Device and related methods for coupling a shoe upper and shoe sole

Abstract

A coupling device molded into a shoe sole for allowing a user to detachably couple a shoe upper to the shoe sole. The coupling device includes a socket with a set of ratchet teeth that are movable between an unbiased position and biased position by touching a button. The coupling device also includes a prong that can be inserted into the socket and has a plurality of complementary ratchet that can engage with the ratchet teeth of the socket.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coupling device for use in detachably coupling a shoe upper to a shoe sole to enable a user to assemble and disassemble the shoe at will, where the coupling device is molded into the shoe sole, the coupling device comprising:
 (a) a socket having a shaft passage therethrough and comprising a tongue disposed in the shaft passage and having a plurality of ratchet teeth movable from an unbiased engaged position and a biased disengaged position in response to depression of a button affixed to the tongue, where the button extends through an opening in the socket;   (b) a plug having an upper portion affixable to the shoe upper and at least one prong insertable into the socket and having a plurality of complementary ratchet teeth that detachably engage with the ratcheted teeth of the tongue in its unbiased engaged position upon insertion of the plug into the socket; and   (c) a socket enclosure configured to surround the socket and button for preventing flowable resin from entering the socket and the air space surrounding the button during molding of the sole.   
     
     
         2 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft passage is formed from an inner wall, and outer wall, and two connecting side walls and includes a slotted opening penetrable through a foot-bearing topside of the sole, wherein the tongue is resiliently movable from a unbiased engaged position and a biased disengaged position and the button has a first rest position and a second depressed position, whereby when the button is in its rest position, the tongue is in its unbiased engaged position, and when the button is in the depressed position, the tongue is in its biased disengaged position. 
     
     
         3 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the socket enclosure seals the shaft passage at the base. 
     
     
         4 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the socket walls, tongue, stem and button are integral in a single piece. 
     
     
         5 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the socket is formed with a thin membrane sealing off the opening from the shaft to prevent flowable resin from entering the socket during molding of the sole, the membrane being breakable by pressing the button after the sole has been molded. 
     
     
         6 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the socket enclosure comprises an outer resilient wall enclosing an air space environment surrounding the button. 
     
     
         7 . The coupling device according to  claim 6 , wherein the outer wall is convexly curved to provide resilient inward flexure. 
     
     
         8 . The coupling device according to  claim 7 , wherein the outer wall has a larger area than that of the button to apply the disengaging force. 
     
     
         9 . A shoe sole comprising an embedded socket of the coupling device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing footwear, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a socket having a shaft passage therethrough and comprising a tongue disposed in the shaft passage and having a plurality of ratchet teeth movable from an unbiased engaged position and a biased disengaged position in response to depression of a button affixed to the tongue, the button extending through an opening in the socket, and a plug having an upper portion affixable to the shoe upper; and at least one prong insertable into the socket and having a plurality of complementary ratchet teeth that detachably engage with the ratcheted teeth of the tongue in its unbiased engaged position upon insertion of the plug into the socket;   (b) providing a socket enclosure configured to surround a lower portion of the socket and the button;   (c) affixing the socket enclosure to the socket, thereby covering the opening to the shaft passage and enclosing the air space surrounding the button; and   (d) molding the socket into a resin-based shoe sole using a flowable resin, wherein the flowable resin is prevented from entering the socket and the air space surrounding the button.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , the socket enclosure is a cap that snaps onto the bottom of the socket. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the tongue of the socket is secured from movement during the molding process by pressure upon the button of the device.