US20140310992A1 - Foldable footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable footwear comprising a sole fabricated using a single manufacturing casting, the sole comprising at least two portions, a front portion and a back portion and a groove in the ground side of the sole extending laterally from one side of the sole to the other side of the sole. The footwear can be folded in one direction only where the ground side of the sole is folded into itself.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
• This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/098,533 filed on May 2, 2011 and claims priority to Israeli Patent Application 205479 filed on May 2, 2010. The entire teachings of these applications are incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to the field of footwear in general. More particularly, the invention relates to foldable shoes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• A footwear, such as a shoe includes a sole and an upper part that hold the footwear onto the foot. The sole includes a ground-side, which is the layer in contact with the ground when the footwear is worn, and a foot-side, which is the layer in contact with the foot of the user when the footwear is worn.
• A foldable footwear is a footwear which, upon not wearing allows folding thereof for carrying or packaging purposes.
• Many women wear high-heel shoes on many occasions in order to be fashionable, however many of these shoes are not comfortable to wear for many hours and as a result, women may wish to change to more comfortable shoes, for example, when going back home.
• There is thus a need to provide foldable shoes that can be carried in a compact package, for example, fitting in a woman's purse or bag so that a woman can easily change to more comfortable shoes when she is no longer obligated to wear uncomfortable shoes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is an object of the present invention to provide foldable footwear.
• It is another object of the present invention to provide footwear that is foldable with the one part of the sole touching the other part of the sole so that when touching the folded footwear one does not have to touch the footwear's sole.
• It is a further object of the present invention to provide footwear that is foldable in one direction only with the one part of the sole touching the other part of the sole.
• It is yet another object of the present invention to provide foldable footwear with straps, wherein the straps help keep the footwear unfolded when the footwear is worn.
• The present invention thus relates to a foldable footwear comprising:
• a. a sole fabricated using a single manufacturing casting, the sole having a ground side which touches the ground when the footwear is worn and a foot side which touches the user's foot when the footwear is worn, the sole comprising at least two portions, a front portion and a back portion; and
• b. at least one groove in the ground side of the sole, separating the front portion from the back portion and extending laterally from one side of the sole to the other side of the sole, the groove having a front portion edge and a back portion edge, the groove having a minimal width of 0.9 centimeters (cm) and a maximum width of 2.2 cm;
• c. a connecting element (strap etc.) attached to the front portion in at least one location and attached to the back portion in at least two locations, one on the lateral side of the sole and the other on the medial side of the sole, wherein said connecting element is designed to hold the footside of the back portion of the sole against the wearer's foot;
• wherein said footwear can be folded in one direction only where the ground side of the front portion is folded towards the ground side of the back portion such that the groove's front portion edge touches the groove's back portion edge.
• In some embodiments, the groove is substantially cylindrical.
• In some embodiments, the at least one groove's maximal height is 0.2 to 0.9 the thickness of the sole.
• In some embodiments, the thickness of the groove is 2.3 or 2.4 or 2.5 cm.
• In some embodiments, the sole has a minimum width of 0.5 cm and a maximum width of 2.5 cm. In some embodiments, the sole has a minimum width of 0.5 cm and a maximum width of 2.2 or 2.3 or 2.4 cm.
• In some embodiments, the at least one groove is positioned substantially in the middle of the sole.
• In some embodiments, the foldable footwear further comprises a strap attached on one side to the front portion and on the other side attached to the back portion, wherein the strap is stretched when the footwear is worn thus helping to keep the sole unfolded.
• In some embodiments, the foldable footwear further comprises a plurality of notches on the foot side of the sole, substantially positioned above said at least one groove, said notches forming a plurality of adjacent bands, wherein the each band's width on the foot side (A2) is larger than the width of the bottom of its adjacent notches (A1) such that said bands are drawn away from each other upon folding said footwear in the direction where the ground side of the front portion is moved towards the ground side of the back portion, and said bands are drawn closer to each other when the footwear is unfolded, said bands effectively preventing the footwear from being folded in the direction where the foot side of the front portion is folded towards the foot side of the back portion since the bands will eventually touch each other.
• In some embodiments, the footwear is a flip-flop sandal.
• In some embodiments, the sole of said flip-flop sandal is made from a flexible material comprising rubber or polyurethane.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings:
• FIG. 1 depicts a foldable footwear at the deployed state, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 depicts the foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 at the folded state.
• FIG. 3 is a side view of the foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 at the folded state, focusing at the foldable structure.
• FIG. 4 is a side view of the foldable structure of the foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 at an intermediate state between the folded state ofFIG. 3 and the deployed state.
• FIG. 5 is a side view of the foldable structure of the foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 at the deployed state.
• FIG. 6 is a side view of the foldable structure of a foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 7 is a side view of the foldable structure of a foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 8 is a side view of the foldable structure of a foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 according to another embodiment.
• FIG. 9A is a side view of a foldable footwear in an open position according to another embodiment.FIG. 9B is enlargement of thegroove18 area ofFIG. 9A.
• FIG. 10 is a side view of a foldable footwear in a folded position.
• FIG. 11 is a closeup view of a foldable footwear in a folded position.
• FIG. 12 is a side view of a foldable footwear in a half folded position.
• FIG. 13 is a top view of a foldable footwear in an open position.
• FIG. 14 is a bottom view of a foldable footwear in an open position.
• It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.
• FIG. 1 depicts afoldable footwear10 at the deployed state, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
• The foldable footwear's10 sole26 comprises at least two portions, a relativelyrigid front portion12A, a relativelyrigid back portion12B. At least one relativelyfoldable structure32A comprising agroove18 in the ground side of the sole26 separates thefront portion12A from theback portion12B and extends laterally from one side of the sole26 to the other side of the sole26.
• According to a preferred embodiment, the sole-portions12A and12B and also thefoldable structure32A are all produced together as a single casting of a flexible material, such as hard rubber, polyurethane, or other similar materials.
• The term “foot-side” as used herein refers to the side of the sole26 which is in contact with the foot of the user when afootwear10 is worn.
• The term “ground-side” as used herein refers to the side of the sole26 which is in contact with the ground when afootwear10 is worn.
• Footwear10 is foldable in one direction only, which is the direction depicted byarrows44. Namely,foldable footwear10 is folded so that theground side34A of thefront portion12A is folded towards theground side34B of theback portion12B. When thefootwear10 is folded over thegroove18, the front portion edge of thegroove18 touches the back portion edge of thegroove18.
• In this way, since a footwear's10 sole is usually dirty from contact with the ground, when a user holds the foldedfootwear10 of the invention, the user is holding the foot-side and not the ground-side, hence the user's hands will not get dirty.
• The weight of the user's foot on thegroove32A prevents folding thefootwear10 in the direction ofarrows44 while being worn.
• Stretchable straps14 may attachfootwear10 to the foot of the user, and are stretched upon foldingfootwear10. When the user wears thefootwear10, thestretchable straps14 help in keeping thefootwear10 unfolded.
• Optionally, astretchable strap20 can be pivotally connected to sole-portions12A or12B, in order to retain thefootwear10 in a folded state.Strap20 may be rotated by inserting a finger into adepression22. A person skilled in the art will easily be able to use many available alternatives in order to incorporate alternative solutions in order to maintain thefootwear10 in a folded state.
• In some embodiments, thefoldable footwear10 further comprises a plurality of notches on the foot-side of the sole26, substantially positioned above thegroove18, the notches forming a plurality ofadjacent bands16. Thebands16 are drawn away from each other upon folding thefootwear10 in the direction ofarrow44, and thebands16 are drawn closer to each other when thefootwear10 is unfolded. Thus thebands16 help to prevent thefootwear10 from being folded in the direction contrary toarrow44 since thebands16 will eventually touch each other.
• FIG. 2 depicts thefoldable footwear10 ofFIG. 1 at the folded state, wherein theback portion12B is shown on top of thefront portion12A.
• Foldable structure32A may include a foldable layer42 (shown inFIG. 3), which is connected to both sole-portions12A and12B. A plurality of transverse paralleladjacent bands16 extend from the foldable layer42 towards the foot-side offootwear10. Upon foldingfootwear10,bands16 are drawn away one from the other; upon deployingfootwear10,bands16 approach one another.
• Pivots24 connect thestretchable strap20 to sole-portions12A or12B.
• FIG. 3 is a side view of thefoldable footwear10 ofFIG. 1 at the folded state, focusing on thefoldable structure32A.
• Each of thetransverse bands16 may widen along the extending direction, i.e., the width A2 at the end ofband16 is wider than the width A1 ofband16 touching the foldable layer42.
• Even at the folded state ofFIG. 3, wherebands16 are drawn away one from the other,external edges38 ofadjacent bands16 are disposed close or even touch one another.
• A transverse depression (groove)18 at the ground-side offoldable structure32A prevents rejection forces between sole-portions12A and12B upon the folding.
• In some embodiments, the flexible (foldable) layer42 can assist in preventing thefootwear10 from folding in the direction opposing thesingle folding direction44 by designing widening (from A1 to A2) such that each of thebands16 has a narrower base touching the flexible layer42 and a wider upper part A2 thereby providing mutual pressure between theadjacent bands16 upon deployment of thefootwear10 and preventing the footwear from folding in the direction contrary toarrow44.
• FIG. 4 is a side view of thefoldable structure32A of thefoldable footwear10 ofFIG. 1 at an intermediate state between the folded state ofFIG. 3 and the deployed state.
• At such an intermediate state, not onlyexternal edges38 ofadjacent bands16 may contact one another, but also side surfaces40 ofadjacent bands16 when extending mutually pressed against each other apply a force on each other as shown in the arrows insidebands16.
• FIG. 5 is a side view of thefoldable structure32A of thefoldable footwear10 ofFIG. 1 at the deployed state.
• Upon full deployment offootwear10, not onlyexternal surfaces40 touch one another but also theentire surfaces40 ofadjacent bands16 are pressed one on the other, disallowing further pressure.
• This pressure betweensides40 ofadjacent bands16 preventsfolding footwear10 to the direction opposite toarrows44.
• FIG. 6 is a side view of thefoldable structure32A of afoldable footwear10 according to another embodiment.
• Footwear10 may include more than onefoldable structure32A. According to the example ofFIG. 6,footwear10 may be folded to three pieces, asfootwear10 includes two consequent sole-portions pairs. The first sole-portions pair includes sole-portion12A and sole-portion12B, and the second sole-portions pair includes sole-portion12B and sole-portion12C.
• According to some embodiments, the first sole-portions pair is foldable byfoldable structure32A, and the second sole-portions pair is foldable by foldable structure32B.
• The folding of both sole-portions pairs is in the same direction.
• FIG. 7 is a side view of the foldable structure of afoldable footwear10 according to another embodiment.
• According to the example ofFIG. 7footwear10 may be folded to five pieces. Sole-portion12A and sole-portion12B are foldable byfoldable structure32A in between them; sole-portion12B and sole-portion12C are foldable byfoldable structure32C in between them; sole-portion12C and sole-portion12D are foldable byfoldable structure32C in between them; sole-portion12D and sole-portion12E are foldable by foldable structure32D in between them; sole-portion12E and sole-portion12F are foldable byfoldable structure32E in between them; and sole-portion12F and sole-portion12G are foldable by foldable structure32F in between them.
• FIG. 8 is a side view of the foldable footwear ofFIG. 1 at the folded state, according to another embodiment.
• According to this embodiment each oftransverse bands16 is parallel along the extending direction, thus the width of eachband16 is of a constant value, giving the bands16 a substantially rectangular form.
• The prevention from folding the flexible layer42 to the direction opposing thesingle folding direction44 is obtained bybands16.
• In some embodiments, the foldable sole26 may comprise a series of sole-portions (32A,32B,32C, etc.), each for providing a single-directional folding to consequent sole-portion pairs (32A for12A and12B,32B for12B and12C, etc.).
• In another aspect, the present invention further relates to a foldable footwear comprising:
• a. a sole fabricated using a single manufacturing casting, the sole having a ground side which touches the ground when the footwear is worn and a foot side which touches the user's foot when the footwear is worn, the sole comprising at least two portions, a front portion and a back portion, the sole having a minimum width of 0.5 centimeters (cm) and a maximum width 2.5 cm; and
• b. at least one groove in the ground side of the sole, separating the front portion from the back portion and extending laterally from one side of the sole to the other side of the sole, the groove having a front portion edge and a back portion edge, the groove having a minimal width of 0.9 cm and a maximum width of 2.2 cm;
• c. a connecting element (strap etc.) attached to the front portion in at least one location and attached to the back portion in at least two locations, one on the lateral side of the sole and the other on the medial side of the sole, wherein said connecting element is designed to hold the footside of the back portion of the sole against the wearer's foot;
• wherein said footwear can be folded in one direction only where the ground side of the front portion is folded towards the ground side of the back portion such that the groove's front portion edge touches the groove's back portion edge.
• The connecting element (strap) is designed to stretch when the footwear is worn, thus helping to keep the footwear unfolded.
• FIG. 9A shows an embodiment of such footwear, in the form of a flip-flop with a strap. SW denotes the sole thickness. The sole thickness should be between 0.5 cm and 2.2 cm, as to if the sole is too thin it will not be comfortable for the user and might also tear more easily. A sole that is thicker than 2.5 cm will not be very practical to use as it might be cumbersome to fold and store, and might not feel very comfortable to wear.
• FIG. 9B is enlargement of thegroove18 area ofFIG. 9A and showing the groove width GW. The groove width should be no less than 0.9 cm and no more than 2.2 cm. A groove that is narrower than 0.9 cm will not fold easily to a completely flat position where thefront portion12A and theback portion12B are parallel to each other and the groove's18 front portion edge touches the groove's18 back portion edge. Agroove18 that is larger than 2.2 cm will not comfortable for walking, because the user might feel thelarge groove18 in the sole.
• FIG. 10 is a side view of the foldable footwear in a folded position, showing thefront portion12A and theback portion12B essentially parallel to each other and the groove's18 front portion edge touching the groove's18 back portion edge.
• FIG. 11 is a closeup view of a foldable footwear in a folded position, showing thefront portion12A and theback portion12B essentially parallel to each other and the groove's18 front portion edge touching the groove's18 back portion edge.
• FIG. 12 is a side view of a foldable footwear in a half folded position, showing how the flip-flop can only fold in onedirection44.
• FIG. 13 is a top view of a foldable footwear in an open position.
• FIG. 14 is a bottom view of a foldable footwear in an open position showing the groove's18 width GW.
• In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned:
• numeral10 denotes a footwear or a shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• numerals12A,12B,12C,12D,12E and12F denote sole-portions of thefootwear10;
• numeral14 denotes a stretchable strap, for attaching the user's foot to thefootwear10;
• numeral16 denotes a band from a plurality of adjacent bands for preventing thefootwear10 from folding in the direction contrary toarrow44;
• numeral18 denotes a groove (depression), for allowing folding;
• numeral20 denotes a stretchable strap for retaining the folded state of thefootwear10;
• numeral22 denotes a depression for inserting a finger in order to manipulate thestretchable strap20;
• numeral24 denotes a pivot for attaching thestretchable strap20 to thefootwear10
• numeral26 denotes a foldable sole;
• numerals32A,32B,32C,32D,32E denote foldable structures, each allowing folding a pair of sole-portions;
• numerals34A and34B denote the sides of the sole26 which touch the ground during wearing;
• numeral38 denotes an edge of aband16;
• numeral40 denotes a side surface of aband16;
• numeral42 denotes a foldable layer which is attached to both sole-portions12A and12B; preferably the foldable layer42 and the soles-portions12A and12B are inherent elements, fabricated in a single casting; and
• numeral44 denotes the single folding direction enabled by thefootwear10 of the invention.
• Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following invention and its various embodiments.
• Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the invention is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the invention.
• The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.
• The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination. Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
• The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.

Claims (7)

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable footwear comprising:

a. a sole fabricated using a single manufacturing casting, said sole having a ground side which touches the ground when the footwear is worn and a foot side which touches the user's foot when the footwear is worn, said sole comprising at least two portions, a front portion and a back portion; and

b. at least one groove in the ground side of the sole, separating the front portion from the back portion and extending laterally from one side of the sole to the other side of the sole, said groove having a front portion edge and a back portion edge, said groove having a minimal width of 0.9 centimeters (cm) and a maximum width of 2.2 cm;

c. a connecting element attached to the front portion in at least one location and attached to the back portion in at least two locations, one on the lateral side of the sole and the other on the medial side of the sole, wherein said connecting element is designed to hold the footside of the back portion of the sole against the wearer's foot;

wherein said footwear can be folded in one direction only where the ground side of the front portion is folded towards the ground side of the back portion such that the groove's front portion edge touches the groove's back portion edge.

2. The foldable footwear according toclaim 1, wherein said groove is substantially cylindrical.

3. The foldable footwear according toclaim 1, wherein the at least one groove's maximal height is 0.2 to 0.9 the thickness of the sole.

4. The foldable footwear according toclaim 1, wherein said at least one groove is positioned substantially in the middle of the sole.

5. The foldable footwear according toclaim 1, wherein said sole has a minimum width of 0.5 cm and a maximum width of 2.5 cm

6. The foldable footwear according toclaim 1, wherein said footwear is a flip-flop sandal.

7. The foldable footwear according toclaim 5, wherein the sole of said flip-flop sandal is made from a flexible material comprising rubber or polyurethane.

Images