U.S. patent application number 12/497674 was filed with the patent office on 2009-11-05 for roll-up shoe.
Invention is credited to Andrea Padilla Weisner, Seth Henry Weisner.
Application Number | 20090272009 12/497674 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41256160 |
Filed Date | 2009-11-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090272009 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weisner; Andrea Padilla ; et
al. |
November 5, 2009 |
Roll-Up Shoe
Abstract
A flexible shoe that can be rolled up for easy carrying is
disclosed. The preferred embodiment of this invention are dancing
shoes and can, optionally, be made to resemble an expensive, formal
shoe a woman might wear to a wedding or other event in which she
might dance, but the invention is also applicable to men's dress
shoes, and shoes worn by men, women and children in any activity in
which the wearer of standard shoes could develop sore feet. In a
preferred embodiment, fabric extends around the entire
circumference of the sole to create a ballerina type-shoe with
zigzag stitching around the opening to allow for expansions and
contraction.
Inventors: |
Weisner; Andrea Padilla;
(Encinitas, CA) ; Weisner; Seth Henry; (Encinitas,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ERIC HANSCOM
7395 PORTAGE WAY
CARLSBAD
CA
92011
US
|
Family ID: |
41256160 |
Appl. No.: |
12/497674 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11429596 |
May 8, 2006 |
|
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12497674 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/12 20130101; A43B
13/203 20130101; A43B 3/248 20130101; A43B 3/101 20130101; A43B
3/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/102 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/00 20060101
A43B003/00 |
Claims
1. A roll-up shoe comprising a sole, a sidewall, and elastic band,
where the sole has a circumference, where the sole is flexible,
where the sidewall is secured to the sole, where the sidewall is
secured around the entire circumference of the sole, where the
sidewall forms an opening with a circumference, where there is an
elastic band secured to the sidewall around the circumference of
the opening, where the elastic band is secured to the sidewall
using zigzag stitching, whereby a user can place a foot though the
opening and within the sidewalls to wear the roll-up shoe, and
whereby the roll-up shoe can be rolled up when not in use.
2. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, further comprising a retention
strap, where the retention strap can surround and maintain the
roll-up shoe in a rolled-up configuration.
3. The roll-up shoe of claim 2, wherein the retention strap is sewn
to the heel of the roll-up shoe.
4. The roll up shoe of claim 1, further comprising an
accessory.
5. The roll-up shoe of claim 4, wherein the accessory comprises a
ribbon and a jewel.
6. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, wherein the sidewall consists of a
single piece of fabric.
7. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, wherein the sidewall comprises a
heel seem, where the heel seem connects two ends of the sidewall
together.
8. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, wherein the zigzag stitching is
done in 5 mm.times.5 mm increments.
9. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises 65%
PVC.
10. The roll-up shoe of claim 9, wherein the sole further comprises
25% resin.
11. The roll-up shoe of claim 9, wherein the sole further comprises
7% polyester.
12. The roll-up shoe of claim 9, wherein the sole further comprises
3% blending agent.
13. The roll-up shoe of claim 1, wherein the sole is sewn to a
cotton lining.
14. A roll-up shoe comprising a sole, a sidewall, elastic band, and
a retention strap, where the sole has a circumference, where the
sole is flexible, where the sidewall is secured to the sole, where
the sidewall is secured to the entire circumference of the sole,
where the sidewall forms an opening with a circumference, where
there is an elastic band secured to the sidewall around the
circumference of the opening, where the elastic band is secured to
the sidewall using zigzag stitching, where the retention strap can
surround and maintain the roll-up shoe in a rolled-up
configuration, whereby a user can place a foot though the opening
and within the sidewalls to wear the roll-up shoe, and whereby the
roll-up shoe can be rolled up when not in use.
15. The roll-up shoe of claim 14, wherein the retention strap is
sewn to the heel of the roll-up shoe.
16. The roll-up shoe of claim 14, wherein the sidewall consists of
a single piece of fabric.
17. The roll-up shoe of claim 14, wherein the sole comprises 65%
PVC and 25% resin.
18. The roll-up shoe of claim 17, wherein the sole further
comprises 7% polyester.
19. A roll-up shoe comprising a sole, a sidewall, elastic band, and
a retention strap, where the sole has a circumference, where the
sole is flexible, where the sidewall is secured to the sole, where
the sidewall is secured to the entire circumference of the sole,
wherein the sole comprises 65% PVC, 25% resin, and 7% polyester,
where the sidewall forms an opening with a circumference, where
there is an elastic band secured to the sidewall around the
circumference of the opening, where the elastic band is secured to
the sidewall using zigzag stitching, where the retention strap can
surround and maintain the roll-up shoe in a rolled-up
configuration, where the retention strap is sewn to the heel of the
roll-up shoe. whereby a user can place a foot though the opening
and within the sidewalls to wear the roll-up shoe, and whereby the
roll-up shoe can be rolled up when not in use.
20. The roll-up shoe of claim 19, wherein the sidewall consists of
a single piece of fabric.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/429,596 filed on May 8, 2006, the entirety
of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] This invention was not federally sponsored.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention generally relates to the field of footwear.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible shoe
that can be rolled up or otherwise compressed for easy carrying.
The preferred embodiment of this invention are dancing shoes and
can, optionally, be made to resemble an expensive, formal shoe a
woman might wear to a wedding or other event in which she might
dance, but the invention is also applicable to men's dress shoes,
and shoes worn by men, women and children in any activity in which
the wearer of standard shoes could develop sore feet. While a
particularly preferred embodiment of this invention used as an
example of the invention throughout this patent is a women's high
heeled shoe, as these are especially uncomfortable and potentially
dangerous for dancing, the invention is intended to provide an
aesthetically acceptable alternative to uncomfortable shoes in any
place of work, living, or entertainment where flexible, comfortable
shoes would be desirable. In a preferred embodiment, fabric extends
around the entire circumference of the sole to create a ballerina
type-shoe with zigzag stitching around the opening to allow for
expansions and contraction.
[0004] Dancing is a popular activity at many celebrations,
including birthdays, charity events, school functions, formal
parties, nightclubs, and weddings. For women in particular,
dressing up for such events typically includes wearing fancy and
expensive shoes with heels ranging anywhere from one to four
inches. While these shoes are very fashionable, high-heeled shoes
can be very uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time and
are not well suited for activities requiring fast-paced movement of
the feet, such as dancing. Generally, when a woman wearing
high-heeled shoes desires to dance at an event, she must either
attempt to dance in the shoes, which can be very uncomfortable and
increase risk of foot and ankle injury, or go barefoot or in her
stockings, neither of which is usually a pleasant or socially
desirable option. Since dance floor surfaces are frequently scuffed
and dirty, sometimes even with glass and other debris, or wet from
drinks being spilled or in the case of an outside setting, recently
watered grass, the removal of one's high heels to dance often leads
to dirty feet or dirty and torn stockings.
[0005] Some women try to avoid the problem of dancing in high heels
by bringing other shoes, such as tennis shoes or slippers, to dance
in. While tennis shoes adequately solve the comfort problem, they
rarely match the woman's dress/outfit as well as the high-heeled
shoes she wore into the event. Further, slippers often have similar
fashion issues, while not providing the comfort and cushioning like
tennis shoes. Also, bringing other shoes presents the additional
problem of having to cart around an extra pair of bulky shoes to an
event, which can be very inconvenient, especially if a person must
leave the event to retrieve the shoes from a hotel room or car.
Because the additional shoes are bulky and cannot be easily stored
in a small bag or purse, if they are not placed in a readily
observable location, they can be left at the event, causing added
inconvenience and possibly a loss of the shoes themselves. It is
also undesirable in some settings for a woman to remove her
expensive, prestigious dress shoes and dance either barefoot, in
tennis shoes, or in stockings.
[0006] Previous inventions have attempted to create dance shoes
that are comfortable for the wearer. However, the majority of these
inventions have not offered the capabilities of being stored in a
small bag or purse. The few shoes that are flexible enough to fold
up for storage in a small bag or purse, however, do not offer the
ability to secure the shoe in the folded position. This creates a
problem of the shoes unraveling or unfolding within the bag or
purse, which creates more inconvenience, takes up valuable purse
space, and may result in damage to the shoes.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,696 to Guinzburg teaches a bathing
sandal with a flexible sole. It has both a toe restraining portion
and a heel restraining portion.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 2,252,315 to Doree discloses slippers that
have a front and rear sole portion with a flexible shank, which
connects the two sole portions, that allows the slippers to be
folded in half.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,099 to Davis teaches an expandable
outsole with front and rear semi-rigid sole portions. These sole
portions are connected together with an elastic shank. One
embodiment includes a unitary upper portion, but is not connected
to a single sole.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,290 to Mills discloses a step-in shoe
cover with a sole, heal and toe portion. The portions are partially
elastically connected and partially directly connected. The
configuration of the elements prevents the entire step-in shoe
cover from rolling up and being secured in such a position.
[0011] These references, however, fail to teach a shoe capable of
being rolled up and secured in such a position for easy and quick
storage. They do not disclose a portion of fabric that extends
around the entire circumference of the shoe. No zigzag stitching
around the fabric opening is taught to allow for the expansion and
contraction of the opening to the shoe during donning and
removal.
[0012] Therefore, there is a present need for a comfortable shoe
that can be worn during various activities, such as dancing, that
can be easily and securely rolled-up and stored within a purse or
small bag when not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The current invention provides just such a solution by
having a flexible shoe that can be rolled up or otherwise
compressed for easy carrying. The preferred embodiment of this
invention are dancing shoes and can, optionally, be made to
resemble an expensive, formal shoe a woman might wear to a wedding
or other event in which she might dance, but the invention is also
applicable to men's dress shoes, and shoes worn by men, women and
children in any activity in which the wearer of standard shoes
could develop sore feet. While a particularly preferred embodiment
of this invention used as an example of the invention throughout
this patent is a women's high heeled shoe, as these are especially
uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for dancing, the invention
is intended to provide an aesthetically acceptable alternative to
uncomfortable shoes in any place of work, living, or entertainment
where flexible, comfortable shoes would be desirable. In a
preferred embodiment, fabric extends around the entire
circumference of the sole to create a ballerina type-shoe with
zigzag stitching around the opening to allow for expansions and
contraction.
[0014] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
shoe that can be comfortably worn for various activities, such as
dancing.
[0015] It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoe
that can be comfortably worn for various activities, such as
dancing, that can be easily rolled-up or otherwise compressed and
stored within a small bag or purse.
[0016] Another object of this invention to provide a shoe that can
be comfortably worn for various activities, such as dancing, that
can be secured by an accessory strap attached to the shoe but not
serving a functional role by attaching the shoe to the foot of the
wearer, and allowing a user to roll-up the shoe and store it within
a small bag or purse.
[0017] It is still a further object of this invention to provide a
shoe that can be comfortably worn for various activities, such as
dancing, that can be economically and efficiently manufactured.
[0018] It is a further object of this invention to provide a
fashionable shoe that can be comfortably worn with various formal
wear during various activities, such as dancing, that can be
secured, rolled-up and stored within a small bag or purse.
[0019] Further objects of the invention include providing a shoe
which "mimics" a fashionable, expensive and classy woman's shoe
such that a woman can enter an event that has dancing, discretely
slip off her high heels (or other uncomfortable shoes) and put on
the roll-up version which mimics the look of the high heels and go
dancing with the hope that no one will notice that she has taken
off her high heels. It is envisioned that this same approach can be
used with men's shoes as well.
[0020] A further object of the invention is to provide a roll-up
shoe which has flexible wires, strips, or springs embedded in the
sole portion or attached to the top or bottom portion of the sole
such that the shoe automatically unrolls and springs into its
uncompressed shape upon a user releasing the heel strap or other
means by which the rolled-up shape is maintained.
[0021] It is still yet a further object of this invention to
provide a new and unique shoe to the field of footwear that can be
worn for various activities and for various purposes such as
exercise classes (i.e. yoga, pilates), hospital shoes for medical
staff and patients alike, and weight loss clinics.
[0022] A final object of the invention is to provide a roll-up shoe
that can be used multiple times and washed if the user so
desires.
[0023] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more
important features of the invention in order that the detailed
description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the
present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There
are additional features of the invention that will be described
hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims
appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features,
aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better
understood with reference to the following description and appended
claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the
invention and together with the description, serve to explain the
principals of this invention.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of roll-up shoes
according to the current invention partially within a zippered
purse.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a front side perspective view of a roll-up shoe
according to the current invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a front view of the roll-up shoe.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a back view of the roll-up shoe.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a left side view of the roll-up shoe.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a right side view of the roll-up shoe.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a top view of the roll-up shoe.
[0032] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the roll-up shoe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with
the references made to the drawings below. The components in the
drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is
placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present
invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate
corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings.
[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of roll-up shoes
according to the current invention partially within a zippered
purse. Two roll-up shoes 10 are secured in a rolled up position
together using a retention strap 20. The retention strap 20 is also
secured to the heel of one of the roll up shoes 10. The two roll-up
shoes 10 are shown partially within a zippered purse 90. It is
contemplated by the inventor that the pair of roll-up shoes can fit
within the purse 90 such that the purse can be zippered shut.
[0035] Turning to FIG. 2, this figure shows a front side
perspective view of a roll-up shoe according to the current
invention. The shoe 10 includes a sole 40. Around the entire
circumference of the sole 40 is a sidewall 30. The sidewall 30 is
preferably comprised of a one continuous piece of fabric 31. This
creates the appearance of a ballerina-style shoe that can be worn
during semi-formal and formal occasions. The sidewall 30 is
preferably secured to the sole 40 by means of stitching; however,
other means of securing the sidewall 30 to the sole 40 are
possible, including glue and tape.
[0036] An opening 36 is formed by the sidewall 30 that allows a
user to insert a foot into the shoe. Zigzag stitching 32 is on the
sidewall 30 around the circumference of the opening 36. The zigzag
stitching 32 connects an elastic band 33 to the sidewall 30 and
allows the opening 36 to expand and contract.
[0037] A retention strap 20 is secured to the heel of the shoe 10.
The retention strap 20 preferably comprises an elastic material
that allows it to wrap around the entire shoe 10 when the shoe is
rolled up.
[0038] An accessory 50 can be included with the shoe, preferably
attached to the front of the shoe 10 on the sidewall 30. The
accessory 50, in a preferred embodiment, includes a ribbon portion
51 and a jewel portion 52. Various means of attachment can be used
to secure the accessory 50 to the sidewall 30, including stitching,
gluing, and taping. Other accessories are contemplated with the
invention, including bows, stickers, and metals. These accessories,
however, should be of such a shape and size to continue to allow
the shoe to be rolled up and secured with the retention strap
20.
[0039] FIG. 4 shows a back view of the roll-up shoe. The sidewall
30 includes a heel seem 34, where the sidewall 30 is stitched to
itself. Heel seam stitching 35 is used to secure the ends of the
sidewall 30 together, and can optionally be used to secure the
retention strap 20 (not shown in FIG. 4) to the inside of the
sidewall at the heel of the shoe 10.
[0040] FIGS. 3 and 5 through 8 show additional views of the roll-up
shoe as described herein.
[0041] One of the unique features of the current invention is the
zigzag stitching around the circumference of the opening that
secures an elastic band to the sidewall. Zigzag stitching, also
known as double needle stitching, is a relatively expensive
compared to other types of stitching and is not commonly thought
of, if at all, in these applications. Most other manufacturers of
slippers and shoes, if not all, use the single needle stitch.
However, the zigzag stitching allows the sidewall around the
opening of the shoe to maintain a nice stretch that accommodates
the wearer's foot in a more comfortable manner. In a preferred
embodiment, the zigzag stitching to secure the elastic band to the
sidewall is in 5 mm.times.5 mm increments.
[0042] In fact, by using zigzag stitching, the opening of the shoe
is allowed to stretch more than 100%, compared to stretching of
around 50% when using single needle stitching. Additionally, zigzag
stitching has the added benefit of allowing the sidewall to consist
of a single layer, instead of two or more. Thus, while the
stitching itself may be more expensive, the overall increase in
cost to produce the invention using zigzag stitching is offset by
the reduced costs in fabric or other materials used to make the
sidewall. A further unexpected benefit of using zigzag stitching is
that one shoe can be used for each two shoe sizes. For example, a
size 6 roll-up shoe will fit users with size 6 or size 7 feet. This
means a single pair of roll-up shoes according to the current
invention can be sold to and used by twice as many users as
compared to prior art shoes.
[0043] Another unique feature of the current invention is the sole.
The sole, while providing support to the user, is extremely
flexible. It can be folded in half, thirds, or preferably rolled.
The roll-up shoes can even be rolled in both directions, with the
soles facing outward or inward after being rolled. To achieve such
a result, the inventors have found that using a one-quarter inch
thick sole made from 65% PVC (polyvinyl chloride), 25% resin, 7%
polyester, and 3% blending agent, all measured by weight. This
preferred composition results in a durable yet highly flexible sole
the enables the features of the current invention.
[0044] The sole can be secured to the sidewall in various manners.
Preferably, the sole is hand sewn to a cotton lining. This cotton
lining is then sewn to the sidewall thereby creating the ballerina
style roll-up shoe.
[0045] The sidewall should comprise a stretchable fabric. Since the
zigzag stitching allows for a single layer for the sidewall, the
material used for the sidewall should be durable yet stretchable.
The sidewall should fit loosely around a user's foot when the shoe
is worn. As shown in the drawings, additional fabric should be
included, especially around the opening, for comfort as well as for
enabling the user to easily don and remove the roll-up shoe.
Stretch in the sidewall not only enables a user to quickly and
easily put on and take off the roll-up shoe, but also provides
added comfort during use. A preferred composition of the sidewall
is 95% nylon and 5% spandex.
[0046] The roll-up shoe can optionally include several flexible
wires positioned within sole portion. The flexible wires are
preferably comprised of plastic, metal, composite, springs, or a
combination thereof. However, the flexible wires can be comprised
of other flexible and durable materials as would be recognized by
one with ordinary skill in the art. The wires are preferably
positioned to run along the length of sole to facilitate the
unrolling of the sole when the shoe is unrestrained by the
retention strap. The wires can be stitched, glued, formed within,
or otherwise attached within sole. The wires (or in alternative
iterations, the flexible strips or springs) serve to not only open
up the shoe quickly and efficiently upon the release of the strap,
but also to maintain a certain amount of rigidity in the shoe.
These wires are important to an embodiment of the roll-up shoe
where structural rigidity similar to that found in regular shoes is
desired.
[0047] The roll-up shoes preferably fit within an associated purse.
While various sizes are possible, it has been found that a purse
that is 5.25 inches long and 4.5 inches wide includes sufficient
space to hold a pair of the roll-up shoes as described in the
current invention. For consistency, it is preferable to have the
material of the purse to be the same or similar as that of the
sidewall of the roll-up shoes.
[0048] It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments
of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present
disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and
changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject
matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a
reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my
invention.
[0049] All of the material in this patent document is subject to
copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States
and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the
facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the
patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records
but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are
reserved.
* * * * *