Abstract:
A stretchable fabric shoe decoration system which covers a shoe and on which can be fastened one or more decorative elements. The system allowing for a single shoe cover to be removably used to decorate an unlimited number of shoes. The system also allowing for a single pair of shoes to be serially decorated by an unlimited number of different decorated shoe covers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/156,188 filed May 2, 2015 which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    This invention has been created without the sponsorship or funding of any federally sponsored research or development program. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention involves a stretchable fabric shoe decoration system which covers a shoe and on which can be fastened an array of assorted decorative elements. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Prior products and methods of decorating shoes have been characterized by the permanency of the decorative material, prohibiting a user from readily changing the appearance of a given pair of shoes. The prior products and methods of decorating shoes furthermore have been characterized by an inability of the user to easily transfer favored decorative elements from one pair of shoes to another pair. Additionally, previous shoe decoration systems often involve decorative elements which are directed towards a particular shoe size or shoe style. 
         [0005]    These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art shoe decorative products and methods have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention. 
         [0006]    It is therefore, an outstanding object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a system for decorating shoes in an efficient and effective manner. 
         [0007]    Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a distinctive shoe decorative cover which can be used to decorate an unlimited number of shoes. 
         [0008]    A further object of some embodiments of the present invention is to, alternatively, provide for a single pair of shoes to be serially decorated by an unlimited number of unique decorative covers. 
         [0009]    It is another object of some embodiments of the present invention to satisfy the desire of every woman who appreciates fanciful shoes, high heels, flats, sandals, or boots, for a cost effective approach to creating fashionable foot wear for multiple and various occasions. 
         [0010]    It is a further object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a shoe decorative system that would be appropriate for younger girls&#39; shoes as well as womens&#39; shoes. 
         [0011]    It is a still further object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a shoe decorative system that is capable of rejuvenating a “well worn” outward appearance of an old pair of high heel shoes that are worn out and “worse for wear”, but which, because they are “broken in” by extensive use, are very comfortable for a wearer. By rejuvenating the appearance of the “well worn” shoes, the present invention provides the wearer with the beneficial comfort of the “well worn” shoe combined with the added benefit of an up-to-date fashionable outward appearance for the shoe. 
         [0012]    With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The invention is designed to be used on a wide variety of shoes. 
         [0014]    The invention makes shoes dressy and fun. 
         [0015]    The invention can be used to improve the appearance of old comfortable shoes and dress them up for events in which decorated shoes would be appropriate. 
         [0016]    Because the invention is made of flexible stretchable fabric, one shoe decoration system size will conformably cover, change the color of, and decorate a wide variety of shoe sizes and styles. 
         [0017]    The invention provides a user with the ability to adorn a pair of shoes with various decorative elements including: silk flowers, sequins, pearls, rhinestones, ribbons, and other analogous enhancements. 
         [0018]    Some embodiments of the invention are capable of being washed by hand if they are soiled by stepping in a puddle or by spilling something on them and, alternatively, the invention can be removed from a particular pair of shoes and replaced with another suitable shoe decoration system without the need to clean the whole shoe. 
         [0019]    The invention is suitable for boots, sandals, and children shoes as well as women&#39;s formal and high heeled shoes. 
         [0020]    One embodiment of the invention, suitable particularly for young children, includes a tie element located towards the rear portion of the shoe cover which allows the shoe cover to be fastened securely to the child&#39;s shoe even as the child&#39;s shoe size dramatically increases as the child matures. In one embodiment of the invention, the tie element is in the form of ribbon laces attached to each side of the shoe cover and which laces, when tied together in a bow, cause the shoe cover to tightly conform to the shoe. This tie mechanism gives the shoe cover a high degree of flexibility. 
         [0021]    The invention is appropriate for use with women&#39;s high heel shoes worn at formal occasions such as weddings where brides, bride&#39;s maids, flower girls, mothers of the bride or women guests, who might require shoes that decoratively compliment the rest of their outfits and which more often than not need to fit a particular fashion theme of the event. The invention is also appropriate for evening events, the Opera, formal parties and dining out, as well as other similar situation where fashionable shoes are appropriate. 
         [0022]    The invention is designed to wear over any standard pair of heeled shoes including women&#39;s high heeled shoes where the heel is between 1 inch and 6 inches in height. 
         [0023]    The flexible fabric which is an integral part of the invention allows it to fit snugly and conformably over all shapes and sizes of shoes including flat shoes and children&#39;s shoes as well as high fashion boots. 
         [0024]    One embodiment of the invention is a flexible stretchable fabric shoe cover that is designed to conformably cover the shoe upper without compromising the sole or the heel. The shoe cover when properly installed on a shoe leaves the sole and the heel exposed by the provision of openings through which the sole and the heel extend. The edges of the shoe cover conform to the path of the top and bottom edges of the shoe upper. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    The character of the invention, however, may best be understood by reference to one of the structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover portion of the shoe decoration system in an uninstalled state. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe with one embodiment of the shoe decoration system installed on it. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a bottom view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe, making clear the presence of a fabric bridge portion connecting one side of the shoe decoration system from the other side. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe with one embodiment of the shoe decoration system installed, including a decorative element attached to the forward facing toe box portion of the shoe cover fabric. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe with one embodiment of the shoe decoration system installed, including a decorative element attached to the rearward facing counter portion of the shoe cover fabric. 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a standard woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe with one embodiment of the shoe decoration system installed, including a tightening element attached to the rearward facing counter portion of the shoe cover fabric. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    One embodiment of the invention is a flexible stretchable fabric shoe cover that is designed to conformably cover the shoe upper without compromising the sole or the heel. The shoe cover when properly installed on a shoe leaves the sole and the heel exposed by the provision of openings through which the sole and the heel extend. The edges of the shoe cover conform to the path of the top and bottom edges of the shoe upper. 
         [0034]    Another embodiment of the invention includes the flexible fabric shoe cover as described in the previous paragraph along with a decorative element attached to the front of the shoe cover, generally in the area of the toe box. 
         [0035]    A further embodiment of the invention includes the flexible fabric shoe cover as described in the first paragraph of this section along with a decorative element attached to the rear of the shoe cover, generally in the area of the rearward facing shoe counter. 
         [0036]    A still further embodiment of the invention includes the flexible fabric shoe cover as described in the first paragraph of this section along with a shoe cover tightening element attached to the rear of the shoe cover, generally in the area of the rearward facing shoe counter. 
         [0037]    The character of the invention, however, may best be understood by reference to one of the structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. 
         [0038]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , in which a typical woman&#39;s high heeled shoe  10  is shown, the relevant parts of a typical shoe are noted. 
         [0039]    The shoe  10  consists of an upper  15  and a sole  55 . 
         [0040]    The upper  15  includes generally, a forward facing toe box  20 , behind which is a foot covering vamp  25 , a top line edge  30  defining the rearwardly facing edge of the vamp  25 , a right side  35 , a left side  40 , a right quarter  45 , a left quarter  47 , a rearwardly facing counter  50 , and an upper foot opening  49 , which foot opening is defined by the top line edge, the right side top edge, the left side top edge and the top edge of the shoe counter. 
         [0041]    The sole  55  includes a forward facing out sole  60  who&#39;s edges conform generally to the bottom edges of the upper toe box  20 , upper vamp  25  and upper side portions  30  and  35 , a shank portion  65  who&#39;s edges conform to the bottom edges of the upper side portions  30  and  35 , and upper quarter portions  45  and  47 , and who&#39;s rearwardly facing edge extends to the heel  75 , which heel includes a forward facing heel breast  70 , and a heel seat  67  who&#39;s edges conform generally to the rearwardly facing edge of the shank  65  and the bottom edges of the upper quarter portions  45  and  47 , and the upper counter portion  50 . 
         [0042]    Now referring to  FIG. 2  where a stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  is shown in an uninstalled state, the fabric shoe cover  80  includes a right portion  81  and left portion  82 , each of which covers, and each of which is flexibly conformable to, the contour of the right and the left sides of a shoe along with the right quarter and the left quarter portions of the shoe. Furthermore, the shoe cover  80  includes a front facing top portion  83  which covers and which is flexibly conformable to a shoe toe box portion, a vamp cover  84  which is connectedly behind the front facing top portion  83  which vamp cover  84  covers, and which is flexibly conformable to, a vamp portion of the shoe, and a rear facing portion  86  which covers and which is flexibly conformable to a shoe counter, and a bottom connecting fabric bridge portion  85  which connects the right side of the cover  81  with the left side of the cover  82 , generally across the middle shank portion of the shoe sole and which fabric bridge portion  85  contributes to the shoe cover&#39;s state of elastic tension when installed and which thereby contributes to the conformance of the shoe cover to the shape of the shoe. The construction of this embodiment of the fabric shoe cover  80  includes three openings: a first upper shoe cover opening  87  defined by the upper edge of the right and left side  81  and  82 , the rearward facing top line edge of the vamp portion  84  and the forward top edge of the rear facing counter portion  86  and which upper opening  87  conforms to the contours of the shoe upper opening; a second forwardly located bottom opening  88  defined by the bottom forward facing edge of the toe box cover portion  83 , the bottom edges of the vamp cover portion  84  , and the forward facing edge of the connecting fabric bridge portion  85 , which forwardly located bottom opening edges define an opening having the contours, when properly installed, of the outer edges of the shoe out sole; and a third rearwardly located bottom opening  89  defined by the bottom edge of the right and left quarter portions  45  and  47 , the rearwardly facing edge of the connecting fabric bridge portion  85 , and the bottom edge of the rearwardly facing counter portion  86 , and, when properly installed on a shoe, which opening conforming to the contours of the heel seat and which opening as well allowing for the shoe heel to extend through the shoe cover. 
         [0043]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  is shown installed on a shoe  10 . 
         [0044]    Now referring to  FIG. 4 , a bottom view of a shoe  10  shows one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  including a forwardly located bottom opening  88  allowing the outsole  60  to remain uncovered and functional, and a rearwardly located bottom opening  89  allowing the shoe heel  75  to remain uncovered and functional. 
         [0045]    Now referring to  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  is shown installed on a shoe  10  including a toe box decorative element  90  which is attached to the fabric shoe cover  80  generally in the area of the shoe toe box  20 . 
         [0046]    Now referring to  FIG. 6 , one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  is shown installed on a shoe  10  including a rear counter decorative element  95  which is attached to the fabric shoe cover  80  generally in the area of the shoe counter portion  86 . 
         [0047]    Now referring to  FIG. 7 , one embodiment of the stretchable fabric shoe cover  80  is shown installed on a shoe  10  including a rear counter tightening element  100  which is attached to the fabric shoe cover  80  generally in the area of the shoe counter portion  86  and which is adapted to provide adjustable tension over the surface of the shoe cover such that the shoe cover fabric conforms tightly and securely on a wide variety of shoe sizes. 
         [0048]    One function of the shoe cover is to reversibly change the appearance of the shoe. The shoe has an outside surface which is normally visible. The shoe cover covers that visible outside surface of the shoe. The outside surface of the shoe cover may have a color, or a texture, or a usual design that is different from the outside surface of the shoe, so that the installation of the shoe cover on the shoe changes the appearance of the shoe. 
         [0049]    It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.