Shoe

Abstract

A shoe includes a sole and an upper which together enable a user to put on the shoe quickly and easily. The upper includes a heel support member that is fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a rear portion of the sole, and a toe box fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a front portion to form a toe receiving recess. A middle flap is fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from a first side edge of the sole and extending to a terminal edge, the middle flap pivoting between an open position wherein the shoe is adapted to receive the user's foot, and a closed position wherein the middle flap is closed over the user's foot. The shoe further includes a fastener for fastening the terminal edge of the middle flap to a second side edge of the sole.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to shoes, and more particularly to a shoe that is openable such that it may rapidly receive and be fastened around a foot, and further enables easy removal of the foot.

Description of Related Art

The prior art teaches many examples of shoes that can be opened in various ways to facilitate putting on the shoe.

Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,978, teaches an athletic shoe that includes a resilient sole portion having a rear portion that extends upwardly from the sole portion for supporting the ankle of the person. The shoe includes an upper that is pivotally attached to the sole, the upper including an ankle enclosing section and a toe enclosing section, both of which may be attached/detached from the sole, to enable the user to put on the shoe. While this makes placement of the foot into the shoe very easy, the front, toe portion of the shoe must be attached strongly enough to withstand considerable forces, hence the use of a zipper rather than hooks and loops fasteners. This also results in the zipper taking considerable strain, which may result in failure of this fastener.

Ito, U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,837, teaches a shoe of similar design, which opens in its entirety, including the toe portion of the shoe. This design is useful for the elderly and disabled because it is so easy to put on and remove. The upper can be opened for insertion of the foot, and a zipper zips horizontally along the edge of the upper for closing the upper. The upper also includes a hooks and loops fastener, and further includes an additional strip of hooks and loops fastener for added strength.

There are several additional patents that are similar to Ito, wherein the entire upper including the toe pivots upwardly, and a zipper is used to close the upper:

Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 10,178,893, teaches a shoe that includes a sole and a top member pivotally mounted on the sole. The top member and sole to together define a space for receiving a foot, and the top member further comprises an opening. A zipper fastener is provided in the top member and extends from the opening and continues over the top member such that a portion of the top member is movable between a first position in which the space is substantially closed and a second position in which a portion of the top member is folded back from the sole to provide access to the space.

Innocente, U.S. Pat. No. 10,499,710 (assigned to Nike), teaches a shoe having a toe portion, a heel portion and first and second sides, the shoe including a sole, an upper and a zipper closing mechanism extending from a top portion of the upper down along the first side of the shoe and then horizontally between the sole and the upper around the toe portion, around the second side and around the heel portion. See also Price, U.S. 20160338447, Paintin, U.S. Pat. No. 8,245,418, and Ashton, U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,225.

There are many benefits from a shoe which may rapidly receive and fasten around a foot. For example, those with injured or sore feet, the very young or elderly, those with a disability which causes difficulty with laces, or those who need an adjustable shape would all benefit from such a design. Further, triathlon competitors who may need to quickly switch between footwear, divers, travelers, those in an emergency situation, etc., would also benefit.

The prior art teaches shoes wherein the entire upper, including an ankle enclosing section and a toe enclosing section, pivot upwardly for allowing insertion of the user's foot. However, the prior art does not teach a shoe where the middle, ankle enclosing section pivots upwardly, and opens the shoe all the way to the sole, for easy insertion, while the toe and ankle portions remain closed and fixed, for added strength during intense athletic performances. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present invention provides a shoe that includes a sole and an upper which together enable a user to put on the shoe quickly and easily. The sole includes a front end and a rear end connected by a first side edge and a second side edge. The upper includes a heel support member fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the rear portion of the sole; a toe box fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the front portion to form a toe receiving recess; and a middle flap fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the first side edge of the sole and extending to a terminal edge, the middle flap pivoting between an open position wherein the shoe is adapted to receive the user's foot, and a closed position wherein the middle flap is closed over the user's foot such that the terminal edge is positioned adjacent the second side edge of the sole. The shoe further includes a fastener for fastening the terminal edge of the middle flap to the second side edge of the sole.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shoe having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a shoe which may rapidly receive and be fastened around a foot.

Another objective is to provide a shoe which, when fastened, provides strong and reliable support comparable to standard shoe designs.

Another objective is that the inner sole can be quickly and easily accessed for removal, cleaning, drying, or swapping.

A further objective is to provide a shoe fastener which may be integrated into a variety of existing types of shoes.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe according to one embodiment of the present invention and shown in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe illustrating a user stepping his or her foot into the shoe;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shoe, illustrating the shoe being closed around the user's foot;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment the shoe showing an alternative fastener;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the alternative fastener by itself; and

FIG. 6 is another alternative fastener of the shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a shoe that includes an upper than can be opened to receive and be fastened around a wearer's foot without traditional fasteners.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the shoe 10 in an open position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe 10 of FIG. 1, illustrating a user stepping his or her foot 12 into the shoe 10. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the shoe 10 comprises a sole 20 having a main body 49, a front end 22 and a rear end 24 connected by a first side edge 26 and a second side edge 28. The general construction of the sole 20 is similar to prior art shoes, except as noted below, and may include any form of prior art construction, with different layers and other features known in the art.

As discussed below, the sole 20 includes a forward portion 30 that includes the front end 22 of the sole 20, and at least a portion of the first and second side edges 26 and 28; and the sole 20 further includes a rear portion 32 that includes the rear end 24 and at least a portion of the first and second side edges 26 and 28 of the sole 20. The significance of these portions 30 and 32 is discussed in greater detail below.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, an upper 34 of the shoe 10 includes three different components: a heel support member 36, a toe box 42, and a middle flap 46. As discussed in greater detail below, the heel support member 36 and the toe box 42 are fixedly attached to the sole 20 to provide strength and support to the user, while the middle flap 46 is hingably attached on one side, and detachably attached on the other to enable a user to quickly and easily don or remove the shoe 10.

The heel support member 36 is fixedly attached to and extends upwardly from the rear portion 32 of the sole 20, and is adapted to support the wearer's heel. In this embodiment, the heel support member 36 comprises a heel counter 38 and a heel collar 40, the heel counter 38 further including an inner forward edge 43. However, in other embodiments, the heel support member 36 may be formed according to any shoe style known in the art. The general construction of the heel support member 36 is similar to prior art shoes, and may include suitable support structures, padding, etc., which are known in the art.

The heel support member 36 extends into the middle flap 46 along the first side edge 26 of the sole 20, the middle flap 46 being fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the outer edge 26. The middle flap 46 includes a terminal edge 48 having a fastener 50 for removably attaching to the second side edge 28, as described in greater detail below. The middle flap may further include a forward edge 33 and a rear edge 45.

Similarly, the toe box 42 is fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the forward portion 30 of the sole 20, to form a toe receiving recess 44 adapted to receive the wearer's toes. In one embodiment, the toe box 42 may extend to at least partially enclose the user's toes, and alternatively may fully encompass the toes. It should be understood that the toe box 42 may be provided in a variety of structures and materials, so long as it remains fixedly attached to the sole 20 to form the toe receiving recess 44, thereby providing structural stability to the shoe 20 during use.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the middle flap 46 is pivotally attached to the sole 20 such that it can be completed lifted away from the sole 20, to fully expose the inside of the shoe 10 so that the user may easily step into it for use, as shown in FIG. 2. The middle flap 46 includes a proximal edge 47 which is fixedly attached to the sole 20, and a terminal edge 48 which is not fixedly attached to the sole 20, but which includes a fastener 50 that enables the second edge 48 to be removably attached to the sole 20. In this embodiment, the fastener 50 includes a first fastener 50a attached to the terminal edge 48 of the middle flap 46, and a second fastener 50b attached to the second side edge 28 of the sole 20. In this embodiment, the first and second fasteners 50a and 50b are hooks and loops fasteners, but in alternative embodiments, other forms of fasteners known in the art may be used. One example of alternative fasteners is shown in FIGS. 4-6 and discussed below. Other examples of fasteners may be press-studs, snaps, locks, clips, zipper, magnets, etc. The fastener 50 may include additional points of fastening (not shown) to provide size adjustment for different foot heights and widths.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shoe 10 in a closed position around the wearer's foot. As discussed above, the middle flap 46 pivots between the open position of FIGS. 1-2, wherein the shoe 10 is adapted to receive the wearer's foot, and the closed position of FIG. 3, wherein the middle flap 46 is closed around the wearer's foot. In the closed position, the terminal edge 48 of the middle flap 46 is positioned adjacent the second side edge 28 of the sole 20, wherein the terminal edge 48 is secured by the fastener 50 to the second side edge 28 of the sole 20. In this embodiment, the forward edge 33 of the middle flap 46 is adjacent the toe box 42, and the rear edge 45 is adjacent the inner forward edge 43 of the heel support member 36.

The shoe 10 may further include an additional fastener strap 52 which includes a first strap fastener 53, with a mating second strap fastener 54 being mounted on the heel support member 36. In this embodiment, the additional fastener strap 52 extends from the middle flap 46 toward the heel support member 36. As discussed above, the fasteners used may be a hook and loop fastener, or other suitable form of fastener. The additional fastener strap 52 functions to provide additional strength to ensure that the shoe 10 remains closed while in use.

As shown in FIG. 3, the middle flap 46 may further include a padded tongue 60 for both comfort and appearance, which may be covered by laces 62, which may be merely decorative, or alternatively also functional if desired. In some embodiments, the tongue 60 may be in an alternative position, as shown in FIG. 4 and discussed below. While exemplary configurations are illustrated, those skilled in the art may devise many alternative constructions, and these alterative constructions should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

In practice, the wearer first inserts his or her toes into the toe box 42, and then steps down into the shoe 10 guided by the heel support member 36. This is performed while the middle flap 46 is in the open position, as shown in FIG. 2. The open position allows the foot to step into the shoe 10 easily, without requiring any hands or support. The middle flap 46 may then be closed over the user's foot, as shown in FIG. 3, to secure the foot within the shoe 10. The fastener 50 is used to secure the middle flap 46 to the sole 20, and the additional fastener strap 52 may additional be fastened to further secure the middle flap 46 in this closed position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the shoe 10 illustrating another embodiment of a fastener 50 having a first fastener 50c and a second fastener 50d, and further illustrating an alternative positioning of the tongue 60. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment the middle flap 46 of the shoe 10 includes a terminal edge 48 which is not fixedly attached to the sole 20 and includes the first fastener 50c that enables the second edge 48 to be removably attached to the sole 20 via the second fastener 50d, which is attached to the second side edge 28 of the sole 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, this embodiment further illustrates another optional feature of the shoe 10 in which the tongue 60 may be fixedly attached to and extend from the toe box 42. In this embodiment, the tongue 60 is an elongate padded sheet which provides superior cushioning against the top of the user's foot. In this embodiment, the middle flap 46 closes over the tongue 60 when fastened by the fastener 50.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first and second fasteners 50c and 50d of FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the fasteners 50c and 50d each comprise a plurality of teeth 66 mounted on a base 64. The teeth 66 are raised from the base 64, they may be generally triangular in shape, having converging edges. In this embodiment, the teeth are in the form of a pyramid, so that the teeth 66 may interlock, as described in greater detail below. Importantly, the teeth 66 include two converging edges which enable the interlocking. In alternative embodiment, other shapes may be used, e.g., diamond, round, any form of geometric or custom shape desired, which provides the same form of interlocking function.

The base 64 may be in the form of a rigid sheet (e.g., metal, plastic, etc.) and may include an attachment means 68 for securing the base to another surface (such as the shoe, as shown in FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the attachment means 68 is in the form of a hole for receiving laces, nails, or other type of fastener. The attachment means 68 may further include an adhesive, and/or any other mechanism for fastening known in the art (e.g., welding, mechanical fasteners, non-mechanical fasteners, etc.).

In use, the triangular teeth 66 interlock with each other such that they provide a very strong engagement, but wherein a user may simply pinch the fasteners 50c and 50d towards each other to release the interlocking engagement and release. In alternative embodiments, the fasteners 50c and 50d may be used to interlock different objects (e.g., mounting frames on a wall, interlocking any two items known in the art, or other type of fastening).

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the fastener 50, having a first fastener 50e and a second fastener 50f. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, a plurality of triangular teeth 76 are mounted on a sheet 70 and includes an attachment means 74 for receiving laces, nails, or other type of fastener. In some embodiments, the sheet 70 is larger relative to the teeth 76 than in the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5, such that sufficient space is allowed to attach further fastening mechanism(s) to the sheet 70. In this embodiment, hook and loop strips are applied to the sheet 70, which further secures the fasteners 50e and 50f in a closed position, thereby helping to prevent accidental disengagement of the teeth 76 during use.

As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean +/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising:

a sole having a front end and a rear end connected by a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the sole further includes a front portion that includes the front end and at least a portion of the first and second side edges, and further includes a rear portion that includes the rear end and at least a portion of the first and second side edges;

an upper comprising: a heel support member fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the rear portion of the sole; a toe box fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the front portion to form a toe receiving recess; and a middle flap fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the first side edge of the sole and extending to a terminal edge, the middle flap pivoting between an open position wherein the shoe is adapted to receive the user's foot, and a closed position wherein the middle flap is closed over the user's foot such that the terminal edge is positioned adjacent the second side edge of the sole; and

a fastener for fastening the terminal edge of the middle flap to the second side edge of the sole.

2. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising an additional fastener strap that extends from the middle flap toward the heel support member.

3. The shoe of claim 2, further including a first strap fastener on the additional fastener strap, and further comprising a mating second strap fastener mounted on the heel support member.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the fastener includes a first fastener attached to the terminal edge of the middle flap, and a second fastener attached to the second side edge of the sole.

5. The shoe of claim 4, wherein the first fastener and the second fastener each include a base and a plurality of teeth.