Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
SHOE FASTENER AND EXTENSION TOOL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present specification relates generally to fasteners, and more
specifically relates
to footwear fasteners and associated tools.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
'
[0002] Footwear is widely recognized as an important personal possession
used daily by
many people. For many footwear users, their use of footwear also serves
important fashion and
social functions. The quantity and range of footwear available for purchase in
the marketplace is
huge. In addition to variation reflective of quality, dimensions, and intended
use, much variety is
provided to satisfy individual preferences with regard to such aspects as
color, design, and
material.
[0003] Many items of footwear incorporate laces as a means of closing the
items of footwear
to assist in holding the footwear securely around a foot. Some people have
difficulty using laces
or related closing features. For example, many young children have not yet
learned to tie laces,
many people may have trouble tying laces due to age-related decline, illness,
injury, the effects
of medication, developmental disabilities, or physical disabilities.
[0004] People who have difficulty with laces and related closing features
and tools may
accordingly lose access to a great number of potential footwear selections,
and may find
themselves limited to a comparatively small selection from which to satisfy
their needs and
desires. This may be particularly true for casual and athletic footwear, which
are generally
manufactured in a lace-up configuration and which may not function as well
when in a non-lace-
up configuration such as a slip-on, front-zipper, or VelcroTM configuration.
[0005] Accordingly, there remains a need for improvements in the art.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a
shoe fastener for
use with a shoe having an upper, eyelets in the upper, and laces, the shoe
fastener comprising: a
zipper having a zipper clasp and a tape, wherein the tape has a width on each
side of the zipper
clasp; and a plurality of tape eyelets in the tape on each side of the zipper
clasp; the tape width
being sized and shaped to accommodate the tape eyelets; wherein upon inserting
the fastener
adjacent to the upper of the shoe, and threading the laces through the shoe
eyelets and the tape
eyelets to secure the fastener to the shoe, the shoe may be fastened and
unfastened by operating
the zipper clasp.
[0007] According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
shoe fastener kit
comprising: a shoe having an upper, eyelets in the upper, and laces; and a
fastener comprising a
zipper having a zipper clasp and a tape, and a plurality of tape eyelets in
the tape on each side of
the zipper clasp; wherein upon inserting the fastener adjacent to the upper of
the shoe, and
threading the laces through the shoe eyelets and the tape eyelets to secure
the fastener to the
shoe, the shoe may be fastened and unfastened by operating the zipper clasp.
[0008] According to a further embodiment, the present invention provides a
zipper
comprising: a zipper clasp; a tape on each side of the zipper clasp; and a
plurality of eyelets in
the tape on each side of the zipper clasp.
[0009] According to a further embodiment, the present invention provides a
shoe fastener for
use with a shoe having an upper, eyelets in the upper, and laces, the shoe
fastener comprising: a
zipper having a zipper clasp and a tape, wherein the tape is made of a soft,
pliant, and flexible
material; an extension element made of a soft, pliant, and flexible material,
and attached to each
side of the tape; and a plurality of fastener eyelets in each side of the
extension element; wherein
upon inserting the fastener adjacent to the upper of the shoe, and threading
the laces through the
shoe eyelets and the fastener eyelets to secure the fastener to the shoe, the
shoe may be fastened
and unfastened by operating the zipper clasp.
[0010] According to a further embodiment, the present invention provides an
extension tool
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for manipulating a zipper, comprising: an extension defining a first end and
an opposing second
end; a handle, the handle secured to the first end of the extension; and an
interactive element, the
interactive element secured to the second end of the extension.
[0011] Other aspects and features according to the present application will
become apparent
to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following
description of embodiments of
the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show,
by way of
example only, embodiments of the invention, and how they may be carried into
effect, and in
which:
[0013] Figure 1 is a front view of a shoe fastener according to an
embodiment;
[0014] Figure 2 is another front view of the shoe fastener of FIG. I;
[0015] Figure 3 is a back view of the shoe fastener of FIG. 1;
[0016] Figure 4 is another back view of the shoe fastener of FIG. I;
[0017] Figures 5A and 5B are perspective views of lace-up shoes of the
prior art;
[0018] Figure 6 is a partial top perspective view of the shoe fastener of
FIG. I inserted in and
secured to a shoe, with the zipper in a closed position;
[0019] Figure 7 is another partial top perspective view of the shoe
fastener of FIG. 6;
[0020] Figure 8 is another partial top perspective view of the shoe
fastener of FIG. 6, with
the zipper in an open position;
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[0021] Figure 9 is another partial top perspective view of the shoe
fastener of FIG. 6, with
the zipper in an open position;
[0022] Figure 10 is another partial top perspective view of the shoe
fastener of FIG. 6, with
the zipper in an open position;
[0023] Figure 11A is a front perspective view of a shoelace having a stop
in the form of a
knot at a free end, according to an embodiment;
[0024] Figure 11B is a front perspective view of a shoelace having a stop
in the form of a
spherical bead at a free end, according to an embodiment;
[0025] Figure 12A is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe fastener kit
without extra
laces, according to an embodiment;
[0026] Figure 12B is a fragmentary perspective view of a shoe fastener kit
provided with
extra laces, according to an embodiment;
[0027] Figure 13 is a top view of a shoe fastener having an extension
element, according to
an embodiment;
[0028] Figure 14 is a front view of a telescoping tool for assisting with
moving the zipper of
the shoe fastener, according to an embodiment; and
[0029] Figure 15 is a front view of a non-telescoping tool for assisting
with moving the
zipper of the shoe fastener, according to an embodiment.
[0030] Like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding elements in the
drawings.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 there are shown different views of a shoe
fastener 10,
according to an embodiment. As indicated, shoe fastener 10 is a zipper type
fastener, and
includes zipper elements such as a slider 12, a pull tab or puller 14,
interlocking teeth 16, a top
stop 18, and a box or bottom stop 20. For convenience, these elements, which
function to close
the zipper by bringing interlocking teeth 16 together, or open the zipper by
separating teeth 16,
may collectively be designated as zipper clasp 22.
[0032] Shoe fastener 10 also includes a tape 24, which is a fabric that
holds or is secured to
elements of zipper clasp 22. Shoe fastener 10 may accordingly be viewed as a
fabric, namely
tape 24, incorporating a central zipper clasp 22. In some embodiments, zipper
clasp 22 may run
the length of fastener 10 such that tape 24 can be separated into two strips
of tape, while in some
embodiments a bottom end of zipper clasp 22 may not be openable, and in some
embodiments
zipper clasp 22 may terminate some distance from a bottom edge of tape 24 and
may be
separated from the bottom edge by a width of fabric. A fully separable tape 24
may be desirable
where a user wishes to more fully open a pair of shoes, while a closed bottom
end of zipper clasp
22 may make the use of fastener 10 less complicated or more durable or user
friendly. As shown
in the figures, tape 24 has a tape width 26 on either side of zipper clasp 22,
which may be
measured to include the width of the teeth 16 as in FIG. 2 or without
including the teeth 16 as in
FIGs. 3 and 4.
[0033] Figures 1 and 3 are front and back views, respectively, of shoe
fastener 10 in which
slider 12 is pulled to the top of zipper clasp 22 so that fastener 10 is
closed. Similarly, FIGS. 2
and 4 are front and back views, respectively, of shoe fastener 10 in which
slider 12 is pulled to
the bottom of zipper clasp 22 so that fastener 10 is fully or mostly opened.
[0034] According to an embodiment, shoe fastener 10 further includes a
plurality of eyelets
28 in tape 24. Eyelets are small holes, usually round, and may be finished
along the edge, as in
cloth or leather or metal or plastic. Eyelets are provided for the passage of
a lace or cord. In the
embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 tape 24 has eight eyelets 28, with a set of four
eyelets 28 on either side
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of zipper clasp 22. Eyelets 28 may also be referred to as tape eyelets 28
since they are in tape 24.
[0035] Figures 5A and 5B show lace-up shoes 30 of the prior art. As
indicated, shoe 30
includes an upper 32, shoe eyelets 34 in upper 32, and shoelaces or laces 35
(laces not shown in
FIG. 5B). As is well known, a pair of laces 35 are provided with a pair of
shoes 30, so that there
is one shoelace or lace 35 for each shoe 30. It is to be appreciated that lace-
up shoes 30 shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B can only be fastened by lacing or threading laces 35 through
shoe eyelets 34.
[0036] According to an embodiment as shown in FIG. 6, laces 35 may be
removed from shoe
30, and shoe fastener 10 inserted into shoe 30, adjacent to upper 32. Laces
36, as described
further below, may be threaded through tape eyelets 28 and shoe eyelets 34 to
secure shoe
fastener 10 to shoe 30. Upon being secured, shoe 30 may be fastened and
unfastened by
operating zipper clasp 22 of shoe fastener 10.
[0037] Shoe fastener 10 may be sized and shaped to be substantially similar
to the size and
shape of the particular shoe 30, or general type of shoes 30, with which
fastener 10 is to be used.
In particular, there may be the same number of tape eyelets 28 as shoe eyelets
34, and the
spacing of tape eyelets 28 from one another may be substantially similar to a
spacing of shoe
eyelets 34 from one another. In this way each tape eyelet 28 may be positioned
substantially
adjacent to its corresponding shoe eyelet 34.
[0038] In shoe fastener 10 of FIG. 1, each of the eight eyelets 28 has been
designated to
reflect its unique position: 28A1 to 28A4, and 28B1 to 28B4, where "A" and "B"
indicate the
two sides of zipper clasp 22, and "I" to "4" indicate position from higher to
lower on tape 24.
Similarly, in FIG. 7, which is a closer view of installed fastener 10 than
FIG. 6, shoe eyelets 34
have been similarly labelled 34A1 to 34A4, and 34B1 to 34B4.
[0039] The spacing of tape eyelets 28 may be selected and oriented in two
directions:
spacing between eyelets on the same side of zipper clasp 22, and spacing
between corresponding
eyelets on opposing sides of zipper clasp 22. For example, the spacing between
eyelets 28A1 and
28A2, and the spacing between eyelets 28A1 and 28B1.
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[0040] It is to be appreciated when viewing these figures that the relative
spacing between
adjacent tape eyelets 28 on either side of zipper clasp 22 is substantially
similar to that between
adjacent eyelets 34 on shoe 30. For example, the spacing between tape eyelets
28A1 to 28A2 and
that between shoe eyelets 34A1 and 34A2. Similarly, the separation distance
between tape
eyelets on opposing sides of zipper clasp 22, i.e. 28A1 - 28B1, 28A2 - 28B2,
28A3 - 28B3, and
28A4 - 28B4, is substantially similar to the separation distance between
corresponding shoe
eyelets, i.e. 34A1 - 34B1, 34A2 - 34B2, 34A3 - 34B3, and 34A4 - 34B4. For
example, the
separation distance 37 between tape eyelets 28A3 and 28B3 is substantially
similar to separation
distance 37 between shoe eyelets 34A3 and 34B3, as shown in respective FIGS. 1
and 7.
[0041] The spacing between eyelets of fastener 10 will usually be in
keeping with standard
shoe configurations, which may mean unequal or irregular spacing depending on
the shoe 30.
For example, the shoes 30 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B have regular, equal spacing
between shoe
eyelets 34. Accordingly, shoe fasteners 10 designed for these shoes will have
tape eyelets 28 that
are similarly regular and equally spaced. By contrast, other shoes may have
irregular spacing
between adjacent eyelets on the same side of a zipper or between eyelets on
opposing sides of a
zipper. Some shoes may also have eyelets in a recognizable pattern other than
standard eyelet
patterns, such as eyelets on one side of a zipper offset from the opposing
eyelets on the other side
of the zipper. These and other arrangements of eyelets may be mirrored in
various embodiments
of fastener 10.
[0042] Accordingly, it is to be appreciated that when designing shoe
fastener 10, tape width
26 of tape 24 is sized and shaped to accommodate the size, number, and spacing
of tape eyelets
28. In particular, tape width 26 is sized and shaped so that separation
distance 37 between tape
eyelets 28 on opposing sides of zipper clasp 22 is substantially similar to
separation distance 37
between corresponding shoe eyelets 34 on opposing sides of upper 32.
[0043] The diameter of tape eyelets 28 is substantially similar to the
diameter of shoe eyelets
34, and further is sufficiently large to accommodate the thickness of laces
used with shoe 30,
with which fastener 10 is to be used.
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[0044] In a conventional pair of shoes 30 there is provided a pair of
laces, i.e. two laces 35,
one for each shoe. Each lace 35 is threaded through all shoe eyelets 34 of
shoe 30, crisscrossing
between eyelets 34 on either side of upper 32.
[0045] According to an embodiment, a pair of shoe fasteners 10 for use with
a pair of shoes
30 may use two pairs of modified laces 36 each, or four laces 36 in total for
a set of two shoes.
Laces 36 may be substantially similar to laces 35 but modified to each fasten
one side of a shoe
upper 32 to one side of a fastener 10 rather than to fasten one side of a shoe
upper 32 to the other
side of the shoe upper 32. Accordingly, each pair of two laces 36 may be used
with each shoe 30,
to secure shoe fastener 10 to shoe 30. Each lace 36 may be threaded through
tape eyelets 28 and
shoe eyelets 34 on one side of zipper clasp 22 and upper 32 only, rather than
employing one lace
per shoe in a criss-cross configuration.
[0046] As shown in FIGs. 6 and 7, lace 36A is threaded through the "A"
side, i.e. through
eyelets 34A4 and 28A4, through eyelets 34A3 and 28A3, through eyelets 34A2 and
28A2, and
through eyelets 34A I and 28A1. Similarly lace 36B is threaded through the "B"
side, i.e. through
eyelets 34B4 and 28B4, through eyelets 34B3 and 28B3, through eyelets 34B2 and
28B2, and
through eyelets 34B1 and 28B1. Figures 8, 9 and 10 are other views showing how
each lace 36 is
threaded through eyelets on either side of upper 32 and zipper clasp 22.
[0047] Many conventional shoelaces include an aglet at each end of each
lace. The aglet is a
stiff section at the end provided primarily to increase the durability of the
end and to make it
easier to hold the lace and feed it through the shoe eyelets. According to an
embodiment, lace 36
may have an aglet 38 at one end and a stop 40 at the other or opposing end, or
termination point,
of the lace, rather then having an aglet at each end. Stop 40 may be any type
of material, item or
structure that is sufficiently large and firm that it is difficult to pass
through shoe eyelet 34 and/or
tape eyelet 28. Stop 40 may be, for example, a knot 42 formed from the free
end or termination
point of lace 36, or a hard-spherical bead 44 with a central bore into which
the free end of lace
36 may be inserted and glued, or a spherical bead formed on the end of lace 36
or some other
stop. In these examples, the knot and spherical bead are sized and shaped to
be at least as large as
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the open diameter of shoe eyelet 34 and/or tape eyelet 28. Figures 11A and 11B
respectively
show examples of laces 36 with stop 40 in the form of knot 42 and spherical
bead 44, shown
with eyelet 38 for reference.
[0048] Shoe fastener 10 may include or not include a set of extra laces 36.
When laces 36 are
included, there would be two pairs or four individual laces 36. Each lace 36
would have a stop 40
at one end and be sufficiently thin so that the other free end may be passed
or threaded through
tape eyelets 28. Each lace 36 would also be sufficiently long to thread
through tape eyelets 28 of
fastener 10 on a side of zipper clasp 22, and through corresponding shoe
eyelets 34 on a
corresponding side of upper 32. For example, each lace 36 provided with shoe
fastener 10 of
FIG. I would be sufficiently long to pass through the four tape eyelets 28A1-
28A4, or
equivalently eyelets 28B1-28B4, and their corresponding shoe eyelets 34 on a
corresponding
side of upper 32. Since different shoes 30 may be used with fastener 10, a
standard or typical
thickness of upper 32 of the type of shoe 30 that would use the particular
shoe fastener 10 may
be used to help determine the extra length needed to thread through shoe
eyelets 34. In some
embodiments the length of laces 36 would correspond to the number of eyelets
expected in a
shoe with which a fastener is to be used.
[0049] In some embodiments, only a subset of the eyelets of a shoe will be
utilized in
fastening fastener 10 to a shoe. For example, it may be convenient to
manufacture one or more
standard sizes of fasteners, such as large, medium and small sized fasteners,
which may have
dimensions and eyelet configurations designed to match average shoe dimensions
and eyelet
configurations. The use of laces to secure fasteners to shoes allows for some
flexibility in
aligning eyelets of fasteners and eyelets of shoes.
[0050] When laces 36 are not included with shoe fastener 10, the regular
laces 35 provided
with the shoe may be used. For example, in some embodiments regular laces 35
are cut at around
their midpoint, and the free or terminal end so formed in each resultant
segment may be tied into
a knot 42 or otherwise attached to an appropriate item like spherical bead 44
to form stop 40. In
this way, conventional laces 35 may be converted to laces 36 sized and shaped
for use with shoe
fastener 10.
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[0051] Tape 24 of shoe fastener 10 may be a fabric made from a soft, pliant
and flexible
material. This material may include, for example, cloth or canvas fabrics, or
a layer of other
material such as leather or moulded plastic or rubber.
[0052] Shoe fastener 10 is a zipper type fastener that, unlike zippers of
the prior art, is not
stitched or otherwise fixedly attached to a shoe. Since shoe fastener 10 uses
laces 36 threaded
through eyelets 28 and 34 to attach to shoe 30, fastener 10 is removable since
laces 36 may be
unthreaded at any time.
[0053] Zipper clasp 22 may be a one-stage or a two-stage type. In a one-
stage type the
bottom of fastener 10 does not come apart, and in a two-stage type the bottom
of fastener 10 may
also be opened to allow the tape to be opened into two unconnected sections,
as one may open
the bottom of a zipper on a jacket. A benefit of the two-stage type is that it
may be easier for a
user to remove their foot from shoe 30 after the zipper is separated, as the
tongue of shoe 30 can
be raised higher. From an aesthetic perspective, it also provides a different
style to the user.
[0054] Shoe fastener 10 may also be provided with shoes 30 as part of a
shoe fastener kit 46.
According to an embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 12A, shoe fastener kit 46 may
include a pair
of shoes 30, having uppers 32, eyelets 34 in uppers 32, and a pair of regular
laces 35. Shoe
fastener kit 46 would also include a pair of shoe fasteners 10, each fastener
10 having zipper
clasp 22, tape 24, and a plurality of tape eyelets 28 in tape 24 on each side
of zipper clasp 22.
[0055] Tape 24 of shoe fastener 10 provided with kit 46 may be sized and
shaped so that
separation distance 37 between tape eyelets 28 on opposing sides of zipper
clasp 22 is the same
as or substantially similar to separation distance 37 between shoe eyelets 34
on opposing sides of
upper 32 of shoe 30 provided with shoe fastener kit 46. The number of tape
eyelets 28 in fastener
may be the same as the number of shoe eyelets 34 in shoe 30. The spacing of
tape eyelets 28
in fastener 10 from one another may be the same or substantially similar to
the spacing of shoe
eyelets 34 from one another in shoe 30.
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[0056] According to an embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 12B, shoe fastener
kit 46 may
further include four extra laces 36, where each extra lace 36 is sized and
shaped to thread
through tape eyelets 28 on a side of zipper clasp 22 and shoe eyelets 34 on a
corresponding side
of upper 32. The extra laces 36 would include stops 40 at one end, the stops
40 being sized and
shaped to be sufficiently large so that the stopped end cannot be threaded
through tape eyelets
28.
[0057] It is to be appreciated that a user of shoe fastener kit 46 would
have the option to
select whether to wear shoes 30 as a lace-up with the provided regular laces
35, or alternatively
insert fastener 10 and use shoes 30 with zipper clasp 22. In the embodiment of
FIG. 12A, extra
laces 36 are not provided, and a user may cut regular laces 35 to form two
pairs, or four laces,
36, each with stops 40 such as knot 42 as shown in FIG. 11A. A user may also
choose to obtain
or prepare laces 36 separately, keeping regular laces 35 intact. In that case,
as well as with the
embodiment of FIG. 12B in which extra laces 36 are included in kit 46, the
user could select
either option, lace-up or zipper, and change between them as desired.
[0058] A further aspect of shoe fastener kit 46 is that, in addition to
fastener 10 and laces 36
being sized and shaped to fit the particular shoe 30, tape 24 of fastener 10
may be comprised of
the same material as upper 32 of shoe 30. This material may be soft, pliant,
and flexible.
Alternatively, if not exactly the same material, the material of tape 24 may
have the same
thickness, colour, style, and/or pattern as the material of upper 32. It is to
be appreciated that,
since in kit 46 the particular shoe 30 to be used with fastener 10 is known,
the material of tape 24
may be selected to have a complementary or aesthetically pleasing look,
composition, or
combination of features when used as an insert with the particular shoe 30 in
kit 46.
[0059] According to an embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 13, shoe fastener
10 may
comprise a zipper having zipper clasp 22 and tape 24, where tape 24 is made of
a soft, pliant, and
flexible material, and an extension element 48 attached to each side of tape
24 that is also made
of a soft, pliant, and flexible material. The plurality of eyelets 28 may be
in each side of
extension element 48.
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[0060] Shoe fastener 10 in this embodiment may be inserted adjacent to the
upper 32 of shoe
30. Laces 36 may be threaded through shoe eyelets 34 and fastener eyelets 28
in extension
element 48 to secure fastener 10 to shoe 30, upon which shoe 30 may be
fastened and unfastened
by operating zipper clasp 22.
[0061] A user interested in having a zipper enclosure for a lace-up shoe
may obtain shoe
fastener 10 as an insert or as part of a kit 46. As an insert, shoe fastener
10 may be designed
specifically for use with a particular shoe 30, or for a more general type of
shoe 30. As a kit, shoe
fastener 10 will be designed specifically for use with shoe 30 provided in the
kit.
[0062] Upon selection, the user may remove laces 35 that are part of lace-
up shoe 30, and
insert shoe fastener 10 by placing fastener 10 adjacent to the upper 32 of the
shoe, so that tape
eyelets 28 are adjacent to shoe eyelets 34. The user will thread laces 36
through eyelets 28 and
34, securing fastener 10 to shoe 30. Laces 36 may either be provided with
fastener 10 or as part
of kit 46, or may be made by the user from laces 35 by cutting laces 35 and
tying the free end to
form stop 40, or may be provided separately. When inserted and secured to shoe
30, zipper clasp
22 may be used to fasten and unfasten shoes 30.
[0063] In the prior art, eyelets are located in thick leather material
attached to another fabric.
By contrast, the tape of shoe fastener 10 is made of a flexible material, and
the eyelets 28 are
located in the tape itself. In this way, shoe fastener 10 is integral and one-
piece with zipper clasp
22. This design provides better flexibility, durability, and comfort to the
user, particularly for a
casual type of shoe 30.
[0064] People such as the elderly, the disabled, young children, and others
unable to tie shoes
will no longer be restricted to the tiny market of shoes that do not use
laces. Shoe fastener 10
provides these groups of people the opportunity to select from the endless
number of lace-up
shoes, and use them with zipper fasteners. Since shoe fastener 10 is
removable, young children
and others who may have only a temporary problem using laces can use the
zippers provided by
fastener 10, and then go back to laces when they are ready. This is
economically efficient, since it
enables these users to preserve their investment in lace-up shoes as they do
not have to purchase
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new shoes.
[0065] Tools may also be provided for use with footwear zippers, to allow
users of the tools
to more easily reach the zippers on footwear they are wearing. Such tools may
incorporate a
handle and an extension extending from the handle, to allow users to grasp the
handle and
manipulate relatively distant zippers using the opposite end of the extension.
The extension may
also include a hook or other interaction element on the zipper interactive end
of the extension, to
more easily enable the user to manipulate a zipper. In some embodiments the
extension may be
of variable length, such as telescopic, while in other embodiments the
extension may have a
fixed length. The handle may be adjustable relative to the extension, to allow
a user to adjust the
orientation of the handle relative to the extension for a more convenient and
effective
manipulation of a zipper. Such a tool may also be designed to be easily and
conveniently stored,
such as by incorporating a projection, such as from the handle, to allow the
tool to be easily hung
from a hook when not in use.
[0066] FIG. 13 shows a tool 1300 for use with zippers. Tool 1300 is
provided for use with
footwear, such as boots or shoes, which incorporate a zipper. Tool 1300 may be
used to pull up a
zipper or to push down a zipper without requiring the user to stoop down to
reach the zipper with
one or both of their hands. As depicted, tool 1300 includes a handle 1310 for
gripping in the hand
of a user, and a telescopic extension 1320. The telescopic structure of
telescopic extension 1320
allows a user to choose a desired length of tool 1300, for example a taller
user may require
telescopic extension 1320 to extend further in order for the user to easily
manipulate a zipper on
an item of footwear when the user is wearing the item of footwear.
[0067] In some embodiments, telescopic portions of a telescopic extension
may be held
relative to one another so that a user may choose a desired length of the
telescopic tool and may
subsequently use the tool both to push and to pull without loss of the desired
length setting. Such
a hold may be a friction hold or may be a result of structural components,
such as mechanical or
magnetic buttons provided on the tool.
[0068] Telescopic extension 1320 includes an interaction element on the end
opposite the
handle, the interaction element provided to allow a user to more easily
manipulate a zipper using
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tool 1300. As depicted, the interaction element is a rigid v-shaped projection
1330, including a
first projection 1331 extending parallel to the body of extension 1320 and a
second projection
1332 extending perpendicular to the body of extension 1320. Projection 1330
allows a user to
deploy second projection 1332 as a hook, while first projection 1331 acts as a
support for the
material manipulated by second projection 1332.
[0069] Handle 1310 includes a projection 1340 provided to cooperate with a
hook, such as to
allow tool 1300 to be hung up in an entry way or other convenient location.
[0070] As depicted in FIG. 15, a tool 1400 may be provided, including a
handle 1410 and an
extension 1420. Extension 1420 is of fixed length. A fixed length may be
preferred in some
embodiments as a telescopic structure may be more expensive to manufacture or
less durable or
for other reasons. Handle 1410 may pivot to allow a user to freely adjust the
handle rotationally
relative to the extension, to allow the user to adjust the handle's
orientation relative to the
interaction element 1430 on extension 1420. Tool 1400 also includes a
projection 1440 provided
to cooperate with a hook.
[0071] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Certain adaptations and
modifications of the
invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the
presently discussed
embodiments are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive, the scope
of the invention being
indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all
changes which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore
intended to be
embraced therein.
CA 3007830 2018-06-12
