Scented shoe and shoe packaging system

Abstract

Shoes and shoe package assemblies include a scent-generating material for emitting a scent unusual to footwear, e.g., for attracting consumers and/or creating an impact in marketing.

1 . A shoe having a sole comprising a resilient material having a scent-generating material therein, the scent-generating material emitting a scent unusual to footwear.  
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises an outsole.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient material comprises a thermoset material.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoset material is selected from the group consisting of cured butadiene rubber, cured isoprene rubber, cured styrene-butadiene rubber, cured natural rubber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), styrenic block copolymers, hydrogenated styrenic block copolymers, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyesters, polyamides, polyvinyl chlorides, polyolefins, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and mixture thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises a foam.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the scent-generating material is selected to emit a scent from the group consisting of chocolate, cookies & cream, peppermint, cherry, peach, strawberry, lime, spearmint, cinnamon, anise, basil, bergamot, black pepper, camphor, cedarwood, chamomile, citronella, eucalyptus, pine, fir, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, juniperberry, lavender, lemon, mandarin, marjoram, musk, myrhh, orange, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, tea tree, thyme, wintergreen, ylang ylang, vanilla, new car, money, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the scent-generating material is directly compounded into the resilient material as an oil.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the scent-generating material resides at least partially encased within a micro-sphere.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the scent-generating material is adsorbed on a carrier.  
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of clays, silicas, aluminas, cylcodextrins, starches, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient material includes a filler.  
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, kaolin clay, dicalcium phosphate, sodium metaphosphate, magnesium orthophosphate, hydroxyapatites, synthetic apatites, aluminas, silicas, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient material includes an antioxidant.  
     
     
         16 . A shoe comprising a scent-generating material for emitting a scent unusual to footwear.  
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the scent-generating material is disposed on a sole of the shoe.  
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the scent-generating material is disposed in a sole of the shoe.  
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the scent-generating material is disposed on an upper of the shoe.  
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the scent-generating material is disposed in an upper of the shoe.  
     
     
         21 . The shoe of  claim 20 , wherein the upper comprises leather or a synthetic material.  
     
     
         22 . A shoe package assembly comprising a shoe contained within a package, the package assembly comprising a scent-generating material emitting a scent unusual to footwear.  
     
     
         23 . The shoe package assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the package is in the form of a box.  
     
     
         24 . The shoe package assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the scent-generating material is disposed on an internal surface of the package.  
     
     
         25 . The shoe package assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the package includes an absorbent material, and wherein the scent-generating material is absorbed on the absorbent material.  
     
     
         26 . The shoe package assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the absorbent material comprises tissue paper.  
     
     
         27 . A system for presenting a shoe to a consumer, comprising: 
 a package comprising a scent-generating material for emitting a scent unusual to footwear; and    a shoe within the package.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the scent-generating material is on an interior surface of the package.  
     
     
         29 . The package of  claim 27 , wherein the package includes an absorbent material, and wherein the scent-generating material is absorbed on the absorbent material.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the shoe also includes a scent-generating material.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a lid covering the package.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , further comprising a vapor barrier encapsulating the lidded package.  
     
     
         33 . A shoe comprising a least one scent-emitting element, the scent-emitting element comprising a scent-emitting material that emits a scent when manipulated.  
     
     
         34 . The shoe of clam  33 , wherein the scent emitting element is in the form of a polymeric disk, and wherein the scent emitting element is disposed on the vamp of the shoe.