Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Unitary plural outlet means – All in a single straight line
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-10
2004-05-18
Mar, Michael (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Unitary plural outlet means
All in a single straight line
C239S273000, C239S279000, C239S548000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06736339
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for conveniently and efficiently cleaning the sole of an athletic shoe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Many athletes typically wear certain athletic shoes when training or participating in sporting events. However, during such activity, the sole of the athletic shoe typically becomes soiled and must be cleaned prior to the wearer going indoors. For example, a tennis court often imparts a green stain on the sole of a player's shoes requiring the shoe to be cleansed with water. Additionally, other athletes such as baseball and football players will typically wear cleats, on which mud, grass and other debris accumulates. Using a conventional water hose to clean a shoe sole is not practical since it typically dampens the shoe upper and splashes water onto the user. Accordingly, there is presently a need for a device that allows an athlete to efficiently and conveniently clean his or her shoe soles.
Many foot and shoe cleaning devices have been heretofore designed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,972 issued to Goodman discloses an automatic foot washer designed primarily for swimmers including a hollow, substantially square frame structure formed of PVC pipe bordering a grated actuator platform. The frame structure includes spray outlets configured to produce a fan spray pattern so as to contemporaneously cover a user's feet, calves and ankles. An actuator lever is connected to the platform and is in communication with a valve assembly whereby a valve is opened whenever a user steps onto the platform to automatically deliver water to the user's feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,779 issued to Burns discloses a foot spraying and cleaning device including a pair of opposed facing brushes imbedded within which is a bar having fluid outlets thereon. A foot actuated valve mechanism controls water flow through the bar. The brushes can be encapsulated in aesthetic housings.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,830 issued to Delaney discloses a foot shower primarily for swimmers including an actuating platform having a showerhead on each of two opposing sides. The actuating platform is operatively connected to a water source valve whereby water is automatically delivered through the showerheads whenever a user steps onto the platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,552 issued to Liu et al. discloses a water toy including a platform pivotally mounted onto a base. Valves and nozzles are mounted about the periphery of the toy between the platform and base, which are actuated upon a user stepping onto the platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,144 issued to Willner discloses a boot cleaning apparatus including brushes and scrapers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,269 issued to Openshaw discloses a boot and shoe sole cleaner including brushes and scrapers.
As indicated above, numerous shoe and foot cleaning devices are disclosed in the prior art. However, most of these devices are designed to clean a swimmer's bare foot and ankle. Accordingly, each includes means for producing a wide or panoramic spray pattern, which would wet both the shoe and the wearer. The above-described devices designed for cleaning shoes include brushes and scrapers, which are designed to remove dirt and debris and are not suitable for removing certain stains or minute debris from an athletic shoe sole. In addition, many conventional cleaning devices that use water must be coupled with a domestic water source. Water is delivered to the device by opening a low profile water valve that requires an operator to kneel or stoop.
The present invention overcomes the above-described disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a high profile shoe cleaner having a water inlet valve that is easily accessible while standing, eliminating the need to stoop to activate the device. Because the device is high profile and a water hose must be coupled with the elevated water inlet valve, the device would ordinarily be susceptible to overturning. Accordingly, the device includes a wide, hollow base frame that fills with water when in use to sufficiently ballast the device in an upright position. Furthermore, uniquely oriented perforations are disposed on the base frame for projecting multiple water streams at a predetermined angle so as to minimize splashing of the user and to assure that water contact is restricted to the shoe sole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an athletic shoe cleaning device. The device includes a substantially H-shaped base frame including a pair of parallel tubular arms with a transverse tubular member perpendicularly disposed therebetween. Vertically extending from the transverse member is a water inlet line terminating at an upper end. A valve and hose coupling are mounted on the upper end of the inlet line to which a conventional water source is connected. Along a portion of the transverse member are a plurality of aligned perforations selectively positioned to project streams of pressurized water at a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal plane allowing a user to clean his or her shoe sole without getting wet.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shoe cleaning device that is easy to operate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shoe cleaning device that projects pressurized water streams toward a user's shoe sole while protecting the user from splashing.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a shoe cleaning device having a water delivery valve that is conveniently accessible without stooping. Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3697001 (1972-10-01), Skodak
patent: 3925830 (1975-12-01), Delaney
patent: 4784327 (1988-11-01), Lund
patent: 4883228 (1989-11-01), Vydrzal et al.
patent: 4918779 (1990-04-01), Burns
patent: 4984746 (1991-01-01), Joyal
patent: 5173972 (1992-12-01), Goodman
patent: 5273214 (1993-12-01), Huffstutler
patent: 5522552 (1996-06-01), Liu et al.
patent: 5673856 (1997-10-01), Krohn
patent: 5839144 (1998-11-01), Willner
patent: 5950269 (1999-09-01), Openshaw et al.
patent: 6079640 (2000-06-01), Merritts
Gorman Darren
Mar Michael
Tolar Kenneth L.
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