Patent landscapes › Clothing & accessories
Is a shoe horn patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a shoe horn have been patented many times, but "a shoe horn" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 41 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “shoe horn” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 19 best keyword matches we examined, 7 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2001.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: KLINBERG VALERIY (2), Easy To Use Products (1), CLIFTON GARRY (1), LARUE LEN (1).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): A47G (18), A43B (4), G09F (2), A45B (2).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a shoe horn
- Shoe horn with cuff lifter US-11903504-B2 2024 · GZYBOWSKI MICHAEL S
A shoe horn that can be used to lift clothing that would otherwise get in the way when putting on a shoe with a shoe horn. The shoe horn includes: a handle portion having a central axis; a tongue portion having a central axis; an …
View on Google Patents - Shoe horn US-12035828-B2 2024 · ONCE AND FOREVER LLC
The invention relates to the field of satisfying human needs and specifically relates to the structure of a device for putting on footwear. The shoe horn consists of a blade in the form of a trapezoid rod with a longitudinal groov…
View on Google Patents - Hands free shoe horn device WO-2024049359-A1 2024 · PETERNEL UROS
This invention belongs to the field of human needs for an easier way of putting on shoes. The invention relates to a device for hands-free shoeing, which consists of: − Stands that have a horizontal lower part (1) and a vertical u…
View on Google Patents - Extended shoe horn US-10582792-B1 2020 · LARUE LEN
Disclosed herein is a shoehorn device, made for right handed or left handed users, having a long offset handle allowing the user to use the shoehorn in front of the user with good visualization. The shoehorn straddles the back of …
View on Google Patents - Shoe horn US-10869568-B2 2020 · HUGHES RICHARD D
A shoe horn that includes a beam having first and opposing second end portions, further included in the shoe horn is an elongated finger having a proximal end portion and an opposing distal end portion, wherein the proximal end po…
View on Google Patents - Storable shoe horn and sock removing tool US-10463184-B2 2019 · Easy To Use Products
A shoe horn and sock removing tool is disclosed. In embodiments, the shoe horn and sock removing tool comprises a handle portion and a shoe horn and sock removing portion. The shoe horn and sock removing portion comprises a main b…
View on Google Patents - Combination shoe horn and sock donning and doffing apparatus US-9386875-B2 2016 · CLIFTON GARRY
Disclosed is a combination shoe horn and sock donning and doffing apparatus. The device includes an elongated rod that is composed of anodized aluminum so that it is lightweight and resistant to breaking. The rod includes a sock h…
View on Google Patents - Shoe horn apparatus and method US-9326630-B1 2016 · SHOWALTER EDWARD
A shoe horn apparatus comprising: a handle at one end, a shoe horn at the other end and a shaft mounted between the handle and the shoe horn, wherein the shaft is attached at its upper end to the handle and at its lower end to the…
View on Google Patents - Shoe Having Shoehorn Compartment US-2016345672-A1 2016 · NEU EDWIN F
A shoe having a shoehorn compartment in which a shoe horn can be positioned for storage. The shoe includes a body having an interior volume with a sole therein. The heel portion of the shoe includes a compartment in which a shoeho…
View on Google Patents - Portable Shoe Horn US-2013214017-A1 2013 · SAGGAR RAHUL
A shoe horn device which is in the form of a card-like planar structure with one side smooth and the other side with a surface treatment the resists movement, also referred to as the rough side. The device is portable and compact …
View on Google Patents - Pocket shoe horn with telescopic handle US-7337933-B1 2008 · KLINBERG VALERIY
A shoe horn device has a series of telescoping sleeves which telescope within the handle for storage and extend out for use. A shoe horn shaped pivotable head attaches to an outer end of the innermost sleeve. The pivotable head pi…
View on Google Patents - Telescoping and folding shoe horn US-2007187441-A1 2007 · KLINBERG VALERIY
A shoe horn shaped handle has a series of telescoping sleeves which telescope within the handle for storage and extend out for use. A mating shoe horn shaped pivotable head attaches to an outer end of the outer most sleeve. The pi…
View on Google Patents - Flexible, laminated shoe horn US-6426132-B1 2002
A laminated shoehorn which is characterized by an elongated, flexible shoehorn body having a substantially rough backing layer and a substantially smooth foot contact layer laminated to the backing layer. The shoehorn body is typi…
View on Google Patents - Shoe horn US-6318607-B1 2001
A shoe horn ( 1 ) of a flexible, thin material such as plastic or metal that, in use, changes its shape to approximately correspond to the rear or inner portion of a shoe where the heel of the user is to be inserted. Its size does…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a shoe horn been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Accessories and apparel are often protected by design patents as much as utility patents; how something fastens, adjusts or is shaped is usually the difference.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.