U.S. patent application number 10/585827 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-18 for shoe provided with an interchangeable sole.
Invention is credited to Christophe Rovida.
Application Number | 20080222920 10/585827 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34684960 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080222920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rovida; Christophe |
September 18, 2008 |
Shoe Provided with an Interchangeable Sole
Abstract
A shoe provided with an interchangeable sole includes an
elevated flange (5) arranged on the longitudinal edge between the
front (1') and rear (1'') ends thereof and the interchangeable sole
(4) is also provided with a longitudinal elevated flange (6)
extending between the front (4') and rear (4'') ends of the
interchangeable sole (4) on the opposite side in an operating
position with respect to the longitudinal flange of the shoe. The
longitudinal flange (5) of the shoe and the longitudinal elevated
flange (6) of the interchangeable sole (4) interact by shape with
the corresponding edge of the interchangeable sole (4) of the shoe
in the operating position which is maintained by quick-operating
fixing devices (7). The invention is particularly usable for shoe
articles, in particular for sports shoes.
Inventors: |
Rovida; Christophe;
(Soufflenheim, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
34684960 |
Appl. No.: |
10/585827 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
January 12, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR05/00071 |
371 Date: |
August 14, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/100 ; 36/15;
36/25R; 36/62 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 5/18 20130101; A43B
13/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/100 ; 36/15;
36/25.R; 36/62 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/24 20060101
A43B003/24; A43C 13/00 20060101 A43C013/00; A43B 13/14 20060101
A43B013/14; A43C 15/00 20060101 A43C015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 13, 2004 |
FR |
0400273 |
Claims
1. Shoe with interchangeable sole, provided, below its first sole
(1), with female or male assembly means (2) adapted to coact with
male or female assembly means (3) on the interchangeable sole (4),
characterized in that said shoe is provided on one longitudinal
edge, between its front and rear extremities (1' and 1''), with a
flange (5) raised above the lower surface of the first sole (1) and
in that the interchangeable sole (4) is also provided with a
longitudinal flange (6) raised above the upper surface provided
with assembly means (3) and extending between the front and rear
ends (4' and 4'') of said interchangeable sole (4) and on the
opposite side, in the service position, from the longitudinal
flange on the shoe, said longitudinal flanges (5) of the shoe and
(6) of the interchangeable sole (4) coacting by shape, in the
service position, respectively with the corresponding edge of the
interchangeable sole (4) and of the shoe, the holding in service
position of the interchangeable sole (4) on the shoe being ensured
by means of quickly operable fixed devices (7).
2. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the female
assembly means (2) on the first sole (1) of the shoe are
constituted by transverse grooves in the form of a T shaped
mortice, of dovetailed shape or of circular or ovoidal
cross-section and the corresponding male assembly means of the
interchangeable sole (4) are in the form of transverse ribs of
corresponding cross-section.
3. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper
surface of the interchangeable sole (4) is provided, at the central
forward bearing portion of the shoe, with male elements (3) having
at least one interruption in said central region.
4. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
longitudinal flanges (5 and 6) of the shoe and of the
interchangeable sole (4) have, at their free edge, an overlapping
portion with a snap-in strip (5' and 6') adapted to coact with a
corresponding longitudinal groove (8 and 9), respectively of the
interchangeable sole (4) and of the first sole (1) of the shoe.
5. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the forward
and rear ends (1' and 1'') of the first sole (1), between which
extend the longitudinal flange (5) of the first sole (1), each have
an inclined edge delimiting a transverse groove forming
simultaneously abutment adapted to coact with the front and rear
ends (4' and 4'') of the interchangeable sole (4) and in the form
of wedges of corresponding angle.
6. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the quickly
operable fixed devices (7) are constituted in the form of screws
with a head each embedded in a hole (7') of corresponding shape
provided near each end of the interchangeable sole (4) and coacting
with a tapping (7'') provided in a corresponding manner in the
first sole (1) of the shoe.
7. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the devices
(7) in the form of male elements with rapid engagement coact with
corresponding openings, such as bayonet assembly means.
8. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is made of synthetic materials of
different characteristics, particularly from two materials, by
simultaneous injection.
9. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) has a bearing surface on the ground of
different constructions, namely, either with long cleats for use on
natural grassy terrain, or with short cleats for use on dry natural
terrain or else with a recessed texture or with blades or gripping
terrain of the stabilized type or terrain of synthetic material,
covered or not.
10. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is provided with gripping means on the
terrain of the type with spikes for athletics or for the practice
of golf.
11. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is in the form of a traditional sole.
12. Shoe, according to claim 1, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is provided with means for practicing
sport of the ice skating type, in line roller type, or else
particular means for blocking on devices of securement or the
like.
13. Shoe, according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper
surface of the interchangeable sole (4) is provided, at the central
forward bearing portion of the shoe, with male elements (3) having
at least one interruption in said central region.
14. Shoe, according to claim 8, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) has a bearing surface on the ground of
different constructions, namely, either with long cleats for use on
natural grassy terrain, or with short cleats for use on dry natural
terrain or else with a recessed texture or with blades or gripping
terrain of the stabilized type or terrain of synthetic material,
covered or not.
15. Shoe, according to claim 8, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is provided with gripping means on the
terrain of the type with spikes for athletics or for the practice
of golf.
16. Shoe, according to claim 8, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is in the form of a traditional sole.
17. Shoe, according to claim 8, characterized in that the
interchangeable sole (4) is provided with means for practicing
sport of the ice skating type, in line roller type, or else
particular means for blocking on devices of securement or the like.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of footwear
articles, in particular shoes for sport, and has for its object a
shoe with an interchangeable sole.
[0002] The footwear articles adapted for the practice of sport are
specific to each sport and, given the development in the art of
materials used for their production, in particular that of their
soles, there exist at present for each sport discipline several
definitions of soles for an adaptation to different terrains. Thus,
in particular in the field of soccer, rugby, baseball, football,
Australian football, cricket or softball, it has been known for a
long time to use shoes whose configuration of the sole, either as
adapted to a given type of terrain, or else is such as can be
modified for adaptation to different types of terrains.
[0003] By different types of terrains, practitioners identify
generally dry terrain, soft terrain and heavy or wet terrain, as to
the surfaces for natural play, namely grass covered, or terrains
made of materials made of crushed fill (stabilized terrain), or
else synthetic surfaces disposed as a covering on a subwear of
concrete or the like.
[0004] The recent development of sport shoes has led manufacturers
to provide shoes specific for each type or group of types of
terrains and in particular shoes specific to natural terrains and
to synthetic terrains of the stabilized type. Thus, the shoes
suitable for stabilized or synthetic terrains can, for the practice
of soccer, have a sole of synthetic material provided with blades
or wedges of relatively low height and disposed very densely over
all the surface of the sole and permitting good gripping on this
type of covering.
[0005] Play on natural grass terrains takes place most often with
shoes of molded soles as to hard terrains and if desired soft
terrains and with shoes with interchangeable cleats, in any case of
heavy terrain such as, as the case may be, for soft terrains, the
size of the cleats and if desired their material being adapted to
the condition of the terrain.
[0006] The most recent developments in this field have led to the
provision of shoes with molded soles for all types of terrain, the
cleats being suitable, as to their size, and their number and
hardness, to each particular situation. As a result, the regular
practice of this sport gives rise for the practitioner of a
relatively high expenditure, because he must acquire two or even
three pairs of shoes.
[0007] To overcome this drawback, it has been proposed,
particularly by WO 86/04489, DE 31 10 924, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,336
and FR2 661 075, shoes provided with interchangeable soles that can
be mounted on and dismounted from the first sole of said shoes.
These documents disclose, certainly, an invisible solution to solve
the problem namely, to offer the user the possibility of proceeding
to an exchange of soles on a given shoe, so as to adapt said shoe
to another configuration of the terrain.
[0008] However, the different devices for securement described in
these documents, namely of the type with shaped coaction by
snapping in (WO 86/04489, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,336, FR2 661 075) or
by shape coaction by slidable mounting, require supplemental means
for holding permanently, for example the use of gripping elements
(DE 31 10 924) or else an independent assembly element passing
through the means coacting by snapping in or by sliding
insertion.
[0009] In the case in which no supplemental element of this type is
provided (WO 86/04489 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,336), the holding of
the interchangeable sole on the first sole of the shoe is ensured
only by shape coaction of the snap-in means and the use of shoes
thus provided, under severe conditions, such as those arising
during sport practice subjecting the soles to strong stresses, can
hardly be envisaged. This is particularly due on the one hand to
the fact that the stresses, due for example to rapid modifications
of pressure, are so high that there exists the risk of disassembly
by tearing off of the interchangeable shoe and, on the other hand,
to the fact that the different interchangeable soles that can be
used can have different elasticities, such that their holding alone
by snapping in can no longer be ensured.
[0010] Moreover, the soles according to the two mentioned documents
do not permit ensuring peripheral sealing with the mounting and
holding means, so that during practice on natural grass terrains or
on terrains of the stabilized type, dirt, such as vegetable dirt,
grains of sand or else tuffs of grass can infiltrate between the
interchangeable sole and the first shoe sole, which gives rise to
trouble for the user, as well as degradation of the securement and
holding of said interchangeable sole.
[0011] In the case of securement of the interchangeable sole, after
its emplaclement on the first sole, by means of gripping devices or
the like, the problem of good holding of the sole is, to be sure,
better ensured (DE 31 10 924 and FR 2 661 075), but such a
securement requires the use of supplemental relatively complicated
and hence costly means whose mounting can prove to be relatively
long and complicated.
[0012] However, in the practice of sport, a decision of
modification of the soles of footwear articles is generally taken
relatively late, namely only a short time before the beginning of a
competition, and it hence necessary to be able to change shoe
soles, for better adaptation of the support, in an extremely short
time and by using very simple and limited tools. Moreover, it is
also very important to be able to guarantee that the interface
between the first sole of the shoe and the interchangeable sole
remains completely clean and cannot undergo any infiltration of
various dirts.
[0013] The present invention has for its object to overcome these
drawbacks by proposing an interchangeable shoe sole permitting
rapid mounting and unmounting and ensuring perfect grip of the sole
on the shoe, even under severe conditions of the practice of sport,
as well as total sealing at the interface of the first sole of the
shoe and the interchangeable sole.
[0014] To this end, the interchangeable shoe sole, which is
provided, below its first sole, with female or male assembly means
adapted to coact with male or female assembly means of the
interchangeable sole, is characterized in that it is provided on
one longitudinal edge, between its front and rear ends, with a
flange raised from the lower surface of the first sole and in that
the interchangeable sole is also provided with a raised
longitudinal flange arising from its upper surface provided with
assembly means, extending between the front and rear ends of said
interchangeable sole and on the side opposite, in the service
position, the longitudinal flange on the shoe, said longitudinal
flanges of the shoe and interchangeable sole coacting by shape, in
the service position, respectively with the corresponding edge of
the interchangeable sole and of the shoe, the holding in service
position of the interchangeable sole on the shoe being ensured by
means of rapidly manipulable securement devices.
[0015] The invention will be better understood from the following
description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way
of non-limiting example and explained with reference to the
accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from below of a sport shoe
according to the invention, the interchangeable sole being shown
with its upper surface of engagement on the shoe turned upwardly,
beside said shoe;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on a large scale and in
perspective, showing a sole in the course of mounting on the lower
surface of a shoe, and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view representing a sport shoe in
three different interchangeable soles that can outfit said
shoe.
[0019] FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings show a sport shoe
with an interchangeable sole, which is provided, below its first
sole 1, with female assembly means 2 adapted to coact with male
assembly means 3 of the interchangeable sole 4.
[0020] According to the invention, the shoe is provided on one
longitudinal edge, between its front and rear ends 1' and 1'', with
a flange 5 that is raised from the lower surface of the first sole
1 and the interchangeable sole is also provided with one
longitudinal flange 6 raised from the upper surface provided with
male assembly means 3 and extending between the front and rear ends
4' and 4'' of said interchangeable sole and on the opposite side,
in the service position, to the longitudinal flange 5 on the shoe.
Said longitudinal flanges 5 of the shoe and 6 of the
interchangeable sole 4 coact by shape in the service position,
respectively with the corresponding edges of the interchangeable
sole 4 and of the shoe, the holding in service position of the
interchangeable sole 4 on the shoe being ensured by means of
rapidly manipulable fixing devices 7.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, the
female assembly means 2 provided on the first sole 1 of the shoe,
are preferably constituted by transverse grooves in the form of a T
shaped mortice, of dovetailed or circular or ovoidal cross-section,
and the corresponding male assembly means of the interchangeable
sole 4 are in the form of transverse ribs of corresponding
cross-section. Thus, it is possible to ensure a good grip of the
interchangeable sole 4 below the first sole 1 of the shoe against
longitudinally directed stresses on this latter, as well as the
holding of said sole 4 below the sole 1.
[0022] To permit obtaining, if desired, an improved flexibility for
pressure at the central portion of the shoe, it is possible to
provide on the upper surface of the interchangeable sole 4 male
elements 3 having at least one interruption in the central region.
The result is that in the region of the interruptions of the male
elements 3, there exists no means for holding in the longitudinal
direction, such that the interchangeable sole 4 can undergo
differential deformation from that of the rest of the sole 4, which
translates into less stress in the corresponding region of the
first sole and hence also in less stress on the sole of the foot
and improvement in the comfort of the user.
[0023] The longitudinal flanges 5 and 6 of the shoe and of the
interchangeable sole 4 preferably have, at their free edge, an
overlapping portion with a snap-in strip 5', 6' adapted to coact
with a corresponding longitudinal groove, respectively 8 of the
interchangeable sole 4 (FIG. 2) and 9 of the first sole 1 of the
shoe (FIGS. 1 and 3). These longitudinal grooves 8 and 9 are
adapted to ensure, on the one hand, sealing against the penetration
of dirt into the interface between the first sole 1 and the
interchangeable sole 4 and, on the other hand, participation in
lateral holding of the interchangeable sole 4 in the service
position, relative to the quick acting securement devices 7.
[0024] The front end 1' and rear end 1'' of the first sole 1,
between which extends the longitudinal flange 5 of the first sole
1, each have an inclined edge delimiting a transverse groove
forming simultaneously an abutment adapted to coact with the front
end 4' and the rear end 4'' of the interchangeable sole 4 in the
form of a wedge, of corresponding angle. Thus, during engagement by
sliding of the interchangeable sole 4 on the first sole 1, the
front and rear edges 1' and 1'' of said first sole 1 simultaneously
form longitudinal stop abutments for said interchangeable sole 4.
Moreover, because of the wedge shape of the ends 4' and 4'' of the
interchangeable sole 4, a holding against separation of the ends is
also ensured.
[0025] The rapid acting fixing devices 7 can be constituted in the
form of screw heads each embedded in a hole 7' of corresponding
shape provided near each end of the interchangeable sole 4 and
coacting with a tapping 7'' provided correspondingly in the first
sole 1 of the shoe. These devices 7 can also be present in the form
of male elements rapidly connectable and coacting with
corresponding openings, such as bayonet, clip or the like assembly
means.
[0026] According to one characteristic of the invention, the
interchangeable sole 4 can be made of synthetic materials of
different types, particularly of several materials, by molding or
simultaneous injection of all the materials. In such a case, the
portion adapted for mounting the sole 4 on the shoe can be made of
a relatively flexible material and the portion adapted to ensure
the adhesion during the practice of a sport can be made of a harder
material. This is particularly the case for the production of
soccer shoes of the type with cleats (FIG. 2).
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the
interchangeable sole 4 can have a ground bearing face of different
constructions, namely with long cleats for use on natural grassy
terrain, with short cleats for use on natural dry terrain or else a
recessed texture or with blades for connection to ground of the
stabilized type or on ground of synthetic material, covered or not.
The sole of the type with recessed texture is shown in the right
portion of FIG. 3.
[0028] It is also possible, according to another characteristic of
the invention, that the interchangeable sole 4 be provided with
gripping means on the terrain of the type of spikes for athletics
or for playing golf or else the interchangeable sole 4 will be in
the form of a traditional sole. Thus it is possible to provide a
shoe which can be used for street wear as a normal shoe and which
is adapted to the practice of sport by simple and rapid changing of
the sole.
[0029] Moreover, according to another characteristic of the
invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, the
interchangeable sole 4 can also be provided with means for
practicing sport of the ice skating type, or line skate type, or
else with particular mean for blockage on the securement devices or
the like. In such a case, it is possible to carry out such very
specific sport practice by adaptation of the sole provided on a
shoe again permitting other sports to be practiced or for an
adaptation, for example, to a bicycle pedal. To this effect, a
particularly interesting adaptation could exist in the field of
shoes for foot races and for tennis.
[0030] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to provide a
footwear article that can serve for different uses, in particular
for sport, this by simple and rapid changing of the sole. Such an
article is particularly adapted to the practice of sport on
terrains that can have very variable characteristics as a function
of the seasons on natural terrains or else as a function of the
covering even on terrains when the latter are made of synthetic
material or crushed fill material, leveled and compacted.
[0031] A particularly interesting advance of such an embodiment
resides in the fact that a practitioner of sport can have more
complete equipment adapted for all the situations of practicing the
sport for a cost of equipment that can be substantially reduced,
because it is possible to have only one pair of shoes and to buy
various types of different soles, simultaneously or else as
needed.
[0032] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment
described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications
remain possible, particularly as to the construction of the various
elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without
thereby departing from the scope of the protection of the
invention.
* * * * *