Adaptable shoe having an expandable sole assembly

Abstract

An adaptable shoe includes an upper portion and a sole assembly connected to the upper portion to provide a shoe cavity. The sole assembly includes a first sole segment, a second sole segment positioned adjacent to and substantially coplanar with the first sole segment, and a deformable member connecting the first sole segment to the second sole segment to provide a substantially planar sole assembly that can be expanded in a width direction in order to adapt the size of the shoe in a width direction.

1 . An adaptable shoe comprising: 
 an upper portion;    a sole assembly connected to the upper portion to provide a shoe cavity, said sole assembly comprising: 
 a first sole segment,  
 a second sole segment positioned adjacent to and substantially coplanar with said first sole segment, and  
 a deformable member connecting said first sole segment to said second sole segment to provide a substantially planar sole assembly that can be expanded in a width direction in order to adapt the size of said shoe in a width direction.  
   
     
     
         2 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said upper portion comprises: 
 a first upper segment;    a second upper segment adjacent to said first upper segment;    an elastic upper segment connecting said first upper segment to said second upper segment such that said first and second upper segments can elastically separate from one another.    
     
     
         3 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second upper segments comprise leather, and said elastic upper segment comprises a synthetic mesh material.  
     
     
         4 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 2 , wherein said elastic segment is provided as a contour line in the upper portion that shaped based on a characteristic of the wearer.  
     
     
         5 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 4  wherein said contour line is a sidewall contour line that begins at the sole assembly on one side of the shoe, extends vertically away from the sole assembly and then longitudinally along the sole assembly and returns to the sole assembly at the same side of the shoe.  
     
     
         6 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 5 , wherein said sidewall contour line is provided on a medial sidewall of the shoe, said adaptable shoe further comprising another sidewall contour line on a lateral sidewall of the shoe.  
     
     
         7 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 4 , wherein said contour line is a transverse contour that begins at the sole assembly on a medial side, extends over a top portion of the upper and terminates at the sole assembly on a lateral side.  
     
     
         8 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 4 , wherein said contour line is a wishbone contour having a root portion that begins at the sole assembly on a toe point of the shoe, extends vertically to a top portion of the upper and divides into two branches that extend along respective sides of the shoe and terminate at the sole assembly.  
     
     
         9 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of upper segments each separated by a respective elastic segment to form an array of elastic contour lines that extend longitudinally along a sidewall of the shoe upper.  
     
     
         10 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 5 , wherein said array of elastic contour lines are provided on a medial sidewall of the shoe, said adaptable shoe further comprising another array of elastic contour lines provided on a lateral sidewall of the shoe.  
     
     
         11 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said deformable member comprises a bellows having a bulging portion connecting the first and second sole segments.  
     
     
         12 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said deformable member is formed along a longitudinal direction of said shoe to provide width expansion of said sole assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 12 , wherein said deformable member is formed along both longitudinal and transverse directions of said shoe to provide length and width expansion of said sole assembly.  
     
     
         14 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 13 , wherein said deformable member has a contour that is associated with a particular use of said shoe  
     
     
         15 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one substantially rigid sidewall fixed to said sole assembly and extending vertically outward from a plane of said sole assembly to overlap a portion of said upper.  
     
     
         16 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one sidewall comprises: 
 a medial sidewall fixed to said sole assembly on a medial side of the shoe; and    a lateral sidewall fixed to said sole assembly on a lateral side of the shoe in a position substantially opposite said medial sidewall, wherein an opposing outward force applied to said medial and lateral sidewalls can cause said deformable member to deform such that said first and second sole segments separate to expand the shoe in a width direction.    
     
     
         17 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one sidewall comprises: 
 a front sidewall fixed to said sole assembly on a toe point of the shoe; and    a back sidewall fixed to said sole assembly on a heel point of the shoe in a position substantially opposite said front sidewall, wherein an opposing outward force applied to said front and back sidewalls can cause said deformable member to deform such that said first and second sole segments separate to expand the shoe in a longitudinal direction.    
     
     
         18 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 16 , wherein said opposing outward force is provided by a wearer's foot.  
     
     
         19 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a substantially planar rigid member positioned between said medial and lateral sidewalls to provide said opposing outward force.  
     
     
         20 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 17 , wherein said opposing outward force is provided by a wearer's foot.  
     
     
         21 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 17 , further comprising a substantially planar rigid member positioned between said front and back sidewalls to provide said opposing outward force.  
     
     
         22 . The adaptable shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a non-planar rigid arch support member positioned between said medial and lateral sidewalls to provide said opposing outward force.  
     
     
         23 . An adaptable shoe comprising: 
 an upper portion;    a sole assembly connected to the upper portion to provide a shoe cavity, said sole assembly comprising: 
 a first sole segment,  
 a second sole segment positioned adjacent to and substantially coplanar with said first sole segment, and  
 means for connecting said first sole segment to said second sole segment into a substantially planar sole assembly that can be substantially expanded in a width direction in order to adapt the size of said shoe in a width direction.