DEVICE FOR RETAINING SHAPE OF SHOE

Abstract

A device for retaining the shape of a shoe includes a tapering base member having an arch cross section and a shoe expansion member defining a cavity removably receiving the base member therein. The base member has opposite side walls and an arcuated top wall defining a groove in which a stair-like configuration is formed, having a first number of steps. The side walls of the base member each form first serration. The shoe expansion member has a bottom in which the cavity is defined and a top side configured to closely fit into a shoe for retaining the shape of the shoe. The cavity is defined by opposite side walls and a top wall. The top wall of the cavity has a stair-like structure having a second number of steps. The side walls of the cavity form second serration. The stair-like structure of the cavity is at least partially engageable with and supported by the stair-like configuration of the top wall of the base member. The second serrations are engageable with the first serrations for securely fixing the shoe expansion member with respect to the base member. An additional shoe expansion member may be selectively included. The additional shoe expansion member may be of different sizes and shapes for replacing the original shoe expansion member to be fit for shoes of different sizes and shapes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a device for retaining the shape of a shoe in transportation and storage, and in particular to an adjustable device that is suitable for retaining the shapes of shoes of different sizes and shapes.

[0003] 2. The Related Art

[0004] Devices for retaining the shape of a shoe are known. Examples are lasts and shoe trees. The conventional lasts and shoe trees are designed for a particular size of shoe. Thus, for each size of shoe, a particular last or shoe tree is required in retaining the shape thereof in transportation and storage. Another way for retaining the shape of a shoe is to forcibly stuff a flexible material into the shoe, such as paper. This, however, makes the shoe not attractive to the general consumers

[0005] FIG. 1 of the attached drawings shows a conventional device for retaining the shape of a shoe. A block 10 that has a shape corresponding to the shape of a shoe 11 is fit into the shoe 11 for retaining the shape of the shoe 11. The block 10 is in general not adjustable. Thus, the conventional device is made for a particular size of shoes and different blocks having different sizes are required for shoes of different sizes.

[0006] Thus, it is desired to have a device for retaining shapes of shoes of different sizes and shapes to overcome the above-discussed problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a device for adjustably retaining the shapes of shoes of different sizes and shapes.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for retaining the shape of a shoe, wherein the device comprises a fixed base member and a replaceable shoe expansion member removably mounted to the base member, the replaceable member being selectively replaced by a different one of different size or shape for retaining the shape of a shoe having different size or shape.

[0009] To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for retaining the shape of a shoe comprising a tapering base member having an arch cross section and a shoe expansion member defining a cavity removably receiving the base member therein. The base member has opposite side walls and an arcuated top wall defining a groove in which a stair-like configuration is formed, having a first number of steps. The side walls of the base member each form first serration. The shoe expansion member has a bottom in which the cavity is defined and a top side configured to closely fit into a shoe for retaining the shape of the shoe. The cavity is defined by opposite side walls and a top wall. The top wall of the cavity has a stair-like structure having a second number of steps. The side walls of the cavity form second serration. The stair-like structure of the cavity is at least partially engageable with and supported by the stair-like configuration of the top wall of the base member. The second serrations are engageable with the first serrations for securely fixing the shoe expansion member with respect to the base member. An additional shoe expansion member may be selectively included. The additional shoe expansion member may be of different sizes and shapes for replacing the original shoe expansion member to be fit for shoes of different sizes and shapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a conventional device received in a shoe for retaining the shape of the shoe;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention for retaining the shape of a shoe;

[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the device for retaining the shape of a shoe in accordance with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device for retaining the shape of a shoe;

[0015] FIG. 5 is another cross-sectional view of the device for retaining the shape of a shoe; and

[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a base member of the device cooperating with another shoe expansion member for retaining the shape of a shoe of different size or shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 2 and 3, a device constructed in accordance with the present invention for retaining the shape of a shoe is designated with reference numeral 20. The device 20 comprises a base member 30 having a tapering configuration with an arch cross section whereby the base member 30 has opposite side walls (not labeled) converging to each other and connected by an arcuated top wall 33. The cross-sectional area of the base member 30 is variable and is gradually reduced from a rear end 32 to a front end 31. The opposite side walls of the base member 30 each form serration 34. A groove (not labeled) is formed in the top wall 33 of the base member 30 and is co-extensive therewith from the rear end 32 to the front end 31. A stair-like configuration comprised of a number of steps 35 is formed in the groove of the top wall 33.

[0018] The device 20 also comprises a shoe expansion member 40 having a bottom (not labeled) in which a cavity 41 is formed and a top side configured to closely fit into a shoe (not shown). The cavity 41 is complementary in shape to the base member 30 and is defined by opposite side walls (not labeled) each defining serration 43 corresponding to the serration 34 of the corresponding side wall of the base member 30. The cavity 41 is further defined by an arcuated top wall (not labeled) having a stair-like structure 42 formed thereon. The stair-like structure 42 has a number of steps corresponding to the steps 35 of the base member 30. The base member 30 is received in the cavity 41 of the shoe expansion member 40 with the stair-like structure 42 engaging with and supported by the steps 35 of the base member 30 (FIG. 5). The serrations 34, 43 engage each other for securely fixing the shoe expansion member 40 with respect to the base member 30 (FIG. 4).

[0019] Slits 44 are defined in the shoe expansion member 40 for providing resiliency that allows the shoe expansion member 40 to be more closely fit into a shoe.

[0020] In accordance with the present invention, the number of steps of the stair-like structure 42 of the cavity 41 of the shoe expansion member 40 can be the same as the number of the steps 35 of the base member 30 whereby the stair-like structures 42, 35 completely engage each other with the steps completely corresponding to each other as shown in FIG. 5. It is possible to have the numbers of steps of the stair-like top structures 42, 35 different from each other whereby the base member 30 can be cooperating with shoe expansion members 40 of larger and smaller sizes for shoes of larger and smaller sizes, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0021] The top side of the shoe expansion member 40 can be selectively made in different form to fit shoes of different shapes.

[0022] Thus, it is noted that by replacing the shoe expansion member 40 with another one of different size and/or shape, the device 20 of the present invention can be selectively employed to retain the shapes of shoes of different sizes and shapes. This significantly reduces the costs of a shoe maker or shoe retailer in transporting and storing shoes.

[0023] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for retaining shape of a shoe comprising:

a base member having a tapering configuration with an arch cross section having an arcuated top wall, a groove being defined in the top wall with a stair-like configuration having a first number of steps formed therein; and

a shoe expansion member having a bottom defining a cavity and a top having a configuration adapted to closely fit into a shoe for retaining a shape of the shoe, the cavity being defined by opposite side walls and an arcuated top wall corresponding to the cross section of the base member, the top wall comprising a stair-like structure having a second number of steps, the stair-like structure of the cavity being at least partially engageable with and supported by the stair-like configuration of the base member.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base member has opposite side walls corresponding to the side walls of the cavity of the shoe expansion member, each side wall of the base member defining first serration, each side wall of the cavity defining second serration, the first and second serrations being engageable with each other for securely fixing the shoe expansion member to the base member.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shoe expansion member defines slits therein for resilient deformation of the shoe expansion member.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an additional shoe expansion member having a different size, the additional shoe expansion member being replaceable with the shoe expansion member, the additional shoe expansion member defining a cavity having a top wall comprising a stair-like structure, the stair-like structure of the additional shoe expansion member having a third number of steps, the third number being different from the second number.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an additional shoe expansion member having a different shape adapted to retain a shape of a different shoe.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second number is identical to the first number.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base member has a variable cross-sectional area gradually reduced from a rear end to a front end.