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  Interchangeable footwearUSPTO Application #: 20060207127Title: Interchangeable footwear Abstract: The invention described herein relates to the filed of footwear. In particular the present invention provides for interchangeable footwear, wherein the appearance of the footwear is readily interchangeable to suit the style of the intended wearer, the interchangeable components being the toe straps and ankle straps that secure the footwear to an individual's feet. (end of abstract) Agent: Davidson, Davidson & Kappel, LLC - New York, NY, US Inventor: Colleen McGrath USPTO Applicaton #: 20060207127 - Class: 036101000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Boots And Shoes, Convertible From One Style Or Color To Another, By Detachable Uppers The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060207127. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of interchangeable footwear, wherein the appearance of the footwear is readily interchangeable to suit the style of the intended wearer. Specifically the invention relates to footwear having an interchangeable ankle strap and an interchangeable toe strap such that various decorative straps can be utilized with a single article of footwear. The interchangeable footwear allows for an individual to dress for the occasion without the need for having an extensive personal inventory of shoes that are both costly and space consuming. [0002] Several different types of interchangeable footwear have been developed over the years starting back as early as the 1940's. These styles range in form from shoes that provide for adjustment of the shoe upper that suit the individual anatomical differences of an individual's feet to shoes that provide a means for interchanging the entire shoe upper including the insole. [0003] Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 2,507,120 (Shapiro) describes a shoe wherein the shoe upper is detachable from the sole via fastener elements to provide a shoe that is convertible into a house shoe, a shoe for street wear or a sandal, the shoe being adjustable to fit variations in a person's anatomical foot structure. U.S. Pat. No. 2,552,943 (Danielius) describes shoes having detachable uppers, whereby the upper is readily detachable from the shoe via co-operating detachable engageable elements, e.g., loop fastening element. U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,224 (Gardiner) describes a shoe with a detachable upper, wherein the upper is attachable to the sole via insertion of a "T" member into a traverse tack or channel positioned around the periphery of the insole, outsole or platform of the shoe. U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,449 (Smith) describes a shoe with a detachable upper, whereby the upper is attached to the sole of a shoe via a slide fastener element that locks into a locking means. U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,630 (Twiggs Jr.) describes a shoe whereby the upper is detachable from the sole via various means such as snaps, sockets and key slots. [0004] Other patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,826 (Fischer) which describes shoes with interchangeable panels, whereby the interchangeable panels can be attached to a plurality of spaced apart straps that are permanently affixed to the shoe. U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,795 (Taicher) describes a shoe with an readily removable, ornamental, interchangeable vamp area, whereby the interchangeable vamp is fixedly attached to the shoe via headed studs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,896 (Weaver) describes a convertible shoe, whereby a vamp cover can be attached to a vamp to provide various colors and shades to the shoe. U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,346 (Lockard et al.) describes a shoe with an interchangeable upper, whereby the upper is attached to trackways and/or slots of the sole of the shoe via buttons or knobs attached to the upper. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,214 (Wang) describes a changeable sandal, whereby interchangeable vamps are inserted into the sole of the sandal via L-shaped angles and U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,935 (Kelly) describes convertible footwear, whereby an interchangeable shoe upper composed of a vamp and an insole as a unit-construction can be attached to a shoe base. [0005] Although many of these patents describe various forms of interchangeable footwear, all of these patents require relatively complicated means for manufacture and interchanging of the various components. For example, several of these patents require multiple attachment means utilizing numerous parts. It would therefore be advantageous to provide footwear that allows for a more simplistic attachment of the interchangeable components to provide for more economical, yet esthetically appealing footwear. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide economical, yet esthetically appealing footwear. [0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide footwear with interchangeable straps that are readily attached thereto and removable therefrom allowing the wearer to readily change the color, fabric, and design of the footwear as desired. [0008] The above objects and others are accomplished by providing footwear having a base unit comprising a sole and an opening in the front portion of the base unit that allows for the attachment of interchangeable support straps that provide a means of securing the footwear on an individual's feet. [0009] In other embodiments of the present invention, the footwear contains an opening on the front portion of the base unit whereby toe straps can be attached therethrough to provide a means of keeping the footwear on an individual's feet. In certain embodiments the opening contains a strap adjustment to allow for forward and backward movement of the strap along the base unit so that an individual may adjust the strap to fit the individual's anatomical foot structure. [0010] In certain embodiments of the invention, the footwear comprises a base unit having an outsole, midsole, insole and a heel. In other preferred embodiments the base unit also comprises a heel support. The heel support may contain an ankle strap slot, whereby another interchangeable strap can be attached to provide an additional means for securing the footwear on an individual's feet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as encompassed by the claims. [0012] FIG. 1 is a side view of a base unit of an interchangeable footwear. [0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of the interchangeable footwear of FIG. 1. [0014] FIG. 3 is a back view of the interchangeable footwear of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0015] The footwear disclosed herein can be used for various purposes such as, but not limited to indoor use as, e.g., slippers, or for outdoor use, e.g., sandals, pumps, flats, or comfort, casual and formal wear. In one preferred embodiment, the footwear described herein preferably will comprise a base unit 1 having an outsole 2, a midsole 3 and an insole 4 with an opening 7 in the front portion of the base unit 1 for attachment of a toe strap 8 therethrough, the midsole 3 being fixedly attached to the top of the outsole 2 and the insole 4 being fixedly attached to the top portion of the midsole 3. In certain embodiments, the outsole 2, midsole 3 and insole 4 can be a single solid unit made up of the same material. In other embodiments, the outsole 2, midsole 3 and insole 4 can be made up of individual components of the same or different material. [0016] In certain embodiments of the invention, the front portion of the base unit 1 preferably has a single opening 7 for attachment of a single toe strap 8. In other preferred embodiments, the base unit 1 contains a plurality of openings 7a for attachment of a plurality of toe straps 8a. The opening(s) 7 (7a) being made up of various shapes and sizes such as, but not limited to, circular, elliptical, oval, rectangular, square, and triangular shapes. The opening(s) 7 (7a) of the present invention preferably has a length in the range from about 1/16 inch to about 2 inches, and more preferably from about 1/2 inch to about 1 inch. The opening(s) 7 (7a) preferably has a width in the range from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm, more preferably from about 1 mm to about 5 mm. [0017] The toe strap(s) 8 (8a) of the present invention is changeably (unfixedly) attached to the base unit 1 via insertion of the toe strap(s) 8 (8a) into one side of the opening(s) 7 (7a) and pulled there through such that one end of the toe strap(s) 8 (8a) is positioned on the left side of the base unit 1 and the opposite end of the toe strap(s) 8 (8a) is positioned on the right side of the base unit. Once in place, the opposite ends of the toe strap(s) 8 (8a) can be fastened together either by use of a fastening device 11 or by directly tying both ends of the toe strap(s) 8 (8a) together, thus providing a means for securing the footwear on the feet of the individual. [0018] In other preferred embodiments, the footwear may contain a heel 5 fixedly attached to the bottom of the outsole 2. The heel 5 being positioned at the back portion of the base unit 1, and extending downward from the bottom of the outsole 2, the length of the heel 5 preferably ranging from about 1/8 inch to about 6 inches, more preferably from about 1/2 inch to about 4 inches, and most preferably from about 1 inch to about 3 inches. [0019] In other embodiments of the present invention, the footwear may contain a heel support 6 fixedly attached to the top of the outsole 2, the heel support 6 being positioned at the back portion of the outsole 2, the heel support 6 providing support for an individual's heel. The heel support 6 may be a solid support or a single strap fixedly attached to the top of the insole 4 positioned at the back portion of the insole 4. In other embodiments of the present invention, the footwear may contain a heel support 6 having a plurality of straps that are fixedly attached to the top of the insole 4 in an adjacent manner to one another. [0020] With any of the above-mentioned embodiments, the heel support 6 may contain a single ankle strap slot 10 attached thereto for changeable attachment of an ankle strap 9. In other embodiments, the heel support 6 may contain a plurality of ankle strap slots 10, the ankle strap slot(s) 10 being fixedly attached to the heel support 6 for changeable attachment of a plurality of ankle straps 9. When the footwear of the present invention contains a heel support 6, the ankle strap slot(s) 10 may be positioned along the inside surface or the outside surface of the heel support 6. In other embodiments, the ankle strap slot may extend through both the inner and outer surface of the heel support 6. Continue reading... Full patent description for Interchangeable footwear Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Interchangeable footwear patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Interchangeable footwear or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Buckle for a sports boot and a sports boot having such buckle Next Patent Application: Calendar Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Interchangeable footwear patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.41682 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. Storage , Static Storage , Printers |
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