US3104479A - Heel protector - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1963 R. DAMICO HEEL PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 8, 1962 v ll In It.

INVENTOR ROSEMARY D'AMICO United States Patent Office 3,104,479 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 3,104,479 HEEL PROTECTOR Rosemary DAmieo, 35 S. 69th St., Upper Darby, Pa. Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,199 1 Claim. (Cl. 36--72) This invention relates to protective covers for footwear and more particularly to a protector against either scufiing or marring of the heel and back portions of ladies and mens shoes.

It is well known that ladies shoes and particularly high heeled shoes, are frequently provided with heels incorporating ornamental surface finishes of various types and styles and that such finishes are incapable of withstanding wear and abrasion as occurs when an automobile is driven by the wearer. The necessity for moving the foot on or off the gas or brake pedals of an automobile results in the side and the back of the right heel frequently scraping against the fioor of the automobile and the side of the said pedals thereby marring its finish.

There have been many prior provisions of such heel protectors and there have been a great number of different materials used in their construction, ranging from metal and hard fiber to leather and fabric; however, either because of their bulky appearance or because of the difficulty in keeping them fastened to the heel portion of the shoe without slipping, there arose a need for a new improved type of heel protector.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved accessory of this character which incorporates certain advantageous features of construction which enhance the utility of the device as a protector for ladies and mens shoes against scufiing and wearing as occasioned by driving an automobile.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved heel protector which in addition to protecting the surface of the shoe also keeps the ankle warm.

A further object of this invention is to provide a heel protector which is of simple construction and may be readily fitted on and removed from heels of difierent sizes without the use of tools.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a heel protector which may be easily applied to or removed from the heel, which will not impede the wearer even if retained on the heel for short excursions outside of the car, which is of such simplicity in construction that it may be manufactured and sold for a comparatively small price in various colors so that the wearer may select a desired color from a number of heel protector in her possession.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a heel protector embodying the present invention in position on the heel of a womans high heel shoe, the shoe being illustrated as Worn by a woman driver with the shoe resting upon an inclined surface which may be a gas pedal or a brake pedal.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the heel protector removed from the shoe as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of the heel protector illustrating a modified form of the device applicable to Cuban heel shoes.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the heel protector illustrating a modified form of the device applicable to fiat shoes.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the heel protector illustrating a'modified form of the device applicable to mens shoes.

FIGURE 6 is a further modification of the heel protector adapted for use in connection with keeping the ankle warm.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the foot 1 of a woman driver is encased in a high heel walking shoe 3 and the heel portion of the shoe is encased in a heel protector of novel construction provided by the present invention which is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 5. The womans foot is resting upon an accelerator pedal 7 with the connecting mechanism 9 extending through the front panel of an automobile (not shown). This embodiment of the heel protector as removed from the shoe is shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring moreparticularly to FIGURE 2, the heel protector 5 is made of a sturdy, suitable material such as 'felt, which is cut to an exact pattern so that it will follow tion 11 of heel protector 5 as 'well as the side and counter portion 15. A second section 8 of felt is cut and forms the other half of the rear of heel portion 11 as well as the side and counter portion 19.

The sections 8 and 10 are sewed or otherwise suitably secured along their rear and bottom edges 11 and'23 respectively to form a deep well-defined pocket 25 for the heel and rear portion of the shoe 3, said pocket being closed at its bottom. In order to prevent the attachment from slipping downwardly from the top of counter portion 19, the rear portion 11 of heel protector 5 extends an inch above the heel of the shoe.

It is however to be noted that my heel protector is open in the front. Two flaps 27 and 29 extend upwardly and forwardly from each of said sections 8 and 10 respecttively and are integral therewith. Said flaps end into narrow straps and are shaped so that they are adapted to engage the instep portion of the foot. In order to secure a firm fit my heel protector is provided with a fastener 30 known in the trade as a Velcro fastener.

A Velcro fastener consists of two strips of nylon tape: one strip is covered with a myriad of stitf little hooks and the other strip is covered with thousands of tiny soft loops. When lightly pressed together the hooks and loops engage creating an adjustable highly versatile and secure closure. Velcro is the first fastener to distribute stress over a large surface instead of at specific points or along a straight line. Velcro prevents against shear stress which is very important in holding the heel slip on the shoe.

The shoe 3 is placed inside of the protector 5 which is drawn tightly around the counter and heel portion of the said shoe by pulling up on the flaps 27 and 29. The end 31 of flap 27 has a first strip of nylon, covered with a myriad of stiff little hooks, suitably attached. The end 33 of flap 29 has a second strip of nylon, covered with thousands of tiny soft loops. When the two ends are drawn together to make a tight fit of the heel protector withthe shoe, the nylon tapes engage each other to hold the heel protector steadfastly to the shoe. The nylon tapes engage at any point they touch, affording a means of adjustable closure in order to adjust the heel protector to different sizes of ankles. The binding stitch 28 is sewed along the edges of the flaps 27 and 29 to increase the stability of the heel slip.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3, the heel protector 35 is considerably flattened and widened to conform to the Cuban heel and the construction is broadly the same as the previously described embodiment. The two sections 37 and 39 are conformed to fit the contour of the heel and sewed along the back 41 and bottom 43. The two flaps 45 and 47 are suitably fitted with a Velcro fastener as described hereinabove.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, the heel protector 49 is flattened to fit a flat heeled shoe. The construction is the same as in the two previous embodiments.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5, the heel protector 51 is made in three sections 53, 55, and 57 to conform to the back of a mans shoe. The section 53 conforms to the heel of the shoe, sections 55 and S7 fit the sides of the shoe. The three sections are joined together along the back 59 and bottom 61. In all other respects the embodiment is the same as previously described. The Velcro nylon tapes 30 are suitably connected to sections 55 and 57 respectively.

Referring to FIGURE 6, as in the previous embodiments, two separate sections 69 and 71 are cut to fit the contour of a shoe. However, the sections do not end in narrow flaps as in the previous embodiments but rather they cover the entire front of the foot. The Velcro nylon tapes are attached to the inner sides 73 and 75 of the respective sections. Therefore, this embodiment not only keeps the shoe from being marred but also keeps the top of the foot warm. The heel portion 11 of the protector is the same as previously described in the other embodiments.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have beefi specifically illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest interpretation within the terms of the following claim.

It is claimed:

An improved heel protector adapted to cover the heel and counter portion of womens and mens shoes on a plurality of heels the styles of which range from high to low heels, said heel protector comprising in combination, two similar, oppositely disposed sections of fabric material, each section being cut to form'one-half of the rear, side and counter portion of said heel protector, said sections being seamed together along their rear and bottom edges thereby forming a pocket which is open in the front and closed in the rear and along its bottom and which is adapted to receive the heel and counter portions of the aforesaid shoes, the counter portion of said sections extends one inch above the top of the counter portion of the shoe in order to prevent the protector from slipping downwardly from the top of the counter portion of the shoe; a pad of closely spaced small, short, stiff hooks connected to the front of one of the said sections; a companion pad of closely spaced loops connected to the front of the oppositely disposed section whereby when the two sections are lightly pressed together at the front thereof the hooks and loops engage. each other creating.

an adjustable highly versatile and secure closure so that the heel protector is securely fastened to the heel and counter portion of the wearers shoe and will prevent S C fil fillg of the shoe while the wearer is engaged in the operation of an automobile.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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