Heel protector
AssigneeThe Shoe Schell
InventorsRebecca Restrepo, Joanna Giles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heel protector is provided that has a tubular structure with a strap and a heel section. The heel section includes a plurality of alternating annular strips of material and annular ridges that allow users of the heel protector to expand the heel section vertically when placed over a shoe so that the heel section covers all or substantially all of a rear portion of the shoe.
Claims14
A heel protector comprising a tubular structure adapted to cover a heel of a shoe, the heel protector having a strap section and a heel section, wherein the strap section comprises a band of material having a first strap end and a second strap end, and wherein the heel section extends from each end of the first and second strap ends toward the heel of the shoe and wherein the heel section has a vertical height that increases toward the heel of the shoe to form a wedge shape heel section for covering at least a portion of a back and two sides of the shoe, and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the heel, the heel section having:
- an inner surface located within the tubular structure;
- an outer surface located outside of the tubular structure;
- a plurality of alternating annular strips of material located on the outer surface of the heel section, the material having a first thickness, wherein the thickness is a dimension between the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular structure at the heel section;
- and
- annular ridges separating the plurality of the annular strips, the annular ridges having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness of the annular strips.
A method comprising;
- passing a shoe through a tubular structure of a heel protector, the heel protector having a strap section comprising a band of material having a first strap end and a second strap end and a heel section extending from each end of the strap section forming a wedge shape for covering a back surface and two sides of the shoe, and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the heel, the heel section comprising an inner surface located within the tubular structure, an outer surface located outside of the tubular structure, a plurality of alternating annular strips of material located on the outer surface, the material having a first thickness and annular ridges separating each annular strip, each annular ridge having a second thickness thinner than the first thickness of the annular strips, wherein the thickness is a dimension between the inner surface and the outer surface;
- locating the strap over a front of the shoe;
- locating the heel section over a heel of the shoe;
- and
- expanding vertically the heel section.
A method comprising;
- passing a shoe through a continuous tubular structure of a heel protector, the heel protector having a strap section that fits over a front surface of the shoe comprising a band of material having a first strap end and a second strap end and a heel section extending from each end of the strap section forming a wedge shape for covering a back surface and two sides of the shoe, and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the heel, the heel section comprising an inner surface located within the tubular structure, an outer surface located outside of the tubular structure, a plurality of alternating annular strips of material located on the outer surface, the material having a first thickness and annular ridges separating each annular strip, the annular ridges having a second thickness thinner than the first thickness of the annular strips, wherein the thickness is a dimension between the inner surface and the outer surface;
- locating the strap over a front of the shoe;
- locating the heel section over a heel of the shoe;
- expanding vertically the heel section so that the heel section covers the a back surface and two sides of the shoe;
- forming a loop by crossing the strap and passing the loop over a toe section of the shoe;
- and
- locating the loop at an incline of a sole of the shoe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.