Modular shoe system

Abstract

A modular shoe having interchangeable: outer shoe shell, footbed and internal heel collar. The outer shoe shell provisions a full upper secured to an outsole. The footbed provides the primary cushioning for the wearer's foot, and the internal heel collar is releasably secured to the footbed, the footbed and the internal heel collar presenting a sub-assembly that is mountable within the outer shoe shell. The modular system can include additional components such as tongue extensions and various decoratives.

1 . A modular shoe, comprising:
 an outer shoe shell comprising an outsole and an upper, wherein the outsole incorporates a tread, and wherein the upper encompasses anterior, posterior, medial and lateral aspects of a wearer's foot when the shoe is worn;   an interchangeable footbed which provides the primary cushioning for the wearer's foot;   an interchangeable internal heel collar,   wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar include connectors for releasably securing the footbed and the internal heel collar to one another, the footbed and the internal heel collar being mountable within the unitary outer shoe shell; and   a cinching mechanism for securing the shoe on the wearer's foot.   
     
     
         2 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a first heel counter and wherein the internal heel collar includes a second heel counter opposed to the first heel counter. 
     
     
         3 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected together by a tongue and groove joint. 
     
     
         4 . A modular shoe according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the internal heel collar includes a semi-rigid or rigid socket;   a rear portion of the footbed includes at least a semi-rigid or rigid plate;   one of the socket and the plate include an elongate tongue and the other of the plate and the socket include a mating elongate groove, wherein, when the tongue is inserted into the groove, the footbed seats into the socket.   
     
     
         5 . A modular shoe according to  claim 4 , including a reinforcement rib surrounding the groove. 
     
     
         6 . A modular shoe according to  claim 3 , wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected by a snap-fit joint. 
     
     
         7 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the footbed and the internal heel collar are connected by a snap-fit joint. 
     
     
         8 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the interchangeable internal heel collar includes a high-top style where the internal heel collar features prominently over a posterior topline of the upper and a low-top style where the internal heel collar does not feature prominently over the posterior topline of the upper. 
     
     
         9 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein medial and lateral limp portions of the upper and medial and lateral limp portions of the internal heel collar each includes one or more magnets for registering respective limp portions. 
     
     
         10 . A modular shoe according to  claim 9 , wherein the cinching mechanism including shoelace eyelets, and wherein the medial and lateral upper magnets are disposed about medial and lateral posterior-most eyelets. 
     
     
         11 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a tongue, and further including an interchangeable tongue extension connectable to the tongue. 
     
     
         12 . A modular shoe according to  claim 1 , including an interchangeable U-shaped decorative attachable to the internal heel collar. 
     
     
         13 . A modular shoe according to  claim 13 , including an interchangeable decorative band connectable to the U-shaped decorative, the band having magnets therein for holding the band in a looped configuration about the wearer's leg when the shoe is worn.