Wedge shaped footwear holder

Abstract

The present invention provides a wedge shaped footwear holder having two sides, a top and a floor, in which the sides and a top taper to define a closed distal end. A proximal opening accepts a displaceable portion. The displaceable portion is moveable along a neck, and is capable of being fixed in different positions so as to adjust an internal length of the footwear holder to correspond to a shoe.

Claims

1. A wedge shaped footwear holder comprising: two sides, a top and a floor, in which said sides and a top taper define a closed distal end, a non-tapered neck opposite the closed distal end, and a proximal opening adjacent to the non-tapered neck and accepting a displaceable portion, the proximal opening of the non-tapered neck being orthogonal to the floor, wherein the displaceable portion is moveable along the non-tapered neck, wherein the displaceable portion is adapted to be selectively fixed in any one of a plurality of different positions so as to adjust an internal length of the floor of the footwear holder to correspond to a shoe; and wherein at least one of the displaceable portion and the neck is resiliently deformable so as to be capable to flexure to enable engagement and disengagement of the displaceable portion from one of the plurality of different positions to another.

2. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 shaped for receiving an individual shoe.

3. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 wherein the wedge shaped footwear holder is substantially or wholly formed of rigid material.

4. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 wherein the displaceable portion includes finger grips for locating a user's hand whilst engaging and disengaging the displaceable portion in the wedge shaped footwear holder.

5. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the wedge shaped footwear holder is transparent so as to be able to view the footwear within the wedge shaped footwear holder.

6. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1, further comprising: a vent to permit ingress of air to the footwear inside.

7. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the wedge shaped footwear holder is translucent so as to be able to view footwear within the wedge shaped footwear holder.

8. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 1 wherein the non-tapered neck includes a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of different positions for the engagement with the displaceable portion.

9. A wedge shaped footwear holder comprising: two sides, a top and a floor, in which said sides and a top taper define a closed distal end, and a proximal opening accepting a displaceable portion, wherein the displaceable portion is moveable along a neck, wherein the displaceable portion is capable of being fixed in different positions so as to adjust internal length of the footwear holder to correspond to a shoe; wherein the displaceable portion includes projections that in use are accepted in recesses provided on the wedge shaped footwear holder so as to lock the displaceable portion in position, and wherein the wedge shaped footwear holder includes plural recesses arranged along the neck so as to allow the displaceable portion to be located in different positions along the neck by aligning the projections to be accepted by different recesses.

10. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 9 shaped for receiving an individual shoe.

11. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 9, wherein the wedge shaped footwear holder is substantially or wholly formed of rigid material.

12. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 9 wherein the displaceable portion includes finger grips for locating a user's hand whilst engaging and disengaging the displaceable portion in the wedge shaped footwear holder.

13. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 9, wherein at least part of the wedge shaped footwear holder is transparent or translucent so as to be able to view the footwear within the wedge shaped footwear holder.

14. The wedge shaped footwear holder according to claim 9, further comprising: a vent to permit ingress of air to the footwear inside.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the footwear holder;

(2) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a side view of a transparent embodiment of the footwear holder;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 5 show side views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 6 show plan views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 7 show end views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

(8) FIG. 8 shows the process of placing a shoe within a holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

(9) With reference to the figures there is disclosed a wedge shaped footwear holder 100.

(10) FIGS. 1-8 disclose a first embodiment of the holder 100 having a displaceable portion 1 arranged in an opening 10 at a proximal end of the holder 100.

(11) The holder 100 has a floor 4 and a pair of opposing sides 5 that extend perpendicular from the floor 4. The floor 4 and the two sides 5 connect to a top 2 so as to form the wedge shaped holder 100.

(12) The distal end 3 of the holder 100 corresponds to where a toe region of a shoe will be located in use. Therefore the item of footwear 200 is entered into the holder 100 toe first.

(13) The displaceable portion 1 serves to close the holder 100 when the item of footwear 200 is stowed within it.

(14) The displaceable portion 1 may be removed from the holder 100 in order to access and remove items of footwear 200.

(15) The opening 10 comprises a neck 6. The neck 6 is an elongate channel for receiving the displaceable portion 1 along which the displaceable portion 1 can be positioned at different locations in order to alter internal length of the holder 100.

(16) The displaceable portion 1 is inserted into the neck 6 so as to abut the shoe 200 or to be in near contact with the shoe 200 so as to limit or prevent movement of the shoe 200 within the holder 100.

(17) The neck 6 includes a series of recesses 8 for receiving the projections 12. In this way when a projection 12 is aligned with a recess 8 the displaceable portion 1 becomes locked in the neck 6.

(18) The recesses 8 are oval shaped and receive an oval, dome shaped projection 12.

(19) The displaceable portion 1 can be slid along the neck 6 to various positions in order to alter internal length of the holder 100.

(20) A projection 12 is released from the corresponding recess 8 by flexing the displaceable portion 1 so as to disengage the projections 12 from the recesses 8.

(21) The displaceable portion 1 is formed from a strong, durable, resiliently deformable material so as to be suitable for repeated flexure during use.

(22) The displaceable portion 1 is flexed by a user positioning their fingers at finger grips 9 so that the when pinched together the displaceable portion 1 flexes so as to disengage the projection 12 from the recess 8.

(23) There are two finger grips 9 provided on an outer face of the displaceable portion 1. Each finger grip 9 is an indentation created an outer face of the displaceable portion 1.

(24) Each finger grip 9 is a semi-circular indent shaped to receive the user's fingers. The fingers grips 9 are provided on edges of opposing sides of the displaceable portion 1, in the form of a cut away edge, so as to enable the displaceable portion 1 to be easily flexed when force is applied by the user pinching the handles.

(25) In some embodiments the finger grips 9 may not be provided at an edge.

(26) The displaceable portion 1 also includes one ventilation hole 11 that can be opened and/or closed by rotation of the dial 7. This allows circulation of air into the holder even when the holder is closed by the displaceable portion 1.

(27) The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

(28) Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, suitable modifications and equivalents are considered to fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.