SHOE USING A MOULDED BOTTOM PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OF SLOTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF A STRAP-TYPE CLOSED UPPER

CHAUSSURE UTILISANT UN DESSOUS MOULE POURVU D'UNE SERIE DE FENTES POUR L'APPLICATION D'UNE TIGE FERMEE A SANGLE

English Abstract

The present invention relates to shoe using a moulded bottom provided with
a series of slots on the edges, or with through openings, on the sole, for the
application of a closed upper, made up of a fabric or leather strap that
embraces the back and the neck of the foot.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. A shoe having a moulded bottom having a hollow toe portion and a heel
support portion, the shoe comprising:
a plurality of spaced-apart elongated openings formed around the bottom,
each opening having a width,
at least one strap,
wherein the at least one strap is received in the respective openings and
laced above the moulded bottom forming a plurality of partially overlapping
straps
defining an upper portion such that the shoe may be adapted to be worn by a
user
with the upper portion covering the foot of the user.
2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the elongated openings are disposed on the
edges of the bottom in a cascade, overlapping arrangement.
3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the elongated openings are through openings
disposed in a cascade, overlapping arrangement.
4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein, the elongated openings are through openings
disposed in an aligned, non-overlapping arrangement.
5. A shoe having a moulded bottom provided with a series of openings for the
application of a closed upper, characterised in that it comprises:
a moulded bottom (1), which features a hollow point (2), a heel support (3)
and a series of through openings (8), located in cascade arrangement on the
sole
(1 a) of the bottom (1) a through opening located and on the body of the heel
support
(3), each through opening having a respective width;
an upper made up of at least one strap (7), the at least one strap overlapping
itself to form the upper, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart openings are
disposed
between the hollow toe portion and the heel portion, a first elongated opening
being
adjacent to the hollow toe portion such that the at least one strap disposed
in the first
elongated opening covers an opening to the hollow toe.
6. A shoe having a moulded bottom having a hollow toe portion and a heel
support portion, the shoe comprising:

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at least one strap, the strap having a width,
the bottom having openings selected from the group consisting of:
1) ~a plurality of spaced-apart elongated openings formed around
the edges of the bottom, the openings being in a cascade, overlapping
arrangement,
2) ~a plurality of spaced-apart elongated through openings formed
in the bottom, the openings being in a cascade, overlapping arrangement,
and
3) ~a plurality of spaced-apart elongated through openings formed
in the bottom, the openings being disposed in an aligned, non-overlapping
arrangement,
the plurality of spaced-apart openings being between the hollow toe portion
and the heel portion, and
the at least one strap being received sequentially in the respective openings
and laced above the bottom forming a plurality of partially overlapping straps
defining
a covered upper portion.

Description

CA 02278054 1999-07-19
- 1 - Shoe usina a moulded bottom provided with a series of slots for the
appiication of a strap-type closed upper
The present patent application relates to a shoe using a moulded bottom
provided with a series of slots or openings for the application of a closed
upper, made up of a fabric or leather strap that embraces the back and the
neck of the foot.
The bottom belongs to the type of moulded bottoms defined as "box" bottom
in the footwear industry, which feature a perimeter edge, inside which the
upper is sewn and/or glued.
The shoe according to the present invention originates with the intention of
creating a shoe in which the upper, although closed, can be fixed to the
bottom without sewing and/or gluing it, since these operations require skilled
labour and specific equipment or machinery.
In this perspective a new "box" bottom has been designed with a special
configuration, provided with a series of slots or openings on the edge, used
to insert one or more straps to embrace or completely cover both the back
and the neck of the foot.
In order to guarantee the effective protection of the toes, the bottom
incorporates a hollow point, which houses the five toes of the foot, while the
back of the bottorn incorporates a quite high heel support with slots or
opening, in which the strap used to embrace the back of the foot is inserted.
From this general description it can be understood how the shoe according
to the present invention can be produced without skilled labour or special
equipment or machinery, since the only assembling operation is represented
by the introduction of the straps into the slots or openings located in the

CA 02278054 2006-09-29
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"box" bottom.
This operation is so simple that it can be even carried out by the purchaser,
thus
allowing to market the shoe according to the present invention in a kit, with
two
components: the bottom and the upper, made up of one or more straps.
Finally, it must be noted that the straps are provided with ordinary clips or
VelcroTM
inserts for firm fixing, once the straps have been inserted into the slots or
openings
and twisted around the foot.
According to the specific requirements, the upper can be made up of several
straps,
one for each opposite pair of slots, or of one long strap twisted in the
opposite series
of slots or openings.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opposite series of slots is
located on
the two edges of the "box" bottom and on the lateral borders of the heel
support.
According to an altemative version of the invention, the heel support and the
bottom
sole feature a transverse series of through openings that end on the two edges
of the
bottom, in which the straps used to embrace and cover the foot are inserted.
For major clarity the description of the shoe according to the invention
continues with
reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of
illustration
and not in a limiting sense, whereby:
- figure 1 is a schematic side view of the shoe according to the invention in
a
preferred embodiment, in which the upper is inserted into two opposite series
of
slots located on the edges of the bottom and on the sides of the heel support;
- figure 2 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in
the shoe
shown in figure 1;
- figure 3 is a schematic lateral view of the shoe according to the invention
in another
constructive version, in which the upper is inserted into two opposite series
of
through openings located on the sole of the bottom and on the body of the heel
support;
- figure 4 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in
the shoe
shown in figure 3;

CA 02278054 2006-09-29
-3-
- figure 5 is a schematic lateral view of the shoe according to the invention
in another
constructive version, in which the upper into two opposite series of through
openings
located on the sole of the bottom and the body of the heel support;
- figure 6 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in
the shoe
shown in figure 5.
With reference to figures 1 and 2, the shoe according to the present
invention, in a
preferred embodiment, consists of a moulded "box" bottom (1), which features a
hollow point (2) and a heel support (3) used to embrace and support the heel
up to
the height of the malleolus approximately.
Two opposite series of slots (6) are located on the lateral edges (4) of the
bottom (1)
and on the borders (5) of the heel support (3), characterised in that the back
ending
section of each slot is located above the initial section of the adjacent
slot, going from
the point to the heel.
Moreover, the shoe according to the present invention includes an upper made
up of
one or more straps (7), wide enough to be inserted into the slots (6).
As shown in figure 1, also the straps (7), just like the slots (6), are
partially
overlapped in cascade, so that there no empty spaces can exist between two
straps,
to avoid leaving the foot uncovered.
On the other hand, the first slot (6), that is the one located next to the
point of the
bottom (1), begins beyond the opening (2a) of the hollow point (2), so that
the
opening remains hidden and protected under the first strap (7).
Each strap (7) is provided with ordinary clips or VelcroTM inserts (not shown
in the
figure) used to close it.
As already mentioned in the introduction, instead of using a series of straps
(7) for
each opposite pair of slots (6), a long strap can be inserted consecutively in
all the
slots (6) according to a twisting direction.
With reference to figures 3 and 4, it must be noted that in another
constructive
version of the shoe according to the invention, the sole (1 a) of the bottom
(1) and the
body of the heel support (3) feature a transverse series of through openings
(8) in
which the straps (7) are inserted, thus crossing the whole sole (1a) of the
bottom (1),
coming out from the sides

CA 02278054 1999-07-19
= ' - 4 -
and being folded upwards and above the foot.
Also in this constructive version the series of through openings (8) are
partially overlapped in cascade.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another constructive version of the shoe according
to the invention, in which the bottom (1) and the body of the heel support (3)
feature a transverse series of through openings (8) in which the straps (7)
are inserted, thus crossing the whole sole (1 a) of the bottom (1), coming out
from the sides and being folded upwards and above the foot.
This version only differs from the one shown in figures 3 and 4 for the fact
that the series of through openings (8) are not partially overlapped in
cascade, but aligned and regularly spaced.
In order to completely cover the foot, in this constructive version the straps
(7a) feature sections with different width, lower in the section which is
inserted into the openings and higher in the section which embraces the foot.
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Representative Drawing