DEVICE FOR CLEANING FLOORS BY MOVEABLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FLOORCLOTHS AND FOOTWEAR

Abstract: Device for cleaning floors comprising means for moveably associating floorcloths to footwear, consisting of pairs of strips (16-12), (17-13), (18-14) of fabric and the like that can adhere mechanically by pressure only, such as Velcro <R>, fixed respectively to the floorcloth (15) and to the sole (11) of the shoe (10), or consisting of a quantity of semi-rigid tooth-like projections fixed to the sole of the shoe that hook into the floorcloths in such a way as to allow floors to be cleaned by simply moving the feet.

Description: - I - DEVICE FOR CLEANING FLOORS BY MOVEABLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FLOORCLOTHS AND FOOTWEAR Subject of the invention is a device for cleaning floors by means of floorcloths. It is known that floors can only be cleaned by moving ab¬ sorbent bodies such as dusters, floorcloths, brushes back and forth over their surfaces to remove the dirt, aided by. water containing detergents. Bearing in mind the large surface to be cleaned, he obsta- cles created by the presence of furniture, and that con¬ tact with the floor is made more naturally by the feet than by the hands, the difficulties and tiring nature of floor cleaning can be clearly appreciated. If the floorcloth is moved by the hands much more effort is required because of the unnatural position assumed by the body. If the cloth is pushed by a brush mounted at the end of a stick, it is clearly difficult to exercise a constant and even degree of pressure over the whole floor. Some of the above difficulties occur because the human body- stands oh its feet and, as floor cleaning involves movement of the body over the surface of the floor, it is easy to dirty once again those parts that have already been cleaned and movement of the floorcloth is in any case im- » peded by the presence of the feet themselves. If attempts are made to move the floorcloth along by the feet, said cloth often gets accidentally left behind so causing a further hindrance to an effective cleaning pro¬ cess. Aim of the present invention is to avoid the above dra ¬ backs in the way that will now be explained. Subject of the invention is a device for cleaning floors comprising means for moveable association between floor¬ cloths and shod feet. Said means are applied both to the floorcloth and to the sole of the shoe, or else to the sole only. In this way floor cleaning can be accomplished by merely moving the feef in a way similar to walking. In one type of execution use is made of pairs of fabric strips and the like, such as Velcro, which can be made to adhere mechanically by excercise of pressure only. One of the two strips forming each pair is fixed to the floorcloth and the other strip to the shoe. The toes of the shoe can be extended frontally to increase adhesion between floorcloth and shoe. Said extended part can cover the whole width of the sole or a part of it and remain aligned along the left-hand edge of the left shoe's sole, or along the right-hand edge of the right shoe's sole. There can also be a frontal-lateral extension at the toe of the shoe along the front and along the left-hand, or right-hand, edge of the sole. There are preferably three pairs of Velcro strips per shoe placed on the sole, one at the heel, one at the toe and one mid-way along the sole. Instead of paired strips there can be a single pair of Vel¬ cro areas for each shoe covering the entire sole. The Velcro strips can extend across the complete width of the floorcloth to allow the shoe to be placed in the middle, or elsewhere on the surface, or even to allow both shoes both shoes to stand on the floorcloth. It is also possible to apply two areas of strips, each one suitable for association with the strips on one or other of the shoes . In one variation of the invention a quantity of short, semi-rigid projections are mounted over the whole surface of the shoe's sole, or over part of it, and these catch into the weave of the floorcloth as soon as the foot is placed on it . The tooth-like projections become part of the plastic sole being applied thereto in glued strips, or else fixed to said sole by some different means. The shoes can be similar to sandals, can be ordinary shoes or even some other type according to their suitability for this specific use, or to personal preference. The advantages of the invention are clear. The work often done by the hands, either on a floorcloth directly or pushing it along under a brush fixed to a stick, is here done by the feet exploiting the natural movements they make during any kind of cleaning operation. Since it is well known that the legs can exert greater force than the arms and as, in this case, said force is transferred directly onto the floor, the amount of effort needed to wash said floor will be considerably less than that required by methods at present in use. Operating by practically the normal movements made when taking a step, cleaning action can be ex'tended to cover almost the whole of the floor area at the same .time allow¬ ing the person to remain upright and making the most ef- ficient use of that person s muscular power. Floors can clearly therefore be cleaned much more conven- iently and quickly in this way than they formerly could. Fatigue is drastically reduced, and cleaning can be done with extreme precision and great effectiveness. The means adopted are simple and inexpensive. Characteris ics and purposes of the invention will be made even clearer by the following examples of its execu- tion illustrated by diagrammatic drawings. Fig. 1. The device subject of the invention is seen in perspective and comprises floorcloth and footwear ready for action. Fig. 2. The floorcloth in Fig. 1 seen from above. Fig. 3. Perspective view of the shoe in Fig.1 seen from underneat . Fig. 4. Device with frontal-lateral extension of the toe of the shoe, seen from above. Fig. 5. Device comprising a floorcloth with a double set of Velcro strips, seen from above. Fig. 6. Sole of the shoe completely covered with Velcro fabric, seen from the underneath. Fig. 7. Plan view of the device in which the floorcloth has strips of Velcro right across its width. Fig. 8. Shoe with strips of plastic bearing tooth-like pro¬ jections for penetration into the floorcloth. The shoe 10 (Figs. 1, 3) has on its sole 11 three trans¬ versal strips of Velcro 12, 13, 14 that match with the strips 16, 17, 18 applied to the floorcloth 15 # on which an outline 20 of the shoe is here shown. On the shoe 21 (Fig. 4) with strips 24, 25, 26, there is a frontal-lateral extension 22 aligned along the left-hand edgei and the shoe is shown in its working position on the floorcloth 23 with Velcro strips 27, 28, 29. In Fig. 5 there -is a floorcloth 35 with sets of paired Vel ¬ cro strips, respectively 36,37,38 and 36', 37', 38' for - 5 - association with two " shoes 30, 31 having strips 39,40,41 and 39', 40', 41' each shoe having triangular lateral - frontal extending pieces 32, 33. In Fig. 6 the underside of shoe 45 is seen with its sole entirely covered with Velcro 46, including the lateral - frontal extension 47 that holds it onto the strips 16-17- 18, 27-28-29, 36-37-38, 36'-37'-38' fixed on the floor¬ cloths 15, 23, 35 as seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and also on the strips 52, 53, 54 laid right across the width of the floorcloth 51 in Fig. 7. In said Fig. 7, the shoe 50 is seen in position on the floo cloth 51. The shoes can be placed on the floorcloth's Vel¬ cro strips centrally, or wherever is preferred. Fig. 8 shows the underside of a shoe 60 on whose sole 61 plastic strips 63, 64, 65 are mounted by means of a layer of glue 62, said strips carrying tooth-like projections 66. As will be noted, all types of the device subject of the invention here illustrated, make it possible to clean floors by merely moving the feet.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device for cleaning floors characterized in. that it comprises means for oveable association between floor¬ cloths and footwear whereby it is possible to clean floors by simply moving the feet. 2. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 1, character¬ ized .in that the means for moveably associating floorcloths (15) (23) (35) (51) to footwear (10) (21) (30) (31) (51) comprise paired strips (16-12) (17-13) (18-14) (27-24) (28-25) (29-26) (36-39) (37-40) (38-41 ) (36 '-39 ' ) (37'40') (38'-4D (54-52-58) (53-57) (54-56) of fabric and the like, such as Velcro, adhereing mechanically by pressure and fixed to the floorcloth and to the foorwear respectively. 3. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 2, character- ized in that there are three strips of velcro (12-13-14), 24-25-26), (39-40-41), 39'-40 r -41'), (56-57-58) for each shoe placed on the sole (11) at the heel, at the toe and in an intermediate position. 4. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 2, character- ized in that there is one piece (46) of velcro per shoe (45) covering the entire sole of said shoe. 5. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 2, character¬ ized in that the strips (52-53-54) of velcro extend over the whole width of the floorcloth (51) e_nabling the shoe (50) to be placed in the middle of said floorcloth or on any other part of it. 6. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 2, character¬ ized : in that two sets of strips (36-37-38) and (36'-37'- 38') are applied to the floorcloth (35) said strips being respectively suitable for association with the strips 39- 40-41) on one shoe(30) and the strips (39 '-40'-41 ' ) on the other shoe (31). 7. Device ' for cleaning floors, as in claim 1, 'character¬ ized in that the means for moveably associating floorcloths to shod feet consist of a quantity of semi-rigid tooth-like projections (66) or the like placed perpendicularly over all or part of the surface of the sole (61) of a shoe (60) and suitable for penetrating into the floorcloth and hold¬ ing it. 8. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 7, character- ized in that the tooth-like projections (66) form a single piece with the sole of plastic material or with strips (63- 64-65) of plastic material applied to the sole (61) by a layer of glue (62), adhesive,or by some other method. 9. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 1, character- ized in that the sole ( 11) of the shoe ( 10) (50) has a straight frontal orthogonal extension in line with the axis of said sole. 10. Device for cleaning floors, as in claim 1, character¬ ized in that the sole ( 11) of the shoe (21) (30) (31) has a frontal-lateral extension (22) (32) (33) in line, or not, with the front and lateral edges of said sole.

Inventors: GRIECO RODOLFO, GRIECO, RODOLFO
Applicants: GRIECO RODOLFO, GRIECO, RODOLFO
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A47L13
IPC codes: A47L13