DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a display and storage case for shoes, particularly a display and storage case With a rotating platform and clear housing. The display and storage case is also capable of being stacked upon itself.

Such display and storage cases are generally used for the display and storage of goods that are for sale in department stores. Similar type display and storage cases can display a range of goods but generally have only been used to display smaller type goods like watches and/or jewellery. Such display and storage cases are generally a single unit quite large in size that sits on either a counter or a floor in a department store area.

The above described display and storage cases are as already noted generally used for small goods and not shoes, and are generally not widely available to the public. This is presumably because the public would have no such use for cases as no-one owns such large amounts of small goods such as watches. There appears to be very little use of clear plastic cases for the display and storage of shoes in department stores. Currently most department stores only have one shoe on display to avoid theft.

Generally shoe storage containers used by individuals at their home are either shoe boxes or hanging clear plastic shoe, sleeves. Both shoe boxes and plastic shoe sleeves do not clearly display shoes to their owner. Another alternative commonly used In the home by individuals is a shoe rack. Shoe racks do not provide sufficient protection to shoes from moths and other such problems as humidity. Shoe racks are also untidy.

Furthermore there appears to be no small scale storage unit of a similar nature to Shoeswiri. The Shoeswiri will allow individuals to house ten pairs of shoes in two Shoeswiri storage and display units. This would alleviate the problem of utilising individual boxes which takes. up a significant amount of room and one is unable to view their shoes in such boxes,

Shoeswiri also gives department stores the option of displaying 20 plus pairs of shoes in a larger display and storage case created by stacking several Shoeswiri units on top of each other.

The invention is therefore based on the problem of how to display and store shoes for both individuals and department stores in an appealing matter, space consciously, whilst providing protection to the shoes. Whilst other display cases exist in stores, no such cases exist that allow the display of shoes on a large scale. More over the display and storage cases that do exist are not widely available to the public due to the fact that they only store such items such as watches.

Currently as noted above individuals have very limited choice when looking for shoe storage in their home. Usually such shoe storage either involves displaying shoes on a shelf, shoe rack, in boxes or in a plastic sleeve hung from a coat hanger type system. These systems all have their individual flaws.

Firstly displaying shoes on shelves means they're more likely to become covered in dust and attract dust mites and/or moths. This obviously deteriorates the condition of the shoes faster than normal. The use of a shoe rack is common however shoe racks are not space effective as they are generally only two rungs high at most meaning only as a certain amount of shoes can be stacked upon them. Shoe racks are also commonly untidy due to the fact that it is easy to dislodge shoes from a shoe rack. All of the above problems associated with stacking shoes on shelves are also applicable shoe racks as they are out in the open air.

Storage of shoes in boxes alleviates the problem of the shoes being exposed to the open air and the potential untidiness; however one is unable to see what shoes they own. Furthermore the housing of each pair of shoes one owns in an individual box consumes a large amount of space.

The use of a plastic sleeve hung in a cupboard allows one to store considerably more shoes however once again the ends are always open to the elements and the shoes are not clearly visible as they are hung in amongst clothes and not seen from side on. Furthermore one loses hanging space in a cupboard when utilising such a system.

As outlined above there appears to be no such storage and display unit as the Shoeswirl available to department stores to display their shoes. Currently department stores use similar types of display and storage cases to house watches and/or other similar small items for sale. These units are distinctly different to the Shoeswirl in that they're designed to house large amounts of items (over 50 pieces) and goods that are considerably smaller. Such units are generally one large single unit that either sits on a bench top or the floor in a department store. They tend to range from roughly 1.5m to 3m in height. Consequently department stores are not utilising such display and storage units to display shoes currently.

The system that is most commonly used by department stores to display shoes is the placing of one single on display on shelves. The problem with doing so obviously means that display shoes are often unable to be sold to customers due to the fact that they are picked up by customers at will and scuffed up very easily. They are also exposed to the open air and more likely to be covered with dust and attacked by dust mites and/or moths. This often, leads to the one shoe out of a pair that has been on display having a different appearance to the other shoe in the pair that has not been out on display. Display shoes therefore are often discarded by department stores and/or sold at a discounted price, due to their poor condition,

Any reference within this specification to a prior invention or a prior invention publication does not constitute an admission that any prior invention or any prior invention publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the invention in Australia or in any other Country. ,

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

it is an objective of the invention to provide a shoe display system that doubles as a shoe storage system which may be utilised in both a commercial and personal use environment. It is hoped that the invention may at least partially ameliorate the above mentioned disadvantages that exist in the shoe storage and display environment. It is also hoped that the invention will provide a useful commercial choice for department stores and a new alternative for shoe storage in the individual's home. The base and top (1), specifically described in Figure 2, are identical in make, This allows the Shoeswirl system to be stacked upon each other. This wilt mean that several Shoeswirl units can be purchased and turned into a tower storage and display arrangement This will obviously be particularly useful in a department store situation so that hundreds of pairs of shoes can be displayed all in a row in a clear plastic case that can be rotated by customers so that shoes at the back can be clearly visible once rotated around to the front.

This will also be useful for individuals who purchase the Shoeswirl unit who own more than 5 pairs of shoes. The stacking ability will alleviate the storage problems currently experienced by individuals in their homes who store shoes in plastic sleeves hanging in cupboards, on the ground, on shelves or on a shoe rack.

It also means that you can simply buy additional Shoeswirl units when your shoe collection expands. This will be useful for both department stores and individuals at home. It is particuiarly useful for department stores as one Shoeswirl unit may have damage inflicted to it. This would not mean that an entire shoe display system is rendered useless, but rather just the one Shoeswirl unit that has been damaged. The department store would simply, have to buy one replacement Shoeswirl unit to insert in its tower of Shoeswirl units.

The Shoeswirl base and top click together at the grooves clearly visible in Figure 2 when the Shoeswirl units are stacked. The 12 grooves on the top slot into by the 12 ridges on the base when 2 Shoeswirf units are connected together. The fact that there are 12 grooves and slots on the respective joining Shoeswirl units means that several (up to 10 Shoeswirl units) can be stacked safely upon one another. The width of the Shoeswirl unit also means that a stack of Shoeswirl units will not become unstable at high heights.

The rotating base (2) more specifically described at Figure 3, is affixed to the central post (3) more specifically described at Figure 4 and rests upon the lazy susan platform (7). The rotating base can be rotated through the raised curved section at the base of either of the 2 hinged doors (6). The existence of the rotating base means that customers and individual owners can rotate shoes inside the Shoeswirl system to view different pairs depending on which way the Shoeswirl unit Is placed. Of course if it not placed in front of a wall the shoes will be visible from all angles anyway. If a Shoeswirl unit is stored in a cupboard one does not have to pull the display system out to view all your pairs of shoes stored inside the system.

On the rotating base (2), there are 5 raised rectangular areas. The toe of each shoe put inside the Shoeswirl unit is placed up against these rectangular areas. The rectangular areas are wide enough to have 2 shoes as a pair placed next to each other. This is necessary as the shoes after being inserted into the Shoeswirl system are hooked over the shoe supports (5) and hang at an angle as a result. This affords the most effective use of space.

The central post (3), connects the top and base (1), the rotating base (2), the lazy susan platform (7) and the shoe support (5). Both the rotating base and central post are made of aluminium. The rotating base (2) is to be made of stamped aluminium and the central post (3) is to be made of extruded aluminium. Aluminium is used in the invention to ensure that the light weight of the Shoeswiri system is maintained,

Light weight is highly important to ensure that the Shoeswiri can be used with ease in a department store setting and by individuals in their home, The light weight means that the system is easy to manoeuvre and stack to large heights by anyone of varying strength.

The central post (3) is a hexagonal cylinder. There are three holes in the central post (3) at various heights on each side of the hexagonal cylinder that descend vertically on a 45 degree angle from left to right. These holes are for the shoe supports (5) to be inserted into. The reason they have to be at various heights Is so that shoes of various sizes can be stored within the Shoeswiri unit. This functionality is particularly useful in a department store setting as it allows shoes of various sizes can be displayed inside a Shoeswiri tower. It also means that high heeled shoes and/or flat shoes can be displayed in the same Shoeswiri unit. The shoe supports (5), once inserted into the central post (3) in the above described holes, lock into place. The insertion of the shoe supports (5) is a simple process that can be attended to by anyone very quickly.

The two side walls (4) are identical in size and shape. They are made of clear PC Lexan and simply snap lock into both the top and base (1). The edges of the side walls (4) are curved as are the corners to click into place with the comers of the base and top (1) which are also curved. After the curvature section of the side walls (4), a slight lip exists at the end of the vertical sides of the side walls (4). The existence of the lip is so that the hinged doors (6) can close up against that lip and hence be level with the contoured section of the side walls (4). This means that there a constant surface level exists the entire way around the outside of the Shoeswiri unit. The fact that there are no seals and/or additional grooves, screws or metal structures on the side walls (4) and the hinged doors (6) means that an individual can look perfectly into the Shoeswiri unit making It more aesthetically pleasing. It also makes the assembly of the Shoe Swirl Unit a very easy task that requires no tools.

The hinged doors (6) on both sides of the Shoeswiri unit are identical In nature and are made of clear PC Lexan. The hinges of the hinged doors (6) are located at the base of the doors. The hinges slot into the base (1). The hinged doors (6) therefore open from the top down and then can either hang vertically below the Shoeswiri unit, if it the particular unit with the door open is part of a Shoeswiri unit stack, or lie horizontally flat in line with the base (1) of the Shoeswiri unit if the Shoeswiri unit is placed on a fiat surface.

There is a handle located in the middle of the hinged doors (6). The handle allows the hinged doors (6) to be opened but also allows for easy stacking of the Shoeswiri units upon each other. The existence of handles also means that a stack of Shoeswiri units can be carried all at once when stacked just by grabbing the handles of the lowest Shoeswiri unit in the stack.

As outlined above there is a curved segment removed from the middle of the base of the hinged doors (6). This allows individuals to rotate the rotating base (2) without opening the hinged doors (6). The existence of a door on each side of the Shoeswiri unit also means that 2 individuals can access shoes from either side of the Shoeswiri unit simultaneously. The hinged doors (6) are of sufficient width to allow the insertion of a pair of shoes, with the heal of (he shoes being hooked over the shoe supports (5) and the toe of the shoes being slid up against the raised rectangular edge on the rotating base (2),

The lazy susan platform (7) allows the rotating base (2) to rotate. The lazy susan platform (7), has already been invented. Please note that the design outlined in Figure, 1 is Indicative- only and the lady susan platform be sourced rather than form part of the design of this invention. The lazy susan platform recess on the base and top (1) will need to be designed around the chosen lazy susan platform.

The base and top (1), the side walls (4), the shoe supports (5) and the hinged doors (6) are all to.be made from PC Lexan. Making these components of the Shoeswirl from PC Lexan ensures that the Shoeswirl display will be light weight in nature as outlined above this has several benefits and alleviates several of the problems that currently exist with display units. The fact that the side walls (4) and hinged doors (5) are made from clear PC Lexan will mean that shoes once placed inside the Shoeswirl unit are visible from all angles. The base and top (1) are to be made from coloured PC Lexan to enhance the aesthetics of the Shoeswirl and allow individuals to personalise their Shoeswirl.