US20140082967A1 - Shoe Assembly with Provision for Adding Decorative Elements - Google Patents
Shoe Assembly with Provision for Adding Decorative Elements Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140082967A1 US20140082967A1 US14/032,339 US201314032339A US2014082967A1 US 20140082967 A1 US20140082967 A1 US 20140082967A1 US 201314032339 A US201314032339 A US 201314032339A US 2014082967 A1 US2014082967 A1 US 2014082967A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- sole
- eyes
- shoe assembly
- shoe
- strap
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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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
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B23/00—Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear
- A43B23/24—Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
- A43B23/25—Arrangement of ribbons on footwear
Definitions
- the present invention is in the technical field of footwear. More particularly, the present invention is in the field of interchangeable attachments that can be added to footwear.
- Footwear is generally constructed with a sole which has a ground-contacting surface and a foot-receiving surface, a heel which may be flat, raised, or somewhere in between, and an upper or vamp, which is the front portion of the shoe that surrounds the toes and instep region of the foot.
- the upper portion of the shoe is typically the most visible portion of the shoe, it is consequently the portion that is the most decorative or which is designed to receive or mount decorative elements.
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,359 to Bricker teaches an interchangeable shoe strap system in which a permanent foot-retaining strap is covered with one of the halves of a hook and loop fastener. The underside of the interchangeable decorative straps is covered with the other half of the hook and loop fastener for mating with the permanent strap.
- the present system allows multiple types of decorative straps to be attached and removed from the front portion of a women's shoe utilizing hook and eye attachments with the eyes being secured at or near the area where the sole and upper of the shoe come together on the front portion of the shoe and the hooks being secured on each end of the decorative strap.
- the attachment mechanism is less visible, provides for a more secure attachment, and is not involved in supporting the foot, as it is for decorative purposes.
- FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the shoe portion of the present system
- FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the front shoe portion of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the decorative strap portion
- FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the decorative strap portion of FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the decorative strap attached to the shoe.
- the shoe comprises a sole 1 and an upper 2 .
- An eye portion 3 which comprises one part of a fastening means is attached between the sole 1 and upper 2 .
- the eye which may also be attached solely to the sole or the upper, projects radially from its attachment point, substantially perpendicular to the shoe.
- the decorative strap 4 comprises a decorative accessory which can be of varying materials and design. A portion of this strap may contain an elastic material 5 . Each end of the strap 4 has a hook portion 6 of the fastening means for the strap 4 .
- the decorative strap is attached to the shoe by connecting the hook 6 with an eye 3 on each side of the shoe.
- the combination of the decorative accessory strap 4 and elastic material 5 stretch over the top portion of the upper 2 . This arrangement keeps the strap adjacent, or substantially adjacent the upper of the shoe without the need for additional securing means.
- the eye fastener 3 may be connected to the top portion of the sole 1 before attaching the upper 2 to the sole 1 during shoe manufacture so that the eye protrudes slightly out from the side of the shoe between the sole 1 and upper 2 . Placement of the fastener 3 is important to ensure proper alignment of the decorative strap on the upper 2 of the shoe. The relative portions of the hook and eye may be reversed.
- the eye may also be supplied as an aftermarket item and applied to the shoe with a suitable attachment means, for example sharp pointed ends that are pressed into the sole, adhesives, etc.
- the eyes 3 have a closed configuration so that there are no free ends that could possibly catch on the wearer's other clothing, for example the leg portion of slacks.
- the closed configuration also prevents the eye from engaging other objects, e.g. carpeting, and being dislodged from the sole of the shoe.
- the small, unobtrusive, nature of the eyes also permits the wearing of the shoe with no decorative strap or other element fastened thereto, thereby providing a simple, elegant, appearance.
- the eyes may be retractable inwardly toward or into the sole, with a suitable recess being provided therefor.
- the retractability may be facilitated by a spring-loaded mechanism (not shown).
- a spring-loaded mechanism (not shown). With this mechanism, from an extended position as shown in FIG. 2 , the wearer pushes the eye inwardly toward the shoe until it latches in a retracted position, substantially flush with the outer perimeter of the sole. Pressing inwardly on the retracted eye then releases the latch such that the eye returns to its extended position and is ready for use.
- This alternate embodiment also prevents the eye from engaging clothes, carpeting, etc., and presents a streamlined appearance for the shoe in the retracted position.
- the eye may be formed from a malleable material that can be bent inwardly against the sole when not in use. For using the eye, it is simply bent outwardly to an extended position.
- the eyes may be hinged and have a folded and locked position and an extended position.
- the decorative strap 4 can be made a number of ways with different designs and with a plurality of different materials, such as leather, vinyl, cloth, etc.
- the strap may also have decorative devices placed or secured thereon, such as, but not limited to, belts and bows.
- the provision of elastic material 5 for a particular portion of the strap is to allow the strap to stretch over the upper 2 of the shoe.
- the hook 6 is connected to each end of the strap.
- the strap 4 is created to specific dimensions of an individual upper 2 and sole 1 , it may not be necessary to include the elastic material to accommodate various shoes and shoe sizes, as the strap would be substantially flush with the upper.
- a user can buy multiple decorative straps to attach to a single pair of shoes instead of buying multiple pairs of shoes with a different design across the upper of each shoe. This is particularly advantageous for shoes that are relatively expensive, i.e. dress shoes, but which are necessary in a business environment.
Abstract
A shoe with a sole and an upper with closed eyes extending radially from the sole on each side near the front portion of the upper. Decorative accessories, such as straps having open-ended hooks are selectively engageable with the eyes for changing the appearance of the shoe.
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/705,940, filed Sep. 26, 2012, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention is in the technical field of footwear. More particularly, the present invention is in the field of interchangeable attachments that can be added to footwear.
- Footwear is generally constructed with a sole which has a ground-contacting surface and a foot-receiving surface, a heel which may be flat, raised, or somewhere in between, and an upper or vamp, which is the front portion of the shoe that surrounds the toes and instep region of the foot.
- As the upper portion of the shoe is typically the most visible portion of the shoe, it is consequently the portion that is the most decorative or which is designed to receive or mount decorative elements.
- Rather than buying multiple pairs of shoes to acquire a different look in one's footwear, accessories have been developed to change or customize the upper portion of shoes. For example, the patent to Epstein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,311 teaches a footwear construction having interchangeable decorative straps secured to the sides of the upper by hook and loop fasteners, which have covers when they are not in use, or by the use of protruding open hook members to secure the decorative strap members.
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,359 to Bricker teaches an interchangeable shoe strap system in which a permanent foot-retaining strap is covered with one of the halves of a hook and loop fastener. The underside of the interchangeable decorative straps is covered with the other half of the hook and loop fastener for mating with the permanent strap.
- The U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0266506 to Barteet teaches a shoe assembly in which interchangeable straps for the instep and heel portions are secured to the base of the shoe with snap fasteners.
- Despite these and other prior art teachings, and given the expense particularly of dress shoes, there remains a need in the art for an unobtrusive and relatively inexpensive means to provide for an interchangeable decorative strap and fastener system for footwear.
- The present system allows multiple types of decorative straps to be attached and removed from the front portion of a women's shoe utilizing hook and eye attachments with the eyes being secured at or near the area where the sole and upper of the shoe come together on the front portion of the shoe and the hooks being secured on each end of the decorative strap. The attachment mechanism is less visible, provides for a more secure attachment, and is not involved in supporting the foot, as it is for decorative purposes.
-
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the shoe portion of the present system; -
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the front shoe portion ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the decorative strap portion; -
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the decorative strap portion ofFIG. 3 ; and -
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the decorative strap attached to the shoe. - The shoe comprises a sole 1 and an upper 2. An
eye portion 3, which comprises one part of a fastening means is attached between the sole 1 and upper 2. The eye, which may also be attached solely to the sole or the upper, projects radially from its attachment point, substantially perpendicular to the shoe. - The
decorative strap 4 comprises a decorative accessory which can be of varying materials and design. A portion of this strap may contain anelastic material 5. Each end of thestrap 4 has ahook portion 6 of the fastening means for thestrap 4. - The decorative strap is attached to the shoe by connecting the
hook 6 with aneye 3 on each side of the shoe. The combination of thedecorative accessory strap 4 andelastic material 5 stretch over the top portion of the upper 2. This arrangement keeps the strap adjacent, or substantially adjacent the upper of the shoe without the need for additional securing means. - The
eye fastener 3 may be connected to the top portion of the sole 1 before attaching the upper 2 to the sole 1 during shoe manufacture so that the eye protrudes slightly out from the side of the shoe between the sole 1 and upper 2. Placement of thefastener 3 is important to ensure proper alignment of the decorative strap on the upper 2 of the shoe. The relative portions of the hook and eye may be reversed. The eye may also be supplied as an aftermarket item and applied to the shoe with a suitable attachment means, for example sharp pointed ends that are pressed into the sole, adhesives, etc. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , in addition to being quite small and unobtrusive, theeyes 3 have a closed configuration so that there are no free ends that could possibly catch on the wearer's other clothing, for example the leg portion of slacks. The closed configuration also prevents the eye from engaging other objects, e.g. carpeting, and being dislodged from the sole of the shoe. - Unlike prior art designs, the small, unobtrusive, nature of the eyes also permits the wearing of the shoe with no decorative strap or other element fastened thereto, thereby providing a simple, elegant, appearance.
- The eyes may be retractable inwardly toward or into the sole, with a suitable recess being provided therefor. The retractability may be facilitated by a spring-loaded mechanism (not shown). With this mechanism, from an extended position as shown in
FIG. 2 , the wearer pushes the eye inwardly toward the shoe until it latches in a retracted position, substantially flush with the outer perimeter of the sole. Pressing inwardly on the retracted eye then releases the latch such that the eye returns to its extended position and is ready for use. This alternate embodiment also prevents the eye from engaging clothes, carpeting, etc., and presents a streamlined appearance for the shoe in the retracted position. - In another alternative embodiment, the eye may be formed from a malleable material that can be bent inwardly against the sole when not in use. For using the eye, it is simply bent outwardly to an extended position. In a further embodiment, the eyes may be hinged and have a folded and locked position and an extended position.
- The
decorative strap 4 can be made a number of ways with different designs and with a plurality of different materials, such as leather, vinyl, cloth, etc. The strap may also have decorative devices placed or secured thereon, such as, but not limited to, belts and bows. The provision ofelastic material 5 for a particular portion of the strap is to allow the strap to stretch over the upper 2 of the shoe. Thehook 6 is connected to each end of the strap. - If the
strap 4 is created to specific dimensions of an individual upper 2 and sole 1, it may not be necessary to include the elastic material to accommodate various shoes and shoe sizes, as the strap would be substantially flush with the upper. - A user can buy multiple decorative straps to attach to a single pair of shoes instead of buying multiple pairs of shoes with a different design across the upper of each shoe. This is particularly advantageous for shoes that are relatively expensive, i.e. dress shoes, but which are necessary in a business environment.
- While an embodiment of an interchangeable, decorative strap, shoe assembly and modifications thereof, have been shown and described in detail herein, various additional changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims.
Claims (9)
1. A shoe assembly comprising a sole and an upper for receiving a wearer's foot, and a closed eye extending radially from said sole on both sides thereof in the vicinity of the front of the wearer's foot.
2. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 1 and including a decorative accessory having a hook at each end thereof, said hooks being selectively engageable with said eyes for decorating said shoe assembly.
3. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said eyes are comprised of a malleable material such that the eyes can be selectively bent inwardly forward or away from said upper.
4. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said eyes are secured between said sole and said upper.
5. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said eyes are retractably mounted in said sole.
6. A shoe assembly comprising a sole with right and left sides and an upper for receiving the foot of a wearer, said sole having at least one closed eye extending radially therefrom on both sides of the sole, a strap having two ends and an open-ended hook on each of said ends for engaging said closed eyes and securing said strap across said upper for decorating said upper, whereby said strap can be selectively installed and removed by the wearer.
7. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 6 in which said eyes are comprised of a malleable material such that the eyes can be selectively bent inwardly forward or away from said upper.
8. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 6 in which said eyes are secured between said sole and said upper.
9. A shoe assembly as defined in claim 6 in which said eyes are retractably mounted in said sole.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/032,339 US20140082967A1 (en) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-09-20 | Shoe Assembly with Provision for Adding Decorative Elements |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201261705940P | 2012-09-26 | 2012-09-26 | |
US14/032,339 US20140082967A1 (en) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-09-20 | Shoe Assembly with Provision for Adding Decorative Elements |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20140082967A1 true US20140082967A1 (en) | 2014-03-27 |
Family
ID=50337459
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/032,339 Abandoned US20140082967A1 (en) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-09-20 | Shoe Assembly with Provision for Adding Decorative Elements |
Country Status (1)
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US (1) | US20140082967A1 (en) |
Citations (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US136649A (en) * | 1873-03-11 | Improvement in shoe-fastenings | ||
US6212797B1 (en) * | 1999-06-15 | 2001-04-10 | David Merry | Footwear with detachable spat |
US20030192205A1 (en) * | 2002-04-15 | 2003-10-16 | Linens Brian Jay | Shoes with interchangeable shoe covers |
US6769204B1 (en) * | 2002-09-05 | 2004-08-03 | Lindsay M. Phillips | Sandal system |
US20050039345A1 (en) * | 2001-04-24 | 2005-02-24 | Jones Lindell B. | Reversible footwear strap |
US20060248753A1 (en) * | 2005-05-03 | 2006-11-09 | Welsh Jeannine M | Shoe with attachable upper |
US7272899B1 (en) * | 2004-02-13 | 2007-09-25 | Karen Lee Marak | Exchangeable strap shoes |
US20100000126A1 (en) * | 2008-07-02 | 2010-01-07 | Dina Ortner | Shoes With Removable Decorative Appliques |
US20100037486A1 (en) * | 2008-08-12 | 2010-02-18 | Luisa Verheijen | Modular Shoe Apparatus |
US7819721B1 (en) * | 2006-12-27 | 2010-10-26 | Messier Charlotte F | Interchangeable decorative accessories for personal adornment |
US20120137543A1 (en) * | 2005-09-10 | 2012-06-07 | Quintana Kemp | Collapsible shoe and replaceable straps and methods for making and using same |
US8250780B1 (en) * | 2010-04-19 | 2012-08-28 | Eidys Diaz | Sandal system with interchangeable straps |
US20130219751A1 (en) * | 2012-02-23 | 2013-08-29 | Kimberly Ann Catlett | Shoe system with interchangeable uppers |
US8661715B2 (en) * | 2010-01-25 | 2014-03-04 | Karen Q. Roth | Reconfigurable footwear |
US20140360054A1 (en) * | 2013-06-05 | 2014-12-11 | Erin Scott LESLIE | Article for footwear that prevents a wearer's foot from slipping out of the footwear |
US20150128454A1 (en) * | 2013-11-12 | 2015-05-14 | William Lange Sykes | Shoe and shoe ornamenting devices |
-
2013
- 2013-09-20 US US14/032,339 patent/US20140082967A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US136649A (en) * | 1873-03-11 | Improvement in shoe-fastenings | ||
US6212797B1 (en) * | 1999-06-15 | 2001-04-10 | David Merry | Footwear with detachable spat |
US20050039345A1 (en) * | 2001-04-24 | 2005-02-24 | Jones Lindell B. | Reversible footwear strap |
US20030192205A1 (en) * | 2002-04-15 | 2003-10-16 | Linens Brian Jay | Shoes with interchangeable shoe covers |
US6769204B1 (en) * | 2002-09-05 | 2004-08-03 | Lindsay M. Phillips | Sandal system |
US7272899B1 (en) * | 2004-02-13 | 2007-09-25 | Karen Lee Marak | Exchangeable strap shoes |
US20060248753A1 (en) * | 2005-05-03 | 2006-11-09 | Welsh Jeannine M | Shoe with attachable upper |
US20120137543A1 (en) * | 2005-09-10 | 2012-06-07 | Quintana Kemp | Collapsible shoe and replaceable straps and methods for making and using same |
US7819721B1 (en) * | 2006-12-27 | 2010-10-26 | Messier Charlotte F | Interchangeable decorative accessories for personal adornment |
US20100000126A1 (en) * | 2008-07-02 | 2010-01-07 | Dina Ortner | Shoes With Removable Decorative Appliques |
US20100037486A1 (en) * | 2008-08-12 | 2010-02-18 | Luisa Verheijen | Modular Shoe Apparatus |
US8661715B2 (en) * | 2010-01-25 | 2014-03-04 | Karen Q. Roth | Reconfigurable footwear |
US8250780B1 (en) * | 2010-04-19 | 2012-08-28 | Eidys Diaz | Sandal system with interchangeable straps |
US20130219751A1 (en) * | 2012-02-23 | 2013-08-29 | Kimberly Ann Catlett | Shoe system with interchangeable uppers |
US20140360054A1 (en) * | 2013-06-05 | 2014-12-11 | Erin Scott LESLIE | Article for footwear that prevents a wearer's foot from slipping out of the footwear |
US20150128454A1 (en) * | 2013-11-12 | 2015-05-14 | William Lange Sykes | Shoe and shoe ornamenting devices |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |