Footwear pieces and methods for manufacturing such

Abstract

Among other things, the present invention provides various footwear pieces, and methods for manufacturing such pieces. In various cases, the footwear pieces are molded from a lofting material. Further, in various cases, the footwear pieces include a pivoting strap that can be moved into contact with and fixed in relation to the sole of the footwear piece, or moved into contact with and fixed in relation to the upper of the footwear piece.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sectional footwear piece, the sectional footwear piece comprising: 
 a base section, wherein the base section includes an upper and a sole formed as a first part; and    a strap section, wherein the strap section is formed as a second part, and wherein the strap section is attached to the base section such that the strap pivots relative to the base section.    
     
     
         2 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the first part is molded of a continuous piece of foam material.  
     
     
         3 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 2 , wherein the foam material is a lofted material.  
     
     
         4 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 3 , wherein the lofted material is manufactured using a resin.  
     
     
         5 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 4 , wherein the resin is mixed to exhibit an expansion coefficient, and a contraction coefficient.  
     
     
         6 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 5 , wherein a combination of the expansion coefficient and the contraction coefficient is between 1.46 and 1.58, inclusively.  
     
     
         7 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous piece of material is a first continuous piece of foam material, wherein the strap section is molded of a second continuous piece of foam material.  
     
     
         8 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 7 , wherein the first continuous piece of foam material and the second continuous piece of foam material are the same material formed in different shapes.  
     
     
         9 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the strap section is attached to the base section by a first rivet and a second rivet, wherein the first rivet fastens a first end of the strap section to a first side of the base section, and wherein the second rivet fastens a second end of the strap section to a second side of the base section.  
     
     
         10 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first rivet and second rivet are made of a plastic.  
     
     
         11 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 10 , wherein the strap section and the base section are formed of a lofted foam material, and wherein the plastic is denser than the lofted foam material.  
     
     
         12 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first rivet is placed at a first attachment point, wherein the second rivet is placed at a second attachment point, wherein the base section includes a rear sole perimeter, and wherein the distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the rear sole perimeter is approximately the same distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the strap section.  
     
     
         13 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 12 , wherein the strap section can pivot relative to the base section such that an inner portion of the strap section contacts an outer portion of the rear sole perimeter.  
     
     
         14 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 13 , wherein a frictional force between the strap section and the base section at the contact between the inner portion of the strap section and the outer portion of the rear sole perimeter maintains the strap section fixed relative to the base section.  
     
     
         15 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first rivet is placed at a first attachment point, wherein the second rivet is placed at a second attachment point, wherein the base section includes a upper opening perimeter, and wherein the distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the upper opening perimeter is approximately the same distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the strap section.  
     
     
         16 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 15 , wherein the strap section can pivot relative to the base section such that an inner portion of the strap section contacts an outer portion of the upper opening perimeter.  
     
     
         17 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 16 , wherein a frictional force between the strap section and the base section at the contact between the inner portion of the strap section and the outer portion of the upper opening perimeter maintains the strap section fixed relative to the base section.  
     
     
         18 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 9 , wherein the first rivet is placed at a first attachment point, wherein the second rivet is placed at a second attachment point, wherein the base section includes a upper opening perimeter, wherein the base section includes a rear sole perimeter, wherein the distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the upper opening perimeter is approximately the same distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the strap section; and wherein the distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the rear sole perimeter is approximately the same distance from the first attachment point to the second attachment point along the strap section.  
     
     
         19 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of ventilators are formed in the upper.  
     
     
         20 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 19 , wherein the upper comprises a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, wherein at least one of the plurality of ventilators is formed in the substantially vertical portion, and wherein at least one of the plurality of ventilators is formed in the substantially horizontal portion.  
     
     
         21 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 19 , wherein the upper includes a substantially vertical region, wherein the substantially vertical region includes a toe region and opposing side regions, wherein the toe region is a solid portion, and wherein at least some of the plurality of ventilators are formed in the side regions.  
     
     
         22 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein a toe region of the upper is extended at a location corresponding to the larger toes of the human foot, and wherein the toe region of the upper generally follows the contour of a human foot.  
     
     
         23 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises a rear sole perimeter and a support base, and wherein the rear sole perimeter is raised above the support base.  
     
     
         24 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises a support base, and wherein the support base includes a raised pattern where a foot contacts the support base.  
     
     
         25 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the sole comprises a bottom surface and a support base, and wherein the support base includes a raised pattern where a foot contacts the support base.  
     
     
         26 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 1 , wherein the strap section is attached to the base section through use of a punched hole.  
     
     
         27 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 26 , wherein a plurality of ventilators in the form of holes are formed in the upper as part of manufacturing the base section.  
     
     
         28 . A sectional footwear piece, the sectional footwear piece comprising: 
 a base section, wherein the base section includes an upper and a sole, wherein the upper includes an open rear region, and wherein the sole includes a rear perimeter; and    a strap section, wherein the strap section is attached to the base section by a pivotable connection, and wherein the strap section is pivotable relative to the base section.    
     
     
         29 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 28 , wherein the pivotable connection is a rivet.  
     
     
         30 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 29 , wherein the rivet is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of: plastic and metal.  
     
     
         31 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 28 , wherein the base section and the strap section are formed of a foam material.  
     
     
         32 . The sectional footwear piece of  claim 28 , wherein the base section comprises multiple assembled parts.  
     
     
         33 . A method for manufacturing a sectional footwear piece, the method comprising: 
 molding a base section, wherein the base section includes an upper and a sole;    molding a strap section; and    attaching the strap section to the base section such that the strap pivots relative to the base section.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein attaching the strap section to the base section includes riveting a first end of the strap section to a first side of the base section, and riveting a second end of the strap section to a second side of the base section.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein attaching the strap section to the base section further includes punching a first hole in the first side of the base section, and punching a second hole in the second side of the base section.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the base section includes a rear sole perimeter and a upper opening perimeter, and wherein the first hole in the first side of the base section is located approximately equidistant from a midway point of the rear sole perimeter and from a midway point of the upper opening perimeter.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the base section includes a rear sole perimeter and a upper opening perimeter, and wherein the distance from the first hole in the first side of the base section to the second hole in the second side of the base section measured along the rear sole perimeter is approximately the same as the distance from the first hole in the first side of the base section to the second hole in the second side of the base section measured along the upper opening perimeter.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein attaching the strap section to the base section further includes punching a first hole in the first end of the strap section, and punching a second hole in the second end of the strap section.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein riveting the first end of the strap section to the first side of the base section includes placing a side of a rivet through the first hole in the first end of the strap section and through the first hole in the first side of the base section.