Abstract:
A shoe fastener strap is provided that is able to releasably secure the shoes of a baby or toddler to pant legs of the baby or toddler so that the shoes do not fall off of the baby or toddler&#39;s feet and become lost or otherwise misplaced. The shoe fastener strap includes a first fastener that is used to releasably secure the shoe fastener strap to a pant leg, and it includes a second fastener which may be semi permanently secured to the back of a baby or toddler&#39;s shoe. The first fastener preferably is a clip-type fastener which also has a tab backing member that serves to help close the first fastener around a pant leg as well as to serve as a decorative emblem.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/176,186, filed Feb. 12, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a garment for children, and more particularly a shoe fastener strap having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is designed for attachment to a child&#39;s pant leg, and the second end is designed for attachment to a child&#39;s shoe. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Babies and toddlers often wear lightweight and flexible shoes that allow their feet to naturally move and flex. Shoes being lightweight helps toddlers to develop strength in their feet so that walking may be accomplished more safely and effectively as the child reaches walking age. 
         [0004]    As a result of baby and/or toddler shoes being soft and flexible, the shoes often fall off of a baby or toddler&#39;s feet. This occurs particularly frequently because of the high activity levels of babies and toddlers as they crawl around a floor using their feet to push off and crawl along the floor. The high activity levels of a baby or toddler can cause the repeated and constant issue of shoes falling off of a baby or toddler&#39;s foot. Shoes falling off of a baby or toddler&#39;s foot can result in a number of problems, including a foot being exposed to something potentially harmful that is left on the ground such as a snag in a hardwood floor, a dangerous obstacle like a raised threshold, or other debris. Moreover, baby and/or toddler shoes may be permanently lost which could result in the repeated requirement of buying additional shoes as shoes are lost. The repeated need of buying additional shoes can become an expensive and time consuming process. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention relates to a shoe fastener strap for selectively attaching a baby or toddler&#39;s shoe to his or her pant leg to reduce the likelihood of the shoe being lost or otherwise unattached. The shoe fastener strap preferably includes a first end that has a first fastener, wherein the first fastener is selectively attachable to a baby or toddler&#39;s pant leg. The shoe fastener strap also preferably includes a second end that has a second fastener, wherein the second fastener is selectively attachable to a baby or toddler&#39;s shoe. A strap is provided between the first end and the second end of the shoe fastener strap wherein the strap is attached to the first fastener at the first end and to the second fastener at the second end. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the first fastener has both of a first jaw and a second jaw that are used to selectively attach the first fastener to a pant leg. In that embodiment, the first fastener also includes a closing tab that enables the second jaw to be closed toward the first jaw. The closing tab may also include a tab backing member that is attached to the closing tab. The tab backing member preferably has a surface area greater than the closing tab to allow a user to more easily close and open the jaws of the first fastener and therefore attach the shoe fastener strap to a pant leg as well as to detach the shoe fastener strap from a pant leg. In at least one embodiment the strap between the first and second end is elastic such that any movements in either of the wearer&#39;s shoe or pant leg provide some flex to the shoe fastener strap such that neither is stressed and damaged. 
         [0007]    In another separate embodiment, a system for selectively attaching a baby or toddler&#39;s shoe to a pant leg is provided. The system includes a shoe, a pant leg, and a shoe fastener strap. The shoe fastener strap preferably includes a first end and a second end. The first end includes a first fastener that is selectively attachable to a pant leg. The second end includes a second fastener that is selectively attachable to a shoe. A strap may be provided between the first end and the second end, wherein the strap is attached to the first fastener at the first end and to the second fastener at the second end. 
         [0008]    The first fastener may include a first jaw and a second jaw for selectively attaching the first fastener to a baby or toddler&#39;s pant leg. The first fastener may also include a closing tab that may help to operate the second jaw such that it closes toward the first jaw when enabled and thus secures the shoe fastener strap to the pant leg of a wearer. The closing tab may also include a tab backing member which helps to facilitate the closing and opening of the closing tab. The tab backing member may be decorated and/or adorned so as to encourage a baby or toddler to wear the shoe fastener strap. In at least one embodiment, the strap between the first end and the second end may be elastic such that the shoe fastener strap provides some give when either of a shoe or a pant leg is pulled or stretched. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a better understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a shoe fastener strap constructed according to the teachings of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the shoe fastener strap of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shoe fastener strap of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in its closed position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the shoe fastener strap of  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  in its closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a shoe fastener strap  1  for releasably securing a baby or toddler&#39;s shoe to his or her pant leg to reduce the likelihood that the shoe falls off of the foot and is lost or exposes the baby or toddler&#39;s foot to potential damage.  FIG. 2  provides a side elevation view of the same. Shoe fastener strap  1  includes both of a first end  3  and a second end  5 . First end  3  preferably includes a first fastener  7  which may be used to attach first end  3  of shoe fastener strap  1  to a pant leg, in a manner discussed in greater detail herein below. Second end  5  of shoe fastener strap  1  preferably includes a second fastener  9  which may be used to selectively attach second end  5  to a wearer&#39;s shoe, such that the wearer&#39;s shoe and pant leg are releasably secured to one another by way of shoe fastener strap  1 , in a manner that will be discussed in greater detail when describing  FIGS. 3 and 4  hereof, as set forth below. 
         [0015]    In the illustrated embodiment, first fastener  7  is a clamping device having a first jaw  11  and a second jaw  13  separated by a hinged member  15 . First fastener  7  also includes a closing tab  17  which includes a ledge member  19  extending therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, closing tab  17  and ledge member  19  are integrally formed, though in alternative embodiments could be formed as separate and distinct elements. A tab backing member  21  may also be attached to closing tab  17 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As commonly known and understood in the art, when tab backing member  21  is pushed inwardly, closing tab  17  is also pushed inwardly such that ledge member  19  rotates about hinged member  15  and pushes second jaw  13  toward first jaw  11 . While first fastener  7  is a jawed closing mechanism as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , other fasteners such as a clothespin-like device, a Velcro system, or other foreseeable releasably attachable fasteners may be substituted for first fastener  7  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0016]    Tab backing member  21  is preferably greater in surface area than closing tab  17 , such that closing tab backing member  21  in order to push second jaw  13  and first jaw  11  toward one another is more easily accomplished. Closing first fastener  7  using tab backing member  21  may be easier because greater surface area of tab backing member  21  preferably allows an operator to more easily grasp and use leverage against tab backing member  21 . Tab backing member  21  may be decorative in nature, so as to encourage a toddler to push tab backing member  21  to lock jaws  11 ,  13  on a pant leg. Furthermore, by tab backing member  21  being decorative in nature, the outward appearance of shoe fastener strap  1  (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) may be more desirable. 
         [0017]    Second fastener  9  is illustrated as a plastic snap rivet attachment, as known and commonly utilized in the field. Second fastener  9  may be semi-permanently attached to a back portion of a shoe in a manner known and understood in the art, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Another means or mechanism for securing second end  5  of shoe fastener strap  1  to a shoe are contemplated and foreseeable. 
         [0018]    First end  3  and second end  5  of shoe fastener strap  1  are illustrated as separated by a ring member  23  and a strap  25 . Ring member  23  is preferably releasably attached to first fastener  7 , though in alternative embodiments ring member  23  may be integrally formed with first fastener  7 . A strap  25  may further be provided through which second fastener  9  may be riveted or otherwise attached. Strap  25  is preferably elastic in nature such that when shoe fastener strap  1  is in its closed position and attached to a pant leg at its first end  3  and a shoe at second end  5 , some give is provided in strap  25 . That way, if a toddler or child moves his or her pant leg or shoe, neither of the shoe or pant leg is ripped or otherwise damaged. Strap  25  flexes, thus reducing tension on either of a pant leg or shoe. In the illustrated embodiment, strap  25  is looped around ring member  23 . Other means for attaching first end  3  and second end  5  are herein envisioned, so long as in an alternative envisioned embodiment, some elasticity is provided between first end  3  and second end  5 . 
         [0019]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate shoe fastener strap  1  when it is in its closed position.  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate second end  5  attached to a shoe  27  by way of second fastener  9  in the manner described herein above.  FIGS. 3 and 4  also illustrate a first end  3  of shoe fastener strap  1  attached to a pant leg  29  according to the teachings above. More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 4 , first jaw  11  and second jaw  13  have been closed using closing tab  17  such that jaws  11 ,  13  are clamped on to pant leg  29 . As mentioned above, but shown in greater detail in  FIG. 3 , tab backing member  21  is visible and facing outwardly from pant leg  29  in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In the illustrated embodiment, tab backing member  21  has a decorative quality about it, and also provides backing that allows for shoe fastener strap  1  to be used in the manner shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and also to be removed. 
         [0020]    When ready to remove shoes, a parent or even a toddler may push outwardly on tab backing member  21  such that closing tab  17  is also pushed outwardly. Ledge member  19  may relax its tension on second jaw  13  such that second jaw  13  moves away from first jaw  11 , thus releasing pant leg  29  from being secured within jaws  11 ,  13 . Shoe fastener strap  1  may subsequently be used with a different pair of pants and pant leg  29  than those shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Similarly, it is envisioned that shoe fastener strap  1  may be convertible such that it may be used with a variety of shoes  27 . In yet another alternative embodiment, shoe fastener strap  1  may be integrally formed with a pair of shoes  27 . 
         [0021]    While not explicitly illustrated, it is commonly understood and envisioned that shoe fastener strap  1  is for use with a single shoe  27 , and in day to day use each shoe  27  of a pair of shoes would need a shoe fastener strap  1  to perform its intended function with each pant leg  29  in a pair of pants. 
         [0022]    From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention are well adapted to attain all the objectives and advantages hereinabove set forth together with still other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the present structures. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations of the present embodiments are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, it is also to be understood that all disclosures herein set forth or illustrated in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. The various constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles and scope of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel shoe fastener strap. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. In addition, use of the terms “coupled to” or “coupled with” in the foregoing specification and subsequent claims is intended to mean that other members, components and/or mechanisms may lie between the two members that are “coupled together”, and direct attachments, connection or mating of the two members is not required. The same definition is likewise true when using the term “in fluid connection with” in the foregoing specification and subsequent claims. Two members, components or mechanisms “in fluid communication with” each other does require direct connection, attachment or mating between such members but does mean that other members, components and/or mechanisms may lie between such members. 
         [0024]    Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.