Field of the Invention The present invention relates to footwear.

Background to the Invention

In general, having shoes with different colours, patterns or styles requires having more than one pair of shoes. Certain designs have been proposed for items of footwear in which the shoe upper, or other portions, can be removed and replaced to allow the ability to change the look of the shoe. Such arrangements may use zippers, press studs or other methods of the attaching the interchangeable portion of the shoe.

The present invention relates to an item of footwear having such an interchangeable portion but in which the method of connection is improved to provide a number of advantages. The advantages include the ability to easily interchange the components, ease of manufacture, sturdiness of the design and the ability to provide a range of interchangeable portions which can differ in both shape and colour or pattern.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an item of footwear comprising: a sole portion having a groove around at least a portion of the periphery thereof; and an upper portion connectable to the sole portion; wherein the upper portion is secured to a cord receivable in said groove to connect the upper portion to the sole portion. Preferably the sole portion includes an upper surface, a lower surface and an edge surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces and the groove is provided around at least a portion of the edge surface.

Preferably the groove extends from a first end in the heel, along the lower surface to a location midway between the heel and the toe on a first side thereof, around the toe to a location generally midway between the heel and the toe on a second side and then along the lower surface of the sole portion to a second end in the heel.

In a preferred embodiment, the cord is provided with a securing member connected to the cord that engages with the sole portion in use. The securing member is preferably received in a recess in the edge surface of the sole portion. The recess is preferably provided in the edge surface adjacent the heel of the footwear.

In one embodiment, the securing member comprises a member having a U- shaped cross section and the recess has a complementary shape such that the securing member can be received in the recess. The U-shaped recess may be provided in the edge surface of the sole portion such that the ends of the U-shaped recess extend to the lower surface of the sole portion.

In a further embodiment, the recess comprises a first portion extending through the edge surface of the sole portion and a second portion that extends into the upper surface of the sole portion and the securing member includes a first portion of complementary shape to the first portion of the recess and a second portion of complementary shape to the second portion of the recess. The first portion of the recess may extend from a location above the lower surface to the upper surface.

Preferably the second portion of the securing member comprises a disc portion and an arm portion and the arm portion connects the disc portion to the first portion of the securing member. The disc portion is preferably located in the upper surface of the sole portion such that the wearer's heel rests on the disc portion.

In a further embodiment, the upper portion comprises a full upper and the cord comprises a continuous loop connected around the lower peripheral edge of the upper portion. A portion of the loop preferably extends into a recessed portion of the sole portion adjacent the instep and engages with a securing means. Preferably the securing means comprises a protrusion in the recessed portion over which the cord is engaged. The protrusion preferably includes a widened portion adjacent the distal end thereof to prevent disengagement.

The upper portion may include an inwardly turned tab adjacent the recessed portion provided with a connector having an opening such that the opening in the connector is engageable with a second protrusion in the recessed portion.

The cord may be provided with one or more lugs to engage in corresponding holes in the groove to prevent sliding motion of the cord in the groove.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a first embodiment of a pair of footwear in accordance with the present invention wherein the footwear comprises an open toed pair of sandals;

Figure 2a is a front view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2b is a front cross sectional view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3a is a side view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3b is a side cross sectional view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a lower view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a lower view of the upper portion of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is an upper rear perspective of one of the sandals of Figure 1 showing the upper portion prior to engagement with the sole portion; Figure 7 is an upper rear perspective of one of the sandals of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is an exploded view of one of the sandals of Figure 1 showing the cord disconnected from the upper portion;

Figure 9 is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of an item of footwear comprising a closed sandal;

Figure 10 is an upper rear perspective of the sandal of Figure 9 showing the upper portion prior to engagement with the sole portion;

Figure 11 is an upper rear perspective of the sandal of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is an upper perspective view of a third embodiment of an item of footwear comprising a closed sandal with an enclosed heel portion;

Figure 13 is an upper rear perspective of the sandal of Figure 12 showing the upper portion prior to engagement with the sole portion;

Figure 14 is an upper perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a pair of footwear in accordance with the present invention wherein the footwear comprises a pair of enclosed shoes;

Figure 15a is a side view of one of the shoes of Figure 14;

Figure 15b is a side cross sectional view of one of the shoes of Figure 14;

Figure 16 is a lower view of one of the shoes of Figure 14;

Figure 17 is a lower view of the cord of the shoe of Figure 14; Figure 18 is a lower perspective view of one of the shoes of Figure 14;

Figure 19 is a lower exploded view of one of the shoes of Figure 14;

Figure 20 is a lower perspective view of the shoe of Figure 14 showing the upper portion prior to engagement with the sole portion;

Figure 21 is an upper perspective view of the shoe of Figure 14 showing the upper portion prior to engagement with the sole portion;

Figure 22 is an exploded view of one of the shoes of Figure 14 showing the cord disconnected from the upper portion;

Figure 23 is an upper perspective view of a fifth embodiment of an item of footwear in accordance with the present invention; Figure 24a is an upper perspective view of the upper portion of the footwear of

Figure 23;

Figure 24b is a side view of the upper portion of the footwear of Figure 23;

Figure 25 is an upper perspective view of the footwear of Figure 23 with the upper portion and the sole portion prior to engagement; Figure 26a is a lower view of the upper portion of the footwear of Figure 23;

Figure 26b is a lower view of the footwear of Figure 23;

Figure 27 is a side cross sectional view of the footwear of Figure 23;

Figure 28 is an exploded view of the footwear of Figure 23; and

Figure 29 is a view of different upper portions for use with the footwear of

Figure 23.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to the Figures there is shown a pair of footwear 10. Each item of footwear comprises a sole portion 12 connectable to an upper portion 14. The sole portion 12 comprises the base on which the user stands and the upper portion 14 extends from the sole portion 12 over at least a portion of the upper surface of the foot of the wearer.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 8, the footwear 10 comprises a pair of open toed sandals 16. The upper portion 14 therefore comprises a strap extending from a first side of the sole portion 12 over the foot of the wearer to a second side of the sole portion 12 in a known configuration.

The present invention relates to the arrangement of the footwear 10 which allows the upper portion 14 to be connected to and disconnected from the sole portion 12. The upper portion 14 may therefore be replaced with upper portions of different colour, ornamentation or shape to allow the appearance of the footwear 10 to be altered.

The upper portion 14 is secured to a cord 18 which is securable to the sole portion 12 of the sandal 16. The sole portion 12 is provided with a groove 20 around at least a portion of the periphery thereof into which the cord 18 is received.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 8, the sole portion 12 comprises an upper surface 22, a lower surface 24 and an edge surface 26 extending generally vertically between the upper surface 22 and the lower surface 24. The groove 20 extends from a first end 28 in the heel 30 of the sandal 16 along the lower surface 24 to a location midway between the heel 30 and the toe 32 of the sandal 16 on a first side thereof. From this location, the groove 20 extends in the vertical edge surface 26 around the toe 32 to a location generally midway between the heel 30 and the toe 32 on a second side of the sandal 16. The groove 20 then extends along the lower surface 24 of the sole portion 12 to a second end 34 thereof in the heel 30.

As can be seen in Figure 6, the cord 18 is of a length equal to the length of the groove 20 such that when received in the groove 20, a first end 36 of the cord 18 is located in the first end 28 of the groove 20 and a second end 38 of the cord 18 is located in the second end 34 of the groove 20. The upper portion 14 is secured between a pair of locations on the cord 18 such that when the cord 18 is received in the groove 20, the upper portion 14 extends over the sole portion 12 from the first side to the second side thereof forming a sandal of known configuration.

The cord 18 is provided with a securing means to be connected to the sole portion 12. The securing means comprises a securing member 40 connected between the first and second ends 36 and 38 of the cord 18. As can be seen in Figure 6, the securing member 40 comprises a rigid member having a generally U-shaped cross section viewed from the rear of the sandal 16.

Provided in the sole portion 12 is a recess 42 connecting between the first end 28 of the groove 20 and the second end 34 of the groove 20. The recess 42 is shaped such that the shape of the securing member 40 is complementary to that of the recess 42 and the ends 28 and 34 of the groove 20. The securing member 40 can therefore be received in the recess 42, as shown in Figure 7.

The U-shaped recess 42 is provided in the edge surface 26 of the sole portion 12 such that the ends of the U-shaped recess 42 extend to the lower surface

24 of the sole portion 12. The cord 18 may also be provided with one or more lugs 39 along the length thereof. The lugs 39 engage in corresponding holes provided in the groove 20 to prevent sliding motion of the cord 18 relative to the groove 20.

It is expected that the cord 18 and/or the sole portion 12 of the sandal 16 is constructed of a resilient material such that the cord 18 can be received in the groove 20 and the securing member 40 engaged in the recess 42 by flexing of the cord 18 and/or bending the sole portion 12 of the sandal 16. The same process can be employed for removal of the upper portion 14 from the sole portion 12.

The design of the sole portion 12 and the upper portion 14 may be varied such that a range of different appearances result from connecting different upper portions 14 to different sole portions 12. Figures 9 to 11 show a different configuration of upper portion 14 in which the upper portion 14 extends around the cord 18 of the sandal 16 from the first side, around the toe 32 to the second side, resulting in a closed sandal.

Figures 12 and 13 show a further view similar to the embodiment of Figures 9 to 1 1 in which a heel strap 44 is provided. The heel strap 44 extends from the upper portion 14 around the heel of the wearer in use.

Figures 14 to 22 show a further embodiment of footwear 10 in accordance with the present invention. The footwear of Figures 14 to 22 comprises a pair of closed shoes. As with the previous embodiments, the shoes comprise a sole portion 12 to which is connected an upper portion 14 by the cord 18 connected to the upper portion 14.

The cord 18 comprises a single continuous loop which is connected around the lower peripheral edge 48 of the upper portion 14 with the exception of a section adjacent the instep. The sole portion 12 is provided with a corresponding groove 20 around the edge thereof into which is received the cord 18. The sole portion 12 is provided also with a recessed portion 46 in the lower surface 24 thereof adjacent the instep. The cord 18 extends away from the edge 48 of the upper portion 14 into this recessed portion 46 where it engages with a protrusion 50 extending downwardly from the inner surface of the recessed portion 46. The cord 18 is constructed of a resilient material such that it may be stretched to engage over the protrusion 50, as can be seen in Figure 18. The distal end of the protrusion 50 is preferably provided with a widened portion 51 to restrict disengagement of the cord 18 from the protrusion 50.

The edge 48 of the upper portion 14 is also provided with a tab 52 of material turned inwardly adjacent the recessed portion 46. A connector 54 including an opening 56 is secured to the tab 52. The connector 54 is engageable with a second protrusion 58 provided in the recessed portion 46 by insertion of the second protrusion 58 into the opening 56 to secure down the upper portion 14 adjacent the recessed portion 46, as can also be seen in Figure 18.

Figures 23 to 29 show a fifth embodiment of footwear 10 in accordance with the present invention. The embodiment shown in Figures 23 to 29 is similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 1 1 and like reference numerals are used to denote like parts. The fifth embodiment differs primarily in the securing member 40 that engages with the sole portion 12 adjacent the heel 30 and the shape of the cord 18. The cord 18 in this embodiment comprises a flat elongate member rather than an elongate cord having a round cross section as shown in the previous embodiments.

The recess 42 comprises a first portion 61 extending through the edge surface 26 of the sole portion 12 from a location above the lower surface 24 to the upper surface 22. The recess 42 includes also a second portion 63 that extends into the upper surface 22 of the sole portion (as shown in Figure 25).

The securing member 40 includes a first portion 60 of complementary shape to the first portion 61 of the recess 42 such that the first portion 60 of the securing member 40 is received in the first portion 61 of the recess 42. The securing member 40 includes also a second portion 62 of complementary shape to the second portion 63 of the recess 42 such that the second portion 62 of the securing member 40 is received in the second portion 63 of the recess 42.

The second portion 62 of the securing member 42 comprises a disc portion 64 and an arm portion 65. The arm portion 65 connects the disc portion 54 to the first portion 60 of the securing member 40. The disc portion 64 is located in the upper surface 22 of the sole portion 12 such that the wearer's heel rests generally on the disc portion 64.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.