U.S. patent application number 11/029859 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-06 for shoe with changeable upper design.
Invention is credited to Han-Chieh Yang, Wu-Bin Yang.
Application Number | 20060143951 11/029859 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36638746 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060143951 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; Wu-Bin ; et
al. |
July 6, 2006 |
Shoe with changeable upper design
Abstract
A shoe with changeable upper design includes a shoe body having
a sole and an upper connected to the sole. The upper has an outer
surface provided with at least one decorative portion which
includes an indented surface and a first pattern provided on the
indented surface. At least one decorative pad having a front side
provided with a second pattern is further provided. The decorative
pad is attachable to and removable from the indented surface of the
upper so that the first and second patterns can be interchangeably
presented on the upper.
Inventors: |
Yang; Wu-Bin; (Tao-Yuan
City, TW) ; Yang; Han-Chieh; (Tao-Yuan City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P. O. BOX 5257
NEW YORK
NY
10150-5257
US
|
Family ID: |
36638746 |
Appl. No.: |
11/029859 |
Filed: |
January 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/0078 20130101;
A43B 23/24 20130101; A43B 3/242 20130101; A43B 3/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/100 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/24 20060101
A43B003/24 |
Claims
1. A shoe with a changeable upper design comprising: a shoe body
including a sole and an upper connected to said sole, said upper
having an outer surface provided with at least one decorative
portion which includes an indented surface and a first pattern
provided on said indented surface; and at least one decorative pad
having a front side provided with a second pattern, said decorative
pad being attachable to and removable from said indented surface so
that said first and second patterns can be interchangeably
presented on said upper.
2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer surface of
said upper is provided with a plurality of said decorative
portions, and a plurality of said decorative pads.
3. The shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said decorative pad
further includes a back side provided with an adhesive layer.
4. The shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said decorative
pads has a shape substantially corresponding to that of said
indented surface of each of said decorative portions, said
decorative pads being attachable to said indented surfaces,
respectively.
5. The shoe as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper further
includes connecting recesses each provided between two adjacent
ones of said decorative portions for interconnecting said indented
surfaces of said decorative portions, and said decorative pads
being interconnected integrally to form a unitary piece which can
be received in its entirety by said connecting recesses and said
indented surfaces.
6. The shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper further
includes a tongue opening part, and two of said decorative portions
are respectively provided on two sides of said tongue opening part,
one of said decorative pads being attached to said two of said
indented surfaces of said decorative portions on said upper
crossing over said tongue opening part.
7. The shoe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
male-and-female fastener unit between said decorative pad and said
indented surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a shoe, more particularly
to a shoe with changeable upper design
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, various bright and elegant colors are used
on a shoe to enhance the aesthetic quality and distinction of the
outer appearance of the shoe. In addition, various patterns are
directly printed on the outer surface of the shoe, or are attached
to the outer surface of the shoe body by sewing or adhesive, and
such patterns include, for instance, cartoon characters, trademark
symbols and figures, objects of fashion and other configurations or
designs. While such variations in the colors used and the patterns
formed on the shoe may indeed achieve the effect of making the shoe
more attractive and pleasing to the eyes, the conventional shoe is
designed with only one fixed form of pattern because the pattern or
color is formed on the shoe by printing, or by sewing or attaching
a pattern or color layer. In a society of diverse culture and
interests with constant craving for changes and strong fashion
trend, a shoe design will become obsolete even before its newness
has worn off. There is therefore a demand for a shoe which has an
outer surface or upper design that can be varied as necessary to
meet the trend or fashion of the times or the preference of the
wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a shoe with changeable outer surface design in which the
variation of the outer surface design can be made simply and
easily.
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention provides a shoe with
changeable upper design, which comprises a shoe body including a
sole and an upper connected to the sole, the upper having an outer
surface provided with at least one decorative portion which
includes an indented surface and a first pattern provided on the
indented surface; and at least one decorative pad having a front
side provided with a second pattern, the decorative pad being
attachable to and removable from the indented surface so that the
first and second patterns can be interchangeably presented on the
upper.
[0007] The decorative pads are designed with various patterns based
on various subjects and to fit on the indented surfaces on the
upper such that a substantially smooth overall outer surface of the
upper is provided, and are preferably capable of being attached and
detached repeatedly and easily
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view illustrating a first
preferred embodiment of the shoe with changeable upper design
according to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred
embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the assembled state;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.
2;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view of the first preferred
embodiment showing the attachment of a decorative pad on a
decorative portion of the shoe upper;
[0013] FIG. 5 shows various decorative pads provided with related
patterns in series;
[0014] FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view showing a second
preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second preferred
embodiment shown in FIG. 6 in the assembled state;
[0016] FIG. 8 is an exploded, perspective view of a third preferred
embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the third preferred
embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in the assembled state; and
[0018] FIG. 10 is an exploded, perspective view of the third
embodiment shown in FIG. 8, in which an additional male-and-female
fastener unit is used therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] In the following description of the preferred embodiments of
the shoe according to the present invention, it should be noted
that like numerals are used to denote like elements.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a shoe generally comprises a shoe
body 100 including a sole 1, an upper 3 connected to the sole 1 and
extending from around the edges of the sole 1 to define a top
opening 2 for insertion of a foot, a tongue opening part 4 with a
plurality of eyelets 30 formed on the peripheral edges thereof, and
a shoelace 5 inserted into the eyelets 30. According to a first
preferred embodiment of the shoe with changeable upper design of
the present invention, the upper 3 has an outer surface 31 provided
with a plurality of decorative portions each of which includes an
indented surface 33 and a first pattern 34 provided on the indented
surface 33. A decorative pad 7 having a front side 72 provided with
a second pattern 73 is used to vary the design on the upper 3, that
is, to change each first pattern 34 presented on the outer surface
31 of the upper 3. The decorative pad 7 is attached to the indented
surface 33 to overlay the first pattern 34 and present the second
pattern 73 on the upper 3 instead. The decorative pad 7 is designed
to be removable from the indented surface 33 so as to be
replaceable by another decorative pad 7 provided with a different
pattern when the outer shoe design is intended to be changed again,
and to match the form or shape of the corresponding indented
surface 33 so that, when attached to the indented surface 33, the
outer surface 31 of the upper 33 is substantially smooth and even.
Slight bulging, however, would still be acceptable.
[0021] In the first preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
four irregularly shaped decorative portions, and hence four
indented surfaces 33 with four first patterns 34, are provided on a
front portion 311, a rear portion 312, and two sides 313,314 of the
upper 3, respectively, and four corresponding decorative pads 7 are
provided for attachment to the four indented surfaces 33.
[0022] To facilitate attachment of the decorative pad 7 to the
indented surface 33, the back side 71 of the decorative pad 7 may
be coated fully or partially with an adhesive layer 6, as shown in
FIG. 4. The adhesive layer 6 may be of such materials as silicone,
PU resin, acrylic resin or other rubber materials, and may be added
with magnetic powders to enhance the adhesive effect. Furthermore,
it is preferred that the adhesive layer has the property of being
repeatedly attachable and releasable from adhesion.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, when the four decorative pads 7 are
attached to the four indented surfaces 33, not only are the
patterns shown on the upper 3 changed, but the overall appearance
of the shoe is enhanced by the new patterns presented thereon. The
four first patterns 34 originally presented on the upper 3 are the
Zodiac signs of wind (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius). Other groups of
Zodiac signs, such as water (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pieces), earth
(Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) and fire (Aries, Leo and
Sagittarius), or other series of patterns or words that manifest an
integral expression, may be used. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5,
the four patterns 73 on the four decorative pads 7 consist of
figures of a baseball pitcher in the four sequential acts of
pitching the ball. When these four decorative pads 7 are attached
to the corresponding four indented surfaces 33 as shown in FIG. 2,
the overall outer appearance of the shoe body 100 is changed and
replaced by an interesting design effected by the series of
patterns presented.
[0024] FIGS. 6 and 7 shows a second preferred embodiment of the
present invention in which the upper 3, as in the first preferred
embodiment, is formed to have four decorative portions, and hence
four indented surfaces 33. In this embodiment, however, only three
decorative pads 7 are used. One of the decorative pads 7 is
enlarged and is attached on the two indented surfaces 33 on the two
sides 313,314 of the upper 3 crossing over the tongue opening part
4 and covering most of the shoelace 5, as shown in FIG. 7. The
other two decorative pads 7 are similar to those in the first
preferred embodiment and are attached to the other two indented
surfaces 33, i.e., those in the front and rear portions 311,312 of
the upper 3.
[0025] With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 which shows a third
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper 3 has four
decorative portions as in the first preferred embodiment, and hence
four indented surfaces 33. However, this embodiment differs from
the previously described embodiments in that the upper 3 further
includes four connecting recesses 35 each provided between two
adjacent ones of the decorative portions. Furthermore, the four
decorative pads 7 are interconnected integrally to form a unitary
piece of a corresponding shape to that of the connecting recesses
35 and indented surfaces 33 so as to be received therein in its
entirety. This unitary piece not only provides simpler and easier
attachment and detachment of the decorative pad, but also expresses
a more interesting appearance by the integrated series of patterns
73 formed on the unitary piece.
[0026] With reference to FIG. 10, the third preferred embodiment of
the present invention is shown to further include a fastener unit
consisting of a plurality of male fasteners 8 and a plurality of
female fasteners 9, each of which is provided between one of the
decorative pads 7 and one of the indented surfaces 33 to reinforce
the attachment of the adhesive layer 6. In this embodiment, two
male fasteners 8 are provided on each decorative pad 7, and two
female fasteners 9 are formed on the each decorative portion on the
upper 3. However, it is also possible to form the male fasteners 8
on the decorative portions and the female fasteners 9 on the
decorative pads 7. The engagement between the male and female
fasteners 8,9 enhances the positioning of the decorative pads 7
which are formed as a unitary piece having a larger area, and
prevent inadvertent detachment thereof.
[0027] The male-and-female fastening unit is applicable to all
embodiments of the present invention. It is, however, particularly
preferred in the third embodiment where an adhesive layer 6 alone
might not be sufficient to provide reliable attachment of the
decorative pads 7 in view of the greater area of the unitary piece
formed by four decorative pads 7. The use of the male-and-female
fastening unit in addition to the adhesive layer 6 enhances the
attachment and positioning of the decorative pads 7 onto the
decorative portions of the upper 3 and inadvertent peeling off may
be avoided.
[0028] While in the various embodiments described above, the
patterns 34 on the upper 3 and the patterns 73 on the decorative
pads 7 are related to sports and the Zodiac signs, they certainly
and naturally may be directed to other subjects and designs.
[0029] The shoe according to the present invention allows for
replacement of the design on the upper 3 according to a user's
taste and fashion sense or personal preference. In contrast to the
conventional shoe which is provided with a fixed pattern or design,
the patterns on the shoe of the present invention may be varied to
conform to the location of use or to the different moods of the
user. As long as decorative pads 7 of various patterns are
available, it is not necessary to have a number of shoes to suit
every occasion and the moods and whims of the user and to follow
the fashion trend, since the pattern(s) on the shoe may be simply
replaced. The design may be changed according to the fashion and
trend to thereby satisfy man's desire for change and constant
search for something new.
[0030] It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in
other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central
characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments,
therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and
not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the
details given herein.
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