Shoe cleaning apparatus

Abstract

An improved shoe cleaning apparatus which includes a shoe cleaning station having a toe portion, a heel portion, two side portions, an upper surface platform; an air pipe in fluid communication with a source of compressed air; air control means for selectively allowing compressed air to flow through the air pipe; air outlet means in fluid communication with the air pipe for directing air along the sole of the shoe; and a debris catcher to capture and contain material blown from the shoe.

What is claimed as invention is:  
     
         1 . A shoe cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a shoe cleaning station including a toe portion, a heel portion, two side portions, an upper surface platform;    an air pipe in fluid communication with a source of compressed air;    air control means for selectively allowing compressed air to flow through said air pipe; and    air outlet means in fluid communication with said air pipe for directing air along the sole of the shoe.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further including holding means for elevating and holding a shoe sole above said upper surface platform so as to allow a sustained blast of air to be directed along the shoe sole when a shoe is placed in said shoe cleaning station.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said holding means comprises a length of pipe disposed on said upper surface platform of said shoe cleaning station.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a debris catcher disposed outwardly from said toe portion of said shoe cleaning station.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , further including brushes disposed at said side portions of said shoe cleaning station so as to engage and clean the sides of a shoe when the shoe is placed in said shoe cleaning station and pressed against the bristles of said brushes while moving the shoe forward and back from said toe portion to said heel portion of said cleaning station.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said air pipe includes a first and second vertical segment and a transverse segment interposed therebetween, and wherein said first and said second vertical segments are disposed upwardly from said side portions of said shoe cleaning station such that a user may hold said transverse segment to steady himself or herself during use.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said air control means comprises a manually activated air control valve.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said air control means is situated on said transverse segment of said air pipe.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said air outlet means comprises an extension of said air pipe disposed transversely across said upper surface platform at said heel portion of said shoe cleaning station, and wherein said extension includes a plurality of apertures for releasing compressed air.  
     
     
         10 . A shoe cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a cleaning platform having a heel portion and a toe portion and two side portions;    at least one brush disposed on each of said side portions so as to engage the side of a shoe when the shoe is placed on said cleaning platform;    a compressed air system for forcefully blowing material debris from the sole of a shoe when the shoe is placed on said cleaning platform, said air system in fluid communication with a source of compressed air and including an air outlet pipe disposed at said heel portion of said cleaning platform and including openings through which air is released and directed at high velocity along the sole of a shoe, and control means for regulating the volume and rate at which air is released from said openings in said air outlet pipe; and    a debris catcher for capturing and containing debris blown from a shoe by said compressed air system.    
     
     
         11 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said cleaning platform includes elevation means for keeping the sole of a shoe exposed while the wearer of the shoe stands in the cleaning station.  
     
     
         12 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said elevation means comprises a elevated ridge member running longitudinally from said heel portion to said toe portion of said cleaning station.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said openings in said air outlet pipe are holes.  
     
     
         14 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said openings in said air outlet pipe are slots.  
     
     
         15 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said openings in said air outlet pipe include both holes and slots.  
     
     
         16 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , further including support means for a user to steady himself or herself while using said shoe cleaning apparatus.  
     
     
         17 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said support means comprises a length of air pipe in said compressed air system.  
     
     
         18 . The shoe cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said control means is disposed on said support means so as to be manipulable by a user while standing at said shoe cleaning apparatus with one shoe placed on said cleaning platform.