Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Occupational or athletic shoe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2001-09-11
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Occupational or athletic shoe
C036S007400, C036S07200R, C036S07700R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286234
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to footwear protection devices and more particularly pertains to a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding for protecting the footwear of motorcycle riders with an article that is easily mounted on the footwear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of footwear protection devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, footwear protection devices have been devised for use by riders of motorcycles, which typically have foot actuated gear shifting levers that are engaged by the top of the rider's foot. The gear shifting lever thus contacts the top surface of the upper of the footwear, which is much more vulnerable to damage by the lever than, for example, the sole of the footwear. Motorcycle riding can thus damage the visible outer surface of the upper of the footwear.
The various known footwear protectors have generally been designed to protect a relatively large portion of the upper of the footwear, and generally include relatively thick panels of material for protection and bands and buckles for securing the thick panels to the footwear. The resulting footwear protectors are bulky and difficult to place in the rider's pocket or purse, and thus can be inconvenient to carry around while the rider is not using the protector. The known protectors also tend to be of one particular size and shape, so that a specific size of protector is needed for a particular size or style of footwear, thus making interchangeability between different styles and sizes of footwear difficult if not impossible.
The footwear protector for motorcycle riding according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting the footwear of motorcycle riders with an article that is easily mounted on the footwear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of footwear protection devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding construction wherein the same can be utilized for protecting the footwear of motorcycle riders with an article that is easily mounted on the footwear.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the footwear protection devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art footwear protection devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a footwear protective device for protecting footwear while riding a motorcycle having a foot-actuated gear shift actuator. The protective device includes a sheath member having a forward end and a rearward end, with the forward end being closed and the rearward end having an opening. The sheath member has a top wall and a bottom wall, with a pair of side walls and a front wall extending between the top and bottom walls. The device also includes a gear shift actuator cushion mounted on the top wall of the sheath member. The actuator cushion extends from the opening toward the forward end of the sheath member. A pocket is formed on the top wall of the sheath member. The actuator cushion comprises a resiliently compressible cushion in the pocket for cushioning the transmission of impacts from an upper surface of the actuator cushion to the top wall of the sheath member and footwear positioned in the sheath member. The side walls are preferably formed of a resiliently stretchable material, and the resiliently stretchable material may include spandex.
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. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one 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 description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the footwear protection devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art footwear protection devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such footwear protector for motorcycle riding economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding for protecting the footwear of motorcycle riders with an article that is easily mounted on the footwear.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new footwear protector for motorcycle riding which includes a sheath member having a forward end and a rearward end, with the forward end being closed and the rearward end having an opening. The sheath member has a top wall and a bottom wall, with a pair of side walls and a front wall extending between the top and bottom walls. The device also includes a gear shift actuator cushion mounted on
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