Footware with decorative tongue

Abstract

The article of footwear with decorative tongue is a shoe or the like having a sole and an upper attached thereto. The upper includes a tongue. A plurality of gemstones is attached to the tongue. Any desired type of gemstone(s) may be used, including variations in size, shape, color and chemical composition. Alternatively, a conventional tongue and a decorative attachment may be provided. The decorative attachment has opposed first and second faces, and a plurality of gemstones attached to the first face. The second face is releasably attached to an exterior face of the tongue by a suitable releasable fastener, such as mating hook and loop fasteners.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/272,127, filed Aug. 20, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shoes, moccasins, and similar footwear, and particularly to an article of footwear with decorative tongue having gemstones covering an exposed surface of the tongue.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many people believe that crystals and gemstones hold certain beneficial properties. Crystal healing is an alternative medicine technique that employs gemstones and crystals as healing tools. In use, the practitioner typically places crystals on different parts of the body, often corresponding to the “chakras”, or places crystals around the body in an attempt to construct an energy grid, which is believed to surround the client with healing energy. The healing is supposed to remove blockages in the aura or the body's electromagnetic field.

When the stones are placed in the area of the chakras, the color of the stones may correspond to the color which is associated with the corresponding chakra. Going from the tail bone to the top of the head, the colors are typically defined as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Different stones are believed to have different healing vibrations, so a treatment based on the type of stone may be used instead. Stones may also be used at the feet in an attempt at grounding the individual, or may held in the hands.

Believers in crystal healing may carry crystals around with them, believing that they impart healing powers to them wherever they go, or that they have positive vibrations that attract positive events and interactions with others. Although there is no peer-reviewed scientific evidence that crystal healing has any actual physiological effect, believers in crystal healing may still receive a placebo effect, which is a measurable psychological effect.

Reflexology, or “zone therapy” is another alternative medicine method involving the practice of massaging, squeezing, or pushing on parts of the feet, or sometimes the hands and ears, with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body, or to improve general health. There is no general consensus among reflexologists on how reflexology is supposed to work, though a unifying theme is the idea that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body, and that by manipulating these one can improve health through one's “qi”. As with crystal healing, there is no scientific evidence for the existence of Life energy (qi), “crystalline structures” within the body, or “pathways” for “energy flow” in the body, but believers may experience a placebo effect, which is a measurable psychological effect, with practical and measurable results, such as pain relief and mood alteration.

Reflexology and crystal, or gemstone, healing are separate fields in alternative medicine and one typically needs to visit multiple practitioners in order to gain benefits from both. Further, both reflexology treatment and crystal healing are time consuming and require specialized treatments by trained practitioners. It would be desirable to combine the effects of both crystal healing with the effects of reflexology in a manner that is easy to apply for the typical user. Thus, footwear with a decorative tongue solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shoes, moccasins, and similar footwear, and particularly to an article of footwear with decorative tongue having gemstones covering an exposed surface of the tongue. It should be understood that the article of footwear may be any type of footwear, such as a shoe or the like having a sole and an upper attached thereto. Examples of such footwear include in-line skates, roller skates, ice skates, ski boots, boots, shoes, sneakers, etc. The upper of such articles of footwear includes a tongue having a decorative surface. A plurality of gemstones, crystals, artificial gemstones or an artificial appliqué is secured to an exposed surface of the tongue. It should be understood that any desired types of gemstones or other ornamentation may be used, including variations in size, shape, color and chemical composition. Further, the term “gemstones” is used herein to indicate either natural or artificial stones.

Alternatively, a conventional tongue and a separate decorative attachment may be provided. The decorative attachment has opposed first and second faces. A plurality of gemstones are attached to the first face of the decorative attachment. The second face is releasably attached to an exterior face of the tongue by a suitable releasable fastener, such as mating hook and loop fasteners.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of footwear with decorative tongue according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the footwear of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tongue of an article of footwear with decorative tongue according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of a decorative tongue for an alternative embodiment of footwear with decorative tongue according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an alternative tongue of the article of footwear with decorative tongue according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, exemplary footwear with decorative tongues is shown in the form of a pair of shoes 10. It should be understood that the type and style of shoe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is exemplary, and that the footwear may comprise any type or style of shoe having a tongue 14. Examples of such footwear include in-line skates, roller skates, ice skates, ski boots, boots, shoes, sneakers, etc. Similarly, the particular tongue 14 shown in the drawings is exemplary only, and a shoe tongue having any desired dimensions, configuration, or composition may be used in lieu thereof, provided that at least a portion of the tongue 14 is exposed to view when the footwear is worn.

The article of footwear 10 is a shoe, moccasin, or the like having a sole 12 and an upper 16 attached thereto (the front part of the “upper” of a shoe, including the tongue, is also sometimes referred to as a “vamp”). In the shoe 10 shown in the drawings, the upper 16 includes a tongue 14 having a plurality of gemstones 20 attached to an exposed surface thereof. As best shown in FIG. 1, at least a portion of tongue 14 may be visible through shoelaces 18, and the visible portion of tongue 14, located beneath shoelaces 18, is preferably also covered with gemstones 20. It should be understood that a single type of gemstone may be displayed, or a plurality of types of gemstones may be used.

The gemstones 20 may be arranged in bands or in any desired pattern. Each type of gemstone may have a distinct color. The differently colored gemstones 20 may be banded to produce a distinctive visual effect, if desired. Alternatively, the gemstones 20 may be evenly distributed over the upper surface of base layer 22 (as best shown in FIG. 3), or may be arrayed in any desired pattern, depending upon the design effect desired, including either or both the visual effect and the desired crystal healing benefits. Although gemstones are utilized in the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that any suitable type of decorative articles may be applied to the tongue. Such decorative articles may include natural gemstones, crystals, artificial gemstones or an artificial appliqué, for example. In FIG. 5, a plurality of gemstones 20 are used, with the plurality 20 including two differing types of gemstones 21, 23. Gemstones 21 are visually distinct from gemstones 23, thus allowing for an additional visual effect. It should be understood that the “arrow” shown in FIG. 5 is shown for exemplary purposes only, and that any desired visual effect may be created.

Any desired type of gemstone(s) may be used, including variations in size, shape, color, and chemical composition. Further, the term “gemstone(s)” is used herein to indicate either natural or artificial stones. For example, practitioners of crystal healing believe that green aventurine gemstones induce feelings of vitality and confidence in the user. Amethyst, a type of purple quartz, is believed to induce a feeling of calm, and to raise hope and lift the general spirits of the user. Citrine is believed provide mental clarity and foster creativity, whereas amethyst is believed to provide protection and purification. Chalcedony is believed to provide the wearer with calm and balance, and copper is believed to improve circulation and overall energy. Tiger's eye, as another example, is believed to provide balance between extremes, and Swarovski crystal is believed to provide healing properties.

As noted above, a single type of gemstone may be used to impart one quality (or to produce one visual effect), or a plurality of types may be used to impart multiple qualities (or produce varied visual effects). In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4, a conventional tongue 30 and a decorative attachment 36 are provided for an article of footwear. The decorative attachment 36 is a sheet of material having opposed first and second faces. The plurality of gemstones 38 is attached to the first or upper face of the decorative attachment 36. The second or lower face is releasably attached to an exterior face of the tongue 30 by a suitable releasable fastener, such as mating hook and loop fasteners. It should be understood that any suitable type of releasable fastener may be used. Releasable attachment 36 is preferably sized and shaped to match tongue 30 and may be formed from materials similar to tongue 30.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 and FIG. 4, it should be understood that gemstones 20 may be fixed to tongue 14 or decorative attachment 36 by any suitable means of attachment, such as adhesive, stitching, hook and loop fasteners or the like. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment, gemstones are used as the ornamentation for the tongue of the footwear. As noted above, it should be understood that any suitable type of ornamentation may be utilized. Decorative articles applied to the tongue may include gemstones, crystals, artificial gemstones or an artificial appliqué.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to the sole to form footwear, the upper having a tongue; and

at least one decorative article attached to at least a portion of the tongue.

2. The article of footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one decorative article is selected from the group consisting of: natural gemstones, artificial gemstones, crystals, and decorative appliqués.

3. The article of footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one decorative article comprises a plurality of decorative articles, the plurality of decorative articles being arrayed on the tongue.

4. The article of footwear as recited in claim 3, wherein the tongue has an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion thereof being adapted for positioning beneath a pair of shoelaces, said plurality of decorative articles at least partially covering the upper portion of the tongue.

5. The article of footwear as recited in claim 4, wherein said plurality of decorative articles at least partially covers the lower portion of the tongue.

6. An article of footwear, comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to the sole to form footwear, the upper having a tongue;

a decorative attachment;

at least one decorative article attached to the decorative attachment; and

a fastener attaching the decorative attachment to the tongue.

7. The article of footwear as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one decorative article is selected from the group consisting of: natural gemstones, artificial gemstones, crystals, and decorative appliqués.

8. The article of footwear as recited in claim 6, wherein the fastener is a releasable fastener.

9. The article of footwear as recited in claim 8, wherein the releasable fastener comprises mating hook and loop fasteners.

10. The article of footwear as recited in claim 6, wherein said at least one decorative article comprises a plurality of decorative articles, the plurality of decorative articles being arrayed on the decorative attachment.

11. A decorative tongue for an article of footwear, comprising:

a tongue adapted for attachment to an upper of an article of footwear, the tongue having an outer surface; and

at least one decorative article attached to at least a portion of the outer surface of the tongue.

12. The decorative tongue for an article of footwear as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one decorative article is selected from the group consisting of: natural gemstones, artificial gemstones, crystals, and decorative appliqués.

13. The decorative tongue as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one decorative article comprises a plurality of decorative articles, the plurality of decorative articles being arrayed on the outer surface of the tongue.

14. The decorative tongue as recited in claim 13, wherein the tongue has an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being adapted for positioning beneath a pair of shoelaces of the article of footwear, said plurality of decorative articles at least partially covering the upper portion of the tongue.

15. The decorative tongue as recited in claim 14, wherein said plurality of decorative articles at least partially cover the lower portion of the tongue.