Shoe and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

A shoe, and method of manufacture, comprised of (i) a shoe upper having an arrangement of holes in the bottom surface, (ii) an outer sole having an arrangement of holes corresponding to the arrangement of holes in the bottom surface of the shoe upper, and (iii) an inner sole disposed within the shoe upper, the inner sole having a plurality of pegs that extend from its bottom surface that are arranged in alignment with the arrangement of holes in the shoe upper and outer sole when the inner sole is disposed within the shoe upper, each peg extending downwardly through its associated hole in the shoe upper and the outer sole, so that, in the preferred embodiment, the bottom surface of each peg is exposed to, and forms part of, bottom surface of the shoe.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising:
 a shoe upper having an arrangement of holes in its bottom surface;   an outer sole having an arrangement of holes corresponding to the arrangement of holes in the bottom surface of the shoe upper; and   an inner sole disposed within the shoe upper, the inner sole having a plurality of pegs extending from its bottom surface and arranged to align with the arrangement of holes in the shoe upper and outer sole when the inner sole is disposed within the shoe upper, each peg extending downwardly into its associated hole in the shoe upper and outer sole, wherein the bottom surface of each peg is exposed to, and forms part of, the bottom surface of the shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of each peg is substantially co-planar with the bottom surface of the outer sole. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein each peg is configured in a substantially inverted ‘T’ shape, and each hole in the outer sole contains a recess that is configured to closely accommodate the configuration of each peg, wherein each peg fits snuggly within its associated recess. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the materials of the inner sole and outer sole are selected so that the sole, formed by the outer sole and the pegs, has substantially uniform characteristics throughout its extent. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein each peg and its associated recess have a substantially circular cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein each peg and its associated recess have a substantially square cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the upper, the inner sole and outer sole are substantially co-extensive and substantially cover the entire sole of the shoe. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the upper is comprised of one of the following materials: canvas, denim, leather, mesh, neoprene, polyurethane, suede, nubuck, cotton, woven mesh, polyurethane, and synthetic leather. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the inner sole is resilient and is comprised of one of the following materials: rubber, thermoplastic rubbers, ethylene-vinyl acetate, blown ethylene-vinyl acetate, injected molded foam, injection molded rubber, plastic, and polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 9  wherein the inner sole has at least one of (i) cupped end portions, (ii) a contoured edge, (iii) an arch support region, (iv) massage beads, or (v) perforated knockout holes. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the outer sole is resilient and is comprised of one of the following materials: ethylene-vinyl acetate, thermoplastic rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, blown ethylene-vinyl acetate, blown rubber, leather, injected molded foam, and injection molded rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11  wherein the outer sole is die-cut. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 11  wherein the outer sole is molded. 
     
     
         14 . A method for manufacturing a shoe, comprising the steps of:
 a. inserting an inner sole having a plurality of pegs extending from its bottom surface into a shoe upper having an arrangement of holes in its bottom surface corresponding to the arrangement of said pegs;   b. inserting each of the plurality of pegs through its corresponding hole on the bottom surface of the shoe upper;   c. providing an outer sole having an arrangement of holes corresponding to the arrangement of holes in the bottom surface of the shoe upper;   d. inserting a tool from the bottom surface of the outer sole through a selected hole in said outer sole;   e. gripping, with said tool, the peg corresponding to said selected hole;   f. pulling said corresponding peg through said selected hole;   g. releasing said corresponding peg from said tool; and   h. repeating steps (d)-(g) for each remaining peg.   
     
     
         15 . A shoe comprising:
 a shoe upper having an arrangement of holes in its bottom surface;   an outer sole having holes extending completely therethrough in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of holes in the bottom surface of the shoe upper;   an inner sole disposed within the shoe upper, the inner sole having a plurality of pegs extending from its bottom surface and arranged to align with the arrangement of holes in the shoe upper and outer sole when the inner sole is disposed within the shoe upper, each peg extending downwardly into its associated hole in the shoe upper and outer sole; and   a supplemental outer sole applied to the bottom surface of the outer sole.   
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 15 , wherein each peg is configured in a substantially inverted ‘T’ shape, and each hole in the outer sole contains a recess that is configured to closely accommodate the configuration of each peg, wherein each peg fits snuggly within its associated recess. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the upper, the inner sole and outer sole are substantially co-extensive and substantially cover the entire sole of the shoe. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the inner sole is resilient and is comprised of one of the following materials: rubber, thermoplastic rubbers, ethylene-vinyl acetate, blown ethylene-vinyl acetate, injected molded foam, injection molded rubber, plastic, and polyurethane. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 16  wherein the outer sole is resilient and is comprised of one of the following materials: ethylene-vinyl acetate, thermoplastic rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, blown ethylene-vinyl acetate, blown rubber, leather, injected molded foam, and injection molded rubber. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 19  wherein the supplemental outer sole is comprised of the same material as the outer sole.