Abstract:
A device for restoring the appearance of a kiltie and/or tassel on a finished shoe. The device has a two-part shoe tree with a handle to which one end of a clamp is attached. The other end of the clamp is attached to a curved, cushioned shaping element, which fits over the kiltie and/or tassel. A spring-loaded tension rod mounted between the two parts of the shoe tree translates pressure to the shaping element, which applies appropriate pressure directly to the kiltie. An alternate embodiment incorporates a heating layer into the shaping element, with one or more batteries providing power to the heating layer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/775,112, which was filed on Feb. 11, 2004, now abandoned. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to devices for maintaining the shape, appearance, and position of kilties on men&#39;s and women&#39;s dress shoes, and specifically to devices which are designed to apply pressure to the top of the kilties during shoe storage. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A kiltie is a long slashed tongue on a boot or shoe, which either covers the lacing or extends from beneath the lacing over the vamp or upper part of the shoe. The front end of a kiltie is generally serrated or scalloped. Often a leather tassel is attached to the kiltie for additional adornment. Sometimes the term “kiltie” is used to refer to the type of shoe having such a slashed tongue adornment. As used herein, the term “kiltie” refers to the decorative tongue and tassel, and not the whole shoe. 
   Kilties are generally made from leather. The problem to be solved is maintaining and/or restoring the shape of the kiltie, and, especially, preventing the front end of the kiltie from curling up and becoming unsightly, or restoring the kiltie after said curling has occurred. 
   In the related art, the following patents are known to the Applicant: 
   
     
       
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               Patent Number 
               Issue Date 
               Patentee 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
               5,575,016 
               Nov. 19, 1996 
               Bailey 
             
             
                 
               5,867,925 
               Feb. 9, 1999 
               Fattori 
             
             
                 
               6,055,714 
               May 2, 2000 
               Sproul 
             
             
                 
               6,470,542 (B1) 
               Oct. 29, 2002 
               Giannini 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   Bailey discloses a weight to be attached to a kiltie on a boot or shoe in order to prevent the kiltie end from curling upward due to exposure to weather or from aging. Made from a strip of malleable metal or other material, the weight attaches under the serrated edge of the kiltie and is intended to remain there; the forward edge of the weight is serrated to match the kiltie edge. Fattori discloses a shoe tassel retainer intended to be used with lace-up shoes during storage. The device serves to protect and maintain the new appearance of the shoe as it pertains to the flaps that consist of shoe lace holes and laces, and which cover the tongue of the shoe. Sproul discloses a method for “renewing” decorative leather tassels on boots and shoes after they have become unsightly from wear and tear. Giannini discloses an apparatus for protecting and maintaining decorative leather tassels during storage of boots and shoes. 
   The related art discussed above indicates that others have recognized the need to preserve the appearance of adornments on dress shoes. these adornments include kitties, tassels, and laces, among others. The predominant method in the related art is to provide shoe owners with the capacity to maintain or restore their shoes while they are in storage; i.e., between uses. Currently, there is no such solution offered explicitly for the maintenance/repair of shoe kitties. The invention described by Bailey (U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,016), for example, is designed to be applied while the shoe is being worn. For many people who have spent a lot of money on their shoes, it is not an option to include a restorative/maintenance device into the daily wearing of the shoes. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an economical and effective solution to the problem of kiltie deformation due to normal dress shoe wear and tear. The current invention is used during shoe storage. It is designed to maintain the shape of the kiltie by applying an appropriate pressure directly to the kiltie. It can also be used to restore the original shape of kitties on shoes that have not had the benefit of maintenance through use of the present invention. The present invention can be used with a dress shoe having a tassel as well as kiltie; it serves to maintain and/or restore their original appearance. 
   This invention provides a cushioned kiltie shaper that is connected via a hinging mechanism to a clamp, which slidably attaches to a shoe tree; it clamps down on top of the kiltie and tassel during shoe storage. The hinging action of the cushioned kiltie shaper ensures that the appropriate pressure is maintained on the kiltie to maintain and/or restore its original appearance during shoe storage. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable clamping device that is attached to a shoe tree, which is inserted into the shoe, in order to prevent curling and deformation of shoe kitties by the application of a constant, appropriate pressure onto the kiltie during storage. It is also an object of this invention to restore the original shape of shoe kilties that have been deformed due to wear. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable, replaceable, generally rectangular, component of the device, called the “kiltie shaper,” which is shaped with a curvature conforming to the shape of the vamp portion of men&#39;s and women&#39;s shoes. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sliding mechanism for the clamping device that allows adjustment depending on the location of the kiltie. 
   A still further object of the present invention is to provide a kiltie shaper which is attached to the clamp with a “hinging” mechanism so that it can conform to the angle of the vamp of the shoe. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a soft cushion to the underside of the kiltie shaper in order to gently maintain or repair the original look of the shoe kiltie. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a “kiltie shaper” that holds and maintains and/or restores the original appearance of dress shoe tassels. 
   One more object of the present invention is to provide a kiltie shaper that warms the kiltie, tassel, and vamp of a shoe. 
   The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, the different views of which are not necessarily scale drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention, shown in use in a shoe with a kiltie and tassel. 
       FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a front plan view of an alternate embodiment of the kiltie shaper of the present invention, for use with a shoe with a kiltie, but no tassel. 
       FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C are side plan views showing the steps involved in inserting the present invention into a shoe and clamping the kiltie shaper device over the kiltie. 
       FIG. 7  is a partially sectional side plan view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, which uses heat along with clamping pressure. 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged detail drawing of the battery compartment of the alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of the alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the assembled device  1  has three main components: a shoe tree  2 ; an adjustable clamp  3 ; and a hinged kiltie shaper  4 . The assembled device  1  has been inserted into a leather shoe  10  with a kiltie  11  and tassel  12  adorning the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 , with the back of the device  1  against the cuff  14  of the shoe  10 . A conventional shoe tree is generally formed from wood, plastic or metal and is designed to stretch a shoe or preserve its shape. The shoe tree  2  that is part of the present invention has a handle  15  with a groove  16  on top. The clamp  3  is formed from a length of metal, such as brass, steel or aluminum, at least ⅛ inch in diameter, which is pre-shaped to have a mounting slide  17  with two arms  18 ,  19 , each terminating in a hook  20 ,  21 . Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the clamp  3  can also be formed with wire coils  22 ,  23  which act as springs to urge the arms  18 ,  19  downward against the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . A knob  24  with a fastening element holds the mounting slide  17  in the groove  16  on the top of the handle  15  of the shoe tree  2 . The hooks  20 ,  21  of the clamp  3  have been inserted into eyes  26 ,  27  on the upper surface of the kiltie shaper  4 , which allows hinging movement of the kiltie shaper  4  against the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . The arrangement also allows the user to change out different sized kiltie shapers  4  or to replace the kiltie shaper  4  if it wears out. The kiltie shaper  4  is generally rectangular in shape, with a curvature allowing it to conform to the vamp  13  of a shoe. The kiltie shaper  4  is made from a material with some “give,” such as plastic, leather, or stiff fabric, so that it can be used with shoes having vamps of different widths, heights, and angles. Attached to the underside of the kiltie shaper  4  is a cushioning pad  28 , made from a foam rubber, plastic or rubber material, which prevents damage to the finish of the shoe  10 . Optionally, the user can apply an aqueous isopropyl alcohol formulation, such as DYO Shoe Stretch, made by Manufacturing Specialties Inc. of Hutchins, Texas, to the cushioning pad  28  to aid in removing wrinkles in the kiltie  11  and the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . When the shoe  10  has a tassel  12 , the kiltie shaper  4  will be formed with a raised area  29 , to accommodate the tassel without flattening it, at the same time the tassel is being reshaped. 
     FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , show side, top, and front plan views of the present invention before use. The front portion  30  of the shoe tree  2  is attached to the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  with a metal spring-loaded tension rod  32 , the ends of which are attached to the shoe tree  2  at pivot points  33  and  34 , its movement being accommodated by slots cut into the underside of the parts of the shoe tree  2 . It can be adjusted to fit shoes of differing lengths. The tension rod  32  is designed to create an appropriate amount of pressure on the kiltie shaper  4  when it breaks over center after being inserted into the shoe  10 . The amount of pressure applied to the kiltie  11  is determined by the amount of tension the spring-loaded tension rod  32  is under at the precise moment that the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  breaks over center during insertion. The mounting slide  17  can be slid along the groove  16  in the handle  15  of the shoe tree  2 , thereby moving the clamp  3  to an appropriate position, depending on the position of the shoe&#39;s kiltie  11 . The knob  24  is used to screw the fastener  36  into a hole in the top of the handle  16 , thereby fixing the position of the mounting slide  17  of the clamp  3  within the groove  16 . The different views also show the position of the parts of the clamp  3 : the arms  18 ,  19 , extending from the mounting slide  17 ; the hooks  20 ,  21 , which have been inserted into the eyes  26 ,  27  on the kiltie shaper  4 ; and the wire coils  22 ,  23 . Finally, on the back of the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  is a cupped area  35 , which is laid against the cuff  14  of the shoe  10  when the device  1  is being inserted into the shoe  10 . 
     FIG. 5  shows the front view of an alternate version of the kiltie shaper  37 , one which is used with a shoe  10  having no tassel. Unlike the kiltie shaper  4  and the cushioning pad  28  shown in  FIG. 4 , the cushion  38  is formed without a raised portion because no tassel needs to be accommodated. 
     FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C show how the assembled device  1  is used with a shoe. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6A , after adjustment of the position of the clamp  3 , the front portion  30  of the shoe tree  2  is slid firmly into the front of the shoe  10 , and the cupped area  35  of the shoe tree  2  is laid against the cuff  14  of the shoe  10 . (The cupped area  35  keeps the shoe tree  2  from “crawling” out of the shoe  10  as it is being inserted.) Holding the handle  15 , the user begins pushing the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  into the heel of the shoe  10 , compressing the spring-loaded tension rod  32 , which has pivoted at pivot points,  33 ,  34 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 6B , the user continues pushing the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  into the heel of the shoe  10 , pivoting the kiltie shaper  4  over the kiltie  11  on the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . As the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  “breaks” over center, the spring-loaded tension rod  32  is under tension. 
   In  FIG. 6C , both the front portion  30  and the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2  are locked in place in the shoe  10 , and the tension in the spring-loaded tension rod  32  acts to urge the kiltie shaper  4  tightly against the kiltie  11  on the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . If the clamp  3  is formed with wire coils  23 , some additional pressure may result from the spring action thereof. 
   In order to remove the device  1  from the shoe  10 , the user holds the handle  15 , pulling up on the heel end  31  of the shoe tree  2 , while tilting it back. The pressure on the spring-loaded tension rod  32  is released, and the device  1  is easily removed from the shoe  10 . 
     FIG. 7  shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention, one which applies warmth, along with pressure, to the kiltie  11 , thereby accelerating the removal of wrinkles from the kiltie  11  and the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 . Like the device  1  shown in the foregoing figures, the assembled device  40  has a shoe tree  41 , a clamp  42 , and a kiltie shaper  43 . The front portion  44  of the shoe tree  41  is attached to the heel end  45  of the shoe tree  41  with a spring-loaded tension rod  46 , the ends of which are attached to the shoe tree  41  at pivot points  47 ,  48 , its movement being accommodated by slots cut into the underside of the parts of the shoe tree  41 . The mounting slide  49  of the clamp  42  can be adjusted by sliding it along groove  50  in the handle  51  of the shoe tree  41 , thereby moving the clamp  42  to an appropriate position, depending on the position of the shoe&#39;s kiltie  11 . The knob  52  is used to screw the fastener  53  into a hole in the top of the handle  51 , thereby fixing the position of the mounting slide  49  of the clamp  42  within the groove  50 . The clamp  42  has two arms  54 , ( 55 ), each formed with a curvature that presses the kiltie shaper  43  against the kiltie  11  when in use. The arms  54 , ( 55 ) are attached to the top side of the kiltie shaper  43 , with holders  56  ( 57 ), which permit some hinging movement of the kiltie shaper  43 . The arms  54  ( 55 ), which are made of hollow metal tubing, or rigid plastic tubing, accommodate wiring  58 , ( 59 ), which carries power from the battery compartment  60  in the handle  51  of the shoe tree  41  to form a service loop. The wiring  58 , ( 59 ), which travels through small openings in the kiltie shaper  43 , is attached to a heating layer  61 , which is disposed on the underside of the kiltie shaper  43 . The heating layer  61  is selected to provide warmth, without heating the leather of the shoe. It can be fabricated in a number of ways. One such embodiment is a heating element, with low amperage, disposed in a channel in a thin layer of wool, or a wool/nylon/acrylic blend. Alternatively, a heating layer of “smart wool” may be used, one which combines a conductive fiber, or thermal-bonded fiber, with wool or a wool/nylon/acrylic blend. A second layer of cushioning material may also be used, likely disposed between the heating layer  61  and the kiltie shaper  43 . After the device  40  is inserted into the shoe, the heating layer  61  is activated, thereby warming the kiltie  11  and the vamp  13  of the shoe  10 , enhancing the removal of wrinkles. 
   The power to the heating layer  61  can be provided in a conventional manner, such as that shown in the detail drawing of  FIG. 8 . Flipping switch  62  results in the completion of a circuit. Power generated by batteries  63 ,  64 , which can be rechargeable, activates the heating layer  61 , traveling through wiring  58  ( 59 ). Extra lengths of wiring  58 , ( 59 ) in cavities  65 ,  66  allow the mounting slide  49  of the clamp  42  to be moved without breaking the service loop. 
     FIG. 9  shows a top plan view of the alternate embodiment of the device  40 . The front portion  44  of the shoe tree  41  is attached to the heel end  45  with a spring-loaded tension rod  46 . The mounting slide  49  of the clamp  42  can be adjusted by sliding it along groove  50  in the handle  51  of the shoe tree  41 . The knob  52  is used to fix the position of the mounting slide  49  of the clamp  42  within the groove  50 . The arms  54 ,  55  of the clamp  42  are attached to the top side of the kiltie shaper  43  with holders  56 ,  57 . Wiring  58 ,  59  carries current to the heating layer  61 , which is disposed in the kiltie shaper  43 . Extra lengths of wiring are disposed in cavity  65  to permit movement of the mounting slide  49 . The heating layer  61  is activated with a switch  62 .