1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for wearing on a boot, specifically a boot mounted shifting and breaking device for motorcycles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, it has been known to attach spur devices to boots when riding to control the movement and direction of horses. Spurs are either permanently secured to the rider's boot or are removably attached to the rider's boots. These spurs have rigid protrusions which do not give way when they contact another object. Spurs are worn by a rider who sits on a horse's back with his or her legs straddled on either side of the horse and the spurs extend from the rear of a person's boots. However, there is a need for a spur device which will provide users with greater stability and control when riding. It is also desired to provide a spur which can be worn on a user's boot even if the boot does not provide a groove between the boot's upper and outer sole. Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples include but are not limited to the references described below, which references are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,561, issued to Welton et al., discloses a spur holder is formed of flexible material and has a rear body and sides connecting the body to a front loop, which is stretchable over the heel of the boot to engage the front of the heel, with the rear body disposed at the rear of the boot adjacent the upper edge of the heel. The rear body has a generally oval front edge and a rear edge corresponding generally to a portion of an ellipse, while each of the front and rear edges of the loop corresponds generally to a flattened oval. A rib extends inwardly from the rear body and a portion of each of the sides, adjacent the inner edge of each and is adapted to engage a crevice above the heel when the holder is installed on a boot. A spur rowel and shank are attached to the rear body, as by a plate molded within the rear body or a cap which covers the plate and is vulcanized to the rear body. The inner edge of each of the sides may be provided with a taper opposite the rib to accommodate additional stretching of these edges. A spur is produced by molding an outwardly extending, integral button on the rear body, while an alternative molded spur has a downwardly bowed front loop which includes a downward offset connecting it with each side and the front of the rear body is concave and slopes downwardly and forwardly. The rear body and a major part of each side have an inwardly extending, downwardly sloping rib for engagement with the crevice between the heel and the counterheel. The shank may be molded integrally with the rear body and have a vertical slot across which a pin extends to rotatably support a rowel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,644, issued to Ellis, discloses A wear protection device is provided for protecting the instep portion of a motorcycle boot from wear which would otherwise result from contact with the gear shift lever of a motorcycle. Wear protection device includes a flexible shield member having a truncated elliptical contour and a releasable coupling engaged within the arched portion of the sole of boot. In a preferred embodiment, the releasable coupling includes a single strap member threaded through a pair of slotted through openings disposed on opposing ends of shield member. Strap member is formed of an elastic material having hook-and-loop fastening elements disposed on opposing ends of strap member, respectively.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2001/0013216, by Balkenhol, discloses a strap-attached spur which is configured substantially U-shaped and has two lateral bars. Two spur strap eyelets are provided for in each free end of each bar and receive a spur strap of the strap attachment. The two spur strap eyelets of either end are not parallel but form an acute angle between each other.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2002/0108357, by Martin, discloses an ergonomic spur which is designed for engagement with a riding boot. The spur can be removably attached to the riding boot with out damaging the boot. The arch brace of the spur of the present invention provides two planes of contact between the spur and the riding boot. The spur is formed in a manner which allows for sufficient rigidity without covering a large portion of the boot's surface area.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2003/0226287, by Borne, discloses a boot includes a heel with a rear side having embedded therein one component of a two-component coupling member. A detachable spur has a distal end with a barb element thereat and a proximal end with a second component of the two-component coupling member. The second component is detachably connected to the one component, with the distal end projecting outward from the heel to position the barb element for use while riding.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D362,928, issued to Redden, discloses the ornamental design for a spur.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being inefficient, impractical for manipulating motorcycle controls; and/or impractical for braking motorcycles.
What is needed is a device for wearing on a boot that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.