GB2425454A

GB2425454A - Emergency footwear

Info

Publication number: GB2425454A
Application number: GB0508725A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martine Belinda Pascal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-29
Filing date: 2005-04-29
Publication date: 2006-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 2025-04-29
Also published as: GB0508725D0; GB2425454B

Abstract

A flexible sole (10) is capable of being folded into two so that front and rear portions overlie each other in a storage condition of the article. Separate, less flexible heel and sole pieces (12, 14) are mounted to rear and front portions, respectively, of a surface of the flexible sole (10) which will be the undersurface in use of the article. One or more straps (18) or other means extend across a surface of the sole (10) which will be the upper surface in use of the article in order to retain the article on a foot of a user. Such a simple footwear article can be carried around in folded condition and used whenever other footwear becomes too painful.

Description

* 2425454

EMERGENCY FOOTWEAR

This invention concerns an item of footwear, which is not for general or long term use, but is only intended as a temporary measure.

Nowadays, some ladies' shoes, specifically those with high heels, can be extremely painful if worn for several hours or for activities such as dancing.

However, such shoes are fashionable and continue to be worn. It is a common sight late at night in city centres to see young ladies emerging barefoot from night clubs and similar venues, after a night of dancing and drinking, carrying their fashionable shoes in their hands. Obviously, walking barefoot in this way can also be painful, uncomfortable and unsatisfactory.

An object of the invention is to provide something suitable for such girls/young ladies to put on their feet just to make it more comfortable for them to get home.

According to the invention an emergency footwear article comprises a flexible sole which is capable of being folded into two so that front and rear portions overlie each other in a storage condition of the article, separate heel and sole pieces mounted to rear and front portions, respectively, of a surface of the flexible sole which will be the undersurface in use of the article, and means attached to the sole for retaining the article on a foot of a user.

Thus, the article can be folded over into a relatively small, compact size, because the heel and sole pieces, which are relatively inflexible, but are necessary to provide a suitable ground-engaging surface, are separate and spaced apart. As such, the folded article can readily be stowed into a handbag or jacket pocket.

Of course, there will be two such articles, one for each foot.

Moreover, the simple structure, with a minimum of a flexible sole, which can be cut from any suitable synthetic material, two ground-engaging pieces (heel and sole pieces) and one or more straps, for example, to hold the sole onto a foot allows for low cost manufacture and an attractive low cost to potential users.

There is no need for any upper toe or heel portions to extend upwardly of the top surface of the flexible sole from the sole and heel pieces which provide the ground-engaging surfaces.

A practical embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the exemplary article; Fig. 2 is a corresponding underside view of the same article; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same article when folded over.

As shown, the footwear article comprises a flexible sole 10, spaced apart sole and heel pieces 12, 14 secured to the underside of the sole 10 (Fig. 2) and three straps 15, 16, 18 which extend across the upper surface of the sole 10 (Fig. 1).

The flexible sole 10 is preferably formed of a resilient, spongy synthetic material so as to provide a comfortable base upon which a sole of a wearer's foot can rest. For ease of manufacture it is cut to size from a single material, ie, without any layers of different material. However, in more elaborate embodiments a multi-layered sole would be possible.

The sole piece 12 and the heel piece 14 are formed of a tougher less flexible material than the main sole 10, as required for contact with the ground, to deal with the requirements of moderate friction and wear. Indeed, commercially available "stick on" sole and heel pieces, as used for repair of conventional footwear may be used for this purpose. The pieces 12, 14 may be adhered to the sole 10, as that is probably simplest. However, staples or other fastening or bonding means may be applied instead or in addition to adhesive.

It is important that the sole and heel pieces 12, 14 are separated to allow for ease of folding the sole 10 over in the middle region so that its front and rear portions are brought fully together, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, in this example, there is a large central gap between the underside sole and heel pieces 12, 14 where the sole 10 can be folded in two.

Because this footwear article is not intended for day-long wear, nor for wear in rough terrain, and its purpose is temporary use, it does not require normal protective toe and heel upper portions extending above the top surface of the sole 10.

The three straps 15, 16, 18 are a simple way of attaching the sole 10 onto a wearer's foot. They may be adhered and/or stapled or otherwise secured at the respective sides of the sole 10, possibly extending slightly around onto the underside of the sole, possibly with their edges being retained between the sole and the respective sole pieces 12, 14. The straps 15, 16, 18 may be elasticated. They may be decorated or patterned.

The rear strap 15 is attached at each side obliquely owing to the curvature around the rear of the sole 10. It is not a stiff, protective upstand and is not continuous with, nor continuously attached to the underside heel piece 14. In use it will fit around the heel of a wearer to aid retention of the footwear article on the foot while walking and will serve to prevent undesirable buckling of the flexible sole 10 in its central region.

In other embodiments other means for holding the footwear article onto the wearer's foot may be used, such as a two piece strap fastened by a buckle or by hook and loop fastener material ("Velcro"), or strips of material which are tied together.

As shown in Fig. 3, the folded article can be conveniently retained as a compact flat bundle by the rear portion of the sole 10 with the heel piece 14 on the outside inserted between the strap 18 and the sole 10.

The foregoing is illustrative and not limitative of the invention and other variations in detail are possible.

Claims

1. An emergency footwear article comprising a flexible sole which is capable of being folded into two so that front and rear portions overlie each other in a storage condition of the article, separate heel and sole pieces mounted to rear and front portions, respectively, of a surface of the flexible sole which will be the undersurface in use of the article, and means attached to the sole for retaining the article on a foot of a user.

2. A footwear article as claimed in claim I wherein the means for retaining the article on a foot of a user comprises at least one strap extending across a surface of the sole which will be the upper surface in use of the article.

3. A footwear article as claimed in claim 2 wherein the strap or straps are elasticated and extend in one piece from one side to the other side of the sole.

4. An emergency footwear article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.