Patent Publication Number: US-2002008043-A1

Title: Shoe box

Description:
[0001] This invention relates to a shoe box, and in particular, to a shoe box for storing and transporting sports shoes, such as golf shoes, football boots and the like both before and after use.  
       [0002] Particularly after use, the soles of sports shoes will carry mud or dirt which will transfer to the carpet or upholstery of the car in which the owner transports them.  
       [0003] In accordance with present invention, there is provided a shoe box for storing and/or transporting shoes, comprising a receptacle for receiving a pair of shoes on the floor thereof, a lid for closing said receptacle, and a tray for receiving other objects to be stored, said tray being mounted at one end of the said receptacle between opposing side walls thereof so as to at least partially cover end portions of said shoes, each end wall of the receptacle being formed with an indentation the roof of which is recessed to form a handle for lifting the box, the wall of said indentation being formed with ventilation apertures.  
       [0004] Preferably the shoe box is arranged to prevent movement of the tray within the receptacle during transport. In particular, preferably the roof of the indentation, in each and wall of the receptacle, forms an upstanding projection for engagement in a recess in the underside of the tray.  
       [0005] The shoe box may be provided with additional ventilation holes in the walls and/or floor and/or lid of the box.  
       [0006] The tray is preferably provided with a well for receiving and holding shoe polish or the like, preferably with a sponge or other application means on top. The tray may include any one or more of a compartment for storing a duster or cloth, a compartment for storing spare laces, a compartment for storing spare studs or the like, one or more retaining means for holding tools, such as a brush/scraper, shoe horn, welt and stud scraper and the like. The receptacle may have space for shoe trees to be fitted alongside shoes. 
     
    
    
     [0007] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe box according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe box of FIG. 1 showing the tray and shoe cleaning tools removed;  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the receptacle of the shoe box of FIG. 1, with the lid open;  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a front view of the shoe box of FIG. 1 with the lid closed;  
     [0012]FIG. 5 is a side view of the shoe box of FIG. 1 with the lid closed;  
     [0013]FIG. 6 is a plan view of the shoe box of FIG. 1 with the lid closed; and  
     [0014]FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the box of FIG. 1 illustrating the handle and tray securing means. 
    
    
     [0015] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a sports shoe box according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a generally rectangular receptacle  10  having a lid  12  hingedly connected thereto along its rear side. The receptacle  10  and the lid  12  are formed of moulded plastic or the like. The box includes an open-top tray  14  which is divided into a number of separate compartments: the tray is mounted adjacent the top of the receptacle  10  and extends from front to rear of the receptacle, adjacent one end.  
     [0016] Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the tray  14  is removable from the receptacle  10 , and has a well  16  for storing shoe polish with a sponge or the like on top. A compartment  18  is provided to store a duster or the like, and another compartment  20  provides space to store spare studs for sports shoes. A plurality of upwardly projecting members  22  with spaces therebetween provide means for receiving and retaining shoe cleaning tools. In the embodiment shown, such tools comprise a shoe horn  22 , a combined shoe brush and scraper  24 , and a welt and stud scraper  26 .  
     [0017] Referring now to FIGS. 3, 5 and  7  each end of the receptacle  10  is provided with an indentation. Thus, each end wall has a cut-away portion  30  which is generally arch-shaped. The indentation comprises a wall  32 , inset from the end wall  28  of the receptacle, which extends upwardly form the floor of the receptacle, to a point above the top of the cut-away portion  30  of the end wall, then curves over and down towards the end wall  28 , to form a recess  33 , in the roof of the indentation, into which the user can insert his fingers: the recess  33  thus forms a handle for use in lifting the box. The wall  32  is formed with a plurality of elongate, substantially parallel, vertical ventilation holes  34  which extend across the recess  33  and part-way down towards the floor of the receptacle.  
     [0018] Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, each of the front and rear walls of the receptacle  10  is formed with an elongate, generally arch-shaped indent  36 , and the lid  12  is provided with a clasp or locking means  38  to retain the lid  12  in a closed position over the top of the receptacle  10  (see also FIG. 6).  
     [0019] Referring to FIG. 7 of the drawings, the curved top of the wall  32  at each end of the receptacle forms an upstanding projection  35 : the bottom of the tray  12  is formed with a recess  36  which engages over the upstanding projection  35 , to retain the tray  12  securely within the receptacle  10 .  
     [0020] It will be appreciated that, in use of the box, a pair of shoes may be stood side-by-side on the bottom of the receptacle  10 , then the tray  12  fitted into the receptacle at one end thereof, to overlie the toe-ends of the pair of shoes, before the lid is closed. The box accordingly encloses the shoes and avoids the risk of wet mud and dirt on the soles of the shoes transferring to the carpet or upholstery of the car or to other articles being transported. However, the ventilation apertures ensure that the shoes are properly ventilated whilst stored in the box.  
     [0021] An embodiment of the invention has been described herein by way of example only and many variations and modifications which can be made without departing from the scope of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.