Two-piece shoe device and method

Abstract

A shoe device includes two separate pieces, a first piece for the toe portion of the shoe and a second piece for the closure portion of the shoe. The underside of both pieces includes an adhesive allowing the first piece to be stuck to the toe portion of the shoe, and allowing the second piece to be stuck to overlie the closure portion on the shoe. Once the two pieces are put on the shoe using the adhesive on each piece, the two pieces are preferably further secured in place using multiple wraps of tape that wrap around each piece and around the sole of the shoe to assure that neither of the two pieces can dislodge during use of the shoe, such as during an athletic contest.

1 . A shoe device comprising:
 a first piece comprising a toe covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a first upper surface opposite the lower shoe-contacting surface, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the first piece comprises a first adhesive; and   a second piece separate from the first piece, the second piece comprising a closure covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a second upper surface, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the second piece comprises a second adhesive.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first adhesive comprises a first adhesive sheet that substantially covers the lower shoe-contacting surface of the first piece. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second adhesive comprises a second adhesive sheet that substantially covers the lower shoe-contacting surface of the second piece. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first adhesive comprises double-sided tape. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second adhesive comprises double-sided tape. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first adhesive comprises a portion of a first hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second adhesive comprises a portion of a second hook-and-loop fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first piece comprises a molded plastic piece formed to fit snugly over the toe of a shoe. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second piece comprises a molded plastic piece formed to fit snugly over a closure portion of a shoe. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first piece comprises thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second piece comprises thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the first piece has no portion that extends below or under the sole of a shoe when properly attached to the shoe using the first adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe device of  claim 1  wherein the second piece has no portion that extends below or under the sole of a shoe when properly attached to the shoe using the second adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . A combination shoe and two-piece shoe device comprising:
 the shoe;   the two-piece shoe device comprising a first piece comprising a toe covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a first upper surface opposite the lower shoe-contacting surface, wherein the first piece comprises a first molded plastic piece formed to fit snugly over the toe of the shoe, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the first piece comprises a first adhesive, wherein the first piece has no portion that extends below or under the sole of a shoe when properly attached to the shoe using the first adhesive; and   a second piece separate from the first piece, the second piece comprising a closure covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a second upper surface, wherein the second piece comprises a second molded plastic piece formed to fit snugly over a closure portion of the shoe, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the second piece comprises a second adhesive, wherein the second piece has no portion that extends below or under the sole of a shoe when properly attached to the shoe using the second adhesive.   
     
     
         15 . The shoe device of  claim 14  wherein the first molded plastic piece comprises thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe device of  claim 14  wherein the second molded plastic piece comprises thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         17 . A method for protecting the foot of a wearer of an athletic shoe, the method comprising:
 providing a two-piece shoe device comprising:
 a first piece comprising a toe covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a first upper surface opposite the lower shoe-contacting surface, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the first piece comprises a first adhesive; and 
 a second piece separate from the first piece, the second piece comprising a closure covering piece having a lower shoe-contacting surface and a second upper surface, wherein the lower shoe-contacting surface of the second piece comprises a second adhesive; 
   attaching the first piece to a toe portion of the athletic shoe by pressing the first piece onto the toe portion such that the first adhesive attaches the first piece to overlie the toe portion; and   attaching the second piece to a closure portion of the athletic shoe by pressing the second piece onto the closure portion such that the second adhesive attaches the second piece to overlie the closure portion.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 applying a first plurality of wraps of tape around the first piece and a toe portion of a sole of the athletic shoe; and 
 applying a second plurality of wraps of tape around the second piece and a second portion of the sole of the athletic shoe. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the tape comprises athletic tape.