US3823434A

US3823434A - Shoe warmer

Info

Publication number: US3823434A
Application number: US00353912A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Krell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-04-23
Filing date: 1973-04-23
Publication date: 1974-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-16

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a ski boot heater for insertion into the interior of the ski boot. The heater is formed of a hollow, collapsible elastic container adapted to receive a quantity of hot liquid through an opening formed in the top portion of the container. When the ski boot heater is not in use, the container can be rolled up to occupy a relatively small space.

Description

United States Patent 1 Krell I [111 3,823,434 [451 July 16,1974

1 1 SHOE WARMER [7 61 Inventor: Benno Krell, Zeil 115, 6 Frankfurt am Main, Germany [22] Filed: Apr. 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 353,912

[52] U.S. Cl. 12/129.4 [51] Int. Cl A4311 3/00 [58] Field of Search l'2/l29.4, 128 R, 128 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,270,666 6/1918 Smith 12/l29.4 1,846,774 2/1932 ,Watson... l2/129.4

3,193,861 7/1965 Howard 12/128 R Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler, Wolters,

Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd. 1

[5 7 ABSTRACT The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a ski boot heater for insertion into the interior of the ski boot. The heater is formed of a hollow, collapsible elastic container adapted to receive a quantity of hot liquid through an opening formed in the top portion of the container. When the ski boot heater is not in use, the container can be rolled up to occupy a relatively small space.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Y SHOE WARMER V The invention concerns a shoe heater, in particular forski boots, which is inserted into the interior of the shoe. The purpose of the invention is a device made as simple as possible for the heating of shoes, which can be used anywhere. I

Proposals for shoe-heating devices, which are inserted into the shoe a short time, more or less, before the shoe is put on, have been made before. The wellknown proposals use, without exception, an electrical current for heating. Thus, a shoe tree with an electrical bulb was proposed, which was equipped with the necessary leads, conductors, clamps and fasteners, as well as a temperature regulator. All of this electrical equipment is relatively expensive. Outlets for an electrical current are, also not always available, as in the case, for example, in ski cabins.

The problem, therefore, upon which the invention is based, is to produce a shoe heater which functions independently of any available electrical outlets. This problem is solved by the invention, in that the shoe heater consists of an elastic hollow container which can be inserted into theshoe interior and which can be filled with a hotliquid. Such a shoe heater, which is inserted into the shoeinterior sometime before the shoe is put on, and is only removed directly before the shoe is put on, functions as a simple hot water bottle. Hot water is always available. for use as a liquid for filling. It has been shown that water having a temperature of 70 degrees centigrade, keeps the shoes warm for approximately two hours. Therefore, the feet are kept warm for sometime afterthe shoes are put on, instead of the heat being drawn off the feet, which occurs when cold shoes are put on, thereby resulting in colds and an increased danger of injury while skiing. These shoe heaters can be manufactured out of rubber, plastic or any other suitable material. The expense for such shoe heaters is very small, making it possible to manufacture them as cheaply as simple hot water bottles.

'An advantage of this shoe heater, is that it completely fills the'interior of the shoe. Therefore, the shoe heater fits tightly in the shoe, resulting in a more favorable transfer of heat. In addition, more liquid can be used because of this type of construction. The front of the shoe heater is usefully equipped with a pleated area. The adaptability to various shoe sizes is thereby increased. It is for the same reasons practical for the fillopening, which can be equipped with a screw closure, to protrude from the shoe.

Two examples of the shoe heater, as specified by the invention, are represented in the drawing.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show these examples diagramatically.

The shoe heater, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, made of rubber or plastic or any other suitable material, has the shape of the shoe interior intowhich it will be inserted. After the shoe heater No l is inserted into the shoe (not shown), and after removal of the screw cap 2, hot water or another hot fluid is poured into the opening. In doing this, the exterior of the shoe warmer fits tightly against the interior wall of the shoe, making a favorable heat transfer possible. After a period of time when the shoe has absorbed the heat of the hot liquid, the shoe heater is removed and the shoe is immediately put on, in order that the warmth stays in the shoe, and the foot is kept warm. The positioning of a pleated area (3) in the front of the shoe heater (4) appears in FIG. 2. The fillopening uses a screw closure (5). V

In contrast to other well-known, and, in particular, electrical devices, most which are cumbersome, the shoe heater, as specified by the invention, can be folded-up flat or rolled-up, before and after use, so that it takes up no more space than, for instance, a pair of socks would.

The shoe heater also has the advantage, that the upper part of the shoe, which is hard when the shoe is cold, becomes more pliable by using the shoe heater. This is especially important, if the upper part is not made of leather, but of plastic, which becomes very hard when it is cold and pinches the foot, thereby increasing the danger of an accident.

I claim:

1. A ski boot heater for insertion into the ski boot interior comprising, a hollow, collapsible elastic c0n tainer having a first portion shaped to conform substantially to the interior of a ski boot, and a second portion to extend upwardly to the top opening of the ski boot, an opening formed in said second portion through which hot liquid can be poured into the interior of the hollow, collapsible elastic container, and removable cap means secured to said opening for sealing the hot liquid within said hollow, collapsible elastic container, whereby said hollow, collapsible elastic container can be rolled up to occupy a relatively small space when notin use. r

2. The ski boot heater as set forth in claim 1 further including a pleated area of limited extent formed in from the shoe, has a screw closure (2,5). II t

Claims

1. A ski boot heater for insertion into the ski boot interior comprising, a hollow, collapsible elastic container having a first portion shaped to conform substantially to the interior of a ski boot, and a second portion to extend upwardly to the top opening of the ski boot, an opening formed in said second portion through which hot liquid can be poured into the interior of the hollow, collapsible elastic container, and removable cap means secured to said opening for sealing the hot liquid within said hollow, collapsible elastic container, whereby said hollow, collapsible elastic container can be rolled up to occupy a relatively small space when not in use.

2. The ski boot heater as set forth in claim 1 further including a pleated area of limited extent formed in said first portion to provide means for changing the overall length of said first portion to conform substantially to the overall length of the interior of the ski boot into which it is inserted.

3. Shoe heater, according to claim 1, thereby characterized, by the fact that its fill-opening, which protrudes from the shoe, has a screw closure (2,5).