Removable shoelace cover for a shoe

• US 5,566,477 A
• Filed: 04/08/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cheryl Mcclellan, Leroy Mathis
• Original Assignee: Cheryl Mcclellan, Leroy Mathis
• Inventors: Mathis, Leroy, McClellan, Cheryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US08/225,134
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 36/1, 36/100, 36/101, 36/132, 36/136, 36/131, 36/54, 36/50.1, 36/72 R
• US Class Current: 36/100
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible

Abstract

A shoelace cover incorporating an interchangeable fashion panel for covering the shoelaces of a gym shoe. The shoelace cover is secured to the shoe by a number of straps threaded through slots in the shoelace cover. A strap secured to each side of the gym shoe includes a loop and hook material such that the straps can be disengaged and the shoelace cover can be drawn back to expose the shoelaces of the shoe. The fashion panel is attached to the shoelace cover by a loop and hook material such that at the whim of the shoe wearer, the fashion panel can be replaced by other fashion panels to convey a fashion statement.

Claims

1. A shoelace cover adaptable to be secured to an upper portion of a shoe having a shoelace area, said shoelace cover comprising:

a base panel, said base panel including first securing means for pivotably securing the base panel to the upper portion of the shoe independently of a shoelace, wherein the first securing means is a series of three straps engagable with a series of three slots in the base panel, a first strap being rigidly secured to one side area of the shoe and being threadably engaged with a first slot in the base panel, a second strap being rigidly secured to an opposite side area of the shoe and being threadably engaged with a second slot of the base panel, and a third strap being rigidly secured to a top area of the shoe and being threadably engaged with a third slot in a lower region of the base panel;

a fashion panel releasably attached to an upper surface of the base panel; and

second securing means for securing the fashion panel to the base panel, said second securing means enabling said fashion panel to be readily removable from the base panel such that a shoe wearer can optionally remove and replace the fashion panel with other fashion panels in order to convey differing fashion statements.

2. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the first and second straps include a loop and hook material such that when the straps are threaded through the first and second slots, the loop and hook material secures a first end of each strap to a second end of the strap so as to enable the base panel to be readily detached from the shoe.

3. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the second securing means is a loop or hook material attached to a top surface of the base panel and a bottom surface of the fashion panel.

4. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the base panel is a leather base panel.

5. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the fashion panel is a metal fashion panel.

6. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the base panel is a specially shaped plastic member including an outer layer of a material selected from the group consisting of leather and fabric.

7. The shoelace cover according to claim 1 wherein the fashion panel is a specially shaped plastic member including an outer layer of a material selected from the group consisting of leather and fabric.

8. A shoelace cover adaptable to cover shoelaces of a shoe, said shoe including a sole portion and an upper portion wherein the upper portion includes a first side, a second side and a top, said shoelace cover comprising:

a shoelace cover base portion secured to the upper portion of the shoe, said shoelace cover base portion including a first and second slot at opposite sides of an upper portion of the shoelace cover base portion and a third slot at a lower central portion of the shoelace cover base portion;

a first and second strap being rigidly secured to the first and second sides of the shoe and a third strap being rigidly secured to the top of the shoe, said first and second straps being threadably engagable with the first and second slots and the third strap being threadably engagable with the third slot, wherein the first and second straps include first and second release mechanisms such that the first and second straps can be readily released from the first and second slots in order to expose the shoelace of the shoe; and

a fashion panel releasably attached to an upper surface of the shoelace cover base portion, said fashion panel including a releasing mechanism such that the fashion panel can be readily removed from the shoelace cover base portion so that a shoe wearer can optionally remove and replace the fashion panel with other fashion panels in order to create a fashion statement.

9. The shoelace cover according to claim 8 wherein the shoelace cover base portion is a leather base portion.

10. The shoelace cover according to claim 8 wherein the shoelace cover base portion is a specially shaped plastic member including an outer layer of a material selected from the group consisting of leather and fabric.

11. The shoelace cover according to claim 8 wherein the fashion panel is a metal fashion panel.

12. The shoelace cover according to claim 8 wherein the fashion panel is a specially shaped plastic member including an outer layer of a material selected from the group consisting of leather and fabric material.

13. A shoelace cover for a shoe having a curved portion for fitting over an upper portion of a foot comprising:

an elongated cover portion for substantially covering a shoelace area of a shoe, said elongated cover portion including a longitudinal curvature for conforming to the curved portion of the shoe and having a first distal end for attachment adjacent a toe area of said shoe and a second distal end for attachment adjacent an ankle opening of the shoe;

a first means for removable attachment of the first distal end to said shoe, wherein said first means for attachment comprises a slot in said first distal end and a strap attached to said shoe and looped through said slot; and

a second means for removable attachment of the second distal end to said shoe whereby said shoelace cover can be attached to said shoe for overlying said shoelace area; and

said second distal end including a pair of wings extending in a lateral direction wherein each wing of said pair of wings includes a slot therein and wherein said second means for attachment comprises a pair of straps looped through said slots.

14. The shoelace cover of claim 13 further comprising a fashion panel having securing means for removably securing the fashion panel to said elongated cover.