Convertible sandal

Abstract

A convertible sandal comprises first and second connectors provided in or on a vamp of the sandal along respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp. The sandal may further include first and second holders located along the respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp. A removable strap may be selectively connected in a first position, in which end sections thereof are detachably connected to the connectors and the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, or in a second position, in which the end sections are detached from the connectors and connected to the holders so that the strap extends over the wearer's forefoot.

1 . A convertible sandal, comprising: 
 (a) a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;    (b) a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including: 
 (i) medial and lateral sides proximal of the medial and lateral margins of the sole, respectively,  
 (ii) first and second connectors located along the respective medial and lateral sides adjacent a rear margin of the vamp, and  
 (iii) first and second holders located along the respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp; and  
   (c) a strap including opposing first and second end sections, the strap being movable between a first position, in which the first and second end sections are detachably connected to the first and second connectors, respectively, for extending around a heel of the wearer's foot, and a second position, in which the first and second end sections are detached from the first and second connectors and detachably connected to the first and second holders for extending over the forefoot.    
     
     
         2 . The convertible sandal of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the connectors comprises an eyelet.  
     
     
         3 . The convertible sandal of  claim 2 , wherein the eyelet is elongated to fit one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough.  
     
     
         4 . The convertible sandal of  claim 2 , further comprising complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged on the strap for engagement when at least one of the end sections is threaded through the eyelet and folded back upon the strap, thereby detachably connecting the strap to the vamp.  
     
     
         5 . The convertible sandal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the connectors comprise elongated eyelets sized for threading the first and second end sections therethrough; and    the strap includes complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged so that the first and second end sections may be threaded through the eyelets of the respective first and second connectors and folded back upon themselves, where they are releasably held in place to detachably secure the strap to the vamp in the first position.    
     
     
         6 . The convertible sandal of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the holders includes a keeper loop sized to receive one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough.  
     
     
         7 . The convertible sandal of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the holders includes a keeper loop.  
     
     
         8 . The convertible sandal of  claim 1 , wherein the keeper loop is sewn to the vamp.  
     
     
         9 . The convertible sandal of  claim 1 , wherein the vamp is split longitudinally to facilitate adjustment of the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         10 . The convertible sandal of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more cinch straps or laces, or both, extending between the medial and lateral sides of the vamp for tightening the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         11 . A convertible sandal, comprising: 
 a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;    a detachable strap including opposing first and second end sections; and    a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including first and second connector means located along respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp for detachably connecting the respective first and second end sections of the strap thereto in a first position in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and the vamp further including first and second holder means different from the first and second connector means and located along the respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp for detachably holding the first and second end sections of the strap thereto in a second position in which the strap extends over the forefoot.    
     
     
         12 . The convertible sandal of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the connector means comprises an eyelet sized to fit one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough.  
     
     
         13 . The convertible sandal of  claim 12 , further comprising complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged on the strap so that at least one of the end sections may be folded back upon the strap, after threading through the eyelet, where said at least one end section is releasably held in place for detachably connecting the strap to the vamp.  
     
     
         14 . The convertible sandal of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the holder means includes a keeper loop sized to receive one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough.  
     
     
         15 . The convertible sandal of  claim 14 , wherein the keeper loop is sewn to the vamp.  
     
     
         16 . The convertible sandal of  claim 11 , further comprising means for adjusting the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         17 . In a sandal having a sole for supporting a wearer's foot, a vamp attached to the sole and extending over a forefoot portion of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, and a strap including opposing first and second end sections, an improved method of reconfiguring the sandal between a heel-strap configuration, in which the strap extends around a heel of the wearer's foot, and a slide configuration, in which the strap is moved clear of the heel, comprising: 
 providing first and second connectors in or on the vamp at respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp adjacent a rear margin of the vamp;    providing first and second holders along the respective medial and lateral sides of the vamp;    detachably connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second connectors, respectively, thereby configuring the sandal in the heel-strap configuration;    detaching the first and second end sections from the first and second connectors; and    detachably connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second holders, so that the strap extends over the forefoot, thereby configuring the sandal in the slide configuration.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the connectors include elongated eyelets sized for threading the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough; and    detachably connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second connectors includes threading the first and second end sections through the eyelets and folding back the first and second end sections over the strap for detachably securing the strap to the vamp in the heel-strap configuration.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 at least one of the holders includes a keeper loop sized to receive one of the first and second end sections of the strap therethrough; and    the connecting of the first and second end sections to the first and second holders includes threading at least one of the end sections through the keeper loop.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising adjusting the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         21 . A convertible sandal, comprising: 
 (a) a sole for supporting a wearer's foot;    (b) a vamp attached to the sole for extending over a forefoot of the wearer's foot between medial and lateral margins of the sole, the vamp including: 
 (i) medial and lateral sides proximal of the medial and lateral margins of the sole, respectively, and  
 (ii) first and second connectors located along the respective medial and lateral sides adjacent a rear margin of the vamp; and  
   (c) a heel strap including opposing first and second end sections threaded through the first and second connectors, respectively, the heel strap including complementary sections of hook-and-loop fastener material arranged thereon for engagement when at least one of the end sections is folded back upon the strap, to thereby detachably connect the strap to the vamp.    
     
     
         22 . The convertible sandal of  claim 21 , wherein the vamp is split longitudinally to facilitate adjustment of the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         23 . The convertible sandal of  claim 22 , further comprising one or more cinch straps or laces, or both, extending between the medial and lateral sides of the vamp for tightening the vamp to fit the wearer's foot.  
     
     
         24 . The convertible sandal of  claim 21 , wherein the vamp further includes first and second holders different from the first and second connectors, the first and second holders located along the medial and lateral sides of the vamp, respectively, for detachably securing the heel strap over the forefoot.