Footwear emitting a fragrance and method for its fabrication

Abstract

An article of footwear that emits a fragrance includes a fragrance-releasing substance impregnated or incorporated into and absorbed by a part of the footwear such as by infusing the fragrance-releasing substance into the selected part of the footwear article. In one embodiment of the footwear described, the fragrance-releasing substance is incorporated in an ornament that has the appearance of an object in nature that emits a fragrance similar to that emitted by the footwear.

1 . A method for fabricating an article of footwear including the steps of providing a footwear form having an insole and an outsole, and impregnating into a selected part of said footwear form a fragrance-releasing substance that is absorbed into said footwear part and is thereafter automatically and continuously released from said footwear.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which said fragrance-releasing substance is a fragrance oil, and said impregnating step includes infusing said fragrance oil into said selected footwear part.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , in which said fragrance-releasing substance is a fragrance oil, said impregnating step including the step of applying said oil directly to said selected footwear part.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , in which said applying step includes using a brush or applicator or spraying said oil onto said selected footwear part.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which said impregnating step includes the step of immersing said selected footwear part into a container containing said fragrance-releasing substance.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of securing an ornament to said footwear insole that has the configuration of an object, which in nature has a particular natural fragrance, and in which said fragrance-releasing substance releases a fragrance resembling said natural fragrance.  
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear comprising an insole and an outsole, and a fragrance-releasing substance directly impregnated into and absorbed by at least a part of one of said insole and outsole.  
     
     
         8 . The footwear article of  claim 7 , further comprising an ornament secured to said insole and having the appearance of a natural object having an associated fragrance, said impregnated fragrance-releasing substance emitting a fragrance resembling that of the natural object.  
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , in which said fragrance-releasing substance is impregnated into said ornament.  
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , further including an upper secured to said insole, said ornament being secured to said upper and being configured in the shape of a fragrant fruit or flower.  
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , in which said ornament is molded from a polymer resin containing said fragrance-releasing substance.  
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear including an insole, an upper secured to said insole and an outsole, an ornament in the shape of a fragrant natural object secured to said upper, and a fragrance-releasing substance impregnated into at least a part of said ornament and emitting a fragrance resembling that of said natural object.  
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , in which said ornament is in the shape of a fruit or a flower having aa associated fragrance.  
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , in which said ornament is molded from a polymer resin containing said fragrance-releasing substance.