DIY SHOE

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a DIY shoe. The shoe includes a bottom sole which has a through hole therein, and at least one cover which is removably coupled to the bottom sole. The cover includes a connection part which is inserted into the through hole of the bottom sole, and a locking part which is provided on the connection part. The through hole has a shape of a slot of which a longitudinal length is longer than a lateral length. The locking part has a non-circular shape in which a longitudinal length of the locking part is equal to or less than the longitudinal length of the through hole and a lateral length of the locking part is greater than the longitudinal length of the locking part so that the locking part is easily inserted into the through hole but not easily removed therefrom.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to DIY (Do It Yourself) shoes which are configured such that covers are removably coupled to bottom soles of the shoes and, more particularly, to a DIY shoe which is configured such that each of locking parts of a cover is rotated to a vertical position and inserted into a selected through hole of a bottom sole and is forcibly fitted into and fastened to the bottom sole in a horizontal position after the insertion has been completed, so that the assembly of the DIY shoe can be easily realized without using a separate tool, thus making it easy to replace the cover with a new one or change the shape of the shoe, and in which the material of the locking parts provided on the ends of the cover may be the same as that of the cover or be made of rigid material different from the cover so that even though no separate structure such as a snap ring is provided, the locking parts can be prevented from bending even when a comparatively large external force is applied thereto, thus strengthening the coupling of the cover to the bottom sole, and in which a connection hook may be provided on each locking part and be connected to the corresponding connection part so that the connection part is prevented from being exposed below the locking part, thus preventing the connection part from being damaged when the shoe is in use, and in which after the assembly of the shoe has been completed, a peculiar color or logo may be applied to a surface of the locking part that is exposed to the outside from the lower surface or sidewall of the bottom sole, thus making it possible for a user to express his/her individuality, and improving the aesthetics.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, most shoes are permanently-fixed shoes of which uppers and bottom soles are fixed to each other. However, in the case of permanently-fixed shoes, even if only either an upper or a bottom sole is damaged, the entire shoe becomes unusable. In particular, it is impossible to change the shape of a shoe into different shapes.

In an effort to overcome the above disadvantages, an assembly type shoe was proposed, of which an upper (in the case of a shoe such as a sandal or the like, referred to as a cover) is removably coupled to a bottom sole.

In the conventional assembly type shoe, through holes are vertically formed through the bottom sole at positions spaced apart from each other along the periphery of the bottom sole. The size of each through hole is sufficient for a user to insert his/her finger into the through hole. A protrusion is provided on the surface in the through hole. To assemble the shoe, opposite ends of a band are coupled to the protrusions of the corresponding through holes. For this, a linear or cross-shaped slit is formed in each end of the band. The user uses his/her finger or a separate tool, inserts each end of the band into the corresponding through hole, and inserts the protrusion into the slit.

However, in the conventional art, inserting the protrusion into the corresponding slit through the through hole forces the user not only to insert a separate tool or his/her finger into the through hole but also to push the end of the band towards the protrusion. Therefore, it is quite cumbersome and difficult to assemble the shoe. Particularly, the through holes which are vertically formed through the bottom sole are comparatively large and are exposed to the outside from the lower surface (bottom surface) of the bottom sole. Thus, while the user wears the shoes and walks, foreign substances such as stones or the like become embedded in the through holes which are exposed to the outside from the lower surface (bottom surface) of the bottom sole, or the foreign substances may reach the upper surface of the bottom sole which comes into contact with the foot of the user, thus staining or hurting the foot. Moreover, because the band is typically made of flexible material, if the band that has the slits is pulled with excessive force, a portion of the band surrounding each slit may easily tear or be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe which provides a plurality of covers having different designs and colors and allows a user to combine the covers with a bottom sole in a variety of manners in response to his/her taste, thus making it possible to create different designs of shoes from the single shoe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe which can be easily assembled even without using a separate tool, thus facilitating replacement of the covers or a change of the shape of the shoe.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe which is configured such that each locking part of the covers is rotated to a vertical position and inserted into a selected through hole of the bottom sole and is forcibly fitted into and fastened to the bottom sole in a horizontal position after the insertion has been completed, so that each cover can be easily and strongly coupled to the bottom sole.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe in which the material of the locking parts that couple the covers to the bottom sole is a rigid material so that even though no separate structure such as a snap ring is provided, the locking parts can be prevented from bending even when a comparatively large external force is applied thereto, thus strengthening the coupling of the covers to the bottom sole.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe in which a connection hook is provided on each locking part and connected to the corresponding connection part so that the connection part is prevented from being exposed below the locking part, thus preventing the connection part from being damaged when the shoe is in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a DIY shoe in which after the assembly of the shoe has been completed, a peculiar color or logo is applied to a surface of the locking part that is exposed to the outside from the lower surface or sidewall of the bottom sole, thus making it possible for a user to express his/her individuality, and improving the aesthetics.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a DIY shoe, including a bottom sole having a foot shape, with a through hole formed through the bottom sole at a position adjacent to a periphery of the bottom sole, and at least one cover removably coupled to the bottom sole, the cover having a connection part inserted into the through hole of the bottom sole, and a locking part provided on the connection part. The through hole has a shape of a slot of which a longitudinal length is longer than a lateral length, and the locking part has a non-circular shape in which a longitudinal length of the locking part is equal to or less than the longitudinal length of the through hole and a lateral length of the locking part is greater than the longitudinal length of the locking part so that the locking part is easily inserted into the through hole but not easily removed therefrom.

The connection part may have a shape of a band having a predetermined flexibility and extends from an end of the cover. The locking part may be provided on an end of the connection part so that the locking part is able to flexibly bend onto the cover and elastically return to an original position thereof, whereby the locking part is easily inserted into the through hole, and after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, the locking part elastically returns to the original position thereof, thus preventing the locking part from being easily removed from the through hole.

The locking part may have a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or have a different color on the exposed surface thereof.

The connection part may comprise a non-flexible material part formed on an end of the cover.

The connection part may comprise a string sewn to the end of the cover.

The locking part may be made of rigid material.

The locking part may comprise a connection hook protruding upwards from the locking part, and the connection part may be coupled to the connection hook so that the connection part is prevented from being exposed below the locking part, thus preventing the connection part from being damaged.

A thickness of the locking part may be equal to or less than the lateral length of the through hole.

The connection part may be embedded in the through hole of the bottom sole after the locking part has been inserted through the through hole.

The bottom sole may have a seating depression formed around an end of the through hole, the seating depression having a shape corresponding to a shape of the locking part so that the locking part which has been inserted into the through hole is seated into the seating depression.

The through hole may be formed through the bottom sole in a slanted direction from an upper surface of the bottom sole to a sidewall thereof. The seating depression may be formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole. The locking part may have a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or have a different color on the exposed surface thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a DIY shoe, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cover of FIG. 1 that is stretched out;

FIG. 3 is a reference view showing a locking part of FIG. 1 that is oriented vertically;

FIG. 4 is a reference view showing the locking part of FIG. 1 that is oriented horizontally;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a process of inserting one end of a cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 1 when the cover has been coupled to a bottom sole;

FIG. 7 is a reference view providing an explanation of the size of a through hole of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a reference view providing an explanation of the size of a locking part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a reference view showing another example of the through hole of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a reference view showing a further example of the through hole of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a reference view showing yet another example of the through hole of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a reference view showing another example of the locking part of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a reference view showing a further example of the locking part of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a reference view showing yet another example of the locking part of FIG. 8;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating another example of a connection part and a locking part of the cover;

FIG. 16 is of views showing different coupling structures of the covers of the DIY shoe of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing shapes of through holes of a DIY shoe, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating covers that are inserted into and coupled to selected through holes of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of a cover of the DIY shoe according to the present invention;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view showing a further example of a cover of the DIY shoe according to the present invention; and

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view showing a DIY shoe, according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a DIY shoe according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. If in the specification, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations may unnecessarily make the gist of the present invention obscure, the detailed descriptions will be omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 16, a DIY shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a bottom sole 10 the shape of which corresponds to that of a foot of a human being, and one or more covers 30 which are removably coupled to the bottom sole 10. A plurality of through holes 110 are formed in the bottom sole 10 at predetermined positions along a periphery of the bottom sole 10. Each cover 30 includes connection parts 320 which are inserted into the corresponding through holes 110, and a locking part 310 which is connected to an end of each connection part 320. Each through hole 110 is configured in a slot shape such that its longitudinal length (L1, a length of a shortest portion in a direction Y of a long side of the through hole 110 that is typically rectangular, refer to FIGS. 7, 9 through 11) is longer than its lateral length (L2, a length of a shortest portion in a direction X of a short side of the through hole 110 that is typically rectangular, refer to FIGS. 7, 9 through 11). Each locking part 310 is configured such that it is easily inserted into a through hole 110 but is prevented from being undesirably removed therefrom. For this, the shape of the locking part 310 is a non-circular shape in which a longitudinal length (L5, a length of a longest portion in the same direction Y as that of the longitudinal length of the through hole 110, refer to FIGS. 8, 12 through 14) of the locking part 310 is less than approximately the longitudinal length L1 of the through hole 110, and a lateral length (L6, a length of a longest portion in the same direction X as that of the lateral length of the through hole 110, refer to FIGS. 8, 12 through 14) of the locking part 310 is greater than the longitudinal length L5 of the locking part 310.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom sole 10 is a sole of a shoe (particularly, a sandal) which is disposed under the sole of the foot of a wearer. The bottom sole 10 has a shape corresponding to that of the sole of the foot and comes into direct contact with the ground when the wearer walks. The material of the bottom sole 10 may be a partially-elastic flexible material (for example, foamed urethane, rubber, synthetic resin, etc., which can be contracted or folded when force is applied thereto and be elastically restored to its original position when the force is removed). However, it is not excluded that the material of the bottom sole 10 may be a rigid material which can minimize deformation of the shape of the through holes 110 which will be explained later herein.

The through holes 110 are formed through the bottom sole 10 at predetermined positions along the periphery of the bottom sole 10 so that the covers 30 can be removably inserted into and coupled to selected through holes 110, thus allowing the user to replace a cover 30 with a new one or change the coupling locations of the covers 30.

In detail, the through holes 110 which are formed through the bottom sole 10 at predetermined positions along the periphery of the bottom sole 10 are those of the structure which allows the locking parts 310 and/or connection parts 320 of the covers 30 to be inserted into and coupled to selected through holes 110. As shown in FIG. 1, each through hole 110 may be vertically formed through a predetermined portion of the bottom sole 10. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, each through hole 110 may be formed through a predetermined portion of the bottom sole 10 in a slanted direction from an upper surface of the bottom sole 10 to a sidewall (this will be explained in more detail later herein). As shown in FIGS. 1, 7, 9 through 11, the shape of each through hole 110 is a slot shape, in general, a rectangular shape (refer to FIG. 7), of which the long side (the longer side of the through hole) is greater than the short side (the shorter side of the through hole). As shown in FIGS. 9 through 11, each through hole 110 can have a variety of shapes similar to that of a rectangle, of which the longitudinal length L1 is greater than the lateral length L2. In other words, in the present invention, the shape (shown in a plan view) of the through hole 110 is not limited to that of a rectangle (refer to FIG. 7), and it can be modified in different shapes that are non-circular shapes, for example, of which each side is concave or convex.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, etc., the through holes 110 may be arranged in lines at positions spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along the periphery of the bottom sole 10 so that the covers 30 can be inserted into selected ones of the through holes 110 that are at positions desired by the user. If a seating depression 120 is formed in the bottom sole 10 to a predetermined depth around each end of the through holes 110, the through hole 110 is preferably spaced apart from the peripheral surface of the bottom sole 10 inwards by a predetermined distance in consideration of the size of the seating depression 120.

As shown in FIG. 6, the seating depressions 120 may be formed in the lower surface (coming into direct contact with the ground) of the bottom sole 10 around the ends of the through holes 110, in more detail, around the ends thereof that are opposite to the ends of the through holes 110 through which the corresponding covers 30 enter the through holes 110. In this case, each seating depression 120 is configured such that it is depressed from the lower surface (coming into direct contact with the ground) of the bottom sole 10 inwards (upwards, when it is assumed that the through holes 110 that are formed vertically in the bottom sole 10). Further, the area of each seating depression 120 which is formed around the end of the corresponding through hole 110 and depressed inwards (that is, upwards based on the lower surface of the bottom sole 10) is greater than that of a portion through which the through hole 110 passes through the bottom sole 10. Therefore, after the covers 30 have been completely inserted into and coupled to selected through holes 110, the locking parts 310 of the covers 30 are forcibly fitted into the corresponding seating depressions 120 so that the locking parts 310 can be prevented from protruding out of the bottom sole 10 (that is, from protruding below the lower surface of the bottom sole 10). As a result, the locking parts 310 can be prevented from being damaged while the shoe is in use, and the locking parts 310 can be reliably fastened to the bottom sole 10, thus keeping the coupling of the covers 30 to the bottom sole 10 intact. The shape of each seating depression 120 corresponds to that of the locking part 310 that is oriented horizontally, so that the locking part 310 can be forcibly fitted into the seating depression 120 and prevented from becoming undesirably removed therefrom.

The cover 30 is configured such that it enables the wearer to wear the DIY shoe and wraps the top side of the foot of the wearer. The cover 30 refers to a part which is commonly called ‘the upper’ of a typical shoe or ‘a strap’ of a sandal type shoe. In the present invention, the term ‘cover’ is used as a common designation for parts which wrap the top side of the wearer. As shown in FIG. 1, etc., each cover 30 is removably coupled to the bottom sole 10, thus allowing the user to replace it with a new one or change the coupling location thereof. Typically, each cover 30 is a part which comes into contact with the top side of the foot of the wearer. Thus, it is preferable for the cover 30 to be made of partially-elastic flexible material, but in the present invention, the material of the cover 30 is not limited to a flexible material. As shown in FIG. 2, each cover 30 extends a predetermined length longitudinally, which has a predetermined width L3. The cover 30 has on each of opposite ends thereof the locking part 310 which is inserted into a selected through hole 110, and the connection part 320 which connects the locking part 310 to the cover 30. To dispose each connection part 320 and a portion of the corresponding end of the cover 30 inside the through hole 110 when the cover 30 is completely inserted into and coupled to the bottom sole 10, the width L3 of the cover 30 is preferably less than the longitudinal length L1 of the through hole 110, and a thickness L4 of the cover 30 is preferably less than the lateral length L2 of the through hole 110. As shown in FIG. 1, etc., each connection part 320 is a part which is provided between the corresponding locking part 310 and the cover 30 and connects the locking part 310 to the cover 30. In an embodiment, the connection part 320 may have a variety of shapes, for example, a flexible band (refer to FIG. 1) or a strap having tension of a predetermined degree or more (refer to FIG. 15, this will be explained in detail later herein). If the shape of the connection part 320 is that of a flexible band, the width of the connection part 320 may be the same as the width L3 of the cover 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The locking parts 310 are connected to the respective opposite ends of the cover 30 by the corresponding connection parts 320. Each locking part 310 is rotatable around the connection part 320 or the end of the cover 30 (refer to FIGS. 2 through 4) which functions as an axis for the locking part 310. As described above, if the connection part 320 comprises a flexible band, the locking part 310 which is connected to the cover 30 by the connection part 320 can rotate around the connection part 320 or the end of the cover 30 between a horizontal position (which is the same position as that when the locking part 310 is forcibly fitted into the seating depression 120, refer to FIGS. 4 and 6) and a vertical position (which has been rotated to 90° from the horizontal position so that the locking part 310 can be inserted into the through hole 110, refer to FIGS. 3 and 5). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the locking part 310 is rotated to the vertical position, it can be easily inserted into the through hole 110, thus facilitating the insertion and coupling of the cover 30 to the through hole 110. After the insertion has been completed, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking part 310 is rotated to the horizontal position and is forcibly fitted into the seating depression 120 which is formed in the lower surface of the bottom sole 10 around the through hole 110. Thereby, the cover 30 can be reliably fastened to the bottom sole 10. In the present invention, the shape of each locking part 310 is non-circular. The locking part 310 must be able to be easily inserted into the through hole 110. In addition, after the insertion has been completed, the locking part 310 must be prevented from being undesirably pulled out of the bottom sole 10 through the through hole 110 even though the cover 30 is pulled upwards. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the locking part 310 is in the horizontal position, the lateral length L6 of the locking part 310 must be greater than the longitudinal length L5 of the locking part 310. The longitudinal length L5 of the locking part 310 must be equal to or less than the longitudinal length L1 of the through hole 110. The lateral length L6 of the locking part 310 must be greater than the lateral length L2 of the through hole 110. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the locking part 310 is rotated to the vertical position to allow it to enter the through hole 110, because the longitudinal length L5 of the locking part 310 is equal to or less than the longitudinal length L1 of the through hole 110, the locking part 310 can be easily inserted into the through hole 110. As shown in FIG. 6, after the insertion has been completed and the locking part 310 has been fitted into the seating depression 120 at the horizontal position, the locking part 310 is hooked around the through hole 110 and prevented from being removed upwards from the seating depression 120 through the through hole 110, because the lateral length L6 of the locking part 310 is greater than the lateral length L2 of the through hole 110. Thus, even though the cover 30 is pulled upwards, the locking parts 310 can reliably keep the cover 30 in the coupled position. For reference, if the cover 30 must be separated from the bottom sole 10 to replace the cover 30 with a new one or change the location of the cover 30, each locking part 310 is first removed from the corresponding seating depression 120 downwards. The locking part 310 is thereafter rotated to the vertical position and pulled upwards away from the through hole 110. As such, the cover 30 can be easily separated from the bottom sole 10. The present invention is characterized in that the shape (shown in a plan view) of the locking part 310 which is in the horizontal position is a non-circular shape. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8, 12 through 14, the locking part 310 may also have a variety of polygonal shapes.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, there may be a section in which the locking part 310 overlaps the cover 30 or the connection part 320 when the locking part 310 is in the vertical position. Therefore, to easily insert the locking part 310 into the through hole 110 after it has been rotated to the vertical position, the total thickness L7 of an overlapping portion between the locking part 310 and the cover 30 or between the locking part 310 and the connection part 320 must be equal to or less than the lateral length L2 of the through hole 110. To reduce the total thickness L7 of the overlapping portion between the locking part 310 and the cover 30 or between the locking part 310 and the connection part 320, as shown in FIG. 4, the locking part 310 may be configured such that the thickness of only one side thereof based on the connection part 320 is reduced by a predetermined depth L8.

In the DIY shoe of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction, the locking part 310 can be easily inserted into the through hole 110 after it has been rotated to the vertical position. After the insertion has been completed, the locking part 310 is rotated to the horizontal position and forcibly fitted into the seating depression 120. Thanks to the above structure of the locking part 310, there is neither a need to use a separate tool nor for user to insert his/her finger into the through hole 110 during the process of assembling the DIY shoe. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16, the covers 30 can be easily coupled to the bottom sole 10 in a variety of manners, and the manner of coupling can be easily changed. Thus, the coupling manners or colors of the covers 30 can be variously changed so that the style of the shoes can be easily changed in response to an individual user's taste. Of course, after each cover 30 has been coupled to the bottom sole 10, the coupled state can be reliably maintained. Furthermore, after the coupling of the cover 30 to the bottom sole 10 has been completed, the ends of the cover 30 which are disposed in the through holes 110 are not exposed to the outside, thus improving the aesthetics. As shown in FIG. 6, the locking parts 310 of the cover 30 which are forcibly fitted into the corresponding seating depressions 120 block the ends of the through holes 110 from being exposed to the ground at the lower surface of the bottom sole 10. Therefore, unlike the conventional art, foreign substances such as stones or the like can be prevented from being embedded in the through hole 110 while the user wears the shoes and walks. Further, in the present invention, the color of the exposed surface of each locking part 310 that is forcibly fitted in the corresponding seating depression 120 may be a peculiar color, or a peculiar logo or the like may be formed on the exposed surface of the locking part 310, thus further improving the aesthetics, and making it possible for the user who highly regards his/her individuality to create and decorate the shoes more variously in response to his/her own individuality.

Referring to FIG. 15, in the DIY shoe according to the present invention, the connection between the cover 30 and the locking part 310 may be embodied in a different manner. In detail, the connection part 320 may comprise a string or strap which has a predetermined amount of tension and connects the locking part 310 to the end of the cover 30.

As shown in FIG. 15, the cover 30 is connected to a first end of the connection part 320 that comprises a strap having a predetermined amount of tension. In an embodiment of FIG. 15, the end of the cover 30 is separated into two layers. The first end of the strap-shaped connection part 320 is disposed between the two layers of the end of the cover 30. Thereafter, the two layers are sewn or bonded to each other, so that the connection part 320 can be reliably fastened to the cover 30.

Further, a second end of the connection part 320 is coupled to the locking part 310. In the embodiment of FIG. 15, a connection hook 311 protrudes upwards from the locking part 310. The connection part 320 wraps around the connection hook 311 or is tied to the connection hook 311 so that the second end of the connection part 320 is not exposed out of the lower surface of the locking part 310, thus preventing it from being damaged while the shoe is in use. For example, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 15, if it is assumed that a ‘⊖’-shaped passing hole is formed through a central portion of the locking part 310 and the second end of the connection part 320 is tied to a rod that is across a medial portion of the passing hole, there is no choice but to expose a lower portion of the second end of the connection part 320, which is wrapped around and tied to the rod put across the medial portion of the ‘⊖’-shaped passing hole, to the outside (that is, below the lower surface of the locking part 310). In this case, when the user wears the shoes and walks, the exposed portion of the second end of the connection part 320 comes into contact with and rubs against the ground, thus being damaged. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 15, the connection hook 311 protrudes upwards from the locking part 310 and the second end of the connection part 320 is wrapped around and tied to the connection hook 311. Thus, the second end of the connection part 320 is not exposed to the outside, that is, does not coming into contact with the ground even when the shoes are in use, so that it can be prevented from being damaged.

As such, if the string or strap type connection part 320 having the predetermined amount of tension connects the locking part 310 to the cover 30, only the locking part 310 may be made of rigid material rather than flexible material, unlike the cover 30. The rigid material is material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent it from contracting or bending even if external force is applied thereto. For example, the rigid material may preferably be metal or high-strength synthetic resin. As such, if the locking part 310 is made of rigid material, it is neither bent nor curved even when external force is applied thereto, unlike that made of flexible material. Therefore, it is not required to fit a separate rigid substance such as a snap ring over the upper portion of the locking part 310 (made of flexible material), unlike the conventional art. Moreover, after each rigid locking part 310 has been fitted into the corresponding seating depression 120, even if the cover 30 is pulled upwards by comparatively large force, the locking part 310 can be prevented from bending or curving. Thereby, the locking part 310 can be firmly locked to the portion around the lower end of the through hole 110, thus more reliably fastening the cover 30 to the bottom sole 10.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each through hole 110 is formed through the bottom sole 10 in a slanted direction from the upper surface of the bottom sole 10 to the sidewall thereof.

In detail, as shown in FIG. 17, because the through hole 110 is formed through the bottom sole 10 in a slanted direction from the upper surface of the bottom sole 10 to the sidewall thereof, a first end of the through hole 110 is located in the upper surface of the bottom sole 10 while a second end thereof is located in the sidewall of the bottom sole 10. A seating depression 120 which is depressed inwards around the second end of the through hole 110 is also located in the sidewall of the bottom sole 10. As shown in FIG. 18, each locking part 310 of the covers 30 is inserted into the corresponding through hole 110 in a direction from the first end of the through hole 110 to the second end, comes out of the sidewall of the bottom sole 10, and is forcibly fitted into the seating depression 120 which is formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole 10.

As such, in this embodiment, the through hole 110 is formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole 10 rather than in the lower surface (that is, the surface that comes into contact with the ground) of the bottom sole 10. Hence, the locking part 310 which is inserted into the through hole 110 is also located in and coupled to the sidewall of the bottom sole 10. Thus, when the user wears the shoes and uses them, there is no probability of the locking parts 310 coming into contact with the ground and being damaged or of foreign substances being embedded in the through holes 110 or the seating depressions 120. As a result, the durability and wearing comfort of the shoes can be enhanced. Further, the color of the exposed surface of each locking part 310 that is forcibly fitted in the corresponding seating depression 120 disposed in the sidewall of the bottom sole 10 may be a peculiar color, or a peculiar logo or the like may be formed on the exposed surface of the locking part 310, thus further improving the aesthetics, and making it possible for the user who highly regards his/her individuality to create and decorate the shoes more variously in response to his/her own individuality.

FIG. 19 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the prior embodiments in which the cover 30 is elongated, in this embodiment, the shape of a cover 30 is that of a board having a relatively large area, and a plurality of locking parts 310 are provided on opposite sides of the cover 30, as shown in FIG. 19. The reason for this structure is because increasing the area of the cover 30, to which a comparatively large force is applied from the top side of the foot of the user when the shoe is in use, can improve the durability of the shoe. Furthermore, the board-shaped portion of the cover 30 may be that of one of a variety of shapes, for example, a triangle, a rectangle, a star, etc. so that the user can selectively use one of them depending on his/her individuality. Referring to FIG. 20, in yet another embodiment of the present invention, the cover 30 may be that of a ‘Y’ shape, unlike the prior embodiments. As such, the present invention is characterized in that the shape of the cover 30 may be variously modified, as shown in FIGS. 2, 19 and 20. Although the shape of the cover 30 may be variously modified, all of the kinds of covers 30 have a structure including the locking parts 310 and the connection parts 320. Furthermore, as the shape of the cover 30 changes, the locations, at which the through holes 110 are formed in the bottom sole 10 and the locking parts 310 of the cover 30 are inserted into the through holes 110, may also be changed, as shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 21 illustrates an assembly DIY shoe according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In the assembly DIY shoe of this embodiment, the bottom sole 10 includes an outsole 140 which comes into direct contact with the ground, and an insole 130 which is removably coupled to the outsole 140 so that the insole 130 which is a portion coming into contact with the sole of the foot of the user can be separated from the outsole 140. The insole 130 can be replaced with another one which has a different color or design, as necessary.

In detail, as shown in FIG. 21, the insole 130 is configured so that an upper portion of the bottom sole 10 which comes into contact with the sole of the foot of the user is separated from a lower portion of the bottom sole 10, so that the insole 130 can be removably coupled to the outsole 140 which comes into contact with the ground, as necessary. Thus, to respond to the diversification of the taste of people, according to users' preference, the insole 130 can be made in different colors or shapes. Therefore, this embodiment can more meet the preference of consumers which pursue different kinds of styles. The coupling of the insole 130 to the outsole 140 can be realized in different ways, for example, a Velcro type (refer to FIG. 21), a forcibly-fitting type using coupling holes and protrusions, a sliding-insert type in which protrusions are inserted into the grooves in a sliding manner, etc. For the sake of convenience in replacement, the Velcro type can be mainly used. Through holes 110 are formed through the insole 130 at positions spaced apart from each other at regular intervals along the periphery of the insole 130 so that the cover 30 can be removably coupled to the insole 130. Here, the outsole 140 may also have through holes 110 at positions corresponding to those of the insole 130. Preferably, the through holes 110 and seating depressions 120 are formed in only the insole 130 but are not formed in the outsole 140. In this case, because neither the through hole 110 nor the seating depression 120 is formed in the lower surface of the outsole 140 which comes into contact with the ground, it can fundamentally prevent foreign substances from entering the through holes 110 or prevent the locking parts 310, which are forcibly fitted into the seating depressions 120 formed on the lower ends of the through holes 110, from being exposed to the ground, thus preventing the locking parts 310 from being damaged.

As described above, a DIY shoe according to the present invention having the above-mentioned construction provides the following effects.

The present invention provides a plurality of covers having different designs and colors and allows a user to combine the covers with a bottom sole in a variety of manners in response to his/her taste, thus making it possible to create different designs of shoes from the single shoe.

The assembly of the shoe can be easily embodied even without using a separate tool. Therefore, the present invention facilitates replacement of the covers or changes in the shape of the shoe.

The present invention is configured such that each locking part of the covers is rotated to a vertical position and inserted into a selected through hole of the bottom sole and is forcibly fitted into and fastened to the bottom sole in a horizontal position after the insertion has been completed, so that each cover can be easily and strongly coupled to the bottom sole.

In the present invention, the material of the locking parts that couple the covers to the bottom sole may be a rigid material. In this case, even though no separate structure such as a snap ring is provided, the locking parts can be prevented from bending even if a comparatively large external force is applied thereto, thus strengthening the coupling of the covers to the bottom sole.

In the present invention, a connection hook may be provided on each locking part and connected to the corresponding connection part so that the connection part is prevented from being exposed below the locking part, thus preventing the connection part from being damaged when the shoe is in use.

After the assembly of the shoe has been completed, a peculiar color or logo may be applied to a surface of the locking part that is exposed to the outside from the lower surface or sidewall of the bottom sole, thus making it possible for a user to express his/her individuality, and improving the aesthetics.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A DIY (Do It Yourself) shoe, comprising:

a bottom sole having a foot shape, with a through hole formed through the bottom sole at a position adjacent to a periphery of the bottom sole; and

at least one cover removably coupled to the bottom sole, the cover comprising: a connection part inserted into the through hole of the bottom sole; and a locking part provided on the connection part,

wherein the through hole has a shape of a slot of which a longitudinal length is longer than a lateral length, and the locking part has a non-circular shape in which a longitudinal length of the locking part is equal to or less than the longitudinal length of the through hole and a lateral length of the locking part is greater than the longitudinal length of the locking part so that the locking part is easily inserted into the through hole but not easily removed therefrom.

2. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection part has a shape of a band having a predetermined flexibility and extends from an end of the cover, and

the locking part is provided on an end of the connection part so that the locking part is able to flexibly bend onto the cover and elastically return to an original position thereof, whereby the locking part is easily inserted into the through hole, and after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, the locking part elastically returns to the original position thereof, thus preventing the locking part from being easily removed from the through hole.

3. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the locking part has a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or has a different color on the exposed surface thereof.

4. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection part comprises a non-flexible material part formed on an end of the cover.

5. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the connection part comprises a string sewn to the end of the cover.

6. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the locking part is made of rigid material.

7. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 6, wherein the locking part comprises a connection hook protruding upwards from the locking part, and the connection part is coupled to the connection hook so that the connection part is prevented from being exposed below the locking part, thus preventing the connection part from being damaged.

8. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein a thickness of the locking part is equal to or less than the lateral length of the through hole.

9. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the connection part is embedded in the through hole of the bottom sole after the locking part has been inserted through the through hole.

10. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the bottom sole has a seating depression formed around an end of the through hole, the seating depression having a shape corresponding to a shape of the locking part so that the locking part which has been inserted into the through hole is seated into the seating depression.

11. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 10, wherein the through hole is formed through the bottom sole in a slanted direction from an upper surface of the bottom sole to a sidewall thereof,

the seating depression is formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole, and

the locking part has a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or has a different color on the exposed surface thereof.

12. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein a thickness of the locking part is equal to or less than the lateral length of the through hole.

13. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the locking part is equal to or less than the lateral length of the through hole.

14. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the connection part is embedded in the through hole of the bottom sole after the locking part has been inserted through the through hole.

15. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection part is embedded in the through hole of the bottom sole after the locking part has been inserted through the through hole.

16. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the bottom sole has a seating depression formed around an end of the through hole, the seating depression having a shape corresponding to a shape of the locking part so that the locking part which has been inserted into the through hole is seated into the seating depression.

17. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom sole has a seating depression formed around an end of the through hole, the seating depression having a shape corresponding to a shape of the locking part so that the locking part which has been inserted into the through hole is seated into the seating depression.

18. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 17, wherein the through hole is formed through the bottom sole in a slanted direction from an upper surface of the bottom sole to a sidewall thereof,

the seating depression is formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole, and

the locking part has a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or has a different color on the exposed surface thereof.

19. The DIY shoe as set forth in claim 16, wherein the through hole is formed through the bottom sole in a slanted direction from an upper surface of the bottom sole to a sidewall thereof,

the seating depression is formed in the sidewall of the bottom sole, and

the locking part has a logo formed on a surface of the locking part that is exposed to an outside after the locking part has been inserted into the through hole, or has a different color on the exposed surface thereof.