Patent Publication Number: US-2003226287-A1

Title: Boot &amp; spur combination

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION &amp; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
     [0001] This application is a utility application based on U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/371,512 entitled “Boot &amp; Spur Combination,” filed Apr. 10, 2002. This related application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. If any conflict arises between the disclosure of the invention in this utility application and that in the related provisional application, the disclosure in this utility application shall govern. Moreover, the inventor incorporates herein by reference any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents cited or referred to in this application or cited or referred to in the U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     
       DEFINITIONS  
       [0002] The words “comprising,” “having,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0003] Cowboy and other types of boots have a raised heel, typically at least 1.0 inches high, that allows a rider wearing such boots to grasp a stirrup with the boot heel when riding, for example, a horse. When riding, spurs are frequently used. These spurs usually employ a U-shaped collar that has a strap between an open mouth of the collar. A shank extends outward from a central portion of the collar and it has at its distal end mounted to rotate a raul or barb element. Upon attaching a spur to a boot heel, the U-shaped collar partially encompasses the rear side of the upper portion of the heel, typically at or nearby the junction between the heel and the upper leg section of the boot. The spur thus projects outwardly and centrally from the rear side of the heel, typically at least about an inch above the bottom of the heel. Spurs using the U-shaped collars are relatively large and bulky and are stored separately from the boot, and must be retrieved from a remote storage location when needed.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0004] This invention, with its several desirable features, is defined in the claims that follow. After reading the following section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THIS INVENTION,” one skilled in the art will understand the benefits this invention provides. These benefits include, but are not limited to: (a) convenience of storage of spurs ready for use without the need to retrieve from a remote location, (b) a novel way to promote the brand name or trademark of a boot manufacturer, and (c) an easy way to attach and detach a spur to a boot.  
       [0005] Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, some, but not necessarily all, of its features are:  
       [0006] One, a boot of this invention includes a heel having one component of a two-component coupling member. This one component is adapted to interact with a second component of the coupling member attached to a spur. The heel has a rear side and the one component of the two-component coupling member may be embedded therein. The spur is detachable spur, with the second component of the two-component coupling member being at a proximal end of the spur. Typically, the heel has a height of at least about 1.0 inches, usually ranging height from about 1.0 inches to about 4.5 inches, and the one component is at least about 0.75 inch from a bottom of the heel.  
       [0007] Two, the detachable spur has a distal end with a barb element thereat. The second component is detachably connected to the one component so the distal end projects outward from the heel to position the barb element for use while riding. The boot may include a storage compartment that holds the detachable spur when not connected to the heel. The spur typically has a length from about 2.5 to about 4 inches. The barb may be rotatably mounted and may be in the shape of a trademark logo.  
       [0008] Three, the one component may be along a central plane that bisects the boot between a toe of the boot and the heel of the boot. The spur may have a shank between the proximal end and distal end. This shank may have at least a portion thereof lying along the central plane that bisects the boot between the toe and heel. The shank may be bent at an intermediate point between the distal end and proximal end, causing the distal end to be elevated relative to the proximal end with the spur connected to the heel. The shank may include an enlarged stop member nearby the proximal end that abuts the heel upon connecting the spur to the heel.  
       [0009] Four, a cap member may be detachably connected to the one component when the spur has been detached, said cap member being in view on an exterior surface of the rear side of the heel. The cap member may have an exterior surface bearing a trademark.  
       [0010] These features are not listed in any rank order nor is this list intended to be exhaustive. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING  
     [0011] The preferred embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. These embodiments depict the novel and non-obvious boot and spur combination of this invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. These drawings includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the boot of this invention showing a spur used with the boot removed from a storage compartment on the boot for the spur.  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the heel of the boot of this invention taken along line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1, showing a removable cap covering an open end of one component of a two-component coupling used in this invention.  
     [0014]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the heel of the boot of this invention taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2.  
     [0015]FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the heel of the boot of this invention similar to that of FIG. 3 but with the cap removed and the spur of this invention connected to the boot heel.  
     [0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the heel of the boot of this invention taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3A.  
     [0017]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the boot of this invention showing a storage compartment on the boot on the outside surface of the upper leg portion of the boot.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THIS INVENTION  
     [0018] This invention is a unique combination of a distinctively designed heel  10  of a boot  12  and a distinctively designed detachable spur  14 , each including one component of a two-component coupling  16 . As best shown in FIGS. 3A and 4, the two-component coupling  16  comprises a male component  16   a  on the proximal end  14   a  of the spur  14  and a female component  16   b  in the heel  10 . The heel  10  has a height of at least 1.0 inches, and typically has a height from 1.0 inches to 4.5 inches. The spur  14  typically has a length L from 2.5 to 4 inches. The female component  16   b  is nearby, preferably as close as practically possible, the junction J between the heel and the upper leg section  12   a  of the boot  12  a distance d (FIG. 1) of at least about 0.75 inch from a bottom  10   b  of the heel  10 .  
     [0019] The spur  14  has shank  20  that extends between the spur&#39;s distal end  14   a  and proximal end  14   b . The shank  20  is bent at an intermediate point p′ between the distal end  14   a  and proximal end  14   b , causing the distal end of the spur  14  to be elevated relative to its proximal end upon connecting the spur  14  to the heel  10  as shown in FIG. 3A. An enlarged stop member  40  integral with the shank  20  and positioned along the shank  20  between the point p′ and the proximal end  14   b  abuts the heel  10  upon connecting the spur  14  to the heel. There is a raul or barb element  22  at the distal end  14   a  that optionally is in the shape or configuration of a trademark logo of the boot manufacturer. This barb element  22  is mounted on a shaft  24  that is seated in a yoke  26  at the distal end  14   a  to enable the barb element to rotate.  
     [0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the boot  12  has sewed to an inside surface S 1  of its upper leg section  12   a  a pocket  28  with a flap  30  (shown in the uncovered position) that covers and uncovers an open upper end  28   a  of the pocket. The pocket  28  may be located on other parts of the boot  12 , for example, in an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the pocket  28  is on an outside surface S 2  of its upper leg section  12   a . The pocket  28  provides a convenient storage compartment for the spur  14  when the spur is not being used. A conventional snap connector  32  is used to hold the flap  30  closed as shown in FIG. 5, with one connector element A on the flap and the other connector element B along the upper edge  28   b  (FIG. 1) of the pocket  28 .  
     [0021] There is a central reference plane P bisecting the boot  12  between the boot&#39;s toe  18  and heel  10 . The spur  14 , including the male component  16   a , and the female component  16   b  lie along this plane P when the spur is connected to the heel  10 . The female component  16   b  is embedded in a rear side  11  of the heel and has its longitudinal axis X (FIG. 3) within the plane P. The male component  16   a  is at the proximal end  14   a  of the spur  14  and has its longitudinal axis Y (FIG. 1) within the plane P when the male component is connected to the female component  16   b  as shown in FIGS. 3A and 4. As best shown in FIG. 4, the central reference plane P bisects the spur  14  when it is attached to the heel  10 .  
     [0022] The two-component coupling  16  may have several different configurations, for example, it may be a quick connect and disconnect coupling typically used with hose connections or simply be a screw type coupling  16  as depicted in FIGS. 3A and 4. In this example, the female component  16   b  comprises a cylinder  34  having an internal threaded side wall  34   a  with a closed bottom  36  and an open mouth  38 . The open mouth  38  is substantially flush with the rear surface  11   a  of the rear side  11  of the heel  10 . The male component  16   a  is formed by threading the proximal end  14   b  of the spur  14 .  
     [0023] The threaded end forming the male component  16   a  enables the spur  14  to be detachably connected to the heel  10  by manually screwing the male component  16   a  into the female component  16   b  with the spur oriented as shown in FIG. 3A so that the distal end  14   a  is elevated above the proximal end  14   b  and the stop member  40  abuts the heel  10 . The spur  14  is easily detached by unscrewing the male component  16   a  from the female component  16   b  and storing the spur in the pocket  28 .  
     [0024] When the spur  14  is detached and stored in the pocket  28 , a cap  42  is detachably connected to the female component  16   b . It has a head end  42   a  and a threaded end  42   b  that is screwed into the open mouth  38  of the female component  16   b , with its exposed head end abutting the exterior surface  11   a  of the rear side  11  of the heel  10 . When disconnected, the cap member is stored in the pocket  28 . The head end  42   a  of the cap  42  is exposed so that its exterior surface  42   c  may be in viewed. This exterior surface  42   c  preferably carries a trademark of the boot manufacturer.  
     SCOPE OF THE INVENTION  
     [0025] The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention: