US20040060950A1

US20040060950A1 - Socker

Info

Publication number: US20040060950A1
Application number: US10/254,626
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyle Goff; Joan Goff-Bolluyt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-26
Filing date: 2002-09-26
Publication date: 2004-04-01

Abstract

This proposed invention is an assistive device helpful to those persons who suffer difficulties in bending and gripping who also lack flexability in their backs, hips, knees, ankles, and or feet. This simple cross-arm design provides a spreading action as it extends your reach and holds your stocking cuff firmly in the open position aiding in the process of dressing ones feet in stockings and also in the application of undrewear and trousers.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to devices used to don and also remove foot coverings such as stockings or hosiery. Also to don underpants, girdles, and trousers, and to devices that enable persons who are not able to manipulate these said clothing articles to to do so without the assistance of another person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People with various physicaly handicapping conditions have difficulty in dressing themselves unassisted by a second individual, limiting their ability to live independently, this at times contributes to lowered self esteem and depression. Examples of limiting physicsl conditions contributing to such difficulties in proper and comfortable dressing include pregnency, obesity, diminished range of motion in the back, hip, knee, ankle, or foot; often caused by injury, desease, or surgery. Loss of balance while in a forward leaning position, limited hand strength or range of motion in fingers, hands, or arms due to health problems like stroke or parkinson's desease, artheritis and osteoperosis are other examples of conditions which make it difficult or imposible to raise one's foot high enough, or to bend down low enough, or to grip an article of clothing firmly enough to insert their toes and foot into the opening of any foot covering, underpant or lower body apparel. Especialy difficult is donning support hose or surgical stockings intended to fit very snugly. It is these inventors intention to provide an effective alternative self dressing assistive device to those presently available to the public having definate advantage over the others; such as one popular modle which consists essentialy of two halves of a jumprope attatched at the ends to a short lenght of wide plastic tube which is cut in half lengthways, in testing we found difficulty with loading the stocking onto the device because of the slippery surface of the tube and the need to possess the hand flexability to grip the wide surface of the tube and the amount of strength required to stretch the cuff far enough to fit over the tube. We also found it to be of no use as an assistive device for the donning of underpants or trousers and also of no use for the removal of stockings, the thought of providing lenghts of rope to deeply depressed individuals such as those who may be in need of institutional care or marginaly able to live in their own homes causes us to suggest a device less apt to stimulate thoughts of suicide by hanging or strangulation. In addition this proposed socker device invention provides more freedom from inconvenience caused by loss or breakage of specialized parts such as loops, hooks, moldings, clamps, jaws, cones, or shovels such as are used by other assistive devices which have been patented it. Provides freedom from injury to self or garments by such sharp or pointy parts and freedom from the annoyance of loss of use of the device due to time required to order replacement parts or the need to ship the device to the manufacturer for repair or replacement. This proposed socker device is made entirely from parts and materials readily available at any builders supply store or lumberyard at low cost. It is repairable by any person capable of basic crafters skills. With use of ordinary household tools, such as a friend, neighbor, or family member may have. It is easily cleanable by lightly wiping with fine sand paper. It is free of toxic materials, lightweight, portable, and packable. It is easy to master, making the impossible possible. The senior inventor himself being a person with multipal physicaly limiting conditions and advanced age has tested the socker device at length and has found it so satisfactory in it's daily uses that he has stated that he would not want to be without it. We are eager to make it available to other persons with such need. Many manufacturers will find it unnecessary to retool their plants when adding the manufacture of this device to their line of product. Manpower requirements are low since it can be produced by a single worker or by assemblyline methods. Making it available in markets beyond handycap specialty outlets would benifit this vast markets

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 loaded socker [0003]
FIG. 2 completed socker device [0004]
FIG. 3 socker parts [0005]
FIG. 4 socker assembly [0006]

DETAILED DECRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the socker device loaded with a stocking ready to use [0007]
FIG. 2 shows the socker device befor loading with a stocking [0008]
FIG. 3 shows all the parts needed to make the socker device [0009]
FIG. 4 shows socker device assembly layout and names all the parts [0010]
[0011] 1 Seperation arm a
[0012] 2 Locking bar
[0013] 3 Nut a
[0014] 4 Positioning notches (not limited to three notches)
[0015] 5 Seperation arm b
[0016] 6 Bolt a
[0017] 7 Locking bar pivot hole
[0018] 8 Seperation arms pivot holes
[0019] 9 Nut b
[0020] 10 Washer
[0021] 11 Bolt b
[0022] 12 Dowel recieving hole a
[0023] 13 Dowel a
[0024] 14 Dowel recieving hole b
[0025] 15 Dowel b
[0026] 16 Stocking cuff grippers

Claims

We claim:

1 A device for assisting persons with several certain physical dissabilities in donning stockings, underpants, and trousers said device being a simple desing easy to construct and use for both men and women, which can also be easily trimmed to accomodete children's clothing articles. Being uncomplicated and inexpensive due to absence of any specialized parts. It consists of two wooden seperation arms with a central pivot made of a bolt, washer, and a nut. One wooden locking bar bolted onto one of the two seperation arms near the proximal end. The locking bar swings into one of the three available positioning notches located on the opposite seperation arm. While in use the locking bar is held in position by the pressure naturaly occuring as the stocking cuff is placed over the two distal ends of the seperation arms where there is a short wooden dowel drilled and glued into each of the seperation arm tips inserted at right angles to the arms.

2 An assistive dressing device providing extended reach, ease of grip, and simplicity of use in dressing the lower body. To apply stockings set the locking bar in a notch which best fits the size and strechiness of your stocking cuff. Place the stocking cuff opening over the distal ends and the tips of both dowels just far enough for a snug fit in the cuff. The stocking is now dangling down with the heal and toe toward the floor. You may now further strech the stocking cuff opening to accomidate the size of your foot by moving the locking bar into one of the other positioning notches. Now holding the proximal ends of the seperation arms, one in each hand; the suggested position for holding the device is with the dowel tips pointing downward with the stocking heal toward the floor. However different individuals may find other holding positions to be more effective. now with the stocking cuff within your reach use your thumb or finger to push the cuff off of the distal tips and slide the dowels out of the cuff. Just reverse the process for removal of the stockings.

3 To apply underpants turn the socker over so the dowels are pointing upward. You don't need to use the locking bar for this procedure. While holding one proximal end of the socker in each hand slip the garment waist opening over the distal ends of the socker with one dowel through each of the leg openings. Now the waist is open. spread the seperation arms so you can distinguish each leg opening and slip your feet and legs through the waist opening and on through each of the leg openings pull the garment up to your knees. Now remove the socker and continue to pull up the garment useng your hands.

4 To apply trousers use the same procedure as decribed in claim 3, but there is no need to run the socker all the way through the legs to the ankle openings. You need only let each pant leg drape over the prongs just past the crotch area. Then insert your feet while holding one proximal end of the socker in each hand and proceed in like manner as for underpants.

5 A device for assisting a person in donning articles of clothing and hosiery according to claim 1 consisting of two narrow hardwood slats joined at the halfway point between the near and far ends making a pivot point held in place by a bolt with a washer and a nut so that the two seperation arms form a colapsable and expandable x-shape which works in a scissors type action.

6 The device according to claim 1 having a locking bar which is located near the proximal end of one of the two seperation arms. It is affixed to the arm by means of drilling through the locking bar and the seperation arm and is joined to the arm using a bolt and a nut. The bar is movable enabling it to be used to adjust the width of the seperation of the two arms and hold them in the chosen width position by linning it up and butting it into one of the notches on the opposing seperation arm where it will then be locked into place as the pressure of a stocking cuff is aplied to the socker device and is released when the stocking has been removed,

7 The device according to claim 1 having position locking notches consisting of three or more v-shaped notches filed into the hardwood near the proximal end of one seperation arm directly opposite the locking bar. They are used to recieve a corner of the locking bar and prevent slipping of the bar while the socker device is in use.

8 The device according to claim 1 having two dowels made of hardwood being just long enough to fit inside a stocking cuff. With one dowel affixed to each distal end of the seperation arms by means of drilling through near the tips of said arms and using wood glue to secure them. The dowels are to be inserted into the drilled holes at right angles to the said arms forming shapes of the letter l enabling the socker device to be used with ease to pull stockings over the foot and calf and to be easily removable from the stocking cuff.

9 A device according to claim 1 having two dowels which may be cut using a handsaw to shorten them to a length aproxamatly the lenght of one half of a child's stocking cuff width thus enabling the altered socker device to accomodate the smaller size of a child's stocking. If needed additional v-shaped positioning notches may easily be added nearer the proximal end by use of a file.

10 A device according to claim 1 having two distal ends into which are inserted two hardwood dowels at right angles to the said seperation arms. The ends of said arms having been cut square leaving squared corners not rounded and having a v-shaped notch to aid in gripping filed into the outer faces to make contact with the stocking cuff creating enough resistance when the socker device is in use to hold the cuff firmly in place eliminating the need for any hook or prong. This allows the cuff to be easily released from the socker device after the stocking is in place on the foot by simply nudging it off the corner of each distal arm end requiring little force or strength on the part of the person using the device.

11 A device not to be limited to any set of measurements but which can be made any desired length in any part or parts thereof to accomodate persons of very tall or short stature of persons having special reach or width/stretch requirements. The device could be constructed using materials other than hardwood, however we suggest hardwood because it is an organic and durable natural resource very suitable for this sturdy device as decribed in claim 1.