Apparatus includes shoe holder for holding shoe

Abstract

An apparatus is for use with a shoe and a horizontal working surface. The apparatus includes a shoe holder configured to receive and hold the shoe in a stationary upright position. The shoe holder includes an anti-slip portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for use with a shoe and a horizontal working surface, the apparatus comprising:
 a shoe holder being configured to receive and hold the shoe in a stationary upright position, and the shoe holder including:
 an anti-slip portion being configured to contact the horizontal working surface in such a way that the anti-slip portion prevents, at least in part, inadvertent slippage between the shoe holder and the horizontal working surface while the shoe holder receives and holds the shoe in the stationary upright position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe holder comprises a lower section, an upper section positioned above the lower section, and a center section connected to the upper section and the lower section. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper section is configured so that it is aligned and extends along an angle relative to the horizontal working surface. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a height of the center section is configured so that the shoe heel portion does not contact a top portion of the lower section. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a height of the center section is configured so that the shoe heel portion contacts a top portion of the lower section. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the center section includes a flat portion forming a trapezoidal shape such that a length of an upper edge of the center section is shorter than a length of a lower edge of the center section. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper section, center section, and lower section, when connected, are configured to have a C-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper section includes a channel configured to receive a heel portion of the shoe. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper section is configured to receive, at least in part, an upper anti-slip section. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the upper anti-slip section includes a groove that is aligned, at least in part, with the channel configured to receive a heel portion of the shoe. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the groove is x-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the groove is configured so that the shoe heel portion can be slidably received and removed from the upper anti-slip section without damaging the shoe heel portion. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lower section includes a channel configured to receive a lower anti-slip section. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-slip portion includes stand-off projections that are spaced apart from each other at corner portions of the anti-slip portion, the stand-off projections configured to prevent, at least in part, inadvertent sliding of the shoe holder relative to the horizontal working surface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting groove  304  for a connecting piece, the connecting piece configured to be received by more than one connecting groove so that more than one shoe holder can be connected to the connecting piece. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connecting piece  300  is configured to connect at least two shoe holders once the connecting piece is received by the connecting groove of each of the at least two shoe holders. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connecting piece is configured to connect two shoe holders in a side-by-side configuration once the connecting piece is received by the connecting groove of each of the two shoe holders. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the distance between the at least two shoe holders can be adjusted by using connecting pieces of varying widths. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connecting piece further comprises a central projection, the central projection configured to maintain, at least in part, a horizontal distance between a first instance of the apparatus and a second instance of the apparatus 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connecting piece is configured to rest flat against the horizontal working surface once the connecting piece is received by the connecting groove of each of the two shoe holders.