Automatic shoe cleaning device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic shoe cleaning device, which includes: a housing having a shoe inlet through which a foot with a shoe is inserted and a foot plate where the shoe is placed; a base frame disposed linearly movably inside the housing; a first brush assembly having a pair of side brushes polishing both sides of the shoe at both sides ahead of the base frame and a first spring supplying elastic force to the side brushes; and a second brush assembly having an upper brush polishing the top of the shoe behind the first brush assembly and a second spring supplying elastic force to the upper brush; and a shoe polish supply unit supplying shoe polish to the upper brush, in which as the upper brush moves backward and contacts the pair of side brushes, the shoe polish supplied to the upper brush is transferred to the pair of side brushes, whereas as the upper brush move forward to polish the shoe, the upper brush is separated from the pair of side brushes by the elastic force of the second spring, whereby it is possible to uniformly apply the shoe polish over the entire surface of the shoe and prevent the shoe polish from sticking to the pants.

1 . An automatic shoe cleaning device, comprising:
 a housing having a shoe inlet through which a foot with a shoe is inserted and a foot plate where the shoe is placed;   a base frame linearly movably disposed inside the housing;   a first brush assembly having a pair of side brushes polishing both sides of the shoe at both sides ahead of the base frame and a first spring supplying elastic force to the side brushes; and   a second brush assembly having an upper brush polishing the top of the shoe behind the first brush assembly and a second spring supplying elastic force to the upper brush; and a shoe polish supply unit supplying shoe polish to the upper brush,   wherein the upper brush moves backward and contacts the pair of side brushes, the shoe polish supplied to the upper brush is transferred to the pair of side brushes, whereas the upper brush move forward to polish the shoe, the upper brush is separated from the pair of side brushes by the elastic force of the second spring.   
     
     
         2 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base frame is provided with a driving unit linearly moving the base frame, and
 the driving unit includes:   a lead screw rotatably disposed in the housing;   a moving member fixed to the base frame and thread-fastened to the lead screw; and   a driving motor connected to one end of the lead screw to rotate the lead screw.   
     
     
         3 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 2 , wherein a shoe sensor detecting a shoe placed on the foot plate and supplies an electric signal to a controller is disposed in the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 3 , wherein the shoe sensor is an optical sensor attached to a side of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 2 , wherein the housing is provided with a front sensor detecting that the base frame maximally move forward and supplying a signal to the controller and a rear sensor detecting that the base frame maximally moves backward and supplying a signal to the controller. 
     
     
         6 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 2 , wherein guide rails are longitudinally formed at both sides of the housing and sliders that are inserted in the guide rails to move along the guide rail are formed on the bottom of the base frame. 
     
     
         7 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first brush assembly includes:
 an operating rod having one end rotatably supported to the base frame by a first hinge shaft and the other end where the side brush is rotatably supported;   a first spring disposed around the first hinge shaft to provide elastic force to the operating rod; and   a second driving motor fixed to the operating rod and connected with the rotary shaft of the side brush.   
     
     
         8 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second brush assembly includes:
 a hinge bracket fixed to the base frame;   a rotary member rotatably connected to the hinge bracket by a second hinge shaft;   a brush support panel rotatably supported to the rotary member by a third hinge shaft and where the rotary shaft of the upper brush is rotatably mounted;   a second spring fixed to the third hinge shaft to provide elastic force to the upper brush; and   a driving motor disposed in the brush support panel and connected to the rotary shaft of the upper brush.   
     
     
         9 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the second brush assembly further includes a dust-brush fitted on the first hinge shaft and removing dusts sticking the upper brush while being in contact with the upper brush. 
     
     
         10 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 8 , wherein a polish-brush washing off the shoe polish on a supply nozzle of the shoe polish supply unit is rotatably fitted on the rotary shaft of the upper brush, and
 a locking rod where the polish-brush is locked is disposed above the base frame.   
     
     
         11 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the shoe polish supply unit includes:
 a case fixed to one side of the housing;   a shoe polish cylinder filled with liquid shoe polish inside the case;   the supply nozzle connected with the shoe polish cylinder through a supply hose and supplying the shoe polish to the upper brush; and   an operating unit disposed in the case and discharging the shoe polish in the shoe polish cylinder by pressing the shoe polish cylinder.   
     
     
         12 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 11 , wherein the supply nozzle is disposed in the brush support panel to linearly move in the longitudinal direction of the brush,
 a wire is connected between the supply nozzle and one side of the housing, and   a spring is disposed between the supply nozzle and the brush support panel, such that the supply nozzle linearly moves when the base frame moves.   
     
     
         13 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 11 , wherein the operating unit includes:
 a fourth driving motor fixed to one side of the case;   a lead screw connected with the driving shaft of the fourth driving motor; and   a push member thread-fastened to the lead screw to move forward and backward and push a piston of the shoe polish cylinder, when the lead screw rotates.   
     
     
         14 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 13 , wherein a rotation angle sensor detecting rotation angle of the lead screw and controlling the rotation angle of the fourth driving motor is disposed at one side of the lead screw. 
     
     
         15 . The automatic shoe cleaning device according to  claim 14 , wherein the rotation angle sensor includes:
 a gear ring fixed to the lead screw to rotate with the lead screw and having teeth formed at a predetermined distance on the outer circumference; and   a sensor disposed to face the teeth of the gear ring and detecting the rotation angle of the lead screw by sensing the number of teeth.