AU6356801A - Form convertible footwear - Google Patents

Description

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT FORM CONVERTIBLE FOOTWEAR The following statement is a full description of this invention known to me: *o A single pair of footwear holds a degree of stylistic and functional rigidity not being able to adapt to different usage occasions and perform as flexibly as desired. For example, an individual could not complete a gym session in one pair of shoes and then go out to coffee in the same pair, after showering and changing clothes, without fear of social retribution. The retribution suffered would be related to the visual and odor related soiling of the footwear that the gym associated perspiration creates. Thus the desire to use the same pair of shoes optimally in this scenario is untenable with current footwear functional rigidity. The prospect of a fashionably conscious person having the same pair of shoes over numerous seasons is not entertained because the need to keep up with current fashion, this also is not possible with fashionably and functionally rigid footwear.

Footwear, which has received prolonged 'wear and tear' could not continue to be worn once it has passed a point of aesthetic attractiveness and failure to perform its basic function, of protecting feet from external elements.

The current invention overcomes these current problems of footwear style and functional inflexibility by comprising an article of footwear, of which its components are detachable and different types of each component can be attached or inserted allowing for style, color and functional flexibility.

One form of the invention can have the comfortable interior of the footwear, known as the inner slipper, inserted and attached to the outer component of the footwear, referred to as the outer shell and upon combining the two components the result becomes a working piece of footwear. The outer shell includes the sole, right and left panels, the tongue and the respective toe and heel areas combined as one fixed piece, which forms the strength, structure and shape of the footwear. The inner slipper component appears as it is titled, a slipper with foam rubber or a suitable substitute between the chosen material walls and a thin out-sole durable enough for indoor use. To maintain adequate fastening of both of the inner slipper and the outer shell together and holding the foot in place while in use Velcro loops and elastic. The Velcro loops are situated on the inner slipper and wrap around the respective sections of the outer shell tongue and heel regions then reattaching to the inner slipper Velcro attachment through designed holes in the outer shell. Elastic •threaded between the inside of the outer shell tongue, base and side panels is combined with the Velcro loops, or any another suitable fastening devices, to allow optimal use of the footwear. This form of the invention allows numerous slippers differing in color and style combined one at a time with a single outer shell allowing a fashionably flexible piece of footwear. The color and style of the inner slippers can be have a greater visual impact because of designed gaps in the outer shell allowing the combination of the •color(s) and style(s) of the inner slipper and the outer shell to create the aesthetic wish of the wearer. As well as the increased fashionable flexibility the convertibility allows functional adaptations, such as being able to detach the inner slipper from the outer shell and roam indoors without firstly bringing indoors substances encountered by the outer shell outdoors. This enables the user to be more comfortable indoors and not wear out socks or dirty them due to the thin durable out-sole of the inner slipper. Further to this functional adaptation, the changing of inner slippers can appear, in a visual and odor sense to be newer and cleaner footwear. This function lends the user to the choice of one pair of shoes for increased number of usage occasions and longevity of wear, with numerous inner slippers.

Another form of the invention has the combination of the outer shell, the inner slipper and a detachable toe component. This detachable toe component uses a series of snap lock studs and buttons, Velcro, location pegs or any other combination of suitable flexible adhesive mechanism to allow attachment and detachment of a layer of rubber or suitable material to the toe region of the outer shell. This section of the outer shell where the attachment is made can be thinner than the rest of the outer shell, so that when the toe component is attached its join runs relatively flush with the outer shell region adjacent.

The toe region referred to overlaps to parts of the sole and side panels to aid attachment and adhesion of the toe while in use. The option to attach and detach this component allows fashionable applications of being able to replace different colored and styled toes.

Subsequent to the fashionable advantages, a functional positive is that toes can be replaced which have incurred increased wear for example playing indoor soccer, skateboarding or dancing with new ones, lengthening the life and different usage occasions of the footwear. For example being able to have a set of toes that the wearer skateboards in and another set for going out socialising.

9 The same principle of the detachable toe form of the invention can be applied to attaching the whole out-sole. The detachable out sole uses a series of location pegs, snap lock studs S& buttons, Velcro or any other suitable adhesive mechanism. This helps fashionably, by being able to increase the number of different styled and colored out soles. The functional opportunities are increased also by worn out-soles from activities for example indoor soccer and skateboarding, can be replaced by attaching a new out-sole prolonging the life of the shoe. The number of different situations the footwear can be used increases also E.g. having a designated pair of skateboarding out-soles and a socialising pair. The outersole region referred to, can overlap to parts of the toe, heel and side panel areas to aid in attaching through the use of chosen adhesive mechanism and also allows the varying many different styles of the detachable out sole.

A further version of the invention involves the attaching and detaching of panels to the outer shell using snap lock buttons studs, enlarged head forced through a smaller malleable hole or another suitable adhesive mechanism.

99o9o9 These attachable panels can vary in size and position they can be attached on the outer shell upper as long the adequate adhesive mechanism is present for example on the heel, side panels, toe region and the tongue. The fashionable applications of being able to vary the panels color and style gives the shoe an ever visually changing appearance increasing the stylistic life of the footwear. Functionally the detachable nature of the panels allows wear suffered by from skateboarding or indoor soccer for example reduces wear to the actual outer shell. Thus being able to attach new panels once the old ones have been worn out, therefore prolonging the life of the footwear.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 Shows one example of form convertible footwear according to this invention FIG. 2 Shows one example of the cross section of the outer shell FIG. 3 Shows one example of the outer shell with the detachable toe layer FIG. 4 Shows one example of the outer shell with the detachable out sole layer.

FIG. 5 Shows one example of the outer shell with the detachable panels.

Referring to FIG. 1 it can be seen that the form convertible footwear according to this invention comprises an outer shell 1 comprised of the sole 3, right and left panels 4, the tongue 5 and the respective toe 6 and heel 7 areas, combined as one fixed piece. The inner slipper 2 comprised of Velcro loops 8 and 9 for fastening the inner slipper, outer shell and foot in place while the footwear is in use. The loops, attaching to the inner slipper through designed holes in the outer shell, in the heel 10 and the tongue 11. A thin durable out sole 12 is present for prolonged indoor use.

Referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen, in the outer-shell cross-section, that in combination with the inner slipper loops, elastic 13 thread throughtunnels in the inside side of the tongue 14, right and left side panels 15 and the inside base 16 of the outer shell, aid in the adhesion of components together while in use.

Referring to FIG. 3 shows the form convertible footwear where the toe layer 17 can be attached to the outer shell 18 when snap lock button components on the outer shell 19 and 20 respectively are connected with snap lock button components on the toe layer 21 and 22. Velcro is also present on the outer shell 23 and toe layer to aid adhesion during use.

Referring to FIG. 4 shows the form convertible footwear where the out sole layer 24 can *be attached to the outer shell using Velcro on the out sole layer and on the outer shell and snap lock button components on the outer shell 26, 27, 28, and 29, and on the out sole layer 30, 31,32 and 33.

S: °i Referring to FIG. 5 Shows the form convertible footwear where the detachable panel 34 can be attached, using snap lock button components on itself 35, 36 and 37, to the outer shell's snap lock button components 38, 39 and 40, thus attaching the two components together.

Note that the objects marked in the preceding drawings are the designed gaps in the outer shell and attachable panels to allow the color and style of the inner slipper to be seen through these gaps.

Claims (18)

1. A pair of form convertible footwear, which comprises of an outer-shell of the footwear and the comfortable inner-slipper being held in place by fastening devices, one of elastic thread through the side panels, base and tongue on the inside of the outer-shell and adhesive Velcro tabs situated on the heel and tongue of the inner- slipper which wrap over the heel and tongue of the outer-shell to attach.

2. The form convertible footwear of claim 1 wherein the toe section of the outer-shell has a toe layer which can be readily attached and detached using an adhesive mechanism between the detachable toe and the outer-shell toe section, which overlaps to part of the out sole.

3. The form convertible footwear of claim 2 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro and location pegs.

4. The form convertible footwear of claim 2 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro and Snap lock buttons.

The form convertible footwear of claim 2 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro, Snap lock buttons and location pegs.

6. The form convertible footwear of claim 1 wherein the out sole region of the Outer- shell has an out sole layer which can be readily attached and detached using an ••adhesive mechanism between the Outer-shell and the out sole layer, which overlaps part of heel, toe and side panel sections.

7. The form convertible footwear of claim 6 wherein the adhesive mechanism is Velcro. S"

8. The form convertible footwear of claim 6 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro and location pegs.

9. The form convertible footwear of claim 6 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro, location pegs and snap lock buttons.

The form convertible footwear of claim 6 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of Velcro, location pegs and snap lock studs.

11. The form convertible footwear of claim 1 wherein external panels can be readily attached and detached to any region of the Outer-shell upper where a suitable adhesive mechanism is present.

12. The form convertible footwear of claim 11 wherein the adhesive mechanism is snap lock button.

13. The form convertible footwear of claim 11 wherein the adhesive mechanism is snap lock stud.

14. The form convertible footwear of claim 11 wherein the adhesive mechanism is a combination of an enlarged head on a stalk and malleable gap designed to have the enlarged head forced through it.

The form convertible footwear of claim 2 wherein the out sole region of the Outer- shell has an out sole layer which can be readily attached and detached using an adhesive mechanism between the Outer-shell and the out sole layer, which overlaps part of the heel and side panel sections.

16. The form convertible footwear of claim 15 wherein external panels can be readily attached and detached to any region of the Outer-shell upper where a suitable adhesive mechanism is present.

17. The form convertible footwear of claim 11 wherein the out sole region of the Outer- shell has an out sole layer which can be readily attached and detached using an adhesive mechanism between the Outer-shell and the out sole layer, which overlaps part of the heel, toe and side panel sections.

18. The form convertible footwear of claim 2 wherein external panels can be readily attached and detached to any region of the Outer-shell upper where a suitable .adhesive mechanism is present. Callum Wilson *i