MODULAR SHOE SYSTEM
A modular shoe having interchangeable: outer shoe shell, footbed and internal heel collar. The outer shoe shell provisions a full upper secured to an outsole. The footbed provides the primary cushioning for the wearer's foot, and the internal heel collar is releasably secured to the footbed, the footbed and the internal heel collar presenting a sub-assembly that is mountable within the outer shoe shell. The modular system can include additional components such as tongue extensions and various decoratives.
The invention relates to a modular shoe system.
BACKGROUNDAlthough there are quite a variety of shoe designs commercially available, it is typical for each design to be massed produced in order to spread the cost of development and manufacture over multiple units so that a pair of shoes can be relatively affordable to the average consumer. However, some consumers also crave individuality. To be truly individual one would need to design and manufacture a unique pair of shoes, which would be an expensive undertaking. A modular shoe system which enables a consumer to interchange various parts could overcome that challenge and allow a consumer to express his or her own individuality at a reasonable price point.
SUMMARYIn one aspect, a modular shoe is provided which includes an outer shoe shell, an interchangeable footbed, and an interchangeable internal heel collar. The footbed and the internal heel collar each include connectors for releasably securing the footbed and the internal heel collar to one another and forming a partial assembly that is mountable within the unitary outer shoe shell.
The outer shoe shell can include an outsole and an upper, the outsole incorporating a tread, and the upper encompassing anterior, posterior, medial and lateral aspects of a wearer's foot when the shoe is worn.
The footbed preferably provides the primary cushioning for the wearer's foot.
A cinching mechanism can also be provided for securing the shoe on the wearer's foot.
The upper can include a first heel counter and the internal heel collar can include a second heel counter opposed to the first heel counter.
The footbed and the internal heel collar can be connected together by a tongue and groove joint. More particularly, the internal heel collar can include a semi-rigid or rigid socket; a rear portion of the footbed can includes at least a semi-rigid or rigid plate; and one of the socket and the plate can include an elongate tongue while the other of the plate and the socket can include a mating elongate groove, such that, when the tongue is inserted into the groove, the footbed seats into the socket. A reinforcement rib can surround the groove.
The footbed and the internal heel collar can also or alternatively be connected by a snap-fit joint.
The interchangeable internal heel collar can include a high-top style where the internal heel collar features prominently over a posterior topline of the upper and a low-top style where the internal heel collar does not feature prominently over the posterior topline of the upper.
The medial and lateral portions of the upper and medial and lateral portions of the internal heel collar can each include one or more magnets for registering the respective upper portions and internal heel collar portions.
The cinching mechanism can include shoelace eyelets, and the medial and lateral upper magnets can be disposed about medial and lateral posterior-most eyelets.
The upper can include a tongue, and an interchangeable tongue extension connectable to the tongue.
An interchangeable U-shaped decorative can be attached to the internal heel collar. An interchangeable decorative band can be connected to the U-shaped decorative, the band having magnets therein for holding the band in a looped configuration about the wearer's leg when the shoe is worn.
The foregoing modular shoe enables a consumer to interchange various components and/or decoratives, allowing the consumer of the modular shoe to express his or her own creativity and/or individuality at a reasonable price point.
The foregoing and other aspects of the invention will be better appreciated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Generally speaking, the modular shoe 10 includes an interchangeable outer shoe shell 12, an interchangeable footbed 14, an interchangeable internal heel collar 16, an optional interchangeable tongue extension 18, and one or more optional interchangeable decoratives 20.
The outer shoe shell 12 provisions an outsole 22, an upper 24, an optional foxing 26, an optional tongue 28 (seen best in
As shown in the first and second embodiments, the outsole 22 can—and preferably does—include a tread 23. The outsole 22 can be manufactured by adhering two major components: a front outsole piece 22a and a rear outsole piece 22b, each of which can have a different tread pattern. The rear outsole piece 22b can include a flex portion 22c positioned substantially underneath the foot arch, as provided by a non-treaded thin wall section of the outsole 22. The rear outsole piece 22b can also include a sidewall 22d which adjoins the foxing 26. The rear outsole piece 22b can be transparent, translucent or opaque. The outsole pieces 22a, 22b can be formed from rubber via molding operations or any other desired material.
As shown in the first and second embodiments, the upper 24 encompasses a wearer's toes, at least a portion of the foot instep and at least a portion of the hindfoot such that the upper 24 encompasses anterior, posterior, medial and lateral aspect of the wearer's foot when the shoe 10 is worn. As seen best in
The upper 24 can be sewn, adhered or otherwise secured to the outsole 22. The foxing 26 can adjoin the upper 24 and the outsole 22. As shown in the first and second embodiments the foxing 26 can encircle the outer shoe shell 12 so as to cover from view the seam between the upper 24 and the outsole 22. The foxing 26 may be shortened in length or omitted altogether.
The tongue 28 can be sewn or otherwise secured to the upper 24 and can include one or more connector portions for attaching the optional interchangeable tongue extension 18 to the tongue 28/upper 24. As shown in the first and second embodiments these connector portions can include snapfit members 28a (seen best in
As shown in the first and second embodiments, the tongue 28 can be relatively long and substantially co-extensive with the length of an eyestay 32a. In alternative embodiments, the length of the tongue 28 may be shortened considerably so that the connection with the tongue extension 18 occurs around the position of anterior-most eyelets 32b″.
The cinching mechanism 30 can include at least one of a lacing 32 and a strapping 34, seen best in
While the flexible tab 34b holding D-ring 34a is shown fixed to one side of the upper 24, in alternative embodiments the tab 34b can be releasably secured to the upper 24, for example, by way of hook and loop fasteners, snap fits, a buckle or hooks. This will enable the wearer to quickly swap tabs 34b and change the style or colour of the shoe on a whim. The strapping 34 can likewise be releasably secured to the upper 24, for example, by way of hook and loop fasteners, snap fits, a buckle or hooks, enabling the wearer to quickly swap strappings 34, which may stylistically matched with swapped tabs 34, to change the style or colour of the shoe on a whim. The interchangeable tab 34b and strapping 34 can thus be considered as a form of decorative.
Although the outer shoe shell 12 appears to be a complete shoe, it should be noted that the outsole 22, consisting essentially of the tread 23, and the external heel collar 24f are relatively thin and unforgiving, not anatomically configured to directly receive the foot. Due to inadequate sole and heel comfort/support the outer shoe shell 12 would be unlikely worn for any extended period of time, particularly not for its intended function as an athletic or casual shoe. The interchangeable footbed 14 and the internal heel collar 16 provide the additional components that make the shoe 10 practical.
The footbed 14 provides the core cushioning for the foot. The footbed 14 can have an anatomically configured superior face 14a (seen best in
The footbed 14 includes a connector 40, described in greater detail below, for connecting the footbed 14 to the internal heel collar 16.
As seen in the first and second embodiment, and with particular reference to
The internal heel collar 16 can be provisioned in different, interchangeable, styles. For example,
As seen best in
As seen best in
Regardless of style, the internal heel collar 16 can include a connector 44 (seen best in
As will be seen best from
In alternative embodiments, the male and female aspects of the tongue and groove joint can be reversed with the tongue being located on the internal heel counter and the groove disposed on the footbed plate. Likewise, in alternative embodiments the male and female aspects of the snap fit joint can be reversed with the apertures being located on the footbed and the snap fingers being located on the internal heel collar socket.
The internal heel collar socket 44a can be colored in which case the color can be visible through the rear outsole piece 22b if the latter is transparent or translucent.
As seen best in
The decorative 20 can include a generally U-shaped decorative 20a having a hook and loop fastener strip 20b for attaching the decorative 20a to the hook and loop fastener strip 16g of the high-top style inner heel collar 16A. If desired, the decorative 20 can include buckle receptacles 20c on terminating ends thereof. As seen in
From the foregoing it should be appreciated that modular shoe described herein enables a consumer to interchange various components and decoratives to thereby achieve different looks and styles without having to buy a new pair of shoes, allowing the consumer to express his or her own creativity and individuality at a reasonable price point.
It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein. For example, while the foregoing has described and shown the modular shoe in an athletic style, it will be understood that the modular shoe can embody other styles, such as casual, dress, or any other desired style. Likewise, the invention can include combinations or sub-combinations of the various features described herein as well as modifications, variations and permutations hereto which will occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the fair meaning of the accompanying claims.
FEATURE LIST
- 10 modular shoe system
- 12 outer shoe shell
- 14 footbed
- 14a superior face
- 14b heel hollow
- 14c arch formation
- 14d depression
- 14e inferior face
- 14f rebate
- 16 internal heel collar
- 16A high top style internal heel collar
- 16B low top style internal heel collar
- 16a sidewall
- 16b posterior wall
- 16c counter
- 16d padding band
- 16e eyelet
- 16f eyelet
- 16g hook and loop fastener strip
- 18 tongue extension
- 20 decorative
- 20a U-shaped decorative
- 20b hook and loop fastener strip
- 20c buckle receptacle
- 22 outsole
- 22a front outsole piece
- 22b rear outsole piece
- 22c flex portion
- 22d sidewall
- 23 tread
- 24 upper
- 24a toe box portion
- 24b vamp portion
- 24c quarter
- 24d seam
- 24e counter
- 24f external heel collar
- 24g opening
- 24h topline
- 24j outer lining
- 24k inner lining
- 26 foxing
- 28 tongue
- 28a snapfit member
- 28b magnet
- 30 cinching mechanism
- 32 lacing
- 32a eyestay
- 32b eyelets
- 32c shoelace
- 34 strapping
- 34a D-ring
- 34b tab
- 34c,d hook and loop fastener strips
- 36 magnets
- 40 connector
- 40a plate
- 40b tongue
- 40c wall
- 40d locating lug
- 40e beam
- 40f hook lug
- 44 connector
- 44a socket
- 44b bottom wall
- 44c side wall
- 44d groove
- 44e entrance aperture
- 44f stiffening rib
- 44g aperture
- 44h aperture
- 46 decorative band
- 46a clip
- 46b magnet
Claims
1. A modular shoe, comprising:
- an outer shoe shell comprising an outsole and an upper, wherein the outsole incorporates a tread, and wherein the upper encompasses anterior, posterior, medial and lateral aspects of a wearer's foot when the shoe is worn;
- an interchangeable footbed which provides the primary cushioning for the wearer's foot;
- an interchangeable internal heel collar,
- wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar include connectors for releasably securing the footbed and the internal heel collar to one another, the footbed and the internal heel collar being mountable within the unitary outer shoe shell; and
- a cinching mechanism for securing the shoe on the wearer's foot.
2. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein the upper includes a first heel counter and wherein the internal heel collar includes a second heel counter opposed to the first heel counter.
3. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected together by a tongue and groove joint.
4. A modular shoe according to claim 3, wherein:
- the internal heel collar includes a semi-rigid or rigid socket;
- a rear portion of the footbed includes at least a semi-rigid or rigid plate;
- one of the socket and the plate include an elongate tongue and the other of the plate and the socket include a mating elongate groove, wherein, when the tongue is inserted into the groove, the footbed seats into the socket.
5. A modular shoe according to claim 4, including a reinforcement rib surrounding the groove.
6. A modular shoe according to claim 3, wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected by a snap-fit joint.
7. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected by a snap-fit joint.
8. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein the interchangeable internal heel collar includes a high-top style where the internal heel collar features prominently over a posterior topline of the upper and a low-top style where the internal heel collar does not feature prominently over the posterior topline of the upper.
9. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein medial and lateral limp portions of the upper and medial and lateral limp portions of the internal heel collar each includes one or more magnets for registering respective limp portions.
10. A modular shoe according to claim 9, wherein the cinching mechanism including shoelace eyelets, and wherein the medial and lateral upper magnets are disposed about medial and lateral posterior-most eyelets.
11. A modular shoe according to claim 1, wherein the upper includes a tongue, and further including an interchangeable tongue extension connectable to the tongue.
12. A modular shoe according to claim 1, including an interchangeable U-shaped decorative attachable to the internal heel collar.
13. A modular shoe according to claim 13, including an interchangeable decorative band connectable to the U-shaped decorative, the band having magnets therein for holding the band in a looped configuration about the wearer's leg when the shoe is worn.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 20, 2018
Publication Date: Aug 27, 2020
Inventors: Maydad LEVY (Whitby), Richard KUCHINSKY (Whitby)
Application Number: 16/649,440