Patent Publication Number: US-2010115793-A1

Title: Compactable pedicure and evening footwear

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/114,207, filed Nov. 13, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to footwear and more specifically to pedicure and spa slippers, women&#39;s evening shoes, and collapsible shoes. 
     There may exist multiple times when a compactable yet stylish shoe is needed, such as after dancing, shopping, or prolonged walking. The wearer may wish to change from high-heeled shoes to more comfortable footwear, yet does not want the burden of carrying flat-soled shoes in a small evening bag. In addition, an individual may necessitate open-toed shoes after a pedicure, but desires a shoe that is more durable than a typical disposable pedicure slipper and can be worn for longer periods than from pedicure salon to car. The shoe may, for example, easily fit in a purse or handbag and be worn before nail polish is applied. There is a well-established need for a compactable shoe that may serve these four purposes: comfort, fashion, durability, and practicality. 
     It would be desirable to have collapsible shoes that help separate the toes after a pedicure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, foldable footwear includes: a foldable sole; a heel retaining extension; a toe separator; and a sandal strap; wherein the footwear transitions into a folded state for storage, and then transitions into an unfolded state for usage. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a device for a foot having a heel, an upper portion, and toes with toenails, includes: a foldable sole; a heel retaining extension, adapted to retain the heel; a sandal strap, adapted to retain the upper portion of the foot; a toe separator, adapted to separate the toes; and an open area adjacent the toe separator, adapted to expose the toenails; wherein the sole folds and the sandal strap releasably retains the heel retaining extension so as to releasably maintain the device in a collapsed state. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of compacting a footwear includes: providing a foldable sole, a heel retaining extension, a sandal strap, and a toe separator; releasably retaining a heel of a foot to the sole with the heel retaining extension; releasably retaining an upper portion of the foot to the sole with the sandal strap; separating toes of the foot with the toe separator; and folding the sole so that the sandal strap releasably retains the heel retaining extension, thereby compacting the footwear. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a top view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a rear view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the folded position; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention in the folded position; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a rear view of an embodiment of the present invention in the folded position; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a cross section of a portion of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts an embodiment of the present invention, folded and stored in a container; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts an embodiment of the present invention with two shoes folded together. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The preferred embodiment and other embodiments, including the best mode of carrying out the invention, are hereby described in detail with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned without undue experimentation. The figures are not drawn to scale, except where otherwise indicated. The following description of embodiments, even if phrased in terms of “the invention,” is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but describes the manner and process of making and using the invention. The coverage of this patent will be described in the claims. The order in which steps are listed in the claims does not indicate that the steps must be performed in that order. 
     An embodiment of the present invention generally provides a crushable or compactable pedicure and evening shoe. 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a compactable pedicure shoe with an elegant, stylized design for evening use, having the potential for significant convenience. An embodiment involves an outer sole (or outsole) and insole made of a durable, yet flexible material that is easily compacted. The footwear may be suitable for emergency or daily use. The footwear may be placed in a carrying pouch if desired, and or in a small container, such as an evening handbag. The plastic lining pouch may be replaced. The upper portion of the shoe may have a sandal type configuration with separators for each toe. These partitions may sufficiently separate the toes thus not damaging the fresh pedicure, and also may be sufficiently flexible to for comfort, as in the case of removal of high-heeled shoes. The sandal and toe separators may also be made of a sufficiently flexible elastic material for comfort and compactability. The sandal may be adorned with sequins, crystals, or other materials suitable for wear in multiple environments. 
     An embodiment may combine the functions of pedicure and spa slippers, women&#39;s evening shoes, and collapsible shoes into a single item that may be carried in a small handbag or other small container for convenience. An embodiment also may provide the wearer with a shoe that can be used for short, long-term, or daily use. 
     Embodiments may provide toe separation to protect nascent nail polish, and may take into account support of the foot and means to secure the shoe to the foot. This may avoid difficulties in being mobile for prolonged periods. The back of the shoe thus avoids being rendered “draggy” and the shoe is usable for more than just short-term use. 
     Embodiments may be disposable, or embodiments may be of higher quality (not necessarily disposable). Embodiments are collapsible, and may be used during or after a pedicure. Embodiments avoid the requirement for adhesives to secure the footwear to the foot. 
     An embodiment is a crushable/compactable, durable footwear suitable after a pedicure or for evening use, including a flexible yet durable, foldable outsole with a nonskid base, an insole (either a topsole or a combined midsole and topsole), a sandal strap or sandal portion, four toe separators for each toe, and an ankle retaining extension. The footwear folds to transition into a folded state for storage, and then transitions into an unfolded state for usage. The sandal strap is the upper portion of a sandal, and is not necessarily just a strap. It passes over the arch of the foot to retain the insole to the bottom of the foot. It is of a suitable width and location so that, for storage, the sole can bend near the sole&#39;s mid-point and the heel extension can be tucked under the sandal strap, and for usage, the shoe leaves the toenails exposed. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , an embodiment  10  of the present invention is a crushable and compactable pedicure shoe  12  or footwear, which may include a sole  14 , a flexible sandal portion or sandal strap  16  made of manmade lining leather or other soft material on the underside, an embellished satin cover  18  on the upper side of the sandal portion, four elastic toe separators  20 , and a back (quarter portion) or heel extension  22  that buckles in place with an ankle strap and buckle  24 . 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  depict an embodiment  10  in the open position, ready to be worn after a pedicure.  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6  depict an embodiment  10  in the folded position, ready to be stored when not in use. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 7 , an embodiment  10  of the present invention includes a sole  14  having three layers: an outsole  30 , made of a durable yet flexible rubber design with a nonskid base, a sole cushioning or midsole  32  made of EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam, and an insole or topsole  34  made of manmade lining leather. The sandal strap  16  holds an upper portion of the user&#39;s foot to the topsole  34 . The toe separators  20  may be held in place with perforations in the topsole  36  and perforations in the sandal strap  38 . The embellished cover  18  covers the sandal strap  16  and sandal strap perforations  38 . 
       FIG. 8  depicts an embodiment of a satin carrying case  40 , which is storing a pair of collapsed pedicure shoes  12 . The user stores the pair of shoes  12  when not in use. One shoe may be for the left foot and the other for the right. 
       FIG. 9  depicts an embodiment of two shoes  12  folded together. 
     In an embodiment, the outsole  30  is connected to a thin EVA foam material via outersole glue to form a midsole  32 , and this is secured to the topsole  34  with leather glue. The insole or topsole  34  portion has perforations  36  for the toe separators  20 . The toe separators  20  are threaded through the insole and held in place with outersole glue and leather glue that connects the topsole  34  and outsole  30  to the EVA foam. The toe separators  20  are attached to the stitched sandal portion  16  between the manmade lining leather and outer satin covering  18  of the sandal portion. The sandal portion  16  is connected between the insole and outsole with leather glue and outersole glue. The back portion (quarter)  22  is connected between the insole and outsole  30  with leather and outersole glue. A buckle and strap  24  connect one side of the quarter portion  22  to the other. 
     In an embodiment, the outsole  30  can also be made of polyvinyl plastic, plastic, ethylene-vinyl acetate, leather, or silicone; however rubber is preferable; the sandal portion  16  can be made of plastic, leather, vinyl, denim cloth, polyvinyl chloride material, silicone rubber, wood, hemp, yarn, rayon, polyester, plastic, silicone, or metal, however manmade leather is preferable; the toe separators  20  also could be made of silicone rubber, rubber, leather, plastic, rolled fabric, or polyvinyl chloride; however the elastic is preferable; the midsole  32  also could be made of leather, foam, felt, silicone, canvas, plastic or rubber, but ethylene-vinyl acetate is preferable; the topsole  34  also could be made of leather, foam, felt, silicone, canvas, denim, polyester, ethylene-vinyl acetate, satin, plastic or rubber, but manmade lining leather is preferable; the satin cover  18  also could be made of denim, polyester, cotton, silk, beading, spandex, metal, yarn, fur, canvas, patent leather, hemp, rayon, linen, leather, crushed velvet, manmade leather, or rubber, however satin is preferable; the quarter or heel extension  22  also could be made of denim, silk, polyester, cotton, beading, metal, yarn, fur, ribbon, spandex, canvas, patent leather, hemp, rayon, linen, leather, crushed velvet, manmade leather, or rubber, however satin is preferable; the ankle strap  24  attached to the quarter  22  may alternately tie with ribbons, leather, denim, polyester, cotton, beading, metal, yarn, fur, ribbon, spandex, canvas, patent leather, hemp, rayon, linen, leather, crushed velvet, silk manmade leather, or rubber, or snaps, however the satin strap with the buckle is preferred. The carrying case  40  can also be made of plastic, polyester, elastane, silk silicone, canvas, or leather, however satin is preferable. 
     Embodiments may have an ankle strap attached to the heel of the shoe, which can further secure the shoe to the foot, or may have less than the four toe separators. For example, it may only have one toe separator between the great and second toe, such as similar to a thong sandal. 
     In an alternate embodiment, there is no need for a cover placed over the sandal portion. However, a satin cover would render the sandal more stylish and fashionable. Embodiments of the shoe may be stylized on top of either the sandal portion or the cover with beads, jewels, artwork, paints, photographs transferred to canvas or other material, sequins, rhinestones, crystals, or similar decorative items. Binding materials utilized for these stylizations may include: glue such as hot melt glue, barge cement, stitching/sewing, or binding cement, however leather and outersole glue are preferable. 
     In an embodiment, the toe separators provide comfort, for example, from walking distances in high heels. In an embodiment, the carrying case is provided with the shoe. An embodiment of the crushable/compactable shoe is folded, rolled, or crushed and placed in the carrying case for storage. When the embodiment is needed, the shoes currently being worn (such as high-heeled shoes) are removed and placed in a shopping bag or carried, and the embodiment is worn. The crushable/compactable shoes are placed in the carrying case after use, if the wearer so chooses. 
     In an embodiment, the shoe may be crushed or compacted into a small object that may fit into a small purse or carrying case. The outsole may be made of a rubber material that is sufficiently durable to support the foot yet sufficiently flexible that it may be readily crushed or compacted. In embodiments, the outsole is the thickness of three to four millimeters, and the thickness of the insole is four to five millimeters. The toe separators may be made of a durable yet flexible elastic material. The toe separators may have a length of four to five centimeters and width of five to six millimeters. Perforations may be placed in the sandal portion and insole portion with scissors, a knife, punching device, or other sharp object at four portions comprising the junction of the metatarsophalangeal joints. The perforations may be four to five millimeters in length. The toe separators may be placed in the slits and stitched to the upper portion of the sandal and bound to the lower side of the insole, respectively. The binding material may be leather and outersole glue. The sandal portion of the shoe may be bound to the lower side of the insole. The lower side of the insole may be bound to the upper side of the outsole. The cover may be attached to the sandal portion. The cover may be made of satin. The shoe may be further decorated with beads, lace, jewels, or other sufficiently durable decorative material. The quarter portion may be bound between the insole and outsole. The quarter material may be satin. The ankle strap may be attached to each end of the quarter by stitching. The ankle strap material may be satin and manmade lining leather of a width of 1 and ½ centimeters by length of 20 centimeters. The buckle may be attached to the ankle strap at one end, and the other end of the ankle strap is stitched to the quarter. 
     An embodiment of a carrying case may include a material of satin approximately 20 centimeters in length by 16 centimeters in width, which has two small satin or plastic ribbons on each side stitched in a drawstring fashion. The case may be unfolded and carry the crushable/compactable shoes. The case may have an inside plastic lining which can be removed and interchanged for reasons of hygiene. 
     While the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. This invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Indeed, many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure, the drawings and the claims.