Patent Publication Number: US-2016242492-A1

Title: Foot strapping system for sandal

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a foot strapping system for a sandal or sports shoe, and more particularly to a foot strapping system for a sandal or sports shoe including an improved structure or configuration that may be easily and quickly made or manufactured with a greatly decreased manufacturing procedure and cost and that may include a compact structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical sandals or sports shoes comprise a simplified foot strapping system including one or more straps or thongs or tethers for easily and quickly strapping or fastening or securing a foot of a user to the sole. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,330 to Kao, U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,171 to Zabala, U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,738 to Ferniani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,885 to Ferniani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,684 to Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,342 to Moon, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,819,964 to Mizrahi-Shapiro disclose several of the typical sandal devices each comprising a foot strapping system including one or more straps or thongs or tethers for easily and quickly strapping or fastening or securing a foot of a user to the sole. 
     However, the typical foot strapping systems may not be used to solidly and stably fasten or secure the foot of the user to the sole, such that the sandals may not be used for jogging or sporting purposes. the sandals may not be used for jogging or sporting purposes. In addition, the typical foot strapping systems may not be easily and quickly attached or mounted or assembled to the sole such that the making or manufacturing procedures and costs for the typical foot strapping systems may be greatly increased. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional foot strapping systems for sandal devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foot strapping system for a sandal or sports shoe including an improved structure or configuration that may be easily and quickly made or manufactured with a greatly decreased manufacturing procedure and cost and that may include a compact structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a sandal comprising a sole including an outer front portion, an inner front portion, an outer rear portion, and an inner rear portion; and a foot strapping system including a primary tether having a first end portion attached to the outer front portion of the sole, and having a second end portion attached to the outer rear portion of the sole; an auxiliary tether having a first end portion attached to the inner rear portion of the sole, and the auxiliary tether being engaged with a middle portion of the primary tether; and an adjusting tether having a first end portion attached to the inner front portion of the sole, and having an intermediate portion engaged with the middle portion of the primary tether for adjustably securing a foot of a user to the sole and for being easily and quickly made or manufactured with a greatly decreased manufacturing procedure and cost. The sandal includes a compact structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. 
     The sole includes two orifices formed in the outer front portion of the sole, two openings formed in the inner front portion of the sole, two apertures formed in the outer rear portion of the sole, and two holes formed in the inner rear portion of the sole, the adjusting tether includes two cables having first end portion engaged with the openings of the sole for securing to the sole, and having the intermediate portion engaged with the middle portion of the primary tether. 
     The auxiliary tether includes a band having two free ends engaged with the holes of the sole, and having an intermediate portion engaged with the middle portion of the primary tether. The auxiliary tether includes two enlarged heads attached to the free ends of the band. 
     The intermediate portion of the band is wound and engaged with the middle portion of the primary tether. The sole includes a bottom portion having two recesses formed therein and communicating with the holes of the sole for engaging with the enlarged heads. 
     The primary tether includes two straps having the first end portion engaged with the orifices of the sole, and having the second end portion engaged with the apertures of the sole. The primary tether includes enlarged heads attached to the first and the second end portions of the straps. The sole includes a bottom portion having four recesses formed therein and communicating with the orifices and the apertures of the sole for engaging with the enlarged heads. 
     The adjusting tether includes two enlarged heads attached to the first end portion of the cables. The sole includes a bottom portion having two recesses formed therein and communicating with the openings of the sole for engaging with the enlarged heads of the cables. The adjusting tether includes a buckle engaged with the intermediate portion of the cables of the adjusting tether for securing the intermediate portion of the cables together. The sole may further include a toe retainer attached to a toe portion of the sole. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a foot strapping system for sandal devices in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the foot strapping system for sandal devices; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the foot strapping system for sandal devices; and 
         FIG. 4  is another bottom perspective view similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating the operation of the foot strapping system for sandal devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a foot strapping system for a sandal or sports shoe in accordance with the present invention comprises a sole  10  made of soft or resilient rubber or plastic or synthetic materials or the like, including a number of openings or orifices  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  formed therein, for example, the sole  10  includes one or more (such as two) orifices  11  formed in the outer front portion  15  of the sole  10 , one or more (such as two) openings  12  formed in the inner front portion  16  of the sole  10 , one or more (such as two) apertures  13  formed in the outer rear portion  17  of the sole  10 , and one or more (such as two) cavities or holes  14  formed in the inner rear portion  18  of the sole  10 . 
     The sole  10  further includes a lower or bottom portion  19  having a number of depressions or recesses  20  formed therein and communicating with the orifices  11  and openings  12  and apertures  13  and holes  14  respectively, and the recesses  20  of the sole  10  each include an inner diameter greater than that of the orifices  11  and openings  12  and apertures  13  and holes  14  of the sole  10  respectively. It is preferable, but not necessary that the sole  10  further includes a toe band or strap or retainer  21  attached or mounted to the front portion or toe portion  22  of the sole  10  for engaging with a thumb of the user and for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the foot of the user to the sole  10 . However, the toe retainer  21  is not related to the present invention and will not be described in further details. 
     The foot strapping system further includes a first or primary tether  3  having one or first end portion  30  attached or mounted or secured to the outer front portion  15  of the sole  10 , and another or second end portion  31  attached or mounted or secured to the outer rear portion  17  of the sole  10 , and a second or auxiliary tether  4  having one or first end portion  40  attached or mounted or secured to the inner rear portion  18  of the sole  10 , and another or second end portion  41  loosely or movably attached or mounted or secured to or engaged with the middle or intermediate portion  32  of the primary tether  3 . A third or adjusting tether  5  includes one or first end portion  50  attached or mounted or secured to the inner front portion  16  of the sole  10 , and includes a middle or intermediate portion  51  engaged with the middle or intermediate portion  32  of the primary tether  3  for adjustably fastening or securing the foot of the user to the sole  10 . 
     It is to be noted that the typical sandal devices failed to teach and provide a foot strapping system for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the foot of the user to the sole  10 . Unlike the typical sandal devices, the foot strapping system in accordance with the present invention may be used to solidly and stably fasten or secure the foot of the user to the sole  10 , such that the sandal devices may be used for jogging or sporting purposes. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the primary tether  3  may include two bands or straps  33 ,  34  having the first end portion  30  engaged with the orifices  11  of the sole  10 , and having the second end portion  31  engaged with the apertures  13  of the sole  10 , and the auxiliary tether  4  may be formed or wound with a single strap or band  42  having the first end portion  40  or two free ends  43  engaged with the holes  14  of the sole  10 , and having the middle or intermediate portion  44  of the band  42  may be loosely or movably wound and engaged with the middle or intermediate portion  32  of the primary tether  3 . 
     The adjusting tether  5  may also include two bands or straps or wires or cables  52 ,  53  having the first end portion  50  engaged with the openings  12  of the sole  10 , and having the middle or intermediate portion  51  engaged with the middle or intermediate portion  32  of the primary tether  3 , and a fastener or buckle  60  is engaged with the middle or intermediate portion  51  of the cables  52 ,  53  or of the adjusting tether  5  for adjustably fastening or securing the middle or intermediate portion  51  of the cables  52 ,  53  or of the adjusting tether  5  together and for adjustably fastening or securing the foot of the user to the sole  10 . The cables  52 ,  53  each include an enlarged head or anchorage  55  attached or mounted or secured to the first end portion  50  for engaging with the recesses  20  of the sole  10  and for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the first end portion  50  of the cables  52 ,  53  to the sole  10 . 
     Similarly, the auxiliary tether  4  also includes an enlarged head or anchorage  45  attached or mounted or secured to the first end portion  40  or the free ends  43  of the band  42  for engaging with the recesses  20  of the sole  10  and for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the free ends  43  of the band  42  to the sole  10 . The primary tether  3  also includes an enlarged head or anchorage  35  attached or mounted or secured to the first end portion  30  of the straps  33 ,  34  for engaging with the recesses  20  of the sole  10  and for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the first end portion  30  of the straps  33 ,  34  to the sole  10 . The anchorages or enlarged heads  35 ,  45 ,  55  may be easily and quickly forced into and through the orifices  11  and openings  12  and apertures  13  and holes  14  of the sole  10  ( FIG. 3 ) for engaging with the recesses  20  of the sole  10  ( FIG. 4 ) and for solidly and stably anchoring or retaining the tethers  3 ,  4 ,  5  to the sole  10 . 
     In operation, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the foot of the user may be solidly and stably fastened or secured to the sole with the tethers  3 ,  4 ,  5  of the foot strapping system in accordance with the present invention for allowing the sandal devices to be used for jogging or sporting purposes. In addition, the enlarged heads  35 ,  45 ,  55  of the tethers  3 ,  4 ,  5  may be easily and quickly forced into and through the orifices  11  and openings  12  and apertures  13  and holes  14  of the sole  10  without being assembled by workers such that the manufacturing procedure and cost may be greatly decreased. Furthermore, the sandal device includes a compact structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. 
     Accordingly, the foot strapping system in accordance with the present invention includes an improved structure or configuration that may be easily and quickly made or manufactured with a greatly decreased manufacturing procedure and cost and that may include a compact structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.