Modular Footwear TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

Object of the present patent application is a modular article of footwear, and particularly an article with a removable heel.

The present invention has been devised in order to freshly stimulate a field which relied on traditional solutions for a too long time, also from a commercial perspective. As it is known, the traditional structure of an article of footwear consists of a bottom (or sole) and an overhanging upper. Such bottom is sometimes manufactured by moulding plastic materials, while in other cases the bottom is made of leather and it comprises a heel and possibly an outsole as well. In both cases, the bottom being manufactured along with the upper has a monolithic structure, that is, none of the above-mentioned components thereof can be separated from the other components anymore (except that in a traumatic manner).

In order to innovate this established state of the art, it was decided for the first time to manufacture an article of footwear which adopts a bottom provided with a heel which can be detached in a non- traumatic manner. In this way, it is easily understood that the owner of such an article of footwear can easily remove the heel originally mounted on his/her article of footwear and replace it with a different heel, which is possibly sold as an accessory along with the same article of footwear or otherwise available at the same point of sale. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to mention that the means provided to install and remove different heels to/from the front bearing portion of the sole of the present article of footwear are such that a similar operation can be carried out by the same purchaser of a similar product in a very easy and quick manner, without compromising at all the rigidity and strength features of the same product.

The choice of replacing the heel initially mounted on the article of footwear according to the invention with a different heel could be connected to the user's choice to install a heel having a different shape, colour or outfit compared to the original heel. To this regard, the replacement of the heel could also be an opportunity to change the typology of the article of footwear, switching it from a sandal to a substantially closed shoe and vice versa.

In order to better illustrate this further advantage of the present article of footwear, it is necessary to remind that a typical shoe is characterized in that it adopts a "closed" upper to embrace and contain the foot from the tip to the heel. On the contrary, a typical sandal (or sabot) is an article of footwear which adopts a half upper, that is an upper which can only contain the front portion of the user's foot. To this regard, the front portion of the sole of the article of footwear according to the invention is provided to be a classical half upper (resembling that of a sandal or sabot) in any case. Now, a heel without a heel-counter or a heel incorporating a heel-counter can be alternatively installed to the back of this front half portion of the above-mentioned sole (where, in the typical jargon of the footwear field, the term "heel-counter" denotes the portion of the upper embracing the heel).

That is, in the former case where a heel without a heel-counter is used, the article of footwear according to the invention has the shape of a typical sandal or sabot, while in the latter case where a heel provided with a heel-counter is used, the same article of footwear has the structure of a true shoe, wherein both the foot and the heel of the foot are contained within respective portions of the upper. For an increased explanatory clarity, the description of the invention proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are only illustrative and not restrictive at all, wherein:

Figure 1 shows the present article of footwear in an axonometric representation;

Figure 2 is an axonometric representation showing only the front portion of the sole as used in the above-mentioned article of footwear;

Figures 3 and 4 are two axonometric representations showing two alternative versions of the heel intended to be mounted to the manufactured article of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an axonometric representation illustrating means used to carry out the above-mentioned quick connection of the front portion of the sole to the respective heel as illustrated in the previous figures;

Figure 6 is an axonometric representation of an alternative constructive version of the present article of footwear;

Figure 7 is an axonometric representation of the article of footwear of Figure 6 showing the two components of the article of footwear in a detached arrangement;

Figure 8 is an axonometric representation of the means used to quickly assemble the two components of Figure 7.

With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the present article of footwear comprises a sole (1) consisting of two components (2, 3) which can be mutually and tightly assembled, of which the front one

(2) is substantially extended from the tip to the zone of the arch, and it incorporates an upper (2a) adapted to embrace the forefoot of the user. Instead, the second portion consists of a heel (3) adapted to be coupled to and detached from the above-mentioned front portion (2) through appropriate mutual coupling means.

According to the version of the invention as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, such mutual coupling means consist of a pin (4) axially projecting from the front edge of the heel (3), and a corresponding seat (5) formed at the rear edge of the above-mentioned front portion

(2) of the present sole (1). Indeed, in order to assemble the two

above-mentioned components (2, 3), it is required to fit the above- mentioned pin (4) into the respective seat (5) and then stabilize such connection through a fastening screw (6) which is inserted into a vertical through-duct (7) formed below the front portion (2) of the sole (1) to enter the above-mentioned seat (5) and engage a small hole (4a) formed in the pin (4).

In the constructive version as shown in the Figures 6 and 7, the above-mentioned mutual coupling means consist of two overlying tubular pins (40) horizontally projecting from the rear edge of the front portion (2) of the present sole (1), and two corresponding seats (50) formed at the front edge of the heel (3). In order to stabilize the connection between the above-mentioned coupling means (40, 50), each of the two pins (40) is provided to include, near the free end thereof, a ball (40a) partially projecting upwardly, said ball (40a) being subject to the action of an underlying spring (not shown in the accompanying figures).

Indeed, while a similar pin (40) is being installed into the above- mentioned corresponding seat (50), it is inserted into a sleeve (51) having a slightly increased cross-section and mounted within the seat, which sleeve has a small hole (51a) on the top thereof to fittingly receive the above-mentioned ball (40a) of the relative pin (40). And when the tubular pin (40) is inserted into the sleeve (51), the ball (40a) thereof undergoes the interference of the inner walls of such sleeve. Such an interference can overcome the reaction force of the spring connected to the same ball (40a) and make the ball to completely penetrate the respective tubular pin (40). Once such connection is established, the same ball (40a) becomes perfectly aligned with the corresponding small hole (51a) formed in the sleeve (51); then, the pushing force generated by the corresponding spring makes the same ball (40a) to come out from the pin (40) and to be fittingly

received within the same small hole (51a). The interference generated by the circumferential edge of such small hole (51a) all around the ball (40a) prevents the heel (3) and the front portion (2) of the sole (1) to be accidentally detached from each other. Indeed, the detachment thereof can be achieved only by applying a noticeable opening force such as the balls (40a) of the pins (40) can penetrate again said pins, under the great interference of the edges of the small holes (51a) of the respective sleeves (51). As already mentioned, the ability to couple and detach the two components (2, 3) of the sole (1) as necessary allows the user to alternate heels of different shapes and colours with the article of footwear according to the invention. Thus, there is also provided that the heel (3) can incorporate a heel-counter (8) to embrace the user's foot at the area of his/her heel, as shown in Figure 4. By alternating a heel (3) provided with the above-mentioned heel-counter (8) and a heel without a heel-counter (of the same type shown in Figure 3) on a same front portion (2) of the sole (1), it is possible to provide the article of footwear according to the invention with the shape of a true shoe or sandal (or sabot).