RETRACTABLE HANDLE WITH OR WITHOUT DISPLAY TO PULL UP WOMAN'S DRESS ZIPPER, SHOE TONGUE, AND OTHER TIGHT FITTING CLOTHING

Abstract

I disclose a retractable device to hold a tongue of a shoe at a distance when putting on the shoe or a zipper of a woman's dress. Particular embodiments include a retractable wire coupled to the tongue, a retractable band with a display coupled to the tongue and an attachment that allows a retractable holding device to hook onto the attachment.

Claims

1. An article comprising: (a) a retractable device where the retractable member displays a member selected from the group consisting of image and no image, (b) a handle selected from the group consisting of handle coupled to the retractable member of said retractable device, handle coupled to the housing of said retractable member and housing of said retractable member, (c) a coupling member selected from the group consisting of magnets, Neodymium magnets, Velcro, clasp, clip, clamp and permanent attachment coupled to said retractable device, whereby a non-stationary object which is not an animal and not a piece of luggage can be coupled to said coupling member and be pulled.

2. The article of claim 1 where the retractable member is selected from the group of string, wire, chain, band, and elastic band.

3. The article of claim 1 where said non-stationary object is an article of clothing.

4. The article of claim 4 where said article of clothing is footwear and said coupling member is coupled to the tongue of said footwear.

5. The article of claim 1 where said coupling member is coupled to a zipper.

6. The article of claim 5 where said zipper is coupled to a member selected from the group of a woman's dress, a boot, a wetsuit, a drysuit.

7. The article of claim 6 where said zipper is located at the back of the said coupled member.

8. An article comprising: (a) a retractable device where the retractable member displays a member selected from the group consisting of image and no image, (b) a handle selected from the group consisting of handle coupled to the retractable member of said retractable device, handle coupled to the housing of said retractable member and housing of said retractable member, (c) a zipper coupled to said retractable device, whereby said zipper can be pulled.

9. The article of claim 8 where the retractable member is selected from the group of string, wire, chain, band, and elastic band.

10. The article of claim 8 where said zipper is coupled to a member selected from the group of a woman's dress, a boot, a wetsuit, a drysuit.

11. The article of claim 10 where said zipper is located at the back of the said coupled member.

12. An article comprising: (a) a long handle with a coupling member from a member of the group consisting of Neodymium magnets, magnets and Velcro (c) a zipper with a coupling member from a member of the group consisting of magnets, Neodymium magnets and Velcro, so that the zipper can be coupled to the handle and the handle can be used to pull the zipper.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a retractable wire coupled to the tongue of a shoe. From U.S. Provisional Applications No. 62/520,799.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a retractable wire coupled to the tongue of a shoe. From U.S. Provisional Applications No. 62/577,398.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows an example of second embodiment with a holding device hooked onto an attachment on top of the tongue of a shoe. The attachment is depicted as a black square and the handle is depicted as an arrow. From U.S. Provisional Applications No. 62/520,799

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a tongue extender pulled out from behind the tongue (left panel) and with the tongue extender attached to the back of the tongue (right panel).

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a tongue extender with a retractable display instead of a wire.

DEFINITIONS

[0026] Retractable member: the part of a retractable device that retracts, for example, a wire, an elastic band or a display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Certain embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to:

First Embodiment

[0028] A first embodiment (see FIG. 1) is one in which a tongue of, for example, a shoe, comes with an attached retractable wire, effectively extending the length of the tongue when it is being pulled. This wire might allow a person to pull on the tongue from a distance that might be convenient for putting on a shoe. The length of the retractable wire might be similar to the length of a long or short shoe horn. The placement of the retractable wire can, for example, be on top of the tongue on the side facing outside the shoe, or inside the tongue, in the latter case the wire or a handle attached to the wire would probably protrude from the tongue.

[0029] In FIG. 2 is depicted such a retractable tongue extending device that can be attached to an existing shoe (after the manufacturing of the shoe in this case). The front of suspender clip 1 is attached to the shoe tongue and via 4 also attached to the retractable ID holder 2 (from, for example, US20080265082) using clip 53. 2, the housing of the retractable member string with a clip, is then attached to a ring 3 using the end clip 501 which is connected to the retractable string. To put on the shoe, one would, for example, use a shoe horn with a hook (from, for example, IKEA), having the hook attach to the ring 3 and pull it up and then hold ring 3 in one's hand, at about the same time put the shoe horn in the shoe and still being able to put tension on the tongue by holding onto ring 3. This allows a user to put on a shoe without bending down beyond the moment in which the shoe is picked up (and if the shoe is left on a shelf the user never has to bend down).

Second Embodiment

[0030] A second embodiment is one in which the tongue comes with an attachment that allows a holding device to hook onto the attachment and hold the tongue from a distance that might be convenient for putting on a shoe (see FIG. 3). The coupling of the shoe and the holding device may be, for example, by magnets, by Velcro, etc. The length of the holding device might be similar to the length of a short or long shoe horn. The placement of the attachment might be on top of the tongue on the side facing outside the shoe.

Third Embodiment

[0031] A third embodiment is a permanent attachment to a shoe tongue as displayed in FIG. 4. In the left panel is shown a shoe with a tongue 603, the elastic band 602 and a ring 601 for the person to hold onto the band. In FIG. 4 right panel is shown the elastic band 702 attached to the back of the tongue 705 (could also be attached to the front of the tongue or inside a tongue consisting of two layers of material) with, for example, zig-zag stitches 704 and the ring 701 allowing the person to hold onto the elastic band. A loop 703 centers the elastic band to the end of the tongue. As the tongue is pulled up, the elastic band is extended. The elastic band may display an advertisement.

Fourth Embodiment

[0032] A fourth embodiment (see FIG. 5) is one in which a retractable display 802 (perhaps similar to a miniaturized retractable portable projection screen or a retractable tape measure) is attached via the box 803 containing the display to the end of the tongue 804 and then attached to a ring 801 to hold the display and pull on the tongue. As the tongue is pulled up, the display is extended.

Fifth Embodiment

[0033] A fifth embodiment is one in which a retractable member is coupled to a zipper, for example the zipper in the back of a woman's dress or a zipper of a tall boot or a zipper on a wetsuit, so that the zipper can be pulled up without awkward bending or without asking another person for help. This can be done by having a retractable device as in FIG. 2 consisting of 2 and 501 where 501 is coupled to the zipper instead of to ring 3 and no other items in FIG. 2 are neededthe handle of the retractable member is the housing of the retractable member.

Sixth Embodiment

[0034] The retractable device can sometimes be dispensed of altogether and one can just use a long handle with a temporary coupling (using, for example, magnets or Velcro) to zippers to temporarily pull up the zipper while at the same time not displaying the full pulling device when such a display would be unattractive on, for example, a woman's dress. The Velcro would have to reside both on the zipper and on the handle but the magnet could reside just on the handle if the zipper is of a magnetic material such as iron or nickel, otherwise the magnet would have to also reside on the zipper. Similarly one can use a long handle with a temporary coupling to the tongue of a shoe (using, for example, magnets of Velcro on the handle and the tongue) to pull on the tongue why putting on the shoe.

Other Embodiments

[0035] The retractable member can be a string, wire, thread, chain, band, elastic band, or similar. The housing of the retractable member, or in case of an elastic retractable member the member itself, can be temporarily attached via a coupling to a clamp, or Velcro or magnets (neodymium magnets or other) or permanently attached via sewing, gluing or similar.

[0036] Other articles of clothing may benefit from these devices including ski boots that need to be pulled on, horse riding boots, and tight fitting gloves.

[0037] While I have used a ring or loop as the handle, there are many different types of handles that can be used, for example, bar handles, loop handles, and the shape of the ring could be, for example, square or elliptic and the material could hard or elastic. The handle on the retractable device connected to a woman's dress could be a jewel or other decorative object.

[0038] The handle can be attached to the retractable device either to the retractable member or to the housing that holds the retractable member.

[0039] When one of the items in the group clip, clamp or clasp is mentioned, another item from that group can be used as well.

[0040] Clips can be temporary like an alligator clip, or more permanent using some kind of fastener.

[0041] In FIG. 2, items 53, 4 and 1 can all be constructed in a single item.

[0042] The displays mentioned could hold, for example, logos or names of soccer players.

[0043] The retractable device can also be strong enough to function as a sports item in which retracting the handle strengthens muscles.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, SCOPE

[0044] According to one or more aspects, my article has one or more of the following advantages: [0045] 1. A shoe tongue is, in effect, extended allowing for more convenient and forceful pulling [0046] 2. The retractable device that extends the shoe tongue can display an image and becomes a new accessory [0047] 3. The retractable pulling device can be used for snow boots, for riding boots, for tight gloves, for hats, for woman's dress zippers, etc.