US20090019736A1 - Shoe - Google Patents
Shoe Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20090019736A1 US20090019736A1 US11/780,457 US78045707A US2009019736A1 US 20090019736 A1 US20090019736 A1 US 20090019736A1 US 78045707 A US78045707 A US 78045707A US 2009019736 A1 US2009019736 A1 US 2009019736A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- shoe
- closure means
- sole
- original shape
- closed state
- 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
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B11/00—Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
- A43B3/06—Shoes with flaps; Footwear with divided uppers
Abstract
A shoe including a sole to which is joined a flexible upper having two overlapping flap members. The flap members engage each other by securely resting one on top of the other to form a vamp covering the front portion of a wearer's foot. The flap members disengage to expose the entire interior length of the sole. The preferred closure means is hidden inside the layers of the flexible upper and is made of an elastomeric material capable of returning to one or more original shapes after being stretched or deformed.
Description
- The present invention relates generally to articles of footwear and, more particularly, to a shoe that allows insertion of a foot without sliding motions.
- Irrespective of the outer aesthetics and other decorative designs, shoes known in the art are worn via a few traditional methods. These include inserting a foot via an opening between the vamp and the backstay for men's footwear, and inserting a foot via an opening between the toe box and the heel for women's shoes. In recent years, shoes for children or infants have adopted certain designs, such as using Velcro fastening means, to facilitate the action of putting on or taking off a shoe.
- However, all of the above-mentioned prior art require a sliding motion of the foot when a shoe is being put on or taken off. As the wearer is visually unaware of the position of the toes relative to the shoe, persons lacking full dexterity in their legs or feet, such as young children or the elderly, may have difficulty putting on the shoe. Likewise, infants' feet are often injured when their parents attempt to put on their shoes for them because the parents cannot see the position of the toes inside the shoes.
- Therefore, there exists a need for a shoe that provides visibility of a wearer's toes and eliminates the requirement for sliding motions when the shoe is being put on.
- The subject invention discloses a shoe that includes a sole to which is joined a flexible upper having two overlapping flap members. The flap members engage each other by securely resting one on top of the other to form a vamp covering the front portion of a wearer's foot. The flap members disengage to expose the entire interior length of the sole.
- In the preferred embodiment, the overlapped portions of the two overlapping flap members are sufficiently large such that they can be adjusted to accommodate width and depth variations of a wearer's feet.
- The preferred closure means for a shoe in accordance with the present invention is embedded in the layers of the flexible upper and hidden from view. In one aspect of the preferred embodiment, the closure means is made of an elastic material capable of returning to an original shape after being stretched, expanded or deformed. In another aspect of the preferred embodiment, the closure means is made of an elatomeric flexure material capable of retaining and being switched back and forth between either of two stable states.
- It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shoe which a foot can be inserted into without any sliding motion.
- It is another object of the present invention to provide a shoe that allows a wearer to see where the foot is with respect to the shoe, from toes to heel, when placing the foot inside the shoe.
- It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shoe with no visible closure means.
- It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a shoe that can be easily put on by young children, the elderly or others without full dexterity in their feet or legs.
- The present invention will be better understood from the following description of one embodiment in accordance with the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals reference like elements, and wherein:
-
FIG. 1 is a top view of a shoe in accordance with the present invention in an open state; -
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the shoe ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the shoe ofFIG. 1 in a closed state; -
FIG. 4 is a view of a closure means in accordance with the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a view of another closure means in accordance with the present invention; and -
FIG. 6 is a view of yet another closure means in accordance with the present invention. - Referring to
FIGS. 1-3 , ashoe 1 in accordance with the present invention includes a sole 10 having ananterior end 11 and aposterior end 12, to which is affixed a flexible upper 20 shaped to surround at least a portion of a wearer's foot. The flexible upper 20 extends along either side of the instep and around theheel 24, and includes two overlappingflap members 21 which engage each other to form a vamp covering the front portion of a wearer's foot. - Turning now to
FIG. 1 , theshoe 1 is in an open state in which the two overlappingflap members 21 are disengaged such that the interior surface of the sole 10 is exposed along its entire length extending from theanterior end 11 to theposterior end 12. In this open state, therefore, a wearer is able to insert her foot into theshoe 1 with a full view of the interior of theshoe 1. In addition, the foot can be inserted into theshoe 1 without any sliding motion. Such an entry is ideal for young children, the elderly and others who may not have full dexterity in their feet, as the wearer is able to see where the foot is with respect to the shoe, from toes to heel, when putting on theshoe 1. - Referring now to
FIGS. 2 and 3 , the two overlappingflap members 21 engage each other such that one rests securely on top of the other. In the resulting closed state as shown inFIG. 3 , the two overlappingflap members 21 cover the front portion of the foot and wrap around both sides of the instep. In addition, the two overlappingflap members 21 may extend further and wrap around the heel 24 (extension not shown). Preferably, the overlapped portions of the two overlappingflap members 21 are sufficiently large to accommodate width and depth variations of a wearer's feet. In other words, the two overlappingflap members 21 can be pulled such that they overlap to a greater extent in order to accommodate a narrower or thinner foot. Similarly, they can be relaxed to overlap less in order to adapt to a wider or thicker foot. - Traditional closure means may be used to securely engage the two overlapping
flap members 21. Examples of such materials include Velcro strips, laces, pull strings, and straps, etc. - In the preferred embodiment, however, the closure means is embedded in the upper 20 between two or more layers of flexible material or materials such that it is not visible to the wearer. The preferred closure means is made of a flexure of elastomeric material such that it is capable of retaining the
shoe 1 in its open state and/or its closed state, as further discussed below. - Referring to
FIG. 1-4 , a wire-shapedelastomeric element 30 capable of returning to its original state after being stretched is embedded in the upper 20 between itsouter layer 22 andinner layer 23. Theelastomeric element 30 extends from one of the two overlappingflap members 21 at its overlapping tip, along the connecting side of the instep, around theheel 24, along the opposite side of the instep and ends at the overlapping tip of the other overlappingflap member 21. Theelastomeric element 30 has a relaxed or resting state holding theshoe 1 in its closed state as illustrated inFIG. 3 . When putting onshoe 1, a wearer pulls open the two overlappingflap members 21 outward and inserts her foot into theshoe 1. As the wearer releases the two overlappingflap members 21, theelastomeric element 30 returns to its relaxed state and securely engages the two overlappingflap members 21. As the ribbon-like element 30 holds the two overlappingflap members 21 in their engaged position, theshoe 1 is securely retained in its closed state. - Turning to
FIG. 1-3 and 5, abi-stable flexure element 40 is embedded in the upper 20 between itsouter layer 22 andinner layer 23. Theflexure element 40 extends from one of the two overlappingflap members 21 at its overlapping tip, wraps around the connecting side of the instep, theheel 24 and the opposite side of the instep, and ends at the overlapping tip of the other overlappingflap member 21. The bi-stableflexure element 40 has two stable states in which it self-retains its shape. When thecenter 411 of aridge mechanism 41 positioned at theheel 24 is pressed in, the tension within theflexure element 40 forces the twoside panels 412 to open outward. This in turn causes the two overlappingflap members 21 to disengage each other and stay in their open state as shown inFIG. 1 . As pressure is applied to theouter ends 413 of theridge mechanism 41, thecenter 411 pops out which forces the twoside panels 412 to close. This results in the engagement of the two overlappingflap members 21 which securely retains theshoe 1 in the closed state. As such, a wearer can put on theshoe 1 by pressing on theridge mechanism 41 to open theshoe 1, inserting a foot into theshoe 1, and pressing theridge mechanism 41 again to close theshoe 1. Other similar and known mechanisms may also be used with thebi-state flexure element 40. - Turning now to
FIG. 1-3 and 6, a ribbon-likeelastic element 50 capable of returning to its original state after being stretched is embedded in the upper 20 between itsouter layer 22 andinner layer 23. The ribbon-like element 50 extends from one of the two overlappingflap members 21 at its overlapping tip, wraps around the connecting side of the instep, theheel 24 and the opposite side of the instep, and ends at the overlapping tip of the other overlappingflap member 21. Much like the wire-shapedelastic element 30, the ribbon-like element 50 has a relaxed or resting state holding theshoe 1 in its closed state as illustrated inFIG. 3 . When putting onshoe 1, a wearer pulls open the two overlappingflap members 21 outward and inserts a foot into theshoe 1. As the wearer releases the two overlappingflap members 21, the ribbon-like element 50 returns to its relaxed state and securely engages the two overlappingflap members 21. As the ribbon-like element 50 holds the two overlappingflap members 21 in their engaged position, theshoe 1 is securely retained in its closed state. - Preferably, the upper 20 is made from one or more flexible materials such as leather, burlap, fabric or a combination thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the sole 10 is made from a thermoplastic elastomer (“TPE”) which is water repellant, biodegradable, recyclable and toxin-free. TPE is commonly used to make yoga mats. An example of such a TPE is the Cellomer™ TPE manufactured by Microcell Composite Company and taught in Taiwan Patent No. I227186. The Cellomer™ TPE's high elasticity and resilience properties make it an excellent material for the sole 10. The preferred thickness of the sole 10 is at least 0.2 centimeters (cm); more preferably from about 0.3 cm to about 1.3 cm, and most preferably about 0.3 cm for infant shoes, about 0.5 cm for toddler shoes and about 1.3 cm for adult shoes. The sole 10 may be a one-layer sole made entirely of a TPE material, or it may be an outsole on top of which additional layers such as an insole and/or a middle sole may be adhered thereto. Preferably, an organic fabric lining is adhered on top of the sole 10.
- Alternatively, an additional water repelling and protective layer may be sprayed on or otherwise attached to the exterior surface of the sole 10, as is known in the art.
- Although the invention herein has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood that the embodiment is merely illustrative of the principles and application of the present invention. For example, a variety of different flexure materials can be used to securely engage and disengage the two overlapping
flap members 21. It is therefore to be understood that various modifications may be made to the above mentioned embodiment and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A shoe comprising:
a sole; and
a flexible upper having two overlapping flap members that form a vamp in a closed state and an opening in an open state,
wherein the flexible upper is affixed to the sole at an anterior end, a posterior end and perimeter edges of the sole between the anterior and posterior ends.
2. The shoe of claim 1 , wherein the opening formed in the open state exposes an interior surface of the sole extending from the anterior end to the posterior end.
3. The shoe of claim 2 , wherein a wearer's foot can be inserted into the shoe without any sliding movement.
4. The shoe of claim 3 , wherein as the wearer's foot is inserted into the shoe, at least one of the wearer's toes is exposed in the open state.
5. The shoe of claim 4 , wherein the two overlapping flap members engage each other in the closed state in which one overlapping flap member securely rests on top of the other via a closure means.
6. The shoe of claim 5 , wherein the closure means is a member of the group consisting of Velcro, lace, pull string, or strap.
7. The shoe of claim 5 , wherein the closure means is made of an elastic material capable of returning to an original shape after being stretched and is embedded in the flexible upper.
8. The shoe of claim 7 , wherein the closure means is a wire-shaped elastomer and its original shape retains the shoe in the closed state.
9. The shoe of claim 7 , wherein the closure means is a ribbon-shaped elastomer and its original shape retains the shoe in the closed state.
10. The shoe of claim 5 , wherein the closure means is a bi-stable flexure capable of switching between and holding either of a first or a second original shapes, and wherein the flexure retains the shoe in the open state in its first original shape and retains the shoe in the closed state in its second original shape.
11. The shoe of claim 10 , wherein the closure means has two side panels each is embedded within one of the two overlapping flap members.
12. A closure means for a shoe, comprising an elastic material embedded in a flexible upper and capable of returning to an original shape after being stretched, wherein the original shape retains the shoe in a closed state.
13. The closure means of claim 12 , wherein the elastic material is a wire-shaped elastic element.
14. The closure means of claim 12 , wherein the elastic material is a ribbon-shaped elastic element.
15. A closure means for a shoe, comprising a flexure material embedded in a flexible upper and capable of switching between and holding either of a first or a second original shapes, wherein the flexure retains the shoe in an open state in its first original shape and retains the shoe in a closed state in its second original shape.
16. A shoe comprising a shoe sole made from a thermoplastic elastomer, the shoe sole having a thickness of at least 0.2 centimeters.
17. The shoe of claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a Cellomer™ TPE, and the thickness of the shoe sole is from about 0.3 centimeters to about 1.3 centimeters.
18. The shoe of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the shoe sole is about 0.3 centimeters.
19. The shoe of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the shoe sole is about 0.5 centimeters.
20. The shoe of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the shoe sole is about 1.3 centimeters.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/780,457 US20090019736A1 (en) | 2007-07-19 | 2007-07-19 | Shoe |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/780,457 US20090019736A1 (en) | 2007-07-19 | 2007-07-19 | Shoe |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20090019736A1 true US20090019736A1 (en) | 2009-01-22 |
Family
ID=40263691
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/780,457 Abandoned US20090019736A1 (en) | 2007-07-19 | 2007-07-19 | Shoe |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20090019736A1 (en) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20130298426A1 (en) * | 2012-05-14 | 2013-11-14 | Elisha George Pierce | Tongueless Footwear With A Canopy |
US20130305566A1 (en) * | 2012-05-16 | 2013-11-21 | Srl, Llc | Infant Footwear |
US20140230286A1 (en) * | 2013-02-20 | 2014-08-21 | Tracy Ann Paugh | Biodegradable shoe sole with fixed or detachable upper shoe components |
US20150250256A1 (en) * | 2014-03-07 | 2015-09-10 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footwear with upper incorporating knitted component providing variable compression |
US20170224055A1 (en) * | 2016-02-05 | 2017-08-10 | Factor 10 LLC | Apparatuses and systems for closure of footwear |
US20190053578A1 (en) * | 2017-11-15 | 2019-02-21 | Shane Joseph Stott | Footwear for infants |
USD872981S1 (en) | 2018-09-25 | 2020-01-21 | Factor 10 LLC | Footwear with strap closure |
US10918158B2 (en) | 2018-05-31 | 2021-02-16 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footwear with enlarged throat opening and selective ventilation |
Citations (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1164788A (en) * | 1915-06-05 | 1915-12-21 | D W Roberts | Foot-gear attachment. |
US1759034A (en) * | 1927-04-13 | 1930-05-20 | Robert S Blair | Shoe construction |
US1793212A (en) * | 1928-12-20 | 1931-02-17 | George P Dike | Footwear |
US2358474A (en) * | 1943-10-12 | 1944-09-19 | Reymond H Pope | Shoe retainer |
US3050878A (en) * | 1960-05-31 | 1962-08-28 | Herman L Goeckner | Heel cup |
US3059351A (en) * | 1960-03-22 | 1962-10-23 | Talon Inc | Shoe fastening device |
US5526584A (en) * | 1992-10-21 | 1996-06-18 | Bleimhofer; Walter | Sock-like shoe insert |
US6035556A (en) * | 1999-04-01 | 2000-03-14 | Ballinger; Shannon K. | Shoe closure mechanism |
US6405458B1 (en) * | 1999-07-22 | 2002-06-18 | Floyd W. Fleshman | Infant training shoes and method of using same |
US20020174568A1 (en) * | 2001-04-30 | 2002-11-28 | Roger Neiley | Footwear fit system |
US7017287B2 (en) * | 2003-08-13 | 2006-03-28 | Farrokh Allen | Post surgical foot warmer |
US7131219B2 (en) * | 2004-10-15 | 2006-11-07 | Eddie Chen | Shoe with leg support |
-
2007
- 2007-07-19 US US11/780,457 patent/US20090019736A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1164788A (en) * | 1915-06-05 | 1915-12-21 | D W Roberts | Foot-gear attachment. |
US1759034A (en) * | 1927-04-13 | 1930-05-20 | Robert S Blair | Shoe construction |
US1793212A (en) * | 1928-12-20 | 1931-02-17 | George P Dike | Footwear |
US2358474A (en) * | 1943-10-12 | 1944-09-19 | Reymond H Pope | Shoe retainer |
US3059351A (en) * | 1960-03-22 | 1962-10-23 | Talon Inc | Shoe fastening device |
US3050878A (en) * | 1960-05-31 | 1962-08-28 | Herman L Goeckner | Heel cup |
US5526584A (en) * | 1992-10-21 | 1996-06-18 | Bleimhofer; Walter | Sock-like shoe insert |
US6035556A (en) * | 1999-04-01 | 2000-03-14 | Ballinger; Shannon K. | Shoe closure mechanism |
US6405458B1 (en) * | 1999-07-22 | 2002-06-18 | Floyd W. Fleshman | Infant training shoes and method of using same |
US20020174568A1 (en) * | 2001-04-30 | 2002-11-28 | Roger Neiley | Footwear fit system |
US7017287B2 (en) * | 2003-08-13 | 2006-03-28 | Farrokh Allen | Post surgical foot warmer |
US7131219B2 (en) * | 2004-10-15 | 2006-11-07 | Eddie Chen | Shoe with leg support |
Cited By (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20130298426A1 (en) * | 2012-05-14 | 2013-11-14 | Elisha George Pierce | Tongueless Footwear With A Canopy |
US20130305566A1 (en) * | 2012-05-16 | 2013-11-21 | Srl, Llc | Infant Footwear |
US9044063B2 (en) * | 2012-05-16 | 2015-06-02 | Srl, Llc | Infant footwear |
US20140230286A1 (en) * | 2013-02-20 | 2014-08-21 | Tracy Ann Paugh | Biodegradable shoe sole with fixed or detachable upper shoe components |
US10383388B2 (en) * | 2014-03-07 | 2019-08-20 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footware with upper incorporating knitted component providing variable compression |
US20150250256A1 (en) * | 2014-03-07 | 2015-09-10 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footwear with upper incorporating knitted component providing variable compression |
US11633001B2 (en) | 2014-03-07 | 2023-04-25 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footwear with upper incorporating knitted component providing variable compression |
CN109068802A (en) * | 2016-02-05 | 2018-12-21 | 凡客特10 有限责任公司 | It is closed the apparatus and system of footwear |
CN113425039A (en) * | 2016-02-05 | 2021-09-24 | 凡客特 10 有限责任公司 | Device and system for closing shoes and boots |
US11337493B2 (en) * | 2016-02-05 | 2022-05-24 | Factor 10 LLC | Apparatuses and systems for closure of footwear |
US20170224055A1 (en) * | 2016-02-05 | 2017-08-10 | Factor 10 LLC | Apparatuses and systems for closure of footwear |
US20190053578A1 (en) * | 2017-11-15 | 2019-02-21 | Shane Joseph Stott | Footwear for infants |
US10918158B2 (en) | 2018-05-31 | 2021-02-16 | Nike, Inc. | Article of footwear with enlarged throat opening and selective ventilation |
USD872981S1 (en) | 2018-09-25 | 2020-01-21 | Factor 10 LLC | Footwear with strap closure |
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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 |