Patent Application
20140068972
The present invention relates to a new and improved accessory for women's high heel shoes, and in particular to a removable accessory providing increased traction on snow and ice.
The use of devices to improve the traction of shoe on difficult terrain, including snow, ice, mud and the like is well known. Generally, such devices comprise an auxiliary panel covering at least a portion of the shoe's sole, with a spike or protrusion arrangement to provide enhanced grip or “bite” into the ice or snow. Often such arrangements require that the shoe be especially adapted to accommodate the device, as exemplified by the structures presented in U.S. Pat. No. 1,758,091 to Tagler, and U.S. Pat. No. 729,371 to Lutz, or that the accessory be semi-permanently mounted to the sole, as be screws, as presented in U.S. Pat. No. 217,761 to Winn.
The provision of devices to provide enhanced traction on snow and ice for women's shoes has been particularly problematical, especially with respect to court, block and wedge heel styles. The wide variety of styles has heretofore made it difficult to provide an accessory capable of being used on a plurality of shoes and heel types, heights, shapes, and circumferences, given the number of pairs of shoes that may be found in a typical woman's wardrobe, it is impractical for a woman to have a specific accessory who's use is limited to a single pair of shoes, or is convenient and efficient for use in connection with shoes having a high heel.
The present invention is directed to a shoe accessory, particularly adapted to be removably attached to a woman's shoe, and particularly high heel shoes, to provide increased traction on ice and snow. The accessory includes a first portion that mounts to the toe portion of the shoe, overlying the front portion of the shoe sole, and a second portion that is mounted to the heel of the shoe and likewise overlies at least a portion of the bottom surface of the heel. Both portions are provided with downward-extending studs or projections to engage and provide increased traction for the shoe in ice or snow. The first and second portions may form a unitary construction, or may constitute separate elements irremovably joined together by a fastener. The two piece construction facilitates the interchange of elements to allow the accessory to be used in conjunction with a variety of shoe styles.
Both portions or elements may be constructed of an elastomer, allowing the elements to conform to the contour of the shoe portion to which they are affixed. The front element encircles the shoe's top portion, while the rear element wraps substantially around at least a portion of the top lift of the heel, and is further supported on the heel counter by means of an adjustable upwardly-extending strap.
A fuller understanding of the present invention will be obtained upon consideration of the following description of currently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments of the invention, in association with the annexed drawings.
a and 3b are details view of a length-adjusting clasp that may be used in connection with the invention;
With initial reference to
Accessory 10 includes a forward portion 14, which comprises bottom pad 16 bearing depending ice grip projections 18, bottom pad 16 being positioned by toe box portion 20 wrapping about the toe portion of the shoe to which the accessory is mounted. The toe box may have an open front area 22 to allow it to more easily conform to the shape of the shoe.
The bottom pad 16 narrows at its rear end into rearwardly extending strap 24, which lies along the bottom surface of the shoe between the toe and heel portions. Proximate the shoe heel the strap bifurcates into a pair of strap portions 26 which together encircle the counter of the shoe and a depending strap portion 28 that leads downwardly along the forward surface of the shoe heel. The strap portions 26 join at the counter, and may have at that location a widened bifurcated portion 30 with upper and lower aims 30a and 30b to improve the contact between the strap and shoe and more positively retain the accessory in position.
Depending strap portion 28 connects to heel box 32, which embraces the lower portion of the heel and supports a rear ice grip projection unit 34.
With further reference to
Heel box 32 surrounds the lower portion of the shoe heel and supports an additional stud unit 34. The heel box may be constructed as a pair of spaced heel-surrounding bands 36 that support vertical straps 38 which in turn join together at the bottom (top lift) of the heel to form rear stud mounting pad 40. The vertical straps may be four in number, equally spaced about the bands 36, with a forwardly positioned strap aligned with depending strap portion 28. As with forward bottom pad 16, pad 40 is provided with a reception bore for the stud unit 34. The portions of the straps 38 located at the base of the top lift may be provided with molded spines 44 to strengthen the straps and provide a greater degree of wear resistance and traction.
While both toe box 20 and heel box 32 may be formed as parts of a unitary construction, the invention further contemplates that the two portions may be removably joined together. Towards that end coupling or clasp 46 may be provided along strap 24. The coupling may be a simple snap fastener, or may provide a length adjustment for the strap as known to accommodate a variety of shoe sizes or lengths. In a similar manner, strap portions 26 may be provided with length adjustment means in the form of clasps 54, while strap portion 28 may be provided with clasp 56.
Referring to
Rear heel box portion 32 is of a modified construction to accept the wedge heel of the shoe. In particular, the heel box does not fully surround the heel, as the heel is not isolated from the forward part of the shoe, and comprises a single band 50 that encircles the lower or top lift rear portion of the heel 52, which may be of incrementally greater height than the remainder of the heel, supported by and terminating at the heel straps 26. As further detailed in
Mounting of the accessory upon a shoe is accomplished simply by inserting the toe portion of the shoe into the toe box portion 20 until a snug fit is accomplished, the resiliency of the accessory allowing the toe box to conform to the shape of the shoe. If the accessory is of a two part construction, the heel portion is then connected to the forward portion. The heel box is then fit about the heel of the shoe and the straps 26 positioned high on the shoe heel to retain the heel box in position. The clasps 52, 54 and 56 are then adjusted as appropriate to maintain a snug fit.
It is to be appreciated that variations and modifications to the invention as specifically set forth herein may be made without departing from the scope of invention as set forth in the claims hereof.
