Footwear assembley and associated method

Abstract

A footwear assembly ( 10 ) including a wearable footwear part ( 12 ) and a detachable sole part ( 14 ), the wearable footwear part including a body portion ( 16 ) in which a foot is receivable and a fixed sole portion ( 18 ) extending along an underside ( 20 ) of the body portion ( 16 ). Each of the fixed sole portion ( 18 ) and the detachable sole part ( 14 ) include correspondingly arranged magnetic elements ( 22 ) adapted to be attractive to one another such that placement of the fixed sole portion ( 18 ) of the wearable footwear part ( 12 ) proximate to the detachable sole part ( 14 ) draws the detachable sole part ( 14 ) into abutment with the fixed sole portion ( 18 ) of the wearable footwear part ( 14 ).

1 . A footwear assembly including a wearable footwear article having a fixed sole and a detachable sole, wherein the fixed sole and the detachable sole each carry two magnetic elements, and wherein the two magnetic elements are of differing polarities and are arranged such that placement of the fixed sole proximate to the detachable sole draws the detachable sole into abutment with the fixed sole in a preferred orientation with a toe end and a heal end of the detachable sole being aligned with a respective toe end and a heal end of the fixed sole. 
     
     
         2 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the two magnetic elements of the fixed sole include a first magnetic element located toward the toe end, and a second magnetic element located toward the heal end. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the detachable sole includes a top side arranged to fit with the fixed sole and a ground engaging underside, wherein the two magnetic elements of the detachable sole include a third magnetic element located toward the toe end and a fourth magnetic element is located toward the heal end so as to correspond with the first and second magnetic elements of the fixed sole. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements are disposed adjacent to or at an underside of the fixed sole portion. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the third and fourth magnetic elements of the detachable sole are disposed adjacent to or at an underside of the detachable sole. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements are of different polarity to each other, and wherein the third and fourth magnetic elements are of a different polarity to each other such that the detachable sole and fixed sole are coupled to one another in the preferred orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the detachable sole includes a rim at least partially skirting the top side such that the detachable sole part at least partially receives and locates with the fixed sole in an attached condition. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the rim substantially skirts the top side. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the heal end of the detachable sole is dimensioned to extend outwardly relative to the heal end of the fixed sole. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the heal end of the detachable sole part includes a projection shaped to allow hands free detachment of the detachable sole. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the projection is wedge shaped and tapers outwardly from the top side to the ground engaging underside of detachable sole. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the detachable sole includes an actuable part extending from the heal end of the detachable sole, the actuable part being adapted to assist with detachment of the detachable sole. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the actuable part is provided in the form of a claspable tab. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the two magnetic elements of each of the detachable sole and fixed sole are each relatively flat plate structures. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the two magnetic elements of each of the detachable sole and fixed sole are sufficiently attractive to lift the detachable sole from a ground surface into abutment with the fixed sole within a distance of about less 30 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the wearable footwear article is at least one of a boot, shoe, sock or slipper. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the removable sole and fixed sole carry more than two magnetic elements. 
     
     
         18 . A method of releasable attachment of a removable sole with a wearable footwear article having a fixed sole, the method including the steps of: placing the fixed sole at a distance above the removable sole, the distance being sufficiently close such that corresponding magnetic elements carried by each of the fixed sole and the detachable sole attract to one another, the magnetic elements of each of the fixed and detachable soles having differing polarities and locations such that the removable sole is drawn into abutment with the fixed sole in a preferred orientation with a toe end and a heal end of the detachable sole being aligned with a respective toe end and a heal end of the fixed sole. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein a heal end of the removable sole includes an actuation means, and wherein the method includes the step releasing the removable sole by a user applying a force to the actuation means to separate the removable sole from the wearable footwear article. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)