EP3962313B1

EP3962313B1 - Footwear

Info

Publication number: EP3962313B1
Application number: EP20724915.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Simon Allen
Original assignee: Lsb Fashion Ltd
Current assignee: Lsb Fashion Ltd
Priority date: 2019-04-29
Filing date: 2020-04-29
Publication date: 2023-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-29
Also published as: GB2584393A; GB201905990D0; GB2584393B; EP3962313A1; US20220167707A1; WO2020222003A1; ES2962602T3

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to footwear. In particular, they relate to expandable footwear for children or adults.

BACKGROUND

When a child's feet grow it may necessitate the purchase of new footwear for the child, even though the child's current footwear is not yet worn out. This can be both inconvenient and costly.
Some adults may have unusually shaped feet, which renders conventional footwear unsuitable and uncomfortable. For example, a foot deformity might be present such as a bunion.
US 2018/0020766 A1 discloses an article of footwear includes at least a first outsole member and a second outsole member, and at least one flex member secured to the first outsole member and the second outsole member and having sufficient flexibility to permit the first outsole member to move relative to the second outsole member to expand the article of footwear from a first size to a second, larger size.
CN 201 219 535 Y discloses telescopic shoes which are suitable for teenagers in a growth stage.
CN 203 913 582 U discloses adjustable children's footwear.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The invention is set out in the appended claims. According to the invention, there is provided footwear comprising: an outsole comprising multiple interlocking outsole portions, wherein the outsole has a length that extends in a longitudinal dimension, a width that extends in a transverse dimension, and a depth that extends in a vertical dimension, wherein the length is greater than the width and the width is greater than the depth, wherein the multiple interlocking outsole portions include interlocking teeth, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to interlock to enable expansion of the outsole in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions, but not the vertical dimension; wherein the teeth interlocking a first outsole portion of the multiple outsole portions and a second outsole portion of the multiple outsole portions are such that they enable relative longitudinal and transverse movement of those outsole portions; and means for urging the first outsole portion away from the second outsole portion, thereby expanding the outsole.
The means for urging may be configured to cause longitudinal and transverse expansion of the outsole.
The urging of at least a portion least a first one of the multiple outsole portions away from at least a second one of the multiple outsole portions may create or increase a gap within the interlocking teeth.
The interlocking teeth may be arranged to enable simultaneous expansion of the outsole in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. The outsole may include interlocking teeth that are stacked in the vertical dimension.
The interlocking teeth may be arranged to enable expansion of a toe region of the outsole. The interlocking teeth may be arranged to enable expansion of an instep region of the outsole. The interlocking teeth may be arranged to enable expansion of a heel region of the outsole.
The means for urging may comprise an expandable footbed coupled to the outsole. The expandable footbed may include at least one chamber partially filled with gas. The at least one chamber may be positioned at or close to a periphery of the expandable footbed. The expandable footbed may form part of an insock.
The means for urging may comprise an expansion screw or a telescopic screw.
The footwear may be a shoe, a trainer/sneaker, a boot, a slipper or a sandal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

fig. 1 illustrates a side view of first example of footwear;
fig. 2 illustrates an underside view of an expandable outsole of the first example of the footwear in a first, unexpanded, configuration;
figs. 3A to 3C are schematics illustrating how teeth of the expandable outsole in the first example of the footwear interlock;
fig. 4 illustrates an underside view of the expandable outsole of the first example of the footwear in a second, expanded, configuration;
fig. 5 illustrates an expandable footbed;
fig. 6 illustrates an underside view of an expandable outsole of a second example of the footwear; and
fig. 7 is a schematic illustrating how teeth of the expandable outsole in the second example of the footwear interlock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to expandable footwear for children or adults. The footwear is advantageously able to expand to accommodate a child's growing foot, enabling the footwear to be used for longer than would be the case without the expansion. The footwear is advantageously able to expand to provide a unique fit for an adult. This may be useful if the adult has an unusually shaped foot - for example, if a foot defect exists, bunions are present, etc.
Fig. 1 illustrates a first example of the footwear 10. In this example, the footwear 10 is a shoe, but in other examples it could be a different form of footwear such as a trainer/sneaker, boot, slipper, sandal, etc.
Left handed Cartesian co-ordinate axes 70 are illustrated in fig. 1. The y axis is considered to define or be aligned with a longitudinal dimension, the x axis (into the page) is considered to define or be aligned with a traverse dimension, and the z axis is considered to define or be aligned with a vertical dimension.
The footwear 10 comprises an upper 100 and an outsole 200. The upper 100 defines a cavity for receiving a wearer's foot.
The outsole 200 has a length L that extends in the longitudinal direction, a width W that extends in the transverse dimension and a depth D that extends in the vertical dimension. The length is greater than the width, which is in turn greater than the depth.
The outsole 200 is outwardly expandable. It may, for example, be expandable in the longitudinal dimension and the transverse dimension.
Fig. 2 illustrates an underside view of the expandable outsole 200 of the first example of the footwear 100. It is shown in a first, unexpanded/contracted, configuration.
The outsole 200 comprises multiple interlocking portions 210, 220, 230 and 240. In this example, there is a base outsole portion 210 and multiple peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240. A first peripheral outsole portion 220 is arranged to enable the outsole 200 to expand at and around the toes of the wearer. A second peripheral outsole portion 230 is arranged to enable the outsole 200 to expand at and around the instep of the wearer. A third peripheral outsole portion 240 is arranged to enable the outsole 200 to expand at and around the heel of the wearer.
The base outsole portion 210 includes multiple sets of teeth for engaging/interlocking/intermeshing with teeth of the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240. The teeth in each outsole portion 210, 220, 230, 240 are stacked in the vertical dimension. Each set of teeth is defined by alternating projections and recesses. That is, each projection is separated from an adjacent projection by a recess, and each recess is separated by an adjacent recess by a projection.
The base outsole portion 210 includes a first set of teeth for interlocking with teeth of the first peripheral portion 220, a second set of teeth for interlocking with teeth of the second peripheral portion 230 and a third set of teeth for interlocking with teeth of the third peripheral portion 240.
The interlocking teeth of the various portions 210, 220, 230, 240 are arranged to enable expansion of the outsole 200 in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions, but not the vertical dimension.
In this example, expansion of the outsole 200 in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions occurs simultaneously. For example, it can be seen from fig. 2 that the directionality of the interlocking teeth of the base outsole portion 210 and the first and third peripheral portions 220, 240 is such that movement of the first and third peripheral portions 220, 240 causes simultaneous expansion of the outsole 200 in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions. The directionality of the interlocking teeth of the base outsole portion 210 and the second peripheral portion 230 is such that movement of the second peripheral portion 220 causes expansion of the outsole 200 in the transverse dimension.
The line 300 in fig. 2 indicates a limit to which expansion of the outsole 200 can occur.
Figs. 3A to 3C are schematics illustrating how the teeth of the expandable outsole 200 of the footwear 10 interlock. The alternating projections and recesses of the teeth are shown in figs 3A to 3C. First, second and third projections 11, 12, 13 and first, second and third recesses 21, 22, 23 are shown.
The first and second projections 11, 12 and the third recess 23 are part of a first outsole portion 30. The third recess 23 is positioned between the first and second projections 11, 12. The first and second recesses 21, 22 and the third projection 13 are part of a second outsole portion 30. The third projection 13 is positioned between the first and second recesses 21, 22.
The first outsole portion 30 could be any of the outsole portions 210, 220, 230, 240 illustrated in fig. 2. The second outsole portion 40 could be any of the outsole portions 210, 220, 230, 240 illustrated in fig. 2. The Cartesian coordinate axes 70 in figs 3A to 3C relate to a situation, for example, where the first outsole portion 30 corresponds with the base outsole portion 210 in fig. 2 and the second outsole portion 40 corresponds with the second peripheral outsole portion 230 in fig. 2 or vice versa.
The first, second and third recesses 21, 22, 23 are for receiving the first, second and third projections 11, 12, 13 respectively. Fig. 3A illustrates the first and second outsole portions 30, 40 in a separated configuration, such that the first, second and third projections 11, 12, 13 are not received by the first, second and third recesses 21, 22, 23. However, in practice, at least some of the projections 11, 12, 13 and recesses 21, 22, 23 are always interlocked; fig. 3A is provided merely to illustrate the principles behind the invention. In the example illustrated in fig. 2, at least some of the teeth of the outsole portions 210, 220, 230, 240 are always interlocked with those of another outsole portion 210, 220, 230, 240 to some extent, depending on the extent to which the outsole 200 has expanded towards its limit 300. That is, the first, second and third projections 11, 12, 13 are always received to some extent by the first, second and third recesses 21, 22, 23.
Fig. 3B illustrates a situation in which expansion has occurred, at least to some extent. This means that there is a gap in each of the recesses 21, 22, 23 that is not filled by the respective projection 11, 12, 13. When the outsole 200 is in its (fully) unexpanded/contracted state, there might or might not be a gap in each of at least some of the recesses 21, 22, 23 that is not filled by the respective projection 11, 12, 13. In the example illustrated in fig. 2, no such gap exists. In the example illustrated in fig. 3C, a configuration is illustrated in which the outsole portions 30, 40 are in a fully unexpanded/contracted configuration, but a gap exists. If there is a gap in at least some of the recesses 21, 22, 23 when the outsole 200 is in its (fully) unexpanded/contracted state, the gaps are smaller than when the outsole 200 is in a fully or partially expanded state. That is, a greater proportion of one or more of the recesses 21, 22, 23 is filled by the projections 11, 12, 13 than when the outsole 200 is in a (fully) unexpanded/contracted state. Said differently, the urging of one outsole portion away from another creates or increases the size of the gaps.
In some implementations, some or all of the projections that interlock the outsole portions 30, 40 might include a visual indication of the extent to which the outsole portions 30, 40 have expanded. For example, colouring of the projections and/or the recesses might indicate a foot size which corresponds with the extent to which the outsole portions 30, 40 have expanded. A first visual indication or colour might, for example, indicate that the outsole portions 30, 40 have expanded from a first (unexpanded) size to a second (expanded) size. A second visual indication or colour might, for example, indicate that the outsole portions 30, 40 have expanded from the second (expanded) size to a third (further expanded) size. Any number of visual indications or colours might be used. A particular visual indication or colour might, for example, indicate that the outsole portions 30, 40 have expanded to their maximum extent/limit. For instance, a three colour "traffic light" system might be used where a first colouring (e.g. green) indicates that expansion of the footwear is still possible, second colouring (e.g. yellow/amber) indicates that expansion of the footwear is still possible but the footwear has been expanded close to its limit, and third colouring (e.g. red) indicates that expansion of the footwear is no longer possible or is very close to its limit.
Fig. 4 illustrates an underside view of the expandable outsole 200 of the first example of the footwear in a second, fully expanded, configuration. It can be seen in fig. 4 that the peripheral outsole portions 210, 220, 230, 240 have been urged away from the base outsole portion 210 such that the outer periphery of each of the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240 is at the limit 300. At least some of the teeth in each of the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240 continue to be interlocked with corresponding teeth of the base outsole portion 210.
Movement of the first peripheral outsole portion 220 away from the base outsole portion 210 causes expansion of a toe region of the outsole 200. Movement of the second peripheral outsole portion 230 away from the base outsole portion 210 enables expansion of an instep region of the outsole 200. Movement of the third peripheral outsole portion 240 away from the base outsole portion 210 enables expansion of a heel region of the outsole 200.
The footwear 10 comprises means for urging at least one of the multiple outsole portions 220, 230, 240 away from at least a second one of the multiple outsole portions 200. The means is configured to cause longitudinal and transverse expansion of the outsole 200, and may be configured to cause simultaneous expansion of the outsole in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions.
Fig. 5 illustrates an example of such means, in the form of an expandable footbed 400. The expandable footbed 400 might, for example, form part of an insock of the footwear 10. The expandable footbed 400 includes at least one chamber 401 partially filled with gas. The at least one chamber 401 might be an air pocket, where the gas is air. A single chamber 401 is illustrated in fig. 5, but in other examples multiple chambers 401 might be provided.
The at least one chamber 401 may be positioned at or close to the periphery of the footbed 400. The (at least one chamber 401 of the) footbed 400 is coupled to the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240. It may, for example, be directly connected to the peripheral portions 220, 230, 240 of the outsole 200. The at least one chamber 401 is configured to cause the surface area of the footbed 400 to expand at the periphery of the footbed 400, where it is coupled to the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240, when a foot is received by the footbed 400. Expansion of the surface area of the footbed 400 urges the peripheral outsole portions 220, 230, 240 outwards, away from the base outsole portion 210, thereby expanding the outsole 200.
Other means for urging the multiple outsole portions away from each other may be used. For example, the means may be or may comprise one or more expansion screws for manually expanding the outsole 200 by hand.
Fig. 6 illustrates an underside view of an expandable outsole 200 of a second example of the footwear 10. The second example of the footwear 10 differs from the first example of the footwear 10 in the manner in which the outsole 200 is broken down into different portions 210a-210i. In the second example, there are multiple toe outsole portions 210b, 210c, multiple midfoot portions 210a, 210d, 210e, 210i and multiple heel outsole portions 210f, 210g, 210h. The arrows labelled with reference numerals 61 to 72 in fig. 6 illustrate the relative movement of the various outsole portions 210a-210i. Each of the outsole portions 210a-210i include interlocking teeth as in the first example, but the interlocking teeth are not illustrated in fig. 6 for clarity reasons.
The second example of the footwear 210 differs from the first example in a number of the outsole portions 210a-210i are configured to move in two dimensions relative to the adjacent outsole portions 210a-210i.
A first toe outsole portion 210b is arranged to move in the longitudinal dimension (aligned with the y axis illustrated in fig. 6) relative to a first midfoot portion 210a (as illustrated by arrow 62). The first toe outsole portion 210b is also configured to move in the transverse dimension (aligned with the x axis in fig. 6) relative to a second toe outsole portion 210c. The interlocking teeth of the first toe outsole portion 210b and the second toe outsole portion 210c might be such that they enable relative transverse movement of the first and second toe outsole portions 210b, 210c (as illustrated by arrow 63) but not relative longitudinal movement of the two toe outsole portions 210b, 210c. The teeth interlocking the first toe outsole portion 210b and the first midfoot outsole portion 210a might be such that they enable relative longitudinal movement of the first toe outsole portion 210b and the first midfoot outsole portion 210a, but not relative transverse movement of the first toe outsole portion 210b and the first midfoot portion 210a.
The second toe outsole portion 210c is arranged to move in the longitudinal dimension relative to a second midfoot portion 210d, as illustrated by arrow 64. The interlocking teeth of the second toe outsole region 210c and the second midfoot outsole portion 210d may be such that they enable relative longitudinal movement (as shown by the arrow 64), but not relative transverse movement of those outsole portions 210c, 210d. The second midfoot outsole portion 210d further comprises interlocking teeth that enable transverse movement relative to the first midfoot outsole portion 210a (as illustrated by the arrow 61) and longitudinal movement relative to a third midfoot portion (as illustrated by the arrow 65). The interlocking teeth of the first midfoot outsole portion 210a and the second midfoot outsole portion 210d might enable relative transverse movement but not relative longitudinal movement of those two outsole portions 210a, 210d. The interlocking teeth of the second midfoot portion 210d and the third midfoot portion 210e may be such that they enable relative longitudinal movement (as shown by arrow 65) but not relative transverse movement of those two outsole portions 210d, 210e.
The third midfoot outsole portion 210e is arranged to move in the transverse dimension relative to a fourth midfoot outsole portion 210i (as illustrated by arrow 67) and arranged to move in a longitudinal dimension relative to a first heel portion 210f (as illustrated by arrow 68). The interlocking teeth of the third midfoot outsole portion 210e and the fourth midfoot outsole portion 210i may be such that they enable relative transverse movement (as illustrated by arrow 67) but not relative longitudinal movement of those two outsole portions 210e, 210i. The teeth interlocking the third midfoot outsole portion 210e and the first heel outsole portion 210f may be such that they enable relative longitudinal movement of those outsole portions 210e, 210f.
A second heel portion 210g is arranged to move in the longitudinal dimension relative to the first heel portion 210f (as illustrated by arrow 70) and in the transverse dimension relative to a third heel portion 210h (as shown by the arrow 72).
The teeth interlocking the first heel portion 210f and the second heel portion 210g may be such that they enable relative longitudinal movement of those outsole portions 210g, 210f. The teeth interlocking the second heel portion and the third heel portion 210g, 210h may be such that they allow relative transverse movement but not relative longitudinal movement of those two outsole portions 210g, 210h.
The third heel outsole portion 210h is arranged to move in the longitudinal dimension relative to the first heel outsole portion 210f. The teeth interlocking the first and third heel outsole portions 210f, 210h are configured to enable such relative longitudinal movement, as shown by arrow 71 in fig. 6.
A fourth midfoot outsole portion 210i is interconnected with the first midfoot outsole portion 210a, the fourth midfoot outsole portion 210e and the first heel outsole portion 210f. The teeth interlocking the first and fourth midfoot outsole portions 210a, 210i may be such that they enable longitudinal movement (as shown by arrow 66) but not transverse movement of those portions 210a, 210i relative to each other. The teeth interlocking the fourth midfoot outsole portion 210c and the third midfoot outsole portion 210e may be such that they enable relative transverse movement (as illustrated by arrow 67) but not relative longitudinal movement of those two outsole portions 210i, 210e. The teeth interlocking the fourth midfoot outsole portion 210i and the first heel portion 210f is such that they enable relative longitudinal and transverse movement of those outsole portions 210i, 210f (e.g. see arrow 69).
Fig. 7 is a schematic illustrating how teeth of the expandable outsole 200 in the second example of the footwear 10 interlock.
Fig. 7 illustrates a first outsole portion 130, a second outsole portion 131 and a third outsole portion 132. Aspects of the first and second outsole portions 131, 132 may be provided in the outsole portions 210a-210i illustrated in fig. 6. The first outsole portion 130 includes a plurality of projections 111, 112 and 113 and a plurality of recesses 124, 125. The plurality of projections and recesses 111, 112, 113, 124, 125 form teeth for interlocking with teeth (stacked in a vertical dimension) of the second outsole portion 131. The teeth of the second outsole portion 131 are formed by a plurality of projections 114, 115 and recesses 122, 123.
First, second and third projections 111, 112, 113 of the first outsole portion 130 are arranged to be received by first, second and third recesses 121, 122, 123 of the second outsole portion 131. Fourth and fifth recesses 124, 125 in the first outsole portion 130 are for receiving fourth and fifth projections 114, 115 of the second outsole portion 131.
It can be seen in fig. 7 how the nature of the teeth in the first and second outsole portions 130, 131 enable movement of the two outsole portions 130, 131 in two orthogonal dimensions relative to each other. For example, longitudinal movement may be achieved by relative movement of the first and second outsole portions 130, 131 in the directions illustrated by the arrow 71 in fig. 7, and relative transverse movement of the first and second outsole portions 130, 131 may be achieved by relative movement of the outsole portions 130, 131 in the directions illustrated by the arrow 72, or vice versa. If it is desired to restrict movement in one or both of the dimensions, this can be achieved by adapting the teeth accordingly. For example, one or two side walls could be positioned adjacent the recesses 124, 125 of the first outside portion 130 to limit the relative movement of the first and second outsole portions 130, 131 in the direction(s) illustrated by the arrow 71.
The third outsole portion 132 includes teeth that are defined by projections 116, 117 and recesses 218. The teeth are arranged to interlock with further teeth in the first outsole portion 130 that cannot be seen in fig. 7. Those teeth are defined by further projections and recesses in the first outsole portion 130.Those projections extend outwardly in the dimension defined by the y axis in fig. 7, rather than the x axis (as is the case with the visible projections 111, 112, 113). The teeth in the first outsole portion 130 that cannot be seen and the teeth in the third outsole portion 132 may be configured to enable movement in a single dimension or two orthogonal dimensions, as illustrated by the arrows 70 and 72 in fig. 7. That relative movement operates in a similar manner to that described in relation to that of the first and second outsole portions 130, 131.
It will be appreciated from reading the description of fig. 7 above that movement of two outsole portions 130-132 relative to each other in two orthogonal dimensions is enabled by the movement of projections 111-116 within recesses 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 128 in two orthogonal dimensions. The projections 111-117 are moveable in and out in one dimension and may slide over one another in another, orthogonal dimension.
Footwear 10 having an expandable outsole 200 has been described above. Advantageously, the footwear 10 can continue to be used while a child's foot begins to grow or might adapt to changes in the proportions of an adult foot (for example, due to a foot defect or bunions occurring).
Where a structural feature has been described, it may be replaced by means for performing one or more of the functions of the structural feature whether that function or those functions are explicitly or implicitly described.
Although embodiments have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, the outsole 200 need not be divided in the manner illustrated in figs. 2 and 6. It will be appreciated by the skilled reader that the outsole could be divided in a number of different ways using the principles described herein.
Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described above.
Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.
Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not.
In this description, reference has been made to various examples using adjectives or adjectival phrases to describe characteristics of the examples. Such a description of a characteristic in relation to an example indicates that the characteristic is present in some examples exactly as described and is present in other examples substantially as described.

Claims

Footwear (10), comprising:
an outsole (200) comprising multiple interlocking outsole portions (30, 40; 210a-210j; 210, 220, 230, 240), wherein the outsole has a length that extends in a longitudinal dimension, a width that extends in a transverse dimension, and a depth that extends in a vertical dimension, wherein the length is greater than the width and the width is greater than the depth, wherein the multiple interlocking outsole portions include interlocking teeth, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to enable expansion of the outsole in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions, but not the vertical dimension;

wherein the teeth interlocking a first outsole portion of the multiple outsole portions and a second outsole portion of the multiple outsole portions are such that they enable relative longitudinal and transverse movement of those outsole portions; and

means for urging (400) the first outsole portion away from the second outsole portion, thereby expanding the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for urging is configured to cause longitudinal and transverse expansion of the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the urging of at least a first one of the multiple outsole portions away from at least a second one of the multiple outsole portions creates or increases a gap within the interlocking teeth.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to enable simultaneous expansion of the outsole in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the outsole includes interlocking teeth that are stacked in the vertical dimension.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to enable expansion of a toe region of the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to enable expansion of an instep region of the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the interlocking teeth are arranged to enable expansion of a heel region of the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for urging comprises an expandable footbed (400) coupled to the outsole.
The footwear as claimed in claim 9, wherein the expandable footbed includes at least one chamber (401) partially filled with gas.
The footwear as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one chamber is positioned at or close to a periphery of the expandable footbed.
The footwear as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the expandable footbed forms part of an insock.
The footwear as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for urging comprises an expansion screw or a telescopic screw.
The footwear of any of the preceding claims, wherein the footwear is a shoe, a trainer/sneaker, a boot, a slipper or a sandal.