US20160309832A1

US20160309832A1 - Shoe Cover

Info

Publication number: US20160309832A1
Application number: US15/140,115
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregory Weaver
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-04-27
Filing date: 2016-04-27
Publication date: 2016-10-27

Abstract

A shoe cover for protecting a user's footwear. The shoe cover includes a body that resembles a shoe and that is configured to partially enclose a shoe therein. The shoe cover includes a toe portion, a heel portion, and an ankle opening. The ankle opening includes an elastic band therearound for securement around the user's ankle so as to protect the upper end of the shoe. The shoe cover includes a partially open sole, wherein a front portion of the sole is closed and the heel portion of the sole is open. The heel portion further includes an elastic band therearound for securement to the lower portion of the user's shoe. Additionally, a pair of mating fasteners is provided on opposing sides of the sole for further securing the shoe cover in position over the shoe.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/153,078 filed on Apr. 27, 2015. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shoe covers. More specifically, the present invention provides a shoe cover comprising a body adapted to partially enclose a shoe therein so as to prevent the user's shoes from becoming soiled by dirt, mud, inclement weather, and the like.
Footwear is an important aspect of a person's wardrobe and fashion. Certain types of footwear can be extremely expensive, such as designer shoes, leather dress shoes, and the like. As a result, the owners of such footwear take precautions to preserve their footwear so that the footwear remains clean and new. People utilize shoe trees to maintain the shape of the shoes and to prevent the shoes from developing creases. Further, people may polish leather shoes, brush suede shoes, and perform other cleaning tasks. Further, other types of shoes may be delicate, such as suede shoes, which cannot get wet without ruining the material.
However, shoes can easily become dirty or soiled as the wearer spends time walking around outdoors, particularly during periods of inclement weather. Shoes can become damaged or ruined if the user wears the shoes while walking in the rain, in the snow, through mud, or through other dirty environments. Other accidents may also soil a shoe, such as spilling a drink or food onto the shoe. The user may be unable to clean the shoes properly and the shoe may be permanently damaged. As a result, a shoe cover device that provides a stylish appearance while protecting the footwear is desired in order to protect the footwear from becoming dirty or soiled.
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to shoe covers. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to shoe covers that partially cover the upper portion of a shoe or that leave the bottom of the shoe exposed, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,182, U.S. Pat. No. 6,944,976, U.S. Design Patent Number D611684, and U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2011/0209358, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2010/022381, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,416, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,895, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,258.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The shoe covers in the prior art generally relate to shoe covers for covering the sides, heel, and upper portion of a shoe while leaving the sole entirely exposed. The sole is left exposed so that the tread of the shoe can be used to provide traction as the user walks. However, many shoes have thin treads or bottoms, and if the bottom or tread becomes wet or soiled, the lower portion of the side or heel of the shoe adjacent to the tread or bottom will also become soiled. Further, such shoe covers can move out of position as the user moves about and may not be securely fastened onto the shoe, causing the shoe cover to expose portions of the shoe that are desired to be protected.
In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing shoe cover devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shoe covers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new shoe cover device wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when protecting his or her shoes from becoming soiled or damaged.
The shoe cover comprises a body resembling a shoe and having a toe portion, a heel portion, and an ankle opening, The body includes an interior volume adapted to enclose a user's shoe therein so as to protect the shoe from dirt, debris, and the like. The ankle opening comprises an elastic band therearound adapted to secure the ankle opening around a user's ankle. The shoe cover includes a partially open sole wherein the toe portion of the sole is closed and wherein the heel portion of the sole is substantially open. A pair of mating fasteners is positioned on opposing sides of the opening on the sole that can be secured over the sole of the shoe in order to securely position the shoe cover over the shoe.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the shoe cover.

FIG. 2A shows a top-down view of the shoe cover.

FIG. 2B shows an underside view of the shoe cover.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the shoe cover in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the shoe cover. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for protecting a shoe from dirt, debris, and the like. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the shoe cover. The shoe cover 21 comprises a body 22 shaped similarly to a shoe and adapted to enclose a shoe therein. The body 22 includes a toe portion 23, a heel portion 27, an ankle opening 24, and a partially open sole 29, defining an interior volume in which a shoe can be positioned. The body 22 is adapted to fully cover the upper portion and sides of a shoe so as to protect the shoe from becoming dirty, wet, or otherwise soiled. The body 22 is composed of a flexible material that can contour to the shape of the shoe on which it is positioned, such as spandex. Further, the body 22 is preferably composed of a waterproof material or a material treated with a waterproofing agent that prevents liquid from passing therethrough in order to prevent the user's shoe from becoming wet.
The body 22 may further comprise indicia 28 thereon to provide a decorative appearance. The indicia 28 may also serve to indicate the owner of the shoe cover 21. Any of various symbols, words, phrases, or pictures may be shown on the body 22 of the shoe cover 21 in order to provide a stylish and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Preferably, the indicia 28 is positioned on an outward facing surface of the shoe cover 21 so that the indicia 28 is easily viewed when the user is wearing the shoe cover 21 on his or her shoes.
The ankle opening 24 provides access to the interior volume 26 of the shoe cover 21. The user can insert his or her foot into the shoe cover 21 through the ankle opening 24 while the user is wearing his or her shoes. The ankle opening 24 preferably includes an elastic band 25 therearound so that the shoe cover 21 is secured in position over the user's shoe. The elastic band 25 is adapted to fit closely to the user's ankle so as to enclose the upper end of the user's shoe.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there is shown a top down view of the shoe cover and an underside view of the shoe cover, respectively. The body 22 comprises an ankle opening 24 at the rear portion of the body 22 adjacent to the heel portion 27 thereof. In this way, the body 22 is configured similarly to a conventional shoe. The body 22 includes a toe portion 23 that is rounded so as to be shaped similarly to the toe portion of a shoe. The shoe cover 21 comprises a partially open sole 29, wherein the toe portion of the sole 29 is enclosed. Preferably, the toe portion of the sole 29 is composed of a durable material, such as leather or rubber, among others. In some embodiments, the sole 29 includes ridges or treads thereon. The sole comprises an opening 30 at the heel portion of the shoe cover 21. The opening 30 is adapted to allow the tread of the user's shoe to be exposed so that the user can utilize the tread while walking. Preferably, an elastic band 33 is disposed around the opening 30 for cinching the perimeter of the opening 30 around the user's shoe so that the shoe cover 21 fits tightly over the sides of the user's shoe.
In some embodiments, a pair of mating fasteners 31, 32 are positioned on opposing sides of the opening 30 on the sole of the shoe cover 21. The fasteners 31, 32 may include a hook and a hook receiver. In alternate embodiments, the fasteners 31, 32 include a clasp having mating portions. In this way, the user can secure the mating fasteners 31, 32 together under the sole of the user's shoe so as to securely position the shoe cover on the user's shoe. This prevents the shoe cover 21 from rolling up or sliding upward on the user's shoe, exposing the sides thereof. This fastening arrangement ensures that the sides or upper portion of the shoe are fully covered and that only a portion of the shoe's sole is exposed so as to provide the user with traction from the shoe's treads. In other embodiments, the sole 29 comprises a single fastener adapted to engage with a portion of the sole of the user's shoe in order to secure the shoe cover 21 onto the user's shoe.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the shoe cover in use. In operation, the user can insert his foot into the shoe cover 21 via the ankle opening 24 thereof. The user inserts his foot into the shoe cover 21 while he or she is wearing the shoe that he or she desires to protect. The sides and upper portions of the shoe 41 are enclosed by the shoe cover 21. The toe portion 43 of the shoe is enclosed within the toe portion 23 of the shoe cover 21 and within the enclosed portion of the sole 29. Further, the heel of the shoe is positioned at the heel portion 27 of the shoe cover 21 and the tread on the sole of the shoe 41 is exposed via the opening on the sole 29. The elastic strap disposed about the perimeter of the opening on the sole cinches the body of the shoe cover around the sides of the shoe 41. The user can further secure the mating fasteners on the sides of the opening so as to securely position the shoe cover 21 onto the shoe 41 so that it does not move while in use.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1) A shoe cover, comprising:

a body having a toe portion, a heel portion, and a sole, defining an interior volume in which a shoe can be positioned;

an ankle opening disposed on the body, wherein the ankle opening includes an elastic band therearound;

wherein the body includes a sole having an opening thereon so as to allow a tread of a shoe to extend therethrough.

2) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the body is composed of a waterproof material.

3) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the sole is disposed on the toe portion of the body.

4) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the opening on the sole is disposed at the heel portion of the body so as to allow a portion of a tread of the shoe to extend therethrough.

5) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the sole is composed of a rubber material.

6) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the body comprises indicia thereon.

7) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the opening on the sole comprises an elastic band therearound.

8) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises a pair of mating fasteners on opposing sides of the opening, wherein the mating fasteners are adapted to be removably secured to one another so as to secure the body on the shoe.

9) The shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises a fastener thereon adapted to be fastened to a portion of a sole of the shoe in order to securely position the body onto the shoe.