Sock removal device and method

A sock removal assembly comprising:

• a heel hook having a first end and a second end, said second end defining an opening extending into an interior space of said heel hook, said heel hook including:
• an elongated portion extending from said first end:
• a partition being positioned within said elongated portion, said partition being spaced from said first end wherein said partition separates said interior space into a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber being positioned between said second chamber and said first end of said heel hook;
• a first curved portion extending outwardly and downwardly from said elongated portion;
• a midsection extending outwardly from said first curved portion, said midsection being perpendicular to said elongated section;
• a second curved portion extending upwardly from said midsection;
• and
• a shortened portion extending upwardly from said second curved portion, said shortened portion being parallel to said elongated portion, said shortened portion having a length being less than a length of said elongated portion;
• a pair of contact members being coupled to an inner surface of said heel hook, said pair of contact members being positioned adjacent to said second end of said heel hook wherein said pair of contact members are exposed within said opening, said pair of contact members being spaced from each other by a distance configured for being complementary to a size of a heel of a foot of a user wherein said pair of contact members are configured for being positionable around said heel of said foot of said user, each contact member of said pair of contact members including:
• a plurality of frictional elements protruding from an outer surface of each contact member of said pair of contact members into said opening wherein said plurality of frictional elements are configured to physically contact a sock on said foot of said user for gripping said sock between said pair of contact members;
• and
• a resiliently deformable material configured for conforming a shape of each contact member of said pair of contact members with said heel of said foot whereby said resiliently deformable material is configured to facilitate said plurality of frictional elements in gripping said sock between said pair of contact members;
• an actuator extending outwardly from said first end of said heel hook, said actuator being nested within said heel hook wherein said actuator is selectively movable upwardly and downwardly relative to said first end, said actuator including:
• a nested end being positioned within said second chamber of said interior space;
• an exposed end being fully positioned outside of said heel hook;
• a shaft extending between said nested end and said exposed end, said shaft being positioned to extend through an aperture within said partition wherein said shaft is positioned in each of said first chamber and said second chamber of said interior space, said shaft extending outwardly through said first end of said heel hook whereby said exposed end is fully positioned outside of said heel hook;
• a stop being fixedly coupled to said shaft, said stop having a size exceeding a size of said aperture wherein said stop inhibits a portion of said shaft between said exposed end and said stop from extending into said second chamber when said actuator is moved downwardly toward said first end of said heel hook;
• and
• an actuator spring being coupled to said stop, said actuator spring being positioned around said shaft between said partition and said stop, said actuator spring being compressed when said actuator is moved downwardly toward said first end, said actuator spring being biased to expand wherein said actuator spring urges said stop away from said partition to urge said exposed end of said actuator upwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook when said actuator is released;
• a primary pulley mechanism being mechanically coupled to said actuator wherein movement of said actuator toward and away from said first end actuates said primary pulley mechanism, said primary pulley mechanism including:
• a body being pivotably coupled to said heel hook within said elongated portion wherein said body is pivotable in a first direction and a second direction about a center point of said body;
• a first arm extending outwardly from said body, said first arm being mechanically coupled to said actuator wherein said first arm urges said body to pivot in said first direction when said actuator is moved downwardly and wherein said first arm urges said body to pivot in said second direction when said actuator is moved upwardly, said first direction being counter-clockwise, said second direction being clockwise;
• and
• a second arm extending outwardly from said body, said second arm being spaced from said first arm wherein said second arm is pivoted upwardly when said body is pivoted in said first direction by said first arm and wherein said second arm is pivoted downwardly when said body is pivoted in said second direction by said first arm;
• a tether being coupled to and extending from said second arm of said primary pulley mechanism, said tether being fully positioned within said interior space, said tether being a flexible material;
• a secondary pulley mechanism being coupled to said tether and to said pair of contact members wherein said primary pulley mechanism actuates said secondary pulley mechanism to selectively urge said pair of contact members toward and away from each other when said actuator is moved upwardly and downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook, said secondary pulley mechanism including:
• a base wheel, said tether being fixedly coupled to said base wheel;
• a pair of upper wheels being positioned between said base wheel and said second end of said heel hook, said base wheel being centered between said pair of upper wheels, said tether extending over said pair of upper wheels to said base wheel, said pair of tethers being movably positioned within said interior space of said shortened portion of said heel hook, said tether urging said pair of upper wheels toward each other when said actuator is moved downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook;
• a pair of legs being coupled to said pair of upper wheels and said pair of contact members wherein each leg of said pair of legs extends between a respective upper wheel of said pair of upper wheels and an associated contact member of said pair of contact members, said pair of legs intersecting each other at a pivot point, said pair of legs pivoting toward each other when said pair of upper wheels pivot toward each other wherein said pair of legs urge said pair of contact members toward each other when said actuator is moved downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook whereby said pair of contact members are configured to grip said sock while said actuator is moved downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook;
• and
• a leg spring being mechanically coupled to said pair of legs, said leg spring being positioned at said pivot point, said leg spring being compressed when said pair of legs are pivoted toward each other, said leg spring being biased to expand wherein said leg spring urges said pair of legs outwardly relative to each other when tension on said tether is released by said second arm of said primary pulley mechanism being pivoted downwardly when said actuator is moved upwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook;
• a plurality of guides being spaced from each other within said interior space of said heel hook, said plurality of guides being positioned between said primary pulley mechanism and said secondary pulley mechanism, said tether being engaged with each guide of said plurality of guides wherein said plurality of guides maintain a position of said tether within said interior space of said heel hook;
• and
• a dowel coupling said first arm of said primary pulley mechanism to said exposed end of said actuator, said dowel being rigid.

A method for removing a sock comprising:

• providing a sock removal assembly including:
• a heel hook having a first end and a second end, said second end defining an opening extending into said heel hook;
• a pair of contact members being positioned adjacent to said second end of said heel hook wherein said pair of contact members are exposed within said opening, said pair of contact members being spaced from each other by a distance configured for being complementary to a size of said heel of a foot of a user wherein said pair of contact members are configured for being positionable around said heel of said foot of said user, each contact member of said pair of contact members including:
• a plurality of frictional elements protruding from an outer surface of each contact member of said pair of contact members into said opening wherein said plurality of frictional elements are configured to physically contact said heel portion of said sock on said foot of said user for gripping said heel portion of said sock between said pair of contact members to facilitate said user in removing said sock from said foot;
• an actuator extending outwardly from said first end of said heel hook, said actuator being nested within said heel hook wherein said actuator is selectively movable downwardly relative to said first end;
• a primary pulley mechanism being mechanically engaged with said actuator wherein movement of said actuator downwardly relative to said first end actuates said primary pulley mechanism;
• and
• a secondary pulley mechanism being mechanically engaged with said primary pulley mechanism and said pair of contact members wherein said primary pulley mechanism actuates said secondary pulley mechanism to selectively urge said pair of contact members toward each other when said actuator is moved downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook;
• positioning said foot of said user adjacent to said heel hook such that said heel portion of said sock is positioned between said pair of contact members within said opening defined by said second end of said heel hook;
• holding said heel hook adjacent to said first end wherein said actuator is configured for being within reach of said user while said user is sitting upwardly relative to said foot;
• moving said actuator downwardly relative to said first end of said heel hook to urge said pair of contact members toward each other around said heel portion of said sock for engaging said heel portion of said sock;
• pushing said heel hook forwardly relative to said user to urge said heel portion of said sock forwardly toward a plurality of toes of said user;
• and
• removing said sock by pulling said heel portion of said sock forwardly past said plurality of toes.