Roll-up, compressible shoe

Abstract

The present invention involves a shoe having a flexible sole portion, a toe restraining portion, and a heel restraining portion. The sole portion preferably contains a top layer and a bottom layer secured thereto. A cushioning layer can be included between the top layer and the bottom layer. The toe restraining portion extends from one end of one side of the sole portion and can be a strap or other covering attached on each end to the sole portion. The heel restraining portion extends from the other end of one side of the sole portion and is preferably a strap attached on each end to the sole portion. The sole portion can be rolled up and secured by the heel or toe restraining portion or other strap attached to shoe. Alternatively, the sole portion includes an inflatable/deflatable airtight chamber to provide shoe support during use and allow rolling-up and storage of the shoe.

1 . A flexible shoe comprising: 
 a) a sole portion, the sole portion comprised of at least one layer of flexible material that allows for the sole to be rolled-up, the sole portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) a toe restraining portion attached to one end of the sole portion; and    c) a heel restraining portion attached to the other end of the sole portion whereby, to use the shoe, a user places the toe portion of a foot within the toe restraining portion and the heel portion of the foot within the heel restraining portion.    
     
     
         2 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , where, the shoe additionally comprises at least one strap, defined as a strip of material connected to the shoe at both ends but not contiguously connected to the shoe in between the two end portions, and to store the shoe, a user rolls up each end of the sole portion along with the toe restraining portion, then secures the rolled-up shoe by wrapping the strap around it, allowing a user to safely and securely place the rolled-up shoe in a small bag or purse for storage.  
     
     
         3 . The flexible shoe of  claim 2 , where the strap is the toe restraining portion of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         4 . The flexible shoe of  claim 2 , where the strap is the heel restraining portion of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         5 . The flexible shoe of  claim 2 , additionally comprising an ankle restraining portion, comprising a band of material extending completely around the ankle of the wearer, where the strap is the ankle restraining portion.  
     
     
         6 . The flexible shoe of  claim 2 , where the shoe additionally comprises at least one accessory strap where the accessory strap does not serve a function of attaching the flexible shoe to the foot of the user, where the strap is the accessory strap.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , where the shoe is a ballerina-type shoe where the toe restraining portion and the heel restraining portion are connected to one another by a side portion, and where the flexible shoe can be rolled up and secured by wrapping either the toe restraining portion or the heel restraining portion around the rolled-up shoe and thereby securing the shoe in a rolled-up configuration.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the toe restraining portion and the heel restraining portion are attached to the top surface.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the sole portion contains two layers of flexible material attached to one another along the periphery regions thereof, the two layers of flexible material forming an interior region.  
     
     
         10 . The flexible shoe of  claim 9 , wherein the interior region contains one or more layers of flexible material for the purpose of providing padding to the sole portion and the flexible shoe additionally comprises a valve which can be open or closed to allow air into or out of the interior region.  
     
     
         11 . The flexible shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more layers of flexible fabric is comprised of compressible foam.  
     
     
         12 . The flexible shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the interior region is filled with gel.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the interior region contains an airtight pocket for the purpose of providing padding for the sole portion and assisting in the unrolling of the flexible shoe once the heel or toe restraining portion has been unwrapped.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible shoe of  claim 13 , further comprising an air valve coupled to the interior region for the purpose of inflating/deflating the airtight pocket.  
     
     
         15 . The flexible shoe of  claim 13 , further comprising an air cartridge within the interior region for the purpose of inflating the airtight pocket.  
     
     
         16 . The flexible shoe of  claim 13 , further comprising a pump and a valve, where the pump can add air pressure to the interior region through the valve, and the valve can be opened to deflate the airtight pocket, and thereby decrease the air pressure within the airtight pocket, whereby by adding air to the airtight pocket, a user can increase a cushioning effect caused by the airtight pocket upon the foot of the user, and assist in the unrolling of the flexible shoe once the heel or toe restraining portion has been unwrapped, and adjust the flexibility and rigidity of the sole of the shoe by adding air pressure through use of pump, and bleeding air pressure through opening of the valve.  
     
     
         17 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , further comprise one or more flexible members, where the flexible members are selected from the group consisting of wires, strips, and springs, where the flexible members are attached to the sole of the shoe to facilitate the unrolling of the sole portion when the flexible shoe is unrestrained by any strap or other device used to maintain a shoe in a rolled-up configuration is released.  
     
     
         18 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the toe restraining portion is a strap of flexible material attached across the width of a portion of the sole portion.  
     
     
         19 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the heel restraining portion is a strap of flexible material attached across the width of a portion of the sole portion.  
     
     
         20 . The flexible shoe of  claim 19 , wherein the heel restraining portion further includes a segment of flexible material attached around the periphery of one end of the sole portion and forming a substantially enclosed heel region whereby a user can place the heel portion of a foot into the heel region during use of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         21 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the toe restraining portion is a segment of flexible material attached around the periphery of one end of the sole portion and forming a substantially enclosed toe region whereby a user can place the toe portion of a foot into the toe region during use of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         22 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible shoe is created in a shape and style which closely approximates the shape and style of a prestigious and/or popular and/or high priced dress shoe with or without high heels, such that a user of the invention can wear his or her dress shoes to an event where there is likely to be dancing or some other activity which may injure or inconvenience the user in the activity or damage the user's shoes, and remove his/her dress shoes and substitute the flexible shoe created in a shape and style which closely approximates the shape and style of the dress shoe for the activity, such that a casual observer may not realize that he/she has made the substitution.  
     
     
         23 . The flexible shoe of  claim 1 , additionally comprising one or more skid-resistant patches applied to the sole of the shoe, where the one or more skid-resistant patches are comprised of an adhesive portion which adheres the one or more skid-resistant patches to the sole of the shoe, and a skid resistant layer which comprises a rough coating of material which will assist a person using the flexible shoe in avoiding slipping on a wet or slick floor.  
     
     
         24 . A flexible shoe comprising: 
 a) a sole portion, the sole portion comprising two layers of flexible material that can be rolled up attached to one another along the periphery regions thereof, the two layers of flexible material forming an interior region, the sole portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) a toe restraining portion attached to one end of the sole portion;    c) a heel restraining portion attached to the other end of the sole portion, the heel restraining portion comprising a strap of flexible material attached across the width of a portion of the sole portion; and    d) an airtight pocket positioned within the interior region for the purpose of providing padding for the sole portion    whereby, to use the shoe, a user places the toe portion of a foot within the toe restraining portion and the heel portion of the foot within the heel restraining portion.    
     
     
         25 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24 , additionally comprising at least one strap, defined as a strip of material connected to the shoe at both ends but not contiguously connected to the shoe in between the two end portions, and to store the shoe, a user rolls up each end of the sole portion along with the toe restraining portion, then secures the rolled-up shoe by wrapping the strap around it, allowing a user to safely and securely place the rolled-up shoe in a small bag or purse for storage.  
     
     
         26 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24 , wherein the two layers of flexible material are comprised of compressible foam material.  
     
     
         27 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24  further comprising a carbon dioxide cartridge within the interior region for the purpose of inflating the airtight pocket.  
     
     
         28 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24  further comprising an air outlet valve within the interior region for the purpose of deflating the airtight pocket.  
     
     
         29 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24 , wherein the heel restraining portion further includes a segment of flexible material attached around the periphery of one end of the sole portion and forming a substantially enclosed heel region whereby a user can place the heel portion of a foot into the heel region during use of the flexible shoe, and wherein the toe restraining portion is a segment of flexible material attached around the periphery of one end of the sole portion and forming a substantially enclosed toe region whereby a user can place the toe portion of a foot into the toe region during use of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         30 . The flexible shoe of  claim 29 , additionally comprising an ankle restraining portion, comprising a band of material extending completely around the ankle of the wearer, where the strap is the ankle restraining portion.  
     
     
         31 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24 , where the shoe additionally comprises at least one accessory strap where the accessory strap does not serve a function of attaching the flexible shoe to the foot of the user, where the strap is the accessory strap.  
     
     
         32 . The flexible shoe of  claim 24 , where the shoe is a ballerina-type shoe where the toe restraining portion and the heel restraining portion are connected to one another by a side portion, and where the flexible shoe can be rolled up and secured by wrapping either the toe restraining portion or the heel restraining portion around the rolled-up shoe and thereby securing the shoe in a rolled-up configuration.  
     
     
         33 . A method for making a flexible shoe comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a sole portion, the sole portion comprising two layers of flexible material that can be rolled up attached to one another along the periphery regions thereof, the two layers of flexible material forming an interior region, the sole portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) providing a toe restraining portion for attachment to one end of the sole portion;    c) attaching the toe restraining portion to one end of the sole portion;    d) providing a heel restraining portion for attachment to the other end of the sole portion, the heel restraining portion comprising a strap of flexible material attached across the width of a portion of the sole portion;    e) attaching the heel restraining portion to the other end of the sole portion;    f) providing an airtight pocket positioned within the interior region for the purpose of providing padding for the sole portion; and    g) positioning the airtight pocket within the interior region.    
     
     
         34 . The method for making a flexible shoe of  claim 33 , wherein the toe restraining portion comprises a segment of flexible material attached around the periphery of one end of the sole portion and forming a substantially enclosed toe region, whereby a user can place the toe portion of a foot into the toe region during use of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         35 . A flexible shoe comprising: 
 a) a sole portion, the sole portion comprised of at least one layer of flexible material that allows for the sole to be rolled-up, the sole portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;    b) one or more restraining portions attached to one or more ends of the sole portion; whereby, to use the shoe, a user places the toe portion of a foot within the toe restraining portion and the heel portion of the foot within the heel restraining portion, and,    c) at least one strap, defined as a strip of material connected to the shoe at both ends but not contiguously connected to the shoe in between the two end portions, and to store the shoe, a user rolls up each end of the sole portion along with the toe restraining portion, then secures the rolled-up shoe by wrapping the strap around it, allowing a user to safely and securely place the rolled-up shoe in a small bag or purse for storage.    
     
     
         36 . The flexible shoe of  claim 35 , where there is only one restraining portion and the restraining portion is a toe restraining portion of the flexible shoe and the strap is also the toe restraining portion of the flexible shoe.  
     
     
         37 . The flexible shoe of  claim 35 , additionally comprising an ankle restraining portion, comprising a band of material extending completely around the ankle of the wearer, where there are two straps, one being the toe restraining portion and the other is the ankle restraining portion.