Patent Publication Number: US-2004055179-A1

Title: Multifunctional slipper

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a slipper and, more particularly, to a multifunctional slipper which allows the toes of a human foot to extend freely and relaxedly and which can be manufactured with a simplified procedure.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] Slippers made from plastic are usually worn indoors as well as for wading or walking in water, such as shallow part of a sea or river along the beach.  
       [0005] The light, waterproof shoes can be classified into two types: one is known as a common slipper which typically has two crossed straps both extending over the top of a human foot; and the other is known as a flip-flop or thong which has a single strap with a branch going between two toes.  
       [0006] Irrespective of the types of the slippers, the strap(s) is/are made separately from a sole and is then attached thereto, which necessitates several procedures for their production. Additionally, each of these slippers occupies a relatively large space, especially in luggage of a user who is about to carry it on a tour.  
       [0007] A more serious problem is that the straps of the common slipper encase all of the toes of the foot so that the toes can not extend freely and relaxedly As for the flip-flop or thong, the requirement of the branch of its strap to be held between the first toe and the next toe will inevitably cause all of the toes to crook on strain rather then extend freely and relaxedly.  
       [0008] These conventional slippers are not suitable for a woman whose toenails are painted with nails enamel, because the enamel will be rubbed off due to the fact that the toes within such strap(s) are pressed one against another and hence rub each other while the woman is walking.  
       [0009] Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a multifunctional slipper to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional slipper which allows the toes to extend freely and relaxedly.  
       [0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional slipper which can be manufactured with a simplified procedure.  
       [0012] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional slipper which can be carried about easily.  
       [0013] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a multifunctional slipper in accordance with the present in a flat configuration;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slipper of FIG. 1 in a completed configuration; and  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the completed slipper of FIG. 2 held onto a human foot. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a multifunctional slipper in accordance with the present invention includes a soft sole ( 10 ) made from a light flexible waterproof material, such as EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate). The soft sole ( 10 ) has five separate toe portions ( 12 ) and a pair of holes ( 14 ) defined therein near opposed side edges of the sole ( 10 ) behind the toe portions ( 12 ).  
     [0018] The sole ( 10 ) is formed with a front strap ( 13 ) for passing over the top of a foot, as shown in FIG. 3. The front strap ( 13 ) has two opposite terminals ( 131 ) engagable with the holes ( 14 ) of the sole ( 10 ). Preferably, each of the terminals ( 131 ) terminates in a neck ( 133 ) next to an enlarged distal end ( 134 ) which is dimensioned to be fitted in one of the holes ( 14 ) mentioned above.  
     [0019] In the inventive slipper, the strap ( 13 ) additionally has four spaced branches ( 132 ) each extending therefrom between the terminals ( 131 ) to the sole ( 10 ) at a corresponding juncture between adjacent two of the toe portions ( 12 ), thereby forming five openings ( 17 ) for receiving the toes to hold the slipper onto the foot.  
     [0020] The front strap ( 12 ) is preferably formed integrally with the sole ( 10 ). In a highly preferred embodiment, the sole ( 10 ) is provided with front breaking lines ( 11 ) profiling both the five toe portions ( 12 ) and the front strap ( 13 ), as best shown in FIG. 1, thus allowing the front strap ( 13 ) to be bent upward so that the terminals ( 131 ) are engaged with the holes ( 14 ) of the sole ( 10 ). This forms the five openings ( 17 ) for receiving the toes of the foot.  
     [0021] It is conceivable that the front strap ( 12 ) may be made separately from the sole ( 10 ) and then attached thereto. Under this circumstance, the sole ( 10 ) will additionally have four apertures (not shown) defined therein near the junctures between the toe portions ( 12 ) for the engagement with the branches ( 132 ) of the front strap ( 13 ).  
     [0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sole ( 10 ) is preferably provided with a back breaking line ( 15 ) profiling a U-shaped back strap ( 16 ), which has a pair of ends integrally connected with the sole ( 10 ). Therefore, the U-shaped back strap ( 16 ) can be bent upward and extend over either the instep, as shown in FIG. 3, or the heel for additionally holding the slipper onto the human foot.  
     [0023] Alternatively, the U-shaped back strap ( 16 ) may be configured as a removable one that has two ends received in a pair of orifices (not shown) defined in the sole ( 10 ).  
     [0024] Referring to FIG. 3, the inventive slipper is worn with the toes of the human foot extending through the openings ( 17 ) defined by the upward-bent front strap ( 13 ), i.e. with the branches ( 132 ) going between the respective toes. This allows the toes to extend freely and relaxedly without pressing one against another.  
     [0025] From the above description, it is noted that the invention has the following advantages:  
     [0026] 1. relaxation:  
     [0027] Because of the five openings ( 17 ) defined by the upward-bent front strap ( 13 ), the toes can extend freely and relaxedly with less rubbing therebetween, thus reducing the possibility of rubbing off the enamel painted on the toenails.  
     [0028] 2. simplified procedure for its production:  
     [0029] Because the sole ( 10 ) and the straps ( 13 ,  16 ) can be cut out simultaneously by punching a large flat blank, the productive procedure is simplified.  
     [0030] 3. being easy to be carried about:  
     [0031] Because the slipper is made in and can be returned to a flat configuration, it is easy to be transported by the manufacturer as well as to be carried about by a user.  
     [0032] 4. being light and waterproof:  
     [0033] Because the slipper is made from EVA, it is both light and waterproof, permitting the user to wade or walk in water along the beach.  
     [0034] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.