US20080201989A1

US20080201989A1 - Attachment for Footwear and Related Footwear

Info

Publication number: US20080201989A1
Application number: US11/571,386
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrea Vecchiola
Original assignee: A K A Advanced Kit Art Srl
Current assignee: ADVANCED KIT ART Srl; A K A Advanced Kit Art Srl
Priority date: 2004-07-16
Filing date: 2005-06-24
Publication date: 2008-08-28
Also published as: CN1984576A; WO2006008769A1; ITRM20040114U1; EP1781132A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an attachment for footwear, the footwear comprising a sole having a heel (3), characterised in that it comprises at least one vertical tongue (1) coupled to said footwear in correspondence of said heel (3), so as to be apt to hold at least one part of the lower border of a pants leg, worn by a user wearing said footwear, risen with respect to the surface onto which the heel (3) of the footwear lies. The invention further relates to a sole and to a footwear provided with such an attachment.

Description

The present invention concerns an attachment for footwear allowing, in a simple, reliable, handy and inexpensive way, the lower edges of the pants legs to be protected from wear due to sliding over the surface.
The present invention concerns a sole and a footwear, such as a shoe, a sandal, or a boot, provided with this attachment.
It is known that in any part of the world pants are one of the most diffused articles of clothing, being substantially worn by all men and many women as well.
In particular, among several models of pants, the most diffused ones have legs which are long down to the heel of the user who wears them.
In this regard, it is necessary that the pants borders are accurately height adjusted in order to prevent the lower edges of the pants legs, most of all the rear parts of the borders, from sliding on the surface, when the user walks, and as a consequence they wear down.
However, pants border height adjustment is not always sufficiently accurate.
Moreover, such adjustment, that is obviously fixed by sewing the same borders, is not suitable for all the footwear models which may be worn along with the related pants by the user. In other words, although such adjustment may be accurate for a specific footwear model, for instance a specific model of shoes with heel having a first height, the same adjustment may be not accurate for a different footwear model, for instance a different model of shoes or a particular model of sandals with heel having a second height lower than the first one. Furthermore, it must be considered that some orientations which may be assumed by the footwear in certain conditions of use by the user may bring pants lower borders, most of all the rear part of these, to touch the ground and slide over it.
Consequently, the lower borders of the pants legs, in particular the rear part of the borders, are subject to be worn down due to sliding over the ground. Moreover, users are forced to select footwear which may be worn with a certain model of pants, avoiding wearing those footwear for which pants adjustment is such that it does not prevent the lower borders of the legs of the same pants, in particular the rear part of the borders, from touching the ground.
In this context, it is included the solution proposed according to the present invention, allowing all the aforementioned drawbacks to be solved.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow, in a simple, reliable, handy and inexpensive way, the lower edges of the pants legs to be protected from wear due to sliding over the surface.
It is therefore specific subject matter of the present invention an attachment for footwear, the footwear comprising a sole having a heel, characterised in that it comprises at least one vertical tongue coupled to said footwear in correspondence of said heel, so as to be apt to hold at least one part of the lower border of a pants leg, worn by a user wearing said footwear, risen with respect to the surface onto which the heel of the footwear lies.
Always according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be shaped.
Still according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be coupled to said footwear in correspondence with the heel.
Furthermore according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be coupled to an upper of said footwear.
Always according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be removably coupled to said footwear.
Still according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be removably coupled to said footwear through a hook-and-ring coupling.
Furthermore according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be integrally coupled to said footwear.
Always according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be sewed and/or glued onto said footwear.
Still according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be incorporated in said footwear.
Furthermore according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be incorporated in said sole of said footwear.
Always according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be an extension of the heel.
Still according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be made of at least one material comprising hide and/or plastic and/or rubber.
Furthermore according to the invention, said at least one vertical tongue may be covered by cloth and/or leather and/or plastic and/or rubber.
It is further specific subject matter of the present invention a sole for footwear, characterised in that it incorporates an attachment as previously described.
It is further specific subject matter of the present invention a footwear, characterised in that it is provided with an attachment as previously described.
Always according to the invention, the footwear may comprise a sole as previously illustrated.
Still according to the invention, the footwear may be a shoe or a sandal or a boot.

The present invention will now be described, by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, according to its preferred embodiments, by particularly referring to the Figures of the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a left side partial perspective view of the rear part of a footwear to which a first embodiment of the attachment according to the invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a partial top view of the footwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the footwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left side partial perspective view of the rear part of a footwear to which a second embodiment of the attachment according to the invention is applied;

FIG. 5 is a partial top view of the footwear of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the footwear of FIG. 4.

In the following of the description, same reference numbers will be used to indicate alike elements in the Figures.
With reference to FIGS. 1-3, it may be observed that a first embodiment of the attachment for footwear according to the invention comprises a tongue 1 coupled to the rear part of the upper 2 of the footwear to which it is applied (in the Figures such footwear is a shoe), preferably in correspondence with the heel 3 of the sole.
In particular, the tongue 1 may be coupled either integrally, for instance it may be sewed or glued onto the back of the upper, or in a removable way, for instance through a hook-and-ring coupling (such as velcro®).
Advantageously, the tongue 1 is sufficiently stiff in order to remain in a vertical position, slightly spaced from the rear part of the upper 2 of the footwear, so that the rear part of the lower border of the pants leg (corresponding to the foot of the user wearing the footwear) inserts itself between the upper 2 and the tongue 1, thus remaining risen with respect to the surface onto which the heel 3 of the footwear lies. Preferably, the distance between the tongue 1 and the upper 2 is sufficient to allow movements of the pants leg, still holding the related border between the tongue 1 and the upper 2.
The tongue 1 of FIGS. 1-3 may be made of various materials, such as for instance hide or synthetic materials (such as plastic or rubber), possibly covered by cloth, leather, plastic, or rubber.
With reference to FIGS. 4-6, it may be observed that a second embodiment of the attachment for footwear according to the invention comprises a tongue 1 incorporated in the footwear sole, of which it is an extension of the heel 3. In particular, the tongue of FIGS. 4-6 is shaped so as to have the upper part 4 wider than the lower part 5, in order to make it very improbable that the rear part of the lower border of the pants leg, once inserted between the upper 2 and the tongue 1, moves from this position passing behind the tongue 1. Also for this embodiment, the distance between the tongue 1 and the upper 2 is preferably sufficient to allow other movements of the pants leg.
The tongue 1 of FIGS. 4-6 is advantageously made of the same material of the sole, possibly covered by cloth, leather, plastic, or rubber.
The preferred embodiments have been above described and some modifications of this invention have been suggested, but it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make other variations and changes, without so departing from the related scope of protection, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Attachment for footwear, the footwear comprising:

a sole having a heel, wherein the attachment comprises at least one vertical tongue coupled to said footwear in correspondence of said heel, so as to be apt to hold at least one part of the lower border of a pants leg, worn by a user wearing said footwear, risen with respect to the surface onto which the heel of the footwear lies.

2. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is shaped.

3. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is coupled to said footwear in correspondence with the heel.

4. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is coupled to an upper of said footwear.

5. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is removably coupled to said footwear.

6. Attachment according to claim 5, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is removably coupled to said footwear through a hook-and-ring coupling.

7. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is integrally coupled to said footwear.

8. Attachment according to claim 7, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is sewed and/or glued onto said footwear.

9. Attachment according to claim 7, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is incorporated in said footwear.

10. Attachment according to claim 9, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is incorporated in said sole of said footwear.

11. Attachment according to claim 10, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is an extension of the heel.

12. Attachment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is made of at least one of a hide, a plastic, and a rubber.

13. Attachment according to 1, wherein the at least one vertical tongue is covered by at least one of a cloth, a leather, a plastic, or a rubber.

14. A sole for footwear, wherein the sole incorporates an attachment according to claim 10.

15. Footwear, wherein the footwear is provided with an attachment according to claim 1.

16. Footwear according to claim 15, wherein the footwear comprises a sole according to claim 14.

17. Footwear according to claim 15, wherein the footwear is a shoe or a sandal or a boot.