SHOE ACCESSORY

Abstract

A shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user's foot, and associated method of manufacturing the shoe accessory, including a first layer including silicone and a second layer including fur and disposed on the first layer, where the second layer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/699,670, filed Sep. 8, 2017, now pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a shoe accessory, particularly a shoe insole including a fur layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoe inserts and insoles are devices that may be placed in users' footwear to provide additional style and comfort when wearing the footwear. Such inserts are predominantly gel- or foam-based. The structure of these inserts is typically either a single layer of gel or foam or a two-layer structure of a gel or foam base and a sock liner disposed on the base. The sock liner is often made of a fabric material. The sock liner layer is customarily very thin and helps to ensure that the user's foot is not in direct contact with the gel or foam material. Additionally, these inserts are typically fully housed in a user's footwear and, therefore, not visible when worn by the user. There exists a need for a superior shoe accessory providing further comfort and aesthetic appeal when used and visible in open back shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user's foot, including a first layer including silicone and a second layer including fur and disposed on the first layer, where the second layer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The first layer may include a gel, a foam, or a rubber. The fur may be artificial fur or real fur, and the real fur may be fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur. The first layer may include a top side and a bottom side and the second layer may include a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the second layer by an adhesive. The adhesive may be glue. The first layer and the second layer may have the shape of a shoe insole. The shoe accessory may be configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method of manufacturing a shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user's foot, including disposing a second layer including fur on a first layer including silicone, where the second layer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The first layer may include a gel, a foam, or a rubber. The fur may be artificial fur or real fur, and the real fur may be fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur. The first layer may include a top side and a bottom side and the second layer may include a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the second layer by an adhesive. The adhesive may be glue. The first layer and the second layer may have the shape of a shoe insole. The shoe accessory may be configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a shoe accessory according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a shoe accessory according to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shoe accessory of the present invention may include two layers. The first layer is a base layer, or bottom layer, which may include silicone. The first layer may be a gel-, foam-, or rubber-based layer. The second layer is a surface layer, or top layer, which includes fur. The fur may be artificial or real. Artificial fur is any material made of synthetic fibers and resembling real fur, such as acrylic microfibers. Real fur is a piece of the pelt of an animal. Real fur may be selected from, but not limited to, the following animals: foxes, rabbits, minks, beavers, stoats/ermines, otters, sables, coyotes, chinchillas, raccoons, lynxes, possums, goats, cows, and horses. Additionally, the real fur may be Mongolian fur.

The two layers may both have the shape of traditional shoe insoles. The two layers may be affixed to each other at a top side of the first layer and a bottom side of the second layer. The two layers may be affixed by an adhesive. In a preferred embodiment, the two layers are affixed by glue.

In a preferred embodiment, the shoe accessory is configured for, and used in, open back footwear, such that the shoe accessory may be visible at the open back portion of the footwear. Open back footwear that may utilize the shoe accessory of the present invention includes slides, clogs, heels, mules, and the like.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a side view and a top view, respectively, of a shoe accessory 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Shoe accessory 1 has a first layer 10 including silicone and a second layer 20 including fur.

It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular feature or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user's foot, comprising:

a first layer comprising silicone; and

a second layer comprising fur and disposed on the first layer;

wherein the second layer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

2. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a gel, a foam, or a rubber.

3. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the fur is artificial fur.

4. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the fur is real fur.

5. The shoe accessory of claim 4, wherein the real fur is fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur.

6. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes a top side and a bottom side and the second layer includes a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the second layer by an adhesive.

7. The shoe accessory of claim 6, wherein the adhesive is glue.

8. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the first layer and the second layer have the shape of a shoe insole.

9. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory is configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.

10. A method of manufacturing a shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user's foot, comprising:

providing a first layer comprising silicone; and

disposing a second layer comprising fur on the first layer;

wherein the second layer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first layer comprises a gel, a foam, or a rubber.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the fur is artificial fur.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the fur is real fur.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the real fur is fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first layer includes a top side and a bottom side and the second layer includes a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the second layer by an adhesive.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the adhesive is glue.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first layer and the second layer have the shape of a shoe insole.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the shoe accessory is configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.