System and Method for Interchanging Footwear Uppers

Abstract

A system and method for interchanging footwear uppers provide a shoe body that is manually divisible between a sole portion and one or more interchangeable upper portions. One or more upper portion utilize a hook and loop fastening mechanism to detachably mate with a single sole portion. The system comprises a hook panel having multiple hooks, such as those found on Velcro™. The hook panel overlays a top face of the sole portion, with the hooks facing outwardly. The system also provides a loop panel comprising multiple small loops, from the same hook and loop fastener. The loop panel overlays a lasting panel from the upper portions. The hook panel and the loop panel detachably and temporarily mate to create a detachable mating relationship between the upper portions and a single sole portion. Consequently, multiple upper portions can be interchanged on a single, reusable sole portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for interchanging footwear uppers, the system comprising:
 one or more upper portions comprising a lasting panel and a vamp;   a loop panel defined by a loop face and an opposing upper mount face,   the loop face comprising a plurality of loops,   the upper mount face being joined with the lasting panel of the upper portions in an affixed, parallel relationship;   a sole portion comprising an outsole and a midsole; and   a hook panel defined by a hook face and an opposing sole mount face,   the hook face comprising a plurality of hooks, the hooks being sized and dimensioned to removably catch in the loops of the loop face, whereby the hook face and the loop face temporarily mate,   the sole mount face being joined with the midsole of the sole portion in an affixed, parallel relationship,   whereby multiple upper portions detachably mate with the sole portion.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a toe box, a quarter, and a tongue. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sole portion further comprises a heel. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hooks are larger than the loops. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hook panel and the loop panel temporarily mate until a force is applied to separate the panels. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hooks and the loops are derived from a hook and loop mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the loop panel has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hook panel has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the loop panel and the hook panel are flexible. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper mount face affixes to the lasting panel of the upper portions with an adhesive or a stitch. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sole mount face affixes to the midsole of the sole portion with an adhesive or a stitch. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear comprises an athletic shoe. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portions are fabricated from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         14 . A system for interchanging footwear uppers, the system comprising:
 a shoe body having one or more upper portions and a sole portion,   the upper portions comprising a lasting panel, a toe box, a vamp, and a quarter,   the sole portion comprising an outsole and a midsole;   an elongated, flexible loop panel defined by a loop face and an opposing upper mount face,   the loop face comprising a plurality of loops,   the upper mount face being joined with the lasting panel of the upper portions in an affixed, parallel relationship; and   an elongated, flexible hook panel defined by a hook face and an opposing sole mount face,   the hook face comprising a plurality of hooks, the hooks being sized and dimensioned to removably catch in the loops of the loop face, whereby the hook face and the loop face temporarily mate until a force is applied to separate the panels,   the sole mount face being joined with the midsole of the sole portion in an affixed, parallel relationship,   whereby multiple upper portions detachably mate with the sole portion.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the upper portion further comprises a tongue. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the sole portion further comprises a heel. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hooks are larger than the loops. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hooks and the loops are derived from a hook and loop mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the upper portions are fabricated from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         20 . A method for interchanging footwear uppers from a sole, the method comprising:
 providing one or more upper portions comprising a lasting panel, a vamp, and a quarter;   affixing an elongated, flexible loop panel to the lasting panel of the upper portions, the loop panel defined by a loop face comprising a plurality of loops;   providing a sole portion comprising an outsole and a midsole;   orienting the midsole into alignment with the lasting panel of the upper portions;   affixing a hook panel to the outsole, the hook panel comprising a hook face comprising a plurality of hooks, the hooks being sized and dimensioned to removably catch in the loops of the loop face;   mating the hook face and the loop face, whereby the hooks and loops temporarily mate;   wearing the footwear with the joined upper portion and sole portion;   applying a force to separate the hook panel from the loop panel, whereby the upper portion detaches from the sole portion; and   mating a loop face from a second loop panel joined to a second upper portion to the loop face from the lop panel of the first sole portion, whereby the hooks and loops temporarily mate.