WO2011123010A1

WO2011123010A1 - Shoe cover

Info

Publication number: WO2011123010A1
Application number: PCT/SE2011/000048
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Barcefer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-30
Filing date: 2011-03-10
Publication date: 2011-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-30
Also published as: SE534178C2; SE1000301A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a shoe cover designed to be attached to the outside of the sole of a shoe (S), wherein the shoe cover includes a front bottom portion (1), a rear bottom portion (5) and a heel portion (9), and wherein the front bottom portion (1) is provided with engagement means (10A-10C) for the front part of the shoe (S). The shoe cover according to this invention is characterised in that an intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203) is arranged between the front bottom portion (1; 101; 201) and the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205), that a transition portion (7; 107; 207) is arranged between the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205) and the heel portion (9; 109; 209), and that the intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203) and/or the transition portion (7; 107; 207) act/s as a bending notch/hinge for the attachment of the shoe cover to the outside of the sole of the shoe (S).

Description

SHOE COVER

Technical field of the invention

This invention relates to a shoe cover designed to be attached to the outside of the sole of a shoe, wherein the shoe cover includes a front bottom portion, a rear bottom portion and a heel portion, and wherein the front bottom portion is provided with engagement means for the front part of the shoe, a transition portion is arranged between the rear bottom portion and the heel portion, the transition portion acts as a bending notch/a hinge for the attachment of the shoe cover to the outside of the sole of the shoe, and the heel portion is thus bent backwards for the attachment of the shoe cover to the outside of the sole of the shoe.

Prior art

US 2005/0066543 Al discloses a shoe cover in which a heel portion forming part of the shoe cover springs backwards for the attachment of a shoe to the shoe cover. The heel portion would thus appear to be hinged in direct connection to the bottom portion of the shoe cover. However, there would appear to be no special design for achieving the hinge

function .

GB 2 300 345 A discloses a shoe cover for spiked shoes in which this shoe cover would appear to be specially directed to a hinge function of the shoe cover under the sole of the shoe to which the shoe cover is attached.

Aims and features of the invention

A first aim of this invention is to provide a shoe cover of the type defined in the introductory part, wherein the shoe cover is extremely user-friendly from the point of view of putting on and taking off the shoe cover.

Another aim of this invention is for the shoe cover to remain in place automatically once it has been put on, i.e. no straps or buckles are required to hold the shoe cover on the shoe .

Yet another aim of this invention is for the shoe cover to be suitable for various shoe sizes over a certain range. Another aim of this invention is for the shoe cover to be manufactured in a cost-effective manner, e.g. by means of injection moulding.

At least the first aim of this invention is achieved by means of a device having the features specified in independent claim 1 hereinafter. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a first step for putting the shoe cover according to Fig. 1 on to a shoe;

Fig. 3 is a side view of another step for putting the shoe cover according to Fig. 1 on to a shoe;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a first step for putting the shoe cover essentially according to Fig. 5 on to a shoe, and Fig. 7 is a side view of another step for putting the shoe cover essentially according to Fig. 5 on to a shoe.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention shown in Fig. 1 includes a front bottom portion 1, an intermediate bottom portion 3, a rear bottom portion 5, a rear transition portion 7 and a heel portion 9. The front and rear bottom portions 1 and 5 respectively are substantially flat where they are designed to bear against the sole of the shoe to which they are designed to be attached. The front and rear bottom portions 1 and 5 respectively comprise upwardly bent edges 2 and 6 respectively extending from the region of the intermediate bottom portion 3 in the direction of the toe portion of the shoe cover or in the direction of the heel portion 9 of the shoe cover. The height of the upwardly bent edges 2, 6 in the region of the intermediate bottom portion 3 is essentially zero.

The intermediate bottom portion 3 has a hinge function and one reason for this is that the intermediate bottom portion 3 is relatively flat compared to the adjacent parts of the front and rear bottom portions 1 and 5 respectively provided with the upwardly bent edges 2 and 6 respectively. According to the embodiment shown, the intermediate bottom portion 3 has an across-corner dimension/width which is substantially less than the maximum across-corner dimension/ maximum width of the front bottom portion 1 and the rear bottom portion 5. It can be mentioned by way of a

non-limiting example that the across-corner dimension/width of the intermediate bottom portion 3 may be 0.25-0.5 of the maximum across-corner dimension/maximum width of the front and rear bottom portions 1 and 5 respectively. The reduction of the across-corner dimension/width of the intermediate bottom portion 3 in relation to the adjacent bottom portions 1 and 5 is another reason why the intermediate bottom portion 3 acts as a bending notch/a hinge for putting on/taking off the shoe cover according to this invention. Another factor that may be significant in this connection is the thickness of the

material of the bottom portion 3, i.e. a reduced material thickness promotes the hinge function.

The heel portion 9 is connected to the rear bottom portion 5 via the rear transition portion 7. In a similar manner to that of the intermediate bottom portion 3, the rear transition portion 7 has a reduced across-corner dimension/ reduced width in relation to the maximum across-corner

dimension/maximum width of the adjacent portions, i.e. the rear bottom portion 5 and the heel portion 9. As the heel portion 9 is curved to match the shape of the heel portion of a shoe, the dimension represented by the heel portion 9 when the shoe cover according to this invention is viewed directly from the rear should be determined by the across-corner dimension/width of the heel portion. It can be mentioned by way of a non-limiting example that the across-corner

dimension/width of the rear transition portion 7 is 0.25-0.5 of the maximum across-corner dimension/maximum width of the rear bottom portion 5 and the heel portion 9. The reduced across-corner dimension/reduced width of the rear transition portion 7 is one reason why the rear transition portion 7 acts as a bending notch/a hinge for putting on/taking off the shoe cover according to this invention. Another reason for the hinge function of the rear transition portion 7 is that this portion is relatively flat compared to the adjacent parts of the rear bottom portion 5 and the heel portion 9. Another factor that may be significant in this connection is the thickness of the material of the rear transition portion 7, i.e. a reduced material thickness promotes the hinge function.

Once the shoe cover according to this invention has been put on, it remains automatically on the shoe to which the shoe cover is attached. The shoe cover is provided to this end with three flexible tongues 10A, 10B and IOC integral with the front bottom portion 1 according to the embodiment shown. As will be clear from Fig. 1, the tongues lOA-lOC are curved, the free ends of the tongues lOA-lOC extending over the front bottom portion 1. The shoe cover according to this invention is preferably injection moulded from a suitable plastic material which should be shape permanent, flexible and

resilient, i.e. the shoe cover should return to its original shape when it is removed from the shoe to which it has been attached.

With reference to the heel portion 9 shown in Fig. 1, as mentioned hereinabove, it generally has a shape adapted to the shape of the heel portion of a shoe. The heel portion 9 is provided at the top with a flanged portion 11 bent outwards so as to define a lead-in portion of the heel portion 9.

Figures 2 and 3 show in diagrammatic form how the shoe cover according to this invention behaves when it is put on to a shoe. This shoe is normally a sports shoe and the shoe preferably consists of a football boot provided with studs, the shoe cover according to this invention protecting the studs against wear. Fig. 2 shows how the shoe is pressed against the shoe cover (illustrated by means of the arrow PI in Fig. 2) to begin the process of putting on the shoe cover. The toe of the shoe is thus inserted under the free ends of the tongues lOA-lOC, wherein the tongues lOA-lOC may be bent outwards to a certain extent. The heel of the shoe is also pressed against the flanged portion 11 in this connection, thereby helping to guide the shoe into the shoe cover. As the process of putting on the shoe cover continues (illustrated by means of the arrow PI in Fig. 3), according to this invention, the shoe cover is bent/flexed partly in the transition portion 7 and partly in the intermediate bottom portion 3.

Deformation of the shoe cover in the region of the heel portion 9 facilitates the insertion of the shoe S into the shoe cover. This deformation results in the heel portion 9 being bent backwards/outwards. The backward/outward bending of the heel portion 9 is illustrated by means of the arrow P2 in Fig. 3. The heel portion 9 is thus displaced from the position illustrated by the dotted line into the position illustrated by the solid line. There may also be

bending/flexing in the intermediate bottom portion 3, this being indicated in Fig. 3 in that the bottom portion is displaced from the position illustrated by the dotted line into the position illustrated by the solid line. This is indicated in Fig. 3 by means of the arrow P3. When the shoe S is finally received in the shoe cover, there is a certain forward displacement of the shoe S in the shoe cover, this being illustrated by means of the arrow P4 in Fig. 3. For this reason and as a result of the fact that the round part of the heel has then moved under the flanged portion 11, there may also be a certain springback of the heel portion 9. When the shoe cover has been attached to the shoe S, the user can start to walk and the shoe cover will remain firmly secured to the shoe S in that the flexible tongues lOA-lOC engage around the toe portion of the shoe S and in that the heel portion 9 bears resiliently against the heel portion of the shoe S.

In Fig. 3, the front tongue 10A is shown partly by the solid line and partly by the dotted line. The position illustrated by the dotted line indicates that the shoe cover is suitable for a shoe of a slightly larger size than the shoe S shown in Fig. 3.

The embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention shown in Fig. 4 has a great deal of similarities with the shoe cover according to Fig. 1. The shoe cover according to Fig. 4 thus includes a front bottom portion 101, an intermediate bottom portion 103, a rear bottom portion 105, a rear transition portion 107 and a heel portion 109. The front and rear bottom portions 101 and 105 respectively are substantially flat where they are designed to bear against the sole of the shoe to which they are designed to be attached. The rear bottom portion 105 comprises upwardly bent edges 106 extending from the region of the intermediate bottom portion 103 in the direction of the heel portion 109 of the shoe cover .

The intermediate bottom portion 103 has a hinge function and one reason for this is that this portion is relatively flat, at least compared to the adjacent part of the rear bottom portion 105 provided with upwardly bent edges 106. The intermediate bottom portion 103 has an across-corner

dimension/width which is substantially less than the maximum across-corner dimension/maximum width of the front bottom portion 101 and the rear bottom portion 105. It can be mentioned by way of a non-limiting example that the

across-corner dimension/width of the intermediate bottom portion 103 is 0.25-0.5 of the maximum across-corner

dimension/maximum width of the front and rear bottom portions 101 and 105 respectively. The reduction of the across-corner dimension/width of the intermediate bottom portion 103 in relation to the adjacent bottom portions 101 and 105 is another reason why the intermediate bottom portion 103 acts as a bending notch/hinge for putting on/taking off the shoe cover according to this invention. Another factor that may be significant in this connection is the thickness of the

material of the intermediate bottom portion 103, i.e. a reduced material thickness promotes the hinge function.

The heel portion 109 is connected to the rear bottom portion 105 via the rear transition portion 107. In a similar manner to that of the intermediate bottom portion 103, the rear transition portion 107 has a reduced across-corner dimension/reduced width in relation to the adjacent portions, i.e. the rear bottom portion 105 and the heel portion 109. As the heel portion 109 is curved to match the shape of the heel portion of a shoe, the dimension represented by the heel portion 109 when the shoe cover according to this invention is viewed directly from the rear should be determined by the across-corner dimension/width of the heel portion. As a result of the reduced across-corner dimension/reduced width of the rear transition portion 107, the rear transition portion 107 acts as a bending notch/hinge for putting on/taking off the shoe cover according to this invention.

The shoe cover according to Fig. 4 does not comprise any tongues, but is instead provided with a transverse strip 110 in the region of the front bottom portion 101, the strip 110 being formed in one piece with the front bottom portion 101 according to the embodiment shown. When the shoe cover according to Fig. 4 is put on, the toe portion of a shoe is inserted under the transverse strip 110, after which the putting-on process proceeds in principle in the same manner as that described hereinabove in connection with Figures 2 and 3.

The embodiment of a shoe cover according to this invention shown in Fig. 5 has a great deal of similarities with the shoe cover according to Figures 1 and 4. The shoe cover according to Fig. 5 thus includes a front bottom portion 201, an intermediate bottom portion 203, a rear bottom portion 205, a rear transition portion 207 and a heel portion 209.

The front and rear bottom portions 201 and 205 respectively are substantially flat where they are designed to bear against the sole of the shoe to which they are designed to be

attached. The front and rear bottom portions 201 and 205 respectively comprise upwardly bent edges 202 and 206

respectively extending from the region of the intermediate bottom portion in the direction of the toe portion of the shoe cover or in the direction of the heel portion of the shoe cover .

The intermediate bottom portion 203 has an across-corner dimension/width which is substantially less than the maximum across-corner dimension/maximum width of the front bottom portion 201 and the rear bottom portion 205. It can be mentioned by way of a non-limiting example that the

across-corner dimension/width of the intermediate bottom portion 203 is 0.25-0.5 of the maximum across-corner dimension/width of the front and rear bottom portions 201 and 205 respectively. As will be clear from Fig. 5, the

intermediate bottom portion 203 is provided with upwardly bent edges 204 on both sides of the intermediate bottom portion 203. These upwardly bent edges 204 mean that the function of the intermediate bottom portion 203 as a bending notch/hinge is reduced to a considerable extent and may in principle cease. The upwardly bent edges 202, 204 and 206 thus form continuous stiffening edges on both sides of the shoe cover.

The heel portion 209 is connected to the rear bottom portion 205 via the transition portion 207. In a similar manner to that of the intermediate bottom portion 203, the transition portion 207 has a reduced across-corner dimension/ reduced width in relation to the adjacent portions, i.e. the rear bottom portion 205 and the heel portion 209. As the heel portion 209 is curved to match the shape of the heel portion of a shoe, the dimension represented by the heel portion 209 when the shoe cover according to this invention is viewed directly from the rear should be determined by the

across-corner dimension/width of the heel portion. The reduced across-corner dimension/reduced width of the rear transition portion 207 is one reason why the rear transition portion 207 acts as a bending notch/hinge for putting

on/taking off the shoe cover according to this invention.

Another reason for the hinge function of the rear transition portion 207 is that this portion is relatively flat compared to the adjacent parts of the rear bottom portion 205 and the heel portion 209. Another factor that may be significant in this connection is the thickness of the material of the rear transition portion 207, i.e. a reduced material thickness promotes the hinge function.

The shoe cover according to Fig. 5 comprises five flexible tongues 210A, 210B, 210C, 210D and 210E integral with the front bottom portion 201 according to the embodiment shown. As will be clear from Fig. 5, the tongues 210A-210E are curved, the free ends of the tongues 210A-210E being directed towards the front bottom portion 201. The shoe cover according to this invention is preferably injection moulded from a suitable plastic material. With reference to the heel portion 209 shown in Fig. 5, as mentioned hereinabove, it generally has a shape adapted to the shape of the heel portion of a shoe. The heel portion 209 is provided at the top with a flanged portion 211 bent

outwards so as to define a lead-in portion of the heel portion 209.

Figures 6 and 7 show in diagrammatic form how the shoe cover substantially according to Fig. 5 operates when it is put on to a shoe S. The shoe cover shown in Figures 6 and 7 does not have the same number of tongues as the shoe cover shown in Fig. 5, but both of these shoe covers have upwardly bent edges 204 in the region of the intermediate bottom portion 203. The same reference numerals have been used for the shoe covers according to Figures 5, 6 and 7.

Fig. 6 shows how the shoe is pressed against the shoe cover (illustrated by means of the arrow P5 in Fig. 6) to begin the process of putting on the shoe cover. The toe of the shoe is thus inserted under the free ends of the tongues 210, wherein the tongues 210 may be bent outwards to a certain extent. The heel of the shoe S is also pressed against the flanged portion 211 in this connection, thereby helping to guide the shoe into the shoe cover. As the process of putting on the shoe cover continues (illustrated by means of the arrow P5 in Fig. 7), according to this invention, the shoe cover is bent/flexes in the transition portion 207. This results in a certain deformation of the shoe cover, meaning, inter alia, that the heel portion 209 is bent backwards/outwards and facilitates the insertion of the shoe S into the shoe cover. The backward/outward bending of the heel portion 209 is illustrated by means of the arrow P6 in Fig. 3. The heel portion 209 is thus displaced from the position illustrated by the dotted line into the position illustrated by the solid line. There is normally a certain springback of the heel portion 209 when the shoe S is received completely in the shoe cover. In principle, there is no bending/flexing in the region of the intermediate bottom portion 203, this being due at least partly to the upwardly bent edges 204. When the shoe cover is finally attached to the shoe S, the user can start to walk and the shoe cover will remain firmly secured to the shoe S in that the flexible tongues 210 engage around the toe portion of the shoe S and in that the heel portion 209 bears resiliently against the heel portion of the shoe S.

Possible modifications of the invention

The embodiments of the shoe cover according to this invention described hereinabove comprise various types of means for achieving releasable engagement with the front part of the shoe. The engagement means shown are shown only by way of example. The design of the engagement means may vary in numerous ways according to the invention.

Claims

1. Shoe cover designed to be attached to the outside of the sole of a shoe (S), wherein the shoe cover includes a front bottom portion (1; 101; 201), an intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203), a rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205) and a curved heel portion (9; 109; 209), and wherein the

intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203) is arranged between the front bottom portion (1; 101; 201) and the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205), the front bottom portion (1; 101; 201) is provided with engagement means (lOA-lOC; 110; 210A-210E) for the front part of the shoe (S), a transition portion (7; 107; 207) is arranged between the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205) and the heel portion (9; 109; 209), the transition portion (7; 107; 207) acts as a bending notch/hinge for the attachment of the shoe cover to the outside of the sole of the shoe (S), and the heel portion (9; 109; 209) is thus bent backwards for the attachment of the shoe cover to the outside of the sole of the shoe (S) , c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the transition portion (7; 107; 207) has a reduced across-corner dimension/reduced width in relation to the maximum across-corner dimension/maximum width of the adjacent portions, i.e. the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205) and the heel portion (9; 109; 209), and that the transition portion (7; 107; 207) is flatter than the adjacent parts of the rear bottom portion (5; 105; 205) and the heel portion (9; 10;

209) .

2. Shoe cover according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203) acts as a bending notch/hinge.

3. Shoe cover according to claim 1 or claim 2,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the intermediate bottom portion (3; 103; 203) has a reduced across-corner dimension/ reduced width in relation to the maximum across-corner

dimension/maximum width of the front and rear bottom portions (1; 101; 201 and 5; 105; 205) respectively.

4. Shoe cover according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the intermediate bottom portion (203) comprises upright stiffening edges (204) on both sides.

5. Shoe cover according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the heel portion (9; 109; 209) is provided with an outwardly bent flanged portion (11; 111; 211) .

6. Shoe cover according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the engagement means are formed by tongues (lOA-lOC; 210A-210E).

7. Shoe cover according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the tongues are three to five in number.