Modular Shoe System

• US 20080134543A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Footwear Solutions
• Original Assignee: Skins Footwear Inc. (Skins, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klein, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/92
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/36 Easily-exchangeable soles protecting-soles A43C13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/246 characterised by the sole

Abstract

A modular shoe is provided by a two part shoe design. A first part is an internal support structure that includes a midsole portion and a heel counter. A second part is a removable cover that is configured to accept a specific size internal support structure to provide internal support to the soft material and outsole which comprise the cover. Various cover designs are configured to accept a single size internal support structure thereby providing for interchangeable cover and a plurality of shoe designs all sharing a single internal support structure. The removable cover takes substantially less packing space that supported shoe, thereby requiring reduced storage for a traveler packing several shoe designs all sharing a single internal support.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interchangeable shoe, the interchangeable shoe providing for varying appearance when modified, comprising:

providing an internal support structure, the internal support structure comprising an insole having at least a vertical heel support portion, the internal support structure having a longitudinal axis running substantially from said heel support portion to a toe surface; and

providing at least two removable covers, each removable cover comprising an outsole and a top cover portion, the removable cover having a longitudinal axis running substantially from a heel portion to a toe portion, the removable cover configured to removably couple to the internal support structure when the internal support structure is positioned within the removable cover, said coupling is substantially by application of pressure to the periphery of the internal support structure, the top cover portion including a fastening element for removably coupling the cover to a user'"'"'s foot, the top cover portion further including a flap for partially covering a top portion of said internal support structure vertical heel support portion so as to align the longitudinal axis of the internal support structure and the longitudinal axis of the removable cover.

2. a modular shoe, comprising:

an internal support structure, the internal support structure comprising an insole having at least a vertical heel support portion, the internal support structure having a longitudinal axis running substantially from said heel support portion to a toe surface; and

a removable cover, the removable cover comprising an outsole and a top cover portion, the removable cover having a longitudinal axis running substantially from a heel portion to a toe portion, the removable cover configured to removably couple to the internal support structure when the internal support structure is positioned within the removable cover, said coupling is substantially by application of pressure to the periphery of the internal support structure, the top cover portion including a fastening element for removably coupling the cover to a user'"'"'s foot, the top cover portion further including a flap for partially covering a top portion of said internal support structure vertical heel support portion so as to align the longitudinal axis of the internal support structure and the longitudinal axis of the removable cover.

3. A method for providing a space saving shoe collection design, said shoe collection associated with a single user associated with a shoe size, comprising:

offering for sale an internal support structure according to a shoe size;

offering for sale a plurality of covers, each cover including an outsole and a top portion, each cover configured to internally accommodate an internal support structure of a specific size, an internal support structure of the specific size providing structural support to the cover when positioned internally within the cover so as to provide a self supporting shoe, each cover configured to collapse the top portion toward the outsole so as to take substantially less packing space than said self supporting shoe.

4. A method for selling shoes, comprising:

offering for sale an internal support structure associated with a shoe size;

offering for sale a plurality of covers configured to internally accommodate an internal support of a specific size so as to provide a functioning self supporting shoe, each cover including an outsole and a top portion, the plurality of covers providing for at least two different top portion designs whereby a consumer purchasing a single internal support structure of a specific shoe size and said at least two different covers associated with different top portion designs is provided with at least two functioning shoes of a single size, each shoe associated with a different top portion design.