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Protective covering for footwearProtective covering for footwear description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050257404, Protective covering for footwear. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to improved protective apparel for the lower legs and feet, and more specifically, to an improved protective cover that can be worn over shoes or boots, and which protects the wearer's footwear and lower legs in a convenient, easy to use manner without the hassle of time consuming fasteners. The covering set is universal, for use on either the left or right leg, may be used on any type of footwear, and is easily attached to the user and his shoe as a matter of course. [0003] 2. Introduction and Description of the Prior Art [0004] There are many occasions when a person's lower legs and footwear are exposed to conditions which may cause injury to the person and/or damage to expensive footwear and clothing. Many people will be familiar with the dangers presented to users of lawn mowers, chain saws, weed wackers and the like to the boots or shoes of the user. However, there is also an overlooked, but more costly and more dangerous phenomenon in physical labor that occurs when people weld or grind. In the fields of welding and metal working, the constant exposure to flying sparks and droplets of molten metal wear out workmen's clothes prematurely by burning through and/or gradually wearing down the fabric or material of the footwear and pants, and more importanly, often cause injury to a workman's leg or foot when such sparks or molten metal fly into the top openings of the footwear or burn through to the skin. [0005] Many leg protectors have been proposed relating to purported protection for painters and users of lawn mowers, chain saws, weed wackers, etc., but none relate to a comprehensive worker protection device that includes a solution for the more difficult problem of providing for the protection of welders and grindsmen from dangerous sparks or molten metal. In fields such as the welding trade, or in the case of say, iron workers, this is a particularly grave concern because some workers can receive serious burn injuries by such activities, and at the very least, are frustrated by the premature wear to the exposed uppers of their footwear and lower pant legs caused from the incessant sparks and/or molten metal droplets. The disproportionate, accelerated wear to the front and top sides of boots and lower front of jeans means that these articles of clothing must be discarded long before the rest of the jeans or boots wear, causing unusual levels of expense for workmen in these and other fields. [0006] Unfortunately, none of the previous attempts at providing some kinds of "leg protectors" afford protection against all types of damage that can occur to the lower portions of laborer clothing, much less the premature wearing of the footwear and pants that occurs in extreme conditions lie those experienced in the welding and grinding trades. Furthermore, none of the previous approaches offer a convenient, easily affixed appendage that will not discourage daily users, such as workmen, from wanting to utilize the covering on a daily basis. Prior art attempts in the field of protective leg or foot coverings are realistically prevented from widespread use or adoption by users because they are so difficult, time consuming, or just plain inconvenient to affix or otherwise use. Studies have shown that the more involved a protective device is, the less likely a user is to utilize it, as he would not want to be bothered with it every time, thereby defeating the very purpose of the protective nature of the safety device. This is true with prior art attempts at providing leg and foot safety covering. Moreover, the failures of the prior attempts at providing safety coverings would particularly ring true in the field of tradesmen such as welders and grindsmen, who, unlike casual users of say, a weed wacker, would need to "bother" with affixing the protective appendage day in, day out in throughout the workweek. [0007] As such, there is a need for a form of protection that is universal, in that it further protects laborers from other injurious factors, such as those involving cascades of sparks, splattering molten metal, and the like, in addition to mere flying debris associated with many manual work activities. Accordingly, there is a clear need to provide the above in such a way that it is convenient enough to be a realistic, convenient accoutrement to a workman's daily gear, and is an inexpensive enough protective device that it would be capable of mass marketing and distribution, as well as mass end use in targeted manual labor industries. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention is directed to a flexible lower leg and boot cover having a heat resistant covering configured to cover footwear, and optionally, the lower portion of trousered legs, so as to provide protection for the laborer's legs and feet, as well as pants, and footwear while welding, grinding, or even when engaged in other manual labor type activities such as those involving the use of a string trimmer, mower, chainsaw, or other implement which may discharge material back toward the operator. The present protective footwear and lower leg covering is universal, in that each unit is laterally symmetrical to provide for wear on either the left or right foot, without regard for specific left or right foot use. The protective covering may be donned without need for the wearer to stand, or without the need to bother with time consuming, inconvenient methods of attaching the covering to the user that might involve passing a securing strap beneath the sole of the shoe, or slipping the toe of the shoe into a toe pocket at the front of the footwear cover, etc. The covering substantially covers at least the upwards and frontwards facing portion of the wearer's foot wear, and potentially the frontward facing part of the lower leg of the wearer, thus ensuring complete protection from thrown objects (sticks, stones, chips, etc. from lawn mowing or weed trimming), paint while painting, or sparks and/or molten metal droplets while welding and grinding. [0009] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a footwear and lower leg covering which reduces the risk of damage to the wearer's clothing and footwear from activities such as welding, grinding, mowing, using a string trimmer or chainsaw, and/or painting. [0010] Another object of the invention is to provide a footwear and lower leg covering device which provides protection for the wearer's lower leg, ankles, and feet from exposure to thrown objects or heated materials from welding, grinding, and other manual labor activities. [0011] It is another object of the invention to provide a lower leg and footwear covering which can be donned over the wearer's clothing, without need for removal of any clothing or footwear, and is convenient enough so that wearers will not be inclined to forgo the wearing of the safety device. [0012] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a lower leg and footwear covering that is not just a way to protect laboring workers from harm, but is also simple and inexpensive enough that it will be economically attractive on the retail level to workmen to adopt the wearing of the safety device also as a means of prolonging the replacement of work pants and footwear such as boots. [0013] A further object of the invention is to provide a safety device in the form of a lower leg and footwear covering that is secured about the wearer's shoe without the need for complex means of securing the device to the user which might inhibit regular usage. [0014] These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a frontal birds-eye perspective view of the protective covering device of the present invention fastened on footwear such as a boot. [0016] FIG. 2A is a side view of the protective covering device according to one embodiment of the present invention, fastened on footwear such as a boot by means of an ankle strap fastener. [0017] FIG. 2B is a side view of the protective covering device according to another embodiment of the present invention, fastened on footwear such as a boot by means of a footwear tongue fastener. [0018] FIG. 3A is a front side, flat view of one embodiment of the present invention, provided with an ankle strap fastener for helping to secure the protective covering device to footwear. [0019] FIG. 3B is a back side, flat view of one embodiment of the present invention, provided with an ankle strap fastener for helping to secure the protective covering device to footwear. [0020] FIG. 4A is a front side, flat view of one embodiment of the present invention, provided with a footwear tongue fastener for helping to secure the protective covering device to footwear. [0021] FIG. 4B is a back side, flat view of one embodiment of the present invention, provided with an footwear tongue fastener for helping to secure the protective covering device to footwear. Continue reading about Protective covering for footwear... Full patent description for Protective covering for footwear Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Protective covering for footwear patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Protective covering for footwear or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Magnetically operable studs for footwear Next Patent Application: Footwear with longitudinally split midsole for dynamic fit adjustment Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Protective covering for footwear patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.1404 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers pbckp |
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