Shoe Donning Apparatus And Methods Of Use Thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for assisting a user in donning a shoe is disclosed. The apparatus can have a body defining a U-shaped receptacle that is configured to extend across an upper surface of the shoe. The body can have a pair of legs that extend downwardly on respective sides of the body to respective lower edges. The body can have a highest portion opposite the lower edges of the pair of legs that is spaced from the lower edges of the legs by at least 2 inches along a vertical axis. The apparatus can further have a clip that is coupled to the body, the clip comprising an arm that is pivotable relative to the body. The arm can define a first clamping surface. A second clamping surface can face the first clamping surface. The first and second clamping surfaces can receive the tongue therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for assisting a user in donning a shoe, the shoe having an upper surface, a tongue, and a sole, the apparatus having a front and a rear spaced along a longitudinal axis, the apparatus comprising:
 a body defining a U-shaped receptacle that is configured to extend across the upper surface of the shoe, wherein the body comprises a pair of legs that are spaced along a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the pair of legs extend downwardly on respective sides of the body to respective lower edges, wherein the body has a highest portion opposite the lower edges of the pair of legs that is spaced from the lower edges of the legs by at least 2 inches along a vertical axis that is perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transverse axes; and   a clip that is coupled to the body, the clip comprising an arm that is pivotable relative to the body, wherein the arm defines a first clamping surface,   wherein the apparatus defines a second clamping surface that faces the first clamping surface, wherein the first and second clamping surfaces are configured to receive the tongue of the shoe therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is coupled to the body via integral formation. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus is a unitary body. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a first portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the first portion couples to the body at the first end and extends from the body to the second end, and wherein the arm is coupled to the second end of the first portion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the clip further comprises first and second projections that are respectively coupled to the arm and the first portion of the clip so that biasing of the first projection toward the second projection causes movement of the arm of the clip away from the first portion of the clip. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first portion defines the second clamping surface. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body defines the second clamping surface. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a first projection that is coupled to the arm, wherein the first projection defines a lever arm that, when biased in a first rotational direction, causes the first clamping surface to move away from the second clamping surface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the arm defines an outer surface that opposes the first clamping surface, wherein the outer surface is convex. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a decreasing height moving along the longitudinal axis from the rear to the front, the height defined by a spacing the lower edges of the legs to a top of the body in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is symmetric about a plane that includes the longitudinal axis and is perpendicular to the transverse axis. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises respective feet that extend from the lower edges of the legs and outwardly from the U-shaped receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus has a length along the longitudinal axis, wherein the feet extend to the front of the apparatus and only along a portion of the apparatus from the front to the rear. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first clamping surface is textured. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first clamping surface defines at least one tooth. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the respective lower edges of the legs extend along a single plane. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second clamping surfaces define a tongue receiving space therebetween, wherein at least a portion of the tongue receiving space extends along an axis that forms an angle of greater than 60 degrees with the single plane. 
     
     
         19 . A method of donning a shoe, the shoe having a tongue, the method comprising:
 positioning the shoe within a U-shaped receptacle of an apparatus comprising:
 a body defining the U-shaped receptacle that is configured to extend across the upper surface of the shoe, wherein the body comprises a pair of legs that are spaced along a transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the pair of legs extend downwardly on respective sides of the body to respective lower edges, wherein the body has a highest portion opposite the lower edges of the pair of legs that is spaced from the lower edges of the legs by at least 2 inches along a vertical axis that is perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transverse axes; and 
 a clip that is coupled to the body, the clip comprising an arm that is pivotable relative to the body, wherein the arm defines a first clamping surface, 
 wherein the apparatus defines a second clamping surface that faces the first clamping surface; and 
   positioning the tongue of the shoe within the clip.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising inserting a foot into the shoe.