Non-Slip and Non-Visible Hosiery Device

Abstract

Hosiery device, that allows the wearer to achieve the comfort that one desires when choosing to wear hosiery with various types of footwear, while at the same time not having to contend with unwanted aspects of wearing hosiery that is visible. This device eliminates the problem of one's hosiery being visible, when the wearer does not want the hosiery to be visible. It eliminates the problem of one's hosiery failing to stay in place and it eliminates the problem of one's hosiery bunching up upon the hosiery's failing to stay in place, as well as the resulting discomfort caused to the wearer. In addition to the above listed problems that are solved by the instant invention, this new hosiery device also eliminates the wearer's need to constantly re-adjust the hosiery upon its not staying in place. This hosiery device also eliminates and solves many other problems that result from utilizing currently available options.

Description

The application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/693,239, filed Aug. 24, 2012 by Curtis L. Stallworth and is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention that is the subject of this patent application is directed to a hosiery device that enables one to wear hosiery that is not visible upon one's foot, when one is wearing footwear, while utilizing the hosiery device. In addition, the present invention also enables one to wear non-visible hosiery that stays in place upon one's foot, thus precluding the need, of one utilizing the hosiery device, to constantly have to re-adjust bunched -up hosiery within the footwear that one is wearing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many of the footwear styles worn today by both males and females tend to be more appealing on the foot of the wearer when the wearer's socks or other hosiery are not visible. Hosiery manufacturers have developed various types of hosiery designed to not be visible, when the person wearing the hosiery has on shoes or other footwear. However, all of the types that are currently available are woefully inadequate. One problem is that, most of the time the hosiery is visible, although, it is supposedly designed not to be visible. Other problems that one is faced with when trying to find hosiery that is not visible on the foot, when the foot is within a shoe or other footwear, is the fact that the hosiery fails to stay in place on the foot of the wearer. This failing of the currently available options leads to bunching of the hosiery while the foot is held within footwear. This bunching then results in discomfort and the constant need of the wearer to re-adjust his or her hosiery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a hosiery device that allows the wearer to achieve the comfort that one desires when choosing to wear hosiery with various types of footwear, while at the same time not having to contend with unwanted aspects of wearing hosiery that is visible. Some of the problems that this device eliminates and provides solutions for are; the problem of one's hosiery being visible, when the wearer does not want the hosiery to be visible. It eliminates and provides a solution for the problem of one's hosiery failing to stay in place and it eliminates and provides a solutions for the problem of one's hosiery bunching up as a result of the hosiery's failing to stay in place, as well as the resulting discomfort caused to the wearer. In addition to the above listed problems that are solved by the instant invention, this hosiery device also eliminates the wearer's need to constantly re-adjust the hosiery upon the hosiery's not staying in place. It also eliminates and provides solutions for many other problems that result from utilizing currently available options.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities presented.

FIG. 1 Side view of the lower part of the human leg, which includes the ankle and foot.

FIG. 2 Overhead view of a cloth liner.

FIG. 3 Side view of a human foot with a cloth liner applied/worn.

FIG. 4 Side view of a shoe.

FIG. 5 View of a cloth liner anchor.

FIG. 6 Side view of a shoe with a cloth liner anchor attached to the shoe's heel counter.

FIG. 7 Overhead view of a shoe with a cloth liner anchor attached to the heel counter.

FIG. 8 Side view of a human foot with a cloth liner applied/worn on the foot and the same foot sitting in a shoe that has a cloth liner anchor attached to the heel counter of the shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, shown is a side view of the lower part of a human leg 20 more specifically the ankle 22 and foot 24.

Referring now to FIG. 2, shown is an overhead view of one of the components of the hosiery device, which is the subject of the instant patent. This component of the hosiery device, cloth liner 26, which is to be worn on the human foot 24 serves as a barrier between a person's foot 24 and the footwear that the person is wearing. Also presented is a view of the security pad 26a which is fused to the rear portion of the cloth liner 26. When one is wearing the cloth liner 26, the portion of the cloth liner 26 which contains the security pad 26a would generally be located at the heel area of the human foot 24.

The security pad 26a is comprised of a very fine hook and loop strip. The security pad 26a portion of the cloth liner 26 surrounds the heel of the human foot 24. The security pad 26a can be fused with the cloth liner 26 by employing one or a combination of several methods. These methods include but are not limited to: sewing or gluing. In this embodiment of the invention, sewing was employed as the method of fusing the security pad 26a and the cloth liner 26.

The cloth liner 26 can be made of one or a combination of natural or synthetic fibers. These fibers include but are not limited to cotton and silk. In this version of the invention, the cloth liner 26 was made using cotton. The cloth liner 26 also utilizes a stretchable material that is fused around the opening 26b of the cloth liner 26, so as to enable the cloth liner 26 to conform to the size and shape or the wearer's foot. The stretchable material can be made of rubber or some other stretchable material. In this version of the invention, rubber was used. The fusing of the stretchable material can be achieved by one or a combination of methods such as sewing or gluing. In this version of the invention, fusing was achieved by sewing.

Referring now to FIG. 3, shown is a side view of a foot 24 with a cloth liner 26 applied.

Referring now to FIG. 4, shown generally is a type of footwear, a shoe 32. However, it must be stated that the hosiery device, which is the subject of this invention and patent, can be used with a variety of footwear types and styles. Also presented are the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a and the outside aspect of the heel counter 32b of the shoe. The toe box 32c of the shoe is presented, as well.

Referring now to FIG. 5, shown is a view of the cloth liner anchor 28. The cloth liner anchor 28 is another component of the hosiery device. This component of the hosiery device would be attached to the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of a person's footwear. One side of the cloth liner anchor 28 is covered with a very fine hook and loop surface. The other side of the cloth liner anchor 28 is covered with a material that would allow for the affixing or fusing of the cloth liner anchor 28 to the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of a person's footwear. The cloth liner anchor 28 can be fused or affixed to the heel counter 32a by using one or a combination of methods, such as by sewing or gluing. In this embodiment of the invention, gluing was the method utilized to affix the cloth liner anchor 28 to the heel counter. The cloth liner anchor 28 can be made of one or a combination of materials. Materials such as plastic, vinyl or rubber are appropriate materials that can be used to make the cloth liner anchor 28. However, listing the aforementioned materials is not to serve as a limitation as to the material that can be used. In this version of the invention, plastic is used. The cloth liner anchor 28 can be trimmed using scissors or other suitable tool so as to customize the size and fit of the cloth liner anchor 28 upon the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of the wearer's footwear.

Referring now to FIG. 6, shown generally is a shoe, 32, as described in FIG. 4, with a cloth liner anchor 28 attached to the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of the shoe 32. The side of the of the cloth liner anchor 28 that is covered with a glue adhesive, in this embodiment, is attached to the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of the shoe 32 and the other side of the cloth liner anchor 28, which is comprised of a very fine hook and loop surface, remains exposed as it is oriented toward the toe box 32c of the shoe 32.

Referring now to FIG. 7, shown is an overhead view of a shoe 32, as described in FIG. 4, with a cloth liner anchor 28 adhering to the inside aspect of the heel counter 32a of the shoe 32.

Referring now to FIG. 8, shown is a side view of the human foot 24 with a cloth liner 26 applied/worn, as presented in FIG. 3, as the foot 24 sits inside of the shoe 32 as presented in FIG. 6. The opposing sides of the hook and look strips on both the cloth liner anchor 28 and the security pad 26a, which is fused to the cloth liner 26, make contact with each other. As a result, a bond is formed between the cloth liner anchor 28 and the security pad 26a. (In this drawing, the security pad anchor, 28, is represented by the dotted lines that surround the security pad 26a) This bond between the cloth liner anchor 28 and the security pad 26a, which is fused to the cloth liner 26 enables the cloth liner 26 to remain securely in place on the wearer's foot 24. This is possible even when persons, wearing all types of footwear, are involved in various activities, such as walking, running and dancing. Because of this feature of the hosiery device, the problems that one must currently contend with when utilizing hosiery options that are currently available are eliminated.

With this hosiery device, one can wear footwear with hosiery, which is not visible upon the feet. One also does not have to contend with the discomfort caused by the bunching of one's hosiery and one does not have to contend with the constant need to re-adjust one's hosiery because of the hosiery's failure to stay in place.

Claims

1. A hosiery device comprising of:

a) a fabric liner that conforms to the shape of a human foot;

b) a hook and loop pad affixed to the heel/rear aspect of the fabric liner;

c) a substantially thin swatch of flexible material substantially covered with a hook and loop surface on one side of the swatch.

2. A hosiery device as in claim 1, wherein the other side of the swatch is covered with a layer of adhesive.

3. A hosiery device comprising of:

a) a substantially flat and thin swatch of flexible material substantially covered with a hook and loop surface on one side.

4. A hosiery device as in claim 3, wherein the other side of the swatch is covered with a layer of adhesive.

5. A hosiery device comprising of:

a) a fabric liner that conforms to the shape of a human foot;

b) a hook and loop pad affixed to the heel/rear aspect of the fabric liner;

c) a substantially thin swatch of flexible material substantially covered with a hook and loop surface on one side of the swatch first means of securing the fabric liner to the heel counter of one's footwear.

6. A hosiery device as in claim 5, wherein the other side of the swatch is covered with a layer of adhesive second means of securing the fabric liner to the heel counter of one's footwear.