Patent Publication Number: US-2015082660-A1

Title: Sock piece

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/960,560 filed 21 Sep. 2013, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to footwear and, more particularly, to a sock piece that combines with other components to provide a sock sandal, a reversible sock and comfortable footwear. 
     Current footwear, does not allow wearers to adjust the function—e.g., the amount of air circulation, the amount of padding or the odor control—that the footwear provides, much less allow the wearer to adapt the form of the footwear. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a footwear component that allows the wearer to adjust the function and form of the footwear worn. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a foot region of footwear comprises: a sole base having a plurality of male fasteners; and a plurality of straps having a plurality of female fasteners, wherein the plurality of straps are configured to form a sock sandal by mating complementary male and female fasteners. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling the air circulation of a foot region of footwear comprises: providing at least one sole base having a plurality of male fasteners; providing a reversible sock configured to receive the at least one sole base; and securing the at least one sole base in the reversible sock. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sock piece. The sock piece may include a flat sole base, a reversible sock and cooperating footwear. The sole base may have a plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners may removably attach to a plurality of straps to form a sandal; removably attach to the cooperating footwear to form padded footwear; and removably attach to the reversible sock to form a sock configured to cover substantially all of the wearer&#39;s foot. The reversible sock may snugly receive at least one additional sole base to modify the air circulation, odor control and/or padding as the wearer so desires. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , the present invention may include a sock piece  10 . The components of the sock piece  10  may be fabricated from materials suitable for hosiery and garment applications, including fabrics of natural and synthetic materials such as, for example, nylon, spandex, cotton, silk, lycra and polyester or blends thereof, woven materials such as felt, non-woven materials including non-woven spunbond or carded webs of polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, a non-woven web of cellulosic fibers, textile fibers such as rayon fibers, or a blend of cellulosic and textile fibers; or melt blown thermoplastic fibers, such as macro fibers or micro fibers of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester or other thermoplastic materials or mixtures of such thermoplastic macro fibers or micro fibers with cellulosic, pulp or textile fibers, and natural fibers (e.g., wood or cellulose), may be used depending on the particular application. One skilled in the art, however, will realize that other materials suitable for manufacture, in accordance with the present disclosure would be appropriate. It is further envisioned that the sock piece  10  may be fabricated from a non-fabric material such as rubber or other polymers. The sock piece  10  may be fabricated from material that controls odor and/or facilitates air circulation. 
     The sock piece  10  may include a flat sole base  12  of a configuration corresponding to the ground-engaging sole surface of the foot of a wearer. The sole base  12  may be sufficiently wide and long enough to fit any size foot comfortably and is offered in a variety of sizes to fit all standard or non-standard shoe sizes and may be worn on either foot, i.e., the sock piece  10  is not formed to fit a particular foot but may be worn on either the right or left foot. 
     It is contemplated that the sole base  12  may include a single layer or be fabricated from a laminate of multiple layers. In an embodiment including multiple layers, it is further contemplated that the multiple layers may include the same or alternative materials. In certain embodiments, the sole base  12  may be fabricated by multiple layers by using a crisscross stitching  14  patterned for providing stability. In an alternative embodiment, the fabrication of multiple layers may utilize stitching  14  in a patchwork patterned for providing stability. 
     In certain embodiments, the sock piece  10  may provide a sock sandal  20  including the sole base  12  and a plurality of sole fasteners  16 . In certain embodiments, the plurality of sole fasteners  16  may each provide a male component  18 . It should be understood that the plurality of sole fasteners  16  may be any fastener known in the art for fastening or removably securing one object to another including, for example, standard push-button snaps, Velcro-type fasteners, adhesive substances, combinations thereof, and the like. 
     In certain embodiments, the sock sandal  20  may include a plurality of straps of material  21 , each forming at least one female component  22 . The female component  22  may be adapted to securely mate with the male component  18  so that the plurality of straps  21  may extend from one side of the sock sandal  20  to an another side, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , so as to operably retain the foot of the wearer. It should also be that the plurality of straps  21  may be configured in any array and/or number, so long as the straps function in accordance with the present invention as described herein 
     In certain embodiments, the sock piece  10  may provide a footwear component  30 . The footwear component  30  may include cooperating footwear  34  providing a plurality of female fastening components  22  along a portion of the interior surface thereof. The plurality of female fastening components  22  may be disposed along the base thereof so that the plurality of sole fasteners  16  male fastening components  18  of the sole base  12  may be removably attach within the cooperating footwear  34 . 
     In certain embodiments, the sock piece  10  may provide a reversible sock component  40 . The reversible sock component  40  may include a reversible sock body  42 . The reversible sock body  42  may include a foot portion configured to cover substantially all of the wearer&#39;s foot. The reversible sock body  42  may be worn on either foot, i.e., the reversible sock body  42  is not formed to fit a particular foot but may be worn on either the right or left foot, as a long sock. The reversible sock body  42  may be fabricated from materials suitable for hosiery and garment applications, similar to the sock piece  10 . The reversible sock body  42  may include a single layer or be fabricated from a laminate of multiple layers, similar to the sock piece  10 . The reversible sock body  42  may be reversible so that the reversible sock body  42  may be turned inside out and still be operable, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 through 7 . 
     In certain embodiments, the sock piece  10  may provide a padded reversible sock  50 . The padded reversible sock  50  may include reversible sock body  42  adapted so that at least one sole base  12  may be snugly secured near a base  52  in the inside of the reversible sock body  42 , whereby the reversible sock body  42  may be configured as a receptacle for snugly receiving at least one sole base  12 . If the function of the odor control, air circulation and/or padding is desired to be modified by the wearer, then the number of sole bases  12  snugly secured within the reversible sock body  42  may be adjusted accordingly. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the reversible sock body  42  may provide a sole base sock  60 . The sole base sock  60  may include the plurality of female fastening components  22  disposed along the base  52  thereof so that the plurality of sole fasteners  16  male fastening components  18  of the sole base  12  may be removably attach along the base  52  about the inside or outside of the reversible sock body  42 . It should be understood that the sole base sock  60  may be reversed so that sole base  12  may either be reversed to the outside or the inside of the sole base sock  60 . 
     A method of using the present invention may include the following. The sock piece  10  disclosed above may be provided. A user may adapt the sole base  12  and the plurality of straps  21  into the sock sandal  20  by mating at least a portion of the plurality of complementary fastening components  18 ,  22 . When the user desires to fully cover their foot, they may remove the plurality of straps  21  and then attach the reversible sock body  42  to the sole base  12  by mating at least a portion of the plurality of complementary fastening components  18 ,  22 . Alternatively, the user may wear the reversible sock body  42  by itself. When the user desires the reversible sock body  42  to provide different levels of padding, odor control and/or air circulation for the wearer, the user may insert and snugly secure at least one additional sole base  12  into the reversible sock body  42 . When the user desires to the wearer is provided sturdier footwear, the user may separate the sole base  12  from the reversible sock body  42  and then insert the sole base  12  into the cooperating footwear  34  by mating at least a portion of the plurality of complementary fastening components  18 ,  22 . 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.