Systems and methods for shoe construction

Abstract

A shoe according to embodiments of the present invention includes an upper, a footbed including a wing that extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the footbed, with the upper attached to the wing, and an outsole configured to receive the upper and the footbed. The wing may be bendable away from the footbed to permit easy and sturdy stitching of the upper to the footbed. The wing may extend beyond a bottom surface of the footbed, and an intermediate piece may be placed under the footbed before the footbed and upper are attached to an outsole, such that the intermediate piece substantially fills the space between the footbed and the outsole.

1 . A shoe comprising:
 an upper;   a footbed comprising a wing, the wing extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the footbed, the upper attached to the wing;   an outsole configured to receive the upper and the footbed.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate piece between the footbed and the outsole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the intermediate piece substantially fills a space between the footbed and the outsole. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the footbed further comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the wing attaches to the footbed near the top surface, and wherein the wing is longer than a distance between the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 4 , wherein the distance is a first distance, and wherein the intermediate piece has a thickness substantially the same as a second distance between the bottom surface and a bottom edge of the wing. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper is stitched to the wing. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 6 , wherein the upper is Strobel stitched to the wing. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive engages the outsole to the upper. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive creates a seal between an interior space of the shoe and an exterior of the shoe, wherein the seal is a substantially waterproof seal. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein an adhesive engages the outsole to the footbed. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the footbed comprises moldable foam material. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the outsole comprises moldable foam material. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the footbed, the outsole, and the intermediate piece are formed of the same moldable foam material. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the footbed and the wing are formed of a single continuous piece of molded foam material. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the footbed comprises an interior surface, wherein the wing comprises an inner surface, and wherein an acute angle is formed between the interior surface and the inner surface. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 15 , wherein the acute angle is ten to fifteen degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 15 , wherein the acute angle is five to thirty degrees. 
     
     
         18 . A shoe comprising:
 a footbed having a top surface and a bottom surface, the footbed formed of a moldable foam material;   an upper attached to the footbed around a periphery of the footbed;   an outsole having a bottom part, the outsole formed at least partially of the moldable foam material; and   an intermediate piece for insertion between the footbed and the outsole, wherein the intermediate piece comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the bottom part, the top portion, and the bottom portion are substantially free of adhesive.   
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 18 , wherein the footbed comprises a wing, the wing extending around at least a portion of the periphery of the footbed, and wherein the upper is attached to the wing. 
     
     
         20 . A method for constructing shoes, the method comprising:
 forming a footbed, the footbed comprising a wing portion extending around a periphery of the footbed;   stitching an upper to the wing portion;   including an intermediate portion below the footbed; and   adhering the footbed and the upper to an outsole.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein stitching the upper to the wing portion comprises bending the wing portion away from the footbed during stitching. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising adhering an inner surface of the wing to an interior surface of the footbed.