CONSTRUCTION OF VAMP FOR PATTERNED SHOES

Abstract

An improved construction of patterned shoes comprised of injection or punch molded vamp; the vamp being formed with the pattern of a face and body of an animal or a figure, and 3D organs including eyes, nose, and mouth and a pattern being printed on the outside counter and waist to highlight the style of the animated animal or the figure for the patterned shoes to become even more life-like and vivid.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE

This is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending patent application Ser. No. 10/975,408.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a patterned shoes, and more particularly, to the vamp of the shoes that is more life-like, designed with more a lovely style to upgrade the sense of value of the shoes, and which are suitable for wearing indoors and outdoors without being subject to place or weather conditions as observed with the fluffy slippers which have animal designs or the injection rubber shoes used for outdoor wear during raining days.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Patterned shoes, particularly children's shoes, generally available in the market usually have various patterns directly printed on the vamp or those patterns are stamped on the vamp many times. In either way, it fails to present 3D effects; therefore, the animated animal, or figure on the vamp gives a dull and monotonous impression rather than a life-like and vivid appearance.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,507 discloses a shoe upper which has an outside surface having first ornamental theme, the first theme being formed in three dimensions, with art work coincident with the three dimensional effect, and an outsole below the shoe upper including a bottom surface for engagement with a walking surface, and a peripheral area extending about the bottom and mating with the upper. Although the U.S. patent teaches the provision of “three dimensional pattern” on the vamp, the pattern is only printed on the vamp. Hence, the so-called “three dimensional pattern” is only one with slight changes in height and cannot provide a three dimensional effect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved construction to the patterned shoes with 3D styles of animal or figure to further make the patterned shoes more vivid and life-like to upgrade the sense of value and attractive appearance of the patterned shoes. To achieve the purpose, the vamp is molded by injection or punch, and the vamp is provided with an animation of an animal or figure with 3D organs including eyes, nose, ears, and mouth for the vamp and the lower edge of the vamp to display 3D effects. To make the pattern and animation more vivid and life-like, plastic materials in different colors the vamp in the course of injection or punching is made in different colors on various areas on the vamp.

The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief instruction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 through 14 are preferred embodiments of the present invention showing the vamp with animated twelve Chinese signs in the form of animals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a coincident illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set fourth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is related to patterned shoes 100 essentially comprised of a vamp 1 molded by injection or punching and a waist 2. A graphic of an animated face of an animal, a figure, or a cartoon adapted with 3D eyes 11, nose 12, ears 13 and mouth 14.

The method of manufacturing vamps according to the present invention comprises the following steps:

1. Preparing a mold for a vamp, the molds being provided with shapes of the vamp and three dimensional patterns of animals, plants or figures;

2. Injecting melted colored plastic material into the cavity of the mold to form an integral vamp.

Then, the vamp is further processed to form a shoe.

The patterned shoe comprises a vamp which is integrally made and provided with solid decorative patterns. The vamp is positioned at the front portion of the shoe. Alternatively, the vamp is arranged at the front portion of the shoe and extends from two side portions to the rear portion of the shoe so that the vamp can be joined with the sole to form a shoe.

The patterned shoes 100 has the design of the vamp 1 extending to its lower edge to highlight the 3D design out of a specific position in conjunction with different colors for the style of the shoes to be more vivid and life-like, thus the kid wearing the shoes to look cute.

The style of a butterfly emphasizes its eyes 11 and mouth 14 as illustrated in FIG. 1; and the style of a zebra as illustrated in FIG. 2 add the fun of the shoes and increase the sense of value in giving a very vivid impression that can never be achieved by simply binding a pattern to the vamp as found with the prior art.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 14, the 3D style allows unlimited varieties to tell the stories of the realistic life and the folk customs and legends. Twelve Chinese signs in the form of animals in ranking order are available to appear on the vamp of the patterned shoes of the present invention. Among those twelve animals, dragon is the only exception that is not found in the real life; however, it gives wild imagination. Furthermore, super-realistic cartoon figures may be present in their cute looks on the vamps of the shoes to make the patterned shoes sold at higher price to upgrade their market competition strength.

The vamp and its lower edge of the present invention through the injection molded animation of animal, figure or any other forms gives the patterned shoes 3D effects, more life-like and cuter. Therefore, an application for a utility patent is duly filed accordingly.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a vamp for a patterned shoe comprising steps of:

preparing a mold for a vamp, the molds being provided with shapes of the vamp and three dimensional patterns of animals, plants or figures; and

injecting melted colored plastic material into the cavity of the mold to form an integral vamp.

2. A structure of a patterned shoe comprising a vamp which is integrally made and provided with solid decorative patterns.

3. The structure of a patterned shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said vamp is positioned at a front portion of a shoe.

4. The structure of a patterned shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said vamp is arranged at a front portion of a shoe and extends from two side portions to a rear portion of the shoe.