WO2023177812A1 - A slotted loops and flexible lace locking system and method for assembling pre-fabricated components - Google Patents

Abstract

The following disclosure relates to a method and system for securing and locking a pre-fabricated component of an article of manufacture to another pre-fabricated component of the article using a series of loops, a series of corresponding or matching features (e.g., flaps) having openings or slots configured to receive the matching loops, and a flexible lace. The flexible lace is configured to engage and lock/secure the slotted loops that are received in the features having openings or slots such that the flexible lace completes the assembly of the article

Description

A SLOTTED LOOPS AND FLEXIBLE LACE LOCKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

FOR ASSEMBLING PRE-FABRICATED COMPONENTS

[0001] The present patent document claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63/320,372, filed March 16, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety .

FIELD

[0002] The following disclosure relates to a method for assembling pre-fabricated components of an article of manufacture (or a product) by using a system for securing prefabricated components of an article or product. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a method for assembling a first pre-fabricated component and a second pre-fabricated component of footwear using the system for securing pre-fabricated components of the footwear, which does not require the use of an adhesive or glue.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Many techniques for locking or securing two components in assembling an article of manufacture (or a product) are generally known. In the case of footwear, the upper is the upper portion of the footwear that generally conforms to the shape of a foot, while the outsole is the lower portion of the footwear that is connected or attached to the upper and is designed to contact the floor or ground.

[0004] In a conventional method of assembling an upper of a footwear to an outsole of the footwear, it is generally know n to bind or cement a pre-fabricated form of the upper and a pre-fabricated form of the outsole together by applying an adhesive or glue and then drying and/or curing the adhesive or glue. In general, heavy machinery and Ultraviolet (UV) lights are necessary to carry out the gluing, drying, and/or curing of the adhesive or glue. [0005] Alternatively, or in conjunction with cementing, it is known to use stitching or sewing techniques to assemble the upper and the outsole together.

[0006] However, these conventional techniques for assembling footwear components have certain drawbacks. As indicated above, in the instance when adhesive or glue is used to cement the upper and the outsole together, heavy machinery such as mechanical presses, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, and UV lights may be necessary to carry out the cementing process. As a result, such a cementing process can leave a significant carbon footprint. Additionally, footwear made from such a cementing process is not readily recyclable into various separate material categories after it reaches its useful life because it is not easily disassembled into recyclable parts as the adhesive or glue must be removed, further adding to the carbon footprint of the footwear.

[0007] Sewing and stitching may also require heavy machinery to carry out the process of assembling footwear. In addition, footwear assembled by sewing and stitching are not readily disassembled and recycled. Therefore, these techniques also require a large carbon footprint and potentially complex systems.

[0008] However, there remains a need in the art to provide an improved method or system for locking or securing two pre-fabricated components of an article of manufacture or product, such as an upper and an outsole of footwear, that does not require the use of any adhesive, glue, sewing, or stitching and is easy, effective, and simple. This need is fulfilled by the present inventive concept described below.

SUMMARY

[0009] In one embodiment, a method for assembling pre-fabricated components of an article or product is provided, the method including providing a first pre-fabricated component having a series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first pre- fabricated component. The method further includes providing a second pre-fabricated component with a series of corresponding features configured to receive the series of loops. The features have openings or slots and are disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component. The method also includes slotting the series of loops of the first pre-fabricated component through the openings or slots of the corresponding features of the second pre-fabricated component. Additionally, the method includes securing the first pre-fabricated component and the second pre-fabricated component together with a lace that is passed through openings of the slotted series of loops such that the lace is configured to secure the slotted series of loops in the series of corresponding features in place.

[0010] In another embodiment, a system for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product is provided, the system including a first pre-fabricated component and a second pre-fabricated component. The first pre-fabricated component includes a series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first pre-fabricated component. The second pre-fabricated component includes a series of corresponding features configured to receive the series of loops. The features have openings or slots, and are disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component. The system further includes a lace configured to secure the series of loops in the series of corresponding features such as to secure the first pre-fabricated component to the second pre-fabricated component. The lace is passed through openings of the series of loops of the first prefabricated component when the series of loops are received through the series of corresponding features of the second pre-fabricated component.

[0011] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The embodiments of the disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the disclosure, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a partial perspective view of a system for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product that is implemented by footwear.

[0014] FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a first pre-fabricated component of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of a second pre-fabricated component of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of a lace of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5 depicts an inner-side view of an article of manufacture in the form of a footwear for a right foot in which the first pre-fabricated component and the second prefabricated component are assembled according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 6 depicts an outer-side view of the article of manufacture of FIG. 5.

[0019] FIG. 7 depicts a side view of a railing-type structure of a second pre-fabricated component of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following detailed description is merely an example in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are implementations provided to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in FIG. 1. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

[0022] As mentioned above, in conventional methods of assembling a first pre-fabricated component of a footwear to a second pre-fabricated component of the footwear, it is generally known to bind or cement the first pre-fabricated component (e g., an upper of the footwear) to the second pre-fabricated component (e.g., a outsole of the footwear) together by applying an adhesive or glue and then drying and/or curing the adhesive or glue. In general, heavy machinery and Ultraviolet (UV) lights are necessary to carry out the gluing, drying, and/or curing of the adhesive or glue.

[0023] Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved method or system that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks or meets one or more of the objectives listed below. [0024] As mentioned herein, the present disclosure is directed toward a method and system for securing and locking a pre-fabricated component of an article of manufacture to another pre-fabricated component of the article using a series of loops, a series of corresponding or matching features (e g., flaps) having openings or slots configured to receive the matching loops, and a flexible lace. The flexible lace is configured to engage and lock/secure the slotted loops that are received in the features having openings or slots such that the flexible lace completes the assembly of the article.

[0025] The present disclosure involving a modular footwear construction is advantageous in providing an improved method and system that will allow the assembly of an upper of a footwear and an outsole of a footwear in a faster and easier fashion than would otherwise be required with a method that employs an adhesive or glue. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an improved method or system to assemble an upper of a footwear and an outsole of a footwear that will not require any heavy machinery, such as sole stitching machines, mechanical press, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, UV lights, and the like.

[0026] The present disclosure is also advantageous in providing an improved method for locking or securing an upper of a footwear to an outsole of a footwear with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.

[0027] The present disclosure is also advantageous in providing an improved method for locking or securing an upper of a footwear to an outsole of a footwear in which the resulting footwear’s upper and outsole can be easily disassembled when the footwear has reached the end of its useful life and can be easily recycled into various material categories.

[0028] Additionally, the present disclosure is advantageous in providing an improved method for locking or securing an upper of a footwear to an outsole of a footwear in which footwears that are already made with this construction may be re-soled with a new replacement sole with great ease as only the sole and the sole lace is replaced manually without any glue and with or without the use of tools.

[0029] Further, the present disclosure is advantageous in providing an improved method that implements a new and unique technical engineering innovation for locking or securing two pre-fabricated components together (e.g., an upper of a footwear and an outsole of a footwear) so as to result in a product that has a new and unique visual appearance.

[0030] Additionally, the present disclosure is advantageous in providing an improved method that implements a new and unique technical engineering innovation for locking or securing tw o pre-fabricated components together so as to result in a product that has a new and unique visual appearance. The resulted product may be articles of clothing, bags, accessories, furniture, and the like, and is not limited to footwear.

[0031] Furthermore, the present disclosure is advantageous in providing footwear products that are better for the environment in a variety of ways, are comfortable to wear, and are easy to assemble.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, which depicts an embodiment of a system for securing prefabricated components of an article or product that is implemented by a footwear, the system 100 includes a first pre-fabricated component 102 (e.g., upper), a second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., outsole), and a lace 106. The first pre-fabricated component 102 includes a series of loops 102a along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first prefabricated component 102. The second pre-fabricated component 104 includes a series of corresponding features (e g., flaps or tabs) 104a having slots 104b (e.g., openings) formed therein. The flaps or tabs 104a can advantageously improve the flexibility the system 100. The features 104a are configured to receive the series of loops 102a by slots 1 4b in a slotted fashion. The features 104a having openings or slots 104b are disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component 104. The lace 106 is passed through the slotted loops 102a (i.e., passed through the opening defined by each loop) and then secured in place by enlarged tips 106a as shown in FIG. 4 (discussed further below). The lace 106 is configured to secure the series of loops 102a in the series of corresponding features 104a such as to secure the first pre-fabricated component 102 to the second prefabricated component 104 without any heavy machinery, such as sole stitching machines, mechanical press, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, UV lights, and the like.

[0033] As depicted in FIG. 1 , the first pre-fabricated component 102 may be an upper of a footwear and the second-pre-fabricated component 104 may be an outsole of a footwear. The lace 106 is configured to secure the series of loops 102a of the upper in the series of corresponding features 104a of the outsole such as to secure the upper to the outsole without any heavy machinery, such as sole stitching machines, mechanical press, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, UV lights, and the like.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the first pre-fabricated component 102 of the system 100 of the present disclosure. As depicted in FIG. 2, the first pre-fabricated component 102 includes the series of loops 102a. The series of loops 102a are provided as part of the pre-fabricated component of the article of manufacture, which in this case, the prefabricated component is the first pre-fabricated component 102. The first pre-fabricated component 102 may be an upper of a footwear generally conforming to the shape of a foot and resembling a sock. The loops 102a may be attached as part of the first pre-fabricated component 102 (e.g., the upper) in series around a bottom periphery of the first pre-fabricated component 102by any suitable technique, such as, but not limited to, by stitching or gluing. Alternatively, the series of loops 102a may be one integral piece with the first pre-fabricated component 102. It should be understood that the loops 102a need not be provided for the entire periphery of the pre-fabricated component 102 as shown in FIG. 1, but instead can be provided in only portions of the periphery (e.g., to assemble a strap and an outsole, or to assemble a sandal or open-toe footwear). In this regard, it should be readily apparent that in the embodiment in which the first pre-fabricated component 102 is an upper of a footwear, the first pre-fabricated component 102 or upper need not be in the form of a sock with a sole but rather an open upper without a sole, such as in the case where direct foot contact with an elastomeric (e.g., EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber)) second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., outsole) material would be desirable rather than a fabric-type material (e.g., a sandal that may be subject to water). It should be noted that any material and thickness of the prefabricated components may be used and is not limited to those described in the present disclosure.

[0035] The materials that may be used to make the loops 102a are not limited and can be any material that can provide sufficient locking or securement, such as fabric, leather, woven polymeric materials, and the like. The first pre-fabricated component 102 may be constructed from various materials known in the footwear art, e.g., fabric, leather, suede, woven polymeric materials, soft but sufficiently strong materials, and the like. The shapes of the loops 102a are not particularly limited and can be provided in a variety of configurations that are sufficient to provide the desired securement.

[0036] In another embodiment, the first pre-fabricated component 102 may include a prefabricated upper 109 and a pre-fabricated rand 110 as shown in FIG. 8 (described further below). The pre-fabricated rand 1 10 may be sewn to the pre-fabricated upper 109 and may include a series of loops 110a along a portion of a peripheral surface of the pre-fabricated rand 110. It should be noted that the pre-fabricated rand 110 and the pre-fabncated upper 109 are not limited to being sewn but may be assembled by adhesion, glue, or the like.

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the second pre-fabricated component 104 of the system 100 of the present disclosure. As depicted in FIG. 3, the features 104a have openings or slots 104b that are each configured to receive a corresponding or matching loop 102a. In FIG. 3, the features 104a are provided roughly in the shape of tooth-like protrusions that extend away (i.e., upwards) from an outer periphery of a top surface of the second prefabricated component 104, but it should be understood that the features 104a can be made of any shape as long as they are configured to receive the loops 102a in a locking or securing fashion when secured by the lace 106. Gaps or grooves 104c may be provided between the features 104a protruding from the second pre-fabricated component 104. In other words, the features 104a and the gaps 104c alternate between one another. The gaps 104c are configured to provide the second pre-fabricated component 104 or outsole with any desired flexibility or rigidity. It should be understood that the gaps 104c may be any size and may be positioned in any matter, and are not limited to the disclosure herein. For instance, as depicted in FIG. 7 (further discussed below), there may be no gaps 104c and instead maybe a railing type structure to accommodate a more rigid design.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, loops 102a may, if desired, be slotted through the openings or slots 104b on the features 104a in an inside-to-outside fashion to provide a unique physical and visual appearance to the assembled footwear of system 100 when locked or secured by the lace 106. Alternatively, the loops 102a may, if desired, be slotted through the openings or slots 104b on the features 104a in an outside-to-inside fashion to provide a unique physical and visual appearance to the assembled footwear of system 100 when locked or secured by the lace 106.

[0039] Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the features 104a having openings or slots 104b may be integral to the second pre-fabricated component 104 and may be provided on the upper portion of the second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., on an upper rand of an outsole). When the article of manufacture is a footwear, the second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., outsole) may be made from any matenal commonly used in the art, such as, but not limited to, molded elastomer (rubber) such as EVA elastomer, leather, and the like. The second pre-fabricated component 104 may be a single molded piece or may be made from multiple components that may be attached together. It is also within the scope of the disclosure to provide separate features 104a having openings or slots 104b, which are then attached to the upper portion of the second pre-fabricated component 104 by any suitable attachment technique.

[0040] Alternatively, the series of features 104a having slots 104b (e.g., openings) with gaps 104c therebetween may be replaced with a railing-type structure 108 including or defining slots 108a (e.g., openings), as depicted in FIG. 7. The railing-type structure may be integrally molded as part of the second pre-fabricated component 104 or separate from the second pre-fabricated component 104 but attached thereto by any conventional technique. The railing type structure 108 may be configured to provide more ri g i di ty to the footwear, thus eliminating some flexibility that may be incorporated by gaps in between the slots 108a. [0041] FIG. 4 illustrates the lace 106 of the system 100 of the present disclosure. In FIG. 4, the lace 106 is provided with enlarged tips 106a (i.e., tips that are sized larger than the loop openings to prevent the lace 106 from substantial movement). The enlarged tips 106a are configured to prevent the lace 106 from going back through the slotted loops 102a after the lace 106 has passed through the slotted loops 102a. In this way, the lace 106 is positioned in place as shown in FIG. 1 to lock or secure the slotted loops 102a on the first pre-fabricated component 102 and the features 104a on the second pre-fabricated component 104, thereby completing the assembly of the footwear in system 100. It should be noted however, that any number and length of laces may be used to lock or secure the slotted loops 102a on the first pre-fabricated component 102 and the features 104a on the second pre-fabricated component 104, as is not limited to the disclosure. Furthermore, the lace 106 may be made from any material and is not limited thereto. In this case, the lace 106 is made from flexible material

(e.g., cord, rope, wire, and the like). [0042] It should also be understood that, alternatively to the use of enlarged tips 106a, the lace 106 may be secured in place simply by tying (in a manner similar to tying a shoe lace) or knotting at its ends. The use of commercially-available or fabricated products (connectors, lace locks, clasps, and the like) that permit tying of loose ends is also within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that the lace 106 may be secured to the first pre-fabricated component 102, the second pre-fabricated component 104, or a combination thereof. For instance, the lace 106 may be tied to the first-fabricated component 102 instead of being tied to itself.

[0043] As mentioned herein, one or more laces 106 of shorter lengths may be used. For example, in the case of sandals, two shorter laces 106 may be used on both sides of the first pre-fabricated component 102, which may simply be in the form of a flexible panel or strap that would conform to a foot. It is also within the scope of the present disclosure to use more than one lace 106 passed through the slotted loops 102a to enhance securement or present a different appearance.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the simple but technically innovative system for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product of the present disclosure provides a unique and recognizable visual appearance. In these figures, the slotted loops 102a, features 104a having openings or slots 104b, and a single lace 106 are positioned all around the periphery of the footwear. While the enlarged tips 106a of the lace 106 are connected to each other at a mid-point of the inner side of the footwear (i.e., a midpoint of the first prefabricated component 1 2 and the second pre-fabricated component 104), as shown in FIG. 5, the enlarged tips 106a of the lace 106 may be connected to each other at any position along the periphery of the footwear.

[0045] When the footwear of system 100 reaches the end of its useful life, it can be easily recycled into various material categories. For example, the lace 106 may simply be cut using a pair of scissors or other cutting device to separate the first pre-fabricated component 102 from the second pre-fabricated component 104. This is because, unlike conventional methods and systems, an adhesive, glue, and/or stitching are not required to assemble the first prefabricated component 102 and the second pre-fabricated component 104. In the present disclosure, extra equipment such as heavy machinery (e.g., sole stitching machines, mechanical press, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, UV lights, and the like) and other complex systems are unnecessary, as discussed herein. Therefore, the method and system according to the present disclosure results in a modular footwear construction that is environmentally-friendly and substantially reduces carbon footprints.

[0046] The system 100 for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product, as depicted in FIG. 1, may be assembled by first providing a first pre-fabricated component 102 that has a series of loops 102a along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first prefabricated component 102, over a second pre-fabricated component 104. As mentioned above, the second pre-fabricated component 104 includes a series of corresponding features 104a that are configured to receive the series of loops 102a of the first pre-fabricated component 102. The features 104a have openings or slots 104b and the features 104a are along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component 104. [0047] Next, the loops 102a of the first pre-fabricated component 102 are slotted through the slots 104b of the corresponding features 104a of the second pre-fabricated component 104. The first pre-fabricated component 102 and the second pre-fabricated component 104 are secured/locked together with a lace 106 that is passed through the openings of the slotted series of loops 102a (i.e., passed through the openings defined by each loop) such that the lace 106 is configured to secure the series of loops 102a in the series of corresponding features 104a in place. The lace 106 is secured to itself either by tying, locking, knotting, or the like the ends of the lace 106. In another embodiment, as discussed above, the lace 106 may be secured to either the first pre-fabricated component 102 (e.g., upper) or the second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., outsole).

[0048] FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of the system 100 of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of a system 200 where a previously worn footwear may be resoled and the upper 109 of the previously worn footwear may be reused. Referring to FIG. 8, the system 200 includes a first pre-fabricated component 102, a second pre-fabricated component 104, and a lace 106. The first pre-fabricated component 102 may include a prefabricated upper 109 (e.g., an upper of a previously worn footwear) and a pre-fabricated rand 110. The pre-fabricated rand 110 may include an upper portion and a lower portion. Furthermore, the pre-fabricated rand 110 may include two layers, an interior layer and an exterior layer, and an opening 110b formed between the interior layer and an exterior layer at the top of the pre-fabricated rand 110. Thus, the opening 110b between the two layers at the top of the pre-fabricated rand 110 is configured to receive a lower portion of the prefabricated upper 109. In other words, the lower portion of the pre-fabricated upper 109 is received by the opening 110b of the rand 110. The rand 110 can then be sewn or connected (e.g., stitched, glued or riveted) to the pre-fabricated upper 109 now positioned in between the two layers of the rand 1 10.

[0049] Furthermore, the upper portion of the pre-fabricated rand 110 may have a series of loops 1 10a The series of loops 1 10a may be along a portion of a peripheral surface of the pre-fabricated rand 110. The series of loops 110a may be stitched or otherwise connected to the upper portion of the pre-fabricated rand 110 in a configuration that is upside down compared to the configuration shown and described above, however either configuration (i.e., direction) of the loops 110a is possible. The lower portion of the pre-fabricated rand 110 may have a skirt 110c, which is along a portion of a penpheral surface of the lower portion of the pre-fabricated rand 110. The skirt 110c is configured to be provided inside the second pre- fabricated component 104. In other words, when the pre-fabricated rand 110 is assembled to the second pre-fabricated component 104 (e.g., outsole) and an insole 111 is added into the interior of the pre-fabricated upper 109, the skirt 110c is positioned between the outside (i.e., bottom) of the insole 111 and the inside (i.e., top) of the second pre-fabricated component 104. Stated another way, when the insole 111 is added, the insole 11 squeezes the skirt 110c in between the outside/bottom of the insole 111 and the inside/top of the outsole 104. As the components are already secured, this squeezing of the skirt 110c in between the insole 111 and outsole 104 can easily stay in place, which is enforced by a foot standing on top of the footbed, thereby tightening the squeeze.

[0050] As mentioned above, the second pre-fabricated component 104 includes a series of corresponding features 104a configured to receive the series of loops 110a by the slots 104b (e.g., openings) in a slotted fashion. The features 104a and included openings or slots 104b are disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component 104.

[0051] The pre-fabricated rand 110 and the pre-fabricated upper 109 (i.e., the first prefabricated components) are assembled to the second pre-fabricated component 104 by the series of loops 110a and features 104a. The series of loops 110a are provided through the slots 104b of the features 104a. The lace 106 is configured to secure the series of loops 110a in the series of corresponding features 104a to secure the pre-fabricated upper 109 and the pre-fabricated rand 110 (i.e., the first pre-fabricated component 102) to the second prefabricated component 104 without any heavy machinery, such as sole stitching machines, mechanical press, buffing machines, adhesive ovens, UV lights, and the like. The lace 106 is provided with enlarged tips 106a after the lace 106 is passed through the slotted loops 110a. The enlarged tips 106a are configured to prevent the lace 106 from going back through the slotted loops 110a after the lace 106 has passed through the slotted loops 110a. In this way. the lace 106 is positioned in place to lock or secure the slotted loops 110a on the first prefabricated component 102 and the features 104a on the second pre-fabricated component 104, thereby completing the assembly of the footwear in system 200.

[0052] The system 200 depicted in FIG. 8 for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product may be assembled by first providing a first pre-fabricated component 102 over a second pre-fabricated component 104. The first pre-fabricated component 102 is assembled by providing the lower portion of the pre-fabricated upper 109 into the opening 110b of the rand 110. Once the pre-fabricated upper 109 is inserted into the opening 110b, the rand 110 is sewn, glued, riveted, or the like to the pre-fabricated upper 109. When the prefabricated upper 109 and the rand 110 are sewn or otherwise connected together, the prefabricated rand 110 is inserted into the second pre-fabricated component 104. The skirt 110c at the bottom portion of the rand 110 is tucked inward (i.e., toward the center of the rand 110 and the second pre-fabricated component 104), such that the tucked in portion of the skirt 110c lays on the top surface of the second pre-fabricated component 104. The loops of the pre-fabricated rand 110 are slotted through the corresponding features 104a of the second pre-fabricated component 104. The first pre-fabricated component 102, which includes the pre-fabricated upper 109 and the pre-fabricated rand 110, and the second pre-fabricated component 104 are secured/locked together with a lace 106 that is passed through the openings of the slotted series of loops 110a such that the lace 106 is configured to secure the series of loops 110a in the series of corresponding features 104a in place. The lace 106 is secured by tying, locking, knotting, and the like the ends 106a of the lace 106 together.

Lastly, a sole 111 is positioned inside the footwear in-between the first pre-fabncated component 102 and the second pre-fabncated component 104. The insole 111 is positioned on top of the skirt 110c of the pre-fabncated rand 110, thereby securing the skirt 110c. Thus, as a user wear the footwear, the skirt 110c is squeezed between the insole 111 and the second pre-fabricated component 104.

[0053] While the disclosed system and method is described with reference to footwear, the system and method may be used for more than footwear alone, such as articles of clothing, bags, accessories, equipment, furniture, and the like. Thus, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that changes, additions and/or deletions may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0054] One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “disclosure” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular disclosure or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the herein embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, are apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the description.

[0055] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0056] As used herein, “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” or “including” are meant to introduce examples that further clarify more general subject matter. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, such examples are provided only as an aid for understanding embodiments illustrated in the present disclosure and are not meant to be limiting in any fashion. Nor do these phrases indicate any kind of preference for the disclosed embodiment. [0057] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter.

[0058] It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting and that it should be understood that the following claims including all equivalents are intended to define the scope of the disclosure. The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for assembling pre-fabricated components of an article or product, the method comprising: providing a first pre-fabricated component having a series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first pre-fabricated component, providing a second pre-fabricated component with a series of corresponding features configured to receive the series of loops, the features having openings or slots, the features being disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second prefabricated component; slotting the series of loops of the first pre-fabricated component through the openings or slots of the corresponding features of the second pre-fabricated component; and securing the first pre-fabricated component and the second pre-fabricated component together with a lace that is passed through openings of the slotted series of loops such that the lace is configured to secure the slotted series of loops in the series of corresponding features in place.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pre-fabricated component is one integral piece, the integral piece being an upper of a footwear, and wherein the second prefabricated component is an outsole of a footwear.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the series of features of the second prefabricated component are configured to have gaps between individual features of the series of features to provide flexibility when a footwear is worn.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pre-fabricated component comprises a pre-fabricated upper and a pre-fabricated rand.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pre-fabricated rand comprises an opening formed between an interior layer and an exterior layer of the pre-fabricated rand, the opening configured to received a lower portion of the pre-fabricated upper.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-fabricated rand further comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion of the pre-fabricated rand having the series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the exterior layer, and the lower portion of the pre-fabricated rand having a skirt.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising inserting a lower portion of the prefabricated upper into the opening of the pre-fabricated rand, and connecting the prefabricated rand to the pre-fabricated upper.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising inserting an insole into an interior of the pre-fabricated upper, the insole being positioned on top of a folded portion of the skirt of the pre-fabricated rand such as to squeeze the folded portion of the skirt of the pre-fabricated rand between the insole and the second pre-fabricated component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lace is a flexible lace configured to secure to itself or configured to secure to the first pre-fabricated component, the second prefabricated component, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the lace is a plurality of flexible laces configured to secure to one another or configured to secure to the first pre-fabricated component, the second pre-fabricated component, or a combination thereof.

11. A system for securing pre-fabricated components of an article or product, the system comprising: a first pre-fabricated component having a series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the first pre-fabricated component, a second pre-fabricated component having a series of corresponding features configured to receive the series of loops, the features having openings or slots, the features being disposed along at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the second pre-fabricated component; and a lace configured to secure the series of loops in the series of corresponding features such as to secure the first pre-fabricated component to the second pre-fabricated component, wherein the lace is passed through openings of the series of loops of the first prefabricated component when the series of loops are received through the series of corresponding features of the second pre-fabricated component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first pre-fabricated component is one integral piece, the integral piece being an upper of a footwear, and wherein the second prefabricated component is an outsole of a footwear.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the series of corresponding features of the second pre-fabricated component are configured to have gaps between individual features of the series of corresponding features to provide flexibility when a footwear is worn.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first pre-fabricated component comprises a pre-fabricated upper and a pre-fabricated rand of a footwear.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the pre-fabricated rand comprises an opening formed between an interior layer and an exterior layer of the pre-fabricated rand, the opening configured to receive a lower portion of the pre-fabricated upper.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the pre-fabricated rand further comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion of the pre-fabricated rand having the series of loops along a portion of a peripheral surface of the exterior layer, and the lower portion of the pre-fabricated rand having a skirt.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the pre-fabricated upper is configured to be inserted into the opening of the pre-fabricated rand, and the pre-fabricated upper is connected to the pre-fabricated rand.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an insole configured to be inserted into an interior of the pre-fabricated upper, the insole being positioned on top of a folded portion of the skirt of the pre-fabricated rand such as to squeeze the folded portion of the skirt of the pre-fabricated rand between the insole and the second pre-fabricated component.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the lace is a flexible lace configured to secure to itself or configured to secure to the first pre-fabricated component, the second prefabricated component, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the lace is a plurality of flexible laces configured to secure to one another or configured to secure to the first pre-fabricated component, the second pre-fabricated component, or a combination thereof.