Abstract:
A method and apparatus for attaching an ascetically pleasing article to existing footwear. In one embodiment, the attachment means does not permanently alter the footwear and can be removed with no or relatively little effect to the existing footwear. In another embodiment, the ascetically pleasing article may be removed from the attachment means and a second ascetically pleasing article may be secured to the attachment means so the overall look of the existing footwear is changed. In another embodiment, the ascetically pleasing article contains rigid or semi-rigid extensions that extend from the ascetically pleasing article and around all or at least a portion of the existing footwear and help secure the article to the existing footwear.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly, to an aesthetically pleasing article for footwear. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    It is impossible to estimate at exactly what phase in development on earth that man first thought of protecting his feet from the natural hazards of weather/climate and the rough ground. It is obvious that footwear was and still is made for the shielding of feet. However, aside from their actual purpose, footwear can help to tell the story of the person who wears them. By looking at a pair of shoes one can see that they reflect the personality of the wearer and most people have several different types of footwear to reflect their mood or style at any particular moment. 
         [0005]    Currently, once a person purchases footwear, the footwear cannot be easily changed or modified to reflect the wearer&#39;s mood or style for any particular moment. It would be beneficial if a method or apparatus existed that allowed a user to relatively easily change their existing footwear to reflect their mood or style. It would be even more beneficial if the method or apparatus could be added to existing shoes the user owned. It would be a further benefit if the method or apparatus did not damage or materially alter the footwear during attachment and removal. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention solves the above-described problem by providing a method and apparatus for attaching an ascetically pleasing article to existing footwear. Existing footwear is existing footwear commonly known in the art and is not footwear that has been specially manufactured to securely retain footwear ornamentation. In one embodiment, the attachment means does not permanently alter the footwear and can be removed with no or relatively little effect to the existing footwear. The body, or ascetically pleasing portion of the article may be almost any aesthetically pleasing design that could be worn on the existing footwear such as a decorative band, crown, chain, rope, braid, or symbol. 
         [0007]    The ascetically pleasing article may be attached using adhesive, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system or some other means sufficiently strong to secure the ascetically pleasing article to the existing footwear yet not strong enough to permit removal of the ascetically pleasing article without damaging the existing footwear. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the ascetically pleasing article may be fixedly attached to the existing footwear by a more permanent attachment means such that removal of the attachment means is relatively difficult and the existing footwear is likely to be changed by the attachment and removal of the attachment means. The attachment means may be fixedly attached to footwear when the user will almost always wear the ascetically pleasing article on the existing footwear. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, the ascetically pleasing article contains rigid or semi-rigid extensions that extend from the ascetically pleasing article and around all or at least a portion of the existing footwear and help secure the article to the existing footwear. In one embodiment, the extensions do not extend fully around footwear and stop before the mid portion of existing footwear. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, a shoe attachment is removably attached to the existing footwear and the attachment is relatively strong yet can still be removed such that the existing footwear remains in relatively the same state and condition it was in before the ascetically pleasing article was attached. The shoe attachment can accept or secure at least one ascetically pleasing article to the existing footwear and is used when a variety of ascetically pleasing articles are worn on the existing footwear at different times. 
         [0011]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an existing footwear with an aesthetically pleasing article attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a portion of the attachment means of the aesthetically pleasing article in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the existing footwear with an alternate embodiment of the aesthetically pleasing article attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the existing footwear with an alternate embodiment of the aesthetically pleasing article attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the existing footwear with an alternate embodiment of the aesthetically pleasing article attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the existing footwear with an alternate embodiment of the aesthetically pleasing article attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a top view of an aesthetically pleasing article in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized. It is also to be understood that structural, procedural and system changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. For clarity of exposition, like features shown in the accompanying drawings are indicated with like reference numerals and similar features as shown in alternate embodiments in the drawings are indicated with similar reference numerals. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , shown is aesthetically pleasing footwear ornamentation  102  comprising body  104 , body attachment  106 , and shoe attachment  108 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , footwear ornamentation  102  is worn on existing footwear  110 . Existing footwear  110  is existing footwear commonly known in the art and is not footwear that has been specially manufactured to securely retain footwear ornamentation  102 . Examples of existing footwear  110  include, but are not limited to, tennis shoes, athletic shoes, golf shoes, dress shoes, high heels, pumps, sandals, cowboy or cowgirl boots, hiking boots, work boots, combat boots, clogs, flats, wedges, ballerina flats or shoes, mules or slides, flip flops, sandals, or other footwear worn by the general public. 
         [0021]    Body  104  may be almost any aesthetically pleasing design that could be worn on footwear  110  and may be located in front section  112  or may extend to or even past mid-portion  304  of footwear  110 . By way of example and not of limitation, body  104  may be a decorative band, crown, chain, rope, braid, or symbol. Body  104  may extend past the general area of shoe attachment  108  and if so, body  104  may contain securing member  114 . Securing member  114  helps secure body  104  to footwear  110  and may be, but is not limited to, hooks, barbed metal, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is located inside footwear  110  proximate to where securing member  114  is located on footwear  110 . 
         [0022]    Body attachment  106  is fixedly attached to body  104  and aids in securing body  104  to shoe attachment  108 . Body attachment  106  may be adhesive or one part of a mechanical attachment means such as a snap, button, zipper, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, magnet, or any other similar fastener that requires the mating of two parts. In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , body attachment  106  is semi-rigid, relatively flat, and has a circular or poly-sided profile; such as a rectangular profile. In this embodiment, the profile of body attachment  106  is such that it fits securely inside or on to shoe attachment  108 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , shoe attachment  108  contains body side  202  and shoe side  204 . Body side  202  of shoe attachment  108  contains means for attaching body attachment  106  to shoe attachment  108 . As stated above, body attachment  106  may be adhesive, one part of a mechanical attachment means, or any other fastener that requires the mating of two parts and could securely attach body attachment  106  to shoe attachment  108 . If body attachment  106  is one part of a mechanical attachment means, then body side  202  of shoe attachment  108  contains the mating part of the mechanical attachment means. For example, if body attachment  106  is the male portion of a snap, then body side  202  contains the mating female portion of the snap. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, shown in  FIG. 2 , body side  202  contains the mating profile of body attachment  106  such that body attachment  106  fits securely inside body side  202  of shoe attachment  108 . In this instance, body side  202  of shoe attachment  108  has a rectangular profile that is slightly larger than the rectangular profile of body attachment  106 . When body attachment  106  is placed in body side  202  of shoe attachment  108 , body side  202  surrounds body attachment  106  and secures body attachment  106  to shoe attachment  108 . It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that body side  202  of shoe attachment  108  may just as easily fit securely inside body attachment  106 . 
         [0025]    Shoe attachment  108  is removably secured to footwear  110  such that when shoe attachment  108  is attached to footwear  110 , the attachment is relatively strong yet can be removed and upon removal, footwear  110  remains in relatively the same state and condition it was in before shoe attachment  108  was attached to footwear  110 . Shoe attachment  108  allows for different types or configurations of body  104  to be used on a single footwear  110  without having to repeatedly remove the means for attaching body  104  to footwear  110 . 
         [0026]    Shoe attachment  108  may be secured to footwear  110  using attachment means  206  located on shoe side  204  of shoe attachment  108  (See  FIG. 2 ). Attachment means  206  may be adhesive sufficiently strong to secure shoe attachment  108  to footwear  110  yet allow for the removal of shoe attachment  108  without damaging footwear  110 . Attachment  206  may also be part of a mechanical attachment means and includes, but is not limited to, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is located inside footwear  110  proximate to the toe area of footwear  110  but is not fixedly attached to footwear  110 . 
         [0027]    In another embodiment, attachment means  206  may fixedly attach to footwear  110  such that removal is relatively difficult and footwear is likely to be changed by the attachment and removal of shoe attachment  108 . Shoe attachment  108  may be fixedly attached to footwear when the user will almost always wear some type of footwear ornamentation  102  on footwear  102 . By way of example and not of limitation, shoe attachment  108  may be fixedly attached to footwear  110  with snaps, pins, wire, by sewing, tying, screwing, nailing, riveting, buckling, clamping, or otherwise fixedly securing shoe attachment  108  to footwear  110 . 
         [0028]    In another embodiment, show in  FIG. 3 , shoe attachment  108  contains rigid or semi-rigid extension  302  extending from shoe attachment  108  around at least a portion of footwear  110 . In one embodiment, extension  302  does not extend fully around footwear  110  and stops before mid portion  304  of footwear  110 . Mid-portion  304  is in the middle of footwear and extends from front portion  112  to rear portion  116  of footwear  110 . Semi-rigid extension  302  is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material and has a general U-shaped profile such that when semi-rigid extension  302  is placed onto footwear  110 , it is held in place by tension. 
         [0029]    Semi-rigid extension  302  may contain securing member  114 . Securing member  114  aids in securing semi-rigid extension  302  to footwear  110  and may be, but is not limited to, hooks, barbed metal, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is located inside footwear  110  proximate to where securing member  114  is located on footwear  110 . 
         [0030]    In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , body  104  does not contain body attachment  106  and shoe attachment  108  is not present. In this embodiment, body  104  is secured to footwear  10  via attachment means  402 . Attachment means  402  is sufficiently strong enough to secure body  104  to footwear  10  yet will permit removal of body  104  from footwear  110  without damaging footwear  110 . 
         [0031]    Attachment means  402  may be, but is not limited to, adhesive, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system wherein one portion is secured to body  104  and the mating portion is removable secured to footwear  110 , glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is inside footwear  110  proximate to the toe area of footwear  110  but not fixedly attached to footwear  110 . If body  104  extends past attachment means  402 , body may contain securing member  114  (not shown) similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . Securing member  114  helps secure body  104  to footwear  110  and may be, but is not limited to, hooks, barbed metal, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is located inside footwear  110  proximate to where securing member  114  is located on footwear  110 . 
         [0032]    In another embodiment, body  104  may fixedly attach to footwear  110  such that removal is relatively difficult and footwear is likely to be changed by the attachment and removal of body  104 . Body  104  may be fixedly attached to footwear when the user will almost always wear some type of body  104  on footwear  10 . By way of example and not of limitation, body  104  may be fixedly attached to footwear  110  with snaps, pins, wire, by sewing, tying, screwing, nailing, riveting, buckling, clamping, or otherwise fixedly securing body  104  to footwear  110 . 
         [0033]    In another embodiment, show in  FIG. 5 , body  104  contains rigid or semi-rigid extension  502  extending from body  104  around at least a portion of footwear  110 . In one embodiment, extension  502  does not extend fully around footwear  110  and stops before mid portion  304  of footwear  110 . Extension  402  is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material and has a general U-shaped profile such that when extension  502  is placed onto footwear  110 , it is held in place by tension. 
         [0034]    Rigid or semi-rigid extension  502  may contain securing member  114 . Securing member  114  helps secure rigid or semi-rigid extension  502  to footwear  110  and may be, but is not limited to, hooks, barbed metal, a hook and loop system, similar to VELCRO® fastening system, glue, strip adhesive, tacky putty, or a magnet wherein a magnet of opposing polarity is located inside footwear  110  proximate to where securing member  114  is located on footwear  110 . 
         [0035]    It should be understood that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , footwear ornamentation  102 , body  104 , body attachment  106 , and shoe attachment  108  are located on rear portion  116  of footwear  110 . Similarly, the other embodiments described above may be located on rear portion  116  of footwear  110 .