Footwear item

Abstract

A footwear item takes the form of a flip-flop or a slipper style of footwear. It is configured to be rolled or folded into a packaged configuration and later unrolled or unfolded into a wearing or unpackaged configuration. In one embodiment, the footwear item may serve as temporary footwear to obtain relief from uncomfortable shoes. The footwear item includes a sole member and an attachment member for coupling or attaching the footwear item to a person's foot. The attachment member may be mechanically coupled to, integrally formed with, or otherwise connected to the sole member. During use, the footwear item helps to keep a bottom of a person's foot clean and substantially protected from the ground or other foot contact surface. The small footprint of the footwear item in the packaged configuration permits it to be easily stored and readily usable in a variety of environments.

1 . A footwear item comprising:
 a sole having a reduceable footprint area, the sole having a first footprint area when packaged and a second footprint area when unpackaged, the second footprint area configured to conform to a foot when unpackaged, the second footprint area substantially larger than the first footprint area; and   an attachment member coupled to the sole and arranged to attach the sole to the foot when unpackaged.   
   
   
       2 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the sole is made from a sheet of resilient and compressible material. 
   
   
       3 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the sole is made from a compressible, closed-cell foam material. 
   
   
       4 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the first footprint area of the sole when packaged includes the footprint area of the sole when the sole is in a rolled-up configuration. 
   
   
       5 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the first footprint area of the sole when packaged includes the footprint area of the sole when the sole is in a folded-up configuration. 
   
   
       6 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the first footprint area of the sole is sized to permit the footwear item to be placed in a small compartment and personally transported. 
   
   
       7 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the second footprint area includes an hourglass shape. 
   
   
       8 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment member includes a plurality of straps coupled to the sole. 
   
   
       9 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment member is integrally formed with the sole. 
   
   
       10 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment member is integrally formed with the sole to provide a flip-flop styled footwear item. 
   
   
       11 . The footwear item of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment member is fastened to the sole to provide a flip-flop styled footwear item. 
   
   
       12 . A method of wearing a footwear item, the method comprising:
 un-packaging the footwear item from a packaged configuration to an unpackaged configuration, the packaged configuration arranged such that a sole of the footwear item includes a first footprint area, the unpackaged configuration arranged such that the sole includes a second footprint area, the second footprint area configured to conform to a foot after being unpackaged, the second footprint area substantially larger than the first footprint area; and   attaching the sole to the foot with an attachment member coupled to at least a front portion of the sole.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein un-packaging the footwear item includes unsnapping a snap mechanism coupled to the sole, where the snap mechanism connects couple a toe portion of the sole to a heel portion of the sole when the footwear item is in the packaged configuration. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein un-packaging the footwear item includes removing a band of material from around the footwear item in the packaged configuration. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein attaching the sole to the foot with the attachment member includes attaching the sole to the foot in a flip-flop configuration. 
   
   
       16 . A method of making a footwear item, the method comprising:
 forming a sole member of the footwear item from a sheet of resilient material, the sole member having a first shape configured to substantially conform to a bottom of human foot; and   forming an attachment member for attaching the sole to the desired foot, wherein forming the attachment member includes cutting the attachment member from the sheet of resilient material such that the attachment member and the sole member are integrally connected.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the sole member of the footwear item from the sheet of resilient material includes forming the sole member from a sheet of compressible foam material. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the sole member of the footwear item includes configuring the sole member to have approximately an hour glass shape. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the attachment member includes forming straps extending from a toe portion of the sole member. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the attachment member includes forming strips of material that extend from a toe portion of the sole member and couple to opposite sides of the sole member.