Ankle Strap for Flip-Flops

Abstract

An ankle strap device secures a flip-flop or thong type of footwear onto the wearer's foot. There are first and second thong strap portions that secure to left and right parts of the thong portion of the flip-flop, and an ankle strap portion is affixed to the first and second thong strap portions. The ankle strap passes around the secures to the ankle of the wearer. The thong portions can attach using hook-loop material, snaps closures, or buttons. The ankle strap portion can be formed of two straps that fasten together around the ankle, or can be a loop of an elastic material. Favorably the ankle strap portion can be decorated as an animal such as a mouse, cat, bear, etc., or can hold a watch. The thong strap portions can be joined together to help secure a high heel shoe or slipper.

1 . An ankle strap device for securing onto the wearer's ankle a flip-flop or thong footwear having a thong portion adapted for passing over the wearer's foot; the ankle strap device being non-integral with the flip-flop and comprising first and second thong strap portions that are adapted to pass over first and second parts of the thong portion of the flip-flop and are removably attachable to said first and second thong portions, respectively, to secure to the thong portion of the flip-flop, and an ankle strap portion that is affixed to the first and second thong strap portions and is configured to pass around and encircle the ankle of the wearer and to removably secure itself snugly around the ankle of the wearer. 
     
     
         2 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  in which the ankle strap portion is formed of an elastic web or ribbon material. 
     
     
         3 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  in which the first and second thong strap portions include hook and loop fastener material with complementary portions of hook and loop materials both affixed onto each of said first and second thong strap portions to secure to the respective thong portion of the flip-flop. 
     
     
         4 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  in which the first and second thong strap portions each include a button fastener and a button eye, the button fastener and the button eye being positioned on the respective thong strap portion such that the first and second thong strap portions are adapted to loop over the respective first and second parts of the thong portion of the flip-flop for removably securing thereto. 
     
     
         5 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  in which respective free ends of the ankle strap portion have affixed thereto complementary hook-and-loop attachment material. 
     
     
         6 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  in which the ankle strap portion is formed as a closed loop of an elastic strap material, and is adapted to encircle the ankle of a wearer and fit snugly onto the wearer's ankle. 
     
     
         7 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  wherein said ankle strap portion has elements affixed thereto that resemble a head, a tail, and appendages of an animal. 
     
     
         8 . The ankle strap device of  claim 1  wherein the first and second thong strap portions are configured so as to join to one another to form a loop that is adapted to pass around and under a heel of a high-heel slipper and is adapted to secure the slipper onto the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         9 . The ankle strap device of  claim 3  wherein each of said first and second thong strap portions has one end thereof affixed to said ankle strap portion; and each of said first and second thong strap portions have affixed at a free end thereof a patch of one of the complementary components of said hook and loop material and affixed at a location between said one end and said free end a patch of the other of the complementary components of said hook and loop material.