SHOE

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/566,589 which was filed on Mar. 18, 2024.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application is generally related to shoes and processes for attaching an upper to a sole of a shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One technique for manufacturing shoes involves stapling a shoe upper to a shoe sole. Stapling requires that the sole either be made of a rigid material, or that it includes a rigid frame on its inside so that the staple enters a rigid area to be secured therein. Accordingly, use of soft materials such as foam rubber are unsuitable for staple fastening of the upper to the sole because the staples will have a tendency to become dislodged. Thus, style options are limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, a shoe includes an upper attached to a sole, where the sole may include a footbed having an embedded internal frame. The sole also includes a midsole/outsole combination. The perimeter of the footbed is smaller than the perimeter of the midsole so that the portion of the footbed encompassing the internal frame may be inserted into the midsole. An upper of the shoe is inserted into a perimeter space formed between the footbed and the midsole whereupon the upper and midsole are secured together with fasteners, such as staples extending through the midsole and the upper, and into the internal frame.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a secure attachment of the upper to the sole while allowing a footbed to be designed independently of the outsole, thus providing increased flexibility in the design and shaping of each.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side perspective view of a shoe, in embodiments.

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C depict lateral, bottom and medial views, respectively, of a sole of the shoe of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A depicts a cross-sectional view of the sole of FIG. 2B along line 3A-3A.

FIG. 3B depicts a top plan view of the sole of FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 4A-4D depict cross-section views of the sole of FIG. 2B along lines 4A-4A, 4B-4B, 4C-4C, and 4D-4D, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments disclosed herein describe a shoe with a multi-part sole, wherein a footbed is provided with an internal frame and an upper is stapled between a midsole and the footbed. A rubber outsole is secured to the midsole opposite the footbed. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize there may be some variation of terminology regarding shoe soles, and that embodiments disclosed herein may also apply to a footbed used with an outsole.

FIG. 1 depicts a side perspective view of a shoe 100. The shoe includes an upper having an ankle strap 102 and a vamp 104. This type of upper is for purposes of illustration. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any style of upper may be used in the context of the disclosed embodiments such as, for example, an upper having two or more straps or a solid piece such as is used in a clog. Vamp 104 may be a strap as shown, or it may be wider or narrower. Embellishments, stitching or other types of trim may be added. The sole of shoe 100 includes a footbed 106 and a midsole 108. An outsole 109 may be attached to the surface of midsole 108 opposite footbed 106.

Footbed 106 is contoured to receive a wearer's foot, and may be constructed of a polymer biocomposite such as bio-polyurethane (BPU) foam, although other materials that provide comfort and flexibility may be used. Midsole 108 may be formed of a lightweight polymer such as molded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or cork, although other materials that provide durability and flexibility may be used. Outsole 109 may be formed of rubber or any material that adds comfort or traction to a wearer of the shoe.

As will be described in more detail below, the periphery shape of the footbed 106 matches that of the periphery shape of the midsole 108. However, the dimension of the footbed periphery is smaller than that of the outsold periphery such that a bottom of the footbed may be received in midsole 108 while providing a gap therebetween. This gap accommodates a lower edge of the ankle strap 102 to be positioned between the footbed 106 and midsole 108. In that position, fasteners, such as staples 110, are inserted through the midsole wall where they pass through the portion of the ankle strap positioned in the gap. The fasteners extend through the footbed 106 and into an internal frame 114. This construction secures the edge of the ankle strap 102 to the footbed 106 and the outsole 109. An opposite side of the ankle strap 102 is secured on the opposite side of the shoe in a like manner. Moreover, vamp 104 is secured in a like manner using staples 112.

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C depict lateral, bottom and medial views, respectively, of footbed 106, midsole 108 and outsole 109 of shoe 100. Footbed 106 has a footbed perimeter and a footbed height h. For purposes of discussion herein, the footbed perimeter indicates a dimension around the entire edge of footbed 106 when viewed from above. The footbed perimeter does not necessarily exist in a flat horizontal plane, but may have a curvature and dimension that corresponds to a wearer's foot. The footbed height h as shown in FIG. 2A indicates the full height of footbed 106, including the portion that is inserted in the gap between footbed 106 and midsole 108. Footbed height h may vary across the longitude and width dimensions of footbed 106.

FIG. 2B shows a bottom view of outsole 109. Various tread patterns and indicia may be provided on the bottom of outsole 109 as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. FIG. 2C is a side view from the instep side of a wearer's foot, while FIG. 2A is a side view from the outside of a wearer's foot, as shown by the somewhat different contours of footbed 106 in the two views.

FIGS. 2A and 2C also show the internal frame 114, which is positioned along the footbed 106 in the portion that is inserted into midsole 108. Internal frame 114 extends longitudinally along an outer edge of footbed 106. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, internal frame 114 is formed of two separate pieces, one on either side of footbed 106. In embodiments, internal frame 114 may extend around an entirety of the perimeter of footbed 106. Internal frame 114 may also be by pattern to provide a longer frame for a closed toe shoe style, as opposed to a sandal. Internal frame 114 may be made of a material such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), although other materials can be used which provide sufficient rigidity and structure to adhere to pull-strength test standards for retention of staples 110, 112.

FIG. 3A depicts a cross-sectional view of the sole along line 3A-3A as shown in FIG. 2B. Footbed 106 has a height h while midsole 108 has a height h1. Both heights h and h1 may vary longitudinally to provide a contour that conforms to a wearer's foot. In embodiments, footbed 106 may include a cover 116 made of leather or other suitable materials. Cover 116 may be wrapped around footbed 106 to fully enclose the top and sides, including the portion of footbed 106 that is inserted into midsole 108. Additional padding such as cushioning foam may be provided in an upper side of footbed 106 beneath cover 116 to provide increased comfort for a wearer of the shoe 100.

Both footbed 106 and midsole 108 may include a number of cavities extending vertically through part of their respective heights h and h1 to reduce weight or increase stability. Outsole 109 is secured to the bottom of midsole 108. Midsole 108 may also include an outer cover 120 made of any material that provides decorative or other features.

FIG. 3B depicts a top plan view of the sole of shoe 100. The entire perimeter of midsole 108 is larger than the entire footbed perimeter of footbed 106 so that a portion of footbed 106 is received in midsole 108.

FIGS. 4A-4D depict cross-section views of the sole of shoe 100 along lines 4A-4A, 4B-4B, 4C-4C, and 4D-4D, respectively of FIG. 2B.

As shown in FIG. 4A, midsole 108 includes an internal cavity that receives footbed 106. Internal frame 114 is inserted in channels that have been formed in footbed 106 in a portion of footbed height h that extends below an upper edge of midsole 108. Internal frame 114 is positioned just inside the footbed perimeter. The relative heights of internal frame 114 and footbed 106 are for the purposes of illustration, other heights may be used. For example, internal frame 114 may be placed at any location inside footbed 106. It may also be positioned partially in both footbed 106 and midsole 108, or wholly in midsole 108. Internal frame 114 may also be shorter than depicted in FIGS. 4A-4D as long as it has sufficient side area to receive a staple. Fasteners such as staples 110 or 112 as shown in FIG. 1 would be inserted horizontally through midsole 108 and into internal frame 114 in the direction of arrow 122.

FIGS. 4B-4D show cross-sectional views at various points along the length of shoe 100. Although the footbed height h and the midsole height h1 may vary, the overlap between footbed height h and the midsole height h1 stays the same, as shown by a comparison of all four figures. In embodiments, internal frame 114 may be positioned at other vertical locations. For example, internal frame 114 may be lower in midsole 108 to provide an overlasted look with a large exposed footbed. Staples may be located anywhere around the perimeter of midsole 108 as necessary to secure an upper between midsole 108 and footbed 106.

Embodiments disclosed herein make the shaping and contour of footbed 106 independent of the shaping and contour of midsole 108, thus providing increased flexibility in the design parameters of each.