BE1022832A1 - Shoe with removable soles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shoe (1) adaptable in height characterized in that it comprises: - a flexible sole (2) comprising a first fixing means at the front of the sole (4) and a first fixing means to the back of the sole (6) and a rod (10); at least one stiff walking sole (3 ') interchangeable with a first rigid walking sole (3), having a heel (11) of a height different from that of the first rigid sole (3), each rigid walking sole ( 3.3 ')

extending along the entire length of the foot and comprising fig.2b a second fastening means at the front of the rigid sole (7) complementary to the first fastening means at the front of the flexible sole (4) and a second fastening means at the rear of the rigid sole (9) complementary to the first fastening means at the rear of the flexible sole (6).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a low-heeled shoe that can be quickly converted into a high-heeled shoe and vice versa, through a system of removable soles.

STATE OF THE ART [0002] In the field of footwear, there is a large number of patents relating to shoes having interchangeable heels so as to convert a low-heeled shoe into a high-heeled shoe.

US Patent 5,675,916 describes a shoe with interchangeable heels in which the heel is screwed into the rear part of the shoe.

However, in these prior patents, the end of the heel of the shoe is provided with mounting means on which the heels of different heights can be attached.

In addition to the lack of aesthetics of the shoe due to the presence of these fastening means, such a device has the following functional problem. When we go from a low heel to a high heel (or vice versa), it does not take into account the change of curvature of the shoe that must adapt to the curvature of the foot. This is particularly problematic for closed and rigid shoes.

Indeed, when you go from a low heel where the ground grip is optimal to a high heel, the shoe will tilt backwards, the ground adhesion is no longer optimal to the front of the shoe. Conversely, when you go from a high heel where the grip is optimal to a low heel, the shoe will tilt by straightening the front of the shoe, making it curve. In both cases, the adhesion to the ground is not optimal for at least one position of the heel either high or low.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,347,730 has proposed a solution to this problem. It refers to a device able to convert a low-heeled shoe into a high-heeled shoe. In this device, the low heel is permanently attached to the shoe and has attachment means to a removable high heel. This document discloses an extensible band incorporated in the sole of the shoe which, when the shoe is modified between a high and low heel, can be manually adjusted by bending the sole at a low or high heel level so that the upper maintains the shape of the shoe corresponding to the state of the heel either high or low.

The patent application US 2014/0215852 A1 proposes a comfortable low heel shoe whose flexible leather sole allows a flexion of the shoe and has a reinforcement at the curvature point to support the plantar arch of the wearer. The heel has a fastening system complementary to that of a removable high heel.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION [0009] The present invention aims to provide a shoe for moving from a low heel to a high heel without the disadvantages of the state of the art.

The shoe of the invention has the technical features to adapt the curvature of the shoe to the curvature of the foot when moving from a low heel to a high heel or vice versa ensuring good grip on the ground whatever the height of the heel.

Main features of the invention [0011] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a shoe adaptable in height comprising: - a flexible sole comprising a first fastening means at the front of the sole and a first fixing means at the back of the sole and a rod; and at least one stiff outsole interchangeable with a first rigid walking sole, having a heel of height different from that of the first rigid sole, each rigid running sole extending over the entire length of the foot and comprising a second attachment means at the front of the complementary rigid sole of the first fastening means at the front of the flexible sole and a second fastening means at the rear of the rigid sole complementary to the first fastening means at the rear of the the flexible sole.

Preferred embodiments of the invention further comprise in combination one or more of the following features: - the flexible sole further comprises a first fastening means to substantially the middle of the sole and the stiff running sole comprises a second fixing means essentially in the middle of the rigid soleplate complementary to the first fixing means essentially in the middle of the flexible soleplate. Preferably, these fastening means essentially in the middle of the soleplate are, interchangeably, a male fastener capable of sliding in a complementary gutter. In addition, they extend over 5 to 80% of the length of the sole, preferably from 10 to 50%; - The first fastening means and the second fastening means further comprise a connecting element adapted to connect the two fastening means between them; - The first attachment means at the front of the flexible sole is a male edge at the periphery of the flexible sole adapted to slip into a female notch of the second fastening means at the front of the rigid sole. Preferably, the male edge and its female notch complement extend at least 5 cm from the front of the sole; the first fastening means at the rear of the flexible sole and the second fastening means at the rear of the rigid sole are a complementary elastic locking system with clips; the thickness of the flexible sole is between 1 and 10 mm; the thickness of the rigid running sole is between 1 and 150 mm; - The flexible sole is an orthopedic sole - the shoe further comprises a protective sole or an orthopedic sole; - The shoe is closed and the rod preferably comprises an expandable element at a pivot point between the part of the rigid sole adhering to the ground and the part detaching.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 represents open shoe profile views according to the invention in which a flexible sole comprising the rod is combined with a stiff running sole comprising alternately a high heel (FIG. 1A) or a low heel (FIG. Figure 1B).

Figure 2A shows a top view of a shoe of the invention in which the rod is not shown. The soles are fixed to one another by means of complementary fastening means located at the front of the sole and at the rear. A sectional view along the axis A-A is shown in FIG. 2B.

Figure 3A shows a top view of a flexible sole according to the invention comprising fastening means at the front and rear of the sole. A sectional view along the axis B-B is shown in Figure 3B.

Figure 4A shows a top view of a rigid running sole according to the invention comprising fastening means at the front and rear of the sole. A sectional view along the axis C-C is shown in FIG. 4B.

Figure 5A shows a top view of a shoe of the invention in which the rod is not shown. The soles are fixed to each other by means of fastening means in the front, in the middle and at the rear of the sole. A sectional view along the axis D-D is shown in Figure 5B and a sectional view along the axis D 'D' is shown in Figure 5A.

Figure 6A shows a top view of a flexible sole according to the invention comprising fastening means at the front, the middle and the rear of the sole. A sectional view along the E-E axis is shown in Figure 6B.

Figure 7A shows a top view of a rigid running shoe according to the invention comprising fastening means at the front, the middle and the rear of the sole. A sectional view along the axis F-F is shown in Figure 7B.

Figure 8 shows side views of closed shoe type pumps according to the invention. The rod has an elastic element at the bend of the shoe. The flexible sole comprising the upper is combined with a rigid running sole comprising alternately a high heel (top figure) or a low heel (bottom figure).

Detailed Description of the Invention Definitions [0021] The sole comprises the various elements that are between the foot and the ground.

The "outsole" is the part in contact with the ground. It is conventionally fixed according to the case to the first mounting (welded), the midsole or directly to the rod (mounting moccasin). In the context of the invention, the walking sole corresponds to the rigid running sole. It is removably attached to the first mounting. By "rigid" is meant that the sole is made of a material conferring a certain rigidity as opposed to a flexible type of sole. The rigidity of a material depends on its Young's modulus. The Young's modulus (MY) is the mechanical stress that would give rise to an elongation of 100% of the initial length of a material (it would therefore double in length), if it could actually be applied. In fact, the material permanently deforms, or breaks, well before this value is reached. A material whose Young's modulus is very high is said to be rigid. Steel (MY = 200 Gpa or gigapascal), diamond (MY = 1000 Gpa), are very rigid materials, wood (oak MY = 12 Gpa) is less so. Plastics and organic materials, foams are generally not rigid, they are said to be flexible, elastic or flexible (for a bending effort). The stiff running sole is preferably made of a rigid plastic or composite material possibly enriched with carbon fiber in order to increase its rigidity (Young's modulus for the high strength carbon fiber = 240 Gpa). The outsole can also be made of wood.

The "first assembly" is the part on which is mounted the rod. In the context of the invention, the first mounting corresponds to the flexible sole. The flexible sole is preferably made of a flexible material such as natural or synthetic rubber (MY between 0.007 and 0.004 Gpa), polyethylene (MY between 0.2 and 0.7 Gpa), polyurethane (including MY). between 0.002 and 0.02 Gpa).

In the context of the invention we can consider that a material is considered rigid if its Young's modulus is greater than 1 Gpa and flexible if its Young's modulus is less than 1 Gpa.

The "sock" is a thin leather slat which is glued on the first assembly and is a fine finish. She is in direct contact with the foot. The manufacturer's or retailer's mark and the shoe size are often branded. A thin layer of foam can be slid underneath to improve comfort. When it covers only the back of the shoe, it is called heel.

The "welt" is a small leather band that is sewn or glued around the perimeter of the shoe and covers the lower part of the stem a few millimeters. It can be decorative with a fancy cut edge. In dress shoes, when it is only a bump to hide the junction of the upper and the sole, it is called welt bead.

The "shank" is a wooden rod (not to rust), metal or resin that keeps the curve of the camber in front of the heel. On some very tall women's models, this one can be very thick. It has a very important role in the comfort of the shoe.

The "heel" gives height to the back of women's shoes.

The "good end" is the thin layer of rubber or plastic that is under the heel (for women) or the back of the heel (for men) and is intended to be changed when is used.

The "rod" is the outer portion of the shoe that covers the foot. It is composed of several parts.

[0031] "The vamp" or slap is the piece of leather or fabric that is on the forefoot.

The "quarters" are the inner and outer parts of the shoe.

The "baguette" is the narrow leather band that hides, on the heel, if necessary, the seam that brings together the two quarters.

"Closing means" embellish the stem to allow to pass the foot in the shoe and then hold it in place. They have a function of comfort but also aesthetic because they give each shoe a different style.

In Figure 1 are shown views of open shoe profile 1 according to the invention in which a flexible sole 2 comprising a rod 10 (consisting of an upper 17 and a quarter 18) is combined alternately with a rigid walking shoe 3,3 'comprising a heel 11 high (Figure 1A) or low (Figure 1B). The rigid sole 3,3 'is removable and covers the entire length of the foot. It adapts perfectly to the curvature of the foot and the grip at ground level is optimal.

Figure 2A shows a top view of a shoe of the invention according to a first embodiment. The rod is not shown so that the fastening means are visible. The soles 2, 3 are fixed to each other by means of complementary fastening means located at the front of the sole plate 4.7 and at the rear 6, 9. A sectional view along the axis A-A is shown in FIG. 2B.

The flexible sole 2 shown in Figure 3A comprises a first fastening means at the front of the sole 4 and a first fastening means at the rear of the sole 6. A sectional view along the axis BB is shown in Figure 3B.

The rigid walking sole 3 shown in Figure 4A comprises a first fixing second to the front of the sole 7 and a second fastening means at the rear of the sole 9. A sectional view according to the DC axis is shown in Figure 4B.

The fixing means 4 located at the front of the flexible sole 2 consists for example of a male edge 14 covering the periphery of the sole adapted to slip into a female notch 15, second complementary fastening means 7 of the rigid sole 3.

The complementary fastening means 6,9 located at the rear of the soles 2,3 correspond for example to a system of elastic casing by clips. This is for example the case of a rounded element located on the flexible soleplate 2 which is able to snap into a complementary notch on the rigid tread sole 3. The fastening means 6, 9 may also include a junction element 19 connecting them to each other. An exemplary joining element 19 is shown in FIG. 4A and 4B. Its lower part slides in a notch of the rigid sole 3 and its upper part is clipped into a complementary notch located in the flexible sole 2.

Figure 5A shows a top view of a shoe of the invention according to a second embodiment. The rod is not shown so that the fastening means are visible. The soles 2, 3 are fixed to each other by means of complementary fixing means located at the front of the soleplate 4,7, essentially at the middle 5.8 and at the rear 6.9. A sectional view along the axis D'-D 'shows that the first fastening means 5 located essentially in the middle of the flexible sole 2 is for example a male fastener 12 able to slide in a channel 13, second complementary fastening means 8 of the rigid sole 3. A sectional view along the axis DD is shown in Figure 5B.

The flexible sole 2 shown in Figure 6A comprises a first fastening means at the front of the sole 4, a first fastening means in the middle of the sole 5 and a first fastening means at the rear of the sole 6. A sectional view along the axis EE is shown in Figure 6B.

The rigid walking sole 3 shown in Figure 7A comprises a first fixing second to the front of the sole 7, a second fastening element in the middle of the sole 8 and a second fastening means at the rear of the sole 9. A sectional view along the FF axis is shown in Figure 7B.

Figure 8 shows closed shoe profile views 1 according to the invention. The rod 10 comprises an expandable member 16 at the pivot point between the part of the rigid sole 3 adhering to the ground and the part detaching. This expandable element, composed of a polymer having elastic properties such as an elastomer, makes it possible to adjust the rod to the curvature of the foot while avoiding a surplus of material of the upper (fold) in the presence of a high heel or a stretch weakens it in the presence of a low heel. The flexible sole 2 comprising the rod 10 is combined with a rigid walking sole 3 alternately comprising a high heel 11 (top figure) or a low heel (bottom figure).

Main advantages of the invention [0044] The fact that the entire rigid sole is removable and not only the heel provides several advantages which are summarized below: - The fact of having a rigid sole that covers the entire foot allows have fastening systems in three different places and thus improve the stability of the shoe compared to a single heel; - The fact of having a rigid sole that covers the entire foot allows to vary the design of the sole at leisure to meet functional or aesthetic demands. For example the sole could have a non-slip coating in winter and a smooth coating in summer. In addition, the sole could have varied colors and textures (including a wedge heel for example) to meet the criteria of fashion. - The invention also allows to practice wearing a heel for people who are not used to it and iron easily to a flat heel. - This allows to keep a homogeneous style despite a variation of sole height both at the heel and the entire sole since the rod is the same. The invention is combinable with orthopedic insoles which necessarily cover the entire length of the foot. The orthopedic sole could be combined with rigid walking soles with aesthetic or functional variants; - The removable sole makes it possible to respect the dimensions of the foot by reducing the tensions exerted on it during a change of height but also thanks to its adaptation to the inclination of the foot and its compatibility with orthopedic insoles. In short, the invention makes it possible to respect the morphology of the foot through each desired combination. - The fact that the entire sole is removable ensures a very good grip on the ground regardless of the height of the heel.

List of reference symbols 1. Shoe 2. Soft sole 3. (3,3 ') Rigid running shoe 4. First attachment at the front of the soft sole 5. First means of attachment essentially in the middle of the sole flexible 6. First fastening means at the rear of the flexible sole 7. Second fastening means at the front of the rigid sole 8. Second fixing means essentially in the middle of the rigid sole 9. Second fastening means for the sole back of the rigid sole 10. Rod 11. Heel 12. Male fastener 13. Gutter 14. Male edge 15. Female notch 16. Expanding element 17. Upper 18. Quarter 19. Junction element

Claims (15)

1. Shoe (1) adaptable in height characterized in that it comprises: - a flexible sole (2) comprising a first fastening means at the front of the sole (4) and a first fastening means at the rear the sole (6) and a rod (10); at least one stiff walking sole (3 ') interchangeable with a first rigid walking sole (3), having a heel (11) of a height different from that of the first rigid sole (3), each rigid walking sole ( 3,3 ') extending over the entire length of the foot and comprising a second attachment means at the front of the rigid sole (7) complementary to the first attachment means at the front of the flexible sole (4) and a second attachment means at the rear of the rigid sole (9) complementary to the first attachment means at the rear of the flexible sole (6), at least one of the walking soles comprising a high heel. 2. Shoe (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible sole (2) further comprises a first fastening means substantially in the middle of the sole (5) and in that the rigid running sole (3, 3 ') comprises a second fixing means essentially in the middle of the rigid sole (8) complementary to the first fixing means essentially in the middle of the flexible sole (5). 3. Shoe (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first fixing means substantially in the middle of the flexible sole (5) and the second fixing means essentially in the middle of the rigid sole (8) are, so interchangeably, a male fastener (12) slidable in a gutter (13) complementary. 4. Shoe (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first fixing means substantially in the middle of the flexible sole (5) extends over 5 to 80% of the length of the sole, preferably 10 to 50%. 5. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first fixing means (4,5,6) and the second fastening means (7,8,9) further comprise an element junction (19) adapted to connect the two fastening means between them. 6. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first attachment means at the front of the flexible sole (4) is a male edge (14) at the periphery of the flexible sole ( 2) adapted to slide in a female notch (15) of the second fastening means at the front of the rigid sole (7). 7. Shoe (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the male edge (14) and its complementary female notch (15) extend over at least 5 cm from the front of the sole. 8. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first attachment means at the rear of the flexible sole (6) and the second fastening means at the rear of the rigid sole ( 9) are a complementary elastic locking system by clips. 9. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the flexible sole (2) is between 1 and 10 mm. 10. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the rigid tread sole (3,3 ') is between 1 and 150 mm. 11. Ch aussure (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible sole (2) is an orthopedic insole. 12. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a protective sole or an orthopedic insole. 13. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shoe is closed. 14. Shoe (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the rod (10) comprises an expandable element (16) at a pivot point between the part of the rigid sole (3) adhering to the ground and the part s' by detaching. 15. Shoe (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a shank of wood, metal or resin.