This invention relates to a clip, in particular, but not exclusively, to a storage clip for shoes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional clip hangers or holders for storing shoes typically comprise spring means which exert an opposing force when compressed from their resting (clamped) position. However, a problem associated with such a spring-loaded mechanism is that it may deteriorate with use and, as a result, the clip may lose effectiveness or may even stop functioning. Other conventional clip hangers for shoes may have a pair of elongated members (e.g. pins) which are designed to retain a pair of shoes by hooking a substantial portion of their inner part. A problem with such clips, however, is that such a clip design may not be capable of securing shoes tightly and may only be suitable for certain types of shoes. Also, it may be impractical for general use (e.g. non- display use).

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved storage clip for shoes that serves at least to address the above problems.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a storage clip for shoes comprising a shell defining a cavity, and a clamp slidably movable at least partially in the cavity from an open position to a clamped position to thereby secure shoes.

The shell may comprise slots configured to receive members of the clamp. Preferably, the shell is formed by sidewalls interconnected by a top wall wherein each of the sidewalls comprises a side slot, and the top wall comprises a top slot. The side slots may be recessed. The shell may also comprise ledges extending laterally from the top wall to facilitate clamping or opening of the clip. Further, the shell may comprise outer edges which protrude inwardly to hold in place and guide the clamp therein. A groove may be defined on an inner surface of the shell to thereby engaging the clamp in the clamped position. The shell may further comprise a member to which a means is attached for hanging the clip and clamped shoes, optionally wherein the means is a clip or a hook, preferably a carabiner. The member is preferably designed to twist/flex a certain degree in use. This can prevent breaking or dislodgment when being hung up.

Preferably the clamp is resiliently deformable. The clamp may comprise resiliently deformable legs configured to flex whilst moving slidably at least partially in the cavity. In the open position, the legs may splay outwardly at least partially outside the cavity and may be spaced apart to receive shoes therebetween. In the clamped position, the legs may extend substantially inside the cavity and may be moved together sufficiently closely to clamp shoes therebetween. Whilst sliding from the open position to the clamped position the legs may flex inwardly as they are pressed by the inner surface of the shell. Each of the legs may comprise a ridge designed to clip into the groove when the clamp is in the clamped position. Each of the legs may have an arm extending outwardly therefrom and being arranged to slide in each respective side slot. Preferably, as the arms are pressed by a user, the legs flex inwardly, allowing the ridge to clip into the groove when engaging the clamp in the clamped position, or to clip out of the groove when disengaging the clamp from the clamped position. The legs may also comprise gripping means.

The clamp may further comprise a head member configured to slot in the top slot when engaging the clamp in the clamped position, or to exit of the top slot when disengaging the clamp from the clamped position. The top slot may be recessed, and the head member may be substantially flush with the top wall to avoid accidental release of the clip.

Preferably, the clip is designed to clamp an inner part of the shoes, more preferably an inner part of the quarter (side) section of a shoe. Also, preferably, at least one of the cavity and the clamp is generally U-shaped in cross section. The present invention also provides a method of clamping shoes comprising: providing a clip as described above; positioning the clamp in its open position so as to receive the shoes in the cavity; and moving slidably the clamp at least partially in the cavity from the open position to the clamped position to thereby securing the shoes.

The positioning step is preferably over and/or around an inner part of a quarter side section of each shoe.

The moving step may comprise moving one of the shell or clamp relative to each other. The moving step may further comprise deforming resiliently the clamp until the resiliently deformable legs extend substantially inside the cavity, and preferably clip into the grooves defined in the inner surface. The moving step may also comprise pushing the shell, preferably the ledges, towards the clamp, whilst optionally holding or pulling the clamp, preferably the arms, towards the shell.

The method may comprise attaching a means, preferably a carabiner, to the clip, allowing the clip and the shoes to be hung in a suitable place.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of disengaging a clip, as described above, from a pair of shoes; said method comprising: disengaging the head member of the clamp from the top slot, preferably pushing the head member out of the top slot, whilst optionally holding the shell preferably by the ledges; whilst/or pressing the arms sufficiently to disengage the groove ridge from the groove, whilst optionally holding the shell preferably by the ledges; and moving slidably the clamp relatively to the shell at least partially out of the cavity from the clamped position to the open position. The method of disengaging a clip may further comprise detaching a means, preferably the carabiner, from a suitable place, preferably before the above steps are performed.

It will be readily appreciated that the present invention provides a simple two- piece storage clip for shoes with no spring-loaded mechanism, which enables shoes to be secured firmly and stored neatly. The clip is also practically suitable for any types of shoes, including any sport shoes. The present invention also provides a simple and convenient method of clamping and disengaging a clip from shoes whilst allowing improved storage. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clip in an open position according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a clip according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a clip in an open position according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clip in a clamped position according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a side view of an embodiment of a clip in a clamped position according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clip in an open position according to the present invention; and Figure 9 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a clip clamping and hanging a pair of shoes according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a clip 100 in an open position. The clip 100 comprises a shell 10 defining a cavity 11 and a clamp 20 which slidably moves in the cavity 11 from an open position to a clamped position to secure a pair of shoes. The clamp may have gripping means 19 to improve clamping. Details of the gripping means are described below.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the clip 100 showing separately the shell 10 and the clamp 20. The shell 10 defines the cavity 11 in which the clamp 20 is slidably received. The shell 10 and clamp 20 are generally U-shaped in cross section. Such a design allows the clip to clamp an inner portion of a pair of shoes, preferably but not exclusively the quarter (side) portion of the shoes (65 in Figure 9). The shell 10 has a pair of sidewalls 15 which are interconnected by a top wall. A side slot 16 is defined in each sidewall 15, and a top slot 17 is defined in the top wall. The top and slide slots are designed to receive members of the clamp 20 as it will be described in more detail below. The side slots are preferably, but not exclusively, recessed as shown in the drawings. The top wall extends laterally to form a pair of ledges 18 which are designed to allow a user to push/hold conveniently the clip during clamping or opening. The ledges 18 have a substantially top flat surface, which extend from the top wall in opposite directions to each other and are spaced apart such that the top slot 17 is defined therebetween. The top slot 17 may be recessed to avoid or stop accidental release. The side and top slots are preferably elongated slots, but, of course, other shapes are possible.

Further, the shell 10 has outer edges 12 which protrude inwardly so as to hold in place and guide the clamp 20 therein. A groove 13 is formed on an inner surface 14 of the shell at the bottom of each sidewall 15 to thereby engaging the clamp 20 in the clamped position.

Figures 3 and 4 show the clip 100 in an open position. In this position the legs 25 extend outwardly at least partially outside the cavity 11 and are spaced apart to receive a pair of shoes therebetween.

The clamp 20 comprises a pair of resiliently deformable legs 25 which flex inwardly whilst moving slidably at least partially into the cavity 11. It will be appreciated that a clamp may have more than two legs.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the clip 100 in the clamped position/configuration. In the clamped position the legs 25 are retracted substantially inside the cavity 11 such that they are spaced apart sufficiently to clamp a pair of shoes therebetween.

The legs 25 are designed to move toward each other as they slide at least partially in the cavity 1 1 from an open position to a clamped position. The legs 25 have feet 35 which are designed to cooperate with the shell 10 such that as the clamp 20 slidably moves from an open position to a clamped position the feet 35 are pressed inwardly by the inner surface 14. The feet 35 have ends that are preferably, but not limited, rounded to facilitate the sliding motion of the clamp 20 in or out of the cavity. Each foot 35 comprises a ridge 36, which is designed to clip into the groove 13 when the clamp 20 is in the clamped position. Each leg 25 has also a notch 40, which clips into the groove 13 to allow the clamp to rest in the open position as shown in Figure 4.

Each of the legs 25 may comprise gripping means 19. It will be appreciated that gripping means 19 may be made of any material suitable for gripping, for example a high-friction material preferably resiliently deformable, such as rubber. Gripping means 19 may have a plurality of ridges, which may extend further within the cavity such that, when the clamp/clip is in the clamped position, at least a portion of the gripping means overlaps each other (not shown in the drawings). This allows improved clamping of different types of shoes. The clamp 20 comprises a pair of arms 26 which extend outwardly from the legs 25. The arms 26 are designed to slot in the side slots 16 and slide therein. The arms 26 extend laterally out of the side slots 16 at least to retain the clamp 20 in the cavity. The arms 26 have ends that are preferably but not exclusively rounded. As the arms 26 are pressed toward each other the legs 25 retract inwardly, allowing the ridge 36 to clip into the groove 13 in the clamped position, or to come out of the groove 13 when disengaging the clamp from the clamped position.

The clamp 20 further comprises a head member 27 configured to slot in the top slot 17 when the clamp is in the clamped position. The top slot 17 is preferably recessed and the head member 27 is substantially flush with the top wall to avoid accidental release of the clip. It will be appreciated that a different arrangement (e.g. a friction-fit mechanism) may be used to hold and/or release the clamp from the shell. To engage the clip to a pair of shoes, firstly the clip is appropriately positioned in its open position between a pair of shoes, preferably between (e.g. over and/or around) an inner part of a quarter section of each shoe. Secondly, the clamp and the shell are moved relatively to one other to allow the clamp to move within the cavity (for example, by pushing the shell, preferably the ledges 18, whilst holding or pulling the arms 26) until the ridges 36 clips into the groove 13 (clamped position) at which point the clip is engaged to the pair of shoes (see Figures 1 , 3 and 4).

To disengage the clip from a pair of shoes, the head member 27 can be disengaged from the top slot 17 (for example, by pushing the head member out of the top slot - preferably by holding the shell by the ledges 18 - and/or the arms 26 can be pressed sufficiently to disengage the groove ridge 36 from the groove 13. The shell and clamp may then be moved slidably relatively to one another from the open position to the clamped position at which point the clip can be disengaged from the shoes (see Figures 5 to 7). Further, the shell 20 comprises a member 30 to which a means may be attached for holding a pair of shoes. Such means may comprise a clip or a hook, preferably a carabiner 50 as shown in Figures 8 and 9. It will be appreciated that such a design enables shoes 60 to be hung practically from any suitable place, therefore allowing improved storing and drying. The member 30 is preferably, but not exclusively, made of a resiliently deformable material, preferably rubber, to allow it to be twisted/flexed while preventing breakage or accidental disengagement when being hung up.