FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the abrasion of stylishly long pant cuffs on the ground. More particularly this invention relates to an apparatus and method for the prevention of abrasion of the pant cuffs on the ground. Most generally the method comprises using a releasable coupling having a shoe attachment side and a pant leg cuff attachment side.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many stylish men's and women's fashion have long trouser legs. These trouser legs are extended to cover an upper portion of an individual's shoes. Frequently long or extended trouser legs conceal high heel or platform shoes. To cover a substantial portion of the shoes the pant legs may be almost uniformly wide from bottom to top; or alternatively, just flared out at the bottom. A common problem when wearing these stylish and generally expensive fashionable trousers is that the trouser's cuffs sometimes drag on the ground. Occasionally the cuffs becomes wet or dirty. With minimal trouser wear the heel edge
One aspect of this invention provides for a method of preventing a lower portion of a cuff of a trouser leg extended over a heel on a shoe from dragging on the ground comprising the following steps: a) providing a fastener; b) attaching one side portion of the fastener to an upright rear peripheral side portion of the shoe; and, c) configuring an adjacent rear side portion of the cuff to releasably attach to the one side portion of the fastener. When the shoe is seated on the ground and the fastener is releasably attached to the adjacent trouser leg, a rear lower edge portion of the cuff is thereby releasably attached to the shoe and held above the ground.
In a preferred aspect of this invention the fastener comprises a releasable coupling having mating side portions. The one side is portion of the coupling is attached to a heel of the shoe, and wherein the other side of the coupling, adjacent to the rear side portion of the cuff, is attached thereto. Most preferably the releasable coupling comprises a head side and a cap side, said head side having a head having an outer sloped peripheral sidewall and said cap side having a cap having an interior spring ring so that when the cap is pushed over the head the spring ring therein first expands and then reduces on the sloped peripheral sidewall thereby retaining the cap on the head.
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIGURES OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trouser leg cuff releasably fastened to a rear peripheral side portion of a shoe.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the fastener used to attach the trouser leg cuff to a heel of the shoe.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a heel attachment side of a releasable coupling.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a trouser leg cuff attachment side of the releasable coupling. In this embodiment a cap is attached to a bracket which squeezes on and over a bottom edge portion of the trouser leg cuff.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the trouser leg cuff attachment side of the releasable coupling. In this embodiment the cap is attached to a lever operated jawed clip similar to that used on trouser braces.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the trouser leg cuff attachment side of the releasable coupling. In this embodiment the cap is attached to one side of a bracket having the other opposite side thereof adapted to receive a screw which extends through a rear side portion of the trouser leg cuff.
The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 we have a perspective view of a trouser leg cuff 18 releasably fastened to a rear peripheral side portion of a shoe 16. Most generally, a method of preventing a lower portion of the trouser leg cuff 18 extended over a heel 14 on the shoe 16 from dragging on the ground 12 comprises the following steps: a) providing a fastener 20; b) attaching one side portion of the fastener 20 to an upright rear peripheral side portion 15 of the shoe 16; and, c) configuring an adjacent rear side portion of the cuff 18 to releasably attach to the one side portion of the fastener 20. When the shoe 16 is seated on the ground 12 and the fastener 20 is releasably attached to the adjacent trouser leg cuff, a rear lower edge portion of the cuff 18 is thereby releasably attached to the shoe 16 and is thereby held above the ground 12.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the fastener 20 used to attach the trouser leg cuff 18 to a heel 14 of the shoe 16. One side portion of the releasable fastener 22 comprises a necked button 24 which is attached to a heel 14 of the shoe 16. The adjacent side portion of the cuff 18 is configured to releasably attach to the necked button 24 by a button hole 26 provided in the adjacent rear lower edge portion of the pant cuff 18. Most preferably a screw 28 is used to attach the necked button 24 to the heel 14. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the one side portion of the fastener comprises a magnet 25 which releasably fastens to a metallic attachment on the adjacent side portion of the cuff 18.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a heel attachment side 22 of a releasable coupling 30. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the fastener 20 comprises a releasable coupling 30 having mating side portions 22,32. The one side is portion 22 of the coupling 30 is attached to a heel 14 of the shoe 16. The other side of the coupling 32, adjacent to the rear side portion of the cuff 18, is attached to the cuff 18. When the heel 14 is seated on the ground 12, and the two side portions 22,32 of the coupling 30 are releasably mated, a rear lower edge portion of the cuff 18 is thereby releasably attached to the heel 14 and held above the ground 12.
Most preferably the releasable coupling comprises a head side 23 and a cap side 33, said head side 23 having a head 34 having an outer sloped peripheral sidewall and said cap side 33 having a cap 36 having an interior spring ring 38 so that when the cap 36 is pushed over the head, the spring ring 38 therein first expands and then reduces on the sloped peripheral sidewall thereby retaining the cap 36 on the head 34. Most preferably the one side 22 of the coupling 30 is screwably attached to the heel 14 and the cap side 33 of the coupling 30 is attached to the trouser leg cuff 18. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a trouser leg cuff attachment side 32 of the releasable coupling 30. In this embodiment of the invention the cap side 33 comprises a bracket 40 which is bent over and around, then squeezed together on a bottom edge portion of the trouser leg cuff 18.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the trouser leg cuff attachment side 32 of the releasable coupling 30. In this embodiment the cap 36 is attached to a lever 40 operated jawed clip, similar to that used on trouser braces. The cap side comprises a clip 42 having i) a fixed lower arm 44 terminating in a jaw 46, ii) an upper arm 44, also terminating in a jaw 46, hinged to a mid-portion of the upper arm 44, and, iii) a lever 40 which when moved to a closed position squeezes the arms 44 and jaws 46 together, clamping on any cuff 18 therebetween.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the trouser leg cuff attachment side 32 of the releasable coupling 30. In this embodiment the cap 36 is attached to one side of a bracket 40, and the other side of the bracket 40 is configured to receive a screw 28 which may be inserted through the bottom edge portion of the trouser leg cuff 18 thereby attaching the trouser leg cuff 18 to the cap side 33. The screw 28 is inserted through an outer side portion of the trouser leg cuff 18 so that the head of the screw 28 is visible from behind the pant leg cuff 28 when the coupling 30 attaches the pant leg cuff 18 to the heel 14. If the head of the screw 28 is enlarged then the unattached top side portion of the screw 28 may better display a logo thereon.
While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
Patent Application
20090313859
