RU73595U1 - DEVICE FOR DRYING SHOES - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for drying shoes (1), in particular for drying sports shoes, contains at least one body (2) inserted into the shoe, consisting of the lower part (3) and the upper part (4), as well as located in the housing (2) a heating element (5) and at least one source of electromagnetic radiation (8), which in the operating mode emits electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of less than 400 nm for bactericidal treatment of air. At least one through inlet (6) is made in the lower part (3) of the casing (2), and at least one outlet (7) for air to pass through the casing (2) is made in the upper part (4) of the casing (2).

Description

The invention relates to devices for drying shoes, in particular athletic shoes, such as ski shoes.

Athletic shoes, such as tennis shoes or ski boots, typically contain microclimate elements that can absorb sweat from the human foot. The presence of such elements of the microclimate ensures comfortable wearing of shoes for a long time, including in the case of significant physical exertion with a high level of perspiration. However, the presence of microclimate elements in the shoes that absorb perspiration leads to the appearance of certain

problems after operating shoes. If there is not enough time for the natural evaporation of the liquid adsorbed in the elements, the boot stays wet, which can cause discomfort when the boot is put on again. In addition, in a humid environment, ideal conditions are created for the life and reproduction of pathogens located in the internal cavity of the shoe.

Known for a variety of devices for drying shoes, corresponding to the state of the art, operating with a fan. By using a fan, intensive air recirculation is achieved with a high air flow rate and, thus, quick drying of shoes. Tests have already been conducted on devices that allow disinfection of exhausted or recirculated air along with drying, but this did not lead to the expected results or to unsatisfactory results.

A device for drying shoes is known (see patent RU No. 2284742, IPC A47L23 / 20, published on 08/10/2006), comprising a small electric drive air blower installed in a hollow body made in the form of a flat rectangular parallelepiped with rounded corners and holes in them for fastening, placed during drying inside shoes. The device also includes a power supply with an electric cord and a stabilizer of a constant working position, mounted in the holes of the housing. The stabilizer is made in the form of an open three-dimensional structure of a spherical shape formed by two wire rings mounted in diametrically opposite openings of the housing. The drying process is ensured by inserting an air blower with a stabilizer inside the shoe and the device included in the network.

The inclusion in the known design of electric

air blower and stabilizer makes the device more expensive.

A device for drying shoes is known (see patent RU No. 36611, IPC A47L23 / 20, published March 20, 2004), comprising an electric drive air blower installed in a hollow housing, an electric drive power supply circuit including an electric cord with a plug. The hollow body is made in the form of a shell made of a mesh repeating the cross-sectional shape of the body of the electric air blower. A nest is made in the shell to accommodate an element of a material with an open porous structure with an antiseptic applied to its surface.

The use of electric drive air blower in the design of the device for drying shoes significantly increases the cost of the device.

A device for drying shoes is known (see application RU No. 2003135870, IPC A47L23 / 20, published May 20, 2005), which contains a solid sorbent placed in a gas-permeable enclosure to prevent its scattering.

The known device has a simple design, small dimensions and does not require energy, but the drying process is quite long, in addition, the sorbent must be regenerated or replaced after each use.

A device for drying shoes is known (see application RU No. 2003113075, IPC F26D9 / 06, published October 27, 2004), which coincides with the claimed solution for the largest number of essential features and taken as a prototype. The device comprises a housing with inlet and outlet openings located therein, wherein the inlet openings are located in the lower part of the enclosure, where a heating element with an adjustable temperature range is installed, and the outlet is in the upper part of the enclosure and is connected with exhaust apartment ventilation.

The known prototype device requires for the operation of the apartment exhaust ventilation and also does not provide disinfection of the exhaust air.

Based on these data, and based on the current state of the art, the objective of the claimed utility model was to develop such a device for drying shoes, indicated at the beginning of this document, with which it would be possible to easily and efficiently carry out effective drying of shoes in combination with its bactericidal treatment.

The problem is solved in that the device for drying shoes includes at least one removable enclosure inserted into the shoe, consisting of a lower part in which at least one through-hole is made, and an upper part, each made of at least one through outlet, a heating element and at least one source of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of less than 400 nm (ultraviolet radiation), placed in the housing.

The body of the device for drying shoes can be made elongated in horizontal projection and have several inlet openings in its lower part and several outlet openings in its upper part, which are distributed along the length of the case.

The lower part of the housing can be equipped with fixed spacers.

In the housing of the device for drying shoes can be placed several sources of electromagnetic radiation to uniformly irradiate the interior of the housing.

One or more inlets may be made in the lowest portion of the lower portion of the housing and one or more inlets may be made in the highest portion of the upper portion of the housing.

The heating element can be located at

half the height of the body.

In the inventive device for drying shoes there are no any additional means that cause active convection, such as a fan or the like. The case of the device, introduced when it is used in the boot, is located over a significant part of the insole of the boot (the inside of the sole) and gives off heat to the inner element of the microclimate of the boot. Thereby, the air contaminated by microorganisms is heated inside the boot, and the evaporation of existing moisture is ensured.

Since the air heated during the operation of the device naturally rises up, and for this only one or several inlets can be used in the lower part of the housing, the air, along with microorganisms, is forcibly forced through the housing and subjected there to electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of less than 400 nanometers, which leads to the suppression of the vital activity of microorganisms. The air disinfected in this way then exits again through one or more outlet openings in the upper part of the housing.

The creation and use of natural convection in a device for drying shoes according to a utility model has the advantage that the air flow rate during the action of electromagnetic radiation is lower than, for example, in the case of fans. This achieves a relatively long time of irradiation of air in the housing, which is a favorable condition for the most complete bactericidal treatment of air.

For drying the most common shoe models, the body is predominantly oblong, elongated in horizontal projection and equipped with several inlet and outlet openings with their distribution along the entire length of the body, so that the shoe is uniformly dried in all its

areas.

For the best use of the created natural convection of air, it seems advisable to form spacers on the lower part of the housing. This facilitates the penetration of air through the lower part into the housing of the shoe dryer.

To achieve the most uniform irradiation of air inside the housing, it is preferable to install several sources of electromagnetic radiation in it, which should be located so that the interior of the housing is mainly exposed to volume-independent uniform radiation.

To ensure the maximum residence time of the air inside the housing or to provide the longest possible route for the air flow under the action of electromagnetic radiation, it can be provided that at least one inlet or several inlets are located in the lowest part of the lower part of the housing or at least one outlet or several outlet openings in the uppermost portion of the upper part of the housing.

The heating element may be located anywhere in the housing. However, in order to uniformly heat the entire internal space of the boot, it seems appropriate to place the heating element at half the height of the frame.

Other features, advantages, and operating principles are given in the interconnection of the description and the example of the design presented below, due to which an even more complete picture of the utility model is given.

The inventive device for drying shoes is illustrated in the drawing, where:

figure 1: shows a top view of a device for drying shoes with two cases;

figure 2: shows a schematic cross section under a straight line

an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shoe drying apparatus body installed in the shoe according to the utility model;

figure 3: shows a wiring diagram that ensures the operation of the heating element and the source of electromagnetic radiation.

The device 1 (see FIG. 1) for drying shoes includes two oblong, elongated bodies 2, partially permeable to gases, the dimensions of which in length, width and depth approximately correspond to the internal dimensions of the shoe. The device 1 may contain one housing 2. The housing 2 (see figure 2) consists of a lower part 3 and an upper part 4, which can be made of plastic by injection molding and can be detachably connected to each other using, for example, screws. At about half the height H, a heating element 5 is located in the casing 2. In the lower part 3 of the casing 2, predominantly through its inlets 6 are made, which are located at an equal distance from each other. In the upper part 4 of the housing 2, mainly on its upper side, rounded through-through exhaust openings 7 are made, which are also located at an equal distance from each other. In the case 2 is also installed a source 8 of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of less than 400 nm (ultraviolet radiation source). Non-removable spacers 9 are formed on the lower part 3 of the casing 2 on the sides. The spacers 9 when installing the casing 2 in the boot provide sufficient clearance between the lower portion of the lower part 3 of the casing 2, provided with inlets 6, and the insole (inner part of the sole) of the boot. Spacers 9 are formed along their length and width with minimum dimensions in order to ensure unhindered air circulation. Both cases 2 are connected by cable 10 with a plug, which ensures the supply of the necessary power during operation of the device 1 for drying shoes.

Thanks to the design solutions provided

tending to rise up, heated air can enter the housing 2 through the inlet 6 and, washing the heating element 5 there, heat up to the required temperature, which contributes to air circulation.

At the same time, even before it leaves the exit openings 7 of the upper part 4 of the housing 2, it is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the electromagnetic radiation source 8, as a result of which the vital functions of microorganisms that can be transported together with the air are suppressed. Therefore, the air leaving the outlet openings 7 is humid due to the drying process, however, it does not contain microorganisms and can be returned to the external environment without fear.

And finally, figure 3 presents the electrical connection diagram, which is preferred for use within this utility model. This circuit provides both heating resistor elements R1, R2, R3, R4 constituting the heating element 5, and two LEDs L1, L2 constituting the electromagnetic radiation source 8 with a wavelength of less than 400 nm, so that the heating element 5 and source 8 of electromagnetic radiation. The electronic components shown are mounted on a single electronic board. In those places of the board where the resistor elements R1, R2, R3, R4 are mounted, there are holes and recesses, so that air can also pass through the board at the same time, and at the same time it is in contact with resistor elements R1, R2, R3, R4 and, thereby, its excellent heating.

The shoe drying apparatus according to the utility model is basically designed to operate without a fan and / or blower, and therefore has an extremely simple construction.

Claims (6)

1. A device for drying shoes, comprising at least one detachable body to be inserted into the shoe, consisting of a lower part in which at least one through-inlet is made, and an upper part, in each of which is made at least one through-out, heating an element and at least one source of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of less than 400 nm, placed in the housing. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said housing is elongated in horizontal projection and has at least two inlets in its lower part and at least two outlet openings in its upper part, spaced along the length of the housing. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that fixed spacers are formed on the lower part of the housing. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two sources of electromagnetic radiation are placed in the housing for uniformly irradiating the interior of the housing. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one inlet is located in the lowest portion of the lower part of the housing and at least one outlet is located in the highest portion of the upper part of the housing. 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating element is located at half the height of the housing.