SHOE ACCESSORY
A shoe accessory for a shoe is provided, the shoe having a number of eyelets configured to receive a shoelace. The shoe accessory having a shoe accessory base having a number of openings, the number of openings is configured to receive the shoelace via a threading method such that the shoe accessory base is secured on the shoe. A unique accessory attachment selected form a plurality of designs is configured to be removably attached to the shoe accessory base. The accessory attachment may be swapped such that an individual may swap a different accessory attachment based on the particular design, shape, color, logo, etc. that the individual wishes to display on the shoe.
The present invention is a continuation in part application to design patent Ser. No. 29/732,738 filed Apr. 27, 2020, entitled “Shoe Accessory”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety at least by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to accessories for clothing items, and more particularly a shoe accessory.
2. Description of Related ArtIt is well known that fashion accessories are a popular way for individuals to show their style and creativity. Some popular accessories include jewelry, belts, glasses, gloves, etc. However, there are limited accessories designed for shoes, and the accessories on the market are cumbersome and difficult to install. Consequently, the following present invention is provided.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In one aspect of the invention, a shoe accessory for a shoe is provided, the shoe having a number of eyelets configured to receive a shoelace, the shoe accessory comprising a shoe accessory base having a number of openings, wherein the number of openings are configured to receive the shoelace via a threading method such that the shoe accessory base is secured on the shoe; and, an accessory attachment removably attached to the shoe accessory base.
In one embodiment, the number of openings is four. In one embodiment, the number of openings includes grommets to protect the openings. In another embodiment, the shoe accessory is constructed from a material selected from the group essentially consisting of fabric, plastic, leather, canvas, rubber, foam, and textiles. In one embodiment, the shoe accessory base is rectangular. In one embodiment, the accessory attachment removable attached to the shoe accessory base via hook-and-loop fasteners. In one embodiment, the accessory attachment is rectangular. In another embodiment, the accessory attachment may include different colors, brands, logos, textures, mascots, flags, companies, designs, emblems, and/or various text on a top surface of the accessory attachment. In yet another embodiment, the hook-and-loop fasteners are on a bottom surface of the accessory attachment and a top surface of the shoe accessory base. In one embodiment, the shoe accessory may be installed on the shoe without de-lacing the shoelace from all of the number of eyelets. In another embodiment, the shoe accessory may be installed on the shoe by de-lacing the shoelace from at most four eyelets of the number of eyelets. In another embodiment, the treading method is straight lacing or criss-cross lacing.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a shoe accessory.
Advantageously, the accessory attachment 106 is removable and configured to be changed or swapped out with a plurality of accessory attachments, each having various designs. The various designs of the accessory attachment 106 may include, but are not limited to different shapes, colors, brands, logos, textures, etc. It should be understood, that the different shapes include any known basic shapes and custom not previously defined shapes, including but not limiting to a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a parallelogram, a rhombus, a kite, a quadrilateral, and a trapezoid. As one can appreciate various logos for sports teams, mascots, flags, companies, designs, emblems, and/or various text may be provided on the accessory attachment. Further, the size and material of the accessory attachment 106 may vary without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
As previously mentioned, the accessory attachment 106 is configured to be removed from the shoe accessory base 108 such that the individual may swap a different accessory attachment based on the particular design, shape, color, logo, etc. that the individual wishes to display on the shoe. It should be understood, that although one shoe is illustrated, two shoes with two shoe accessories bases and corresponding two accessory attachments may be provided. The accessory attachment between the two shoes may vary.
It should be understood, that the shoe accessory base 108 may vary in shape and size, however it should be less than or equal to in size to the selected accessory attachment 106 such that the shoe accessory base is not visible when the accessory attachment is attached to the shoe accessory base. In one embodiment, the shoe accessory base 108 is square or rectangular allowing most selected accessory attachments 106 to properly fit. For special designs, different shoe accessory bases of various shapes may be provided, however ideally, one universal shoe accessory base 108 may accommodate most accessory attachments 106. In one embodiment, the shoe accessory base is a rectangular having a width of 2 inches and a length of 2.25 inches, however it should be understood that the size may vary.
In some embodiments, grommets or eyelets 114 are installed in the openings to provide structure, while providing longevity to the openings preventing damage of occurring from extended use as well known in the art. The material of the shoe accessory base 108 may vary, in some embodiments, the material is a fabric, plastic, leather, canvas, rubber, foam, or a textile. In one embodiment, the grommets or eyelets 114 are 4.7 mm each enabling the openings to accept a vast variety of lace sizes and widths.
In some embodiments, the top surface of the shoe accessory base 108 has an attachment means configured to temporally bind, attach, or connect the accessory attachment 106 to the shoe accessory base 108, which will be discussed in further details below.
Referring now to
The following method steps will describe how to install the present invention on a shoe and the advantages of the invention over similar attachment methods of shoe accessory inventions of the prior art. Referring now to
Next, in step 202, the de-laced portion of the shoelace is threaded in the shoe accessory base (as seen in
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object.
In addition, reference to “first,” “second,” “third,” and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
Claims
1. A shoe accessory for a shoe, the shoe having a number of eyelets configured to receive a shoelace, the shoe accessory comprising:
- a shoe accessory base having a number of openings, wherein the number of openings are configured to receive the shoelace via a threading method such that the shoe accessory base is secured on the shoe; and,
- an accessory attachment removably attached to the shoe accessory base.
2. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the number of openings are four.
3. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the number of openings include grommets to protect the openings.
4. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory is constructed from a material selected from the group essentially consisting of fabric, plastic, leather, canvas, rubber, foam, and textiles.
5. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory base is rectangular.
6. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the accessory attachment removable attached to the shoe accessory base via hook-and-loop fasteners.
7. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the accessory attachment is rectangular.
8. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the accessory attachment may include different colors, brands, logos, textures, mascots, flags, companies, designs, emblems, and/or various text on a top surface of the accessory attachment.
9. The shoe accessory of claim 6, wherein the hook-and-loop fasteners are on a bottom surface of the accessory attachment and a top surface of the shoe accessory base.
10. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory may be installed on the shoe without de-lacing the shoelace from all of the number of eyelets.
11. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory may be installed on the shoe by de-lacing the shoelace from at most four eyelets of the number of eyelets.
12. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the treading method is straight lacing or criss-cross lacing.
13. The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein shoe accessory base is less than or equal to in size to the accessory attachment such that the shoe accessory base is not visible when the accessory attachment is attached to the shoe accessory base.
14. A shoe accessory for a shoe, the shoe having a number of eyelets configured to receive a shoelace, the shoe accessory essentially consisting of:
- a shoe accessory base having a number of openings, wherein the number of openings are configured to receive the shoelace via a threading method such that the shoe accessory base is secured on the shoe; and,
- an accessory attachment removably attached to the shoe accessory base.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 13, 2020
Publication Date: Oct 28, 2021
Inventor: Hyder Cureton (East Patchogue, NY)
Application Number: 16/992,885