Attaching objects to footwear

Abstract

A shoe or other type of footwear includes a foot covering through which a threaded connector part passes. An ornament or useable object includes a mating threaded connector, enabling attachment of the object to the footwear. A resilient ring or washer is positioned between the mating threaded connectors, and enables rotation of the object to a desired orientation after a sufficiently secure connection is formed between the object and the footwear.

1 . Footwear, comprising:
 a foot covering portion;   a base fastener including a first mateable connector portion;   one or more attachment objects each having a second mateable connector portion mateably engageable with the first mateable connector portion;   a resilient locking spacer positionable between the first and second mateable connector when the first and second mateable connector portions are mated, the resilient locking spacer operable to increase a frictional engagement between the first and second mateable connectors, to thereby maintain a mutual position of the first and second mateable connector portions during use of the footwear.   
     
     
         2 . Footwear, comprising:
 a foot covering portion;   a base fastener including a first threaded connector portion;   one or more attachment objects each having a second threaded connector portion threadably engageable with the first threaded connector portion;   a resilient locking washer positionable between the first and second threaded connector portions when the first and second mateable connector portions are mated, the resilient locking washer operable to increase a frictional engagement between the first and second mateable connectors, to thereby resist mutual rotation of the first and second mateable connector portions during use of the footwear.   
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient locking washer is operable to resist mutual rotation of the second mateable connector with respect to the first mateable connector when the second connector is positioned at any rotational position within 180 degrees of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . Footwear, comprising:
 a footwear upper;   a base fastener including a first threaded connector portion, the base fastener including a plate and a threaded member extending transverse to a plane defined by the elongated plate, the threaded member passable through the footwear upper and the plate not passable through the footwear upper;   one or more ornamental objects each having a second threaded connector portion threadably engageable with the threaded member of the first threaded connector portion;   a resilient locking washer, formed from an elastomeric material, positionable between the first and second threaded connector portions when the first and second mateable connector portions are mated, the resilient locking washer operable to increase a frictional engagement between the first and second mateable connectors, to thereby resist mutual rotation of the first and second mateable connector portions during use of the footwear.   
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the plate is elongated. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the plate is framed by the footwear upper. 
     
     
         7 . Footwear, comprising:
 a footwear upper;   a base fastener including a first threaded connector portion, the base fastener including a plate and a threaded member extending transverse to a plane defined by the elongated plate, the threaded member passable through the footwear upper and the plate not passable through the footwear upper;   one or more ornamental objects each having a second threaded connector portion threadably engageable with the threaded member of the first threaded connector portion;   a resilient locking ring, formed from an elastomeric material, positionable between the first and second threaded connector portions when the first and second mateable connector portions are mated, the resilient locking ring operable to increase a frictional engagement between the first and second mateable connectors, to thereby resist mutual rotation of the first and second mateable connector portions during use of the footwear, the resilient locking ring operable to create a perceptible snap when an ornamental object and the base fastener are securely engaged.   
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 1 , where the upper includes a resilient material. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first mateable connection is a threaded chamber and the second mateable connection is a threaded post.