Chameleon sole footwear apparatus

Abstract

A footwear sole apparatus which has a base member and at least one insert (principal insert and/or heel insert) as well as one or more fail-safe interconnectivity mechanisms, comprised of a configuration to fit or replace the sole or partial sole of a pair or pairs of footwear. The base member is either pre-attached to a new shoe(s) or fitted onto the sole of an existing shoe(s). The base member can be attached to the insert(s), having one or more fail-safe mechanisms to enhance interconnectivity of the base member and insert(s).

Claims

1. A footwear sole apparatus, comprising: a base member that includes a toe portion, midfoot portion, and a heel portion: and an insert extending from a toe portion to a heel portion, the base member being configured to attach to the insert wherein said base member can be attached to said insert(s), the base member includes: a first rail that protrudes from the base member, the first rail including an edge that protrudes from the first rail, the first rail extending along a longitudinal axis of the base member and extending continuously from the toe portion through the midfoot portion to the heel portion; and a cylindrical stud protruding from the heel portion: and the insert includes: a second rail extending continuously from the toe portion through the midfoot portion to the heel portion that includes a groove along an outer edge of the second rail, the first rail of the base member is configured to slide into the second rail of the insert such that edge of the first rail contacts the groove of the second rail: and a circular opening configured to receive the cylindrical stud.

2. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circular opening of the insert is provided on a center portion of a heel portion of the insert.

3. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stud extends up to three quarters of a thickness of the base member and extends entirely through a thickness the insert.

4. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insert is a principal insert and the apparatus further comprising a heel insert configured to overlap the heel portion of the base member.

5. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a first fail-safe mechanism configured to reinforce a connection between the principal insert and the base member, and a second fail-safe mechanism configured to reinforce a connection between the heel insert and the base member.

6. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stud extends entirely through a thickness of the heel insert.

7. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stud is a female threaded stud.

8. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 4, wherein the principal insert includes a central opening that is configured to securely receive the stud of the base member.

9. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the principal insert includes a plurality of subsidiary holes, and the base member includes a corresponding number of studs that are configured to fit securely into the plurality of subsidiary holes.

10. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 4, wherein the heel insert includes a central opening that is configured to securely receive the stud of the base member.

11. The footwear sole apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the heel insert includes a plurality of subsidiary holes, and the base member includes a corresponding number of studs that are configured to fit securely into the plurality of subsidiary holes.

12. A footwear system comprising: a footwear including a bottom portion; a base member that includes a toe portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion; and an insert, the base member being configured to attach to the insert, wherein: the base member is configured to fit onto the bottom portion of the footwear; the base member includes: a first rail that protrudes from the base member, the first rail including an edge that protrudes from the first rail, the first rail extending along a longitudinal axis of the base member and extending continuously from the toe portion through the midfoot portion to the heel portion; and a cylindrical stud; and the insert includes: a second rail extending continuously from the toe portion through the midfoot portion to the heel portion that includes a groove along an outer edge of the second rail, the first rail of the base member is configured to slide into the second rail of the insert such that edge of the first rail contacts the groove of the second rail; and a circular opening configured to receive the cylindrical stud.

13. The footwear system of claim 12, wherein the footwear includes an existing sole, the base member being configured to replace the existing sole and to fit onto the wearable portion.

14. A footwear insert comprising: a principal insert including a rail that defines a groove along an outer edge of the rail, a base member configured to slide into the groove of the principal insert and including a cylindrical stud, the principal insert including a toe portion, midfoot portion and a heel portion, wherein: the rail extends longitudinally along the toe portion and extends continuously from the toe portion through the midfoot portion to the heel portion, and the heel portion includes a circular opening configured to receive a cylindrical stud of the base member.

15. The footwear insert of claim 14, further comprising a heel insert being configured to overlap the heel portion of the principal insert.

16. A method of making footwear using the system of claim 12, comprising the steps of: attaching the base member to the bottom portion of the footwear.

17. A method of making footwear using the system of claim 12, the footwear further including a sole, the method comprising the steps of: removing the sole from the bottom portion of the footwear; and attaching the base member to the bottom portion of the footwear.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

(1) Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the base member and fail-safe locking mechanism #1 of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of the principal insert and fail-safe locking mechanism #1 of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of the heel insert and fail-safe locking mechanism #2 of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) A. Overview

(7) Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate a Chameleon Sole footwear apparatus 7, which comprises a base member 9 and at least one insert (principal insert 11 and/or heel insert 17) wherein said base member 9 can be attached to said insert(s) 11,17, having one or more fail-safe mechanisms 15, 19 to enhance interconnectivity of the base member 9 and insert(s) 11,17, and wherein said base member 9 is comprised of a configuration to fit or replace the sole or partial sole of a pair or pairs of footwear.

(8) B. Base Member

(9) The base member 9 is preferably comprised of a configuration to fit the sole of a shoe, pair of shoes or footwear as illustrated in FIG. 1.

(10) The base member 9 includes one or more rails 21, one or more female threaded studs 27, possibly one or more standard studs 25, and a fail-safe locking mechanism #1 base hole 23 to accommodate fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15. The rail(s) 21 and stud(s) 27, 25 preferably attach the base member 9 to the principal insert 11.

(11) The rail(s) 21 are included within the base member 9, and preferably extend latitudinally outward from the front or toe_edge of the base member 9.

(12) The set of one or more female threaded studs 27 and possibly one or more standard studs 25 are included within the base member 9. If present, the standard studs 25 preferably are positioned in pairs longitudinally to the left and right edges of the heel_portion of the base member 9, such that the female threaded stud 27 is at the center of the standard stud 25 pair configuration.

(13) The female threaded stud(s) 27 is included within the base member 9 and is positioned in a substantially longitudinal and latitudinal center of the heel_portion of the base member 9, such that the standard stud 25 pairs, if included, are equally distributed longitudinally to either side of the female threaded stud 27.

(14) The female threaded stud(s) 27 is preferably comprised of a substantially circular configuration as illustrated in FIG. 2; however the female threaded stud(s) 27 may be comprised of various other configurations, such as but not limited to rectangular and elliptical.

(15) The fail-safe locking mechanism #1 base hole 23 to accommodate fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 is positioned in a substantially longitudinal and latitudinal center of the rail(s) 21 portion of the base member 9, and preferably extends three fourths of the way through the base member 9. Preferably fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 will be inserted into the holes 23, 33 present at the center of the rails 21, 31 on both the base member 9 and the principal insert 11 in order to interconnect them.

(16) Fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 is preferably comprised of a substantially circular, screw-shaped configuration as illustrated in FIG. 2; however fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 may be comprised of various other configurations, such as but not limited to rectangular and elliptical.

(17) C. Principal Insert

(18) The principal insert 11, if present, is preferably comprised of a footwear sole shaped configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to allow it to interconnect with the base member 9.

(19) The principal insert 11 constitutes one or more rails 31, a central opening 37 that securely fits the female threaded stud(s) 27 of the base member 9, possibly included subsidiary holes 35 that are the same quantity as the standard studs 25 in the base member 9 (if present) and of a size that allows the base member standard studs 25 to securely fit into these subsidiary holes 35.

(20) The rail(s) 31 are included within the principal insert 11, and preferably extend latitudinally outward from the front or toe_edge of the principal insert 11.

(21) The subsidiary holes 35, if present, extend through the principal insert 11, and preferably are positioned in pairs longitudinally to the left and right edges of the heel_portion of the principal insert 11, such that the central opening 37 is at the center of the pair configuration.

(22) The central opening 37 extends through the principal insert 11 and is positioned in a substantially longitudinal and latitudinal center of the heel_portion of the principal insert 11, such that the subsidiary holes 35, if present, are equally distributed longitudinally to either side of the central opening.

(23) The central opening 37 is preferably comprised of a substantially circular configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3; however the central opening 37 may be comprised of various other configurations, such as but not limited to rectangular and elliptical.

(24) The fail-safe locking mechanism #1 insert hole 33 to accommodate fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 is positioned in a substantially longitudinal and latitudinal center of the rail(s) 31 portion of the principal insert 11. Preferably fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15 will be inserted into the holes 33, 23 present at the center of the rails 31, 21 starting with the principal insert 11 and up through the base member 9 in order to interconnect them.

(25) D. H eel Insert

(26) The heel insert 17, if present, is preferably comprised of a footwear sole heel shaped configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to allow it to interconnect with the back heel_portion of the principal insert 11 and/or base member 9.

(27) The heel insert 17 constitutes a fail-safe locking mechanism #2 19, a fail-safe locking mechanism #2 hole 43, and possibly included one or more sockets 40 that are the same quantity as the standard studs 25 (if present) in the base member 9 and of a size that allows the base member standard studs 25 to securely fit into these socket(s) 40.

(28) The fail-safe locking mechanism #2 hole 43 is positioned in a substantially longitudinal and latitudinal center of the heel insert 17. Preferably fail-safe locking mechanism #2 19 will be inserted into the fail-safe locking mechanism #2 hole 43 of the heel insert 17, allowing it to interconnect with the base member 9 and/or principal insert 11.

(29) E. In Use

(30) In use, the base member 9 is either pre-attached to a new shoe(s) or fitted onto the sole of an existing shoe(s) or pair of footwear. The user then slides the principal insert 11 onto the base member 9, locking it with fail-safe locking mechanism #1 15. Finally, the user pushes the heel insert 17 from below to fit it into the principal insert 11, and strengthens the interconnectivity of the heel insert 17 with fail-safe locking mechanism #2 19.

(31) One of the many possible variations within the scope of the present invention is for a user to select a partial, as opposed to complete, sole replacement, which would potentially minimize the need to employ one or both of the aforementioned inserts.

(32) Another possible variation within the scope of the present invention is for a person to use the Chameleon Sole footwear apparatus on an existing pair of shoes, detaching the existing sole and attaching the base member 9 using a method included but not limited to adhesive or stitching, and one or more inserts 11,17.

(33) What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of the invention along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is intended to be defined by the following claims (and their equivalents) in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.