Patent Application
20150296921
High-heel shoes are susceptible to wear and damage. Particularly, the heel portions of high-heel shoes are susceptible to nicks, dents, and other damage or imperfection as a result of participating in certain activities or by way of exposure into an environment. For example, driving a car avails the heel portions of high-heel shoes to materials on the floor of the car, which may touch, abrade, or otherwise cause damage to an exterior of the heel portions of high-heel shoes. Further, walking in high-heel shoes also avails the heel portions of high-heel shoes to potential damage by way of exposure of the heel portions to the surrounding environment. Doors, walls, curbs, rocks, sidewalk crevices, and other structures or debris may cause damage to the heel portions of high-heel shoes.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cover for a high-heel shoe, the cover including a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface disposed on an opposite side of the body from the inner surface, and an adhesive material disposed on the inner surface of the body. The adhesive material is configured to bond with a heel portion of the high-heel shoe. An outer contour of the body is configured to cover an outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe.
According to another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a cover for a high-heel shoe, the method including providing a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, applying an adhesive material to the inner surface of a body, and shaping the body such that an outer contour of the body is configured to cover an outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. The adhesive material is configured to bond with a heel portion of the high-heel shoe.
According to another aspect, there is provided a heel cover kit for high-heel shoes, the kit including a cover configured to cover a heel portion of a high-heel shoe, and an adhesive material. The cover includes a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface disposed on an opposite side of the body from the inner surface, in which an outer contour of the body is configured to cover an outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. The adhesive material is to be disposed on the inner surface of the body, the adhesive material configured to bond with the heel portion of the high-heel shoe.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. The various characteristics described above, as well as other features, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
The following is directed to various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure. According to one or more embodiments, this disclosure may be directed to a cover for a heel portion of a high-heel shoe.
The use of high-heel shoes and exposure to high-heel shoes to different environments may avail heel portions of high-heel shoes to damage. For example, contact, abrasion, or other exposure to doors, walls, curbs, rocks, and other elements of a surrounding environment may cause external damage to the heel portion of high-heel shoes. As used herein, “external damage” of the heel portion of high-heel shoes may include any imperfection in the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. For example, external damage may include indentations, scuffs, scratches, bumps, cracks, and/or any other imperfection on the heel portion of the shoe. As discussed above, such imperfections may have been a result of exposure of the heel portion of the shoe into different environments, availing the shoe to potential damage. Alternatively, such imperfections may have been a result of the manufacturing process of the heel portion of the shoe.
The use of a cover for a heel portion of a high-heel shoe may cover external damage incurred by the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. As such, any existing damage incurred by the heel portion of the high-heel shoe, e.g., by way of normal use or exposure to the surrounding environment, may be hidden by the cover. Covering a damaged heel portion of a high-heel shoe may improve aesthetic appeal of the shoe. Further, covering a damaged heel portion of a high-heel shoe may also provide structural reinforcement and may help the heel portion of the high-heel shoe maintain structural integrity.
The embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first component is coupled to a second component, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other components and connections.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cover for a high-heel shoe. In one or more embodiments, the cover may include a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface disposed on an opposite side of the body from the inner surface, and an adhesive material. Further, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive may be disposed on the inner surface of the body, and the adhesive material may be configured to bond with a heel portion of the high-heel shoe. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, an outer contour of the body may be configured to cover an outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. The cover may improve the aesthetic appeal of a high-heel shoe, such as a high-heel shoe that has experienced external damage or wear on the heel portion of the shoe.
Referring to
In one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be disposed onto the inner surface of the cover 101 and may be configured to bond with the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100. For example, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be a type of glue or paste that may be configured to bond with the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100. In one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may include magnets, or any other bonding agent such as tape or related materials.
Further, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be removable or permanent. In other words, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be removed from both the cover 101 and the heel portion 102 of the high heel shoe 100 without the use of other materials or chemical agents. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be permanently attached to the cover 101 such that the adhesive material may not be removable from the cover 101 and/or the heel portion 102 of the high heel shoe 100 without the use of other materials or chemical agents.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include a cover having a first adhesive material disposed on a first portion of the inner surface of the cover 101 and a second adhesive material disposed on a second portion of the inner surface of the cover 101. For example, in one or more embodiments, the first adhesive material may be a removable adhesive material, and the second adhesive material may be a permanent adhesive material.
However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments disclosed herein having a first adhesive material and a second adhesive material are not necessarily limited to having a first adhesive material that is removeably attached to the inner surface of the cover 101 and a second adhesive material that is permanently disposed onto the inner surface of the cover 101. For example, in one or more embodiments, both the first adhesive material and the second adhesive material may both be removable adhesive materials that are removeably attached to the inner surface of the cover 101. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, both the first adhesive material and the second adhesive material may be permanent adhesive materials that are permanently attached to the inner surface of the cover 101.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the heel portion of different high-heel shoes may be formed from various materials. For example, the heel portion of high-heel shoes may be formed from plastic, leather, metal, rubber, and/or a combination of the above. As such, the adhesive material, according to the present disclosure, may include a variety of materials configured to bond with different materials. In one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be a material that is specifically directed to bonding with a specific material. For example, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be a material that is specifically directed to bonding with metal. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be a material that is directed to bonding with a variety of materials, such as plastic, leather, metal, or rubber.
In one or more embodiments, the cover 101 may also include an additional film or layer (not shown) disposed on the adhesive material, such that the adhesive material is disposed between the inner surface of the body 105 and the additional film or layer. This additional film or layer may allow the adhesiveness of the adhesive material to be preserved by covering the adhesive material until a user chooses to remove the additional film or layer exposing the adhesive material. This additional film or layer may be formed from or may include a material that allows direct contact with the adhesive material while also preserving the effective adhesiveness of the adhesive material.
Further, in one or more embodiments, the outer surface of the cover may include an ornamental design. As discussed above, the outer surface is disposed on an opposite side of the body of the cover from the inner surface. As such, still referring to
According to embodiments disclosed herein, ornamental designs included on the outer surface of the body 105 of the cover 101 may include designs or patterns printed onto the outer surface of the body 105 such that the aesthetic designs or patterns are visible when the cover 101 is disposed over the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100. Further, ornamental design that may be included on the outer surface of the body 105 may include plastic, metal, or stone pieces bonded to the outer surface of the body 105. Furthermore, ornamental designs that may be included on the outer surface of the body 105 of the cover 101 may include etchings, imprints, and/or sewn designs in the outer surface of the body 105 as well as cut-out portions of the body 105. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that ornamental designs, as used herein, may include any mode of artistic expression known in the art, and the present disclosure is not limited by the examples listed herein. Ornamental designs included on the outer surface of the body 105 of the cover 101 may improve the aesthetic appeal of a high-heel shoe, such as a high-heel shoe that has experienced external damage or wear on the heel portion of the shoe.
In one or more embodiments, the body of the cover may be formed from a flexible material. As such, the body 105 of the cover 101 is able to flex and wrap around an outer surface (not shown) of the heel portion 102. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the body 105 of the cover 101 may be formed from a substantially non-flexible material, and the body 105 of the cover 101 may be formed to a predetermined shape, e.g., a shape configured to fit over a heel portion of a specific high-heel shoe.
For example, in one or more embodiments, the body 105 of the cover 101 may be formed from at least one of cloth, leather, vinyl, rubber, and plastic. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments disclosed herein are not limited only to cloth, leather, vinyl, rubber, and plastic. For example, according to one or more embodiments, the body 105 of the cover 101 may be formed from metal, and the metal may be a flexible metal or a substantially non-flexible or rigid metal. Moreover, according to one or more embodiments, the body 105 of the cover 101 may be a variation of the materials described above or a specific type of the materials described above, such as suede or polyethylene.
The cover for a high-heel shoe, according to embodiments disclosed herein, may be shaped or configured to cover different, specific parts of a high-heel shoe. For example, in one or more embodiments, the outer contour of the body may be configured to cover the entire outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. The outer contour of the body of the cover, according to embodiments disclosed herein, may include an outer shape of the body, a height of the body, and a width of the body. Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the outer contour of the cover for the high-heel shoe may not necessarily cover the entire outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. For example, in one or more embodiments, the cover for the high-heel shoe may cover only a portion of the heel portion of the high heel shoe. In one or more embodiments, the cover for the high-heel shoe may cover approximately half of the surface area of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe.
Referring to
For example, in one or more embodiments, a width of the body 205 of the cover 201 may correspond with a circumference of a heel portion of a high-heel shoe. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the heel portion of high-heel shoes may vary in circumference along a length or height of the heel portion of the shoe. For example, referring back to
Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, the width of the body 205 of the cover 201 may not necessarily be uniform along a height of the body 205 of the cover 201. For example, the width of the body 205 may vary along a height of the body 205 of the cover 201 because the heel portion of a shoe to be covered may have a varying circumference that may vary along a height of the heel portion of the shoe. This variation in the width of the body 205, e.g., along a height of the body 205, may directly affect and define the shape of the body 205. In other words, the dimensions of the heel portion of a shoe, e.g., the height of a heel portion and the circumference of the heel portion at various heights, may directly influence the desired outer contour of the body 205 of the cover 201.
However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other criteria may be considered in configuring the outer contour of the body 205 of the cover 201, and that the outer contour of the body 205 is not necessarily limited by the circumference of the heel portion of a shoe at various heights. For example, a predetermined outer contour of the body 205 may be used and applied to various heel portions of various shoes, regardless of the dimensions of the respective heel portions. Further, if overlap of the cover 201 is desired, a width of the body 205 of the cover 201 at a certain height may be greater than a circumference of the heel portion of a shoe at that same height. Alternatively, if it is desired to not cover an entire outer surface of the heel portion of a shoe, a width of the body 205 of the cover 201 at a certain height may be less than a circumference of the heel portion of a shoe at that same height. This may result in at least a portion of the heel portion of the shoe being exposed when the cover 201 is disposed over the heel portion of the shoe.
Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, a height of the body 205 of the cover 201 may exceed the height of the heel portion of the shoe such that body 205 of the cover may reach beyond an uppermost portion of the heel portion of the shoe. As such, in one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the body 205 of the cover 201 may be folded into an interior portion of the shoe, and an adhesive material disposed on an inner surface of the body 205 of the cover 201 may adhere to an inner portion of the shoe.
Further, in one or more embodiments, the outer contour of the body may be configured to cover only the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. For example, referring back to
Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the outer contour of the body of the cover may include at least one curved edge configured to reduce overlap of the body when the body is bonded to the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. In one or more embodiments, the outer contour of the body of the cover may include at least one curved edge configured to minimize or eliminate overlap of the body when the body is bonded to the heel portion of the high-heel shoe.
As discussed above, a width of the body of the cover, according to embodiments disclosed herein, may correspond with a circumference of a heel portion of a high-heel shoe, and the circumference of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe may vary along a height of the heel portion of the shoe. As such, referring back to
Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to concave curved edges. For example, referring to
Further, in one or more embodiments, the outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe may exclude a bottom surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. For example, referring back to
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a cover for a high-heel shoe. For example, referring to
For example, referring back to
According to embodiments disclosed herein, applying the adhesive material to the inner surface of the body of the cover may include spreading, spraying, or otherwise disposing the adhesive material onto the inner surface of the body of the cover. As discussed above, the adhesive material may be a type of glue or paste that may be configured to bond with the heel portion of a high-heel shoe. Further, the adhesive material, according to the present disclosure, may include a variety of materials configured to bond with different materials, e.g., with the various materials of heel portions of different high-heel shoes. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that applying the adhesive material to the inner surface of the body includes any known method of applying adhesive material known in the art.
Referring to
As discussed above in reference to
Thus, in order to manufacture a cover with dimensions specific to a heel portion of a specific high-heel shoe, a height of the heel portion 102 of the high heel shoe 100 may be measured, and a circumference of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 at a plurality of increments along the height of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 may also be measured. Adjusting a height of the body to directly correspond with the height of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100, and adjusting a width of the body along the height of the body to directly correspond with the circumference of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 along the height of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 may create a customized cover for the heel portion 102 of a specific high-heel shoe 100. An increase in the plurality of measurement increments may create a smoother outer contour for the cover 101 because the outer contour of the cover 101 may be defined by variations in the width of the cover along the height of the cover 101. As such, in one or more embodiments, one, two, three, five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred or more incremental measurements may be made of a circumference of a heel portion of a high-heel shoe along the height of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of incremental measurements may be made of a circumference of a heel portion of a high-heel shoe along the height of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe, which may be used to adjust an outer contour of a body of a cover for a high-heel shoe.
Adjusting the height and width of the body of the cover 101 may be accomplished by cutting, trimming, or otherwise shaping the outer contour of the cover 101 to meet the desired specifications and dimensions. As used herein, the phrase “directly correspond” may be synonymous with the phrase “substantially equal,” in which, although it may be desired for the height of the body of the cover 101 to be exactly equal to the height of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100, exactly equal heights may be difficult to actually achieve in practice. As such, minor variations between the height of the cover 101 and the height of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 may be within the meaning of the phrase “directly correspond” as used herein. Similarly, minor variations between the width of the cover 101 along the height of the cover 101 and the circumference of the heel portion 102 of the high-heel shoe 100 along the height of the heel portion 102 may be within the meaning of the phrase “directly correspond” as used herein.
In one or more embodiments, the method may also include applying an ornamental design to the outer surface of the body. For example, referring back to
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heel cover kit for high-heel shoes, the kit including a cover configured to cover a heel portion of a high-heel shoe, and an adhesive material to be disposed on the inner surface of the body, the adhesive material configured to bond with the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. In one or more embodiments, the cover includes a body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface disposed on an opposite side of the body from the inner surface, in which an outer contour of the body is configured to cover an outer surface of the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. Further, in one or more embodiments, the outer surface of the body includes an ornamental design.
As discussed above, the adhesive material may be a type of glue or paste that may be configured to bond with the heel portion of a high-heel shoe. Further, the adhesive material, according to the present disclosure, may include a variety of materials configured to bond with different materials, e.g., with the various materials of heel portions of different high-heel shoes. In one or more embodiments, the cover 101 may also include an additional film or layer (not shown) disposed on the adhesive material, such that the adhesive material is disposed between the inner surface of the cover 101 and the additional film or layer. This additional film or layer may allow the adhesiveness of the adhesive material to be preserved by covering the adhesive material until a user chooses to remove the additional film or layer exposing the adhesive material. This additional film or layer may be formed from or may include a material that allows direct contact with the adhesive material while also preserving the effective adhesiveness of the adhesive material.
Alternatively, in one or more embodiments, the adhesive material may be separated from the cover in the kit, and a user may need to manually apply the adhesive material to the cover before bonding the cover to the heel portion of a high-heel shoe.
Further, as discussed above, according to embodiments disclosed herein, ornamental designs included on the outer surface of the cover may include designs or patterns printed onto the outer surface of the cover such that the aesthetic designs or patterns are visible when the cover is disposed over the heel portion of a high-heel shoe. Further, ornamental design that may be included on the outer surface of the cover may include plastic, metal, or stone pieces bonded to the outer surface of the cover. Furthermore, ornamental design that may be included on the outer surface of the cover may include etchings, imprints, and/or sewn designs in the outer surface of the cover as well as cut-out portions of the cover. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that ornamental designs, as used herein, includes any mode of artistic expression known in the art, and the present disclosure is not limited by the examples listed herein. Ornamental designs included on the outer surface of the cover may improve the aesthetic appeal of a high-heel shoe, such as a high-heel shoe that has experienced external damage or wear on the heel portion of the shoe.
Advantageously, embodiments disclosed herein may cover external damage incurred by the heel portion of the high-heel shoe. As such, any existing damage incurred by the heel portion of the high-heel shoe, e.g., by way of normal use or exposure to the surrounding environment, may be hidden by the cover. Further, covering a damaged heel portion of a high-heel shoe may improve aesthetic appeal of the shoe, e.g., by way of covering the damaged area and/or by introducing an ornamental design to the shoe. Further, covering a damaged heel portion of a high-heel shoe may also provide structural reinforcement and may help the heel portion of the high-heel shoe maintain structural integrity.
Although only a few example embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from this disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function.
