Sandal with removable upper

• US 7,540,098 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coleen Pfannenstiel, Linda Bast
• Original Assignee: Coleen Pfannenstiel, Linda Bast
• Inventors: Pfannenstiel, Coleen, Bast, Linda
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US11/306,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20080229616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 36/115, 36/15, 361/00, 361/01
• US Class Current: 36/11.5
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/103 characterised by the attachment of the toestrap
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible

Abstract

Sandals, particularly sandals known as thongs or flip-flops that have removable and interchangeable uppers that allow the wearer to have a single pair of soles and multiple uppers so that they can have multiple colors and styles of sandals without having to buy and store multiple complete sandals. The sandal has a sole and an upper where the upper is comprised generally of straps forming a Y shape. The portion of the upper at the top of the Y can vary in size and design as long as the upper has at least three distinct strap ends which are used as attachment points to the sole. The front attachment point, which is at the bottom of the Y, attaches to the front of the sole using a first opening that runs from the top surface to the bottom surface in the front portion of the sole. The back attachment points are located on the top strap ends of the Y. These can be a single point on each side, or for aesthetic reasons, these points can branch out into two or more strap ends. Each side can have a different number of strap ends.

Claims

1. A sandal with a removable upper comprising:

a sole having a top surface and bottom surface;

a right and a left edge;

a front and rear portion;

further having an first opening in the front portion of the sole from the top surface through the bottom surface and having at least one shank with a plurality of shank ends positioned transversely between the right and left edges of the sole and between the top and bottom surfaces with the ends of the shank positioned at the right and left edges of the sole for attachment of the upper;

an upper having a plurality of back attachment points and at least one front attachment point for removably attaching the upper to the sole utilizing the first opening and the shank ends;

with the front attachment point consisting of a threaded strap end which is inserted through the first opening from the top surface of the sole and secured by a threaded cap under the bottom surface of the sole, said cap sized to not pass through the first opening when fully secured to the threaded end; and

the back attachment points removably securable to the shank ends.

2. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the upper is comprised of a plurality of straps configured in the shape of a Y;

with a front attachment point located on a bottom of the Y; and

a plurality of back attachment points located at the ends of a right and a left strap located at the top of the Y, with at least one back attachment point on the right strap and one back attachment point on the left strap removably securable to the shank ends.

3. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the first opening within the sole has an upper and a lower section wherein the diameter of the upper section is smaller than the diameter of the lower section and the lower section is larger than the threaded cap, thereby allowing the threaded cap to sit inside the lower section of said first opening when secured to the threaded strap end.

4. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the back attachment points are further comprised of holes at the strap ends of the right and left straps and the shank ends being enlarge to receive and secure said holes.

5. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the back attachment points are further comprised of holes in the right and left straps and the shank ends have a pivoting toggle to receive and secure the back attachment points.

6. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the back attachment points each have a hinged clasp at the end of the right and left strap ends and the shank ends are configured to receive and secure the clasp.

7. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the shank ends have a recess therein, said recess being internally threaded to receive a screw;

the screw passing through the holes in the back attachment points and engaging the threads within the ends of the shank.

8. The sandal of claim 1 wherein not all of the back attachment points are secured to a corresponding shank end, but are secured to secondary attachments nodes located on the right and left edges of the sole.