WO2002052972A1

WO2002052972A1 - Shoe accessory

Info

Publication number: WO2002052972A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2001/000191
Authority: WO
Inventors: Allan Robert May
Original assignee: Allan Robert May
Priority date: 2001-01-03
Filing date: 2001-12-05
Publication date: 2002-07-11

Abstract

The invention relates to an accessory (10) for use in association with children's footwear. In particular, the accessory (10) comprises a model (12) and attachment means (14) that is connectable to the model (12) for attaching the model (12) to the footwear. In one form of the invention, the model (12) is shaped to resemble a truncated portion of an insect, dinosaur or other animal body, the arrangement being such that, in use, it appears as if a user has stepped onto an insect, dinosaur or other animal so as to crush a part thereof, and that the insect, dinosaur or other animal is stuck to an underside of the sole (16) of the user's shoe (18) such that a remaining part of the insect, dinosaur or other animal body protrudes from a periphery of the shoe (18).

Description

SHOE ACCESSORY Technical Field

This invention relates to a clothing accessory. Particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to an accessory for use in association with children's footwear.

Background Art

It will generally be appreciated that children are often fascinated by novelty play items such as the latest playing cards or the latest trends in clothing. So, for example, children also often like to play with animals or insects for purposes of amusement. These forms of amusement often not only have entertainment value, but may have an additional advantage in that they are educational in nature, and it may range from ant farms purchased at pet shops and pet silk worms, to toy sea horses that grow in the water and novelty items like rubber snakes, spiders and flies.

Such novelty items often gain popularity and become the latest craze amongst certain age groups.

Object of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel accessory for use in association with footwear, especially children's footwear.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an accessory for footwear having a sole, the accessory comprising a model; and attachment means connectable to the model and suitable for attaching the model to the footwear such that the model projects from the footwear substantially in the general plane of the sole of the footwear. In this specification, the term "model" means a representation in three dimensions on a smaller, larger or actual scale of at least a portion of a selected object such as an insect, dinosaur, cartoon character, action hero, flower, plant or the like.

The model may be configured such that the shape thereof is educational in nature. So, for example, the model may be shaped to resemble at least part of an insect, dinosaur or other animal body. Particularly, the model may be shaped to resemble a truncated portion of the insect, dinosaur or other animal body. More particularly, the truncated portion may resemble a part of the insect, dinosaur or other animal such as the abdomen and thorax, or the abdomen and the legs, or any other permutations involving a combination of body members.

It will, however, be appreciated that the model may be shaped to resemble any desired shape or semblance, such as a cartoon character, an action hero figure or the like.

The model may be of any suitable material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, rubber or the like.

The model may be shaped by means of an injection moulding process, a rotation mould or the like process.

The model may include illuminating means for illuminating at least part of the model. Particularly, the illuminating means may be adapted to illuminate at least part of the model as and when a user steps on footwear to which the accessory is attached. The accessory also may include sound generating means for mimicking a sound corresponding to that made by an insect or the like resembled by the model. Particularly, the sound generating means may be adapted to produce a sound as and when a user steps on footwear to which the accessory is attached.

The attachment means may be shaped to attach the model to a sole portion of a shoe. In one form of the invention the attachment means may releasably be connected to the model. The attachment means also may removably be attached to the footwear.

In one form of the invention, the attachment means may comprise at least one elongate attaching pin connected to and extending from the model, the arrangement being such that the pin may be pushed into a side portion of the shoe sole such that the model is substantially flush with a bottom portion of the shoe sole. More particularly, the arrangement may be such that, in use, it appears as if the user has stepped onto an insect, dinosaur or other animal so as to crush a part thereof, and that the insect, dinosaur or other animal is stuck to an underside of the sole of the user's shoe such that a remaining part of its body protrudes from a periphery of the shoe and substantially in the general plane of the sole of the shoe. The attachment means also may be a number of attaching pins connected to and extending from the model.

The attaching pin may be of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, aluminium or the like and may include at least one retaining hook formation located on the pin so as to prevent the accessory from becoming disengaged with the shoe in use. In one form of the invention, the attaching pin may include a series of retaining hook formations arranged along the length of the attaching pin. In an alternative form of the invention, the attachment means may comprise adhesive tape or the like adhesive means such that the model may be stuck to the footwear. It will be appreciated, however, that the accessory may comprise any other suitable attachment means for attaching the accessory to footwear.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an accessory for clothing, the accessory comprising a model shaped so as to resemble at least part of an insect, dinosaur or other animal body; and attachment means connectable to the model and suitable for attaching the model to the clothing.

The attachment means may suitably be dimensioned for attaching the model to a collar or cuff of a shirt, for example.

Specific embodiment of the invention Without limiting the scope thereof, embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein -

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an accessory according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the accessory is shaped to resemble a portion of a grasshopper;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an accessory according to another embodiment of the invention illustrating how the accessory is attached to a shoe, the accessory being shaped to resemble a front portion and tail portion of a scorpion; Figure 3 is a diagrammatical plan view of the accessory of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a diagrammatical plan view of an alternative embodiment of the accessory according to the invention wherein the accessory resembles a front portion of a spider; Figure 5 is an example of a typical circuit configuration embodied in the model in respect of the illuminating means, wherein the circuit includes a series arrangement of a battery, switch, resistor and two light-emitting diodes arranged in parallel; and Figure 6 is an example of a typical circuit configuration embodied in the model for effecting working of the sound generating means, wherein the circuit includes a series arrangement of a battery, switch, semiconductor chip and a speaker.

An accessory for footwear according to the invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10. The accessory 10 comprises a model 12; and attachment means 14 connectable to the model 12 and suitable for attaching the model 12 to footwear.

In the illustrated embodiments of the invention the model 12 is shaped to resemble a truncated portion of an insect body.

The model 12 is of any suitable material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, rubber or the like.

The attachment means 14 is shaped to attach the model 12 to a sole portion 16 of a shoe 18. In the illustrated embodiments of the invention the attachment means 14 comprises an elongate attaching pin connected to and extending from the model 12, the arrangement being such that the pin may be pushed into a side portion of the shoe sole 16 such that the model 12 is substantially flush with a bottom portion of the shoe sole 16. In particular the arrangement is such that, in use, it appears as if a user has stepped onto an insect so as to crush a part thereof, and that the insect is stuck to an underside of the sole 16 of a user's shoe 18 such that a remaining part of the insect body protrudes from a periphery of the shoe 18 substantially in the general plane of the sole 16 of the shoe 18.

The attaching pin 14 is of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, aluminium or the like and includes two retaining hook formations 20 located on the pin 14 so as to prevent the accessory 10 from becoming disengaged with the shoe 18 in use.

The accessory illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 is shaped to resemble a front portion 12.1 and tail portion 12.2 of a scorpion 30. In this embodiment of the invention, the scorpion accessory 30 comprises two separate parts constituting the front portion 12.1 and tail portion 12.2 of the scorpion. Each of the two parts 12.1 , 12.2 is connected to the shoe 18, the arrangement being such that as a user walks, the tail portion 12.2 is resiliently movable so as to resemble a stinging action of a scorpion.

In one form of the invention, the model 12 of the accessory includes illuminating means for illuminating the model 12. Particularly, the illuminating means may be adapted, for example, to illuminate the eyes of the model as and when the user steps on the sole 16 of the shoe 18 to which the accessory is attached.

The illuminating means are light-emitting diodes 38.1 and 38.2 moulded into an eye- socket of the model, such as the eye socket of an insect, with a lens to diffuse the light. The light-emitting diodes 38.1 and 38.2 are activated by means of a tactile pushbutton switch 32 or similar device located at an underside of the model 12. The light-emitting diodes 38.1 and 38.2 are typically 3mm diameter high bright, low current type diodes.

The battery 24 is arranged in a watertight housing that is moulded into the model 12 and is typically a 3V lithium battery.

The resistor 36 is a 300 ohm, 1/8 watt current-limiting resistor arranged to give a typical current of 10 mV.

In certain embodiments of the invention the accessory also includes sound generating means for mimicking a sound corresponding to that made by an insect, dinosaur, other animal or the like resembled by the model 10. A speaker 46 is arranged on top of or approximate a mouth region of the model 10 and is activated by means of a tactile pushbutton switch 40 at an underside of the model 10. A suitable sound-effect for each particular model, such as a dinosaur roar or insect sound, is pre-recorded digitally onto the semiconductor chip 44, the arrangement being such that each time the switch 40 is activated, a sound is played through the speaker 46. The speaker 46 is typically a piezo buzzer.

It will be appreciated that numerous other embodiments of the invention may be possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An accessory [10] for footwear having a sole [16], the footwear comprising a model [12]; and attachment means [14] connectable to the model [12] and suitable for attaching the model [12] to the footwear such that the model [12] projects from the footwear substantially in the general plane of the sole [16] of the footwear.

2. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the model [12] is shaped to resemble at least part of an insect, dinosaur or other animal body.

3. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 2 characterised therein that the model [12] is shaped to resemble a truncated portion of the insect, dinosaur or other animal body.

4. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 3 characterised therein that the truncated portion resembles a part of the insect, dinosaur or other animal such as the abdomen and thorax, or the abdomen and the legs, or any other permutations involving a combination of body members.

5. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the model [12] is shaped to resemble a cartoon character, an action hero figure or the like.

6. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the model [12] is of a mouldable material such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, rubber or the like.

7. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the model [12] is shaped by means of an injection moulding process, a rotation mould or the like process.

8. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the model [12] includes illuminating means [38.1 , 38.2] for illuminating at least part of the model [12].

9. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 8 characterised therein that the illuminating means [38.1 , 38.2] is adapted to illuminate at least part of the model [12] as and when a user steps on a shoe to which the accessory [10] is attached.

10. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the accessory [10] also includes sound generating means [46] for mimicking a sound corresponding to that made by an insect or the like resembled by the model [12].

11. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 1 characterised therein that the attachment means [14] is shaped to attach the model [12] to a sole portion [16] of a shoe.

12. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 11 characterised therein that the attachment means [14] is releasably connected to the model [12].

13. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 11 characterised therein that the attachment means [14] is removably attached to the footwear.

14. The footwear accessory [10] according to claims 11 to 13 characterised therein that the attachment means [14] comprises at least one elongate attaching pin [14] connected to and extending from the model [12], the arrangement being such that the pin [14] is pushed into a side portion of the shoe sole such that the model [12] is substantially flush with a bottom portion of the shoe sole [16].

15. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 14 characterised therein that the arrangement is such that, in use, it appears as if the user has stepped onto an insect, dinosaur or other animal so as to crush a part thereof, and that the insect, dinosaur or other animal is stuck to an underside of the sole [16] of the user's shoe [18] such that a remaining part of the insect, dinosaur or other animal body protrudes from a periphery of the shoe [18].

16. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 14 characterised therein that the attaching pin [14] is of a substantially rigid material, such as stainless steel, aluminium or the like and includes at least one retaining hook formation located on the pin so as to prevent the accessory [10] from becoming disengaged with the shoe [18] in use.

17. The footwear accessory [10] according to claim 14 characterised therein that the attachment means [14] comprises adhesive tape or the like adhesive means such that the model [12] is stuck to the footwear.

18. An accessory [10] for clothing, the accessory [10] comprising a model [12] shaped so as to resemble at least part of an insect body; and attachment means [14] connectable to the model [12] and suitable for attaching the model [12] to the clothing.