Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
  • A43B3/24—Collapsible or convertible
  • A43B3/242—Collapsible or convertible characterised by the upper
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B1/00—Footwear characterised by the material
  • A43B1/0027—Footwear characterised by the material made at least partially from a material having special colours
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B23/00—Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear
  • A43B23/02—Uppers; Boot legs
  • A43B23/0245—Uppers; Boot legs characterised by the constructive form

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to footwear and in particular to footwear comprising a multi-partite article with separable and interchangeable parts.
• the present invention seeks to provide improvements in or relating to footwear.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 bottom part
• the path of the fastener may be formed, so as to provide resistance to water entry.
• the path of the zip may be designed to guarantee waterproof resistance. 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.
• 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.
• a fastener such as a zip.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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 1 3 show the shoe of figures 9 to 10 in partially unzipped states
• Figures 14 to 16 show a bottom shoe part of the shoe of figures 9 to 1 3 when fully separated from the top part which is shown in figure 17;
• 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;
• 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.
• FIG. 10 there is shown a shoe generally indicated 10.
• 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.
• 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 material.
• the periphery of the part 20 is provided with the matching half 25b of the zip fastener.
• the upper part 20 is provided with the zip pull 28.
• the upper part 20 is provided with eyelets 45 for receiving laces 50.
• 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 I to 4.
• FIGS 9 and 10 a shoe I 10 formed according to an alternative embodiment is shown.
• the shoe I 10 is similar to the shoe 10 shown in figures I to 9.
• the shoe is formed as a "slip-on" type shoe rather than a "lace-up" type shoe.
• Figures I I to 12 show the shoe I 10 as it is unzipped to form the lower I 15 and upper 120 components shown separately in figures 14 to 16 and 17 respectively.
• FIG 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.
• parts such as those shown in figure 17 and 19 can be used with the same part of the type shown in figure 18.
• upper parts can be used with different lower parts, all bearing the same corresponding attachment means.

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• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Cited By (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2015
  • 2015-05-08 GB GB1507909.8A patent/GB2538106A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-03-26 WO PCT/EP2016/056740 patent/WO2016180567A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2016-03-31 CN CN201620267787.2U patent/CN206182468U/zh active Active

Patent Citations (3)

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