Footwear Having Removable Attachment-Point Strip

Abstract

Provided are, among other things, an item of footwear that includes a sole and an upper attached to the sole, with the upper including a left strip and a right strip, each having a plurality of attachment points for use in tightening the upper, and with the entire left strip and the entire right strip capable of being quickly and easily detached from and reattached to the upper.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to shoes, boots and other kinds of footwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right-side elevational view of a shoe having a removable eyelet strip according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front elevational view of a laced shoe having a pair of removable eyelet strips, according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a front elevational view of a replacement strip that includes both left-side and right-side strips in a unitary piece, according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a right-side elevational view of a boot having a removable eyelet strip according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a right-side elevational view of a boot with its attachment-point strip removed and with a choice of attaching either of two different styles of eyelet strip or a hook strip, according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded view of a portion of a shoe having a tightening strap and a pair of removable attachment-point strips with slots, according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a shoe having a tightening strap and a pair of removable attachment-point strips with slots, according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The present invention generally pertains to footwear that has removable and/or replaceable strips of attachment points for use in tightening the article of footwear. In several of the embodiments discussed below, such attachment points are eyelets through which a shoe lace may be threaded. However, various other kinds of attachment points instead may be used, as discussed in more detail below. Moreover, replacement strips can have different kinds of attachment points than the attachment points on an existing (currently attached) strip, so that the wearer can decide exactly how he or she would like to tighten his or her article of footwear (e.g., based on functional and/or aesthetic considerations).

FIG. 1 illustrates a shoe 10 according to a representative embodiment of the present invention. As shown, shoe 10 includes a sole 12 (with a separately extending heel 13) and an upper 14. The sole 12 can be any conventional shoe sole. However, unlike conventional shoes, the upper 14 is provided with a fully removable and replaceable eyelet strip 20. In the present embodiment, eyelet strip 20 attaches to the remainder of upper 14 along the entire length of eyelet strip 20 by a zipper 22.

Accordingly, by simply using zipper tab 24 to slide zipper slide 26 all the way down, eyelet strip 20 can be fully separated from the rest of upper 14. Then, a tab at the bottom of the portion of zipper 22 on eyelet strip 20 is simply inserted into the corresponding opening in the top of zipper slide 26, and zipper tab 24 and slide 26 are slid upwardly (in the conventional manner for engaging a zipper), in order to reattach eyelet strip 20 to the rest of upper 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, eyelet strip 20 includes a number of individual eyelets 28 through which a shoe lace 30 (as shown in FIG. 2A) may be threaded for lacing up the shoe 10. Preferably, eyelet strip 20 includes a minimum of 2-5 eyelets 28. More generally, an attachment-point strip according to the present invention preferably includes a minimum of attachment points, although as described below, in certain embodiments an attachment-point strip according to the present invention sometimes includes only a single attachment point.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the left side view of shoe 10 is the mirror image of the right side illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2A, both the left eyelet strip 32 and the right eyelet strip 20 are capable of being removed from and then reattached onto shoe 10. More preferably, both such eyelet strips 20 and 32 are removable/replaceable in exactly the same manner (e.g., using a zipper 22 in the present embodiment). In addition, as also shown in FIG. 2A, the eyelet strips 32 and 20 can be removed and replaced with one or more other eyelet strips or, more generally, other attachment-point strips.

For example, eyelet strips 32 and 20 can be replaced with an eyelet strip 35 (shown in FIG. 2B) that includes both left-side and right-side strips, each having three eyelets 28, connected together by a bottom section 37. In alternate embodiments, a unitary eyelet strip, such as eyelet strip of 35, can have the left-side and right-side strips connected together by a top section instead of, or in addition to, bottom section 37.

In either case, the connecting section(s) (e.g., section 37) also can be provided with an attachment mechanism (e.g., a zipper or a pair of high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements, such as is commonly sold under the brand name Velcro™) for attaching to the shoe's upper. Also, the types of attachment points provided on any replacement strip can be different than the types of attachment points provided on an existing strip, as discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 3 illustrates a boot 40 that is provided with a sole 42 (having a separately extending heel 43), upper 44, and removable eyelet strip 50 attached to the rest of upper 44 using a zipper 52 (i.e., by using zipper tab 54 to manipulate zipper slide 56), with eyelet strip 50 including a number of individual eyelets 58. Once again, the left side elevational view of boot 40 preferably is the mirror image of the right side elevational view shown in FIG. 3. In fact, the only significant difference in the two embodiments is that eyelet strip 50 generally will be significantly longer (and include more eyelets) than eyelet strip 20 (meaning that zipper 52 also is correspondingly longer than zipper 22).

Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, either one or both of the eyelet strips for a given article of footwear (e.g., a single boot or shoe) may be readily removable. In addition, removable eyelet strip(s) according to the present invention may be used on any kind of footwear, although they are preferred for use on outdoor footwear, such as ordinary walking shoes or athletic shoes.

It is noted that in the embodiments described above, both the left and right eyelet strips are readily removable and re-attachable. However, in alternate embodiments only one side or the other is quickly and easily removable/re-attachable, and the eyelet strip on the other side is permanently attached to the rest of the corresponding upper. The expression “permanently attached” is intended to mean stitched, glued or in some other way attached where the removal and/or re-attachment is not quick and/or easy.

The use of a zipper 22 or 52 in the above embodiments of the invention allows such quick and easy removal and re-attachment. A pair of high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements can be used in place of a zipper to also permit quick and easy removal and re-attachment. For example, an element having high-density hooks may be permanently attached to the upper and an element having high-density loops may be permanently attached to the removable eyelet strip, or vice versa. Similarly, a variety of other structures (e.g., using hooks, clips, snaps or the like) also can be used for this purpose.

One feature of the present invention is that one or both of the eyelet strips on a shoe can be readily removed and replaced. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by maintaining a variety of different interchangeable attachment-point strips, e.g., eyelet strips 50 and 60 and hook strip 70, each having a different style but the same (or at least a compatible) attachment mechanism, the wearer can change the aesthetic appearance or even functional aspects of his or her shoes when and as desired. Typically, such interchangeable attachment-point strips are approximately the same length, but may have different decorative patterns, textures and/or colors (i.e., different style elements for different looks and/or feels) and/or may have different kinds of attachment points (i.e., different functional elements). As to the latter, as already noted, strips 50 and 60 include a number of eyelets 58 through which a shoe lace may be threaded. On the other hand, strip 70 includes a number of hooks 72, such as the kinds of hooks often found on hiking boots, around which a shoe lace may be looped.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a shoe 100 according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Here, the right-side attachment-point strip 120 includes a single slot 122 and the left-side attachment-point strip 130 includes two slots 122, with the slots 122 functioning as attachment points. In this embodiment, however, rather than using a shoe lace, the shoe upper 104 is tightened using a strap 110 that includes an anchor 112 at its proximal end and an attachment mechanism 114 at its distal end. In the present example, attachment mechanism 114 is a high-density hook or loop fastening element, with element 116 being the mating element. However, in alternate embodiments the attachment mechanism 114 may include, e.g., a snap, a hook, a buckle or any other available attachment mechanism, with element 116 again being the appropriate mating element.

In the present embodiment, each of attachment-point strips 120 and 130 is attached to the inner surface of the upper 104 using a pair of high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements. Thus, for example, attachment-point strip 120 has a high-density hook or loop fastening element 124, with its functional portion facing upwardly, and the inner surface of the upper right-side edge of shoe upper 104 is provided with the mating element 125 (shown in outline only because it ordinarily would not be visible in the illustrated view).

Once attachment-point strips 120 and 130 have been attached in this manner, strap 110 is threaded through the various slots 122, with anchor 112 securing the proximal end of strap 110 against one of the slots 122. As a result, not only are the attachment-point strips 120 and 130 fully removable and replaceable, but strap 110 also may be independently removed and/or replaced.

Additional Considerations.

Several different embodiments of the present invention are described above, with each such embodiment described as including certain features. However, it is intended that the features described in connection with the discussion of any single embodiment are not limited to that embodiment but may be included and/or arranged in various combinations in any of the other embodiments as well, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Similarly, in the discussion above, functionality sometimes is ascribed to a particular module or component. However, functionality generally may be redistributed as desired among any different modules or components, in some cases completely obviating the need for a particular component or module and/or requiring the addition of new components or modules. The precise distribution of functionality preferably is made according to known engineering tradeoffs, with reference to the specific embodiment of the invention, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Thus, although the present invention has been described in detail with regard to the exemplary embodiments thereof and accompanying drawings, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various adaptations and modifications of the present invention may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown in the drawings and described above. Rather, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. An item of footwear, comprising:

a sole; and

an upper attached to the sole,

wherein the upper includes a left strip and a right strip, each having at least one attachment point for use in tightening the upper, and

wherein the entire left strip and the entire right strip can be quickly and easily detached from and reattached to the upper.

2. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein each of the left strip and the right strip is attached to the upper with a zipper.

3. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein each of the left strip and the right strip is attached to the upper using high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements.

4. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein each of the left strip and the right strip includes at least three attachment points.

5. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the attachment points comprise eyelets through which a shoe lace is threaded.

6. An item of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second left strip that has a different design than, but is interchangeable with, the left strip; and

a second right strip that has a different design than, but is interchangeable with, the right strip.

7. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the attachment points comprise hooks.

8. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the attachment points comprise slots through which an attachment strap is threaded.

9. An item of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the left strip and the right strip are attached together in a unitary piece.

10. An item of footwear, comprising:

a sole; and

an upper attached to the sole,

wherein the upper includes a left strip and a right strip, each having at least one attachment point for use in tightening the upper and also includes attachment means for quickly and easily detaching the entire left strip and right strip from, and reattaching the entire left strip and right strip to, the upper.

11. An item of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the attachment means comprises a zipper.

12. An item of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the attachment means comprises high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements.

13. An item of footwear according to claim 10, wherein each of the left strip and the right strip includes at least three attachment points.

14. An item of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the attachment points comprise eyelets through which a shoe lace is threaded.

15. An item of footwear according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second left strip that has a different design than, but is interchangeable with, the left strip; and

a second right strip that has a different design than, but is interchangeable with, the right strip.

16. An item of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the attachment points comprise at least one of (i) hooks and (ii) slots through which an attachment strap is threaded.

17. An item of footwear, comprising:

a sole; and

an upper attached to the sole,

wherein the upper includes a strip having a plurality of attachment points for lacing the upper,

wherein the entire strip can be quickly and easily detached from and reattached to the upper, and

wherein the strip is attached to the upper using at least one of a zipper and high-density hook-and-loop fastening elements.

18. An item of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the strip is attached to the upper using a zipper.

19. An item of footwear according to claim 17, further comprising a second strip that has a different design than, but is interchangeable with, the strip.

20. An item of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the strip includes left-side and right-side strips, each having at least one attachment point.