Fastening device and kit, especially for interchangeable fashion footwear

Abstract

The inventive subject matter pertains to a shoe comprising of a firmly embedded fastening device between multiple layers for attachable and detachable upper components and sole components such that the face of the socket may be flush with the side of the sole, allowing for an economical manufacturing process to produce truly fashionable shoes in many different styles. The fastening device comprises a locking, stabilizing, and actuating mechanism comprising of a socket and plug. A socket comprises a stabilizing lever, pawl, flexible joint, aperture, and aligning tabs. A plug comprises overhangs and at least one prong further comprising teeth complementary to teeth on a pawl. Utilizing advancement in materials with a layering design to implant a fastening device, manufacturing may be consistent and more economical and also reduce cost and inconveniences for fashion consumers in several ways.

We claim: 
     
         1 . In a shoe comprising attachable and detachable components wherein an upper component and a sole component is attached and detached from one another with a fastening device in which said fastening device comprises a socket associated with said sole component and said socket comprising a vertical outermost socket wall, center socket wall, and two side socket walls forming a socket shaft and a pawl within said socket shaft and may receive a plug associated with said upper component comprising an interlocking tooth that engages with a complementary pawl such that the fastening device may be intentionally engaged and disengaged, the improvement comprising a locking, stabilizing, and actuating mechanism comprising:
 a stabilizing lever jutting out horizontally in its resting position from a pawl into an aperture within said outermost socket wall, said stabilizing lever comprising a generally rectangular shape and sufficient thickness and length, wherein said stabilizing lever deters a flexible joint from overextending such that said flexible joint may be sufficiently flexible and stabilizing lever may be actuable;   said pawl extending vertically down in its resting position into said socket shaft from said flexible joint, said pawl comprising a consistent flat shape and forming a right angle where it joins said flexible joint;   said flexible joint sufficiently jutting out outwards horizontally in its resting position from a socket vertical wall within socket shaft, said flexible joint comprising a sufficient length and dispersed flexibility such that said stabilizing lever may be actuable by an intentional lightly pulling force downwards by a human finger;   said outermost socket wall comprising a exposable socket face adjoining said socket shaft;   said outermost socket wall and said socket face comprising a aperture, wherein the size and position of said aperture allows said stabilizing lever to traverse said outermost socket wall in a downwards motion to intentionally disengage the fastening device, allows said stabilizing lever to traverse said outermost socket wall in a upwards motion to pinch and lock said plug in a engaged position between said pawl and said socket shaft, and inhibits said stabilizing lever from moving further upwards when said plug is sufficiently pinched, wherein integrated said aperture and said stabilizing lever prevents the integrated said flexible joint from being over extended and failing, wherein stabilizing mechanism allows for a sufficiently flexible joint for said actuating mechanism;   a configuration of said pawl and said flexible joint pivoting said stabilizing lever in a downwards and inwards motion, wherein the motion downwards is substantially greater than the motion inwards, substantially accelerating the intentional disengaging action such that said stabilizing lever may be recessed within said socket face and conveniently accessible; and   wherein said stabilizing lever, said pawl, said flexible joint, and said socket are molded simultaneously as one continuous piece.   
     
     
         2 . In the shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 1 , said stabilizing lever further comprising a stabilizing lever face slanted inwards going from bottom to top such that the bottom edge of said stabilizing lever face is the outermost point said stabilizing lever, indicating and facilitating the downwards motion of said stabilizing lever. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 2 , wherein said stabilizing lever face is recessed within said aperture such that said stabilizing lever does not protrude out past said socket face. 
     
     
         4 . In the shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 1 , said pawl further comprising two sets of interlocking teeth complementary with teeth on the plug, wherein said stabilizer lever attaches to the pawl between each set and each set of teeth comprises two rows of teeth. 
     
     
         5 . In the shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 1 , said pawl further comprising two interlocking teeth complementary with teeth on the plug, wherein said stabilizer lever attaches to the pawl between each tooth. 
     
     
         6 . In the shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 1 , said stabilizing mechanism further comprising at least two overhangs molded simultaneously as one continuous piece with said plug, wherein said overhang is above each said side socket wall and prevents said plug from twisting inwards such that said socket shaft depth and socket thickness between an insole and an outsole may be sufficiently reduced. 
     
     
         7 . In the shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 1 , said shoe further comprising:
 an outsole layer, midsole layer, and sufficiently stable insole layer bonded together around said socket to properly secure said socket such that said socket face may be exposed between visible portions of said midsole and said insole above said flexible joint may also prevent said flexible joint from overextending and failing;   said stabilizing lever further comprising a stabilizing lever face slanted inwards going from bottom to top such that the bottom edge of said stabilizing lever face is the outermost point said stabilizing lever, indicating and facilitating the downwards motion of said stabilizing lever, wherein said stabilizing lever is recessed within said aperture such that it does not protrude out past said socket face;   said pawl further comprising two sets of interlocking teeth complementary with teeth on said plug, wherein said stabilizer lever attaches to the pawl between each set and each set of teeth comprises two rows of teeth;   said stabilizing mechanism further comprising at least two overhangs molded simultaneously as one continuous piece with said plug, wherein said overhangs rest above each said side socket shaft wall and prevents said plug from twisting inwards in which said socket shaft depth and socket thickness may be sufficiently reduced such that the distance between said insole layer and said outsole layer may also be reduced; and   wherein said socket comprises of a rectangular shaped socket anchor adjoining and sharing said center socket wall to further immobilize said socket between said insole and said outsole by increasing the surface area of said socket against bottom side of said insole such that the point of contact is further distributed.   
     
     
         8 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 7 , wherein said socket comprises an aligning tab molded simultaneously as one continuous piece with said socket above each side socket shaft wall such that said aligning tab fit snug into said insole comprising slits and said aligning tab prevents said socket shaft and said slit from being unaligned, expedites alignment during manufacturing, and restrains said socket between said layers of said shoe and said aligning tab also meets with said overhang to prevent twisting of said plug. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 8 , wherein said socket comprises of a flange protruding out horizontally along the bottom of said socket such that a complementary midsole cavity may also pin down and secure said socket between said insole layer and said outsole layer and said sole component may be manufactured by installing said socket in prefabricated said midsole, aligning said aligning tab with said slit to accurately position and bond said insole to said midsole, and bonding said sole component to said midsole. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 7 , wherein said socket shaft depth is less than 8 millimeters and said socket fits within said shoe further comprising of a midsole less than 8 millimeters thick from said insole to said outsole adjacent to each side of the socket face. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 7 , wherein said socket face comprised of a concave shape towards the center of said socket face and a flat shape within a geometrical plane at the perimeter such that said perimeter of said socket face may be sanded and smoothed flush with a vertical side of said shoe resting in a flat upright position. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 11 , wherein said perimeter of said socket face is sanded and smoothed flush with a vertical side of said shoe resting in a flat upright position. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe comprising attachable and detachable components of  claim 7 , wherein said plug comprises of a thin flat shape that kinks outwards and up going from bottom to top such that when said plug is engaged with said socket implanted within said shoe the portion of said plug protruding up from said shoe is closer to the outer perimeter of said insole and more flush with the side of said shoe such that said shoe may be narrow and fit the user properly. 
     
     
         14 . In an shoe comprising a fastening device having means for attaching and detaching footwear uppers and soles in which a socket associated with a sole comprising a socket outermost wall, socket back wall, and two socket side walls forming a socket shaft and a pawl within said socket shaft may receive a plug associated with an upper comprising an interlocking tooth that engages with a complementary pawl such that the fastening device may be intentionally engaged and disengaged, a locking, stabilizing, and actuating mechanism comprising:
 an aperture within a socket wall and a stabilizing lever, pawl, and flexible joint comprising a flat shape and consistent thickness;   wherein said plug is locked into place when said pawl is wedged forward and pins said plug against said socket shaft;   wherein said stabilizing lever integrally attached to said flexible joint via said pawl counteracts said flexible joint form being forced upwards and failing by said stabilizing lever being pinned against the aperture roof as a pulling force is applied to engaged said plug;   wherein the flexible joint jutting out horizontally from said center socket wall within said socket shaft prevents engaged said plug from forcing pawl back into a unintentional disengaged position; and   said flexible joint comprising sufficient length and thinness to pivot stabilizing lever in a downwards motion within said aperture such that the lever be recessed and still accessible by a human finger.   
     
     
         15 . The locking, stabilizing, and actuating mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein said locking and stabilizing mechanism further comprises:
 an outsole layer, midsole layer, and sufficiently stable insole layer bonded together around said socket to properly secure said socket such that said socket face may be exposed between visible portions of said midsole;   said stabilizing mechanism further comprising at least two overhangs molded simultaneously as one continuous piece with said plug, wherein said overhangs rest above each said side socket wall and prevents said plug from twisting inwards in which said socket shaft depth and socket thickness may be sufficiently reduced such that the distance between said insole layer and said outsole layer may also be reduced;   wherein said socket comprises of a rectangular shaped socket anchor adjoining and sharing said center socket wall to further immobilize said socket between said insole and said outsole by increasing the surface area of said socket against bottom side of said insole such that the point of contact is further distributed; and   an outsole layer, midsole layer, and sufficiently stable insole layer bonded together around said socket to properly secure said socket such that said socket face may be exposed between visible portions of said midsole.   
     
     
         16 . An footwear kit for switching compatible upper components and sole components, comprising:
 a sole component comprising a socket of a fastening device wherein said socket comprises of a stabilizing lever, pawl, flexible joint within a socket shaft and said socket shaft comprises of an aperture;   said upper component comprising an attached plug wherein said plug comprises a flat shape and two prongs, wherein each prong comprises of a tooth complementary to a tooth on said pawl such that said stabilizing lever attaches to said pawl between two rows of teeth;   said stabilizing lever extends from said pawl and into an aperture to disengage said plug attached;   said flexible joint connects said pawl to said socket shaft and guilds said pawl such that said pawl pins said plug against said socket shaft such that said plug is locked into place by said complementary teeth;   wherein said sole component may be sold separately and said upper component may be sold separately such that a consumer may purchase said upper components in a size that is different from said sole component purchased for a comfortable fit; and   wherein said sole component and said upper component may be sold together as a package comprising a plurality of said upper components tightly packaged as disengaged components such that empty space and excess weight is minimalized during shipping and storing inventory.   
     
     
         17 . The footwear kit for switching compatible upper components and sole components of  claim 16 , wherein said sole component comprises of a finger positioned to run between two human toes for a thong-type sandal comprising a conventional fastener in which said sole component is compatible with a plurality of thong-type uppers such that said upper components attach to the said sole component in at least three locations; 
     
     
         18 . The footwear kit for switching compatible upper components and sole components of  claim 16 , wherein said sole component comprises of a conventional toe box for a slide-type sandal and said sole component is compatible with a plurality of upper components that secure a person's foot by the ankle. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear kit for switching compatible upper components and sole components of  claim 16 , wherein said sole component comprise of flat-type outsole, wedge-type outsole, and high platform-type outsole such that a plurality of upper components are compatible. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear kit for switching compatible upper components and sole components of  claim 16 , wherein said upper component is compatible with a plurality of sole components.