Patent Abstract:
A transformational shoe construction comprising an upper surface, lower surface (sole) and an upper-lower attachment means; said upper surface consisting of an exposed segment and a hidden segment with the upper surface joined to a lower surface (sole) by an upper-lower attachment means; said upper surface detachable from said lower surface (sole) and said upper surface capable of being turned inside-out to cause the exposed segment to become the hidden segment and the hidden segment to become the exposed segment.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to shoes, and more specifically to shoes that can convert from one functional type to another functional type. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to shoes that are used to cover, as a minimum, the soles of the feet while ambulating. Shoes come in a variety of functionalities, designs, sizes, shapes, colors, and materials of construction. Shoes, for the simplicity of this application, include flip-flops, dress shoes, sneakers, boots, sandals, beach shoes, moccasins, wooden shoes, high heels, sock shoes, tap shoes, toe shoes, boat shoes and any other structure intended to be placed on or around a foot, hoof, paw or flipper. Shoes are the coverings for feet which generally come in contact with the surfaces on which a person walks, runs, ambulates, scampers or moves from one place to another on. Shoes may have heels or raised areas on their soles towards the front, middle or rear. 
     Known shoes generally comprise a first area on the upper surface which is softer and more flexible than the lower surface (sole). Shoes may be constructed of leathers, plastics, woods, plants, papers, foams, fabrics, canvass, fibers, hairs, skins, rubbers, glass, metal, cloth, gels, water, and similar materials and/or combinations thereof. Shoes may be of solid construction or may contain spaces of air, water, gels, foam, fiber, liquids or similar materials or may contain combinations thereof. 
     Despite the fact that shoes have been produced for centuries, there still exists the need for better, more cost-saving, novel, and new improved types to satisfy an ever-changing world. 
     Thus, there remains a need for an improved, new, innovative, novel shoe type, the subject of this patent submission. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes shoes that have a means to be changed from one type to another type and describes the method by which the change can be effected. According to one exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a shoe comprising an upper portion and a lower portion (sole) such that one type shoe can be transformed into another type shoe with another upper portion but with the same lower portion (sole). 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a shoe is presented with full upper portion and a lower portion (sole) that can be transformed into another type of shoe by detaching the full upper portion and inverting the upper portion which instantly becomes another partial upper portion but with the same lower portion (sole). 
     The invention also provides a method of transforming one type of shoe presentation to another type of shoe presentation. Another embodiment of the method according to the present invention includes a method of transforming one color of an upper portion into another color of the upper portion. Yet another embodiment of the method according to the present invention includes a method of transforming one design of an upper portion into another design of the upper portion. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description that follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a portion of one embodiment of the present invention in which the upper surface shown is presented as a full design; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with partial design upper surface but with an exaggerated view of the upper-lower attachment means for illustration purposes; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of an upper portion of the embodiment detached from the lower portion of the present invention in which one surface is a full design and the opposite surface is a partial design; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of an upper portion of the embodiment detached from the lower portion of the present invention in which one surface is a full design and the opposite surface is a full design; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of a lower portion of yet another exemplary embodiment in which the second half of the upper-lower attachment means is illustrated; 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of the embodiment with a full design upper portion on the top and a partial design upper portion on the bottom nestled in the recess cavity of the lower portion; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention will now be described with reference to specific embodiments selected for illustration in the figures. It will be appreciated that the spirit and scope of this invention is not limited to the embodiments selected for illustration. Instead, the scope of this invention is defined separately in the appended claims. Also, it will be appreciated that the drawings are not rendered to any particular proportion or scale. 
     The present invention includes shoes and different types, functionalities, colors or presentations. 
       FIG. 1  shows such a shoe embodiment of the present invention, generally designated by the numeral “ 10 ”. The shoe embodiment  10  has an upper surface  100  that is of a full design and includes an open area  110  for the insertion of a foot into the upper surface. More specifically, shoe embodiment  10  illustrates the upper surface  100  attached to the lower surface (sole)  120  by an upper-lower surface attachment means  130 . The shoe embodiment  10  has the general appearance of a shoe as depicted in  FIG. 1  however, said appearance and functionality may be changed by activating the upper-lower surface attachment means  130  causing the upper surface  100  to detach from the lower surface (sole)  120  and allowing the upper surface  100  to be turned inside out and re-attached to the lower surface (sole)  120  to give another appearance and functionality. 
     Generally, the upper surface  100  may be constructed of leather, plastics, wood, plants, paper, foam, fabric, canvass, fiber, hair, skin, rubber, glass, metal, cloth, gels, water, and similar materials and/or combinations thereof; however, softer materials such as leather, plastics, fabric, canvass, skin, rubber, and similar materials may be preferred. Generally the upper-lower attachment means  130  may be constructed of leather, plastics, wood, plants, paper, foam, fabric, canvass, fiber, hair, skin, rubber, glass, metal, cloth, gels, water, and similar materials and/or combinations thereof; however, plastics, metal, fabric, rubber, and similar materials may be preferred. Generally, the lower surface (sole)  120  may be constructed of leather, plastics, wood, plants, paper, foam, fabric, canvass, fiber, hair, skin, rubber, glass, metal, cloth, gels, water, and similar materials and/or combinations thereof; however, harder materials such as leather, plastics, wood, rubber, and similar materials may be preferred. 
     In an exemplary shoe embodiment, generally designated by the numeral “ 20 ” In  FIG. 2 , there is shown the upper-lower attachment means  130  connecting the upper surface  100  with the lower surface (sole)  120 . Shown also are open area  110  for the placement of a foot and also toe opening  140  for the exposure of toes. The upper-lower attachment means  130  is preferably a zipper structure that is continuous around the horizontal outer circumference or perimeter of the shoe  20  upper-lower attachment means  130 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an embodiment, generally designated by the numeral “ 30 ,” of a structure the upper surface  100  consisting of two segments, the exposed segment  180  and the hidden segment  190 . In this presentation, the exposed segment  180  is a full segment and the hidden segment  190  is a partial segment. Shown also is the first-half member  160  of the upper-lower attachment means which when joined to a second-half member of the upper-lower attachment means will hold the upper surface to a lower surface (sole). 
       FIG. 4  shows yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, generally designated by the numeral “ 40 ,” which is essentially similar to the presentation in  FIG. 3 . Shown is an upper surface  100  structure consisting of two segments, the exposed segment  180  and a similar hidden segment  200 . In this presentation, the exposed segment  180  is a full segment and the similar hidden segment  200  is also a full segment. Shown also is the first-half member  160  of the upper-lower attachment means which when joined to a second-half member of the upper-lower attachment means will hold the upper surface to a lower surface (sole). 
       FIG. 5  shows yet another embodiment, generally designated by the numeral “ 50 ,” wherein the lower surface (sole)  120  has attached to it the second-half member  170  of the upper-lower attachment means which when joined to a first-half member of the upper-lower attachment means by use of an upper-lower attachment connecting device  210  will hold the upper surface to the lower surface (sole). 
       FIG. 6  shows another version of the embodiment that is generally designated by the numeral “ 60 .” Embodiment  60  is an exploded view of a transformational shoe consisting of: an upper surface  100 , the upper surface  100  consisting of an exposed full segment  180  and a hidden partial segment  190 ; a lower surface (sole)  120 ; and an upper-lower attachment means consisting of a first-half member  160  of the upper-lower attachment means attached to the upper surface  100  and a second-half member  170  of the upper-lower attachment means attached to the lower surface (sole)  120  having attached thereon an upper-lower attachment connecting device  210  which when used will join a first-half member  160  of the upper-lower attachment means to a second-half member  170  of the upper-lower attachment means. 
     The invention also includes a method of forming a transformational shoe. The method comprises the steps of fabricating an upper surface, a lower surface and an upper-lower attachment means. The upper surface consists of an exposed segment and a hidden segment. The fabricated segments are attached to each other by bonding, gluing, sewing, melting or other means of attachment. After the segments are attached, the first-half of an upper-lower attachment means (such as the first-half of a zipper) is attached to the perimeter of the area where the segments are joined together. The lower surface (sole) is fabricated and the second-half of the upper-lower attachment means (such as the second-half of a zipper) is attached around its perimeter. The upper surface and lower surface (sole) structures are then attached by joining the two halves of the upper-lower attachment means (such as zipping together the two halves of the zipper). 
     Accordingly, while illustrated and described herein with reference to certain specific embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments and details shown. Rather, the appended claims are intended to include embodiments and modifications that may be made to these embodiments and details, which are nevertheless within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 
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Technology Classification (CPC): 0