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  Fine dress and evening sandal with variable color and ornamentationUSPTO Application #: 20070094897Title: Fine dress and evening sandal with variable color and ornamentation Abstract: A shoe, such as a fine dress or evening sandal or slide, has interchangeable appearance. The shoe includes a sole. Tab indentations are formed in the sole. A fixed strap is secured to the sole as part of the shoe upper. The fixed strap extends across a width of the sole, in order to accommodate a wearers foot atop the sole. The fixed strap has a first adhering surface. A separate cover strap for the shoe has a second adhering surface. The cover strap is formed with end tabs. The cover strap is removably connected to the first adhering surface of the fixed strap by contacting the first and second adhering surfaces. The end tabs of the cover strap fit in the tab indentations of the sole. The shoe has appearance of an upper, comprised of the fixed strap and the cover strap, secured to the sole. The cover strap is removable, however, and interchangeable with other cover straps, such as to change color, ornamentation and so forth of the upper of the shoe. (end of abstract)
Agent: H. Dale Langley, Jr. The Law Firm Of H. Dale Langley, Jr. PC - Austin, TX, US Inventor: Marie Nakatsu USPTO Applicaton #: 20070094897 - Class: 036100000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Convertible From One Style Or Color To Another The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070094897. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention generally relates to quality footwear and, more particularly, relates to changeable vamp color and ornamentation of dress and evening sandals or the like. [0002] Fine dress and evening sandals and slides include soles, which can include a variety of sole and heal designs, and uppers, which can include a variety of straps connected to the soles and for containing a wearer's foot. The upper straps of these fine sandals and slides have included a variety of colors, configuration, and ornamentation. Because such fine dress and evening footwear is typically for active wear, including dancing, strolling, and so forth, the upper straps have generally been firmly attached to the soles. [0003] In the past, others have contemplated various shoe designs in which a shoe upper is replaceably attached to a shoe sole. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,102 of DeVincentis describes a shoe with interchangeable straps as the upper, having spring connectors to attach the straps to the shoe sole. Other designs have included various snap attachments incorporated in or with the sole, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,684 to Lin describes a detachable toe strap and ankle strap, having locating members which are serrated plug holes of the sole and matching serrated tongues of the straps, wherein the tongue meets with the plug hole and is retained by the matching serrations; U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,058 to Jneid describes detachable straps with snaps for mating with snap counterparts attached along an edge of a sole; and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2004/0,128,859 of Cambronero describes a sole formed with indents along edges to accommodate replaceable straps with end rivets for lodging into the indents to secure the straps. [0004] Each of these designs is not particularly suitable for most fine dress and evening strap sandals and slides. For example, replaceable straps can tend to become undone in use. Also, the appearance of the shoes with the replaceable straps has certain appearance with the bulky and jutting snaps, connectors and the like. Because most fine dress and evening sandals and slides tend to be sleek and slim in appearance, and tend to be sufficiently sturdy to permit the active nature of the wearer in using them, these designs are not favorable. [0005] Other shoe designs have included various attachable overlays to straps and upper surfaces. Certain of these designs have provided for interchangeable overlays that attach to the straps or other upper surfaces by Velcro.TM. or other releasable fasteners. These designs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,359 to Bricker as including interchangeable shoe strap covers, for altering the decorative look of a shoe, by securing selected covers to the strap by hook and loop fastener attached to each of the strap and the cover. Others have similarly described interchangeable strap covers for shoes, such as in U.S. Patent Pub. No. US2004/0,093,765 of Baldwin describing a flip-flop type sandal with a shoe upper having an outer surface including one part of a releasable attachment system and shoe covers that have the dimensions of the upper and a second part of the releasable attachment system for attachment to the upper; and US2005/0,066,550 of Liu also describing a shoe upper that has a top surface of releasable fasteners to which cover members can attach. [0006] These designs are also generally unsuitable for fine dress and evening sandal and slide shoes for women, particularly because they leave exposed rough edges and seams that can be caught and pulled when worn. Moreover, women tend to prefer seamless and sleek appearance of their fine dress and evening sandals and slides. The rough edges and seams, where covers attach at sides to the shoe upper in the designs, do not have this seamless, sleek appearance. Moreover, ends of strap covers, Velcro.TM. and similar attachment means, and the like in these designs have these problems and lack desirable appearance in use. [0007] It would, therefore, be a significant improvement in the art and technology to provide a fine dress and evening shoe with desirable appearance and usability, and that is changeable as to the upper to coordinate colors, styles, and appearance of the shoe. The present invention provides numerous advantages and improvements, including improvements and nuances in the foregoing respects. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] An embodiment of the invention is a shoe. The shoe includes a sole forming tab indentations, a fixed strap secured to the sole, having a first adhering surface, and a cover strap having end tabs for locating in the tab indentations of the sole and having a second adhering surface engageable to the fixed strap on the first adhering surface. [0009] Another embodiment of the invention is a shoe. The shoe includes a top of a magnetically active material, a cover of a corresponding magnetically active material connected to the top, a tab extending from the cover, and a receptacle for the tab, connected to the top. [0010] Yet another embodiment of the invention is a shoe. The shoe includes a top having a first adherable surface, a cover having a second adherable surface for adhering to the first adherable surface, a sole connected to the top, and a portion of the cover removably connectable to the sole. [0011] Another embodiment of the invention is a shoe having an interchangeable appearance. The shoe includes a sole with an indentation, an upper fixed to the sole, a tabbed piece fittable within the indentation. [0012] Yet another embodiment of the invention is a method of manufacturing a shoe. The method includes forming a sole with a formed space in a top of the sole, attaching a fixed upper to the sole securely in the formed space, and providing a cover adherable to the fixed upper and having a tab fittable within the formed space of the sole. [0013] Another embodiment of the invention is a kit. The kit includes a shoe having an upper and a sole, the sole having a crevice and the upper including a fixed part secured to the sole in the crevice, and a plurality of covers replaceably attachable to the fixed part and removably at least partially insertable into the crevice of the sole. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which: [0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a front and side perspective view of a shoe, having an upper and a sole, the upper including a fixed strap and a cover strap removably attached to the fixed strap, and the sole including insert holes in which tabs of the cover strap are located, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a front, cross-sectional view along line A-A' of the shoe of FIG. 1, the fixed strap (in phantom) being secured in the insert holes of the sole (in phantom), the cover strap being removably attached to the fixed strap and having end tabs extended into the insert holes, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a front, cross-sectional view along line A-A' of the shoe of FIG. 1, substantially the same as the view of FIG. 2, with the cover strap (in phantom) removably attached to the fixed strap, the fixed strap secured to the sole in the insert holes, and end tabs of the cover strap extended into the insert holes, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the cover strap of the shoe of FIGS. 1-3, the cover strap being flattened in elongated display, with the end taps at opposing extents of the cover strap, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the shoe of FIG. 1, with the cover strap detached from attachment to the fixed strap and with the end tabs dislocated from the insert holes, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0020] FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged partial of the front and side perspective view of the shoe of FIG. 1, detailing an edge and base part of the sole, the insert hole formed between the edge and the base part and the fixed strap secured therein, with the cover strap attached to the fixed strap and the end tab of the cover strap extending into the insert hole, according to certain embodiments of the invention; [0021] FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the enlarged partial of the shoe of FIG. 6, detailing the edge and the base part of the sole forming the insert hole, the fixed strap secured therein, and the cover strap attached to the fixed strap and the end tab of the cover strap extended into the insert hole, according to certain embodiments of the invention; Continue reading... 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