Footwear retainer

Abstract

A device to retain Y-strapped footwear, such as flip flop sandals, that is effective to resist the tendency for the footwear to slip off, and that obviates the need for foot-gripping, is simple to add to legacy footwear, relieves ambulatory stress and discomfort, is comfortable to the user, and provides an aesthetically pleasing addition to the footwear. The footwear retainer is preferably an attachable and releasable heel strap or cord having some elasticity and, optionally, adjustability. The heel strap may support attachments, such as, without limitation, ornaments and adjustment mechanisms.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A footwear retainer for footwear having a Y-strap connected to a sole in at least three places, the footwear retainer comprising:
 a. a flexible filament further comprising:
 i. elasticity along at least a portion of its length; 
 ii. said length being one of:
 1. proportional to a shoe size of said footwear; and 
 2. adjustable; 
 
 iii. a surface that is comfortable to a user's skin; and 
   b. a configuration adapted to couple said flexible filament to said Y-strap.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising said footwear retainer coupled to said footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising a package containing at least one pair of said footwear retainers. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible filament comprises a loop adapted to be coupled to a stem of said Y-strap via at least one knot. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible filament comprises one of:
 a. a strap;   b. a cord;   c. a polymer;   d. a fabric; and   e. a flexible composite.   
     
     
         6 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , wherein said filament comprises first and second eyelet ends, said footwear retainer further comprising a coupler adapted to couple both said first and second eyelet ends of said filament to a stem of said Y-strap. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second couplers adapted to couple respective first and second ends of said filament to first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear retainer of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second couplers comprise permanent attachments between respective said first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap and respective said first and second ends of said filament. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear retainer of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one attachment attached to said filament. 
     
     
         10 . A footwear retainer for footwear having a Y-strap connected to a sole in at least three places, the footwear retainer comprising:
 a. a flexible filament further comprising:
 i. elasticity along at least a portion of its length; 
 ii. said length being one of:
 1. proportional to a shoe size of said footwear; and 
 2. adjustable; 
 
 iii. a surface that is comfortable to a user's skin; 
   b. a configuration adapted to couple said flexible filament to said Y-strap; and   c. wherein said flexible filament comprises one of a polymer, fabric, and a flexible composite.   
     
     
         11 . The footwear retainer of  claim 10 , further comprising said footwear retainer coupled to said footwear. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear retainer of  claim 10 , wherein said flexible filament comprises an adaptation to be coupled to a stem of said Y-strap via at least one knot. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear retainer of  claim 10 , wherein said filament comprises first and second eyelet ends, said footwear retainer further comprising a coupler adapted to couple both said first and second eyelet ends of said filament to a stem of said Y-strap. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear retainer of  claim 10 , further comprising first and second couplers adapted to couple respective first and second ends of said filament to first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear retainer of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second couplers comprise permanent attachments between respective said first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap and respective said first and second ends of said filament. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear retainer of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:
 a. an attachment attached to said filament; and   b. a package containing at least one pair of said footwear retainers.   
     
     
         17 . A footwear retainer for footwear having a Y-strap connected to a sole in at least three places, the footwear retainer comprising:
 a. a flexible filament further comprising:
 i. elasticity along at least a portion of its length; 
 ii. said length being one of:
 1. proportional to a shoe size of said footwear; and 
 2. adjustable; 
 
 iii. a surface that is comfortable to a user's skin; 
   b. a configuration adapted to couple to said Y-strap;   c. wherein said flexible filament comprises one of a polymer, fabric, and flexible composite; and   d. wherein said flexible filament comprises one of a strap and a cord.   
     
     
         18 . The footwear retainer of  claim 17 , further comprising said footwear retainer coupled to said footwear. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear retainer of  claim 17 , comprising at least one of:
 a. an adaptation to said flexible filament enabling said flexible filament to be coupled to a stem of said Y-strap via at least one knot;   b. first and second eyelet ends of said filament, said footwear retainer further comprising a coupler adapted to couple both said first and second eyelet ends of said filament to said stem of said Y-strap;   c. first and second couplers adapted to couple respective first and second ends of said filament to first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap;   d. permanent attachments between respective said first and second opposed flexible members of said Y-strap and respective said first and second ends of said filament; and   e. a package containing at least one pair of said footwear retainers.   
     
     
         20 . The footwear retainer of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one attachment attached to said filament.