WO2007012674A1

WO2007012674A1 - Shoe care device

Info

Publication number: WO2007012674A1
Application number: PCT/ES2005/000416
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Caserta; Fernando Mayor Sans; Julio Cesar Ruiz Ballesteros; Jose Antonio MUÑOZ MARTINEZ; David Moreno Perez; Xavier Alvarez Leal
Original assignee: Zobele España, S.A.
Priority date: 2005-07-22
Filing date: 2005-07-22
Publication date: 2007-02-01
Also published as: EP1917900A1; HK1115725A1; CA2616170A1; JP2009502223A; CA2616170C; JP4729618B2; EP1917900B1; ES2488665T3; MX2008000995A; BRPI0520518A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe care device comprising an applicator (2) and a lid (5) which is designed to be coupled to the applicator (2). According to the invention, the outer face (3) of the applicator is impregnated with a shoe-conditioning substance by means of roller dispensers (10) that are provided on the inner face (9) of the lid (5) which is also equipped with a container (4) for one such substance. The substance is dosed by opening the device and sliding the applicator (2) over the dispensers (10) along guides (8) that are provided on the side face (7) of the lid (5), said dispensers applying the optimal amount of the substance to the outer face (3) of the applicator (2), with which the shoe is subsequently rubbed and cleaned. Once used, the device is closed by coupling the applicator (2) transversely in the lid (5) which is preferably made from plastic with a transparent container (4). The device can also be equipped with a convenient ergonomic handle (1) which is joined to the applicator (2).

Description

DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR CARE

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has its application in the industrial sector dedicated to the manufacture of products for the treatment or care of shoes.

The invention described herein refers to a device for the care of footwear that is constituted from an applicator of shoe conditioning substance, attachable inside a lid where a reservoir with the cleaning, inking substance is available or brightener, distributed through dispensing means provided in

The same cover directly to the face of the applicator with which the shoe is rubbed, dosing the substance just when the device is opened.

An object of the invention is to allow cleaning of the shoes in a neat way, without suffering excesses in the application of the substance at the time of transferring it to the surface of the footwear.

Another object of the invention allow easy use of the device, giving ergonomics for handling by the user and a configuration adapted to any shoe for cleaning any area so ^'surface comfortably.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, many devices for cleaning and cleaning are known. polish shoes that basically comprise a deposit of shoe conditioning substance, usually sillcona or bitumen, which is applied to the inside of a sponge with which the user brightens the surface of their shoes.

The applicator sponge, usually made of polyurethane, can be incorporated into a cover included in the shoe cleaning device and directly impregnated with the shoe polishing or inking substance, as is the case of the package used for this function, among others, described in the Application for Utility Model ES 1038111 U.

In other cases, such as those described in the Utility Model ES 0134686 U and the application ES 1006298 U, the sponge for applying the liquid substance is in the shoe cleaning nozzle. The silicone or the bitumen access the sponge through a valve that acts as a dispensing means, but without obtaining an effective dosage of the substance. The arrangement of the liquid normally occurs in the inner breast of the sponge and takes place during the operation of cleaning the shoes that the user performs, thanks to the pressure exerted on the same sponge, or, because the user himself manually presses on the area of the deposit of polishing or inking substance.

This mechanism of application of the liquid on the surface of the shoe is quite imprecise in terms of the amount of silicone or bitumen released from the deposit to the sponge. It often happens that, since the user cannot get a sense of the amount of substance that is being dispensed, excessive application is caused and does not realize until the liquid reaches the surface of the sponge and is distributed through the shoe, in larger doses than really necessary. At that time, the user finds that he has let himself go too liquid towards

The sponge, due to the delay between the exit of the substance from the deposit until it is perceived on the surface of the shoe. Consequently, the shoe is very stained and the user is forced to remove the excess with a dry cloth.

In short, generally this type of device is therefore very dirty in its application. Another problem derived from this fact is that in such devices it is necessary to include a lid to avoid leaks or spills of the liquid during storage and it is recommended to place them in a stable position for this reason.

In the search for a solution to these problems, there are liquid or cream applicator devices for shoe cleaning that incorporate a spongy ball-shaped element that acts as a "roll-on" to achieve a completely uniform impregnation of the substance towards the applicator and on the shoe. Such a shoe cleaner, which is also provided with closing means with which it is possible to control whether or not liquid comes out, regardless of whether the package is inclined on the shoe, is that contemplated in the Invention Patent ES 2165273.

As for the liquid applicator element, made of sponge or foam, it is not known among the cleaning devices that are currently on the market the existence of said applicator configured with a geometry that allows to easily reach any area of the surface of the shoe that you want to clean, so that sometimes there are recesses and folds in the shoe, according to its design, that remain unable to be cleaned / inked / brightened.

Most shoe cleaners have poor ergonomics in terms of handling when cleaning and polishing shoes, which joins the inconvenience mentioned above about The user does not have in the device any indicator that informs him about the amount of substance to be dispensed or that remains to be applied. Obviously, the latter is possible in the classic shoe cleaning products in which the user must apply the cream or the bitumen himself by means of a cloth, but not in the current immediate application devices by sponge or impregnated foam, such as guys that have been mentioned so far.

However, it is known that there are some products where it is indicated if the conditioner tank is empty, but this "end of use" indicator is fictitious because surely there is still some substance outside the tank, in the dispensing valve or impregnating the applicator sponge

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comes to solve, among others, the problem set forth above, in each and every one of the different aspects set forth in the background.

Specifically, the invention relates to a device for the care or treatment of footwear, cleaner, brightener, inking or conditioner of shoes, comprising an applicator of suitable material to receive and apply a conditioning substance on the surface of a shoe, being also the device equipped with a cover adapted in shape and dimensions to the profile of the applicator to be attachable thereto. Optionally, the device may additionally comprise a handle connected by its base with the applicator.

The main differentiating characteristics of the invention with respect to the known background lie primarily in said cover. On the one hand, the substance used for the care of shoes is contained in a tank located in the device's own lid. In addition, the cover houses inside dispensing means of such substance that is impregnated and applied directly to the face of the applicator that is put in contact with the surface of the footwear to be cleaned.

The deposit of conditioning substance incorporated into the lid or at least part thereof is transparent, in order to be able to appreciate an end of use, that is, in order to allow seeing the amount of conditioning substance that remains in said deposit. This indication of the end of use is real, since when the substance of the deposit is finished, there is no drop of substance either in the applicator, since this is only impregnated when said applicator acts directly on the dispensing means included in the deposit and If there is nothing in it, it is certain that there is no substance left to apply.

The device can be used as a single use, that is, once the substance is finished, it can be discarded. But also, the deposit can be accessible to load it with more conditioning substance. The replacement of substance, the tank and the lid can be purchased by the consumer separately from the device itself for recharging.

The application of said substance in the applicator of the device is carried out with the same opening movement, which is carried out by dragging the applicator, by means of the handle, in a longitudinal direction to the cover to extract it from its interior. The handle can have an ergonomic design to facilitate the handling of the device, both for opening, closing and during the shoe cleaning task for which it is designed. In the upper part of its lateral face, the cover has guides where the peripheral edge of the base of the handle is coupled and allow that longitudinal displacement of the applicator, with which it passes by sliding along the internal face of said cover.

Due to the friction and pressure between the external face of the applicator, which is with which the surface of the footwear to be cleaned is subsequently rubbed, with the internal face of the cap, the dispensing means act by anointing the mentioned face of the applicator with a dose of optimal substance

Such dispensing means of the substance are capable of rotating in a plane transverse to the opening movement, simply by rubbing the applicator on them in its translation, by means of the guides, through the inside of the lid, passing the appropriate amount of donor substance to the external face of the applicator.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dispensing means may consist of a "roll-on" ball coupled to a lip disposed on the inner face of the lid, preferably made of plastic, on the substance reservoir that is located in said cover. Inside the tank, as an independent piece or integrated in its bottom, elastic means are provided, such as a spring, which push the ball towards the lip of the closing lid, to make the sealing while the device remains open or closed, that is, when the transverse opening displacement of the device is not being performed.

A dispensing of the conditioning substance can be carried out similarly with rollers, instead of a ball, that roll by leaving the substance from the tank when passing over the applicator and transferring it to its external face for the subsequent application to the shoe surface .

An advantage, therefore, of the proposed device is that the user always has the same amount of substance, the precise dose to normally clean a pair of shoes, in the applicator. When you need more, the user has to re-dose substance on the applicator by means of the dispensing means of the lid, whereby he must close the device and open it again according to the described procedure, sliding the applicator through the inner face of the lid.

In view of not wasting conditioning substance, one option is that the closing of the device is not done in the same direction as the sliding for the opening, but by transversely coupling the applicator to the lid. By closing the device in this way, the displacement of the applicator is not caused by the inside of the cover that entails the rotation of the dispensing means nor, therefore, substance leaves the tank, preventing it from being dried in the applicator waiting for a new use . The cover has a profile that favors the closing movement with the transverse coupling between the applicator and the cover, in addition to the fact that, by providing adequate retention means, such a transverse movement to the lid is prevented when it is required to open the device again, forcing to remove the applicator of the lid in the longitudinal direction, dragging it parallel to the face with the deposit of the substance for impregnation.

In the embodiment of the device with "roll-on" ball, another possible option to avoid wasting substance on the applicator when it is not used is that the ball is only able to rotate dragged by the applicator in the longitudinal opening direction and even in only one direction: the drag of the applicator inside the lid to open the device. Similarly, in the realization of the device with rollers, the waste of substance can be avoided, by providing means of blocking the movement that only allow its rotation in only one direction: that of extracting the applicator longitudinally with respect to the cover. While the device remains closed, the dispensing means are in contact with the foam but do not act because there is no movement that causes its rotation, with which the device can be stored and used in any position, without fear of loss of the substance or the applicator is impregnated unnecessarily until it is opened for immediate use. Contrary to what happens in other known shoe cleaners, it is not necessary that the device is vertical to apply the substance or keep it safely that there is no leakage to the applicator.

To minimize possible leaks of substance when closing the device, its applicator is provided with a cavity in correspondence with the dispensing means so that, when covering the external face of such an applicator with the cover in the closing of the device, the applicator cavity it receives said dispensing means in the coupling with the cover, allowing a considerable reduction of the pressure of the applicator on them, whereby no dispensing of substance is caused even when the device is fully closed.

Therefore, another essential advantage of the device is that it offers a neatness guarantee when used properly, apart from the ease and comfort involved in its use.

Additionally, the applicator's own aesthetic configuration, whose external face constitutes an extensive surface for easily rubbing a shoe, which is also finished off with a sharp pointed part, allows all areas of the footwear to be cleaned to be reached without difficulty.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. Illustrative and not limiting, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view from behind of the device for the care of the footwear that is recommended, located in a horizontal position, being able to observe the applicator element.

Figure 2.- Shows a perspective view from below of the shoe care device, located in an upright position to show the deposit of substance included in the lid.

Figure 3.- Shows a perspective view of the applicator, illustrating its external face which is intended to contact the surface of the footwear for treatment.

Figure 4.- It shows a perspective view of the cover of the device, showing on its internal face the means for dispensing shoe-conditioning substance, according to a possible embodiment with a "roll-on" ball.

Figure 5.- Shows a perspective view of the applicator and cover assembly that make up the device, proceeding to its opening and dispensing of the conditioning substance, according to the object of the invention.

Figure 6.- Shows a perspective view of the applicator and cover assembly that make up the device, in a state ready for closure after use. Figure 7.- Shows a perspective view of the cover of the device, showing in its internal face the dispensing means of conditioning substance, according to another alternative of embodiment with rollers.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures outlined, a device for shoe care that is composed of an ergonomic handle (1), designed with a geometry that allows the user to comfortably handle the device, incorporating a device can be described as a possible embodiment of the invention. Fluffy applicator (2), preferably made of polyurethane foam, at the base of said ergonomic handle (1), to be able to clean, polish or inking any area of the surface of the footwear by handling the device with one hand.

The sponge or foam applicator (2), preferably thermo-bonded on one side to the base of the handle (1), made of plastic, offers an external face (3) intended to be impregnated with an appropriate conditioning substance, which is contained in a tank (4) located in a cover (5) provided for the hermetic closing of the device, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

According to the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 3, the external face (3) of the applicator (2), which is the one that comes into contact with the surface of the shoe when it is cleaned, has a wide area for to be able to clean large flat areas of the shoes, topped by a tip (6) conveniently sharpened to be able to adapt to any shoe design, in order to facilitate the cleaning of the most difficult access areas that the shoe can present.

The cover (5) of the device, represented in Figure 4, has a configuration adapted formally and dimensionally to be attachable to the applicator (2), constituting as a body with a lateral face, a lateral and a superior mouthpiece, plus an internal face (9) where dispensing means (10) of the conditioning substance are incorporated. In the upper part of the side face of said cover (5), guides (8) are provided that fit the peripheral edge of the base of the handle (1) and facilitate the coupling of the assembly formed by said handle (1) with the applicator (2) incorporated, allowing a displacement of the external face (3) of the applicator (2) through the internal face (9) of the cover (5).

In said lid (5) the reservoir (4) of conditioning substance is located, within which dispensing means (10) of the substance is included which, according to an embodiment option as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, They consist of a plastic or rubber lip, where a "roll-on" ball is attached to make the sealing. When the device is opened simply by moving the applicator (2) in the longitudinal direction to the cover (5), the user having taken it by the handle (1), sliding the external face (3) of said applicator (2) through the internal face (9) of the cover (5), out of the guides (8) of said cover (5), as shown in Figure 5.

In this way, when displacement of the handle assembly (1) and applicator (2) through the inside of the cover (5), the applicator (2) rolls the dispensing means (10) housed in said cover (friction). 9), the dosage of the conditioning substance being suitably caused in such an applicator (2), by pushing the "roll-on" ball downwards, whose rotational movement causes the substance to leave the tank (4) and directly applied in external face (3) of the applicator (2).

Once the applicator (2) has made the transition along the entire internal face (9) of the cover (5), until the handle assembly is removed

(1) and applicator (2) outside said cover (5), elastic means are provided, such as a spring or a flexible piece that emerges from the same bottom of the tank (4), which push the ball again but upwards, closing the lip arranged on the inner face (9) of the lid (5) and thus guaranteeing The tightness.

Meanwhile, on the external face (3) of the applicator (2) the dispensing means (10) have left applied the fair and necessary amount to clean or polish a pair of shoes. Such external face (3) is provided, in an embodiment option, as shown in Figure 3, with a cavity (7) in correspondence with the arrangement of the dispensing means (10) of the device, so that the pressure of the applicator (2) on said dispensing means (10) is minimal when the device is closed, thus reducing the possibility that, if it is not being used, shoe conditioning substance comes out.

Subsequently, when the shoe care is finished or if another dosage of the substance is needed to treat more shoes, the user must close the device again, putting the applicator (2) inside the lid (5) so that it is loaded with more substance dosed by the dispensing means (10) from the reservoir (4). But, the closing of the device is not carried out in the same direction as its opening, but is carried out transversely to the cover (5), as illustrated in Figure 6, which prevents the applicator (2 from closing it). ) roll said dispensing means (10) and cause the conditioning substance dosage until it does not open again, avoiding wasting the substance. To achieve this closure in the transverse direction, facing the external face (3) of the applicator (2) with the internal face (9) of the lid (5), the lateral face of the lid (5) is provided with a profile that favors the fit between the handle (1) and said cover (5), introducing the applicator (2) through the upper mouth of said cover (5). In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the profile of the cover (5) additionally incorporates tabs (11) that are they engage in grooves (12) provided in the periphery of the handle (1), for the retention between the handle (1) and the cover (5), ensuring closure.

The same operation is achieved in the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 7, where the dispensing means (10) of the shoe cleaning and polishing substance consist of rollers that apply the substance to the applicator in rotation (2) when opening the device as explained above, from any position, vertical, horizontal or inclined, but in the longitudinal direction marked by the guides (8) of the cover (5).

The tank (4) incorporated into said lid (5) is constructed of transparent plastic, at least in part, to allow the user to visualize, even with the device closed, the remaining amount of substance in the tank (4) and realize When does it finish.

Although initially the device is designed to be used and discarded when the conditioning substance is finished, it is also provided that it can be reused by introducing a new liquid or cream cartridge, suitable for the treatment of footwear, inside the tank (4), placing it under Ia ball or roller that serve as dispensing means (10), for which the tank (4) is provided with an outer cover that allows easy access to the user and make the replacement of substance when necessary.

Claims

1.- Shoe care device, comprising an applicator (2) and a cap (5) configured to be attachable to the applicator (2), characterized in that said cap (5) includes a container (4) container of the substance footwear conditioner and houses dispensing means (10) capable of applying said substance on at least one external face (3) of the applicator (2) adapted to contact the surface of the footwear to be cleaned.

2.- Shoe care device, according to claim

1, characterized in that the dispensing means (10) consist of impregnable rollers of the substance contained in the tank (4) and are capable of rolling when sliding the external face (3) of the applicator (2) through the inside of the cap ( 5).

3.- Shoe care device, according to claim

1, characterized in that the dispensing means (10) consist of a ball impregnable with the substance contained in the tank (4) and is capable of rotating when sliding the outer face (3) of the applicator (2) through the inside of the cap ( 5).

4. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispensing means (10) are adapted to rotate in a single direction.

5. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the applicator (2) is configured to be coupled transversely to the cover (5).

6.- Device for shoe care, according to any of The preceding claims, characterized in that the applicator (2) is made of fluffy material.

7. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the external face (3) of the applicator (2) is topped by a pointed surface (6) that adapts to clean any area of the surface of footwear

8. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the external face (3) of the applicator (2) has a cavity (7) in correspondence with the dispensing means (10).

9. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it incorporates a handle (1) connected at its base with the applicator (2).

10. Device for shoe care, according to claim 9, characterized in that the handle (1) is ergonomic.

11. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (5) has, in the upper part of its side face, guides (8) where the peripheral edge of the handle is coupled (1), which allow the longitudinal sliding of the applicator (2) through the inside of said cover (5) until it is removed to open the device.

12. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (5) has, in the upper part of its side face, some tabs (11) that are coupled in grooves (12) provided on the peripheral edge of the base of the handle (one )-

13. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (4) is at least partially transparent.

14. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (4) has an access through which a replacement of conditioning substance is introduced.

15. Device for the care of footwear, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (4) is removable from the lid (5).