Abstract
A shoe assembly includes a base shoe (10), a removable outsole (25) and a removable cover (22). The base shoe (10) is defined by a skeleton insole (11) having a lower surface, a heel component (12), and an upper (13) rising from the periphery of the skeleton insole (11). The upper (13) defines a foot-retaining element. The removable outsole (25) is connected to the skeleton insole (11) to overlie the lower surface thereof. There is a releasable mechanism having a first part on the skeleton insole (11) and a second part on the outsole (25) to interconnect the two. The removable cover (22) is for the upper (13), and fits over the base shoe (10) to overlie the foot-retaining element. The cover (22) has a sole region provided with a sole opening for accommodation of the releasable mechanism interconnecting the outsole (25) with the skeleton insole (11). The cover (22) also has a heel opening (23) through which at least a part of the heel component (12) passes. A part of the cover (22) is located between the lower surface of the skeleton insole (11) and the outsole (25), to retain the cover (22) on the base shoe (10).
Claims
1. A shoe assembly comprising: a base shoe defined by a skeleton insole having a lower surface, a heel component, and an upper rising from a periphery of the skeleton insole, the upper defining at least one foot-retaining element; a removable outsole connected to the skeleton insole to underlie the lower surface of the skeleton insole, there being a releasable mechanism having a first part on the skeleton insole and a second part on the outsole to interconnect the outsole to the skeleton insole; and a removable cover for the upper, the cover fitting over the base shoe to overlie said at least one foot-retaining element, the cover having a sole region provided with a sole opening for accommodation of the releasable mechanism interconnecting the outsole with the skeleton insole, and a heel opening through which at least a part of the heel component passes whereby a part of the cover is located between the lower surface of the skeleton insole and the outsole, thereby to retain the cover on the base shoe.
2. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the releasable mechanism comprises a socket opening into the skeleton insole from the lower surface of the skeleton insole and a support of a complementary form to the socket projecting from the upper surface of the outsole and receivable in the socket.
3. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a releasable snap-fit connection mechanism is provided between the support and the socket whereby the outsole is removable from the skeleton insole by breaking apart the releasable snap-fit connection mechanism.
4. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the releasable snap-fit connection mechanism comprises a pair of resiliently deformable lugs upstanding from one of the skeleton insole and the outsole and each lug having a free edge, and each lug having a barb formation at each respective free edge, there being a correspondingly formed socket in the other of the skeleton insole and the outsole and having a respective recess for each barb.
5. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outsole is connected to the skeleton insole by means of a socket opening into the outsole from the upper surface of the outsole and a support of a complementary form to the socket projecting from the lower surface of the skeleton insole and receivable in the socket.
6. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heel component comprises a heel attachment element associated with the skeleton insole and a heel member removably attached to the heel attachment element, and the heel opening of the removable cover fits to the heel attachment element whereby the region of the cover around the heel opening in the removable cover is trapped between the skeleton insole and the heel member.
7. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the heel attachment element comprises a heel pin projecting from the skeleton insole, and the heel opening of the removable cover fits around the heel pin.
8. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the heel member releasably secured to the skeleton insole is interchangeable with at least one other heel member of the same or a different form.
9. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable cover has an upper part to overlie the base shoe upper and at least one base panel to underlie at least part of the lower surface of the skeleton insole.
10. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one base panel includes one cover base panel provided with the sole opening for the releasable mechanism between the skeleton insole and the outsole, and the heel opening for the heel component.
11. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one base panel includes two cover base panels, wherein one of the two cover base panels is a front cover base panel being provided with the sole opening for the releasable mechanism between the skeleton insole and the outsole, and wherein the other of the two cover base panels is a rear cover base panel provided with the heel opening for the heel component.
12. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the heel opening in the at least one base panel to receive the heel component is profiled to fit within a groove formed between the skeleton insole and the heel component, around at least part of a periphery of the heel component.
13. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the heel opening in the at least one base panel to receive the heel component is profiled to be trapped between the heel component and the skeleton insole when the heel component is secured to the skeleton insole.
14. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one foot-retaining element of the upper comprises a vamp and a quarter panel, and the removable cover is configured to overlie the vamp and the quarter panel.
15. A shoe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein an insole is provided on the skeleton insole within the base shoe.
16. A method of manufacturing a shoe, the method comprising the steps of: providing a base shoe defined by a skeleton insole having a lower surface, a heel component, and an upper rising from a periphery of the skeleton insole, the upper defining at least one foot-retaining element; providing a removable outsole to underlie the lower surface of the skeleton insole, there being a releasable mechanism having a first part on the skeleton insole and a second part on the outsole to interconnect the outsole to the skeleton insole; and providing a removable cover for the upper, the cover having a heel opening and a sole opening in a base panel for the heel component and the releasable mechanism, respectively; in which method: the cover is stretched over the base shoe to overlie the at least one foot-retaining element of the base shoe upper and to underlie at least part of the lower side of the skeleton insole; the region of the base panel having the heel opening for the heel component is trapped between the heel component and the skeleton insole; and the outsole is fitted to the skeleton insole by way of the releasable mechanism, thereby trapping part of the cover base panel between the skeleton insole and the outsole, thereby retaining the cover on the base shoe.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16 and in which the heel component is removable from the base shoe, in which method the cover is fitted to the base shoe before the heel component is secured thereto, and following the fitting of the cover, the heel component is secured to the base shoe to trap part of the cover base panel between the heel component and the skeleton insole.
Description
(1) By way of example only, various embodiments of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of a base shoe as used in a first embodiment, with various section lines marked thereon;
(3) FIG. 2 is a plan view on the base shoe of FIG. 1, again with various section lines marked thereon;
(4) FIGS. 3 to 7 are sections through the upper of the base shoe, taken on the respective section lines marked on FIGS. 1 and 2;
(5) FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section through the base shoe comprising a skeleton insole co-moulded with the upper;
(6) FIGS. 9 to 11 are sections through the base shoe skeleton insole and upper, taken on the respective section lines marked on FIG. 2;
(7) FIG. 12 shows an example of a complete shoe, comprising a base shoe, a cover, an outsole and a heel component with the parts separated for clarity;
(8) FIG. 13 shows an alternative example of a complete shoe also comprising a base shoe, a cover, an outsole and a heel component with the parts separated for clarity;
(9) FIG. 14 is a cross-section through the heel region of the example of FIG. 13;
(10) FIGS. 15 to 17 show three alternative outsole variations for the example of FIG. 13;
(11) FIG. 18 is an isometric underplan view of the base shoe of FIG. 12;
(12) FIG. 19 shows the assembly of the heel component and outsole to the base shoe of FIG. 18;
(13) FIG. 20 is an isometric top view of the outsole used in FIG. 19;
(14) FIGS. 21A and 21B show the assembly of an outsole to the base shoe, using a ball plunger mechanism;
(15) FIG. 22A shows an alternative arrangement for attaching an outsole to the base shoe;
(16) FIG. 22B illustrates the actual attachment of the outsole in the arrangement of FIG. 22A;
(17) FIGS. 23A and 23B illustrate an alternative outsole attachment arrangement, FIG. 23C showing the actual attachment of the outsole of FIG. 23B to the base shoe of FIG. 23A;
(18) FIG. 24 shows an alternative attachment arrangement similar to that of FIG. 23C;
(19) FIGS. 25A and 25B show yet another outsole attachment arrangement, FIG. 25A showing the entire shoe dissembled and FIG. 25B being a partial view on an enlarged scale of the dovetail attachment arrangement; and
(20) FIGS. 26A and 26B show the underside of the base shoe with two alternative covers fitted thereto.
(21) Reference will initially be made to FIGS. 1 to 11 of the accompanying drawings, showing an example of a base shoe 10 for use in the provision of a high heel shoe as an example of this invention. The base shoe 10 has a skeleton insole 11 (sometimes referred to as a manufacturing insole or a footbed) provided with a heel component 12 secured to the rear (heel) end of the skeleton insole. An upper 13 rises from the periphery of the skeleton insole, so as to define a vamp 14 and a quarter 15 merging into each other. The skeleton insole 11 and the upper 13 are moulded integrally from plastic materials, but are co-moulded from different materials with different Shore hardnesses. The skeleton insole is of the harder material has mechanical design features to retain the required rigidity and structural strength for example by way of grooves 16 formed therein.
(22) FIGS. 3 to 7 show cross-sections through different parts of the upper, and as can be seen the upper does not have a constant thickness whereby the required strength and rigidity can be imparted thereto. This also allows the upper to retain its required shape when fitted with a removable cover as will be described hereinafter, especially if the cover itself is of a relatively stiff material. Further, the upper is designed to provide comfort for a wearer and to facilitate retention of the shoe on the foot of a wearer, by virtue of the inside profile given to the upper.
(23) FIG. 3, taken on line 3-3 on FIG. 2, shows that the toe cap 18 has a substantially uniform thickness, as do the sides where the toe cap joins the sides of the upper (FIG. 4). The arch region of the upper is thinner at the top, but thicker at the bottom adjacent the skeleton insole, especially internally (FIG. 5). The sides of the upper in the heel area are thinner at the top than at the bottom (FIG. 6). The wall thickness at the rear of the heel area (FIG. 7) is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom, as with the sides of the heel area, though less pronounced.
(24) FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-section through the base shoe 10, showing the skeleton insole 11 co-moulded with the upper 13. The skeleton insole 11 includes an attachment boss 19 for the heel component 12 (FIG. 1). That heel component may be secured in position using standard shoe-making techniques, such as by inserting screws from within the seat of the heel area into the heel component. In the alternative, and as will be described below, the heel component may be user-removable, to allow substitution of one heel component by another perhaps of a different style, profile, colour or decoration. In the case of a fixed heel component as just described, there is a narrow gap between the lower surface of the skeleton insole 11 and the periphery of the heel component 12, as shown for example in FIG. 14, for a purpose to be described below.
(25) Though not shown in the drawings, the base shoe is completed by providing a conventional insole within the shoe base on the inner surface of the skeleton insole, to create a layer between the upper surface of the skeleton insole and the wearer's foot. Also, a lining may be provided on the inside of the shoe, around the vamp and quarter. The insole and lining serve to improve comfort for the wearer and also can help to increase the life span of the shoe; the insole and lining may be essentially conventional, and are well known in the shoe-making art.
(26) FIG. 12 shows a complete shoe construction using a base shoe 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The base shoe has a metal heel pin 20 secured to the heel region of the skeleton insole so as to project downwardly from the attachment boss 19. This may be achieved, for example, by means of a screw threaded into the enlarged head 21 at the upper end of the heel pin. The heel component 12 has a bore configured to be a close sliding fit on the heel pin 20 and is provided with an attachment arrangement to secure the heel component to the pin. That attachment arrangement forms no part of this invention and will not be described in further detail here, but a reference may be made to our co-pending International Application No. WO 2014/145153 for examples of suitable attachment arrangements.
(27) The shoe construction includes a removable cover 22 adapted to confer aesthetic qualities to the finish and style of the shoe and may be made from any suitable material for this purpose. For example, the cover may be made from a natural or synthetic leather, or from a textile or plastic material suitably coloured or otherwise decorated. The cover 22 may be stretchy to some extent, to facilitate the fitting of the cover over the base shoe as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 12; thus, the toe cap 18 is fitted into the toe region of the cover while the heel pin 20 is passed through an opening 23 in the cover, the opening being of a suitable size and shape to be a snug fit around the attachment boss 19.
(28) An outsole 25 is provided for the shoe, the outsole being of a suitable shape and size to be a snug fit against the undersurface of the skeleton insole 11 (before fitting of the cover 22) and to the upper end of the breast 26 of the heel component 12. The outsole is releasably connected to the skeleton insole 11 by way of a mechanism including a support 27 provided on the upper surface of the outsole 25 and carrying a pair of double-ended spring-loaded plungers 28 described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 21A and 21B below, the underside of the skeleton insole 11 being provided with a socket 29 for receiving the support 27. The opposed sides of the socket have recesses (shown in FIG. 18) into which the spring-loaded plungers of the outsole 25 are received, thereby to hold the outsole to the skeleton insole.
(29) The cover 22 has an opening 30 formed therein generally aligned when in use with the socket 29 of the skeleton insole 11, such that when the cover is fitted to the base shoe, the support 27 of the outsole 25 may be snap-fitted into the socket in the skeleton insole, thereby trapping the lower edges of the cover 22 between the skeleton insole and the outsole. Finally, the shoe is completed by fitting the heel component 12 to the heel pin 20, the arrangement being such that the rear edge 31 of the outsole 25 is trapped by the heel component when locked to the heel pin 20, thereby completing the shoe.
(30) FIG. 13 shows an alternative arrangement to that shown in FIG. 12; here, the heel component 12 is secured to the skeleton insole so as to form a part of the base shoe and so is non-removable by a user. In this case, the cover 22 has a larger opening for the heel component than is required for the attachment boss 19 of the base shoe as shown in FIG. 12. However, the arrangement of the heel component and the attachment boss 19 is such that a narrow groove 32 is formed between the skeleton insole and the periphery of the heel component 12, to receive the edge of the cover around the heel opening therein, all as illustrated in FIG. 14. In this way, retention of the cover to the base shoe is assured, by stretching the cover over the upper end of the heel component to have the edges of the cover opening received within that narrow groove 32.
(31) FIGS. 16 and 17 show alternative outsoles for use with a base shoe as has been described above and so having either a permanently secured heel component or a detachable heel component. In the arrangement of FIG. 16, the outsole 34 is relatively short so that the rear edge terminates in the instep region of the outer surface of the skeleton insole. In FIG. 17, there is shown an outsole 35 of a greater thickness than that of FIG. 16, so as to provide a platform for a high-heel shoe. For use with such an outsole, it may be necessary to increase the length of the heel component. The outsoles of FIGS. 16 and 17 may be attached in the same manner as will be described below, for longer outsoles.
(32) FIGS. 18, 19 and 20 show in more detail the attachment of the outsole to the skeleton insole, by means of a support 27 provided on the upper surface of the outsole 25 and having a pair of bores in which are received two double-ended ball plunger mechanisms 28. As can be seen in FIG. 18, a side wall 36 of the socket 29 in the skeleton insole is provided with two recesses 37 to receive the balls of the ball plunger mechanisms 28; the opposed side wall of the socket 29 is similarly provided with recesses such that the outsole is securely, but detachably, connected to the skeleton insole.
(33) FIG. 21A shows on an enlarged scale a modified form of support 27, as having two U-shaped channels 38 in which are mounted tubes 39 of the ball plunger mechanisms. The tubes 39 may be held in position in the support channels 38 by means of an adhesive but in the alternative, the support could be provided with simple holes (as shown in FIGS. 18, 19 and 20) into which the tubes are pressed. FIG. 21B shows the overall assembly including the balls 40 of the ball plunger mechanisms received in the recesses 37, to hold the outsole 25 to the skeleton insole 11, with the lower edges of the cover 25 trapped therebetween.
(34) FIGS. 22A and 22B show an arrangement closely similar to that of FIGS. 18 to 20, except that a different arrangement is employed to hold the outsole to the skeleton insole. Here, the outsole is provided with an upstanding lug 42 having a forwardly directed leaf 43, the lug and leaf being receivable in a correspondingly formed socket 44 in the underside of the skeleton insole 11. The outsole is snap-fitted to the skeleton insole by feeding the leaf 43 into the socket and then pushing the outsole forwardly with respect to the base shoe, the materials of the lug and leaf, as well as the skeleton insole, deforming as required to allow the outsole to be snap-fitted to the skeleton insole. In all other respects, this arrangement corresponds to that described above with reference to FIGS. 18 to 20.
(35) FIGS. 23A to 23C show yet another arrangement for the releasable connection between the outsole and the skeleton insole. Here, there are two lugs 45 upstanding from the upper surface of the outsole and each lug is provided with a barb 46 at its upper end, the lugs and being receivable in a correspondingly formed socket in the skeleton insole. Thus, as shown in FIG. 23C, the outsole may be fitted to the skeleton insole in order to trap the cover between the outsole and the skeleton insole when each barb 46 of the respective lug 45 snap-fits into the corresponding re-entrant groove 47 on the sides of the socket 48 in the skeleton insole.
(36) FIG. 24 shows essentially the same arrangement as has been described with reference to FIGS. 23A to 23C, except that here the lugs 49 are provided on the skeleton insole to project downwardly therefrom and the grooved socket 50 is in the outsole, which in this case must take the form of a platform sole in view of the required depth of the socket.
(37) FIG. 25A is an exploded view of a high heel shoe having an alternative mechanism to attach the outsole to the skeleton insole. Here, there is a plurality (in this example, three) of grooves 51 extending laterally across the lower surface of the skeleton outsole, each groove being of dovetail cross-sectional shape. The outsole is provided with corresponding dovetail projections 52, receivable in the grooves 51 to secure the outsole to the skeleton insole. FIG. 25B shows on an enlarged scale this connection arrangement. In all other respects, the arrangement of FIGS. 25A and 25B corresponds to that of FIG. 2 and so will not be described again here.
(38) FIGS. 26A and 26B show two possible cutting and stitching designs for covers for use with a base shoe as described above. Cover 53 (FIG. 26A) utilises a front base panel 54 and a rear base panel 55, both stitched to the upper cover part 56 with the lines of stitching being shown by pecked lines. The front base panel 54 has an opening 57 for the connection mechanism, in register with the socket 29 in the skeleton insole, and the rear base panel 55 has an opening 58 for the attachment boss 19 on the skeleton insole. The cover 59 (FIG. 26B) utilises a single base panel 60 stitched to the upper cover part 61 with the lines of stitching being shown by pecked lines. The base panel 60 has an opening 61 for the connection mechanism, in register with the socket 29 in the skeleton insole, and a further opening 62 for the attachment boss 19 on the skeleton insole. In either case, if the base shoe has a non-removable heel component and a narrow groove 32 therearound as shown in FIG. 14, the rear opening in the respective panel may be made somewhat larger, so as to be able to fit over the upper end of the heel component and into the groove 32.
