of aanother detail of the machine according to the present invention, in.

According to the attached drawings and with special refer- ence to fig. 1, a polishing machine 1 is shown and in particular a polishing machine for shoes 2 according to the present invention.

Shoes 2 exemplify a type of product which may be polished by machine 1 according to the present invention, the word "shoe" being intended to comprise any product which may be arranged into machine 1 in the way described in the following, such as bags or other similar products.

Machine 1 has a base 3 supporting shoes 2, whereon shoes 2 are arranged when it is desired to polish them. A pair of side walls 4, 5 and a rear wall 6 are associated with base 3 to define a compartment 7 receiving shoes 2.

A cover 8 is hinged to rear wall 6 and is movable between an open lifted position, shown in fig. 1, and a closed lowered position shown in fig. 3.

Cover 8 has an L-shaped longitudinal section so as to fully enclose compartment 7 in its lowered position.

Machine 1 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 8a to maintain cover 8 in the closed position and cooperate - as will be illustrated in the following - to the stable retaining of shoes 2 on base 3. Base 3 has a pair of juxtaposed seats 9, each of them suitable for receiving a respective shoe 2.

In the preferred embodiment shown, seats 9 consist of respective depressions in base 3 and serve as supporting surface for shoes 2. Machine 1 comprises - arranged substantially in correspondence of seats 9 - cleaning elements 11, which will be better described in the following, movable with respect to seats 9. As a matter of fact, machine 1 comprises driving means 10 of the corresponding cleaning elements 11 with respect to base 3.

Driving means 10 comprise a first and a second ring-like chain, belt, or the like 12, 13, arranged around a corresponding seat 9, as shown in fig. 6; in the following, reference will be made sometimes to chains 12 only, in general terms. Each chain 12, 13 is housed in a respective channel 14, 15 defining a path P for the corresponding chain 12, 13. In particular, with reference to first chain 12 for description simplicity's sake, path P has a first and a second substantially rectilinear and mutually parallel portion 16, 17.

The first and the second portion 16, 17 extend in base 3 substantially parallel to a direction D of prevailing longitudi- nal extension of machine 1.

Advantageously, shoes 2 - which have their own prevailing extension direction Dl, assumed to coincide with the longitudinal extension direction of the sole - may be introduced into compartment 7 so that direction Dl is substantially parallel to direction D.

Thereby, during use, rectilinear portions 16, 17 extend substantially parallel to the extension direction Dl of the shoes 2 introduced into machine 1.

Each path P has a first and a second curvilinear portion 18, 19 joining rectilinear portions 16, 17 of path P. A pair of fastening elements 20, which will be better described in the following, for a corresponding cleaning unit 11 are associated with each chain 12, 13. In the preferred embodiment shown, fastening elements 20 project from supporting base 3. Fastening elements 20, and hence the cleaning elements 11 which may be associated therewith, are driven along respective path P by a respective chain 12, 13.

With special reference to figures 3 and 6, it is to be noticed that driving means 10 comprise a motor 21 and motion transfer means 22 from motor 21 to chains 12, 13.

Machine 1 comprises a single motor 21 for the driving of both chains 12 and 13 and of cleaning elements 11 associated therewith.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, machine 1 com- prises instead a pair of motors, each one driving a respective chain.

In the embodiment shown, for example, motion transfer means 22 comprise a pinion 23 meshed with chains 12 and 13 and driven by motor 21. Motor 21 is mounted with rotation axis R substantially vertical and perpendicular to base 3.

The cited cleaning elements 11 comprise a flexible support 24 for a corresponding cleaning portion 25 intended for the contact with a shoe 2. A lower end 24a of support 24 is shaped so as to engage with the corresponding fastening element 20. Cleaning elements 11 are interchangeable, i.e. they are associated in a releasable manner with the corresponding fastening element 20 so that they can be replaced, for example, depending on the shoe 2 to be treated, or on the particular cleaning operation which they are to perform, or when worn. Advantageously, as a matter of fact, as shown in particular in fig. 1 by way of example, a first cleaning element 11a comprises the cleaning portion 25 defined by bristles or natural

fibres 26 suited to brush shoe 2 while second cleaning element lib comprises the cleaning portion 25 defined by a cloth 27 suitable to polish shoe 2.

By way of example for trainers 2, on flexible support 24 there is arranged a sponge imbued with cleaning material.

In alternative embodiments, cleaning portion 25 comprises synthetic fibres such as nylon ^® , polymers and the like.

In general, the fibres defining cleaning portion 25 have geometrical features, thickness for example, defined depending on the desired effect on shoes 2.

Moreover the fibres are arranged at specific angles so as to ensure specific geometries and designs for the predetermined use to which cleaning portion 25 is dedicated.

In the case of cloth 27 a number of materials, both syn- thetic and natural, can further be used.

In the case of natural materials, cotton, wool, jute, viscose and the like are cited by way of example; as concerns synthetic materials, non-woven fabric is cited, for example.

Each support 24 has a maximum height comparable with the height of compartment 7.

Machine 1 comprises a first and a second guide 28 and 29 for the cleaning elements 11, both shaped so as to cause flexible support 24 to bend, in particular during the motion of cleaning elements 11, so that cleaning portion 25 is maintained substantially in contact with the surface of shoe 2.

Guides 28 and 29 are arranged on the opposite side of base

3 with respect to cleaning elements 11, i.e. guides 28 and 29, during use, bend supports 24 starting from upper end 24b of the same. In the preferred embodiment shown, guides 28, 29 are asso- ciated with cover 8 and are movable with the same.

In practice, guides 28, 29 are movable between a non- operational position, corresponding to the lifted position of cover 8, and an operational position corresponding to the lowered position of cover 8. in correspondence of the lifted position, guides 28, 29 do not affect cleaning elements 11, while in correspondence of the

lowered position they are substantially arranged along the trajectory at least of the upper end 24b of cleaning elements 11.

According to what is shown in fig. 6, in the plan view guides 28, 29 are substantially V-shaped. In order to guarantee the maximum adaptability of cleaning elements 11 to the different types of shoes introduced into machine 1, each guide 28, 29 has respective axis Al, A2 substantially parallel to direction D.

The maximum width between the tines 30, 31 of each guide 28, 29 is substantially equal to the distance between the rectilinear portions 16, 17 of each chain 12, 13.

Each guide 28, 29 has a track 32 having a substantially curvilinear profile 33 to better cause cleaning element 11 to bend. Advantageously, profile 33 has a curvature differentiated between an entry/exit section 33a, depending on the advancement direction considered, in track 32, substantially in correspondence of the ends of tines 30, 31 and a vertex section 33b substantially in correspondence of the vertex of the "V" . According to what is shown in fig. 5, moreover, track 32 is inclined with respect to base 3.

In practice, track 32 is shaped so that, during use, as cleaning element 11 progresses towards the direction V of fig. 3 along the portion 16 from entry section 33a towards vertex sec- tion 33b of guide 28, 29, cleaning element 11 bends more and more against shoe 2, so that cleaning portion 25 performs effectively the brushing or cleaning or polishing action for which it is designed.

In other words, the distance of track 32 from supporting element 20 or from base 3 has a value Hl in correspondence of entry/exit section 33a and a value H2 in correspondence of vertex section 33b where Hl is substantially greater than H2 with cover 8 in the lowered position.

With special reference to figures 4, 5 and 8, it is to be noted that machine 1 comprises gripping and supporting means 34 for shoes 2. Such means 34, as will be better described in the

following, cooperate with cover 8 to maintain shoes 2 in a position suitable to the cleaning thereof within compartment 7.

Means 34 are further designed to keep shoe 2 so shaped that it can be suitably treated by cleaning elements 11. More in detail, gripping and supporting means 34 have a lower assembly 35 intended to be introduced into shoe 2.

Assembly 35 has an upper element 3G shaped so as to adapt to the upper of shoe 2 from within shoe 2. A lower element 37 apt to abut against the insole of shoe 2 is articulated with up- per element 36-

Element 36 and element 37 are hinged to each other substantially in correspondence of a respective end 36a, 37a.

Element 36 and element 37 are mutually interconnected by way of an elastic element 38 which tends to separate them so that, when lower element 37 abuts against the insole of shoe 2, upper element 36 tends to adapt to the upper of shoe 2.

Gripping and supporting means 34 comprise a short pipe 39 extending substantially vertically from assembly 35. An abutting element 40 of cover 8 in the closed position is slidably coupled with short pipe 39 and is movable with respect to the same between a spaced away and a closer position.

In particular, between short pipe 39 and the abutting element 40 of cover 8 there is arranged a second elastic element 41 to keep element 40 and short pipe 39 in the spaced away posi- tion. Further, the abutting element 40 is shaped so as to define a handle 42 by which to easily move ^' gripping means 34.

Abutting element 40 comprises a substantially planar upper surface 43 abutting against cover 8 and a lower surface 44 shaped for gripping. It is important to be noted that abutting element 40 extends mainly parallel to assembly 35 and in particular to the upper element 36 of the same.

Thereby, abutting element 40 has one end 45 substantially aligned vertically with a corresponding front end portion 46 of assembly 35.

It is important to be noted that the overall height of gripping means 34, in particular with abutting element 40 and

short pipe 39 in the spaced away position, is greater than the overall height of compartment 7 with cover 8 lowered so that cover 8 in the lowered position forces gripping means 34 to maintain a stable position, i.e. said gripping means 34 maintain the respective shoe 2 suitably positioned in the respective seat 9.

Machine 1 comprises a dispenser 47 of substances suitable for treating shoes 2.

Dispenser 47 is positioned in machine 1 so that, after op- eration thereof, a predetermined dose of the substance contained in the same is fed to the surface of shoe 2. Preferably, dispenser 47 is of the single-dose type and the type of substance filled in dispenser 47 is advantageously dependant on the type of shoe 2 to be treated. In the preferred embodiment shown, gripping element 40 is shaped, substantially in correspondence of the end 45 thereof, so as to define a seat 48 for substance dispenser 47.

Substance dispenser 48 has a bellows-like portion 49 coupled with a dispenser nozzle 50. Dispenser 48 may be positioned in its seat 48 so that nozzle 50 is oriented towards assembly 45.

In such configuration, as shown in fig. 8, bellows-like portion 49 extends above upper surface 43 of the gripping element 40, against which surface cover 8 abuts. . Advantageously, dispenser 48 may be replaced when the substance has run out or when it is necessary to change the same according to the shoes 2 to be treated.

With special reference to fig. 3, it is to be noted that machine 1 comprises drying means 55 arranged substantially in correspondence of seat 9 and operationally active on shoes 2.

In order to reduce the working times of machine 1, when a humid substance dispensed by dispenser 47 is used, drying means 55 cooperate in drying the shoes 2 treated with the humid substance . In the preferred embodiment shown, drying means 55 comprise a fan schematically shown by a corresponding block 56. Fan

56 is arranged inside compartment 7 so as to generate, during use, an air flow which affects shoes 2.

Drying means 55 comprise a heater 57 associated with fan 56 to heat the air flow generated by fan 56. Thereby the drying flow comprises warm air better suited to drying the substance applied on shoes 2.

Preferably, drying means 55 are positioned with respect to shoe seats 9 so that the drying flow affects shoes 2 evenly.

During use, gripping and supporting means 34 are coupled with a respective shoe 2, i.e. assembly 35 is introduced into the same where it remains firmly positioned due to elastic element 38.

Shoe 2 can hence be arranged into the respective seat 9 and cover 8 can be lowered. When moving from the open position to the closed one, cover 8 squeezes the bellows-like portion 49 of dispenser 47 which releases a dose of cleaning or polishing or in any case suited substance onto the front outer surface of corresponding shoe 2. Cover 8 hence abuts against the upper surface 43 of gripping element 40 and under the action of hydraulic cylinder 8a forces it downwards.

The action of cover 8 is counteracted at least by second elastic element 41, and supporting means 34 - jointly with re- spective shoe 2 - are locked inside compartment 7.

Cleaning elements 11 are hence activated and moved around shoes 2, along path P.

As cleaning elements 11 progress along rectilinear portions 16, 17 as well as in the first curvilinear portion 18, flexible supports 24 are forced by guides 28, 29 to bend towards shoe 2. Considering for example a clockwise rotation of cleaning element 11 starting from the position shown in fig. 4, flexible support 24 of the same enters track 32 in correspondence of entry section 33a and begins to bend until it reaches vertex sec- tion 33b.

As cleaning element 11 progresses along the rectilinear portion, support 24 stretches out until it returns substantially- vertical in correspondence of exit section 33a.

It is important to be noted that fastening elements 20 are shaped so that the cited cleaning portion 25 does not affect the lateral surface of the sole of shoes 2 during the motion around the same. In such respect, reference is made to fig. 7, where a fastening element 20 is shown.

In fastening element 20 there is provided a dovetail groove 51 which extends along a substantially curvilinear path with respect to the vertical extension of element 20.

In practice, lower end 51a of groove 51 is farther away from side 52 of fastening element 20 facing seat 9, with respect to upper end 51b of groove 51. Machine 1 achieves important advantages.

The relative positioning of the shoe with respect to the cleaning elements is fast, conveniently accurate and accomplished in an extremely simple manner.

The elastic elements, in particular, supply great versa- tility to the cleaning machine, since the same can be advantageously used both with a wide range of footwear, for example from European size 36 to 46, and with different types of footwear.

The action of the cleaning elements on the shoe is effec- tive across the entire shoe surface.

The machine design is relatively simple, for example operation of the same is obtained through only one single motor, and it is hence more economical than known-art machines.

The dispensing of substances suitable for treating the shoe occurs automatically, in correspondence of the cover closing, with evident time savings.

The invention thus conceived is clearly susceptible of industrial application; moreover, it can be subject of a number of changes and variants all falling within the scope of the inven- tion, as long as comprised in the definitions provided in the accompanying claims. Moreover, all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements .