Custom article of footwear, method of making the same, and method of conducting retail and internet business

• US 20080060220A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Robert Lyden
• Inventors: Lyden, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/27
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0081 made at least partially of hook-and-loop type material hook and loop-type straps for fastening purpose A43C11/1493
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/183 Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/28 characterised by their attachment, also attachment of combined soles and heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/36 Easily-exchangeable soles protecting-soles A43C13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/26 Resilient heels
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0078 provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration A43B23/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/10 Low shoes , e.g. comprising only a front strap; Slippers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/128 characterised by the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1464 with adjustable pads to allow custom fit
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/22 with fixed flat-foot insertions, metatarsal supports, ankle flaps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/02 attached to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 1/02 Foot-measuring devices measuring the shape, pattern or size of the body for diagnostic purposes A61B5/103, e.g. measuring physical dimensions A61B5/107
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 11/006 Devices for temporarily fixing or aligning insoles on lasts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

The present invention teaches a custom article of footwear, a method of making the same, and a method of conducting retail and Internet business. In particular, the components of the custom article of footwear can be selected from a wide range of options, and they can be easily removed and replaced, as desired.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising an upper, a heel counter, an anterior outsole element, a posterior outsole element, an inferior spring element, and a mechanical fastener, said upper, said heel counter, said anterior outsole element, said posterior outsole element, and said inferior spring element being releasably secured together with said mechanical fastener.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, said inferior spring element comprising a medial fork and a lateral fork.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a superior spring element.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.

5. An article of footwear comprising an upper, a sole, means for cushioning, and a single mechanical fastener, said upper, said sole, and said means for cushioning being releasably secured together with said single mechanical fastener.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, further comprising a heel counter.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 5, further comprising a superior spring element.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 5, said means for cushioning comprising an inferior spring element.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 8, said inferior spring element comprising a medial fork and lateral fork.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 5, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.

11. An article of footwear comprising an upper having a length, an insole, a sole, a heel counter extending for at least thirty percent of the length of said upper, and an inferior spring element secured in functional relation to said heel counter.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 11, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.

13. An article of footwear comprising an upper, a sole, and an inferior spring element comprising a medial fork and a lateral fork.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein said inferior spring element is releasably secured to said upper, and at least a portion of said sole is releasably secured to said inferior spring element.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 13, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of said medial fork is thicker and stiffer than a corresponding portion of said lateral fork.

17. A method of making a custom article of footwear comprising:

selecting a first footwear component from a plurality of uppers;

selecting a second footwear component from a plurality of anterior outsole elements;

selecting a third footwear component from a plurality of posterior outsole elements;

selecting a fourth footwear component from a plurality of inferior spring elements;

operatively associating at least the first, second, third and fourth footwear by releasably securing them to each other with a single mechanical fastener to form the custom article of footwear.

18. The method of making a custom article of footwear according to claim 17, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.

19. A method of conducting business including making and selling a custom article of footwear comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of footwear components, and a plurality of variations of a plurality of said footwear components, a plurality of said footwear components including means for fastening;

selecting from the plurality of footwear components sufficient footwear components for making said custom article of footwear having an anterior side, a posterior side, a medial side, a lateral side, a superior side, an inferior side, and comprising at least an upper, a sole, means for cushioning, and a single mechanical fastener, said upper, sole, and said means for cushioning being affixable together in functional relation by said means for fastening and said single mechanical fastener;

securing a plurality of said sufficient footwear components in functional relation with said means for fastening and said single mechanical fastener and completing the assembly for making said custom article of footwear; and

,

providing said custom article of footwear to a customer.

20. The method of conducting business including making and selling a custom article of footwear according to claim 19, further comprising footwear components selected from the group of footwear components consisting of uppers, soles, mechanical fasteners, mechanical fasteners having male and female parts, locking pins, snaps, rivets, pins, splines, flanges, hook and pile, hooks, wedges, insoles, midsoles, heel counters, heel counter channels, stabilizers, side supports, stability elements, frames, sidewalls, lasting boards, exoskeletons, laces, straps, toe counters, tongues, vamps, quarters, collars, tips, eyestays, bump stops, springs, superior spring elements, anterior spring elements, anterior and inferior spring elements, intermediate anterior spring elements, superior anterior spring elements, inferior anterior spring elements, posterior spring elements, inferior spring elements, inferior spring elements having medial and lateral forks, spring guards, anterior spacers, posterior spacers, fluid-filled bladders, outsoles, anterior outsole elements, middle outsole elements, posterior outsole elements, stabilizers, cushioning elements, foam cushioning elements, cushioning inserts, traction members, spikes, cleats, bushings, wear prevention inserts, gaskets, intelligent cushioning devices, central processing units, heel counter inserts, and inferior spring element inserts.