Shoe cover removal apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus which includes a trough for receiving a user's shoe. The trough includes a removal portal. The apparatus includes a vacuum capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the trough. An actuator is triggered by the placement of an object in the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing the vacuum to activate. The vacuum activation causes the shoe cover to be sucked through the removal portal and into a primary chamber. The primary chamber collects the removed shoe covers and is disposed in a remote from the trough for preventing debris and other contaminants from being stored in a clean room. The apparatus may also include multiple troughs connected to one or more primary chambers.

1 . An apparatus for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe, the apparatus comprising:
 a trough for receiving a user's shoe, the trough including a removal portal;   a vacuum device including a motor, a suction portal, and an exhaust portal;   a primary chamber operable to be disposed in a remote location with respect to the trough and including a primary chamber input portal, the primary chamber for receiving removed shoe covers, the primary chamber input portal being connected with the removal portal; and   an actuator triggered by the placement of an object in the trough, the triggering of the actuator causing the vacuum motor to activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum motor is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the trough, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the removal portal and into the primary chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the trough is disposed in a first room and the remote location of the primary chamber is a second room. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a booster motor disposed between the removal portal and the primary chamber for providing enhanced suction to the removal portal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the vacuum motor is a bypass motor having a dual fan arrangement, the dual fan arrangement including a first fan that sucks air through the suction portal causing a main air flow and a second fan that draws air from outside the bypass motor for cooling the bypass motor and causing a cooling air flow, the bypass motor being configured so that the main air flow and cooling air flow are separate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a filter for removing debris and other contaminants from the air being drawn from outside the bypass motor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the vacuum device is disposed adjacent the trough. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the vacuum device is disposed adjacent the primary chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a second trough for receiving a user's shoe, the second trough including a second removal portal connected to the primary chamber input portal; and 
 a second actuator triggered by the placement of an object in the second trough, the triggering of the second actuator causing the vacuum device to activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the second trough, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the second removal portal and into the primary chamber. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the actuator further comprises a motion detection system including a motion detecting sensor and a circuit board electrically connected to the sensor, wherein power to the vacuum device is substantially controlled by the motion detection system. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the primary chamber includes a primary chamber output portal, the primary chamber output portal being connected with the suction portal. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a porous collection container removably located in the primary chamber, the collection container for collecting removed shoe covers and preventing removed shoe covers from obstructing the primary chamber output portal, wherein the collection container may be removed from the primary chamber via a primary chamber lid. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the primary chamber lid is operable to substantially hermetically seal the porous collection container within the primary chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the primary chamber input portal is substantially hermetically connected with the removal portal. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the removal portal of the trough and the input portal of the primary chamber are connected by flexible polyvinyl chloride tubing. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe, the apparatus comprising:
 a first trough for receiving a user's shoe, the first trough including a first removal portal;   a second trough for receiving a user's shoe, the second trough including a second removal portal;   a vacuum including a motor, a suction portal, and an exhaust portal;   a primary chamber including a primary chamber input portal, the primary chamber for receiving removed shoe covers, the primary chamber input portal being connected with the first removal portal and the second removal portal;   a first actuator triggered by the placement of an object in the first trough, the triggering of the first actuator causing the vacuum to activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the first trough, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the first removal portal and into the primary chamber; and   a second actuator triggered by the placement of an object in the second trough, the triggering of the second actuator causing the vacuum to activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into the second trough, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the second removal portal and into the primary chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the primary chamber input portal includes a first input portal and a second input portal, the first input portal for connecting with the first removal portal and the second input portal for connecting with the second removal portal. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the primary chamber is disposed in a remote location with respect to at least one of the first and second trough. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the vacuum is disposed adjacent the primary chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising at least one booster motor disposed between the inlet portal of the primary chamber and the first and second removal portals. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for removing a shoe cover from a user's shoe, the apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of troughs for receiving a user's shoe, the plurality of troughs each including a removal portal and an actuator triggered by the placement of an object in the trough;   a vacuum including a motor, a suction portal, and an exhaust portal;   a primary chamber disposed remotely from the plurality of troughs, the primary chamber including a lid, and a primary chamber input portal, the primary chamber for receiving removed shoe covers and the primary chamber input portal being connected to the removal portal; and   a porous collection container removably located in the primary chamber, the collection container for collecting removed shoe covers,   wherein the triggering of one of the actuators causes the vacuum to activate, wherein the activation of the vacuum is capable of causing a shoe cover to be removed from the shoe of a user when a user places a shoe covered by a shoe cover into one of the troughs, whereby such shoe cover is sucked through the removal portal and into the primary chamber.