US 6,360,456 B1Granted

Footwear attachment

OwnerMerwyn C. Davis, Shirley A. Espeinventors

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Abstract

An accessory for footwear, particularly boots, to assist in removal from the foot of the wearer. The accessory comprises a strap hinged to the heel of the footwear. A fixed attachment section is applied to the rear of the boot and cooperative fasteners secure the strap against the heel extending generally vertically upward in a stored position. In use, the strap may be loosened from the boot and placed on a surface so the wearer may place weight on the strap to anchor the footwear so the wearer's foot may be withdrawn. The strap may have decorative features and define an opening to accommodate a spur. In a preferred embodiment, the hinge comprises a generally rectangular wire ring receiveably in loops in the bottom ends of the fixed section and strap to allow the strap to be removed from the boot for replacement or repair.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An accessory for footwear of the type having a sole, heel, upper and an outside counter to assist the wearer in removing the footwear from the wearer's foot, said accessory comprising:

(a) a strap having opposite upper and lower ends, opposite sides and opposite inner and outer surfaces, said strap defining a loop at its lower end;
(b) attachment means for hingedly securing said strap to the heel area of the footwear, said attachment means attachable along the counter and having a loop at its lower end;
(c) cooperating fastener means on said attachment means and on said strap;
(d) a hinge extending between said loops on said attachment means and said strap;
and
(e) said strap having sufficient length so as to have a stored position extending upwardly along the rear of the boot when said cooperating fastener means are engaged and a use-position extending rearwardly of the heel onto the supporting surface to enable a person to place weight on the strap to anchor the footwear on the surface while the person withdraws his or her foot.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/813,468Filed 20 Mar 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 22 Jul 1999
Published: US 2001/0011430 A19 Aug 2001
Granted: 26 Mar 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A43B 11/00
Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing
A43C 17/04
Spurs: releasable spur fastenings
A43B
Characteristic features of footwear
A43C
Fastenings or attachments of footwear

Family

Application09/359,623Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Jul 1999
US 6,205,686 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2001/0011430 A1Published application
US 6,360,456 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.