Abstract:
A shoe bag for transporting a pair of shoes comprising two individual compartments. The compartments are detachable from one another and include an interior protective lining. Each detachable compartment has its own opening that can be opened or closed independently from the opening for the other compartment. The detachable compartments allow more efficient packing of the shoes within the luggage&#39;s interior and also protect the shoes from each other and also prevents the shoes from soiling items packed in the luggage.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable. 
       STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       SEQUENCE LISTING 
       [0004]    Not Applicable. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention is directed towards a shoe bag for the transportation of pairs of shoes, and more particularly to the storage of pairs of shoes in luggage when traveling. Additionally, the shoe bag can be separated into its individual compartments to facilitate the packing and arrangement of the individual shoe bag compartments with the other items packed in the luggage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    There is only a finite amount of space available within an article of luggage when packing in preparation of travel. With the restrictions and costs now placed on the number, weight, and size of luggage by the various providers of commercial transportation, it becomes very important to utilize the limited space available for packing within the luggage interior as efficiently as possible. Although items such as clothing are easily conformed to the interior shape of a piece of luggage by folding, this is not the case when packing items not capable of being folded. Additionally, there is normally very little concern regarding the possibility of adjacently packed items of clothing harming, damaging, or soiling the other items packed within the luggage&#39;s interior. 
         [0007]    Some of the more problematic items to pack when traveling are items of footwear. While some articles of luggage may contain built-in compartments for shoes, such compartments are limited in number and are not efficient with respect to the limited area available for packing which ultimately adds to the bulkiness of the luggage once the shoes are packed. Additionally, the interior of such luggage compartments are not normally constructed in such a manner as to provide any protection to a shoe&#39;s finish or to prevent damage due to the shoes coming into contact with each other. Although other devices also provide for the storage of shoes as pairs, or individually, these devices are often bulky and/or exist in a single configuration. Although there are devices designed to address the storage of shoes in some form or fashion, none have addressed the need of efficiently packing a pair, or pairs, of shoes in the limited confines of luggage when traveling. Accordingly, there remains room for improvement and variation within the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is at least one of the present embodiments to provide a shoe bag that addresses the limited space constraints of luggage when packing items footwear for traveling. A shoe bag is provided having features of the present invention comprising a first compartment detachably secured to a second compartment in coplanar adjacent relation. Each of the shoe bag compartments comprises an outer edge, an inner edge, a bottom edge, a top edge defining an opening, and an interior protective lining. An attaching means is affixed to the inner edge of each compartment for detachably securing the first compartment to the second compartment. To secure the shoes within the shoe bag compartments a first closing means is operatively associated with the top edge and the opening of the first compartment. Likewise, a second closing means is operatively associated with the top edge and the opening of the second compartment. The first closing means is affixed to the top edge of the first compartment and the second closing means is affixed to the top edge of the second compartment. To improve holding of the shoe bag a first loop strap is attached to the top edge of the first compartment and a second loop strap is attached to the top edge of the second compartment of the shoe bag. 
         [0009]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a zipper affixed to the inner edges of each compartment as an attaching means to detachably secure the first compartment to the second compartment. Additionally, a hook and loop fastener, a plurality of snap fasteners, a lacing string, or a combination of these items may be used as the attaching means. 
         [0010]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a zipper affixed to each of the top edges of the first and second compartments to serve as the first and second closing means, respectively. Additionally, a hook and loop fastener, a plurality of snap fasteners, a lacing string, or a combination of these items may be used as the first and second closing means. 
         [0011]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a shoe bag having first and second compartments that are mirror images of each with regard to their respective sizes and shapes. 
         [0012]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a shoe bag having a first compartment and a second compartment wherein each compartment further includes an interior protective lining to protect the shoes when packed for traveling. 
         [0013]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a shoe bag having an interior protective lining being comprised of a non-abrasive material such as soft cotton, fleece, nylon, and the like. 
         [0014]    It is a further aspect of at least one of the present embodiments to provide a shoe bag wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are each configured to receive a single shoe. 
         [0015]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the shoe bag illustrating the compartments attached to each other, 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the shoe bag illustrating the compartments attached to each other. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shoe bag with its compartments detached from each other with a shoe being depicted by dotted lines in each compartment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shoe bag illustrating attached compartments in their open configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary constructions. 
         [0022]    As seen in reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a shoe bag  10  is provided in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show a shoe bag comprising two separate compartments, a first compartment  11 , and a second compartment  21  that are detachably secured to each other in a coplanar adjacent relation. Each compartment has an outer edge  12 ,  22 , an inner edge  13 ,  23 , a bottom edge  14 ,  24 , and a top edge  15 ,  25 . Additionally, each compartment of the shoe bag also has a top opening  16 ,  26  located at its top edge and an interior protective lining  17 ,  27  which are clearly illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Other embodiments of the present invention may include a shoe bag with the opening for each compartment located along the compartment&#39;s outer edge, bottom edge, or inner edge. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , an attaching means  20  is affixed to the inner edge  13 ,  23  of each compartment  11 ,  21 . Such an attaching means permits the shoe bag to exist in two different configurations. One configuration is with both compartments  11 ,  21  secured to each other which is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the second configuration is with the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  detached from each other. The shoe bag provides an important organizational feature in which both shoes of a pair are conveniently secured within each shoe&#39;s respective compartment when the shoe bag is configured with compartments  11 ,  21  detachably secured to each other. Additionally, another important feature of the present invention is the ability to separate the shoe bag  10  into its separate compartments  11 ,  21  which facilitate packing a pair of shoes when interior luggage space is limited. The attaching means  20  used to detachably secure the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  to one another is preferably a zipper with each side of the zipper being attached to the inner edge of each compartment such that a zipper slide can engage or disengage the zipper sides as desired. As seen, the zipper or other attachment means is not in direct communication with the interior volume of the respective compartments or pouches  11 ,  21 . Such a physical separation of the bag interior from the zipper or attachment prevents damage to a shoe placed within the bag. However, any attaching means known capable of providing a detachably secured configuration for two or more components can be used. Other embodiments of the present invention may include attaching means comprising a hook and loop fastener, a plurality of snap fasteners, a lacing string, or a combination thereof. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , loop straps  19 ,  29  are attached to the top edges  15 ,  25  of each compartment  11 ,  21  where the top edges  15 ,  25  meet the outer edges  12 ,  22 . The loop straps  19 ,  29  facilitate holding the shoe bag regardless of whether the compartments are secured to each other or detached into separate compartments. As seen in reference to the Figures, the loop straps  19 ,  29  may be secured to the upper bag edges in a manner that does not interfere with the illustrated zipper closures. In other embodiments of the present invention the loop straps  19 ,  29  may be attached at other positions on the compartments  11 ,  21  and the loop straps may be configured to be permanently attached to the shoe bag compartments or detachably secured by such attaching means known to permit a detachably secured configuration between two separate components. 
         [0024]    Now referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , to secure the first shoe of a pair within the interior of the first compartment a first closing means  18  is operatively associated with the top edge  15  and the top opening  16  of the first compartment  11  of the shoe bag  10 . Additionally, to secure the second shoe of a pair within the interior of the second compartment a second closing means  28  is operatively associated with the top edge  25  and the top opening  26  of the second compartment  21 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the top opening  16 ,  26  of each compartment includes a top edge  85 , 25  to which the first closing means  18  and the second closing means  28  are affixed. The first closing means  18  and the second closing means  28  used to open and close the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  is preferably a zipper wherein each side of the zipper extends along the top edge of its compartment such that a zipper slide can be engaged to either close the compartment to secure its shoe or to provide access to such compartment for removal of the shoe. However, any closing means known capable of securing a shoe within the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  can be used. Other embodiments of the present invention may include closing means comprising a hook and loop fastener, a plurality of snap fasteners, magnetic clasps and closures, a lacing string, a draw string, or a combination thereof. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the first compartment  11  and the second compartment  21  are a mirror image to each other with regard to the size and shape of each compartment. Additionally, each compartment  11 ,  21  is configured to receive a single shoe. The preferred size of each compartment  11 ,  21  is about 8 ¼ inches to about 11 inches in width and about 15 ½ inches to about 20 inches in length. Other embodiments of the present invention may include compartments  11 ,  21  that are manufactured in smaller or larger sizes in order to accommodate the smaller shoes worn by young children or the larger shoes worn for outdoor activities or athletic events. Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the preferred shape of each compartment  11 ,  21  is rectangular in order to minimize manufacturing costs by reducing raw material waste. The compartments may be constructed in other shapes to accommodate special use footwear provided such shapes are a mirror image of each other and provide common inner edges  13 ,  23  upon which to affix an attaching means  20 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , each compartment  11 ,  21  includes an interior protective lining  17 ,  27 . The interior protective linings  17 ,  27  provide extra protection to a shoe&#39;s finish while the shoe is secured within a compartment. The interior protective linings  17 ,  27  are made of any suitable non-abrasive material which may be a natural fabric or man-made synthetic material, such as for example, soft cotton cloth, fleece, or nylon. 
         [0026]    In use, each of the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  receive a single shoe of a specific pair of shoes. To prevent the shoes from escaping from their respective compartments  11 ,  21  the closing means  18 ,  28  for each compartment is engaged as necessary to close the compartment and therefore secure the shoe within its compartment  11 ,  21 . If there is adequate space available within the luggage interior, the shoe bag can be packed with its compartments  11 ,  21  detachably secured to each other. However, if there is limited packing space within the luggage interior, the shoe bag compartments  11 ,  21  can be detached from each other by disengaging the attaching means  20  and packing each compartment separately in different areas within the luggage&#39;s interior. In addition to the shoe bag&#39;s use for traveling, it can also be used for the general storage of pairs of shoes. Due to the simple design and construction of the shoe bag, it can be easily stored in a minimum amount of space when not in use. 
         [0027]    Accordingly, a feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be configured with its compartments secured to each other or with its compartments detached from each other in order to efficiently maximize the limited packing space within the interior confines of luggage when traveling. 
         [0028]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its simple design which permits it to be manufactured easily and inexpensively from a variety of materials. 
         [0029]    Still another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to have decorative designs applied to its compartments. 
         [0030]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be manufactured with compartments of different shapes and sizes to accommodate different kinds of footwear. 
         [0031]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be used for the general storage of a pair of shoes. 
         [0032]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be washed if it becomes dirty or soiled with use. 
         [0033]    Yet another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be easily and compactly stored when not in use. 
         [0034]    Yet another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be manufactured in different colors, with different exterior decorative designs, patterns, or materials to visually identify specific pairs of shoes when traveling or during storage of the shoes. 
         [0035]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to prevent packed shoes from damaging or soiling each other and from damaging or soiling other items packed within the luggage&#39;s interior. 
         [0036]    Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, devices, and methods, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged, both in whole, or in part. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.