WO2008050369A1

WO2008050369A1 - Shoe with removable interchangeable semiupper

Info

Publication number: WO2008050369A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000739
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mirco Petrini
Original assignee: Mirco Petrini
Priority date: 2006-10-23
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-02
Also published as: ITMC20060138A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shoe characterised by the fact that it is provided with a front semiupper (1,10) fitted to the outsole (5) that incorporates fixing means (Ia) designed to be firmly engaged with corresponding means (3a) provided on the front of the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b) that occupies the central part of the shoe.

Description

Shoe with removable interchangeable semiupper.

The present patent application relates to a shoe with removable interchangeable semiupper.

The invention has been devised in order to introduce a totally new technology in the standardised shoe manufacturing sector, which is capable of arousing great interest both in commercial and practical terms.

The object of the invention will become clear after a short illustration of the methods that are currently used to produce shoes.

As it is known, all shoes are currently composed of bottom (or outsole) and upper, the latter being a closed upper to produce walking shoes, sports shoes, boots and similar items or an upper open on the front and/or the back to produce slippers or sandals.

In particular, the upper is permanently fitted to the bottom by means of sewing and/or gluing processes or, in the case of plastic moulded shoes, is incorporated into the bottom itself. In view of the above, traditional shoes are initially provided with an aesthetical aspect (meaning the combination of bottom and upper) that cannot be changed during their operating life.

Moreover, it is evident that an irreversibly damaged upper make it impossible to use the entire shoes. Following to a critical evaluation of the traditional technology, the solution of the present invention has been devised.

In particular, for the first time this solution allows to provide the shoe with a semiupper (more precisely, the central part of the upper) that can be attached and detached easily, and consequently removed or replaced easily. Obviously, the new technology allows users to change, at least partially, the aesthetics of the shoes as desired; this is made possible by the fact that users can decide to use a semiupper with the desired colour or style, replace damaged semiuppers or use shoes in two alternative configurations, one with the removable semiupper and the other one without the said semiupper.

According to the practical implementation of this solution, the shoe of the invention is provided with a bottom that is permanently fitted (with traditional methods) to a front semiupper that can be either open to produce slippers or sandals or closed to produce shoes.

The front semiupper is preferably the anchoring point of the removable semiupper situated immediately behind it, being arranged in the central part of the foot such that to embrace the instep and the ankle. According to a preferred embodiment, the removable semiupper is also fitted to the outsole of the shoe, possibly by means of a strap that embraces it from below upwards on the waist.

Moreover, the shoe of the invention can be provided with a traditional "heel" permanently fitted to the outsole to produce closed shoes or without it to produce slippers or sandals.

In this case, the heel could be advantageously used as additional anchoring point for the removable semiupper.

For purposes of clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

- figure 1 is a side view of the shoe of the invention with heel, but without removable semiupper;

- figures 2, 3 and 4 are the same as figure 1 and illustrate the shoe provided with three alternative removable semiuppers used to obtain different configurations;

- figure 5 is the same as figure 1 , except for the fact that it relates to a version of the shoe of the invention provided with fixed "band" semiupper without heel;

- figures 6 and 7 illustrate the shoe of figure 5 provided with two alternative removable semiuppers;

- figure 8 is the same as the previous figures and illustrates another version of the shoe of the invention, in which the removable semiupper is simultaneously fitted to the fixed semiupper and the heel.

With reference to figure 1 , according to a first embodiment the shoe of the invention is provided with a front semiupper (1) that is closed and extends approximately up to the beginning of the instep and a back heel (2), both being fitted to the traditional outsole (S).

Fixing means (1a) are provided on the outside of the fixed front semiupper (1 ), being composed of buttons that could be effectively replaced by hooks or equivalent devices.

With special reference to figure 2, the fixing means (1a) are designed to cooperate with suitable cooperating means (3a), being slots in this specific case, provided in a removable semiupper (3) designed to be mounted in intermediate position between the fixed front semiupper (1) and the back heel

(2) in such a way to form a perfectly closed upper when combined.

As mentioned earlier, the removable semiupper can have the most diverse colours and styles, as shown in the diagrammatic views of figures 2, 3 and 4.

In particular, the removable semiupper (3) used in the shoe of figure 2 gives the structure of a closed shoe with laces; the semiupper (30) used in the shoe of figure 3 gives the structure of a low shoe closed with a buckle; the semiupper (300) used in the shoe of figure 4 gives the structure of a laced boot.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative version of the shoe of the invention, provided with a fixed front upper (10) that is open and is not provided with the aforementioned back heel. Also in this case, the fixed semiupper (10) is externally provided with fixing means (1a) designed to cooperate with corresponding means (3a) provided on the removable semiupper designed to be fitted to the fixed semiupper (10).

Also in this case, the removable semiupper can have the most diverse alternative colours and styles.

In particular, the shoe illustrated in figure 6 is provided with a removable semiupper (130) that gives the structure of a sandal, while figure 7 illustrates a shoe provided with a removable semiupper (130a) that gives the general structure of a light laced boot.

Within the scope of the present invention, alternative solutions may be provided to fit the aforementioned removable semiupper. In particular, figure 8 illustrates a version of the shoe of the invention, in which the semiupper (130b) is fitted both to the fixed front semiupper (10) and the heel (2), which in this case is externally provided with suitable fixing means (2a) designed to cooperate with corresponding means (3b) provided on the back of the removable semiupper (130b). Attention is drawn on the fact that the two removable semiuppers

(130a, 130b) mounted on the shoes illustrated in figures 7 and 8 are also provided with a strap (5) designed to embrace the outsole (S) firmly and fitted to the corresponding semiupper on the side by means of suitable lateral fixing means (6b). In the specific case, the cooperating fixing means consist in a slot (6a) obtained in one or both ends of the strap (5) and a corresponding button (6b) provided in one or both sides of the semiupper immediately above the outsole (S).

Claims

1 ) Shoe characterised by the fact that it is provided with a front semiupper (1 , 10) fitted to the outsole (S), which incorporates fixing means (1a) designed to be firmly engaged with corresponding means (3a) provided on the front of the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b) that occupies the central part of the shoe.

2) Shoe as claimed in claim 1 , characterised by the fact that the outsole (S) incorporates a back heel (2).

3) Shoe as claimed in claim 2, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b) is provided on the back with fixing means (3b) designed to cooperate with corresponding fixing means (2a) provided on the heel (2).

4) Shoe as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the fixed semiupper (1) is closed.

5) Shoe as claimed in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (3) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (1) gives the general structure of a closed laced shoe.

6) Shoe as claimed in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (30) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (1) gives the general structure of a closed shoe with a buckle, also because of the cooperation of the back heel (2).

7) Shoe as claimed in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (300) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (1) gives the general structure of a laced boot, also because of the cooperation of the back heel (2). 8) Shoe as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the fixed semiupper (10) is open.

9) Shoe as claimed in claim 8, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (130) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (10) gives the general structure of a sandal. 10) Shoe as claimed in claim 8, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (130a) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (10) gives the general structure of a light laced boot opened on the back.

11 ) Shoe as claimed in claim 8, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (130b) to be associated with the fixed semiupper (10) gives the general structure of a sandal closed on the back, also because of the cooperation of the back heel (2).

12) Shoe as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the fixing means (1a, 2a) respectively provided on the fixed semiupper (1 , 10) and on the heel (2) consist in buttons, while the corresponding fixing means (3a, 3b) provided on the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b) consist in slots.

13) Shoe as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b) is provided on the bottom with a strap (5) designed to embrace the outsole (S) firmly.

14) Shoe as claimed in claim 8, characterised by the fact that the strap (5) is provided on one or both ends with a slot (6a) designed to engage with a corresponding button (6b) that protrudes laterally from the removable semiupper (3, 30, 300, 130, 130a, 130b).