Shoe

Abstract

A shoe having a sole includes a molded, rubber outsole and a molded midsole disposed within the outsole. The midsole may be contoured or shaped to approximate the shape of the sole of a wearer's foot. An upper disposed around a last may have a base portion that will take the shape of the midsole. The upper is permanently secured to the outsole by a foxing that is cured by application of a vulcanization process to fuse to both the outsole and the upper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shoe comprising 
 a molded rubber outsole;    a molded midsole disposed within said outsole, said midsole being contoured to approximate the shape of the sole of a wearer's foot;    an upper; and    a foxing, said foxing being fused to said upper and said outsole along an interface therebetween by application of a vulcanization process permanently securing together said upper and said outsole.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said upper and said outsole define a seam extending around said shoe at said interface, and said foxing is disposed around said shoe over said seam to contact said upper and said outsole across said interface.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said outsole comprises a cored out shell defining a space for receiving said midsole.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said upper comprises a base panel disposed adjacent said midsole and encasing said midsole within said outsole.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 1  or  claim 4 , wherein said upper comprises a base panel configured to adopt the shape of a contoured midsole when formed around a contoured last.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said midsole comprises a material relatively less dense than cured rubber.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 6 , wherein said outsole comprises rubber.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1  or  claim 7 , wherein said midsole comprises polyvinyl urethane.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said upper comprises a base panel comprising a cradle cup heel.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1  or  claim 9 , wherein said upper comprises a base panel comprising a molded arch.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said midsole comprises a cradle cup heel.  
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said midsole comprises a molded arch.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said upper comprises a sheet material selected from the group consisting of canvas and polyvinyl urethane.  
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein components of said upper are secured by stroebel stitching.  
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said foxing material comprises uncured rubber.  
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 1  or  claim 15 , wherein said foxing is in the form of a band.  
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising an insole disposed over said base panel within said upper.  
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 17 , wherein said insole is removable from said shoe.  
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a shoe, said method comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a molded midsole within an outsole, the midsole being contoured to approximate the shape of a sole of a wearer's foot;    with the midsole in place in the outsole, placing an upper over the midsole to form a seam between the upper and the outsole;    placing a foxing material around the shoe over the seam to contact the upper and the outsole across the seam; and    vulcanizing the shoe to fuse the foxing material to the upper and the outsole.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein components of the upper are secured by stroebel stitching.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the upper is formed by stretching about a last.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the last is removed from the upper after the shoe is vulcanized.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the last is contoured.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the last includes a contoured bottom approximating the contours of the sole of a human foot.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising the further step of inserting a removable insole into the shoe after vulcanizing.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising the further step of molding the midsole to include a cradle heel cup and a molded arch.  
     
     
         27 . A shoe comprising: 
 a molded rubber outsole defining an open area surrounded by a rim, the outsole being formed of a first material having a first density;    a molded midsole disposed within the open area of said outsole, said midsole being formed of a second material having relatively lower density than said first material;    an upper; and    a foxing, said foxing being fused to said upper and said outsole along an interface therebetween by application of a vulcanization process permanently securing together said upper and said outsole.    
     
     
         28 . The shoe of  claim 27 , wherein said first material comprises rubber.  
     
     
         29 . The shoe of  claim 27  or  claim 28 , wherein said second material comprises polyvinyl urethane.  
     
     
         30 . A shoe comprising: 
 a molded rubber outsole defining an open volume surrounded by a rim, said outsole being formed of a first material having a first density;    a molded midsole disposed within said open volume of said outsole, said midsole being formed of a second material having relatively lower density than said first material and being contoured to approximate the shape of the sole of a wearer's foot;    an upper having a base panel contoured to approximate the shape of the sole of the wearer's foot; and    a foxing material, the foxing material being fused to the upper and the outsole upon application of a vulcanization process to permanently secure the upper to the outsole.    
     
     
         31 . The shoe of claim  30 , further comprising a removable insole.  
     
     
         32 . The shoe of claim  30  or claim  31 , wherein said midsole comprises a cradle cup heel and a molded arch.