Apparatus and method for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of items, in particular footwear

Abstract

Apparatus for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of footwear at least comprising a right item and a left item, where said apparatus has a treatment chamber, where an openable and closable door is provided, said door allowing access to the interior of said treatment chamber for placing items to be impregnated inside said treatment chamber, and where adjacent the bottom of said treatment chamber means for placing the footwear at approximate determined positions are provided and where at least five nozzles are arranged in said treatment chamber, where said nozzles are able to create and issue a mist of impregnating agent, such that first and second nozzles are arranged to direct the mist to a zone of the footwear in the determined position corresponding to the front area of the right item respectively left item, and a third nozzle is positioned behind and between the determined position of the right item respectively left item, which third nozzle directs the impregnating mist towards a zone of the footwear in the determined position corresponding to the rear and inside left and right sides of the right item respectively left item, and where the fourth and fifth nozzles are arranged behind the footwear in the determined position in order to direct impregnating mist towards the rear and outside left and right sides of the right item respectively left item.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of footwear, where said apparatus has a treatment chamber, where an openable and closable door is provided, said door allowing access to the interior of said treatment chamber for placing footwear to be impregnated inside said treatment chamber, and where adjacent the bottom of said treatment chamber is means for placing the footwear at approximate determined positions and where at least three nozzles are arranged in said treatment chamber, where said nozzles are able to create and issue a mist of impregnating agent, such that first and second nozzles are arranged to direct the mist to a first zone of the footwear arranged in a determined position corresponding to the right and left front area of said footwear respectively, and a third nozzle is positioned behind and between the footwear in the determined position of the footwear, which third nozzle directs the impregnating mist towards a second zone of the footwear in the determined position corresponding to the rear and inside sides of the footwear, and further that each nozzle is connected to a reservoir of impregnating agent by means of a conduit, and that the impregnating agent is supplied under pressure to the nozzles, and where each nozzle is controlled by a programmed spraying routine for sequential and independent activation based on the determined positions of the footwear on the means for placing the footwear, and where at least the respective first and second nozzles are controlled to issue impregnating agent at different times to prevent interference between mists directed from the corresponding nozzles.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein further fourth and fifth nozzles are provided where the fourth and fifth nozzles are arranged behind the footwear in the determined position to direct impregnating mist towards the rear and outside sides of the footwear.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the nozzles are arranged at oblique angles relative to the bottom of the treatment chamber.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein respective first and second nozzles are adapted to issue impregnating agent in intervals of from 50 milliseconds to 2000 milliseconds.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein respective first and second nozzles are adapted to issue impregnating agent in intervals of from 100 milliseconds to 1500 milliseconds.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein respective first and second nozzles are adapted to issue impregnating agent in intervals of from 1500 milliseconds to 1300 milliseconds.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the nozzles are arranged on a common member, where said common member is moveable relative to the approximate determined position.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the nozzles are arranged such that the distance, when shoes are positioned in the determined position, between the surfaces to be treated and the nozzles is from 10 mm to 200 mm.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the nozzles are arranged such that the distance, when shoes are positioned in the determined position, between the surfaces to be treated and the nozzles is from 25 mm to 100 mm.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein extraction means are provided at the bottom of the treatment chamber, where said extraction means optionally may include an active filter unit, and where the extraction unit in use creates a relative under-pressure inside the chamber as compared to outside the apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sixth nozzle is arranged in an upper forward part of the treatment chamber, where said nozzle is directed for issuing impregnating agent towards a rear part of the treatment chamber.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises communicating means for communicating with a remote computer server, and where each time the apparatus is started and/or a spraying routine is activated or at predetermined time intervals, the apparatus is adapted to transmit one or more of the following to said remote server: an internal check report, contents/level(s) in reservoir(s), identification of spraying routine, apparatus identification code, number of cycles, error codes.

13. An apparatus for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of footwear comprising: a treatment chamber having a door allowing access to an interior of said treatment chamber means for placing the footwear located adjacent a bottom of the treatment chamber, said means for placing corresponding to determined positions of the footwear; at least three nozzles arranged in said treatment chamber to create and issue a mist of impregnating agent, wherein the first and second nozzles are arranged to direct the mist to a first zone of the footwear arranged in a determined position corresponding to the right and left front area of said footwear respectively, and a third nozzle is positioned behind and between the footwear in the determined position of the footwear, wherein the third nozzle directs the impregnating mist towards a second zone of the footwear in the determined position corresponding to the rear and inside sides of the footwear, wherein each nozzle is controlled by a programmed spraying routine for activation based on the determined position of the footwear located on the means for placing the footwear.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an apparatus for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of footwear;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a treatment chamber;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus seen from above with the door pulled open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) In FIG. 1 is schematically illustrated an apparatus for applying an impregnating agent onto surfaces of footwear although the enclosing walls of the apparatus have been removed in order to be able to illustrate the proper working of the apparatus.

(6) In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 footwear is a pair of shoes 10 comprising a left and a right shoe. The shoes are arranged in a treatment chamber 20 which treatment chamber as illustrated in FIG. 2 may be opened and closed by means of a door 31 (see FIG. 2). The door 31 allows access to the interior of the treatment chamber 20 such that items as illustrated in FIG. 1 in the shape of a pair of shoes 10 may be placed and treated, i.e. impregnated inside the treatment chamber. Adjacent the bottom 21 of the treatment chamber 20, means in the shape of indications 22 for placing the footwear at approximate, determined positions, are provided.

(7) Turning briefly to FIG. 3 the apparatus 1 is seen from above with the door 31 pulled open as illustrated in FIG. 2. In this view it is possible to see the means 22 for placing the footwear and furthermore the approximate determined positions are indicated by the outlines 23, 24, 25 corresponding to different shoe sizes. In this manner it is possible by placing the footwear to be treated at appropriate shoe sizes to place them at what within this application is called approximate determined positions.

(8) Turning back to FIG. 1 a number of nozzles 26, 27, 28 and 29 are arranged inside the treatment chamber where each nozzle will create a mist of impregnating agent directed at the footwear 10 to be treated. The first and second nozzles 26, 27 are arranged to direct a mist to a zone 41, 42 of the footwear in the determined position corresponding to the front area of the right and left shoe respectively. A third nozzle 30 slightly obscured by the mist, is positioned behind and between the determined position of the right and left shoe respectively such that the third nozzle 30 directs the impregnating mist towards a zone of the footwear 10 in the determined position corresponding to the rear and inside left and right sides of the right and left shoe respectively. Fourth 28 and fifth nozzle (the fifth nozzle being obscured by the shoes) are arranged behind the footwear 10 in the determined position in order to direct the impregnating mist towards the rear and outside left and right sides of the right and left shoe respectively. In this manner the five nozzles 26, 27, 28, 30 (and the hidden fifth nozzle) substantially surround the shoes arranged in the approximate determined positions in the bottom part of the apparatus 1 and by issuing a mist created by passing an impregnating agent through the nozzles, the shoes are impregnated on substantially the entire outer surface.

(9) Below the bottom 21 of the treatment chamber 20 is arranged various equipment. Immediately adjacent the bottom 21 and arranged in communication with the treatment chamber is a filter and extraction unit 50 which sucks out the surplus mist from the treatment chamber 20. The filter unit 51, for example being an active coal filter, neutralizes any odours. It is rather important that these types of machines are usually placed inside shops and the like, and therefore it is desirable that they are not noticeable in the immediate environment.

(10) Lowermost in the apparatus 1 is arranged a container 52 containing the impregnating agent which by means of a pump 53 is guided to the nozzles in the treatment chamber 20. Each nozzle is provided with a valve (not illustrated) and each valve is controlled independently such that it is possible to activate the valves independently of each other. This is important due to the fact that the mist under pressure may create turbulence and push the mist issued from another nozzle away. By sequentially activating different nozzles it is ensured that the mist issuing from a determined nozzle will reach the footwear 10 arranged in the determined position. Furthermore, as is evident from FIG. 1 the nozzles are arranged at oblique angles such that they will spray slightly upwards or downwards onto the surfaces of the footwear in order to hit all surface areas of the footwear 10. The footwear 10 will typically not have all surfaces being perpendicular to the nozzles and therefore it is necessary to have the mist impregnate curved surfaces and by arranging the nozzles as illustrated a complete and satisfactory impregnation is achieved. In the upper part of the treatment chamber 20 a sixth nozzle 29 is arranged which sixth nozzle may be activated in order to impregnate items extending further up in the treatment chamber 20 such that for example boots, handbags and the like.

(11) Turning to FIG. 2 the door 31 in the shape of a drawer comprises the closing front door surface 32 and the bottom of the drawer 33 onto which the means for indicating the approximate determined positions 22 are placed. When the footwear 10 is placed in the drawer and the drawer is shut closed, the treatment chamber is isolated from the outside.

(12) As the impregnating cycle is activated by the control panel 54 the extraction unit 50 will ensure that under-pressure relative to the ambient pressure outside the treatment is present inside the treatment chamber 20. In this manner it is ensured that the impregnating mist will not escape the treatment and that any odours will pass through the filter before being distributed back into the ambient environment.

(13) The apparatus and method may for example be programmed to suitable routines depending on the size of the footwear. In table 1 are listed examples of spraying routines. Nozzlesnumbers in brackets refer to reference numbers in FIG. 1, small, medium etc relates to the size of the footwear and the numbers are spraying time in milli seconds.

(14) TABLE-US-00001 Nozzle size 1(26) 2(27) 3(28) 4 5(30) 6(29) Small 0 0 0 0 0 1300 Medium 600 600 400 400 150 0 Large 800 800 600 600 200 800 Sandal 150 150 0 0 0 150 Boots 600 600 600 600 400 600 Bag 150 150 150 150 0 150 gloves 200 200 0 0 150 200

(15) The control panel contains all necessary input devices such that a user may operate the apparatus 1 for example by selecting an impregnating programme, as illustrated in table 1 for shoes as depicted in FIG. 1 where the sixth nozzle 29 is not activated or selecting a programme suitable for boots as illustrated in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the input may also be with respect to the material from which the footwear is made such that appropriate concentrations, mist densities etc. are generated by the nozzles. The software operating the impregnating cycle is designed to take care of most types of footwear regarding shape, size and material. After the impregnating cycle has been completed, a short drying cycle is activated such that as the footwear 10 is retrieved from the treatment chamber 20 by opening the door 30, the footwear will have a substantially dry surface being newly impregnated.

(16) The control panel 54 and especially the software may also in further embodiments contain a GSM-module which communicates with a central server keeping track of the number of impregnating cycles, the amount of impregnating agent used and any error messages such that service may be carried out in good time.

(17) The invention has been explained with reference to the accompanying drawings above depicting various aspects of embodiments of the invention, but the scope of protection shall not be limited to the embodiments described above, but be solely limited by the appended claims.

(18) Above, and especially in the drawings the apparatus according to the invention has been described with reference to an apparatus which is clearly a stand alone self-contained unit. It may however also be considered to implement the advantageous features of the invention in production lines or other situations where the stand alone features are not necessary.