U.S. patent application number 12/403155 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-17 for footwear protectors and methods of production.
Invention is credited to Barbara Giacoppo, Janna M. Giacoppo.
Application Number | 20090229148 12/403155 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41061405 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090229148 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Giacoppo; Janna M. ; et
al. |
September 17, 2009 |
FOOTWEAR PROTECTORS AND METHODS OF PRODUCTION
Abstract
Footwear protectors and covers are disclosed that include a body
member, wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a foot
portion, and a heel portion, and at least one tightening member
coupled to the body member. High heel footwear protectors are also
disclosed that include a body member, wherein the body member
comprises an open top end, a foot portion, and a heel portion,
wherein the heel portion conforms to the individual heel of the
footwear. High heel footwear protectors also comprise a body
member, wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a foot
portion, and a heel portion opening, wherein the heel portion
opening allows the heel of the footwear to fit through the opening.
In the high heel footwear protectors, these may include at least
one tightening member.
Inventors: |
Giacoppo; Janna M.; (Sherman
Oaks, CA) ; Giacoppo; Barbara; (Boca Raton,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BUCHALTER NEMER
18400 VON KARMAN AVE., SUITE 800
IRVINE
CA
92612
US
|
Family ID: |
41061405 |
Appl. No.: |
12/403155 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61036604 |
Mar 14, 2008 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/72B |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/0078 20130101;
A43B 23/24 20130101; A43B 1/0072 20130101; A43B 3/18 20130101; A43B
1/0027 20130101; A43B 3/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/72.B |
International
Class: |
A43B 13/22 20060101
A43B013/22 |
Claims
1. A footwear protector, comprising: a body member, wherein the
body member comprises an open top end, a foot portion, and a heel
portion, and at least one tightening member coupled to the body
member.
2. The footwear protector of claim 1, wherein the body member
further comprises a leg portion.
3. The footwear protector of claim 1 wherein the body member
comprises at least one transparent material, at least one partially
opaque material, at least one opaque material, at least one
patterned material or a combination thereof.
4. The footwear protector of claim 3, wherein the at least one
transparent material is clear.
5. The footwear protector of claim 3, wherein the at least one
transparent material comprises a color component.
6. The footwear protector of claim 3, wherein the at least one
partially opaque material, the at least one opaque material or a
combination thereof comprise a color component.
7. The footwear protector of claim 1, wherein the at least one
tightening member is physically attached to the body member.
8. The footwear protector of claim 1, wherein the at least one
tightening member comprises a tie string, at least one face, an
elastic member or a combination thereof.
9. The footwear protector of claim 1, wherein the at least one
tightening member is located on the body member at the ball of the
foot, at the top of the heel, above the ankle bone, midway up the
leg, on the back of the foot, on the back of the leg, on the back
of the heel, at the open top end of the body member or a
combination thereof.
10. The footwear protector of claim 1, wherein the protector is
designed to cover a high heel shoe.
11. The footwear protector of claim 10, wherein the heel portion
conforms to the individual heel of the footwear.
12. A high heel footwear protector, comprising: a body member,
wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a foot portion,
and a heel portion, wherein the heel portion conforms to the
individual heel of the footwear; and at least one tightening
member.
13. The footwear protector of claim 12, wherein the body member
further comprises a leg portion.
14. The footwear protector of claim 12, wherein the body member
comprises at least one transparent material, at least one partially
opaque material, at least one opaque material, at least one
patterned material or a combination thereof.
15. The footwear protector of claim 14, wherein the at least one
transparent material comprises a color component, clear component
or a combination thereof.
16. The footwear protector of claim 14, wherein the at least one
partially opaque material, the at least one opaque material or a
combination thereof comprise a color component.
17. The footwear protector of claim 12, wherein the at least one
tightening member is physically attached to the body member.
18. The footwear protector of claim 12, wherein the at least one
tightening member comprises a tie string, at least one lace, an
elastic member or a combination thereof.
19. The footwear protector of claim 12, wherein the at least one
tightening member is located on the body member at the ball of the
foot, at the top of the heel, above the ankle bone, midway up the
leg, on the back of the foot, on the back of the leg, on the back
of the heel, at the open top end of the body member or a
combination thereof.
20. A high heel footwear protector, comprising: a body member,
wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a foot portion,
and a heel portion opening, wherein the heel portion opening allows
the heel of the footwear to fit through the opening; and at least
one tightening member.
Description
[0001] This application is a United States Utility Application that
claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/036,604
filed on Mar. 14, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE SUBJECT MATTER
[0002] Protective coverings for footwear and particularly a
protective covering for shoes and boots are described herein.
BACKGROUND
[0003] During periods of snow and rain it is often difficult to
wear high heels or boots in view of the high possibility of the
shoes being ruined in the snow or rain, especially when made of
suede, leather, satin, silk, finer fabrics, etc. Even a single day
in the snow or the rain, can make brand new shoes appear to be
several years old. Therefore, most women walk around in snow boots
or old shoes. Thus, what is needed in the art is a device which
will allow women to wear their expensive heels, boots and other
shoes while walking outside in the rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc.
and without causing harm to such shoes and/or boots. There are
several people who have tried to solve this problem with various
designs, but as shown below, they all fall short for different
reasons.
[0004] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,006 issued to Garth uses a
vinyl-based material with a zipper on the top of the "overshoe" in
order to secure the covering on the shoe. In addition, the overshoe
is manufactured by fusing several parts of the vinyl-based material
together. The zipper on the top of the overshoe can rust, break
down or cause water to leak into the inside of the overshoe and
onto the foot and/or shoe. In addition, if the vinyl-based material
is made to a certain specific size or stretches over time, there is
no method to conform the overshoe to other types of shoes or
tighten the overshoe to compensate for stretching. One weakness in
the design is that the sole of the overshoe is straight along the
bottom of the shoe and does not conform to the heel of the shoe, as
in the case of high heel shoes (see FIG. 1 of Garth).
[0005] Larson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,954) discloses wearable
disposable coverings for hands and feet made from heat shrinking
film. While this solves one of the problems of Garth in that Larson
does not have a zipper on top of the covering, it creates other
problems for the wearer. In Larson, the covering is designed to
"loosely fit onto the foot" where it can be tightened by applying
heat to the covering. While this arrangement may work at home, it
is impossible to carry these coverings in a purse or briefcase and
apply it on the run. One rarely carries a heating element around
during the day to heat shrink foot coverings.
[0006] Plotkin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,491) discloses disposable,
collapsable overshoes that have a plurality of foldlines or score
lines on the overshoe to permit folding and collapsing the
overshoe. Plotkin refers to these foldlines as "areas of
weakening", and it is understood by those in the art that repeated
use of these overshoes will result in splits and tears at these
"areas of weakening", which will lead to leakage and expose to the
elements for the shoes.
[0007] March (U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,704) discloses a rolled
disposable shoe cover, wherein the cover is rolled over the shoe
and snapped into place. Again, while this design solves some of the
problems inherent in the other art, it is still a problematic
design. For example, in order to provide a material that can be
rolled up and unrolled, the material must be thin and pliable. This
design may be fine if the cover is designed to be disposable, as is
the case with the covers in March, but it is not an appropriate
design if the wearer wants to reuse the covers multiple times.
Second, the March design does not conform to the heels of a high
heel shoe, as shown in FIG. 13 of the March patent. These covers
are clearly designed to be uniformly applied to flat and heeled
shoes, without taking into consideration the shoe design. Finally,
the March design does not incorporate any method of tightening or
adjusting the shoe cover in order to accommodate different types of
shoes. Regardless of the fact that March utilizes polyurethane to
provide an elastic and stretchable material, once the material is
stretched beyond natural retraction, there is no method of
tightening the shoe cover--and thus, it must be discarded.
[0008] Therefore, it would be ideal to develop a footwear
protective covering that a) conforms to high heel shoes and boots
by not only conforming to the shoe portion, but also conforming
individually to the heel, b) is transparent, so that the shoe can
be seen through the protective covering, c) protects the upper part
of the foot and shoe from inclement weather, d) can be tightened to
fit the individual shoe or foot, so that one protective covering
can accommodate several types of heeled shoes and can survive after
stretching during wear, e) can be reused overtime in order to
reduce landfill materials, f) can be provided in different colors
and with different designs to enhance the footwear and or act as a
fashion accessory, and g) can be provided in at least partially
opaque or fully opaque materials in order to provide a versatile
design.
SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT MATTER
[0009] Footwear protectors and covers are disclosed that include a
body member, wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a
foot portion, and a heel portion, and at least one tightening
member coupled to the body member.
[0010] High heel footwear protectors are also disclosed that
include a body member, wherein the body member comprises an open
top end, a foot portion, and a heel portion, wherein the heel
portion conforms to the individual heel of the footwear.
[0011] High heel footwear protectors also comprise a body member,
wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a foot portion,
and a heel portion opening, wherein the heel portion opening allows
the heel of the footwear to fit through the opening.
[0012] In the high heel footwear protectors, these may include at
least one tightening member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contemplated footwear
protector utilized for boots.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a contemplated shoe
protector of FIG. 1 shown in use disposed over a boot.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back of a contemplated
footwear protector.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a contemplated shoe
protector utilized with a skinny or slim heel women's shoe.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shoe protector of FIG. 4
shown in use disposed over a skinny or slim heel women's shoe.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a contemplated shoe
protector utilized with a thick heel women's shoe.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the shoe protector of FIG. 6
shown in use disposed over a thick heel women's shoe.
[0020] FIG. 8 shows a contemplated protector and footwear.
[0021] FIG. 9 shows a contemplated protector and footwear.
[0022] FIG. 10 shows a contemplated protector and footwear.
[0023] FIG. 11 shows a contemplated protector and footwear where
the heel of the footwear is exposed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] Surprisingly, a footwear protective covering has been
developed that a) conforms to high heel shoes and boots by not only
conforming to the shoe portion, but also conforming individually to
the heel, b) is transparent, so that the shoe can be seen through
the protective covering, c) protects the upper part of the foot and
shoe from inclement weather, d) can be tightened to fit the
individual shoe or foot, so that one protective covering can
accommodate several types of heeled shoes and can survive after
stretching during wear, e) can be reused overtime in order to
reduce landfill materials, f) can be provided in different colors
and with different designs to enhance the footwear and or act as a
fashion accessory, and g) can be provided in at least partially
opaque or fully opaque materials in order to provide a versatile
design.
[0025] Contemplated footwear protectors may a shoe or boot
protector for each shoe or boot, which is designed to protect the
footwear from the snow, rain, sleet, hail and other outside
elements while walking outside and at the same permit the
aesthetics and design of the shoe to be seen or otherwise
visible.
[0026] Specifically, footwear protectors and covers are disclosed
that include a body member, wherein the body member comprises an
open top end, a foot portion, and a heel portion, and at least one
tightening member coupled to the body member. High heel footwear
protectors are also disclosed that include a body member, wherein
the body member comprises an open top end, a foot portion, and a
heel portion, wherein the heel portion conforms to the individual
heel of the footwear. High heel footwear protectors also comprise a
body member, wherein the body member comprises an open top end, a
foot portion, and a heel portion comprising an opening, wherein the
heel portion opening allows the heel of the footwear to fit through
the opening and be exposed. In the high heel footwear protectors,
these may include at least one tightening member.
[0027] In some embodiments, contemplated footwear protectors
comprise a leg portion that effectively extends the footwear
covering up the leg. This type of protective covering is
advantageous to protect boots and shoes with knee socks, such as
might be worn with mini skirts and school uniforms.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a contemplated embodiment of the protector,
generally designated as protector 10, preferably for use with a
boot, such as a women's boot. FIG. 2 illustrates protector 10
disposed over a women's boot 50.
[0029] In contemplated embodiments, protector 10 may comprise at
least one transparent material, at least one partially opaque
material, at least one opaque material, at least one patterned
material or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, protector
10 is constructed from a clear or transparent material, such as,
but not limited to plastics and polymer-based materials. In some
embodiments, the material of the protector is designed to be
transparent, so that the shoe or boot can be seen through the
material. However, in some contemplated embodiments, the protector
may comprise a color, such that it is transparent, but not clear.
For example, the protector 10 may be any suitable color, such as
pink, red, blue, purple, green, orange, yellow, gray, and any other
number of suitable colors. Contemplated protectors 10 may be
designed to be worn by marching bands and cheerleaders, so that
they protect their shoes and feet during outdoor games, while still
having the colors of the school. Additionally, aesthetic designs or
artwork (i.e. flowers, school logos, words/phrases, sports team
logos, etc.) can also be imprinted onto protector 10 to enhance its
appearance.
[0030] Contemplated protector materials should permit a certain
amount of stretching (without ripping), similar to a nylon
stocking, such that protector 10 preferably conforms to the shape
of women's boot 50, including heel 52. By conforming to boot 50,
the style, design and shape of boot 50 is not ruined or obstructed.
Other materials which allow protector 10 to be stretched and slid
over boot 50, without prematurely tearing or ripping, can be
used.
[0031] In some contemplated embodiments, protector 10 comprises a
material that will allow for at least one tightening member 18 to
be incorporated into the design, such as is shown in FIG. 3. So,
for example, in those embodiments where the at least one tightening
member includes a shoestring-type of product, the protector 10 must
comprise a material that can hold up as the tightening members are
tightened and loosened. In some embodiments, the holes in the
protector material may also include protective eyelets, loops or
lugs 20 that are designed in impart durability to the protective
covering.
[0032] In one contemplated embodiment, protector 10 comprises a
body member 11 having an open top end 12, foot portion 14, heel
portion 16, leg portion 17 and one or more tightening members 18.
Tightening members 18, when provided, can be used to customize the
shape and size of protector to boot 50 or any other piece of
footwear.
[0033] In use, protector 10 is designed to fit over a shoe or boot
50 similar to a glove on a hand and generally forms the shape of
boot 50. To secure protector 10 onto boot 50, the foot portion 54
and heel portion 52 of boot 50 are inserted within protector 10
through open end 12. Protector 10 is stretched enough to permit
heel portion (tall or short heel) 52 of boot 50 to be disposed or
positioned within heel portion 16 of protector 10 and foot portion
54 to be disposed or positioned within foot portion 14 of protector
10. The remaining leg portion of 56 of boot 50 is covered and
protected by leg portion 17 of protector 10.
[0034] Tightening members may be provided at certain strategic
locations on the protective footwear coverings, including at the
ball of the foot, at the top of the heel, above the ankle bone,
midway up the leg, along the back of the leg, foot and or/heel,
and/or at the open end 12 of the protector. In one embodiment, the
at least one tightening member can be a tie string or set of laces,
whereas in another embodiment tightening members 18 can be an
elastic member that is either physically attached to or coupled
with the protector 10, wherein the at least one tightening member
snugly grabs the portion of boot 50 or shoe to which it is adjacent
to. Thus, protector 10 is slid over boot 50 and preferably
tightened to fit exactly to boot 50.
[0035] As distinguished from the Grath patent in the background
section, tightening members are designed to tighten the protective
cover around the piece of footwear and/or leg and not just to close
the protective cover after inserting the shoe and foot. So, for
example, in Grath--the zipper is included in the design merely to
close the protective covering and not to tighten the protective
covering. As also pointed out in the background, the zipper closure
in Grath is also poorly placed, such that water can leak into the
protective covering, especially if it is raining hard or the wearer
is wading through high standing water. Additionally, in some
contemplated embodiments of the present protector, tightening
members are coupled with additional material or "tongues", which
may or may not be separate pieces of material from the protector
10, that provide extra protection in addition to the tightening
member. So, in embodiments where the tightening members comprise
laces that lace up the protector, there is a tongue of material
(shown in FIG. 3 as reference number 22) under the tightening
members that provides protection to the underlying foot or
footwear.
[0036] In use disposed over a shoe or boot 50, protector 10 is in
the shape of boot 50. In some embodiments, the actual shape of
protector 10 fits closely against boot 50, similar to a glove over
a hand. The visible tightening members 18 can be of a color and/or
design such that protector 10 adds to the aesthetics of boot 50, as
opposed to being a distraction.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows a second version of the protector, generally
designated as protector 110, preferably for use with a skinny or
thin heel shoe 150. FIG. 5 illustrates protector 110 disposed over
a women's skinny or thin high heel shoe 150. As described earlier,
contemplated materials should permit a certain amount of stretching
(without ripping), similar to a nylon stocking, such that protector
110 preferably conforms to the shape of shoe 150, including heel
152. By conforming to shoe 150, the style, design and shape of shoe
150 is not ruined or obstructed. Other materials which will allow
protector 110 to be stretched and slid over shoe 150, without
prematurely tearing or ripping, can be used.
[0038] In some contemplated embodiments, protector 110 comprises a
body member 111 having an open top end 112, foot portion 114, heel
portion 116, ankle/leg portion 117 and one or more tightening
members 118. Tightening members 118, when provided, can be used to
customize the shape and size of protector 110 to shoe 150 or any
other shoe it is used with, as discussed earlier with other
embodiments.
[0039] In use, protector 110 preferably fits over shoe 150 similar
to a glove on a hand and preferably generally forms the shape of
shoe 150. To secure protector 110 onto shoe 150, preferably foot
portion 154 and heel portion 152 of shoe 150 are inserted within
protector 110 through open end 112. Protector 110 is stretched
enough to permit heel portion 152 of shoe 150 to be disposed or
positioned within heel portion 116 of protector 110 and foot
portion 154 to be disposed or positioned within foot portion 114 of
protector 110. The remaining ankle/leg portion of 156 of shoe 150
is covered and protected by ankle/leg portion 117 of protector
110.
[0040] Tightening members may be provided at certain strategic
locations on the protective footwear coverings, including at the
ball of the foot, at the top of the heel, above the ankle bone,
midway up the leg (for boots and in embodiments where the wearer
wants to cover socks), along the back of the leg, foot and or/heel,
and/or at the open end 112 of the protector. In one embodiment, the
at least one tightening member can be a tie string or set of laces,
whereas in another embodiment tightening members 118 can be an
elastic member that is either physically attached to or coupled
with the protector 110, wherein the at least one tightening member
snugly grabs the portion of boot 150 or shoe to which it is
adjacent to. Thus, protector 110 is slid over boot 150 and
preferably tightened to fit exactly to boot 150.
[0041] FIG. 6 shows another contemplated embodiment of a protector,
generally designated as protector 210, preferably for use with a
thick heel shoe 250. FIG. 7 illustrates protector 210 disposed over
a women's thick high heel shoe 250. As mentioned, the material
should permit a certain amount of stretching (without ripping),
similar to a nylon stocking, such that protector 210 preferably
conforms to the shape of shoe 250, including heel 252. By
conforming to shoe 250, the style, design and shape of shoe 250 is
not ruined or obstructed.
[0042] Protector 210 preferably comprises a body member 211 having
an open top end 212, foot portion 214, heel portion 216, ankle/leg
portion 217 and one or more tightening members 218. Tightening
members 218, when provided, can be used to customize the shape and
size of protector 210 to shoe 250 or any other shoe it is used
with.
[0043] In use, protector 210 preferably fits over shoe 250 similar
to a glove on a hand and preferably generally forms the shape of
shoe 250. To secure protector 210 onto shoe 250, preferably foot
portion 254 and heel portion 252 of shoe 250 are inserted within
protector 210 through open end 212. Protector 210 is stretched
enough to permit heel portion 252 of shoe 250 to be disposed or
positioned within heel portion 216 of protector 210 and foot
portion 254 to be disposed or positioned within foot portion 214 of
protector 210. The remaining ankle/leg portion of 256 of shoe 250
is covered and protected by the ankle/leg portion 217 of protector
210.
[0044] In use disposed over shoe 250, protector 210 is basically in
the shape of shoe 250. The actual shape of protector 210 preferably
fits closely against shoe 250, similar to a glove over a hand. The
visible tightening members 218 can be of a color and/or design such
that protector 210 adds to the aesthetics of shoe 250, as opposed
to being a distraction.
[0045] FIGS. 8-11 show various contemplated embodiments of
protective footwear coverings in use with shoes and boots that are
contemplated. In FIG. 8, a protector 810 is utilized over an
open-toe shoe 850 having an ankle strap 854, wherein a plurality of
tightening members 818 are located on the back of the protector
810. In FIG. 9, a protector 910 is utilized over an open-toe shoe
950 having an embellishment 953, wherein a plurality of tightening
members 918 are located on the back of the protector 910. In FIG.
10, a protector 1010 is utilized over a closed toe shoe 1050,
wherein a plurality of tightening members 1018 are located on the
back of the protector 10107 according to one contemplated
embodiment. In FIG. 11, a protector 1110 is utilized over a closed
toe shoe 1150, wherein a plurality of tightening members 1118 are
located on the back of the protector 1110, according to one
contemplated embodiment. In this figure, an opening 1119 in
protector 1110 is shown, wherein the heel 1152 of the shoe 1150
fits through the opening 1119 and is exposed.
[0046] Given the potential for slippery conditions when the
protector will be used, in contemplated embodiments, the bottom
area of the protector can be provided with an anti-slip, anti-skid,
nonskid, nonslip and/or oil resistant component or material (all
collectively referred to as "anti-slip"). The anti-slip member will
not detract from the design of the protector or the shoe or boot,
since it will be located on the bottom of the protector (when the
protector is secured to the shoe or boot) and thus out of sight for
the most part.
[0047] It should also be recognized that in, an alternative
embodiment for all of the above versions (10, 110 and 210), the
heel portion (16, 116 and 216) can be eliminated or removed such
that the heel is not covered. A small aperture or slit may be
provided to permit passage of the heel through body member (11, 111
or 211) of the protector (10, 110 or 210). The tightening members
(18, 118 or 218) are still preferably provided in these
embodiments, at the top of the heel and/or below the start of the
shoe at the heel. Additionally, all other components or features
(i.e. materials, anti-skid, designs, etc.) described above for
protector (10, 110 or 210) can be included in this alternative
embodiment.
[0048] Thus, in use, the protector covers the shoe or boot to
protect it from the elements, while at the same permits the shoe or
boot to be visible (in some embodiments). It should be recognized
that contemplated footwear protectors can also be shaped for use
with men's and children's shoes. It should be also appreciated that
contemplated footwear protectors may be utilized for open-toe
shoes, wedge shoes, platform shoes, sandals and shoes that having
open areas on different parts of the shoes, tennis shoes and other
types of athletic shoes. Contemplated protectors are able to
protect and cover toe shapes and heel shapes of all sizes,
including pointed, rounded, square, wedge and platform. Where the
footwear comprises ankle straps, t-straps and embellishments,
contemplated protectors are designed to cover all of these features
and details comfortably without tearing. In contemplated
embodiments, protectors disclosed herein are designed to stretch to
fit different shapes of shoes and boots, heels and toes.
[0049] Contemplated protectors may be manufactured by any suitable
methods, including molding protectors into a one-piece protector or
fusing portions of the protector together, in order to meet the
specific needs of a particular type of shoe. It should be
understood, however, that the method of manufacturing is ideally
optimized to produce a protector that is durable, reusable and
substantially able to control leaks into the internal cavity of the
protector.
[0050] The protector can be provided in a unique packaging. In one
embodiment, the packaging can be in the shape of a purse. The
handle can be cut-out so that, not only will it look like a purse,
but it will be able to be displayed at retailers very easily by
sliding the handle onto a rack. The box can also be fairly thin,
similar to a typical panty-hose box, and thus can be displayed by
stacking the packages of protectors up against each other, again
similar to how panty-hose packaging is commonly displayed Though
not limited to any particular colors, in one embodiment the
packaging can be pink and black, with the base pink and the accents
black or vice versa. The use of a "purse" style packaging can help
to reinforce the idea that the protectors can easily be stored in
one's purse without any hassle.
[0051] Prior to use, contemplated protectors can be shaped flat and
fit comfortably into a purse or pocket. After use, contemplated
protectors may be placed into a separate package or complimentary
bag that allows the dirty protector to be placed in a bag or purse
without damage to other items in the purse or bag.
[0052] Contemplated protectors can be designed such that it can be
rinsed with water to be cleaned and then re-used again. It is
anticipated that twenty to twenty five uses of contemplated
protectors may be obtained before replacement would be necessary,
though such is not considered limiting. In another embodiment,
contemplated protectors can be designed such that it is replaced
after each use or a few uses, and preferably a package of folded
and/or flattened contemplated protectors would be carried by the
user. In some contemplated embodiments, footwear protectors are
considered ideal, because they are not disposed after each use and
therefore will reduce landfill waste and reduce the costs to the
wearer.
[0053] Thus, specific embodiments and methods of production for
protective footwear coverings have been disclosed. It should be
apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more
modifications besides those already described are possible without
departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject
matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of
the disclosure herein. Moreover, in interpreting the specification
and claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest
possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the
terms "comprises" and "comprising" should be interpreted as
referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive
manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or
steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements,
components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.
* * * * *