Abstract:
The present invention comprises a device used for assisting a person in putting on pants. In its preferred embodiment the present device is generally comprised of a non-flexible beam, a plurality of clips, two ropes and two handles. The beam has two ends and each rope is attached to each end of the beam. Each rope terminates at a soft, rubberized handle. The clips are attached to the beam in a downward facing manner by clip attachments. Clips then attach to the person&#39;s pair of pants for use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field assisting devices. More specifically, the invention comprises a device for assisting in putting on a pair of pants. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Oftentimes an elderly or injured individual needs assistance in dressing themselves. Pants, in particular, can be difficult to put on. Putting on a pair of pants requires an individual to bend their body considerably while keeping a firm grasp on the pants. An elderly or injured individual may not be capable of bending far enough over to slip each foot into a pant leg and pull the pants up to their waist. 
         [0008]    A caregiver or family member is typically asked by the injured or elderly individual to assist in putting on their pants. This can be both embarrassing and impractical. 
         [0009]    Therefore what is needed is a device that allows the user to hold the pants at the desired position, such that the user can easily slip each leg into the pants, without bending over. The present invention achieves this objective, as well as others that are explained in the following description. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention is a device used for assisting in putting on pants. In the preferred embodiment the present device is generally comprised of a non-flexible beam, a plurality of clips, two ropes and two handles. The beam has two ends and each rope is attached to each end of the beam. Each rope terminates at a soft, rubberized handle. The clips are attached to the beam in a downward facing manner by clip attachments. 
         [0011]    In order to use the device the clips are secured onto the waist portion of the pants. The non-flexible nature of the beam allows the waist of the pants to be held open. The user grasps the handles as the user drops the device and pants to the floor. When the device and pants are proximate to the floor the user can maneuver the device into a comfortable position to slip each of the user&#39;s legs into the pants. By lifting the handles, thereby pulling upward on the rope, device and pants themselves, the user can easily and effectively put the pants on around the user&#39;s waist. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the attachment of the clip to the beam of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross section view, showing the attachment of the clip to the beam of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the attachment of the end cap to the beam of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a side view, showing the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view, showing the present invention in use. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view, showing the present invention in use. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view, showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       [0020]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10 
                 present device 
                 12 
                 beam 
               
               
                 14 
                 clips 
                 16 
                 clip attachments 
               
               
                 18 
                 end caps 
                 20 
                 ropes 
               
               
                 22 
                 handles 
                 24 
                 bolts 
               
               
                 26 
                 hollow tube 
                 28 
                 bolt holes 
               
               
                 30 
                 beam arms 
                 32 
                 rope attachment point 
               
               
                 34 
                 pants 
                 36 
                 waistband 
               
               
                 38 
                 opposing jaws 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates the present invention in the preferred embodiment. The present device  10  is generally made up of beam  12 , clips  14  and rope  20 . Beam  12  has two ends that are covered by end caps  18 . End caps  18  are attached to beam  12 . End caps  18  can be attached to beam  12  by any means known in the prior art, such as where end caps  18  frictionally engage with the internal wall of beam  12  or end caps  18  snap into place inside of beam  12 . Clips  14  are attached to beam  12  at clip attachment  16 . Clips  14  are located proximate and equidistant from said end caps  18 . Clips  14  are preferably located closer to end caps  18  than to the center of beam  12 . One rope  20  is attached to each end cap  18  of beam  12 . Ropes  20  extend away from beam  12  terminating at handle  22 . Handle  22  is preferably a soft, flexible handle that is easy to grip and is sized to fit in the palm of the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the manner in which clips  14  attach to beam  12  at clip attachment  16 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , bolt  24  passes through clip attachment  16  at bolt hole  28  and into beam  12 .  FIG. 3  shows a cross-section view of the attachment of clip  14  to beam  12 . Clip attachment  16  fully encircles beam  12  and contains two bolt holes  24  which allow bolts  24  to pass through. Upon entering into bolt hole  28  bolts  24  pass through beam  12  and act to secure clip attachment  16  to beam  12 . Bolts  24  have adequate room to extend into hollow area  26  located inside of beam  12 . Clip  14  extends downward away from beam  12 . Clip attachment  16  and clip  14  are preferably one integrated unit however, one skilled in the art will recognize that clip  14  could be attached to clip attachment  16  by any means known by one skilled in the art. Additionally, clip  14  could be any device known in the prior art that would attach beam  12  to waistband  36 , such as suspender clips or alligator clips. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of a means of attaching end cap  18  to beam  12 . End cap  18  inserts into hollow area  26  inside of beam  12  and frictionally engages with the internal walls of beam  12 . The arrows shown in  FIG. 4  illustrate the manner in which end cap  18  is inserted into beam  12 . Rope attachment point  32  is a small hole that rope  20  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) fits through in order to secure rope  20  to end cap  18 . 
         [0024]    The illustration in  FIG. 5  shows the present device from the side. Rope  20  attaches to end cap  18  at rope attachment point  32  located at the center of end cap  18 . Clip  14  is shown extending downward away from beam, which is hidden in the current view. Clip  14  preferably has a pair of opposing jaws  38  which are biased toward each other in order to grasp waistband  36  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows the present device  10  attached to a pair of pants  34  with a waistband  36 . Pants  34  are secured to present device  10  at waistband  36  by clips  14 . The structure of beam  12  is such that clips  14  are held at a fixed position in relation to the waistband  36 , thereby holding the pants  34  rigidly apart. Beam  12  is preferably long or at least one-third as long as the length of waistband  36  in order to hold waistband  36  sufficiently apart such that user&#39;s legs can easily slip into the opening in pants  34  created by the present device. 
         [0026]    As the user changes into pants  34 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , the user grasps handles  22  in the palm of user&#39;s hand and pulls upward on handles  22  thereby pulling beam  12  and pants  34  upward towards the user&#39;s waist. To use the present device  10  clips  14  should be attached to pants  34  at waistband  36  prior to changing into pants  34 . The user then holds onto handles  22  and drops present device  10  to the floor with pants  34  attached at clips  14 . The user can then easily, without bending over, slip each foot into each pant leg and pull pants  34  up over the user&#39;s legs to the user&#39;s waist. Beam  12  length allows waistband  36  of pants  34  to be rigidly held apart such that waistband  36  will not bunch together. 
         [0027]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 8 . Arms  30  of beam  12  extend rearward away from beam  12  at approximately 45-90 degrees, creating a “U” shape. Thus, beam  12  contains two bends in beam  12 . Beam  12  has a bend between the first end of beam and the middle portion of beam, creating the first arm  30 . Second arm  30  of beam is created between the middle portion of beam  12  and the second end of beam  12 . Three clips  14  attach to beam  12 . Preferably, clips  14  are attached to beam  12  at front edge of pants  34  and on each arm  30  of beam. Each rope  20  attaches at two rope attachment points  32  on beam  12 , two rope attachment points  32  located on the front of arms  30  of beam  12  and the other rope attachment points  32  located on the back of arms  30  of beam  12 . Clips  14  attach to pants  34  at waistband  36 . Waistband  36  is held apart by the rigidity and shape of beam  12  allowing user to more easily slip the user&#39;s legs into pants  34 . 
         [0028]    The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. As an example, the beam  12  could be either curved or straight. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.