Pedicure Slipper with Toe Separator and Method

Abstract

A pedicure slipper having a toe separator is provided. The pedicure slipper features a thin sole and a fabric toe separator attached to the sole at a single location. The fabric toe separator is wrapped about each toe and about itself between the toes. A tee-shaped toe-retaining member is defined by cuts through the sole and folds to an upright position to be disposed between the big toe and second toe of the wearer. An arcuate cut through the sole defines an ankle-engaging member and folds to an upright position to retain the sole to the ankle of the wearer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]A. Field of the Invention[0002]The invention is a slipper with a toe separator for use in administering a pedicure and also is a method of performing a pedicure using the apparatus of the invention.[0003]B. Description of the Related Art[0004]A pedicure is a cosmetic treatment of the feet, including the toes and toenails. The conduct of a pedicure in a salon requires that the toes of the client receiving the pedicure be spaced apart and maintained in a spaced apart condition for the application of nail polish. Each toe also must be protected from the other toes and from objects in the environment while the polish dries to prevent damage to the polish. The drying time for nail polish may be 30 minutes to an hour or more and the polish continues to be soft and susceptible to damage after that time.[0005]In current salon practice, balls of cotton or individual spacers are placed between the toes of the client to separate the toes during application and ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The Invention is a pedicure slipper with a toe separator for use in a salon environment for performing a pedicure. One purpose of the pedicure slipper of the invention is to maintain the toes of a salon client in a separated condition during application of nail polish and while nail polish is drying. A second purpose is to allow the client to move around comfortably and to prevent soiling of the feet of the client through contact with the floor.

[0012]The fabric of the toe separator is adequately strong to withstand wrapping the fabric around the toes, around itself, and tying of the fabric. The fabric is adequately soft to allow ready wrapping to the fabric around the toes of the client's foot consistent with the comfort for the client. The fabric comprising the toe separator is of adequate bulk so that when the first and second fabric lengths are twisted about each other between two toes of the client, the two toes are separated adequately by the bulk of the twisted fabric to allow nail polish to be applied and to prevent each toe from damaging the polish applied to each other toe during drying of the polish and consistent with the comfort to the client.

[0015]The thin sheet of material comprising the sole also comprises an ankle strap integral to the sole. The ankle strap is defined by an arcuate third cut in the sheet of material. The third cut penetrates the sole and extends around the first end of the sole. A first and a second ankle strap hinge, also defined by the sheet of material, are proximal to the ends of the third cut and allow the ankle strap to fold forward with respect to the sole from a flat position to an upright position.

Problems solved by technology

The drying time for nail polish may be 30 minutes to an hour or more and the polish continues to be soft and susceptible to damage after that time.

The balls of cotton and individual spacers do not protect the foot of the client from dirt in the environment and do not allow the client to move around while the polish is drying.

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