Shoe cover
A shoe cover for a shoe, the shoe cover comprising a lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab. A first edge extends from one end of the lower periphery has a strip of projections and a slider with a tab. A second edge extends from another end of the lower periphery also has a strip of projections. The first and second edges are reversibly fastenable by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first and second edges. The strip of projections on the lower periphery is reversibly fastenable to a strip of projections on a shoe. The tabs on the sliders are interlockable where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections.
This patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/609,014 which was filed Sep. 9, 2004, and to Singapore Patent Application No. 200404416-0 which was filed Aug. 6, 2004, each of which is incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe invention relates to footwear, more particularly to shoes which are used daily for style and fashion considerations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONShoes, have basic utilitarian considerations, also they are associated style and fashion considerations. Decorative materials and fabrics are used along with colour, ornamentation and endorsements.
There is no satisfactory way of cleaning shoes thoroughly within a reasonable amount of time when the upper portions of shoes get soiled and/or stained. Generally shoes are washed and dried conventionally at home or commercially. The upper portions of a shoe may become worn or damaged through normal use. Thus the fashion qualities and functional qualities of the shoe are diminished and the useful life of the shoe is substantially reduced through repeated washing and through normal use. As a practical matter, once the shoes are too soiled, dirty or worn from use, they get downgraded from everyday fashion use, and relegated to the status of a work shoe, or are completely discarded.
Various attempts have been made to deal with this problem in the prior art. Approaches have included providing changeable uppers and sole structures so that the upper and the sole can be independently mixed and matched.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,693 to Brown describes a slide fastener or zipper which is utilized to attach the upper and sole of the footwear together, however, the structural integrity of the combination leaves much to be desired. Further, the zipper may be easily damaged when used in such manner resulting in a complete scrapping of the shoe or very expensive repairs required with very few craftsmen capable of undertaking such a repair.
Another approach is to put simple covers on shoes. The shoe cover alleviates the problem of the shoe becoming soiled and dirty or too worn from use. The shoe cover forms a protective layer around the shoe. The shoe cover can be changed when it becomes soiled or worn from use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,564 to Kettner describes a changeable cover for the upper portion of an athletic shoe which includes a tongue and lace eyelets all of which are fastened to the underlying structure by means of combination of nylon hook and loop fasteners of the Velcro TM type. However hook and loop fasteners become worn out with normal use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,248 to Samuels describes a protective cover to add further protection to the toe and instep portions of said shoes. The protective cover may be completely removed by selectively operable attaching means, to provide access to the entire body of the shoe for repair, cleaning etc. Alternatively, the attaching means may be interrupted at the tip, so as to provide a permanent connection of the protective cover to the shoe, but still retaining the ability to swing the protective cover away from contact with most of the shoe, so as to permit servicing. The closure means and the attaching means may be a slide fastener or a zipper. Alternatively, the fastening means known as Velcro TM may be used. The protective cover provides an energy-absorbing portion over a limited area for the purpose of protecting the foot of the wearer. The protective cover does not completely cover the shoe leaving parts uncovered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of this invention to provide a shoe cover which forms a protective and fashionable layer over the surface of a shoe upper and secured to the shoe by a system of fasteners which overcomes the above disadvantages or provides the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly in a first embodiment the present invention may be said to consist in a shoe cover for a shoe said shoe cover comprising:
a lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
a first edge extending from one end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
a second edge extending from another end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections;
wherein the first and second edges are reversibly fastenable by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge;
the strip of projections on the lower periphery is reversibly fastenable to a strip of projections on a shoe; and
the tabs on each slider are interlockable where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections
Accordingly in a second embodiment the present invention may be said to consist in a shoe cover and shoe assembly comprising:
the shoe cover of the first embodiment;
a strip of projections circumventing a shoe;
wherein the strip of projections on the lower periphery of said shoe cover is reversibly fastened to a strip of projections on said shoe by pulling along the strips of projections of said shoe cover and said shoe;
the first and second edges are reversibly fastened by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge; and
each slider is held in position by interlocking of the tabs on each slider where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections.
Accordingly in a third embodiment the present invention may be said to consist in a shoe cover and shoe assembly comprising:
a lower periphery of the shoe cover having a strip of projections;
a first edge of the shoe cover extending from one end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
a second edge of the shoe cover extending from another end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections;
a strip of projections circumventing the shoe having a slider with a tab;
wherein the strip of projections on the lower periphery of the shoe cover is reversibly fastened to a strip of projections on the shoe by pulling along the strips of projections of the shoe cover and the shoe;
the first and second edges are reversibly fastened by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge; and
each slider is held in position by interlocking of the tabs on each slider where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections.
Preferably the shoe cover has holes for shoelaces.
Preferably one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSA preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which:
With reference to
Suitable materials include soft leather, substitute leather, nylon velveteen, velvet, jaconet, toweling, lycra, BK cloth, garment, any mesh cloths (such as plastic mesh cloth, anti-slip foaming mesh cloth, sandwich mesh cloth, elastic mesh cloth and various triangular, quadrangle, hexagonal, rhombus or square shaped double-color mesh cloth), PVC, neoprene, suede and various plastic and other polymer variants. The shoe cover 8 in use has a specific orientation as illustrated in
A first edge 16 extends upwards from one end 18a of the lower periphery 12 to the other end 18b at the upper periphery 13. A second edge 18 extends upwards from the other end of the lower periphery 12 to the upper periphery 13. Both the first edge 16 and the second edge 18 have a strip of projections. The strips of projections are attached in the same manner as discussed earlier. A slider 20 is engaged with the strip of projections on the first edge 16 and is movable along the entire length of the strip of projection from one end 16b, 18b at the junction with the upper periphery 13 to the other end at the junction 16a, 18a with lower periphery 12. A tab 19 is connected to the slider 20 for pulling on the slider 20. The first edge 16 and the second edge 18 are at the end of the shoe cover, which corresponds with the heel 24 of the shoe 22. The shoe cover 8 in
With reference to
Referring to
An alternative embodiment of the shoe cover 8 is shown in
With reference to
With reference to
It is to be understood that a shoe 22 may be selectively attached to any one of a number of shoe covers 8, which are of different designs, different colour combinations or different configuration. Another advantage of the shoe cover 8 is that it will facilitate maintaining the appearance of the shoe 22 underneath the shoe cover 8. The shoe cover 8 of the present invention may be put on the shoe 22 while the shoe 22 is worn.
With reference to
One tab 42 has a male protrusion, which fits into and is grasped by a corresponding female opening in slider 40 when the two sliders are interlocked. Both tabs are circular in shape.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.
Claims
1. A shoe cover for a shoe said shoe cover comprising:
- a lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
- a first edge extending from one end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
- a second edge extending from another end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections;
- wherein
- the first and second edges are reversibly fastenable by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge;
- the strip of projections on the lower periphery is reversibly fastenable to a strip of projections on a shoe; and
- the tabs on each slider are interlockable where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections
2. A shoe cover and shoe assembly comprising:
- the shoe cover of claim 1;
- a strip of projections circumventing a shoe;
- wherein
- the strip of projections on the lower periphery of said shoe cover is reversibly fastened to a strip of projections on said shoe by pulling along the strips of projections of said shoe cover and said shoe;
- the first and second edges are reversibly fastened by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge; and
- each slider is held in position by interlocking of the tabs on each slider where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections.
3. A shoe cover and shoe assembly comprising:
- a lower periphery of the shoe cover having a strip of projections;
- a first edge of the shoe cover extending from one end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections and a slider with a tab;
- a second edge of the shoe cover extending from another end of the lower periphery having a strip of projections;
- a strip of projections circumventing the shoe having a slider with a tab;
- wherein
- the strip of projections on the lower periphery of the shoe cover is reversibly fastened to a strip of projections on the shoe by pulling along the strips of projections of the shoe cover and the shoe;
- the first and second edges are reversibly fastened by pulling the slider along the strips of projections of the first edge and the second edge; and
- each slider is held in position by interlocking of the tabs on each slider where the sliders are pulled to the end of the strips of projections.
4. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 1 having holes for shoelaces.
5. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 2 having holes for shoelaces.
6. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 3 having holes for shoelaces.
7. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
8. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 2 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
9. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
10. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
11. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 5 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
12. A shoe cover as claimed in claim 6 wherein one tab has a male coupling element and the other tab has a female coupling element adapted to receive and hold the male coupling element.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 5, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2006
Inventors: Jacob Pang (Singapore), Adrian Tan (Maylands)
Application Number: 11/197,879
International Classification: A43B 3/16 (20060101); A43B 3/24 (20060101);