US20070193064A1

US20070193064A1 - Shoe with compartment accessible from the insole

Info

Publication number: US20070193064A1
Application number: US11/359,169
Authority: US
Inventors: Ben Xu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-22
Filing date: 2006-02-22
Publication date: 2007-08-23
Also published as: WO2007100434A2; WO2007100434A3

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.

Description

This invention relates to a shoe or a pair of shoes having a compartment or compartments accessible from the insole of the shoe.

BACKGROUND

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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

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.
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.
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

Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
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.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the shoe of FIG. 1 taken along I-I.
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.
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.
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a single piece base on a wedge heel platform shoe variety.
FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a single piece base on a high heel platform shoe variety.
FIG. 4C is a perspective view of a two piece base on a high heel platform shoe variety with the two pieces connected to each other by an outsole extending from the fore part to the rear part of the shoe.
FIG. 5A shows the layering of the materials making up the insole with the skin layer forming the top layer.
FIG. 5B shows the layering of the materials making up the insole with the skin layer enclosing the top, sides and the peripheral edges of the insole and the enclosure optionally reinforced with stitching.
FIG. 6A shows the access port to the compartment etched out of the insole with one side left intact as part of the insole.
FIG. 6B shows the skin layer covering the edges of the access port to the compartment and the edges of the insole resulting from the cut with the covering optionally stitched with the other layers of the insole for reinforcement.
FIG. 6C shows the access port of FIG. 6B in a closed position after attachment of the insole to a high heel shoe.
FIG. 7 shows the access port completely cut off from the insole before attachment to the insole.
FIG. 8A is a side view showing how the access port of FIG. 7 is sewn into the insole.
FIG. 8B is a perspective view looking from the bottom up showing how an access port is attached by a hinge into the insole.
FIG. 8C is a perspective view looking from the bottom up showing how an access port is attached by a pintle into the insole.
FIG. 9A is an exploded view showing how the auxiliary plate lays on top of the fore section of the base underneath the insole on a high heel shoe.
FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing a strip bridging opposite ends of the base instead of an auxiliary plate underneath the insole on a high heel shoe.
FIG. 9 c is a perspective view showing the auxiliary plate resting on top of the fore section of the base.
FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a gridded hollow base.
FIG. 10B is a perspective view of a channeled hollow base.
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a detachable grid.
FIG. 11B is a perspective view of a detachable channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description represented herein is not intended to represent the only way or the only embodiment in which the claimed invention may be practiced. The description herein is provided merely as an example or examples or illustrations of the claimed invention and should not be construed as the only way or as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or means of practicing the invention. Any means of incorporating a hollow base on a shoe serving as a compartment that is readily accessible from the insole is within the scope of this invention. The detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed invention and it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the claimed invention may be practiced without these specific details.
FIG. 1 shows a wedged heel shoe with a hollow base 10 serving as a compartment 11 for storing small portable items or decorative items and is located underneath the insole 12 of the shoe. To simplify the manufacturing of the compartment 11 of the shoe and maximize the size of the compartment, the compartment is usually a single open space expanding through the entire size or dimensions of the base 10. The insole 12 of the shoe is attached to the upper 13 on one side with the other side attached to the hollow base thereby providing a cover for the hollow base. The insole 12 extends from the toe or fore part 14 of the shoe to the heel or rear part 15 of the shoe. The solid bottom side 16 of the base 10 attaches to the outsole of the shoe. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the insole 12 in relation to the base 10 and the outsole 20. In a high-heeled shoe as shown in FIG. 3A, the base is hollow underneath the insole at the fore section 17 of the shoe to form one compartment 11 and if desired is again hollow at the rear section 18 of the shoe as shown in FIG. 3B forming a second compartment 11 a having a solid non-hollow mid section 19 connecting the fore section with the rear section of the shoe. The non-hollow mid section 19 usually situates on the mid-foot section of the wearer and is the arch supporting surface of the base. This type of a base 10 can be molded in one hollow integral piece with the outsole 20 attached to the solid bottom section of the base at the fore section through the rear section as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B or the base 10 can be molded as separate pieces, one hollow piece for the fore section 17 of the shoe underneath the insole and the other hollow piece for the rear section 18 of the shoe underneath the insole with the two pieces joined together by an outsole 20 extending from the fore part 14 to the rear part 15 of the shoe with the mid section 21 of the outsole 20 directly attaching to the insole 12 of the shoe as shown in FIG. 4C. For some shoes, only the insole joins the two pieces together without the need of the outsole. Here the outsole provides the arch supporting surface instead of the base. In all these designs, one has the option of having one or two compartments as well as where the compartment will be situated. In a high heel shoe, this would be underneath the heel or rear section of the insole and/or underneath the fore section of the insole as shown by FIGS. 3A and 3B.
The upper 13 of the shoe or shoes may be of different design. For example, it may be enclosed having a vamp, a side and a quarter section or it may be of a scuff-like design with an open heel or it may be straps providing a sandal-like configuration. The materials that can be used for the upper are known and covers a wide variety including but not limited to straw; leather from the skins of a variety of mammals and reptiles; natural and synthetic fabrics such as silk, brocades, canvas, cotton twill; natural and synthetic rubber; and, soft and/or flexible plastics or polymeric materials such as poromerics, a type of plastic with tiny holes that allows the foot/feet to ‘breathe’. Generally, materials that provide the necessary strength and flexibility to enclose or hold the wearer's foot/feet can be used.
One of the aspects of the invention that allows easy access to the compartment 11 of the shoe from the insole 12 without requiring an additional cover laying on top of the insole, lies on the materials used for the insole and how they are assembled together. The insole 12 typically has at least three layers attached to each other, a sturdy but flexible bottom layer 22 attached to a middle layer 23 usually made of a soft material with a skin layer 24 laying over the soft middle layer as shown in FIG. 5A or enveloping the insole by further enclosing the peripheral edges or side 25 of the insole as shown in FIG. 5B. Materials for these three layers are known. Materials that are typically used for the bottom layer are different varieties of hard cardboards such as condensed pressed cardboard from paper or wood. Other materials possessing the same characteristics as hard cardboard can be used. The soft materials for the middle layer are typically made from foam, sponge, cotton or other natural and synthetic fabric materials, natural or synthetic rubber, polysulfone, and other soft polymeric material. The skin layer, one directly contacting the feet are typically made of leather, suede, synthetic materials such as polyvinyl chloride and polysulfone and the like. Materials used for the construction of a shoe are known. When the skin layer 24 encloses the sides of the insole including the bottom peripheral edges 26 of the bottom layer 22, this along with the bottom layer 22 usually attaches directly to the top surface 27 of the hollow base 10. Otherwise, the bottom layer 22 alone as shown in FIG. 5A attaches directly to the base. When the skin layer 24 does not enclose the entire sides of the insole, a separate covering may also be used to enclose only the bottom layer 22 and its peripheral bottom edges 26 prior to attachment to the base 10. In these designs, the insole 12 is supported by the thickness 28 of the wall of the hollow base and in a high heel shoe, additionally by either the mid section 19 of the base or the mid section 21 of the outsole.
The access port 29 to the compartment is etched out of the insole. Only three adjacent sides 30 a,b,c are typically needed to be cut out, leaving a side 30 d still part of the insole as shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A. The access port 29 may be shaped differently according to the discretion of the manufacturer. To keep the edges 31 from frilling off or falling apart, the edges 31 a resulting from the cut on the insole and the edges 31 b on the access port 29 can be surrounded or covered with the skin layer 24 at the same time that the skin covers the insole and attaches this to the base 10 resulting with confined covered edges as shown in FIG. 6B. Optional stitching 32 around the edges as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C reinforces the attachment of the skin layer to the middle and bottom layers. FIG. 6C shows the covered access port 29 attached to the insole with the access port in the closed position while FIGS. 6A and 6B shows the access port 29 in the open position. The access port 29 may also be cut completely off the insole with one side later attached to the matching side on the insole. This method will allow the cut off access port 29 to open wider from the post attached sides 33 acting as pivot point 34 for better ingress into and egress out of the compartment as shown in FIG. 7. There are several means of attaching a detached access port 29 to the insole. In all these methods of attachment, those that do not discomfort the wearer is used. Examples of attachments are sewing the matching edges together with the use of a third layer of material 35 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A, connecting the matching edges with hinges 36 as shown in FIG. 8B or with pintles 37 as shown in FIG. 8C. In these attachments, the pivot parts that protrude from the hinge or pintle faces the compartment to keep these away from the foot/feet and allow the top surface (same as the skin layer 24) of the access port 29 to align flush with the rest of the insole in the same manner as shown in FIG. 8A when the access port is in the closed position. To facilitate the opening of the access port, a pull up tab 38, recommended to be made of a flat fabric material such as a ribbon so as not to uncomfort the foot/feet may be attached to the side opposite the uncut side or the pivot point 34 as shown in FIGS. 5-8.
The assembly shown above is sufficient when the bottom layer 22 of the insole 12 is made of a very sturdy material. However, some of these may not be as flexible to be shaped to follow the contour of the foot when the heel part 15 is higher than the fore part 14 of the shoe as in a high heeled shoe. Also, other materials may not be strong enough to provide the necessary support for the foot especially when the weight of the wearer is momentarily concentrated in the fore part and the heel part of the shoe. To address this, an optional auxiliary plate 39 can be placed between the base and the insole on the fore section 17 of the shoe as shown in FIG. 9A. An auxiliary plate 39 may also be placed between the insole and the rear section 18 of the shoe but this is usually not necessary because of the smaller access port and the smaller size of the rear compartment of the shoe. The peripheral inner walls 40 of the hollow base 10 is modified to have a peripheral lateral protrusion 41 where the auxiliary plate 39 would rest and align flush with the top surface of the base 10 as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9C. The auxiliary plate may be removable or permanently attached to the base but it is recommended to have permanent attachment for durability and to prevent unwanted sound when the shoe is in use. The auxiliary plate typically has an opening 42 of a size smaller than the opening or the mouth 43 of the hollow base 10. This opening 42 can be of any shape but should be as large as possible for easy access into the compartment 11. Instead of an auxiliary plate, at least one permanent or removable flat strip 39 a running across and resting on the lateral protrusion 41 and aligning with the top surface of the base 10 as shown in FIG. 9B. As in the auxiliary plate, it is recommended to have the strip permanently attached to the base. The auxiliary plate and the flat strip are typically made of hard sturdy plastic material such as ABS, polycarbonate or light metal.
The height 44 and area of the hollow base 10 dictates the size of the compartment 11 and this is at the discretion of the manufacturer, limited only by the desire of the wearer or up to how much the wearer can tolerate. Like the auxiliary plate, the hollow base is typically made of a hard and sturdy plastic material, wood or metal. Plastics such as ABS and polycarbonate are commonly used. These materials are also easy to mold aside from being hard and sturdy. Other plastic materials exhibiting the same properties can be used. If the base is made from wood, the hollow central portion is usually carved out from the solid wood and the exterior shaped according the size and shape of the base. The walls of the bottom side 16 and the mid section 19 are usually thickened compared to the walls of the side elevational surfaces 48 to provide additional strength, support and durability to the shoe.
The hollow base and consequently, the compartment, may be see-through, tinted, opaque or covered from the inside or outside of the side elevational surfaces of the base with a non-see-through material to keep the contents of the compartment out of view. As stated above, the base may be in one integral piece or in two pieces. With the latter, the outsole and/or the insole connect the two pieces together. One may choose to cover one piece of the hollow base and leave the other piece see-through or uncovered. The base is typically manufactured by injection molding if made from plastic or metal.
Providing a compartment using the hollow base without an external access port is advantageous. Because there is no modification made on the design and structure of the hollow base, that is, no access ports to a compartment installed externally on the fore section 17 or the rear section 18 of the shoe or at the side elevational surfaces 48 of the hollow base, existing molds for hollow bases can be used thereby avoiding the additional cost of fabricating new molds to meet the needs of the external access ports. Further, external access ports affect the appearance of the shoe and results in weak points on the base where breakage can be triggered or caused.
The claimed invention also provide several other advantages and usage. A clear see-through or lightly tinted hollow base typically made of hard plastic can be used to place decorative materials into the base. With a wider access port, it is very easy from time to time to alter the decorations (decor) placed inside the hollow base to cater to all occasions without the need of having one shoe for every occasion. For example, Christmas decor in December, Valentine decor in February, Easter decor in March or April, etc. One just needs to open the access port and place or retrieve the decorations by hand or by the use of tweezers, forceps and the like. For some types of decorations, just inverting the shoe, that is turning the shoe upside down with the access port open and tapping the shoe would be sufficient to let the decorative items exit the access port. Even liquids can be placed inside the compartment for decor as long as the insole and the access port are properly modified so that liquid would not be able to leak from the shoe. Lighting and electronically operated decor can also be placed in the compartment along with their power source. The outside surfaces of the base can also be painted with various designs or writings as one desires but if one wants to use the same shoe for different occasions, these designs and writings should be erasable. On the side elevational surfaces 48 that is, any side such as the front, rear, left and right side, of the hollow base, an opening 49 or openings such as a slit may be etched out to allow for small items such as a coin/s or rolled or folded monetary bill/s to be placed into the slit without the need of taking the shoe off which is convenient for example, when one takes a change after purchasing an item or when the wearer receives some cash during the day. This allows one to use the compartment of the shoe as a tip jar where the openings at the side elevational surfaces can be used to place the money or coins even without removing the foot from the shoe to access the insole and these can be removed from the compartment anytime through the same method described above. If the compartment is see-through, the sight of the coins and monetary bills gives one an incentive to tip the wearer, as well. The number, shape, design and orientation of the openings 49 may vary. For example, aside from a slit, small heart shaped openings or small floral openings may be etched out not just for introducing money or small items into these but also for decorative purposes. The slits on the other hand can be horizontal, vertical, slanting, etc. These openings 49, however, should not be big enough to allow the small items or money stored inside the compartment to exit or leave the compartment unintendedly. The same ingress and egress of items are true for compartments on shoes with covered or darkly tinted bases.
The hollow base may be gridded or channeled. A grid 45 or channel 46, referred to in general as dividers 47, inside the base 10 is specially useful if one desires to segregate or sort the contents inside the compartment 11 as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. Other dividers aside from a grid or channel can be used. These dividers 47 may be molded with the base as a single unit thereby permanently integrating the dividers inside the hollow base. The dividers may also be separately formed then permanently attached to the base. The orientation and the number of dividers is at the discretion of the manufacturer. The grid or channel can also be detachable as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B to give the wearer the option on when to use the dividers 47. In these cases, the divider 47 should be collapsible so it can be inserted through the access port 29 and then opened up inside the compartment 11. The direction of the arrows on the grid and the broken lines on the channels are ways on how these can be collapsed. Methods of manufacturing these collapsible dividers are known as well as materials that can be used to make these.
The outsole 20 of the shoe is typically made of materials that have high abrasion resistance, relatively high coefficient of friction, wear resistance, shock absorbance, and are flexible and resilient. These materials are known in the art such as natural and synthetic rubber, leather, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride and other polymeric and plastic materials that meet the desired characteristics for an outsole.
The different parts of the shoe are attached to each other by known methods such as sewing, bonding with glue or epoxy, fusing, molding, or any combination thereof.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations, and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the compartment is enclosed by the hollow base from a toe or fore part of the shoe to a heel or rear part of the shoe.

3. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the compartment is enclosed by the hollow base underneath a fore section, a rear section or both sections of the shoe.

4. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the hollow base is made of a see-through material resulting into a see-through compartment.

5. The shoe of claim 4 wherein the see-through compartment displays decorative materials catering to an occasion.

6. The shoe of claim 4 wherein the see-through compartment is a tip jar.

7. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the hollow base is made of a non-see-through material resulting into a non-see-through compartment.

8. The shoe of claim 1 wherein designs or writings are placed on a side elevational surface of the hollow base.

9. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the hollow base has an etched out opening on a side elevational surface.

10. The shoe of claim 9 wherein the opening is of a size allowing introduction of small items but disallowing exit of small items.

11. The shoe of claim 9 wherein the opening vary in number, shapes, designs and orientation.

12. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the insole comprises a sturdy bottom layer, a soft middle layer and a skin layer.

13. The shoe of claim 12 wherein the skin layer envelopes the layers of the insole.

14. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the access port is of different shapes.

15. The shoe of claim 1 wherein the access port is attached to the insole by hinges or pintles.

16. The shoe of claim 1 wherein edges of the access port and edges on the insole resulting from etching out of the access port are confined covered edges.

17. The shoe of claim 1 further comprising a pull up tab for the access port.

18. The shoe of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary plate or a flat strip between the base and the insole.

19. The shoe of claim 1 further comprising dividers inside the hollow base.

20. 1. A shoe, comprising:

an upper;

a hollow base having a side elevational surface enclosing a compartment, the side elevational surface having an opening of a size allowing introduction of small items but disallowing exit of small items; and,