Norma Kamali was granted three US design patents for high-heeled sneakers on 14 January 1986, each a one-sentence claim to how the shoe looks
Norma Kamali is the named inventor on three US design patents for high-heeled sneakers: Des. 282,119 for a calf length, Des. 282,120 for a low top and Des. 282,121 for an ankle top. They were filed on 7 April 1983 as applications 482,853, 482,851 and 482,854 and granted on 14 January 1986. Each front page gives her address as 6 W. 56th St., New York, prints 'Term: 14 Years' and shows no related applications. The USPTO's manual says design patents from applications filed before 13 May 2015 run for 14 years from grant.
Each patent shows its shoe in five views and claims one ornamental design, as shown and described. The references cited run back to US patents of 1883 and, on the calf-length design, include a French patent of September 1916; the examiner was Nelson C. Holtje. The ankle top's title spells ankle as ankel.
Kamali's own timeline puts the three styles alongside her Sweats collection and records the patents in 1986.
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The post, as it ran
01NORMA KAMALI WAS GRANTED THREE US DESIGN PATENTS FOR HIGH-HEELED SNEAKERS, ALL ON 14 JANUARY 1986.
02DES. 282,119, 282,120 AND 282,121: A CALF LENGTH, A LOW TOP AND AN ANKLE TOP. ALL FILED ON 7 APRIL 1983, INVENTOR NORMA KAMALI OF WEST 56TH STREET, NEW YORK.
03EACH CLAIM IS ONE SENTENCE, AS US DESIGN PATENT RULES REQUIRE. THE LOW TOP'S READS: 'THE ORNAMENTAL DESIGN FOR A HIGH HEELED LOW TOP SNEAKER, AS SHOWN AND DESCRIBED.'
04THE US PATENT OFFICE'S MANUAL: A DESIGN PATENT PROTECTS THE WAY AN ARTICLE LOOKS. WHAT IS CLAIMED IS THE DESIGN, NOT THE ARTICLE ITSELF.
05THE ANKLE TOP IS TITLED 'HIGH HEELED ANKEL TOP SNEAKER'. ITS CLAIM SPELLS ANKLE THE USUAL WAY.
06ALL THREE LIST A JANUARY 1940 JELLEFF'S ADVERT FOR THE 'SHUGLOV' AMONG THEIR REFERENCES. THE CALF LENGTH ALSO CITES A FRENCH PATENT FROM SEPTEMBER 1916.
07KAMALI'S OWN TIMELINE SAYS THE HIGH HEEL SNEAKER WAS DESIGNED TO GO WITH HER SWEATS COLLECTION, IN THREE ORIGINAL STYLES.
08EACH FRONT PAGE PRINTS 'TERM: 14 YEARS'. PATENT OFFICE RULES GIVE DESIGN APPLICATIONS FILED BEFORE 13 MAY 2015 A 14-YEAR TERM FROM GRANT.