RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims benefit and priority to United States

Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/413,515 filed November 15, 2010, entitled "Shoes with Replaceable Soles," which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] This generally relates to footwear, and more specifically to shoes with replaceable soles.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Often, the cushioning and soles of a pair of shoes become worn out before the upper part of the shoe, causing the shoes to become

uncomfortable and/or bad for the joints of the person wearing the shoe. The upper part of the shoes may still be in relatively new and/or good condition, while the cushioning and soles of the shoes have worn out.

[0004] Additionally, many runners own and use two or more pairs of running shoes so that the cushioning and support of one pair can "rest," and retain its suppleness and support, while another pair is being worn. For most runners, who limit the amount of miles they will run in a pair of shoes before replacing them, the sole of the shoe is worn past the point of continued use long before the upper shoe.

[0005] Conventional replaceable soled shoes only provide for

detachment and/or replacement of the soles of the shoes, but not for

detachment and replacement of the cushioning. Further, conventional replaceable soled shoes do not allow for easy release and attachment, and typically do not provide strong adhesion of the replaceable soles and good stability on the shoe. Accordingly, there is a desire for shoes with easily replaceable soles that avoid these and other related problems.

SUMMARY

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, a shoe with a replaceable cushion and sole is provided, comprising a top portion of the shoe which fits around the top of a user's foot and includes a flexible under portion covering the bottom of a user's foot. The shoe further comprises a detachable cushion configured to attach to the top portion of the shoe and detachable from the top portion of the shoe, and a sole connected to the detachable cushion.

[0007] In one implementation, a method is provided for using a shoe with a replaceable sole and cushion, comprising attaching a top portion of the shoe which fits around the top of a user's foot and includes a flexible under portion covering the bottom of a user's foot to a detachable cushion connected a sole. The method further includes detaching the top portion of the shoe from the detachable cushion connected to the sole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe with replaceable sole according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 illustrates a side and bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a replaceable sole and cushion according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention. [0010] Figure 3 illustrates a side and bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of an upper shoe equipped to accommodate a replaceable sole according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention.

[0011] Figure 4 illustrates a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe with replaceable sole and cushion according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention allow a user to change the cushioning and soles of a pair of shoes without buying an entirely new pair of shoes. Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention provide a replaceable sole and cushion for a shoe which may be easily attached and removed. It may also use a hook and loop fastening material (e.g. Velcro) and various tab connections for further securing the replaceable sole in place. When a user changes the sole, the user also changes the cushioning of the shoe that has worn out. The new, replaceable cushioning and sole preclude the user having to buy a new pair of shoes. Instead, the user only buys new replaceable cushioning and soles. They may also include a finger loop for easy removal and attachment.

[0013] Replaceable sole and cushion shoes in accordance with the present invention may be multi-terrain shoes with different soles for different terrains; for example, trail, street and/or sidewalk, running track, treadmill, indoor court, outdoor court, grass, or any other terrain. These soles may be various types of soles, such as racing soles, training soles, and extra support soles.

[0014] Replaceable sole and cushion shoes in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention may have replaceable cushioning and soles that are both more secure in the attachment of the replaceable cushioning and sole to the upper shoe and at the same time designed for easier and/or quicker replacement of the sole as compared to conventional systems. These upper shoe and replaceable cushioning and sole systems have additional stability between the upper shoe and the cushioning and sole which derives from the toe, ball, and heel stability tabs in accordance with the present invention. Further, the ease of switching soles is enhanced by the finger loop at the heel tab in accordance with the present invention, such that even very young wearers can switch soles easily and accurately.

Additionally, shoes in accordance with the present invention have the economic benefit of allowing replacement of only the sole rather than the whole shoe when one sole is worn down, "resting" or otherwise not desirable for use.

[0015] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe with replaceable sole and cushion according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention. The general design of replaceable sole and cushion shoes in accordance with the present invention includes an upper shoe 106 which appears similar to a traditional upper shoe, the underside of which is a downward facing layer of the loop side of a hook and loop fastening material 108 along the entire bottom, or footprint 110 of the upper shoe. A replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 in accordance with the present invention may be of various materials and various designs for different terrains. Such a replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 has, as its upper layer, an upward facing layer of the hook side of hook and loop fastening material 108. The upper layer of the replaceable cushioning and sole 112 matches, in shape, the footprint 1 10 of the upper shoe 106, and extends from various points to ensure secure and accurate fitting to the upper shoe. The finger loop 1 14 is discussed further below.

[0016] Figure 2 illustrates a side and bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a replaceable sole according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention. Figure 3 illustrates a side and bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of an upper shoe equipped to accommodate a replaceable sole according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention. At the toe of replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12, the hook layer of hook and loop fastening material 108 extends to form a tab-like component, toe tab 200 that wraps around the toe of the upper shoe portion 106 and

corresponds to a matching loop side of hook and loop fastening material 108 to form toe tab landing 300. In some implementations, toe tab 200 may include a piece of rubber attached to the aforementioned hook and loop fastening material 108 on the upper shoe 106. At the ball of the foot of replaceable cushioning and sole 112, corresponding to the ball of the foot of upper shoe 106, the hook layer of hook and loop fastening material 108 extends on each side in both a forward and backward reaching ball tabs 202 and ball tab landings 302, again, wrapping around the foot and matching two strips of the loop side of hook and loop fastening material 108 on the upper shoe portion 106.

[0017] Figure 4 illustrates a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a shoe with replaceable sole according to methods and systems consistent with the present invention. From the heel of the replaceable cushioning and sole 112 hook layer of hook and loop fastening material 108, there is an extension that wraps vertically around the heel and corresponds to a matching layer of loop side hook and loop fastening material 108 on the heel of the upper shoe 106, forming heel tab 406 and heel tab landing 404. In some embodiments, the heel extension of the replacement sole hook layer may have on its bottom, so as to become the outside when wrapped around the upper shoe, a finger-sized loop of webbing material. This "finger loop" 114 may facilitate both pulling the replaceable sole onto the upper shoe for a good fit and/or quick removal of the replaceable sole.

[0018] The correspondence of the hook side tabs (toe tab 200, ball tabs

202, and heel tab 406) on the replaceable sole to the loop side strips at the toe of the upper shoe, ball of the upper shoe, across from the ball of the upper shoe, and heel of the upper shoe (toe tab landing 300, ball tab landings 302, and heel tab landing 404) may facilitate accurate, quick, and easy fitting of the upper shoe 106 to the replaceable cushioning and sole 112. The wearer may attach replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 by first matching toe tab 200 to toe tab landing 300. Next, the user may roll the upper shoe 106 backwards onto the replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 and may further secure the replaceable cushioning and sole 112 by attaching the finger loop on heel tab 406 to the corresponding heel tab landing 404. Finally, the user may pull the ball tabs 202 corresponding to the strips on the upper shoe upward and over the foot, attaching them to ball tab landings 302 for additional securing and potential avoidance of any forward, backward or side to side slipping between the replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 and the upper shoe 106. To remove the replaceable cushioning and sole 1 12 the wearer may begin by peeling back the four ball strips 202 from ball strip landings 302. Then, the user may pull the finger loop at the heel tab 406 to quickly and easily "unpeel" the replaceable cushioning and sole 112 from the upper shoe 106. In this way, users including young children may easily and accurately attach and remove the replaceable cushioning and sole 112 from the upper shoe 106.

[0019] The foregoing description of various embodiments provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice in accordance with the present invention.