HK1113977B - Personally adjustable footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

Personally adjustable footwear with at least one sole layer including: a toe portion, a heel portion, and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion has openings passing vertically through the layer so that the intermediate portion is elastically flexible to allow relative longitudinal displacement of the toe portion and the heel portion to vary a length of the layer without significant variation in a thickness of the layer. A retention mechanism selectively fixes the toe and heel portions in any of a number of relative positions. Also disclosed are implementations with insertable and removable segments, and with elongated elements sliding in channels.

Description

Adjustable footwear

Technical Field

The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to footwear of adjustable size.

Background

The term "footwear" is used herein in a broad sense to refer to shoes, hiking boots, sandals, felted shoes, boots, skates, sports shoes, and the like; any of these terms may be denoted by "footwear".

Shoes whose size can be adjusted in any way are known to the person skilled in the art.

U.S. Pat. No. 524,946(Kregel) discloses a shoe for fitting on a funeral ceremony for a deceased person. Which employs an elastic band that extends between the heel and the toe of the foot, thereby tightening the heel forward to accommodate the dead's foot.

U.S. Pat. No. 641,642(Gunn) discloses a shoe which is adjustable in length and width, with a frame at the heel portion of the sole and a sole portion at the mid/forward portion. The frame and the sole portion are slidable relative to each other along the groove in the sole portion. After adjustment to the desired length, the sole length is secured by a fastening screw. The shoe has an upper portion, the top, that mates with left and right side inserts that are foldable for adjusting the top of the shoe. The insert is secured by a lace that passes between the two longitudinal rows of eyelets. A similar arrangement is used to adjust the width of the shoe by laterally disposed eyelets.

Us patent 2,009,684(Affronte) discloses a shoe with a similar length adjustment method, the ball having a tongue which slides within the heel of the shoe. The tongue has a plurality of holes for screws to pass through to secure the tongue in an aperture in the heel corresponding to the desired shoe length.

Us patent 2,497,175(Mantos) discloses a shoe formed of two main parts which are joined together by shoe store personnel to adjust the shoe size to the appropriate size before it is fully assembled. The metal heel portion extends from the toe box and includes an inner prong that is parallel to the metal sleeve or plate mounted in the heel portion. The inner fork has a fork tooth, along the edge corresponding to the metal sleeve, a triangular lug is provided, so that the heel and the toe cap are firmly connected, thereby forming shoes with various sizes.

U.S. patent No. 3,389,481 (England) discloses an extensible shoe which is provided with a bellows material which is longitudinally extensible along a guide rod and which is securable to a desired length by a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a metal palm provided with two slides, one of which has a transverse slot for receiving a detent formed on the other slide. When the screw extending to the heel is removed, the slides can be slid over each other and then reinserted to secure the shoe in the new position after extension.

Us patent 3,997,985(Shina) discloses an extendable shoe, particularly for growing children, comprising a front part and a rear part, the length of which is adjustable. The front and rear portions are independent of each other and are connected by a screw passing through one of the holes in the front portion and one of the holes in the rear portion. The front part is provided with an upper part, an inner bottom, a middle plate and a bottom plate, and the rear part comprises a sole, an upper part and a heel.

Us patent 5,659,980(Lin) discloses an adjustable shoe having a heel, toe, insole. The front part is provided with a plurality of positioning lugs. The first and second fastening pads are located on both outer edges of the sole. The first and second knobs are located on the rear surface of the heel. The adjustable pad is provided with a positioning hole which is positioned at the front tip and is provided with two convex wing pieces. The inner surface of the tab has a fastener thereon. The first and second positioning plates extend from the rear surface of the outsole. The first positioning plate is provided with a first concave button, and the second positioning plate is provided with a second concave button.

U.S. patent No. 6,138,385(Jungkind) discloses a shoe sole having a medial portion between the toe and heel portions of the sole. The middle part is made of elastic material and is formed into a corrugated shape, and the corrugated shape is provided with a top part and a bottom part. A rod leads from the heel to the toe with its head inside the heel's trailing edge. The rod may be screwed into the nut, thereby adjusting the length of the shoe.

Footwear whose size is adjustable by the wearer is desirable. Footwear that is quickly and easily adjustable to individual persons is also desirable.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to footwear whose dimensions can be easily adjusted, without the need for any tools.

Such footwear comprises a toe (hereinafter "toe"), a heel (hereinafter "heel"), with a sole, possibly provided with a top portion, the so-called upper portion.

According to the present invention there is provided footwear adjustable for human consumption, comprising: (a) at least one bottom layer comprising: a toe portion, a heel portion, a middle portion, the middle portion being formed integrally with the toe portion and the heel portion, the middle portion having a plurality of openings extending vertically through the bottom layer, thereby providing elasticity to the middle portion, such that the toe portion and the heel portion are movable in a length direction to change a length of the bottom layer without significant variation in a thickness of the bottom layer; (b) a securing mechanism connecting the toe and the heel, the securing mechanism for securing a plurality of relative positions between the toe and the heel.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the toe, heel and middle are integrated in a uniform composition.

According to another feature of the present invention, the plurality of openings create a stepped pattern when viewed from above.

According to another feature of the present invention, at least one of the substrates has an upper surface providing support for the foot and has a plurality of openings with a maximum opening length of no greater than 2.5 centimeters to provide continuous support for the foot.

According to another characteristic of the invention, at least two of the at least one sub-layers have a lower sub-layer, the lower sub-layer being connected to the ground on the bottom side, and an upper sub-layer, the upper sub-layer providing support for the foot.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the upper bottom layer is made of a material softer than the lower bottom layer.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the lower and upper substrates define at least one longitudinal channel therebetween between the toe and heel portions, and wherein the retaining mechanism includes a member disposed between the channels and secured to a first one of the toe and heel portions and spaced apart from a second one of the toe and heel portions.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the sole forms at least part of a sole including at least one longitudinal channel extending longitudinally between a toe and a heel, and the retaining mechanism includes a member disposed in the channel and secured to a first of the toe and heel portions and separable from a second of the toe and heel portions.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the securing mechanism further includes a step-like stop associated with the member and the second of the toe and heel portions, the step-like stop providing resistance against relative movement of the toe and heel portions between a plurality of relative positions and a base length, whereby the resistance is overcome to manually adjust the length of the sole, the toe and heel portions remaining in the relative positions in the absence of the application of force.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the intermediate portion maintains the toe and heel in a predetermined relative position to a maximum length of the sole, the securing mechanism further including: (a) a flexible sheet associated with the member and extending from the base such that a tensile force applied to the flexible sheet opposite the second of the toe and heel pulls the toe and heel together, thereby shortening the length of the base; (b) a locking member for locking the flexible sheet in a plurality of positions to secure the base to a desired length.

According to another feature of the invention, the locking element has a first portion of a hook fastener associated with the distal end of the flexible sheet and a complementary portion of the hook fastener associated with the upper surface of the base portion whereby the flexible sheet is folded over the upper surface to secure the base portion to a desired length.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the anchor further includes a manual release and manual securing mechanism for securing the position of the member relative to the second toe and heel portions.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the mount has a manually engageable locking means for locking the relative positions of the toe and heel portions.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the footwear includes a series of sole segments (laterally aligned, longitudinally aligned, or a combination thereof) between the toe and heel. The size of the footwear can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the fan blocks; footwear sizes may also be adjusted separately or close together.

Each sector may be fixed between the toe and heel. One of these arrangements is to have at least one or more parallel holes longitudinally aligned with respect to the footwear from the toe to the heel, or vice versa. One or more sector retaining members (e.g., rods, cords or tongues, etc.) are aligned with the sector apertures and correspond to the apertures in the heel (or toe). The sector retainer may be rigid, but somewhat resilient, so as to allow for proper movement while wearing the shoe; but may be stretchable, such as a rubber band or the like. The heel or toe may also include a securing member, such as a rod extending between the toe and heel.

The sector is typically rectangular in cross-section, but may be of any shape, type, color, appearance, etc., having aesthetic or artistic characteristics to better suit the wearer's temperament-and may be used in other options as described below.

Another means of securing the segments between the toe and heel portions is by inter-or external engagement with the toe and heel portions. Internal gearing can be provided in a variety of settings, including "Lego^TMType connection, snap fit connection, screw connection, twist connection, hook fastening (Velcro)^TM) And the like.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the footwear includes a toe portion and a heel portion connected by a bellows-like structure forming a medial portion and being compressible and/or stretchable at least in a longitudinal direction of the footwear.

A tab member extends from the forward tip to engage a tab in the heel or vice versa. The tongue includes a plurality of linearly arranged holes that align with the holes in the tongue socket. The heel has a top portion which is upwardly flexible and has a plurality of downwardly directed pegs which pass through the apertures in the tongue and into the apertures/recesses in the tongue socket. The size of the footwear may be adjusted by pulling the toe and heel portions relative to each other until the size corresponding to the tongue and socket is satisfactory. The top is then pulled down, thereby fixing the length.

The footwear may include an arrangement to facilitate alignment of the peg with the corresponding aperture. In addition, the tongue may have an indicator mark to indicate the position within the socket of the relative tongue and the size of the shoe.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the toe and heel of the footwear may have interengaging elements (such as finger-like elements, typically male/female elements). The elements are relatively slidable to accommodate different footwear lengths, and the typical profile prevents longitudinal movement.

At a desired length, a tongue equipped with at least one outrigger/outrigger may be inserted into the tongue socket of the heel.

Thus, the present invention provides footwear whose size may be easily and conveniently adjusted by the wearer himself, without the need for any tools. The footwear in embodiments of the present invention is re-adjustable so that it can be readily adapted to a variety of lengths.

Drawings

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable footwear of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a modified view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a segment of one of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4;

FIGS. 5B-5J are perspective views of a segment of an adjustable footwear embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view taken at plane IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9B is a sectional view of FIG. 9A showing a modified example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

12A-12C are sector block diagrams of the embodiment of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are enlarged top and bottom views of a first modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIGS. 13C and 13D are top and bottom enlarged views of a modification of FIGS. 13A and 13B;

FIGS. 14A and 14B are perspective views of a second modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 14C is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15A is a partial cross-sectional view of a third modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 15B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 15A;

FIG. 16A is a perspective view of a fourth modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 16B is a perspective view of the securing mechanism of FIG. 16A;

FIGS. 17A and 17B are perspective views of alternative forms of the opening in the present invention for imparting midsole resiliency;

fig. 18 is a dimensional indication perspective view showing another characteristic of the above embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Figures 1-5 show a first embodiment of the invention, including a modification of footwear 10. Footwear 10 includes a toe portion 12 (hereinafter "toe portion"), a heel portion 14 (hereinafter "heel portion"), and a plurality of segments 16 disposed therebetween. At least one (typically more than one) sector retainer extends from the forward tip 12 to the heel 14 in the form of a rod, such as four rods 18 as shown in fig. 2.

The sector 16 has a length and a width, the length being longer than the width, in other words, the aspect ratio is greater than 1. The segments 16 may include a size indicator, particularly a size that affects the length of the footwear 10. The symbol indicates its size, color, shape, decoration, etc. However, the sector 16 may be of various shapes, colors, etc. for decorative purposes. The segment 16 may be made of various materials (e.g., wear resistant, comfortable) and/or decorative.

The sectors 16 have horizontal holes 20 through which the rods 18 pass (see figure 4). To this end, at least some of the sector apertures 20 are aligned with one another. The sector 16 includes an intermediate portion of the sole of the footwear that may be moved toward and away from the sole to thereby adjust the size of the footwear 10.

The heel 14 also has apertures 24 that coincide with the rods 18 and thus at least some of the apertures 20 of the sectors 16. Heel hole 24 is used to store rod 18 (i.e., free end 22). The stem 18 extends into the heel 14 and is secured by a fastener 26.

The securing member 26 includes at least a top portion 28 and a bottom portion 30 for securing the rod member 18. 28 and 30 may be intermeshed in any manner. For this purpose, 28 and 30 may have engagement members 28a and 30 a.

To adjust the size of the footwear 10, the heel 14 may be slid rearward from the toe to disengage the rod 18 after the securing element 26 is disengaged. The increase or decrease of the segments 16 may increase or decrease the length of the footwear 10. The heel 14 is removed and the fastener 16 is re-secured.

For further adjustment, if the footwear 10 is a sandal or "slipper" or "sandal" that employs the toe piece 32, the positioning of the toe piece 32 may be varied. To this end, at least some of the sectors 16 may further comprise vertical holes 34 (fig. 3A, 3B and 4) for the presence of the overhang 36 of the front tip 32, and mounted (fixed) in any known way.

As seen in the enlarged view of footwear 10 of FIG. 2, toe tip 12 may include a sole layer, such as an outer sole layer 121, an inner sole layer 122, and a midsole layer 123. This design may provide various properties to the part/substrate. For example, an outer sole layer 121 may be formed of a wear-resistant material to increase the lifespan of footwear 10, and an inner sole layer 122 may be formed of a softer material to increase the comfort of the wearer.

In FIG. 4, footwear 10 "is a variation of the above-described figures. Footwear 10 "includes at least some segments 16a having at least one transverse aperture 38; as shown in FIG. 5A, the sector 16b of FIG. 5A has holes 20 and 38; thereby creating different footwear lengths and aesthetic sensations (e.g., different colors for each segment) or flexibility.

The sector 16b may have an aperture 20a perpendicular to the aperture 20 so that the sector may be positioned one-quarter of a turn relative to the aperture shown in figure 5A. In this way, the sector 16b of the footwear may be of various styles (by turning the sector), whereby the wearer may "design" the footwear "according to his own liking. The aperture 38 is also flexible.

The heel 14 may be similar to the toe 12 or vice versa. Referring to FIG. 3B, in the footwear 10 of the present invention, the stem 18 extends from the heel 14 'toward the toe 12' and is secured to the toe 12 'by the securing member 26'.

Instead of providing a plurality of sectors 16, only one or a few sectors may be provided, the length of which may be predetermined or adapted to the foot size of the individual, for example by trimming the length of the sector.

FIGS. 5B-5I illustrate various sectors of adjustable footwear in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The sectors in the figures do not require sector fasteners (bars, tabs, cords, elastic bands, etc.) but are provided with only inter-engaging or inter-engaging elements, typically male and female type elements.

Sector 116 in FIG. 5B is a "Lego^TMType "configuration. With extensions 118 (only one shown) and notches 120 for other similar segment configurations. The toe and heel portions of fig. 5B may have corresponding protrusions or recesses with which the sectors 116 may be engaged. The latter is the same for the sectors in fig. 5B-5I.

The sector 216 of fig. 5C is similar to the sector 116 of fig. 5B, but has an extended protrusion 218 and a slotted recess 220 for use with other similar sector protrusions or recesses.

The segment 316 of figure 5D has a wider hook-shaped overhang 318 and a lever 320. For ease of illustration, the segment 316 is partially cut at the bar 320, and in fact the bar 320 should be connected at both ends to the rest of the segment to provide good support. When the sectors 316 are connected, one sector is angled so that the hook-like extensions 318 slide within the notches 320 of the other sector and then are flush with the other sector.

The sector 416 of figure 5E is similar to the sector 316 of figure 5D, but has a pair of resilient protrusions 418 that engage the rod 420. For ease of illustration, the segments 416 are partially cut away at the bar 420. To connect the segments 416, the segments are pushed toward each other, with the protrusion 418 first opening and then closing around the rod 420 when the nut 422 of the protrusion 418 contacts the rod 420 of the other segment.

Another sector 516 in FIG. 5F may be connected with a similar sector; the sector 516 includes an overhang 518, similar to a screw, that engages a threaded recess 520. When the segments 516 are connected, one segment is rotated so that its threaded overhang 518 is threaded into the threaded recess 520 of the other segment.

Fig. 5G shows another sector 616 that may be connected to each other. The segments 616 have an extension, such as an L-shaped extension 618, that interengages with a corresponding recess 620. The recess 620 has a groove 622 and the extension has a leg 624 with a length d1 that is slightly longer than the length d2 of the leg 624 of the L-shaped extension 618.

When the segments 616 are connected to one another, the first segment is rotated 90 degrees to match its L-shaped protrusion 618 with the groove 622 of the other segment, then the first segment is aligned with the other segment, and finally rotated 90 degrees to allow the arm 624 to enter the cavity 626 of the recess 620.

Another sector 716 of figure 5H may be connected to each other. The sectors 716 have a labyrinth shape, with the protrusions 718 matching the notches 720 by sliding or pressure.

Another sector shown in FIG. 5I may be inline, with sectors 816 (only one shown) having hooks and fasteners (velcro @)^TM)818, and 820, may be connected to each other.

Fig. 5J shows another sector, which may be interconnected. The segments 916 are still connected when moved apart from each other and may also be disposed adjacent to each other. Fig. 5I may implement this scheme.

The sector 916 is provided with a sector connector 918, such as a nail having a head 920 and a shaft 922. The sector 916 is provided with a cavity 924 (shown in phantom) in which the head 920 and a portion of the stem 922 reside; which are indicated by dashed lines within the sector 916. The cavity 924 is shaped to: the connector 918 can slide back and forth and the segments 916 can move toward and away from each other.

While the distance is fixed, cavity 924 tightly secures connector 918, and segment 916 may be secured by other means (such as those described below),

figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the present invention, namely footwear 100. Between the toe 12a and the heel 14a there is a bellows-like connection 50 that connects the toe and the heel, allowing the footwear 100 to be variable in size. As shown in fig. 6 and 7, footwear 100 has at least one sole layer comprising: a toe portion 12a, a heel portion 14a, and an intermediate member 50, which is integral with the toe portion and the heel portion, preferably has a uniform configuration. In the most preferred form, the intermediate member 50 has a plurality of openings extending vertically through the substrate, thereby providing the intermediate member 50 with flexibility to longitudinally displace the toe and heel portions to vary the length of the substrate without significantly changing the thickness of the substrate. By "vertical" is meant a direction perpendicular to the ground and/or foot-supporting surface of the footwear.

The footwear 100 also includes a securing mechanism associated with the toe portion 12a and the heel portion 14a to secure the footwear for a plurality of relative positions between the toe portion and the heel portion. The substrate preferably includes at least one longitudinal groove (also referred to as a "channel") extending longitudinally between the toe and heel portions, and the fastening device includes a member (tab 52) disposed within the groove. This part is fixed to the toe 12a or the heel 14a, and can be detached with respect to the other part (the heel 14a or the toe 12 a).

In the example of fig. 6 and 7, the front tip 12a has an integral or connective tab 52 for sliding through a channel (not shown) in the intermediate piece 50. The tab 52 has a plurality of equidistantly spaced apart through holes 54. Heel 14a has a tongue-and-socket 56 with a groove 58, of similar distance to hole 54.

Heel 14a has a top portion 60 that can be bent upwardly to expose tongue socket 56. The top 60 has at least one downwardly extending peg 62 sized to pass through the tongue aperture 54 and snap into engagement with the groove 58 of the tongue socket 56.

As the footwear 100 is adjusted in size, the heel top 60 (shown in phantom in FIG. 7) is raised, thereby disengaging the peg members 62 from the recesses 58 and causing them to be lifted from the apertures 54. The toe 12a and the heel 14a may be slid toward or away from one another to decrease or increase the length of the footwear 100. This compresses or expands the intermediate portion 50 made of an elastic material.

Once the desired length is achieved, the size of footwear 10 may be fixed within tolerances of the distance between spaced apart apertures 54. By aligning tang hole 54 with tang socket recess 58 and closing heel top 60 down, thereby coupling peg 62 with recess 28.

A logo 64, such as an arrow or a raised logo, may also be provided to match the tongue 52 and abut the tongue socket 56 along a logo 66 to indicate the shoe size. The flag/indicator may also facilitate alignment of the tab hole 54 with the tab socket groove 58; such alignment is secured, for example, by an extension/socket (inner/outer).

The function provided by the heel top 60 may also be provided by its bottom or by the top or bottom of the toe 12 a.

Figures 13A-18 illustrate a variety of footwear 100 in which the sole includes at least one layer comprised of a flexible intermediate portion, thereby making the sole scalable in length. They are similar to the footwear 100 described above in that: (a) the shape of the longitudinal opening is used to influence the flexibility of the middle part; (b) has the function of fixation.

Figures 13A and 13B illustrate a footwear 1000 of the present invention that is adjustable by man. The sole of the footwear 1000 is generally comprised of an upper sole layer 1002 and a lower sole layer 1004 with a channel 1006 (FIG. 13B) therebetween for receiving the tongue 1008, and at least one of, and preferably both of, the upper sole layer 1002 and the lower sole layer 1004 interconnect the toe 1012 and the heel 1014 by an intermediate portion 1010 having a longitudinal opening 1016.

The apertures 1016 preferably provide a stepped pattern when viewed from above, i.e., an interwoven pattern having generally parallel apertures therebetween, thereby facilitating longitudinal stretching and/or compression, while maintaining the size of the apertures small such that the upper surface of the upper layer 1002 provides continuous, comfortable support for the user's foot. By "foot support" is meant a component or surface that provides mechanical support to the bottom of the foot, but does not necessarily need to be in direct contact with the foot. "foot support" may be achieved by one or more layers of padding or other functional or aesthetic padding. To provide continuous support for the foot as described above, the maximum open longitudinal dimension of the plurality of openings preferably does not exceed 2.5 centimeters.

The longitudinal opening provides the desired flexibility over conventional techniques. First, because the various layers are integrally formed, the manufacturing process may be simplified and costs may be reduced, thereby allowing mass production of footwear. Second, because of the flexibility created in the sole layer, the thickness of the layer is essentially constant during expansion and contraction of the footwear, such that the upper surface of the upper sole layer may be used directly as a foothold without the need for a complex tread layer and a rigid sliding inner sole layer.

The arrangement of the bottom layer to the toe, heel and mid-section does not limit the size between the sections, and there is no lower limit to the size of the toe and heel. The toe and heel portions may serve as the ends of the sole, with the adjustable length intermediate layer and its longitudinal opening occupying a substantial portion or even all of the length of the sole.

Each of the layers 1002 and 1004 are preferably of the same composition, with the underlying layers providing various mechanical properties. Different materials may be used for each layer to provide specific properties to the footwear. The upper base layer 1002 may be a softer material for added comfort, while the lower base layer 1004 may be a harder, wear-resistant material for use as a wear-resistant ground plane. Suitable mechanical properties and suitable manufacturing techniques are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

As described above, the upper and lower floor layers 1002, 1004 form at least one longitudinal channel 1006 extending longitudinally between the toe 1012 and the heel 1014. The tongue 1008 in the groove 1006 is secured to the toe 1012 or the heel 1014 for movement relative to each other. Here, the tab 1008 is secured to the forward tip 1012 by an aperture that engages a socket and protrusion formed in the lower layer of the upper substrate 1012.

The intermediate member 1010 used in fig. 13A and 13B preferably has elasticity to separate the toe and heel at a predetermined position corresponding to the maximum length of the sole. This simplifies the mechanical requirements of the fixture, only limiting the length of the footwear to a desired length. The fastener also includes a flexible tab 1018 that cooperates with tab 1008 so that tension applied to the flexible tab opposite heel 1014 pulls the toe 1012 and heel 1014 thereby shortening the length of the base. Preferably, a bottom friction slide 1019 is used to ensure free travel of the tab 1018 longitudinally on the tab 1008. A fastener is also used to secure the flexible sheet in a plurality of positions, thereby securing the base to a desired length.

The fastener includes a first portion hook fastener 1020, such as velcro^TMFasteners associated with the rear of the flexible sheet 1018 and hook fasteners 1022 associated with the upper surface of the base portion fold the flexible sheet over the upper surface to secure the base portion to a desired length. Hook fasteners are convenient, but other fasteners may be used with the present invention. Such as screw-snap, socket-plug, and various pin or hook types. It is desirable to use hand fasteners that do not require tools.

Here, a "casual" sandal is exemplified, having an eyelet 1024, a slot 1026, and a clip for securing. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present invention is applicable to a wide variety of footwear.

13C and 13D are similar to FIGS. 13A and 13B, with the primary difference being that grooves 1006 and the sockets and tabs with tabs 1008 are formed in the upper surface of the lower substrate 1004. For fig. 13C and 13D, the description of fig. 13A and 13B can be referred to. The scope of the invention also includes: the bottom is formed from a single layer with appropriate grooves therein, or the grooves pass above or below the bottom.

Referring to fig. 18, the flap of the present invention is folded over the surface of the base and may also be provided with indicia for indicating the size of the shoe. The markings are preferably located on the upper surface of the base and correspond with markings or windows on the flexible sheet 1018.

FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate another embodiment of a footwear 1050 in accordance with the present invention. The footwear 1050 is similar to the footwear 1000. The footwear 1050 differs from the footwear 1000 primarily in the presence of a step-like resistance element.

The footwear 1050 attachment mechanism includes a stepped resistance element, with the use of the tongue 1008 and heel 1014, where multiple relative positions of different sole lengths provide resistance to toe and heel movement. As a result, the length of the base is manually adjusted against resistance, and when the hand is loosened, the toe and heel are fixed in a predetermined position. When the flexible sheet 1018 is not secured, the wearer can separate or close the toe of the bottom from the heel, each position having a "click". After the desired base length is reached, the flexible sheet 1018 is secured as described above to secure it in the desired position.

Fig. 14C shows a step resistance example. The tongue 1008 is provided with a pair of resilient outward tabs 1052 which engage a plurality of V-shaped concave teeth 1054 formed in the groove 1006 in the heel 1014. The angle of the resilient strip 1052 and the concave teeth 1054 ensures that the base can be manually adjusted by axial compression or tension, while also ensuring that there is sufficient resistance to maintain the current length in the absence of external forces.

The combination of the stepped resistance arrangement with the flexible sheet fastening means has good properties because it concentrates the convenience of temporary fastening and positive fastening. The stepped resistance arrangement and the flexible sheet fastening means are preferably independently operable.

Referring to fig. 15A and 15B, there are other alternatives to the stepped resistance arrangement described above. Fig. 15A and 15B show a stepped resistance arrangement in which the prior art side arrangement is replaced by a longitudinal undulating arrangement. Footwear 1060, among other things, employs a tongue 1008 having longitudinal undulations 1062 formed in an upper surface of an upper sole layer and/or an upper surface of a lower sole layer. It has a step-like resistance action similar to that described above.

Fig. 16A and 16B illustrate another embodiment 1070 of the present invention. Wherein the fixing device comprises a manual fixing and releasing fixing device used for fixing the relative position of the toe and the heel. The central tab 1072 in the heel has a double-sided notch 1074 and the fork hook 1076 in the toe is provided with outwardly flexible arms with engaging members 1078. With it, the length of the fixed bottom can be manually operated in the forward direction. With the intermediate portion, the bottom portion can be fixed at a desired longitudinal stretching (elongation) angle in an intermediate length state or a shortest length state.

Fig. 17A and 17B show an example of a bottom-intermediate-section longitudinal opening in a shortest state, the bottom being formed from one or more layers that slide laterally across the intermediate section (fig. 17A). When stretched longitudinally, the material of the intermediate section opens, forming a ladder as shown in fig. 17B.

According to the present invention as shown in figures 8-10, footwear 200 includes a longitudinally extending outward extending member 70 extending from heel 14b toward toe 12 b. The shape of the overhang 70 (fig. 9A) corresponds to the groove 72 in the overhang storing portion 74 that protrudes from the front tip 12 b.

Heel extension element 70 slides relative to extension element storage portion 74. The shape of the protrusion 70 and the shape of the protrusion storage groove 72 prevent the parts from sliding excessively in the vertical direction. This is excellent, otherwise inconvenient for the wearer. There are many ways to prevent longitudinal movement.

FIG. 9B shows another alternate arrangement of the vertical overhang and the corresponding grooves of the overhang storage portion. Wherein the overhang is an inverted T-shaped overhang 270 that engages the groove 272 and the overhang storage 274. It may be any shape such as L-shaped, spherical, J-shaped, Y-shaped, anchor shaped, interlaced, etc.

By proper design of the extensions 70, 270 and grooves 72, 272, the footwear 200 may be adjusted to a desired length and retained for long periods of time by the compressive or frictional forces of the retaining portions. The footwear 200 typically includes an auxiliary securing mechanism as described below.

Fig. 10 shows such a fixture, wherein a tongue 76 extends from the forward tip 12b to the heel 14b, and has at least one peg extending outwardly therefrom. The peg is not visible from the outside and may be of a shape similar to that shown in figures 6 and 7. Heel 14b has a tab retainer 78 including a plurality of recesses 80 for receiving at least one peg.

Shoe size is adjusted by withdrawing tab 76 from tab receptacle 78, sliding the toe and heel relative to one another to the desired length, and then re-securing tab 76, and tab receptacle 78 (i.e., pressing the peg into the recess).

The heel/toe (i.e., overhang/storage) may be inverted and the tongue may be at the top or bottom of the footwear, and may extend from the heel 14 b.

FIG. 11 illustrates a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 1, in which the footwear 110 includes at least one or more segment retaining members and a tensioning or resilient member 117 (two shown) extending between the toe 112 and heel 114 and extending through a segment 119 (shown in phantom). The number of segments 119 can be increased or decreased by pulling the toe 112 and heel 114 apart and attaching or removing the segments to the spring 117.

Fig. 12A-12C show examples of sectors suitable for use in the embodiment of fig. 11. Figure 12A illustrates a segment 121 having one or more slits 123 that allow the resilient member 117 to slide therethrough, which may have a cavity 125 for retaining the resilient member when the footwear 110 is assembled.

Figure 12B shows a sector 131 with a transverse slot 133 that can be opened to allow the insertion or removal of the elastic member 117 to increase or decrease the sector.

Figure 12C shows a sector 141 having two portions 143 and 145 which are adjacent to each other at one end by a hinge 147 and have a latch 149 at the other end. When the sector 141 is applied to the footwear 110, the latch 149 is pulled out and the hinges 147 are allowed to rotate 143, 145, thereby opening the sector and positioning the sector around the elastic member 117. The reverse procedure is used when removing the sector 141 from the footwear 110.

The sectors 121, 131, 141, etc. may also be used in the embodiment shown in fig. 1.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications are also within the scope of the invention.

For example, for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the segments 16 and 16b need not be in a row, but may be offset or angled, etc., to provide the wearer with various options. The sectors 16, 16a and 16b may be of various shapes and colors, and may have various decorations. The aperture 20 may be angled with respect to the heel/toe to facilitate assembly of the footwear 10. The sectors 16, 16a and 16b may be provided with a fabric, for example, to provide a massaging action to the wearer, or for aesthetic or other purposes.

The present invention has been described in relation to sandals (i.e. so-called slippers or casual shoes), but it may also be used with conventional shoes (such as the conventional technique described above) by expanding/contracting the upper of the footwear.

The features of the above-described embodiments may be combined or substituted with other features. For the embodiment shown in fig. 1-5, for example, the segments 16, 16a, 16b may be secured to the bar 18 by tongue-and-groove segment fasteners; embodiments may also employ fasteners such as those shown in fig. 6 and 10.

The above description is intended by way of example only, and other embodiments may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. A personal adjustable footwear comprising:

(a) at least one bottom layer, wherein each bottom layer comprises: a toe portion, a heel portion, a mid portion, said mid portion being integral with said toe portion and said heel portion, said mid portion having a plurality of openings extending generally perpendicularly through said sole layer, said plurality of openings being formed in an interwoven pattern of openings generally parallel to one another thereby providing resiliency to said mid portion such that said toe portion and said heel portion are movable in a longitudinal direction to vary the length of said sole layer without significant variation in the thickness of said sole layer;

(b) a securing mechanism connecting said toe portion and said heel portion, said securing mechanism for securing a plurality of relative positions between said toe portion and said heel portion.

2. The footwear of claim 1, wherein said toe portion, said heel portion and said medial portion are integrally formed as a single unitary piece.

3. The footwear of claim 1, wherein said at least one sole layer has an upper surface configured to provide support to the foot, and wherein said plurality of apertures have a maximum aperture length of no greater than about 2.5 centimeters to provide continuous support to the foot.

4. The footwear of claim 1, wherein said at least one sole layer includes at least two layers, including a lower sole layer for engaging the ground and an upper sole layer, an upper surface of the upper sole layer providing support for the foot.

5. The footwear of claim 4, wherein said upper sole layer is of a softer material than said lower sole layer.

6. The footwear of claim 4, wherein said lower sole layer and said upper sole layer have a heel portion and a medial portion and have a first toe portion and a second toe portion, respectively, and wherein said lower sole layer and said upper sole layer define at least one longitudinal channel therebetween between all of said toe portions and said heel portion, and wherein said retaining mechanism includes a member disposed between said channels and secured to said first toe portion and said heel portion and spaced apart from said second toe portion and said heel portion.

7. The footwear of claim 1, wherein said sole layer includes two layers each having a first toe portion and a second toe portion, said sole layer forming at least a portion of the sole, said sole including at least one longitudinal channel extending longitudinally between all of the toe portion and the heel portion, said retaining mechanism including a member disposed within the channel and secured to said first toe portion and said heel portion and separable from said second toe portion and said heel portion.

8. The footwear of claim 7, wherein said retention mechanism further includes a stepped resistance element associated with said member and said second toe portion and said heel portion, said stepped resistance element providing resistance against relative movement of said second toe portion and said heel portion between a plurality of relative positions and a base length, whereby said resistance is overcome to manually adjust said sole length, said second toe portion and said heel portion remaining in said relative positions in the absence of an applied force.

9. The footwear of claim 8, wherein said medial portion maintains said second toe portion and said heel portion in a predetermined relative position with respect to a maximum length of said sole, said securing mechanism further comprising:

(a) a flexible sheet associated with said base portion and extending therefrom such that a tensile force applied to said flexible sheet opposite said second toe and said heel pulls said second toe and said heel together, thereby shortening the length of said base portion;

(b) a locking member for locking said flexible sheet in a plurality of positions to thereby secure said base to a desired length.

10. The footwear of claim 7, wherein said medial portion maintains said second toe portion and said heel portion in a predetermined relative position with respect to a maximum length of said sole, said securing mechanism further comprising:

(a) a flexible sheet associated with said base portion and extending therefrom such that a tensile force applied to said flexible sheet opposite said second toe and said heel pulls said second toe and said heel together, thereby shortening the length of said base portion;

(b) a locking member for locking said flexible sheet in a plurality of positions to thereby secure said base to a desired length.

11. The footwear of claim 10, wherein said locking element includes a first portion of a hook fastener associated with an end of said flexible sheet, and a complementary portion of the hook fastener associated with an upper surface of said sole portion, such that said flexible sheet is folded over said upper surface to secure said sole portion to a desired length.

12. The footwear of claim 7, wherein said retention mechanism further comprises a manually releasable and manually releasable retention mechanism for retaining said element relative to said second toe portion and said heel portion.

13. The footwear of claim 1, wherein said retention mechanism includes a manually engageable locking mechanism for locking the relative positions of said toe portion and said heel portion.