Shoe with interchangeable strap system

Abstract

A shoe has a sole member with an upper surface for receiving a user's foot and a lower surface for contacting a support surface. An interchangeable strap has a sole member engaging portion and may be selectively interconnected with the sole member.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A shoe with an interchangeable strap, comprising:
 a sole member having an upper surface configured to receive a user's foot and a lower surface configured to contact a support surface, the sole member further having a first side wall and a second side wall spaced from the first side wall, the side walls extending between the upper and lower surfaces;   the sole member having a slot defined therethrough, the slot extending between the first and second side walls and being spaced from the upper and lower surface of the sole member, the slot having an upper limit and a lower limit spaced apart by a slot height, the slot having a front edge and a rear edge spaced apart by a slot length, the slot having a slot shape as viewed from above; and   a strap having an assembled position wherein the strap extends through the slot and forms a loop extending over the upper surface of the sole member such that the strap forms an upper for the shoe, the strap having a slot engaging portion that is generally disposed in the slot when the strap is in the assembled position, the slot engaging portion having a first thickness, the strap further having an exposed portion that is not disposed in the slot when the strap is in the assembled position, the majority of the exposed portion having a thickness substantially less than the first thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is at least 25% greater than the thickness of the majority of the exposed portion. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the strap comprises an outer layer and an inner layer, the slot engaging portion of the strap further having a forefoot pad disposed between the inner and outer layer. 
     
     
         6 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The shoe according to claim  8 , wherein the exposed portion of the strap comprises two end portions joined to opposed sides of the slot engaging portion, the end portions having a closure member for joining the end portions together to form the upper portion of the shoe, the end portions each joined to the slot engaging portion at an angle between 60 and 150 degrees. 
     
     
         10 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the sole member comprises an outsole element and a midsole element, the outsole element having a bottom face forming the lower surface of the sole member and an opposed top face, the midsole element having a bottom face and an opposed top face forming the upper surface the sole member, the top face of the outsole element being at lest partially joined to the bottom face of the midsole element to form the sole member, the upper limit of the slot being defined by the bottom face of the midsole element and the lower limit of the slot being defined by the top face of the outsole member. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a toe post element having a first end interconnected with the sole member and a second end extending upwardly from the upper surface of the sole member, the second end including a strap engaging feature;   wherein the strap engaging feature engages the exposed portion of the strap when the strap is in the assembled position; and   wherein the strap is removable from the sole member by removing the strap from the slot and disengaging the strap from the strap engaging feature.   
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the strap has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a front and rear edge, the inner surface having indicia thereon indicating which edge should be directed toward the front of the sole member when the strap is disposed in the slot. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the ends and the midportion of the strap each having front and rear edges with a central axis being defined midway between the edges and running lengthwise along the strap, the closure member joining the opposed ends to form a loop having a forward and a rearward opening, the strap being configured such that when the midportion is received in the slot and the closure member joins the opposed ends such that the central axes of the opposed ends are parallel, the strap forms a tapered loop with the rearward opening being larger than the forward opening. 
     
     
         27 . A shoe with an interchangeable strap, comprising:
 a sole member having an upper surface configured to receive a user's foot and a lower surface configured to contact a support surface, the sole member further having a first side wall and a second side wall spaced from the first side wall, the side walls extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the sole member having a strap engaging feature;   a toe post element having a first end interconnected with the sole member and a second end extending upwardly from the upper surface of the sole member, the second end including a strap engaging feature; and   a strap having a sole member engaging portion and a toe post engaging portion, the strap having an assembled position wherein the sole member engaging portion is interconnected with the strap engaging feature of the sole member and the toe post engaging portion is interconnected with the strap engaging feature of the toe post element;   wherein the strap is removable from the sole member by disconnecting the strap from the strap engaging features of the sole member and the toe post element.   
     
     
         28 . The shoe according to  claim 27 , wherein the strap engaging feature of the sole member is a slot extending through the sole member from the first side wall to the second side wall, the sole member engaging portion of the strap being a portion of the strap that is disposed in the slot when the strap is in the assembled position. 
     
     
         29 . The shoe according to  claim 28 , wherein the strap has a pair of opposed ends and a midportion extending therebetween, the strap further having a closure member for joining the opposed ends, the midportion of the strap being received in and retained by the slot in the sole member when the strap is in the assembled position, the remainder of the strap forming a loop that extends over the upper surface when the opposed ends are joined, the strap engaging feature of the toe post engaging the loop. 
     
     
         30 . The shoe according to  claim 29 , wherein the midportion of the strap is generally flat and disposed generally in a plane when in the assembled position, the remainder of the strap including exposed portions joined to the generally flat mid portion, the exposed portions joining the flat portion at an angle that extends forwardly with respect to the plane such that the exposed portions extend forwardly. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The shoe according to  claim 28 , wherein the portion of the strap disposed in the slot has a thickness substantially greater than a thickness of the remainder of the strap. 
     
     
         33 - 56 . (canceled)