Patent Document

PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/736,619, filed on Dec. 13, 2012. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to footwear. There are a number of accessories associated with changing the appearance of a shoe. One solution is two permanently alter a shoe by removing a portion of the shoe and changing its overall look. One such example is to remove a portion of the shoe that surrounds the ankle region to covert a high top shoe to a low-top shoe. Another method of altering a shoes appearance is to removeably clip ornamental brooches and the like on the tops of shoes. Examples of removable shoe ornaments are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,117, U.S. Pat. No. 7,895,774 and U.S. Design Pat. No. 649,340. However, these solutions fail to meet the needs of the industry because they are aimed at adding ornamentation to a shoe and not changing the overall shoe type. 
     It would be desirable to have a system and method that enables people to have a couple of style options without having to buy multiple styles of shoes. Therefore, there currently exists a need in the industry for a system and device that can be easily converted to change footwear. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Various example embodiments of the invention advantageously fill the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a shoe conversion system which provides multiple style options with only one pair of shoes. In one example embodiment, a shoe has removable pieces that allow a wearer to choose from a boot or a shoe style. The shoe gives the wearer two options of changing the look of the shoe from a boot to a regular high heel. This shoe gives options to the wearer with one item. In this example embodiment, a user can zip or unzip the top piece to change the look of your shoe while it&#39;s still on the user&#39;s foot. 
     In another example embodiment, a method is provided for transforming a shoe to a boot or vice versa without the use of tools for the conversion. 
     The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a first footwear and a coupling member prior to attachment. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front perspective view of a first footwear type and a coupling member after attachment. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side elevation view of a first footwear type and a coupling member after attachment. 
         FIG. 4  shows a front perspective view, and  FIG. 4A  shows a side view of a first footwear type and a footwear cover prior to attachment. 
         FIG. 5  shows a front perspective view of a second footwear type. 
         FIG. 6  shows a side elevation view of a second footwear type. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the various Figures, where like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views. Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5  where a footwear conversion system  10  generally includes footwear  15 , a coupling member  20  and a footwear cover  25 . The footwear conversion system  10  is ideal for converting shoes from a single type of footwear, such as a high heel or low-top shoe to a fundamentally different style, such as a boot. 
     Referring specifically to  FIGS. 1-3  which describes footwear  15  being coupled to coupling member  20 . It should be appreciated that coupling member  20  is connected to footwear  15  in a manner that is conveniently connected and disconnected from footwear  15  when a user desires to use footwear conversion system  10 . However, the connection between footwear  15  and coupling member  20  should be robust to avoid disengagement when a user is utilizing the shoe under normal use conditions, such as walking, sitting, standing, jogging and the like. 
     The connection edge  30  of coupling member will typically receive at least a portion of a footwear aperture edge  35 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , coupling member  20  is positioned adjacent footwear aperture edge  35  prior to converting footwear  15 . Once placed above footwear aperture  40 , coupling member  20  is positioned on, or adjacent, footwear aperture  40 , as best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In some example embodiments, coupling member will have a means of snapping directly onto footwear  15 . In other related embodiments, coupling member  20  will be mechanically connected by fasteners know by one of ordinary skill in the art. Theses fastening means include, but are not limited to, zippers, button, and snaps positioned along or adjacent footwear aperture edge  35 . In these example embodiments, coupling member  20  will have reciprocal fastening means to pair with those fastening means positioned along the footwear aperture edge  35 . 
     Once footwear aperture edge  35  and coupling member  20  are connected (e.g., using fastening means  50 , such as a zipper, as schematically illustrated), they become integrally related to form an upper connection edge  33  where footwear cover  25  can be positioned above coupling member  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 &amp; 4A . Once coupling member  20  is appropriately positioned, footwear cover  25  can be fastened to coupling member  20  (e.g., using fastening means  52 , such as a zipper, as schematically illustrated). Similar to description above, the fastening means  50  and  52  are known to those skilled in the art and include, but are not limited to zippers, buttons, snaps, buttons and the like. Now referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6  where footwear cover  25  is fastened to coupling member  20 , thereby completing the conversion of footwear  15 . In this example embodiment, footwear  15  once initially a shoe ( FIGS. 1-3 ), whereby being converted to an ankle boot ( FIGS. 5-6 ). 
     In a related embodiment, a man&#39;s shoe is similarly convertible from a shoe to a boot for inclement weather or back to a shoe from a boot should the weather improve. In yet another related embodiment, such a system would be ideal for converting children shoes to boots and vice versa in case of weather changes or clothing changes while in town or traveling without the use of a specialty tools or complex assembly/disassembly effort or instruction. Additionally this method is advantageous to the business traveler to avoid excess pairs of shoes when traveling to regions where weather is ever-changing and unpredictable. 
     In another related embodiment, the cover or bootie attachment are attached with a hook and loop system (such as Velcro®) or with decorative buttons. In another related embodiment, convertible shoe design is used with athletes that have suffered an ankle injury and need support to continue playing or for a senior citizen that also has suffered an injury or needs additional ankle support. The various combinations of shoes and boot attachments are made of various materials adaptable for the seasons. 
     While the invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.

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