WO2023245230A1

WO2023245230A1 - Shoe storage device and system

Info

Publication number: WO2023245230A1
Application number: PCT/AU2023/050543
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stella GRAMMENOS-DIMADIS
Original assignee: Incandescent Sky Investments Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2022-06-20
Filing date: 2023-06-19
Publication date: 2023-12-28

Abstract

A device for storing footwear comprising: a body defining an internal space for storing the footwear and having an opening for accessing the internal space; a drawer member configured to be slidingly received within the opening, the drawer member configured to support at least one pair of footwear thereon; wherein the drawer member has a front face and at least one support member removably attached thereto, the front face being configured such that when the drawer member is inserted into the internal space of the body the front face closes the opening and the at least one support member being adjustable to separate the footwear of the at least one pair of footwear supported thereon.

Description

SHOE STORAGE DEVICE AND SYSTEM

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2022901682 filed 20 June 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a storage device and system, and in particular, to a storage device and system for storing footwear, such as shoes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Footwear, such as shoes, sandals and the like, come in a variety of forms depending upon their purpose. For leisure pursuits, footwear may comprise athletic shoes made from materials that are capable of sustaining wear but which also provide the wearer with a degree of support and comfort. Fashion footwear, particularly those designed for women, are directed towards providing an aesthetic appeal and utilise materials that are directed towards aesthetics, rather than support and comfort. Irrespective of the type of footwear, quality footwear is expensive and requires a degree of care to ensure that the footwear maintains its desirable look and function over time.

In many situations, when a wearer removes their footwear, the individual items can become displaced or lost, causing frustration to the wearer. This is largely due to the individual shoes or items being separate pieces and if the items are not maintained together in pairs following removal, the separate pieces can be displaced. Similarly, if the items of footwear are maintained on a floor space in a wardrobe, closet or the like, it is possible that other items may be placed on top of the footwear, which can scuff and damage the footwear. This is a considerable problem with expensive and fashion items, as minor damage can render the footwear unwearable.

A variety of shoe racks and the like have been proposed for aligning shoes in pairs on an elevated surface for storage purposes. Other types of cabinets have also been proposed to receive footwear for storage. However, such devices are generally configured to receive the footwear items en masse, rather than in individual pairs, which can cause damage to items if not handled carefully. Furthermore, boxes and similar enclosures for storing shoes are typically air-tight and provide little aeration, which can result in undesired odours and moisture collecting in the footwear, which is undesirable.

Thus, there is a need to provide a device for storing footwear that retains the footwear in pairs, keeps the footwear aerated and protects the items from inadvertent damage in a simple and convenient manner.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a device for storing footwear comprising: a body defining an internal space for storing the footwear and having an opening for accessing the internal space; a drawer member configured to be slidingly received within the opening, the drawer member configured to support at least one pair of footwear thereon; wherein the drawer member has a front face and at least one support member removably attached thereto, the front face being configured such that when the drawer member is inserted into the internal space of the body the front face closes the opening and the at least one support member being adjustable to separate the footwear of the at least one pair of footwear supported thereon.

In one embodiment, the support member is configured to support one item of footwear of a pair of items of footwear in an elevated manner above the other item of footwear in the pair of items of footwear.

The drawer member may have two support members removably attached thereto to define four storage compartments in the drawer member, each storage compartment configured to receive one item of footwear of two pairs of items of footwear.

The body may have a roof and a base and wherein the roof may be configured to be complimentary to the base to facilitate vertical stacking of devices.

The roof may be configured to have a convex configuration and the base may be configured to have a concave configuration such that when one device is stacked atop another device the concave base of the upper device mates with the convex roof of the lower device.

The at least one of the roof or base may have at least one rail extending longitudinally therealong and the other of the roof or base may have at least one channel extending longitudinally therealong such that when the devices are stacked in a vertical manner, the at least one rail in the roof or base of one of the devices may be received within the at least one channel in the roof or base of the other of the devices.

The front face of the drawer member may compriss a panel that is configured to be snugly received within the opening of the body.

The panel may be substantially planar and may have perforations formed therein to facilitate air flow into and out of the body when the drawer member is in a closed position.

The drawer member may comprise a base plate extending from the front face thereof. The base plate may be attached to a front plate that may be attached to an inner surface of the front face.

The base plate may project rearwardly from a lower end of the front plate and may terminate in a rear plate that may extend substantially perpendicular to the base plate so as to be substantially parallel with the front face and front plate.

The front plate, base plate and rear plate may be integrally formed from a single piece of material.

The at least one support member may be removably attached to extend between the front plate and the rear plate.

A vertical position of the at least one support member with respect to the front plate and rear plate may be adjustable.

The internal space may comprise a camera to provide a user with a visual indication of the contents of the device.

The internal space may comprise a disinfection system to provide disinfection of the footwear stored therein.

The disinfection system may comprises one or more LEDs mounted to an internal surface of the body. The LEDs may emit short-wavelength ultraviolet light in the UC (UV-C) spectrum to irradiate the internal space of the main body when the drawer member is inserted therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe storage device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the shoe storage device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the shoe storage device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a drawer member of the shoe storage device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the drawer member of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a drawer member of the shoe storage device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the drawer member of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shoe storage device with the drawer member of Fig. 4 partially withdrawn;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a shoe storage device with the drawer member of Fig. 6 partially withdrawn;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of a shoe storage device with the drawer member of Fig. 4 in use;

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view of a shoe storage device with the drawer member of Fig. 6 in use;

Fig. 12 is a shoe storage system employing a plurality of shoe storage devices of Fig. 1 in a stacked manner; and

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe storage device showing a disinfection arrangement for disinfecting footwear in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The storage device of the present invention will be described below in relation to its use in storing pairs of shoes. However, it will be appreciated that the storage device of the present invention could be used to store and contain a variety of different types of footwear and other clothing and accessories, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Referring to Fig.l - Fig. 3, a storage device 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The storage device 10 generally comprises a body 12, defining a rectangular box shape, into which shoes are to be stored in the manner as will be described in more detail below.

The body 12 comprises substantially vertical side walls 14 extending between a base 11 and a roof 13. The base 11 and the roof 13 extend longitudinally between a rear wall 15 and a front frame member 16, with the roof 13 having a substantially convex profile and the base 11 having a substantially convex profile, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The degree of curvature of the base 11 is substantially the same as the degree of curvature of the roof 13 such that when to devices 10 are stacked atop one another the base 11 of the upper device 10 conforms to the roof 13 of the lower device 10. To facilitate stability of such stacked devices 10, the base 11 has a pair of spaced apart rails I la extending longitudinally therealong and the roof 13 has a pair of channels 13a extending longitudinally therealong, in a similar spaced manner. The depth of the channels 13a is sufficient to accommodate the rails I la when the devices 10 are stacked in a vertical manner, such that the devices mate in a vertical stack.

A drawer member 18 is mounted within the front frame 16 to be accommodated within the body 12, as shown. The drawer member 18 has a front panel 17 that is configured to be snugly received within the front frame 16. The front panel 17 is substantially planar and has perforations 18a formed therein to facilitate air flow into and out of the body 12 when the drawer member is in the closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A central recess 19 is also formed in the front panel to facilitate gripping by a user to slide the drawer member 18 into and out of the body 12, in a manner as described in more detail below.

One embodiment of a drawer member 18 of the present invention is depicted in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. In this embodiment, the drawer member 18 comprises a base plate 20 extending from a front plate 22 that is attached to an inside surface of the front face 17. The front plate 22 and the front face 17 are attached in a manner such that the perforations 18a extend through both the front plate 22 and the front face 17 to permit air flow into and out of the body 12. The base plate 20 projects rearwardly from a lower end of the front plate 22 and terminates in a rear plate 21 that extends substantially perpendicular to the base plate 20, so as to be substantially parallel with the front face 17 and front plate 22. In the embodiment as shown, the front plate 22, base plate 20 and rear plate 21 are integrally formed from a single piece of material, which may be a metal, such as a steel plate, or a plastic material moulded to form the desired shape.

As is best shown in Fig. 5, a rear surface of the front plate 22 has a hook members

23 formed thereon. The hook members 23 are arranged in two pairs, an upper pair and a lower pair, and are spaced apart to be located towards adjacent sides of the front plate 22. As best shown in Fig. 4, the rear plate 21 has openings or recesses

24 formed therein. In the embodiment as depicted, three pairs of recesses 24 are provided so as to be vertically displaced along the height of the rear plate 21, although the number and orientation of the recesses 24 may vary between embodiments of the present invention.

The hook members 23 and recesses 24 facilitate mounting of a support member 25 between the front plate 22 and the rear plate 21 of the drawer member 18. As is shown in Fig. 5, the support member 25 comprises a front portion 26, a rear portion 27 and an intermediate portion 29 joining the front portion 26 and the rear portion 27. The front portion 26 and the rear portion 27 are configured to be substantially flat and extend in a parallel manner to each other. The front portion 26 is higher than the rear portion 27, such that the intermediate portion 29 forms a downwardly directed angled surface. A front edge of the front portion 26 has a lip (not shown) that is received over the hook members 23 formed on the inner surface of the front plate to support and locate the front portion 26 of the support member in position. The rear edge of the rear portion 27 has hook members 28 extending therefrom to engage with the recesses 24 formed in the rear plate 21, as shown in Fig. 5. In this regard, the support member 25 is removably mounted between the front plate 22 and the rear plate 21 such that it can be vertically adjusted to support shoes of different shapes and sizes, as required. In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 5, the drawer member 18 comprises two spaces A and B for receiving a shoe for storage.

Referring to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is depicted. In this embodiment, the drawer member 18 has two support members 25 mounted between the front plate 22 and the rear plate 21. The support members 25 are mounted in the same manner as described above in relation to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, with the vertical distance between the support members 25 maximised to maximise the storage space. As is depicted more clearly in Fig. 7, by employing two support members 25, four storage spaces C, D, E and F are provided to facilitate storage of two pairs of shoes.

In the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, a divider member 30 is provided to divide the space between the spaces D and E formed between the support members 25. The divider member 30 is in the form of a plate having an end projection (not shown) that engages within a recess 25a formed in the support member 25. In this arrangement, the divider member 30 projects from an underside of the support member 25 to provide a substantially horizontal surface to support a shoe in the space E. To access the space D, the divider member 30 is able to pivot in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7.

As is shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, the drawer member 18 is received within the front frame 16 such that it is able to slide into and out of the body 12. One or more damping devices, such as springs or other damping means, may be provided between the drawer member 18 and the body 12 to provide for soft closing of the draw member 18. In this regard, as the drawer member 18 is pushed into the front frame 16 of the body 12, the drawer member 18 may push against the damping device at the end of the sliding action, prior to engaging into position. Similarly, the drawer member 18 may be spring loaded such that to release the drawer member 18 from the body 12 the drawer member 18 may be simply depressed to disengage from the body 12 such that the spring loaded mechanism may provide a degree of propulsion of the drawer member 18 away from the body 12. Such an action can assist in opening the device 10.

Typically, the drawer member 18 is removed to position the shoes therein and to adjust the support members 25 to define the storage spaces accordingly. The drawer member 18 is then inserted through the front frame 16 and into the body 12 to be securely contained in the manner as shown in Fig. 1. In this arrangement, the shoes are not only kept together in a pair, but they are also secured and protected from damage which may occur through contact with other shoes and similar handling issues. The storage space within the body 12 receives air flow to prevent moisture build-up and minimise odour collection.

As is shown in Fig. 10, the storage device 10 can be simply configured to store a pair of shoes in a secure manner, with the internal space of the device 10 defining two storage spaces A and B. In this arrangement, a single support member 25 is provided to support one of the shoes in an elevated manner as shown. In Fig. 10, two support members 25 are provided to define four storage spaces C, D, E and F. As is shown, the support members 25 can be spaced to accommodate different sizes of shoes as well as different shoe styles, such that two pairs of footwear can be stored in the device 10. It will be appreciated that varying the vertical height and horizontal width of the device 10, the number of pairs of shoes able to be stored in the device can be varied.

To provide a degree of security, each device may employ a locking mechanism to prevent unauthorised removal of the footwear. In this regard, upon insertion of the drawer member 18 into the body 12, the locking mechanism may securely engage the drawer member 18 and the body 12 together. The locking mechanism may only be activated by way of a mechanical key or combination arrangement to unlock the drawer member 18 from engagement with the body 12. Alternatively, the locking mechanism may be electrically activated/deactivated by way of a signal emitted from a smart phone or the like. In this regard, the internal space of the device 10 may include a camera or the like to provide a user with a visual indication of the contents of the device 10 without requiring the device 10 to be opened. Such a facility may be provided by way of a smartphone application whereby the user can interrogate the internal camera of the device 10 through their smartphone or similar electronic device to view the contents of the device 10 without having to physically open/unlock the device 10.

The device 10 may also be configured to provide disinfection of the footwear whilst stored therein to kill or inactivate microorganisms present in the footwear. To achieve this, the internal surfaces of the roof 13, side walls 14, rear wall 15 and base 13 of the device may have LEDs 40 mounted therein to irradiate the internal space of the main body 12 when the drawer member 18 is inserted therein. The LEDs 40 may emit short-wavelength ultraviolet light in the UC (UV-C) spectrum, which is known to penetrate the cells of organisms to disrupt and destroy the molecular bonds that form the DNA that is crucial for proper cell function. As such, organisms, such as mould and fungi, which may be present in the footwear can be eradicated. The LEDs 40 may be controlled to activate upon initial insertion of the drawer member 18 into the main body 12 of the device 10 and to remain activated for a predetermined period of time to treat the footwear. Alternatively, the LEDs may be activated by a switch or wireless controller, as required by the user. The LEDs 40 are positioned on the internal surfaces of the main body 12 to provide full coverage of the footwear when positioned on the drawer member 18. Whilst Fig. 13 only depicts the LEDs 40 on the roof of the main body, 12, it will be appreciated that the LEDs 40 may be positioned over each of the internal surfaces of the main body 12, to ensure full coverage of the irradiating light onto the footwear.

Referring to Fig. 12, due to the shape of the devices 10 and the complimentary configuration of the base 11 and roof 13 of each device 10, multiple devices 10 can be arranged in a stacked manner as shown. The devices 10 can be arranged to against a wall in a wardrobe or room to contain shoes in a tidy and convenient manner. The devices 10 can each be labelled to identify the shoes contained therein and each device 10 can be simply removed from the stack as required.

It will be appreciated that the device of the present invention provides a simple and effective means for storing footwear in pairs in a contained manner that protects the items from inadvertent damage and which is simple and convenient to use. The devices can be easily adjustable to suit different types of shoes and have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Multiple devices can be stacked in a manner that provides multiple storage solutions for accommodating shoes of a variety of different sizes and forms in a convenient manner.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the device uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A device for storing footwear comprising: a body defining an internal space for storing the footwear and having an opening for accessing the internal space; a drawer member configured to be slidingly received within the opening, the drawer member configured to support at least one pair of footwear thereon; wherein the drawer member has a front face and at least one support member removably attached thereto, the front face being configured such that when the drawer member is inserted into the internal space of the body the front face closes the opening and the at least one support member being adjustable to separate the footwear of the at least one pair of footwear supported thereon.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is configured to support one item of footwear of a pair of items of footwear in an elevated manner above the other item of footwear in the pair of items of footwear.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the drawer member has two support members removably attached thereto to define four storage compartments in the drawer member, each storage compartment configured to receive one item of footwear of two pairs of items of footwear.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the body has a roof and a base and wherein the roof is configured to be complimentary to the base to facilitate vertical stacking of devices.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the roof is configured to have a convex configuration and the base is configured to have a concave configuration such that when one device is stacked atop another device the concave base of the upper device mates with the convex roof of the lower device.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one of the roof or base has at least one rail extending longitudinally therealong and the other of the roof or base has at least one channel extending longitudinally therealong such that when the devices are stacked in a vertical manner, the at least one rail in the roof or base of one of the devices is received within the at least one channel in the roof or base of the other of the devices.

7. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the front face of the drawer member comprises a panel that is configured to be snugly received within the opening of the body. A device according to claim 7, wherein the panel is substantially planar and has perforations formed therein to facilitate air flow into and out of the body when the drawer member is in a closed position. A device according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the drawer member comprises a base plate extending from the front face thereof. A device according to claim 9, wherein the base plate is attached to a front plate that is attached to an inner surface of the front face. A device according to claim 10, wherein the base plate projects rearwardly from a lower end of the front plate and terminates in a rear plate that extends substantially perpendicular to the base plate so as to be substantially parallel with the front face and front plate. A device according to claim 11, wherein front plate, base plate and rear plate are integrally formed from a single piece of material. A device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one support member is removably attached to extend between the front plate and the rear plate. A device according to claim 13, wherein a vertical position of the at least one support member with respect to the front plate and rear plate is adjustable. A device according to claim 1, wherein the internal space includes a camera to provide a user with a visual indication of the contents of the device. A device according to claim 1, wherein the internal space comprises a disinfection system to provide disinfection of the footwear stored therein. A device according to claim 16, wherein the disinfection system comprises one or more LEDs mounted to an internal surface of the body. A device according to claim 17, wherein the LEDs emit short-wavelength ultraviolet light in the UC (UV-C) spectrum to irradiate the internal space of the main body when the drawer member is inserted therein.