U.S. patent application number 13/764878 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-14 for footwear assembly with inner and outer articles.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nike, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Nike, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ann Marie Fallow, Steven R. Hofhiens, Jason P. Humble, Georgina James.
Application Number | 20140223770 13/764878 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51296411 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140223770 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fallow; Ann Marie ; et
al. |
August 14, 2014 |
Footwear Assembly With Inner And Outer Articles
Abstract
A footwear assembly includes an open toed inner article of
footwear and an outer article of footwear. The inner article of
footwear can be inserted into the outer article of footwear. The
inner article of footwear can be worn separately from, or in
combination with, the outer article of footwear. The footwear
assembly can also include a wrapping member.
Inventors: |
Fallow; Ann Marie;
(Beaverton, OR) ; Hofhiens; Steven R.; (Beaverton,
OR) ; Humble; Jason P.; (Sherwood, OR) ;
James; Georgina; (Portland, OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nike, Inc. |
Beaverton |
OR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Nike, Inc.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
51296411 |
Appl. No.: |
13/764878 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/248 20130101;
A43B 5/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/83 |
International
Class: |
A43B 5/12 20060101
A43B005/12 |
Claims
1. A footwear assembly, comprising: an inner article of footwear
with an open toe portion; an outer article of footwear configured
to receive the inner article of footwear, wherein the outer article
of footwear provides greater coverage of a sole of a foot than the
inner article of footwear; and wherein the inner article of
footwear can be worn independently from the outer article of
footwear and wherein the outer article of footwear can be worn over
the inner article of footwear.
2. The footwear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer
article of footwear is more resilient than the inner article of
footwear.
3. The footwear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer
article of footwear is substantially more rigid than the inner
article of footwear.
4. The footwear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer
article of footwear comprises at least two different portions made
of substantially different materials.
5. The footwear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer
article of footwear is configured to cover the toes of the
foot.
6. The footwear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the outer
article of footwear comprises a lower portion and an upper portion
and wherein the upper portion is substantially more elastic than
the lower portion.
7. A footwear assembly, comprising: an inner article of footwear
with an open toe portion; an outer article of footwear configured
to receive the inner article of footwear, wherein the outer article
of footwear provides greater coverage of a sole of a foot than the
inner article of footwear; wherein the inner article of footwear
can be worn independently from the outer article of footwear;
wherein the inner article of footwear includes a first plurality of
traction elements; and wherein the outer article of footwear
includes a second plurality of traction elements.
8. The footwear assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first
plurality of traction elements comprise a first group of traction
elements associated with a first portion of the inner article of
footwear and a second group of traction elements associated with a
second portion of the inner article of footwear, and wherein the
first portion is separated from the second portion.
9. The footwear assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first
portion is a forefoot portion and wherein the second portion is a
heel portion.
10. The footwear assembly according to claim 7, wherein the second
plurality of traction elements comprise tread elements that are
integral with a lower portion of the outer article of footwear.
11. The footwear assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second
plurality of traction elements extend through a majority of the
lower portion.
12. A kit of parts, comprising: an inner article of footwear with
an open toe portion; an outer article of footwear configured to
receive the inner article of footwear, wherein the outer article of
footwear provides greater coverage of a sole of a foot than the
inner article of footwear; and a wrapping member configured to be
wrapped around the foot and ankle.
13. The kit of parts according to claim 12, wherein the kit of
parts further includes a container for storing the inner article,
the outer article and the wrapping member.
14. The kit of parts according to claim 13, wherein the kit of
parts further includes a bag and where the bag can be used to wash
the inner article of footwear, the outer article of footwear and
the wrapping member.
15. The kit of parts according to claim 13, wherein the container
includes a drawer with at least three separated compartments and
wherein the inner article of footwear and the outer article of
footwear are configured to be stored in a first compartment,
wherein the wrapping member is configured to be stored in a second
compartment and wherein the bag is configured to be stored in a
third compartment.
16. A footwear assembly, comprising: an inner article of footwear
with an open toe portion, the inner article of footwear further
including a vamp portion that partially covers a top of a foot; an
outer article of footwear configured to receive the inner article
of footwear; wherein the outer article of footwear includes an
opening; and wherein the vamp portion of the inner article of
footwear extends through the opening.
17. The footwear assembly according to claim 16, wherein the instep
of a foot can extend through the opening.
18. The footwear assembly according to claim 16, wherein the inner
article of footwear and the outer article of footwear have a
substantially integrated appearance.
19. The footwear assembly according to claim 16, wherein the
footwear assembly further includes a wrapping element that extends
from beneath an arch of a foot to an ankle of the foot.
20. The footwear assembly according to claim 16, wherein the inner
article of footwear provides for greater flexibility of the foot
than the outer article of footwear.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present embodiments relate generally to articles of
footwear, and in particular to an assembly including an inner
article of footwear and an outer article of footwear.
[0002] Articles of footwear for activities such as yoga and dance
may comprise generally lightweight articles that are flexible and
conform to the foot. However, such articles may provide limited
cushioning and/or coverage for the foot.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, a footwear assembly includes an inner article
of footwear with an open toe portion. The footwear assembly further
includes an outer article of footwear configured to receive the
inner article of footwear, where the outer article of footwear
provides greater coverage of a sole of a foot than the inner
article of footwear. The inner article of footwear can be worn
independently from the outer article of footwear and the outer
article of footwear can be worn over the inner article of
footwear.
[0004] A footwear assembly including an inner article of footwear
with an open toe portion and an outer article of footwear
configured to receive the inner article of footwear, where the
outer article of footwear provides greater coverage of a sole of a
foot than the inner article of footwear. The inner article of
footwear can be worn independently from the outer article of
footwear. The inner article of footwear includes a first plurality
of traction elements. The outer article of footwear includes a
second plurality of traction elements.
[0005] A kit of parts includes an inner article of footwear with an
open toe portion. The kit of parts also includes an outer article
of footwear configured to receive the inner article of footwear,
where the outer article of footwear provides greater coverage of a
sole of a foot than the inner article of footwear. The kit of parts
also includes a wrapping member configured to be wrapped around the
foot and ankle.
[0006] A footwear assembly includes an inner article of footwear
with an open toe portion, the inner article of footwear further
including a vamp portion that partially covers a top of a foot. The
footwear assembly also includes an outer article of footwear
configured to receive the inner article of footwear. The outer
article of footwear includes an opening and the vamp portion of the
inner article of footwear extends through the opening.
[0007] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the
embodiments will be, or will become, apparent to one of ordinary
skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and
detailed description. It is intended that all such additional
systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this
description and this summary, be within the scope of the
embodiments, and be protected by the following claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The embodiments can be better understood with reference to
the following drawings and description. The components in the
figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed
upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in
the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the different views.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
container configured to store components including a footwear
assembly;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the container of
FIG. 1, in which the container is opened;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic top down view of the container of FIG.
1 in an opened state;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
kit of parts including a pair of footwear assemblies;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
footwear assembly;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
footwear assembly in which an inner article of footwear has been
separated from an outer article of footwear;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a schematic top down view of an embodiment of an
inner article of footwear and an outer article of footwear;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic bottom view of an embodiment of an
inner article of footwear and an outer article of footwear;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
step of placing a wrapping member around a foot;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
step of tying a wrapping member around a leg after an inner article
of footwear has been placed onto a foot;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
step of associating an inner article of footwear with an outer
article of footwear;
[0020] FIG. 12 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
footwear assembly on a foot;
[0021] FIG. 13 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
user wearing a pair of footwear assemblies;
[0022] FIG. 14 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
user wearing inner articles of footwear with the corresponding
outer articles of footwear removed; and
[0023] FIG. 15 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a
user in an athletic position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate schematic views of an
embodiment of a footwear kit 100 including one or more footwear
assemblies. Footwear kit 100, also referred to hereafter as simply
kit 100, can be used with any type of footwear. In addition, the
principles discussed throughout this detailed description may not
be limited in use to footwear. Similar principles could be applied
to kits for various different types of apparel as well.
[0025] Kit 100 and/or individual components comprising kit 100 may
be obtained in a variety of manners. In some embodiments, kit 100
may be purchased by a customer at a retail location, such as a
retail store or kiosk. In other embodiments, kit 100 may be
purchased and shipped to an address associated with a customer.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, kit 100 comprises various components
associated with articles of footwear as well as provisions for
storing those components. In some embodiments, kit 100 comprises a
first footwear assembly 130 and a second footwear assembly 150. As
discussed in further detail below, each footwear assembly can
further include a corresponding outer article of footwear, inner
article of footwear as well as a wrapping element. For example, in
the current embodiment, first footwear assembly 130 includes a
first outer article of footwear 132 and a first inner article of
footwear 134, which are shown as assembled in FIGS. 1-4. First
footwear assembly 130 further includes a first wrapping member 136,
which is shown separated from first outer article of footwear 132
and first inner article of footwear 134. Additionally, second
footwear assembly 150 includes a second outer article of footwear
152 and a second inner article of footwear 154, which are shown as
assembled in FIGS. 1-4. Second footwear assembly 150 further
includes a second wrapping member 156, which is shown separated
from second outer article of footwear 152 and second inner article
of footwear 154. Further description of each of these components is
given in further detail below.
[0027] In some embodiments, kit 100 may also include provisions
that facilitate the use of one or more footwear assemblies. For
example, some embodiments may include provisions that facilitate
washing or cleaning of various components. In some embodiments, kit
100 could include a bag 170. In some cases, bag 170 may be a mesh
bag. In other embodiments, bag 170 could be any other kind of bag
including, but not limited to: a knit bag, a plastic bag, as well
as any other kind of bag.
[0028] Kit 100 may comprise a container 102 that can be used to
transport and/or store first footwear assembly 130, second footwear
assembly 150 and bag 170. In some embodiments, container 102 may be
configured as an outer container body 104 with a drawer 106 that
slides with respect to outer container body 104. In other
embodiments, however, container 102 may have any other
configuration, including, for example, a shoebox-like
configuration.
[0029] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, container 102
may comprise separate compartments for storing different components
of kit 100. However, in other embodiments multiple components may
be stored in a single compartment. Moreover, it will be understood
that the number and/or sizes of compartments used may be selected
according to the number and sizes of components to be stored within
container 102.
[0030] In some embodiments, container 102 includes various
compartments for receiving components of kit 100. For example,
container 102 may include first compartment 110 storing first outer
article of footwear 132 and first inner article of footwear 134
(which may be assembled for storage). Likewise, container 102 may
include second compartment 112 for storing second outer article of
footwear 152 and second inner article of footwear 154 (which may be
assembled for storage). Additionally, container 102 may include
third compartment 114 and fourth compartment 116 for storing first
wrapping member 136 and second wrapping member 156, respectively.
In some embodiments, container 102 may additionally include a fifth
compartment 118 for storing bag 170. This arrangement of components
within individual compartments of container 102 may facilitate ease
of storage and removal of the components.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 4, the individual components of kit
100 have been removed from container 102 to better illustrate their
structure. For example, first wrapping member 136 and second
wrapping member 156 are seen to comprise substantially elongated
ribbon-like members. In particular, first wrapping member 136 and
second wrapping member 156 may have a substantially two-dimensional
structure, such that the corresponding length and width of each
member is substantially greater than the thickness of the member.
This structure allows first wrapping member 136 and second wrapping
member 156 to function as strap-like elements that facilitate
support when wrapped around portions of a foot. As discussed in
further detail below, in some embodiments, first wrapping member
136 and second wrapping member 156 may be used to facilitate the
functioning of first inner article of footwear 134 and second inner
article of footwear 154, respectively.
[0032] In some embodiments, bag 170 may comprise a mesh bag that
can receive one or more components of a footwear assembly. For
example, in some embodiments, bag 170 may function as a laundry
bag. In other words, a user can place on or more components of a
footwear assembly (or a pair of footwear assemblies) into bag 170.
Bag 170 may then be put in a washing machine so that the footwear
assembly can be cleaned. In this way, bag 170 may provide
protection for the components of a footwear assembly during
cleaning. In other embodiments, bag 170 may provide additional
functions. For example, in another embodiment, a user may carry
and/or store one or more footwear assemblies within bag 170, rather
than using container 102.
[0033] FIGS. 5 through 8 illustrate various views of some
components of first footwear assembly 130, also hereafter referred
to simply as footwear assembly 130. Although the following
discussion describes components of first footwear assembly 130, it
will be understood that the discussion may also apply to components
of second footwear assembly 150, which may be similar to first
footwear assembly 130 in many respects.
[0034] As previously discussed, footwear assembly 130 includes
first outer article of footwear 132 (also referred to simply as
outer article of footwear 132) and first inner article of footwear
134 (also referred to simply as inner article of footwear 134).
Outer article of footwear 132 and inner article of footwear 134 may
comprise distinct articles that may be assembled together to form a
composite article.
[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7, for purposes of
reference, outer article of footwear 132 and inner article of
footwear 134 may be divided into corresponding forefoot portions,
midfoot portions and heel portions. For example, outer article of
footwear 132 may have a forefoot portion 200, a midfoot portion 202
and a heel portion 204. Forefoot portion 200 may be generally
associated with the toes and joints connecting the metatarsals with
the phalanges. Midfoot portion 202 may be generally associated with
the arch of a foot. Likewise, heel portion 204 may be generally
associated with the heel of a foot, including the calcaneus bone.
In a similar manner, inner article of footwear 134 may have a
corresponding forefoot portion 210, midfoot portion 212 and heel
portion 214. Forefoot portion 210 may be generally associated with
the toes and joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges.
Midfoot portion 212 may be generally associated with the arch of a
foot. Likewise, heel portion 214 may be generally associated with
the heel of a foot, including the calcaneus bone.
[0036] In some embodiments, each article may further include a toe
portion that comprises part, but not necessarily all, of a forefoot
portion. For example, outer article of footwear 132 may include toe
portion 208 that is associated with a forward portion of forefoot
portion 200. Likewise, inner article of footwear 134 may include
toe portion 218 that is associated with a forward portion of
forefoot portion 210. Both toe portion 208 of outer article of
footwear 132 and toe portion 218 of inner article of footwear 134
may correspond with the toes of the foot.
[0037] It will be understood that the terms forefoot portion,
midfoot portion, heel portion and toe portion are only intended for
purposes of description and are not intended to demarcate precise
regions of either outer article of footwear 132 or inner article of
footwear 134. Moreover, it will be understood that these portions
in each article may correspond to one another, but may not be
identical in dimension and/or shape. Still further, some portions
may be closed (i.e., covered), while other portions may be open
(i.e., uncovered). For example, in some embodiments, inner article
of footwear 134 may comprise a generally open toe portion 218.
[0038] In some embodiments, inner article of footwear 134 comprises
an open article that covers some, but not all, portions of a foot.
In some embodiments, for example, inner article of footwear 134 may
comprise portions that cover a sole of the foot, a heel of the
foot, as well as some parts of the instep of the foot. In some
embodiments, therefore, inner article of footwear 134 includes a
bottom portion 230 for covering at least some of the sole of the
foot, as well as a heel covering portion 232 that covers the
heel.
[0039] In some embodiments, inner article of footwear 134 may
further include at least one strap that covers portions of the
instep (or top) of the foot. In some embodiments, inner article of
footwear 134 includes first strap portion 240 and second strap
portion 242. In some embodiments, first strap portion 240 and
second strap portion 242 may extend in a crisscross arrangement
from heel portion 214 to forefoot portion 210 of inner article of
footwear 134. Moreover, first strap portion 240 and second strap
portion 242 extend through a vamp portion 209 of inner article of
footwear 134. Vamp portion 209 comprises a portion of inner article
of footwear 134 that is associated with the top, or instep, of a
foot. In this configuration, first strap portion 240 and second
strap portion 242 may extend through vamp portion 209 in a manner
that will partially cover the instep of a foot. Thus, with this
arrangement, first strap portion 240 and second strap portion 242
may help secure inner article of footwear 134 to a foot.
[0040] The arrangement of inner article of footwear 134 described
here provides for an opening 250, which may be formed between heel
covering portion 232 and first strap portion 240 and second strap
portion 242. Furthermore, the strap-like configuration provides
several additional openings, or uncovered regions, along vamp
portion 209.
[0041] In some embodiments, inner article of footwear 134 may
comprise an open-toed article. In other words, in some embodiments,
toe portion 218 of inner article of footwear 134 may be associated
with one or more openings that allow some toes to be exposed or
uncovered. In some embodiments, inner article of footwear 134 may
include first toe opening 220 and second toe opening 222, which may
be further separated by separating portion 224. In some
embodiments, first toe opening 220 may receive the big toe of the
foot, while second toe opening 222 may receive the remaining toes
of the foot. In other embodiments, however, first toe opening 220
and second toe opening 222 could be arranged to receive any
combination of the toes. Moreover, in other embodiments, additional
separating portions may be used to create additional (i.e., more
than two) toe openings. In still other embodiments, separating
portions could be absent so that inner article of footwear 134
comprises a single opening at toe portion 218.
[0042] In some embodiments, outer article of footwear 132 comprises
a lower portion 260 and an upper portion 262. Lower portion 260 may
comprise an outsole-like structure that is configured to contact
the ground as well as provide coverage for the sole of a foot.
Upper portion 262 may cover various portions of the foot. In some
embodiments, upper portion 262 comprises a heel covering portion
264 and a toe covering portion 266. Additionally, upper portion 262
may comprise a first sidewall portion 268 and a second sidewall
portion 270 that extend between heel covering portion 264 and toe
covering portion 266. Moreover, in some embodiments, outer article
of footwear 132 is configured with a large opening 280 that
receives inner article of footwear 134 as well as portions of the
foot. With this arrangement, outer article of footwear 132 is
configured to provide coverage for the lower portions of the foot,
but may remain open at regions associated with the instep, or top,
of the foot. In some embodiments, outer article of footwear 132 may
provide greater coverage for a sole of the foot than inner article
of footwear 134, which may be open at the toes.
[0043] As seen in FIG. 5, when inner article of footwear 134 is
inserted into outer article of footwear 132, the assembled
components comprise an assembly that provides coverage along both
the bottom of the foot as well as some coverage on the top of the
foot. In some embodiments, portions of inner article of footwear
134 may extend through opening 280 of outer article of footwear
132. For example, some portions of heel covering portion 232 of
inner article of footwear 134 extends through opening 280.
Likewise, portions of first strap portion 240 and second strap
portion 242 (which comprise vamp portion 209) may extend through
opening 280. This assembled configuration may provide a generally
integrated appearance for outer article of footwear 132 and inner
article of footwear 134.
[0044] In different embodiments, each of outer article of footwear
132 and inner article of footwear 134 may be configured with
varying material characteristics. For example, in some embodiments,
the resiliency of outer article of footwear 132 and inner article
of footwear 134 could vary. In other embodiments, the rigidity of
outer article of footwear 132 and inner article of footwear 134
could vary. In one embodiment, for example, outer article of
footwear 132 could be substantially more rigid than inner article
of footwear 134. This arrangement could provide increased rigidity,
protection for the foot and durability when outer article of
footwear 132 is worn over inner article of footwear 134. Moreover,
this arrangement could allow inner article of footwear 134 to
provide increased flexibility when used without outer article of
footwear 132. This may facilitate the use of inner article of
footwear 134 in a variety of athletic activities requiring
flexibility, control and proprioception of the foot (such as Yoga
or dance). However, in still other embodiments, outer article of
footwear 132 could be configured as less rigid than, or with a
substantially equal rigidity to, inner article of footwear 134.
[0045] In still other embodiments, outer article of footwear 132
and inner article of footwear 134 could vary in a variety of
different material characteristics. These include, but are not
limited to: rigidity, resiliency, elasticity, flexibility,
durability, as well as possibly other material characteristics. In
some other embodiments, outer article of footwear 132 and inner
article of footwear 134 could share one or more material
characteristics.
[0046] In order to achieve different material characteristics, some
embodiments could use different materials (or combinations of
materials) for outer article of footwear 132 and inner article of
footwear 134. For example, in some embodiments inner article of
footwear 134 could be made of a flexible material such as neoprene.
In some embodiments, outer article of footwear 132 could comprise
two or more materials. For example, outer article of footwear 132
could comprise a base material and a ground-contacting material
(such as an outsole) that is substantially more resilient or rigid
than the base material. In one embodiment, the base material could
comprise neoprene and the ground-contacting material could comprise
rubber. In other embodiments, any other kinds of materials can be
used for outer article of footwear 132 and/or inner article of
footwear 134 including, but not limited to: woven materials,
non-woven materials, natural materials, synthetic materials as well
as any kinds of materials known in the art for constructing
footwear.
[0047] Embodiments can include provisions to facilitate traction
when wearing either inner article of footwear 134 independently or
in combination with outer article of footwear 132. In some
embodiments, both inner article of footwear 134 and outer article
of footwear 132 can include provisions to facilitate traction. In
some embodiments, both inner article of footwear 134 and outer
article of footwear 132 can be configured with a plurality of
traction elements. The term "traction element" as used throughout
this detailed description and in the claims refers to any element
that facilitates increased friction, grip, or interaction of some
kind, with a ground surface. The term is not intended to be
limiting and could apply to various traction creating structures
known in the art including, but not limited to: tread structures
(such as ridges or other structures separated by grooves), studs,
cleats, textured surfaces as well as other kinds of traction
creating structures.
[0048] Referring now to FIG. 8, outer article of footwear 132 may
be configured with a first plurality of traction elements 302.
First plurality of traction elements 302 may comprise a plurality
of tread features that are formed by a pattern of tread forming
grooves 304. In this exemplary embodiment, plurality of traction
elements 302 comprise various triangular shaped elements that are
raised along the outer surface of lower portion 260. Still other
embodiments could incorporate any other sizes, numbers, shapes and
arrangements of traction elements.
[0049] In some embodiments, inner article of footwear 134 may
comprise a second plurality of traction elements 310. In this
embodiment, second plurality of traction elements 310 comprise a
plurality of raised elements that are bonded to lower surface 330
of inner article of footwear 134. Moreover, second plurality of
traction elements 310 may be further characterized by a first group
of traction elements 312 and a second group of traction elements
314 associated with forefoot portion 210 and heel portion 214,
respectively, of inner article of footwear 134. In some
embodiments, first group of traction elements 312 and second group
of traction elements 314 are separated by an intermediate region
316 of lower surface 330, which does not include any traction
elements. In other words, first group of traction elements 312 and
second group of traction elements 314 may be disjoint, or
non-overlapping, groups.
[0050] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary pattern for traction
elements on inner article of footwear 134 in which traction
elements are configured as diamonds arranged in a grid-like
pattern. However, other embodiments could utilize any other
traction pattern including variations in the sizes, shapes and
arrangements of traction elements.
[0051] FIGS. 9-12 illustrate schematic isometric views of steps of
putting footwear assembly 130 onto a foot 400. During a first step,
shown in FIG. 9, wrapping element 136 may be associated with foot
400. Wrapping element 136 may have a first end portion 410, a
second end portion 412 and an intermediate portion 414 disposed
between the first end portion 410 and the second end portion 412.
In some cases, during this first step, intermediate portion 414 of
wrapping element 136 may be placed under arch portion 402 of foot
400.
[0052] Next, as seen in FIG. 10, a user may place inner article of
footwear 134 onto foot 400. As seen here, with inner article of
footwear 134 inserted over foot 400, toes 404 may be exposed
through opening 220 and opening 222 of toe portion 208. Moreover,
first strap portion 240 and second strap portion 242 may extend
over instep 406 of foot 400.
[0053] In some embodiments, once inner article of footwear 134 has
been placed onto foot 400, wrapping element 136 may be wrapped and
tied around the leg. In some cases, first end portion 410 and
second end portion 412 of wrapping element 136 may extend over the
top of inner article of footwear 134 (i.e., first strap portion 240
and second strap portion 242). As seen in FIG. 11, first end
portion 410 and second end portion 412 may be tied together at leg
portion 408 to secure wrapping element 136 in place. This
configuration may help increase support for the foot and ankle, as
well as adding some decorative features for footwear assembly
130.
[0054] With wrapping element 136 and inner article of footwear 134
placed onto foot 400, outer article of footwear 132 may be easily
inserted over these components to form the assembled footwear
system. As shown in FIG. 12, footwear assembly 130 gives the
appearance of a unified article when worn together on foot 400.
[0055] FIGS. 13 through 15 illustrate an exemplary situation in
which a pair of footwear assemblies may be used. In particular,
FIG. 13 illustrates a schematic view of a user 500 who intends to
practice yoga. FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic view of the feet of
user 500 after the outer articles of footwear have been removed.
Finally, FIG. 15 illustrates a schematic view of user 500 taking an
athletic pose, in which the benefits of the traction elements
provided on the inner articles of footwear are highlighted.
[0056] Referring first to FIG. 13, user 500 may arrive at a
destination (such as a gym) for practicing yoga, dance, or similar
athletic activities. In this case, user 500 may carry mat 502.
Additionally, user 500 may be wearing a pair of footwear assemblies
that include first footwear assembly 130 and second footwear
assembly 150. In particular, at this point user 500 may be wearing
first outer article of footwear 132 over first inner article of
footwear 134 and second outer article of footwear 152 over second
inner article of footwear. First outer article of footwear 132 and
second outer article of footwear 154 may provide increased
resiliency and durability for walking in various environments
(i.e., walking outside on concrete, asphalt, etc.).
[0057] Referring next to FIG. 14, with mat 502 in place on a ground
surface, user 500 may remove first outer article of footwear 132
and second outer article of footwear 152. With these outer articles
of footwear removed, first inner article of footwear 134 and second
inner article of footwear 154 may provide increased flexibility,
traction and proprioception for the foot, while also providing some
protection to the feet.
[0058] Referring next to FIG. 15, user 500 is able to perform a
variety of athletic moves (e.g., yoga moves and/or dance moves). In
the exemplary pose of FIG. 15, first inner article of footwear 134
and second inner article of footwear 154 provide substantial
flexibility as well as exposure of the toes, which may help user
500 to make good contact with the ground. Moreover, as seen in the
schematic enlargements of FIG. 15, the plurality of traction
elements 310 provided on the bottom of first inner article of
footwear 134 allow the foot to be planted without substantial
slipping. Similar traction elements associated with second inner
article of footwear 154 may also facilitate planting of the
associated foot as well. This arrangement allows increased traction
to be provided on inner article of footwear 134 without limiting
the ability of inner article of footwear 134 to adapt to the
various positions of the foot.
[0059] While various embodiments have been described, the
description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and
it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many
more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within
the scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments are not
to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their
equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made
within the scope of the attached claims.
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