Beginning at NYU in Jan 2013 within the context of a Patents Translation course delivered online, this blog seeks to uncover the patents that rock our daily lives....
The Azzedine AlaïaLe Coeur (heart), kitten-heel, slingback pumps collection, with transparent sides, and a heart-shaped toe box, is also patented. The US design patent, USD1040490S1, titled Shoe, was awarded to Tiziana Capraro, on September 3rd, 2024, and assigned to Azzedine Alaïa, SAS.
Below, the patent Figure 1.6, showing a top view of the heart-shaped toe-box, together with sample marketed embodiments of the design. A Coeur toe box design, whose scope extends to stiletto and mule versions, in a variety of materials and colors.
As reminder, a US design patent covers the ornamental aspects of an invention, or the way the invention looks. In contrast, a US utility patent covers the way an invention works, and/or is manufactured.
If you are wondering where the name 'Allbirds®' comes from, here is the myth of its origins.Tim Brown, one the company founders, and no longer CEO, is from New Zealand. The nameAllbirds® is a nod to New Zealand, and the fact that when the island was first discovered, no land mammals lived there. New Zealand was “all birds”. All birds including some species that do not fly, such as the kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird.Other flightless birds inhabiting the island include penguins and the kakapo.The mao, also flightless, became extinct.
Below, the three SNEEX stiletto models. The Blake (two-strap), The Tepper (single-strap), and The Icon (no-strap), shown in various combinations of suede, leather, and Italian mesh. New shoes designed by Sara Blakely, the well-known founder of SPANX, to provide comfort to stilettos, without compromising style.
The US design patents covering the ornamental aspects of the TIEKS™ ballerina flats do not explain why TIEKS™ ballerina flats are so comfortable, practical, and stylish. Such aspects of the TIEKS™ re-invented ballerina flats are the purview the United Nations, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) utility patent WO2013022466A1, titled Split sole footwear.
The WIPO patent recites how TIEKS™ ballerina shoes were invented to reconcile modern women’s shoe dilemmas, such as the tradeoff between comfort and style, or between lightweight portability and support or durability. In other words, the inventors found a need for much improvement in the design of existing foldable-portable ballerina-type shoes. Improvements in terms of being able to use these types of shoes on hard or rugged surfaces, without wearing out the soles, thereby extending their durability and also enhancing both comfort and style. For example, TIEKS™ foldable ballerinas have a greater overall spring constant, preferably comprised between 0.55 kilogram-force/inch and 0.65 kilogram-force/inch, designed to provide more support and comfort for prolonged periods of wear. Using augmented manufacturing processes, such improvements thus informed the re-invention of the TIEKS™ split sole ballerina flats. A ballerina flat where the toe cavity tucks into the heel cavity, when the shoe is folded on an axis running between the two parts of the split sole.
For improved comfort, durability and style, specifically designed to resolve the abovementioned dilemmas, TIEKS™ ballerina flats comprise three soles: the signature, Robin’s egg-blue split sole, comprising a forefoot outsole patch and a heel outsole patch; a midsole stitched to the upper, and a separately inserted insole, with foam inlay, tapered cushioning and arch support, enabling the possibility of further bypassing the elasticized upper rim, around the heel portion, in view of enhancing comfort.
The above patent Figure 6, shows a cross-sectional view of the invention ballerina flat, in an extended state. Figure 6 further depicts a toe portion 70 and a heel portion 68, with a section 32 between the two, enabling the ballerina flat to fold on an axis within the space 32. Below the Figure 6, two additional cross-sectional views, each respectively detailing the sole regions 6A-6A in the toe section 70, and 6B-6B of the heel section 68, indexed in Figure 6.
Specifically, from top to bottom, the Figures 6A and 6B show the insole 30, with an added foam inlay 44, running the full length of the ballerina flat (shown in Figure 6), the midsole 8, and between the midsole 8 and foam inlay 44, on the heel portion 68 of the ballerina flat, a tapered cushion insert 46, designed to further absorb impact when walking on hard surfaces. The cushion insert 46, wedged between the midsole 8 and foam inlay 44, has a maximum thickness of 8 mm, at the one end 78 (indexed in Figure 6), of the heel portion 68, of the ballerina flat. The tapered engineering of the cushion insert 46 provides added lift and comfort, whereas the rigidity of the cushion insert 46 provides added durability. The cushion insert has a Shore A hardness, preferably comprised between 60 and 70, and a density, preferably comprised between 0.50 g/cm3 and 0.70 g/cm3. Finally, the two Figures 6A and 6B, depict the two separate outsole patches 26 and 24 of the split sole, directly interfacing the ground. For added durability, the outsole patches 26 and 24 are designed with grooves (non- depicted), within which to accommodate the seam stitching, and thereby protect the stitching from wear.
The patent also discloses the black drawstring pouch designed for stowing the folded ballerina flats. The signature blue tote for carrying an extra pair of shoes is also recited in this patent.
Below, a YouTube video highlighting a few testimonials in regard to the TIEKS™ re-invented ballerina flats.
Below, the abstract of the TIEKS split sole footwear invention.
A shoe comprising an upper forming an interior portion for a foot, the interior portion including toe and heel cavities, is provided. The shoe further comprises a midsole having toe and heel ends and inner and outer sides. The midsole is stitched to the upper thereby forming a bottom to the interior portion. Heel and toe outsole patches are respectively stitched onto the midsole. An insole is affixed to the bottom of the interior portion. A spacing between the heel and toe outsole patches extends from the inner to the outer side and occupies a position intermediate the toe and heel ends thereby permitting the shoe to fold about an axis running through the spacing. The shoe folds between an extended state, in which the shoe is worn, and a folded state in which a portion of the upper comprising the toe cavity is tucked into the heel cavity. [AbstractWO2013022466A1]
Wear’m, fold’m, and stow’m in your purse, TIEKS™ ballerina flats are not only versatile little shoes, they are engineered for comfort. In fact, they are the shoes that Oprah would wear, if she walked to work (Desmarais, 2022). With a patented split sole, the color of Robin’s egg blue, reminiscent of Tiffany’s trademark blue, these ballet flats are indeed jewels on your feet, on more counts than one.
The split sole enables each ballet flat to fold (see image below), so that a pair might fit into a small pouch, easily stowed in a purse. As a result, each pair of TIEKS™ comes with a small pouch, and a larger tote designed to accommodate (and carry) the other pair of shoes you use, after or before you switch, to or from your TIEKS™. In other words, no more switching to bulky sports shoes to hit the asphalt after work, 9 to 5 in the financial district. TIEKS™ could even fit in your pocket, for every time you needed to switch, and bounce into the comfort of these little ballet flats.
TIEKS™ are quite extensively patented shoes. The following US design patents cover just the ornamental aspects of the split sole ballet shoe, comprising two blue outsole patches, on every pair of some 60 different models.
As a reminder, a US design patent covers the way an invention looks, in contrast to the ways an invention works, or is manufactured. The way an invention works, or is manufactured, is covered in US utility patents. For TIEKS™, this would be the way the invention is engineered for comfort, in contrast to the design patents listed above, that cover just their design, or the way they look.
Below, the cover sheet drawing extracted from the US design patent USD668847S depicts top and bottom views of the patented ornamental design of the TIEKS™ split sole shoe.
The short TIEKS™ Youtube video below depicts TIEKS™ styles, in some of the 60 different color-material combinations available.
The vaquero/a boot (1) patent drawing, shown below, together with the image of an embodied marketed model, is also a Hedi Slimane design, for Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). The design was awarded the US design patent, USD762354, titled Shoe. The patent was awarded to Slimane, on August 2, 2016. The House of YSL was both Applicant and Assignee.
As a reminder :
“a utility patent” protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a “design patent” protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171) [MPEP Chapt. 1502.01; [R-07.2015]].
___________
Note
(1) In Spanish, vaquero/vaquera botas, in English cowboy/cowgirl or Western boots, in French santiags, these terms are used variously across French, English and Spanish.
If you are trekking
through the South East of France this Spring, and would like to see some monumental
shoes, then stop by Romans-sur-Isère, home to France’s
International Shoe Museum. Currently closed, and undergoing renovation, to repair
weather-related damage to the historic Visitacion Convent that houses the shoe
collections, the Museum has moved outdoors, creating an 8 giant-shoe business tour of
the city of Romans.
The 8 giant-shoe stops on the tour include replicas of the
following famous shoes:
1. Chaussure sans talon (1937) - André Perugia 2. Derby Tressé (1990) - Stéphane Kéliane 3. Escarpin à talon aiguille (1963) - Charles Jourdan 4. Escarpin giraffe (1995) - Stéphane Couvé-Bonnaire 5. Derby Roel (2016) - Robert Clergerie 6. Chaussure Poisson (1955) – André Perugia 7. Escarpin Choc-Choc (2004) - Bruno Frisoni pour Roger Vivier 8. Escarpin étoilé (1994) - Andrea Pfister
The monumental shoes enhance and increase the visibility of a Museum collection that encompasses both the old, and the new, in footwear fashion. The Museum collection includes a 3000-year-old Egyptian sandal made of papyrus fiber, together with some of André Perugia's most extravagant models, and Christian Louboutin’s red-soled pumps. The 8 monumental shoes of the city tour are also strategically positioned, close to renowned shoe shops and shoemaker’s workshops that have traditionally sustained the economic activity of the city of Romans-sur-Isère.
The 8 giant shoes on show for the city tour were unveiled on November 30th, 2019. The shoes are not only replicas of some of the finest pieces found within the Museum, specialized sculptors (MG Composites, Arsculpt and Atelier FX Déco) were commissioned to reproduce the shoes in monumental sizes. Indeed, each of the famous shoes, also mounted on locally commissioned concrete pedestals, fabricated by Chapsol, measures on average, at least, 6 ft (L) x 6 ft (H) x 3 ft (W).
The video (in French), included below, provides a glimpse of the fabrication process of the monumental sculptures. Beginning with a 3-D numerical scan of the museum pieces, the 3-D (volumetric) images of the pieces enabled the creation of a mold. The shoes were then fabricated out of polyester and several layers of fiberglass in a cast made of polyurethane foam. Once unmolded, both halves of the shoe undergo various finishing processes. The final painting process for the monumental shoes is similar to the process used for painting cars.
Rothy’s shoes are vibrantly colored and green all over– with no contradiction in terms. Indeed, Rothy’s
shoes are green because the uppers
are knitted with fibers made from recycled plastic bottles. As a result, more
than 30 million plastic bottles have been recycled and diverted from landfills
since the shoemaker set up shop, three years ago. In turn, this manufacturing process
contributes to the planetary effort to reduce the production of greenhouse
gasses, assumed responsible for global warming and its effect on climate change.
The shoe knitting process, now commonly used by big brand name
sports shoes (e.g. Nike flyknit), enables the manufacturing of uppers as a single piece, with no
leftovers. This saves on all the waste associated with the prior state of the
art of upper manufacturing, consisting in a cut-out process. A cut-out process,
where shoe uppers are templated on a large sheet of leather, fabric or man-made
leather, leaving many pieces of the sheet unused between each cut-out upper.
Rothy’s soles are also green,
made of carbon-free, recyclable rubber and TPU (Thermolastic PolyUrethane),
while the insoles are made from recycled foam, which is also washable. Indeed,
Rothy’s shoes are completely machine-washable!
Rothy’s adult shoes come in just four styles: point, loafer, slip-on
sneaker and flat. However, the new knitting process allows for a striking array
of different colors and computer–generated patterns and stitches.
The basic design of Rothy’s shoes is patented in the family of US
design patents, listed below.
As a
reminder: “a utility patent” protects the way an
article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a “design patent” protects the way an
article looks (35 U.S.C.
171) [MPEP Chapt. 1502.01; [R-07.2015]].
Included below, the patent Figures 1 and 3, respectively showing a front right perspective and rear heel perspective of the Rothy's shoe design, together with corresponding images of the marketed Rothy's shoes. Both patent Figures are extracted from USD844313S, the
most recent member of the Rothy's US design patent family.
Easy to kick off your shoes! Much harder to put them back on, handsfree, without lacing or loosening laces, buckling or unbuckling. Even shoes with velcro fasteners require peeling the strips off, and pressing the strips back on. Kizik® shoes offer a handsfree Foot Activated Shoe Technology (FAST) to resolve these problems of the prior art. Indeed, Kizik® shoes just slip on, handsfree, using a titanium spring design. The titanium spring design is attached to the sole and inserted within the upper of the shoe so that it easily compresses when your foot slips in, and pops back up to secure the shoe in place.
This invention is recited in the US patent application US20120317839A1 titled Rapid entry shoe. The patent application, containing 55 figure drawings recites many different embodiments of the invention, according to various shoe styles and functions, including but not limited to “sandals, closed shoes, shoes with varying heights of heels, sports shoes of many types, dress shoes, and the like.”[0029]. The invention uses various movable parts, that move the shoe upper, enabling the user’s foot to just slip in. The many embodiments recited in the patent are repeatedly designated as only illustrative of the invention, whose scope extends to many additional variations of the FAST design.
The abstract of this invention is included below, together with two patent drawings, Figures 43 and 40, each representing a different embodiment of the FAST technology that enables rapid entry into a FAST-fitted shoe. Figure 43 depicts a device comprising a heel loop 104, attached to a hinged rotation axis 80. A lock 114 is included to prevent the loop from collapsing. The device further comprises a stop 120 to prevent the loop from opening past a certain point, a flexible portion 116 and an integral spring 118 to allow the heel loop to move when the lock is released. [0071] Figure 40 also depicts a heel loop 104, attached to a hinged rotation axis 80. However, in this embodiment, a pair of magnets 106, on each side of the loop 104, enable the loop 104 to return to its upright position, after the user’s foot has entered the shoe. [0069]
A rapid-entry shoe allows the shoe to be rapidly entered and readied for wearing by the user. The shoe may be any of a wide variety of shoe types, including shoes of a wide variety of styles and functions. The rapid entry features of the shoes utilize various movable elements that are attached to a sole portion or other portion of the shoe and allow movement of a portion of the shoe under pressure to allow rapid entry of the user's foot into the shoe. The moveable elements may include flexible elements, elements having constructed to have a memory of a native position, magnetic elements, and/or elastic elements. [AbstractUS20120317839A1]
The Triple-S Balenciaga sneaker comes hot-off-the-Paris-FW17-runway!
This sneaker has 3 soles stacked together, and lots of distressed features. The
three stacked soles bring together molds for the soles of running, basketball and track footwear, into one visual composite!
Below, a pix of the Balenciaga Triple-S, and a video showing the three soles coming together!
Never mind the price tag, just enjoy the fusion aesthetics!
The Race Runner Sneaker is brought to you by the century-old, Spanish Basque, luxury fashion and shoe design company, Balenciaga.
The Race Runnier Sneaker is patented. The US design patent USD737552 titled Sneaker was awarded to the Isabelle Guichot, the recently exiting Balenciaga CEO.
Just as a reminder, the difference between a US design patent and a US utility patent is the following:
“a “utility patent” protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a "design patent" protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171)” (USPTO)
Figure 1, on file for the US patented design, is included with an image of the marketed product, called the Balenciaga Road Runner Sneaker. Reference Balenciaga https://www.balenciaga.com/us
Presenting spiked Louboutin Pigalle pumps in canary yellow for women to the right, and spiked Harvanana men's loafers to the left, crested and striped!
The Louboutin spiked shoe design is patented in USD735986. titled Shoe. In this patent, it is interesting that it is not the pump design that is patented, but indeed just the ornamental "spikes". The patent specifies that the broken lines of the shoe drawings (e.g.; Figs. 1 and 4 below) are "only for illustrative purposes and form no part of the claimed design" whereas "The ornamental design which is claimed is shown in solid lines".
Thus, this "spikes" design invention appears in many Louboutin models (sneakers, flats, sandals, boots..) with many variations in spikiness (on straps, at the back of the heel piece, or evenly distributed on the whole upper). For example, the following US design patents each cover differently spiked shoe designs and models: USD735981, USD734599, USD729506, USD712641 and USD707926.
Below, figure 1 and figure 4 for the Louboutin design patent USD735986 titled Shoe.
The patent further specifies that there are records indicating that the Harvanana style was first unveiled to the public in NYC, NY on May 30, 2011; the Pigalle Spikes style was first disclosed to the public in NYC, NY on Nov. 30th, 2009; and the Rollerboy spikes (another men's spiked loafer style) was first disclosed to the public in NYC, NY on Dec. 3, 2007.
USD735986
USD735986
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Louboutin shoes are Pygmalion shoes, try ‘em on and you’ll morph …at least until the stroke of midnight…!
