Barrier for Open Heeled Footwear

Abstract

A clothing protector providing a projecting barrier to prevent clothing from becoming positioned between a heel of a foot and footwear being worn by a user. The protector has a planar body having an as-used position folded and within the gap between the heel of the foot and the footwear. Adhesive engages the body to both the heel of the foot and the top surface of the footwear. So engaged, a middle portion of the protector provides a barrier to clothing such as pants or a long dress from entering the gap when the user walks.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The disclosed device relates generally to garments. More particularly, the device relates to a removably engaged garment accessory which, when deployed, prevents the entanglement of garments such as pants, in between the heel of the foot and the foot supporting surface of backless shoes during movement.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Fashion, in most countries, changes with the season and yearly and designers and manufacturers of garments produce many different types of garments which can be worn by individuals, be they fashion conscious or just practical. Whether practical or fashionable, garments are available in a variety of forms including blouses, skirts, pants, jackets, dresses, and shorts amongst the many options available.[0003]Clothing combinations, whether in the pursuit of a fashionable look or whether dictated by color matching or other factors, can yield some hazardous pairings of clothing components. For example, a shorter person wearing a ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The disclosed device provides a novel remedy to the noted shortcomings of prior attempts to address the problem of clothing becoming caught between the foot and open heeled footwear. The device is formed of a thin planar material such as stiff paper or plastic or cloth materials, which when folded to a stored position, has a very small width profile. It thus may be packaged in small wrappers and easily stored in a purse or pocket for use.

[0018]The device in the as-used position, will thus prevent the accidental entry of pants, or a skirt, into the gap, that generally forms when a wearer lifts their foot while wearing open heeled footwear. This means for prevention of entry of clothing into the normally formed gap, is provided by the fact that the central portion of the body, at the hinge point, will provide a barrier to the entry of clothing into the gap which is filled by the device herein in the as-used position.

[0019]The device may be manufactured in a planar configuration allowing the user to fold it and determine the hinge point. Or, it may be manufactured with a preformed hinge point, in the central region of the body. In a preformed version, a curve may be easily imparted to the hinge point or a fold.

[0020]Packaging may be a simple envelope or other openable housing. This will allow the user to store the device in their purse or pocket, and remove it when needed from the storage envelope to affix it to their foot and footwear in the as-used position.

[0024]It is an object of this invention to provide an easily employed means to prevent the accidental positioning of clothing such as pants or skirts, in-between the foot and footwear of a user.

[0025]An additional object of this invention is the prevention of injuries and clothing damage that is caused by users accidentally catching their pants and skirts between their heel and shoe.

Problems solved by technology

Clothing combinations, whether in the pursuit of a fashionable look or whether dictated by color matching or other factors, can yield some hazardous pairings of clothing components.

For example, a shorter person wearing a long skirt runs the constant risk of walking on the distal end of the skirt and catching it between the ground and the bottom of their shoe or foot.

Wearing taller shoes to raise the hem of the skirt from the ground may save the fabric of the skirt from abrasion on the ground, but if the wearer is fitted with open back shoes, it presents a risk of catching the fabric at the distal end of the skirt, between the upper sole of the shoe of the wearer, and the heel of their foot.

Wearing pants with open backed shoes presents the same problem.

When combined with the general instability of high heels, the potential for tripping or falling should the wearer pinch a cuff or pant leg between a shoe and their heel is significantly increased.

The lack of a back portion on the shoe causes the front portion of the shoe to lift the rear portion.

In any combination of long pants or skirts, and such backless footwear, the wearer continually risks tripping or falling for the duration of wearing such a combination of garments.

Every time the wearer raises one of their feet while attired in open back footwear, the lower leg of the pants fabric, or the lower edge portion of a long skirt, is continually at risk of sliding into the gap which forms between the shoe and the heel of the wearer each time the heel separates from the shoe.

Besides being embarrassing, the wearer can easily fall as well as cause damage to the clothing being trapped between the shoe and foot.

However, Lockwood will not prevent entry of the fabric of the pants or skirt into the gap between the shoe and foot.

With the device of Lockwood, the pants or skirt can still enter the gap between the shoe and foot and get caught thereby damaging the fabric or causing the wearer to fall or trip.

However Bunjes requires an engagement with the pants or skirt which is viewable by third parties and will cause an unnatural drape and is not easily engaged or disengaged.

The user is thus required to adhere a pad to their foot, providing an unnatural feel while walking and still allowing the clothing to possibly get caught around the edges of the user's heel and the shoe since no barrier is provided rearward of the heel.

As such, there is a continuing unmet need for a device which will obviate the potential for long skirts or pants to unintentionally enter the gap formed between a backless shoe and the wearer's foot while walking.

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