A SHOE COMPOSED OF REPLACEABLE ELEMENTS

Abstract: A shoe composed of replaceable elements comprising an inner sole (1,2) and upper parts (2) connected thereto said inner sole having a protruding rim (4), a separate outer sole (5,6) having an undercut rim portion (7,8) being adapted to be re­ leasably attached to said inner (1,2) by means of said under­ cut portion (7,8) gripping around said protruding rim (4). The upper parts (2) can be covered by an upper cover (17) to be clamped between said undercut rim portion (7,8) and said inner sole rim (4).

Description: The invention relates to a shoe comprising an inner sole with upper parts connected thereto and an outer sole. It is an object of the invention to provide a shoe which allows to replace the outer sole thereof in an easy manner, e.g. when said sole is damaged or contaminated, or is to be replaced by a sole having a different profile, this in such a manner that the shoe with an outer sole attached thereto always has the same weight and flexibility, whereas the inner sole is not intended for normal use. This shoe is, in particular, intended for military uses, mountaineering, and as protective footwear in contaminated areas. The shoe according to the invention is characterised by the features of claim 1. Favourable additional features are the object of the subclaims. From DE-A-3 205 444 an overshoe is known which comprises a sole having upstanding rims which are adapted to grip around the outer sole of a normal shoe. This means that there will be a difference in weight and flexibility of the shoe with and without the overshoe respectively. From FR-A-361 307 (1905) an overshoe is known having an elastic cord which is crossed between the sole proper and the heel, which is, however, not suitable for the present purposes. From EP-A-0 185 588 an overboot for contamination protection is known, which is to be worn over normal footwear. The upper portion and sole are interconnected by stitches to separate them but this cannot be done by the user repeatedly when wearing the boot. Furthermore the shoe according to the invention can be provided with an additional protecting upper cover which surrounds the upper portion of the shoe. which upper cover, in particular, is separate from the outer sole, a rim portion thereof being sealingly clamped behind the undercut rim portion of the outer sole. The outer sole is intended to be provided, under all circumstances, on the shoe, which, in particular, is provided with a thin flexible inner sole which is not intended for walking thereon. The user always walks on footwear with the same weight and the same flexibility. In the case of a separate upper cover, the latter can be provided at will, said upper cover being light, so that it will not or hardly influence walking. An additional advantage of such a separate outer sole is that it can be easily replaced, so that, also in the case of damage or wear of said sole, immediately a new outer sole can be provided without replacement of the upper parts, which, in particular for military uses, has important advantages in view of transport and storage of replacement material. It is also possible to replace such an outer sole by a sole with an other profile, which can be important particularly in the case of mountaineering, which sole can be provided, if desired, with nails or the like. With the same outer sole different separate upper covers can be used, e.g. exclusively for protection against contamination, for providing water-proofness, or with an additional heat-insulating effect. The invention will be described below in more detail bij reference to a drawing, showing in: Fig. 1 a representation in perspective of an ankle-boot which is provided with an outer sole and an upper cover (shown partly broken away) according to the invention; Fig. 2 a partial section of Fig. 1; and Figs. 3A and 3B partial sections at a larger scale of rim portions of an outer sole according to the invention with additional stiffening means. In the drawing an ankle-boot 1, in particular a soldier's shoe, consisting of an inner sole 1 and upper parts 2 connected thereto in a manner not shown. This sole 1 merges with a heel portion 3, and is provided with a circumferential outer rim 4 which protrudes outside the upper portion 2. The sole 1 and heel 3 can form a single piece which needs not to be wear-proof, so that the sole 1 can be relatively thin and flexible, and the heel portion 3 can be lower than in the case of a normal sole. This shoe is provided with an outer sole 5 with a heel portion 6, which outer sole and heel portion are formed of one piece of plastics or rubber. The outer sole 5 is, moreover, provided with a circumferential upstanding rim 7 with a bulge 8, in which bulge a continuous tensioning wire 9 is embedded. As follows from Fig. 2, said bulge 8 defines an undercut in which the protruding rim 4 of the sole 1 and its heel portion 3 fits. The tensioning wire 9 should be sufficiently elastic for ensuring a good clasping without hindering the application of the bulge 8 around the sole rim 4 and removing it again. This is facilitated by providing the rear portion of the bulge 8 with a pulling tab 10 by means of which the bulge 8 can be sufficiently bent outwards, and, when applying the sole, it can be pulled by means of this tab. If necessary the tensioning wire 9 can be provided with a tensioning clamp by means of which, after applying the sole, the wire 9 can be put under the required tension. In order to avoid vertical movements between the sole 1 and/or heel 3 and the outer sole 5 and its heel portion 6 respectively, and in particular such movements which might give rise to the outer sole coming off, additional securing means can be applied. Fig. 2 shows bushes 11 sunk into the heel 3 of the shoe proper, into which locking pins 13 engaging recesses 12 in the heel portion 6 can be fixed by rotation thereof over, for instance, a quarter turn, which rotation can be obtained by means of a coin. As a matter of fact also snap locks or the like can be used instead thereof, which can, moreover, be arranged also in other points of the sole. As shown in Fig. 3A, the upstanding rim portion 7 can, if required, be stiffened in appropriate points by means of an embedded strip 14 made of steel or the like, a curled portion 15 thereof gripping around the wire 9, in order to improve the grip on the rim 4 of the sole 1. The sole portion 5′ near the heel portion 6 is, as a rule, narowed so that, there, the tensioning wire 9 may be less effective. It can be favourable then, as shown in Fig. 3B, to provide the rim bulge 8 of such a widened portion 8′ that the wire 9 will not be bent substantially inwards, and between the wire 9 and the inner end of the widened part 8′ a hard filler 16 can be inserted in order to transfer the pressure of the wire 9 inwards, which pressure piece 16 can also be a part of a stiffening hook according to Fig. 3A. For a further protection against moisture, cold and, as the case may be, contamination, a separate upper piece 17 can be used, and a terminal rim 18 thereof can be clamped below the bulge 8 of the outer sole, thus providing a sealed connection. This upper portion consists, for instance, of impermeable material, and can, in particular, be provided with an insulating lining. The upper piece can have any height suitable for the purpose in view, and is, therefore, not restricted to the shape shown. Additional tensioning means can be provided for closing the upper part thereof around the leg of the user. This can, for instance, be done in the manner shown by providing a pleat 19 with a zip-fastener. It will be clear that also an upper piece can be used which is fixedly connected with the sole 5.

Claims: A shoe, comprising an inner sole with upper parts connected thereto and an outer sole, characterized in that said shoe comprises an upper portion including said inner sole (1) and upper parts (2) and a separate outer sole (5, 6) made of plastics or rubber with an undercut rim portion (7, 8) provided with clamping means (9, 11, 13) embedded therein, for tightly but releasably engaging said rim portion around a protruding rim (4) of the inner sole (1, 2). The shoe of claim 1, characterized in that the clamping means comprise a tensioning wire (9) arranged above said undercut (7, 8). The shoe of claim 2, characterized in that the tensioning wire (9) is provided with a tensioning clamp (10). The shoe of any one of claims 1..3, characterized in that the clamping means comprise stifening hooks (14) gripping around the inner sole (1). The shoe of any one of claims 1..4, characterized by additional anchoring means comprising snap or lock connections (11. .13) provided in the heel portion (6). The shoe of any one of claims 1..5, characterized by an additional supple upper cover (17) adapted to surround the upper portion (2) of the shoe. The shoe of claim 6, characterized in that the upper cover (17) is separate from the outer sole (5, 6), a rim portion (18) thereof being adapted to be sealingly clamped under the undercut rim portion (7, 8) of the outer sole (5, 6).

Inventors: MEDEMA, JAN, WITTGEN, PAULUS PETRUS MICHAEL MARIA
Applicants: NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A43B3
IPC codes: A43B7, A43B3