Patent Application
20090044430
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The current invention has been developed to provide apparel and accessory manufacturers an opportunity to capitalize on the consumer's identification with its logo/trademark. Apparel and accessory manufacturers, especially athletic shoe manufacturers, have created a multi-billion dollar business selling shoes with a particular logo/trademark.
The manufacturer's logo/trademark is usually located on the shoe's quarter panel. Adults and youth often have several pair of athletic and other types of shoes in which only the color of the logo/trademark varies.
The current invention will allow manufacturers to produce a shoe that will allow the user to change the color and/or style of the logo/trademark. The shoe would come with a removable logo/trademark which is interchangeable with another logo/trademark of the same brand.
To prevent an unauthorized manufacturer from selling the interchangeable logo/trademarks, each shoe is equipped with a female receptacle which will engage with a predetermined male post locking the logo/trademark into place. Each manufacturer will have a female receptacle and male post unique to it.
Manufacturers can, on a seasonable basis, for example, change the style of its logo/trademarks and/or the female receptacle and male post to assure sales.
Prior art in this area focuses on allowing the user of a shoe to customize indicia on a portion of the shoe that usually carries the manufacturer's logo/trademark or trademark.
Interchangeable indicia noted in prior art is limited by the technique used to attach the customized indicia to the shoe. For example, prior art has used various adhesives and Velcro to allow for changeable indicia. Once indicia is attached by adhesive, the only way to change the indicia is to remove the adhesive or attach another indicia over the existing one. Adhesive is not easily removed. And, only a certain number of indicia can be placed one on top of another before the indicia starts to look bulky. The weakness in Velcro is, of course, that Velcro eventually loses its ability to grip and if two pieces do not mate exactly, Velcro has a tendency of capturing unwanted fuzz.
The primary object of the current invention is to provide shoe manufacturers a way to increase sales by providing the consumer with some control of what a shoe's logo/trademark looks like.
In the current invention, the shoe is embedded with known female locking device and the logo/trademark is embedded with the male interface of such known device. The use of the locking device allows: the user to change the logo/trademark as often as he wants; allows the logo/trademark to always line up, looking natural upon the shoe; and allows the shoe manufacture to create a particular set of locks that will prevent unauthorized manufacturers from infringing upon the manufacturer copyright and/or trademark. The current invention also utilizes a hem which surrounds the female receptacle of the lock which will lock the logo/trademark in place preventing any fraying or bending of the logo/trademark.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
The current invention includes a shoe 10 having an upper portion which includes a left and right quarter panel 11, only one side is shoen here for convenience, a heel 12, toe 13, tongue 14, and sole 19.
In the preferred embodiment at least one known female receptacle 15 for engagement with a suitable known male post is embedded in the quarter panel 11 of the shoe. A logo/trademark is embedded with at least one known male post 16 suitable to engage with the female receptacle 15. When the male post 16 is engaged with the female receptacle 15, the logo/trademark is locked in place and the logo/trademark is flush with the shoe.
The female receptacle is surrounded by a hem 17 in the shape of the logo/trademark. The outside portion of the hem 17 is secured to the shoe 10 however, the inside portion 18 is ready to accept the periphery of logo when the male post is engaged with the female receptacle.
in a second preferred embodiment at least one female receptacle 15 is located at the bottom shoe, embedded in the sole 19 and at least one known male post 16 suitable to engage with the female receptacle 15 is located on the horizontal portion of a U-shaped 20 or L-shaped 21 holder whereby the logo/trademark is located on at least one of the longitudinal components of the U 22 or the longitudinal part of the L 23. When the male end is engaged with the female receptacle the logo/trademark sits flush against the quarter panel of the shoe and is held in place by a hem 17.
It is understood that although the preferred embodiment is described as a shoe embedded with a known female receptacle and the logo/trademark is embedded with a known male post, that the female receptacle can be located on the logo/trademark and the male post can be located on the shoe.
It will be understood that while the current invention is shown on a shoe it is not limited to this use and can be practiced, for example, on articles such as hats, luggage, handbags, etc. It is also understood that the phrase logo/trademark can be interchanged with concepts such as emblem, insignia, device, brand, among others.
In view of the above it will be seen that various aspects and features of the invention are achieved and other results and advantages attained. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modification may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.
