GB2504658A - Modular footwear construction - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular construction method using evenly spaced holes 20 arranged in a row on an item, allowing the item to be attached to another item using a seam or other means. The items to be joined may be a sole and an upper of an item of footwear. The footwear may have a substructure between the sole and upper to aid attachment. The construction method may be used for other items such as bags, luggage, tents, marquees, or covers for items such as vehicles or boats.

Description

Modular Construction for Footwear and Other Products

Background:

This invention relates to the way in which products, specifically shoes, are put --together.

All wetted shoes made in the traditional way are made by permanently attaching together the upper and insole, usually with the addition of a strip called the welt, to which the sole is later sewn. Attachment by means of stitches, nails, staples and adhesive, or other means, makes it impossible to readily deconstruct the shoe for purposes of modification, maintenance or repair.

This is also true of any shoes made in the modern way, that utilise a pre-cast sole that is either cast directly onto the shoe, or cast separately and then attached with stitching and/or adhesive, or other means.-This is also true of a variety of non-footwear products that utilise permanent seams, welded, glued or riveted edges, or components joined by any other permanent means that are not easy to deconstruct for maintenance purposes.

EP 1574143 (A2) discloses the modular construction of a studded sports shoe which ufilises an internal chassis" or insole, which may be exchanged for individually adapted supportive insoles for the demands of a sportsperson, and which attaches through holes in the shoe upper by means of externally mounted studs, which serve as a means of attachment and an integral structural component of the shoe.

WO 2011080779 (Al) discloses the means of attachment and combination of components of footwear for purposes of replacement, change of style and the recyclability of said components, utilising a mechanical method of attachment in which hooks on a sub-structure of the insole slot into matching recesses in the upper portion of the sole units.

In view of existing types of construction in the field of footwear and similar products, the need for a method of semi-permanent attachment of components, that maintains a traditional product look and feel, yet embraces the need for durability, ease of reparability and ecological sustainability is evident.

The mechanical solutions favoured in other designs fail to address the need for a more organic approach that takes into account the tried and tested methods of traditional manufacture that is targeted at aware and demanding consumers looking for high quality products.

Statement of Invenhlon:

To overcome the constraints of these established means of construction, this invention hereby sets out a new means of combining the components of a shoe or other, similar product. whereby it becomes suited to the easy deconstruction and subsequent modification or maintenance of the product1 through the use of multiple compatible modules suited to this new construction, preferably connected together utilising a specially designed seam.

Advantages: The ability to quickly and easily take apart a shoe or other product1 and reliably put it back together, greatly enhances the chance of maintenance or repairs being undertaken to prolong the life of the item. This is desirable due to the impact of the consumer products industry in depleting resources and generating waste.

Preferably, any shoes made in this way would utilise biodegradable non-hazardous materials in their replaceable units, allowing worn out components to be cornposted, and avoiding the creation of particles that can damage ecosystems.

Preferably, shoe uppers would be made to be as attractive and durable as possible. extending their period of usefulness and appeal for the user, encouraging maintenance of the product.

Preferably, the shoe insoles could be available in a variety of materials and surfaces to suit different uses and seasons, and could be made to have prescribed orthotic support features.

Preferably, the means by which the modules are attached together would be in the form of a seam, and utilise pre-punched holes to avoid damage to the components, and having these features, be possible to sew together by hand if necessary.

Introduction to Drawings

To clarify the difference between the invention (new construction method for footwear) and the traditional style, and to illustrate its applications in other contexts, the following drawings hove been included: -Figures 1.1-1.3 show a Goodyear welted shoe; this is a widespread and generic technique that can be produced entirely by hand or using machines; and has the shortcoming of being difficult to deconstruct or repair.

-Figures 2.1-2.3 show the invention; the new construction method applied to a welted shoe, showing the 3 modules of the shoe.

-Figures 3.1-3.3 show the attachment method used to hold together the components of products made in the new way, including the looping stitch and segments of the three shoe modules together and apart.

Description of Drawings

In the construction of a conventional piece of footwear such as a Goodyear welt ed shoe 1.1 or any other type of conventional footwear, the sole 3. insole 8 and upper 1 are joined together permanently, as in 1.1-1.3 where the upper 1 and sole 3 are joined with an intermediary welt 2 by means of seams 4 and 6. Seams 4 and 6.

while features of traditionpl. high quality footwear ore sometimes replaced through the use of staples. nails or adhesive, further hindering any efforts at deconstruction, In the instance on non-footwear products. specifically outdoor equipment such as backpacks or tents, joins such as 4 and 6 may be bound seams or welded edges.

or edges joined with adhesive.

in the sub structure of a footwear item, a section 1.2, 1.3 will show some form of infill 7 to correct for the gap left when sewing together the upper 1, insole 8 and welt 2.

Furthermore, in order to sew seam 4 to attach the sole 3, a slit or channel 5 is required to protect the sole seam 4 from abrasion. This feature 5 further complicates the deconstruction of a traditional shoe 1.1 for purposes of maintenance or repair.

conversely the invention 2.1-3.3 is designed specifically to be easy to deconstruct for purposes of maintenance, reconfiguration. customisation, repair or any other purpose, including end of life disposal of the product components. and reconstruct with new, different or the original components. utilising a sufficiently strong semi-permanent join 19.

In the new construction, the upper 9 is joined exclusively to the welt 10 by a permanent seam, weld, or any other permanent join 14. The welt 10 may also be an integral feature of component 9. especially in non-footwear applications.

By definition for the purposes of this construction, the joining method 13 that joins the three modules 16, 17 and 18 is a looped, running seam 19, or any other sewn join that can be performed by hand or machine, that utilises regularly spaced and equal-sized holes 20. The joining method 13 must feature pre-made holes 20 in the two or more components 3.2 that are to be joined 3.3. The pre-made holes 20, which may be made by any means are preferably larger than a conventional hole made by sewing, and have a constant or variable diameter, preferably but not limited to 2-4mm, but in a given instance be equal in size, shape and spacing to each other. Alternative joining methods utilising holes 20 include, but are not limited to, screws nails or pins that are easy to remove with a common household tool, a readily available style or design of hook or other metal or plastic knock-down fitting, or a purpose-made zip, wire ring or comb-binding style of fastening.

In the instance of a shoe 2.1 made using the new method 2.2-3.3, the insole 11 which makes up one module 17 of the modular construction 2.3 may be made in layers or in one piece, bonded, sewn or cast/moulded/Pressed to form a single piece featuring regularly spaced holes 20 for the creation of join 13, for instance by means of looping stitch 19.

An optional but preferable feature of the insole 11 and the sole 12, that comprise modules 17 and 18 is any matching, meshing tongue-and-groove style of join 15 that provides additional rigidity to the components 17 and 18 by preventing slippage during use. Furthermore, modules 16, 17 and 18 may be further secured to one another with any non-permanent adhesive including, but not limited to wax, natural rubber, grease or resin, that enhances the cohesion of the units when in situ, and reduces the ingress of water, sand or other undesirable substances.

The invention specifically must ease the taking apart of two or more units, semi-permanently joined 3.3. for complete access to the inside of a wholly or partially closed entity 9, and thereby facilitate the replacement or repair of any of the three 16, 17, 18 or more modules that may make up the product. and using simple tools such as a suitable needle and thread, or industrial machinery in production be able to be put back together with original or replacement ports. The ability to do this rests on the equal dimensions and spacing of holes 20, and their matching relative positions on modules to be connected together by join 13. most probably utilising a seam 19.

The primary application for this method of joining components is foi the manufacture of traditional-looking footwear. However other styles of footwear are by no means excluded. The justification for doing this is to ease the maintenance and repoir of footwear, especially without the use of specialist machinery and skilled labour. However for the replacement or exchange of modules, compatible units would be required, as produced by the initial manufacturer of any product made to be constructed in this way.

As demonstrated in the drawings. the construction method is particularly suited for use in footwear, but alternative applications may include, but are not limited to, backpacks, bags and other luggage, specialist covers for equipment, vehicles, or boats, and tents, marquees, or other shelters.

Claims (7)

1. Claims 1 A modular construction method utilising pre-made, evenly-spaced and corresponding attachment points, in the form of holes arranged in a row, to be joined with a seam or other means, for the assembly and disassembly of compatible units.
2. 2 A product according to claim 1, wherein the major components ore modules to be joined using holes as specified.
3. 3 Any shoe designed according to claim 1, whereby the sub-structure of the shoe comprising the sole and insole, and any supplementary components, may be completely removed from the upper, allowing access to the inside of the upper not only through the hole from which the leg normally protrudes, but from the side of the shoe normally occupied by the sole.
4. 4 A shoe according to claim 3, wherein the upper is permanently joined only to a welt or similar feature for the attachment of the sub-structure, and is by no permanent means attached to the insole or sole.
5. A product such as a bag or similar container, which may be deconstructed according to claim 3.
6. 6 Any product according to claim 1. which utilises a looping seam and pre-mode, regular holes as ifs primary, semi-permanent means of attaching together its modular components.
7. 7 Holes for the modular construction method in claims including and subsequent to claim 1 are preferably between 10mm and 20mm apart, and preferably circular with a diameter of 2mm to 4mm, with the material in which they are made, for purposes of secure attachment, preferably being a tough yet flexible material such as leather, coated or reinforced textiles, rubber or any flexible composite, or in some instances a stiff plastic or metal component.