Footwear With Storage Compartment

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/584,683, filed Jan. 9, 2012, entitled “Footwear that can hold small items.”

The present invention relates to footwear that can hold small items. It is difficult to carry small items such as money, lip gloss, keys, etc. without carrying around a bag or wearing clothes with pockets.

As can be seen, there is a need for a solution to these and other problems.

In one aspect of the present invention, footwear comprises: a base, the base comprising a sole and a heel, the heel having a thickness greater than a thickness of a forward portion of the base, the base having an upper profile shape; a foot encapsulating device connected to the base and configured to enwrap a human foot; a compartment located within the heel, the compartment having a dimension of at least one inch and a depth less than the thickness of the heel; and a compartment cover rotatably connected to the base and configured to fully cover the compartment when in a closed configuration, wherein the compartment cover is sufficiently rigid to avoid bending when a weight of 50 pounds rests on it when in a closed configuration, and wherein the compartment cover substantially matches the upper profile shape of the base when in a closed configuration.

In one aspect, the foot encapsulating device comprises a strap. In one aspect, the compartment has a dimension of at least two inches and a depth of at least one inch. In one aspect, the compartment cover is rotatably connected to the base via a hinge. In one aspect, the compartment cover is rotatably connected to the base via a bendable portion of the compartment cover. In one aspect, the compartment cover is sufficiently rigid to avoid bending when a weight of 100 pounds rests on it when in a closed configuration.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

This footwear will allow a user to carry small items such as money, lip gloss, keys, etc. This invention is an improvement on what currently exists. Prior to this invention a person had to carry a bag or wear clothes with pockets.

When a user wants to go places without carrying a bag or wearing clothing with pockets, the user doesn't have anywhere to carry small items. This footwear will allow one to carry the small items.

1. Footwear, such as flip flops with large heels
2. Small cut out space in heel
3. Cover to support and hide cut out space

Item #1 will have item #2 which will store small items that will be covered by item #3.

Individually item #1 is ordinary footwear. With the addition of item #2 and #3 it becomes footwear with small storage capacity.

It would start with the design of a flip flop with a high enough heel to cut out a small space to store small items. There would then be a supportive cover installed to hide the small space.

The person would be able to wear the footwear enabling them to carry small items in the footwear.

Referring now to the drawings, footwear 10 comprises:

• • a base, the base comprising a sole 12 and a heel 22, the heel 22 having a thickness greater than a thickness of a forward portion of the base, the base having an upper profile shape 24;
  • a foot encapsulating device 14 connected to the base and configured to enwrap a human foot;
  • a compartment 18 located within the heel 14, the compartment 18 having a dimension of at least one inch and a depth less than the thickness of the heel 14; and
  • a compartment cover 16 rotatably connected to the base and configured to fully cover the compartment 18 when in a closed configuration,
  • wherein the compartment cover 16 is sufficiently rigid to avoid bending when a weight of 50 pounds rests on it when in a closed configuration, and
  • wherein the compartment cover 16 substantially matches the upper profile shape 24 of the base when in a closed configuration.

The foot encapsulating device 14 may comprise any cover or enshrouding for a foot, and may comprise any material, such as but not limited to plastic, leather, fabric, or other textiles used in the manufacture of shoes. The foot encapsulating device 14 may also comprise straps in the case of footwear 10 being flips or sandals or other similar footwear.

The heel 14 preferably is thicker (taller) than the front part of the base and sole 12, first to provide comfort, and also to provide plenty of space for compartment 18. In another embodiment, however, the heel 14 is not thicker than the front part of the base.

The compartment cover 16 is sufficiently rigid to maintain the weight of a person standing on the footwear 10 without collapsing, and could be made of metal, wood, ceramic, or a strong plastic, for example, or any other hard material known in the art. It is designed by material, thickness, and shape, to avoid bending when a weight of 50 pounds, or 75 pounds, or 100 pounds, or 150 pounds, rests on it when it is closed (i.e., in a closed configuration relative to compartment 18).

The compartment cover 16 has a shape or profile that substantially matches the upper profile shape 24 of the base when in a closed configuration, so that the footwear 10 is comfortable to wear and also potentially to help hide the compartment 18.

In other embodiments, the compartment cover 16 is lockable (without need for a key) to prevent the cover 16 from accidentally opening, and/or it is lockable with a key to prevent unauthorized users from opening the compartment 18.

FIG. 3 shows the compartment cover 16 in a partially open configuration, showing rotation of the compartment cover 16 relative to the base, which could be provided either by flexible attachment to the base or via a hinge.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.