Shoe Top Exchange

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe with a sole, detachable interchangeable upper, and securing strap. The shoe contains snaps or other connector components along the entire perimeter of the side of the lower shoe member. Embodiments of the present invention include a shoe upper that is attached to the lower shoe through holes along the edge of the upper shoe that allow the securing strap to affix to the connectors on the perimeter of the lower shoe.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention generally relates to footwear, specifically, a shoe sole having detachable interchangeable upper body.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The basic function of footwear is for foot protection. Shoes can serve functions related to utilitarian use and to fashion. To match one's shoes to one's clothing, multiple shoes may need to be purchased resulting in increased cost. The present invention allow interchangeable shoe uppers be used with a single sole.

Known prior art for interchangeable or detachable uppers include U.S. Pat. No. 0,194,750; U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,253; U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,903; U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,206; U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,754; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 384,495; U.S. Pat. No. 0,233,772; U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,915; U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,058, and U.S. Pat. No. 0,098,623. These devices generally apply to women's shoes and have a shoe upper directly attach to the shoe sole at specific attachment points using some component, usually a snap. Attachment of the shoe upper to the shoe sole around the entire perimeter using a zipper has been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,693; U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,528; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,352.

In all of the aforementioned prior art devices, the attachment of the interchangeable upper was accomplished by securing the shoe upper directly to the shoe sole at a limit number and location of attachment points restricting the style of shoe upper. In U.S. Pat. No. 0,260,530, a securing strap is used in the design of a convertible shoe with interchangeable vamp. With respect to prior art, the present invention departs for the designs of the prior art in that in the present invention a securing strap is used to secure the shoe upper to the shoe sole around the entire perimeter of the shoe sole.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The shortcomings of the prior art are addressed in present invention, in that the attachment points around the entire perimeter of the shoe sole allows for attachment of numerous styles and types of shoe uppers. Embodiments of the present invention include a shoe sole or base that may be made from plastic, rubber, microfiber, wood, or the like where the connector components may be directly mounted. The shoe sole may take, but is not limited to, the form of a wedge or platform. Connector components may be snaps or other connecting component. Embodiments of the present invention may have an upper made of fabric, leather, plastic, or other material in the form of a strap or other foot cover. Depending on the style of the upper, the upper may cover the top, back, side, and/or above the foot area. The shoe upper contains holes at the attachment points to the sole and through which the connecting component on the securing strap is attached. The securing strap may be made of fabric, leather, or other material to which the strap connecting component can be attached and suitably secured.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention that a shoe sole or base can be attached to interchangeable uppers to give the sole a different appearance.

It is also on object of this invention to allow for custom made shoe soles or base can be custom made for an individual wearer so that said shoe sole or base can have orthotic properties and by having interchangeable uppers, the expensive base can have different looks so that can more flexibility with an expensive base.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not the limit the scope of the present invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top, foot bed view of the sole member of the interchangeable shoe-forming assembly.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sole member of the interchangeable shoe-forming assembly.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the sole member of the interchangeable shoe-forming assembly.

FIG. 4a is a bottom view of the elongated rectangular securing strap member containing example of connecting component.

FIG. 4b is a side view of the elongated rectangular securing strap member containing example of connecting component.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a sample of a style of a shoe upper.

FIG. 6. is an example of a various embodiment of a full assembly of the shoe-forming system.

Like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description illustrates the claimed invention by way of example of the preferred embodiments and should not be construed to limit the present invention to only the explicitly described systems, techniques, and applications. An embodiment is an example or implantation. Descriptions of various appearances or implementation of embodiments do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments or to all embodiments.

An embodiment of the shoe, fully assembled form of the interchangeable components of the shoe-forming assembly, is illustrated in FIG. 6.

The fully assembled form of the shoe-forming assembly may take the form of any type of footwear including a shoe, sandal, or boot and generally includes a sole member (FIG. 1), an upper member (FIG. 5), and a securing strap (FIG. 4a).

The sole member is illustrated in FIG. 1 and may be constructed from any known material that will suitably secure the attachment component which is attached within it. An attachment component on the sole may be any component that will suitably allow itself to be affixed to the sole member and allow attachment of the securing strap (FIG. 4a). In the preferred embodiment the sole attachment is the male component of a snap. In an example of an alternate embodiment, the component attachment may be a female connecting component or exist as intrusions, holes, or slots that exist as numerous discrete entities around the upper most perimeter of the sole member.

In the preferred embodiment, the sole member has a recessed ridge 2a around the upper most perimeter of the sole member on to which the attachment components 2b are affixed around the entire perimeter. In an example of an alternate embodiment, the recessed ridge may be absent. The spacing or placement and number of the attachment components on the sole member are determined by the shoe size of the sole member.

The sole member may take any shape or style that can be used for a shoe sole. In the preferred embodiment, the sole member takes the form of a wedge or platform shoe sole.

The shoe upper (FIG. 5) may exist as a single piece, multiple pieces, or multiple pieces adjoined to each other that are affixed to the sole member. It may have a heel section that is enclosed, open, or secured by a strap.

The sole upper has holes at the base of itself 11 through which the securing strap (FIG. 4a) attachment component 7 may be attached to the attachment component on the sole member 3. The shoe upper may take the form of any style of shoe upper that will suitably hold the sole member to the foot of the shoe wearer, such as single wideband, multiple sandal straps, slip-on, or fully enclosed vamp.

The shoe upper may have decorative embellishing elements or functional components such as zippers, laces, buckles, or snaps The securing strap (FIG. 4a) has attachment components along the strap 7 that correspond and affix to the attachment components on the sole member 3. In the preferred embodiment, the attachment component on the securing strap is a female snap. In an example of an alternate embodiment, the attachment component on the securing strap may be a male attachment component.

The number and spacing of attachment components as well as the length of the strap is determined by the corresponding sole member shoe size. In the preferred embodiment, the securing strap extends the entire perimeter of the sole member and there is a one-to-one correspondence of attachment components on the securing strap to the sole member. The securing strap may be made of cloth, leather, plastic, or other material that can be suitably used as a strap and can suitably accommodate the attachment component.

It should be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. The embodiments, methods, procedures, and techniques described herein are representation of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations of scope. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An interchangeable shoe-forming assembly for providing multiple styles of the shoe upper in one pair of shoes comprising:

a sole member to underlie the foot of the wearer that is defined by an upper, lower, and side surface;

a shoe upper releasably attachable to said peripheral edge of the sole member, with the upper having an inner that lies toward the foot and outer surface that lies away from the foot;

an elongated rectangular securing strap member releasably attachable to the sole member and extending around the upper perimeter of the sole member.

2. The shoe system of claim 1, wherein a sole member with attachment components along the entire perimeter of the sole member and wherein the preferred embodiment this perimeter area exists as a recessed ridge along the upper most perimeter of the sole member.

3. The shoe system of claim 1, wherein a shoe upper with holes along the bottom ridge of the upper. Uppers may take the form of straps of any width or a fully enclosing shoe upper. Uppers are fitted such that only sole attachment points on the sole are utilized for the style of the respective upper and only those holes of the upper are attached to the respective sole attachment points.

4. The shoe system of claim 1, wherein an elongated rectangular strap used to secure the upper to the shoe sole. The securing strap attaches to the attachment components along the ridge on the upper peripheral edge of the shoe sole.

5. The shoe system of claim 1, wherein the connecting components used in the sole member and the connecting components used on the securing strap are interlocking by method such as but not restricted to snap.