Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – With adjustment of shoe size
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-05-29
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
With adjustment of shoe size
C036S112000, C036S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237255
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for the lengthwise adjustment and if desired the width of a shoe as a function of growth of the foot for limited values of several sizes, the invention also concerning the shoe thus obtained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The problem arises of useless purchases of shoes or at least the loss of money from them, particularly with the smallest sizes for children. Thus, a pair of shoes bought at the right size for the foot of an infant at a given time, will be too small one month later because for example the growth was somewhat more rapid during a given period. In any case, a child's foot grows by one size every three months.
One solution consists of course in getting shoes one or two sizes too large, but such a choice is undesirable because the child is poorly shod which can give rise as is now known to problems at the ankle particularly during the growth period. The effects are not immediately visible but appear with age.
Moreover, the infant will be uncomfortable during a period longer than the period in the course of which the shoe is perfectly fitted, which does not favor learning how to walk, for example.
Another problem also relates to the quality and sale. Parents which must regularly change the shoes of an infant are inclined toward those of low price. As the quality is generally proportional to the price, the foot can suffer from such shoes.
Purchasing a pair of high quality shoes can be envisaged by the parents more readily if the shoes remain usable for a long time. This fully justifies the present invention, which provides a shoe which can be lengthened and to if desired widened to cover at least one additional size.
There are known inventions which disclose means to adjust certain elements of a shoe, particularly U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,099 which provides giving a certain extensibility in length to a shoe. The style described could hardly be considered to be a shoe, because it comprises only an instep and an upper, independent of each other, connected by elastic lateral elements, but this application must be considered as forming a part of the prior art showing the need, even though it is not relevant to the present invention.
The sole comprises two separate and independent portions, secured respectively to the instep and the upper and connected by the cross member of elastic material so as to render the sole monolthic.
The wearer can thus slip on this shoe by compensating very slightly small variations in length, whilst having to put up with the corresponding compression due to the powerful elastic element, which is impossible to envisage for infants.
A modification provides a complete upper but the cutout is provided with an elastic filament, which is prejudicial to a good support of the foot and to permitting the creation of a closed shoe.
There is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,237 an assembly of insoles of variable height, combined with an internal envelope which is sewn to at least the edge of the shoe. This envelope comprises a portion which is trapped below at least one of the insoles. According to the number of insoles stacked below the envelope or above it, the interior volume can be varied according to the soles which are all above the envelope or all below or else connected on opposite sides of this envelope.
If this description discloses means to adjust in volume a portion of the shoe, more particularly a moccasin, which is to say a shoe without laces, there is provided no means to vary the length and/or width of the shoe. No means permits the modification in length or width of the sole and much less to vary the length of the assembly of the upper, which is to say the end, the instep and the rear quarter.
Certificate of Utility FR-A-2.660.166 discloses a shoe whose rear quarter is removable to prevent transforming this shoe from a low-cut to a high-cut, particularly applicable to a sport shoe. The rear quarter is fixed by rapid hooking means such as that sold commercially under the mark “Velcro”. A supplemental tongue also secures the rear quarter to the instep, this instep being able to mask this tongue.
There is not found in this prior art any indication or means for variation of length and/or width of a shoe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device permitting enlarging a shoe, more particularly a closed shoe, by adjusting the length and if desired the width over values of one or two sizes so as to preserve for the shoe its quality of gripping the foot, its comfort and even its appearance. The application relates more particularly to children and the sizes of the order of 19 to 30 according to the French standard.
To this end, the device for adjustment at least in length of a shoe as a function of the growth of the size of the foot of the wearer, such shoe comprising a sole, with a front portion and a rear portion, a lower insole, an upper insole and an upper comprising an instep and rear quarter, is characterized in that the instep is secured to the front portion of the sole, the rear quarter is secured to the rear portion of the sole and in that it comprises a region of elongation interposed between said front portion and said rear portion with means for fixing the lengths.
These fixing means for the length comprise an insert secured to one of the parts and mounted adjustably in translation relative to the other part.
More particularly, the insert is a T whose crosspiece is secured to the front portion and whose stem is mounted slidably in translation in a recess provided in the rear portion with notched means to immobilize this stem in said recess.
Complementarily, there is provided a lock for the position of the insert in the recess.
More particularly, the region of elongation is a bellows comprising cavities, oriented transversely and filled with a cellular and compressible material, with closed cells.
As to the lower insole, it is secured by cementing or stitching only at its front portion and at its rear portion and this lower insole has a region adjustable in length with transverse cutouts, disposed in opposite alternation in the unsecured region.
According to an improvement, there is provided a region of widening in the front portion of the sole, with an assembly of two transverse rods secured to an eccentric and provided at their ends with a distribution arc, with means for fixing in the defined position.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 2309673 (1943-02-01), Schlear
patent: 2497175 (1950-02-01), Mantos
patent: 2523449 (1950-09-01), Rosenzweig
patent: 2734284 (1956-02-01), Seurbom
patent: 4944099 (1990-07-01), Davis
patent: 5325614 (1994-07-01), Rosen
patent: 5404658 (1995-04-01), Rosen
patent: 5813145 (1998-09-01), Prober
patent: 463456 (1928-07-01), None
patent: 296 04 002 U (1996-08-01), None
patent: 1506981 (1967-12-01), None
patent: 2321248 (1977-03-01), None
patent: WO 90/01275 (1990-02-01), None
Maudouit Stéphane
Renaudin Jean-Pierre
MOD′8
Mohandesi Jila
Sewell Paul T.
Young & Thompson
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