Adjustable sandal construction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10905190-B2
Application number	US-201916391841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A sandal construction including a sole assembly, an adjustable strap system, and an ankle post extending up from and affixed to the sole in the ankle region. The ankle post includes three slots arranged in a generally triangular configuration. The strap system includes a strap, a portion of which is threaded through the slots in the ankle post and extending behind the heel of a wearer's foot and from the ankle region into the forefoot region. The strap is folded as it passes between two slots to control the orientation of the strap portions and to allow deliberate adjustment of the strap, but resist unintentional movement of the strap. The strap is selectively moveable through the slots to loosen and tighten the strap through both the ankle and forefoot regions to adjust the fit of the sandal to the wearer's foot.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A sandal comprising:
a sole having an ankle region and a forefoot region;
a first ankle post extending upwardly from the sole in the ankle region;
a strap guide feature disposed on the first ankle post, the strap guide feature including an arrangement of a plurality of keepers, the keepers being in the form of slots through the first ankle post, an arrangement of the slots includes first, second, and third slots arranged in a substantially triangular configuration; and
a strap system having at least one strap, a portion of the strap threaded through the keepers and extending behind a heel of a wearer's foot and from the ankle region into the forefoot region, the arrangement of slots configured to position and maintain the strap in a preselected orientation with respect to the wearer's foot,
wherein the strap includes a fold associated with at least one of the plurality of keepers, the strap is selectively moveable through the plurality of keepers such that the strap system is adjustable to loosen and tighten around the heel and in the forefoot region to secure the sandal to the wearer's foot;
wherein the second slot is oriented at an angle of between about −5 to about +5 degrees relative to horizontal, the first slot is oriented at an angle between about +40 and +50 degrees relative to the second slot, and the third slot is oriented at an angle between about −40 and −50 degrees relative to the second slot; and
further defining a threading pattern wherein a portion of the strap is threaded straight through the first slot, threaded through the second slot and folded, and threaded straight through the third slot,
the threading pattern providing intentional adjustment of the strap through the first ankle post while resisting unintentional slipping of the strap through the first ankle post.

2. The sandal of claim 1 wherein the strap defines first and second sides,
wherein the threading pattern provides that the first side is facing outward on a first side of the fold and the second side is facing outward on a second side of the fold.

3. The sandal of claim 1 including a second ankle post extending upwardly from the sole and opposite the first ankle post, the second ankle post including fourth and fifth slots,
wherein the strap includes opposed ends having a length defined between the ends, the ends configured to be joined with the sole and the second ankle post.

4. The sandal of claim 3 including first and second forefoot strap guides disposed on opposite sides of the sole in the forefoot region,
wherein a first end of the strap is affixed to the sole, the strap crossing the sole in the forefoot region, the strap extending through the second forefoot strap guide, the strap crossing the sole between the forefoot region and the ankle region, the strap extending through the fourth slot in the second ankle post, the strap crossing the sole between the second ankle post and the first ankle post forward of an ankle of a wearer, the strap threading through first, second, and third slots of the first ankle post, and the strap crossing the sole to the second ankle post behind a heel of the wearer,
wherein the strap terminates at a second end, the second end affixed to the second ankle post.

5. The sandal of claim 4 wherein the strap system includes a buckle for adjusting the length of the strap, the buckle disposed on the strap between the first and second ankle posts and configured to loosen and tighten the strap in both the ankle region and the forefoot region.

6. The sandal of claim 5 wherein the first end of the strap is looped through the first forefoot strap guide and attached to itself, and the second end of the strap is looped through the fifth slot of the second ankle post and attached to itself.

7. An adjustable fit sandal comprising:
a sole having an ankle region and a forefoot region;
a first ankle post extending upwardly from the sole in the ankle region, the ankle post including a plurality of slots disposed therethrough;
a strap system having at least one strap, including a first end and a second end, and having a length defined between the first and second ends, the first end affixed to the sole in the forefoot region, a portion of the strap threaded through the plurality of slots to slidably affix the strap to the first ankle post, a portion of the strap traversing the sole in the ankle region; and
an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the length of the strap, the adjustment mechanism configured to loosen and tighten the strap around a wearer's foot in both the ankle region and the forefoot region;
wherein the plurality of slots includes first, second, and third slots arranged in a substantially triangular configuration, the configuration of slots positioning the strap in a preselected orientation with respect to the wearer's foot;
wherein the second slot is oriented at an angle of between about −5 to about +5 degrees relative to horizontal, the first slot is oriented at an angle between about +40 and +50 degrees relative to the second slot, and the third slot is oriented at an angle between about −40 and −50 degrees relative to the second slot; and
wherein a portion of the strap is threaded straight through the first slot, threaded through the second slot, folded, and threaded straight through the third slot, providing intentional adjustment of the strap through the first ankle post and resisting unintentional slipping of the strap through the first ankle post.

8. The adjustable fit sandal of claim 7 including a second ankle post including fourth, fifth, and sixth slots arranged in a substantially triangular configuration,
wherein a portion of the strap is threaded straight through the fourth slot, threaded through the fifth slot, folded, and threaded straight through the sixth slot.

9. A sandal comprising:
a sole having an ankle region and a forefoot region;
a medial ankle post and a lateral ankle post extending upwardly from the sole in the ankle region, the lateral ankle post including first, second, and third slots arranged in a substantially triangular configuration, the medial ankle post including fourth and fifth slots;
a medial forefoot post and a lateral forefoot post extending upwardly from the sole in the forefoot region, each forefoot post including a slot;
a strap system having at least one strap including first and second ends, the first end of the strap affixed to the medial forefoot post, the strap crossing the sole in the forefoot region, the strap slidably extending through the slot of the lateral forefoot post, the strap crossing the sole between the forefoot region and the ankle region, the strap slidably extending through the fourth slot in the medial ankle post, the strap crossing the sole between the medial ankle post and the lateral ankle post forward of an ankle of a wearer, the strap slidably threading through first, second, and third slots of the lateral ankle post and including a fold between the second and third slots, the strap crossing the sole to the medial ankle post behind a heel of the wearer, the strap affixed at the second end to the medial ankle post; and
an adjustment mechanism configured to loosen and tighten the strap around a wearer's foot through both the ankle region and the forefoot region.

10. The sandal of claim 9 wherein the second slot is oriented at an angle of between about −5 to about +5 degrees relative to horizontal, the first slot is oriented at an angle between about +40 and +50 degrees relative to the second slot, and the third slot is oriented at an angle between about −40 and −50 degrees relative to the second slo

Assignees

• Wolverine Outdoors Inc

Inventors

• Velazquez Omar

Classifications

• A43B3/12

  Sandals; Strap guides thereon · CPC title

• A43B3/122 Primary

  characterised by the attachment of the straps · CPC title

• A43B3/105

  characterised by the shape or layout of the toestrap · CPC title

• A43B3/126 Primary

  characterised by the shape or layout of the straps · CPC title