SHOEHORN

Abstract

A shoehorn, particularly for children, includes two sidepieces (1) and a backpiece (3) which connects the sidepieces (1), a lower portion (5) of the sidepieces (1) being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, a lower portion (9) of the backpiece (3) being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, and an upper portion (10) of the backpiece (3) being angled relative to the lower portion (9) in a direction away from the internal space which is defined by the shoehorn. The shoehorn is distinguished in that each sidepiece (1) has an upper portion (7) which is angled relative to the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece (1) and that the upper portion (7) is angled away from the internal space which is defined by the shoehorn.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a shoehorn, particularly for children, which comprises two sidepieces and a backpiece which connects the sidepieces, a lower portion of the sidepieces being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, a lower portion of the backpiece being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, and an upper portion of the backpiece being angled relative to the lower portion in a direction away from the internal space which is defined by the shoehorn.

STATE OF THE ART

A shoehorn already known from US 2002/0066213 A1 is intended to be permanently fitted in a shoe. There is no really funnel-shaped portion but only a rear tongue-like portion which is somewhat curved outwards. That shoehorn does not have any folded-over edges to allow the possibility of hanging it on the shoe stem.

A shoehorn already known from US 2005/0103812 A1 is double-walled and intended to be hung on the upper edge of the shoe aperture. An internal portion is U-shaped. The shoehorn is moulded in plastic material. That shoehorn likewise has no funnel-shaped portion.

OBJECTS AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to propose a shoehorn, particularly for children, which will make it possible for the child to put shoes on for him/herself.

Another object of the present invention is that the shoehorn should be usable in shoes of different sizes.

A further object of the present invention is that the shoehorn should be easily removable from the shoe when the shoe has been put on the foot.

At least the primary object of the present invention is achieved by a device which has the features indicated in the independent claim 1 set out below. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of a shoehorn according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the shoehorn according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of the shoehorn according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the shoehorn according to FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 depicts schematically how the shoehorn according to the present invention is fitted in a shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The shoehorn according to the present invention depicted in FIGS. 1-5 comprises two sidepieces 1 and a backpiece 3 which connects the sidepieces 1. The shoehorn is with advantage made of smooth plastic material with a relatively permanent shape. The shoehorn is integral.

Each sidepiece 1 comprises a lower first portion 5 which is substantially vertical in the situation of use and an upper first portion 7 which is angled relative to the lower first portion 5. In this context, situation of use means a situation whereby the shoehorn according to the present invention is placed in a shoe, see FIG. 5, and the shoe is on a horizontal substrate. The transition between the portions 5 and 7 is not fixed. As depicted most clearly in FIG. 1, the opposite upper first portions 7 of a shoehorn point away from one another towards the upper ends of the upper first portions 7. The angle α, see FIG. 1, which the upper first portions 7 form with the lower first portions 5 is of the order of 135° in the embodiment depicted. According to the invention, the angle α should be within the range 120°≦α≦150°, and preferably within the range 130°≦α≦140°, to enable the upper portions 7 of the shoehorn to hang on a bootleg.

As depicted most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the lower first portion 5 of each sidepiece 1 narrows downwards in the situation of use of the shoehorn.

As depicted most clearly in FIG. 2, the backpiece 3 comprises a lower second portion 9 and an upper second portion 10. The transition between these portions 9 and 10 is not fixed. The lower second portion 9 has a substantially vertical extent in the situation of use of the shoehorn, whereas the upper second portion 10 is angled relative to the lower second portion 9. As depicted most clearly in FIG. 2, the upper second portion 10 is angled outwards relative to the shoehorn's internal space which is defined by the sidepieces 1 and the backpiece 3.

As depicted most clearly in FIG. 3, the sidepieces 1 and the backpiece 3 together define an incomplete funnel shape, the term “incomplete” referring to the fact that the funnel shape is not closed in the peripheral direction. In its lower portion the shoehorn is generally U-shaped in plan view.

The backpiece 3 is provided in its upper second portion 10 with two holes 11 which have the function of facilitating the removal of the shoehorn according to the present invention from a shoe which has been put on. This will be explained in more detail below.

The lower second portion 9 of the backpiece 3 has its lower delimiting edge situated at a higher level than the lower delimiting edges of the adjacent sidepieces 1. This is so when the shoehorn according to the present invention is in the situation of use. The shoehorn according to the present invention thus has a recess 12 between the lower delimiting edges of the lower portions 5 of the sidepieces 1. The shoehorn's surface area which the holes abut against when the shoehorn is in a shoe which has been put on a foot is thus reduced.

FIG. 5 illustrates schematically how the shoehorn according to the present invention is accommodated in a shoe S, which shoe is depicted in broken lines. When the shoehorn according to the present invention has assumed the position depicted in FIG. 5, it will abut against the aperture of the shoe in the region of the transition between the lower and upper portions 5 and 7 respectively of the sidepieces 1. In the case of boots with a tall shoe stem, the shoehorn will hang on the shoe stem via the aforesaid transitions between the lower and upper portions 5 and 7 respectively. These transitions represent substantial characteristics of the shoehorn according to the present invention in that they render the shoehorn usable even in the case of footwear with tall shoe stems. The shoehorn will normally remain in the position depicted in FIG. 5, i.e. the user need not hold the shoehorn when putting on the respective footwear.

When the shoehorn according to the present invention has been placed in the position depicted in FIG. 5, the shoehorn will to a substantial extent facilitate the insertion of the foot in the shoe. In this context it should be noted that since the shoehorn is made of smooth plastic material the foot will slide down into the shoe without any hindering friction. The incomplete funnel shape also helps to guide the foot correctly relative to the shoe aperture.

When the foot is fully inserted in the shoe, the shoehorn should be removed. This is effected with advantage by the user inserting two fingers in the holes 11, whereupon the shoehorn can be pulled upwards out of the shoe. In this context it should be noted that here again there will be little friction between the foot and the shoehorn. This is because the shoehorn is made of smooth material and the lower portion 5 of each sidepiece 1 has a shape which narrows downwards. The presence of the recess 12 in the shoehorn according to the present invention also results in the holes not clamping the shoehorn firmly against the rear counter of the shoe.

CONCEIVABLE MODIFICATIONS OF THE INVENTION

Some of the parts which the shoehorn according to the present invention described above comprises are not entirely necessary. Thus the holes 11 in the backpiece 3 are not obligatory. The same also applies to the shoehorn's recess 12.

In cases where the holes 11 are omitted, it may be advantageous that the shoehorn according to the present invention be provided with a cord or tape which is permanently fastened to the shoehorn and which facilitates the removal of the shoehorn when the footwear has been put on.

Claims

1. A shoehorn, particularly for children, which comprises two sidepieces (1) and a backpiece (3) which connects the sidepieces (1), a lower portion (5) of the sidepieces (1) being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, a lower portion (9) of the backpiece (3) being substantially vertical in the situation of use of the shoehorn, and an upper portion (10) of the backpiece (3) being angled relative to the lower portion (9) in a direction away from the internal space which is defined by the shoehorn, wherein each sidepiece (1) has an upper portion (7) which is angled relative to the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece (1) and that the upper portion (7) is angled away from the internal space which is defined by the shoehorn.

2. A shoehorn according to claim 1, wherein the shoehorn has a recess (12) in the region of the lower end of the backpiece (3).

3. A shoehorn according to claim 1, wherein the backpiece (3) is provided with at least one hole (11) in the region of its upper portion (10).

4. A shoehorn according to claim 1, wherein the angle (α) which the upper portion (7) of each sidepiece (1) forms with the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece is within the range 120°≦α≦150°, preferably within the range 130°≦α≦140°.

5. A shoehorn according to claim 4, wherein the angle (α) which the upper portion (7) of each sidepiece (1) forms with the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece is of the order of 135°.

6. A shoehorn according to claim 1, wherein the shoehorn is made of plastic.

7. A shoehorn according to claim 2, wherein the backpiece (3) is provided with at least one hole (11) in the region of its upper portion (10).

8. A shoehorn according to claim 2, wherein the angle (α) which the upper portion (7) of each sidepiece (1) forms with the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece is within the range 120°≦α≦150°, preferably within the range 130°≦α≦140°.

9. A shoehorn according to claim 3, wherein the angle (α) which the upper portion (7) of each sidepiece (1) forms with the lower portion (5) of the sidepiece is within the range 120°≦α≦150°, preferably within the range 130°≦α≦140°.

10. A shoehorn according to any claim 2, wherein the shoehorn is made of plastic.

11. A shoehorn according to any claim 3, wherein the shoehorn is made of plastic.

12. A shoehorn according to any claim 4, wherein the shoehorn is made of plastic.

13. A shoehorn according to any claim 5, wherein the shoehorn is made of plastic.