Patent Publication Number: US-6711836-B2

Title: Shoe and method for showing indicia

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to footwear and particularly to the display of indicia, such as logos or trademarks, on an item of footwear. The invention is a shoe having a transparent window. Indicia appear on a removable member engaging an interior surface of the shoe and are visible through the transparent window. A method of practicing the invention also is provided. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The footwear business is highly competitive and the display of indicia is commercially desirable. For the purposes of this application, “indicia” mean markings conveying items of information or of decoration. Examples of indicia include logos, trademarks, colors, patterns and artworks. “Identifying indicia” may be used to identify a make or model of shoe or to identify a manufacturer. The term “shoe” means any item of footwear, including without limitation a shoe, boot, athletic or adventure footwear, ski boots, and other similar items. 
     Modern materials and manufacturing techniques make possible innovation in the display of indicia on a shoe. A shoe may display indicia in any of a number of ways, including printing, embossing, embroidering, through the use of an applique, through the use of a molded shape, and many others. The prior art teaches a transparent air bladder incorporated into the heel or sole of a shoe having indicia located in the interior of the air bladder or incorporated permanently into the structure of the shoe. In the prior art shoe, the indicia are visible through the air bladder. The present invention differs from the prior art in that the indicia are viewed through a window in the shoe, not through an air bladder. Also, the indicia of the present invention appear on a removable member and are not printed on the air bladder or otherwise incorporated permanently into the structure of the shoe. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides for the display of indicia in a shoe. A window is provided in the shoe communicating from an interior surface of the shoe to an exterior surface of the shoe. Indicia appear on a removable member that engages the interior surface of the shoe. The indicia of the removable member are aligned with the window so that the indicia are displayed to an observer through the window. The indicia may be identifying indicia to commercially distinguish the shoe from other makes or models of shoes or to distinguish the shoe from the shoes of other manufacturers. 
     The use of a removable member allows great flexibility in the use and display of indicia on a shoe. A manufacturer may, for example and without limitation, inexpensively adjust the indicia to reflect local market conditions or languages, to vary the indicia seasonally, to provide private labeling for a retailer, to provide personalized or monogrammed shoes, or to provide any other marking that a consumer may find desirable. The use of the removable member allows a manufacturer, retailer, or other interested person to inexpensively create shoes that, for example, commemorate a special event, affiliation, person, place or product. Indicia appearing on the removable member and displayed in the window may be used to identify any person, item, group, or interest of any kind. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a shoe. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a shoe. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of an insole. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an insole. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a shoe. 
     FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a shoe  2  has a heel  4 , an upper  6  and a sole  8 . From FIG. 2, the heel  4  has an exterior surface  10 . A window  12  appears in the heel  4 . The window  12  is composed preferably of a transparent or semi-transparent polymer forming a durable, water tight seal with heel exterior surface  10 . 
     Indicia  14  are visible to a consumer through the window  12 . The indicia  14  may be identifying indicia  14  that convey information such as to identify a make, model or manufacturer of the shoe. The indicia  14  may be decorative or may comprise any marking that a consumer may find commercially desirable. 
     Indicia  14  appear on a removable member  16  (FIGS. 3,  4 ). The removable member  16  is placed in the shoe  2  so that indicia  14  are visible through window  12 . 
     The removable member  16  comprises indicia-bearing member  18  bonded to an insole  20 . The indicia-bearing member  18  preferably is composed of a resilient material to cushion the foot and to reduce damage to the window  12  resulting from contact between window  12  and indicia-bearing member  18 . The preferred material for the indicia-bearing member  18  is a high-memory sponge. An example of such sponge is “Poron®” sold be Rodgers Corporation, which is located in Connecticut. The indicia-bearing member  18  preferably is of a color contrasting to the color of the sole  8 . In one embodiment, the indicia-bearing member  18  is yellow in color while the sole  8  is black. The particular indicia  14  and the colors used are a matter of choice to be selected by the designer and are not a part of the invention. The insole  20  preferably also is composed of a resilient material to increase comfort of the wearer. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-section of shoe  2  with insole  20  and indicia-bearing member  18  installed. Heel  4  of shoe  2  defines a heel interior surface  22  and a heel exterior surface  10 . Window  12  communicates between the heel interior surface  22  and heel exterior surface  10 . When the insole  20  and indicia-bearing member  18  are inserted into shoe  2 , indicia  14  are displayed through window  12  to a consumer. 
     The heel interior surface  22  (FIG. 5) defines a heel interior volume  24 . When the insole  20  and indicia-bearing member  18  are installed in shoe  2 , the indicia-bearing member  18  intrudes into the heel interior volume  24 . The intrusion of the indicia-bearing member  18  into the heel interior volume  24  serves to locate the indicia  14  with respect to the window  12 . The indicia  14  preferably are located close enough to the window  12  for ready observation of the indicia  14  by a consumer. The indicia  14  are located at a pre-selected depth from the window  12  to provide a commercially attractive appearance. 
     While a window  12  communicating through heel  4  is the embodiment described above, other configurations are contemplated by the invention. Window  12  may communicate between any shoe interior surface  26  and any shoe exterior surface  28 . For example, window  12  may appear in sole  8  and communicate between sole exterior surface  30  to sole interior surface  32 . Window  12  may appear in tongue  34  and communicate between a tongue interior surface  36  and a tongue exterior surface  38 . Window  12  may appear in upper  6  and communicate between an upper interior surface  40  and an upper exterior surface  42 . 
     In the event that a window  12  location other than the heel  4  location is selected, a removable member  16  appropriate to the window  12  location also is selected. When a window  12  communicates through an upper  6 , a removable member  16  adapted to display indicia  14  through said window  12  is selected. Likewise, when a window  12  communicating through a tongue  34  or a sole  8  is selected, a removable member  16  adapted to display indicia  14  through the window  12  in the tongue  34  or the sole  8  is selected. Without limitation, a removable member  8  in the situation of a window  12  through an upper  6  or tongue  34  may take the form of an insert or shoe liner. A removable member  16  in the situation of a window  12  through a sole  8  may comprise an insole  20 . 
     Indicia  14  include any markings or objects applied to the indicia-bearing member  18  using any means of the art, including without limitation printing, embossing, casting, painting, cutting, carving, burning, melting and molding. Indicia may include contained gases or liquids and may include artificial lights. Indicia  14  also include insertion of objects of any type into heel interior volume  24  for display through window  12 . 
     An alternative embodiment is illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 7. Window  12  appears in a shoe counter  44  corresponding to the portion of the upper  6  adjacent to the posterior of heel  4 . Window  12  communicates between a counter interior surface  46  and a counter exterior surface  48 . Indicia  14  appear on an upward extending portion  50  of alternative insole  52 . The upwardly extending portion  50  extends upward from heel  4  so that indicia  14  appearing on the upwardly extending portion  50  are visible through window  12 . The location of indicia  14 , window  12  and upwardly extending portion  50  may be selected by the designer. Upwardly extending portion  50  may extend above counter  44 . Indicia  14  may be embossed or recessed into upwardly extending portion  50  so that indicia  14  appear at a pre-selected distance from window  12  to achieve an aesthetic effect. 
     The flexibility of the present invention allows inexpensive personalization of said indicia  14  by a manufacturer, retailer, consumer or other interested person. Indicia  14  of any type, such as a monogram, sports team logo, image of a favored motor vehicle, political or religious affiliation, names of loved ones or any information whatsoever may be displayed. A manufacturer may provide supplies to a consumer to personalize the indicia  14  displayed by the removable member  16 . 
     The method of the present invention comprises providing a window  12  communicating from a shoe interior surface  26  to a shoe exterior surface  28  and providing a removable member  16  engaging the shoe interior surface  26 , the removable member  16  bearing indicia  14 , the indicia  14  being visible through said window  12 . 
     Many different embodiments of the above invention are possible. This Many different embodiments of the above invention are possible. This application is intended to address all possible embodiments and is limited only as described in the following claims.