MODULAR SHOES MADE FROM OCEAN-DEEMED POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET) WASTES

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]The invention is in the field of improvement in shoe design construction particularly with modular shoes made from ocean-deemed PET plastic wastes, i.e., plastic wastes that would possibly eventually find their ways into the oceans.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002]Many existing shoes are not made from recyclable materials and those which are made from recyclable materials, particularly from plastic wastes, are not modular in nature.

[0003]A modular shoe generally comprises interchangeable sole and skin parts that are detachably mounted to each other, for example with a zip, and may thus be combined depending on the needs of a user for a specific appearance and/or for the choice of an adapted sole for a specific terrain. Recycling has become an important environmental argument for saving resources and prevent waste from being randomly dispersed in nature. Various constituents for making soles and skin may comprise recycled PET, foam and/or rubber.

[0004]As is often the case with plastic wearables, there is a need for an efficient breathing mechanism to prevent odor developing from sweat that is not properly evacuated from the wearable. Various solutions exist to tackle this issue, including sophisticated ventilating mechanisms built in the sole or openings punched in the skin of a shoe.

[0005]Departing from the discussed prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative environmental and user-friendly modular shoe.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006]The present invention provides a modular shoe comprising a sole part and a skin part, and zipper means to detachably mount the sole part and the skin part to each other, wherein the skin part comprises a breathable yarn pattern configured to render the skin part breathable and to prevent odor development in the modular shoe, and the yarn comprises recycled PET plastic.

[0007]In a preferred embodiment, the zipper means comprises a zip mounted on peripheries respectively of the sole part and the skin part, and extending from a first extremity to a second extremity of the zip, whereby the first extremity and the second extremity are located adjacent to each other on the two peripheries such that the zip runs along an entirety of the two peripheries and lacks any further connecting material connecting the first extremity to the second extremity or the sole part to the skin part. The shoe further comprises a flap configured to flap over and cover the first extremity and the second extremity to prevent any contact between the zipper means and an outside of the shoe and protect the zipper means from external damaging impacts.

[0008]In a further preferred embodiment, the modular shoe further comprises cushioning means configured to cushion the first extremity and the second extremity of the zipper means and prevent any alteration by a user's foot, the cushioning means comprising a layer of foam with PET covering.

[0009]In a further preferred embodiment, the modular shoe further comprises a peripheral flap extending along at least one of the peripheries between inner parts of the sole part and the skin part of the modular shoe and configured to prevent the zipper means from contacting the user's foot, the peripheral flap comprising peripheral cushioning following the peripheries from the first extremity to the second extremity.

[0010]In a further preferred embodiment, a whole weight of the modular shoe is less than or equal to 0.5 kg.

[0011]In a further preferred embodiment, the modular shoe further comprises an insole cushioning and an outsole cushioning, the insole cushioning being configured to have a same thickness at that of the outsole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]The invention will be better understood through the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, and in reference to the drawings, wherein

[0013]FIG. 1A is a picture showing the result of shredding of plastic wastes to flakes;

[0014]FIG. 1B is a picture showing products issued from different stages of processing from flakes to yarn;

[0015]FIG. 2A is a picture showing detached modular components with different (black and white) sole part and skin part components attached according to an example embodiment of the invention;

[0016]FIG. 2B is a picture of a modular shoe when zipped according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0017]FIG. 2C is a picture showing detached upper of modular shoes according to further example embodiments of the invention;

[0018]FIGS. 3A and 3B show adjoining parts of the shoes connected by zips and that have nothing else connecting the shoes;

[0019]FIG. 4 shows the inner part of the shoes cushioned to prevent zip alterations with the feet of the user;

[0020]FIG. 5 shows flaps which covers the zips and prevents direct exposure to an external body;

[0021]FIG. 6 shows an extra flap extending from the inner part of the shoe to cover the zip points, is cushioned and prevents injury to the wearer's feet. This also extends to the connecting ends of the zips at the inner part of the shoes;

[0022]FIG. 7 shows an extra flap extending from the inner part of the shoe to cover the zip points, is cushioned and prevents injury to the wearer's feet. This also extends to the connecting ends of the zips at the inner part of the shoes; and

[0023]FIGS. 8A to 8D and 9A to 9C contain sketches of modular shoes made from PET plastic wastes. Same references will be used to reference same or similar features throughout the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0024]Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, pertain to the process of recycling plastics to obtain plastic yarns that are used to make shoes, and respectively contain a picture showing the result of shredding of plastic wastes to flakes 100 and a picture showing products issued from different stages of processing from flakes 100 to yarn 101. Clear plastic bottles (not illustrated in the figures) are preferably chosen for this process because they are able to be dyed into other colors down the line. All plastic tops are sorted out and any labels are removed via steam (not illustrated in the figures) before moving on to the next phase. Then all the clear plastic bottles are thoroughly cleaned and put through a shredding machine 102, where they're cut into flakes 100 about the size of a fingernail. This is the start of a break-down-to-rebuild process. The flakes 100 are put on a conveyor belt (not illustrated in the figures) and once again cleaned (also not illustrated), as flake purity is central to preserving the value of the reclaimed plastic. The recycled PET (known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) is then dried (not illustrated in the figures) before reintroduction as a manufacturing material or before further processing. After that, the shredded flakes 100 are broken down even more, to where they look like little perfectly shaped plastic pellets 103. Pelletizing the plastic provides a uniform-sized material that can be reintroduced into the manufacturing process. The pellets 103 are then melted down and extracted through tiny holes that turn them into filaments (not illustrated in the figures). The fibers are then spun into polyester thread or yarn 101, which is then woven to make fabric (not illustrated in the figures), for the manufacturing of at least a skin part (or upper part) of a modular shoe (not illustrated in the figures). The sole part of the modular shoe (not illustrated in the figures) is made into molds and then attached to the upper part of the modular shoe through a zip (not illustrated in the figures).

[0025]Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C these show example of modular shoe products according to the invention:

[0026]FIG. 2A illustrates examples of modular shoes with different (black and white) components attached to each other to form a shoe. The example comprises a first modular shoe 200 with a first sole part 201 made from a white colored sole that also has includes a piece of dark fabric, and a first white colored skin part 202 made from fabric woven with recycled yarn zipped to the first sole part 201. The example further comprises a second modular shoe 203 with a second sole part 204 made from the white colored sole that also has includes a piece of white fabric, and a second dark colored skin part 205 made from fabric woven with recycled yarn zipped to the second sole part 204;

[0027]FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a third modular shoe 206 according toa further example of the invention, when zipped. The third modular shoe 206 comprises the second sole part 204 made from the white colored sole that also has includes the piece of white fabric, and the first white colored skin part 202 made from fabric woven with recycled yarn, zipped to the second sole part 204; and

[0028]FIG. 2C illustrates the first white colored skin part 202 and the second dark colored skin part 205, respectively detached from the modular shoes.

[0029]As seen in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the modular shoe 200, 203, 206 according to the invention comprise a sole part 201, 205 and a skin part 202, 205. The modular shoe further comprises zipper means 207 to detachably mount the sole part and the skin part to each other.

[0030]The skin part 202, 205 comprises a breathable yarn pattern 208, i.e., a breathable fabric woven with recycle yarn, such as the yarn 101, i.e., yarn obtained from recycle PET plastic. The use of this specific yarn in this manner has the advantage of preventing odor development in the modular shoe, unlike any other material from prior art. The use of this specific yarn provides the further advantage of reducing a density of the modular shoe.

[0031]Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the former shows adjoining parts of the modular shoe, i.e., a sole part 300 and a skin part 301 connected by zipper means with a zip 302 mounted on a periphery of the sole part 300, and a zip 303 mounted on a periphery of the skin part 301, and a flap 304 in uncovering position, i.e., folded away from a first extremity 305 and a second extremity 306 of the zip 302, but configured to flap over and cover the first extremity 305 and the second extremity 306 to prevent any contact between the zipper means 302, 303 and an outside of the modular shoe and protect the zipper means 302, 303 from external damaging impacts. The zipper means 302, 303 lacks any further connecting material connecting the first extremity 305 to the second extremity 306 or the sole part 300 to the skin part 301. FIG. 3B is a view along arrow 307 of FIG. 3A, i.e., a view toward an inside of the modular shoe with the flap 304 in position to cover the first extremity 305 (not visible in the figure) and the second extremity 306 (not visible in the figure) to prevent any contact between the zipper means and an outside 308 of the modular shoe and protect the zipper means from external damaging impacts. FIG. 4 is also a view from the object shown in FIG. 3B but further zoomed out and further illustrating cushioning means 400 configured to cushion the first extremity and the second extremity of the zipper means (not visible in the figure because covered by the cushioning means 400) and prevent any alteration by a user's foot, the cushioning means 400 comprising a layer of foam with PET covering.

[0032]FIG. 5 is a view of the modular shoe in which it is illustrated that the flap 304 covers the zipping means (zipping means not visible in the figure because under the flap 304) to prevent any direct exposure to an external body.

[0033]FIG. 6 shows an inside view of a skin part 600 which comprises a peripheral flap 601 extending along at least one of the peripheries between inner parts of the sole part (not illustrated in the figure) and the skin part 600 of the modular shoe and configured to prevent the zipper means (not visible because hidden under the peripheral flap 601) from contacting the user's foot, the peripheral flap 601 comprising peripheral cushioning following the peripheries from the first extremity to the second extremity of the zipper means.

[0034]FIG. 7 shows an outside view of the skin part 600 with the peripheral flap 601. The zipping means 602 are located adjacent to the peripheral flap 601 and the fabric 603 but are in a fold and are hidden in the view of FIG. 7.

[0035]In a further preferred embodiment of the modular shoe, a whole weight of the modular shoe is less than or equal to 0.5 kg.

[0036]In a further preferred embodiment of the modular shoe, this comprises an insole cushioning and an outsole cushioning, the insole cushioning being configured to have a same thickness at that of the outsole.

[0037]In a further preferred embodiment, air bubbles are infused in the sole part of the modular shoe and are configured to act as a shock absorber to the wearer. This gives a net effect of zero shock to the wearer. This is illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 9C representing a sketch of modular shoes made from PET plastic wastes. More specifically, FIGS. 8B to 8D illustrate cushioning shapes at a periphery of the sole part, whereby the air bubbles are infused in those cushioning shapes. FIGS. 8C and 8D show a modular shoe with the fabric patches from FIG. 8A positioned on the skin part, and the sole part attached to the skin part by means of zipping means. FIG. 9A shoes a different type of profile for the sole part as compared to that of FIG. 8B. FIGS. 9B and 9C show the zipping means in closed and half open position respectively.