Wearable Shoe Tree

Abstract

A wearable shoe tree is provided to be inserted within the interior of various types of shoes, thereby helping maintain the original shape of the shoe and preventing the front area (or toe box area), side walls, and heal from creasing and wrinkling over time. The wearable shoe tree can be comfortably worn and keeps the shape of a shoe whether the shoe is being worn or not. In addition to maintaining the shape and aesthetics of the shoe, the can also be used as an aid to athletic shoe customization. Modifications can be made to the shoe tree to allow it to be permanently affixed into the shoe or to allow it to be used by handicapped individuals for aesthetic purposes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application PCT / US2008 / 009165, filed Jul. 30, 2008, which claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Applications, Ser. No. 60 / 962,761 filed Jul. 31, 2007 and Ser. No. 60 / 995,233 filed Sep. 25, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]Shoes (especially athletic shoes) are subject to deformations, whether due to wear-and-tear or simple gravity, thereby perturbing the patency and aesthetics of the footwear. Typically, such plastic changes appear as creases or wrinkles on the front of the shoe just above where the toes are situated (i.e. toe box area), the sidewalls and heels of footwear. These creases or wrinkles detract from the overall appearance and functionally can diminish the useful life of the shoes. The present invention relates to a special wearable...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022]The invention consists of an insert that is placed in the shoe just like a shoe tree and allows a user to wear the sneakers or shoes with the insert in the shoe. These inserts will allow the user to keep the original shape of the footwear while being worn or not. It also gives the user the benefit of wearing the shoes or sneakers while the inserts are still inside the shoe thus giving an extra level of protection against the wear-and-tear that would normally occur. Other advantages derive from the ability of the wearable shoe tree to maintain the patency of footwear. In the medical / health field, for example, individuals with complete or partial foot amputations can present the appearance of a normal foot in a shoe. For patients with diabetic neuropathy, the invention can protect the toes from collapse or deformation of the toe box. Also, since portions of the plastic shoe tree can be manually cut out from the tree, the invention can be worn by individuals with corns, bunions and other anomalous growths on feet and toes. In another example, the wearable shoe tree can be used as an aid to athletic shoe customization and beautification. Since the legs of the flexible plastic shoe tree shell lock it into the walls of the shoe and create a crease-free exterior surface, the shoe can be painted, shined or similarly modified in a distortion-free manner.

[0023]In one embodiment, the wearable shoe tree is made of plastic with a closed shape at the top box or cap region and two legs that extend down the sides of the footwear. The ends of the legs are flexible, but firm enough, so that the legs can be bent together slightly thereby creating tension. The shoe tree can then be inserted into the footwear. Once the tensional force on the two legs is removed, the legs of the shoe tree naturally snap back to their original position, thereby “locking” the shoe tree to the inside surface of the shoe upper. The plastic material can be cut or shaped to allow greater comfort for the user. In another embodiment, the legs of the shoe tree extend all the way back along the sidewalls of the shoe to, and around, the heel. This configuration would allow maintenance of the patency of the complete shoe upper including toe region, sidewalls and heel.

[0024]In still another embodiment, the shoe tree insert is fenestrated, thereby decreasing the weight of the insert and allowing aeration within the shoe.

[0026]In still another embodiment, padding or other material can be affixed to the inside surface of the shoe tree. This could increase the comfort of the shoe or allow an appropriate filler for certain medical or health conditions.

[0027]In still another embodiment, the insert can have various cutouts of the material to allow greater comfort and / or flexibility in particular regions of the feet.

Problems solved by technology

The inventions are not intended to prevent creasing, wrinkling or maintenance of a shoe's patency for aesthetics or similar purposes.

Further, the protective inserts are limited to the toe box area and do not protect other foot regions in the shoe.

Thus, although the construction of the insert can help prevent wrinkling of the toe cap region of the shoe, it does not prevent wrinkling or creasing in any other region of the footwear.

It is not designed to conform itself to the interior of any shoe nor is it designed to maintain the shape and patency of the whole shoe.

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