Abstract:
According to the present invention, a convertible footwear apparatus can be worn as a shoe or converted to a boot by attaching or removing an upper section from the shoe. The apparatus is configured to allow someone wearing the shoe component to attach or remove the upper section with a single continuous operation and without having to remove the shoe component from the wearer&#39;s foot. In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises a zipper. In another embodiment of the invention, the shoe component includes a heel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to the field of footwear and more specifically to new and useful convertible footwear. There are many different types of footwear, which are designed for different types of utility and aesthetics. Two common types of footwear are shoes and boots, the primary distinguishing factor being that boots cover parts of the leg that shoes do not. For numerous reasons, including weather, fashion, and utility, a person may desire a boot rather than a shoe, or vice versa. Typically, footwear is either a shoe or a boot, but not a single apparatus designed to convert from one into the other. Therefore, when a person wishes to change from a shoe to a boot, or vice versa, that person must have both a shoe and a boot. It is inconvenient and costly for a person to acquire and store both types of footwear, which may often be in the same style. And it is even more cumbersome for a person to carry both types of footwear on his or her person should it be desirable to change footwear without, for instance, returning home. 
         [0002]    Prior art systems have addressed this issue by using upper sections that can be attached to or removed from a shoe to create a boot when desired. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,406. Another example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0186259. The problem with these systems is that the upper section cannot be attached or removed while a person is currently wearing the shoe. This is because the upper section is configured like a tube that the wearer must slide their leg into. Thus, a person wearing the shoe must remove the shoe when converting from a shoe to a boot or vice versa. 
         [0003]    In order to allow a person wearing a shoe to convert to a boot, and vice versa, without having to remove the shoe, prior art systems have configured upper sections that split or separate such that they wrap around the wearer&#39;s leg. However, these systems require multiple couplings—one coupling between the upper section and the shoe, and another coupling to hold the upper section together when wrapped around the leg. One example of such a system uses two zippers, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,260. Another example of such a system uses a plurality of buttons and laces, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 9,065,831. These types of systems are overly cumbersome to the wearer, require more components, and are more difficult to conceal. 
         [0004]    Thus, there is a need for a convertible footwear apparatus that can convert from a shoe to a boot, and vice versa, without a person wearing the shoe having to remove the shoe and without needing multiple coupling mechanisms that needlessly overburden both the manufacturer and the wearer. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention solves the problem of a convertible footwear apparatus that can convert from a shoe to a boot, and vice versa, without a person wearing the shoe having to remove the shoe and without needing multiple coupling mechanisms that needlessly overburden both the manufacturer and the wearer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the convertible footwear apparatus includes an upper section, a shoe, and a coupling mechanism. The upper section may be configured to be split or separated such that it can be wrapped and unwrapped around a person&#39;s leg. In accordance with the invention, one side of the upper section may be removably attached to another side of the upper section and the upper section may be removably attached to the shoe, with a single continuous operation. In another preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism comprises a zipper. In another preferred embodiment, the shoe further comprises a heel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE(S) 
         [0006]    Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating footwear that is convertible from a shoe to a boot. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2A  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating a zipper, fully zipped up, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2B  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating a zipper, partially unzipped, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating an alternative type of zipper, fully zipped up, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating an alternative type of zipper, partially unzipped, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0013]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the invention may include an upper section  10  and a shoe  11 . Upper section  10  may be comprised of leather, plastic, suede, or any other material known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Shoe  11  may be comprised of the same material as upper section  10  or a different leather, plastic, suede, or any other material known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Upper section  10  may be removably coupled to shoe  11  by a coupling mechanism  21 , such that upper section  10  can be attached and then detached from shoe  11 . Coupling mechanism  21  may be comprised of a zipper, magnets, Velcro, buttons, or any other coupling mechanism known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, one side of the coupling mechanism may be fixed to upper section  10  while the other side of the coupling mechanism may be fixed to the shoe  11 . For example, in one preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism  21  comprises a zipper. In a preferred embodiment, one half of the zipper may be fixed to upper section  10  by using epoxy, stitching, or any other numerous methods known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The other half of the zipper may be fixed to shoe  11  by using epoxy, stitching, or any other numerous methods known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0014]    The upper section  10  may be split or separated such that it can be wrapped around or removed from a person&#39;s leg without the person&#39;s leg needing to thread through the upper section like a tube. Therefore, a person wearing shoe  11  may convert from a shoe to a boot, and vice versa, without having to remove the shoe  11  from the person&#39;s foot or having to thread the shoe  11  through the upper section  10 . The upper section  10  may be removably fixed around a person&#39;s leg using a coupling mechanism  20 . Coupling mechanism  20  may be comprised of a zipper, magnets, Velcro, buttons, or any other coupling mechanism known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, one side of the coupling mechanism may be fixed to one side of upper section  10  while the other side of the coupling mechanism may be fixed to the other side of upper section  10 . For example, in one preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism  20  comprises a zipper. In a preferred embodiment, one half of the zipper may be fixed to one side of upper section  10  by using epoxy, stitching, or any other numerous methods known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The other half of the zipper may be fixed to the other side of upper section  10  by using epoxy, stitching, or any other numerous methods known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0015]    Coupling mechanism  20  may be continuous with coupling mechanism  21  such that a single, continuous operation may attach (or remove) one side of the upper section with another side of the upper section while also attaching (or removing) the upper section from the shoe. For example, in a preferred embodiment, one half of coupling mechanism  20  and one half of coupling mechanism  21  are comprised of portions of the same single continuous structure. In other words, an upper portion of a single continuous structure constitutes one half of coupling mechanism  20  and a lower portion of that single continuous structure constitutes one half of coupling mechanism  21 . In this preferred embodiment, the other half of coupling mechanism  20  is separate from the other half of coupling mechanism  21 . That is, the structure that constitutes the other half coupling mechanism  20  does not also constitute the other half of coupling mechanism  21 . 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment, coupling mechanism  20  and coupling mechanism  21  both comprise zippers fixed to one another in such a way as to allow a single, continuous zipper operation to attach or remove one side of upper section  10  with another side of upper section  10  while also attaching or removing, respectively, upper section  10  from the shoe  11 . Some preferred embodiments are explained in more detail with reference to  FIG. 2A, 2B  and  FIG. 3A, 3B . 
         [0017]    In another preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanisms  20  and  21  are obscured from view. This may be accomplished by using a very small coupling mechanism, such as a very small zipper, magnets, Velcro, buttons, or any other small coupling mechanism known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. This may also be accomplished by extending the material of upper section  10  and/or shoe  11  such that the material covers the coupling mechanisms  20  and  21 , and thereby obscures the coupling mechanisms  20  and  21  from view. In yet another preferred embodiment, shoe  11  may be flat. In yet another preferred embodiment, shoe  11  may additionally comprise a heel. 
         [0018]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2A and 2B , a preferred embodiment of the invention includes coupling mechanisms  20  and  21  comprising zippers.  FIG. 2A  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating a zipper, fully zipped up, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. The upper part of zipper half  120   a  may be fixed to one side of upper section  10  while zipper half  120   b  may be fixed to the other side of upper section  10 . Zipper half  120   b  ends at the bottom of upper section  10 . Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, coupling mechanism  20  comprises the upper part of zipper half  120   a  and zipper half  120   b.  The lower part of zipper half  120   a  may continue past zipper half  120   b,  such that it may connect with zipper half  121   b.  Zipper half  121   b  may be fixed to shoe  11 , such that lower part of zipper half  120   a  and zipper half  121   b  are configured to removably attach upper section  10  to shoe  11 . Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, coupling mechanism  21  comprises lower part of zipper half  120   a  and zipper half  121   b.  Zipper block  100  travels the entire length of zipper half  120   a,  in order to connect (or disconnect) the upper part of zipper half  120   a  with zipper half  120   b,  and in order to connect (or disconnect) the lower part of zipper half  120   a  with zipper half  121   b.  Zipper block  100  may connect (or disconnect) the zipper halves by using conventional zipper teeth interlocking understood by a person of ordinary skill, or by any other means understood by a personal of ordinary skill. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2B  shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating a zipper, partially unzipped, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. As shown in the figure, zipper block  100  may travel down zipper half  120   a  to disconnect both zipper half  120   b  and zipper half  121   b  in a single, continuous zipper operation. Therefore, one side of upper section  10  may be decoupled from the other side of upper section  10 , and upper section  10  may be removed from shoe  11  with a single, continuous zipper operation. Conversely, when the zipper block travels in the opposite direction, upper section  10  may be attached to shoe  11 , and one side of upper section  10  may be coupled to the other side of upper section  10  with a single, continuous zipper operation. 
         [0020]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a preferred embodiment of the invention includes coupling mechanisms  20  and  21  comprising zippers.  FIGS. 3A and 3B  comprise all of the components of  FIGS. 2A and 2B , but further comprise two end stops and a bridge stop. End stop  220   b  may replace the end of zipper half  120   b  with a rectangular section, comprising plastic, metal, or any other suitable material known to a person of ordinary skill. It is known to a person of ordinary skill how to replace the end of a zipper half with an end stop, as it is typical to use such end stops at the ends of zipper halves. However, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, and unlike typical zippers, end stop  220   b  at the end of zipper half  120   b  may be adjacent to end stop  221  at the end of zipper half  121   b.  End stop  221  may replace the end of zipper half  121   b  with a rectangular section, comprising plastic, metal, or any other suitable material known to a person of ordinary skill. Additionally, each of these end stops may be adjacent to bridge stop  220   a.  Bridge stop  220   a  may replace a section of zipper half  120   a  with a rectangular section, comprising plastic, metal, or any other suitable material known to a person of ordinary skill. Bridge stop  220   a  may be the size of end stops  220   b  and  221  combined and may function to facilitate the single, continuous motion of zipper block  100 . This is shown in  FIG. 3B , which displays an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrating a zipper, partially unzipped, configured to attach and detach the upper section of a boot. 
         [0021]    In another preferred embodiment, not shown, bridge stop  200   a  may be used to fuse together two shorter zipper halves to comprise zipper half  120   a.  This may ease manufacturing, as it may be more efficient to manufacture two separate zipper halves joined at a bridge stop than to manufacture one monolithic zipper half with a bridge stop in the middle. 
         [0022]    Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated figures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.