GB2517399A

GB2517399A - The press-on footwear

Info

Publication number: GB2517399A
Application number: GB1311066.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Muhammad Arslaan Malik
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-06-21
Filing date: 2013-06-21
Publication date: 2015-02-25
Also published as: GB201317685D0; GB201311066D0; GB201319274D0

Abstract

A shoe having means to make putting on and taking off easier comprises a generally upright strap 6 attached to the back part 5 of the shoe. The strap 6 is flexible and moves inwardly towards the front of the shoe when a foot is inserted, but is resilient and returns to the upright position once the foot is fully inserted. The shoe back part 5 is preferably hard and strong enough to sustain downward force as the foot is exerted, and preferably leans backwards to assist the foot to slide into the shoe. Strap 6 preferably leans forwards in the upright position to assist in gripping the foot. One or more elastic pieces 1, 2, 3 may provide resilience to the strap 6. Filling 4, e.g. sponge, may be provided on the inside of the strap 6 and the back part 5 of the shoe. The strap 6 and shoe back part 5 may be manufactured as one piece, e.g. by moulding. Inclusion of the strap allows the shoe to be put on by pressing the foot into the shoe, reducing the need to bend down or use hands.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GB1311066.3 RTTVI Date:t6 December 20t4 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: VELCRO (RTM) Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.govuk The Press-On Footwear

Description

(The term Shoe as used below stands to mean any type of footwear.) Having to put on and take off shoes constantly can prove to be an annoyance for many people and even more so because putting on shoes also involves having to bend down double or lift up your foot while trying to balance on the other foot or look around for something about knee-high to rest your foot on or look for somewhere to sit down so that you can put on your shoes in peace.

The shoes without laces has eliminated the lace tying problem but it has given rise to another problem; that of struggling to actually pulling on the shoe. I have seen a number of people carrying around with them a shoe horn to help them put on these shoes and even then they struggle.

There are a number of various ways to secure footwear onto the foot e.g. laces, buckle and Velcro but all of them need hands to put on and take off.

Figure 1 shows the strap 6 comprising of any suitable material/materials which is joined onto the main body 5 of the footwear at or near the top. Its design is such that in its natural relaxed position or state it positions itself above out of the body of the shoe but preferably leans forward or inwards

at a suitable angle.

This strap is fixed [joined to the main body of the footwear at one or more points or all the way along so that it does not move away from the main body of the footwear.

A suitable piece of filling material 4 may be fixed by any suitable means inside the footwear onto the strap and the main body of the shoe. This piece of material will also help to make wearing the shoe more comfortable. This piece may comprise of any suitable material preferably sponge which will give in onto itself when the strap is pressed down onto it and then it resumes its previous, natural shape and position when the strap is freed.

The part of the footwear 5 onto which the strap 6 is attached may be hard and strong enough preferably unbendable to sustain the pressure exerted onto it by the downward motion of the heel of ones foot.

This part of the main body 5 of the shoe may have an outward lean to cover the foot heal which is likely to overshoot the back of the shoe.

The wearer of this shoe places his/her front of the foot into the opening of the shoe and moves his /her foot forward along the shoe until it comes to a stop when the foot can go no further even though the shoe is not on and the heal of the foot overshoots the back part of the footwear.

Looking at figure 1, one or more elastic band/piece 1, 2, and 3 of any suitable material, size, shape (preferably oblong), length, width, thickness and strength is fixed to the outside of the strap (in its natural state) and the other end of the elastic is fixed to the outside of the main body 5 of the footwear or the heel 7 of the footwear or in-between the two. More than one elastic pieces may be used at various points on the strap and the footwear or just one piece of elastic covering all the necessary points of the strap and the back part of the footwear may be used.

The heel of the foot is pressed down onto the strap which gives way and bends downward and into the footwear.

Now the foot is in the shoe but so is the strap and it is trapped between the back of the foot and the back of the shoe and the elastic pieces 1, 2 and 3 joined to the strap becomes stretched and starts to pull onto the strap. This pull of the elastic will help to free the strap to its natural state.

Wriggling of the foot in the shoe plus the upward push of the compressed filling material inside the footwear will also help to free the strap to its natural state out of the footwear giving this motion extra strength.

Alternatively the strap and the back of the shoe may be manufactured as one piece possibly by moulding. This has it own advantages and also may be cheaper to produce.

The strap is now free to do its job of securing the shoe to the wearer's foot.

In "The Press-on Footwear" there are no parts which have to be disengaged and put away in ones pocket or the like. e.g. 1! The foot horn.

2/The Foot Funnel A user can wear the shoes and take them off without stooping or lifting the shoes with hands. The invention is convenient for old people, pregnant women and disabled users.