GB2538106A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

Footwear 10 having a bottom part 15 comprising a sole (17, fig.5) and an integral rear upper section (35,40, fig. 5) and a separate top part 20 comprising a front upper section, the two parts being releasably connected to each other. Preferably, the integral rear upper section comprises a heel counter, at least part of a quarter and/or part of a vamp. The front upper section may comprise at least part of a vamp. Also claimed is a shoe having a lower part comprising a sole and a heel counter and/or a heelcap, and a separate upper part comprising at least part of a vamp, the lower and upper parts being detachably attached together. The parts may be joined together by a releasable fastener, such as a zip 25.

Description

FOOTWEAR

The present invention relates generally to footwear and in particular to footwear comprising a multi-partite article with separable and interchangeable parts.

S

The present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to footwear.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided footwear comprising a bottom part comprising a sole and an integral rear upper section, and a separate top part comprising a front upper section, the parts being releasably connected to each other.

The integral rear upper section may comprise a heel counter.

The integral rear upper section may comprise at least part of a quarter.

The integral rear upper section may comprise part of a vamp.

The front upper section may comprise at least part of a vamp.

The present invention also provides a bottom part suitable for footwear as described herein.

The present invention also provides a top part suitable for footwear as described herein.

The footwear may comprise, for example, a shoe, trainer, boot or the like.

A further aspect provides a shoe comprising a lower part comprising a sole and a heel counter, and a separate upper part comprising at least part of a vamp, the lower and upper parts being detachably attached together.

In some embodiments only two parts are provided.

The lower part may comprise at least part of a shoe quarter.

The upper part may comprise a lacing arrangement The lower part may comprise part of the vamp.

In aspects and embodiments of the present invention the parts may be joined by a releasable fastener such as a zip.

Either or both ends of the fastener may be located at or towards top of the lower or 20 bottom part The path of the fastener may be formed, so as to provide resistance to water entry.

In some embodiments the path of the zip is specifically designed to guarantee waterproof resistance.

The present invention also provides a lower part suitable for a shoe as described herein.

The present invention also provides an upper part suitable for a shoe as described herein.

The present invention also provides a pair of shoes or footwear as described herein.

Other parts of a shoe/footwear which may be provided by either or both primary (or only) parts (separately or together) include: a heel; a welt a counter; a cuff; a tongue; a quarter; laces; eyelets; a sole; a vamp; a toe; a footbed.

The present invention also provides an interchangeable shoe part system, for example allowing a shoe to be separated into two fundamental parts: a bottom part composed by a sole attached to a lower part of a shoe vamp; and an upper part composed by an upper part of a shoe vamp. The parts may be joined to each other by a fastener such as a zip. This means that the two parts are divisible and interchangeable so that different upper parts can be selected and mated with different lower parts to change the look and/or function of the shoe.

The present invention may allow the user to purchase a new upper and/or lower part. Because the shoe system is made by modular and interchangeable parts top and/or bottom parts can be reused and new combinations can be formed.

In some embodiments the upper part can be made so as to be generally flat when not attached to a lower part; this reduces the space required for storing and transporting.

Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together.

Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combination other than those explicitly set out in the claims.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures I to 4 show top, back, side and front views of a shoe formed according to the present invention; Figures 5 to 8 show exploded side, back, top and front views of the shoe of figures I to 4; Figures 9 and 10 show side and front views of a two-part shoe formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figures I I to 13 show the shoe of figures 9 to IC in partially unzipped states; Figures 14 to 16 show a bottom shoe part of the shoe of figures 9 to 13 when fully separated from the top part which is shown in figure 17; In figure 18 a lower part of the same type as that shown in figured 14 to 16 is shown together with a different upper part shown in figure 19; and Figures 20 and 21 show side and rear views of a fully assembled shoe formed from the lower and upper parts of figures 18 and 19.

The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Referring first to figures 1 to 4 there is shown a shoe generally indicated 10. In this embodiment the shoe 10 comprises a bottom part 15 and an upper part 20.

The parts 15, 20 are formed separately and attached to each other by a releaseable fastener, which in this embodiment is a zip 25.

Referring now also to figures 5 to 8 the parts 15, 20 are described in more detail.

The bottom part 15 comprises a sole 17 and a heel 30. In addition the part 15 comprises a heelcap portion 35 which extends and effectively merges into a partial quarter and vamp portion 40 which extends around the sides and front of the sole, upstanding therefrom.

One half 25a of the zip fastener 25 extends (for example like a collar) along the exposed periphery of the heelcap 35 and quarter/vamp region 40.

The start 26 of the zip and the finish 26 are both at the top of the heelcap 35 and therefore are spaced from the interface with the sole 17.

The upper part 20 is correspondingly shaped to complete the toe, vamp, quarter and heelcap regions of the shoe. It can be seen folded flat in figure 7 and is effectively a flap 25 material.

The periphery of the part 20 is provided with the matching half 25b of the zip fastener. In this embodiment the upper part 20 is provided with the zip pull 28.

In this embodiment the upper part 20 is provided with eyelets 45 for receiving laces 50.

In use, the upper part 20 is connected to the bottom part 15 by offering it to the bottom part and connecting the zip puller 28 to the zip start 27 of the bottom part.

Thereafter the puller 28 is moved along the zip path and around to the finish 26 to secure the parts 15, 20 together are shown in figures 1 to 4.

In figures 9 and 10 a shoe 110 formed according to an alternative embodiment is shown. The shoe 110 is similar to the shoe 10 shown in figures 1 to 9. In this embodiment the shoe is formed as a "slip-on" type shoe rather than a "lace-up" type shoe.

In this embodiment the sole 117 and heel region 130 are formed together.

Figures 11 to 12 show the shoe 110 as it is unzipped to form the lower 115 and upper components shown separately in figures 14 to 16 and 17 respectively.

In figure 18 a lower part 215 of the type shown in figures 14 to 16 is provided. A different upper part to 20 is shown in figure 19. The part 220 has the same half fastener arrangement as the part 120 shown in figure 17 and accordingly it can be secured in the same way to the part 215 as shown in figures 20, 21. This means that parts such as those shown in figure 17 and 19 can be used with the same part of the type shown in figure 18. And by extension upper parts can be used with different lower parts, all bearing the same corresponding attachment means.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMSI. Footwear comprising a bottom part comprising a sole and an integral rear upper section, and a separate top part comprising a front upper section, the parts being releasably connected to each other.
2. 2. Footwear as claimed in claim I, in which the integral rear upper section comprises a heel counter.
3. 3. Footwear as claimed in claim I or claim 2, in which the integral rear upper section comprises at least part of a quarter.
4. 4. Footwear as claimed in any of claims I to 3, in which the integral rear upper section comprises part of a vamp.
5. S. Footwear as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the front upper section comprises at least part of a vamp.
6. 6. A bottom part suitable for footwear as claimed in any preceding claim.
7. 7. A top part suitable for footwear as claimed in any of claims I to 5.
8. 8. A shoe comprising a lower part comprising a sole and a heel counter and/or a heelcap, and a separate upper part comprising at least part of a vamp, the lower and upper parts being detachably attached together.
9. 9. A shoe as claimed in claim 8, in which only two parts are provided.
10. 10. A shoe as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, in which the lower part comprises at least part of a shoe quarter.
11. 11. A shoe as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, in which the upper part comprises a lacing arrangement.
12. 12. A shoe as claimed in any of claims 8 to II, in which the lower part comprises part of the vamp.
13. 13. Footwear or a shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the parts are joined by a releasable fastener.
14. 14. Footwear or a shoe as claimed in claim 13, in which the fastener is a zip.
15. 15. Footwear or a shoe as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, in which either or both ends of the fastener are located at or towards top of the lower or bottom part.
16. 16. A lower part suitable for a shoe as claimed in any of claims 8 to 15.
17. 17. An upper part suitable for a shoe as claimed in any of claims 8 to 15.
18. IS. Footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.
19. 19. A shoe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.
20. 20. An interchangeable footwear part system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.