Abstract:
A shoe bag is provided having a body and a flap that is attached to the body. An opening is provided in the flap to receive a handle of a separate carrying item. Thus, the handle of the separate carrying item may be employed to transport both the separate carrying item and the shoe bag.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Nos. 60/739,016, filed Nov. 23, 2005, and 60/759,572, filed Jan. 18, 2006, the contents of both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention is directed to a shoe bag for transporting shoes. More particularly, the invention is directed to a shoe bag for transporting shoes, wherein the shoe bag includes a structure for receiving a handle, strap or other carrying device from a separate item, such as a briefcase.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Generally, business shoes and other fashionable shoes are considered less comfortable to walk in than casual shoes and/or exercise shoes. As a result, many people wear comfortable shoes while commuting to and/or from work and carry their business shoes in a bag for use only at the office. For example, many urban commuters prefer to wear comfortable shoes to walk several blocks, ride public transportation, and/or otherwise participate in physical activity while commuting.  
         [0006]     Additionally, many business and/or other fashionable shoes are less rugged and more expensive than casual shoes. As a result, there are financial benefits to wearing casual shoes in a harsher commuting environment and wearing business shoes in an office environment.  
         [0007]     Wearing more than one pair of shoes during a day, however, introduces inconveniences such as requiring commuters to carry a shoe bag, in addition to carrying other items, including a briefcase, a lunch bag, and/or other items. Furthermore, over time, transporting shoes in a bag tends to introduce dirt, discoloration, and/or otherwise deteriorate the clean appearance of the shoe bag.  
         [0008]     Therefore, a need exists to provide an improved shoe bag. The improved shoe bag should facilitate the carrying of a plurality of carrying items and/or enable easy cleaning of the shoe bag, among providing other benefits.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Various aspects of the invention overcome at least some of these and other drawbacks of existing carrying items. According to one embodiment, the invention provides an improved shoe bag having a structure for receiving a handle, strap or other carrying device from a separate carrying item, such as a briefcase, a purse, and/or other carrying item. According to one embodiment, the invention provides an improved shoe bag having a closing flap with an opening therein, such as a slit or other opening, for receiving a handle, strap or other carrying device from a separate carrying item, such as a briefcase, a purse, and/or other carrying item.  
         [0010]     According to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe bag may include a closing cover having an opening defined therein. According to one embodiment, the shoe bag may be fitted over another carrying item to receive a handle from the other carrying item through the opening in the closing cover. According to one embodiment, the closing cover may be secured to the handle of the other carrying item. Thus, the handle of the other carrying item may be employed to transport both the other carrying item and the shoe bag.  
         [0011]     The invention provides numerous advantages over and avoids many drawbacks of prior shoe carrying devices. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent through the detailed description of the embodiments and the drawings attached hereto. It is also to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. Numerous other objects, features, and advantages of the invention should now become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, a brief description of which is included below.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view perspective of a shoe bag according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate views of inserts for use in a shoe bag according to embodiments of the invention.  
         [0014]     FIGS.  3  illustrates a back view perspective of a shoe bag according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the shoe bag in combination with a briefcase having a handle that protrudes through the shoe bag and the shoe bag tongue being in an unlatched position according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of the shoe bag in combination with a briefcase having a handle that protrudes through the shoe bag and the shoe bag tongue being in a latched position according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     While specific embodiments of the invention are discussed herein and are illustrated in the drawings appended hereto, the invention encompasses a broader spectrum than the specific subject matter described and illustrated. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the embodiments described herein provide but a few examples of the broad scope of the invention. There is no intention to limit the scope of the invention only to the embodiments described.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of a shoe bag  10  for storing and/or transporting shoes. According to one embodiment, the shoe bag  10  may be defined by various portions including a body  12 , a closing cover or flap  14 , a tongue  16  and/or other portions. According to one embodiment of the invention, the body  12  defines a cavity for receiving inserts therein.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2A  illustrates one embodiment of the invention having separate inserts  31  and  33  that include respective openings  34  and  35  for receiving a pair of shoes therein (not shown). Openings  34  and  35  may be provided to accommodate various types of shoes, including high heels, flat shoes, sneakers, and/or other types of shoes.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an embodiment of the invention having a single insert  36  that includes respective openings  37  and  38  for receiving shoes therein (not shown). According to one embodiment, insert  36  may include stitching  39  to define the openings  37  and  38 . Openings  37  and  38  may be provided to accommodate various types of shoes, including high heels, flat shoes, sneakers, and/or other types of shoes.  
         [0021]     According to one embodiment of the invention, the inserts  31 ,  33 , and/or  36  may be removable from the shoe bag  10 . According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the inserts  31 ,  33 , and/or  36  may be permanently affixed inside the shoe bag  10 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the inserts  31 ,  33 , and/or  36  may fill the entire cavity of body  12 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the inserts  31 ,  33 , and/or  36  may fill less than the entire cavity of body  12  so that cavity  12  may be designed to hold additional items therein.  
         [0022]     According to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe bag  10  and/or the inserts  31 ,  33 ,  36  may be made of various materials such as nylon, plastic, cotton, polyester, and/or other materials. Additionally, the shoe bag  10  and/or the inserts  31 ,  33 ,  36  may have one or more mesh portions to allow air to circulate around shoes inserted therein to prevent a musty odor from building up in the shoe bag  10  and/or the inserts  31 ,  33 ,  36 . According to one embodiment, removal of the inserts  31 ,  33  and/or  36  from the body  12  of the shoe bag  10  enables the inserts  31 ,  33  and/or  36  to be washed or cleaned separately from the other portions of the shoe bag  10 .  
         [0023]     According to one embodiment of the invention, the closing cover or flap  14  may be provided to cover or expose the cavity opening defined in the body  12 . According to one embodiment, the closing cover or flap  14  may be moved to expose the cavity opening in body  12  to allow entry or removal of shoes (or inserts) from the body  12 .  
         [0024]     According to one embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the closing cover or flap  14  may include a tongue  16  for securing the closing cover or flap  14  to the body  12 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the securing mechanism  26  may include a magnetic lock, a button, velcro, a hook and loop device and/or other securing mechanism. According to one embodiment of the invention, a strap  25  may be provided for carrying the shoe bag  10 . According to one embodiment of the invention, a pouch  22  may be provided to store the strap  25  when the strap is not being used. According to one embodiment, the pouch  22  may include a closing device  24 , such as a zipper or other closing device. According to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe bag  10  may include a slit or opening  20  that is provided in the closing cover or flap  14 . According to one embodiment of the invention, slit  20  may be located on the closing cover  14  in an area that is proximate to an attaching portion  42  that attaches with the body  12 . According to one embodiment of the invention, slit  20  may be located on the closing cover  14  in a central portion  43  that is between the attaching portion  42  and an opposite free end  44 . One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the slit  20  may be located at various places throughout the shoe bag  10 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment where the shoe bag  10  may fitted over another carrying item, such as a briefcase  40 , to receive a handle  41  of the briefcase  40  through the slit  20 . In other words, the handle  41  of the briefcase  40  may project through the slit  20  of the shoe bag  10  to enable the shoe bag  10  to be transported along with the briefcase  40 . As a result, the invention enables a user to more efficiently carry multiple items, such as a briefcase  40  and shoe bag  10 , by allowing the handle  41  of the briefcase  40  to act as a handle for the shoe bag  10 . According to one embodiment of the invention, slit  20  may include a closing device, such as a zipper or other closing device, for closing the slit  20  when not is use.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the tongue  16  may be used to secure the shoe bag  10  to the handle  41  of the briefcase  40  when a user releases the handle  41 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the securing mechanism  26  may be provided to maintain engagement between the tongue  16 , which passes through the handle  41 , and the shoe bag  10 .  
         [0027]     While preferred forms of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made that will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention will be determined solely by claims that will be added.