Patent Application
20200196787
The present invention relates to dressing aids and, more particularly, to a leave-in shoe device for assisting persons with donning their shoes.
Many people have difficulty putting their shoes on without the help of others. For example, a person may have a handicap, whether permanent or temporary, that makes donning their shoes difficult or impossible. And some people just prefer to slip on their shoes without having to untie or tie laces.
Tools such as the common shoe horn help people put their shoes on and take them off. However, it is inconvenient to carry such a device around or keep it in a handy place. Further, shoe horns cannot be kept in a shoe because they are shaped incorrectly for such use and it would be uncomfortable or even dangerous to attempt to do so. Thus, use of a shoe horn is inconvenient and still requires a certain amount of flexibility and ability to reach the foot to remove the horn from the shoe once the user's foot is placed in the shoe.
Consequently, there is a continuing need to provide an improved shoe donning device.
The device of the present invention addresses the deficiencies noted previously by providing a shoe donning insert device that can be kept in the shoe at all times. The shoe donning device provides an insert that is placed into the shoe and remains inside of the shoe while the user wears the shoe. The device can comprise a contoured upper portion that defines a hooked region around the top of the shoe heel collar or counter. A neck portion extends downward from the contoured upper portion. The neck portion transitions into a foot plate portion or horizontal base portion. A heel-to-sole transition region is provided between the neck portion and the foot plate portion and follows the shape of the user's shoe and the various contours of the user's foot.
A user places the foot plate portion of the device under the insole of the shoe such that the hooked region extends away and over the back collar of the shoe. The user inserts their foot into the shoe in a conventional manner such that their heel contacts the upper portion of the device. The heel and Achilles region of the user's foot 10 to slide downward from the upper portion 102 and along the contoured neck portion 106 until fully seated in the shoe 20, at the foot plate portion 110. The completed foot 10 insertion in the shoe 20 is shown in
The above summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, or describe each embodiment, aspect, implementation, feature or advantage of the invention. The detailed technology and preferred embodiments for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular example embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various example embodiments; nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention. The various features or aspects discussed herein can also be combined in additional combinations and embodiments, whether or not explicitly discussed herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Dimensions and relative proportions of components are merely example embodiments and can be varied unless specifically limited in a given claim. Thus, the dimensions can be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.
Referring to
Starting at the uppermost portion of the device body as shown in the figures, the body defines a contoured upper portion 102. This upper portion 102 also defines a hooked region 104 that can curve around the top of the user's shoe heel collar or counter 22 to create a ramp or solid surface to transition the foot 10 into the shoe 20. The upper portion 102 is convex and curved such that a center line CL defines the highest or peak point of the curve and the curve slopes downward in either lateral direction (e.g., front to back of the device 100), as depicted in
Extending generally vertically downward from the contoured upper portion 102 is the neck portion 106. An upper transition region 105 is defined between the upper portion 102 and the neck portion 106. The neck portion 106 has a generally concave curvature that contours strategic points of the user's foot 10 to achieve ideal placement and position hold. In particular, the neck portion 106 has a curved narrowed center portion 108 that provides the vertical rise of the device body—e.g., an hourglass-type shape (e.g.,
The neck portion 106 transitions along a lower transition region 109 to the foot plate portion 110. This heel-to-sole transition region 109 between the neck portion 106 and the foot plate portion 110 conforms to the inner shape of the user's shoe 20 and the contours of the user's foot 10 to create a comfortable and natural fit to avoid creating a sense of abnormality when the user is wearing and walking in their shoe 20 with the device 100 in place. The transition portion 109 can include a gradual curved surface and perimeter margins 114 to facilitate seating of the user's foot 10 within the device 100. The perimeter margins 114 angle or taper down in the direction of the end of the foot plate portion 110, as best seen in
The foot plate portion 110 defines a horizontally extending plate or base 112 that is placed under the insole 24 of the user's shoe 20. The foot plate 110 provides sufficient flexibility to allow ideal ambulation with enough rigidity to provide a balanced entry that maintains the heel counter 22.
Referring to
The user then places the insole 24 back into the shoe 20, as shown in
The shoe donning device 100 of the present invention is intended to be left in place in the user's shoe 20 while the shoe 20 is worn, including during activities such as walking. However, the device 100 can be easily removed, if desired, since the device 100 is not permanently secured to the inside of the shoe 20. In other embodiments, however, the device 100 can be adhered or otherwise secured or attached to the shoe 20.
The dimensions of the foot plate 110, the height of the neck portion 106, and the extent and shapes of the device contours can be varied to accommodate different styles and sizes of shoes. For example, an array of device 100 sizes and styles can be provided to accommodate a range of sizes and styles of shoes, including athletic, orthopedic, and casual shoes. A size/style chart can be provided to the user so that a correct size and device 100 type can be selected.
The donning device 100 allows the user to easily put their shoes 20 on without compromising the structural integrity of the shoe. This enhances the independence and self-sufficiency of users in populations with certain mobility or dexterity limitations. The user is no longer limited by their inability to reach their foot 10 and apply the bending and twisting motions required by traditional shoe horns.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred example embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed example embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products.
For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.
This Application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/783,031, filed Dec. 20, 2018, which is incorporated fully herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62783031 | Dec 2018 | US |
