Boots – shoes – and leggings – Sole-attaching means – Detachable soles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-11
2003-11-04
Stashick, Anthony D. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Sole-attaching means
Detachable soles
C036S042000, C036S02500A, C036S03000A, C036S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640465
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a disposable foot protector.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many situations in which a person is faced with the prospect of walking barefoot across surfaces of indeterminate cleanliness and temperature fluctuations. For example, a person entering or exiting a spa, a health club, medical facility, going to or from or in a shower at a gym or the like, may need to walk barefoot across a surface that is unsanitary, cold, wet, hot, slippery or otherwise undesirable to a person. As another example, a person entering a private home of another may be required to remove their daily wear shoes, but one or both parties does not want the person to walk barefoot in the home.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would be advantageous to have a foot protector that protects the foot from contact with such surfaces, and which is lightweight, flexible, inexpensive and readily disposable.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a foot protector, including a resilient sheet member of substantially uniform thickness, and having a shape generally matching a shape of a sole of a foot and generally corresponding in size to the foot. The resilient sheet member includes a foot-contact surface, and a tack adhesive layer is provided on all or at least a portion of the foot-contact surface. A peel-off layer may be detachably provided on the tack adhesive layer to cover and protect the tack adhesive layer. The resilient sheet member is also preferably formed to be lightweight, flexible and have a small thickness.
According to another aspect, the invention provides a foot protector, including a resilient sheet member, that easily conforms to the contour of a sole of a wearer's foot, with the resilient sheet member having a shape generally matching a shape of the sole of the foot and generally corresponding in size to the wearer's foot. The resilient sheet member includes a foot-contact surface. Again, a tack adhesive layer is provided on all or at least a portion of the foot-contact surface to adhere the foot protector to the wearer's foot. A the resilient sheet member is thin and flexible, the foot protector is able to readily conform to the shape and contour of the wearer's foot. This is advantageous as it provides a greater effective surface to which the tack adhesive can stick. Thus, there is less likelihood that the foot protector will fall off. Moreover, it accommodates many varying foot details, such as feet with high arches, flat feet, and the like and can provide additional mobility of the foot as it can readily conform to the three-dimensional curvature of a foot.
The resilient sheet member can be made of various inexpensive materials. Therefore, the foot protector can be manufactured and sold at low cost. Furthermore, the foot protector is extremely compact and lightweight, and can easily be carried in a purse, handbag or the like or stored in a dispenser.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5394624 (1995-03-01), Siepser
patent: 5433695 (1995-07-01), Drennan
patent: 5735805 (1998-04-01), Wasserman et al.
patent: 5771605 (1998-06-01), Safdie
patent: 5799415 (1998-09-01), Kenji et al.
patent: 5983527 (1999-11-01), Strickland et al.
patent: 410461 (1932-08-01), None
patent: 922297 (1927-03-01), None
Product sample relating to U.S. Patent 4,801,494.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Stashick Anthony D.
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