Abstract:
An easy to use, low cost footwear removal device, walking cane and object retriever formed by attaching a footwear removal member between the first and second ends of an elongated member, a support member attached to the second end of the elongated member, and a handle attached to the first end of the elongated member. The footwear removal device can also be used as a reliable walking cane that provides the user with superior support and stability, or as an object retrieval tool.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     A. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to an apparatus, which is a combination footwear removal device, walking cane and object retriever.  
         [0003]     B. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Boot removers or boot jacks are fairly well known in the art. Typically, a boot remover includes at least one element adapted to grip or otherwise secure an article of footwear and aid the owner in removing the article off the owner&#39;s foot. Some boot removers include movable gripping arms (or “jaws”) that grasp the heel of a boot in order to remove it. However, most boot removers require stepping on the boot remover or one of its parts with the second foot to immobilize the remover on the floor or to activate the gripping arms, or they require stepping on the remover and helping with a hand. Stepping on the boot remover with the second foot is difficult for people whose movement ability is restricted because it usually requires keeping two feet in a straight line, in close proximity to one another.  
         [0005]     Yet another disadvantage of the existing boot removers is that they are designed for healthy, young people. The boot removers require a considerable amount of force to operate and are thus unsuitable for people weakened by age, disease or other factors. No device exists to assist the elderly, disabled or seriously overweight people in removing their footwear while allowing them to exert minimal force and keep their balance.  
         [0006]     What is needed is a footwear removal device that allows the user to safely remove footwear with minimal effort, can be used as a walking cane, and can be used to reach or retrieve objects, including shoes, off the floor.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     This invention meets the current need for a superior footwear removal device. A novel combination footwear removal device, walking cane and object retriever are provided. Use of only one hand to hold the device is required, and the user can rely on the footwear removal device as a cane for support while removing articles of footwear. The embodiment of the invention with a support member provides much better stability than any conventional cane. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     These features, aspects and advantages of the improved footwear removal device will become further understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a combination footwear removal device, cane and object retriever, showing the use of the combination device;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional side view along line  2 - 2  of the footwear removal device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along line  3 - 3  of a recess shape in a shoe removing member of the footwear removal device of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional plan view along line  44  of the shoe removing member of the footwear removal device of  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the footwear removal device of  FIG. 1  where the attachment location of the shoe removing member is variable. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]     The present invention is directed to an improved footwear removal device, cane and object retriever. The footwear removal device may be used for many purposes, including, but not limited to, removing shoes or other footwear, using the device as a walking cane, using it to pick up objects off the floor, using it to move objects out of reach closer to the user, and hanging umbrellas on the embodiment of the device with a handle.  
         [0015]     A preferred embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 . With reference to  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment is a footwear removal device  10  comprising an elongated member  20  with a first end  22  and a second end  24  and a shoe removing member  30  with a distal end  32  and a proximal end  34 . The elongated member  20  is preferably dimensioned so that it can serve as a walking cane. The distal end  32  of the shoe removing member  30  forms a recess shape suitable for removing footwear, and the proximal end  34  of the shoe removing member  30  is attached between the first end  22  and the second end  24  of the elongated member  20 . Alternatively, the proximal end of the shoe removing member  30  can be attached to the second end of the elongated member  20 . Then, the footwear removal device  10  can be used by moving it downwardly by hand to remove the article of footwear, while the footwear remains at rest low above ground, or the toe part of the footwear is on the ground and the heel is elevated.  
         [0016]     The preferred embodiment further includes a support member  40  attached to the second end of the elongated member  20  and arranged to hold the elongated member  20  in an operational, or generally upright, position. The support member  40  can be used to assist the user to walk, to reach objects and move them closer to the user, and to lean upon or help with the balance of the user, including leaning on the footwear device  10  while removing footwear. The bottom of the support member  40  is preferably substantially planar, which provides a larger surface area for more stable support, to facilitate easier walking and balancing.  
         [0017]     The shoe removing member  30  and the support member  40  may have cooperating bores therethrough for insertion and attachment of the elongated member  20 , or the shoe removing member  30  and the support member  40  may be attached by other means.  
         [0018]     A wide variety of attachment means can be used to interconnect the elements of the device, depending on the material used for the device (i.e. plastics, wood, metals, carbon fiber, or any other suitable material). A screw  45  may be used as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 . The following list of alternative attachment means that may be used is illustrative only and is not intended as a limitation: glue, nails, bolts, hinges, pins, spring-loaded pins, couplings, collars, or a combination thereof. Certain parts or the whole device may be preformed (i.e. by plastics molding).  
         [0019]     The preferred embodiment of the footwear removal device  10  further includes a handle  50  attached to the first end of the elongated member  20  and configured for grasping by a person&#39;s hand. The handle  50  preferably has an aperture  60  adapted for hanging the footwear removal device  10 . The handle  50  may itself be used for tasks such as hanging umbrellas, hats or other articles while the footwear removal device is at rest in the operational position or standing substantially upright while being supported by the support member  40 .  
         [0020]     The use of the preferred embodiment of the footwear removal device  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 : the user holds the handle  50  while the support member  40  is positioned on the floor or the ground. The user may lean on the footwear removal device  10  to help the user retain balance. The user then positions the article of footwear to be removed in the recess formed in the distal end of the shoe removing member  30  so that the shoe is immobilized at the heel or above the heel, as shown in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5 . The user then moves the foot upwardly, starting with the heel as shown in  FIG. 2 , thus removing the article of footwear. The drawings show a lace-up shoe being removed, but the device may be used for any similar kind of footwear, including but not limited to loafers and boots.  
         [0021]     The position of the shoe removing member  30  may be adjustable between the first end  22  and the second end  24  of the elongated member  20  by including a coupling cooperating with the elongated member  20  to select the position of the shoe removing member  30  between the first end  22  and the second end  24  of the elongated member  20 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates that the coupling may be a thumbscrew  65 , used to secure the shoe removing member  30  in place between the first and second ends of the elongated member  20 , thus making the position of the shoe removal member  30  adjustable up and down, along the length of the elongated member  20 . In the alternative, a more permanent adjustable attachment means may be a clip or a set of pre-drilled holes, spaced along the elongated member  20  and capable of accepting a bolt, a screw, a thumbscrew, a pin, or a spring-loaded pin.  
         [0023]     The recess for removing footwear formed by the distal end of the shoe removing member  30  may flare downwardly to exert a better hold on the footwear for its removal.  
         [0024]     In the preferred embodiment, the distal end  32  of the shoe removing member  30  and the distal end  42  of the support member  40  are facing generally opposite directions to each other as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  
         [0025]     The footwear removal device  10  may further be constructed from a combination cane assembly, having a shaft  20  with an upper end  22  and a lower end  24 , a handle  50  attached to the upper end  22  of the shaft, and a shoe removing member  30  attached by its proximal end  34  between the upper end  22  and the lower end  24  of the shaft  20  and forming, by its distal end, a recess shape formed to remove footwear.  
         [0026]     The footwear removal device  10  may further include a support member  40  attached to the lower end  24  of the shaft  20  and arranged to hold the shaft  20  in an operational, or generally upright, position. The bottom surface of the support member  40  is preferably substantially planar to provide better support.  
         [0027]     The handle  50  may further include an aperture  60  adapted for hanging the footwear removal device  10 . The shoe removing member  30  may include a coupling cooperating with the shaft  20  to select the position of the shoe removing member  30  between the upper end  22  and the lower end  24  of the shaft  20 . The recess in the shoe removing member  30  may flare downwardly to secure a better hold on the footwear for its removal.