WO2001033985A1

WO2001033985A1 - Shoe

Info

Publication number: WO2001033985A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/010939
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuliana Vinci; Stefania Gallina; Fabio Gatto
Original assignee: Benetton Group S.P.A.
Priority date: 1999-11-11
Filing date: 2000-11-06
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Also published as: ITTV990122A1; IT1311662B1

Abstract

A shoe comprising an upper (2) associated with an underlying sole (3) which is constituted by a first element (4) which can be accommodated within a second element (5); a device (11) for the selective and temporary locking of the mutual arrangement of the first and second elements is provided between the elements.

Description

SHOE

Technical field

The present invention relates to a shoe constituted by an upper associated with an underlying sole. Background art

Shoes are currently commonly used being constituted by an upper, which surrounds the foot, and by an underlying sole, which acts as an element for interposition between the lower part of the foot and the ground.

The sole can be provided in different manners, as a single component or as multiple components, depending on the specific use of the shoe.

Many different materials, such as leather, rubber, polyurethane, various soft or rigid plastics, and even metals can be used.

Shoes which are generally characterized by heels, platforms or soles of considerable dimensions, with an extension of the volume in a vertical direction, are here of particular interest.

One of the main drawbacks of these conventional types of shoe is the difficulty encountered by many users, usually women, in wearing for a long time shoes having very high heels or platforms.

These shoes in fact cause considerable physical discomfort to anyone who wears them for long periods or try to cover long distances with them every day.

Among the conditions that these conventional shoe types can cause, back pains are common, caused by the unnatural position assumed by the body, also pain in the metatarsal region, because all the weight of the body rests on it, thus increasing the specific pressure in said surface of the sole of the foot.

Other physical problems due to the use of high heels or platforms can be caused by the onset of pains in the muscles of the lower part of the leg and foot and of blood circulation problems, which often become apparent as uncomfortable swelling of the foot and ankle. These drawbacks very often induce the user to make limited use of that type of shoe. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the above noted problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art, by providing a shoe which allows to choose, according to the condition of fatigue of the lower limbs or according to the contingent situation, to use a shoe which has a high heel or platform or to use a shoe which has a shallow heel or platform.

An important object is to provide a shoe which allows to make this choice in a simple and practical manner, without the need to carry around all day accessories or supporting elements.

Another important object is to provide a shoe which allows to achieve the intended aim rapidly and effectively.

Another object is to provide a shoe which is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.

These and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a shoe comprising an upper associated with an underlying sole, characterized in that said sole is constituted by a first element which can be accommodated within a second element, at least one device for the selective and temporary locking of the mutual arrangement of said first and second elements being provided between said elements. Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a shoe according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional rear view of a device for the temporary locking of a first element and a second element, according to the invention; Figure 3 is a side view of the outer part of the shoe with the platform adjusted to the minimum height;

Figure 4 is a side view of the outer part of the shoe with the platform adjusted to the maximum height. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the figures, 1 designates a shoe, of the type preferably constituted by an upper 2 which surrounds the top and side part of the foot and below which a sole, designated by the reference numeral 3, is associated.

The sole 3 acts as an element of interposition between the lower part of the foot and the ground and can be manufactured by using many different materials, such as for example leather, rubber, polyurethane, various soft or rigid plastic materials, and can also include metal elements.

The sole 3 is constituted by a first lower element, designated by the reference numeral 4, which is box-like, is open in an upward region and has the dimensions of the sole of the foot. The inner lateral surface 50 of the lower element 4 can be accommodated within a second upper element 5 which is open in a downward region and also has the dimensions of the sole of the foot.

The second upper element 5 is slightly larger than the first lower element 4, so that its outer lateral surface 51 slides externally with respect to the complementarily shaped inner lateral surface 50 of the first lower element 4.

The first lower element 4 and the second upper element 5 are joined, so as to allow articulation and by gluing, proximate to a first region which is designated by the reference numeral 6 and extends from the metatarsus to the tip of the foot.

A device for selectively and temporarily locking the mutual arrangement of said first lower element 4 and said second upper element 5 is provided between said elements and is designated by the reference numeral 7.

Said device 7 is arranged, at a second region 8 which is adjacent to the ankle, on the outer lateral surface 51 and on the inner lateral surface 50, which is arranged on the inner side of the foot, of the first and second elements.

The device 7 comprises a hole, designated by the reference numeral 9, which is formed in said second upper element 5 at said second region 8, and a slot 10, which is formed approximately vertically in said first lower element 4 at said hole 9, and appropriate mechanical mutual connection means which interact with said hole 9 and said slot 10.

The hole 9, which is circular, has a diameter which is preferably equal to the width of the slot 10, the longitudinal axis whereof is arranged in a direction which is conveniently not parallel to the surface of the sole, for example at right angles to said surface, and is optionally arc-like.

Said mechanical connection means comprises an adjustment screw 11 whose body 12 passes through said hole 9 and is associable with a complementarily shaped locking nut, designated by the reference numeral 13, which is arranged inside said first lower element 4.

The head, designated by the reference numeral 14, of the adjustment screw 11, rests on the outer edge of the hole 9, in a position which can be easily accessed by the user so that it can be easily loosened in order to adjust its positioning and can then be tightened for the temporary mutual locking of the first lower element 4 and the second upper element 5.

The locking nut 13 is laterally provided with a groove, designated by the reference numeral 15, so as to partially enter the slot 10 while resting on the inner edge thereof with the annular portion, designated by the reference numeral 16, formed by means of the slot 15. Operation is thus as follows: with reference to Figure 1, the user can wear the shoe 1 and use it for example with the platform adjusted to the maximum height.

If one of the above listed physical problems arises during the day or if a particularly long stretch is to be covered on foot, the user can easily and quickly act by loosening the adjustment screw 11 until the full or partial accommodation of the first element in the second element is allowed together with the simultaneous sliding of said adjustment screw 11 and locking nut 13 along the slot 10.

It is then possible to lock the first and second elements one another by tightening the adjustment screw 11 with respect to the nut 13.

It has thus been found that the invention has achieved the intended aim and objects, a shoe having been provided which has a platform or heel which can be extended vertically at will, in a practical and quick way, depending on the circumstances occurring at a given moment of the day. The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute the individual components of the invention, may of course be more pertinent according to specific requirements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV99A000122 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A shoe, comprising an upper associated with an underlying sole, characterized in that said sole is constituted by a first element which can be accommodated within a second element, at least one device for the selective and temporary locking of the mutual arrangement of said first and second elements being provided between said elements.

2. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said first element and said second element are articulated to each other at one end.

3. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said first lower element is box-like, and open in an upward region, said box-like element having the dimensions of the sole of the foot.

4. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral surface of said first lower element can be accommodated within said second upper element, which is box-like and open in a downward region and also has the dimensions of the sole of the foot.

5. The shoe according to claim 4, characterized in that said second upper element is slightly larger than said first lower element, so that said lateral surface of said first lower element slides inside the complementarily shaped lateral surface of said second upper element.

6. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said first element and said second element are joined, with the possibility of articulation and by gluing, proximate to a first region which extends from the metatarsus to the tip of the foot.

7. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that said device for selective and temporary locking is located, at a second region which is adjacent to the ankle on the lateral surfaces of said second and first elements and lies on the inner side of the foot.

8. The shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that said device comprises a hole, formed in said second element at said second region, and a slot, formed approximately vertically in said first element at said hole, and appropriate mechanical means for mutual connection which interact with said hole and said slot.

9. The shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that said device comprises a hole, which is formed in said first element at said second region, and a slot, which is formed approximately vertically in said second element at said hole, and appropriate mechanical means for mutual connection which interact with said hole and said slot.

10. The shoe according to either claim 8 or 9, characterized in that said hole, which is circular, has a diameter which is equal to the width of said slot, the longitudinal axis of which is arranged in a direction which is not parallel to the surface of sole, at right angles to said surface, and is optionally arc-like.

11. The shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that said mechanical means for mutual connection are constituted by an adjustment screw whose body passes through said hole and is associable with a complementarily shaped locking nut which is arranged inside said first element.

12. The shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that said mechanical means for mutual connection are constituted by an adjustment screw whose body passes through said slot and is associable with a complementarily shaped locking nut which is arranged inside said first element.

13. The shoe according to either claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said adjustment screw has a head which rests on the outer edge of said hole and is adapted for the temporary mutual locking and release of said first and second elements.

14. The shoe according to claim 13, characterized in that said locking nut is laterally provided with a groove so as to partially enter said slot while resting on the inner edge thereof with an annular portion obtained by means of said groove.