Shoe ease footwear and method of making the same

Abstract

An article of footwear with an upper and a sole. The upper has a flap portion while the sole has a lip portion. The flap portion of the upper is configured to removably attach to the lip portion of the sole, allowing a user to wear the article of footwear in a closed or open orientation.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, a lateral portion and an opposite medial portion, comprising:
 a sole having a lip portion:
 the lip portion extending vertically from a face of the sole, 
 the lip portion extending from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, 
 the lip portion having an upper lip portion and an opposite bottom lip portion, the upper lip portion having a first attachment portion configured to removably attach to an upper of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the upper having a flap portion that extends from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, the flap portion having an upper flap portion and an opposite bottom flap portion, the bottom flap portion having a second attachment portion configured to removably attach to a sole of article of footwear.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are each portions of a zipper assembly configured to zip together to form a complete zipper assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the zipper assembly oriented to begin at the medial portion and end at the lateral portion 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the zipper assembly is oriented to begin at the lateral portion and end at the medial portion. 
     
     
         6 . An article of footwear having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, a lateral portion and an opposite medial portion, comprising:
 an upper having a flap portion
 the flap portion extending from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, and 
 the flap portion having an upper flap portion and an opposite bottom flap portion, the bottom flap portion having a second attachment portion configured to removably attach to a sole of article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sole having a lip portion:
 the lip portion extending vertically from a face of the sole, 
 the lip portion extending from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, and 
 the lip portion having an upper lip portion and an opposite bottom lip portion, the upper lip portion having a first attachment portion configured to removably attach to an upper of the article of footwear, wherein the first attachment portion and second attachment portion are each portions of a zipper assembly. 
   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  being a right-foot oriented article of footwear and oriented for a right-handed user, wherein the zipper assembly begins on the lateral portion of the article of footwear and ends on the medial portion of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  being a left-foot oriented article of footwear and oriented for a right-handed user, wherein the zipper assembly begins on the medial portion of the article of footwear and ends on the lateral portion of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  being a right-foot oriented article of footwear and oriented for a left-handed user, wherein the zipper assembly begins on the medial portion of the article of footwear and ends on the lateral portion of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  being a left-foot oriented article of footwear and oriented for a left-handed user, wherein the zipper assembly begins on the lateral portion of the article of footwear and ends on the medial portion of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         12 . A method of making an article of footwear having a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, a lateral portion and an opposite medial portion, the method comprising:
 providing a sole having a lip portion,
 the lip portion extending vertically from a face of the sole, 
 the lip portion extending from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, and 
 the lip portion having an upper lip portion and an opposite bottom lip portion, the upper lip portion having a first attachment portion configured to removably attach to an upper of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing the upper having a flap portion,
 the flap portion extending from the medial portion of the midfoot portion, through the medial portion of the forefoot portion and the lateral portion of the forefoot portion, to and including the lateral portion of the midfoot portion, and 
 the flap portion having an upper flap portion and an opposite bottom flap portion, the bottom flap portion having a second attachment portion configured to removably attach to the sole of article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are each portions of a zipper assembly configured to zip together to form a complete zipper assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the zipper assembly oriented to begin at the medial portion and end at the lateral portion 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the zipper assembly is oriented to begin at the lateral portion and end at the medial portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portions are each portions of a button assembly configured to fasten together to form a complete button assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein lip portion has an inner lip surface and an outer lip surface, and wherein flap portion has an inner flap surface and an outer flap surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein first attachment portion is located on the outer lip surface and second attachment portion is located on the inner flap surface causing the flap portion to overlay the lip portion in a closed position of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first attachment portion is located on the inner lip surface and the second attachment portion is located on the outer flap surface causing the lip portion to overlay the flap portion in a closed position of the article of footwear.