Shoe having removable filling material thereinside

Abstract

A shoe includes a shell to cover the wearer's foot and a pocket provided at an inner surface of the shell to receive a filling material so that the pocket and the filling material project into an interior space of the shoe and provide better fit for the wearer. The filling material is removable from the pocket for replacement and may be configured to have any shape and thickness so as to fit the foot of an individual. The filling material may be a foam, a fluid, a moisture absorbent, a heat-generating element, or a stiffener.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A shoe comprising: 
 a shell adapted to cover the wearer's foot and having an inner surface; and    at least one pocket attached to said inner surface, said pocket having an opening for access to an interior of said pocket; and    a filling material inserted into said pocket, said filling material being removable from said pocket through said opening.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a lining underlying said shell and having a first surface confronting said inner surface, a second surface opposite to said first surface, said pocket being formed on said second surface.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said shell includes a toe portion, a heel portion, two quarter portions connected between said toe and heel portions, and a tongue connected to said toe portion.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said pocket is provided in said heel portion at a location corresponding to the calcaneal tendon of the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said pocket is elongated and includes an intermediate section curved along said heel and two opposite end sections extending in a direction toward said toe portion.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 4 , which comprises a pair of said pockets, wherein said pockets are disposed at left and right sides of said heel and at locations corresponding to the calcaneal tendon of the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said pocket is provided at a location corresponding to the instep of the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         8 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said filling material is a foamed material.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said filling material is a cushion bag containing a fluid.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said fluid is air.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said fluid is water.  
     
     
         12 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said filling material a moisture absorbent.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said filling material is a heat-generating element.  
     
     
         14 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said pocket is attached to the inner surface of said shell at a position around the heel of the wearer's foot, the filling material being a stiffener plate.  
     
     
         15 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said stiffener plate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of fibrous materials and thermoplastics.  
     
     
         16 . The shoe as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said pocket is configured to conform to the shape of a counter.