US2971278A - Household or bath slipper - Google Patents

Description

4, 1951 w. M. SCHOLL 2,971,278

" HOUSEHOLD OR BATH SLIPPER Filed Jan. 18, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E11 if A/AMM/V M GOG 0AA tats atent ice 237L278 Patented Feb. 14, 1961 rial disposed between said sheets, said sheets being otherwise unsecured together, whereby any deformities, af-

flictions, or excrescences of the foot are yieldably re- 2971278 ceived without distortion or wrinkling of either sheet of HOUSEHOLD R BATH SLIPPER William M. Scholl, 211-213 W. Schiller St., Chicago, Ill.

Filed Jan. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 634,935 1 Claim. or. 36- 9) This invention relates to improvements in a household or bath slipper, and more particularly to a lightweight waterproof slipper highly desirable for production and use in the style of a scuff type slipper, although many features of construction will have uses and purposes in other types of slippers, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of household and bath slippers have been developed, many of which were the scuff type, for use in the household, bathing spots, and similar locations. In all instances of which I am aware, however, these formerly known devices did not possess a satisfactory number of the desiderata of an article of footwear of that character. In most instances, they were not more than partially waterproof and in substantially all instances, if made of flexible material, they were substantially heelless, and thus failed to provide adequate comfort to the user. Further, heretofore known slippers of this character, and'especially when made of flexible material, required care in donning in that the vamp or other strap-like structure by which the slipper would be retained upon the foot did not permit quick slipping of the foot into the slipper, but the vamp had to be held up into position to receive the foot. Also, in many cases these formerly known slippers were insufficiently durable and, while being flexible, did not possess the necessary structural strength to maintain their shape and comfortableness throughout even a reasonable life.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a household or bath slipper so constructed as to give the elfect of a heel, whereby the slipper not only presents a better appearance, but affords added comfort to the user.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a household or bath slipper in which the vamp, upper, or portion retaining the slipper upon the foot of a user, remains in upwardly arched position ready to receive the foot, even when the slipper is not in use, whereby it is a simple expedient to slip the foot into the slipper without the necessity of manipulating the slipper by hand.

Another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a simple form of household or bath slipper designed not only to cushion the entire plantar surface of the foot, but provide an added lift and added cushioning beneath the heel of the user. 7

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a slipper of the character set forth herein, wherein adequate cushioning for the entire plantar surface of the foot is provided, with additional cushioning of a less resilient character disposed beneath the heel of a user.

Still another feature of the instant invention is the provision of a slipper of the type set forth herein, which may be simply and durably constructed by way of heat sealing insole and outsole sheets together around the bounding edge thereof, with a layer of cushioning matethe slipper. I

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a slipper of the character set forth herein which includes insole and outsole sheets of thermoplastic material heat sealed together around the margin thereof, with a layer of cushioning material and an additional heel lift of cushioning material inside said sheets, with the under sheet shaped with an upstanding side wall so as to define a proper heel and sole appearance, and leave the insole layer substantially flat on its upper surface.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a slipper of the character set forth herein utilizing a strap-like vamp portion which is interiorly reinforced so as to maintain an upwardly arched shape at all times.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a slipper of the character set forth herein in which all of the external portion of the slipper is preferably of a waterproof thermoplastic material, and which lends itself to various forms of decoration to enhance the pleasing appearance of the article.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a slipper embodying principles of the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken lengthwise through the slipper substantially as indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the heel portion of the slipper taken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view through the forepart of the slipper and a portion of the vamp, taken substantially as indicated by the line VV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse ver tical sectional view through the vamp portion of the slipper, taken substantially as indicated by the line VlVI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a reduced transverse sectional view from the same location as Fig. 6, but showing a different structure; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar in character to Fig. '6, and taken in the same general location, but illustrating a still diiferent form of structure for the vamp.

As shown on the drawings:

While the embodiment of the instant inventon selected for illustrative purposes is a scuff type slipper, it is obvious that the slipper could be provided with a heel strap, a full or partial counter, or the like, as well as the making of obvious alterations in the vamp member, if so desired.

With reference now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention comprises an insole sheet 1 and an outsole sheet 2,-both of which are preferably made of thermoplastic material such as an unsupported vinyl film, and the two sheets are heat sealed together around the bounding edges thereof, preferably by the electronic high frequency process. The seam of the heat seal is preferably made in the form of a surrounding flange 3, preferably flush with the insole sheet 1, as seen best in does not exert back Fig. 3. By proper construction or marking of the heat sealing die, simulated stitching 4 is provided on the flange of the heat sealed seam so as to enhance the appearance of the resultant slipper.

Between-the insole and outsole sheets is a layer 5 of cushioning material, which may or may not be thermoplastic as desired, but which can satisfactorily be a vinyl foam. In the event the layer is vinyl foam, it can effectively be caught in the heat seal seam 3 at the very edge of the foam layer. Except for this heat seal seam 3, the sheets. 1 and 2 and the cushioning layer 5 are not secured to each other in any manner. Accordingly, these layers are free to yield without wrinkling or distortion to pressure from the bearing points of a normal foot, and also to yield in the same manner to unusual corns, other afliictions, excrescences or projections of a foot that is not in normal condition, whereby the device is comfortable to the user at all times.

While a number of thermoplastic foams and thermoplastic sheets or unsupported thermoplastic films are suitable for the purpose of the instant invention, by way of specific example and not by way of limitation, I may mention that a very satisfactory substance for the layer 5 is vinyl foam made from a liquid composition generically known as a plastisol. The plastisol is expanded preferably by the use of an inert gas, and then cured in the expanded condition to provide a lightweight structural material that is highly flexible, resilient, provided with intercommunicating cells, and has good restorative .characteristics. The plastisol may satisfactorily be a dispersion or suspension of polyvinyl chloride resin, or a copolymer in one or more plasticizers selected from a large number of high boiling esters, for example, such as dioctyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, dicapryl phthalate, etc. The insole and outsole sheets 1 and 2 may be vinyl film, unsupported, and possess the same chemical constituency as the foam sheet 5, but are made under a process devoid of expansion, being rolled on a calender, or the like, into a finished and considerably denser sheet.'

The sheets 1 and 2 may be made in any desirable color, and usually the outsole sheet 2 will be given a darker color than the insole sheet 1.

It might further be mentioned that the foam layer 5 has the advantage of light weight, softness, conforms and molds to high points or contours, does not mat or flatten, gives a continuous and properly balanced cushioning effect, and does not press back against whatever presses upon it. This latter advantage is useful when the slipper is worn for a considerable length of time, because the plastic has a slight lag in its recovery as compared with the instantaneous recovery of foam latex, pressure, and therefore does not tire the foot. It might further be noted that the materials used in the construction above described embody the slipper with exceedingly long life, renders its hygienic, and the materials mentioned effectively resist fungus and bacteria.

The instant slipper is also preferably provided with a cushioned heel lift 6 which is preferably thicker than the cushion layer 5. This lift 6'may be made of the same material as the cushion layer 5, or felt, or of a material having much less yieldability if so desired, but in some cases it is more desirable to make the heel lift of a chemical sponge material, which substance is slightly more firm and slightly less resilient than vinyl foam. The heel lift is freely disposed in position beneath the heel portion of the device, and just inside the outsole sheet 2, although it can be cemented or equivalently secured to the sheet 2.

Between the foam layer 5 and the heel lift 6, it is preferable to dispose a stiffening element extending the full length of the device, as indicated at 7. This stiffening element, while flexible, nevertheless is of suflicient strength to aid greatly in maintaining the proper shape of the sole portion of the slipper. One satisfactory substance for the stiffening element 7 is rubber impregnated paper board.

As seen best in Figs. 2 and 3, the outsole sheet 5 is cut in sutficieut size so as To form an upstanding side wall 8 around the cushion layer 5 in the fore part of the slipper, and around both that layer and the heel lift 6 in the rear portion of the slipper. This not only gives the appearance of an elevated heel in the structure, but there actually is an elevated heel by virtue of the lift 6. Prior to the heat sealing of the outsole sheet 2 to the insole sheet I, the outsole sheet may be vacuum formed with the upstanding wall portion 8 to facilitate manufacture.

In order to retain the slipper on the foot of the user, a vamp, generally indicated by numeral 9, is provided and in the illustrated instance the vamp is in the nature of a wide strap to overlie the foot in the general region of the metatarsal arch, giving an open-toed and heelless slipper. As seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the vamp comprises upper and lower strips or sheets 10 and 11, which may be unsupported vinyl film of the same constituency mentioned above. These sheets are preferably heat sealed together at their very transverse edges, and the side edges thereof are preferably joined in the aforesaid heat seal seam 3 which unites the insole and outsole sheets 1 and 2, as clearly seen in Fig. 1. Preferably freely inserted between the upper and lower vamp sheets 10 and 11, prior to the connection of the vamp to the insole sheet 1, is a stiffener 12. This stiffener may be made of any suitable material, but the material should be flexible and yet inherently have suflicient shape retaining properties to maintain the entire vamp 9 in the upwardly arched condition seen in Figs. 1 and 2, even when the slipper is not in use. The vamp stiffening element may well be made of a thermoplastic material such as cellulose acetate, but it is obvious that other materials would be satisfactory for the purpose. With the vamp held upwardly arched, it is a simple expedient to merely slip the foot inside the slipper, and no hand manipulation or stooping over is necessary.

The vamp may be provided with a suitable decorative element such as the disc 13 carrying an initial thereon, if so desired. The initial may be coupled to the vamp with the aid of the commonly known snap fasteners, one of the snap fasteners being secured to the vamp, the other secured to the initial, and a dealer in selling the slippers may then select the proper initial for each individual customer. This not only provides an identification as to the pair of slippers, but also adds to the decorative appearance thereof. In Figs. 5, 6 and 8, the stiffening element of the vamp is shown of exaggerated thickness for purposes of clarity, since this stiffening element need only be of substantially the same thickness as either of the vamp sheets 10 and 11.

'In Fig. 6 I have illustrated one mannerin which the vamp 9 may be decorated. In this instance, simulated apertures are impressed or embossed in the upper layer 10, as indicated at 14. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, these simulated apertures may be along both lateral edges of the vamp, if so desired.

Another decorative effect is found in Fig. 7, wherein a vamp structure 9a is shown. In this instance, complete perforations 15 are provided through the entire vamp, and the wearers hose may be visible through these perforations to give a contrasting color'etfect, adding to the decorativeness of the slipper. In Fig. 8, there is a still different construction shown for a vamp 9b, and in this instance perforations 16 are provided in the upper layer only of the vamp. The stiffening element, designated 12a, is preferably colored so as to show through the perforations with a contrasting color effect.

If it is not desired to provide perforations through the entire vamp, as shown in Fig. 7, the perforations may be through the upper and lower sheets only of the vamp, and the stiffening element being made of trans parent material.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the vamp may be decorated in many and various ways to provide difierent eflects, without adding but negligibly to the cost of the manufactuer of the slipper.

In view of the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided an extremely economical household or bath slipper, which gives adequate and comfortable support to the foot at all times, is long lived, waterproof, pleasing in appearance, and which is so con structed as to provide a definite elevated heel and also a vamp portion that is maintained upwardly arched at all times to facilitate entering the foot in the slipper.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

A scufi type slipper comprising an insole sheet and an outsole sheet formed of thin thermoplastic material, a layer of thermoplastic cushioning material interposed between said insole sheet and said outsole sheet, a thermoplastic vamp over the insole sheet to hold the slipper on the foot of a user, and a single unitary heat seal seam joining said insole sheet, said vamp, said layer of cushioning material, and said outsole sheet at the peripheral edges of all four of said elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Goldberg Dec. 15, 1914 David June 17, 1924 Furcolo Feb. 5, 1929 Faulstich Mar. 11, 1930 Josephson Mar. 27, 1934 Stephens Feb. 25, 1936 'Daly Jan. 4, 1938 Gilbert et al Feb. 20, 1940 Maling Dec. 17, 1946 Stuart July 29, 1947 Glass Oct. 21, 1947 Levin Dec. 28, 1948 Zacks Aug. 7, 1951 Emmer Oct. 25, 1955 Silombra Nov. 29, 1955 Gerber May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 5, 1862 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1891 Australia Sept. 5, 1940

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