8/16/2019 U.S. patent 3,829,990, entitled "Height Extender" to Sakamoto, issued 1974.

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United tates atent [19]

Sakamoto

[11]

3,829,990

[45] Aug. 20, 1974

 rim ry Examiner Patrick D Lawson

 Attorney Agent or Firm Clarence A O Brien;

Harvey   Jacobson

[52] U.S. CI. 36/7.8

[51] Int. CI.. , A43b 3/10

[58] Field

of

Search 36/7.5, 7.8, 2.5 R, 2.5 D,

36/1

[54] HEIGHT EXTENDER

[76] Inventor: Minoru Sakamoto, 3911 Nioi Pl.,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96816

[22] Filed: July

20,

1973

[21] Appl. No.: 380,984

[56]

806,622

1,930,363

2,747,300

2,802,217

References Cited

UNITED STATES.PATENTS

12/1905 Baker

 t al

36/2.5 D

10/1933 Knox 36/7.5

5/1956 Field 36/7.5

8/1957 Wilhoyte 36/7.8

[57] ABSTRACT

A height extender having a foot engaging member in

the form

of

a plate provided with straps for retaining a

foot thereon, and a spacing and support ing arrange-

ment extending from the foot engaging member for

spacing same a predetermined distance from a support

surface. This arrangement may be a pair of spaced,

parallel supports cantilever mounted on the foot en-

gaging means. A resilient element is connected to the

foot engaging member and the pair

of

supports to pro-

vide a cushion

or

yield effect for the height extender,

which

is

essentially an article of footwear. When the

supports are specially long, one or more bridge mem-

bers are connected to the supports along the longitudi-

nal extent

of

same

as

braces, with each bridge member

having a resilient element associated therewith.

9 Claims,

 

Drawing Figures

 

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8/16/2019 U.S. patent 3,829,990, entitled "Height Extender" to Sakamoto, issued 1974.

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8/16/2019 U.S. patent 3,829,990, entitled "Height Extender" to Sakamoto, issued 1974.

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3 829 990

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hereinafter described and claimed reference being had

to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof

wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is

a perspective view showing a height exten

der according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the height

extender

of

FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the

line

  of

FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing in detail a foot

retaining strap according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional

view showing in detail the attachment

of

a strap such

as shown in FIG. 4 t o a height ext en der according to

the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view show

ing the detail

of

FIG. 5 with the strap removed.

FIG.

7is

a fragmentary exploded perspective view

showing a detail

of

a height extender according to the

present invention.

FIG. 8 is aschematic side elevational view showing

another embodiment

of

a height extender according to

the present invention.

FIG.

9 is

a sectional view taken generally along the

line

9 9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view partly cut away

showing yet another preferred embodiment

of

a height

extender according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken gener

ally along the line

11 11

of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

5

Referring now in more detail to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the

drawings a height extender 10 according to the present

invention has a foot engaging member 12 and a pair

of

longitudinally extending supports 14 connected to and

arranged extending from member 12 for spacing mem

ber 12 a predetermined distance from a supporting sur-

face

S As

can be appreciated from the drawings sup

ports 14 are arranged extending perpendicularly and

codirectionally from member 12 and are substantially

parallel to one another. A resilient element which may

be a for example conventional longitudinal leaf spring

16 having a pair

of

spaced ends

is

connected to mem

b er 12 and s up por ts 14. T he ends o f s pring 16 ar e con

nected to supports 14 with a portion of spring 16 inter-

50 mediate its ends connected to foot engaging member

12. This arrangement of the spring caus es it to be nor

mally flexed so as to provide a resilient or yielding ef

fect for height extender 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 6 in addition to FIGS. 1

to 3 member 12 is provided with sockets 18 and 20 for

releasably attaching foot retaining straps 22 and 24 re

spectively to member 12. A heel strap 26 is connected

to strap 24 to complete the foot retaining arrangement.

As is readily seen from the drawings strap 22 24 and

26 may be provided with suitable known fasteners

such as the illustrated buckles for facilitating the reten

tion and release

of

a foot F As can best be seen from

FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings each strap forming the

straps 22 and 24 has a hea ded end 28 selectively and

removably arrangeable in an associated socket 18 and

20. Each socket 18 and 20 has a slot 30 provided

therein and communicating with the recess receiving

2

HEIGHT EXTENDER

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

 

is an object of t he p resent i nv en ti on to provide a

device enabling construction craftsmen such as plas

terers carpenters painters and the like to work at

heights somewhat above their reach.

It is another object of the present invention to pro- 25

vide a height extending device that is also useful in the

manner

of clogs for ordinary use.

 

is yet another object of the present invention to

provide a height extending device that

is

adaptable to

various predetermined heights while retaining desired 30

yielding effects and the like.

  is a still further object of the present invention to

provide a height extender article of footwear which is

simple yet sturdy

of

construction and lends itself to

aesthetic appeal enhancing its use with ordinary street- 35

wear.

T hese and o th er ob jects ar e achieved accordi ng t o

the present invention by providing a height extender

having: a foot engaging member and an arrangement

connected to and arranged extending from the foot en-

4

gaging member for spacing same a predetermined dis

tance from a supporting surface. Preferably the spac

ing arrangement has a pair of spaced parallel supports

connected to and arranged extending codirectionally

from the foot engaging member and a resilient element

45

connected to the foot engaging member and the pair of

supports.

The resilient element is advantageously a longitudi-

nal l eaf spring having a p ai r of spaced ends with the

ends c onne cte d to the supports and a portion

of

the

spring intermediate the ends connected to the foot en

gaging member.

When the suppor ts are specially long o ne o r more

bridge members are advantageously connected to the

55

supports so as to extend between

them in

a plane paral-

lel to and spaced from the foot engaging member. Each

of these bridge members used has a resilient element

as sociated with it and con nect ed to the s uppor ts and

the bridge member in a manner similar to the connec- 60

tion of the aforementioned leaf spring.

Resilient pads are advantageously associated with the

free or support surface contacting ends

of

the supports

while replaceable straps facilitate retention

of

a human

foot and the like on the foot engaging member. 65

These t ogeth er with o th er objects and advantages

which

will

become subsequently apparent reside in the

details of con st ructi on and op er at io n as more fully

I. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a height extender

and particularly to an elevating foot attachment.

2. Description of t he P ri or A rt

Devices are known that are attachable to the human

foot for elevating persons involved in overhead con-  

struction and the like. See for example U.S. Pat. No.

1 930 363 issued Oct. 10 1933 to D D Knox and U.S.

Pat. No. 2 802 217 issued Aug. 13 1957 to H

J.

Wil

hoyte. These two prior

ar t

devices employ supporting

runners arranged extending parallel to

the

sole

of

a 15

user s foot and have resilient elements associated with

the supporting runners for providing a resilient or yield

ing spring effect.

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3 829 990

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pads 56 may be achieved in any conventional manner.

Height extender 46 is specifically intended for con

ventional casual wear and the like and its support 48

5 and member 50 may be constructed from for example

wood cork synthetic resins and the like while straps

52

may be constructed from leather

or

a suitable syn

thetic material and pads 56 may be constructed from

rubber and the like.

 

The foregoing

is

considered as illustrative only

of

the

principles of the invention. Further since numerous

modifications and changes will readily occur to those

skilled in the art it is not desired to limit the invention

to the exact construction and oparation shown and de-

 

scribed and accordingly all suitable modifications and

equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope

of

the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1 A height extender comprising in combination:

20

a

a foot engaging member; and

b means connected to and arranged extending from

the foot engaging member for spacing same a pre

determined distance from a supporting surface the

means for spacing including:

i

a pair

of

spaced parallel supports connected to

an arranged extending perpendicularly and codi

rectionally from the foot engaging member at

least one bridge member connected to the sup-

ports and arranged parallel to and spaced from

the foot engaging member; and

ii a resilient element connected to the foot engag

ing member and the pair

of

supports and a fur

ther resilient member connected to the supports

and the bridge member.

35

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the back

of

the resilient elements

is

a longitudinal leaf spring

having a pair of spaced ends and the ends are con

nected to the supports with a portion of the spring in

termediate the ends connected to the associated one of

40 the foot engaging member and the bridge members.

3. A structure as defined

in

claim 2 wherein the foot

engaging member

is

provided with socket means for re

leasably attaching foot retaining straps to the foot en-

gaging member. .

45 4. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein a pair

of resilient pads are associated with the pair of sup

ports each of these supports being provided with

means for selectively mounting one

of

the resilient pads

on a free end of the support

50 5. A structure as defined

in

claim 1 wherein a pair

of resilient pads are associated with the pair of sup

ports each

of

these supports being provided with

means for selectively mounting one

of

the resilient pads

55

on a free end of the support.

6. A structure as defined

in

claim 1 wherein the resil

ient element

is

a longitudinal leaf spring having a pair

of spaced ends and the ends are connected to the sup

ports with a portion

of

the spring intermediate the ends

60 connected to the associated one of the foot engaging

member and the bridge members.

7. A structure as defined

in

claim 6 wherein the foot

engaging member

is

provided with socket means for re

leasably attaching foot retaining straps to the foot en

65 gaging member.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein a pair

of

resilient pads are associated with the pair

of

sup

ports each

of

these supports being provided with

3

It will be appreciated from the above description and

from the drawings that a height extender

10 38

accord

ing to the present invention will provide a simple yet

rugged device for lifting spacing

or

jacking a user a

desired distance while preserving the important yield

ing effect

in

supports 14 and 40. Although not illus

trated

in

the drawings it is to be understood that sup

ports 40 could be formed from a plurality of interlock

ing supports 14 if so desired. This arrangement would

permit any desired length of support to be quickly con

structed by connecting together a number of modules

forming the supports 14.

FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings show height exten

der 46 according to the present invention in which the

support 48 is a unitary piece similar to a conventional

clog. This support 48 engages a foot engaging member

50

in

a conventional manner and

is

provided with

straps 52 and 54 which are attached to member 50 in

any suitable known manner. Although not specifically

illustrated

in

FIGS. 10 and 11 it

is

to be understood

that straps 52 and 54 may be attached to member 50

as by the use

of

sockets similar to sockets 18 and 20.

A pair

of

resilient pads 56 may be connected to those

points of foot engaging member 50 which contact a

supporting surface  not shown

in

FIGS. 10 and 11 on

which height extender 46

is

resting. The connection of

headed end 28. Accordingly the straps may be re

ceived

in

slot 30 as the headed ends 28 slide into sock

et s 18 and 20 from the open end thereof as

is

best seen

in FIG. 6 of the drawings. In this manner the straps

may be replaced as desired without the need for special

tools and the like.

A pair

of

resilient pads constructed from any suit

able known resilient material such as natural or syn

thetic rubber and designated 32

in

the drawings are

associated with the pair of supports 14. As can best be

seen in FIG. 7

of

the drawings each support 14

is

pro

vided with a clip 34

in

the form

of

a base or backplate

having converging longitudinally extending peripheral

flanges 35 arranged for retainingly embracing flanges

36 provided on pads 32. This arrangement permits pads

32 to be slidably placed on and removed from the free

or support surface contacting ends of supports 14 by

insertion of flanges 36 into clips 34.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings a

height extender 38 according to the present invention

is

provided with a pair of supports 40 similar to sup

ports 14 but of substantially greater length. A plurality

of

bridge members 42 are shown as connected to sup

ports 40 so as to extend between same and arranged 25

parallel to and spaced from the foot engaging member

12. A further resilient element that may be in the form

of

a leafspring 44 is associated with each bridge mem

ber 42 and

is

connected to bridge member 42 and sup

ports 40 in a manner similar to the connection of spring 30

16. The connection

of

spring 16 and springs 44 may be

achieved by for example welding brazing and the

like when member 12 and supports 40 are constructed

from a for example suitable metal

by

any conventional

fabrication process. Ifwood cork synthetic resins and

the like are used

in

place

of

a metal to construct mem

ber 12 and supports 14 and 40 connection may be real

ized as by the use of a suitable adhesive and the like.

Supports 14 and 40 may be provided with bracing ribs

as is desired; ribs 15 and 41 respectively being shown.

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means for selectively mounting one   the resilient pads

on a free end   the support

9 A height extender comprising

in

combination:

a

a foot engaging member;

b a pair

 

spaced parallel supports affixed to and 5

arranged extending perpendicularly and codirec-

tionally from the foot engaging member; and

 

15

2

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

6

c a longitudinal leaf spring having a pair   spaced

ends connected to the supports and a portion

 

the spring intermediate the ends connected directly

to the foot engaging member with the spring being

arranged

in

an arcuate flexed configuration so

as

to provide a yielding effect