Inflatable Footwear Stretcher

Abstract

An apparatus for stretching footwear, wherein an inflatable bladder is inserted into the footwear at a desired location as determined by the user. The various embodiments of the apparatus allow for various areas of the footwear, including the instep, the vamp, the calf area or shaft, and other areas of the footwear to be uniformly expanded without causing damage to the footwear. In one embodiment, a bladder having a rounded peak is inserted into the toe-box of the footwear and inflated to a desired pressure. Alternatively, other embodiments may be inserted into the calf section of a footwear such as a boot to expand the material around the leg and calf of a user. An air valve allows for users to inflate the apparatus while said apparatus is inside of the footwear.

Claims

1. An inflatable footwear stretching apparatus comprising a shoe stretching apparatus comprising: a bladder comprising: an exterior surface; an upper portion; a lower portion; an at least one air valve; and an interior volume comprising an at least one chamber; the upper portion making up an upwardly facing hemisphere of the bladder; the lower portion, adjacent to the upper portion, making up a downwardly facing hemisphere of the bladder; the exterior surface the area of the bladder facing outwardly; the interior volume comprising the at least one chamber is housed within the bladder accessible by way of the at least one air valve.

2. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion comprises: a front panel comprising: a front convexity; and a rear panel comprising: a rear convexity; the front panel facing forwardly; the rear panel, opposing the front panel, facing rearwardly; the front convexity having a curved surface, tapering towards a top most point; the rear convexity having a curved surface, tapering towards a top-most point wherein the top most point forms a rounded peak when examined from a side profile view.

3. The shoe stretcher apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion further comprises: a top round as observed from a front view; a left round as observed from a front view; a right round as observed from a front view; a top round as observed from a side profile; a left round as observed from above; and a right round as observed from above; the top round as observed from a front view, is located at a top-most point of the bladder, forming a rounded peak; the top round as observed from a side profile is located at the same position as the top round as observed from a front view, the top most point of the bladder, having a radius less than that of the top round as observed from a front view, forming a rounded area wherein the diameter of the top round as observed from a side profile comprising the minor axis and the top round as observed from a front view comprising the major axis; the right round as observed from a front view is located at a vertex which is located at the right most point of the upper portion; the left round as observed from a front view is positioned diametrically opposed to the right round as observed from a front view, wherein the left round as observed from a front view is located at a vertex which is located at the left-most point of the upper portion; the left round as observed from above is located at the same location as the left round as observed from a front view, the left-most vertex of the bladder, wherein the conjunction of the front panel and the rear panel each form a radial component of the left round as observed from above; the right round as observed from above is located at the same location as the right round as observed from a front view, diametrically opposed to the left-most vertex of the bladder, wherein the conjunction of the front panel and the rear panel each form a radial component of the right round as observed from above.

4. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bladder further comprises a longitudinal seam spanning the circumference of the bladder, at the junction of the upper portion and lower portion.

5. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower portion comprises a convex bottom comprising: a first radius; and a second radius; the first radius aligned along the major axis of the ellipse; the second radius aligned along the minor axis of the ellipse.

6. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one air valve comprises an air valve passage.

7. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bladder comprises a longitudinal seam about the circumference of the bladder wherein said longitudinal seam separates the front panel from the rear panel.

8. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the exterior surface comprises a protruded shape.

9. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the exterior surface comprises markings selected from the group consisting of: lettered text, numeric text, pictorial graphics, or a combination thereof.

10. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one air valve comprises a protrusion comprising: a recessed seat; an outer radius; a bottom face; the air valve passage; an inner radius; an inner wall; and an outer wall; the outer wall of the protrusion having an outer radius; the inner wall of the protrusion having an inner radius; the bottom face is the bottom-most surface of the protrusion wherein said surface is O-shaped; the recessed seat located within a recess, wherein said recess is extruded into the protrusion, engaging a needle of a pump when being filled with a fluid; the air valve passage is a hole through the recessed seat into the interior volume of the bladder, receiving the needle of a pump when being filled with a fluid.

11. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protruded shape comprises a plurality of line segments and a plurality of rounded corners comprising a radius.

12. An inflatable footwear stretching apparatus comprising a boot stretching apparatus comprising: a bladder comprising: an exterior surface; an upper portion; a lower portion; an at least one air valve; and an interior volume comprising an at least one chamber; the upper portion making up an upwardly facing hemisphere of the bladder; the lower portion, adjacent to the upper portion, making up a downwardly facing hemisphere of the bladder; the exterior surface the area of the bladder facing outwardly; the interior volume comprising the at least one chamber is housed within the bladder accessible by way of the at least one air valve.

13. The boot stretcher apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upper portion comprises an elliptical dome.

14. The boot stretcher apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bladder further comprises a longitudinal seam about the circumference of the exterior surface.

15. The boot stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the lower portion of the bladder comprises a flat bottom and a rounded bevel, said rounded bevel comprising a radius.

16. The boot stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the exterior surface comprises a protruded shape.

17. The boot stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one air valve comprises: an air valve passage where said air valve passage is a hole allowing a means for a fluid to enter into the interior volume of the bladder through the needle of a pump.

18. The shoe stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the exterior surface comprises markings selected from the group consisting of: lettered text, numeric text, pictorial graphics, or a combination thereof.

19. An inflatable footwear stretching apparatus comprising a boot stretching apparatus comprising: a bladder comprising an exterior surface and an interior volume comprising at least one chamber.

20. The boot stretching apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the bladder comprises an at least one air valve comprising an air valve passage wherein the air valve passage is a hole through the exterior surface of the bladder into the interior volume of the bladder, receiving the needle of a pump when being filled with a fluid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the shoe stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a profile view of the shoe stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 4 is an elevated top view of the shoe stretching embodiment the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the shoe stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a magnified detailed view of an air valve of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the boot stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a front view of a boot stretching embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the boot stretching embodiment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0016] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0017] As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being preferred is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

[0019] Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used hereinas understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such termdiffers in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

[0020] Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, a and an each generally denotes at least one, but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, or denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, and denotes all of the items of the list.

[0021] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

[0022] Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.

[0023] Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms horizontal, vertical, left, right, up, down and the like, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., horizontally, rightwardly, upwardly, radially, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms inwardly, outwardly and radially generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.

[0024] The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in the context of an inflatable footwear stretching apparatus, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.

[0025] The present invention comprises an inflatable footwear stretcher, comprising a shoe stretching embodiment 1 and a boot stretching embodiment 2. The shoe stretching embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a bladder 10. The bladder 10 of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention comprises an exterior surface 11, an interior volume 13, an upper portion 111, and a lower portion 126. The exterior surface 11 of the present invention is the area of the bladder 10 that is outwardly facing. In one embodiment, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is adjacent to the lower portion 126. In the aforementioned embodiment of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is located above the lower portion 126, when the present invention is in an upright position. In the preferred embodiment of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is inserted into a toe-box of a footwear, leaving the lower portion 126 of the footwear accessible by a user through an opening in the footwear. In some embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the bladder 10 may also comprise a latitudinal seam 125, wherein said latitudinal seam 125 extends horizontally around the outer surface of the bladder 10 separating the upper portion 111 from the lower portion 126.

[0026] The upper portion 111 of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention comprises a front panel 112 and a rear panel 119, as shown in FIG. 1. The front panel 112, is adjacent to the rear panel 119, wherein the conjunction of said front panel 112 and said rear panel 119, are joined at a longitudinal seam 118. In the preferred embodiment of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the front panel 112 comprises a front convexity 113 and the rear panel 119 comprises a rear convexity 120. In the aforementioned embodiment, both of the convexities protrude outwardly, the front convexity 113 protruding forwardly, whereas the rear convexity 120 protrudes rearwardly.

[0027] As seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention has a shape comprising a rounded peak. The upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 comprises a top round as observed from a front view 121, a left round as observed from a front view 122, and a right round as observed from a front view 123. In some embodiments, the top round as observed from a front view 121 is located at a top-most portion near the vertex of the upper portion 111. The left round as observed from a front view 122 is located at a left most protruding point on the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention. The right round as observed from a front view 123 is located opposite that of the left round as observed from a front view 122.

[0028] In some embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 further comprises a protruded shape 114, as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the protruded shape 114 comprises a plurality of protruded line segments 117 and a plurality of rounded corners 115 comprising a radius. In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 comprises markings as selected from the group consisting of lettered text, numeric text, pictorial graphics, or a combination thereof 150. Pictorial graphics, as mentioned, includes any markings considered to be non-alphanumeric text.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the lower portion 126 of the bladder 10 comprises a convex bottom 127. The lower portion 126 has a shape resembling that of an ellipse. The convex bottom 127 comprises a plurality of radii including a first radius 128 and a second radius 129 wherein the first radius 128 is aligned along the major axis of the ellipse and the second radius 129 is aligned along the minor axis of the ellipse.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the front panel 112 and the rear panel 119 are joined together at the longitudinal seam 118. In these same embodiments, a rounded peak as observed from a side profile 124 is located at the uppermost section of the upper portion 111. The rounded peak as observed from a side profile 124 is a tapered rounded peak as formed by the rear convexity 120 of the rear panel 119 and the front convexity 113 of the front panel 112.

[0031] In some embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, the bladder 10 has an elliptical cross section as viewed from the top comprising a plurality of rounds including, a left round as observed from above 140 and a right round as observed from above 141, as shown in FIG. 4. the left round as observed from above 140 is located at the same location as the left round as observed from a front view 122, the left-most vertex of the bladder 10, wherein the conjunction of the front panel 112 and the rear panel 119 each form a radial component of the left round as observed from above 140. The right round as observed from above 141 is located at the same location as the right round as observed from a front view 123, diametrically opposed to the left of the right-most vertex of the bladder 10, wherein the conjunction of the front panel 112 and the rear panel 119 each form a radial component of the right round as observed from above 141.

[0032] The bladder 10 of the shoe stretching embodiment 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5 further comprises an internal volume comprising at least one chamber 131. In alternative embodiments of the shoe stretching embodiment 1, the internal volume of the bladder 10 may comprise more than one chamber 131. The chamber 131, which is pumped with air, is filled by way of an at least one air valve 20.

[0033] The at least one air valve 20, as shown in FIG. 6, allows for a fluid, including air, to be pumped into the chamber 131 of the internal volume and thus expanding the bladder 10. In some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one air valve 20 is located on the lower portion 126 of the bladder 10. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one air valve 20 comprises an air valve passage 214. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one air valve 20 comprises a protrusion 21 wherein said protrusion 21 comprises recessed seat 211, an outer radius 212, an inner radius 215, a bottom face 213, an air valve passage 214, an inner wall 216, and an outer wall 217. The outer wall 217 of the protrusion 21 having an outer radius 212. The inner wall 216 of the protrusion 21 having an inner radius 215. The bottom face 213 being the bottom-most surface of the protrusion 21 wherein said surface is O-shaped. The recessed seat 211 is located within a recess, wherein said recess is extruded into the protrusion 21, engaging a needle of a pump when being filled with a fluid, including air. The air valve passage 214 is a hole through the recessed seat 211 into the interior volume 13 and chamber 131 of the bladder 10, receiving the needle of a pump when being filled with said fluid.

[0034] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, comprises a bladder 10 wherein said bladder 10 comprises an elliptical cross section 14 when viewed from above. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 8, the bladder 10 of the boot stretching embodiment 2 comprises an upper portion 111 of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention comprising an elliptical dome 146. The bladder 10 of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention further comprises an exterior surface 11, an interior volume 13, the upper portion 111, and a lower portion 126. The exterior surface 11 of the present invention is the area of the bladder 10 that is outwardly facing. In one embodiment of the boot stretching embodiment 2, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is adjacent to the lower portion 126. In the aforementioned embodiment of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is located above the lower portion 126, when the present invention is in an upright position. In the preferred embodiment of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 is inserted into a calf section of a boot, leaving the lower portion 126 of the footwear accessible by a user through an opening in the boot. This configuration allows for users to access the at least one air valve 20 in order to inflate the at least one chamber 131 with a fluid, including air, thus expanding the bladder 10. In some embodiments of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention, the bladder 10 may also comprise a latitudinal seam 125, wherein said latitudinal seam 125 extends horizontally around the outer surface of the bladder 10 separating the upper portion 111 from the lower portion 126.

[0035] In some embodiments, the lower portion 126 of the bladder 10 of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention, comprises a flat bottom 142 with a beveled edge 143 comprising a bevel radius 144.

[0036] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 8, in some embodiments of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 further comprises a protruded shape 114. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the protruded shape 114 comprises a plurality of protruded line segments 117 and a plurality of rounded corners 115 comprising a radius. In some embodiments of the present invention, the upper portion 111 of the bladder 10 comprises markings as selected from the group consisting of lettered text, numeric text, pictorial graphics, or a combination thereof 150. Pictorial graphics, as mentioned, includes any markings considered to be non-alphanumeric.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 9, the bladder 10 of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention further comprises the at least one air valve 20 which acts as a passage way into the internal volume of the bladder 10. The internal volume of the boot stretching embodiment 2 of the present invention comprises an at least one chamber 131. In some embodiments of the boot stretching embodiments 2 of the present invention, the internal volume comprises a plurality of chambers 131.

[0038] The at least one air valve 20 allows for a fluid, including air, to be pumped into the chamber 131 of the internal volume and thus expanding the bladder 10. The at least one air valve 20 comprises an air valve passage 214. In some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one air valve 20 is located on the lower portion 126 of the bladder 10. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the at least one air valve 20 comprises a protrusion 21, wherein said protrusion 21 comprises a recessed seat 211, an outer radius 212, an inner radius 215, a bottom face 213, an air valve passage 214, an inner wall 216, and an outer wall 217. The outer wall 217 of the protrusion 21 having an outer radius 212. The inner wall 216 of the protrusion 21 having an inner radius 215. The bottom face 213 being the bottom-most surface of the protrusion 21 wherein said surface is O-shaped. The recessed seat 211 is located within a recess, wherein said recess is extruded into the protrusion 21, engaging a needle of a pump when being filled with a fluid, including air. The air valve passage 214 is a hole through the recessed seat 211 into the interior volume 13 and chamber 131 of the bladder 10, receiving the needle of a pump when being filled with said fluid.

[0039] When inserted into the desired location of a footwear, the pressure caused from the addition of said fluid into the chamber 131 will cause the exterior surface 11 of the present invention to apply said pressure to an interior of a footwear, causing the material of said footwear to expand, or stretch.

[0040] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.