Shoe Accessory and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

A shoelace accessory and method of using the same is characterized by a shoelace accessory that provides for one or more portions of material containing one or more grommets that may be fastened to one or more eyelets in a shoe, the shoelace accessory thereby replacing shoelaces in the shoe. In some embodiments, one or more joining and unjoining element, such as a zipper, may be provided in the shoe accessory's middle portion that may allow the shoe accessory to separate and create a gap that may accommodate the entry of a user's foot into the shoe, and that may allow the shoe accessory to close the gap and tighten the shoe accessory to the user's foot, thereby securing the shoe to the user's foot. When in use, the present invention may provide that the user may put on or take off a shoe with ease and safety, or otherwise perform tasks in a desired way.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe accessory comprising:
 (a) a piece of material having at least one side;   (b) one or more grommets aligned along the at least one side; and   (c) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet in a shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material has a first side, a second side, and a third side, and wherein one or more grommets are aligned along the first side and one or more grommets are aligned along the second side. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe accessory of  claim 2 , further comprising a divide in the third side, the divide creating a first divide side and a second divide side, and wherein a joining and unjoining element is fixedly attached to the first divide side and second divide side. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said piece of material possesses stretch properties. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said piece of material possesses stretch properties. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said piece of material has a cutout element. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said piece of material has a cutout element. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material has a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, and wherein the one or more grommets are aligned along the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe accessory of  claim 8 , wherein the third side is longer the fourth side. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe accessory of  claim 8 , further comprising a divide in the third side, the divide creating a first third divide side and a second third divide side, and wherein a joining and unjoining element is fixedly attached to the first third divide side and second third divide side. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe accessory of  claim 8 , further comprising a divide in the fourth side, the divide creating a first fourth divide side and a second fourth divide side, and wherein a joining and unjoining element is fixedly attached to the first fourth divide side and second fourth divide side. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe accessory of  claim 8 , wherein said piece of material possesses stretch properties. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe accessory of  claim 8 , wherein said piece of material has a cutout element. 
     
     
         14 . A shoe accessory comprising:
 (a) a first piece of material having a top side, a bottom side, an inside side, and an outside side;   (b) a second piece of material also having a top side, a bottom side, an inside side, and an outside side;   (b) one or more grommets aligned along the first piece of material's outside side;   (c) one or more grommets aligned along the second piece of material's outside side;   (d) a joining and unjoining element fixedly attached to the first piece of material's inside side and the second piece of material's inside side; and   (e) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet in a shoe.   
     
     
         15 . A method of using a shoe accessory, including the steps of:
 providing a shoe, the shoe having an opening, the opening bounded by a first shoe side and a second shoe side, the first shoe side having one or more eyelets and the second shoe side also having one or more eyelets;   providing a shoe accessory, wherein said shoe accessory comprises:
 (a) a piece of material having at least one side; 
 (b) one or more grommets aligned along the at least one side; and 
 (c) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet; 
   aligning one or more grommets with one or more eyelets, thereby creating a one or more grommet-eyelet pairs; and   removably attaching a fastener through each grommet-eyelet pair.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe accessory comprises:
 (a) a piece of material having a first side, a second side, and a third side;   (b) one or more grommets aligned along the first side;   (c) one or more grommets aligned along the second side; and   (c) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet;   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe accessory comprises:
 (a) a piece of material having:
 (i) a first side; 
 (ii) a second side; 
 (iii) a third side; 
 (iv) a divide in the third side, the divide having a first divide side and a second divide side; 
   (b) one or more grommets aligned along said first side;   (c) one or more grommets aligned along said second side;   (d) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet; and   (e) a joining and unjoining element fixedly attached to the first divide side and the second divide side.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe accessory comprises:
 (a) a first piece of material having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side;   (b) a second piece of material having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side;   (c) a joining and unjoining element fixedly attached to said first piece of material's first side and said second piece of material's second side;   (d) one or more grommets aligned along said first piece of material's second side;   (e) one or more grommets aligned along said second piece of material's second side; and   (f) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe accessory comprises:
 (a) a piece of material having:
 (i) a first side; 
 (ii) a second side; 
 (iii) a third side; 
 (iv) a divide in the third side, the divide having a first divide side and a second divide side; 
   (b) one or more grommets aligned along said first side;   (c) one or more grommets aligned along said second side;   (d) one or more fasteners configured to removably connect a grommet to an eyelet; and   (e) a joining and unjoining element fixedly attached to the first divide side and the second divide side.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a foot;   inserting the foot through the opening; and   wearing the shoe.