Automatic Shoe Cover Dispensing Device

Abstract

An improved covering apparatus for covering shoes, bare feet, or other appendages, wherein the device includes a pedal system that has a low positioned actuator pedal and a mechanism to release a shoe cover when the actuator is engaged by a user.

1 . An improved apparatus for dispensing covers for at least partially covering an appendage of a user, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a base structure;   b. an actuator pedal system including an actuator pedal, wherein the upper surface of the actuator pedal is no greater than about 4.5 centimeters from the upper surface of the base structure when the apparatus is substantially assembled;   c. a plurality of rotatable posts, each post including an upper interactive end and a lower engagement end, wherein the upper interactive end is engagable with at least one appendage cover when the actuator pedal is in an unactuated position; and   d. at least one transmission member for transmitting force from the actuator pedal system to the rotatable posts such that when the actuator pedal is actuated by a user, the rotatable posts rotate, thereby causing the upper interactive ends to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the upper interactive ends.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the upper surface of the actuator pedal is no greater than about 4.0 centimeters from the upper surface of the base structure when the apparatus is substantially assembled. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upper interactive ends are integrated with the rotatable posts. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base structure comprises a cover plate. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the upper interactive ends prevent more than one appendage cover from disengaging from the upper interactive ends during a single actuation event. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator pedal system includes a plurality of rotatable gears such that the at least one transmission member transmits force from the rotating gears to the rotatable posts. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator pedal system includes at least one rotating linkage such that the at least one transmission member transmits force from the rotating linkage to the rotatable posts. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of rotatable posts comprises a first rotatable post and a second rotatable post. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a. a cross beam movable along the first rotatable post and the second rotatable post;   b. a cross beam first spring aligned along the first rotatable post;   c. a cross beam second spring aligned along the second rotatable post, wherein the cross beam first spring and the cross beam second spring bias the cross beam toward the upper interactive ends.   
   
   
       10 . An improved apparatus for dispensing covers for at least partially covering an appendage of a user, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a base structure;   b. an actuator pedal system including an actuator pedal;   c. a plurality of rotatable posts, each post integrally including an upper interactive end and a lower engagement end, wherein the upper interactive end is engagable with at least one appendage cover when the actuator pedal is in an unactuated position; and   d. at least one transmission member for transmitting force from the actuator pedal system to the rotatable posts such that when the actuator pedal is actuated by a user the rotatable posts rotate, thereby causing the upper interactive ends to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the upper interactive ends.   
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the base structure comprises a cover plate. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the actuator pedal system includes at least one rotating linkage such that the at least one transmission member transmits force from the rotating linkage to the rotatable posts. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of rotatable posts comprises a first rotatable post and a second rotatable post. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a. a cross beam movable along the first rotatable post and the second rotatable post;   b. a cross beam first spring aligned along the first rotatable post;   c. a cross beam second spring aligned along the second rotatable post, wherein the cross beam first spring and the cross beam second spring bias the cross beam toward the upper interactive ends.   
   
   
       15 . An improved apparatus for dispensing covers for at least partially covering an appendage of a user, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a base structure;   b. an actuator pedal system including an actuator pedal substantially connected to at least one rotating linkage;   c. a plurality of rotatable posts, each post including an upper interactive end and a lower engagement end, wherein the upper interactive end is engagable with at least one appendage cover when the actuator pedal is in an unactuated position; and   d. at least one transmission member substantially connected to the at least one rotating linkage for transmitting force from the at least one rotating linkage to the rotatable posts such that when the actuator pedal is actuated by a user, the rotatable posts rotate, thereby causing the upper interactive ends to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the upper interactive ends.   
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the rotating linkage comprises a rotating gear. 
   
   
       17 . An improved apparatus for dispensing covers for at least partially covering an appendage of a user, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a cover plate;   b. an actuator pedal system including an actuator pedal;   c. a first transmission member including a first base transmission end connected to the actuator pedal system by a first rotating linkage, a first right transmission end, and a first left transmission end;   d. a second transmission member including a second base transmission end connected to the actuator pedal system by a second rotating linkage, a second right transmission end, and a second left transmission end;   e. a first rotatable post including a first upper interactive end and a first lower engagement end, wherein the first upper interactive end is attachable to an appendage cover and wherein the first lower engagement end includes a first lower gear that is movably associated with the first right transmission end, such that when the actuator pedal system is actuated by a user, the first rotatable post rotates, thereby causing the first upper interactive end to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the first upper interactive end;   f. a second rotatable post including a second upper interactive end and a second lower engagement end, wherein the second upper interactive end is attachable to an appendage cover and wherein the second lower engagement end includes a second lower gear that is movably associated with the first left transmission end, such that when the actuator pedal system is actuated by a user, the second rotatable post rotates, thereby causing the second upper interactive end to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the second upper interactive end;   g. a third rotatable post including a third upper interactive end and a third lower engagement end, wherein the third upper interactive end is attachable to an appendage cover and wherein the third lower engagement end includes a third lower gear that is movably associated with the second right transmission end, such that when the actuator pedal system is actuated by a user, the third rotatable post rotates, thereby causing the third upper interactive end to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the third upper interactive end; and   h. a fourth rotatable post including a fourth upper interactive end and a fourth lower engagement end, wherein the fourth upper interactive end is attachable to an appendage cover and wherein the fourth lower engagement end includes a fourth lower gear that is movably associated with the second left transmission end, such that when the actuator pedal system is actuated by a user, the fourth rotatable post rotates, thereby causing the fourth upper interactive end to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the fourth upper interactive end.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the actuator pedal system further comprises a plurality of rotating gears such that when the actuator pedal is actuated by a user, the rotating gears rotate, thereby causing the rotatable posts to rotate, thereby causing the upper interactive ends to disengage with the appendage cover in closest proximity to the upper interactive ends. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the upper interactive ends are integrated with the rotatable posts, respectively. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the upper surface of the actuator pedal is no greater than about 4.0 centimeters from the upper surface of the cover plate when the apparatus is substantially assembled.