Apparel – Nether garments – Stockings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2002-05-07
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Nether garments
Stockings
Reexamination Certificate
active
06381756
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to socks and gaiters and, more particularly, to socks and gaiters that are used as barriers for protection of the lower extremities, boots (shoes), socks, or any combination of these.
2. The Background Art
Sandals, socks, and pants were invented to warm and protect humans' lower extremities. When these proved inadequate at times, others invented and improved the shoe and boot. But anyone who walks very far off paved roads soon discovers these protectors still have their shortcomings. Thorns and thistles penetrate or lodge in the socks and the boot (shoe) linings. Rocks and other debris slip in between the boot (shoe) and sock to discomfort. Insects and arachnids such as spiders and ticks crawl up the sock to bite the exposed skin and perhaps infect. Plant toxins like poison ivy can still afflict the legs of the wearer of socks and boots (shoes). Snow and water soak socks and the inside of boots (shoes), even when the boot (shoe) exteriors are waterproofed.
Attempts to overcome the deficiencies of pants, socks, and boots (shoes) as barrier protectors led to the development of a class of inventions commonly called gaiters. A dictionary describes gaiters in part as “cloth or leather leg coverings reaching from the instep to above the ankle.” Another dictionary describes a gaiter in part as “an outer covering of the leg below the knee or for the ankle, made usually of cloth or leather, for outdoor use.” A functional gaiter, as opposed to a decorative gaiter, serves in some way beyond the boot (shoe) or sock or pant legs as additional barrier protection for the lower extremity. Gaiters help prevent inconveniences and discomforts like thistles, burrs or the like in the sock, or stones in the shoe or boot. More importantly, good gaiter designs can protect the lower extremities from trauma, bug bites, infections, plant toxins, cold, snow, and water.
A review of the U.S. patents issued, hiking and walking gear offered for sale in the USA, and the long memories of a number of older, experienced hikers demonstrate that previous gaiters have a few common elements. Typically, gaiter attachments have been cumbersome and time consuming to use. The more effective barrier protection gaiter inventions have been large, heavy, hot, expensive, and therefore used sparingly. Prior simple gaiter inventions are difficult to attach adequately, stay in place poorly, and commonly break down as effective barrier protection.
“The extendible boot” disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,271 to Maleyko, et al, issued May 6, 1986, requires the purchaser to choose that model only for protection and hence cannot be used universally with other boots. Brown's “Shoe with integral storable gaiter,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,573, issued Jul. 1, 1997 also has the limitation of not being usable as a gaiter with any other boot. Chen discloses a “fastening means to secure a gaiter to a shoe” (U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,911, issued Feb. 20, 1996). It will only fit shoes “having a pair of studs integrally formed at the rear” of the shoe. Again, this is a complex and non-universal (any shoe) design. A “Shoe covering and gaiter,” U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,147, issued to Bauer on Nov. 11, 1969, discloses a very complex, apparently heavy gaiter that attaches to the shoe. Datson's “Shoe and gaiter,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,207, issued Aug. 15, 1989, requires the gaiter to be “permanently affixed” to the boot. Fugere, et al, has several similar patents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,953, issued Jan. 11, 1997 and 4,035,860, issued Jul. 19, 1997), in which each includes “an energy-absorbing pad.” The description suggests substantial weight for protection from substantial trauma. Both inventions require the gaiter to be worn over the instep.
Johnson discloses an “insulated boot and gaiter combination” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,437, issued Jan. 30, 1990). This requires a special “gaiter” which attaches to a special “boot”. With at least two layers on the gaiter, three snaps, one zipper, one drawstring, one clip, one elastic strap, one other strap, and hook-and-loop fasteners, it is hardly simple or convenient
Other devices such as Winer's (U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,562, issued May 19, 1987) describe fairly typical gaiters with various ways of fastening the gaiter around the lower extremity. Again these designs in general are elaborate, heavy, and warm.
Calabrese discloses an “ankle gaiter with boot stirrup” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,522, issued Jul. 19, 1983). This has a “band” around the ankle and a “stirrup” over the instep. It holds “the bottom trousers or pant legs in place to allow for ease of insertion in a sock.” It obviously would have difficulty containing any but very long pant legs. The “stirrup” proves a nuisance and debris can still get into the boot.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,290, issued Jan. 11, 1985, Rubeling discloses his “Snow blocks.” Like other extant designs, it is simply a “tube” or cuff that wraps around the junction of a boot top and a “trouser”. These unattached designs do not stay in place well.
The “double sock construction” of Guigley (U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,215, issued Jul. 15, 1983) has nothing to do with gaiter protection, and merely makes the inner sock shorter to prevent “bunching of the toe of the double sock.” Pacanowsky discloses a “waterproof breathable sock” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,447, issued Mar. 7, 1989), taking waterproof breathable material technology and applying it to socks. His design can keep the foot dry, but not the inner lining of the boot. Also, debris can still get into the boot, and bugs can enter the pant leg. Willard did a spinoff on the foregoing sock. He created a “waterproof oversock” (U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,541, issued Jul. 5, 1994) to be worn over the wearer's choice of under socks. It has the same inherent limitations of the previous sock invention.
Holder discloses a “boot sock with stay-up cuff and method” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,580, issued Jul. 12, 1977), described as an “integrally knit” design to allow one portion to extend upward around the leg. The patent states that the sock only “covers the upper edge of the boot”. But since boot heights vary greatly, the inventor acknowledged having to make socks with the cuffs at different levels in order to be useful at all. This design does not extend down and cover the sides of the boot. Between the design specifications of “knit” material and not covering the side of the boot, this design doesn't protect against bugs, snow, water, or thistles, and the sock could easily dislodge enough for debris to enter between the sock and boot.
Baptista et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,597, issued Sep. 24, 1985) for a “snow shield foot and leg insulator” discloses an “inner cloth tube for engagement with a foot and leg and an outer cloth tube.” He specifies that the “said inner cloth tube is made of 100% nylon shell having a core of 100% polyester filler”, a bulky wrapping indeed, for the confines of a foot within the body of a boot. Since he claims the “inner cloth tube is for engagement with a foot and a leg”, there is an inferior opening on the tube, which inferiorly exposes the end of the foot, or the foot per se, to the boot itself, unless a sock is worn under the “tube”. The tube can potentially creep up the ankle, as there is no cap or closed end to prevent such upward migration. Further, this invention as its name implies (“snow shield foot and leg insulator”) is limited to cold and/or snow conditions, and would be most uncomfortable with its four layers (sock, insulated inner tube, boot and outer tube) in hotter climates. The inventors consistently refer to the portion which covers the foot and leg as a “tube” and the illustration shows only a “tube”.
Judging by the continued application for patents, and patents issued for gaiters, there has been a perceived need for improvements. The ideal invention would be simple, effective, easy to use, lightweight, versatile, inexpensive, and dependable as a barrier protection. Such an invention should conceivably encourage far more gaiter use and hence, more and better p
Calvert John J.
Hoey Alissa L.
Pate & Pierce & Baird
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