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  Shoe with compartment accessible from the insoleUSPTO Application #: 20070193064Title: Shoe with compartment accessible from the insole Abstract: A shoe, comprising an upper, a hollow base enclosing a compartment and an insole attached between the upper and the hollow base having an access port to the compartment etched out of the insole. The compartment is enclosed by a side elevational surface of the base. The compartment can extend throughout the entire base or at the fore section or rear section of the base. The compartment can be see-through where decorative items can be displayed to cater to an occasion and can have openings at the side elevational surface of the base where small items can be introduced but can not be removed from the openings such as monetary bills and coins when the compartment is used as a tip jar. (end of abstract) Agent: Maria Erlinda C. Sarno, Esq. - Artesia, CA, US Inventor: Ben Xu USPTO Applicaton #: 20070193064 - Class: 03602500R (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070193064. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This invention relates to a shoe or a pair of shoes having a compartment or compartments accessible from the insole of the shoe. BACKGROUND [0002] The invention is applicable to all types of shoes but finds particular usage on shoes with wedge heel, elevated base or those of a high heeled platform variety. [0003] Wedge heel type shoes or high heel platform shoes are typically suited to have compartments underneath the insole of the shoe because a hollow base may be easily incorporated between the insole and the outsole of the shoe. The hollow base usually comprises a solid bottom surface covered by an external sole and side elevational surfaces attaching to the insole. The side elevational surfaces border a space thereby forming a hollow base. This hollow space forms the compartment underneath the insole. Herein, the insole is the inner sole where the wearer steps on, the part of the shoe in direct contact with the foot while the outsole is the bottom external sole, the part of the shoe in contact with the surface where a wearer treads on. In a wedge heel shoe, the compartment may cover the entire base extending from the toe or fore part of the shoe to the heel or rear part of the shoe or it may cover only a portion or section of the hollow base, either on the fore or rear of the base. The same is true for flat shoes. In a flat shoe, the base can be fully or partially hollow and elevated serving as the compartment beneath the insole. In a typical high heel shoe, there can be two separate compartments, one on the rear section of the base underneath the heel part of the insole and the other on the fore section of the base underneath the toe or fore part of the insole. In a high heel shoe, there is typically a mid section of the base that is not hollow, i.e., solid that separates but connects the rear section with the fore section of the base. The compartment is typically used to store small portable objects such as valuables, keys, money, coins, cosmetics, accessories, candy, gum, and the like that the wearer may want to have handy throughout the day without the need to carry a bag to store these. [0004] Additionally, with these types of shoe where the base is made of a clear or tinted see-through material, the base may be used to display decorative materials for added attraction and as an attention getter. These decorative material may be made to cater to an occasion such as Christmas, Valentine, Easter, Wedding, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Birthday and the like or to a particular setting like floral designs. When the compartment is used as a tip jar, real monetary bills can be intentionally placed or displayed inside a see-through compartment to attract attention or as an incentive for the patrons to tip the wearer. [0005] Shoes with compartments accessible from the insole require the wearer to remove the shoe before the contents can be accessed into thereby providing more security especially when the compartment is used to store valuables. When valuables are stored, it is best to have the base made of a non-see-through material such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, hereinafter can also be referred to simply as ABS, or covered with a non-see-through material. The base can have a variety of colors [0006] There are shoes that have a compartment bored on a solid base rather than having a hollow base thereby limiting the size of the compartment. This compartment may also have an access port from inside the shoe but its functions are limited and the access port in these solid based shoes usually have a second layer of shoe pad placed on top of the insole that are necessarily detachable to prevent the weight of the shoe wearer's foot from depressing into the compartment and to conceal the access port and the existence of the compartment. To access the secret compartment, one has to remove the second layer of shoe pad on top of the insole and at times also the insole before the access port can be opened which makes access to the compartment very cumbersome and time consuming. Further, the second layer of shoe pad, being detachable, may shift in position on usage and in the worst case, may form a fold which discomforts the wearer. [0007] Other shoes with compartments have their access port externally, that is, without the need of the wearer to remove his or her foot/feet from the shoe/s. These are less secured because it allows someone to access the compartment. If security is necessary, additional locking mechanism is incorporated to prevent access to the compartment. Further, these external ports affect the durability and function of the shoe. The external ports bring about weak points on the shoe, often triggering or causing breakage. Also, with time and usage, the access port or ports may give a cracking sound during periods of striding action. External access ports also prevent the base from being molded as a single piece. Consequently, new molds have to be devised to cater to the particular design of the external access port. There are several patents and patent applications disclosing different designs for the compartment and the different methods for accessing these. Patent application Ser. No. 10/774,438 proposes a platform shoe with compartments of different designs on the base of an elevated shoe, all embodiments providing access from the external sides or outside surface of the base. Other patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,507,991; 2,478,411; 2,897,609; 3,174,234; and 5,921,008 also access the compartment from the exterior of the shoe, that is, without the wearer needing to remove the shoe. [0008] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a shoe with a compartment that can extend the entire base of the shoe that is readily accessible only from the insole thereby providing the added security. [0009] It is also an object of this invention to provide a shoe with a compartment underneath an insole without requiring a second layer of insole to cover the access port at the first layer of insole. [0010] It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoe with a compartment that will not materially affect the comfortable use of the shoe. [0011] It is also a further object of this invention to use the compartment of the shoe as a decorative means to enhance the overall appearance of the shoe. [0012] It is still a further object of this invention to provide a shoe with a compartment that is easily manufactured or manufactured with existing molds. [0013] It is still a further object of this invention to use the compartment of the shoe as a tip jar where monetary bills and coins can be inserted into the compartment but can be retracted easily only from the access port at the insole. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0014] A shoe, comprising an upper, a hollow base enclosing a compartment, and an insole attached between the upper and the hollow base having an access port to the compartment etched out of the insole. The compartment is enclosed by the side elevational surfaces of the base from a toe or fore part of the shoe to a heel or rear part of the shoe or partially by the hollow base underneath a fore section, a rear section or both sections of the shoe. The hollow base is made of a see-through material resulting into a see-through compartment. A see-through compartment can display decorative materials catering to an occasion or it can be used as a tip jar. Other items can be stored inside the compartment for other purpose aside from those described. The hollow base can also be non-see-through resulting into a non-see-through compartment. This would be good for storing valuables. Designs and/or writings can be placed and openings of different shapes and orientation can be etched out on a side elevational surface of the base. The opening is of a size allowing introduction of small items but disallowing exit of small items. The compartment can have dividers inside the hollow base. [0015] The insole comprise a sturdy bottom layer, a soft middle layer and a skin layer. The skin layer envelopes the layers of the insole and consequently, the insole. The access port is of different shapes and when cut independent of the insole, it can be attached by several means to the insole by sewing, by hinges, by pintles and the like. The edges of the access port and edges on the insole resulting from the etching out of the access port are confined and covered to prevent frilling. The covering may be reinforced by stitching. The access port may have a pull up tab to facilitate the opening and closing of the access port. An auxiliary plate or a flat strip may be placed between the base and the insole for added support. [0016] Other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it shows and describes only certain embodiments of the invention by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0017] Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wedged heel shoe having a hollow base serving as a compartment which is accessible only from the insole of the shoe. [0019] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along I-I. [0020] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a high heel platform shoe having a compartment underneath the fore section of the shoe accessible through the insole. [0021] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of a high heel platform shoe having a compartment underneath the fore and rear sections of the shoe accessible through the insole. Continue reading... Full patent description for Shoe with compartment accessible from the insole Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Shoe with compartment accessible from the insole 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. 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