Abstract:
A footwear has a sole comprising at least a resilient component having a peripheral profile, with a medial part and a lateral part which define therebetween a width dimension. To the resilient component an adjusting system is associated, operable in order to select a desired adjusting degree of the width dimension. The sole comprises inspection means arrangede for allowing the visual check, from the lower part of the sole, of the adjusting degree selected by means of the adjusting system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a footwear including an adjusting system, suitable for allowing to adapt the shape of the footwear itself to the one of a user&#39;s foot.  
         [0002]     It is known that, on the same length, the feet of different persons can vary in shape and width and that even the right and left feet of a same person can be different from each other. The greatest size differences are found in the width, especially in the zone of the sole of the foot.  
         [0003]     For this reason, given a certain length, an identical footwear model should ideally be carried out in a multitude of versions, differentiated from each other in terms of width or “fitting”, corresponding to the size of the plan circumference passing between the 1 st  and the 5 th  metatartsus.  
         [0004]     De facto, the manufacturers perform a mediated choice of versions to be produced, as a function of the sale market of the footwear, its use destination, employed materials, construction typology. In each case, however, some different versions of an identical footwear model must be carried out, which, on the same length, are “larger” or more “narrow”, in order to satisfy the feet variability.  
         [0005]     Such productive diversification, as far as it is the result of a reasonable productive compromise, involves problems both for the footwears manufacturer, which has to arrange, anyway, different plants for shapes, soles, uppers, etcetera, and for the retailers, which have to buy a greater number of versions of the same model of footwear, trying to satisfy the various requirements of the end customers. It goes without saying that some customers will have to buy, however, slightly larger or more narrow footwears, if their feet do not correspond to the “mediated” dimensions of the various available versions.  
         [0006]     In view of solving these drawbacks, the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146 proposes a footwear having an adjusting system conceived for allowing to adapt the shoe to the user&#39;s foot. The footwear includes an upper and a sole which, in its metatarsal zone, presents a discontinuity of material, in correspondence of which adjusting means are operative. The sole includes in particular at least an intersole, made of an elastically yielding material, and the aforesaid discontinuity can consist of a void, such as a slot formed in the intersole, or of an insert of a more yielding material relative to the one forming the rest of the intersole, or still of a small air chamber placed in the ambit of the intersole. The intersole thus conceived is positioned between the upper of the footwear and an outer sole of the same.  
         [0007]     In one of the possible embodiments described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146, the adjusting means include threaded rods, placed transversally to the intersole and fixed at a central part of this latter; on the ends ot such fixed threaded rods respective bushings with female thread are screwed, whose heads are accessible on the outer profile of the intersole, in opposite parts of this latter. Each of such heads is equipped with a notch, susceptible of co-operation with a suitable tool so as to screw or unscrew the bushing on the respective threaded rod, for determining the compression or allowing the expansion of a corresponding portion of the discontinuity of material. In this way, it is possible to adjust in an independent way the width of the sole in multiple points of the metatarsal zone, between an ideal central longitudinal axis and the periphery of the sole itself, so as to adapt the shape of the sole profile to the user&#39;s foot.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The aim of the present invention is to carry out an improvement of the known art above mentioned, in particular for the purpose of render easier the adjustment step of the width of the footwear, either if it is carried out by the manufacturer, the retailer or the end user.  
         [0009]     These and further objects, which will result more evident hereinafter, are attained according to the present invention by a footwear having the features shown in the appended claims, which form an integral part of the descriptive content of the present application of utility model. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     Further objects, as well as the features and the advantages of the present invention will result evident from the following description and the enclosed drawings, which are given by mere way of explanatory and not limitative example, wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an elevational and partly sectional diagrammatic view of a sports footwear carried out according to the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic bottom view of the body of a sole component of the footwear of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are two diagrammatic side views of the component of  FIG. 2 , of a medial part and a lateral part of the peripheral edge or profile of such component, respectively;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a plan diagrammatic view of an insert forming part of an adjusting system of the footwear according to the invention;  
         [0015]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are diagrammatic sections according to the lines VI-VI and VII-VII of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a front diagrammatic view of the insert of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an elevational diagrammatic view of two components forming part of the adjusting system of the footwear according to the invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic side view of two screws forming part of the adjusting system of the footwear according to the invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic bottom view of the component of  FIG. 2 , equipped with the adjusting means of  FIGS. 5-10 , in a first possible configuration;  
         [0020]      FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic side view of the component of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic bottom view of a footwear according to the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 14  is a section according to the line XIV-XIV of  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 15  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 11 , but with the respective component in a second configuration;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 16 and 17  are diagrammatic sections, similar to those of  FIGS. 6 and 7 , of an insert carried out according to a possible variant of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 18  is a diagrammatic section, substantially similar to that of  FIG. 14 , for showing a possible variant of the invention, using the insert of  FIGS. 16 and 17 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 19  is a diagrammatic section, substantially similar to that of  FIG. 14 , for showing another possible variant of the invention, using the insert of  FIGS. 16 and 17 ;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 20 and 21  are two partial and diagrammatic sections of the component of  FIG. 11  or  15 , carried out according to another possible variant of the invention;  
         [0028]      FIGS. 22 and 23  are a diagrammatic bottom view and a diagrammatic side view, respectively, of a component similar to that of  FIG. 2 , according to another possible variant of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]     In  FIG. 1 , a general sport footwear carried out according to the invention is generally indicated by  1 , having an higher part or upper  2  and a lower part or sole; in the exemplary case, the sole comprises a lower or outer sole  3  and an intersole  4 .  
         [0030]     The type of embodiment of the upper  2  leaves out the purposes of the present invention and therefore it will not be described and shown in detail.  
         [0031]     The outer sole  3  is made of a synthetic material, for example rubber with a differentiated hardness; in the exemplified case, in the outer sole  3  two portions  3   a  and  3   b  are found, each one defining a part of tread, for the back part and the front part of the footwear  1 , respectively; between the two parts of outer sole  3   a  and  3   b , in correspondence with the zone of the waist edge of the footwear  1 , an intermediate portion  3   c  is foreseen, which does not necessarily perform tread functions. It should be noted that the outer sole  3  could also be formed in multiple discrete pieces stuck to the intersole  4 , such as for example a back part, defining the portion  3   a , a front part, defining the portion  3   b , and an intermediate part defining the portion  3   c.    
         [0032]     The intersole  4  has a body  4   a  presenting an upper face, a lower face and a side edge or peripheral profile, this latter having a first tract, shown by  4   a ′ in  FIG. 2  and in the following defined as medial tract, and a second tract, shown by  4   a ″ in  FIG. 2  and in the following defined as lateral tract; the medial tract  6   a ′ is substantially the part of the peripheral profile of the intersole  4  which is faced towards the other foot of the user, when the footwear is worn, while the lateral tract  4   a ″ is substantially the part of the peripheral profile opposite to the medial one.  
         [0033]     The intersole  4  is positioned between the upper  2  and the outer sole  3 , and upon it, within the footwear  1 , an arch support or plantar is foreseen, if necessary, of an extractable type, not shown; for this purpose, the intersole  4  defines in its higher zone a depression  4   b , in which ambit the aforesaid arch support finds at least a partial housing.  
         [0034]     The body  4   a  of the intersole  6  can be obtained by molding of an elastic, soft and light material, such as for example EVA, and then associated with the upper  2 , for example of sticking in peripheral zones of its higher face; to the lower face of the intersole  4 , equipped with adjusting means which will be described hereinafter, the outer sole  3  is successively associated, preferably through sticking.  
         [0035]     In  FIGS. 2-4  the body  4   a  of the intersole  4  is depicted. As it can be seen in  FIG. 2 , in the front part of the body  4   a , and particularly in the metatarsal zone, a discontinuity of material is foreseen, indicated by  8 ; in the exemplified case, such discontinuity consists of a hollow or void in form of a slot, which extends itself lenghtwise in the same direction of longitudinal extension of the intersole  4 . Alternatively to a hollow or a void, the discontinuity  8  could also be constituted by an insert or a body part formed in a material more easily compressible than the one forming the rest of the body  4   a , or by a small air chamber, similarly to what described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146 already mentioned, whose teachings regarding this are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0036]     In the body  4   a  two housings, indicated by  9 , are further formed, substantially parallel to each other (although if such parallel arrangement is not strictly necessary) and which extend themselves transversally with respect to the body  4   a  and/or with respect to the longitudinal development of the slot  8 .  
         [0037]     Each housing  9  presents a first end portion configured as a cylindrical hole, indicated by  9   a , having an end which opens on the medial tract  4   a ′ of the peripheral profile of the body  4   a ; the other end of the hole  9   a  ends in correspondence with a substantially parallelepiped-shaped first seat  9   b , opened on the lower face LF of the body  4   a ; adjacent the first seat  9   b  a further small seat  9   b ′ is foreseen, having dimensions lower than the seat  9   b  and also opened on the lower face LF of the body  4   a.    
         [0038]     From the seat  9   b ′, the housing  9  then proceeds with a substantially U-shaped groove  9   c , also opened on the lower face LF of the body  4   a ; the groove  9   c  of each housing extends lengthwise transversally to the slot  8 . The housing  9  finally ends with a second seat  9   d , with a complex shape conformed for housing at least part of a respective insert, one of which is depicted with different views in the  FIGS. 5, 6 ,  7  and  8 , where it is indicated by  11 . In the example, the seat  9   d  is slightly recessed relative to the lateral tract  4   a ″ of the peripheral profile of the body  4   a.    
         [0039]     In the  FIGS. 5-8 , only one of the inserts  11  is shown in different views, in view of the fact that the other insert is of a substantially similar shape. The insert  11  presents a small-plate base  11   a , from an end of which a front wall  11   b  is orthogonally raised, having a respective groove-shaped passage  11   b ″; in the central zone of the base  11   a , from the same side from which the wall  11   b  is raised, a cylindrical tube  11   c , internally threaded and opened at both the ends, is defined, the passage  11   b ′ and the tube  11   c  being substantially coaxial to each other. In the surface of the base  11   a  opposite to the one in which the walls  11   b  and the tube  11   c  are raised, a substantially U-shaped relief or projection  11   d  is present, aligned at the open bottom of the tube itself.  
         [0040]     The seat  9   d  is shaped so as to have  
         [0041]     a first portion  10   a , intended to receive the front wall  11   b  of the insert  11 ,  
         [0042]     a second portion  10   b , intended to receive the tube  11   c  of the insert  11 , and  
         [0043]     a third portion  10   c , intended to receive the base  11   a  of the component  11 , such that its surface from which the relief  11   d  is protruding results substantially flush with the surface of the lower face of the body  4   a  of the intersole  4 .  
         [0044]     It should be noted that between the portions  10   a  and  10   b , a tract of seat  10   d  is also formed, which performs a sort of extension of the groove  9   c  of the housing  9 .  
         [0045]     The seat  9   b  is foreseen in order to house a small plate  12 , visible in  FIG. 9 , which has a wholly parallelepiped shape and is equipped with a groove-shaped passage  12   a.    
         [0046]     In  FIG. 10  two screws or adjusting rods are visible, indicated by  13 , each one intended to co-operate with a respective insert  11 . Each screw  13  has a respective head  13   a , having a notch  13   a ′ (see  FIG. 10 ), a substantially cylindrical intermediate part  13   b  and a threaded end part  13   c ; on the part  13   c  two small flanges or washers  13   a ′ and  13   d  are foreseen; the washer  13   a ′ is at a short distance from the head  13   a , while the washer  13   d  is in correspondence with the end of the thread.  
         [0047]     The body  6   a  of the intersole  6  can be molded, with procedures and means known per se, so as to present the slot  8  and the housings  9 . In each hole  9   a  a respective screw  13  is threaded, the threaded end  13   c  of which is then partly screwed in the tube  11   c  of the insert  11 , with the washer  13   d  being positioned between the front wall  11   b  and the tube  11   c  of the insert itself; such operation is allowed by the elasticity of the material forming the body  4   a  and since the parts  13   b ,  13   d  of the screw  13  are of such a diameter that they can pass in the ambit of the passage  11   b ′ of the front wall  11   b  of the insert  11 .  
         [0048]     The insert  1  is then introduced in the respective seat  10 , with the surface of its base  11   a  substantially flush with the surface of the lower face of the body  4   a ; in each seat  9   b  a respective small plate  12  is then introduced, such that its passage  12   a  is fitted on the cylindrical portion  13   b  of the screw  13 ; so the small plate  12  became then positioned between the head  13   a  and the washer  13   a ′ of the respective screw  13 . Finally, the small plate  12 ′ of  FIG. 9  is slipped on the screw  13 , such that the passage  12   a ′ results fitted on the threaded part  13   c  of the screw itself, between the washer  13   d  and the front wall  11   b  of the insert  11 .  
         [0049]     After the aforesaid operations, the intersole  4  is substantially as depicted in  FIG. 11 . For the purposes of the assembly, the screw  13  can be screwed in the tube  11   c  in a predefined position, for example as visible in  FIG. 11 ; in such case, the washer  13   d , which is, as already mentioned, at the limit of thread of the end  13   c , is in contact against the small plate  12   a ′ which is in turn in contact against the front wall  11   b  of the insert  11 .  
         [0050]     In the assembled condition and as it can be seen in  FIG. 12 , in correspondence with the holes  9   a  on the medial tract  4   a ′ of the peripheral profile of the intersole  4  the heads  13   a  of the screws  13  result accessible, and thanks to the presence of the respective notches  13   a ′, can be rotated, for example by means of a screwdriver.  
         [0051]     According to the main aspect of the invention, the footwear  1  has inspection means, intended to allow the visual control of the adjusting degree, in correspondence with a zone of the sole  3 ,  4  which is intermediate with respect to the medial  4   a ′ and lateral  4   a ″ tracts of its outer profile.  
         [0052]     For this purpose, in the exemplified embodiment, the body of the insert  11  is made of a substantially transparent plastic material and the outer sole  3 , in its front part  3   a , is equipped with openings or passages, suitable for allowing the direct view of at least a part of a respective transparent insert  11 .  
         [0053]     In  FIG. 13  the footwear  1  is depicted through a bottom view, while in  FIG. 14 a  partial section of the sole  3 ,  4  is depicted. As it can be seen, in the part  3   a  of the lower or outer sole two passages or holes are foreseen, each one located in correspondence with the projection  11   d  of a respective insert  11 . As it can also be seen in  FIG. 14 , the peripheral zone of the base  11   b  of the insert  11  is covered by the outer sole  3 , so as to ensure the positioning of the insert itself in the ambit of the respective seat formed in the body  4   a  of the intersole.  
         [0054]     Through the passages  15  and the transparent body of the inserts  11  it is possible to visually check the extent of the screwing of the threaded portion  13   c  of each screw  13  in the respective tube  11   c , that is of their co-operation or coupling degree. For this purpose, on the surface of the base Ha of the insert intended to remain exposed in corrispondence with a respective passage  15 , reference notches can be suitably formed, useful for the adjusting purposes.  
         [0055]     For the purposes of carrying out of the footwear  1 , therefore, after the obtainment of the intersole  4  equipped with the adjusting means  11 - 13 , on the lower face LF of the intersole itself the outer sole is stuck, such that the passages  15  result positioned as previously described.  
         [0056]     The functioning of the adjusting means of the footwear is very easy. After the screwing of a screw  13 , the respective head  13   a  presses on the adjacent small plate  12 , with the consequence that the part of the body  4   a  of the intersole  4   a  which is between such small plate  12  and the button hole  8  is forced towards the insert  11 , and/or this latter is pulled towards the small plate  12 ; this determines a compression of the discontinuity  8 , which allows to obtain a width decrease of the intersole  4 , and therefore a modification of the shape of its peripheral profile.  
         [0057]     In  FIG. 15  the maximum screwing situation of the two screws  13 , determined by the contact of the respective washers  13   d  on the front end of the respective tubes  11   c  of the inserts  11 , is depicted; it should be noted that in such a figure the outer sole  3  has not been shown, for greater clarity sakes. As it can be seen, in such condition the discontinuity  8  results substantially compressed, with a consequent decrease of the width of the intersole  4  in the metatarsal zone; always in  FIG. 15 , the dotted part points out the shape of the peripheral profile of the intersole  4  in a non adjusted condition, namely as in the case depicted in  FIG. 11 . On the contrary, starting for example from the configuration of  FIG. 15 , by unscrewing the screws  13  the discontinuity  8  tends to expand itself, thanks to the elasticity of the material forming the intersole  4 , returning in the configuration of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0058]     In each case, the extent of the adjustment carried out through the screws  13  can be visually controlled with accuracy, through the passages  15  and the transparency of the material forming the inserts  11 ; as mentioned, the inserts could be equipped of proper indicating notches. As it can be assumed, therefore, the width or the “fitting” of the shoe according to the invention can be accurately personalized in an easy and repetitive manner. This is particularly advantageous, besides for the manufacturers and the retailers of footwears, also for the end users. For example, in some circumstances, a user will be able to provisionally change the adjustment in view of a particular use situation of the footwear, however having then the possibility of re-establish the initial adjustment, thanks to the possibility of physically precisely observe, and therefore remember, the initial adjustment degree through the passages  15  and the transparency of the inserts  11 .  
         [0059]     Of course, construction details and embodiments could widely vary with respect to what has been described and shown by mere way of example, without leaving the ambit of the present invention.  
         [0060]     For example, the body of the component  11  could also be made of an opaque material, with its base portion  11   a  having a slot longitudinally extending in correspondence with the threaded tube  11   c . Such a variant is diagramatically depicted in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , wherein the aforesaid slot is indicated by  11   e . In this way, through the slot  11   e  it is possible to see the threaded end  13   c  of the screw  13 , and therefore visually check the adjustment degree; for this purpose, on the base  11   a  reference notches could be also foreseen. In this embodiment, the zone wherein the slot  11   e  is located can be suitably covered by a thin layer of transparent material; as visible for example in the section of  FIG. 18 , such layer can consist of a transparent element  11   f  interposed between the intersole  4  and the outer sole  3 , or being directly constituted of a transparent portion of the outer sole  3 , as it can be seen in  FIG. 19 .  
         [0061]     Without considering the selected implementation and for the purpose of making easier the vision of the adjustment degree, the screws  13  or the means which replace them could have at least in part a colouring which contrasts with the one of the material forming the body  4   a  of the intersole  4  and/or the outer sole  3 .  
         [0062]     In an alternative embodiment, the extent of the adjustment could also be made visible through the position of the washer  13   d , instead of the threaded end of the respective screw  13 ; in this case, with an insert  11  having the slot  11   e , this latter will be obviously obtained in correspondence with the tract of the stroke allowed for the washer  13   d , such stroke being produced by the movement of the respective screw  13 .  
         [0063]     On the slot  8 , in case it is formed by a void crossing the body  4   a , a covering stuck on the upper face of the body itself can be foreseen; such a covering, comprising for example a fabric or an elastic or flexible material sheet, is indicated by  14  and diagrammatically depicted in section in two conditions in  FIGS. 20 and 21 , corresponding to the two situations of extreme adjustment in  FIGS. 11 and 15 , respectively.  
         [0064]     In the  FIGS. 22 and 23  an embodiment of the invention is finally depicted, wherein in the body  4   a  of the intersole a single housing  9  is foreseen and wherein the adjusting means are formed by a single insert  11  and a screw  13 , with the respective two small plates  12 ,  12 ′. The adjustment, in the case of the variant of  FIGS. 22, 23  occurs with the same procedures previously explained.  
         [0065]     In the embodiments previously exemplified, the adjustment of the width or “fitting” allows to obtain a substantially symmetrical variation of the peripheral profile of the footwear, that is the adjustment is carried out in substantially equal proportions between the medial  4   a ′ and the lateral  4   a ″ tracts of said profile. Nothing prevents, in principle, to foreseen an adjustment in independent points, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146, being understood that for one or more adjusting means respective inspection means will be foreseen, accessible from the lower face of the sole  3 ,  4  and particularly formed at least partly in the lower sole  3 . Also the adjusting means could foresee a mutual coupling other than the threaded one previously described, and being for example in form of small plates co-operating together in a varying manner through respective teeth or ratchet gears, similarly to what has been described in the mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,146, whose teachings concerning this aspect are considered incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0066]     For intersoles made of an extremely elastic and yielding material, the body  4   a  could be possibly overmolded directly to the adjusting means, which in this case should be previously assembled together and directly placed within the overmolding mold.  
         [0067]     The invention has been described with a particular reference to a sport footwear, but it is evident that the same is susceptible of application also to other kinds of shoes.