Abstract:
A multi-layered protector is adapted to attach to and cover the entire sole of a shoe to protect the sole from being marred or otherwise damaged when the shoe is worn by a user. The protector includes a ground engaging layer, a wear indicating layer and an adhesive layer. The wear indicating layer is rigid in character and provides immediate feedback to a user of its exposure. A removable peel layer adjacent the adhesive layer may be removed in order to attach the sole protector to the sole of the shoe. Preferably, the ground engaging layer includes an upwardly extending, peripheral rim portion adapted to protect the outer edge portions of the sole. A deformable conforming layer is optionally provided between the wear indicating layer and the adhesive layer. The protector may be adapted for customization or may be produced specifically for use with a particular shoe.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/878,699 entitled “Shoe Sole Protector” filed Jan. 5, 2007. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to the art of footwear and, more particularly, to a protective covering which is adapted to be removably attached to the sole of a shoe to preserve the sole from marring or other deteriorating damage while the shoe is worn. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     Collecting items which are expected to increase in value over time is commonplace. Perhaps most common is the collecting of stamps and coins. However, various other collectibles are becoming widespread, including certain dolls, baskets and even shoes. True collectors value their investments and preserve the collected items to prevent any depreciation. For instance, stamps are typically retained in transparent sleeves and not directly touched by human hands, while dolls are maintained in glass or other display containers to avoid collecting dust. Both of these storage arrangements allow the items to be viewed and appreciated, yet assures the items are well protected from various, potentially deteriorating effects. 
     In the case of shoes, it is now common for manufacturers to run limited edition shoe lines, much like many high priced automobiles. These shoes, which include sneakers, are high-priced and in great demand. Many people have learned that purchasing such shoes, retaining them for a certain period of time, and then selling the shoes can result in a significant return on the initial investment. However, the value of the shoes drops dramatically if the shoe is marred or otherwise damaged from its original form. Therefore, investors in this area generally retain the purchased shoes in packaging until the time for resale, thereby assuring that the original quality of the shoe remains intact. 
     Whether it is the original or a subsequent purchaser of collectible shoes, the shoes, at some point, are obtained for the purpose of wearing them. Just as a rich and famous woman might experience wearing a designer dress to a party or award ceremony, it is desired by many to obtain and wear collectible shoes to various events. In the past, the decision to wear a pair of collectible shoes was done at the price of severe depreciation of the shoes. Mainly, the soles of the shoes would become dirty and worn. Even a single use of the shoes in such a common fashion could result in the increased value of the shoes being completely lost. Realizing the class of people who purchase such shoes, simply stepping in gum, oil or other substances can deteriorate the shoe sole to the point where the owner may never wish to wear the shoe again. 
     Various protective attachments for shoes have been proposed, including peel and stick plastic films which are adapted to be removably secured to the soles of the shoes in order to prevent direct contact between the soles and the ground surface. Unfortunately, the plastic film-type attachments are simply not desirable, mainly due to the slippery nature of the material and/or the ease in which the material can be ripped, resulting in scuffing of the sole. Another previously proposed attachment employed a non-skid surface material to minimize the chance of accidental injury due to slipping. In general, the non-skid surface material was coated with an adhesive to enable the protective attachment to be removably attached to a shoe sole. Although advantageous in certain ways, this known protective attachment also suffered a common drawback in that a tear or wearing out of even a small section of the attachment directly exposed the shoe sole to irreparable damage. Examples of such prior known arrangements are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,134,196 and 3,903,620, respectively. 
     Based on the above, there still exists a need for a shoe sole protector which can be readily attached to and removed from the sole of a shoe, which provides enhanced traction and assures that the sole of the shoe will not be marred due to unforeseen damage to a surface engaging layer of the protector. More specifically, there exists a need for a shoe sole protector which effectively provides a user with timely feedback in connection with any damage to the surface engaging layer of the protector, while assuring that the sole of the shoe is still appropriately protected. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a multi-layer shoe sole protector which is adapted to be readily, removably attached to the sole of a shoe for protecting the sole from being marred or otherwise damaged when the shoe is worn by a user. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shoe sole protector includes a lowermost, ground engaging layer, a wear indicating layer and an adhesive layer. The ground engaging layer is attached directly to one side of the wear indicating layer which, in turn, has an opposing side provided with the adhesive layer. A peel layer is provided atop the adhesive layer, with the peel layer being removable to expose the adhesive layer in order to attach the sole protector to the bottom of a shoe. In another embodiment of the invention, a conforming layer is provided between the wear indicating layer and the adhesive layer. Therefore, in accordance with this embodiment, the adhesive layer is provided on one side of the conforming layer for attachment to the sole. In general, the conforming layer is deformable to advantageously enable the protector to follow the varying contours of the shoe sole, thereby assuring a more seamless, aesthetically pleasing and enhanced attachment. 
     The ground engaging layer is preferably constituted by a soft, elastomeric material having a traction or tread configuration designed to establish a firm, yet cushioned, ground engagement surface. The wear indicating layer is preferably constituted by a more rigid, preferably plastic, material. Finally, the adhesive layer provides a tacky surface for selective, removable attachment of the protector to the shoe sole. When employed, the conforming layer is formed from a soft, pliable rubber or plastic material. 
     In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the shoe sole protector of the invention is produced during production of, or at least specifically for, the shoe to which it is designed to be attached so as to establish a custom fit. Most preferably, at least the ground engaging layer includes an upwardly extending, peripheral rim portion which has adhesive provided directly thereon. With this arrangement, when the protector is attached to the shoe sole, the peripheral rim portion extends slightly up and around the sole, while being attached to be side of the sole for added protection. 
     The protector of the invention is intended to be sold either with the shoe for which it is designed, or as an aftermarket product that has been trimmed for a custom fit. In any case, when the peel layer is removed and the protector is adhesively attached to the sole of the shoe, the shoe can be worn without fear of the sole being marred or otherwise damaged. More specifically, during use, the ground engaging portion will abut the ground surface, rather than the sole of the shoe. The cushioned material used for the ground engaging portion will assure a comfortable and pleasant feel to the user. Particularly important in connection with the invention is the fact that, even if the ground engaging portion should become damaged, at most, the wear indicating layer will be exposed. The hard, rigid characteristics of this layer will provide immediate feedback to the user of its exposure and assure that the sole is fully protected. 
     Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a lower perspective view of a shoe having attached thereto a sole protector constructed in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an upper perspective view of the sole protector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the shoe and sole protector arrangement of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a magnified view of a portion of the shoe and sole protector of  FIG. 3 , with the sole protector shown in cross-section. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a shoe  2  is shown to include an upper  5  and a sole  7 . As will become more fully evident below, shoe  2  can take various forms in connection with the invention, including a sneaker having laces  9  or a dress shoe. Of particular interest is the inclusion of a protector  10  which extends along and is secured to sole  7 . As will become more fully evident below, protector  10  is adapted to be readily, removably attached to sole  7  of shoe  2  for protecting sole  7  from being marred or otherwise damaged when shoe  2  is worn by a user. 
       FIG. 2  shows protector  10  prior to attachment to shoe  2 . For attachment purposes, protector  10  includes a peel layer  13  which exposes an adhesive layer  15 . As will be described more fully below, protector  10  is specifically configured to conform to sole  7  of shoe  2 . To this end, shoe sole protector  10  of the invention can be produced during production of shoe  2  utilizing a mold based on the size of the mold used for sole  7 . In the alternative, protector  10  can be sold as an aftermarket product, such as in the form of a rectangular, oval or other configured block upon which sole  7  can be traced, with a custom fit protector  10  then being formed by cutting out the traced design. In any case, protector  10  of the invention is designed to be attached so as to establish a custom fit, with protector  10  either being made with shoe  2  for which it is designed, or as an aftermarket product that has been trimmed for a custom fit. Therefore, when peel layer  13  is removed, protector  10  can be stuck to sole  7  through the use of adhesive layer  15  to enable shoe  2  to be worn without the fear of sole  7  being marred or otherwise damaged. 
     Reference will be made below to  FIGS. 3 and 4  in further detailing the construction of a preferred embodiment of protector  10 , with  FIG. 3  illustrating a back portion  17  of shoe  2  and  FIG. 4  illustrating an enlarged portion of  FIG. 3 , particularly showing protector  10  in cross-section. As shown, protector  10  includes a ground engaging layer  20 . Prior to providing further details of protector  10  with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ,  FIG. 1  best illustrates that ground engaging layer  20  includes a front portion  23 , rear portion  24  and an intermediate portion  25 . In this embodiment, front portion  23  and rear portion  24  are provided with treads  27  which establish a traction surface, the particular design of which can widely vary in the accordance with the invention. In the preferred form of the invention, ground engaging layer  20  is constituted by a soft, elastomeric material that establishes a firm, yet cushioned ground engaging surface. In the most preferred form, ground engaging layer  20  is constituted by clear matte-finished polyvinyl chloride (PVC) having a thickness of about 19 mils. Based on the construction of sole  7 , intermediate portion  23  extends upward out of a plane generally defined by front and rear portions  23  and  24 . 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , important in connection with the present invention is the inclusion of an intermediate or a wear indicating layer  30  of protector  10 . Wear indicating layer  30  is constituted by a rather rigid, hard material, such as a flexible plastic. Preferably, wear indicating layer  30  is constituted by clear vinyl. Wear indicating layer  30  includes one side surface that is bonded or otherwise fixedly formed with ground engaging layer  20 . In a preferred embodiment, wear indicating layer  30  is adhered to ground engaging layer  20  with a clear acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive layer  32 . On an opposing side surface, protector  10  includes an optional conforming layer  34  upon which adhesive layer  15  is provided. In one preferred embodiment, adhesive layer  15  is constituted by a clear permanent acrylic adhesive, while conforming layer  34  is formed from a soft, pliable rubber or plastic, almost foam-like, material. 
     At this point, it should be recognized that conforming layer  34  is optionally provided. It is considered that conforming layer  34  is particularly advantageous in connection with the use of protector  10  on a shoe  2  having a sole  7  provided with a rather undulating ground engaging surface. In such cases, conforming layer  34  deforms, thereby enabling protector  10  to effectively follow the contour of sole  7 . On the other hand, if sole  7  has a rather smooth lower surface, conforming layer  34  is preferably not provided in order to minimize the overall thickness of protector  10 . It should be readily understood that, if conforming layer  34  is not present, adhesive layer  15  is provided directly on wear indicating layer  30 . That is, although conforming layer  34  can be directly adhered during manufacturing to wear indicating layer  30 , adhesive layer  15  is still employed to removably secure protector  10  to sole  7 . 
     With respect to the dimensions of protector  10 , again it should be realized that each protector  10  is individually designed to establish a custom fit with a particular shoe  2  in which it is employed. Therefore, the overall length, width and peripheral design of protector  10  will greatly vary depending on the overall configuration of shoe  2 . However, with respect to the various layers of protector  10 , the most preferred embodiment of the present invention does not have the overall height or thickness of protector  10  exceeding approximately 22-36 mils when conforming layer  34  is not employed, and approximately 32-56 mils, when conforming layer  34  is employed. In connection with these thicknesses, ground engaging layer  20  is preferably in the order of 14-24 mils, most preferably about 19 mils, and the intermediate or wear indicating layer  30  is less than or equal to 6 mm, most preferably about 4 mils. Adhesive layer  32  is preferably about 4 mils in thickness or less, while adhesive layer  15  is relatively thin, preferably about 2 mils. It should also be realized that, even in the embodiments wherein conforming layer  34  is employed, once protector  10  is firmly pressed against and secured to sole  7 , the overall thickness of protector  10  will be reduced based on compression. 
     When formed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2 , protector  10  is adapted to be attached to sole  7  by first removing peel layer  13  and exposing adhesive layer  15 . Protector  10  can then be properly positioned upon sole  7  and firmly attached through adhesive layer  15 . Once protector  10  is properly attached, shoe  2  can be worn without fear of sole  7  being marred or otherwise damaged. More specifically, during use, ground engaging layer  20  will abut the ground surface, rather than sole  7  of shoe  2 . The cushioning material employed in connection with ground engaging layer  20 , as well as the embodiments employing conforming layer  34 , will assure a comfortable and pleasant feel to the user. Although protector  10  preferably employs only a tacky adhesive in connection with adhesive layer  15  such that protector  10  is disposable and designed for a one-time use only, it is still considered particularly important in connection with the present invention that wear indicating layer  30  is provided to assure that sole  7  cannot be irreparably damaged upon ground engaging layer  20  being torn or worn during use. For example, if a user was to slide on a piece of glass, the glass may potentially slice ground engaging layer  20  but, due to the hard, rigid nature of wear indicating layer  30 , sole  7  will still be protected. In addition, if wear indicating layer  30  was to become exposed based on damage to or wearing out of a portion of ground engaging layer  20 , the exposure of this hard rigid material will alert the user with immediate visual feedback, thereby enabling the user to take timely action to ensure that sole  7  remains protected, such as by attaching a new protector  10 . 
     As indicated above, the most preferred embodiment of the invention has shoe sole protector  10  produced during production of a given shoe  2  for which protector  10  is designed so as to establish a custom fit. In connection with this embodiment, at least ground engaging layer  20  is preferably formed with an upwardly extending, peripheral rim portion  45  as shown in  FIG. 2 . As indicated, adhesive layer  15  extends onto peripheral rim portion  45 . With this arrangement, when protector  10  is attached to sole  7 , peripheral rim portion  45  will extend slightly up and around sole  7 . Not only does this arrangement provide aesthetic benefits, but additional protection is assured for edge portions of sole  7 . Of course, since sole protector  10  is preferably custom made for each individual shoe  2 , protector  10  could actually be upwardly curved about its periphery so as to essentially define a peripheral rim which extends to outside portions of sole  7 , such as generally indicated in  FIG. 3 . 
     Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the shoe sole protector of the present invention advantageously enables the owner of a pair of shoes to protect the soles thereof during use, regardless of whether the shoes are collectible or simply overly coveted by the owner. The particular adhesive employed in connection with the sole protector of the present invention can vary. Again, although not shown, the protector can be formed by being traced on a block having the ground engaging, wear indicating and adhesive layers, with or without the conforming layer, followed by the user simply cutting the block into a particular shape in a manner similar to that employed in connection with known shoe inserts. Furthermore, the sole protector, or at least the ground engaging layer, can vary in color to provide, in addition to the protective function, an enhanced style aspect to the invention. In any case, although described with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.