System for individualizing a shoe

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for individualizing a shoe. The system includes a shoe with a first surface region having at least one first design element and at least one second design element having a contact surface. The contact surface and / or the surface region are configured such that the second design element can be rubbed onto any arbitrary location on the surface region of the shoe.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application incorporates by reference, and claims priority to and the benefit of, German Patent Application Serial No. 102005058927.8, which was filed on Dec. 9, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a system for individualizing a shoe, in particular children's shoes. BACKGROUND [0003] Shoes today are mass-produced, such that identical models are produced in high numbers for reducing manufacturing costs. Although there are a great variety of models on the market, selecting a shoe with respect to its outer appearance is generally limited to given shoe models. [0004] At the same time, there is a trend for individualization in many areas of society. The wearer of a shoe wants to identify with his shoe and to make it different from other shoes. For example, major shoe manufacturers now offer the possibility to configure a shoe over the Internet w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] A system in accordance with the invention allows the easy realization of an unlimited number of different overall designs of a shoe by rubbing one or more second design elements at different locations onto the surface region of the shoe. As a result, no shoe is identical to another, which leads to the highest degree of individualization.

[0011] In various embodiments, the system includes a plurality of second design elements. Each of the second design elements can have smaller dimensions than the surface region of the shoe. As a result, there is a high degree of flexibility where and in which combinations the plurality of second design elements are arranged on the surface region of the shoe with the first design element. The surface region can be arranged on an instep, the tongue, the heel and / or a side of an upper of the shoe. In one embodiment, the first design element and the at least one second design element are thematically related to each other, which results in a particularly advantageous overall aesthetic impression being easily obtained. At least one of the surface region of the shoe and the contact surface of the at least one second design element can be configured such that the at least one second design element is removable from the surface region without damaging the first design element. This can be accomplished by the first and second design elements having different levels of abrasion resistance based, for example, on different materials, attachment means, and / or surface preparations. In one embodiment, the first design element on the surface region has a greater abrasion resistance than the rubbed-on second design element. For example, the first design element can have an abrasion resistance such that it survives an abrasion test with a 280 grit sandpaper at a force of about 9.8 N for about 200 cycles, substantially without damage, and the second design element can be removable from the surface region in an abrasion test with a linen at a force of about 9.8 N for about 20 to about 30 cycles. The combination of these material properties makes it possible to repeatedly arrange and remove second design elements on the surface without damaging the first design element.

Problems solved by technology

Although there are a great variety of models on the market, selecting a shoe with respect to its outer appearance is generally limited to given shoe models.

This does not, however, provide a real individual shoe design.

Furthermore, the configuration requires knowledge that many customers are lacking, in particular children.

For example, assignee of the present application distributed shoes for children in the mid-80's that had white uppers together with a set of pens for individually designing the shoe; however, the result achieved was not always aesthetically pleasing.

These elements, however, can only be arranged at the locations of the few predetermined attachment means.

Therefore, one or more decorative elements can be almost arbitrarily distributed on the surface of the shoe; however, the limitation of the fabric, which forms one side of the hook and loop type fastener, not only strongly impairs the usability of the shoe, but also its outer appearance.

Furthermore, there is the risk that the upper material becomes permanently dirty when using a shoe according to the '726 patent, because the required open structure of the upper material is very easily soiled.

Images