Harness for working animal – Stirrups
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-28
2003-02-04
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Harness for working animal
Stirrups
C054S049000, C074S594600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513309
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to stirrups. More particularly, this invention relates to an accessory for a stirrup iron and to a stirrup assembly.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
It is well known that one of the biggest dangers facing horse riders is having a foot hooked in a stirrup iron when thrown or falling from a saddle. This can cause serious injuries or death as the rider is dragged along the ground and, possibly, struck with the horse's hooves or other obstacles.
It is also recognised that correct foot placement with respect to a stirrup is also very important both for the purposes of safety and in order to achieve the correct riding style. The correct foot placement is related to the position of a rider's heel with respect to a bottom of the stirrup. In particular, the rider's heel should be at least level with, if not lower than, the bottom of the stirrup.
A number of attempts have been made to address the problem of a foot being caught in the stirrup, when the rider is thrown or falls. One of these is disclosed in UK Patent No. 2 274 381 (Woodward). The device shown in this patent is essentially a pocket having a base portion and an upper portion, the pocket being connected to the stirrup. The pocket has flexible elements that fold about sides of a top of the stirrup and a bottom of the stirrup.
It is submitted that the flexible elements of Woodward do not provide a means whereby a toe portion of the pocket is prevented from moving downwardly. The Applicant therefore believes that the device of Woodward is not an effective measure against a rider's foot being caught in the stirrup. The Applicant believes further that the device of Woodward is not an effective measure for ensuring correct foot placement. One of the reasons for this is that Woodward does not disclose a significant adjustment mechanism whereby the position of the pocket can be adjusted relative to the stirrup. Applicant submits that it is important that the position of the pocket relative to the stirrup be adjustable so that differently sized boots or shoes can be accommodated in order to achieve a snug fit. The snug fit serves to ensure that a rider's boot or shoe does not move about within the pocket, disturbing the correct placement of the rider's foot with respect to the stirrup. The snug fit also serves to facilitate movement of the rider's boot or shoe out of the pocket, since the rider's foot is constantly maintained in the correct position.
A further patent, namely UK Patent No. 1 474 192 (Clark) shows an “adjustable safety toe stop”. While, Clark. does disclose some level of adjustability, this adjustability is achieved by the provision of numerous openings providing incremental adjustment of the toe stop. Furthermore, the attachment of the device disclosed in Clark requires the provision of some form of connecting member received through these openings in a tread of the device.
Applicant respectfully submits that this form of incremental adjustment is not suitable for the provision of a level of adjustment required to achieve the snug fit mentioned above. Furthermore, the fact that further components are required to achieve the adjustability is both inconvenient and time consuming.
For the purposes of comfort and aesthetic appeal, it is important that the material of the device be resiliently flexible to accommodate a rider's boot or shoe. Clark does not disclose any particular form of material and applicant submits that aesthetic appeal is not an issue which is addressed by Clark.
Applicant submits further that Clark does not fully address the problem of a foot being caught in the stirrup. The reason for this is that Clark does not disclose a device which serves to shield the top portion of the stirrup from the rider's boot or shoe. It follows that the rider's boot or shoe can still be hooked up on the top portion of the stirrup in the event that the rider should fall from the saddle.
Other existing, published patents known to the applicant, for example UK Patent No. 2 216 384 (Hollingworth) and French Patent No. 2607488 (Marconier) do not disclose any form of adjustability. It would follow that the devices of these patents would have to be customised to suit the particular rider's boot or shoe size in order to function efficiently. Given the wide range of available boot and shoe sizes this would be excessively costly and inconvenient.
It follows that the applicant has identified that a significant problem exists with the prior art. This problem is based on, inter alia, the fact that the applicant is unaware of any accessories for stirrup irons that provide the level of adjustability required in order for the accessory to function effectively and safely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory for a stirrup iron having a stirrup bottom and a stirrup top, the stirrup top having an upper portion to which a stirrup leather is attached, in use, and a pair of opposed side portions, the accessory including
a receptacle of a flexible material that defines a region in which a boot or shoe of a rider is receivable, the receptacle having a cover portion, a pair of opposed side portions and an opposed floor portion;
at least one upper strap that extends from the cover portion to be engageable with the upper portion of the stirrup top;
at least one lower strap that extends from the floor portion to be engageable with the stirrup bottom; and
a fastening arrangement that is positioned on at least the straps to permit the straps and thus the receptacle to be releasably fastened to the stirrup iron, so that, in use, forward movement of the rider's boot or shoe, relative to the stirrup iron, is substantially checked, the fastening arrangement being adjustable so that the position of the receptacle relative to the stirrup iron can be adjusted.
The, or each, upper strap and the, or each, lower strap may be of sufficient length to be receivable over the upper portion of the stirrup stop and over the stirrup bottom, respectively, the fastening arrangement being in the form of complementary fastening mechanisms arranged on the straps and the receptacle, so that the straps are fastenable to the receptacle.
The, or each, upper strap may be configured so that adjustment of the fastening arrangement of the, or each, upper strap results in adjustment of a position of a toe portion of the receptacle relative to the stirrup iron.
The fastening mechanisms may be in the form of a length of one part of a hook-and-loop combination, known as VELCRO™, positioned on a side of the strap and a length of a complementary part of the VELCRO™ positioned on the receptacle.
An accessory as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a pair of spaced, upper straps, each upper strap being receivable over the upper portion of the stirrup top on respective sides of a stirrup leather opening defined in the upper portion, in use.
The receptacle may be dimensioned to be receivable within an opening of the stirrup iron, defined by the stirrup bottom and the stirrup top. The fastening arrangement may be configured so that a position of the receptacle relative to the stirrup iron can be adjusted with the receptacle received within the opening of the stirrup iron.
The material of the receptacle may be a synthetic, substantially water-impervious material. In particular, at least the floor member of the receptacle may be of a non-slip polyurethane material. A number of gripping formations may be arranged on the floor member to engage a sole of the rider's boot or shoe. The gripping formations may be of a suitable non-slip material such as rubber to inhibit slipping of the rider's boot or shoe in the receptacle, during normal use.
Furthermore, the cover member of the receptacle may be of an expanded material.
At least one ventilation opening may be defined in the receptacle.
The accessory may be in the form of a one-piece moulding.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
Jordan Charles T.
Quarles & Brady LLP
Shaw Elizabeth
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