Sandal with interchangeable elements

Abstract

A sandal assembly of five elements which can be individually replaced for purposes of repair or for change of color combination. The sandal incorporates a body platen, to which a flexible sole plate, two side elements, and a flexible strap is attached.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My invention is a sandal assembly of five elements which can be individually replaced for purposes of repair or for change of color combination.

The sandal incorporates a body platen, to which a flexible sole plate, two side elements, and a flexible strap is attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled sandal;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the sandal;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the body platen;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the two side elements;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sole plate;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the body platen taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a side element taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the sole plate taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the strap;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the assembled sandal; and

FIG. 11 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the assembled sandal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-2 and FIG. 10 illustrate the sandal 20 which is assembled from a body platen 21 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a sole plate 22 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, two side elements 23 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, and a strap 24 as shown in FIG. 9. The assembly is held together by headless set screws 26 which fasten through the body platen 21 and through overlapping tabs 28 at each end of each side element 23.

The body platen 21 is formed of a semi-rigid plastic of the general shape of the sole of a foot. A continuous slot 31 is formed in the periphery of the upper side 58 of the body platen 21 into which the flange 72 of the side elements 23 fit. The bottom surface 62 of the body platen is fitted with blind holes 33 which mate with projecting circular projections 52 on the upper surface 51 of the flexible sole plate 22. A continuous semi-circular shaped slot 35 is formed in the lower side 59 of the body platen and which mates in interlocking engagement with a continuous circular shaped flange 53 that extends from the upper surface 51 of the sole plate 22 along its peripheral edge.

Two through slots 38 extending from the top surface 61 to the bottom surface 62 of the body platen 21 are located along each side of the body platen to fit about the strap ends 63, which each are fitted in one slot 38 and held in place by a pin 64 which fits in the loop 65 of each strap end 63 with the loop end 65 and pin 64 fitting in a shaped recess 39 in the lower portion of each slot 38.

The sole plate 22 is formed of a flexible plastic or rubber composition and snaps into the bottom of the body platen 21, being held in place by the two side elements 23. Each side element 23 is formed of a shaped external rib section 71 joined to an internal flat flange 72. Flange 72 is fitted with four holes 73 to clear the strap ends 63 of the strap 24, with the flange 72 joining projecting tabs 28 at each end of each flange 72, so that when the flange 72 of each side element 23 is fastened into the body platen slot 31, the tabs 28 overlap each other. A hole 75 is formed in each tab 28 to fit loosely about a screw 26.

One side element 23 is fitted with a projecting tab 28A in its mid-section extending from flange 73 under the flange 72 of the other side element 23 in the assembled state, with a hole 75 in tab 28A aligning with a hole 75 in the flange 72 of the other side element. The side elements 23 are formed of a semi-rigid plastic and serve to form a decorative rim about the side edges of the body platen and the sole plate when assembled as well as to grip the sole plate to the body platen.

The strap 24 is formed of a flexible plastic material and is of an X-shape with four projecting strip ends 63 each of which terminates in a loop 65.

To assemble the sandal 20, the strap ends 63 are inserted into the slots 38 of the body platen 21 and held in place by pins 64 in loops 65, and a sole plate 22 is fitted to the bottom surface 62 of the body platen 21. Two side elements 23 are fitted about the sides of the sole plate and body platen and screws 26 are fastened through the three holes 32 in the body platen 21 that align with the holes 75 of the tabs 28 and 28A of the side elements 23.

The bottom section 35 of each hole 32 is formed with a female thread to engage the screw 26.

As shown in FIG. 11, the sandal 80 may be formed with a shaped body platen, and side elements to accept a sole plate 81 that is formed with a high heel section 84.

The different components of the sandal 20 or sandal 80 may be decorated in distinctive colors so that various color combinations may be achieved.

The sole plate 22 may be readily replaced, when worn, without requiring the services of a repair shop.

Since obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described herein, such modifications being within the spirit and scope of the invention claimed, it is indicated that all matter contained herein is intended as illustrative and not as limiting in scope.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A sandal formed of attachable elements which are individually replaceable comprising a body platen of the shape of a sole of a foot, a sole plate attachable to the bottom surface of the body platen, a strap the ends of which are attachable to the body platen, two side elements each of which is shaped to fit about the side edges of the body platen and assembled sole plate and to grip the two in interlocking engagement and fastener means to link the side elements together in the assembled state.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which the bottom surface of the body platen and the top surface of the sole plate are formed with projection or holes that mate with each other in the assembled state.

3. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which the side elements are each formed with a flange and the side of the body platen formed with a peripheral groove that fits about said flanges in the assembled state.