Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
ATTACHMENT MECHANISM AND SYSTEM FOR FOOTWEAR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to footwears. More
specifically, the invention
relates to an attachment mechanism and system for detachably securing an
attachment piece
to a sandal or a regular shoe. The attachment mechanism and system according
to the
invention also constitutes an aesthetic component to the footwear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are various types of footwear. Typically, a type of footwear is
selected by the
wearer based on factors including weather conditions, the occasion or to match
an outfit or a
bag. Accordingly, it is generally necessary to own different types of
footwear, which is costly.
It is known in the art to provide attachment mechanisms allowing for a
footwear to be readily
transformed into a different type by the wearer. Such mechanisms are disclosed
for example
in U.S. 7,219,445; U.S. 7,168,189; CA 1,293,614.
[0003] There is a need to be able to readily transform a sandal or a regular
shoe into a
different type of footwear, for example a type that also embodies the legs of
the wearer. Also,
there is a need for attachment mechanisms that also constitute aesthetic
components to the
footwear.
[0004] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The inventor has designed and constructed an attachment mechanism and
system for
securing an attachment piece to a sandal or a regular shoe. The attachment
piece wraps
around the leg of the wearer thereby transforming the sandal or the regular
shoe into a
different type of footwear.
[0006] In embodiments of the invention, the attachment mechanism and system
constitutes
an aesthetic component to the footwear. In further embodiments, the attachment
mechanism
and system may also be used to secure other aesthetic components to the
footwear.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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[0007] The invention thus provides the following in accordance with aspects
thereof:
(1) An attachment mechanism and system for a footwear, comprising: a planar
elongated loop
element having a loop at one end and a rivet at a section of the other end;
and a metal ring
inserted in the loop, wherein the rivet is adapted to be received in a hole
located on an upper
section of the footwear.
(2) The attachment mechanism and system according to (1), wherein the loop
element is
made of a flexible or foldable material.
(3) The attachment mechanism and system according to (1) or (2), wherein the
rivet is made
of a metallic material.
(4) The attachment mechanism and system according to any one of (1) to (3),
wherein the
rivet is a Chicago screw rivet.
(5) The attachment mechanism and system according to (1), wherein the loop
element and
the rivet are made of a same flexible material, optionally the loop element
and the rivet form
a one-piece unit.
(6) The attachment mechanism and system according to any one of (1) to (4),
wherein the
loop element and the rivet are detachably or fixedly attached.
(7) The attachment mechanism and system according to any one of (1) to (6),
which
constitutes an aesthetic component to the footwear.
(8) The attachment mechanism and system according to (7), further comprising
at least one
other aesthetic component detachably or fixedly attached to the ring.
(9) The attachment mechanism and system according to any one of (1) to (8),
wherein the
footwear is a sandal or a regular shoe.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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(10)A method of transforming a sandal or a regular shoe, comprising: providing
an attachment
piece adapted to be wrapped around a leg of a user; providing an attachment
mechanism and
system which comprises a planar elongated loop element having a loop at one
end and a rivet
at a section of the other end, and a metal ring inserted in the loop, wherein
the rivet is adapted
to be received in a hole located on an upper section of the sandal or regular
shoe; securing
the attachment mechanism and system to the upper of the sandal through the
rivet and the
hole; and attaching the attachment piece to the ring through an attachment
means.
(11) The method according to (10), wherein the attachment means is a metal
swivel clasp, or
the attachment means is a magnetic snap system provided at a lower section of
the
attachment piece.
(12) The method according to (10) or (11), wherein the attachment piece
comprises at least
one hole, and the method further comprises securing at least one attachment
mechanism and
system to the attachment piece on an external surface thereof through the
rivet and the hole.
(13) The method according to any one of (10) to (12), wherein the attachment
piece is
provided with the attachment means as a one-piece unit.
(14) A method of providing an aesthetic component to a sandal or regular shoe,
comprising:
providing an attachment mechanism and system which comprises a planar
elongated loop
element having a loop at one end and a rivet at a section of the other end,
and a metal ring
inserted in the loop, wherein the rivet is adapted to be received in a hole
located on an upper
section of the sandal or regular shoe; and securing the attachment mechanism
and system to
the upper of the sandal or regular shoe through the rivet and the hole.
(15) The method according to (14), further comprising attaching another
aesthetic component
to the ring.
(16) The method according to (15), wherein the other aesthetic component is an
elongated
piece, and the method comprises attaching a first end of the elongated piece
to the ring and
attaching a second end to a rear portion of the sandal or regular shoe.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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(17) A footwear comprising the attachment mechanism and system as defined in
any one of
(1) to (8).
(18) A sandal or regular shoe comprising the attachment mechanism and system
as defined
in any one of (1) to (8).
(19) A transformed sandal or regular shoes obtained by the method as defined
in any one of
(10) to (13).
(20) A kit comprising: the attachment mechanism and system as defined in any
one of (1) to
(8); an attachment means; and an attachment piece.
(21) A kit comprising: the attachment mechanism and system as defined in any
one of (1) to
(8); a metal swivel clasp and/or a magnetic snap system; and an attachment
piece.
(22) The kit according to (20) or (21), further comprising another aesthetic
component adapted
to be attached to at least the attachment mechanism and system.
[0008]
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become
more
apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific
embodiments
thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the appended drawings:
[0010] Figure 1: Components of the attachment mechanism and system according
to the
invention.
[0011] Figure 2: Sandal with the attachment mechanism and system.
[0012] Figure 3: Sandal with attachment piece secured thereto.
[0013] Figure 4: Regular shoe with the attachment mechanism and system.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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[0014] Figure 5: Regular shoe with attachment piece secured thereto.
[0015] Figure 6: Embodiment showing the attachment mechanism and system and
another
aesthetic component.
[0016] Figure 7: Embodiment showing the attachment piece secured, more than
one
attachment mechanism and system, and another aesthetic component.
[0017] Figure 8: Embodiment of the components of the attachment mechanism and
system.
[0018] Figure 9: Embodiment of the attachment mechanism and system.
[0019] Figure 10: Sandal with embodiment of the attachment mechanism and
system.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Before the present invention is further described, it is to be
understood that the
invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described below, as
variations of these
embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the appended
claims. It is also to
be understood that the terminology employed is for the purpose of describing
particular
embodiments; and is not intended to be limiting. Instead, the scope of the
present invention
will be established by the appended claims.
[0021] In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the terms
used in the
present specification, a number of definitions are provided below. Moreover,
unless defined
otherwise, all technical and scientific terms as used herein have the same
meaning as
commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
disclosure pertains.
[0022] Use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term
"comprising" in the
claims and/or the specification may mean "one", but it is also consistent with
the meaning of
"one or more", "at least one", and "one or more than one". Similarly, the word
"another" may
mean at least a second or more.
[0023] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and
any form of
comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of
having, such as
"have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "include"
and "includes") or
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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"containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"),
are inclusive or
open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or process steps.
[0024] The inventor has designed and constructed an attachment mechanism and
system for
securing an attachment piece to a sandal or a regular shoe. The attachment
piece wraps
around the leg of the wearer thereby transforming the sandal or the regular
shoe into a
different type of footwear. The attachment mechanism and system also
constitutes an
aesthetic component to the footwear, and may further be used to secure other
aesthetic
components to the footwear.
[0025] Referring to Figure 1, the components of the attachment mechanism and
system of
the invention are illustrated. The planar elongated loop element is
illustrated; more
specifically, a top elevation view 10A and a side elevation view 10B thereof
are illustrated.
The loop element comprises a loop 3 at one end and a rivet 4 at a section of
the other end.
The loop element is inserted in the metal ring 1. The rivet 4 is adapted to be
received in a
hole located on an upper section of the sandal or the regular shoe. This is
illustrated in Figure
2 and Figure 4.
[0026] In an embodiment of the invention, the sandal or shoe is transformed
into a different
type of footwear, for example a footwear which embodies the leg of the wearer.
In this
embodiment, an attachment piece 5 adapted to wrap around the leg is provided.
As will be
understood by a skilled person other attachment pieces of various styles and
designs may
also be used. The combination loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1 is secured to
an upper
section of the sandal 20 or the regular shoe 40 through the rivet 4 and the
hole, and serves
as a means to attach an attachment piece 5 to the sandal or shoe.
[0027] The loop element 3 is made of a flexible or foldable material. In
embodiments of the
invention, the ring 1 is a metal ring. In other embodiments, the loop element
3 and the rivet 4
may be made of the same flexible material. In these embodiments, the loop
element 3 and
the rivet 4 may constitute a one-piece unit. In yet other embodiments, the
rivet 4 may be
made of metal. This ensures effectiveness and durability. As will be
understood by a skilled
person, other mechanisms such as toggle chains of varying lengths may also be
used. In
particular where the sandal or shoe design allows for larger receiving holes.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
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[0028] The combination loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1 also constitutes an
aesthetic
component to the sandal or shoe.
[0029] Attachment between the combination loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1
and the
attachment piece 5 is made by an attachment mean which may be a metal swivel
clasp 2 or
other attachment element 2A. This is illustrated in Figure 3 and Figure 5.
[0030] As can be seen in Figure 3 and Figures 5, further attachment means such
as metal
swivel clasps 2 or other attachment element 2A may be used to secure a rear
section of the
attachment piece 5 to a rear portion of the sandal 20 or regular shoe 40. In
these
embodiments, other rings 22,42 are provided at the rear portion of the sandal
20 or regular
shoe 40 to receive the metal swivel clasps 2 or other attachment element 2A.
[0031] Figure 6 and Figure 7 illustrate another type of sandal 60. The upper
section of the
sandal on which the combination loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1 is secured
is located around
a middle portion of the sandal 60. In this embodiment, the ring 1 of the
combination is further
attached to another aesthetic component 64. As can be seen in these figures, a
first end of
the other aesthetic component 64 is attached to the ring 1 of the combination
and the other
end is attached to a first set of other rings 62 provided at the rear portion
of the sandal. As
will be understood, the combination loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1 in this
embodiment
constitutes an aesthetic component and also an attachment means for securing
another
aesthetic component 64 to the sandal 60.
[0032] Also, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 and Figure 7, a second
set of other
rings 66 is provided on the upper section located around the middle portion of
the sandal. The
rings of this second set of other rings 66 secure the metal swivel clasps 2 or
other attachment
element 2A thereby allowing for the attachment of the attachment piece 5 to
the sandal 60.
As can be seen, the first set of other rings 62 also allow for the attachment
of the attachment
piece 5 to the rear portion of the sandal 60.
[0033] Moreover, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 and Figure 7, two
additional
combinations loop element 3, rivet 4 and ring 1 are provided on the attachment
piece 5. Each
of these additional combinations constitutes an aesthetic component to the
footwear.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-05-03
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[0034] Figure 9 and Figure 10 illustrate an embodiment of the attachment means
for
attaching the attachment piece 5 to the sandal. In this embodiment, snap
closures are used.
They are affixed to prongs 6 which are inserted into the upper on the
attachment piece 5
through cutouts made specifically to receive these prongs 6. These parts are
then folded
behind the upper to ensure that each prong 6 of the magnetic snap closure 7 is
fixed
discretely between the upper and the lining.
[0035] Figure 8 illustrates the components of the attachment mechanism and
system of the
invention including the magnetic snap attachment.
[0036] As will be understood by a skilled person, the attachment mechanism and
system
according to the invention may also be used in accessories than footwear. For
example, the
attachment mechanism and system may be use in conjunction with article of
clothing, a bag.
[0037] Other variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The
principle of the
invention has been described above in connection with specific embodiments,
only by way of
example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention. Accordingly,
the claims should
not be limited by these embodiments, but should be given the broadest
interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-29
