SHOE ACCESSORY

Abstract

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.

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.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] 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:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe accessory installed on a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a top view of the shoe accessory installed on a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of the shoe accessory base installed on a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 4 is the shoe accessory base according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 5A is a top side of an accessory attachment member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 5B is the bottom side of the accessory attachment member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a method of installing the present invention on a show according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] 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.

[0017] FIGS. 1-3 are various views of a shoe accessory 100 installed on a shoe 104 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the shoe accessory 100 is illustrated. In some embodiments, the shoe accessory 100 comprises the shoe accessory base 108 and an accessory attachment 106. In some embodiments, the shoe accessory base is configured to attach to the shoelace 102 of the shoe 104. There are several advantages to this method of attachment, which will be discussed in greater detail below.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a shoe accessory base 108 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 4, a plurality of openings 110 are provided on the top surface 112 of the shoe accessory base 108. In one embodiment, two openings are provided. In other embodiments, four openings are provided. However, any number of openings may be provided, although two are necessary, and four openings provide adequate support for the shoe accessory base 108. In some embodiments, the openings are arranged symmetrically in rows and columns. In the preferred embodiment, with four openings there are two columns and two rows. The two columns are spaced to correspond with the width of most shoe eyelets, ideally narrower in width than the distance between the two columns of eyelets provided on the shoe, such that the shoelace 102 may be threaded through the openings without having to change directions during threading.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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. FIG. 5A is a top side 116 of the accessory attachment 106 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 5A, the top side 116 includes one or more designs as previously discussed. The material of the accessory attachment may be the same or different than the shoe accessory base 108, including but not limited to fabric, plastic, leather, canvas, rubber, foam, or textiles.

[0025] FIG. 5B is the bottom side 118 of the accessory attachment 106 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 5B, the bottom side 118 of the accessory attachment 106 includes an attachment means to the temporally bind, attach, or connect the top surface 112 of the shoe accessory base 108. In the preferred embodiment, the attachment means is a hook-and-loop fastener, such as Velcro®. In alternative embodiments, the attachment means may be magnetic, snaps, zippers, buttons, laces, buckles, hook-and-eye closures or similar.

[0026] 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 FIG. 6, first in step 201, the shoelace of the shoe is de-laced from the eyelets. In one embodiment, the shoelace is de-laced from the shoe at a minimum of two eyelets in length (four total eyelets form the shoe, two on each side of the shoe). In alternative embodiments, the shoelace is de-laced from the shoe at greater than two eyelets less than the total number of eyelets from the shoe. This provides the distinct advantage of a quick installation of the invention, without the need to remove the shoelace from the shoe. Individual preference may dictate how many eyelets are de-laced, corresponding to the position of the invention on the shoe, i.e. how high or low on the shoe the present invention is installed.

[0027] Next, in step 202, the de-laced portion of the shoelace is threaded in the shoe accessory base (as seen in FIG. 3) and back through the original eyelets on the shoe, i.e. the shoe is laced as normal with the threading of the lace into the shoe accessory base. Although, a straight lacing technique is illustrated in FIG. 3, a criss-cross lacing technique may be used as well known in the art. Finally, in step 203, a selected accessory attachment of a plurality of designs is removable attached to the shoe accessory base.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.