Modular footwear platform

Abstract

A footwear apparatus and method including a sole to which fasteners are attached. Straps are mounted to fasteners and extend across the user's foot when the footwear is worn. The invention permits enormous variety in constructing footwear for the user to change the straps to suit his or her interests. Preferred straps include woven rubber or silicon bands forming a strip that is attached using loops at the ends of the straps. The fasteners are preferably pins extending through apertures formed in the soles of the footwear, where the pins have enlarged heads that prevent the pins from pulling the apertures and hooks or loops in the ends of the pins. Clips can fasten the loops on the straps to the loops on the pins.

1 . An improved footwear apparatus including a sole having a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a first fastener attached to the sole near a first location;   (b) a second fastener attached to the sole near a second location spaced from the first fastener;   (c) a third fastener attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener;   (d) a first strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the second fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches; and   (e) a second strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the third fastener, to which the second strap removably attaches.   
     
     
         2 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of the fasteners further comprises a pin, each of the pins has a shaft extending through a respective one of at least three apertures formed in the sole near the respective fastener's location, each pin has an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and a hook near an opposite pin end. 
     
     
         3 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein said at least three apertures further comprises at least four apertures through which the pins are configured to extend. 
     
     
         4 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of the fasteners further comprises a pin, each of the pins having a shaft extending through a respective one of at least three apertures formed in the sole near the respective fastener's location, each pin having an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and means for removably fastening to a strap near an opposite pin end. 
     
     
         5 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein said at least three apertures further comprises at least four apertures through which the pins are configured to extend. 
     
     
         6 . An improved footwear apparatus including a sole having a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a first fastener attached to the sole near a first location;   (b) a second fastener attached to the sole near a second location spaced from the first fastener;   (c) a third fastener attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener; and   (d) a first strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the second fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches, the first strap extending to the third fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches.   
     
     
         7 . An improved footwear apparatus including a sole having a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a first pin having a shaft extending through a first aperture formed in the sole, the first pin having an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and a fastener near an opposite pin end, wherein the first pin is disposed at a first location;   (b) a second pin having a shaft extending through a second aperture formed in the sole, the second pin having an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and a fastener near an opposite pin end, wherein the second pin is disposed at a second location that is spaced from the first pin;   (c) a third pin having a shaft extending through a third aperture formed in the sole, the third pin having an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and a fastener near an opposite pin end, wherein the third pin is disposed at a third location that is spaced from the first pin and the second pin;   (d) a first strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the second fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches;   (e) a second strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the third fastener, to which the second strap removably attaches; and   (f) a fourth aperture formed in the sole that is spaced from the first, second and third apertures and through which at least one of the pins is configured to extend.   
     
     
         8 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of apertures formed in the sole that are spaced from every other aperture and through which at least one of the pins is configured to extend. 
     
     
         9 . A method of constructing footwear having a sole with a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the method comprising:
 (a) forming a first flexible woven strap;   (b) forming a second flexible woven strap;   (c) removably attaching the first strap to a first fastener that is attached to the sole near a first location;   (d) extending the first strap to a second fastener that is attached to the sole near a second location spaced from the first fastener;   (e) removably attaching the first strap to the second fastener;   (f) removably attaching the second strap to the first fastener;   (g) extending the second strap to a third fastener that is attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener; and   (h) removably attaching the second strap to the third fastener.   
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising:
 (a) removing the first strap from the first fastener;   (b) extending the first strap to a third fastener that is attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener; and   (c) removably attaching the first strap to the third fastener.   
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising:
 (a) forming a third flexible woven strap;   (b) removing the first strap from the first fastener and the second fastener; and   (c) removably attaching the third strap to the first fastener and the second fastener.   
     
     
         12 . A method of constructing footwear having a sole with a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the method comprising:
 (a) forming a first flexible woven strap;   (b) removably attaching the first strap to a first fastener that is attached to the sole near a first location;   (d) extending the first strap to a second fastener that is attached to the sole near a second location spaced from the first fastener; and   (e) removably attaching the first strap to the second fastener.   
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (a) removing the first strap from the first fastener;   (b) extending the first strap to a third fastener that is attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener; and   (c) removably attaching the first strap to the third fastener.   
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (a) forming a second flexible woven strap;   (b) removing the first strap from the first fastener and the second fastener; and   (c) removably attaching the second strap to the first fastener and the second fastener.   
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the step of forming a first flexible woven strap further comprises weaving a decorative object into the strap. 
     
     
         16 . An improved footwear apparatus including a sole having a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, a flexible upper extending from at least one side of the sole's second side to an opposite side of the sole's second side, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a first fastener attached to one of the sole and the upper near a first location;   (b) a second fastener attached to one of the sole and the upper near a second location spaced from the first fastener;   (c) a first strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the second fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches.   
     
     
         17 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein said at least three apertures further comprises at least four apertures through which the pins are configured to extend. 
     
     
         18 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein each of the fasteners further comprises a pin, each of the pins has a shaft extending through a respective one of at least two apertures formed in the sole near the respective fastener's location, each pin has an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and a hook near an opposite pin end. 
     
     
         19 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein each of the fasteners further comprises a pin, each of the pins has a shaft extending through a respective one of at least three apertures formed in the sole near the respective fastener's location, each pin having an enlarged head at the first major surface of the sole and means for removably fastening to a strap near an opposite pin end. 
     
     
         20 . The improved footwear apparatus in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein said at least three apertures further comprises at least four apertures through which the pins are configured to extend. 
     
     
         21 . An improved footwear apparatus including a sole having a first major surface for contacting a supporting surface in an operable orientation and a second, substantially oppositely-directed major surface upon which a human foot rests in an operable orientation, the improvement comprising:
 (a) a first fastener attached to the sole near a first location;   (b) a second fastener attached to the sole near a second location spaced from the first fastener;   (c) a third fastener attached to the sole near a third location spaced from the first fastener and spaced from the second fastener;   (d) a fourth fastener attached to the sole near a fourth location spaced from the first fastener, spaced from the second fastener, and spaced from the third fastener;   (e) a first strap removably attached to the first fastener and extending to the second fastener, to which the first strap removably attaches; and   (f) a second strap removably attached to the third fastener and extending to the fourth fastener, to which the second strap removably attaches.