Shoe heel guard

Abstract

A heel guard device used to protect the heel portion of a man or woman's shoe while driving in an automobile, the guard having a main body made of an elastic material which conforms to the shape of the heel and rear portion of a shoe. The peripheral edge of the forward opening of the guard has an elastic member that secures the guard on the shoe during use. Optional pads of soft or hard material may be added to the guard to provide additional protection and comfort to the heel of the shoe.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates generally to the field of shoe protective accessory devices designed to prevent damage or wear to shoes during use. More particularly, the invention relates to such devices designed to protect the rear or heel of the shoe, and in particular to protect the rear or heel of a shoe during the act of driving a motor vehicle. Even more particularly, the invention relates to such devices which are only temporarily affixed to the shoe and which are quickly and easily attached and removed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] It is known in the prior art to provide protective devices to shoes in order to protect all or a portion of the shoe from damage, dirt, mud, water, etc. An area of the shoe very susceptible to damage is the rear or heel portion of the shoe, especially when the shoe is worn during driving. While operating the gas and brake pedal, the rear of the heel and the lower portion of the rear of the shoe contact the floor of the v...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] This invention is a device used to protect the rearward portion of a shoe that makes contact with the floorboard of an automobile while driving, including the rear portion of the sole and / or the heel, as well as the back of the upper shoe. The body of the invention is made of a flexible and preferably elastic material of sufficient thickness and durability to resist tearing, such as an expanded polymer foam or rubber. The body has a generally flat bottom and a curving wall with an open front to receive the heel and rear portion of a shoe. A circular elastic member is disposed about the periphery of the open front to temporarily secure the guard to the shoe, and has the capability and advantage of being easily stretched to fit over any type of shoe without the use of any connectors or adhesives. Reinforcement pads or plates may be attached to the body at the primary wear locations. The bottom may be provided with an aperture to acconunodate women's high heels of excessive length.

Problems solved by technology

An area of the shoe very susceptible to damage is the rear or heel portion of the shoe, especially when the shoe is worn during driving.

While operating the gas and brake pedal, the rear of the heel and the lower portion of the rear of the shoe contact the floor of the vehicle for long periods of time.

Sand, gravel and other debris accumulates on the mat or carpet on the floor of the vehicle, and this particulate matter abrades the shoe, especially on any leather portions.

Thus, it is very common for shoes to be significantly scuffed, scratched, marred or otherwise damaged simply from the effects of driving a vehicle.

Each of these prior designs suffers from one or more drawbacks that may explain their lack of success in the marketplace.

The heel guard devices that must be strapped onto the shoe require cumbersome and uncomfortable movements, especially within the limited confines of the driver's seat of a vehicle.

In addition, the strap itself may cause damage to the shoe.

As to the rigid plastic devices that are biased onto the shoe, it is impossible to provide a structural design that is universally adaptable to different shoe designs.

A rigid biased heel guard designed for men's shoes is unlikely to fit on women's shoes.

Unless the biased guard is correctly designed, the act of attaching and removing the guard may in itself damage the shoe.

The device is also cumbersome to store in the vehicle when not in use.

The use of adhesive to mount the guard to the shoe, even though the adhesive is designed not to transfer to the shoe, is not a desirable solution, especially for expensive shoes.

The adhesive will also wear out over time, and the use of disposable guards require that the user replenish the supply, as well as producing refuse after each use that must be properly disposed of.

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