Footwear pieces

Abstract

Among other things, the present invention provides apparatus and methods for manufacturing footwear pieces. In various cases, the apparatus include a footwear form that includes a location mark corresponding to a location of a strap rivet. The footwear form is an inner portion of a footwear mold, and the footwear mold is comprised of an upper portion and a lower portion that substantially encompass the footwear form.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A piece of footwear comprising: 
 a sole;    an upper portion extending from the sole, wherein the upper portion is adapted to cover the top of a user's foot, the upper portion includes a rear opening for receiving the user's foot, and the upper portion and the sole comprise a continuous, moldable material;    a pair of connectors coupled to the upper portion on opposite sides of the opening; and    a strap pivotably coupled to the upper portion using the connectors, wherein the strap is configured to be positioned across the rear opening to engage the back of the user's foot, wherein the strap is deformable, and wherein the strap has a pair of ends attached to the connectors,    wherein the sole, upper portion and strap are molded from the substantially same lofted foam material.    
   
   
       23 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the strap comprises substantially rounded ends.  
   
   
       24 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the strap comprises an outer and inner region; wherein the outer region comprises a raised contour positioned substantially in the center of the outer region of the strap and continues from a position near one end across the outer region of the strap to a position near the other end of the strap.  
   
   
       25 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the strap comprises an outer region comprising a raised oval-shaped contour positioned substantially near the back of the strap.  
   
   
       26 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the sole comprises a top and a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion comprises front and rear tread patterns, wherein the front tread pattern includes an inner longitudinal tread pattern and a plurality of outer rectangular tread portions generally positioned around the front inner longitudinal tread pattern, and wherein the rear tread pattern includes an inner longitudinal tread pattern and a plurality of outer rectangular tread portions generally positioned around the rear inner longitudinal tread pattern.  
   
   
       27 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the lofted foam material forming the strap, the upper portion, and the sole has a final growth value of between about 1.47 and about 1.58.  
   
   
       28 . A piece of footwear as in  claim 22 , wherein the lofted foam material forming the strap, upper portion and the sole has a final growth value of about 1.51.  
   
   
       29 . A method for producing footwear comprising: 
 molding a sole and an upper section as a continuous piece of lofted foam material, wherein the upper portion is adapted to cover the top of a user's foot, and the upper portion includes a rear opening adapted to receive a user's foot;    molding a strap of substantially the same lofted foam material; and    pivotally coupling the strap to the upper portion.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said coupling step further comprises: 
 perforating the upper section in two places on opposite sides of a rear opening; and    perforating the strap on each end.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the coupling step further comprises riveting the ends of the strap to the upper section.