US2781044A - Toe shield - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12, 1957 v. R. BENNETT TOE SHIELD Filed Jail. 25, 1956 FIG. 3.

I". I. I. III,

INVENTOR VERNA R. BENNETT United States Patent TOE SHIELD Verna R. Bennett, Bogalusa, La. Application January 25, 1956, Serial No. 561,226

Claims. (Cl. 128-153) This invention relates to toe protectors.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toe shield designed for the protection of ingrown toe nails and wherein the nail will be held out of the flesh until it grows out.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toe shield of the above type which may be easily and readily applied to the ingrown toe nail and to be retained thereat in a comfortable manner and which may be easily and readily removed when the ingrown toe nail has grown out of the flesh.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a toe shield bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in use.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in operative use;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof shown alone;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and illustrating the adhesive means whereby the toe shield is maintained on the toe.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, indicates a hollow cylindrical member of rubber or other substance having like physical characteristics open at both ends, substantially as illustrated. The tubular member 10 is provided with the arcuate opening at one end 11 adapted to receive therethrough the end of the toe, as shown in Fig. l. The tubular member adjacent this arcuate edge is also provided with an arcuate slot 12 adapted to receive upwardly therethrough the ingrown toe nail 13 whereby to separate the nail from the flesh as it grows. The resilient nature of the tubular member non-perforated, if desired.

10 will retain the same on the toe. As a further means of securing the tubular member on the toe, it is provided around the inside of the other end thereof with the annular adhesive material 13 adapted to engage the inner portion of the toe, as will be obvious.

The tubular member 10 is provided with the perforations 14 to permit the free circulation of air and perspiration.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a toe shield for the protection of ingrowing toe nails and which includes the arcuate slot 12 through which the toe nail may be pressed through and wherein the nail will be held out of the flesh until it grows out.

The tubular member 10 may be manufactured from any suitable elastic material and may be cloth lined, or It will also be apparent that there has been provided a toe shield designed for straightening ingrown toe nails.

The shields may be manufactured in varying sizes for the second and other toes, as shown in Fig. 1.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A toe shield for correcting ingrown toe nails comprising a hollow tubular member of resilient material open at both ends and adapted to be fitted onto the toe, said tubular member having an arcuate slot at the outer end thereof adapted to receive therethrough the ingrown nail and to separate the same as it grows from the flesh, and means for securing said member on the toe.

2. A toe shield according to claim 1, said securing means comprising an annular adhesive strip secured to the inside of said tubular member at the inner end thereof remote from the toe nail.

3. A toe shield according to claim 2, said tubular member being perforated throughout its area to permit the circulation of air and perspiration.

4. A toe shield according to claim 3, said tubular member having an arcuate opening to facilitate the passage of the outer end of the toe therethrough.

5. A toe shield according to claim 4, including a fabric lining on the interior of said tubular member.

the outer end of References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 207,708 Boyer Sept. 3, 1878 465,870 Morley Dec. 29, 1891 1,596,532 Haener Aug. 17, 1926 2,332,473 Salander Oct. 19, 1943

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