Patent Grant
9149140
The present invention relates to a boot removal tool and a method of use thereof, and more particularly, a boot removal tool comprising a heel support feature and a gripping hook for insertion behind a calf portion of a boot shaft, wherein the boot removal tool provides a leverage for rotating the calf portion of the boot shaft outward as well as providing a downward force thereto, thus aiding the wearer in extracting their foot from the boot while in an upright position and in a safe and easy manner.
Boots are a specific type of footwear that covers the foot and the ankle but extends up the leg, sometimes as far as the knees. These are normally made of leather, plastic, rubber as well as a variety of materials. Boots are worn for both their functionality, to protect the user from the weather and to support the ankle and for reason of esthetics and fashion. Specialty boots are made for sporting events such as riding, skiing, snowboarding and other conditions. Boots are normally very difficult to remove.
Ski Boots are tightly bound to an individual's foot. The design of the ski boot makes it very difficult to remove the wearer's foot from the boot.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a device and an associated method of use for aiding in removal of a wearer's foot from the boot.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the known art and the problems that remain unsolved by providing a method and respective apparatus for aiding in a removal of a boot, from a wearer's foot.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the invention includes a method of extracting a foot from a boot, the method comprising steps of:
obtaining a boot removal tool, the boot removal tool comprising:
sliding a free hook end of said cantilevered elongated element into a calf segment of a boot shaft of said boot, wherein said calf region of a boot shaft is pivotally attached to a boot upper section of said boot;
abutting the heel gripping element against a rear portion of the boot; and applying at least one of:
Throughout the application, the terminology and reference to the heel engagement end of the device and the respective contact points to the boot can refer to any location including a heel end of the boot through a lower portion of a calf end of the boot shaft.
In a second aspect, the wearer would remove or extract their foot from the ski boot.
In another aspect, a shape of a lower region of a transition section formed between the cantilevered elongated element and the elongated shaft can be any suitable geometry, including an inverted “U” shape, an inverted “V” shape, an upper portion of an elliptical shape, an upper portion of a hexagonal shape, an upper portion of an octagonal shape, a square or rectangular shape, and the like.
In another aspect, the cantilevered elongated element extends generally parallel to the elongated shaft. It is noted that the term generally parallel can be defined as being within a 45 degree angle from the elongated shaft.
In another aspect, the cantilevered elongated element extends substantially parallel to the elongated shaft. It is noted that the term substantially parallel can be defined as being within a 20 degree angle from the elongated shaft.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape.
In another aspect, the heel gripping element is alternatively formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming any of the following shapes, including: a “U” shape, a “V” shape, an elliptical shape, a hexagonal shape, an octagonal shape, a square or rectangular shape, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of approximately 45 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of no more than 45 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of approximately 30 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of no more than 30 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of approximately 60 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element is formed having a pair of radially extending arms forming a “V” shape, wherein the radially extending arms define an angle therebetween of no more than 60 degrees.
In yet another aspect, the angle between arms of the heel gripping element can be applied to any of the alternative shapes described above.
In yet another aspect, the heel gripping element further comprises a gripping feature to engaging with the heel section of the boot.
In yet another aspect, the gripping feature can be a friction enhancing material, such as a rubber block, a section of silicone, a mechanical feature designed to engage with a mating mechanical feature of the boot, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the handle can be fabricated of a pliant material, such as plastic, rubber, nylon, silicone, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the boot removal tool can be fabricated of a cast material, a molded material, and the like. The boot removal tool can be fabricated of metallic material, a composite material, a plastic and the like.
In yet another aspect, the boot removal tool can be fabricated of a unitary construction, inclusive or exclusive of the handle.
In yet another aspect, the boot removal tool can include gussets or other structural enhancing features. The gussets can be integrated between the heel gripping element and the elongated shaft, between the handle and the elongate shaft, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the attachment end of the calf boot shaft hook can be shaped having any of: a concave arch, a concave circular arch, a concave elliptical arch, a concave “V” shape, a rectangular recess, an octagonal recess, and any other suitable shape.
In yet another aspect, the boot removal tool can include an aperture or hole for attachment of a carrying element, such as a cord, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the boot removal tool can include an adjustment feature, enabling positional adjustment of the boot shaft hook. The adjustment feature enables adjustability of a distance between a boot shaft hook stop surface of the calf boot shaft hook and the heel gripping element.
In yet another aspect, the adjustment feature employs a pin and a series of pin receptacles, wherein the pin receptacles can be a series of holes, a series of bores, and the like.
In yet another aspect, the adjustment feature employs a locking toothed element and a mating toothed surface, wherein the locking toothed element engages with the mating toothed surface.
In yet another aspect, the boot can be a snow ski boot, a snowboarding boot, a roller blade boot, a roller skate boot, and the like.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular embodiments, features, or elements. Specific structural and functional details, dimensions, or shapes disclosed herein are not limiting but serve as a basis for the claims and for teaching a person of ordinary skill in the art the described and claimed features of embodiments of the present invention. The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
A boot removal tool 100, introduced in
Throughout the application, the terminology and reference to the heel engagement end 120 of the boot removal tool 100 and the respective contact points to the boot 200 (
The handle 140 can include a handgrip 142. The handgrip 142 can be shaped to include features enhancing a grip, such as finger grips, ribbing, bosses, and the like. The handgrip 142 can be fabricated of a pliant material for comfort, such as rubber, plastic, nylon, silicone, and the like. A grip enhancing material can be assembled to a heel gripping arm boot contacting surface 124 of each heel gripping arm 122 forming the heel gripping element 120. The grip enhancing material can be a rubber, a silicone, a plastic and the like to grip the heel section of the ski boot 200. The hand grip 142 can be overmolded onto the handle 140, slideably assembled into the handle 140, or assembled using any other suitable manner.
The boot removal tool 100 can include a carrying element 144 attached to the boot removal tool 100 by any suitable feature. In the exemplary embodiment, the carrying element 144 is a cord or leather strap inserted through a carrying element aperture 146 formed through a feature of the boot removal tool 100, such as a gusset employed to support the transition between the elongated shaft 110 and the handle 140.
In one exemplary embodiment, the elongated shaft 110 is approximately 15¾ “long and approximately ¾” wide.
The method of use of the boot removal tool 100 is introduced in
In accordance with the exemplary boot removal tool use flow diagram 300, the user would obtain the boot removal tool 100 (step 302). It is noted that the boot removal tool 100 can optionally include one or more dimensional adjustment features. Two exemplary variants are presented as a boot removal tool 400 and a boot removal tool 500 in
The boot wearing individual (or an assistant) would release boot buckles 230, a boot shaft retention strap 232, and/or any other element that secures the boot shaft 220 and boot shaft pivotal calf segment 222 to one another (step 310). This enables a pivotal motion of the boot shaft pivotal calf segment 222 about the boot shaft pivotal segment hinge element 224.
The user then positions the boot removal tool 100 onto the ski boot 200 (step 312). This is accomplished by directing the boot shaft hook free hook end 136 of the boot shaft hook cantilevered elongated element 134 towards the boot shaft 220 and subsequently inserting the boot shaft hook cantilevered elongated element 134 therein by sliding the boot shaft hook cantilevered elongated element 134 between a calf of the wearer and an interior surface of the boot shaft pivotal calf segment 222 (step 314). The boot shaft hook cantilevered elongated element 134 is inserted until the upper edge of the boot shaft pivotal calf segment 222 approaches and optionally contacts a lower edge (identified as a boot shaft hook stop surface 138) of the boot shaft hook attachment end 132, as illustrated in
The boot removal tool 100 can incorporate features enabling adjustability thereto. This can include an elongated shaft 110 having an adjustable length, a calf boot shaft hook 130 that is positionably or adjustably assembled to the elongated shaft 110 (as taught by an exemplary boot removal tool 400 (
As previously mentioned, the boot removal tool 100 can incorporate any of a variety of adjustments enabling adaptation of the boot removal tool 100 to optimally fit a specific ski boot 200. Two exemplary embodiments are described in this disclosure. A first exemplary adjustable embodiment is referred to as a boot removal tool 400, illustrated in
The boot removal tool 400 is an enhanced variant of the boot removal tool 100. Like features of the boot removal tool 400 and the boot removal tool 100 are numbered the same except preceded by a numeral “4”. In the exemplary embodiments, the calf boot shaft hook 430 is positionably adjustable along at least a portion of a length of a elongated shaft 410. A boot shaft hook axial mating slide positioning feature 460 is slideably assembled within a elongated member hook slide positioning feature 450, wherein the calf boot shaft hook 430 slides in accordance with a slideable positioning motion 492. In the exemplary embodiment, the boot shaft hook axial mating slide positioning feature 460 is formed in a shape of a dovetail tail and the associated elongated member hook slide positioning feature 450 is formed in a shape of a dovetail slot, wherein the boot shaft hook axial mating slide positioning feature 460 slides along a length of the elongated member hook slide positioning feature 450. The sliding dovetail interface enables axial motion along a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft 410, while restraining the calf boot shaft hook 430 from any lateral motion, twisting motion or any other undesirable motion. The boot shaft hook axial mating slide positioning feature 460 is fixed into position by a locking interface. The first exemplary locking interface employs a boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 that engages with a boot shaft hook position locking feature 452. In the exemplary embodiment, the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is provided in a form factor of a pin and the boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 is provided in a form factor of a series of apertures, holes, bores, and the like. The boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is slideably inserted into the boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 retaining the calf boot shaft hook 430 in position along the elongated shaft 410. The boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is slideably retracted from the boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 enabling the calf boot shaft hook 430 to slide along a length of the elongated member hook slide positioning feature 450 of the elongated shaft 410.
Actuation of the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is accomplished by the design of the locking system. The boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is integrated into a position locking feature axial shaft 470. The position locking feature axial shaft 470 can be manually withdrawn by the user. An operating end of the position locking feature axial shaft 470 opposite from the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 would be accessible to the user. In the exemplary embodiment, a position locking feature actuator 474 is assembled to the operating end of the position locking feature axial shaft 470. The position locking feature axial shaft 470 would pass through an aperture or hole formed through a boot shaft hook attachment end 432 of the calf boot shaft hook 430. The position locking feature actuator 474 would be located within a locking feature actuator clearance 464 formed within the boot shaft hook attachment end 432. The locking feature actuator clearance 464 could optionally include features to guide any motion of the position locking feature actuator 474. A boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480 can be employed to retain the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 in a normally engaged position. The boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480 could be a coil spring inserted within a biasing element receiving bore 462 formed within the calf boot shaft hook 430. A biasing element support flange 476 would be integrated with the position locking feature axial shaft 470. The biasing element support flange 476 provides several functions, including support of the position locking feature axial shaft 470 within the calf boot shaft hook 430, structural support when the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 and the boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 are engaged with one another, a backing element for the boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480, and the like. The biasing element support flange 476 preferably is shaped having a peripheral edge that slides along an interior surface of the biasing element receiving bore 462. The peripheral shape of the biasing element support flange 476 engaging with the interior surface of the biasing element receiving bore 462 aids in supporting the position locking feature axial shaft 470 during the sliding motion as well as when positioned in the locking configuration. The boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480 is preferably a compression coil spring having an uncompressed, natural length that is greater than a distance between an interior surface of the boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480 and an opposing surface of the boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480. This ensures generation of a compression force within the coil spring 480. The compression force from the coil spring 480 drives and retains the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 within the boot shaft hook position locking feature 452. The inclusion of the series of boot shaft hook position locking features 452 enables the calf boot shaft hook 430 to be positioned based upon any boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 of the series of boot shaft hook position locking features 452.
In operation, the user would engage the position locking feature actuator 474 and draw the position locking feature axial shaft 470 outward in accordance with a locking element motion 490. The motion would compress the boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480 increasing the compression force within the boot shaft hook position locking feature biasing element 480. While the shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 and the boot shaft hook position locking features 452 are disengaged, the calf boot shaft hook 430 is slideably positioned along the length of the elongated shaft 410 in accordance with a slideable positioning motion 492.
The compression force would return the position locking feature axial shaft 470 into the fixed position when the boot shaft hook mating position locking feature 472 is in alignment with one of (preferably the desired) boot shaft hook position locking feature 452 of the series of boot shaft hook position locking features 452.
The boot removal tool 500 is similar to the boot removal tool 400, wherein the pin 472 and series of apertures 452 are replaced by a toothed element 572 and a series of teeth 552 formed within a mating surface of the elongated shaft 510. Like features of the boot removal tool 500 and the boot removal tool 400 are numbered the same except preceded by a numeral “5”. Operation of the boot removal tool 500 is essentially the same as the operation of the boot removal tool 400. The employment of a toothed element 572 mating with a series of formed teeth 552 enables more accurate positioning of the calf boot shaft hook 530 along a length of the elongated shaft 510. The shape and/or dimensions of the toothed element 572, the number of teeth included in the toothed element 572, and the shape and/or dimensions of each tooth of the series of formed teeth 552 would be such to ensure reliability of the boot removal tool during use. For example, the teeth can be triangularly shaped, enabling a ratcheting scenario when shortening the distance between the calf boot shaft hook 530 and the heel gripping element (120 of boot removal tool 100), while retaining engagement against an upward force applied to the boot shaft hook stop surface 538.
The above described adjustment configurations are two exemplary variants for positioning the calf boot shaft hook 430, 530 at any desired position along a length of the elongated shaft 410, 510. It is understood that any positioning system can be employed by the designer for locating the calf boot shaft hook 430, 530 at any desired position along a length of the elongated shaft 410, 510. For example, the dovetail slide configuration can be replaced by a “C” shaped channel sliding configuration, a box-shaped sliding configuration, or any other suitable sliding configuration. Similarly, the locking system can be replaced by a locking bearing system, a transversely oriented locking pin, a threaded fastener, or any other suitable fixing configuration.
It is understood that the various elements of the boot removal tool 100 can be modified to include other adaptations enabling adjustability of other elements, as previously described above.
It is understood that the ski-boot 200 can be adapted for any similar boot structure, including snow ski boots, snowboarding boots, roller blade boots, roller skate boots, and the like.
The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary illustrations of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations, combinations, modifications or equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all the embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
This Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/034,895, filed on Aug. 8, 2014 and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/889,493, filed on Oct. 10, 2013, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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| 61889493 | Oct 2013 | US |
