Patent Application
20240122289
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear. More specifically, the present invention relates to a slipper strap device. The device can be secured to a slipper or clog-like footwear via fasteners on each end of the device. When attached to a slipper, the device secures the user's foot within the slipper by securing the user's heel. When attached to a clog, the device attaches to the heel strap of the clog in front of a user's ankle to secure the user's foot in the clog. 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.
Approximately 16,000 car accidents are caused by pedal errors each year. Pedal errors occur when the foot of the driver slips off the brake or acceleration pedal, the wrong pedal is pushed, or an object becomes stuck under a brake or acceleration pedal. More specifically flip flops, slippers, and other slide-on shoes can be the cause of pedal errors when the shoes fall off of a driver's foot while driving. After falling off a foot, a shoe can become stuck under a pedal (preventing it from being pressed or depressed) and may also cause a driver's foot to slip off one pedal and/or inadvertently hit another pedal. In addition, distracted driver accidents may occur if a driver loses their shoe while driving and attempts to locate and/or put the shoe back on while driving.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a shoe safety device. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a slipper strap device that can be universally used with slide-on footwear such as, but not limited to, flip flops, clogs, slippers, etc. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a slipper strap device that prevents slide-on footwear from falling off a driver's foot while driving or while a user is otherwise in motion.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a slipper strap device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. The device can be secured to a slipper or clog-like footwear via the fasteners on each end. When attached to a slipper, the device secures the user's foot within the slipper by securing the user's heel. When attached to a clog, the device attaches to the heel strap of the clog in front of a user's ankle to secure the user's foot in the clog.
In this manner, the slipper strap device of the present invention accomplishes all the foregoing objectives and provides a slipper strap device that can be universally used with slide-on footwear. While doing so, the device prevents slide-on footwear from falling off a user's foot while driving or while a user is otherwise in motion. This reduces the risk of pedal error and/or a distracted driver crash caused by the footwear of the driver falling off the driver's foot.
The following presents a simplified summary 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 slipper strap device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. The body is preferably comprised of an elastic material that can stretch and further secure a user's foot within the slide-on footwear the device is attached to.
In one embodiment, the first end and second end may each be comprised of at least one fastener that allows the body to attach to the upper, opening, and/or heel strap of a piece of slide-on footwear. The fastener may be any fastener type known in the art such as, but not limited to, a clip, a clamp, an adhesive fastener, a hook, a snap button fastener, a zipper, etc.
During use, the device can be used in a plurality of configurations. In one embodiment, the device can be attached to an upper and used as a de facto heel strap on a piece of footwear. In this embodiment, the device may attach to the footwear via any portion of the upper, including at least one opening of the upper. In another embodiment, the device is attached to the heel strap of a piece of footwear in front of the ankle of the user to secure the user's ankle between the device and the heel strap.
The present invention may also be comprised of a method of use. First, a device is provided, the device is comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. Then, a user can place their foot into a piece of footwear. Next, the first fastener can be attached to the upper of the footwear. Next, the second fastener can be attached to the upper of the footwear opposite the first fastener, wherein the body is positioned around the heel area of the wearer to secure the wearer's foot into the footwear.
Another embodiment of the device may involve another method of use. First, a device is provided, the device is comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. Then, a user can place their foot into a piece of footwear and secure their foot in the footwear via a heel strap of the footwear. Next, the first fastener can be attached to the strap of the footwear. Next, the second fastener can be attached to the strap of the footwear opposite the first fastener, wherein the body is positioned in front of the ankle area of the wearer to secure the wearer's foot into the footwear between the device and the heel strap.
Accordingly, the slipper strap device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides a slipper strap device that can be universally used with slide-on footwear. While doing so, the device prevents slide-on footwear from falling off a user's foot while driving or while a user is otherwise in motion. This reduces the risk of pedal error and/or a distracted driver crash caused by the footwear of the driver falling off the driver's foot. In this manner, the slipper strap device can be used to prevent automobile accidents.
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 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 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 shoe safety device. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a slipper strap device that can be universally used with slide-on footwear such as, but not limited to, flip flops, clogs, slippers, etc. Further, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a slipper strap device that prevents slide-on footwear from falling off a user's foot while driving or while a user is otherwise in motion.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a slipper strap device primarily comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. The body is preferably comprised of an elastic material that can stretch and further secure a user's foot within the slide-on footwear the device is attached to.
In one embodiment, the first end and second end may each be comprised of at least one fastener that allows the body to attach to the upper, opening, and/or heel strap of a piece of slide-on footwear. The fastener may be any fastener type known in the art such as, but not limited to, a clip, a clamp, an adhesive fastener, a hook, a snap button fastener, a zipper, etc.
During use, the device can be used in a plurality of configurations. In one embodiment, the device can be attached to an upper and used as a de facto heel strap on a piece of footwear, such as a slipper. In this embodiment, the device may attach to the footwear via any portion of the upper, including at least one opening of the upper. In another embodiment, the device is attached to the heel strap of a piece of footwear (such as a clog style piece of footwear) in front of the ankle of the user to secure the user's ankle between the device and heel strap.
The present invention may also be comprised of a method of use. First, a device is provided, the device is comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. Then, a user can place their foot into a piece of footwear. Next, the first fastener can be attached to the upper of the footwear. Next, the second fastener can be attached to the upper of the footwear opposite the first fastener, wherein the body is positioned around the heel area of the wearer to secure the wearer's foot into the footwear.
Another embodiment of the device may involve another method of use. First, a device is provided, the device is comprised of a body with a first end comprised of at least one fastener and a second end comprised of at least one fastener. Then, a user can place their foot into a piece of footwear and secure their foot in the footwear via a heel strap of the footwear. Next, the first fastener can be attached to the strap of the footwear. Next, the second fastener can be attached to the strap of the footwear opposite the first fastener, Wherein the body is positioned in front of the ankle area of the wearer to secure the wearer's foot into the footwear between the device and the heel strap.
Accordingly, the slipper strap device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides a slipper strap device that can be universally used with slide-on footwear. While doing so, the device prevents slide-on footwear from falling off a user's foot while driving or while a user is otherwise in motion. This reduces the risk of pedal error and/or a distracted driver crash caused by the footwear of the driver falling off the driver's foot. In this manner, the slipper strap device can be used to prevent automobile accidents.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The body 110 is preferably comprised of an elastic material that can stretch and further secure a user's foot within the slide-on footwear 10 the device 100 is attached to. However, the body 110 may be made from any stretchable material such as, but not limited to, rubber, foam, etc.
In one embodiment, the device 100 is integrally formed to the upper 20 of a piece of footwear 10 during the manufacturing process. In another embodiment, the device 100 can be retroactively attached to and used with a piece of slide-on footwear 10. In this embodiment the first end 120 and second end 130 may each be comprised of at least one fastener 122, 132 that allows the body 110 to attach to the upper 20, opening 22, and/or heel strap 30 of a piece of slide-on footwear 10. The fastener 122, 132 may be any fastener type known in the art such as, but not limited to, a clip, a clamp, an adhesive fastener, a hook, a snap button fastener, a zipper, etc.
In one embodiment, the body 110 is comprised of a padding 140. The padding 140 increases the comfort of the device 100 during use. The padding 140 may be any type of padding or foam known in the art.
During use, the device 100 can be used in a plurality of configurations. In one embodiment, the device 100 can be attached to an upper 20 and used as a de facto heel strap on a piece of footwear 10. In this embodiment, the device 100 may attach to the footwear 10 via any portion of the upper 20, including at least one opening 22 of the upper 20. In another embodiment, the device 100 is attached to the heel strap 30 of a piece of clog-style footwear 10 in front of the ankle 40 of the user to secure the user's ankle between the device 100 and heel strap 30, as seen in
The present invention may also be comprised of a method of use 200, as seen in
Another embodiment of the device 100 may involve another method of use 300, as seen in
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 “slipper strap device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the slipper strap device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the slipper strap device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the slipper strap device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the slipper strap device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the slipper strap device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the slipper strap device 100 may be of any size, shape, and/or configuration 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 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. 63/415,357, which was filed on Oct. 12, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63415357 | Oct 2022 | US |
