Sock donning device

Abstract

The sock donning device is an apparatus that allows an individual of limited ability of movement to put on a sock. The device includes a pair of laterally spaced, hinged, telescoping rods that are connected to a substantially ovoid or circular hoop assembly, with rollers positioned about its circumference. The device is mounted to a base that may be made from wood or similar material. The rollers and hoop assembly hold an upper portion of the sock open as the user inserts his or her feet into the sock.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/996,315, filed Nov. 9, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to garment applicators, and particularly to a sock donning device that allows an individual to put a sock or stocking on his or her foot without the necessity of bending over.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many persons suffer from disabilities that prevent them from bending over without either pain or the risk of injury. Persons suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and other joint ailments, inner ear and other equilibrium problems, or simply individuals suffering from various infirmities of old age can find that the contortions required to put on a stocking or sock are beyond their physical abilities. Women who are in the later stages of pregnancy often cannot bend without extreme discomfort or are physically unable to bend at all. Individuals so afflicted must either have assistance from caregivers or other persons when putting on stockings, socks or other coverings for the foot, or do without.

Considering that it is often medically necessary for individuals with circulatory or vascular problems to have appropriate socks or other foot coverings, an inability to put on these items without assistance can have an adverse effect on an individual's health, independence and emotional well being. There is a need for a device that allows a person to put on a pair of stockings or socks. Thus, a sock donning device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The sock donning device is an apparatus that allows an individual who may have limited movement because of injury, infirmity or other disability to put on a sock or stocking without bending over. The device has a pair of laterally spaced rods that are surmounted by an oval hoop assembly, with rollers around the circumference of the hoop assembly.

The rods may be telescopic to accommodate various lengths of stockings, and can be attached at their lower ends to a hinge that can swivel 45° from the vertical. Two non-slip surfaces on either side of the sock donning device provide a secure footrest and prevent the device from sliding while in use. A sock or stocking is placed over the oval hoop assembly, and when the foot is inserted into the sock, the surrounding beads roll the sock up and over the foot.

The sock donning device described herein provides a painless way for a person who has limited movement to put on a sock or stocking without assistance, and can accommodate both varying stocking lengths and varying degrees of motion.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sock donning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an environmental prospective view of the sock donning device according to the present invention, showing a sock placed on the device.

FIG. 3 is an environmental perspective view of the sock donning device according to the present invention similar to FIG. 2, showing a foot being inserted into the sock

FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of the sock donning device of the present invention similar to FIG. 3, showing the sock in the process of rolling up and over the foot as the foot is pushed into the device.

FIG. 5 is an environmental perspective view of the sock donning device of the present invention similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the sock in its final position up and over the foot as the foot is fully extended through the device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a sock donning device according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a sock donning device, generally designated as 10 in the drawings, to help an individual with limited mobility put on a sock or stocking. Device 10 is particularly useful to those individuals who, due to injury or infirmity, find it difficult or impossible to achieve the range of motion required to pull a sock or stocking over the foot.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sock donning device 10 includes a pair of laterally spaced rods 12 that are attached to a base 14. The base 14 can be made from wood or other suitable materials. The base 14 also has two textured surfaces 16 that may be made of rubber or other material, which are mounted on each side of the top surface of the base 14 to provide a secure place upon which to place the foot and prevent the sock donning device 10 from slipping while being used.

An oval or circular hoop assembly 18 is attached to the rods 12. The hoop 18 includes rollers 20 disposed all around its circumference. FIG. 2 illustrates a sock or stocking in place over the circular hoop assembly 18. Rollers 20 may be spherical beads or the like, which are free to rotate about the hoop 18.

In FIG. 3, the user's foot is shown being inserted into the sock, and in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rolling action of the rollers 20 causes the sock to be rolled up over the foot; i.e., as the user pushes his or her foot downward into the sock, the upper portion of the sock, which is wound about rollers 20, unwinds or unwraps, thus being pressed against the user's leg in the conventional manner.

The rods 12 may be telescoping rods, as shown, allowing the device to accommodate varying lengths of stockings and socks, and may be pivotally attached to the base 14, allowing the rods 12 to pivot 45° from the vertical. Hinge 28 is shown for exemplary purposes only. Rods 12 may be pivotally attached to base 14 through any suitable pivotal attachment.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the base 14 is substantially rectangular, and rods 12 extend along the lateral axis thereof (the longitudinal axis being defined by the longer side of the rectangular base 14, and the lateral axis being defined by the shorter side of the rectangular base 14). In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 6, sock donning device 100 includes a base 114, which is also substantially rectangular (although base 114 may have any desired shape or dimensions). However the telescoping rods 1 12 extend along the longitudinal axis thereof. Textured portions 16 of FIGS. 1-5 are replaced by a single textured portion 116. Hoop 118 and rollers 120 are similar to hoop 18 and rollers 20 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. Rods 112 are pivotally joined to base 114 through a hinged bracket 128, and hinged bracket 128 may be pivotally attached to base 114 by pivot pin 130 or the like, allowing the hinged bracket 128 to rotate about the vertical axis, as indicated by the directional arrow in FIG. 6.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A sock donning device, comprising:

a base;

a plurality of rods being spaced apart a fixed distance and having lower ends and upper ends, the lower ends of said rods being attached to said base and the upper ends including a hoop assembly adapted to support a sock in an open, wound configuration, wherein said hoop assembly defines a substantially circular support for the sock, whereby the sock is permitted to unwind as a user pushes his or her foot downward into the sock.

22. The sock donning device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a hinge pivotally attached to said base, the hinge pivoting about a vertical axis, said rods being pivotally mounted to said base about a horizontal axis through an arc of 45°.

23. The sock donning device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a layer of textured material disposed on said base to provide a secure surface which a user can engage so as to prevent the device from slipping while being used.

24. The sock donning device as recited in claim 21, wherein said hoop assembly includes a plurality of rollers mounted on the hoop assembly and defining said substantially circular support for the sock.

25. The sock donning device as recited in claim 24, wherein said plurality of rollers comprise a plurality of substantially spherical beads.

26. The sock donning device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a hinged bracket mounted on said base, said rods being attached to the hinge in order to pivot thereon.

27. The sock donning device as recited in claim 26, wherein said rods form a U-shaped member wherein the base of the U-shaped member is mounted to said bracket.

28. The sock donning device as recited in claim 21, wherein said rods are telescopic rods having a selectively adjustable length.