FOOTWEAR WITH A REMOVABLE OUTSOLE

Abstract

A footwear apparatus may include an upper portion that includes multiple layers. At least one of the layers may be an attachment layer that includes multiple holes. An outsole may include multiple fasteners that are positioned to align with the holes of the attachment layer. Furthermore, the insertion of the fasteners of the outsole into the holes of the attachment layer may attach the outsole to the upper portion of the footwear apparatus.

Description

BACKGROUND

Footwear may include an outsole that is a portion of the footwear that is in direct contact with the ground. The outsole may provide assistance to the wearer of the footwear. For example, depending on the activity of the wearer of the footwear, particular types of outsoles may be more advantageous to the wearer. For, the outsole may provide more traction to a hiker while the outsole may be smoother for a dancer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various implementations of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example shoe with a removable outsole in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example attachment layer between a midsole and a removable outsole of a shoe in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a hole or cavity in a shoe with a removable outsole where a fastener of the removable outsole may be inserted into the hole or cavity of the shoe in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates the hole or cavity of the shoe with a removable outsole with an inserted fastener of the removable outsole in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a frontal view of fasteners of a removable outsole and holes or cavities of a shoe in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a table illustrating a number of dots or holes or cavities in a pattern of the removable outsole in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to footwear with a removable outsole. Examples of footwear include, but are not limited to, shoes, boots, sandals, and so forth. Shoes, and other footwear, may be constructed with various layers or parts. For example, a shoe may include an outsole, a midsole, an insole, and an insert. The outsole of a shoe may refer to the portion or layer of the shoe that is in direct contact with the ground. Furthermore, the insole of the shoe may refer to the portion or layer of the shoe that is the interior bottom of the shoe that provides cushioning for the foot of the wearer of the shoe. The midsole may refer to the layer or portion of the shoe that is between the outsole and the insole and may provide shock absorption for the wearer of the shoe. The insole, midsole, and insert may be referred to as the upper portion of the shoe. The outsole may thus be considered to be attached to the upper portion of the shoe.

In shoe footwear, the outsole may be fixed to the midsole. For example, glue or stitching may fix the outsole to the midsole. The outsole may not be intended to be removed. Accordingly, if a wearer of an article of footwear seeks to change the outsole of his or her shoe, the wearer may not be capable of a procedure to remove the outsole and to fix a new outsole to the midsole of the shoe without damaging the shoe. Instead, the wearer will be required to force the outsole apart from the midsole by tearing the outsole from the midsole or by removing any stitching that connects the outsole to the midsole. Such actions may result in damage to the shoe.

In order to provide a procedure to remove the outsole without damaging the shoe, layers or portions of the shoe may be configured to provide a mechanism to remove an outsole from the other portions or layers of the shoe and to insert or replace another outsole into the other portions or layers of the shoe. For example, the outsole may include fasteners and the shoe may include a layer with cavities or pockets (i.e., holes) to which the fasteners from the outsole may be inserted. The insertion of the fasteners into the cavities or pockets may secure the outsole to the upper portion of the shoe. Additionally, the fasteners may be positioned so that the wearer of the shoe may be able to remove the outsole by pushing against the fasteners when inserted into the cavities or pockets of the shoe. Accordingly, the wearer of the shoe may be able to remove an outsole from the upper portion of the shoe and may attach a new outsole into the upper portions of the shoe without damaging the shoe.

Thus, the removable outsole may allow wearers of footwear to interchange outsoles. For example, wearers of shoes may be able to attach different colors of outsoles to the upper portions of their shoes. Additionally, the removable outsole may provide medical benefits to footwear. For example, various orthopedic outsoles (or orthopedic sole) may be fixed to an upper portion of a shoe depending on medical conditions of the wearer of the shoe. Furthermore, sports shoes (or other such footwear) may utilize a removable outsole (or a sports sole) to match a particular sports-related outsole to an activity that the wearer of the sports shoe intends to participate in. For example, if the wearer of the shoe intends to be in water to snorkel or scuba dive, then an outsole with fins may be attached to the shoe. Subsequently, if the wearer of the shoe intends to hike outdoors, then the outsole with fins may be removed and replaced with an outsole with a particular type of tread that is more conducive to outdoor hiking.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example shoe 100 with a removable outsole. In general, the shoe 100 may include an upper portion 120 and a removable outsole 110 that may be attached to the upper portion 120 and subsequently removed from the upper portion 120.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shoe 100 may include an upper portion 120 that includes multiple layers or portions. For example, the upper portion 120 may include an attachment layer 121, a midsole layer 122, an insole layer 123, and an insert layer 124. The attachment layer 121 may include multiple cavities or holes arranged so that fasteners 111 of the removable outsole 110 may be placed through the cavities or holes of the attachment layer 121 in order to attach the removable outsole 110 to the upper portion 120 of the shoe. The attachment layer 121 may be made of a material that is more rigid than the midsole layer 122. For example, the attachment layer 121 may be made of, but is not limited to, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) material. Further details with regard to the cavities or holes of the attachment layer 121 are disclosed in conjunction with FIGS. 2-5.

The midsole layer 122 may be attached to the attachment layer 121 and the insole layer 123. The midsole layer may be a layer may be made of a material to provide shock absorption to a wearer of the shoe 100. In some embodiments, the midsole layer 122 may be permanently attached (e.g., either through glue, stitching, or another mechanism) to the attachment layer 121 and the insole layer 123. Furthermore, the insole layer 123 may be a portion of the shoe 100 that sits directly beneath an insert layer 124 and above the midsole layer 122. In some embodiments, the insole layer 123 may be considered the interior bottom of the shoe 100 and the insert layer 124 may be a removable portion of the shoe 100 that is placed on top of the insole layer 123 and is the layer where a wearer of the shoe directly places his or her foot.

As previously described, the midsole layer 122 may be permanently attached to the attachment layer 121 and the insole layer 123. As such, each of the attachment layer 122, midsole layer 122, and the insole layer 123 may be glued or attached together and may not be removed from each other. Furthermore, as previously described, the attachment layer 121 includes multiple cavities or holes. In some embodiments, the midsole layer 122 and the insole layer 123 may also include multiple cavities or holes that are aligned with the cavities or holes of the attachment layer 121. As such, each of the attachment layer 121, the midsole layer 122, and the insole layer 123 may include holes or cavities.

The removable outsole 110 (also referred to as a removable sole) may be the portion of the shoe 100 that is in direct contact with the ground when the shoe 100 is worn. The removable outsole 110 may be constructed of, but is not limited to, leather or a rubber-based material. In some embodiments, the removable outsole 110 may include a heel. Furthermore, the removable outsole 110 may include multiple fasteners 111 that may be inserted into the holes or cavities of the attachment layer 121, midsole layer 122, and the insole layer 123 in order to attach the removable layer 110 to the upper portion 120 of the shoe 100. After the fasteners 111 have been inserted into the holes or cavities of the attachment layer 121, midsole layer 122, and the insole layer 123, the removable outsole 110 may be removed by pushing against the tips or tops of the fasteners 111. For example, the insert layer 124 may be removed from the top of the insole layer 123 and a wearer of the shoe may press down on the tips or tops of the fasteners 111 as they are seen from the insole layer 123. Further details with regards to the insertion of the fasteners 111 into the layers of the upper portion 120 of a shoe are described in conjunction with FIGS. 3-5.

Accordingly, an attachment layer and the midsole and insole of the upper portion of a shoe or other type of footwear may be permanently attached or coupled together while an insert of the shoe may be removable from the insole. A removable outsole may include multiple fasteners that may be inserted into the attachment layer, midsole, and insole by aligning the fasteners of the removable outsole into holes or cavities of the attachment layer, midsole, and insole.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example attachment layer 200 between a midsole and a removable outsole of a shoe. In general, the attachment layer 200 may correspond to the attachment layer 121 of the shoe 100 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment layer 200 may include multiple holes or cavities 210. For example, the holes or cavities 210 may be around the perimeter or along the outside of the attachment layer 200. In some embodiments, the holes or cavities 210 may be equally spaced throughout the perimeter or along the outside border of the attachment layer 200. In the same or alternative embodiments, the attachment layer 200 may further include one or more lines of holes or cavities 210 across the attachment layer 200. For example, the lines of holes or cavities 210 may start at a left side and end at the right side of the attachment layer 200.

In some embodiments, the attachment layer 200 may include three lines of holes or cavities 210. For example, the attachment layer 200 may include a first line 220 of cavities or holes 210 across the widest portion of the attachment layer (e.g., corresponding to where toes of a wearer of a shoe would be positioned), a second line 230 across the middle of the attachment layer 230, and a third line 240 towards a position corresponding to a heel of the shoe or where a heel would be positioned on a removable outsole. Furthermore, the attachment layer 200 may include a fourth line 250 that is perpendicular to the first line 220, second line 230, and the third line 240. For example, the fourth line 250 may include holes or cavities from the area corresponding to the toe of the shoe to the area corresponding to the heel of the shoe so that holes or cavities of the fourth line 250 are across the length of the attachment layer 200 or shoe.

In some embodiments, the holes or cavities 210 may be vertical. For example, each of the attachment layer, midsole, and insole may include identical vertical holes or cavities. In alternative embodiments, a portion of the holes or cavities 210 may be angled and another portion of the holes or cavities 210 may not be angled (i.e., the other portion of the holes or cavities 210 are vertical). For example, holes or cavities 210 at the perimeter or along the outside of the attachment layer 200 may be angled while holes or cavities 210 that are not at the perimeter or along the outside of the attachment layer 200 are not angled. In some embodiments, the angle of the holes or cavities 210 that are at the perimeter or along the outside of the attachment layer 200 may be angled towards the area corresponding to the heel of the shoe.

FIG. 3 illustrates a hole or cavity in a shoe with a removable outsole where a fastener of the removable outsole may be inserted into the hole or cavity of the shoe. In general, the hole or cavity 370 may correspond to a hole or cavity in the attachment layer 121, midsole layer 122, and insole layer 123 of the shoe 100 of FIG. 1 or the attachment layer 200 of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the hole or cavity 370 of the shoe may correspond to a hole or cavity in the attachment layer 330, midsole layer 340, and an insole layer 350. For example, as shown, the hole or cavity 370 may correspond to a first opening in the attachment layer 330, a second opening in the midsole layer 340, and a third opening in the insole layer 350. As previously described, the hole or cavity 370 may be angled (e.g., at a 45 degree angle) towards the heel of a shoe or the hole or cavity may be substantially vertical. In some embodiments, the hole or cavity 370 may correspond to more or less layers than described. For example, the hole or cavity 370 may correspond to an opening in the attachment layer 330 and the midsole layer 340 or any other such combination of layers.

The removable outsole 320 may include at least one fastener 310. In some embodiments, the fastener 310 may correspond to the fastener 111 of FIG. 1. A fastener may refer to any hardware device that mechanically joins, affixes, couples, or attaches two or more objects (e.g., layers) together. For example, the fastener 310 may be used to mechanically join the removable sole 320 with the attachment layer 330, midsole layer 340, and/or the insole layer 350. The fastener 310 may include grooves that align to other grooves within the layers of the hole or cavity 370. As shown in FIG. 3, the fastener 310 may include a vertical portion 371 with a first fastening portion 372 and a second fastening portion 373. The first fastening portion 372 and the second fastening portion 373 may each be capable of being inserted into a hole or cavity of the attachment layer 330, midsole layer 340, and the insole layer 350. The first and second fastening portions 372 and 373 may be in the shape of a wedge. For example, each of the first and second fastening portions 372 and 373 may be a wedge of an identical shape and size that is wider than the vertical portion 371. The vertical portion 371 may also be referred to as a column.

In operation, the fastener 310 may be inserted into the hole or cavity 370 to attach or affix the removable sole 320 to the shoe. The removable sole 320 may be removed from the shoe by the pushing down of the fastener 310 from the hole or opening at the insole layer 350 that exposes the top of the fastener 310 when it has been inserted into the hole or cavity 370. For example, a force may be applied to the top of the fastener 310 that corresponds to the first fastening portion 372 after the insert 360 has been removed from the footwear. Either the first fastening portion 372 or both the first and the second fastening portions 372 and 373 may be inserted through the holes or cavities of the layers through the opening at the insole layer 350. In some embodiments, the first fastening portion 372 may be inserted through the opening at the insole layer 350 with the second fastening portion 373 not being inserted through the opening of the insole layer 350 (and instead remaining within the other layers) when a weight of the wearer of the shoe is light. In another embodiment, both of the first and second fastening portions 372 and 373 may be inserted through the opening of the insole 360 when the weight of the wearer of the shoe is heavy.

FIG. 4 illustrates the hole or cavity of the shoe with a removable outsole with an inserted fastener of the removable outsole. In general, the hole or cavity of FIG. 4 may correspond to the hole or cavity 370 of FIG. 3 after a fastener 310 has been inserted into the hole or cavity to attach the removable outsole to the upper portion of a shoe.

As shown in FIG. 4, the insertion of a fastener 310 from a removable outsole 320 may result in the fastener 310 being placed through holes or cavities of the attachment layer 330, midsole layer 340, and insole layer 350. The insertion of the fastener 310 into the hole or cavity may result in the removable outsole 320 being attached to the attachment layer 330. For example, the top of the removable outsole 320 may be affixed to the bottom of the attachment layer 330. Furthermore, the fastener 310 may be removed in response to a force being pushed against the top portion of the fastener 310 (e.g., a first fastening portion that is exposed after the removing of the insert 360).

FIG. 5 illustrates a frontal view of fasteners of a removable outsole and holes or cavities of a shoe. In general, the upper portion 520 may correspond to the attachment layers 121 or 330, midsole layers 122 or 340, and insole layers 123 or 350 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 and the removable outsole 510 may correspond to the removable outsole 110 or 320 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper portion 520 may include multiple holes or cavities. For example, the upper portion 520 may include holes or cavities 521 and 522 that are angled (e.g., angled towards the middle of the upper portion 520) and holes or cavities 523 that are substantially vertical. Furthermore, the removable outsole 510 may include multiple fasteners such as fasteners 511 and 512 that are angled so that the fasteners 511 and 512 may be inserted into the holes or cavities 521 and 522. Furthermore, the fasteners 513 are substantially vertical so that the fasteners 513 may be inserted in the holes or cavities 523. As such, the fasteners of the removable outsole may include a first group of fasteners that are oriented in a vertical position and a second group of fasteners that are oriented in an angled position. In some embodiments, the second group of fasteners may be positioned along the outside edges or borders of the removable outsole 510.

FIG. 6 is a table illustrating a number of dots or holes or cavities in a pattern of the removable outsole. For example, the front of shoe width may correspond to the line 220, one of the midway of shoe widths may correspond to the line 230, and the bottom of shoe width may correspond to the line 240 of FIG. 2. As shown, the table illustrates a number of holes or cavities that may be included in various lines of the pattern of the removable outsole based on varying shoe widths or sizes.

In the foregoing specification, implementations of the disclosure have been described with reference to specific example implementations thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of implementations of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. A footwear apparatus comprising:

an upper portion comprising a plurality of layers, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is an attachment layer comprising a plurality of holes; and

an outsole comprising a plurality of fasteners that are positioned to align with the plurality of holes of the attachment layer, wherein the plurality of fasteners are further positioned so that an insertion of the fasteners of the outsole into the plurality of holes of the attachment layer attaches the outsole to the upper portion comprising the plurality of layers.

2. The footwear apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers of the upper portion further comprises a midsole and an insole.

3. The footwear apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the midsole and the insole comprises a plurality of holes that correspond to the plurality of holes of the attachment layer.

4. The footwear apparatus of claim 3, wherein the attachment layer is coupled to a bottom of the midsole and the insole is coupled to a top of the midsole.

5. The footwear apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of holes of the midsole, insole, and attachment layer are vertical.

6. The footwear apparatus of claim 3, wherein a first portion of the plurality of holes of the midsole, insole, and attachment layer are vertical, and wherein a second portion of the plurality of holes of the midsole, insole, and attachment layer are angled.

7. The footwear apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second portion of the plurality of holes are located at a perimeter of the midsole, insole, and the attachment layer, and wherein the first portion of the plurality of holes are located in an interior of the midsole, insole, and the attachment layer.

8. The footwear apparatus of claim 6, wherein the angle of the second portion of the plurality of the holes is towards a heel of the footwear apparatus.

9. The footwear apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attachment layer is a low density polyethylene material (LDPE).

10. The footwear apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fasteners are exposed at an insole of the footwear apparatus when the fasteners of the outsole are inserted into the plurality of holes of the attachment layer.

11. The footwear apparatus of claim 10, wherein the outsole is removable from the attachment layer in response to a force applied against the plurality of fasteners when the plurality of fasteners are inserted into the plurality of holes of the attachment layer.

12. The footwear apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outsole is removable from the attachment layer in response to the force applied against a top of the plurality of fasteners through an insole of the footwear apparatus.

13. A shoe comprising:

an insole comprising a first plurality of cavities;

a midsole comprising a second plurality of cavities and coupled to a bottom of the insole;

an attachment layer comprising a third plurality of cavities and coupled to a bottom of the midsole; and

an outsole comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein the plurality of fasteners are to attach the outsole to the insole, the midsole, and the attachment layer in response to an insertion of the plurality of fasteners through the first, second, and third pluralities of cavities.

14. The shoe of claim 13, further comprising:

an insert placed over the insole, wherein the insert does not comprise any cavities, and wherein the insert covers a plurality of tops of the plurality of fasteners through the insole when the outsole is attached to the insole, the midsole, and the attachment layer.

15. The shoe of claim 14, wherein after the attachment of the plurality of fasteners, the outsole is removable in response to a force against the top of the plurality of fasteners.

16. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the outsole further comprises an orthopedic sole.

17. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the outsole further comprises a sports sole.

18. The shoe of claim 13, wherein the first, second, and third pluralities of cavities are angled towards a heel of the shoe.

19. The shoe of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of fasteners comprises a column and a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion, wherein the first fastening portion is attached to the column above the second fastening portion.

20. An apparatus comprising:

an outsole associated with footwear, wherein the outsole comprises a plurality of fasteners that are positioned to align with a plurality of holes associated with an upper portion of the footwear, wherein the plurality of fasteners are further positioned so that an insertion of the fasteners of the outsole into the plurality of holes of the upper portion of the footwear attaches the outsole to the upper portion.