Toe guard assembly and method

• US 6,836,980 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tooley Verla Woods
• Original Assignee: Tooley Verla Woods
• Inventors: Woods, Tooley Verla
• Primary Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US10/439,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 36/96, 36/97, 361/10, 36/72, 36/74, 36/77, 36/72.R, 36/77.R
• US Class Current: 36/110
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/22 Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/081 Toe stiffeners
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use

Abstract

The toe guard assembly is for use on a surgical boot which is open toed and has an inner sole. The parts of the assembly are the guard and a piece of double stick tape which attaches the guard to the inner sole. The guard has a cup-like toe portion which fits around the toes to be guarded, a sole tab which extends from the bottom of the toe portion over the inner sole, two side tabs, each of which extends from a side of the toe portion along the sides of the boot and an upper tab which extends from the top of the toe portion over the top of the boot. The side tabs may be detachably adhesively attached to the sides of the boot. One or more of the tabs may be a separate part attached to the toe portion. The guard may be a molded part, or have a molded toe portion with tabs attached or made from flat material in a pattern which, when folded, forms the guard.

Claims

1. A guard assembly for toes, for use with a surgical boot having an inner sole and first and second boot sides, said guard assembly comprising:

a guard comprising a cup, a sole tab, and first and second side tabs;

said cup having a top, a bottom, and first and second sides, said sole tab being integral with and extending generally rearwardly from said bottom, said first side tab being integral with and extending generally rearwardly from said first side, and said second side tab being integral with and extending generally rearwardly from said second side, such that when said guard assembly is attached to said boot said sole tab lies on said inner sole and said side tabs extend rearwardly along said boot sides;

an upper tab being integral with and extending generally rearwardly from said top and extending rearwardly over said boot when said guard assembly is installed on said boot; and

double-stick tape for attaching said guard to said boot.

2. The guard assembly of claim 1 wherein the cup top is enlarged relative to the cup bottom providing ample room for the toes when installed on a surgical boot.

3. The guard assembly of claim 1 wherein the sole tab is dimensioned to extend ½

the entire length of the boot inner sole.