Adjustable Footbed Assembly for an Article of Footwear

Abstract

A removably insertable footbed assembly for adjusting sizing of an article of footwear is provided, wherein the footbed assembly adjusts the volume available within the cavity of the article of footwear. The footbed assembly comprises: a) an upper component having a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the lower surface of the forefoot region, the midfoot region, or both have at least one attachment element for releasably attaching a lower component; and b) a lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the midfoot region, the forefoot region, or both have at least one attachment element such that the lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component. Also provided are articles of footwear comprising an adjustable footbed assembly; kits including an upper component and several lower components; and methods for fitting footwear to an individual's foot by using an adjustable footbed assembly or component thereof.

1 . A removably insertable footbed assembly for adjusting sizing of an article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper component having a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, the upper component comprising an upper and lower surface, wherein the lower surface comprises at least one attachment element; and   a lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, the lower component comprising an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element wherein the lower component is releasably attachable to the forefoot region of the upper component,   wherein the footbed assembly is removably insertable into the article of footwear and adjusts the volume available within the forefoot region of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         2 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one attachment element is located in the forefoot region or one attachment element is located in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment element comprises a hook and loop fastener layer. 
     
     
         6 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the upper component further comprises at least one groove and the upper surface of the lower component comprises at least one ridge, wherein the groove of the upper component releasably receives the ridge of the lower component. 
     
     
         7 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot region of the lower component has an approximate thickness of between 2 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footbed assembly is releasably attachable to the midsole of an article of footwear or the footbed assembly is releasably attachable to the outsole of an article of footwear. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The footbed assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element such that the lower component is releasably attachable to the forefoot region of the upper component, and wherein the first lower component and the second lower component differ in thickness. 
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole for contacting the ground;   an upper attached to the outsole, the upper and outsole defining a cavity for receiving a wearer's foot; and   a removably insertable footbed assembly having: a) an upper component having a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, the upper component comprising an upper and lower surface, and the lower surface comprising at least one attachment element; and b) a lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, the lower component comprising an upper and lower surface, and the upper surface comprising at least one attachment element wherein the lower component is releasably attachable to the forefoot region of the upper component.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein at least one attachment element is located in the forefoot region or one attachment element is located in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein at least one attachment element comprises a hook and loop fastener layer. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the lower surface of the upper component further comprises at least one groove and the upper surface of the lower component comprises at least one ridge, wherein the groove of the upper component releasable receives the ridge of the lower component. 
     
     
         18 . A kit for adjusting sizing of an article of footwear, the kit comprising a footbed having:
 an upper component having a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the lower surface comprises at least one attachment element; and   a first lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, the lower component comprising an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element wherein the first lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component; and   a second lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element wherein the second lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component, and wherein the first lower component and the second lower component differ in thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein at least one attachment element is located in the forefoot region or one attachment element is located in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the forefoot region of the lower component has an approximate thickness of between 2 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a third lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element wherein the third lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component, and wherein the third lower component differs in thickness from the first and second lower components. 
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of lower components each having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and each having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface of each lower component comprises at least one attachment element wherein each lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component, and wherein each lower component in the plurality of lower components differs in thickness from the first and second lower components. 
     
     
         26 . A method of selecting footwear to fit a wearer's foot, comprising:
 selecting an article of footwear of a predetermined size;   selecting an upper component of a removably insertable footbed assembly sized for use in the predetermined size of the article of footwear, wherein the upper component has a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region, and has an upper and lower surface, wherein the lower surface comprises at least one attachment element;   selecting a first lower component from a plurality of lower components for the footbed assembly, the first lower component having a midfoot region and a forefoot region, and having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface comprises at least one attachment element wherein the first lower component is releasably attachable to the upper component; and   attaching the selected lower component to the upper component to produce a footbed assembly by associating the attachment elements on the lower component and the upper component; and   inserting the footbed assembly into the article of footwear.   
     
     
         27 . The method of selecting footwear of  claim 26 , wherein at least one attachment element is located in the forefoot region or one attachment element is located in the midfoot region. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of selecting footwear of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of:
 adjusting the fit of the article of footwear to the wearer's foot by replacing the selected lower component with a different lower component having a different thickness.   
     
     
         31 . The method of selecting footwear of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one attachment element comprises a hook and loop fastener layer. 
     
     
         32 . The method of selecting footwear of  claim 26 , wherein the lower surface of the upper component further comprises at least one groove and the upper surface of the lower component comprises at least one ridge, wherein the groove of the upper component releasable receives the ridge of the lower component. 
     
     
         33 . The method of selecting footwear of  claim 26 , wherein the forefoot region of the first lower component has an approximate thickness of between 2 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)