Articles of footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an outsole and an upper joined with the outsole, the upper having an exterior surface. A panel is joined with the upper, the panel being foldable about an axis between a first position and a second position. A first indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the first position, and a second, different indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the second position.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole;   an upper joined with the outsole, the upper including an exterior surface; and   a strap joined with the upper and having a panel foldable about an axis between a first position and a second position,   wherein a first indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the first position,   wherein a second, different indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the panel conceals the second indicia element when in the first position, and wherein the panel conceals the first indicia when in the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the panel includes a fastener to releasably maintain the panel in at least one of the first and second positions. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper defines a foot void adapted to receive a wearer's foot and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a curved contour, and wherein the strap is disposed over the curved exterior surface and is configured to secure the foot within the foot void. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the panel comprises a first stationary portion, a first pivoting portion, a second stationary portion, and a second pivoting portion,
 wherein the first and second stationary portions are adjacent to one another and are joined with the strap, and the first and second pivoting portions are disposed back-to-back and are pivotable between the first and second positions.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the upper has a curved contour, and wherein the strap and panel are disposed over the curved exterior surface and follow the curved contour, wherein the panel is urged to either the first position or the second position due to the curved contour. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6  wherein the upper includes a vamp, a heel counter, a toe box, and a tongue, and the panel is joined with the upper on a curved exterior surface of one of the strap, vamp, heel counter, toe box, and tongue. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the panel is foldable about the axis and the axis is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the strap is releasably fastened to the upper by one of a hook and loop fastener, a buckle, a snap, a magnet, and a friction device. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the upper includes a plurality of panels having a plurality of indicia elements, wherein the plurality of panels are foldable about the axis in a booklet-style configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the upper includes a plurality of panels having a plurality of indicia elements, wherein the plurality of panels are arranged in a folded accordion configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is curved in a direction between medial and lateral portions of the upper. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the axis is located a predetermined distance below an upper extremity of the tongue or the upper and is curved to follow a curved contour of the exterior surface. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein in at least one of the first and second positions, the panel is folded upward, away from the outsole, and is biased by the curved axis such that the panel remains folded upward during normal activity of the wearer, without engaging an ankle of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein in the other of the first and second positions, the panel is folded downward, toward the outsole, and is biased by the curved axis such that the panel remains folded down during normal activity as performed by the wearer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the axis is curved to follow a curved contour of the exterior surface so that when the panel is in the first position or the second position the axis being curved forces the panel into a curved shape. 
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole;   an upper joined with the outsole, the upper defining a foot void adapted to receive a wearer's foot, the upper including an exterior surface having a curved contour; and   a strap joined with the upper adjacent the curved contour and having a panel, the panel pivotable about an axis and urged to either a first position or a second position due to the attachment of the strap to the curved contour,   wherein a first indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the first position,   wherein a second indicia element is exposed when the panel is in the second position,   wherein the axis follows the curved contour and is generally curved.   
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the panel conceals the second indicia element when in the first position, and wherein the panel conceals the first indicia when in the second position. 
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole;   an upper joined with the outsole, the upper defining a foot void adapted to receive a wearer's foot, the upper including an exterior surface having a curved contour; and   a strap joined with the upper adjacent the curved contour and having a panel, the panel pivotable about an axis between a first position and a second position and including a first edge and a second edge,   wherein the panel exposes a first indicia element in the first position, while concealing a second indicia element in the first position,   wherein the panel exposes a second, different indicia element in the second position, while concealing the first indicia in the second position,   wherein the axis follows the curved contour and is curved,   wherein the panel is of a first curved configuration from the first edge to the second edge in the first position,   wherein the panel is of a second curved configuration from the first edge to the second edge in the second position,   wherein the panel moves through an intermediary position as it transitions to at least one of the first position and the second position,   wherein the panel is urged to achieve at least one of the first curved configuration and the second curved configuration as it moves through the intermediary position,   whereby the panel snaps into either the first curved configuration or the second curved configuration in the first position and in the second position, respectively, generally following the curved contour of the exterior surface in the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the upper includes a plurality of panels and the plurality of panels are foldable in at least one of a booklet-style configuration and an accordion configuration.