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US 11,109,636 B2Granted
Customizable shoe
AssigneeVida Shoes International, Inc.
InventorLawrence Arin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shoe system includes a sole and a shoe upper connected with the sole. A gap is disposed between a first upper portion and a second upper portion. The shoe system also includes a first permanent connector permanently connected to the first upper portion; a second permanent connector permanently connected to the second upper portion, and a removable and printable connector strap connectable with the shoe upper. First and second releasable connector portions of the removable and printable connector strap are releasably connectable with the first and second permanent connectors, respectively.
Claims18
A method of assembling a shoe system, comprising:
- receiving a shoe system comprising:
- a sole;
- a shoe upper connected with the sole, the shoe upper including a first upper portion and a second upper portion;
- a first permanent connector positioned on the first upper portion and located at a first side of the shoe upper, the first permanent connector being permanently connected to the first upper portion;
- a second permanent connector positioned on the second upper portion and located at a second side of the shoe upper opposite to the first side of the shoe upper, the second permanent connector being permanently connected to the second upper portion;
- and
- a removable and printable connector strap connectable across the shoe upper between the first permanent connector and the second permanent connector on the shoe upper, the removable and printable connector strap comprising a first releasable connector portion and a second releasable connector portion, the first releasable connector portion being releasably connectable with the first permanent connector at the first side of the shoe upper, and the second releasable connector portion being releasably connectable with the second permanent connector at the second side of the shoe upper, the connector strap comprising an outwardly facing surface configured to face away from the shoe upper and an inwardly facing surface configured to face toward the shoe upper, the connector strap comprising stitching;
- positioning the received removable and printable connector strap, including the first releasable connector portion, the second connector portion, and the stitching thereof, in a printer, while the received removable and printable connector strap is entirely separated from the shoe upper, and
- printing indicia onto the outwardly facing surface of the received removable and printable connector strap with the printer to customize the received shoe system as desired,
- wherein there is no pre-existing printing on the outwardly facing surface of the received removable and printable connector strap prior to the indicia being printed on the outwardly facing surface, and
- wherein the first releasable connector portion of the removable and printable connector strap is configured to adjustably connect to the first permanent connector of the shoe upper for tightness adjustment of the shoe upper around a foot of a wearer.
8 more elements
A method of assembling a shoe system, comprising:
- receiving a shoe system comprising:
- a sole;
- a shoe upper connected with the sole, the shoe upper including a first upper portion and a second upper portion;
- a first permanent connector positioned on the first upper portion and located at a first side of the shoe upper, the first permanent connector being permanently connected to the first upper portion;
- a second permanent connector positioned on the second upper portion and located at a second side of the shoe upper opposite to the first side of the shoe upper, the second permanent connector being permanently connected to the second upper portion;
- and
- a removable and printable connector strap connectable across the shoe upper between the first permanent connector and the second permanent connector on the shoe upper, the removable and printable connector strap comprising a first releasable connector portion and a second releasable connector portion, the first releasable connector portion being releasably connectable with the first permanent connector at the first side of the shoe upper, and the second releasable connector portion being releasably connectable with the second permanent connector at the second side of the shoe upper, the connector strap comprising an outwardly facing surface configured to face away from the shoe upper and an inwardly facing surface configured to face toward the shoe upper, the connector strap comprising stitching;
- positioning the received removable and printable connector strap, including the first releasable connector portion, the second connector portion, and the stitching thereof, in a printer, while the received removable and printable connector strap is entirely separated from the shoe upper, and
- printing indicia onto the outwardly facing surface of the received removable and printable connector strap with the printer to customize the received shoe system as desired,
- wherein the received strap is connected to the shoe upper for the first time after printing the indicia on the outwardly facing surface of the received strap, and
- wherein the first releasable connector portion of the removable and printable connector strap is configured to adjustably connect to the first permanent connector of the shoe upper for tightness adjustment of the shoe upper around a foot of a wearer.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.