U.S. patent application number 14/764011 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-24 for shoe assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is ACHTEN BEHEER B.V. M.E.A.F. ACHTEN, Teresa Mafalda Jacome RIBEIRO DE FIGUEIREDO. Invention is credited to Teresa Mafalda Jacome RIBEIRO DE FIGUEIREDO.
Application Number | 20150366287 14/764011 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47632866 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150366287 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
RIBEIRO DE FIGUEIREDO; Teresa
Mafalda Jacome |
December 24, 2015 |
SHOE ASSEMBLY
Abstract
Shoe assembly (1) comprising an upper shoe part (2), an inner
sole (3), a connecting sole (4) fixed to the inner sole (3) and an
outer sole (5), which is fixed to the connecting sole (4) by means
of a manually detachable snap-fit connection, wherein the snap-fit
connection comprises first connecting means (8) provided at and
upwardly protruding from the connecting sole (4), and second
connecting means (9) provided at a free end of an upwardly
protruding circumferential rim (10) of the outer sole (5) and
encompassing the first connecting means (8), when the outer sole
(5) is fixed to the connecting sole (4).
Inventors: |
RIBEIRO DE FIGUEIREDO; Teresa
Mafalda Jacome; (Porto, PT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RIBEIRO DE FIGUEIREDO; Teresa Mafalda Jacome
ACHTEN BEHEER B.V. M.E.A.F. ACHTEN |
Porto
NE Waalwijk |
|
PT
NL |
|
|
Family ID: |
47632866 |
Appl. No.: |
14/764011 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
January 6, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2014/050094 |
371 Date: |
July 28, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/36 20130101;
A43B 23/24 20130101; A43B 3/0047 20130101; A43B 3/244 20130101;
A43B 1/0081 20130101; A43B 3/0078 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/24 20060101
A43B003/24; A43B 23/24 20060101 A43B023/24; A43B 13/36 20060101
A43B013/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 29, 2013 |
EP |
13153015.6 |
Claims
1. Shoe assembly (1) comprising an upper shoe part (2), an inner
sole (3), a connecting sole (4) fixed to the inner sole (3) and an
outer sole (5), which is fixed to the connecting sole (4) by means
of a manually detachable snap-fit connection, wherein the snap-fit
connection comprises first connecting means (8) provided at and
upwardly protruding from the connecting sole (4), and second
connecting means (9) provided at a free end of an upwardly
protruding circumferential rim (10) of the outer sole (5) and
encompassing the first connecting means (8), when the outer sole
(5) is fixed to the connecting sole (4).
2. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that
the first connecting means (8) are provided in the form of an
upwardly extending circumferential lug.
3. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that
the second connecting means (9) have a hook-shaped cross section
and face downwards.
4. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that
the rim (10) and the second connecting means (9) draw an acute
angle of 20 to 45.degree., in particular of 25 to 35.degree..
5. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that
the material of the connecting sole (4) is chosen from the group of
leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations thereof.
6. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that
the material of the outer sole (5) is chosen from the group of
leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations thereof.
7. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it
comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to the
upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
8. Shoe assembly set (11) comprising a shoe assembly (1) according
to claim 1 and at least one further component chosen from the group
of an upper shoe part (2a, 2b) provided with a connecting sole; an
inner sole; an outer sole (5a); a patch (7a, 7b, 7c) or
combinations thereof, wherein said at least one further component
is interchangeable with the corresponding component of the shoe
assembly (1) in order to vary the outer appearance and/or other
features of the shoe assembly (1), such as the resiliency of the
outer sole or the like.
9. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
the second connecting means (9) have a hook-shaped cross section
and face downwards.
10. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
the material of the connecting sole (4) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
11. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that
the material of the connecting sole (4) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
12. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that
the material of the connecting sole (4) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
13. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
the material of the outer sole (5) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
14. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that
the material of the outer sole (5) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
15. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that
the material of the outer sole (5) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
16. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that
the material of the outer sole (5) is chosen from the group
consisting of leather, rubber, plastic material and combinations
thereof.
17. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
it comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
18. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that
it comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
19. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that
it comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
20. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that
it comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
21. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that
it comprises at least one patch (7), which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe (2) part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener (12).
22. Shoe assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
the second connecting means (9) have a hook-shaped cross section
and face downwards, and the rim (10) and the second connecting
means (9) draw an acute angle of 20 to 45.degree., in particular of
25 to 35.degree..
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a shoe assembly comprising
an upper shoe part, an inner sole, a connecting sole fixed to the
inner sole and an outer sole, which is fixed to the connecting sole
by means of a manually detachable snap-fit connection.
[0002] Such a shoe assembly is known for example from U.S. Pat. No.
4,377,042. This document relates to an athletic shoe having
replacement outer soles. Accordingly, the user can adapt the shoe
to different requirements by changing the outer sole. The
connecting sole is a three-layer construction comprising two outer
layers of sponge rubber and an intermediate recess-providing part.
The recess of the recess-providing part faces sideways and forms a
first connecting means of a snap-fit connection. The outer sole is
a one-piece rubber component and comprises an upwardly protruding
circumferential rim. At half height of the rim there is provided an
inwardly and sideways protruding undercut projection forming a
second connecting means of the snap-fit connection. However, this
construction of the snap-fit connection is difficult and expensive
to manufacture. Moreover, the fixation of the outer sole at the
connecting sole achieved with this snap-fit connection is not
reliable. When person steps on the upwardly protruding rim of the
outer sole, there is a danger that the snap-fit connection will
release under additional side forces. For this reason, additional
hook-and-loop-fasteners are provided between the outer sole and the
connecting sole.
[0003] Starting from this prior art it is an object of the present
invention to provide a shoe assembly of the above-mentioned kind,
which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and whose snap-fit
connection ensures a strong hold between the outer sole and the
connecting sole.
[0004] In order to solve this object the present invention provides
a shoe assembly of the above-mentioned kind wherein the snap-fit
connection comprises first connecting means provided at and
upwardly protruding from the connecting sole, and second connecting
means provided at a free end of an upwardly protruding
circumferential rim of the outer sole and encompassing the first
connecting means, when the outer sole is fixed to the connecting
sole.
[0005] One advantage of the inventive shoe assembly is that this
construction of the snap-fit connection allows a low cost
production of the outer sole as well as of the connecting sole in
one piece, respectively. Moreover--thanks to the provision of the
second connecting means at the free end of the circumferential rim
of the outer sole--a safe connection between the outer sole and the
connecting sole is ensured, even if a person steps on the
circumferential rim of the outer sole, because the second
connecting means encompasses the first connecting means from above.
Accordingly, no additional fixing means between the outer sole and
the connecting sole are necessary.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention the first
connecting means are provided in the form of an upwardly extending
circumferential lug. This ensures a construction of the connecting
sole, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
[0007] Preferably, the second connecting means have a hook-shaped
cross section and face downwards. Thus, a strong hold between the
first and second connecting means is ensured.
[0008] The rim and the second connecting means preferably draw an
acute angle of 20 to 45.degree., in particular of 25 to 35.degree..
This ensures a firm snap-fit connection such that no additional
fixing means are needed to reliably fix the outer sole to the
connecting sole.
[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention the
material of the connecting sole is chosen from the group of
leather, rubber, plastic material, such as ethylene-vinylacetate
(EVA), and combinations thereof.
[0010] The material of the outer sole can be chosen from the group
of leather, rubber, plastic material, such as EVA, and combinations
thereof.
[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention the shoe
assembly comprises at least one patch, which is detachably fixed to
the upper shoe part, in particular by means of a hook-and-loop
fastener. Such a patch may be in the form of a logo, a colored
design element or the like, which affects the optical appearance of
the shoe assembly.
[0012] Moreover, the present invention provides a shoe assembly set
comprising a shoe assembly according to the present invention and
at least one further component chosen from the group of an upper
shoe part provided with a connecting sole; an inner sole, an outer
sole, a patch or combinations thereof, wherein said at least one
further component is interchangeable with the corresponding
component of the shoe assembly in order to vary the outer
appearance and/or other features of the shoe assembly, such as the
resiliency of the outer sole or the like. Preferably, the shoe
assembly set comprises a plurality of further components of the
above-mentioned group, which differ from the corresponding
components of the shoe assembly with respect to the form, the
color, the material etc. Accordingly, shoes with different optical
appearances and functional features can be assembled by the user
using a small number of single components.
[0013] Further features and advantages of the present invention
become apparent from the following description of a preferred
embodiment of a shoe assembly according to the present invention
with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing
[0014] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a shoe assembly according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective sectional view of the assembled shoe
assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of detail III in FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side view of the shoe assembly showing the step
of fixing an outer sole to a connecting sole; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a side view of a shoe assembly set according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a shoe assembly 1 according to an
embodiment of the present invention. The shoe assembly 1 comprises
an upper shoe part 2, an inner sole 3, a connecting sole 4 fixed to
the inner sole 3 and an outer sole 5, which is detachably fixable
to the connecting sole 4.
[0020] The upper shoe part 2 is made of a conventional material,
such as leather, textile or the like. It is designed to provide a
closed shoe. However, it should be noted that the present invention
is also applicable to open shoes, e.g. sandals. The upper shoe part
2 has closing means 6 in the form of shoe laces. Alternatively, the
closing means 6 are provided as hook-and-loop closing means, straps
or the like. If the upper shoe part 2 is structured as a slip-on
shoe, the closing means 6 can also be omitted. The upper shoe part
2 is provided with a patch 7, which serves as a decorative element
and is detachably fixed to the upper shoe part 2 by means of a
hook-and-loop fastener, although other detachable connections are
also possible. The inner sole 3 is fixed to the upper shoe part 2
by gluing, stitching or the like. The material of the inner sole 3
is leather or any other suitable material known in the art.
[0021] The connecting sole 4 is fixedly attached to the inner sole
3 and/or the upper shoe part 2 by means of gluing, stitching or the
like. It is made of a one-piece rubber component. Alternatively,
other materials can be used for the connecting sole 4 such as
leather, plastic material, in particular ethylene-vinylacetate
(EVA), etc. The connecting sole 4 comprises a first connecting
means 8 provided at and upwardly protruding from the connecting
sole 4 in the form of an upwardly extending circumferential lug.
The first connecting means or lug 8 has an essentially triangular
cross section, wherein other cross section forms may likewise be
applicable.
[0022] The outer sole 5 is formed as a one-piece rubber component.
However, alternative materials can be used for the outer sole 5,
such as leather, plastic material, etc. The outer sole 5 comprises
second connecting means 9 provided at a free end of an upwardly
protruding circumferential rim 10. As best shown in FIG. 3, the
second connecting means 9 have a hook-shaped cross section and face
downwards. The rim 10 and the connecting means 9 draw an acute
angle. The acute angle may be in the range of 20 to 45.degree.,
wherein a range of 25 to 35.degree. is preferred. Presently, the
acute angle has 30.degree.. The second connecting means 9 of the
outer sole 5 and the first connecting means 8 of the connecting
sole 4 together define a manual detachable snap-fixed connection in
order to fix the outer sole 5 to or disengage the outer sole 5 from
the connecting sole 4, as shown in FIG. 4. When the outer sole 5 is
fixed to the connecting sole 4, the second connecting means 9 of
the outer sole 5 encompass the first connecting means 8 of the
connecting sole 4 from above, such that a strong hold between the
outer sole 5 and the connecting sole 4 is achieved.
[0023] One advantage of the shoe assembly 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4
is its easy construction due to the chosen structures of the first
connecting means 8 and the second connecting means 9 forming the
snap-fit connection. These structures make it possible to form the
connecting sole 4 and the outer sole 5 as one-piece components,
respectively, leading to an inexpensive production. Moreover, due
to the fact that the second connecting means 8 encompass the first
connecting means 7 from above, no additional fixing means between
the outer sole 5 and the connecting sole 4 are necessary, what also
has a positive impact with respect to the manufacturing costs.
Furthermore, a safe connection between the outer sole 5 and the
connecting sole 4 is ensured, even if a person steps on the
circumferential rim 9 of the outer sole 5.
[0024] FIG. 5 shows a shoe assembly set 11 according to the present
invention.
[0025] The shoe assembly set 11 comprises a shoe assembly 1 as
shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and at least one further component chosen
from the group of an upper shoe part provided with the connecting
sole; an inner sole, an outer sole, a patch or combinations
thereof, wherein the at least one further component is
interchangeable with the corresponding component of the shoe
assembly in order to vary the outer appearance and/or other
features of this shoe assembly 1, such as the resiliency of the
outer sole or the like. More precisely, the shown shoe assembly set
11 comprises in addition to the shoe assembly 1 two further upper
shoe parts 2a and 2b, which are each provided with an inner sole
and a connecting sole (not shown), one further outer sole 5a and
three further patches 7a, 7b and 7c as additional components. These
additional components can differ from the corresponding components
of the shoe assembly 1 with respect to the form, the color, the
material etc. Accordingly, shoes with different optical appearances
and functional features can be assembled by the user using a small
number of single components. Just to give an example, the upper
shoe parts 2, 2a and 2b have different colors, forms and materials,
in order to provide e.g. business-shoes, casual shoes and/or sports
shoes. The material of the inner sole and the connecting sole of
the upper shoe parts 2, 2a and 2b may vary with respect to the
intended function of the shoe. The patches 7, 7a, 7b and 7c, which
can interchangeably fixed to the hook-and-loop fasteners 12 of the
upper shoes 2, 2a and 2b, are of various forms, colors etc.,
wherein the colors are preferably adapted to the ones of the upper
shoe parts and the shoelaces. Moreover, the outer soles 5 and 5a
have different forms, colors and materials. By means of all of the
above-mentioned components, shoes of various looks and functions
are achievable by different component combinations.
* * * * *