Novelty footwear item with flask

Abstract

A novelty footwear construction includes a cassette-like heel component which is sandwiched between a mid-sole and an outsole for supporting the heel of a user, and wherein the heel component includes an upper retainer, a lower retainer, and a hollow flask for supporting the heel of a user and for providing the user with a source of fluid refreshment.

1 . A novelty footwear construction, comprising:
 a bottom outsole;   a top mid-sole; and   a heel support structure, said heel support structure including a hollow chamber sub-divided by a plurality of curved maze-like channels for providing a heel support network between a portion of said bottom outsole and a portion of said top mid-sole.   
     
     
         2 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 1 , wherein said hollow chamber is further subdivided by at least a pair of straight leg channels disposed individually between pairs of curved maze-like channels for further providing said heel support network between said portion of said bottom outsole and said portion of said top mid-sole. 
     
     
         3 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 2 , wherein said hollow chamber is resilient and flexible to provide the heel of a user with comfortable support. 
     
     
         4 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of curved maze-like channels and said straight leg channels cooperate to help define a path from one end of said hollow chamber to another end of said hollow chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 4 , wherein the one end of said hollow chamber is a combination inlet/outlet for the ingress and egress of liquid of a sufficient volume to fill said hollow chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 5 , wherein said curved maze-like channels and said straight leg channels are barriers. 
     
     
         7 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 6 , wherein said hollow chamber has an outer boundary and wherein said curved maze-like channels are curved inwardly away from said outer boundary. 
     
     
         8 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 7 , wherein said hollow chamber has an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein said upper surface in non-planar and wherein said lower surface is planar. 
     
     
         9 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 8 , wherein said upper surface is raised at about said combination inlet/outlet to provide arch support for the foot of the user. 
     
     
         10 . A novelty footwear construction, comprising:
 a cassette-like heel component sandwiched between a mid-sole and an outsole, wherein said heel component includes an upper retainer, a lower retainer, and a hollow flask.   
     
     
         11 . A novelty footwear construction according to  claim 10 , wherein said hollow flask is a partitioned flask having no stop points for preventing the free flow of fluids within said flask to and from a fluid access point. 
     
     
         12 . A novelty footwear construction according to  claim 11 , wherein said partitioned flask includes at least one set of spaced apart curved partitions for helping to define a generally circular central heel support area at a rear portion of said flask. 
     
     
         13 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 12 , wherein said partitioned flask includes at least another set of spaced apart curved partitions. 
     
     
         14 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 13 , wherein said at least one set of spaced apart curved partitions and said at least another set of spaced apart curved partitions are spaced from one another by a set of straight leg partitions. 
     
     
         15 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 14 , wherein a front portion of said flask slopes upwardly and away from said another set of spaced apart curved partitions for forming an arch; and
 wherein said arch terminates at a threaded spigot defining said fluid access point.   
     
     
         16 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 15 , wherein said one set of spaced apart curved partitions and said at least another set of spaced apart curved partitions are disposed at locations within said flask to provide a balance between maximum fluid storage capacity and maximum heel support. 
     
     
         17 . The novelty footwear construction according to  claim 16 , wherein said flask has a periphery; and wherein said one set of spaced apart curved partitions and said at least another set of spaced apart curved partitions are disposed at about said periphery for providing said periphery with sufficient support to substantially prevent edge collapse under the weight of a user. 
     
     
         18 . A novelty item, comprising:
 a fluid dispensing flask having a dispensing portion in a generally rectangular shape and a heel support portion in a generally semi-circular shape;   said flask having a series of spaced apart volume marking for providing a visual indication of the quantity of fluid disposed within said flask;   said flask being sandwiched between an upper retaining member and a lower retaining member for forming a heel component; and   wherein said heel component is sandwiched between an upper mid-sole and an outer sole for helping to define a footwear member.   
     
     
         19 . The novelty item according to  claim 18 , wherein said outer sole includes a gradient for providing a user with an indication of a remaining fluid volume within said flask. 
     
     
         20 . The novelty item according to  claim 19  wherein said gradient has a series of spaced apart gradient markings; and
 wherein said gradient markings are disposed in alignment with said series of spaced apart volume markings.