Shoe with variable wear properties

Abstract

The visual appearance of a shoe changes over time due to protected and unprotected areas of a wear-susceptible material overlaid on a visually distinguishable base material. As the wear-susceptible material abrades, new colors, textures, patterns, or other features may be revealed. Structures and methods of constructing the structures to vary the visual appearance of a shoe over time are provided.

1 . A shoe upper, the shoe upper comprising:
 a base material having an outer surface;   a wear-resistant material joined to at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material and less than all of the outer surface of the base material; and   a wear-susceptible material joined to at least a portion of the wear-resistant material.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein a discontinuity in the wear-resistant material defines a periphery of at least one region of the wear-susceptible material adjacent to which there is no wear resistant material. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe upper of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one region of the wear-susceptible material adjacent to which there is no wear resistant material corresponds to one or more aesthetic designs. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe upper of  claim 2 , wherein the wear-susceptible material is layered over substantially all of the base material, including the at least one region of the wear-susceptible material adjacent to which there is no wear-resistant material. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe upper of  claim 4 , comprising a plurality of regions of the wear-susceptible material adjacent to which there is no wear-resistant material. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe upper of  claim 4 , wherein the wear-susceptible material is less susceptible to wear in a region or regions adjacent to which there is wear-resistant material, compared to the at least one region of the wear-susceptible material adjacent to which there is no wear-resistant material. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein the base material and the wear-susceptible material have at least one different visual property. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe upper of  claim 7 , wherein the different visual property comprises at least one of color, luster, texture, pattern, and ornamentation. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-resistant material is adhesive to the wear-susceptible material and to the base material. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe upper of  claim 9 , wherein the wear-resistant material is a hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-resistant material comprises thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein the wear-susceptible material comprises paper or a lightweight nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe upper of  claim 1 , wherein the base material comprises one of either canvas or leather. 
     
     
         14 . A method for constructing a shoe upper having an aesthetic design that changes with wear, the method comprising:
 providing a base material;   selectively applying a wear-resistant material to a portion of an outer surface of the base material and less than all of the outer surface of the base material; and   applying a wear-susceptible material over the base material to cover at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material having the wear-resistant adhesive applied, and at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material that does not have the wear-resistant adhesive applied.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the wear-resistant material is an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wear-resistant adhesive comprises one or more of a thermoplastic adhesive, a thermoset adhesive, and a hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wear-resistant material is selectively applied to the portion of the outer surface of the base material by either or both of removing a first portion of the wear-resistant adhesive and forming a depression below an outer surface of the wear-resistant adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wear-resistant adhesive is selectively applied to the outer surface of the base material by layering one or more of a thermoplastic, thermoset, or hot melt adhesive with the base material, and heating the one or more of a thermoplastic, thermoset, or hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wear-susceptible material is applied to the wear-resistant adhesive by layering an expanse of the wear-susceptible material with the thermoplastic, thermoset, or hot melt adhesive and heating the thermoplastic, thermoset, or hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the wear-resistant adhesive is joined to the base material and the wear-susceptible material in a single bonding step. 
     
     
         21 . A shoe, comprising:
 a shoe upper, the shoe upper comprising:   a base material having an outer surface;   a wear-resistant material joined to at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material; and   a wear-susceptible material joined to at least a portion of the wear-resistant material; and   a sole, wherein the sole is distinguishable from a portion of the shoe upper by at least one of construction and materials.   
     
     
         22 . The shoe of  claim 21 , wherein the base material has at least one different visual property relative to the wear-susceptible material. 
     
     
         23 . The shoe of  claim 22 , wherein the different visual property comprises at least one of color, luster, texture, pattern, and ornamentation. 
     
     
         24 . The shoe of  claim 21 , wherein the wear-resistant material is joined to at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material and less than all of the outer surface of the base material.