Cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus for removing at least some unwanted material from footwear, feet or an object comprises a frame, and at least one cleaning element and at least one elongate drum, The frame provides an upper surface with at least one cleaning element slot therein. Each cleaning element includes rotating or rotatable unwanted materials transferring surfaces, movably mounted to the frame on an end supported elongate drum. At least a portion of the at least one cleaning element extends outwardly and upwardly through the at least one cleaning element slot so that the at least one cleaning element is adapted to be driven so as to rotate in a certain plane through the at least one cleaning element slot, to provide newly exposed unwanted materials transferring surfaces.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 : A cleaning apparatus for removing at least some unwanted material from footwear, feet or an object, the apparatus comprising a frame, and at least one cleaning element, and at least one elongate drum, the frame providing an upper surface with at least one cleaning element slot therein, wherein each cleaning element including rotating or rotatable unwanted materials transferring surfaces, movably mounted to the frame on the end supported elongate drum, wherein at least a portion of the at least one cleaning element extending outwardly and upwardly through the at least one cleaning element slot whereby at least one cleaning element is adapted to be driven so as to rotate in a certain plane through the at least one cleaning element slot to provide newly exposed unwanted materials transferring surfaces. 
     
     
         2 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the frame includes a peripheral frame comprising wall members supporting the upper surface which provides a substantially horizontal walking surface and surrounds an enclosed space therein, wherein the upper surface is formed as part of a planar member which is hinged to one of the wall members. 
     
     
         3 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the planar member includes a member having a plan area bordered by end edges, the area being sized to span between and be supported on top of the wall members and is provided with the at least one cleaning element slot for each bristle set and also is provided with slots to receive any unwanted materials wherein each cleaning element slot has tapered walls to assist with keeping the bristles together. 
     
     
         4 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the cleaning elements can be any means that is shaped to be able to be rotated while being fixed to the drum or shaft and be able to protrude through a cleaning element slot to present a cleaning surface wherein the cleaning elements are at least one bristle or wiper member which is movably peripherally supported on a shaft member at an angle which is the elongate drum so that the bristles are outwardly protruding peripherally in a set of bristles in a certain plane which are spaced along the drum, and the drum is movably end supported by end fixing members to the peripheral frame. 
     
     
         5 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the end fixing members comprise at one end of the drum, a removable or sprung protruding pin member centrally located which slidably interfits with a fixing means as a first slot member in an adjacent perimeter wall and at the other end of the same drum, there is a second slot member located in one end of the drum and fixing means being a non sprung protruding member located in the adjacent perimeter wall which also slidably interfit together to allow rotation of one drum and bristles with respect to the frame wherein the end fixing members as rotatably affixed to the ends of drum roller and to the frame, also enables the drum to rotate thereabout to allow the rotation of the cleaning elements such that the sprung protruding pin member rotates within first slot member and the second slot member rotates with the drum and the drum cap which rotates with the non sprung protruding pin member with and within second slot member. 
     
     
         6 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the sprung protruding pin member is cone shaped and first slot member is cup shaped, the second slot member is square in shape and the non sprung protruding member is rectangular in shape, the cone shape having wide end and narrow end wherein the wide end is affixed to the drum and the sprung protruding pin member includes at least one spring mounted within the cone shape to cause the cone shape to be kept in an extended outward position with the spring in an relaxed or uncompressed shape and if the cone shape is pressed inwardly the spring is compressed. 
     
     
         7 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the drum including cleaning elements, can be removed from the peripheral frame to enable cleaning repair or replacement of any part of the cleaning apparatus without having to remove the cleaning apparatus from the floor or ground. 
     
     
         8 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the shaft member or drum can be substantially horizontally oriented with the bristles being oriented in a substantially vertical plane and being rotatably supported by the perimeter frame to suspend the cleaning element assemblies to enable them to rotate in any desired rotational direction either in similar directions to other drums or in contra-rotating directions. 
     
     
         9 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 8  wherein a cleaning element assembly includes cleaning elements, at least one shaft member or drum, and end fixing members. 
     
     
         10 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the wall members of the frame include wall members separating each cleaning element assembly, and the frame includes a floor. 
     
     
         11 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the bristles of adjacent cleaning element assemblies do not intermesh with each other or the bristles of adjacent assemblies intermesh with each other. 
     
     
         12 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the upper surface includes at least a portion of anti skid or non skid texture members or any means to provide for a decrease in the likelihood of skidding thereon wherein the anti skid or non texture dirt transferring surfaces include fiction increasing material. 
     
     
         13 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the shaft members can be operatively interconnected by gears or belts. 
     
     
         14 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the shaft members can be driven passively by strike by the object or foot of the bristles. 
     
     
         15 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the at least one shaft member is mechanically driven. 
     
     
         16 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the shaft members are driven by active means including being motor driven. 
     
     
         17 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the bristles function to interact with each other to drive the shaft members which produces counter rotating shaft motion. 
     
     
         18 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 17  wherein at least one ratchet mechanism can be connected between adjacent shaft members, rollers or drums whereby, rotating is restricted to one selected direction such that a ratchet stopping direction would be different in odd and even shaft member positions wherein the ratchet mechanism is located in at least one of the end fixing members wherein the ratchet mechanism includes a drum end cap with inner ratchet teeth that operative engage with resilient arms, the drum end cap being slidably attached to an end of the drum which is also connected to the perimeter frame wall and the resilient arms are formed as part of the non sprung protruding member being located within the drum end cap and which is affixed to the drum end. 
     
     
         19 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 18  wherein air heating, walking surface heating and sub-walking surface cleaning fluid can be added to the cleaning apparatus, which can be suitably powered and engaged to be dispensed as required. 
     
     
         20 : The cleaning apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the cleaning apparatus includes at least one agitating member positioned to cause or enhance the removal of the unwanted material gathered by the cleaning surface of the cleaning elements wherein the agitating member is located underneath the planar member and attached to the frame to protrude to be able to at least touch by taping or scrapping the cleaning elements.