U.S. patent application number 16/873077 was filed with the patent office on 2020-08-06 for hands free shoehorn.
The applicant listed for this patent is Paul J. Kim. Invention is credited to Paul J. Kim.
Application Number | 20200245797 16/873077 |
Document ID | 20200245797 / US20200245797 |
Family ID | 1000004642330 |
Filed Date | 2020-08-06 |
Patent Application | download [pdf] |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200245797 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Paul J. |
August 6, 2020 |
Hands free shoehorn
Abstract
A hands free shoehorn is shown and described. The shoehorn
includes a guide member for guiding a foot of a user into an
opening of a shoe. A handle projects upwardly from the guide member
to facilitate insertion and maneuvering of the shoehorn. An
entrapment member generally parallel to the guide member captures a
heel wall of the shoe between the guide member and the entrapment
member in sufficiently close fit to enable the shoehorn to remain
coupled to the shoe in an operative position without the shoehorn
being held by the user. The user may then slip his or her foot into
the shoe with the shoehorn stably mounted on the shoe such that the
user need not either hold the shoe horn or balance body weight on
one leg while donning the shoe.
Inventors: |
Kim; Paul J.; (Pleasanton,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kim; Paul J. |
Pleasanton |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004642330 |
Appl. No.: |
16/873077 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62799556 |
Jan 31, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 11/02 20130101;
A47G 25/82 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 25/82 20060101
A47G025/82; A43B 11/02 20060101 A43B011/02 |
Claims
1. A shoehorn comprising: a guide member for guiding a foot of a
user into a shoe, the guide member comprising a proximal end at an
opening of the shoe when the shoehorn is installed on the shoe and
an opposed distal end facing a heel of the shoe when the shoehorn
is installed on the shoe; an entrapment member fixed to the guide
member proximate the proximal end of the guide member and
configured such that a majority of the length of the entrapment
member is parallel to the guide member, the entrapment member and
the guide member collectively surrounding a heel wall of the shoe
on two opposed sides of the heel wall when the shoehorn is
installed on the shoe in a sliding fit sufficiently close such that
the shoehorn will be retained on the shoe in the absence of manual
grasp by the user; and a handle fixed to the guide member proximate
the proximal end of the guide member and projecting from the guide
member in a direction away from the entrapment member.
2. The shoehorn of claim 1, further comprising a lateral stabilizer
projecting laterally from the guide member, for opposing dislodging
of the shoehorn from a longitudinal alignment with the shoe when
the shoehorn is installed on the shoe.
3. The shoehorn of claim 2, wherein the lateral stabilizer
comprises a first wing projecting to a right side of the guide
member when the shoehorn is installed on the shoe, and a second
wing projecting to a left side of the guide member when the
shoehorn is installed on the shoe.
4. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to
incline relative to a sole of the shoe and to project away from a
toe of the shoe.
5. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the guide member is curved
along a length thereof to conform to a curvature of the heel of the
shoe.
6. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the shoehorn is fabricated from
a form holding material.
7. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the guide member has a first
width and the handle has a second width equal to the first width of
the guide member.
8. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the guide member has a first
width and the entrapment member has a third width greater than the
first width of the guide member.
9. The shoehorn of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a hole for
receiving a peg for suspending the shoehorn from a vertical
surface.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Application Ser. No.
62/799,556, filed Jan. 31, 2019.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a shoehorn to assist in
donning footwear such as shoes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A shoehorn is an implement the purpose of which is to
overcome sliding resistance encountered when a person attempts to
insert his or her foot into footwear such as a shoe. A conventional
shoehorn has a guide to guide insertion of the foot, and a handle.
Ordinarily, the user must balance his or her body weight on one leg
while inserting the foot of the other leg into the shoe. This can
be awkward, uncomfortable, and may even lead to the user losing his
or her balance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention overcomes awkwardness and balance
issues by enabling the shoehorn to removably yet stably engage the
shoe when donning the shoe. Notably, the user is not obliged to
grasp the novel shoehorn when donning the shoe.
[0005] To these ends, the novel shoehorn includes a guide member
for guiding the foot of the user into an opening of the shoe. A
handle projects upwardly from the guide member to facilitate
insertion and maneuvering of the shoehorn into position
self-supported on the shoe. An entrapment member generally parallel
to the guide member captures a heel wall of the shoe between the
guide member and the entrapment member in sufficiently close fit to
enable the shoehorn to remain coupled to the shoe in an operative
position without the shoehorn being held by the user. The user may
then slip his or her foot into the shoe with the shoehorn stably
mounted on the shoe such that the user need not either hold the
shoe horn or balance body weight on one leg while donning the
shoe.
[0006] The shoe may be donned quickly and without awkward
maneuvering of the foot or leg, and without losing balance.
[0007] The present invention provides improved elements and
arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which
is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing
its intended purposes.
[0008] These and other objects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the
present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same
becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate
the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side environmental view of the shoehorn in an
operative position installed on a shoe;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a shoehorn similar to
the shoehorn of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a shoehorn similar to the
shoehorn of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a rear view of a shoehorn similar to the shoehorn
of FIG. 1; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a right side perspective view of a shoehorn
similar to the shoehorn of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring first to FIG. 1, according to at least one aspect
of the invention, there is shown a shoehorn 100 installed in an
operative position on a shoe 10. In the operative position,
shoehorn 100 engages a heel wall 12 of shoe 10 with sufficient
contact and grip to remain in the operative position so that a
human user (not shown) may don shoe 10 by merely stepping into shoe
10, with toes of the foot entering opening 14 of shoe 10 and
progressing toward a toe 16 of shoe 10.
[0016] Referring also to FIGS. 2-5, shoehorn 10 comprises a guide
member 102 for guiding the foot of the user into shoe 10. Guide
member 102 comprises a proximal end 104 at an opening 14 of shoe 10
when shoehorn 100 is installed on shoe 10 and an opposed distal end
106 facing a heel 18 of shoe 100 when shoehorn 100 is installed on
shoe 10 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1). An entrapment member 108 is
fixed to guide member 102 proximate proximal end 104 of guide
member 102 and is configured such that a majority of a length of
entrapment member 108 is parallel to guide member 102. Entrapment
member 108 and guide member 102 collectively surround heel wall 12
of shoe 10 on two opposed sides of heel wall 12 when shoehorn 100
is installed on shoe 10 in a sliding fit sufficiently close such
that shoehorn 100 will be retained on shoe 10 in the absence of
manual grasp by the user. A handle 110 is fixed to guide member 102
proximate proximal end 104 of guide member 102 and projects from
guide member 102 in a direction away from entrapment member
108.
[0017] Guide member 102 may be configured similarly to conventional
guide members of conventional shoehorns (not shown). Notably, guide
member 102 may include a smooth surface 112 (see FIGS. 2 and 3)
enabling ready sliding of the foot of the user along guide member
102. Also, guide member 102 may be curved as shown to match or
track curvature of heel wall 12.
[0018] For the purpose of this application, the terms proximal end
104 and distal end 106 may literally refer to the very ends of
their associated portions of shoehorn 100, or alternatively, may be
understood to designate the very ends and also portions extending
along guide member 102, as context may dictate. Proximal end 104
and distal end 106 are labels for convenience, and should not be
limited in scope to specific or discrete portions of guide member
102. Similarly, guide member 102 and handle 110 are not to be
interpreted to calling out discrete parts of shoe horn 100. Rather,
these are terms which functionally designate that portion of
shoehorn 100 as context dictates. Note that guide member 102 and
handle 110 may appear to visually form a single common member.
[0019] Length of entrapment member 108 will be understood to refer
to that dimension of the latter extending along and generally
parallel to an axis 114 in FIG. 1.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, shoehorn 100 may further comprise a
lateral stabilizer 116 projecting laterally from guide member 102,
for opposing dislodging of shoehorn 100 from a longitudinal
alignment with shoe 10 when shoehorn 100 is installed on shoe
10.
[0021] It should be noted at this point that orientational terms
such as laterally refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an
observer. The drawing figures, particularly FIG. 1, depict their
subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously
change with changes in posture and position of novel shoehorn 100
and shoe 10. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to
provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not
limit the invention or its component parts in any particular
way.
[0022] Longitudinal alignment of shoehorn 100 and shoe 10 refers to
the operative position shown in FIG. 1, but particularly refers to
handle 110 (where aligned along axis 114 with guide member 102)
vertically oriented and not inclined to the right or left with
respect to shoe 10 when shoe 10 rests on a horizontal surface.
Lateral stabilizer 116 may extend entirely to respective right and
left side walls (e.g., wall 20) of shoe 10, or alternatively, may
fall short of actually contacting the side walls. As illustrated,
lateral stabilizer 116 comprises a first wing 116A projecting to a
right side of guide member 102 when shoehorn 100 is installed on
shoe 10, and a second wing 116B projecting to a left side of guide
member 102 when shoehorn 100 is installed on shoe 10. Of course,
right and left refer to right and left sides of shoe 10.
[0023] Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "first", "second",
etc., are used herein merely as labels, and are not intended to
impose ordinal, positional, or hierarchical requirements on the
items to which these terms refer. Moreover, reference to, e.g., a
"second" item does not either require or preclude the existence of,
e.g., a "first" or lower-numbered item, and/or, e.g., a "third" or
higher-numbered item.
[0024] In an embodiment, handle 110 may be configured to incline
relative to a sole 22 (FIG. 1) of shoe 10 and to project away from
toe 16 of shoe 10. This configuration assures that handle 110 will
not obstruct the user when attempting to insert his or her foot
into shoe 10 with shoehorn 100 in the operative position.
[0025] In an embodiment, guide member 102 may be curved along a
length thereof to conform to a curvature of heel wall 12 of shoe
10. Length of guide member 102 is that dimension extending along
axis 114. This prevents guide member 102 from occupying more than
the minimum necessary amount of space within shoe 10 when the foot
of the user is being inserted into shoe 10. Curvature of guide
member 102 is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0026] Shoehorn 100 may be fabricated from a form holding material
such as a synthetic polymer or from metals. Form holding will be
understood to signify that shoehorn 100 may be sufficiently pliable
to bend under finger pressure or pressure of the foot as the latter
is being inserted into shoe 10, but is sufficiently rigid to
maintain its configuration against spontaneous slumping or other
deformation in the absence of external forces such as finger
pressure or contact with the foot during insertion. This
characteristic enables shoehorn 100 to hold the operative position
of FIG. 1 in use.
[0027] In an embodiment, and as called out in FIG. 2, guide member
102 may have a first width 120 and handle 110 may have a second
width 122 equal to first width 120 of guide member 102. This may
improve esthetics of shoehorn 100 and facilitate fabrication by
injection molding shoehorn 100 from a synthetic polymer.
[0028] In an embodiment, and as called out in FIG. 3, guide member
102 may have the first width 120 and entrapment member 108 may have
a third width 124 greater than first width 120 of guide member 102.
These relationships enable entrapment member 108 to engage heel
wall 12 (FIG. 1) securely.
[0029] In an embodiment, handle 110 may include a hole 126 for
receiving a peg (not shown) for suspending shoehorn 100 from a
vertical surface (such as a building wall, not shown).
[0030] Lateral stabilizer 116 may be internal to shoe 10 as shown
and described, or alternatively, may span right and left walls 20
of shoe 10 and surround the right and left walls 20 from outside
(this option is not shown).
[0031] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is
not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to
cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and
scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended
claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent
arrangements which are possible.
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