Convertible sandal
A convertible sandal comprises a vamp extending over a forefoot portion of the wearer's foot and first and second connectors located along respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp. A strap is secured to the connectors and movable selectively between a first position, in which the strap extends behind a heel of the wearer's foot, and a second position, in which the strap extends over the wearer's forefoot. The connectors may include elongated eyelets through which first and second end sections of the strap are threaded and then folded back against the strap for securing the strap to the connectors. In some embodiments a holder is provided for securing the straps across the forefoot or for connecting the sandal to a second sandal or another item using the strap.
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This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/846,404, filed May 14, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis application relates to footwear and, in particular, to sandals that are convertible between a slide configuration and a heel-strap configuration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONU.S. Pat. No. 3,336,683 of Schellkopf, U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,102 of DeVincentis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,782 of Thatcher, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,058 of Jneid disclose various shoes having uppers that are convertible between a heel-strap configuration, in which a heel strap wraps around the wearer's heel to secure the shoe in place, and a slide configuration, in which the heel strap is moved clear of the heel for easier donning and removal of the shoe. In some of these shoes, the heel straps are disconnected from the shoes when converting to the slide configuration and must thereafter be stored separately or carried by the wearer (e.g., in the wearer's pocket), subjecting the heel straps to being misplaced or lost. In others, the heel straps are folded forwardly for converting the shoes to the slide configuration, but remain attached to the shoes so that a portion of the straps may awkwardly dangle or press against the user's leg or forefoot. Whether a forwardly-folded heel strap dangles or presses against the foot may depend on the length of the heel strap, the point at which it connects to the shoe, and the shape of the wearer's foot.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,249 of Aguerre discloses a sandal having a vamp and an elastic heel strap rotatably connected to the vamp via a pair of pivot mechanisms so that the heel strap can be pivoted between a lowered position about the heel of the wearer's foot and a raised position over the arch of the foot and the vamp. The pivot mechanisms increase the complexity of the sandal construction and are subject to mechanical failure.
The present inventor has recognized a need for an improved sandal that is convertible between a heel-strap configuration and a slide configuration and for methods of converting a sandal between such configurations.
SUMMARYA convertible sandal according to one embodiment comprises a sole for supporting a wearer's foot and a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot portion of the wearer's foot. First and second connectors are preferably located along respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp. In some embodiments, first and second holders are located along the respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp. A strap may be selectively moved between a first position, in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and a second position, in which the strap extends over the wearer's forefoot. The connectors may include elongated eyelets through which the end sections of the strap are threaded and then folded back against the strap for securing the strap to the connectors.
Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Sole 20 may be made by any of a variety of known methods and materials, such as injection molded resins, sewn leather or synthetic materials, and thermoforming, for example. Vamp 30 is preferably split longitudinally so that it comprises medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 attached to sole 20 along the respective medial and lateral margins 34 and 36. Medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 are separated by a split 48 along the top of the wearer's foot where the medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 are joined together by one or more cinch straps 50. Split 48 may comprise an abutting or overlapping region of or a gap between medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46. In some embodiments laces may be used in place of or in addition to cinch straps 50. In still other embodiments, other devices of joining medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 may be employed. For example, a section of elastic material may be permanently or removably attached to medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 to span a gap therebetween. In yet other embodiments, vamp 30 is not split longitudinally.
Vamp 30 is preferably split along its entire length, as shown in
Vamp 30 includes a foot opening 52 sized so that when strap 14 is removed from the heel region, as shown in
Vamp 30 includes first and second connectors 62 and 64 located along respective medial and lateral sides of vamp 30 and generally adjacent a rear margin 68 of vamp 30. Connectors 62 and 64 preferably comprise elongated eyelets formed in respective medial and lateral side sections 44 and 46 of vamp 30 and sized to fit first and second end sections 72 and 74 of strap 30 therethrough, as illustrated in
Holders 86 preferably comprise segments or loops of fabric, sewn to vamp 30 to form keeper loops along the medial and lateral sides of vamp 30. Keeper loops are preferably located along outer side surfaces of vamp 30 (as illustrated), but may alternatively be located along inner side surfaces of vamp 30 (not shown). In other embodiments (not shown), holders 86 may comprise any of a variety of other devices formed or attached in, on, or to vamp 30, and which cooperate with strap 14 for holding strap 14 in place. Such holder devices may tend to align strap 14 relative to vamp 30, to prevent strap 14 from sliding or flapping when in the second position. Exemplary holder devices include plastic or metal buckles, snaps, hooks, and/or small eyelets for receiving laces or hooks attached to strap 14, for example.
Holders 86 may also serve as lash points for connecting a pair of sandals 10 together using a strap 14, as partially illustrated in phantom lines in
If a releasable attachment device is used, strap 114 may be detached from the swivel connectors 162 and reattached to a holder in a manner similar to that described above with reference to
Many other configurations and fastening arrangements may also be employed for swivel connector 162. For example, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the plug portion 202 and socket 214 are reversed, so that plug portion 202 is formed as part of grommet part 196 and socket 214 is formed in swiveling part 194. In still other embodiments (not shown), the relative radial positions of the tines may be reversed relative to grommet part 196, so that the barbed distal ends 206 extend radially inwardly to engage an outwardly radially extending shoulder of the grommet part 196.
It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many other changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
Claims
1. A convertible sandal, comprising:
- a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;
- a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including medial and lateral sides proximal of the medial and lateral margins of the sole, respectively, and a rear margin proximal of a heel of the wearer's foot;
- first and second connectors supported on the vamp along the respective medial and lateral sides thereof and adjacent the rear margin of the vamp;
- first and second holders supported on the vamp along the respective medial and lateral sides thereof; and
- a strap including opposing first and second end sections, the strap being movable between a first position, in which the first and second end sections are detachably connected to the first and second connectors and the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and a second position, in which the first and second end sections are detachably connected to the first and second holders and the strap extends over the forefoot.
2. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connectors comprises an eyelet.
3. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second connectors includes a swivel connector that facilitates pivoting of the strap between the first and second positions.
4. The convertible sandal of claim 1 in which the first holder is the first connector and the second holder is the second connector.
5. The convertible sandal of claim 2, further comprising complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged on the strap for engagement when at least one of the end sections is threaded through the eyelet and folded back upon the strap, thereby detachably connecting the strap to the vamp.
6. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein:
- the connectors comprise elongated eyelets sized for threading the first and second end sections therethrough; and
- the strap includes complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged so that the first and second end sections may be threaded through the eyelets of the respective first and second connectors and folded back upon themselves, where they are releasably held in place to detachably secure the strap to the vamp in the first position.
7. The convertible sandal of claim 6, wherein at least one of the holders includes a keeper loop sized to receive one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough.
8. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the holders includes a keeper loop.
9. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein the keeper loop is sewn to the vamp.
10. The convertible sandal of claim 1, wherein the vamp is split longitudinally to facilitate adjustment of the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.
11. The convertible sandal of claim 10, further comprising one or more cinch straps or laces, or both, extending between the medial and lateral sides of the vamp for tightening the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.
12. A convertible sandal, comprising:
- a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;
- a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including a rear margin proximal of a heel of the wearer's foot;
- a detachable strap including opposing first and second end sections;
- first and second connector means mounted on the vamp along respective medial and lateral sides thereof and adjacent the rear margin of the vamp for detachably connecting the respective first and second end sections of the strap thereto in a first position, in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot; and
- first and second holder means mounted on the vamp along the respective medial and lateral sides thereof for detachably holding the first and second end sections of the strap to the vamp in a second position, in which the strap extends over the forefoot.
13. The convertible sandal of claim 12, further comprising means for adjusting the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.
14. In a sandal having a sole for supporting a wearer's foot, a vamp attached to the sole and extending over a forefoot portion of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, and a strap including opposing first and second end sections, an improved method of reconfiguring the sandal between a heel-strap configuration, in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and a slide configuration, in which the strap is moved clear of the heel, comprising:
- providing first and second connectors on the vamp at respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp;
- providing a holder supported on the vamp along at least one of the medial and lateral sides thereof;
- connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second connectors, respectively, thereby configuring the sandal in the heel-strap configuration;
- detaching at least one of the first and second end sections from the corresponding connector to which it is connected; and
- detachably connecting the strap to the holder in the slide configuration.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein:
- the strap includes a main portion extending between the first and second end sections;
- the connectors include elongated eyelets sized for threading the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough; and
- the step of connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second connectors includes threading the first and second end sections through the eyelets, folding back the first and second end sections over the main portion of the strap, and securing the first and second end sections to the main portion of the strap to thereby secure the strap to the vamp.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising detachably connecting one of the first and second end sections to a second sandal or another article.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.
18. A convertible sandal, comprising:
- a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;
- a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including medial and lateral sides proximal of the medial and lateral margins of the sole, respectively;
- first and second connectors secured to the vamp along the respective medial and lateral sides and adjacent a rear margin of the vamp, the first and second connectors defining respective first and second eyelets; and
- a heel strap including opposing first and second end sections and a main portion extending between the first and second end sections, the first and second end sections being threaded through the first and second eyelets, respectively, folded back upon the main portion of the strap, and secured to the main portion of the strap, to thereby secure the strap to the vamp.
19. The convertible sandal of claim 18, wherein the first and second end sections are releasably secured to the main portion, the heel strap is detachable from the vamp, and the vamp further includes first and second holders different from the first and second connectors, the first and second holders located along the medial and lateral sides of the vamp, respectively, for detachably securing the heel strap over the forefoot.
20. The convertible sandal of claim 18, wherein each of the first and second connectors includes a swivel connector that facilitates pivoting of the heel strap between a first position extending around a wearer's heel and a second position extending across a wearer's forefoot.
21. The convertible sandal of claim 20, wherein each swivel connector comprises:
- a socket part aligned with a hole in the vamp; and
- a plug part rotatably mated with the socket part through the hole; and
- a pivotable body supported on one of the plug and socket parts for rotation relative to the vamp, the body defining one of the first and second eyelets.
22. The convertible sandal of claim 21, wherein the other of the plug and the socket parts not supporting the body includes a flange resting against an inner surface of the vamp, the flange including a gripping feature to grip the vamp.
23. The convertible sandal of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first and second end sections is releasably secured to the main portion with hook-and-loop fastener material.
24. The convertible sandal of claim 18, wherein:
- the second end section is releasably connected to the second connector; and
- the first end section is non-releasably connected to the first connector.
25. The convertible sandal of claim 24, wherein the second end section is releasably secured to the main portion with hook-and-loop fastener material.
26. The convertible sandal of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second connector means includes a swivel connector that facilitates pivoting of the strap between the first and second positions.
27. The convertible sandal of claim 26, wherein the swivel connectors include eyelets to receive the first and second end sections of the strap.
28. A convertible sandal, comprising:
- a sole;
- a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of a wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including medial and lateral sides proximal of the medial and lateral margins of the sole, respectively;
- a first connector pivotably secured to the vamp along one of the medial and lateral sides thereof;
- a second connector secured to the vamp along the other of the medial and lateral sides thereof; and
- a strap including opposing first and second end sections, the first end section being non-releasably connected to the first connector, the second end section being releasably connected to the second connector when in a first position in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and the second end section being detachable from the second connector for movement of the strap, without removal of the sandal from the wearer's foot, to a second position in which the strap extends over the forefoot and the second end section is reattached to the second connector.
29. The convertible sandal of claim 28, wherein each of the first and second connectors comprises a swivel connector.
30. The convertible sandal of claim 29, wherein each swivel connector includes:
- a socket part and a plug part, the socket and plug parts rotatably mated together through a hole in the vamp, one of the socket and plug parts including a flange that rests against an inner surface of the vamp, the flange including gripping features for gripping the vamp; and
- a pivotable body supported on the other of the socket and plug parts for rotation relative to the vamp.
31. The convertible sandal of claim 28, wherein the strap includes a main portion extending between the first and second end sections, the second connector including an eyelet through which the second end section is threaded, the second end section being folded back upon the main portion of the strap and releasably and adjustably secured thereto.
32. The convertible sandal of claim 31, wherein the second connector is a swivel connector including a body that rotates relative to the vamp and the eyelet is formed in the body.
33. The convertible sandal of claim 31, wherein the second end section is releasably secured to the main portion with hook-and-loop fastener material.
Type: Application
Filed: May 19, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 28, 2006
Applicant: Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc. (Portland, OR)
Inventors: Daniel Laska (Portland, OR), Nicholas Staub (Portland, OR)
Application Number: 11/134,842
International Classification: A43B 3/12 (20060101);