Patent Application
20120047769
The present invention relates to footwear and, more particularly, to a footwear construction and a method for making the same.
In the footwear industry, there is an ongoing effort to produce footwear that can be securely joined with a user's foot and still provide exceptional comfort. In many footwear, comfort is enhanced by including adjustable securing elements to accommodate a variety of feet having different dimensions and physical characteristics. Examples include: conventional shoestrings or lacing, which can be tightened to the preference of the wearer; buckles, which can be buckled at desired increments; and Velcro® straps which can be overlapped and secured to one another to provide a desired fit and level of secure attachment to the wearer's foot.
While conventional adjustable elements serve their purpose, that is, they provide satisfactory adjustment of certain dimensions of the footwear, they are sometimes difficult to operate, clunky, noisy and/or generally not aesthetically pleasing. As a result, there remains a long felt and unmet need for a footwear construction that provides the desired level of secure attachment, that is comfortable, and that is aesthetically pleasing.
Footwear is provided including an upper and/or sole portion, a strap defining a sleeve, and a cord that is joined with the upper and/or sole portion that also extends toward the strap and is slidably housed in the sleeve. The cord joins the strap and the upper and/or sole portion. An adjustment element is selectively locatable along a part of the cord to adjust the spatial relationship between the strap and the upper and/or sole portion, thereby facilitating adjustment of at least one dimension of the footwear to achieve a desired fit on a user's foot.
In one embodiment, footwear can be in the form of a sandal. The cord can be joined with a portion of the sole of the footwear. The cord can extend upwardly from the sole between adjacent toes of the wearer. Optionally, the cord can extend between the largest toe and the second toe on the wearer's foot. The cord can join the strap, and provide spatial adjustment of the strap relative to the sole to enable a wearer to select a comfortable fit of the sandal on the wearer's foot.
In another embodiment, the footwear can be in the form of a sandal. The strap can engage a portion of the wearer's ankle to hold the footwear on the wearer's foot. The strap can be adapted to wrap at least partially around the ankle of a wearer. The cord can join the strap with another upper and/or sole portion. The cord can be adjusted in length to accommodate the size of the ankle so that the footwear is securely retained on the foot with the strap engaging the ankle.
In yet another embodiment, the footwear can include first and second straps that extend along lateral and medial portions of the wearer's foot. These straps can join at a junction. Holes or apertures can be defined in one or both of the straps, in communication with a sleeve defined by one or both straps. The cord can extend through both apertures and project a distance beyond the sleeve. An adjustment element can be joined directly to a part of the cord that extends beyond the sleeve.
In still another embodiment, the adjustment element can be in the form of a knot or a lock element. The knot can be any conventional knot tied by the wearer. The lock element can be any element including a housing and a moveable part that engages the cord and holds the housing in fixed relation to the cord. One lock element can include a biasing element and a cord engagement surface. The biasing element can bias the engagement surface against the cord to hold the lock element in a fixed position relative to the cord. Optionally, the engagement surface can be moveable relative to the housing to convert the lock element from a locked mode to an unlocked mode, and vice versa. Further optionally, the lock element can slide relative to the cord and subsequently adjust the length of the cord positioned between a part of the cord extending from the sleeve and another end of the cord. With such an adjustment, the strap can be moved relative to the upper and/or sole portion to alter a dimension of the footwear.
In a further embodiment, a method for manufacturing footwear is provided. In this method, a strap defining a sleeve is provided. The strap can be spaced from the upper and/or sole portion of the footwear. A first end of a cord can be joined with the upper and/or sole portion. The cord can be extended toward the strap and positioned in the sleeve so that the cord is selectively slidable in the sleeve. In turn, the cord can join the strap and the upper and/or sole portion. An adjustment element can be positioned along a part of the cord extending beyond the sleeve to establish a preselected length of the cord, so that the strap is positioned in a preselected spatial relationship relative to the upper and/or sole portion. This preselected spatial relationship can provide desired dimensions of the footwear to comfortably fit the wearer's foot and/or ankle.
In yet a further embodiment, the method can include joining a first end of the cord with the sole in a location in a forefoot region of the footwear. The cord can be configured to extend between at least two adjacent toes of the wearer. The strap can be positioned above the top of the forefoot of the wear's foot so that the strap can be tightened relative to the forefoot and/or other portions of the foot and secure the footwear on the wearer's foot.
In still a further embodiment, the method can include positioning a strap around a portion of the footwear corresponding to the ankle of a wearer. The cord can be configured to extend between the strap and the upper and/or sole portion. The cord can also be adapted to be positioned around at least a portion of the wearer's ankle. The strap can be tightened with a cord relative to the ankle and adapted to secure the strap around the ankle.
The footwear construction described herein provides improved comfort and adjustability. The adjustable components of the footwear are easily and simply implemented in an aesthetically pleasing design. These characteristics are particularly advantageous in a variety of footwear including, but not limited to, sandals, casual footwear, athletic footwear, performance footwear, and other types of footwear.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the embodiments and the drawings.
Footwear constructed in accordance with a current embodiment is illustrated in
For purposes of disclosure, the embodiments herein are described in connection with a sandal or casual footwear. As will be appreciated, the embodiments also are well suited for any other type of footwear including athletic footwear, work footwear, outdoor footwear, walking footwear and multi-sport footwear. Further, as used herein, the term “arch region” (or arch portion) refers generally to the portion of the footwear corresponding to the arch of the wearer's foot; the term “forefoot region” (or forefoot portion) refers generally to the portion of the footwear forward of the arch region corresponding to the forefoot (e.g., including the ball and the toes) of a wearer's foot; and the term “heel region” (or heel portion) refers generally to that portion of the footwear rearward of the arch region corresponding to the heel of the wearer's foot. The forefoot region 81, arch region 82 and heel region 83 are generally identified in
The components of the footwear 10, also referred to as a sandal for purposes of describing the embodiments herein, will now be described in more detail. As shown in
Although shown as only including first 32 and second 34 straps, the sandal can include multiple straps extending within, from and to multiple different regions of the footwear. For example, the straps might start and end in any one of the forefront, arch and heel regions. As a further example, the straps can extend rearward around the heel region 83 of the footwear to circumferentiate at least a portion of the wearer's ankle 105 and/or heel 103.
The straps 32, 34 also can be of varying dimension. For example, although shown as being generally elongate members, the straps can be wider, more resembling a wide flap or flat portion of the upper 30. The straps also can be rectangular or curved as shown. Alternatively, the straps can be of a triangular shape, with the cord (as explained below) extending from a point, center or other portion of the triangular shape as desired.
Although not shown in
Further, although shown as an open toe sandal, the footwear 10 can be a closed toe sandal which completely houses the toes of the wearer. In such construction, the sandal can include a toe cap that extends upwardly from the midsole or outsole over the toes of the wearer to protect the wearer's toes. The one or more straps may or may not be joined with the toe cap as desired.
The sandal as illustrated in
The outsole 24 can be constructed from a relatively hard but gripping rubber or other sufficiently durable and wear-resistant material. The outsole 24 includes a bottom 26 that forms a wearing surface of the outsole and may be contoured to define a desired tread pattern. The bottom 26 can also be textured to improve the traction and the feel of sandal. The outsole 24 and midsole 22 can be joined with one another with cement, stitching, or directly attach construction techniques.
The sole 20 also can include a cover 23, which can generally cover the midsole 22 and cushion 23, and can form the interface between the sole 20 and the wearer's foot. The cover 23 can be constructed from a single uniform layer of leather or synthetic or other material, and can be contoured to follow the contours of the wearer's foot. If desired, a cushion 23 can be placed and secured within a recess 21 defined by the midsole 22. The cover 23 can extend over the cushion and the midsole portions to form a perimeter of the recess 21. The cover can be glued, cemented or otherwise attached over these components. Of course, if desired, the sole can be a single unitary element with the midsole 22, with the separate cushion, cushion recess and/or cover eliminated.
The sole and its various components can extend from a medial side of the footwear to the lateral side of the footwear, across a width of the footwear. The sole and its components also can extend from the forward most portion of the footwear to the rearward most portion of the footwear, or generally from toe to heel of the footwear.
Returning to
The second strap can form another portion of the upper 30, and as mentioned above, the second strap can include a forward portion 37 and a rearward portion 39. The forward portion can be joined with or near the first strap 32 at the junction 33. The second strap rearward portion 39 can extend generally forwardly from the arch region 82 (or other regions as described in connection with the first strap) along the lateral side 102 of the wearer's foot. The second strap forward portion 37 can also extend over a portion of the top 106 of the wearer's foot.
As shown in
As shown in
Although not shown, the sleeve can be lined with a material to enable the cord 40 to slide or move more or less easily relative to the sleeve and corresponding strap. Further, although shown as being defined between pieces of the strap 32, the sleeve 50 can also be defined by a tubular structure simply joined with the strap 32. The tubular structure can be in the form of a tube of a dimension slightly larger than the dimension of the cord, and configured to extend along a portion of the strap. As an example, the tube can be a plastic tube that is simply stitched, glued or cemented to the interior or exterior of one or more of the straps 32 or 34, or other component of the upper 30 or sole 20.
As shown in
Returning to the current embodiment shown in
The cord 40 can generally include a first end 42 and a second end 46. The first end 42 can be joined with an upper and/or sole portion of the footwear 10. As illustrated in
The cord 40 as illustrated can extend upwardly, away from the sole and generally through the sleeve 50. More specifically, the cord can pass through the first aperture 36, through the sleeve 50 and out the second aperture 38. Depending on the construction of the sleeve, the cord 40 can be concealed or partially exposed while positioned in the sleeve, as explained above. The cord can be sized slightly smaller than the apertures 36 and 38 to provide relative movement thereto. Alternatively, the apertures 36 and 38 can be almost the same dimensions as the cord so that it provides a friction fit and the sleeve likewise frictionally engages the cord.
As illustrated, the first aperture 36 can be defined at the junction 33 of the first and second straps. Optionally, the first aperture can be defined more rearwardly on the footwear, for example, on the medial or lateral sides of the foot. Further optionally, the first aperture can be defined anywhere on the upper 30 or other component of the footwear depending on the footwear portions that are desired to be adjusted. The rearward aperture 38 can be defined in the arch region and/or heel region 82, 83 of the footwear, and by the respective strap. Of course, depending on the dimension desired to be adjusted, the second aperture can be defined somewhere else on the upper or other component of the footwear.
As shown, with the cord 40 being of an optional fixed length, the part 44 of the cord that extends beyond the sleeve can vary depending directly on the amount of cord between the upper and/or sole portion and the strap 32. This variance can correlate directly to the internal dimension of the footwear by the upper. Indirectly, the internal dimension(s) of the footwear can be dictated by the part 44 of the cord extending beyond the sleeve. The cord 40 is generally positioned within the sleeve 50 so that it can slide or otherwise move relative to the sleeve 50 and/or strap to adjust the tension of the cord extending between the strap 32 and the sole 20 when a user's foot is placed in the footwear.
The cord in use can generally be under a certain amount of tension T1, as it is the portion of the footwear that pulls or holds the straps 32, 34 over the foot 100, and generally secures the footwear to the foot 100. The amount of tension T1 in the cord can vary, but optionally can be about 0.1 to about 15 pounds, further optionally, 1 pound to 6 pounds, or some other poundage, depending on the application.
The cord 40 generally extends between and joins the sole 20 and the strap 32. Although shown as separated by a space, the strap 32 optionally can extend down to the sole 20 if desired. Further, as illustrated, the spatial relationship between the strap and the sole is such that the strap 32 is spaced a distance D1 from the sole 20 that a gap or other open space is located between these elements. In other constructions, the spatial relationship between the respective strap and the sole portion and/or other portions of the upper, can be such that the strap overlays or overlaps that other element. In both of the foregoing constructions, the cord and adjustment element can be used to arrange the strap and upper and/or sole portion in a preselected spatial arrangement as desired by the wearer of the footwear, in the manner described herein. In the example where the strap overlaps another portion of the upper and/or sole, the cord and adjustment element can still be utilized to further provide more or less of an overlap of the relative components, and thereby adjust the dimensions of the footwear to the references of the wearer. In another example, where the strap is separated from the upper and/or sole portion, the cord and adjustment element can be used to adjust the dimension of the gap between the components and in some cases cause the components to overlap more or less.
After sliding the cord the desired amount and thereby adjusting the dimensions of the footwear and the spatial relationship between the strap 32 and the sole 20, the cord can be held or secured in a fixed configuration relative to the strap. This can be accomplished with the adjustment element 60. As shown in
With the adjustment element 60 engaging the boundary 58 of the sleeve of the aperture 38, the distance D1 between the strap 32 and sole 20 does not readily decrease. By placing the adjustment element 60 at a preselected location along the part 44 of the cord, the cord 40 can establish a preselected length between that part 44 of the cord and the first end 42 of the cord. For example, due to the material surrounding the aperture 38 abutting against the adjustment element 60, the strap 32 will not move beyond a desired distance D1 from the sole. This distance D1 can correspond to an internal dimension of the footwear that provides a comfortable fit of the footwear on the wearer's foot.
As explained with reference to the adjustment element 60, in the locked mode, the adjustment element 60 can be generally immovable relative to the cord 40. When the tension T1 (as shown in
As shown in
Put another way, the adjustment element 60 will not prevent the cord 40 from sliding or moving relative to the sleeve 50 so that the distance D1 between the sleeve 50, or strap 32 and the first cord end 42 decreases, however, the adjustment element 60 will prevent the cord 40 from sliding or moving relative to the sleeve 50 so that the distance D1 between the sleeve 50 or strap 32 and the first cord end 42 increases, particularly when the adjustment element 60 engages the sleeve and/or strap as shown in phantom in
Although shown in the current embodiment of
One alternative adjustment element is illustrated in
The lock 160 generally includes a housing 162. The housing can define an aperture 161 through which the cord projects. The housing 162 can also house a button or other moveable or depressible element 164 that is actuatable by a biasing element 167, which as illustrated, is in the form of a coil spring. The biasing element, however, can be of a variety of other than biasing elements, such as a compressible spring, a leaf spring or another type of spring. The button 164 can include an engagement surface 166 that engages a surface or other portion of the cord 140. The engagement surface 166 can be in the form of the internal surface of a bore defined in the button 164.
When the button is depressed by a user, the engagement surface 166 at least partially disengages the corresponding surface of the cord 140 and transitions from a locked mode to an unlocked mode. In the unlocked mode, the user can slide or otherwise move the lock relative to the cord 140. To relock the lock element 160 relative to the cord 140 or put the element in a locked mode, the user removes the force from the button and the bias element 167 urges the button 164 so that the engagement surface 166 frictionally engages the cord 140.
Like the embodiment described above, in the locked mode, the adjustment element 160 is generally immovable relative to the cord 140. Accordingly, when the force T3 as shown in
Optionally, the adjustment elements above its components can be constructed from plastic, metal, composites, or other materials as desired. Further optionally, the above described adjustment elements can be substituted with virtually any mechanism or construction that engages the cord and subsequently is immoveable relative to the cord.
Manufacture of the footwear 10 of the current embodiment will now be described with reference to
Wherein included, the recess 27 can be pre-molded in the midsole or the material corresponding to the recess can be removed from the midsole 22. With the recess formed, the cushion 21, which can be preformed, can be inserted into the recess and optionally glued therein. The cover 23 can be placed over the recess and glued, cemented or otherwise joined with the top of the cushion 27 in the boundary of the midsole 22 surrounding the recess 27.
The straps 32, 34 of the upper 30 can be formed using conventional cutting and stitching techniques from available materials. The sleeve 50 of the respective strap or straps can be constructed by sewing together edge-to-edge opposing pieces of material 72 and 74 with stitching 71 as illustrated in
The upper 30 also can be joined with the sole 20. For example, where the straps 32 and 34 are joined with one another at a cross member 28, the cross member 28 can be positioned between the cushion 24 and the midsole 22 to capture that cross member. These respective components of the upper and sole can be joined together with glue, stitching or other fastening techniques. The cord end 42 can be extended through the holes 29a, defined by the cover, the hole 29b defined by the cushion 27, and the hole 29c defined by the midsole of the sole 20 as illustrated in
The cord can be extended toward the strap 32 and in particular, the sleeve 50 defined by the strap. Optionally, the cord 40 can be positioned so that it extends upwardly from the sole in a location that is adapted to be placed between adjacent toes of the wearer. The cord can further be extended or positioned in the sleeve 50 so that the cord 40 is slidable in the sleeve. The cord 40 can be further slid through the sleeve 50 so that part 44 of the cord 40 extends beyond the sleeve 50. In this configuration, the second end 46 of the cord can be exposed beyond the sleeve, along with a part 44 of the cord.
An adjustment element 60 can be positioned along the part 44 of the cord extending beyond the sleeve 50. Where the adjustment element 60 is a knot (
One example of adjusting a dimension of the footwear is illustrated in
Another example, in which a dimension of the footwear is decreased, is achieved by reversing the above steps. As shown in
A second alternative embodiment of the footwear is illustrated in
The cord 240 extends from the fastener 272 through the sleeve in a similar configuration as the current embodiments above. The cord 240 can be selectively slid within the sleeve to adjust the spacing between the first and the second strap, much like the distance D1 (
Optionally, as shown, the first end 242 of the cord 240 can include a loop 249 that loops over the fastener 272 to selectively fasten that end of the cord to the second strap 234. In this manner, the loop 249 optionally can be removed from the fastener 272 to unhook the cord 240 from the fastener. With this removal and disconnection, the first strap 232 can be opened relative to the ankle. Reversing this order of operation, the strap 232 can be re-attached to the second strap, to close the ankle and secure the footwear to the ankle with the straps 232 and 234.
As illustrated in
The above descriptions are those of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any references to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. Any reference to claim elements as “at least one of X, Y and Z” is meant to include any one of X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, for example, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z.
