Abstract:
A shoe display system is provided for promoting and selling shoes. The shoe display system comprises a combination of a shoe and a receiving loop. The receiving loop is formed by a receiving strip of material fixed at opposite end portions to inside the heel counter of said shoe.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to displaying and selling shoes without using shoe boxes, and more specifically, to tabs attached to shoes for display and sale purposes. 
         [0002]    Footwear is traditionally packed and transported in shoe boxes. For display purposes, a cover of the shoebox is often removed to enable a customer to view shoes packed therein. More often, a representative shoe is removed from the shoe box and placed on a table or rack for customer inspection. The representative shoe is virtually never the same as the shoe ultimately purchased, typically because the representative shoe is the wrong size or color, or has been damaged during multiple customer handlings. 
         [0003]    As can be seen, there is a need for a more effective and visually pleasing method of suspending and displaying a pair of shoes, and indicating the trademark, style, size, price, and/or other information in retail stores. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In one aspect of the present invention, a shoe display system comprises a shoe; and a receiving loop formed by a receiving strip of material fixed at opposite end portions to inside the heel counter of the shoe. 
         [0005]    In another aspect of the present invention, a method of promoting a shoe for sale comprises forming a receiving loop by attaching opposite first and second ends of a strip to the shoe; and hanging the shoe through the formed loop for a purchaser to view. 
         [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in use; 
           [0008]      FIG. 1   a  is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 1   b  is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 1   c  is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of another exemplary embodiment of the present in use; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2   a  is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2   b  is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   c  is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention in use; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3   a  is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3   b  is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3   c  is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0020]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0021]    Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods and systems of providing a shoe display. More specifically, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an attachment of an elastic or fabric strip inside of the heel counter of the shoe at or near the top line of the back counter. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in use with  FIGS. 1   a - 1   c  showing the exemplary embodiment from different angles. A strip  10  used for the present invention may be a narrow, elongated, flexible plastic or fabric unit. Furthermore, such strip  10  may be durable and elastic. Moreover, using elastic strips and increasing the length and tension of the strip  10  may provide additional fit options. 
         [0023]    Both ends of the strip  14   a  and  14   b  may be sewn on the inside the heel counter  16  of a shoe  13  at two different locations. Alternatively, both ends of the strip  14   a  and  14   b  may be sewn on the same position inside the heel counter  16 . A sewing thread may not penetrate through the heel  18  of the shoe  13  and thus the attachment of the strip  10  does not damage the shoe when a sewing thread and a sewing machine are used. Instead, the thread may be sewn through the fabric inside the heel counter  16 . Alternatively, both ends of the strip  14   a  and  14   b  may be glued to the heel counter  16  by using an adhesive machine. A receiving loop  10  may be formed after both ends  14   a  and  14   b  of the strip  10  were sewn or glued to the back counter  16  and a center portion  15  may be pullable away from the heel counter  16  of the shoe  13  to provide an open center. In addition, the receiving loop  10  may be located on the shoe in a vertical position (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), such that it extends substantially vertically to the ground when the shoe  13  is worn by a wearer. 
         [0024]    Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the receiving loop  20  may be located on the shoe in a horizontal position, such that it may extend substantially horizontally to the ground when the shoe  14  is worn by a wearer. Both ends  24   a  and  24   b  of the receiving loop  20  may be sewn or glued to the back counter  16  with a center portion  25  which may be pullable away from the heel counter  16 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , two ends  34   a  and  34   b  may be sewn or glued at the same position of the top line  38  of the back counter of the shoe  13 . The receiving strip  30  may be permanently or temporarily attached to the shoe  13 . Furthermore, the receiving strip  30  may be fabricated of material similar in at least one of pattern and color to that of the shoe to which it is affixed. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a hanger  12  which is used to hang the shoe  13 . An end tip  11   a  or  11   b  may run through the receiving loop  30  of the shoe  13 . The ends  11   a ,  11   b  of the hanger  12  may utilize a clasping mechanism for releasably securing said loop  30 . Alternatively, the ends  11   a ,  11   b  of the hanger  12  may utilize a hooking mechanism for releasably securing said loop. 
         [0027]    One embodiment of the present invention may further help a purchaser to view the displayed shoes which may be hung by a hanger through a formed loop. In addition, the embodiment further comprises exposing the shoe&#39;s trademark, style, size, price, and other information of the shoe better for a purchaser to view. Especially, the purchaser may see the toe of the shoe clearly when the shoe is being hanged up. 
         [0028]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.