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US 9,427,042 B2Granted
Collapsible shoe
AssigneeReebox International Ltd.
InventorAndrew Gillespie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear including an upper formed of a flexible upper material and a sole formed of a flexible sole material, wherein the sole is rolled, folded, or collapsed onto itself to reduce the volume of the article of footwear. The article of footwear in a collapsed state can then be packaged in a container. This container can be dispensed by a vending machine in a convenient urban area.
Claims20
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- lacing connected to the upper;
- and
- a flexible sole fixed to the upper, wherein the sole comprises:
- a plurality of longitudinally-extending flexure lines extending through at least a portion of a forefoot of the sole, and
- a plurality of laterally-extending flexure lines extending through at least a portion of the forefoot of the sole,
- wherein a first laterally-extending flexure line is wider than a second laterally-extending flexure line,
- wherein the first laterally-extending flexure line is disposed forward of the second laterally-extending flexure line such that the first laterally-extending flexure line allows collapse of the forefoot of the sole and rolling of the article of footwear, and
- wherein the lacing is configured to extend over the first laterally-extending flexure line to maintain the article of footwear in a collapsed position.
6 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper;
- and
- a flexible sole fixed to the upper, wherein the sole comprises:
- a longitudinally-extending flexure line extending through at least a portion of a forefoot of the sole, and
- a first laterally-extending flexure line, a second laterally-extending flexure line, and a third laterally-extending flexure line extending through at least a portion of the forefoot of the sole,
- wherein the first laterally-extending flexure line is disposed between the second laterally-extending flexure line and the third laterally-extending flexure line at an oblique angle relative to the second laterally-extending flexure line, the third laterally-extending flexure line, and the longitudinally-extending flexure line,
- wherein the second laterally-extending flexure line and the third laterally-extending flexure line extend substantially parallel to one another and extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinally-extending flexure line, and
- wherein the longitudinally-extending flexure line extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the article of footwear.
5 more elements
A sole for an article of footwear, the sole comprising:
- a plurality of laterally-extending flexure lines extending through at least a portion of the sole,
- wherein a first laterally-extending flexure line is wider than a second laterally-extending flexure line and a third laterally-extending flexure line,
- wherein the second laterally-extending flexure line and the third laterally-extending flexure line extend in a substantially straight line between a medial edge of the sole and a lateral edge of the sole,
- wherein the first laterally-extending flexure line extends at an oblique angle to the second laterally-extending flexure line and the third laterally-extending flexure line, and
- wherein the first laterally-extending flexure line is disposed forward of the second laterally extending flexure line such that the first laterally-extending flexure line allows collapse of a forefoot of the sole and rolling of the article of footwear.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.