GB2449717A

GB2449717A - Footwear carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2449717A
Application number: GB0715333A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sancha Hopkins; Helen Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-19
Filing date: 2007-08-07
Publication date: 2008-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2027-08-07
Also published as: GB0715333D0; GB0709690D0; GB2449717B

Abstract

A footwear carrier (20) comprising an outer material layer (22) shaped to closely surround one or more articles of footwear (10) therein and having releasable fastening means (24), in particular a zip, on opposing sides thereof. The carrier has a further material portion (26) attached to an inner side of said outer material layer (22). The footwear carrier is convertible between a first carrier condition in which the outer material layer (22) can be fastened so as to close said article of footwear (10) and said further material portion (26) therein, and a second carrier condition in which the outer material layer is opened allowing said further material portion open out so as to define an bag of greater dimensions than said first usage condition. The outer material layer forms the base of the carrier in the second condition. The further material portion comprises a draw string closure. The footwear comprises a resiliently deformable rubber sole to enable the footwear to be folded into a storage condition and may further comprise an elastic upper which biases the footwear to the storage condition.

Description

Footwear Carrier The present invention relates to a carrier for

footwear and to footwear for use therewith and more specifically to a combination of carrier and footwear which is designed to be portable in a convenient manner.

It is a known problem that footwear -and in particular ladies' dress footwear -can become uncomfortable or even painful when worn for extended periods of time.

Despite the discomfort caused by wearing dress footwear such as for example high-heeled shoes, the wearer is often forced to continue wearing such footwear since the removal of the same would deprive the wearer of suitable means to protect their feet.

Accordingly a wearer must have available alternative replacement footwear if they wish to remove a painful pair of shoes. This causes a problem since conventional footwear is relatively bulky which can dissuade individuals from wishing to carry replacement footwear when going out. In addition, conventional carriers, which are intended for use when going out, such as purses, clutch bags and the like are generally small in size and incapable of containing a pair of shoes.

Even if replacement footwear is designed for ease of carrying, in order to be able to wear them, they must first remove their existing footwear. Thus the user must then carry their previous footwear, resulting in the inconvenience described above.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved carrier and associated footwear which is convenient to carry by an individual.

According to the a first aspect of present invention there is provided a footwear carrier comprising an outer material layer shaped to closely surround one or more articles of footwear therein and having releasable fastening means on opposing sides thereof, the carrier having a further material portion attached to an inner side of said outer material layer, wherein the footwear carrier is convertible between a first carrier condition in which the outer material layer can be fastened so as to close said article of footwear and said further material portion therein, and a second carrier condition in which the outer material layer is opened allowing said further material portion open out so as to define an bag of greater dimensions than said first usage condition.

Thus the first carrier condition defines a carrier of reduced dimensions such that it can closely surround footwear of reduced dimensions. This has the advantage that the first carrier condition can maintain footwear in a rolled or folded condition.

When the first condition is opened, the footwear can be removed and manipulated for wearing. Then the carrier can be converted to its second carrier condition which defines a bag of greater dimensions such that it can receive conventional footwear therein.

Preferably either or both of the outer material layer and the further material portion comprise a fabric or cloth. The further material portion may be attached directly or indirectly to the outer material layer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a retail article comprising a deformable article of footwear arranged to be maintained in a deformed condition within a carrier according to the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article of footwear which is convertible between a storage and a usage format suitable for use with a footwear carrier.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a side view of an article of footwear for use in conjunction with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of an article of footwear in a deformed condition for carrying within a carrier according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a below view of the article of footwear of figure 1; Figure 4 shows a footwear carrier according to the present invention in a first condition; and, Figure 5 shows a footwear carrier according to the present invention in a second condition.

Turning firstly to figure 1, there is shown a article of footwear 10 in a wearable condition having a resiliently deformable sole 12 which is generally planar in form. Attached to the sole is a flexible upper 14 which typically comprises an elastic material such as a stretchable cloth.

The upper 14 has an opening 16 therein through which a wearer can insert their foot in order to put on the footwear 10. The opening 16 is surrounded by a portion 17 of increased resilience which may be formed by an increased thickness of material such as for example by way of folding back the material in the vicinity of the opening. This increased thickness portion 17 is held by stitches 18.

When the footwear is in a wearable condition as shown in figure 1, the upper is tensioned slightly such that it biases the sole 12 towards a folded condition as can be seen in figure 2. In this condition, the sole 12 is folded roughly mid-way along its length so as to form a storage condition of reduced dimensions. In this case the folded condition has reduced length with the upper 14 positioned between the opposing halves of the sole in a clamshell-like formation.

However it will be appreciate that other ways of resiliently deforming the footwear are available such as for example by rolling, crumpling or folding the shoe one or more times about one or more fold lines.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the sole 12 of the shoe 10. In this embodiment, the sole 12 is a planar member of substantially constant thickness. In this regard the sole does not have tread formations and is particularly easy to fold at any suitable location along its length. In addition the avoidance of treads reduces the volume of the footwear, making it more convenient to store in a small receptacle or carrier as will be described below.

As shown in figure 3, the upper 14 overlaps the edge of the sole 12 a small distance. The upper 14 may be stitched or glued to the sole 12 about its perimeter so as to hold the upper and sole firmly together.

In one embodiment, the sole is formed of a pair of opposing planar members, between which the upper is trapped. The opposing planar members may be glued or stitched together to form the complete sole. This embodiment is advantageous since it allows the inner planar member to be formed of a different material which is more comfortable against a wearer's foot than the rubber outer portion of the sole.

Turning now to figure 4, there is shown a carrier 20 according to the present invention in a first condition in which the carrier takes the form of a closed pouch similar in size to a purse or wallet.

The carrier 20 has an outer material layer or membrane 22 which is typically formed from a compliant material such as a cloth. When opened flat, the outer material layer 22 generally takes the form of a rectangle having rounded edges.

Around the perimeter of the outer material layer there is provided opposing fastening formations in the form of a zip 24. Thus when the opposing edges of the outer material layer are brought together and the zip fastened, the carrier form s the pouch as shown in figure 4.

The pouch is of sufficient shape and size to receive a pair of articles of footwear 10 when in the deformed/storage condition as shown in figure 2. The article of footwear 10 is shown in phantom in figure 4. The carrier pouch closely surrounds the articles of footwear preventing them opening out to the usage condition shown in figure 1.

The carrier 20 comprises a further material portion 26 which is attached to the inside of the outer material layer 20. In this embodiment the further material portion is attached around the circumference of the outer material layer inside of the zip 24. This can be best seen in figure 5 in which the further material portion has been opened out to form a bag. This open condition is achieved by unfastening the zip 24 an pulling the opposing sides of the outer material 22 apart in the directions of arrows A and B respectively.

It will be appreciated that the further material layer can be tucked or folded within the carrier in the first condition of figure 4 along with the articles of footwear.

When the carrier 20 is in the open condition of figure 5, it forms a bag of significantly greater dimension than the pouch of figure 4. The outer material portion 22 forms a base from which the further material portion depends so as to form the sides of the bag. The bag is of sufficient size and shape to receive a pair of conventional shoes and/or other articles or accessories, such as for example a purse, make-up, jewelry, hair accessories or the like.

The further material portion has an opening 28 therein to allow insertion and removal of such shoes or accessories. Around or adjacent the perimeter of the opening 28 there is provided closure means in the form of a sleeve 30, through which is passed a length of material such as a cord, string or the like. The sleeve has adjacent openings, through which opposing portions 32, 34 of the cord enter/leave the sleeve. A fastening means such as toggle 36 or the like is attached to the cord portions 32, 34 adjacent the sleeve 30 which selectively grips the cord. The user can release the toggle 36 and push it along the cord to close the opening 28. Similarly a user can release the toggle and slide it away from the sleeve to open the bag.

The cord portions 32, 34 from straps or handles by which the bag can conveniently be carried or slung over a user's shoulder.

The further material portion may be formed of a mesh or webbing type material for reduced volume. Furthermore, the zip 24 may be replace with alternative conventional fastening means such as VELCRO (RIM), poppers, buttons, clips or other continuous, elongate or else a plurality of individual fastening means. In addition the closure means for the further material portion may take the form of a flap of material or other fastening means suitable for closing a bag similar to those described above in relation to the pouch.

The further material portion may be stitched in a circumferential manner around the inside of the outer material layer 22 or else may be attached at a point or along a line such that the outer material layer does not necessarily form part of the bag, out merely remains attached thereto.

Claims

Claims: 1. A footwear carrier comprising: an outer material layer

shaped to closely surround one or more articles of footwear therein and having releasable fastening means on opposing sides thereof; a further material portion attached to an inner side of said outer material layer; wherein the footwear carrier is convertible between a first carrier condition in which the outer material layer can be fastened so as to close said article of footwear and said further material portion therein, and a second carrier condition in which the outer material layer is opened allowing said further material portion to open out so as to define an bag of greater dimensions than said first usage condition.
2. A footwear carrier according to claim 1, wherein the articles of footwear are stored in the carrier in said first carrier condition in a reduced-dimension configuration.
3. A footwear carrier according to claim 2, wherein the articles of footwear are folded.
4. A footwear carrier according to either claim 2 or 3, wherein the carrier in said first condition is shaped to closely surround said articles of footwear so as to maintain them in the reduced-dimension configuration.
5. A footwear carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the further material portion attached about an inner boundary of outer material portion.
6. A footwear carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer material layer forms a base for the bag in the second carrier condition.
7. A footwear carrier according to any preceding claim wherein the releasable fastening means comprises a zip extending at least part- way around the perimeter of the outer material layer.
8. A footwear carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the further material portion is provided with closure means to allow selective opening and closing of the bag in the second carrier condition.
9. A footwear carrier according to claim 8, wherein the closure means comprises a draw string.
10. A retail article comprising a footwear carrier according to any one of claims I to 9 and an article of footwear, wherein the article of footwear is convertible between a storage condition and a usage condition.
11. A retail article according to claim 11, wherein the article of footwear comprises a resiliently deformable rubber sole, of thickness which allows the sole to be folded upon itself.
12. A retail article according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the article of footwear comprises an elastic upper which biased the article of footwear toward the storage condition.
13. A footwear carrier and an article of footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.