Patent Application
20170332738
The present invention relates to an improved adhering boot holder, shaper and carrier device for storage, maintenance, cleaning, and display of legged boots.
Boot shapers have long been known and used to preserve the form of the boot especially the flexible legged and ankle portion, to prevent creasing or damage and to protect the boot from dirt and salt when not worn and during storage. Boots tend to fall over, scatter and separate especially when grouped with other pairs of boots, for example at gatherings where it is expected that boots be removed before entering the premises. Unorganized boots render it difficult to find and match a pair of boots upon leaving the premises and poses a safety hazard as it is easy to trip over them. Boot shapers have been around since the start of 20th century and are typically designed to hold the boots in an upright position or in a manner which supports them and prevents them from collapsing and tilting, which causes creasing and damage. The term “boot shaper” is commonly used in the trade because of the function accomplished by the device.
Previous attempts to eliminate the damage caused by creasing were made using clamps to hold the top of the boots together, for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,774 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,715 and international patents such as Canada Pat. No. 1,176,606; Japan Pat. No. 2,006,325,677 and Japan Pat. No. 2,005,252,572. This method often marks the boots and flattens the material where the clamps are applied.
Similar troubles are noted with the reversed “U” shaped apparatus where the inserted tongues of the device flatten and sometimes indent the material where the pressure is applied to hold the boots together as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,865 and international patents like Canada Pat. No. 1,107,483; Australia Pat. No. 2,010,101,150; WIPO Pat. No. 2,009,128,165; China Pat. No. 201,894,246; China Pat. No. 201,097,941; Japan Pat. No. 2,005,329,146; Japan Pat. No. 2,010,253,228. These devices require that both boots be engaged in the reversed “U” members to avoid their collapse and is not suitable for shorter ankle boots. The proximity of the boots held in such a support does not allow adequate space for cleaning and polishing during boot maintenance.
Inflatable sock like, rolled inflatable and rigid sheets and folding devices have also been developed to prevent boots from collapsing. Although these lightweight devices are successful in shaping the individual boot, they do not retain the pair of boots together and do not assure that the boots will stay upright and often tilt to one side. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,840; Japan Pat. No. 2,008,253,723; Japan Pat. No. 2,005,046,575; Japan Pat. No. 2,010,154,948. It is necessary to rely on balancing the boot or resting it on a surface to prevent it from falling over and incurring damage from the environment it falls into. This practice is not satisfactory as the boots do not tend to stay in the upright position and can flatten on the side of the boot which ends up resting on the floor. Additionally, inflatable devices can puncture and have sometimes proven to be difficult to insert and remove from the legged part of the boot. The rolled rigid sheets are also known to slide out of the shorter boots due to their silky finish properties.
Mechanical expansion devices can stretch the calves of a small and narrow boot, they are more costly and again, like many other designs, do not keep the boots together nor do they ensure the boot will stand upright as they are inserted individually in the boot and must rely on balancing the boot to remain upright, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,331; U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,524 and Japan Pat. No. 2,011,200,314; Japan Pat. No. 2,003,159,102; China Pat. No. 201,219,566; China Pat. No. 200,941,863; China Pat. No. 2,744,204. Narrow and short legged boots may not allow the mechanical device to fully deploy and be rendered non-effective.
Bow spring devices expand in a single direction, enlarging the major axis of the elliptical while keeping the minor axis of elliptical body constant, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,524. This one way expansion can deform the natural shape of a delicate legged boot as well as the small and narrow boot. The rigid material of the outer shell, more specifically the calf shaped section, has a set and permanent curved shape. When inserted in boots the spring mechanism pushes the shaped calf part of the device against the inner wall of the boot, forcing the boot to follow the set curve of the device, which often differs from the natural shape of the boot itself, resulting in a deformation of the legged portion of the boot.
Shaped insert type solutions are successful shape keepers and offer boot support but they lack the capability to keep the pair of boots attached together and must rely on balancing or resting the boot on a surface to remain upright. Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,804; U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,416; U.S. Pat. No. 2,270,936; U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,643 and Japan Pat. No. 2,005,006,915; Japan Pat. No. 2,006,230,878; UK Pat. No. 2,252,487. These devices are typically not suitable for short ankle boots as the shaped insert cannot be properly inserted and used on short boots. Fixed circumference shaped devices may also prove to be difficult to insert and remove and can stretch narrow legged boots.
Ankle support systems do keep the boots balanced and steady but they do not secure the upper part of the boot, hence allowing the boot to tilt, fold, collapse and crease.
The present invention solves many of the listed issues mentioned above by providing an improved boot support and shaping insert system which prevents collapsing or tilting which causes creasing and damage, by keeping boots attached together in a secure upright position when not being worn or while on display or during storage. Scattered boots pose a dangerous tripping hazard; organized boots set up in an upright configuration are more visible and lessen the risk of accidents.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a boot shaper device comprising an elongated curved body that mirrors the natural tapered silhouette of the lower leg, calf and ankle with a bevelled bottom. The shaper has a semi rigid core wrapped up in a soft compressible material. This malleable material allows the shaper to fill the entire cavity of the legged boot by conforming and adopting the shape of the boot. When inserted, the shaper compresses to line the inner wall of the legged boot, offering maximum support while in contact with the ankle, calf and shin portion of the boot, without applying pressure that would otherwise cause stretching of the upper part of the boot. This full support prevents creasing and damage to the boot. The present method of shaping and supporting a legged boot is a welcome improvement to clamp like devices which can mark and indent the boots. The fitted shaper also solves the issue of the silky plastic shaper devices, inflatable or rolled sheet type devices, that simply slide or unravel out of boots due to their slippery smooth finish, leaving the boot unprotected and unsupported. Its snug fit ensures adequate friction between the boot and the shaper insert to allow the boot shaper to serve as a means to carry and transport the legged boots.
Preferably, a section of the said boot shaper protrudes when inserted in legged boots, allowing the user to easily manipulate the device without having to reach inside the boot like previous devices mentioned above.
Preferably, the boot shaper is enveloped inside a decorative smooth shell, facilitating the insertion and removal from the boot. The shell also helps identify and distinguish a pair of boots when many pairs of boots are grouped together, e.g. in environments where it is expected that boots be removed before entering.
The rear curved portion of the boot shaper can also be fitted with a self adjusting foldable section to accommodate wider legged boots and men's boots.
Preferably, the present boot shapers is fitted with an adhering or self adhering mechanism on the inner-upper side wall allowing a pair of the said boot shapers to remain attached in a parallel fashion to each other as a system in an upstanding configuration during storage and display. When linked together, the shapers give structure and ground the boots eliminating the need to balance individual boots as with previous boot shaper devices mentioned earlier. The present improved boot shaper can remain detached from a second boot shaper while inside the boot if desired, facilitating individual boot shaper insertion and removal, boot cleaning, polishing and maintenance.
Preferably, the top surface of the present shaper includes a handle or strap to ease insertion and removal of the inserts into the boots and to facilitate convenient carry of boots with the shaper inserted. This handle connects both side walls of the said boot shaper and extends to the adhering mechanism where it acts as a reinforcement interface.
Preferably, the bevelled bottom end mimics the shape of a heel and hides a cavity where a weighted element can be inserted. The weighted element contains odor neutralizing and moisture-humidity absorbing material which help keep the boot fresh all the while adding stability to the present shaper invention when inserted in a boot. The bevelled bottom end rests on the sole of the boot's heel when inserted in the boot.
Preferably, safety enhancing elements by means of visible identifiers are attached on the upper outer sides of the present shaper invention and can be seen when inserted in the boot. These visible identifier elements diminish the tripping hazard of boots left in high traffic areas and low ambient light environments such as lobbies, hallways, entrances and split-level entrances by attracting the eye to the boot shaper inside the boots. Safety enhancing elements may have one or a combination of features, including but not limited to: phosphorescence, fluorescents or reflective properties, bright colours, floral designs or the like. The safely enhancing element also contributes to the uniqueness of the boot shaper inserts, allowing faster recognition of a pair of boots among many others.
The present boot shaper invention device is scalable and can be adapted to shape, support, keep erect, //transport and increase visibility to reduce tripping hazards for all boots including children boots, men's boots as well as all heights of ladies legged boots.
An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Various aspects of the invention are presented in
The transparency perspective view in
Alternative boot holder adhering or self adhering mechanisms are illustrated in
The boot shaper's semi rigid core component is isolated in
The continuation of the handle 12 along the sides of the device reinforce the outer shell 7 at its stress points as shown in
The rear curved portion of the boot shaper can be fitted with a self adjusting foldable section to accommodate wider legged boots and men's boots. This foldable expansion section is shown in
The presently disclosed embodiments are considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
The above described embodiments are by way of example only; various other constructions are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
