Patent Publication Number: US-2023139721-A1

Title: Conjoined two piece lateral and medial rear closing shoe vamp

Description:
This utility patent application and claims have been researched against the USPTO database of prior art patents with respect to non-laced shoe upper configurations and maintains that the present conjoined two-piece lateral and medial rear closing shoe vamp embodiments (as diagramed) are innovative, non-obvious and which functionally change both the configuration of the vamp pattern and the use of an athletic sport shoe as it relates to opening, stepping into, closing adjusting and stepping out of the shoe. It is illustrated herein that the current innovation speaks emphatically to a unique non-obvious sport shoe upper vamp configuration with a secondary delineation on the various types of currently marketed closing mechanisms whether they be of metal, dials, Velcro, magnets, or other such devices that are readily used in footwear design today. Due to this innovative change in athletic, sport shoe upper vamp configuration, athletic shoes now become widely useful to those with limited mobility, rehabbing from an injury, illness, surgery, and those that have manual dexterity issues tying shoes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a change in the methods of opening, stepping into, closing, adjusting, and stepping out of an athletic, sport shoe as a result of a change in the functional configuration of a sport shoe vamp from traditional tongue-laces design to a conjoined two-piece lateral and medial rear closing vamp. The overlapping two vamp pieces close on the side of the shoe toward the rear of the shoe taking the pressure off the top of the foot where all nerves are located. This allows the foot to breath and perform better in various physical movements. 
     Most athletic, sport shoes are tightened by a fastening system such as shoelaces or Velcro straps on top of a tongue for protection. These straps hold the foot in place, pulling the toes together and use a padded tongue to protect the top of the foot from the downward lace pressure. The present design does not require additional straps, cross-braces to keep the foot in place or necessitate a traditional shoe tongue for protection because the foot is wrapped with one piece of material and held in place by the force of the rearward, downward inter-locking ladder latch on the lateral side of the shoe. 
     Traditional shoe front tongue and lacing has been an inexpensive commonly used solution to closing sport and athletic shoes but is problematic for those with manual dexterity issues, lack of lace tying knowledge, troubles bending over due to recovery from back, hip, knee issues, being overweight or having a temporary limited mobility issue. This discourages exercise and is counter-productive to efforts to daily exercise, physical movement, and improvement of mental wellbeing. Getting in/out of shoes, tying laced shoes, and getting proper fit for even basic walking are non-trivial issues at all ages of shoe wearing experience. The present vamp construction allows a direct step pathway into the shoe on the ground, simple quick one hand closing, adjustability with predictable results at the same tension every time and saves shoe life by preventing a step down on the outer ankle collar which damages the integrity of the shoe. 
     Generally, when allowed and which is natural during load bearing exercises, the foot will splay about 15% in width and toes push forward, pulling the heel upward out of the shoe. Many current shoe designs fail to accommodate such dynamic foot movements, cause heel slippage, don&#39;t allow the foot to breath due to top-down lace pressure and often cause toenail damage. 
     Further, most shoe designs require significant physical dexterity and require significant time to be secured to the foot with the right tension to keep the shoe on. Hence wearing and/or changing shoes can be challenging for those with use of only one hand from a stroke, those with foot plates, devices to keep the foot in place from dropping due to motor skill issues and competitive sportsmen participating in timed competitions requiring shoe changes, such as triathlons. 
     It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for athletic footwear that is easy to step into, close, adjust and step out of without causing anxiety or challenging the user physically and mentally. This present improved configured two piece shoe vamp allows the user to widely open the shoe to accommodate the foot with a variety of conditions, plates, devices, can be fastened and removed quickly and permits the foot to function properly and comfortably during any exercise without undue pressure on the foot. 
     SUMMARY 
     To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, and methods for opening, stepping into, closing, adjusting, and stepping out of an athletic, sport shoe, a conjoined two-piece medial and lateral shoe vamp with side, rearward and downward mechanical inter-locking closing is provided. 
     In one embodiment, the two-piece vamp is shown open on the top with the expanded ankle collar and shoe opening that provide for various foot types, plates, and specific volume. The circumference of the shoe opening is maximized and at the same time positions the foot over the shoe center for proper fit. 
     In another embodiment, the vamp is shown to pivot on a single stitch point on the front of the vamp and close towards the rear along a line drawn linearly from the stitch point thru the externally mounted lateral clip piece to the rear of the sole. This downward, rearward closing method keeps the foot in place and secures the heel during vigorous movements. Further, this rearward inter-locking mechanics of the medial vamp over the externally mounted clips, enables wrapping of the foot, minimizes the shoe opening, ankle collar and allows for a customized fit over the top of the foot depending on the structure of the foot with its devices with conditions. 
     It is critical to understand in the embodiments that the present invention refers specifically to the details of the vamp two-piece configuration, the stitch point, the downward, rearward closing inter-locking mechanics and not focus obsessively on the varying types of devices which can be used to close the shoe. Subsequently, while the various features, methods of shoe opening, closing, adjusting, fitting described herein are produced with a rubber ladder latch, they may be practiced with a plurality of methods including a dial, toggler, Velcro or used without any devices. While there are many prior art shoe inventions that teach no laces to allow slip on or closing a shoe, none embody in combination and total: 1) a change in the function and use of the vamp that configures an expanded ankle collar, 2) a shoe opening with unobstructed, direct step pathway into a shoe and 3) ability to close a shoe quickly, precisely with one hand, keeping the foot properly centered over the shoe center thus optimizing the use of the shoe for physical activity and greatly aiding those with mobility, dexterity issues in tying laces. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a ¾ perspective view of a shoe with sole, expanded ankle collar with unobstructed entry point into the shoe; a two-piece lateral and medial piece upper sewn together from rear to front of the sole; an expanded shoe opening with vamp open made possible by the single pivoting stitch point on front top of the vamp; 
         FIG.  2    is a ¾ perspective view of the mechanics of the rearward facing closure in an arrowed direction from sole front stitch point thru the externally mounted lateral piece clip to the sole rear and depicting the potential inter-locking fastening of the medial and lateral vamps; 
         FIG.  3    is a top view diagram of a shoe illustrating the linear alignment of external insertions of the medial piece clip fastener and latch and the lateral piece clip that will allow the rearward, downward, inter-locking, mechanical closure of the medial vamp over the lateral vamp towards the rear sole in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    also illustrates the enlarged surface area of the expanded shoe opening, expanded ankle collar and open vamp made possible by the single pivoting stitch point illustrated from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    demonstrates the full embodiment of the patent title and invention claim that the singular lateral and medial pieces are conjoined in a locked, fastened mechanical position rearward toward the heel with use of medial piece fastener and lateral clip with ladder latch and further illustrates the minimized ankle collar and shoe opening in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. The features and advantages of embodiments may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow. 
     The present invention relates to the changes in opening, stepping into, closing, adjustment and stepping out an athletic, sport shoe as a result of the innovative configuration of a conjoined two-piece lateral and medial rear closing vamp. To facilitate discussion,  FIG.  1    is a ¾ perspective view illustrating the embodiment of a non-laced athletic sport slid on shoe  100  with a vamp medial piece that is open  110 , a vamp lateral piece  120 , a pivoting stitch point  130 , sole  140 , expanded ankle collar  150  and expanded shoe opening  160 . In this embodiment, the open vamp  110  shows how both the shoe opening, and the ankle collar are expanded to allow a foot of varying conditions, plates, specific volume to directly step into the shoe with no obstructions. Additionally, the embodiment shows the separate lateral  120  and medial  110  material pieces are sewn together leaving the vamp open at the single stitch point  130  on the vamp front which mechanically pivots upward to give the shoe an expanded opening  160  and ankle collar  150  for the direct step-in. 
       FIG.  2    shows the pivoting downward directional potential of the vamp medial piece  230  utilizing a rearward facing closure arrow  240  from the stitch point thru the lateral piece clip to rear of the sole. This diagram illustrates the intended downward direction and potential of the medial piece vamp to inter-lock mechanically rearward which keeps the foot centered over the sole and prevents the heel from slipping. Any non-precise placement of the vamp other than the exact measured point on the front of the vamp renders the shoe mechanics invalid in the fitting and performance of the shoe for physical movement. For instance, if the vamp stitch point in  FIG.  1 ,  130    is further to the front, the vamp becomes merely a flap to cover the shoe without it holding the foot in place and keeping the heel pushed against the rear of the sole. The rearward facing closure with inter-locking potential downwards to the sole rear is enabled by the mechanics of the pivoting stitch point allowing the medial vamp to open upward, expanding the shoe opening. Natural foot dynamics are insured with the vamp wrapping the foot in one motion with closure on the rear of the sole and allowing foot ventilation when the foot swells. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  3   , a top-down diagram of the shoe  300  illustrates the external insertion and linear alignment of the medial piece clip fastener, latch  320  and lateral piece clip  310  in front to rear of the sole in a ready position to close the shoe. Both lateral and medial vamp pieces must be in direct and precise alignment along both a line drawn linearly on an angle from sole front to sole rear and in line with the external, rearward closing direction of the ladder latch in a chosen hole for tightness. Any deviation of the pivoting stitch point  FIG.  1     130  to another place on the vamp nullifies the rearward linear inter-locking mechanics and will not hold the foot centered and prevent heel slippage. 
       FIG.  3    also illustrates how the pivoting stich point results in an expanded shoe opening  330  and black outlined extended ankle collar to accept a foot of varying conditions, plates, and specific volume. Note that the opening is unobstructed and the single wrapping of the medial vamp piece over the foot is enough to keep the foot in proper place requiring no additional cross-straps, braces or tongue for protection. 
       FIG.  4    is the title and full embodiment of the present invention that lateral and medial pieces are conjoined in an inter-locked, fastened mechanical position  410  rearward  430  toward the sole rear with use of medial piece fastener and lateral clip with ladder latch and further illustrates the minimized ankle collar  420  and shoe opening in accordance with the present invention. The medial piece fastener of  FIG.  3 ,  320    with ladder latch allows varying ladder hole choices which provide customized tension over the foot. Due to the flexibility of the ladder latch, the foot can move dynamically forward yet without causing toenail damage. One further benefit to the ladder latch is that it allows for one hand closure which aids the user from limited mobility or manual dexterity issues associated with tying laces. 
     In  FIG.  1    embodiment, the vamp upper textile materials fitted around the entire length and width of the foot are made from an expandable and breathable material, thereby ventilating with minimal closure over the toes and enables movement of the toes whenever the foot swells. The ability to provide a customizable fit for any kind of instep bone is enabled both by the expandable textile materials as well as the dynamic movement of the ladder latch which can be made of varying durometers for a tighter or looser fit. 
     Modifications and additions to the above-described embodiments are possible. For example, fastening systems can also include adjustable Velcro strap(s) for an all or nothing closure and readily obtainable “dials” that have been developed in the past 20 years for incremental adjustments to tightness. Home grown solutions include use of hair tightening bands or certain elastic bands in a double helix position. 
     Advantageous features of the above-described non-laced slide on athletic shoes provide a complete functional re-configuration of the shoe upper vamp from toe to heel by at least one of (a) providing a seamless connection of two pieces of material on top of the foot allowing no sock wearing and preventing blistering (b) elimination of the constantly slipping sideways tongue, (c) elimination of top laces restricting foot ventilation, (d) providing expansion of the ankle collar and shoe opening to allow for the direct step-in of varying foot conditions, plates and specific volume (e) customized fit over the top of the foot instep by the ladder latch with use of only one hand (f) conjoined lateral and medial vamp pieces which allow the wrapping of the foot instead of pushing down on the top of the nerves with laces providing optimal, natural movement of the dynamic foot under demands of walking, running, cycling, health rehabilitation and constant standing over long periods of time. 
     While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the shoe closing methods and devices of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.