Shoe using a moulded bottom provided with a series of slots for the application of a strap-type closed upper

Abstract: The present invention relates to shoe using a moulded bottom provided with a series of slots on the edges, or with through openings on the sole, for the application of a closed upper, made up of a fabric or leather strap that embraces the back and the neck of the foot.

Description: The present patent application relates to a shoe using a moulded bottom provided with a series of slots or openings for the application of a closed upper, made up of a fabric or leather strap that embraces the back and the neck of the foot. The bottom belongs to the type of moulded bottoms defined as "box" bottom in the footwear industry, which feature a perimeter edge, inside which the upper is sewn and/or glued. The shoe according to the present invention originates with the intention of creating a shoe in which the upper, although closed, can be fixed to the bottom without sewing and/or gluing it, since these operations require skilled labour and specific equipment or machinery. In this perspective a new "box" bottom has been designed with a special configuration, provided with a series of slots or openings on the edge, used to insert one or more straps to embrace or completely cover both the back and the neck of the foot. In order to guarantee the effective protection of the toes, the bottom incorporates a hollow point, which houses the five toes of the foot, while the back of the bottom incorporates a quite high heel support with slots or opening, in which the strap used to embrace the back of the foot is inserted. From this general description it can be understood how the shoe according to the present invention can be produced without skilled labour or special equipment or machinery, since the only assembling operation is represented by the introduction of the straps into the slots or openings located in the "box" bottom. This operation is so simple that it can be even carried out by the purchaser, thus allowing to market the shoe according to the present invention in a kit, with two components: the bottom and the upper, made up of one or more straps. Frankly speaking it is already known a moulded bottom provided with slots or through openings to be used as fixing points of an upper made up of one or more transverse straps to be inserted into said slots and openings or used to embrace the back or the neck of the foot. The US 4,535,554 patent describes a shoe using a moulded bottom provided with a hollow point, a heel support and lateral edges; the upper is made up of several transverse straps embracing the back and the neck of the foot and fixed to the bottom by means of some buttons to be buttoned up into suitable holes provided on said edges and on said heel support. The DE 2009980, GB2071481 and FR 2649593 patents describe a sandal using an upper made up of one or two transverse straps inserted into corresponding through openings, thus crossing the bottom and coming out from the sides. All said footwear of known type - characterised in that they use bottoms provided with slots or openings for the application of the upper - never feature a closed upper designed to completely cover the foot from the point to the neck. In other words all the footwear illustrated in the aforementioned prior patents consist of sandals which leave the foot mainly uncovered since the transverse straps described therein (maximum two) embrace the foot only by the metatarsus and the neck. Finally, FR 2489103 describes a shoe using a bottom provided with a side by side series of transverse openings crossing the bottom and coming out from the sides; corresponding transverse straps designed to embrace the back of the foot are inserted into said openings so that, in this case too, the foot is left mainly uncovered although the aforementioned bottom is provided with more than two transverse openings for the passage of the corresponding straps. The main purpose of the present invention is to manufacture a shoe provided with a closed upper, composed by one or more straps inserted into slots or openings located on the bottom of the shoe. In this view it has been manufactured a shoe using a bottom of the type of moulded bottoms defined as "box" bottom, provided with a hollow point, a heel support and a series of slots or trough openings for the passage of corresponding transverse straps that form the upper, wherein the first slots or trough openings are located, at least in a section, under said hollow point, while the last slots or openings are located by the support heel and wherein said transverse straps are partially located above said hollow point and partially overlap, thus completely covering the foot, from the point to the neck. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said series of slots or openings follow one another in "cascade", that is the back ending section of each slot or opening is located above the initial section of the adjacent slot or opening, going from the point to the heel. Thanks to said "cascade" arrangement of the slots or openings it is possible to have the aforementioned transverse straps overlapped over the back and the neck of the foot, which is completely covered by said straps accordingly. Finally, it must be noted that the straps are provided with ordinary clips or Velcro inserts for firm fixing, once the straps have been inserted into the slots or openings and twisted around the foot. According to the specific requirements, the upper can be made up of several straps, one for each opposite pair of slots, or of one long strap twisted in the opposite series of slots or openings. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opposite series of slots is located on the two edges of the "box" bottom and on the lateral borders of the heel support. According to an alternative version of the invention, the heel support and the bottom sole feature a transverse series of through openings that end on the two edges of the bottom, in which the straps used to embrace and cover the foot are inserted. For major clarity the description of the shoe according to the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby: figure 1 is a schematic side view of the shoe according to the invention in a preferred embodiment , in which the upper is inserted into two opposite series of slots located on the edges of the bottom and on the sides of the heel support; figure 2 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in the shoe shown in figure 1; figure 3 is a schematic lateral view of the shoe according to the invention in another constructive version, in which the upper is inserted into two opposite series of through openings located on the sole of the bottom and on the body of the heel support; figure 4 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in the shoe shown in figure 2; figure 5 is a schematic lateral view of the shoe according to the invention in another constructive version, in which the upper into two opposite series of through openings located on the sole of the bottom and the body of the heel support; figure 6 is a cross-section with a longitudinal plane of the bottom used in the shoe shown in figure 5. With reference to figures 1 and 2, the shoe according to the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, consists of a moulded "box" bottom (1), which features a hollow point (2) and a heel support (3) used to embrace and support the heel up to the height of the malleolus approximately. Two opposite series of slots (6) are located on the lateral edges (4) of the bottom (1) and on the borders (5) of the heel support (3), characterised in that the back ending section of each slot is located above the initial section of the adjacent slot, going from the point to the heel. Moreover, the shoe according to the present invention includes an upper made up of one or more straps (7), wide enough to be inserted into the slots (6). As shown in figure 1, also the straps (7), just like the slots (6), are partially overlapped in cascade, so that there no empty spaces can exist between two straps, to avoid leaving the foot uncovered. On the other hand, the first slot (6), that is the one located next to the point of the bottom (1), begins beyond the opening (2a) of the hollow point (2), so that the opening remains hidden and protected under the first strap (7). Each strap (7) is provided with ordinary clips or Velcro inserts (not shown in the figure) used to dose it. As already mentioned in the introduction, instead of using a series of straps (7) for each opposite pair of slots (6), a long strap can be inserted consecutively in all the slots (6) according to a twisting direction. With reference to figures 3 and 4, it must be noted that in another constructive version of the shoe according to the invention, the sole (1a) of the bottom (1) and the body of the heel support (3) feature a transverse series of through openings (8) in which the straps (7) are inserted, thus crossing the whole sole (1a) of the bottom (1), coming out from the sides and being folded upwards and above the foot. Also in this constructive version the series of through openings (8) are partially overlapped in cascade. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another constructive version of the shoe according to the invention, in which the bottom (1) and the body of the heel support (3) feature a transverse series of through openings (8) in which the straps (7) are inserted, thus crossing the whole sole (1a) of the bottom (1), coming out from the sides and being folded upwards and above the foot. This version only differs from the one shown in figures 3 and 4 for the fact that the series of through openings (8) are not partially overlapped in cascade, but aligned and regularly spaced. In order to completely cover the foot, in this constructive version the straps (7a) feature sections with different width, lower in the section which is inserted into the openings and higher in the section which embraces the foot.

Claims: Shoe using a moulded bottom (1) provided with a sole (1a), a hollow point (2), a heel support (3), lateral edges (4) and a series of slots (6) or through openings (8) into which straps (7 or 7a) provided with ordinary closing means, such as clips or Velcro inserts, that form the upper are inserted; shoe characterised in that : the first slot (6) or through opening (8) is located, at least in a section, under the hollow point (2), while the last slot (6) or through opening (8) is located on the heel support (3); said straps (7 or 7a) are partially located above the hollow point (2) and feature an overlapping arrangement, so that the foot is completely covered, from the hollow point (2) to the neck; Shoe according to the previous claim, characterised in that it comprises two identical opposite series of slots (6), located on the aforementioned lateral edges (4) of the bottom (1) and on the borders (5) of said heel support (3), wherein the back ending section of each slot (6) is located above the initial section of the adjacent slot, going from the hollow point (2) to the heel support (3). Shoe according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a transverse series of through openings (8) located on the sole (1a) of the bottom (1) and on the body of the heel support (3), wherein the back ending section of each through opening (8) is located above the initial section of the adjacent opening, going from the hollow point (2) to the heel support (3). Shoe according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a transverse series of through openings (8), aligned and spaced, which are located on the sole (1a) of the bottom (1) and are to be threaded by the straps (7 or 7a) that feature sections with different width, lower in the section which is inserted into the through openings (8) and higher in the section which embraces the back of the foot so that said sections with higher width can partially overlap, thus completely covering the foot from the hollow point (2) to the neck.

Inventors: VECCHIOLA ANDREA, VECCHIOLA NICOLA, VECCHIOLA, ANDREA, VECCHIOLA, NICOLA
Applicants: A K A ADVANCED KIT ART S R L, A.K.A. ADVANCED KIT ART S.R.L.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A43B3
IPC codes: A43C11, A43B3