GB2481825A

GB2481825A - A floor drying apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2481825A
Application number: GB201011450A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lisa Norcott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-07
Filing date: 2010-07-07
Publication date: 2012-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-07
Also published as: GB201011450D0; GB2481825B

Abstract

A floor drying apparatus worn on the feet, comprising: a main towel section 101 at least the width of an average shoulder span, a plurality of slippers 102 connected to the main towel section, and a waterproof or water resistant lining between the main towel section 101 and the slippers 102 to prevent liquid leaking into the slippers. The user simply places their feet into the slippers 102 and mops the floor as normal. As the user moves around the room, the main towel section 101 will wipe the floors after they are mopped, drying them. The waterproof layer is preferably polyurethane while the towel 101 and slippers 102 may be made out of bamboo fabric.

Description

A floor drying apparatus worn on the feet

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to an apparatus for drying wet floors, more specifically, an apparatus worn on the feet.

[2] Mopping is a common household chore, required to keep non-carpeted floors clean and sanitary. Usually, such floors are cleaned with a liquid cleaning solution that is applied using the mop.

[3] The liquid solution is often left to air-dry, but this method comes with significant disadvantages. First and foremost, there are important health and safety concerns with wet floors -if people are unaware that the floor is wet, they could slip and seriously injure themselves. Furthermore, depending on climate conditions it can take a very long time for a mopped floor to air-dry. This makes mopping a lengthy and inconvenient process.

[4] Methods to speed the drying of mopped floors are known in the art. CN1406553 to Chen discloses a heated air blower, much like commercially available hair dryers, that blows air across wet floors. Similarly, various mops have been disclosed that comprise these heated air blowers, for example CN201286683 to Huiwen and CN201005636 to Xun.

[5] Though this may help to speed up the drying process, such devices are often prohibitively expensive for homeowners.

In addition, they use large amounts of energy, again costing the homeowner as well as potentially damaging the environment.

A simple alternative is required that is particularly adapted to the domestic setting.

[6] People often wear slippers or indoor shoes when cleaning, and are required to move across the floor they are cleaning. Consequently, slippers with soles adapted to clean and scrub floors as the wearer moves are known in the art.

Examples include CA2627100 to McLogan, which is an indoor shoe with a scrubbing material adhered to the sole, CN201147287 to Yunjiao, which is a shoe with a mop component that may be detachably affixed to the sole, and JP2006218244 to Shoda, which is a shoe with detachable wood cleaning soles.

[7] No such shoes exist for drying floors rather than cleaning or scrubbing them. Furthermore, these products have not become commercially popular, perhaps because of the significant effort required to use them. As the sole of a shoe typically has a very small surface area, the wearer would have to rub their feet along every part of the floor to be cleaned.

This is a very, slow inefficient method of cleaning that adds more work for the person cleaning than it takes away.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[8] It can be seen by the forgoing that a need has arisen for a floor drying apparatus that can be worn on the feet but covers a greater surface area than the sole of a shoe, to increase efficiency. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus.

[9] To this end, disclosed is a floor drying apparatus worn on the feet, comprising: a main towel section at least the width of an average shoulder span; a plurality of slippers connected to the main towel section; a lining between the main towel section and the slippers to prevent liquid leaking into the slippers.

[10] The user simply places their feet into the slippers and mops the floor as normal. As the user moves around the room, the main towel section will wipe the floors after they are mopped, drying them.

[11] An advantage of the present invention is that the main towel section provides a greater surface area than the sole of an indoor shoe or slipper, making it more efficient for drying floors.

[12] A further advantage is that it allows the user to dry the floor soon after mopping, diminishing health and safety concerns around wet floors.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [13] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [14] Figure one shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[15] Figure two shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment

[16] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in figures 1 and 2 in which like numerals refer to like components, a floor drying apparatus worn on the feet is disclosed comprising: a main towel section 101 at least the width of an average shoulder span; a plurality of slippers 102 connected to the main towel section; a lining -not shown in the drawings -between the main towel section and the slippers to prevent liquid leaking into the slippers.

[17] The main towel section 101 should be at least the width of an average shoulder width, so that a person could comfortably stand on the main towel section with both feet. In the drawings, the main towel section is shown as being significantly wider than this, to allow for both greater freedom of movement and a greater surface area for more efficient drying. It is shown as being rectangular in shape, though it may be any other suitable shape.

[18] The main towel section is ideally made of bamboo fabric, for its absorptive, wicking and anti-bacterial properties. However, any other suitable material known in the art may be used.

[19] The slippers 102 are shown in the drawings as similar in design to standard slippers, though any other style -or indeed, any other style of footwear -known in the art may be used. This may include flip-flop, sandal or trainer styles as appropriate. There are ideally at least two such slippers 102, one for each foot of the user, but fewer or more may be used if required.

[20] The slippers 102 are attached to the main towel 101, spaced such that a user may comfortably put their feet in them and move around. They should be at least a shoulder width apart. For greater freedom of movement, slack material should be created between the feet of the user when worn, requiring greater space between the slipper 102. The slippers 102 may be sewn to the main towel 101 to keep them in place, or alternatively any other method of attachment known in the art may be used.

[21] The lining between the main towel section and the slippers should be either waterproof or water resistant to prevent liquid from leaking into the slippers of the user with prolonged use. Ideally, the lining comprises a polyurethane layer though any other waterproof or water resistant material known in the art may be used. The lining may be in place simply between the slippers 102 and the main towel 101, or extend across the entire length and width of the main towel 101.