FR2617685A1 - ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR COMPRISING TWO SEPARATE ELEMENTS - Google Patents

Abstract

The footwear is characterized in that it comprises two separate elements 100 and 200 which can be fixed to each other by separable means 117-223, a first lower element 100 constituting the sole assembly, the upper face 102 is arched and which is integral with a tip 107 at the front and a buttress 111 at the rear, each extending above said upper face 102, and a second upper element 200 constituting by itself a complete liner comprising a flexible upper 201 secured to a thin outsole 220 also flexible to adapt to the camber 103-104 of the first element 100, means 117-223 being provided for bringing together so removable the two elements 100 and 200 when the second 200 is placed on the first 100, between the front end 107 and the rear buttress 111.

Description

I 2617685

FOOTWEAR

COMPRISING TWO SEPARATE ELEMENTS

  Traditional footwear includes a sole and a sole in one piece. The sole assembly and the upper are themselves composed of different parts but it is not useful here to give details. It suffices to recall that the sole assembly is the part located under the foot while the upper is the part which is located above the sole assembly: at the front the part of the upper called "vamp" covers the top of the foot and at the back surrounds the sides

of the foot and heel.

  A well-designed footwear must meet the following requirements: be able to be put on and removed easily, - dress the foot without hardness, allow changes in foot volume during walking, maintain internal and external camber, - do not interfere with the blood circulation, allow the dynamic "unwinding" of the foot during the

walking, without heaving.

  Currently, these imperatives are rarely met all at once because very often the manufacturers give priority to the characteristics of fashion without

  combine them with the imperatives of nature.

  But, in any case, the known footwear is always produced as a single whole whose - the shapes and the appearance are invariable. There are indoor shoes that are very poorly suited to bad weather from the outside, walking shoes that are too inelegant

to be carried at home etc.-

  The present invention provides a solution

  new which makes it possible to combine the impe-

  physiological, aesthetic necessities and the conveniences of adaptation to different conditions of use.

  For this, according to the invention, the article chaus-

  health comprises two distinct, combinable and separable elements.

  We have already thought of using two different elements

  tincts. In Europe, traditionally, people living in the countryside wore robust clogs capable of withstanding the severe constraints of bad weather: water, mud, falling rocks, risk of being struck by tools, etc. But inside they were heavy and inconvenient and we

  left them near the door before entering their home.

  It would have been very painful to remain barefoot in hard and rigid hooves and they were often garnished with

  straw easy to renew and combining its relative softness

  heart with its hydrophilic moisture absorbing. However,

  this solution was limited to the use of clogs outdoors

  laughing. Inside, if one did not want to remain barefoot, one used light slippers and these were quickly adapted to be worn at the same time as the hooves, so that the user wore slippers interior

  and put on hooves without leaving her slippers.

  But this is a completely primitive solution because, apart from the concern for comfort, it was possible to wear clogs without slippers, these two articles being completely independent of each other and

  therefore not comprising any meeting system.

  More recently, shoe protectors commonly called "rubbers" have been used, constituted by waterproof boots molded in one piece and dimensioned to allow the user to place it over elegant shoes, thanks to which it was possible to wear fragile and delicate shoes all day despite the bad weather from the outside because,

  so we also put on the "rubbers".

  In the Orient, especially in Japan, it is traditional to wear light white fabric slippers inside, generally up to the ankle, wearing a sole also made of fabric but so thin that these slippers are rather reinforced socks than real slippers. They do not include any of the usual elements of a rod: upper, tongue, toe, buttress etc. For outdoor use, these slippers are fitted with very primitive wooden socks which constitute a kind of skate that only fits on the foot with a strap located at the front. The sque does not include

  none of the usual components of a sole assembly.

  The present invention relates to a solution quite different from these since it makes it possible to combine all the advantages of modern footwear which take into account physiological imperatives, the pleasure of dissociation into two elements and the necessities

aesthetic.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is an article of footwear characterized in that it comprises two separate elements which can be fixed to each other by dissociable means, a first lower element constituting the breastwork, the upper face of which is arched and which is integral with a tip at the front and a buttress at the rear, each extending above said upper face, and a second upper element constituting it only a complete bootie comprising a flexible upper secured to a thin outsole also flexible to adapt to the camber of the first element, means being provided for removably joining the two elements when the second is placed on the first,

  between the front end and the rear buttress.

  The invention also relates to an element for footwear, characterized in that it comprises a sole assembly, an end at the front, a buttress at the rear and means intended to cooperate with counterparts to bring said element together. another different, two elements preferably being paired to correspond respectively to a human-right foot and to a left human foot. The invention also relates to an element for footwear characterized in that it comprises a flexible upper, a thin and flexible outsole and means intended to cooperate with counterparts to join said element to another different, two elements preferably being matched to correspond respectively to a right human foot and a left human foot. According to other characteristics of the invention - the front end is substantially curved and hollow to present sides and an upper return which must cover the end of the second element when the latter is placed on the first; - The first element is integral with lateral tabs which must extend above the edges of its upper face and situated in front of the camber, these tabs being intended to be removably joined to the second element when the latter is put in place on the first; the rear buttress comprises removable connecting members to the second element;

  the first element is made in one piece, by

  lage of a synthetic material such as polyurethane;

  - the first element comprises in one piece the sowing-

  beam, the front end curved and hollow, the buttress dihedral and the lateral legs; - the arched upper face of the first element and the outsole of the second element are designed in a coordinated manner to avoid their relative sliding when they are in contact with each other, that is to say when the second element is placed on the first, in particular by providing that at least one of them has a non-slip surface; - the rear buttress is subdivided & its upper part into two legs;

  the means for removably bringing the two elements together

  elements are constituted by press studs; the second element comprises a fabric upper and an attached outsole as well as possibly a first, the outsole preferably being made of synthetic material such as an elastomer; - the outsole includes an extension which extends over the end of the second element and which must be, at least in part, under the end of the first element when

  said second element is placed on the first.

  The invention will be better understood from the description

  detailed below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Good

  then the description and the drawing are only given

  indicative and non-limiting example.

  Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first isolated element, of a conforming footwear

to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a second isolated element of a footwear article according to the invention. Figure 3 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the two above elements, associated with each other. Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that an article of footwear according to the invention comprises two distinct elements: a sole assembly 100 (FIG. 1) and a shoe 200

(figure 2).

  According to the embodiment chosen here to illustrate the invention, the sole assembly 100 is made in a single piece molded from synthetic material such as polyurethane. It includes a lower face 101 forming an outsole and an upper face 102 arched to adapt to the normal arch of the user. To this end, the camber comprises an ascending part 103 from front to back combined & an ascending curvature 104 from the so-called "outside" side 105 to the said side.

"interior" 106.

  The sole assembly 100 includes a front end 107, hollow and enveloping. For a classic footwear, the front end is called "hard end" or "reinforcement" because usually it is actually hard by its shape and sometimes by the presence of rigid reinforcements in leather or even metal. The sandals for sport (basketball, tennis etc.) have a flexible reinforcement, laterally enveloping but little extended on the top of the sandal, for example in striated synthetic material, intimately associated with the upper. Here, tip 107 is

  flexible and even elastic but independent because it is

  tiné to cover the end of the second element 200 and, thereby, to hook the sole assembly 100 to the second element 200, the latter

  being held by the user's foot.

  The shape of the front end 107 is curved to pre-

  feel the sides 108 and an upper return 109, because this constitution is particularly suited to the comfort of the user and to the requirements for maintaining the sole assembly 100. However, variants can be provided, in particular, as is

  known per se, an end hole (not shown) allows

  both the passage of one or more toes. When this hole is very large, it lets the entire front of the foot pass, which amounts to saying that the end 107 is replaced by a

  transverse flange (not shown).

  The sole assembly 100 also comprises, at the rear, a buttress 111 which slightly envelops the heel of the user. This buttress 111 may, as shown, have a central slot 112 which determines two legs 113 and 114 which allow rolling movements of the foot without creating constraints on the buttress 111 and which facilitate the positioning of the second element 200, but the buttress 111 dt. before contributing to the longitudinal maintenance of the foot of the usdger, .it is good that the slot 112 only interests the upper part of said buttress 111 so that its transverse lower part is intact. The sole assembly 100 also includes two lateral legs 115 and 116 which rise from the face

  upper 102, slightly in front of the camber 103.

  The legs I13, 114, 115 and 116 each carry the female part of a press button 117 whose cap is

  located outside and the spring inside.

  Before describing the second element 200, it should be noted that the sole assembly 100 cannot be used on its own because it carries tabs 113 to 116 and snap fasteners 117 which have no raison d'être except to cooperate with

  specially designed counterparts.

  The second element 200 constitutes a light bootie, the upper 201 of which is fabric possibly lined and has the essential parts of a standard footwear item: toe 202, upper 203, tongue 204, quarters 205 and heel piece (or buttress) 206. Here , there is shown the case where the fabric is simply provided with loops 207 and 208 on its free edges of the tongue 204, the quarters 205

and heel piece 206.

  For the sake of aesthetics, there is also shown a

  strap 209 at the junction of the vamp 203 and the slap 202-

  In this respect, we note that the convex front end 210 of the upper 203 has been given the same shape as the concave cutout 118 of the front end 107. In this way, when the two elements are assembled (Figure 3), they merge into a harmonious whole, without any disparity effect. This happy result is further reinforced by the

judicious choice of colors.

  The upper 201 is fixed to a outsole 220 which gives the element 200 the possibility of being used in a durable manner as a liner and this independently of its combination with the sole assembly 100. The sole 220 must be sufficiently flexible to fit as exactly as

  possible at camber 103-104 when the user puts the shoe on

  seems 100 200 (Figure 3). With these arrangements in accordance with the invention, the sole 220 plays in a way the role of a outsole for the element 200 and the role of a

first for element 100.

  The outsole 220 can include an extension 221 which covers the end 202 of the liner, so that this extension 221 is at least partially under the end 107 when the two elements are combined. Thus, the tip 202 is protected against wear and a non-slip effect is obtained which is favorable to the

  correct maintenance of elements 100 and 200.

  Element 200 can have its own first 222,

  especially if the rod 201 has seams.

  On its sides, the rod 201 includes the parts

  223 males of four snaps placed in correspondence--

  dance with the snaps 117 of element 100.

  Finally, to facilitate the engagement of the foot in the element 200, a pull tab 224 is provided at the top of the

heel pad 206.

  When the user wants to use all of the two elements 100 and 200, in particular for walking outside, he puts on the element 200, then he sets up the element 100 by engaging the end 202 under the end 107 and taking

  take care to leave the buttress 111 outside.

  It ensures the cohesion of everything while subjecting

  the snaps 117 to their counterparts 223.

  Note, in particular in Figure 3, that the thickness of the sole assembly 100 is variable. In addition, it is raised by a distance x for a good "unwinding" of the foot when walking. This value, in practice, can be of the order of 8 millimeters. The thickness differences from front to back, give the sole a great flexibility in its front third and a greater rigidity on. its rear two thirds. The part above the heel must have an average height X, which is of the order of 25

  millimeters for an article of footwear intended for a woman.

  The lateral legs 115 and 116 hold well

  the sole assembly on the liner 200, just in front of the cam-

burns 103-104.

  The sole 100, polyurethane, can be washed with mauhine sanris no drawbacks, which is obviously

  excellent for user hygiene.

  It is good to provide the slipper 200 in materials

also] machine-avable.

  The assembly according to the invention constitutes a whole but it has been understood that the liner 200 can be used alone. As a result, you can get a single pair of sole and several pairs of matching slippers to

  modify the whole and bring it into harmony with the clothes

elements: colors, materials, style.

  It is obviously possible to have several pairs of soleings 100 having, for example, basic colors: black, white, brown, gray, navy blue etc. and

  200 slippers that can coordinate with them.

RE V E N D I C A T I O N S

  1- Footwear characterized in that Ru'i] comprises two separate elements (100 and 200) which can be fixed to each other by separable means (117-223), a first lower element (100) constituting the sole assembly , the upper face (102) of which is arched and which is integral with an end (107) at the front and a buttress (111) at the rear, each extending above of said upper face (102), and a second upper element (200) constituting by itself a complete liner comprising a flexible upper (201) integral with a thin outsole (220) also flexible to adapt to the camber (103-104) of the first element (100), means (117-223) being provided for movably joining the two elements (100 and 200) when the second (200) is placed on the first ( 100), between the front end (107) and the

rear buttress (111).

  2- footwear according to claim 1 characterized in that it is constituted by an element which comprises a sole assembly, an end (107) at the front, a buttress (111) at the rear and means (117) intended to cooperate with counterparts to join said element (100) to another different one, two elements (100) being preferably paired to correspond respectively to a human foot

right and to a left human foot.

  3- Footwear according to claim 1 characterized in that it is constituted by an element which comprises a flexible upper (201), a fine and flexible outsole (220) and means (223) intended to cooperate with counterparts for joining said element (200) to another different one, two elements (200) being preferably paired to correspond respectively to a straight human foot and to

a left human foot.

  4- Footwear according to claim 1,

  characterized in that the front end (107) is substantial

  slightly curved and hollow to present sides (108) and an upper return (109) which must cover the end (202) of the second element (200) when the latter is placed on the

first (100).

  - Footwear according to claim 1, characterized in _ce _ue the first element (100) is integral with lateral tabs (115) to extend above the edges of ra upper face (102) and located in front of the camber . (103-104), these legs (115) being intended to be removably joined to the second element (200) when the latter

  is set up on the first (100).

  6- footwear according to claim 1, characterized in ce__ ue the rear buttress (111) comprises members (117) of removable assembly to the second element

(200).

  7- Footwear according to claim 1, characterized in that the first element (100) is made in one piece, by molding a synthetic material

such as polyurethane.

  8- Footwear according to claims 1 to

  6 above, characterized in that the first element (100 comprises in one piece the sole assembly, the curved and hollow front end (107), the rear buttress (111) and the

side tabs (115).

  9- Footwear according to claim 1, characterized in that the arched upper face (102) of the first element (100) and the outsole (220) of the second element (200) are designed in a coordinated manner to prevent them from sliding relative when they are in contact with each other, that is to say when the second element (200) is placed on the first (100), in particular by providing that one of them at least has a surface

non-slip.

  - Footwear according to claim 1,

  characterized in that the rear buttress (111) is.

  subdivided at its upper part into two legs (113 and 114). 11- Footwear according to claim 1, characterized in that _sue the means for removably joining the two elements (100 and 200) are constituted pali

snaps (117-223).

  12- Footwear according to claim], characterized in that the second element (200) comprises a upper (201) in fabric and an attached outsole (220 'as well as possibly a first (222), the sole of wear (220) preferably being made of material

  synthetic such as an elastomer.

  13- Footwear according to claim 12, characterized in ce__ ue the outsole (220) comprises a single extension (221) which extends over the tip (202) of the second element (200) and which must be located at less partially, under the front end (107) of the first element (100) when said second element (200) is placed on the first

(100).