U.S. patent application number 11/601143 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-22 for split-toed shoe.
Invention is credited to Donald R. Geuss.
Application Number | 20080115386 11/601143 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39415499 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080115386 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Geuss; Donald R. |
May 22, 2008 |
Split-toed shoe
Abstract
A Split-toed Shoe is disclosed. The shoe has a special upper
that includes a split toe. In order to provide additional
durability and stability, the sole of the shoe does not have a
corresponding split in the toe. Furthermore, in order to add
aesthetic appeal and versatility, the shoe may include a toe strap
configured to accept exchangeable buckles thereon.
Inventors: |
Geuss; Donald R.; (Aliso
Viejo, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Karl M. Steins;Steins & Associates
Suite 120, 2333 Camino del Rio South
San Diego
CA
92108
US
|
Family ID: |
39415499 |
Appl. No.: |
11/601143 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/94 ;
36/45 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/242 20130101;
A43B 23/24 20130101; A43B 7/26 20130101; A43B 3/24 20130101; A43B
3/0078 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/94 ;
36/45 |
International
Class: |
A43B 7/26 20060101
A43B007/26; A43B 23/00 20060101 A43B023/00 |
Claims
1. A shoe, comprising: a sole defining a member absent gaps or
splits formed therein; an upper extending upwardly from said sole
to form an inner chamber therebetween, said upper defining a toe
end and a heel end, said toe end having a channel formed therein
extending from said toe end in the direction of said heel end.
2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said channel in said upper is
formed by a pair of opposing side walls and an end wall, said side
and end walls terminating at their lower end at said sole.
3. The shoe of claim 2, wherein said side walls are in relative
spaced relation to form opposing walls of said gap channel.
4. The shoe of claim 3, wherein said channel bisects said toe end
of said upper into a great toe portion and a side toe portion.
5. The shoe of claim 4, further comprising a decorative strap
extending from said channel over a said great toe portion and
terminating at said sole.
6. The shoe of claim 5, wherein said decorative strap defines a
channel-attached end and a distal end, said distal end being
attachable to a lower tab extending from said sole adjacent to said
great toe portion.
7. The shoe of claim 6, wherein said lower tab outer surface and
said bottom surface of said distal end of said decorative strap
each define cooperative attachment means for cooperatively
attaching said distal end to said lower tab.
8. The shoe of claim 7, further comprising a buckle configured to
be attachable to said decorative strap.
9. The shoe of claim 8, wherein said buckle is defined by an upper
portion and a side portion extending therefrom, said buckle
defining a strap channel formed therein extending through said
upper and side portions, said strap channel configured to accept
said decorative strap therein.
10. The shoe of claim 9, wherein said strap channel has a side
mouth at its side portion end and a top mouth at its top portion
end, said mouths configured to accept said decorative strap
therein.
11. The shoe of claim 10, wherein said buckle strap channel is
defined by a pair of opposing, inwardly-turned fins on a bottom
side of said buckle, and a top surface suitable for display of
indicia thereon.
12. A shoe, comprising: a sole defining a contiguous unbisected
piece of material; an upper extending upwardly from said sole to
form an inner chamber therebetween, said upper defining a toe end
and a heel end, said toe end having a channel gap formed therein
extending from said toe end in the direction of said heel end, said
channel gap having a closed bottom surface defined by said
sole.
13. The shoe of claim 12, wherein said channel gap bisects said toe
end of said upper into a great toe portion and a side toe
portion.
14. The shoe of claim 13, wherein said side walls are in relative
spaced relation to form opposing walls of said channel gap.
15. The shoe of claim 14, further comprising a decorative strap
extending from a gap-attached end at said channel over a said great
toe portion and terminating at said sole.
16. The shoe of claim 15, wherein said decorative strap further
defines a distal end opposite said gap-attached end, said distal
end being attachable to a lower tab extending from said sole
adjacent to said great toe portion.
17. The shoe of claim 16, wherein said lower tab outer surface and
said bottom surface of said distal end of said decorative strap
each define cooperative attachment means for cooperatively
attaching said distal end to said lower tab.
18. The shoe of claim 17, further comprising a buckle configured to
be attachable to said decorative strap, said buckle defining a
strap channel formed therein extending through said upper and side
portions, said strap channel configured to accept said decorative
strap therein.
19. The shoe of claim 18, wherein said attachment means comprises
hook-and-loop fastener material disposed on said outer surface and
said bottom surface.
20. The shoe of claim 18, wherein said attachment means comprises a
pair of cooperating snap-halves.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to footwear and, more
specifically, to a Split-toed Shoe.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Men's, and particularly women's footwear fashions are
notorious for their wide variety of styles and comparatively short
lifespan. While men's business fashions tend to change less
dramatically, the problem with them is that the shoes are so
expensive that the buyer tends to keep them for an exceeding long
period of time. Once purchased, however, their really has never
been a high quality method for making a change to a particular pair
of shoes. The pair, once purchased, will many times outlast its
desirability from a fashion standpoint. Furthermore, while women's
shoe fashions have included models that allow the user to
accessorize the shoe with decorative items, men's fashions have
not. What is needed to solve these problems is new shoe design that
includes the quality workmanship that men demand for their
footwear, while also providing the wearer with the opportunity to
add and/or change decorative accessories on the shoes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the
prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a Split-toed Shoe. The shoe should have a special upper that
includes a split toe. In order to provide additional durability and
stability, the sole of the shoe should not have a corresponding
split in the toe. Furthermore, in order to add aesthetic appeal and
versatility, the shoe should include a toe strap configured to
accept exchangeable buckles thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The objects and features of the present invention, which are
believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the
appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization
and manner of operation, together with further objects and
advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment
of a pair of the split-toed shoes of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of one of the shoes of
FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the other of the shoes
of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of one of the shoes of FIGS. 1-3;
and
[0011] FIGS. 5A and 5B are top and bottom perspective views of one
preferred embodiment of the buckle suitable for use with the shoes
of FIGS. 1-4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] The following description is provided to enable any person
skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the
best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his
invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily
apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles
of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to
provide a Split-toed Shoe.
[0013] The present invention can best be understood by initial
consideration of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a
preferred embodiment of a pair of the split-toed shoes 10 of the
present invention. It is noted that the invention to be described
herein is intended to be provided in connection with all sorts of
styles of shoes, for men, women and children. What is depicted
herein is simply one version used for the purposes of discussing
the aspects and attributes of the present invention.
[0014] Each shoe 10 is defined by an upper 12 and a sole 14
extending upwardly therefrom. The upper 12 shown here is in many
ways very similar to a conventional men's conservatively styled
shoe. What is unique is that the toe end of the shoe 10 has a
channel 18 formed in it to separate the great toe from the wearer's
other toes. The channel 18 extends from the top of the outer
surface 16 of the upper 12 down to the sole 14 to form a gap 20
between the two sidewalls 22A, 22B defining the channel 18. As will
be specifically depicted below, the sole 14 is unbroken in the
vicinity of the channel 18, meaning that the sole 14 forms closes
off the bottom of the channel. This solid sole design provides
better stability to the wearer, longer life for the shoe itself,
and further eliminates a location for gathering dirt and other
unwanted materials.
[0015] Another unique attribute of the shoe 10 is the decorative
strap 24 extending from the channel 18 to the inner side of the
great toe portion of the upper 12. The strap 24 provides a
decorative feature for the shoe that is unique and distinctive.
Furthermore, the wearer can add decorative buckles 26, such as the
one depicted here, to further improve the aesthetic appeal of the
shoe. Because the buckle 26 is removable, the owner can change out
the buckles 26 to give the shoe 10 a different look. If we now turn
to FIG. 2, we can further examine the details of this
invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of one of the shoes 10 of
FIG. 1. Here, the distal end of the decorative strap 24 has been
detached in order to make its structure and function more
apparent.
[0017] The strap 24 is attachable at its distal end to a lower tab
30 extending upwardly from the sole 14 on the inner side of the
upper 12. In this version, the lower tab 30 has a fastener-half 32A
made of hook-and-loop fastener material disposed on its outer
surface. A cooperating fastener-half 32B of hook-and-loop fastener
material is disposed on the inner surface of the distal end of the
strap 24. The cooperation of these fastener-halves 32A, 32B makes
the strap 24 easily detachable from the lower tab 30, yet also
easily secured thereto.
[0018] The buckle 26 is configured to slip over the distal end of
the strap 24 in a way such that when the strap 24 is attached to
the tab 30, the decorative upper surface of the buckle is
displayed. To remove the buckle 24, such as to exchange it with a
different one from a group of buckles, the user need simply detach
the distal end of the strap 24, and then slip off the buckle 26.
The reader should also note that the non-detachable end of the
strap emanates from within or adjacent to the channel 18, such that
when the strap 24 is attached to the tab, it will have an
appearance similar to a toe strap. We will now turn to FIG. 3 to
examine the effect of the channel 18 on the inner chamber 28 of the
shoe 10.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the other of the shoes
10 of FIG. 1. As can be seen, toe end of the inner chamber 28 is
bisected by the channel structure. What can be seen here are the
sidewalls 22A, 22B and the end wall 22C that define the channel
(see FIG. 1). Studies reveal that separating the great toe from the
other toes will provide relief to many sufferers of foot
discomfort. Furthermore, the wearer gains added balance and
stability by separating these toe groups from one another. It is
expected that wearers of this unique shoe will need specialized
socks that have a form fitting channel formed within them to match
the channel (see FIG. 1) in these unique shoes. Due to the
additional absorbent socks surfaces now in contact with the toes,
reduced foot odor and improved dryness and comfort of the feet can
be expected. FIG. 4 clearly depicts from the bottom of the shoe 10
that the sole 14 does not have any cuts, breaks or slots formed
through it to correspond to the channel (see FIG. 1). As a result,
the toes remain immobilized in relation to one another, and
therefore safer from damage. Also, foreign matter will not intrude
between the toes as the wearer walks around outdoors. Still
further, the shoe upper can be expected to undergo less flexing and
wear because the sole is providing a stable platform for the foot
and upper.
[0020] Finally, we will turn to FIGS. 5A and 5B to examine the
features of the decorative buckle 26. FIGS. 5A and 5B are top and
bottom perspective views, respectively, of one preferred embodiment
of the buckle 26 suitable for use with the shoes of FIGS. 14. The
buckles can be made from a variety of materials and in a variety of
designs, from the low-cost manufactured approach to a high-dollar,
custom-designed jewelry made from precious metals and jewels.
[0021] The buckle 26 has an upper portion 36 and a side portion 38
extending therefrom. The top surface 40 of the buckle 26 is
generally flat in order to provide a suitable surface for engraving
or attaching indicia 42 thereto or thereon. The indicia could be
jewels, inscriptions, precious metals, and the like.
[0022] The body of the buckle 26 forms a strap channel 44 within
it, extending from a side mouth 46A (on the side of the shoe) to a
top mouth 46B (on the top of the shoe). In the depicted version,
the strap channel 44 is formed by the metal of the buckle 26 being
curved inwardly to form a pair of opposing fins 48A and 48B. In
other versions, these fins 48A, 48B may actually interconnect to
form a solid bottom surface of the buckle 26.
[0023] The strap channel 44 is sized so that the buckle 26 can be
slid onto, or off of the decorative strap (see FIG. 2), when the
strap is detached from the lower tab (see FIG. 2). As discussed
above, it is expected that the owner will have numerous decorative
buckles so that they can be mixed and matched with wardrobe or the
wearer's moods.
[0024] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various
adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred
embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that,
within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced other than as specifically described herein.
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