Apparel apparatus – Putting on or removing garments – Boot and shoe
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-23
2002-11-05
Lindsey, Rodney M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel apparatus
Putting on or removing garments
Boot and shoe
C223S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474518
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a children's shoehorn for use in connection with assisting parents when dressing an infant or young child. The children's shoehorn has particular utility in connection with putting on an infant's or young child's shoes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shoehorns are desirable for making putting shoes on easier. The use of other shoehorns and musical devices is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,333 to Aryee discloses a musical and illuminated baton. However, Aryee '233 makes no provision for application of music and illumination to a device useful for aiding parents in dressing small children.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,522,922 to Smiley discloses a shoehorn that is wide at one end and narrow at the other. However, Smiley '922 does not disclose a shoehorn with a character to appeal to children at the end opposite the shoehorn nor a shoehorn that fits the heel of an infant or child.
U.S. Pat. No. 728,788 to Washington discloses a shoehorn that is wide at one end and flexible. However, Washington '788 does not disclose a shoehorn with a character to appeal to children at the end opposite the shoehorn nor a shoehorn that fits the heel of an infant or child.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,138 to Bartholomae discloses a shoehorn with a tongue and a finger loop. However, Bartholomae '138 does not disclose a shoehorn with a character to appeal to children at the end opposite the shoehorn nor a shoehorn that fits the heel of an infant or child.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,000 to Batista discloses a shoehorn with a wide end and curved handle. However, Batista '000 does not disclose a shoehorn with a character to appeal to children at the end opposite the shoehorn nor a shoehorn that fits the heel of an infant or child.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a shoehorn that aids parents in putting on an infant's or child's shoes. The abovementioned patents make no provision for a shoehorn to accommodate an infant's or child's foot and no provision for a shoehorn with a character or the like to appeal to children at the end opposite the shoehorn.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved children's shoehorn which can be used for assisting parents when dressing an infant's or young child's shoes. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the children's shoehorn according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of assisting parents when putting on an infant's or young child's shoes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shoehorns now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved children's shoehorn, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved children's shoehorn which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a shoehorn which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, one embodiment of the shoehorn of the present invention essentially comprises a lower heel-engaging portion and an upper portion in a shape suitable for children. The shoehorn maybe sized for an infant's or child's heel. The shoehorn may produce means for producing sound. The means for producing sound may be a circuit comprising: a switch, a battery, a speaker, and a microprocessor comprising a memory that enables a song or other distinctive sound to be emitted from the speaker. The circuit of the shoehorn may further comprises at least one light or two lights in the form of eyes. The upper portion of the shoehorn may be in the shape of a logo, geometric shape, character or animal.
A second embodiment of the shoehorn of the present invention essentially comprises a lower heel-engaging portion sized for an infant's or child's heel and an upper portion in a shape suitable for children. The shoehorn may produce means for producing sound. The means for producing sound may be a circuit comprising: a switch, a battery, a speaker, and a microprocessor comprising a memory that enables a song or other distinctive sound to be emitted from the speaker. The circuit of the shoehorn may further comprises at least one light or two lights in the form of eyes. The upper portion of the shoehorn may be in the shape of a logo, geometric shape, character or animal.
Another embodiment of the shoehorn of the present invention essentially comprises a lower heel-engaging portion and means for, producing sound. The shoehorn may have a lower heel-engaging portion is sized for an infant's or child's heel. The means for producing sound may be a circuit comprising: a switch, a battery, a speaker, and a microprocessor comprising a memory that enables a song or other distinctive sound to be emitted from the speaker. The circuit of the shoehorn may further comprise at least one light or two lights in the form of eyes. The upper portion of the shoehorn may be in a shape suitable for children. The upper portion may comprise lights in the form of eyes. The lights may be lightable via a circuit comprising a switch, a battery and lights. The circuit may further comprises a speaker and a microprocessor comprising a memory that enables a song or other distinctive sound to be emitted from the speaker. The upper portion maybe in a shape of a logo, geometric shape, character or animal.
To attain this, one embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises a shoehorn having a lower heel-engaging portion sized for an infant's or child's heel and an upper portion in a shape suitable for children. The children's shoehorn may also comprise a circuit to play a song or other distinctive sound to be emitted from the speaker and/or light lights. The upper portion in a shape suitable for children may further comprise lights in the form of eyes. The upper portion of the children's shoehorn may be a logo, geometric shape, character, animal or form.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include children's shoehorn in different colors, different construction materials, with different characters and different sized shoehorns to accommodate a growing child's foot. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting
Diaz-Acosta Jesus
Robles-Vidal Diana Berenice
Lindsey Rodney M.
Smith James G
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