System and method for removably attaching an inner bootie to a sandal

Abstract

A sandal and bootie combination is provided, where the bootie is adapted to be received within the sandal. The combination further includes a mechanism to secure the bootie to the sandal in the region of the toe, and more specifically a toe gripper. The toe gripper fastens the bootie to the sandal, and prevents relative movement between the bootie and the sandal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for attaching a removable inner bootie to a sandal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One concept that has been evolving recently and which promises to revolutionize the shoe industry is that of a convertible shoe. The convertible shoe includes a sandal and a bootie, the bootie being configured to fit inside the sandal, so that the sandal can be worn independently, the bootie can be worn independently, and the combination of the bootie inside the sandal results in a shoe.

One of the issues that arises is that although the bootie and sandal are designed to fit snugly into one another, with movement by the person, the bootie and the sandal tend to shift relative to each other, resulting in discomfort. Further, when the combination is used in an outside environment, dirt, sand and debris tend to become lodged between the outsole of the bootie and the insole of the sandal.

There thus exists a need to provide a mechanism to obviate this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a solution to making a positive attachment between a removable bootie and a sandal in a convertible shoe. Two components make up the invention, which could be used independently of each other but are preferably used together: a toe gripper and a sandal ridge.

Specifically, the toe gripper prevents the lifting of the forefoot of the bootie when it is attached to the sandal. The sandal ridge serves to “seal” (inasmuch as such is possible) the junction between the sandal and the bootie to prevent the entry of foreign matter. In addition, in the preferred embodiment described below, the sandal ridge receives the tips of the toe gripper in one or more slots.

Note that the description below has the toe gripper with tips that enter into slots in the sandal ridge to hold down the toe of the bootie while in the sandal. However, this invention covers alternate methods also. These methods could include, but are not limited to, detachable straps, hooks or a toe cap on the sandal.

Thus, the present invention concerns a sandal and bootie combination, said bootie being adapted to be received within said sandal, characterized in that said combination further includes means for removably securing said bootie to said sandal, said means being located at a front of said combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood after reading a description of a preferred embodiment thereof made in reference to the following drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a to 1c are a schematic representation of a sandal equipped with a ridge, and a bootie equipped with toe grippers, and more specifically, FIG. 1a is a side perspective view of the sandal, FIG. 1b is a front perspective view of the sandal and FIG. 1c is a bottom perspective view of the bootie;

FIGS. 2a to 2c are an alternate embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a and 3b show the bootie equipped with toe grippers from the side and bottom, respectively;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a toe portion of a bootie including a toe according to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a clearer side view of the toe gripper and the mating cap of the sandal;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the mating cap of the sandal;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the toe gripper

FIG. 8 is a side view of a bootie;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the sole of the sandal, showing in detail how the toe gripper is secured within the mating cap of the sandal;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the sandal;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the combined sandal and bootie; and

FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of the bootie and a partial sandal showing the sandal ridge.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As mentioned previously, the present invention is directed to a sandal 10 and a bootie 30 equipped with toe grippers.

In a preferred embodiment, the bootie is preferably equipped with at least one gripper, although it will be apparent that depending on the configuration of the gripper, two or even three will provide more solidity.

Referring now to FIGS. 1a-3c, the sandal 10 is equipped with a ridge 13, into which slots 11 corresponding to the grippers are manufactured. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the grippers are longitudinal flanges 12 on the bootie 30. In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 2, the grippers are knobs that fit into holes of the sandal ridge.

In this embodiment, the grippers 12 are attached to the bootie outsole 20. Alternatively, the grippers 12 can be attached to a toe cap which can be injected, or molded or the entire assembly can be molded as part of the mid-sole on a molded or non molded bootie mid-sole.

Bootie gripper toe cap can of course come in a variety of designs. In a preferred embodiment, the length width and thickness are selected to offer stability, ease of insertion and remain firmly in the slots or receivers on the sandal.

As mentioned previously, the toe gripper is meant to hold or tie down the forefoot on the sandal. It is used for the purpose of creating a two-in-one shoe. This technical feature design has two advantages:

• • a) esthetic advantage by keeping the bootie forefoot firmly attached to the foot bed of a sandal. It participates, from an esthetic point of view, in ensuring that the bootie and sandal once together really look like a shoe; and
  • b) technical advantage: it attaches the forefoot firmly on the sandal, thus ensuring more stability and better use of the engineering design provided by the sandal

The sandal ridge is meant to encapsulate the bootie on the sandal, at least partially. It is meant to be used on a two-in-one shoe/sandal concept. This technical feature design has two advantages:

• • a) esthetic advantage as it really helps in, by encapsulating the bootie on the sandal foot bed, making this bootie when worn with the sandal, look like a shoe.
  • b) technical advantage as it give lateral stability to the foot and keeps dirt from entering between the bootie and the sandal foot bed. In some embodiments this ridge may contain slots to receive the toe gripper tips.

In yet another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 4-12, the toe gripper consists of a forward extending flange 101 having a ridge 103 projecting upwardly therefrom. The ridge 103 preferably has an outside surface 105 which is angled at 45°, as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the toe gripper portion on the bootie is preferably extruded as a single piece, and forms part of a toe cap for the bootie or outsole of bootie.

The sandal portion of the toe gripper is a cavity 107 which is shaped and sized to received the flange 101 of the bootie. The cavity is provided with a ledge 109 which has a height which corresponds substantially to the height of the ridge 103.

In use, when the user places the bootie into the sandal, the ridge 103 snaps or hooks into the cavity 107 and is prevented from exiting therefrom by the cooperating action of the ridge and the ledge, as shown in FIG. 9.

In a more preferred embodiment, the cavity 107 further includes another ridge 111, which forces the flange 101 against the top of the cavity, thereby offering greater strength.

In order to remove the bootie from the sandal, the user simply has to lift his or her foot (still inside the bootie of course), which provokes a pivoting movement between the cavity and the flange, and releases the ridge.

Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown the bootie 30 and sandal 10. In this Figure, the sandal 10 is further provided with a ridge 120. This ridge, which may be removable, is an arcuate-shaped portion, whose purpose is to surround the back portion of the bootie once it is inserted into the sandal. The ridge 120 thus fits snugly against the outside of the sandal, preventing to a degree the insertion of dust, dirt, etc., between the bootie and the sandal. Preferably, the ridge is further made of a material which is rigid enough to provide lateral stability to the bootie, although it is not necessarily so.

Although the present invention has been explained hereinabove by way of a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be pointed out that any modifications to this preferred embodiment within the scope of the appended claims is not deemed to alter or change the nature and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sandal and bootie combination, said bootie being adapted to be received within said sandal, characterized in that said combination further includes means for removably securing said bootie to said sandal, said means being located at a front of said combination.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said means include a toe gripper portion on said bootie and a sandal portion on said sandal, said male and female portions being adapted to lock when said toe gripper portion is inserted into said sandal portion.

3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein said toe gripper portion consists of a forward extending flange provided with an upstanding ridge and wherein said sandal portion consists of a cavity shaped and sized to receive said toe gripper portion, said cavity further including a ledge.

4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein said ridge has an outside surface that is angled.

5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said outside surface is angled at 45°.

6. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said ledge has a length substantially equal to a height of said ridge.

7. A combination according to claim 3, wherein said toe gripper portion is integral with a sole of said bootie.

8. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said sandal further includes a sandal ridge along a periphery of a top portion of said sandal, said sandal ridge being adapted to substantially seal a space located between said sandal and said bootie when said bootie is inserted into said sandal.