Abstract:
A handheld cleaning device, particularly for footwear cleaning, including first and second opposed ends, with each end having access to a reservoir containing either a cleaning solution or a shoe polishing compound. A method of using the device to clean and polish footwear is also described.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This applications claims the benefit of priority pursuant to 35 USC §119 of prior Application Ser. No. 60/777,926 filed Mar. 1, 2006, incorporated by reference herein. 

   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a hand-held applicator including a first reservoir and a second reservoir, wherein the second reservoir is located at the opposite end of the applicator from the first reservoir. Each reservoir houses at least a portion of a fluid conducting fiber. A portion of each fluid conducting fiber extends through an aperture in the applicator. The first reservoir may contain a cleaning solution, while the second reservoir may contain a shoe polishing compound. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a partial cutaway view illustrating a cleaning instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the tip portion of the present invention in  FIG. 1  in a disassembled state. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cutaway view of one embodiment of a module refilling mechanism for the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial cutaway view illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5   a  is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5   a.    
       FIG. 6   a  is a perspective view of the cap portion of a second embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6   b  is a perspective view of two caps of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6   a .  FIG. 6   c  is a perspective view of the cap shown in  FIG. 6   a .  FIG. 6   d  is a cross-sectional side view of the caps shown in  FIG. 6   b  locked together.  FIG. 6   e  is an expanded view of the circled portion of  FIG. 6   d.    
       FIG. 7  is a partial cutaway view illustrating a cleaning instrument according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8   a  is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 8   b  is a perspective view of a portion of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8   a.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment of the present invention the cleaning solution applicator is sized to be hand-held. The applicator is comprised of a main tubular body  12  having a first end  14  and a second end  15 . The first end  14  includes an exposed applicator tip  18  and removable cover  22 . The second end  15  also includes an exposed applicator tip  20  and removable cover  24 . The tubular body  12  has a first receptacle  26  at the first end of the body and a second receptacle  28  at the second end of the body. The first receptacle  26  receives a module  30 . The module  30  is comprised of a tubular body having a first end  38  and a second end  40 . The second receptacle  28  receives a second module  44 . The second module is also comprised of a tubular body having a first end  48  and second end  50 . The first module acts as a fluid reservoir and houses a first fluid conducting fiber  54  with a portion exposed through an aperture in the first end  38  of the module. The second module is also a fluid reservoir and houses a second fluid conducting fiber  56  with a portion exposed through an aperture in the first end  48  of the module. The portions of the first and second conducting fibers extending beyond the modules function as the applicator tips  18 ,  20 . The modules  30 ,  44  can be removed from the main body of the instrument for refilling or replacement. For example, the first module  30  can be retained in the first receptacle  26  of the main body of the instrument  12  by means of screw-threads or a snap-fit bead structure. The second module  44  also can be retained by the second receptacle  28  by means of screw-threads or a snap-fit bead structure. When inserted into the main instrument body  12  the modules are separated by a gasket  34 . The gasket  34  seals the first module  30  and second module  44 , preventing fluid from leaking from either module. 
   In one embodiment, the instrument caps  22 ,  24  can be axially aligned and secured to the first  14  and second end  15  of the instrument, respectively. The first cap  22  has a retaining portion  64  of a shape to receive the locking portion  66  of the first end of the instrument. The second cap  24  also has a retaining portion  51  of a shape to receive the locking portion  53  of the second end of the instrument. The caps can be removably affixed to prevent unwanted leakage or application of fluid. 
   According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first module  30  contains a cleaning solution and the second module  44  contains a polishing solution, such as MELATONIAN shoe wax. Modules  30  and  44  are of the same total fluid volume and occupy the same volume of space within the instrument. In a separate embodiment, the modules can have different total volumes and occupy different volumes of space within the main body of the instrument. 
   The fluid conducting fiber  54  and tip  18  contained in the first module  30 , in one embodiment, is comprised of a material suitable for transporting a cleaning solution from the reservoir of the module to the exposed applicator tip. The fluid conducting material is capable of retaining the fluid within the fiber and preventing unwanted discharge of fluid from the tip. The exposed tip  18  applies the solution to a surface upon contact with the surface. The tip  18  can have a flat, angular or blunt conical shape suitable for repeated application of the solution to a shoe. Similarly, the fluid conducting fiber  56  and tip  20  contained in the second module  44  is comprised of a material suitable for transporting a shoe polish solution from the reservoir of the module to the exposed applicator tip. The fluid conducting material of the second module is also capable of retaining the shoe polish solution at the applicator tip  20 . The tip  20  can have a flat, angular or blunt conical shape suitable for repeated application of the shoe polish solution upon contact with the shoe surface. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , one embodiment of the present invention includes a mechanism for securing both fluid conducting fibers  54 ,  56  within in its respective module. The mechanism is comprised of a tip retaining structure, generally identified as  58 . The retaining structure consists of a mainly tubular shaped body, split in half, with openings at both the first and second end. The first end of the tip retaining structure  58  is around a notch  60  in the fluid conducting fiber via a fastener  62 . The tip retaining structure can be axially aligned and secured to the first end of a fluid filled module such that the retaining portion  62  engages and locks into the module, thus securing the fluid conducting fiber within the module. The tip retaining structure seals tightly around the fluid conducting fiber to prevent leakage of fluid from the module. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment of the module refilling method the instrument modules have a refilling port  42 . The refilling port is comprised of a self-sealing material that can be perforated by a syringe needle  68 . Upon insertion of the syringe needle into the port, replacement fluid can be injected into the module. The self-sealing material comprising the injection port is capable of receiving multiple perforations while still maintaining a leak-proof seal. 
     FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of the present invention. The applicator is comprised of a first module  78  and second module  88 . The first module consists of a tubular body having a first end  104  and second end  80 . The second end of the first module has an outer circular ridge which extends beyond the sealed end of the module. The interior portion of the circular ridge is threaded. The second module also consists of a tubular body having a first end  106  and second end  82 . The second end of the second module is threaded. The thread patterns of the second ends of the first and second modules  80 ,  82  are constructed so that the first module can receive the second module. Using the screw-type threads, the modules can be interlocked together. The first end of the first module includes an exposed applicator tip  72  and removable cover  70 . The first module acts as a fluid reservoir and houses a fluid  76  and a fluid conducting substance  83  with a portion of the substance exposed through an aperture in the first end, which serves as the applicator tip. The first end of the second module also includes an exposed applicator tip  85 , as shown in  FIG. 5   b , and removable cover  92 . The second module also acts as a fluid reservoir and houses a fluid conducting substance  84  where a portion of the substance exposed through an aperture in the second end serves as the applicator tip. The first and second modules both contain a refilling port  102  located at the second end of each module. The refilling port is comprised of a self-sealing substance capable of being punctured without leaking. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , in the second embodiment of the present invention the fluid conducting fiber  83  is retained within the first module via a snug fitting collar  74 . The inner diameter of the collar is the same as or sufficiently close to the diameter of the fluid conducting fiber so that it tightly grips the fiber when the fiber is inserted into the collar. An aperture in first end of the module receives the collar, subsequently retaining the fluid conducting fiber in the reservoir portion of the module. In the same manner, the fluid conducing fiber  84  is retained within the second module via a snug fitting collar  90 . 
   The second embodiment shows the applicator tips of the instrument both having a slant, angular-cut shape. This particular shape maximizes the usable surface area of the tips which facilitates greater contact with the shoe. In another embodiment, the tips can have different shapes such as flat or conical. Also, although both tips of the instrument are shown having the same shape, in a separate embodiment the tips can have different shapes. 
     FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the removable cap. In this embodiment, the removable caps  70 ,  92  can be removably attached together. The caps can be interlocked by axially aligning the caps and facing the distal end of the first cap  70  towards the distal end of the second cap  92 . The outer rim of the distal end of the second cap contains a snap-fit bead  98  which receives the snap-fit structure  100  on the outer rim of the distal end of first cap  70 . The distal end of the first cap also contains a second snap-fit bead structure  94  located in the center of the cap. A corresponding snap-fit structure  96  is located on the distal end of the second cap. When the caps are aligned axially and pressed together, the snap-fit retention structures securely bind the caps together. 
   A third embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 7 , has an ergonomic shape. The instrument is comprised of a first module  112  and second module  114 . The first module consists of a tapered tubular body having a first end  132  and second end  134 . The second end of the first module has a threaded end  105 . Similarly, the second module consists of a tapered tubular body having a first end  136  and second end  138  where the second module has a threaded end  110  as shown in  FIG. 8   a . A small coupler  108  is threaded at both ends and receives the modules. 
   The first module acts as a fluid reservoir  124  for fluid  116  and houses a fluid conducting substance  120  with a portion of the substance exposed through an aperture in the first end, which serves as the applicator tip  128 . The exposed applicator tip is protected by a removable cover. The first end of the second module also includes an exposed applicator tip and removable cover  130 . The second module also acts as a fluid reservoir  126  and houses a fluid conducting substance  118  where a portion of the substance exposed through an aperture in the second end serves as the applicator tip. The fluid conducting substance generally has the same conical shape as its respective module. In a separate embodiment, the fluid conducting substance can have a shape different than that of its respective module. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , in one embodiment of the invention the shape of the assembled instrument is generally that of an hourglass. 
   Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the are that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention set forth in the description.