Abstract:
The self-anchoring sole structure of the present invention offers the consumer the ability to construct a variety of style, color, material, and design options by means of a customizable sandal system, comprising a sole having a top surface, a bottom surface, a toe portion and a heel portion, a channel around an exterior perimeter of the sole, and a plurality of bridges spaced around the exterior perimeter of the sole which extend across the channel, wherein the channel and the plurality of bridges are dimensioned to allow a length of material to be passed through.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention generally pertains to footwear, particularly to sandals or flips flops, with a sole containing a built-in anchoring system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Footwear comes in a variety of styles and designs to suit numerous functional and aesthetic goals. Fashion conscious consumers often wish to coordinate their footwear with the remainder of their attire. For example, some consumers may wish to own several pairs of similar shoes in a variety of colors so as to color-coordinate with a variety of outfits. However, this may require the purchase of a large number of pairs of shoes, sandals, boots, and other footwear. This presents both a financial burden and difficulty in storing the footwear. In light of this, there is a need for footwear that allows for the user to easily design and customize their shoe and sandal styles. 
         [0003]    There have been a number of attempts to provide footwear that has changeable portions to allow alterations in the appearance of the footwear. U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,984 to Roy provides a flat sole with laces that may be used to tie a removable upper thereto. Two slots are provided in the sole, one under the toes and one under the heel. The upper also has snaps that allow it to snap to the sole to hold it in place. This design is complicated, the laces do not reliably locate the foot or define the upper, and snaps are required to locate the upper. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,330 to Kao discloses a “flip-flop” or thong-like sandal wherein the upper straps are detachable from the sole. Vertical holes pass from the upper surface of the sole to the lower surface and the ends of the strap engage these holes. This design does not provide for reliable attachment between the straps and the lower, the straps require a complicated design, an attachment is forced between the user&#39;s toes, and the straps may not be easily interchanged. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,090 to Smith provides a sandal with the sole having upperwardly extending flanges with openings to receive laces. Again, this is a complicated design. Several designs have been proposed wherein a detachable upper connects to a sole using snaps or other fasteners on the sides of the soles. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,102 to DeVincentis. These designs are typically complicated and provide a non-aesthetic appearance. 
         [0006]    None of the various approaches has caught on as they have been overly complicated, functioned poorly, and/or were too expensive. Therefore, there remains a need for simple footwear that allows changes in appearance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention offers the consumer the ability to construct a variety of style, color, material, and design options by means of a customizable sandal system, comprising a sole having a top surface, a bottom surface, a toe portion and a heel portion, a channel around an exterior perimeter of the sole, and a plurality of bridges spaced around the exterior perimeter of the sole which extend across the channel, wherein the channel and the plurality of bridges are dimensioned to allow a length of material to be passed through. 
         [0008]    One preferable option for the above sandal system would also include a plurality of tunnels which extend from the channel to the top surface of the sole. 
         [0009]    Another embodiment would be of a customizable sandal system, comprising a sole having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a toe portion and a heel portion, a channel around an exterior perimeter of the sole, a plurality of bridges spaced around the exterior perimeter of the sole which extend across the channel, a plurality of tunnels extending from the channel to the top surface of the sole, and a length of material passable through the channel and under all or some of the bridges. 
         [0010]    Either of these above embodiments could also include at least one anchor means for releasably securing the length of material. This anchor means includes many different possible configurations, such as having at least one of the at least one anchor means is located along the exterior perimeter of the sole, or wherein the length of material includes securing elements at each end. 
         [0011]    This at least one anchor means could include at least one anchor loop extending from the top surface of the sole, and possibly wherein one of the at least one anchor loop is located towards the toe portion of the top surface of the sole. This at least one anchor loop could also include two anchor loops located on either side of the heel portion of the top surface of the sole. Another possibility is that each of the at least one anchor loop is extended through a corresponding tunnel. 
         [0012]    Other possibilities include the at least one anchor means having a back anchor located at the heel portion of the sole and extending outwards from the perimeter, and/or wherein one of the at least one anchor means extends between two adjacent bridges, and/or wherein one of the at least one anchor means is a passageway within the channel, and/or wherein one of the at least one anchor means is an attaching device for removably connecting each end of the length of material. 
         [0013]    In either of the above-mentioned embodiments, the length of material could be an elastic material or chain, and the length of material could comprise a plurality of segments. 
         [0014]    In a further embodiment, the customizable sandal systems mentioned above further include a secondary length of material that is threaded through at least one of the tunnels and around the length of material in the channel. 
         [0015]    The self-anchoring sole structure described in the present invention offers the consumer the ability to construct a variety of style, color, material, and design options with a single unit to anchor the design to the sole. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a customizable sandal system, according to the present design. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the sandal shown in  FIG. 1 , including a back anchor portion. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a close-up perspective view of the sandal system, showing the channel and one type of anchoring means. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing the channel. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the sandal system, showing a different type of anchoring means. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the sandal system, including a length of material and alternately-designed tunnels. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the sandal system of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the sandal system, showing a length of peripheral material, and a secondary length of material. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    As shown in the Figures, the present invention is a customizable sandal system  10  including a sole  20 , having a top surface  22 , middle  24 , and bottom surface  26 . These elements of the sole  20  can be a molded one-piece design, foam rubber, or two or three layers soles glued, fused, sewn or tacked together. 
         [0025]    The sandal system of the present invention includes a channel/conduit  47  around the exterior of the perimeter of the sole  20  with bridges  35  spaced around the perimeter at various points. This channel  47 , with the plurality of bridges  35 , allows for a length of material  80  to be passed around the periphery of the sole  20 . In terms of material, the channel  47  may be constructed from the same material as the sole  20 , or the channel  47  may be formed of an added material. The bridges  35  could be of a solid piece of material, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , or the bridges  35  could have a decorative design, such as the H-pattern shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0026]    The sandal system can include a plurality of tunnels  12  extending from channel  47 , into the sole  20 , and then up through the top surface  22  of the sole (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). These tunnels  12  allow for the length of material  80  to be passed through and to extend up through the top surface  22 . The length of material  80  can then be arranged as straps, such as a toe strap, mid-foot strap or heel strap, however the user desires. This feature allows the user to narrow the upper fit and provide an alternative design. The tunnels  12  are shown in  FIG. 4  to be L-shaped, but they could conceivably be of any design provided that the tunnels  12  extend between the channel  47  to the top surface  22  of the sole. 
         [0027]    If needed for design or stability, there may be eyelet or channel sleeve (not shown) made of plastic or metal at each end of the tunnel  12 , i.e. at the top surface  22  of the sole and at the channel  47 . This eyelet could be attached (glued or snapped) to help to form and maintain a secure, stable and consistent opening. 
         [0028]    In one method of use, as seen in  FIG. 8 , the bridge  35  can be used to pass a length of material  80  around the perimeter of the sole  20 . This length of material  80  is then used to anchor a second piece of material  82  that is threaded through the tunnels  12  and around the length of peripheral material  80 . Some examples of possible types of material that can be used include, but are not limited to, lace, strap, elastic, narrow fabric, metal or plastic clips/clasps, etc. 
         [0029]    These aforementioned materials can also be used as both the secondary material used on the top surface  22 , and as the peripheral length of material  80  that is used as an anchor, or two completely differing types of material could be used. As well, the secondary material can be anchored to the peripheral length of material  80  however the user desires, by way of a series of passes in various weaves, macramé, and cross over designs. 
         [0030]    The bridges  47  may be composed of a hemmed fabric, or an attached metal or plastic loops formed or riveted to the bottom  26  and/or middle sole  24  around the edge covered by the top surface of the sole  22 . These bridges  47  could be firmly attached to the sole  20 , but may also be designed to be movable within the channel  47  running around the exterior of the sole  20 . 
         [0031]    Alternatively, or used in conjunction with the method described above, anchoring means may be included to secure the peripheral length of material  80  and/or the secondary material, if present. 
         [0032]    This anchoring means could be present in a number of different forms, such as a passageway  59 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The passageway  59  is threaded at both ends to receive the length of peripheral material  80  that encircles the sole  20 . This passageway  59  could be placed at various points around the exterior perimeter of the sole  20 , but for the sake of convenience and design it would typically be placed at the inside or outside of the middle or arch of the middle sole  22 . 
         [0033]    Another potential design for anchoring means includes a side-opening anchor  60 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . This side-opening anchor  60  could be attached to the material of the channel  47 , to the bridges  35  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), or even potentially to the tunnel  12 . Once secured, the side-opening anchor  60  could then be used to anchor the length of peripheral material  80 . 
         [0034]    Another possibility, not shown in the Figures, would be a separate rivet/anchor that could be attached to the narrow fabric that runs beneath the top surface of the sole  22 . 
         [0035]    Yet another possible anchor means (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) would be an anchoring element, which could be in the form of a charm, or decorative object, that is not attached to the sole  20 . This anchoring element could be used to secure each end of the length of peripheral material  80  to each other after it has encircled the perimeter of the sole  20 , or the length of peripheral material  80  could be passed through this separate anchoring element, and allowing a secondary length of material  82  to be anchored thereto. 
         [0036]    Another form of anchor means, that could be used in conjunction with any of the other types of anchor means mentioned above, is an anchor loop. This is shown as a toe loop anchor  66 , in  FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7 . This toe anchor  66  could be an opening slit for a toe strap, or a loop that can be used to loop an elastic or non-elastic narrow fabric, or to attach a strap for sandal style footwear. This toe anchor  66  would rest just below the surface and would allow for fabric, elastic, cable, leather strap, band, or other materials to be passed through. This toe anchor  66  could also be used to add accessories and/or decorations to augment the design or visual appeal of the footwear. Additional anchor loops may also be present at different locations on the top surface  22  of the sole, as a further way to allow for different strap configurations. Another possible location for anchor loops would to have them individually extending from a corresponding tunnel  12 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  shows another type of anchor means, in the form of a back anchor  71 . This back anchor  71  is molded in place to the middle  24  of the sole, or added and anchored by plugs, rivets, or glue. 
         [0038]    The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.