TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present disclosed subject matter relates to attachments for footwear. More particularly, an ornamentation element that can be detachably fastened on footwear.

BACKGROUND ART

References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:

- EP 3081105

- US 2003/101625

- US 2007/151084

- KR 100878257

PoppyClips disclosed in https://www.poppyclips.com/poppyclips-for-boots Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter. BACKGROUND

EP 3081105 discloses a shoe with a lower part and upper part. To enable a simple detachable fastening by one or more decorative elements, it is proposed that the shoe in the area of the upper part has at least a magnet. The invention relates to at least a decorative element for detachable fastening to the shoe, as well as a tuned system with the shoe and the matching decorative element.

US 2003/101625 discloses a shoe with replaceable decorative pieces. A shoe includes a vamp, a magnet unit, and a magnetically attractable decorative piece. The magnet unit is mounted on the vamp to provide a magnetic attraction force through the vamp. The magnetically attractable decorative piece has an inner surface attached to an outer surface of the vamp by the magnetic attraction force.

US 2007/151084 discloses a magnetic attachment having a first magnetic portion operable to be positioned on the inside of a clothing article and a second magnetic portion operable to be positioned on the outside of the clothing article and coupled therewith through magnetic force. The attachment also includes a decorative element coupled with the second magnetic portion. Such a configuration allows clothing articles, including shoes and purses, to be easily decorated without damaging the articles or interfering with their use.

KR 100878257 discloses a footwear accessory, which can detach selectively one part among a clamping member, a cutout member, an opening member, and periphery portion using a detachment member. The footwear accessory comprises: a clamping member installed at the front side cutout member of the footwear; an aesthetic sense expression part in which a middle protrusion is perpendicularly prepared in the middle part of the back side; a restrainer which comprises a permanent magnet in which the intermediate groove is formed in one side and restrains by mutual close adhesion with the aesthetic sense expression part; and a detachment part.

PoppyClips™ is a fashion accessory that comprises a clip made of a foldable piece of fabric and two magnets. The clip is attached to a clothing or footwear article by sliding and folding the fabric clip over an edge of the clothing or footwear article and fitting the magnets to face each other, so as to attract to one another. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The current disclosed subject matter is concerned with a footwear ornamentation element that can be detachably fastened over a topline/collar at the top of a footwear quarter.

Herein after in the specification and claims the term 'inside face' is directed to the face that faces the folding direction, so that at a folded position, the inside faces of each of the two portions face each other.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a footwear ornamentation element for mounting on a top collar of a footwear item comprising: a first planar portion comprising a first pair of sides; a second planar portion comprising a second pair of sides; and a foldable portion foldably connecting the first and second planar portions, and configured to be foldable along a fold-line; each of the first and second pairs of sides being defined as parts of the respective planar portion on either side of a respective first dividing line extending along the respective planar portion from a centre point along the fold-line, and perpendicular to the fold-line; each side of each of the first and second pairs of sides comprises at least one of a magnetic area and an attractable area, each magnetic area on one of the planar portions being configured to attract a corresponding attractable area on the other of the planar portions when the planar portions are brought to face one another, the magnetic area or the attractable area on one side of the pair of sides of each planar portion being separated from the magnetic area or the attractable area on the other side of the pair of sides of the respective planar portion; and a comfort zone on one of the first and second planar portions disposed between the magnetic or the attractable areas of said one of the first and second planar portions, being traversed by the respective first dividing line and being formed at a location configured, in use, to correspond with the lateral malleolus or the medial malleolus of a foot.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for detachably ornamenting a footwear item, the method comprising: providing a footwear item comprising a top collar; providing a footwear ornamentation element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; folding the foldable portion about the fold- line over the top collar so that one of the first and second planar portions is located adjacent an inside surface of the footwear item and the other of the first and second planar portions is located adjacent an outside surface of the footwear item at a location at which the ornamentation element is to be secured; and securing the ornamentation element by magnetically attracting the magnetic and attractable areas of the first and second planar portions towards one another, thereby clamping a quarter portion of the footwear in between the first and second planar portions, with the foldable portion passing over the top collar.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an ornamented footwear kit comprising: one or more ornamentation elements according to the first aspect; and a footwear item, at which said ornamentation element is configured to be detachably fastened so that a portion of a quarter of the footwear item is clamped in between the first and second planar portions in a folded configuration of the ornamentation element.

Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurations can be applied to various aspects of the ornamentation element, the ornamented footwear kit, and the method for using the same, separately or in various combinations thereof:

• On each of the planar portions, each side of the respective pairs of sides may comprise at least two of a magnetic area and an attractable area spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of a respective second dividing line which extends across the respective planar portion, and which intersects the respective first dividing line;

95 · The comfort zone may comprise at least one of reduced thickness, a cut out, or a material having increased flexibility compared to at least a portion of the remainder of the respective planar portion;

• The one or more magnets and the respective one or more attractable elements can assume any shape, size, thickness and be made of a variety of magnetic

100 materials;

• The foldable portion can have a reduced thickness compared to the thickness of the first and second planar portions;

• The thickness of the first planar portion may be substantially the same as the thickness of the second planar portion;

105 · The thickness of one of the first and second planar portions can be greater than the thickness of the other of the first and second planar portions;

• At least one of the first and second planar portions can comprise a firm though pliable material;

• At least one of the first and second planar portions can comprise a 110 homogenou s material ;

• At least one of the first and second planar portions can comprise one or more inlayer coated by one or more sheathing layer;

• The magnetic and attractable areas may be embedded within the inlayer;

• The first and second planar portions and the foldable portion may be 115 integrally formed from a continuous piece of material;

• The first and second planar portions may each be made of a different piece of material;

• The first and second planar portions may each be made of a different material;

120 · The flexibility of the first and second planar portions can be substantially the same;

• The flexibility of the first and second planar portions can be different; • Each of the magnetic areas can comprise at least one magnet and each of the attractable areas can comprise at least one magnet, ferromagnetic element or a

125 material attractable by a magnet;

• Each of the magnetic areas can comprise at least one magnet disposed therein in pre-planned specific location, a longitudinal pattern, an arcuate pattern, or a combination thereof.

• The first portion and the second portion can be symmetrical about the 130 folding portion in their geometry or more particularly in their peripheral geometry;

• The first portion and the second portion can be asymmetric and differ in their geometry or more particularly in their peripheral geometry. For example: one of the portions can be shorter than the other portion, one portion can have a smaller cross section than the other portion, one of the two portion has a specially designed asymmetric shape,

135 etc.;

• At least one of the first and second planar portions can comprise preformed cut-lines to facilitate cutting of the ornamentation element to suit different types, shapes and sizes of footwear;

• The geometry of at least one of the first and second planar portions can 140 correspond with a particular location, such as a recess, at the footwear quarter;

• At least one of the magnetic areas of at least one of the first portion and the second portion can be configured in correspondence with a particular location at the footwear quarter, such as an elastic panel, at the footwear quarter;

• The first and second planar portions may each comprise two surfaces, and 145 at least one of the surfaces of at least one of the first and second planar portions may comprise an illustrated ornamentation configured to be displayed by the footwear ornamentation element;

• The first and second planar portions may each comprise two surfaces, and at least one of the surfaces of at least one of the first and the second planar portions may

150 comprises a textured surface;

• The first and second planar portions may each comprise two surfaces, and at least two of the surfaces of the first and second planar portions may comprise different ornamentations; • The first and second planar portions may each comprise two surfaces, and 155 at least two of the surfaces of the first and second planar portions may comprise the same ornamentation;

• At least one face of at least one of the first portion and the second portion can be used to display an ornamentation which is either illustrated or textural (i.e. can be configured with 3D ornamentation, embossed and/or projecting from the surface); and

160 · The first and second planar portions may each comprise two surfaces, and at least one of the surfaces of at least one of the first and second planar portions may be configured to receive a decoration element thereon, for example by way of a magnet or a slit.

The ornamentation element is configured to be detachably fastened by magnetic

165 attraction force established between the magnetic areas and the attractable areas of the first planar portion and the second planar portion after being folded over a footwear quarter disposed in between the first and the second planar portions. The folding portion is configured to fold over the topline/top collar of the footwear item to support the ornamentation at the top of the footwear quarter.

170 The term 'inside portion' as used herein is considered to be the one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion of the ornamentation element that is configured to bear on an interior surface of the footwear item, and the term 'outside portion' d& used herein is considered to be the other one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion that is configured to bear on an exterior surface of the footwear.

175 Outside faces of each of the first planar portion and the second planar portion face away from the quarter surface. Inside faces of each of the first planar portion and the second planar portion face towards the quarter surfaces, so that the inside face of the inside portion bears over the interior surface of the quarter and the inside face of the outside portion bears over the exterior surface of the quarter.

180 The ornamentation element can be configured to be fastened on various types of footwear, for example: shoes, boots, booties, Chelsea boots, knee-high boots, low boots, adult footwear, children's footwear, with or without laces, socks, etc. In case of Chelsea boots, the ornamentation element can be configured to be attached at the elastic panel of either sides of the boot, hence decorating the panel. In such a case, the shape, size and

185 thickness of at least the outside portion can correspond with the shape of the elastic panel of the footwear, so as to be pleasing to the eye. The materials used for any one of the planar portions can be made of firm though pliable material, such as fabric, plastic, rubber, silicone, metal, etc. Any one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion can be made of similar materials and layers or these can be different between each of the portions.

The term footwear as used herein the specification and claims can be interpreted also as any clothing articles and luggage articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ornamentation element according to one embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter;

Fig. 2 is opposite side perspective view of the ornamentation element of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a planar view of an ornamentation element according to Fig. 1, superimposing magnetic elements embedded therein;

Fig. 4a is a cross section along line XI - XI in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4b is a cross section along line X2 - X2 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5a is an example of a Chelsea boot comprising an ornamentation element according to the presently disclosed subject matter;

Fig. 5b is a perspective view of the footwear item of Fig. 5a to which an ornamentation element is fastened;

Fig. 6a is a side view of the footwear item of Fig. 5b, wherein an inside quarter is partially cutout to visualize interior of the footwear item; and

Fig. 6b is a longitudinal section along line Y-Y in Fig. 6a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Turning to Figs. 1 and 2, the current disclosed subject matter is concerned with a unitary footwear ornamentation element generally designated 1, configured for detachably fastening over a topline/collar 21 of a quarter 22 of footwear 2 (Fig. 5a). The footwear ornamentation element 1 comprises the following portions: a first planar portion 5 foldably connected to a second planar portion 7, through a flexible, foldable portion 3, extending in between the first planar portion and the second planar portion and foldable about a fold-line 3a. The first planar portion 5 extends from a first folding end 31 of the foldable portion 3 and the second planar portion 7 extends from an opposite folding end 32 of the foldable portion 3.

Each planar portion 5, 7 comprises a respective pair of sides 5b, 5c, 7b, 7c defined by opposite sides of the respective planar portion 5, 7 across a respective first dividing line 5a, 7a which is perpendicular to the fold-line 3a and extends along the respective planar portion 5, 7 from a centre point 3b along the fold-line 3a.

Each one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion is made of one or more substantially flat layers of one or more materials. The thickness of any of the layers can be uniform along each one of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, can be equal between the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, can be non-uniform along any one of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, or can be non-equal between any one of the planar portions 5, and 7.

The materials used for any of the layers of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 can be made of a firm though pliable material, such as fabric, plastic, rubber, silicone, metal, etc., either homogeneous or reinforced. Any one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion can be made of similar materials and layers or these can be different between the planar portions.

Each one of the first planar portion 5, the second planar portion 7 and the foldable portion 3, has an inside face (the face that faces a folding direction identified by arrows F) 53, 73 and 33 respectively, and an opposite outside face 54, 74 and 34 respectively. At a first folded position, the inside faces 53 and 73 of each of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 face each other. In some embodiments of the currently disclosed subject matter, the ornamentation element 1 can be folded on either side of the foldable portion, i.e. in either direction about the fold-line, for example in a direction F, or in an opposite direction, in which case the inside faces would then be 54 and 74.

Turning to Fig. 3, the second planar portion 7 comprises several magnetic areas

M comprising several magnets 82, and the first planar portion 5 comprises several attractable areas A comprising several ferromagnetic elements 83, configured to be magnetically attracted to a magnetic areas M, respectively. It is appreciated that the magnetic areas M and the attractable areas A can be distributed on either or both of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, and in combinations thereof, however disposed in register opposite each other, so as to ensure adequate magnetic attraction between the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, at a folded position, also when clamping a layer of footwear material therebetween. The magnetic areas M attractable areas A are disposed at specific locations, in register with one another

255 for ultimate attraction therebetween. Each side 5b, 5c, 7b, 7c comprises at least one of a magnetic area M and an attractable area A. Each magnetic area M on one of the planar portions 5, 7 is configured to attract a corresponding attractable area A on the other of the planar portions 5, 7 when the planar portions 5, 7 are brought to face one another. The magnetic area M or the attractable area A on one side of the pair of sides 5b, 5c, 7b, 7c

260 of each planar portion 5, 7 is separated from the magnetic area M or the attractable area A on the other side of the pair of sides 5b, 5c, 7b, 7c of the respective planar portion 5, 7.

One of the first and second planar portions, in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the first planar portion 5 comprises a comfort zone 60 described in more detail below. The 265 comfort zone 60 is disposed between the magnetic areas M or the attractable areas A of the first planar portion 5, and is traversed by the first dividing line 5a. The comfort zone 60 is formed at a location configured, in use, to correspond with the lateral malleolus or the medial malleolus of a foot, as described in more detail below.

As shown in the specific embodiment of Fig. 3, each side 5b, 5c, 7b, 7c of each 270 planar portion 5, 7 comprises two magnetic areas M or attractable areas A or a combination thereof, spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of a respective second dividing line 5d, 7d.

The magnetic areas M attractable areas A are embedded within the respective first planar portion 5 or second planar portion 7, so that they substantially do not project from 275 a surface layer of the respective portion and substantially do not give rise to a bulge at their location.

In the illustrations, the attractable areas A can be made of, or comprise, one or more of a ferromagnetic elements, materials attractable by a magnet or magnets. The thickness of the magnetic areas M and the attractable areas A can be substantially similar 280 to, or can be thinner than, either one of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, respectively, however not projecting therefrom, as illustrated in Figs. 4a and 4b. In the example illustrated in Fig. 3, a plurality of magnets 82 are distributed through the second planar portion 7 and a plurality of attraction elements 83 are 285 distributed in register through the first planar portion 5, in order to uniformly attract the inside face 53 of the first planar portion 5 to the inside face 73 of the second planar portion 7.

The geometry of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 is configured according to geometrical and functional characteristic of the footwear, as will

290 be exemplified hereinafter in connection with Figs. 5 and 6. Likewise, the geometry and the location of each of the magnetic areas M and the attractable areas A, the magnets 82, and the ferromagnetic elements 83 are configured according to geometrical and functional characteristic of the ornamentation element 1, wherein at least one of the magnetic areas of at least one of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 are configured

295 in correspondence with a particular location at a footwear quarter, such as an elastic panel formed at the footwear quarter.

The magnetic areas M and the attractable areas A can be embedded within a magnet layer 8 of any one of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7, said layer 8 can be an inlayer and can be coated by one or more sheathing layers. As can

300 be seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4a and 4b, the first planar portion 5 comprises the magnet layer or inlayer 8 which in turn is sheathed by an outside face layer 6' and an inside face layer 6". The sheathing layers can be integral with or integrated over the magnet layer 8, or can extend flush and tight thereover, in a sleeve-like fashion.

In some embodiments of the currently disclosed subject matter, flexibility of the

305 first planar portion 5 and of the second planar portion 7 can be substantially uniform. In some other embodiments, flexibility of the first planar portion 5 can be greater or lesser that the flexibility of the second planar portion 7.

At least one face of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 is ornamented. In the particular example (Fig. 1) the outside face 74 of the first planar

310 portion 5 is ornamented, facilitating as a displaying face of the ornamentation element 1.

It is appreciated that ornamentation can be a pattern, an illustration, a texture (three dimensional pattern) on at least one of the displaying faces, or a decoration element mounted thereon, for example by magnetic force or an attaching arrangement (e.g. a mounting slit, hook and pile fastener, etc.). The ornamentation R can assume different 315 graphic combinations, and it can be uniform or can vary between each one of the faces as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 can be symmetrical or have symmetrical boundaries (Figs. 1 and 2) about the fold-line 3a of the foldable portion 3. In other embodiments of the current disclosed subject matter, the first planar portion 5

320 and the second planar portion 7 are asymmetric and differ in their geometry. For example, one of the portions can be shorter than the other, one portion can have a smaller cross section than the other portion, one of the two portion can have a specially designed asymmetric shape, etc. (not shown).

At least one of the first planar portion 5 or the second planar portion 7 has a

325 comfort zone 60 in which a thinner area or a cut-out 61 or a more flexible material compared to at least a portion of the remainder of the respective planar portion 5, 7 is formed to correspond with foot ergonomics in order to add flexibility and reduce friction between a wearer's foot and the inside portion 54 of the ornamentation element 1. The comfort zone is traversed by the respective first dividing line 5a, 7a. The comfort zone

330 geometry 60 is located so as to correspond, in use, with the location of the lateral malleolus or the medial malleolus of a foot in case the ornamentation element 1 is configured to be fastened at an outer quarter or an inner quarter of a footwear item 2. In the present example, the comfort zone 60 is a cut-out portion 61 configured at the first planar portion 5.

335 Turning to Figs. 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b, in use, an ornamentation element 1 is detachably applied on a footwear item 2 which in the illustrated example is a Chelsea boot comprising at both sides of the quarter portion 22 an elastic panel 23, extending at a cutout portion, and having a top rim referred to as a topline/collar 21. The ornamentation element 1 is shaped and sized (including as far as thickness is concerned) so as to at least

340 partially cover the panel 23. Typically, the elastic panel 23 is thinner than the quarter portion 22, and in some cases the thickness of the respective ornamentation first planar portion or second planar portion can be such so as to merge with boundaries of the elastic panel 23.

At times, the ornamentation element is configured to be applied to a location 345 having an unspecified shape/size, i.e. not know in advance. Thus, at least one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion can be configured with pre-formed cut lines (1 in Fig. 2), facilitating easy cutting thereof along said cut lines. The foldable portion 3 of ornamentation element 1 is configured to fold over the topline 21 of the footwear item 2 about fold-line 3a so that the inside face 33 of the folding portion 3 bears over the footwear collar 21 to support the ornamentation element 1 at the top of the footwear quarter 22, whilst magnetic attraction tightens the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 to one another, clamping in-between the elastic panel 23.

After being folded over the collar 21 of quarter 22, a magnetic attraction force is established between the magnetic areas M of the second planar portion 7 and the attractable areas A of the first planar portion 5 , so that the elastic panel 23 is clamped therebetween, such that an inside surfaces 53 and 73 of the first planar portion 5 and the second planar portion 7 respectively, bear over and are in substantial surface contact with the inside surface 22" and an outside surface 22' of said elastic panel, respectively.

Whilst in the illustrated example the ornamental element is illustrated in conjunction with a Chelsea boot, it is appreciated that it can be applied to various types of footwear, for example: shoes, boots, booties, knee-high boots, low boots, adult footwear, kids footwear, with or without laces, socks, etc., and even to various types of clothing articles and bags. It can be advantageous that the geometry of at least one of the first planar portion and the second planar portion can be pre-shaped in correspondence with a particular location, at the footwear item or article to which the ornamentation element is to be applied.

Figs. 5b, 6a and 6b disclose also another aspect of the currently disclosed subject matter, namely a footwear ornamentation kit 10, comprising at least one of the ornamentation elements 1 disclosed herein and footwear item 2. The ornamentation element 1 is configured to be detachably fastened on at least a footwear item supplied within the kit 10.