Shoes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a molded shoe featuring a three dimensional figure design (e.g., of an animal or character). The shoe has a sole having a bottom surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a print of an animal or character, to thereby obtain an imprinting surface; and an upper, attached to the sole, having an outer surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a three dimensional figure design. The sole and upper are substantially formed from molded plastic; the projections and recesses of the animal imprinting surface allow one wearing the shoe to make imprints on a soft surface, and the three dimensional figure on the outer surface of the upper relates to the print of the imprinting surface. The methods of the present invention further include making imprints with the bottom surface of the shoe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe that comprises:
 a. a sole that includes a bottom surface;   b. an upper comprising:
 i. sides extending from the sole; 
 ii. a toe portion; and 
 iii. an outer surface formed by at least a portion of the sides and the toe portion; wherein the outer surface comprises a series of projections and recesses that form at least a portion of a three-dimensional animal or character figure design with one or more features; 
   wherein the sole, and the upper that includes the sides, the toe portion, and the three-dimensional animal or character figure design with the one or more features are substantially formed from a molded material.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the sole comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a print to thereby form an imprinting surface, wherein the three-dimensional animal or character figure design on the outer surface of the upper relates to the print of the imprinting surface. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the series of projections and recesses of the three-dimensional animal or character figure design form an animal skin pattern, feathers, scales, nose, teeth, grass, legs, eyes, toes, feet, ears, fur, mouth, claws or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the series of projections or recesses of the three-dimensional animal or character figure design have a depth in a range between about 2 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         5 . A molded shoe featuring an animal or character design, the shoe comprises:
 a. a sole having a bottom surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form an animal or character print, to thereby obtain an imprinting surface; and   b. an upper comprising:
 i. sides extend from the sole; 
 ii. a toe portion; and 
 iii. an outer surface formed by at least a portion of the sides and the toe portion; wherein the outer surface comprises a series of projections and recesses that form at least a portion of the three-dimensional animal or character figure design with one or more features; 
   
       wherein the sole, and the upper that includes the sides, the toe portion, and the three-dimensional animal or character figure design with the one or more features are substantially formed from a molded material; and the three-dimensional animal or character figure design on the outer surface of the upper relates to the animal or character print of the imprinting surface. 
     
     
         6 . The molded shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the material of the molded shoe is molded plastic that is made from recycled plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The molded shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the animal featured is selected from the group consisting of a ladybug, an alligator, a frog, a duck, a dinosaur, a bug, a turtle, a panther, and a fish. 
     
     
         8 . The molded shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the imprinting surface includes projections and recesses that form footprints or outlines of the featured animal or character. 
     
     
         9 . The molded shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the imprinting surface has projections, recesses, or both that have a depth that ranges between about 2 mm to about 5 mm, to thereby obtain an animal imprinting surface. 
     
     
         10 . The molded shoe of  claim 5 , further including a strap for wrapping around the back of the ankle, wherein the strap has a first end and a second end attached to the upper. 
     
     
         11 . The molded shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the upper includes a series of projections and recesses that form an animal or character figure that has eyes and a mouth. 
     
     
         12 . The molded shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the upper further includes a series of projections and recesses that form an animal or character figure that has one or more of the following features: animal skin pattern, feathers, scales, nose, teeth, grass, legs, eyes, toes, feet, ears, fur, mouth, claws or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The molded shoe of  claim 5 , wherein the three-dimensional animal figure design is separately attached to the upper. 
     
     
         14 . The molded shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the three-dimensional animal figure design is attached via an adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making an animal or character imprint on a surface with a molded shoe; the method including;
 a. stepping on the surface with a molded shoe featuring an animal or character, the shoe comprising:
 i. a sole having a bottom surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form an animal or character print, to thereby obtain an imprinting surface; and 
 ii. an upper having:
 A. sides extending from the sole; 
 B. a toe portion; and 
 C. an outer surface comprised by the sides and the toe portion; and 
 
 iii. an outer surface formed by at least a portion of the sides and the toe portion; wherein the outer surface comprises a series of projections and recesses that form at least a portion of the three-dimensional animal or character figure design with one or more features; 
   wherein the sole, the upper that includes the sides, the toe portion, and the three-dimensional animal or character figure design with the one or more features are substantially formed from a molded material; and the three-dimensional animal or character figure design on the outer surface of the upper relates to the animal or character print of the imprinting surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surface is a soft surface that includes dirt, mud, sand, clay, or a combination thereof.