Abstract:
A novel shoe construction provides a unique aesthetically pleasing appearance to a shoe while also reinforcing the shoe construction. In the shoe construction, the shoe is provided with a first upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole and is secured around a wearer&#39;s foot by adjustable fasteners such as lacing, and a second upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole and is separate from and overlaps the first upper on opposite sides of the shoe and at the rear of the shoe.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to a novel shoe construction that provides a unique aesthetically pleasing appearance to a shoe while also reinforcing the shoe construction. In particular, the present invention pertains to a shoe construction in which the shoe is provided with a first upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole and is secured around a wearer&#39;s foot by adjustable fasteners such as lacing, and a second upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole and overlaps the first upper on opposite sides of the shoe and at the rear of the shoe. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     The oxford lace-up basketball shoe has been a very popular shoe for athletics for many years. In more recent years, in addition to the use of the shoe in athletics, the shoe has also become very popular as a comfortable casual shoe that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Shoes of this type are known as athleisure shoes. This is particularly true of the oxford lace-up basketball shoe that has an upper constructed of a flexible, breathable fabric, for example canvas. 
     With the increasing popularity of the oxford basketball shoe or athleisure shoes in general, new appearances have been sought for the shoe to maintain the marketability of the shoe by keeping up with the latest trends in fashion. However, in order to maintain the comfortable construction of the oxford-type shoe, changes to the shoe to keep up with fashion trends have been limited to changes in the color or pattern of the fabric employed in manufacturing the shoe. However, the colors or patterns of material employed in constructing the shoe are limited, creating a need to provide a new and aesthetically pleasing appearance of the shoe without detracting from the comfortable construction of the shoe. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the problem of providing a new and aesthetically pleasing appearance of an oxford lace-up basketball shoe without detracting from the comfortable construction of the shoe, and while actually reinforcing the construction of the shoe. The invention provides a novel modification to the shoe construction without substantially changing the original shoe construction. The athleisure shoe of the invention has basically the same construction as the popular oxford lace-up basketball shoe, but with an additional outer upper layer that overlaps the traditional upper of the shoe and provides a new, aesthetically pleasing appearance for the shoe. 
     The shoe construction of the present invention has a shoe sole that is substantially the same as the shoe sole employed in the construction of a typical athleisure shoe, for example a basketball oxford. The shoe construction of the invention also includes an upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole to a top edge of the upper that defines a forefoot opening of the shoe and an ankle opening of the shoe that provide access to the shoe interior for the shoe wearer&#39;s foot. A tongue also extends upwardly through the forefoot opening. An adjustable fastener, preferably lacing, extends across the forefoot opening and adjustably secures together the opposite sides of the upper over the shoe wearer&#39;s foot by tightening and tying the lacing, all of which are conventional. 
     The novel construction of the shoe of the invention is provided by a second, outer upper that extends upwardly from the shoe sole. The second upper extends upwardly over the opposite left and right side portions of the inner upper, and upwardly over the rear portion of the inner upper. The outer, second upper has basically the same configuration as the first, inner upper, but does not extend upwardly from the sole to the same extent as the inner upper. This exposes a portion of the first, inner upper above the top edge of the outer upper. In addition, the second, outer upper is left unattached to the first, inner upper, except for the connections of the two overlapping uppers at the shoe sole. The second, outer upper is provided with lacing eyelets in the same manner as the first, inner upper, but the lacing does not extend through the eyelets of the second upper and only extends through the eyelets of the first upper. 
     Thus, the shoe construction with the double, overlapping uppers gives the shoe a novel aesthetically pleasing appearance without detracting from the comfortable construction of the shoe. Furthermore, by providing the second, outer upper overlapping the first, inner upper, the shoe construction is reinforced by the double overlapping layers of the upper. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the front of a left shoe of the invention, with the right shoe of the invention having a construction that is a mirror image duplicate of the left shoe construction. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the shoe shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a left side elevation view of the shoe shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevation view of the shoe shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the shoe shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the shoe shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The double upper construction of the athleisure shoe  12  of the present invention has the basic construction of an oxford lace-up basketball shoe. The exception is that the novel construction of the shoe  12  provides the shoe with a second, outer upper that is separate from the first, inner upper of the shoe. This provides the shoe with a unique, aesthetic appearance, and reinforces the shoe by providing a double layer of flexible material on the shoe upper. In the preferred embodiment of the shoe  12  shown in the drawing figures, the shoe is a high-top oxford basketball shoe. However, it should be understood that the novel concept of the invention could be employed on other types of shoes. Because much of the construction of the shoe  12  of the invention is the same as that of a conventional oxford lace-up shoe, the conventional features of the construction will be described only generally herein. 
     The shoe  12  has a shoe sole  14  that is constructed of resilient materials that are typically employed in the construction of soles of athletic shoes. The sole  14  can be constructed with an outsole, a midsole, and an insert, as is conventional. The shoe sole  14  has a bottom surface  16  that functions as the traction surface of the shoe, and an opposite top surface  18  in the interior  22  of the shoe. The size of the shoe  12  has a length that extends from a rear heel end  24  to a front toe end  26  of the sole, and the shoe  12  has a width that extends between a right side  28  and a left side  32  of the shoe sole. 
     The shoe upper  32  is secured to the shoe sole  14  and extends upwardly from the shoe sole top surface  18 , as is conventional. The upper  34  is constructed of a flexible material, for example leather or a fabric such as canvas. The upper  34  is constructed with a heel portion  36  that extends around the shoe sole top surface  18  at the shoe sole heel end  24 . The upper heel portion  36  extends upwardly from the shoe sole  18  to a collar edge  38  of the upper that defines an ankle opening  42  into the shoe interior  22 . 
     From the heel portion  36 , the upper  34  has a right side portion  44  and a left side portion  46  that extend forwardly along the respective shoe sole right side  28  and shoe sole left side  32 . The upper right side portion  44  extends upwardly from the shoe sole right side  28  to an upper right side edge  48 . The upper left side portion  46  extends upwardly from the shoe sole left side  32  to an upper left side edge  52 . As seen in the drawing figures, the upper right side edge  48  and the upper left side edge  52  extend forwardly from opposite sides of the upper collar edge  38  toward the front toe end  26  of the shoe sole. The length of the upper right side edge  48  and the upper left side edge  52  define a forefoot opening  54  in the shoe upper  34  that opens to the shoe interior  22 . 
     The upper  34  is also constructed with a toe box or toe cap  56  that extends around and across the shoe sole top-surface  18  at the shoe sole toe end  26 . The toe box  56  is connected between the upper right side portion  44  and the upper left side portion  46  and encloses a portion of the shoe interior  22  adjacent the shoe sole toe end  26 . The upper right side edge  48  and the upper left side edge  52  extend rearwardly from the toe box  56 . 
     A first plurality of apertures  62  are provided on the upper right side portion  44  and a second plurality of apertures  64  are provided on the upper left side portion  46 . The apertures  62 ,  64  are preferably lacing openings, meaning openings on the shoe upper that are typically occupied by a portion of the lacing that closes the shoe upper over the forefoot opening of the shoe. The apertures  62 ,  64  can be provided by any known means of providing lacing openings on shoes, for example D-rings or speed lacing hooks. However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the apertures  62 ,  64  are provided by a first plurality of eyelets or grommets  66  on the upper right side portion  44  and a second plurality of eyelets or grommets  68  on the upper left side portion  46 . The eyelets  66 ,  68  provide the desired conventional lace-up shoe appearance. The apertures  62 ,  68  are arranged in lines along the upper right side edge  48  and along the upper left side edge  52  of the shoe upper, as is conventional. As is seen in the drawing figures, the apertures  62 ,  64  extend substantially the entire lengths of the upper right side edge  48  and the upper left side edge  52  between the upper collar edge  48  and the upper toe box  56 . 
     The shoe upper  34  includes a vamp  72  or throat positioned rearwardly of the toe box  56 , and a tongue  74  that extends rearwardly from the vamp  72  through the forefoot opening  54 . The tongue  74  extends along the lengths of the upper right side portion  44  and the upper left side portion  46  to a distal end  76  of the tongue. The tongue  74  has a width between a right side edge (not shown) and a left side edge (not shown) of the tongue. The length and width of the tongue position the tongue side edges beneath the upper right side portion  44  and the upper left side portion  46 , respectively, and extend the tongue over the forefoot opening  54  of the shoe. 
     The construction of the shoe  12  to this point has been, for the most part, conventional. The unique shoe construction of the invention is provided by a second, outer shoe upper  84  that is also secured to the shoe sole  14  and extends upwardly from the shoe sole top surface  18  over the exterior of the first, inner shoe upper  34 . The second upper  84  is constructed of a flexible material, for example leather or fabric. To improve the appearance of the shoe  12 , the second upper  84  can be constructed of a material having a different visual appearance than the first upper  34 , for example having a different color. The second upper  84  is also constructed with a heel portion  86  that extends around the shoe sole top surface  18  at the shoe sole heel end  24 . The second upper heel portion  86  extends upwardly from the shoe sole  14  to a collar edge  88  of the second upper that surrounds the collar edge  38  of the first upper  34 , but is separate from and is spaced from the collar edge  38  of the first upper  34 . As seen in the drawing figures, the second upper  84  does not extend upwardly from the shoe sole  14  to the same extent as the first upper  34 , resulting in the first upper  34  extending upwardly beyond the second upper  84 . Thus, the second upper collar edge  88  defines a second ankle opening  92  that contains the first upper heel portion  36 . 
     From the second upper heel portion  86 , the second upper has a right side portion  94  and a left side portion  96  that extend forwardly along the respective shoe sole right side  28  and shoe sole left side  32 . The second upper right side portion  94  extends over and overlaps the first upper right side portion  44  and extends upwardly from the shoe sole right side  28  to an upper right side edge  98  of the second upper. As seen in the drawing figures, the second upper does not extend upwardly from the shoe sole to the same extent as the first upper, therefore, the second upper right side edge  98  is separate from and spaced below the first upper right side edge  48 . The second upper left side  96  extends upwardly from the shoe sole left side  32  to a second upper left side edge  102 . The second upper left side edge  102  is also separate and spaced from the first upper left side edge  52 . 
     The second upper right side and left side edges  98 ,  102  have basically the same configurations and extend along the first upper right side and left side edges  48 ,  52 , but are spaced below the first upper edges. Thus, the first upper  34  of the shoe  12  projects upwardly beyond the top edges of the second upper  84 , allowing portions of the first upper  34  to be seen above the second upper  84 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the second upper  84  extends over a majority of the exterior of the first upper  34 , but is separate from the first upper  34  and can be pulled away or folded downwardly from the first upper  34  to expose more of the first upper  34 . The first upper  34  and the second upper  84  are basically attached to each other only where the two uppers are attached to the shoe sole  14 . 
     A third plurality of apertures  104  and a fourth plurality of apertures  106  are provided on the respective second upper right side portion  94  and second upper left side portion  96 . The apertures  104 ,  106  are basically the same type of apertures  62 ,  64  described earlier in the description of the construction of the first upper  34 . That is, the third plurality of apertures  104  is provided by a third plurality of eyelets  108  on the second upper right side portion  94  and the fourth plurality of apertures  106  is provided by a fourth plurality of eyelets  112  on the second upper left side portion  96 . The eyelets  108 ,  112  are arranged in a line adjacent to the second upper right side edge  98  and the second upper left side edge  102 , just as on the earlier described first upper  34 . However, there is no lacing or other adjustable fasteners connecting the third plurality of eyelets  108  with the fourth plurality of eyelets  112 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustable fasteners that extend between the first upper right side portion  44  and the first upper left side portion  46  is shoe lacing  114 , However, other equivalent fasteners known in the art and used with shoes, for example elastic bands or hook and loop-type straps, may also be used. In the shoe construction of the invention, the lacing  114  only extends through the first plurality of eyelets  66  on the first upper right side portion  44  and the second plurality of eyelets  68  on the first upper left side portion  46 . The drawing figures show the lacing  114  extending through all of the eyelets  66 ,  68  and extending across the forefoot opening  54 . In alternate embodiments, fewer than all of the eyelets  66 ,  68  on the respective right side portion  44  and left side portion  46  of the first upper  34  may receive a portion of the lacing  114 . 
     There is no lacing that extends through the eyelets  108  on the second upper right side portion  94  and the eyelets  112  on the second upper left side portion  96 . The absence of the lacing through the eyelets of the second upper  84  gives the shoe  12  a unique appearance. 
     Although the shoe of the invention has been described above by referring to a particular embodiment of the shoe, it should be understood that the modifications and variations could be made to the shoe described without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims.