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  Cleaning shoeUSPTO Application #: 20060101667Title: Cleaning shoe Abstract: A cleaning shoe includes a foldable boot having a sole portion, a rear securing portion, and a front securing portion, an abrasive patch, and a cleaning solution packet. Fastening members connect to the rear and front securing portions. The sole portion has a waterproof layer positioned atop an absorbent layer, and a detergent pocket is situated therebetween. The foldable boot is constructed of a single flat sheet of material for manufacturability and is initially in an unfolded configuration. A wearer may position his foot atop the sole portion's waterproof layer, easily fold the rear and front securing portions in a predetermined manner, and quickly use the fastening members to secure the rear and front securing portions. The absorbent layer may absorb fluids from a floor surface. The abrasive patch may dislodge articles from a floor surface. The wearer may selectively cause the cleaning solution packet to exude a cleaning solution. (end of abstract) Agent: Harshaw Research Incorporated - Ottawa, KS, US Inventor: Jennifer L. Kane USPTO Applicaton #: 20060101667 - Class: 03600900R (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060101667. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to a cleaning shoe. In particular, the present invention relates to a cleaning shoe that may be quickly and easily attached to a wearer's foot or shoe. [0002] Scrubbing and cleaning floors is often a tiring task. Although a good hand-held mop may eliminate some of the drudgery, painful kneeling or bending is often required to clean tough spots. A product that eases the difficulties associated with floor cleaning would be useful and appreciated in both homes and commercial establishments. To eliminate the need to kneel or bend over, then, it would be desirable to operate floor-cleaning tools with the feet instead of the hands. [0003] Various proposals for providing cleaning shoes (also referred to as foot mops, overshoe mops, and cleaning slippers) are found in the art. Such cleaning shoes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,644,813; 6,038,726; 6,047,434; 6,052,856; 6,122,793; 6,134,741; 6,145,156; and 6,430,771. While assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a cleaning shoe that is quickly and easily attachable to a wearer's foot or shoe, contains a cleaning agent, and may be easily manufactured. [0004] If the cleaning shoe is difficult or time consuming to attach to a wearer's foot or shoe, the energy and time saved over using traditional (hand) cleaning methods is diminished, making the cleaning shoe much less beneficial to the wearer. Conversely, if the cleaning shoe contains a cleaning agent that may be dispersed when desired, the wearer does not have to locate, carry with his hands, and pour the cleaning agent. This provides the wearer with additional energy and time savings. Furthermore, if the cleaning shoe is easy and cost-effective to manufacture, it may reach consumers at a price that is well received while still being economically profitable for the manufacturer. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cleaning shoe that is quickly and easily attachable to a wearer's foot or shoe, contains a cleaning agent, and may be easily manufactured. [0005] A cleaning shoe according to the present invention includes a foldable boot, at least one abrasive patch, and a cleaning solution packet. The foldable boot has a sole portion, a rear securing portion, and a front securing portion. Fastening members are connected to both the rear and front securing portions for allowing the sole portion to be secured to a wearer's foot. The sole portion has a waterproof layer positioned atop an absorbent layer, and a detergent pocket is situated between the waterproof layer and the absorbent layer for nesting the cleaning solution packet. The foldable boot is preferably constructed of a single flat sheet of material which may be quickly and easily folded into proper shape around a wearer's foot or shoe. This single-sheet construction makes the foldable boot easy and inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. [0006] In use, the foldable boot is initially in an unfolded configuration and placed with the absorbent layer downward. A wearer positions his foot or shoe atop the waterproof layer of the sole portion, folds the rear and front securing portions in a predetermined manner, and uses the fastening members to secure the rear and front securing portions. This secures the sole portion to the wearer's foot or shoe. The wearer may then walk with the cleaning shoe. The absorbent layer may be used to absorb fluids from a floor surface, and the at least one abrasive patch may be used to dislodge articles from a floor surface by scuffing. The wearer may selectively cause the cleaning solution packet to rupture and exude a cleaning solution contained therein for cleaning purposes. [0007] Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe that is quickly and easily attachable to a wearer's foot or shoe. [0008] Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that is absorbent. [0009] Still another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that keeps a wearer's foot or shoe dry. [0010] Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that has abrasive areas for scrubbing. [0011] A further object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that contains a cleaning agent. [0012] A still further object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that may be easily manufactured. [0013] An even further object of this invention is to provide a cleaning shoe, as aforesaid, that provides a large amount of cleaning surface area. [0014] Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning shoe according to the present invention in a folded configuration; [0016] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cleaning shoe as in FIG. 1; [0017] FIG. 3a is a bottom view of the cleaning shoe as in FIG. 1 in an unfolded configuration and with fold lines shown in phantom lines; [0018] FIG. 3b is a top view of the cleaning shoe as in FIG. 1 in an unfolded configuration and with a detergent pocket and fold lines shown in phantom lines; [0019] FIG. 4a is a bottom view of the cleaning shoe as in FIG. 1 in an unfolded configuration, with a detergent pocket shown in phantom lines, and shown without fastening members; and [0020] FIG. 4b is a sectional view of the cleaning shoe taken along line 4b-4b of FIG. 4a. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0021] A cleaning shoe according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4b of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a cleaning shoe 100 includes a foldable boot 110 having a sole portion 112, a rear securing portion 114, and a front securing portion 116 (FIG. 1), at least one abrasive patch 120 (FIG. 2), and a cleaning solution packet 142 (FIG. 4b). Continue reading... Full patent description for Cleaning shoe Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cleaning shoe patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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