Abstract:
The invention is a removable motorcycle gear shifter covering that prevents marring of a motorcyclist&#39;s shoe during upshifting operation. The device is elastic and designed to securely fit many different shift levers. It provides for weather resistant implementation, non-marring cushioned contact on upshifting, and non-slip tread on downshifting.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of prior filed, pending, U.S. Provisional Application 61/017,223. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCED OR INCORPORATED MATERIAL 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to the field of motorcycle gear shifting and more specifically to a removable guard for a gearshift lever. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a removable shoe guard designed to cover the shifting mechanism of motorcycles and similar transportation vehicles. In this application, references to “lever” or “shifting lever” refer to that portion of the shifting mechanism that is typically parallel to the ground and designed to come into contact with the operator&#39;s shoe as opposed to that portion of the shifting mechanism designed to function as a lever arm providing displacement from the gear box. 
         [0006]    Gears in many motorcycles are changed via a foot operated shifting lever. Such levers require the operator to maneuver the lever up or down by respectively lifting up on the lever or stepping down on the lever. During the lifting motion, the operator positions his foot beneath the lever and lifts up so that the top of his shoe comes into contact with the bottom of the lever. 
         [0007]    On a typical motorcycle, the lever is comprised of metal with a hard rubber covering. The rubber is primarily disposed on the end portion of the lever that comes into contact with the shoe of the operator. 
         [0008]    During routine operation, the operator of such a vehicle will shift up and down quite frequently. Each time, the operator must manipulate the shifting lever with his foot. These actions bring both the top of the operator&#39;s shoe and the bottom of the operators shoe into frequent contact with the shifting leaver at the end where the hard rubber covers the metal. After such frequent use, the operator may experience scuff marks or wearing away of the shoe material. Also, it is common for the shoe to slip from the shifter while attempting to down shift. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a removable shoe guard device designed to cover the shifting mechanism of motorcycles and similar personal transportation vehicles. Tubular in shape, the invention is designed to fit over the existing gear shifter and provide appropriate surfaces for upshifting and downshifting of the gears of the vehicle. 
         [0010]    The shoe guard is made from a tight elastic mesh fabric that conforms to the general shape of the shifting mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, this material is a natural, non marring material, such as cotton laced with materials having elastomeric properties. In place of cotton, though, other natural and synthetic fibers could work. 
         [0011]    The device is designed to be water repellant so that water may not hinder the requisite shifting maneuvers during operation. 
         [0012]    Importantly, the tight elasticity of the device is a critical element as it allows the device to fit many different shifters without coming dislodged during use. These elastic properties radiate outward in an X-Y cross section of the device such that there is compression around the shifter lever. In other words, the inner and outer diameters of the device will expand and contract as necessary in order to fit a particular shifting lever. 
         [0013]    With respect to the top surface of the device upon which the shoe of the operator depresses to down shift, there are three alternate embodiments. One embodiment utilizes raised treads as a means for providing a non-slip surface. A second embodiment utilizes the native tread of the shifting mechanism as a means for providing a non-slip surface. As noted above, this native tread is often a hard rubber. The third embodiment utilizes neither raised tread nor native tread but instead relies on the surface level friction forces when the operator is downshifting. 
         [0014]    With respect to the raised tread embodiment, the device will completely cover the shifter and none of the native tread, to the extent any exists, will be exposed. In this way, the top surface of the device has a non slip tread fixedly attached thereon. In the preferred embodiment, this tread is made of a non-marring rubber though other materials may also be utilized. When an operator is downshifting, his foot will come into contact with this raised rubber tread. 
         [0015]    With respect to the native tread embodiment, there is a large opening or hole in the mesh that allows the native tread of the shifting mechanism to come into contact with the shoe of the operator. 
         [0016]    The bottom surface of the device is a soft cushioning, durable, and non-marring mesh. This mesh cushions the top portion of the operator&#39;s shoe without marring or crowding the shoe shifting area, the area between the shoe and the shifting lever, of the motorcycle. 
         [0017]    With respect to the third embodiment that uses neither raised nor native tread, the surface wherein the bottom of the operator&#39;s shoe contacts the device will be uniform across the total outer surface of the device. The advantage to this embodiment is that it may be positioned at any relative position around the shift lever. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to upshift and highlighting the raised tread means. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing how the device with raised tread means is to be installed on a shift lever. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to downshift with the bottom of the shoe contacting the raised tread means. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to upshift and highlighting the native tread means. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing how the device with native tread means is to be installed on a shift lever. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to downshift with the bottom of the shoe contacting the native tread means. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to upshift. 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing how the device is to be installed on a shift lever. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the device installed on a shift lever being used to downshift. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    It is to be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention. The following example is provided to further illustrate the invention and is not to be construed to unduly limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0028]    The present invention is a removable shoe guard device designed to cover the shifting mechanism of motorcycles and similar personal transportation vehicles so as to protect the shoe from marring, scuffing, and deterioration. The body of the device is made of a woven mesh fabric that has elastic properties allowing it to conform to the general shape of the shifting mechanism. This elasticity also applies pressure to the surface of the shifting mechanism which, along with the force of friction, keeps the device firmly in place on the shifting mechanism. The device has a generally hollow cylindrical or tubular shape and comprises an inner surface and an outer surface. 
         [0029]    The inner surface of the device is relatively uniform and is designed to firmly contact the shift lever so that the device does not dislodge from the lever. The inner surface, thus, generally, will have a higher coefficient of friction than the outer surface. The inner surface takes the shape of a tube with one open end. It is through this open end that that the device is inserted onto the shifter lever. 
         [0030]    Conversely, the outer surface is characterized by a soft, non marring material. This material is also water resistant, and generally has a lower coefficient of friction than that of the inner surface. The outer surface is inclusive of the bottom surface of the device where the top of the operator&#39;s shoe comes into contact with the device when the operator is upshifting. The material of the outer surface is designed to soften the impact of the shoe pressing upward on the lever. In one embodiment, these properties of the outer surface, as different from the inner surface, are achieved by applying a readily available coating to the outer surface material which enhances its non-marring, water resistant properties. 
         [0031]    The nonslip downshift function of the present invention occurs via three alternate means. One such mean includes raised treads projecting above the outer surface. These treads are only on the top portion of the outer surface where the bottom of the shoe contacts the top portion of the device. The treads are made of a nonslip water resistant material such as rubber. In the preferred embodiment, the treads, fixedly attached to the top portion of the device, comprise parallel strips of rubber running parallel to the length of the shifter lever. 
         [0032]    A second means of the nonslip downshift function is via a holed opening located on the top portion of the device. This holed opening allows the bottom portion of the operator&#39;s shoe to come into contact with the native tread of the shifting mechanism when the operator is downshifting. This holed opening is sized relative to the curvature of the shifting mechanism and the thickness of the device so that when the shoe is depressed downward on the shifter, the shoe primarily contacts the native treads of the shifter and not the material of the device. 
         [0033]    A third means of the nonslip downshift function is via the outer surface of the device itself and uses neither the raised rubber tread nor the native tread. Instead, the level surface of the device is used to provide the nonslip downshift function. Thus, the shoe will directly contact the outer surface of the device.