Abstract:
An improved covering apparatus for covering shoes, bare feet, or other appendages, wherein the device includes a pedal system that has a low positioned actuator pedal and a mechanism to release a shoe cover when the actuator is engaged by a user.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of devices for the automatic placement of shoe covers on shoes. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [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 athletics 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 practical, shoe coverings are 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&#39;s hands to the substances on the shoe. Therefore, hands-free automatic shoe cover devices have recently been developed to allow for a person to automatically place a shoe cover over a worn shoe without the need to manipulate the cover with a user&#39;s hands. However, many of these devices employ relatively complex and relatively large mechanisms to accomplish the covering of a shoe, such as the use of heat to shrink wrap shoe covers around a user&#39;s shoe. Still other automatic shoe cover devices offer less reliable performance when activated by a user. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanically reliable and simplified automatic shoe covering device that uses inexpensive shoe covers to automatically and consistently cover a user&#39;s shoe. 
         [0004]    The apparatus described herein provides an improved device for automatically placing a shoe cover on the foot, shoe, or other appendage of a user when a user activates the device by, for example, stepping into an enclosure and onto an actuator pedal. The device typically contains a plurality of covers (typically shoe covers) within the device. Each shoe cover includes a covering material such as a plastic polymeric sheet with a continuous or partial expandable band lining near the perimeter edge of the shoe covering. Attachment members are attached to the band at points along the band. Each attachment member preferably has a lip with a tab extending from the lip. The actuator pedal in the enclosure of the device is in mechanical communication with four rotatable posts, each post being housed within a separate hollow shaft. One improvement of some of the embodiments described herein is that the upper surface of the actuator pedal is no greater than 4.5 centimeters above the upper surface of the base on which the actuator pedal is operating. Each post also includes an interactive first end protruding above each of the four shafts. Another improvement of many of the embodiments described herein is that each interactive first end is preferably integrated with each post, respectively, thereby eliminating misalignment between the posts and the interactive first ends. 
         [0005]    While the actuator pedal is not engaged, the four attachment members remain attached, respectively, to the four interactive first ends because of the relationship between the tabs in each of the attachment members and the respective interactive first ends. While the shoe cover device is not engaged, the band(s) of the one or more shoe coverings remains substantially stretched out. When a user&#39;s foot acts on the actuator pedal, the posts are all rotated, thereby rotating each of the four interactive first ends. As the interactive first ends rotate, the tabs become disengaged with the interactive first ends, the upper-most shoe covering is released, and the band associated with the upper-most shoe covering contracts into an unstretched position partially enclosing the shoe covering about the upper foot, ankle, or shoe of the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description in conjunction with the 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: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a view looking down at the top of an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a shoe covering including band and four attachment members as used in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a first side of an example of an attachment member for use with an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a second side of an example of an attachment member for use with an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view looking down at an angle at an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device wherein the cover has been removed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows an interactive first end of a post, where the post is housed in a hollow shaft. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows one corner of an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of some of the internal parts of an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device including one cover member shown in a locked down position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top view of one corner of an embodiment a shoe cover dispensing device, showing the physical relationship between the attachment member and the interactive first end. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  shows one corner of an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  shows an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device wherein the cover has been removed. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  shows an actuator pedal assembly in an activated or otherwise depressed position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  shows an actuator pedal assembly (with the actuator pedal itself having been removed) from an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a view looking at the lower surface of a cover plate in the area where the actuator pedal assembly is located showing the actuator pedal in an activated or otherwise depressed state. 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is a view looking at the lower surface of a cover plate in the area where the actuator pedal assembly is located showing the actuator pedal not in an activated or otherwise depressed state. 
           [0022]      FIG. 16  is a view of the bottom surface of a cover plate of an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device, showing all parts of the device that operate below the bottom surface of the cover plate. 
           [0023]      FIG. 17  shows a force splitting member as described in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0024]      FIG. 18A  shows a force splitting member as described in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0025]      FIG. 18B  shows a force splitting member along line “Z” as described in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0026]      FIG. 19  shows a catch member, release button, and related locking assembly as described in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
           [0027]      FIG. 20  shows a catch member, catch spring and release button along a cross member as described in an embodiment of a shoe cover dispensing device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    An overview of a preferred embodiment of an improved shoe cover dispensing device  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The shoe cover device  10  includes a shoe cover device lower portion  12  and a removable shoe cover device upper portion  14 . The shoe cover device upper portion defines an upper portion aperture  16  through which a user may insert a foot or other object to exert a force to activate the shoe cover device  10 .  FIG. 1  also shows a shoe cover  18  within the enclosed area defined by the shoe cover base. With reference to  FIG. 2 , shoe cover  18  includes at least one layer of covering material  20 , an elastic band  22  attached to the covering material  20  so that the covering material  20  naturally draws together to form a pouch like structure, and four attachment members  24  attached at four points along the elastic band  22 . In the particular embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of shoe covers  18  are located within the shoe cover device  10 , but the shoe covers  18  are not a part of every embodiment of the invention as described herein. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  show a close-up view of an embodiment of an attachment member  24 .  FIG. 3  shows a first side  23  of attachment member  24  including recesses  26  for engagement with the elastic band  22  and a groove  28  to facilitate the stacking of attachment members  24  on top of one another. A ring portion  30 , wherein ring portion  30  includes a tab  32 , defines an attachment member aperture  34 .  FIG. 4  shows a second side  25  of attachment member  24  including the recesses  26 , a slot  27  to fit along the groove of an adjacent attachment member, the ring portion  30 , the tab  32 , and the attachment member aperture  34 . As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , attachment members  24  remain attached to the shoe cover  18  by the location of elastic band  22  substantially between the extension member  28  and the first attachment member aperture  26 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a view of the shoe cover device  10  with the shoe cover device upper portion  14  removed. A plurality of shoe covers  18  is shown. Each shoe cover  18  is removably attached to each of four rotatable posts  36 . Each post  36  is partially surrounded by an outer shaft  38  as shown in  FIG. 6 . With reference again to  FIG. 5 , a set of springs  40  are aligned about and operate along posts  36 . With reference to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , springs  40  exert forces substantially in the direction of arrow “A” to exert pressure on a pair of cross members  44  (shown as cross member  44 A and  44 B). The exertion of the spring forces in direction “A” helps to force the attachment members  24  to remain substantially near the upper ends of posts  36 . As shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 9 , interactive first ends  45  of posts  36  retain attachment members  24  on posts  36 . There are preferably four interactive first ends  45  including one interactive first end  45  attached to each of the four rotatable posts  36 . The interactive first ends  45  are preferably integrated with the post (i.e., not attached by attachment means, but rather making up a part of the post itself). The first ends  45  tend to rotate slightly with respect to the posts  36  in embodiments in which the interactive first ends  45  are not integral with the posts, causing performance problems with the overall device  10 . Thus, integral first ends  45  are preferred.  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  show a close-up view of one of the interactive first ends  45  revealing an upper extension  46  and a lower wedge  48 . The upper extension  46  forms a part of each interactive first end  45  and is primarily responsible for keeping the attachment member  24  attached to the post  36  until a user activates the shoe cover device  10 . The lower wedge  48  forms a part of each interactive first end  45  and is primarily responsible for preventing more than one attachment member  24  from disconnecting from the posts  36  during a single activation period. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “activation period” is defined below after further reference is made to the various elements of this embodiment of the shoe cover device  10 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 11-16 , an embodiment of an actuator pedal assembly  50  including pedal  52 , a pedal base  54 , four gear members  56  ( 56 A,  56 B,  56 C,  56 D), a pair of side anchors  58  ( 58 A and  58 B), and a pair of extenders  60  ( 60 A and  60 B) is shown. Actuator pedal assembly  50  is attached to a cover plate  62 , preferably by screws like actuator pedal assembly screws  64 . The pedal  50  is attached to the pedal base  54  preferably by screws, but any other attachment means known to those skilled in the art such as, for example, nails, glue, and welding would suffice. A first pair of gear members ( 56 A and  56 B) mechanically interact via gear teeth ( 66 A and  66  B, respectively) on a first side  68 A of the pedal base  54 , and a second pair of gear members ( 56 C and  56 D) mechanically interact via gear teeth ( 66 C and  66 D, respectively) on a second side  68 B of the pedal base  54 . A first attachment member  70 A extends through the sides of the pedal base  54  and connects gear member  56 A to gear member  56 C. Similarly, a second attachment member  70 B extends through the sides of the pedal base  54  and connects gear member  56 B to gear member  56 D. Gear member  56 A and gear member  56 B are movably attached to side anchor  58 A, and gear member  56 C and gear member  56 D are movably attached to side anchor  58 B. 
         [0032]    Each of the gear members  56  includes legs  72  ( 72 A,  72 B,  72 C, and  72 D). Leg  72 A and leg  72 C extend through openings in the cover plate  62  and are movably attached to extender  60 A and extender  60 C, respectively. Leg  72 B and leg  72 D extend through the cover plate  62  and are movably attached to extender  60 B and extender  60 D, respectively. As shown in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14-15 , the legs  72  are attached to the extenders  60  via two bolts. Similarly, extenders  60 A and  60 C are movably attached to a force splitting member  74 A by a bolt and extenders  60 B and  60 D are movably attached to a force splitting member  74 B by a bolt. Although bolts are used in the exemplary embodiment discussed above, any similar attachment means known to those skilled in the art capable of allowing substantially similar mechanical movement as described herein could be used. Also, those skilled in the art appreciate that extenders  60  may not be necessary in all embodiments of the invention.  FIGS. 14-15  show part of an underlying gear assembly  76  along a bottom surface  78  of cover plate  62 , shown in more detail in  FIG. 16 . The underlying gear assembly  76  as well as the entire cover plate  62  and all overlying elements of this embodiment are attached to the device lower portion  12 , preferably by screws, at attachment points  79 . 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 11 , and  FIG. 16 , the rotatable posts  36  are movably attached to the gear assembly  76  as discussed in detail below. The rotatable posts  36  are secured partially or substantially within the shafts  38  by end members  80  such as the nut ( 80 A) shown in  FIG. 16  and screw  80 B in combination with the interactive first ends  45  shown in  FIG. 10 . In this embodiment, screws like screw  80 B are integral parts of the lower ends of the posts  36  they are associated with. 
         [0034]    An important improvement of the various embodiments described herein over prior art is that the pedal  52  (more specifically, the upper surface  53  of the pedal  52 ) in these embodiments is not greater than about 4.5 centimeters above the upper surface of the base structure (e.g., the cover plate surface  78 ) when the device  10  is substantially assembled. In a preferred embodiment, the pedal surface  53  is not greater than about 4.0 centimeters above the base structure when the device  10  is substantially assembled. The lower pedal surface  53  allows more covers  18  to be loaded onto the device  10 . 
         [0035]    For the purposes of clarifying the description related to certain numbered elements discussed infra, only one side of the shoe cover device  10  is described. However, it should be understood that various embodiments of the invention may require a pair of each of such elements. The corresponding elements not specifically discussed herein are given the same number designation as the corresponding element described, but with the use of the suffix letter “B” instead of “A.” With reference to  FIGS. 14-18 , pedal  52  is mechanically engaged with force splitting members  74 . Force splitting member  74 A is moveable along an axis defined as “Z” as shown in  FIG. 17  and is maintained against cover plate  62  by a channel member  82 A. Force splitting members  74  act to transmit force from an object or objects operating on the force splitting members  74  to another object or objects. 
         [0036]    Channel member  82 A is attached to the cover plate  62 , preferably by screws such as channel plate screw  84 . Channel member  82 A includes a first engagement spring connection member  86 A. Force splitting member  74 A includes a second engagement spring connection member  88 A. One end of an engagement spring  90 A is attached to the first engagement spring connection member  86 A and an opposite end of the engagement spring  90 A is attached to the second engagement spring connection member  88 A. Therefore, engagement spring  90 A maintains some amount of static or dynamic force in the direction of arrow GA, substantially keeping the pedal  52  in a raised position unless acted upon by a user.  FIG. 12  shows pedal  52  in a non-raised position as when a force is acting upon pedal  52 , thereby moving legs  72  to oppose the force of, for example, engagement spring  90 A as shown in  FIG. 14  by arrows J. 
         [0037]    A pair of head ends  92 A included on force splitting member  74 A contain gear teeth  94  as shown in  FIGS. 16-18 . Head ends  92 A remain engaged with a pair of post gears  96 A, each post gear  96 A being attached to one of the rotatable posts  36 . Therefore, the actuator pedal  52  is in mechanical communication with the rotatable posts  36 . More specifically, when substantial pressure is applied to actuator pedal  52 , the four rotatable posts  36  are caused to rotate. A more specific description of the dynamic relationship between actuator pedal  52  and other pertinent parts of the shoe cover device  10  is given below. 
         [0038]    The shoe cover device  10  as described in this embodiment is activated (or a first activation period begins) when enough pressure is applied to the actuator pedal  52  to substantially move the actuator pedal  52 . As the actuator pedal  52  is pressed upon and moved, the pedal base  54  moves downward. As the pedal base  54  moves downward, attachment members  70  move closer to one another as shown by arrows AM and the gear members  56  rotate as shown by arrows GM as shown in  FIG. 13 . The rotation of the gear members  56  causes, for example, leg  72 A and leg  72 C of the gear members to force the extender  60 A to move in direction KA. This motion of extender  60 A, in turn, causes the force splitting member to move in direction KA. Similarly, force splitting member  74 B moves in direction KB. As the force splitting members  74  move in these respective directions, the gear teeth  94 A and  94 B along head ends  92 A and head ends  92 B act upon the two pairs of post gears ( 96 A and  96 B), causing rotatable posts  36  to rotate. This rotation of the rotatable posts  36  causes the interactive first ends  45  to rotate because the interactive first ends  45  are part of the rotatable posts  36 . 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , when interactive first end  45 A rotates in direction R, upper extension  46 A rotates until upper extension  46 A no longer substantially covers ring portion  30 A, thereby releasing shoe cover  18 . At substantially the same time, lower wedge  48 A rotates above a tab  32 A′ (substantially similar to tab  32 A) along an attachment member  24 A′ (substantially similar to attachment member  24 A) connected to a shoe cover  18 ′ (substantially similar to show cover  18 ) that is positioned second in line behind the now-released shoe cover  18 . In this preferred embodiment, the downward facing wedge-like shape of tab  32  as shown in  FIG. 4  (showing a bottom view of attachment member  24 A) allows an access space for lower wedge  48 A to slide between tab  32  and tab  32 ′ before attachment member  24 A′ is released from post  36 A. The release action between interactive first ends  45  and attachment members  24  described above occurs substantially simultaneously at all four posts  36  during an activation period of shoe cover device  10 . 
         [0040]    After at least one shoe cover like shoe cover  18  is released from posts  36  and when substantial pressure is removed from the actuator pedal  52 , engagement springs  90  operate to bring the force splitting members  74  back to substantially the same position the force splitting members  74  were before the actuator pedal  52  was initially engaged during the first particular activation period (hereinafter defined as an “initial position” as shown in  FIG. 13  and FIG.  15 ). As force splitting members  74  move back toward the initial position, gear teeth  94  interact with the two pairs of post gears ( 96 A and  96 B), causing rotatable posts  36  to rotate in a direction substantially opposite to the direction rotatable posts  36  rotated when force splitting members  74  were initially moving from the initial position. This rotation, shown as “S” in  FIG. 9 , causes upper extension member  46  to engage with a ring portion  30 A′ of attachment member  24 A′, thereby maintaining attachment between attachment members  24 ′ and posts  36 . When force splitting members  74  have substantially returned to an initial position, the first activation period has concluded and a new activation period may be initiated. 
         [0041]    With reference again to  FIG. 11 , it should be understood that other embodiments using elements similar to cross members  44  may use elements that do not extend to two posts. For example, a different embodiment may use four spring pressure plates in lieu of two cross members, one pressure plate for each spring/post assembly, wherein there is no need to directly connect any of the spring pressure plates together in one element. However, a preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 11  uses cross members  44  that have unique features used for loading pluralities of shoe covers like shoe cover  18  onto the posts  36 . 
         [0042]    With reference to  FIG. 19  and  FIG. 20 , in a preferred embodiment, cross members  44  include a release button  98 A associated with a catch member  100 A. The catch member  100 A includes a first catch member end  102 A that protrudes through an orifice in the cross member  44 A and a second catch member end  104 A. The second catch member end  104 A preferably includes a catch member extension  106 A for removably interlocking with a catch port  108 A located along the cover plate  62  below the cross member  44 A. The release button  98 A is preferably held in a raised position by a catch spring  110 A as shown in  FIG. 20  unless or until such button is pressed. The catch member  100 A moves, for example, by rotating about a structure such as bar  112 A. The catch members  100  and catch ports  108  are used to lock cross members  44  into a locked down position as shown in  FIG. 8  so that shoe cover  18  may be easily loaded into the shoe cover device  10 . The purpose of the release buttons  98  and all associated elements of this embodiment are to release cross members  44  from such a locked down position. 
         [0043]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the external dimensions of the shoe cover device  10  of the illustrated embodiment include a length “L” ranging from about 15 inches to about 25 inches, preferably, about 18 to about 20 inches; a width “W” ranging from about 8 inches to about 15 inches, preferably, about 9.5 inches to about 10.5 inches; and a height “H” ranging from about 5 inches to about 10 inches, preferably, about 6 inches to about 7 inches. Aperture  16  includes a length L 2  ranging from about 13 inches to about 15 inches and a width “W 2 ” ranging from about 5 inches to about 7 inches. Other embodiments may have an aperture like aperture  16  having a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 22 inches and a width ranging from about 4 inches to about 10 inches. With reference to  FIG. 4 , attachment member  24  preferably has an end length “E” ranging from about 3/16 inches to about ⅜ inches. Other embodiments may have an attachment member like attachment member  24  having an end length “E” ranging from about ¼ inches to about ¾ inches. 
         [0044]    Shoe cover device  10  is preferably made from a metal or other high tensile strength material such as steel, aluminum, other suitable metals or combinations thereof, high tensile strength polymers, and the like. Suitable materials with lower tensile strength may be used to form release buttons  98  and attachment members  24 . The shoe covering  20  is preferably made from a suitable flexible or semi-flexible polymeric material. 
         [0045]    It should be understood that where means of attachment are described within this disclosure such as screws, nut and bolt assemblies, glue, and the like, other means of attachment may be used in other embodiments to substitute such screws, nut and bolt assemblies, and glue such as screws, nut and bolt assemblies, bolts, glue, nails, pins, welding, and other similar means of attachment known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0046]    Some of the various elements described herein have been named based on certain general characteristics of their function(s) or general features such as shape. However, the names of the various elements described herein are not meant to be limiting; the names are only used within this disclosure to help the reader better reference particular elements in relation to other elements as shown in the exemplary figures. 
         [0047]    The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only, and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined herein.