Extensible Shoe or Boot

Abstract

A shoe or boot, supplemented by an optional leg extension which may be attached to the basic shoe or boot. The optional extension has accommodation for attachment to the shoe or boot, a covering for this accommodation, and a drawstring or the like for tightening the top of the extension. As a shoe, the upper may be so low cut as to function as a shoe with the extension removed, and as a boot with the extension installed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly, to a shoe or boot which may be extended along the leg by a removable section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoes and boots serve utilitarian purposes such as protection of the foot and lower leg, and also esthetic purposes. In both cases, height of a shoe or boot along the leg may appropriate in one setting, yet insufficient in another setting. One answer to this situation is to provide more than one set of shoes or boots, each of a different lower leg height. However, that solution may be objectionable because of costs and other considerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention allows for footwear such as shoes and boots of variable leg height. This is accomplished by providing a low cut basic shoe or boot, supplemented by an optional extension which may be attached to the basic shoe or boot. The optional extension has accommodation for attachment, a covering for this accommodation, and a drawstring or the like for tightening the top of the extension.

In a further option, the novel footwear may be so low cut as to function as a shoe with the extension removed, and as a boot with the extension installed.

The present invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of a shoe or boot having a leg extension, according to at least one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows components separated in FIG. 1 now attached to one another;

FIG. 3 is an opposite hand side view similar to FIG. 2, but with a fastener concealed by a concealment flap;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of a variant of the shoe of boot of FIG. 1, notably, a boot extending well above the sole, and having a removable leg extension shown installed; and

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows a fastener concealed by a concealment flap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, according to at least one aspect of the invention, there is shown a shoe 100 having a leg extension 102. The present invention contemplates application to both boots and shoes. As used herein, “shoe” refers to footwear not having a boot shaft, or alternatively stated, wherein an upper terminates to reveal the ankle or terminates immediately above the ankle. As used herein, a boot has a boot shaft extending above the ankle. Installation of leg extension 102 may be said to convert shoe 100 to a boot.

Shoe 100 may include conventional components such as a sole 104 and an upper 106 fixed to sole 104. A fastener such as one track 108 of a slide fastener of the type popularly known as a zipper 110 is fixed to upper 106.

Leg extension 102 may have a track 112 complementing track 108 of zipper 110. When leg extension 102 is installed by lowering along axis A into engagement with shoe 100, teeth 114 of respective lower and upper tracks 108 and 112 can mesh when forced into mutual engagement by pulling a slider 116 along tracks 108, 112 in conventional fashion. Slider 116 may have a pull tab 118 to facilitate use. A fastener concealment flap 120 may be provided to conceal the fastener (e.g., zipper 110) and to cover a gap which would otherwise exist between shoe 100 and the leg of the wearer (not shown). Zipper concealment flap 120 may be folded downwardly from a retracted position shown in FIG. 1 to a deployed position covering the fastener (e.g., zipper 110), as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 2, arrow B indicates motion of folding zipper concealment flap 120.

Leg extension 102 is shown installed in FIG. 2. However, zipper concealment flap 120 has not yet been lowered into the deployed position in FIG. 2.

It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as lowering, downwardly, and above refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in posture and position of the novel shoe 100 (or boot 200). Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way.

Leg extension 102 may include a drawstring 122 securable at any desired adjustment by a conventional friction slider 124. A drawstring concealment flap 126 may be provided to cover drawstring 122 or its hem (not shown). Drawstring concealment flap 126 is shown folded down in FIGS. 1-3, but may be folded up when desired, in the manner of zipper concealment flap 120. As seen in FIG. 1, leg extension 102 may include a concealment flap 120 to cover zipper 110. In FIG. 1, concealment flap 120 has been raised to expose track 112. Once zipper 110 has been closed, concealment flap 120 may be folded downwardly into the deployed condition. This is shown in FIG. 3.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown a boot 200. Boot 200 differs from shoe 100 in having a boot shaft 207, but may be identical in other aspects. Boot 200 has a leg extension 202, and may have components such as sole 204 and upper 206 fixed to sole 204. A slide fastener or zipper 210 may be provided to removably attach leg extension 202 from boot 200 in the same manner as shoe 100 and its associated leg extension 102. Zipper 210 may have a pull tab 218.

Boot 200 may have a zipper concealment flap 220, which may be structurally and functionally similar to zipper concealment flap 120 of FIGS. 1-3. Similarly, boot 200 may include a drawstring 222 having a friction slider 224 and a drawstring concealment flap 226. Drawstring 222, friction slider 224, and drawstring concealment flap 226 may be structurally and functionally similar to their similarly named counterparts of shoe 100.

Zipper concealment flaps 120 and 220 both serve an esthetic function in concealing zippers 110 and 210, and also serve the utilitarian functions of excluding rain and snow from respective shoe 100 and boot 200.

Boot 200 may also include a pull loop 228 fixed to boot shaft 207. If desired, shoe 100 may be provided with a similar pull loop (not shown).

Shoe 100 and boot 200 may be made in conventional sizes; that is, in sizes from children's sizes to adult sizes, as is done in contemporary commercial practice. As shown in FIG. 4, exemplary dimensions for boot 200 in an adult size may include an overall length 230 of nine or nine and one half inches, a cuff thickness 232 of one quarter inch, an extension flap width 234 of two and one half inches, and a boot flap width 236 of two inches.

Shoe 100 and boot 200 may be provided with other elements used with conventional boots and shoes, where feasible. This may include shoe items such as liners, overlays, inlays, counters, elevated heels, cleats, toe caps, wing tips, inner pulls, and back stay (none of these are shown), for example. Shoe 100 and boot 200 may incorporate lacing (not shown) if desired.

Shoe 100 and boot 200 may of course each be provided as a set including a first article of footwear 100 or 200 formed to fit a right foot of a user (not shown) and a second article of footwear 100 or 200 formed to fit a left foot of the user.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.

Claims

1. An article of footwear encompassing boots and shoes, having a leg extension, the article of footwear comprising: a sole;an upper fixed to the sole;a leg extension removably attachable to the upper;a fastener releasably attaching the leg extension to the upper; anda fastener concealment flap.

2. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the fastener includes a first component as a permanent part of the upper, and a second component as a permanent part of the leg extension.

3. The footwear of claim 2, wherein the first component comprises one track of a slide fastener, and the second component comprises another track of a slide fastener.

4. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the leg extension comprises a drawstring and a friction slider securable at any desired adjustment.

5. The footwear of claim 4, wherein the leg extension comprises a drawstring concealment flap which concealment flap may cover the drawstring, and may be folded up and folded down.

6. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the footwear is a shoe not having a boot shaft.

7. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the footwear is a boot having a boot shaft.

8. The footwear of claim 7, wherein the boot includes an overall length of nine to nine and one half inches, a cuff thickness of one quarter inch, an extension flap width of two and one half inches, and a boot flap width of two inches.

9. The footwear of claim 1, comprising a set including a first article of footwear formed to fit a right foot of a user and a second article of footwear formed to fit a left foot of a user.

10. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the fastener concealment flap is foldable downwardly from a retracted position exposing the fastener to a deployed position covering the fastener.