Patent Application
20220192323
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear. More specifically, the present invention relates to a footwear customization device or accessory that converts the footwear (i.e. shoes and sandals) to many different styles and colors. The device or accessory is in the form of a footwear topper device that is secured on the bottom of the outsole near the heel portion and wraps around the ankle for securing to the footwear. The device comes with adjustable fastening mechanisms that allow the footwear accessary to be kept effectively secured to the ankle and shoes while providing customization to the upper portion of, for example, a shoe or sandal. The device customizes the look of footwear with ease, and is capable of converting the footwear to many different styles and colors while keeping the footwear secured to the ankle and shoe/sandal. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, footwear protect a wearer's feet from hot, cold, bumpy or sharp surfaces, as well as provide comfort and support. Each shoe generally includes, inter alia, an upper, an insole and an outsole. The entire portion of the footwear that is located below a wearer's foot generally comprises the insole and the outsole. The portion of the footwear that covers an upper portion of the wearer's foot is generally called the upper. Nowadays, footwear has become a part of fashion and is generally matched with the clothes that a person wears. A majority of individuals prefer to be unique in their fashion choices and do not want to wear the same style shoes every time.
Individuals, while trying to match their footwear with clothes, may end up buying new pairs of footwear which is not only expensive but also space-consuming. Also, due to the reason that buying new pairs of footwear is expensive, some individuals who desire to wear customized footwear may not be able to purchase and wear them. However, at the same time, many users do not have the monetary means to purchase a plurality of footwear just to add variety to their wardrobes.
Currently, for customization of footwear such as stilettos, heel footwear, sandals, slip-ons and more, individuals generally paint the upper and/or the sole or may cover the upper by a new designer cover which is sewn. These methods for customization are permanent and may end up damaging the footwear.
Further, current footwear customization methods require molds of the foot of a user. Customized designs conforming to the shape of the footwear may need molding, which is time-consuming and expensive for the user. The customization done on the footwear is also specific to the footwear, and cannot be transferred to other footwear.
Certain footwear, especially stilettos and high-heeled footwear, such as peep-toe, pumps, scorpions, mules and the like, may not be properly secured to the feet when a user walks. The footwear may slip, tip, or twist from the feet of the user. Heretofore known customization done on such footwear does not enhance the safety of the wearer of customized footwear.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that provides customization for any type of footwear. There is also a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that can be easily installed and removed from footwear. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that temporarily customizes the footwear, and can be removed to retain the original look of the footwear. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that quickly customizes the footwear and is cost-effective. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that eliminates the need of buying a plurality of footwear to match with different outfits. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that effectively and temporarily customizes the look of footwear with ease, and is capable of converting the footwear to many different styles and colors with enhanced safety features.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises footwear customization accessories. The footwear customization accessory secures to the top side of the footwear to alter the look of the footwear. The accessory includes a pair of flexible straps, wherein the straps are stitched to each other at a common point along the length of both straps. The stitching point divides the one strap into a one upper strap length and a one lower strap length, and divides the second strap into a second upper strap length and a second lower strap length. The pair of upper strap lengths diverge upward from the stitching point and the pair of lower strap lengths diverge downward from the stitching point. Further, the lower straps can be attached or connected to each other at their bottom or terminal ends under the sole of the footwear, such that the lower straps wrap around the inner portion of the heel to the back of the ankle, and the pair of upper straps are secured to each other in front of an upper portion of the ankle using a fastening means for securing the accessory to the feet, wherein the upper straps are looped around from rear to front of the ankle.
In this manner, the footwear customization accessory of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides a relatively safe, convenient and cost-effective solution that temporarily customizes the footwear to many styles and designs. The footwear customization accessory provides additional attachment and security of the footwear to the feet while a user is walking, thereby improving overall safety when wearing footwear such as high heels and stilettos. The accessory is available in a wide range of styles and colors to customize the look of footwear to a desired style.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a footwear customization accessory. The footwear customization accessory is designed for securing to the top side of footwear to alter the look of the footwear. The accessory further comprises: a pair of flexible straps; the straps are stitched to each other at a common point on the length of both straps such that a pair of lower straps are diverging downwards from the stitching point and a pair of upper straps are diverging upwards from the stitching point; the lower straps are designed to be attached to each other at their bottom or terminal ends under the sole of the footwear, such that the lower straps wrap around the inner portion of the heel to the back of the ankle; the pair of upper straps are secured to each other in front of the ankle using a fastening means for securing the accessory to the feet, wherein the upper straps are looped around from the rear to the front of the ankle. The lower straps support the footwear from the bottom of the outsole and sides of the outsole near the heel portion of the wearer of the footwear.
In yet another embodiment, the fastening means for securing upper straps may further comprise one or more zippers or the like, one or more shoelaces or the like, one or more laces or the like, one or more buttons or the like, one or more buckles or the like, one or more snap fasteners, one or more hook and loop fasteners or the like, similar mechanisms or combinations thereof, for mechanically connecting the two ends of the upper straps.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom ends of the lower straps are the bottom or terminal ends of the respective flexible straps and can be attached or stitched under sole of the footwear. Attachment mechanisms can comprise similar mechanisms as described supra for fastening the upper straps.
In yet another embodiment, the footwear customization accessory can be made up from one or more of vinyl, leather, fabric or any other elastic or plastic material and can have multiple colors to match different outfits and footwear.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for altering or customizing footwear is disclosed. The method includes the steps of initially wrapping a shoe snapper device around the inner portion of the heel and/or bottom of the sole to the back of the ankle of a foot, in which the shoe snapper device is being worn using a pair of detachable and flexible straps, looping around the straps around the ankle by looping from the rear to the front of the ankle, and securing the straps using a fastener for securing the shoe snapper to the footwear.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a footwear upper customizing device is disclosed. The customizing device includes an upper section that wraps around the ankle of a wearer, a lower section that wraps around the inner portion of the heel of the footwear to the rear of the ankle of the wearer, and the upper section and the lower section are stitched at a stitching point. The device includes a pair of customizing flexible straps, wherein lower parts of both the straps lie below the stitching or connecting point and the upper parts of both the straps lie above the stitching or connecting point.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, any type of footwear from sandals to shoes, having an open or closed toe, can be customized using the customizing accessory. The accessory can be used for open-toe footwear, closed-toe footwear, stilettos, d′Orsay pumps, low-heeled shoes, high-heeled shoes, espadrilles, lace-up shoes, Derby shoes, Oxford shoes, Mary Jane shoes, moccasins and other heeled, wedged, and flat footwear as well.
In yet another embodiment, the customizing accessory or device is removable and replaceable and can be removed from underside of the sole by detaching the lower straps. The accessory can have jeweled embellishment or gems for adding additional style to the footwear and can be used over stockings and socks.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that provides customization for any type of footwear. There is also a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that can be easily installed and removed from footwear. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that temporarily customizes the footwear, and can be removed to retain the original look of the footwear. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that quickly customizes the footwear and is cost-effective. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that eliminates the need of buying a plurality of footwear to match with different outfits. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a footwear customization device that effectively and temporarily customizes the look of footwear with ease and is capable of converting the footwear to many different styles and colors with enhanced safety.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, includes a novel footwear upper or ankle area customizing device. The customizing device includes an upper section that wraps around the ankle of a wearer, a lower section that wraps around the inner portion of the heel of the footwear proximal to the rear of the ankle of the wearer, the lower section supports the outsole of the footwear from the bottom and the upper section, and the lower section is stitched at a stitching or connection point. The device includes a pair of customizing flexible straps, wherein the lower parts of both the straps lie below the stitching or connection point, and the upper parts of both the straps lie above the stitching or connection point.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The stitching point 106 can be configured to be positioned at the rear side of the leg of the wearer, preferably above, or behind and aligned with, the ankle enabling the first customizing strap's upper length 1022 and the second customizing strap's upper length 1042 to secure to each other. The accessory 100 appears as a modified shoe topper and thus customizes the look of the footwear with ease. The shoe topper 100 can be easily removed by unfastening the buckle 112 and prong 1120 from the holes 118, and can also be replaced by unfastening the bottom ends 108, 114 for removing from underside of the sole of the footwear. The shoe topper 100 can also be removed by simply pulling from around the footwear without unfastening the bottom ends 108, 114.
The first customizing strap's lower length 1020 and the second customizing strap's lower length 1040 form the lower section of the accessory 100, and the first customizing strap's upper length 1022 and the second customizing strap's upper length 1042 form the upper section of the accessory 100. Further, the first customizing strap's lower length 1020 and the second customizing strap's lower length 1040 appear as diverging downward from the stitching point 106, and the first customizing strap's upper length 1022 and the second customizing strap's upper length 1042 appear as diverging upward from the stitching point 106.
The sleek customizing straps 102, 104 can include a uniform width in the range of generally from about 0.25 inch to about 1 inch. The accessory 100 can be made from an appealing and weatherproof material such as vinyl, leather, plastic, silk, elastic, nylon or the like.
It should be understood that the present embodiment states the basic flow performed by a user and additional actions may be used to add additional processes to the basic flow. Initially, the lower portion of the customization device is secured to or looped around the bottom of the outsole (i.e. around the waist or shank) of the footwear by stitching or attaching the two ends of the lower portion (Block 602). The lower portion can be wrapped around an inner part of the heel from the bottom of the outsole (Block 604). Thereafter, a user inserts his or her foot in the footwear such that the lower portion adheres to a rear part of the ankle (Block 606). For securing the device, the straps of the upper portion are looped around the ankle or above the ankle (Block 608). Finally, the straps of the upper portion are fastened using laces, a buckle, snap buttons, hook and loop fastener or any other conventional fastening means (Block 610).
Some embodiments of the present invention also function as an ankle protector for the wearer as the ankle can be covered and protected from exposure. The device of the present invention can be adjusted as per the size of the wearer's foot and ankle by using the fastening means.
The material of the customization accessory of different embodiments includes leather, chamois leather, muntjac leather, synthetic leather, synthetic fur, nylon, rayon, flannel, broadcloth, velvet, canvas, plastics, rubber, resins, plastic resins, silicone rubber, elastomers, polymers, synthetic rubber, synthetic resins, synthetic materials or the combination thereof.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “footwear customization accessory”, “laced footwear customization accessory”, “footwear customization device”, “shoe topper”, “accessory”, “device”, and “shoe snapper” are interchangeable and refer to the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 are important design parameters for user convenience, the footwear customization accessory 100, 300, 500 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/129,933, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2020 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63129933 | Dec 2020 | US |
