Sport sandal for active wear

• US 4,793,075 A
• Filed: 09/15/1987
• Issued: 12/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deckers Outdoor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mark Thatcher
• Inventors: Thatcher, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Kee Chi, James
• Application Number:
  US07/096,914
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 36/11.5, 36/7.5, 36/58.5, 36/50, 12/142 S, 2/DIG. 6
• US Class Current: 36/11.5
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/126 characterised by the shape or layout of the straps
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements

Abstract

A sandal with an elongated sole configured to the profile of a human footprint with a toe end and a heel end, employs a toe strap connected at two anchor points to grip the forward part of user'"'"'s foot and a heel strap connected at two anchor points to grip the ankle of a user'"'"'s foot with a lateral strap connected between the toe strap and the heel strap which is located on the outside of the sole and parallel to its surface so it is operable to stabilize the other straps and to maintain essentially constant tension in the individual straps as the sole flexes, with the toe and heel straps being infinitely adjustable so the wearer can cinch the sandal to his foot by adjusting said straps in a manner that it will not be dislodged during rigorous activity.

Claims

1. In a sport sandal having an elongated sole configured to the profile of a human foot and having a toe end and a heel end along with an insole and an outsole, a special tether strap system for retaining said sole on a human foot comprising;

a toe strap unit extending transversely across said toe end of said insole, and toe strap unit having an extending toe post attached to one side of said insole at its outer edge which terminates in an attached first pivot means located above said insole and a toe strap anchored in said insole on the opposite side of said insole at said toe end and which is threadable through said first pivot means, said toe strap unit having means operable to adjust its length;

a heel strap unit having spaced apart, extending heel posts connected to said insole at its edges adjacent to said heel end of said sole, each of said posts terminating in a separate second pivot means above said insole and a heel strap having one end attached to one of said second pivot means and loopable through the other of said second pivot means with means operable to adjust its length, said heel strap unit also having an instep strap attached to said one of said second pivot means and loopable through the other second pivot means with means to adjust its length whereby said heel strap and said instep strap are operable to encircle a user'"'"'s ankle when said sandal is in use; and

a tether strap having one end connected to said first pivot means on said toe post and disposed parallel and above the outside edge of said sandal, said tether strap having its other end connected to said instep strap adjacent to the latter'"'"'s attachment to said second pivot means and operable to cause the tension in said toe strap unit and said heel strap unit to dependently change as tension on said straps changes in said toe strap unit and said heel strap unit when the sandal is in use.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein the first pivot means and second pivot means are formed with rings.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein the means operable to adjust the strap length for each is formed with hook and loop patches on said straps.