Patent Application
20240315395
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear liners. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel protective liner for Crocs™-style or clog style footwears. The liner is reusable and adheres to the inner surface of the Crocs™-style or clog style footwear and has a pair of studs and buttons for fastening the liner to the footwear, thereby prevent slippage of the liner during use. The liner comes in two embodiments, one embodiment covering the front half of the foot and a second embodiment covering the entire foot, from toe to heel. 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, Crocs™-style shoes, also known as clogs, are a type of casual footwear that is made of a lightweight and durable foam resin material (i.e., ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)). Clogs and Crocs™-style footwear have become increasingly popular over the past couple of decades. The unique design of these shoes features numerous holes on the top which act as ventilator holes and water exit ports, making the footwear perfect for wearing in warm temperatures and/or warm water environments. Such footwears are also known for their comfort and durability, making them a popular choice for people of all ages.
Despite their popularity, one major drawback of clogs is that they are not suitable for cold temperatures and cold rainy seasons. The holes on the top of the shoe allow cold air and cold water to enter, which can be exceptionally uncomfortable for the wearer. This can be especially frustrating for those who want to wear their clogs indoors during the colder months or while outside during the winter. During rain, feet of users wearing clogs get wet which is annoying and troublesome. Therefore, people desire a means to protect their feet from weather elements and/or cold water while wearing clogs.
Generally, liners are used with conventional footwears for additional support and protection from weather elements, but such liners are incompatible with Crocs™-style and clog style footwears because of unique design of the clogs. Continuously wearing socks and storing socks in clogs while not wearing is not easy and effective. As a result, there is a need of an improved liner that can be used with Crocs™-style and clog style shoes.
A common problem with conventional footwear liners is that they slip during use and can get wet. As a result, a wearer is required to repeatedly adjust the liners which is inconvenient. Further, such liners are not comfortable during use as well. People desire a new liner that can be effectively locked and fastened to a footwear for effective use.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a footwear liner designed especially for Crocs™-style or clog style footwear. There is also a long felt need in the art for a liner that can be easily used with Crocs™-style and clog style footwears for providing comfort. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a Crocs™-style and clog style footwear liner that protects feet of a user from cold and other weather elements. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that can releasably and readily fastened to a Crocs™-style footwear. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a Crocs™-style footwear liner that can be reused and does not slip during use. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that covers feet of a user and protects from cold and liquids. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that improves warmth and comfort when wearing clogs in all types of weather.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a protective liner for a Crocs™-style shoe. The liner is designed to cover a foot, or a portion of a foot, of a user for protecting from weather elements while wearing the Crocs™-style shoe. The liner features a waterproof outer layer, a soft and fuzzy inner layer, the inner layer and the outer layer are of similar dimensions and are adhered to each other. The liner has a footbed functioning as an insole and an upper foot covering portion designed to cover a top portion of the foot, a pair of studs disposed on the upper foot covering portion, the pair of studs extend out of two ventilator holes from a plurality of ventilator holes disposed in the Crocs™-style shoe, and a pair of securement buttons for releasably fastening to the studs to secure the liner to the shoe. In another embodiment, the liner does not have the footbed.
In this manner, the Crocs™-style shoe liner of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a multipurpose liner for Crocs™-style footwear. The liner improves warmth and comfort when wearing clogs, allowing users to place the liner within the shoe and wear them during both warm and cold weather conditions. The liner utilizes small buttons and fasteners to secure them to the footwear through the holes or ventilator holes on the top of Crocs™-style shoes.
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 reusable liner for a Crocs™-style shoe. The liner is designed to cover a foot of a user while wearing the Crocs™-style shoe. The liner further comprising a waterproof outer layer, a soft and fuzzy inner layer, the inner layer and the outer layer form a unitary structure. Structurally, the liner has a footbed and an upper foot covering portion, the upper foot covering portion designed to cover a top portion of the foot, a pair of studs disposed on the upper foot covering portion, the pair of studs designed to extend out of two ventilator holes of a plurality of ventilator holes disposed in the Crocs™-style shoe, and a pair of securement buttons that can be releasably fastened to the studs to secure the liner to the shoe and prevent slipping or movement of the liner inside the shoe. The liner includes a toe region or portion that covers the toes and a heel region or portion that covers the heel portion of the wearer.
In yet another embodiment, the material used for the inner layer comprises a thin foam layer, such as 1-3 mm of low-density, open cell foam or memory foam, to provide enhanced padding.
In yet another embodiment, the outer layer does not permeate when liquid materials are spilled on it, providing an advantage to users to keep their feet dry.
In yet another embodiment, a multipurpose Crocs™ or clog liner for use with a Crocs™-style shoe is disclosed. The Crocs™ or clog liner comprising a waterproof outer layer and a soft and fuzzy inner layer, the outer layer and the inner layer having similar shape and dimensions and being adhered to each other for providing a unitary structure to the liner, the liner having a footbed for supporting a foot of a user and an upper foot covering portion for covering a top portion of the foot of the user, the foot covering portion having a pair of studs disposed thereon such that the studs extend through and out of two ventilator holes from a plurality of ventilator holes disposed in a Crocs™-style shoe, and a pair of buttons, each button corresponding to a stud of the pair of studs, provided such that the buttons can be releasably fastened to the studs, thereby securing the liner and eliminating slipping or movement of the liner inside the shoe. The buttons are placed on the studs from the top of the shoe to fasten to the projecting studs.
In yet another embodiment, the foot covering portion of the liner covers the ventilator holes of the upper section and thereby protects the foot of a user from sun, rain, snow, dirt, and other weather elements.
In yet another embodiment, a reusable liner for a Crocs™-style shoe is disclosed. The liner comprising a foot covering portion configured to cover only the front half of a user's foot, the foot covering portion having a waterproof outer layer and a soft and comforting inner layer, and a pair of studs positioned on the outer layer of the foot covering portion for securing the liner to the Crocs™-style shoe wherein a pair of snap-on buttons are fastened to the studs, the liner conforming to the shape and size of conventional Crocs™-style shoes.
In yet another embodiment, a method of using a Crocs™ or clog liner in a Crocs™-style shoe is described. The method includes the steps of positioning the foot covering portion of the liner in the front half of the shoe, adhering the toe region or portion, and curved distal end of the liner to the shoe, securing the liner to the shoe with a pair of studs and a pair of securement buttons, and detaching the liner from the shoe when desired.
In yet another embodiment, a method for securing a Crocs™ or clog liner to a Crocs™-type shoe using snap-on buttons is described. The method includes the steps of inserting the Crocs™ or clog liner into the shoe such that the foot top surface covering portion of the liner adheres to the upper portion of the Crocs™-shoe, extending a pair of studs disposed on the foot top surface covering portion of the liner from ventilator holes of the Crocs™-shoe, securing the liner by fastening a pair of snap-on buttons to the studs, wherein the snap-on buttons are positioned from the outside of the upper portion of the shoe.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
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 is a long felt need in the art for a footwear liner designed especially for Crocs™-style footwear. There is also a long felt need in the art for a liner that can be easily used with Crocs™-style footwears for providing comfort. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a Crocs™-style footwear liner that protects feet of a user from cold and other weather elements. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that can releasably fasten to a Crocs™-style footwear. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a Crocs™-style footwear liner that can be reused and does not slip during use. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that covers feet of a user and protects from cold and liquids. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a liner that improves warmth and comfort when wearing clogs in all types of weather.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a method for securing a Crocs™ or clog liner to a Crocs™-type shoe using snap-on buttons. The method includes the steps of inserting the Crocs™ or clog liner into the shoe such that the foot top surface covering portion of the liner adheres to the upper portion of the Crocs™-shoe, extending a pair of studs disposed on the foot top surface covering portion of the liner through ventilator holes of the Crocs™-shoe, securing the liner by fastening a pair of snap-on buttons to the studs, wherein the snap-on buttons are positioned from the outside of the upper portion of the shoe.
Referring initially to the drawings,
For securing the liner 100 to a Crocs™-style shoe, a pair of buttons (i.e., snaps) or fasteners 114, 116, each button, snap, or fastener corresponding to a stud of the pair of studs 110, 112 is provided such that the buttons 114, 116 can be releasably fastened to the studs 110, 112, thereby securing the liner 100 and thus eliminating slipping or movement of the liner 100 inside the shoe as illustrated in
The material used for the liner 100 is both waterproof and breathable, making it comfortable to wear for extended periods. The waterproof outer layer 102 ensures that the feet stay dry even in wet conditions, while the soft and fuzzy inner layer 104 provides additional comfort and warmth. In some embodiments, a thin foam layer, such as 1-3 mm of low-density, open cell foam or memory foam, can also be used as a backing to provide enhanced padding in the inner layer 104. The liner 100 is also reusable and can be easily cleaned and maintained. The dimensions of the liner 100 are specifically designed to fit inside a Crocs™-style shoe, making it an ideal accessory for anyone who owns such shoes. The liner 100 is available in different sizes to fit different foot sizes and shapes. The outer layer 102 does not permeate when liquid materials spilled thereon or when a wearer steps in water thereby providing advantages to users to keep their feet dry.
The foot covering portion 108 covers the ventilator holes 208 and thereby protects the foot of a user from sun, rain, snow, dirt, and other weather elements. The liner 100 also provides comfort to feet and can be easily removed by unfastening the buttons 114, 116 from the studs 110, 112.
The liner can be removed for cleaning and can be replaced with new Crocs™ or clog liner. The Crocs™ or clog liners of different embodiments can come in different sizes, colors, designs and fabrics. Further, the Crocs™ or clog liners are machine washable and reusable and can be worn by people of all ages and genders.
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 “Crocs™ or clog liner”, “multipurpose Crocs™ or clog liner”, “liner”, “Crocs™-style shoes liner”, and “snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner” are interchangeable and refer to the multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 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 multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 are important design parameters for user convenience, the multipurpose snap-on Crocs™-style shoe liner 100, 400 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. 63/491,545, which was filed on Mar. 22, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63491545 | Mar 2023 | US |
