JP2004500946A - Shoe drying system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for drying a shoe, such as a shoe, for example, comprising a fan usable for airflow generation, a heating element, and at least one conduit having at least one outlet, directs a portion of the airflow into the shoe. So adapted. Further, the shoe drying system provides a drying efficiency of at least 70 g / hr within the first hour of drying.

Description

０．００＝内側が湿っている、着用不可能
０．５０＝内側が少し湿っている、着用可能境界
０．７５＝極わずかに湿っている、着用可能
１．００＝内側乾燥、着用可能
表１で説明されるように、靴が浸漬洗浄方法を経た後で乾燥方法を始めると排気孔付きバッグ１６０を抜け出る相対湿度が記録される。各靴ＩＤが個別の靴試験であることも示す。換言すると、靴ＩＤ「１Ｌ」は２つの個別の靴試験であり、一つの試験において排気孔付きバッグから出た相対湿度が約１１％の時に靴が乾燥しているとみなされたのに対して、次の実験においては、バッグから出た相対湿度が約２０％であっても靴が乾燥しているとみなされる。
【００３８】
試験用靴２Ｌ及び３Ｌにおいて示されるように、２０％台中盤の範囲の相対湿度は、中央列に「０」と示される、湿って着用不可能な靴に相互に関連する。試験用靴２Ｒ及び３Ｒは、相対湿度約１８％を有し、中央列に「０．５０」と示される、少し湿っている靴に相互関連する。平均相対湿度１６．４％を有する試験用靴１Ｒ、２Ｌ、４Ｒ及び４Ｌは、評価「０．７５」で示される、極わずかに湿っている着用可能な靴に相互関連する。最後に、残りの試料は、１６％の範囲の平均湿度が、「１」で示される、乾燥した着用可能な靴に相互関連することを説明する。
【００３９】
靴５Ｒは、好ましい革製の実施形態と言うよりはむしろ、スウェード靴であることを言及する必要がある。多少資料を歪めるこの靴の高い相対湿度は、革の外側が、スウェードよりもかなり早く乾燥するという事実に起因する。結果として、相対湿度百分率が１５％の範囲内にあったであろうというこの資料の要点は除外された。
【００４０】
続いて、乾燥評価が「１」に等しく靴が着用可能とみなされる場合、相対湿度の示度は約１１％から約２０％までで変化する。靴はまた、相対湿度が約１７％から約１９％までの時、着用可能（即ち、０．７５）、または着用可能境界（即ち、０．５０）とみなされる。約２０％を上回る相対湿度示度は、靴がまだ湿っており、乾燥時間の追加の必要があることを示す。結果として、約２０％の排気孔付きバッグ（１６０）を出てきた空気の相対湿度は、着用可能な革靴を意味すべきである。
【００４１】
実施例２：着用可能に乾燥
本発明の重要な態様は、「着用可能に乾燥」の決定である。一般的に本発明の目的として、乾燥方法の後に靴に残る水が約５０ｇ未満、より好ましくは約４０ｇ未満、最も好ましくは約３０ｇ未満が着用可能に乾燥した靴を示す。実験は、１９人の回答者が乾燥重量約２７５ｇ〜約５２５ｇの範囲にある平均重量約３９７ｇの１３種の靴モデルのうち、一つを割り当てられ実施される。各回答者の靴の乾燥重量グラム（ｇ）が記録され、靴は非常に多くの洗浄／乾燥サイクル及びその次の各洗浄サイクルの処置を受け、回答者が着用可能と決定するまで乾燥される。回答者が靴が着用可能であると決定した後、靴の重さを測って靴に残る水の量（ｇ）を測定する。全部で１０８の試験が実施された。
【００４２】
【表２】

表２の列１は、着用可能に乾燥する時、靴の乾燥重量で割った、靴に残る水のグラム範囲を示す。列２は、列１のそれぞれの範囲のパラメータ内に収まる試料の数を示す。列３は、試料の総数に基づいたそれぞれの範囲のパラメータ内に収まる試料の百分率を示す。列４は、靴の平均乾燥重量３９７．２ｇを列１の値で乗じて靴に残る水の平均グラム数を決定する。例えば、全試料１０８のうち、靴乾燥重量によって割った靴に残る水のグラム数が０．１１７水ｇ／靴ｇと０．１４８水ｇ／靴ｇの間に収まる時、２つは着用可能に乾燥していると決定される。これは、約４６．５ｇと約５８．８ｇの間の水を含有する時、試料の２％において靴が着用可能に乾燥しているということを意味する。続いて資料は、約２３．４ｇから約５８．８ｇまでの水を含有する時、１０８の観察のうち５１において、または試料の約４７％において靴が着用可能に乾燥していることを示す。反対に、もし靴が５９ｇを越える水を含有すれば、靴は着用可能に乾燥しているとはみなされない。上記の範囲が絶対的基準で（即ち、５０ｇ未満、より好ましくは４０ｇ未満、最も好ましくは３０ｇ未満の水が乾燥方法後に靴に残っている）、または標準的基準で（即ち、０．１２６水ｇ／靴ｇ未満、より好ましくは０．１０水ｇ／靴ｇ、最も好ましくは０．０７５水ｇ／靴ｇ）検分されるかに関わらず、それらは本発明における「着用可能に乾燥」の範囲を決定する。
【００４３】
実施例３：モデルシューズ
実施例２における着用可能な乾燥の試験の更なる改良は、モデルシューズに基づく：アディダススーパースターＩＩ（Ａｄｉｄａｓ Ｓｕｐｅｒｓｔａｒ ＩＩ）（米国男性用寸法１１及び１１．５、平均乾燥重量４３１．３ｇで、革製上部、「織地」の裏打ち、及びゴム製靴底を具備する）。特に、モデルシューズは、最初に浸漬洗浄方法を経て、その方法において保持された水の平均量を測定する。浸漬洗浄方法は、ケンモア（Ｋｅｎｍｏｒｅ）シリーズ９０洗濯機を使用して約３０℃（９０°Ｆ）の市水での洗濯と、それに続く約２０℃（７０°Ｆ）でのすすぎが行われる。続いて、一回に４つの靴を漂白剤代替品と共に３０ｇの液体タイド（ＴＩＤＥ）（登録商標）を使用して強力コースで洗濯する。平均して、モデルシューズは１２０ｇの水を得るが、場合によっては約１７５ｇもの水を得る。
【００４４】
浸漬洗浄方法に続いて、靴は参加者が着用可能に乾燥しているとみなすまで乾燥される。表３で説明されるように、約４７ｇの水、または約０．１０水ｇ／靴ｇがモデルシューズに保持され得、それでもなお着用可能に乾燥しているとみなされる（この値は靴に保持される水５０ｇ未満の好ましい絶対的範囲内に収まり、且つ０．１０水ｇ／靴ｇ〜０．０７５水ｇ／靴ｇの好ましい標準的範囲内に収まる）。
【００４５】
結果として、靴が着用可能に乾燥しているとみなされるためには平均して約７３ｇ（１２０ｇ〜４７ｇ）の水がモデルシューズから取り除かれなくてはならない。
【００４６】
【表３】

【００４７】
実施例４：乾燥効率
本発明の実施形態において、前述の靴乾燥システムの乾燥効率は温度約５５℃における一時間の乾燥の後、靴に残っている水を引き算することによって決定される。モデルシューズの重量を浸漬洗浄方法の前と後の両方で記録し、その差異が浸漬洗浄によって得られた水のグラム値である。靴はその後、本発明によるシステム及び方法、またはヘアドライヤーを単独で使用して乾燥し、乾燥方法中ずっと多様な間隔で重さを測る。表４は、本発明の代替的な実施形態、及びヘアドライヤー単独と関連の乾燥効率を示す。
【００４８】
平均して、本発明いずれかの実施形態も、乾燥方法を開始してから一時間以内にモデルシューズを着用可能に乾燥の状態まで乾燥する。３つ全ての実験において、靴に残留する水のグラム数は一時間の時点で補間によって引き出されることに注意する。例えば列２において、可撓性チューブを用いる靴は５０分の時点で靴に残留する水約６２ｇを有する。７０分の時点で、靴は約２６ｇの、靴に残留する水を有する。結果として、乾燥から６０分後、靴が４４ｇの残留する水を有することが補間によって示される。
【００４９】
【表４】

表４に示すように、乱気流発生装置２０を含む実施形態は約８０ｇ／時（約１２７ｇ〜約４７ｇ）の乾燥効率を有し、可撓性チューブ１２０を含む実施形態は約７７ｇ／時（約１２１ｇ〜約４４ｇ）の乾燥効率を有する。表４の３列目は、ヘアドライヤー単独の乾燥効率が約６９ｇ／時（約１２１ｇ〜約５２ｇ）の乾燥効率を有することを示す。その結果、本発明のいずれかの実施形態は、ヘアドライヤー単独の実施形態よりも乾燥効率が大きく、そしていずれの実施形態も少なくとも約７０ｇ／時の乾燥効率を有する。
【００５０】
その上、温度、気流、乱気流、及び水分保持の変化が靴乾燥システムの乾燥効率に影響し、そして乾燥効率を１２０ｇ／時まで増加させる可能性がある。
【００５１】
以上、本発明の好ましい実施形態を示し説明したが、本発明の範囲を逸脱することなく通常の当該技術分野における当業者により適切な修正を加えて本明細書の靴の乾燥システム及び方法の更なる適応を行うことができる。従って本発明の範囲は上述の請求項の用語によって考え、明細書及び図面に示して説明する構成及び操作の詳細な事項に限定されないことを理解する必要がある。
【図面の簡単な説明】
本明細書では、本発明を特に指摘し、かつ明確に請求する請求項を記載するが、本発明は、添付図面と連係してなされる次の説明から一層理解されると考えられる。
【図１】靴に挿入された本発明の一実施形態による靴乾燥システムの概略図を表す。
【図２】乱気流発生器を表す。
【図３】表面一部を切り取った靴に挿入される、本発明による靴乾燥システムのもう一つの実施形態の概略図を表す。
【図４】本発明による靴乾燥システムの更にもう一つの実施形態の部分図面及び、その拡大図を表す。
【図５】本発明による靴乾燥システムの概略図を表す。[0001]
This application is based on U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 214,634, filed June 28, 2000, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09 / 693,224, filed October 20, 2000. Claims the benefit of the filing date, which application is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002]
(Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to a system and method for drying shoes, more specifically for drying shoes, such as leather shoes.
[0003]
(Background of the Invention)
Many people wash their athletic shoes in a conventional clothes washing machine. This method, known as immersion cleaning, causes more moisture retention than is typically experienced in standard clothing activities such as rain and snow. The immersion cleaning method is described in pending U.S. application serial numbers 60 / 202,291 filed May 5, 2000, and 60 / 161,240 filed October 22, 1999, 1999. No. 60 / 161,187 filed on Oct. 22, 1999, No. 60 / 161,151 filed on Oct. 22, 1999, No. 60 / 161,118 filed on Oct. 22, 1999, No. 60 / 198,019 filed on Apr. 18, 2000 and No. 60 / 198,507 filed on Apr. 18, 2000, which are incorporated herein by reference. I have. Although methods and systems have been developed for drying shoes from standard clothing activities, such methods and systems do not lend themselves to the higher moisture retention levels associated with immersion cleaning methods. Therefore, there is a need for a device capable of efficiently drying shoes such as leather shoes that have been subjected to the immersion cleaning method.
[0004]
As one of the problems associated with drying shoes through immersion cleaning methods, known methods are often time consuming and occasionally require extended drying times. For example, one of the more common means of drying shoes is through devices that force hot air into the interior of the shoe. This type of device may require two hours or more to dry soaked shoes can be worn. Accordingly, it would be desirable to reduce the drying time of shoes that retain a high level of moisture via the immersion cleaning method.
[0005]
A similar problem associated with drying shoes is that most methods dry the inside of the shoe without regard for drying the outer surface of the shoe. The outer surface of the non-dried shoe undesirably tends to re-smear the shoe, thus requiring further cleaning. This puts the shoe at risk of unnecessary wear and tear. As a result, it is also desirable to dry the outer surface of the shoe, which may help extend the life of the shoe.
[0006]
Finally, conventional clothes dryers are sometimes used to facilitate drying of shoes after a dip-wash process. A disadvantage of this known drying method, especially with regard to leather shoes, is that the dryer promotes unnecessary wear and tear due to deterioration of the shoe quality, undesired changes in appearance or shrinkage. As a result, it would be desirable to reduce the negative effects associated with shoe drying methods.
[0007]
That is, it would be beneficial to have a system and / or method that reduces the drying time of a shoe. It would also be beneficial to have a system and / or method that thoroughly dry the outer surface of the shoe. Finally, it would be beneficial to have a system and / or method that reduces the negative effects associated with conventional drying methods.
[0008]
(Summary of the Invention)
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved system, method and apparatus for shoe drying. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system, method, and apparatus for reducing the drying time for shoes that have gone through a dip cleaning method. In one embodiment of the present invention, the shoe drying system includes a fan usable for airflow generation, a heating element, and at least one conduit having at least one outlet to direct a portion of the airflow into the shoe. Adapted to. Further, the shoe drying system provides a drying efficiency of at least 70 g / hour within the first hour of drying.
[0009]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for drying a shoe includes providing the shoe and providing a drying system. The drying system comprises a fan usable for airflow generation, a heating element, and at least one conduit having at least one outlet. Next, a conduit is inserted into the shoe to direct the airflow into the shoe. Furthermore, the drying system has a drying efficiency of at least 70 g / h during the first hour of drying.
[0010]
One advantage of certain embodiments of the present invention is that it provides for accelerated drying of shoes that have undergone a dip cleaning method. For example, in certain embodiments described herein, a shoe drying system and method reduces the time to dry a shoe so that it can be worn. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods also dry the outside of the shoe, reducing the negative effects associated with most known methods.
[0011]
Still other advantages and novel features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which clearly illustrates the various forms contemplated for practicing the invention. Would. As will be realized, the invention is capable of all other and different aspects, all without departing from the invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are illustrative in nature and are not restrictive.
[0012]
(Detailed description)
Next, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals indicate the same elements of each drawing.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a shoe drying system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in this embodiment, the shoe drying system 10 includes a turbulence generator 20, a conduit 30, a fan 70 that can be used to supply an airflow 40, and an outlet 60. The system is adapted for use in shoe 50 as shown. Further, the airflow 40 generated by the fan 70 is flaky when flowing through the conduit 30.
[0014]
The distal end 32 of the conduit 30 is placed in the shoe 50 so that the air outlet 60 points to the toe of the shoe. The turbulence generator 20 is disposed in the conduit 30 and increases the turbulence of the airflow 40 generated by the fan 70. In essence, the air flows along the longitudinal length of the shoe 50 so that the turbulent air escapes from the conduit 30, causing the air boundary layer to wobble at the inside surface of the shoe 50. Once rocked, the air boundary layer is replaced by hot, dry air. This method accelerates the drying time due to increased heat and mass transfer occurring on the inner surface 55 of the shoe 50.
[0015]
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the turbulence generator 20 is located at a distance A within the distal end 32 of the conduit 30. More specifically, distance A is about 10% of the diameter of conduit 30.
[0016]
The proximal end 35 of the conduit 30 is attached to a fan 70. In one embodiment, fan 70 includes a heating element 72 that produces a warm or hot flaky airflow 40. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a conventional fan and heater combination uses a hair door ear. Such a fan and heater combination is preferably less than about 55 ° C (about 130 ° F), more preferably about 43 ° C to about 54 ° C (about 110 ° F to about 130 ° F), and most preferably about A temperature of about 120 ° F. to about 125 ° F. is obtained. Temperatures significantly above about 55 ° C have the potential to cause shrinkage or deterioration of the shoe, especially of the shoe.
[0017]
In one embodiment, the fan 70 can be used to provide airflow at a speed of about 500 feet / minute (fpm) to about 4000 fpm, or about 150 m / min (mpm) to about 1220 mpm. Airflow 40 substantially above this range does not further accelerate the drying process, and airflow 40 must not be substantially below this range that is not strong enough to be affected by turbulence generator 20. . In embodiments of the present invention, a Rowenta Protect hair dryer generates an airflow between about 450 mpm and about 700 mpm.
[0018]
Although the turbulence generator 20 can be any suitable system for generating turbulence from the flaky airflow 40, non-limiting embodiments of the invention are described below. The turbulence generator 20 includes a fixed vaned device 80 as shown in FIG. 2a that includes a planar portion 82 and outwardly extending flanges 83, 84, 85 and 86. The obtuse angle 90 formed by the intersection of the planar portion 82 and the flanges 83, 84, 85 and 86 can each vary from about 90 ° to about 180 °. Each of the ends 100 of the flanges 83, 84, 85 and 86, in combination with the obtuse angle 90 of the fixed vaned device 80, creates a vortex 110 as the airflow 40 passes through the conduit 30 and out of the air outlet 60. Causes turbulence in the shape of. FIG. 2b shows the vortex 110 created as the airflow 40 passes through the stationary bladed device.
[0019]
Although a stationary vaned system 80 is described, more advanced multiple vane devices (ie, three blades, four blades, etc.) or non-stationary vaned (ie, propeller) devices may also be used. . Increasing the number of blades may improve vortex formation 110, but may also increase air resistance. As a result, the efficiency of the mass exchange and drying methods may be low.
[0020]
FIG. 3 depicts a drawing of a shoe drying system 10 incorporating a plurality of flexible tubes 120 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in this embodiment, the shoe drying system 10 further includes a cover 130, a conduit 30, and a fan 70 for providing the airflow 40. The flexible tubes 120 each have an air outlet 140 and extend from the conduit 30.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3, at the mating portion, the cover 130 is placed in the shoe 50 and encases the conduit 30 and the flexible tube 120, respectively. The cover 130 houses each of the flexible tubes 120 such that the air outlet 140 faces the toe of the shoe. As also described in FIG. 3, the cover is movable along the longitudinal axis of the conduit 30 by an operator. The virtual position of the cover 130 of FIG. 3 describes an embodiment of the shoe drying system 10 in its operable position.
[0022]
Flexible tube 120 may include any configuration and arrangement that facilitates dry air distribution. In one embodiment, flexible tube 120 also facilitates the absorption of water retained from the inside surface of shoe 50, or capillary attraction. In particular, the plurality of flexible tubes 120 may be provided with a hydrophilic coating that facilitates absorption of water from the shoe or capillary attraction.
[0023]
Preferably, the flexible tube 120 can cumulatively absorb about 10 g to about 60 g of water from the shoe, and more preferably, absorb about 20 g to about 40 g of water from the shoe. Examples of hydrophilic coatings are incorporated herein by reference, as described in US Pat. No. 5,200,248 to Thompson et al.
[0024]
Further, while many combinations of flexible tubes 120 can be incorporated into the system, one particular embodiment is that each tube has a diameter of about 5 mm to about 15 mm, a length of about 2 cm to about 10 cm, and about 5 to about 10 cm. Incorporate 20 flexible tubes. Limiting the size and number of flexible tubes 120 may prevent heating in conduit 30, which may be due to shoe temperatures exceeding the 55 ° C. limit recommended for leather shoes. Further, a minimum number of tubes 120 is recommended to assist in capillary attraction to water, accelerating the drying of shoe 50.
[0025]
4a, the flexible tube 120 is free to move inside the shoe, as the cover 130 is no longer placed in the shoe 50. In one embodiment of the present invention, flexible tube 120 expands when fan 70 is operated. In this embodiment, the air outlet 140 is of sufficient diameter to allow the flexible tubing 120 to expand and press against the inner surface 55 of the shoe 50. In other embodiments, flexible tube 120 is made from a flexible tube, such as TYGON® tube, and has a natural spring-like effect. As a result, once the cover 130 has moved along the longitudinal axis of the conduit 30, the flexible tubing 120 presses against the inner surface 55 of the shoe 50.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 4b, in any of the embodiments described above, the flexible tube 120 is in compressive contact with the inner surface 55 of the shoe 50 to reduce the formation of an interlayer cavity 150 in the shoe backing 57. I do. Moreover, contact between the hydrophilic coating on the tube 120 and the interior shoe surface facilitates capillary attraction, or absorption, of water retained from inside the shoe. The water distributed to the flexible tube 120 accelerates the drying process as a result of capillary attraction, or absorption, expanding the evaporation area.
[0027]
Importantly, the above embodiments are not mutually exclusive. In other words, both the turbulence generator 20 and the flexible tube 120 can be incorporated on the conduit 30. Moreover, the invention is not limited to drying one shoe at a time. For example, conduit 30 may be provided with a partition so that airflow 40 vents to multiple shoes.
[0028]
FIG. 5 illustrates a shoe drying system 10 that includes a vented bag 160 for drying the outer surface of the shoe 50. The conduit 30 is placed in the shoe 50 and the shoe is surrounded by a vented bag 160. As described above, the airflow 40 flows through the conduit 30 and either through the air outlet 60 leading to the turbulence generator 20 or through the air outlet 140 leading to the flexible tube 120. Get out into the shoe 50. The airflow 40 flows through the longitudinal length of the shoe 50 and exits through the top opening of the shoe into the vented bag 160. The vented bag 160 includes an opening 170 that allows airflow to flow out of the vented bag 160 into an open environment. As a result, the airflow 40 in the vented bag 160 circulates across the shoe 50 while allowing the outer surface 59 to dry.
[0029]
The dimensions of the vented bag 160 can vary and depend on the type and size of the shoe 50 to be dried. For example, the bag may comprise enough of a low-top leather running shoe, a high-top cross-trainer shoe, or even a pair of shoes to simultaneously dry and accommodate. Preferably, the bag 160 is not large enough to prevent circulating air from contacting the outer surface 59 of the shoe 50 and must be large enough to accommodate the leather shoe 50. In other words, the bag must be small enough so that the airflow 40 circulating in the vented bag contacts the outer surface 59 of the shoe 50.
[0030]
Further, the vented bag 160 is preferably flexible, and preferably also durable enough to withstand repeated use. In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, vented bag 160 is made of a flexible plastic and has a non-inflated non-inflated size of about 40 cubic centimeters (about 45 cm long, about 23 cm wide, and about 0.40 mm thick). With a volume of about 7mm in diameter or about 38mm in area ² 4 openings 170. In addition, the vented bag 160, like other components of the shoe drying system, must be heat resistant and able to withstand temperatures of at least about 55 ° C (about 130 ° F).
[0031]
The opening 170 on the vented bag 160 can be of various sizes and locations, but the opening 170 must be large enough to allow the vented bag 160 to expand. In embodiments of the present invention, the opening 170 needs to be located adjacent the distal end 172 of the vented bag 160 or near the toe of the shoe 50. In this manner, the airflow 40 is allowed to circulate throughout the outer surface 59 of the shoe before exiting the vented bag 160. Finally, in embodiments of the present invention, air exiting vented bag 160 through opening 170 must have a relative humidity of about 20%.
[0032]
In addition, it is beneficial for the shoe 50 to be placed in an upward position (ie, with the toes raised above the heels) during the drying process, as also described in FIG. This pulls the water from the toes to the heel by gravity, thereby increasing the evaporation area and accelerating the drying process. With the shoe 50 maintained in the upward position, the airflow 40 flows along the longitudinally inner surface 55 of the shoe 50 before exiting the vented bag 160 and then flows through the shoe before exiting the bag 160 to the surroundings. Allows circulation over the outer surface 59. This method helps ensure an accelerated, more constant drying method for the outer surface 59 of the shoe.
[0033]
Various embodiments of the present invention have been described for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the art teachings above.
[0034]
For example, a wide variety of principles may be used in a shoe drying system as long as airflow to each shoe is sufficient to dry each shoe wearably. Further, a variety of principles can be adapted to accommodate multiple shoes or a single shoe based on the configuration desired by the user. Furthermore, the principle can accommodate a single fan 70, or multiple fans, for drying purposes. For example, in one embodiment, the fans 70 attached to the conduit 30 can be partitioned into a “Y” shape, each having an air outlet 60 on each “Y” branch that houses a shoe 50. .
[0035]
Moreover, multiple ends of the air outlet 60 are also suitable, and other forms of outlet 60 may better direct air or better accommodate certain shoe sizes. For example, fan-like openings, such as those commonly used in Bunsen burners, will allow airflow to cover a large area inside the toe. A further embodiment is a rounded end that better accommodates the shape of the shoe. Further, it is not required that all air flow exit air outlet 60. As long as the majority of the airflow is directed to the inside of the toe, it may be possible to achieve similar results as the airflow is directed to other areas of the shoe.
[0036]
(Example)
The following examples illustrate various embodiments of the present invention:
Example 1: relative humidity
Five pairs of shoes are dried using the system according to the present invention via a dip-washing method. Use the measure as a means of correlating the drying of the relative humidity of the air exiting the vented bag (0 = not dry, 0.5 = slightly wet, as shown in Tables 1, 2) 0.75 = very slightly wet, 1 = dry). At various intervals, the relative humidity of the air exiting the vented bag is recorded and tested for dryness. The dryness of the shoe is measured by putting on a pair of thin socks, walking about 10 steps in the shoe, and putting the bare hands inside the shoe 50 to check the moisture content. The following types of shoes are used:
Pair # 1: New Balance M615SB, size 9EE (for men), running shoes, leather
Pair # 2: Reebok Classic Leather WT, size 9 (for women), casual shoes, leather
Pair # 3: New Balance MW571WT, size 9.5 (for men), walking shoes, leather
Pair # 4: Nike Walker ASII Plus, size 9 (for men), walking shoes, leather
Pair # 5: Easy Spirit Harbor, size 10.5 AA (for women), casual walking shoes, suede
Immersion washing is done in warm water with a Kenmore washer and rinsed with cold water using TIDE® with bleach substitute as detergent. The drying system is operated at low / high winds and includes a Remington hair dryer connected to the PVC tubing and directed to each shoe toe. Each shoe is placed in a vented bag about 46 cm in length and having four openings, each about 7 mm in diameter, at the distal end of the bag (near the toe). The relative humidity of the air flowing out of the vented bag at various stages of the drying cycle is measured with a Cole Parmer Tri-Sense meter.
[0037]
[Table 1]

0.00 = moist inside, not wearable
0.50 = Slightly moist inside, wearable border
0.75 = slightly wet, wearable
1.00 = Dry inside, wearable
As described in Table 1, the relative humidity exiting the vented bag 160 is recorded when the drying process begins after the shoe has gone through the immersion cleaning method. It also indicates that each shoe ID is an individual shoe test. In other words, the shoe ID "1L" is two separate shoe tests, where one shoe was considered dry when the relative humidity exiting the vented bag was about 11%. Thus, in the following experiments, shoes are considered dry even if the relative humidity exiting the bag is about 20%.
[0038]
As shown in the test shoes 2L and 3L, a relative humidity in the range of 20% midrange correlates to a wet, non-wearable shoe, indicated by a "0" in the middle row. Test shoes 2R and 3R have a relative humidity of about 18% and correlate to a slightly damp shoe, indicated in the middle row as "0.50". Test shoes 1R, 2L, 4R and 4L having an average relative humidity of 16.4% correlate to a very slightly damp wearable shoe, indicated by a rating of "0.75". Finally, the remaining samples illustrate that an average humidity in the range of 16% correlates to a dry, wearable shoe, indicated by "1".
[0039]
It should be mentioned that shoe 5R is a suede shoe, rather than a preferred leather embodiment. The high relative humidity of this shoe, which slightly distorts the material, is due to the fact that the outside of the leather dries much faster than the suede. As a result, the gist of this document that the relative humidity percentage would have been in the range of 15% was excluded.
[0040]
Subsequently, if the dry rating is equal to "1" and the shoe is considered wearable, the relative humidity reading will vary from about 11% to about 20%. Shoes are also considered wearable (ie, 0.75) or wearable border (ie, 0.50) when the relative humidity is between about 17% and about 19%. A relative humidity reading greater than about 20% indicates that the shoe is still wet and needs additional drying time. As a result, a relative humidity of the air exiting the vented bag (160) of about 20% should mean wearable leather shoes.
[0041]
Example 2: Dry to wear
An important aspect of the present invention is the determination of "dry to wear". Generally, for the purposes of the present invention, less than about 50 g, more preferably less than about 40 g, and most preferably less than about 30 g of water remains on the shoe after the drying process indicates a wearable dry shoe. The experiment is performed with 19 respondents assigned one of 13 shoe models with an average weight of about 397 g ranging from about 275 g to about 525 g dry weight. The dry weight gram (g) of each respondent's shoe is recorded and the shoe is subjected to numerous wash / dry cycles and each subsequent wash cycle and dried until the respondent determines that it is ready to wear . After the respondent determines that the shoe is wearable, the shoe is weighed to determine the amount of water (g) remaining on the shoe. A total of 108 tests were performed.
[0042]
[Table 2]

Column 1 of Table 2 shows the range of grams of water remaining in the shoe when dry to wear, divided by the dry weight of the shoe. Column 2 shows the number of samples that fall within each range of parameters in column 1. Column 3 shows the percentage of samples that fall within each range of parameters based on the total number of samples. Column 4 multiplies the average dry weight of the shoe by 397.2 g by the value in column 1 to determine the average number of grams of water remaining in the shoe. For example, if the total number of grams of water remaining in the shoe divided by the dry weight of the shoe falls between 0.117 water g / shoe g and 0.148 water g / shoe g of the total sample 108, two can be worn. Is determined to be dry. This means that the shoe is wearably dry in 2% of the sample when it contains between about 46.5 g and about 58.8 g of water. Subsequently, the material shows that the shoes are wearably dry in 51 out of 108 observations, or in about 47% of the samples, when containing about 23.4 g to about 58.8 g of water. Conversely, if the shoe contains more than 59 g of water, the shoe is not considered to be wearably dry. The above ranges may be on an absolute basis (i.e., less than 50 g, more preferably less than 40 g, and most preferably less than 30 g of water remain in the shoe after the drying process) or on a standard basis (i.e., 0.126 water g / g of shoes, more preferably 0.10 g of water / g of shoes, and most preferably 0.075 g of water / g of shoes. Determine the range.
[0043]
Example 3: Model shoes
A further improvement of the wearable drying test in Example 2 is based on a model shoe: Adidas Superstar II (U.S. men's dimensions 11 and 11.5, average dry weight 431.3 g, leather Fabric top, "textile" lining, and rubber soles). In particular, model shoes first undergo an immersion cleaning method and measure the average amount of water retained in the method. The immersion cleaning method involves washing in city water at about 30 ° C. (90 ° F.) using a Kenmore Series 90 washing machine, followed by a rinse at about 20 ° C. (70 ° F.). Subsequently, four shoes at a time are washed on a heavy-duty course using 30 g of Liquid Tide® with bleach substitute. On average, model shoes get 120 g of water, but in some cases about 175 g of water.
[0044]
Following the immersion cleaning method, the shoe is dried until it is considered dry for the participant to wear. As described in Table 3, about 47 g of water, or about 0.10 g of water / g of shoes may be retained in the model shoes and still considered dry to be wearable (this value is It falls within the preferred absolute range of less than 50 g of retained water and falls within the preferred standard range of 0.10 g water / g shoe to 0.075 g water / g shoe).
[0045]
As a result, on average about 73 g (120 g-47 g) of water must be removed from the model shoes in order for the shoes to be considered wearably dry.
[0046]
[Table 3]

[0047]
Example 4: Drying efficiency
In an embodiment of the present invention, the drying efficiency of the aforementioned shoe drying system is determined by subtracting the water remaining in the shoe after an hour of drying at a temperature of about 55 ° C. The weight of the model shoes was recorded both before and after the immersion cleaning method, and the difference is the gram value of the water obtained by the immersion cleaning. The shoe is then dried using the system and method according to the invention, or a hair dryer alone, and weighed at various intervals throughout the drying process. Table 4 shows alternative embodiments of the present invention, and the drying efficiency associated with the hair dryer alone.
[0048]
On average, any embodiment of the present invention also dries the model shoe to a dry state within one hour of initiating the drying method. Note that in all three experiments, the number of grams of water remaining in the shoe is derived by interpolation at the point in time. For example, in row 2, a shoe using a flexible tube has about 62 g of water remaining on the shoe at 50 minutes. At 70 minutes, the shoe has about 26 g of water remaining in the shoe. As a result, 60 minutes after drying, the interpolation shows that the shoe has 44 g of residual water.
[0049]
[Table 4]

As shown in Table 4, embodiments including the turbulence generator 20 have a drying efficiency of about 80 g / hr (about 127 g to about 47 g), and embodiments including the flexible tube 120 provide about 77 g / hr (about 77 g / hr). 121 g to about 44 g). The third column in Table 4 indicates that the drying efficiency of the hair dryer alone has a drying efficiency of about 69 g / hr (about 121 g to about 52 g). As a result, any embodiment of the present invention has greater drying efficiency than the hair dryer alone embodiment, and both embodiments have a drying efficiency of at least about 70 g / hr.
[0050]
In addition, changes in temperature, airflow, turbulence, and moisture retention can affect the drying efficiency of the shoe drying system and increase the drying efficiency to 120 g / hr.
[0051]
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that appropriate modifications may be made to the shoe drying system and method herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Some adaptations can be made. Therefore, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be considered in terms of the following claims, and is not limited to the details of construction and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.
[Brief description of the drawings]
While the specification sets forth the claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a shoe drying system according to an embodiment of the present invention inserted into a shoe.
FIG. 2 shows a turbulence generator.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a shoe drying system according to the invention, inserted into a partially cut shoe.
FIG. 4 shows a partial view of a further embodiment of a shoe drying system according to the invention and an enlarged view thereof.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a shoe drying system according to the invention.

Claims (10)

A shoe drying system, wherein the system comprises:
A fan that can be used to generate airflow;
Heating element;
A conduit having at least one outlet and directing airflow into the shoe; and means for enhancing the airflow along the length of the inside of the shoe. The system of claim 1, wherein the augmenting means comprises a turbulence generator, a plurality of tubes extending from the conduit, or both. The system of claim 2, wherein the turbulence generator comprises a blade. A shoe drying system, wherein the system comprises:
A fan that can be used to generate airflow;
Heating element;
At least one conduit adapted to direct at least a portion of the airflow into a shoe, the conduit having at least one outlet; and a vent for receiving a shoe and an outlet of the conduit. A bag having a proximal end for receiving the conduit, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a plurality of openings formed adjacent the distal end of the bag. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the opening is sized to maintain the vented bag inflated during operation of the fan. Shoe drying system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said system provides a drying efficiency of at least 70 g / h. Shoe drying system according to any preceding claim, wherein the temperature of the airflow at the outlet is less than 55C. Shoe drying system according to any preceding claim, wherein the airflow is between 150 m / min and 1220 m / min. A shoe drying system according to any preceding claim, further comprising a second conduit for directing at least a portion of the airflow into a second shoe, wherein the second conduit has an outlet. A method for washing and drying shoes, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps:
Equipped with shoes;
Immerse and wash the shoes;
Comprising a drying system including a conduit having a fan, a heating element, and an outlet usable for airflow generation;
Inserting the conduit into the shoe;
Direct the airflow into the interior of the shoe; and maintain the airflow to provide a drying efficiency of at least 70 g / hr within the first hour of drying.