Apparel apparatus – Putting on or removing garments – Boot and shoe
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-22
2001-09-04
Mohanty, Bibhu (Department: 3765)
Apparel apparatus
Putting on or removing garments
Boot and shoe
C223S114000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283343
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to a bootjack, and more specifically relates to a bootjack having a hinge on its long axis about which the bootjack is rotatable between an open and a closed position.
2. Background Art
A bootjack is a tool used to assist a boot wearer in removing the boot from his or her foot. Because boots extend well past a person's ankles, generally rising to the middle of the calf or beyond, and because boots that are properly fitted tightly engage the wearer's foot and leg, they are often very difficult to remove without assistance. Bootjacks allow a person, acting alone, to easily remove even snug, well-fitting boots by providing a device to retain the boot in a fixed position while the foot is lifted and withdrawn.
Bootjacks of one kind or another have existed for some time. Among the existing variations are bootjacks with adjustable arms for gripping boots with different heel widths, bootjacks with hand rails that are large enough to stand on comfortably, and bootjacks with foot bars or heel gripping arms that fold underneath the boojack's body. Existing bootjacks, however, even if foldable, can be bulky and difficult to store, especially in the limited space available while traveling. A further problem with many existing bootjacks is their complicated adjustment or locking mechanisms, which can wear out, break, or malfunction. Therefore, there exists a need to provide a boojack of simple, sturdy construction that is capable of being folded into a slender, easily transportable form when not in use.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, a bootjack has left and right elongate arms hingedly connected along their long dimension and rotatable about the axis defined by the hinge between open and closed positions. In its closed position the bootjack has a long and slender shape that is well suited for storage in a boot. The arms define an oblong channel therebetween to receive and grip the heel of a boot, thereby assisting the wearer with its removal. The arms contain cutouts in which feet are securely attached. The feet are positioned so as to hold the bootjack at an angle with the horizontal when the bootjack is in its open position on a generally horizontal surface, and to slide past each other when the boojack is rotated to a closed position.
The bootjack of the present invention is easy to store and easy to travel with, in part because of the way it folds. The hinge location along the long dimension of the bootjack allows the device when folded to be slender enough to fit into a boot, thus taking up no extra room in limited spaces such as suitcases, vehicles, or hotel rooms. Furthermore, because the hinge is the only moving part of the bootjack, there are fewer pieces to wear out or malfunction, and less chance the bootjack will have to be replaced or repaired. The feet, for example, are arranged in such a way as to allow them to be permanently fixed in a single position on the bootjack yet still conform to the compact configuration enjoyed by the rest of the device when in a closed position. The bootjack's simple design permits it to be easily and quickly constructed with simple tools.
The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of certain embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 143408 (1873-10-01), Dorsett
patent: 149465 (1874-04-01), Geer
patent: 212128 (1879-02-01), Burdick
patent: 434653 (1890-08-01), Bommer
patent: 1210295 (1916-12-01), Fogelstrom et al.
patent: 1274500 (1918-08-01), Bell
patent: 1293318 (1919-02-01), Boissiere et al.
patent: 1893280 (1933-01-01), Gerfen
patent: 2571447 (1951-10-01), Hilton
patent: 3652009 (1972-03-01), Foster
patent: 4226346 (1980-10-01), Turner
Mohanty Bibhu
Schmeiser Olsen & Watts
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