CN1642451A - Interchangeable footwear system - Google Patents

Abstract

An interchangeable footwear system comprising a shoe assembly, the shoe assembly comprising: a base shoe; (b) interchangeable uppers, wherein any one of a plurality of said uppers is adapted to be assembled onto said base shoe forming an assembly so as to alter the appearance and use environment of said shoe assembly.

Description

Interchangeable Footwear System

technical field

This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to footwear adapted to accept a range of interchangeable uppers for changing appearance.

Background technique

For a long time, footwear has had additional functions beyond those of use. Buying multiple pairs of shoes is desirable due to the desire to vary in style, color and ornamentation, especially in the field of children's, women's and sports-related footwear. Furthermore, in order to change one style or look of footwear to another after leaving the house, it is necessary to carry an additional, bulky pair of shoes.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve or improve at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Contents of the invention

Thus, in one broad form of the invention, there is provided an interchangeable footwear system comprising a shoe assembly comprising:

(a) Base shoe

(b) Interchangeable uppers

Wherein, any one of a plurality of said uppers is adapted to be assembled to said base shoe forming an assembly so as to change the appearance and environment of use of said shoe assembly.

Preferably, said base shoe comprises a sole portion and an upper portion.

Preferably, said sole is provided with an upwardly extending peripheral edge portion.

Preferably, said upwardly extending peripheral edge portion is provided with a first mating member.

Preferably, said interchangeable upper is provided with a second mating member along the lower periphery of said upper.

Preferably, said first mating part is concave.

Preferably, said first mating part is protruding.

Preferably, said second mating part is protruding.

Preferably, said second mating part is concave.

Preferably, the cross-sections of the first and second matching components are roughly V-shaped.

Preferably, said V-shaped cross-section of said mating part is provided with mating protrusions and recesses to provide a snap fit when said upper is assembled to said base shoe.

Preferably, said base shoe is provided within a range of shapes and sizes.

Preferably, said upper is provided within a matching range of shapes and sizes adapted to be secured to said base shoe.

Preferably, the upper is provided in a range of colors and patterns.

Preferably, said base shoe and said upper are made of any selected material including leather, canvas, rubber, plastic and other synthetic materials.

Preferably, one of said uppers includes a marking receiving portion.

Preferably, the indicia receiving portion is adapted to display promotional indicia.

In a broader form of the invention there is provided a method of changing the appearance of a shoe, the method comprising using an interchangeable footwear system as claimed in any one of the claims.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a side view of a base shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of a shoe upper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a detail of a cross-sectional view of a fitting system between a base shoe and an upper according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed ways

A first preferred embodiment of an interchangeable footwear system according to the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 .

The base shoe 10 is provided with a sole 11 and an upper 12 . An upwardly extending edge portion 13 is further provided on the periphery of the sole 11 . Sole 11 and upper 12 may be made from conventional shoe materials including: leather, canvas, rubber, plastic and other synthetic materials.

Preferably, the edge portion 13 is made of molded elastic material and forms the first mating part 14 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , upper 15 includes a shell opening at its underside 16 and is provided with a second mating member 18 around its lower perimeter 17 . Upper 15 is adapted to slide over upper portion 12 of base shoe 10 , and first and second mating members 14 and 18 engage to retain upper 15 on base shoe 10 .

Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the mating parts 14 and 18, wherein the peripheral edge portion 13 of the sole 11 of the base shoe is provided with a female molded engagement means 19, while the lower periphery 17 of the upper 15 is provided with a protruding molded engagement device 20.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , the shoe sole concave engagement means 19 is provided with a substantially V-shaped portion 21 having protrusions 22 and depressions 23 along the two inner surfaces of the V. . The upper 15 protruding engagement means 20 has a matching V-shaped portion 24 with similar protrusions 25 and indentations 26 so that the protrusions 22 and indentations 23 of the sole concave engagement means 10 are aligned with those of the upper protruding engagement means. A snap fit of the recess 26 and the protrusion 25 .

Preferably, the lower periphery 17 may be provided with a watertight lip in order to prevent water from entering the engagement means.

Preferably, the base shoe 10 may be provided with a simply constructed upper portion 12 provided only for adding the upper. Optionally, the upper 12 of the base shoe 10 can be adapted to a unique appearance or environment of use.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the upper may be provided with logos or title indicia, or otherwise be personalized to reflect the interests of the wearer.

In use, the upper can be made to fit the base shoe in a matching range of sizes and shapes. The wearer can purchase a pair of base shoes with or without the upper(s). And, the uppers can be bought later.

Although the above description refers to shoes, it will be appreciated that the concepts of the present invention may be applied to other types of footwear, including boots and specially configured sandals.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention, but it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various embodiments may be practiced without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. interchangeable footwear system that comprises shoe assembly, described shoe assembly comprises:

(a) base shoe

(b) interchangeable covers

Wherein, the arbitrary vamp in a plurality of described vamps is suitable for being assembled on the described base shoe that forms assembly, so that change the outward appearance and the environment for use of described shoe assembly.

2. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 1, wherein, described base shoe comprises sole part and top.

3. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 2, wherein, described sole part is provided with upwardly extending periphery edge part.

4. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 4, wherein, described upwardly extending peripheral skirt is arranged with first matching block.

5. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 4, wherein, described interchangeable covers is provided with second matching block along the following peripheral of described vamp.

6. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 5, wherein, described first matching block is recessed into.

7. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 6, wherein, described first matching block is given prominence to.

8. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 7, wherein, described second matching block is given prominence to.

9. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 8, wherein, described second matching block is recessed into.

10. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 9, wherein, the cross section of described first and second matching blocks is roughly the V font.

11. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 10, wherein, the described V font cross section of described matching block is provided with coupling projection and depression, so that provide interlock to cooperate when described vamp is assembled into described base shoe.

12. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 11, wherein, described base shoe is arranged in definite shape and the size range.

13. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 12, wherein, described vamp is arranged in the matching range of the definite shape that is suitable for being assembled to described base shoe and size.

14. interchangeable footwear system according to claim 13, wherein, described vamp is arranged in the scope of certain color and pattern.

15. according to the described interchangeable footwear system of arbitrary claim in the aforementioned claim, wherein, described base shoe and described vamp are made by arbitrary selected materials, selected materials comprises leather, canvas, rubber, plastics and other synthetic materials.

16. according to the described interchangeable footwear system of arbitrary claim in the aforementioned claim, wherein, one of described vamp comprises the label holding branch.

17. according to claim 16, described label holding branch is suitable for showing the propaganda mark.

18. comprising, a method that changes the footwear outward appearance, described method use the described interchangeable footwear system of arbitrary aforementioned claim.

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