TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to shoes and accessories, and more particularly, to shoes with attachable fashion accessories.

BACKGROUND ART

An integral part of a women's wardrobe is her shoes. Women's shoes vary greatly in design giving a woman many different ways to express her own personal fashion statement. Furthermore, different occasions require different shoes and different outfits require different colored shoes.

This multitude of shoes can be a problem when travelling. There are only so many shoes that can be packed into a suitcase for a trip. Deciding which shoes to take on the trip can be further complicated by having formal and informal gatherings to attend during the trip. While compromises will be made in selecting the shoes to take, women will still want to take the shoes that make the fashion statement they want to make.

Thus, there is a need for a basic shoe with attachable shoe accessories so as to minimize the number of shoes needed, particularly for travel, while providing women the opportunity to personalize the shoe for each occasion.

Another issue with shoes occurs as women get older and feel less stable or confortable wearing shoes with skinny heels. The skinny heels may look better to some women but they will buy shoes with a larger more stable heel for practical reasons. Thus, there is a need for an accessory which creates the illusion of skinner heels even when larger heels are used on the shoe. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is therefore a feature and advantage of the present invention to provide a shoe and attachable fashion accessories to overcome the problems cited above.

According to one aspect of the invention, decorative shoe accessories for attachment to various parts of a shoe are disclosed. The decorative shoe accessories comprise a substantially U or C-shaped heel cover, said heel cover having first and second front ends and a back end, said heel cover having an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein when said heel cover is slipped over a heel of the shoe tension created when the first and second front ends are moved away from each other holds the heel cover in place over at least part of the heel, and the outer surface having a decorative pattern. The decorative shoe accessories also comprises a toe box cover having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface has a decorative pattern and said bottom surface has an attachment device for attaching the toe box cover to a top surface of a vamp covering a toe box of the shoe.

According to another aspect of the invention, a shoe assembly comprising at least a heel, sole, insole and vamp is disclosed. The shoe assembly having attachable accessories comprising: the heel; a substantially U or C-shaped heel cover, said heel cover having first and second front ends and a back end, said heel cover having an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein when said heel cover is slipped over the heel of the shoe tension created when the first and second front ends are moved away from each other holds the heel cover in place over at least part of the heel, and the outer surface having a decorative pattern. The shoe assembly can also comprise a toe box cover having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface has a decorative pattern and said bottom surface has a first attachment device for attaching the toe box cover to a top surface of a vamp covering a toe box of the shoe.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates a ladies shoe according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2(a)-(b) illustrate a heel cover according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a ladies shoe according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 4(a)-(b) illustrate a heel cover with a plurality of projections according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5(a)-(b) illustrate a toe box cover according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a ladies shoe with the toe box cover according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a shoe assembly according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a modified heel according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a shoe assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As described briefly above, the invention is applicable to all shoes that have a raised heel and applies directly to traditionally styled ladies shoes including pumps, boots, high heels, wedges, etc., and the invention is not limited thereto.

One embodiment of the invention discloses attachable fashion accessories which can be attached to traditionally styled shoes. Figure 1 illustrates a traditional ladies pump shoe 10. The shoe 10 has a sole 12 and a heel 14. A toe box 16 is covered by a vamp 18 and the uppers 20 enclose a foot well 22. The vamp 18, the uppers 20 and the heel 14 are connected to the sole 12 to complete the shoe 10.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a heel cover 24 can be used to cover some or all of the heel 14. The purpose of the heel cover 24 is twofold. The first purpose is to allow a user the ability to individualize their shoes by changing the appearance of the heel 14 by attaching differently decorated heel covers 24 to the heel 14. The second purpose is to make the size of the heel 14 appear smaller by creating a contrast between the heel cover 24 and the rest of the heel 14 not covered by the heel cover 24. According to one embodiment of the invention, the heel cover 24 has a substantially U or C shaped body as illustrated in Figures 2(a)-(b) but the invention is not limited thereto. The heel cover 24 is constructed out of at least one material from the group comprising: plastic, metal, cloth, acrylic, rubber, resin etc., but the invention is not limited thereto. The heel cover 24 has an inner surface 30 and an outer surface 32. The heel cover 24 also has a first front end 34, a second front end 36 and a back end 38. As illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 4(b), the top edge 25 of the heel cover 24 slopes downward from the back end 38 towards the front ends 34, 36 thereby following the contour of the sole 12, but the invention is not limited thereto. The outer surface 32 of the heel cover 24 is decorated with a decorative pattern, design or color or some other decorative material, for example, fabric, glitter, rhinestones, etc., and the invention is not limited thereto. The decorative pattern, design, color or material can be incorporated into the material composing the heel cover 24 or a material with the decorative pattern or color can be applied to the outer surface 32 of the heel cover 24. As noted above, the heel cover 24 can be used on a variety of shoes that have heels. As a result, the dimensions of the heel cover will vary depending on the type of shoe the heel cover 24 will be attached to. The heel cover 24 may have a depth ranging from 0.5 inches to 5 inches. The heel cover 24 may have a width ranging from 0.5 inches to 5 inches. The heel cover 24 may have a height ranging from 0.5 inches to 5 inches.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the heel cover 24 is designed to slip over at least part of the existing heel 12 of the shoe 10. In this embodiment, the distance between the first front end 34 and the second front end 36 is at least slightly smaller than the diameter of the heel 12. As a result, when the first and second front ends are moved away from each other when the cover is slipped over the heel, tension is created in the heel cover 24 to move the first and second front ends 34, 36 back together. This tension causes the heel cover 24 to squeeze the outer surface of the heel 12 which holds the heel cover 24 in place on the heel 12.

The heel cover 24, once placed on the heel 12, may cover part of the heel as illustrated in Figure 1, or substantially all of the back and sides of the heel as illustrated in Figure 3. According to another embodiment of the invention, the first and second front ends 34, 36 may be biased towards each other in a resting condition, thereby creating even more tension in the heel cover when the first and second front ends 34, 36 are moved apart.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the inside surface 30 of the heel cover 24 may have a connection device 27, for example a loop and hook material (Velcro®) which attaches to loop and hook material 13 attached to an outer surface of the heel 12 as illustrated in Figure 9.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the heel cover 24 may also have at least one projection located on the inner surface 30. As illustrated in Figures 4(a)-(b), the heel cover 24 can have 3 projections 42, 44, 46 located on the inner surface 30. The first two projections 42, 44 can be located at or near the end of the first and second front ends 34, 36 while the third projection 46 can be located at the back end 38 of the heel cover 24. It will be understood that the heel cover 24 may only have one projection which is located at the back end of the heel cover 24 or the heel cover may have only two projections located near or at each of the first and second front ends 34, 36 and the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, it will be understood that the two projections 42, 44 do not have to be located at the ends of the first and second front ends 34, 36 but can also be located anywhere between the first and second front ends 34, 36 and the back end 38. Finally, while the projections illustrated in Figure 4 are substantially vertical projections, the projections may also be substantially horizontal and the invention is not limited thereto. According to one embodiment of the invention, the projections 42, 44, 46 may fit into corresponding grooves in the heel 12 but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the projections 42, 44 at the ends of the first and second front ends 34, 36 can connect partially around the front end of the heel 12 to help hold the heel cover 24 in place over the heel 12.

According to another embodiment of the invention, another fashion accessory is disclosed which can be attached to a shoe as illustrated in Figures 5(a)-(b). Figures 5(a)-(b) illustrate a toe box cover 50 which can be attached to the vamp 18 covering the toe box 16. The toe box cover 50 is constructed out of at least one material from the group comprising: plastic, metal, cloth, acrylic, rubber, resin, etc., but the invention is not limited thereto. The toe box cover has a top surface 52 and a bottom surface 54. The top surface 52 of the toe box cover 50 is decorated with a decorative pattern, design or color, or some other decorative material, for example, fabric, glitter, rhinestones, etc., and the invention is not limited thereto. The decorative pattern or color or material can be incorporated into the material composing the toe box cover 50 or a material with the decorative pattern or color can be applied to the top surface 52 of the toe box cover 50. The decorative pattern or color may be the same as that used on the heel cover 24 or a complimentary pattern or color but the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the toe box cover 50 can have any shape, for example, oval, circular, square, star shaped, rectangular, oblong, etc., and the invention is not limited thereto.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a connection device 60 is attached to the bottom surface 54 of the toe box cover 50. In one embodiment, the connection device 60 is a loop and hook connection device (Velcro®) which connects to a corresponding loop and hook connection device located on the vamp 18 as illustrated in Figure 6. In another embodiment, the connection device 60 is a snap mechanism which connects to a corresponding snap mechanism on the vamp 18 but the invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that any two piece connection device can be used here, wherein one piece is located on the bottom surface 54 of the toe box cover 50 and the other piece is located on the vamp 18 or uppers 20, and the invention is not limited thereto.

According to another embodiment of the invention, an innovative shoe assembly is disclosed which has attachable fashion accessories. The attachable fashion accessories are the heel cover 24 and the toe box cover 50 described above. As illustrated in Figure 7, the shoe assembly 70 has the traditional elements such as a sole 72, a heel 74, a toe box 76, a vamp 78 and uppers 80 which create the foot well 82. As will be described below, one or more of these features has been modified to accommodate the attachable heel cover 24 and the toe box cover 50. As noted above, the heel cover 24 can be slipped over a traditional heel 74 and be held in place by tension in the heel cover 24 which causes the heel cover 24 to squeeze the sides and/or back of the heel 74. According to one embodiment of the invention, the traditional heel 74 can be modified in such a way as to allow the heel cover 24 to more securely attach to the modified heel.

As illustrated in Figure 8, the modified heel 80 can have one or more grooves 82, 84, 86 formed into the outer surface 88 of the heel 80. In this embodiment, the heel 80 has 3 grooves 82, 84, 86 formed in the outer surface 88 of the heel 80. The first two grooves 82, 84 are located along the sides 90, 92 of the heel 80. The grooves can be located anywhere along the sides 90, 92 depending on how much of the heel 80 is intended to be covered by the heel cover 24. A third groove 86 is located on the back 94 of the heel 80. It will be understood that the heel 80 can have one have one groove (groove 86), two grooves (grooves 82, 84) or any number of grooves and the invention is not limited thereto.

The placement of the grooves 82, 84, 86 matches the placement of the protrusions 42, 44, 46 on the inner surface 32 of the heel cover 24. When the heel cover 24 is slipped onto the modified heel 80, tension is created in the heel cover 24 when the first and second front ends are moved away from each other. When properly positioned, the tension in the heel cover 24 will force the protrusions 42, 44, 46 into the grooves 82, 84, 86 thereby helping to secure the heel cover 24 to the heel 80.

While the grooves and protrusions described above are oriented in a substantially vertical manner, it will be understood that the grooves and protrusions can be oriented in a substantially horizontal manner and the invention is not limited thereto. According to one embodiment of the invention, the outer surface of the heel 80 can be a uniform color such as black but the invention is not limited thereto. In the alternative, the heel 80 may be constructed out of a clear material such as plastic, acrylic, resin etc., so that the heel has a transparent appearance but the invention is not limited thereto. The contrast created by the decorative pattern on the heel cover 24 and the remaining part of the black or transparent heel 80 not covered by the heel cover 24 will help create the illusion that the heel 80 is smaller than it actually is.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the shoe assembly 70 can be further modified by adding a connection device 96 to the outer surface of the vamp 18 so as to attach the toe box cover 50 to the shoe assembly 70. The connection device 96 can be part of any type of connection mechanism such as loop and Hook devices (Velcro®), a snap or clip mechanism and the invention is not limited thereto. The connection device 96 is the complimentary part to the connection device 70 located on the bottom surface of the toe box cover 50. It will be understood that the connection device 96 can be located anywhere on the top surface of the vamp 18 or uppers 20 and attached to the vamp 18 or uppers 20 in any known manner. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that any two piece connection device can be used here, wherein one piece is located on the bottom surface 54 of the toe box cover 50 and the other piece is located on the vamp 18 or uppers 20, and the invention is not limited thereto.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirits and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.