Footwear seam construction and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A footwear member is configured with an outer sole and an upper coupled together so as to define a forefoot area of and a rearfoot area of the footwear. An extending lip member couples the outer sole and the upper member and may extend from either one forming a non-visable or blind seam construction that may be further manipulated in multiple ways. The extending lip member or connection member are stitched together along a forefoot area of the assembled footwear and may optionally allow a portion of a tread member to be glued along a rearfoot area of the assembled footwear. The assembly presented enables optional construction techniques adaptable to a variety of fashion construction options.

1 . A method of manufacturing footwear comprising the steps of:
 juxtaposing an upper with an outer surface of an outsole;   coupling a forefoot portion of the upper to an inner surface of the outsole; and   inverting the upper relative to the outsole, thereby juxtaposing with the inner surface of the insole.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising coupling a rearfoot portion of the upper to an inner surface of the outsole, wherein an interface between the coupled forefoot portion of the upper and the outsole defines a reinforced forefoot area of the footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coupling the forefoot portion of the upper to the inner surface of the outsole includes stitching of the upper to the outsole. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein coupling the rearfoot portion of the upper to the inner surface of the outsole includes gluing so as to define a rearfoot area of the footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the outsole has a forefront peripheral edge extending inwards from the inner surface of the outsole, the upper having a step-like bottom edge including an undercut forefoot edge portion and a rearfoot edge portion, the rearfoot edge portion extending along the rearfoot portion of the upper. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the undercut forefoot edge portion of the upper overlaps an outer face of the peripheral edge of the outsole, the stitching includes bending the forefoot edge portion and the peripheral edge portion inwards to a stitching position, in which the forefoot edge portion and peripheral edge extend substantially parallel to the inner surface of the outsole during stitching. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rearfoot edge portion of the upper is tucked inside and opposes to the inner surface of the outsole so as to form a compartment configured to removably receive a foot of a user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising inserting a weight into the compartment and pressing the weigh inwards, thereby gluing the tucked rearfoot edge portion to the inner surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising inserting a midsole into the compartment and fixing the midsole therein upon removing the weight from the compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of coupling further comprises:
 providing a coupling interface member having an upper blind-seam coupling portion extending along an upper edge thereof proximate at least said forefoot portion of said upper, a first bottom outsole coupling portion and a second bottom outsole coupling portion extending respectively along a bottom edge thereof;   coupling said first bottom outsole coupling portion of said coupling interface on said bottom edge to said outsole in a first coupling manner;   coupling said second bottom outsole coupling portion of said coupling interface on said bottom edge to said outsole in a second coupling manner, said second coupling manner being different from said first coupling manner; and   coupling said upper blind-seam coupling portion to at least said forefoot portion of said upper in a blind-seam manner.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the blind-seam manner coupling said upper blind-seam coupling portion is a stitching. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said method comprises coupling a heel to the outer surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         13 . A footwear construction comprising:
 an outsole provided with opposite inner and outer surfaces and a periphery bridging the inner and outer surfaces; and   an upper juxtaposed with the outer surface of the outsole and having a peripheral forefoot bottom region;   means for coupling the upper juxtaposed outer surface forefoot bottom region with the outsole with the inner surface of the outsole;   said means for coupling further coupling a rearfoot bottom region of the upper with to the inner surface of the outsole upon inverting the upper relative to the outsole and the means for coupling after the forefoot bottom region has been coupled to the outsole by the means for coupling the upper juxtaposed outer surface, wherein a coupled interface provided by the means for coupling between the coupled periphery of the outsole and the forefoot bottom region of the upper defines a forefront area of the footwear.   
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the inner surface of the outsole has a forefront peripheral flange extending transversely and inwardly from the inner surface and overlapping the forefoot bottom region of the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the overlapped forefoot bottom region of the upper and the forefront peripheral flange of the outer sole are operative to flex to a stitching position during coupling to the forefront bottom, in which the forefront bottom region of the upper and forefront peripheral flange extend substantially parallel to the inner surface of the outer. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the inner surface of the outer sole is provided with an elevated central region extending along the forefront area of the footwear and has a trough defined between the elevated central region and the peripheral flange of the outer sole, the trough having a width sufficient to receive the stitched peripheral edge and the forefront bottom region of the upper in the stitching position. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot bottom region of the upper is glued to the inner surface of the outsole. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the rearfoot bottom region of the upper has a greater width than the forefront bottom region and is operative to be tucked inside atop the inner surface of the outer sole during gluing. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the rearfoot area of the footwear extends angularly inwards from the forefront area of the foot towards and terminates in a heel area thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 13  further comprising a substantially rigid midsole fixedly coupled to the inner surface of the outer sole so that the forefoot and rearfoot bottom regions of the upper are sandwiched between the inner surface of the outsole and an outer side of the midsole and are displaceably fixed relative thereto. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 13  wherein said means for coupling further comprises a flexible interface coupling member having a generally “U” shaped form and a outsole coupling edge opposite an upper coupling edge between opposing inner and outer surface bridged by a periphery.