Uni-sex multi-sport footwear accessory

Abstract

The uni-sex multi-sport footwear accessory is a flexible accessory shaped as an ankle band for use as an indicia-displaying device, and includes an upper band adapted to encircle a wearer's lower leg, side straps depending from the upper band, a middle section adapted to encircle a wearer's ankle and a lower band dimensioned to extend beneath a wearer's foot. The side straps, middle section and lower band may be omitted. The upper band has several display areas with which to display indicia such as logos, team names and the like. The footwear accessory may have one or a number of fasteners located on various areas of the accessory, or the fastener(s) may be omitted altogether. The footwear accessory may be reversible, and the display strips of indicia may be releasably attached to the footwear accessory.

1 . A footwear accessory, comprising: 
 an elasticized band of flexible material adapted to encircle a user's lower leg;    at least one first fastener attached to an outward-facing surface of said elasticized band; and    at least one display strip having an exterior surface and an interior surface, said exterior surface of said display strip having indicia displayed thereon and said interior surface of said display strip having a mating second fastener attached to said display strip, said display strip fastener being releasably attached to said first fastener.    
     
     
         2 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein said first fastener comprises a first strip of hook and loop fastening material and said display strip fastener comprises a mating second strip of hook and loop fastening material.  
     
     
         3 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein said band has a first end and a second end, said first end being releasably attached to said second end.  
     
     
         4 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 3 , further comprising a zipper, said zipper having mating portions attached to said first end and said second end of said band, said zipper releasably connecting said first and second ends of said band.  
     
     
         5 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of snap fasteners attached to said first end of said band and a plurality of mating snap fasteners attached to said second end of said band, said snap fasteners releasably fastening said ends of said band together to form an annular band.  
     
     
         6 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 3 , further comprising a lower band having a free end releasably attached to said first upper band.  
     
     
         7 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 6 , wherein said first end of said upper band has a first upper band attachment fastener attached to said first end and said second end of said upper band has a second upper band attachment fastener, said first upper band attachment fastener being releasably attached to said second upper band attachment fastener.  
     
     
         8 . The footwear accessory according to  claim 6 , wherein a first lower band attachment fastener is attached to said first end of said upper band and said second lower band attachment fastener is attached to said free end of said lower band.  
     
     
         9 . A footwear accessory, comprising: 
 an elasticized band of flexible material adapted to encircle a user's lower leg;    a strap portion of flexible material extending from two opposing sides of a lower portion of said elasticized band adapted to extend around a user's sole;    at least one first fastener attached to an outward-facing surface of said elasticized band; and    at least one display strip having an exterior surface and an interior surface, said exterior surface of said display strip having indicia displayed thereon and said interior surface of said display strip having a mating second fastener attached to said display strip, said display strip fastener being releasably attached to said first fastener.    
     
     
         10 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one first fastener is attached to an upper forward facing portion of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         11 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one first fastener is attached to an upper rearward facing portion of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         12 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising a vertically oriented zipper located between a forward and a rearward portion of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         13 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising an elastomeric webbing positioned between a forward and a rearward portion of said elasticized band, said elastomeric webbing expanding only in a direction between said forward and said rearward portions of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         14 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising an elastomeric webbing positioned on a lower front portion of said elasticized band proximate said strap portion, said elastomeric webbing expanding only in the circumferential direction of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         15 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising an elastomeric webbing positioned on a lower rear portion of said elasticized band proximate said strap portion, said elastomeric webbing expanding only in the circumferential direction of said elasticized band.  
     
     
         16 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a first portion of elastomeric webbing positioned on a lower front portion of said elasticized band proximate said strap portion; and    a second portion elastomeric webbing positioned on a lower rear portion of said elasticized band proximate said strap portion;    wherein said elastomeric webbing expands only in the circumferential direction of said elasticized band.    
     
     
         17 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 an elastomeric webbing on an upper rearward portion of said elasticized band, wherein said elastomeric webbing expands only in the circumferential direction of said elasticized band;    said at least one first fastener attached to an outward-facing surface of said elastomeric webbing.    
     
     
         18 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 an elastomeric webbing on an upper forward portion of said elasticized band, wherein said elastomeric webbing expands only in the circumferential direction of said elasticized band;    said at least one first fastener attached to an outward-facing surface of said elastomeric webbing.    
     
     
         19 . The footwear accessory of  claim 9 , wherein said elasticized band and said strap portion of the are constructed of neoprene.