[0001] This invention relates generally to an article identifying device and particularly,
but not exclusively, to the provision of an identifying device on footwear, luggage
and other personal articles.
[0002] The provision of identifying indicia on clothing, including footwear, and on luggage
and other similar articles serves at least two purposes. One purpose is to identify
the manufacturer of the article and, to this end, such articles are frequently provided
with representative insignia of the manufacturer such as a distinctive logo or trademark
which provides the purchaser with a means of identifying the source of goods. Another
purpose is to identify the owner of the article, for example by use of a distinctive
color. This latter purpose is particularly applicable to athlete's apparel and other
sporting equipment in team sports and it is common for the athletes and cheerleaders
to wear clothing bearing the team colors as well as the team name.
[0003] While it is relatively easy to provide most articles of clothing, such as shirts
and shorts, with the desired means of identification it is more difficult to provide
the same identification on footwear and other articles. It is possible to attach color
and shape patches to such articles by Velcro hook
"and loop fasteners, for example, but there are disadvantages in that the patches tend
to curl and are susceptible to being inadvertently pulled from the article.
[0004] The present invention solves this problem in a manner not available in the known
prior art.
[0005] This invention provides a means of attaching identifying indicia to articles such
as footwear, luggage and other personal articles so that it cannot readily be inadvertently
removed.
[0006] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the article having an identifying
device attached thereto may include an article portion; retaining means may be provided,
preferably in the form of a retainer including a base and a wall defining a socket.
Preferably the wall is in the form of a peripherally extending wall. Desirably means
for attaching the retainer to the article portion is also provided. An identifying
element may interfit the socket, and means between the retainer and the element may
hold the element in captive relation in the socket.
[0007] It is an aspect of this invention to provide a raised socket wall and another aspect
to provide that the interfitting element is substantially the same shape as the socket.
[0008] It is an aspect of this invention to provide the article portion with first and second
plies of material the second ply including an opening, and to provide the base with
an outstanding flange at least in part sandwiched between the plies of material, the
raised wall of the retainer extending outwardly from the opening.
[0009] It is another aspect of this invention to provide the wall and identifying element
with a cooperating rib and groove to provide the means of holding the element within
the socket.
[0010] It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide that one of the wall and identifying
portions is formed from a relatively resilient material whereby the identifying element
is snap-fittingly receivable into the socket.
[0011] Still another aspect of this invention is to provide the retainer with a second peripherally
extending wall defining a second socket and to provide a second identifying element.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a pair of sockets and elements
of generally triangular configuration, still another aspect to provide that the elements
are of a different colour, yet another aspect to provide that the elements include
opposed faces of different colour and another aspect to provide that the peripheral
walls are substantially transparent.
[0012] Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an athletic shoe incorporating the identifying device;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the identifying element;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a removable identifying element;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified identifying device, and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modified identifying device.
[0013] Referring now by reference numerals to the drawing and first to FIG. 1 it will be
understood that an identifying device, generally indicated by numeral 10, is intended
for attachment to an article which is shown, by way .of example, as an article of
footwear such as an athletic shoe 12.
[0014] In the embodiment shown the athletic shoe 12 is generally of the double vamp, double
lace type of athletic shoe disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,546,729. However, it will
be understood that this particular shoe is shown merely by way of illustration and
that the identifying device 10 can also be used with other shoes such as the more
common single vamp, single lace athletic shoe.
[0015] The shoe 12 is conventional in that it includes a sole 14 and an upper portion 16
attached to the sole, as by stitching. The upper 16 includes a toe 18, a heel 20,
and lower and upper vamp portions 22 and 24, respectively, overlying a tongue 26.
The lower vamp portion 24 includes a U-shaped reinforcing portion 28 having eyelets
30 receiving a lower lace 32 and the upper vamp portion 24 includes inner and outer
reinforcing portions 34 and 36 respectively, having eyelets 30 receiving an upper
lace 38. The inner reinforcing portion 34 is in the form of a strip of conventional
width. However, the outer reinforcing portion 36 is substantially wider to accommodate
the identifying device 10 between the two plies of material provided by the vamp reinforcing
portion 36 and the underlying material 24' of the vamp portion 24.
[0016] The identifying device 10 is best shown by reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and, in
the preferred embodiment, includes a retainer 40 having a base 42 and a pair of peripherally
extending raised walls 44. The base 42 extends outwardly of the raised walls 44 to
provide a continuous flange 46 and the raised walls 44 each include a peripherally
extending rib 48. The raised walls 44 cooperate with the bottom wall 42 to define
a pair of sockets 50 and 50' which, in the embodiment shown, are of identical, generally
triangular configuration. However, it will readily be understood that the configurations
of the two sockets 50 and 50' are not limited to being of the same form.
[0017] The identifying device 10 also includes a pair of identifying elements 60 and 60'
which are of substantially the same shape and size as the associated sockets 50 and
50' so that they are readily receivable by said sockets. Each identifying element
60 and 60' includes upper and lower convex faces 62 and a peripheral groove 64 which
is of a size to receive the wall rib 48. The identifying elements 60 and 60' are intended
to be a snap-fit into the associated sockets 50 and 50' respectively. Accordingly,
either the sockets or the elements or both, as in the embodiment shown, are formed
from a resilient material. Such material can be rubber or thermoplastic, the latter
having the advantage that it can readily be colored. The elements 50 and 50' can if
desired be either the same color or two different colors. In addition, the upper face
can be colored differently from the lower face. Because of their shape and resilience,
said elements 60 and 60' can readily be temporarily deformed for insertion into the
sockets 50 and 50', the cooperating ribs and grooves 48 and 64 providing a means for
holding the elements 60 and 60' in captive relation within associated sockets 50 and
50' of the retainer 40.
[0018] FIGS. 5 and 6 show modified holding means. In FIG. 5, an upper rib 48A is provided
for the wall 44A which is engageable with the upper face 62 of the identifying element
60A. In FIG. 6 the wall 44B and the side of the element 60B are cooperatively inclined
to be engageable with each other. In other respects the retainer and snap-fit identifying
elements shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are identical.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the identifying device 10 is attached to the upper portion
16 of the shoe by cooperation between the continuous flange 46 and the underlying
and overlying plies of material provided by the underlying vamp material 24' and the
reinforcing portion 36. To this end, the reinforcing portion 36 includes openings
66 which are of substantially the same size and configuration of the outside dimension
of the raised walls 44. Because of this arrangement the margins of the reinforcing
portion openings 66 overlaps the flange 46 and the attachment is completed by a peripheral
line of stitching 68 around the flange 46. It will be understood that the material
of the retainer is of thermoplastic material, or the like, which is sufficiently strong
to hold the identifying element in place but can be pierced for stitching. In order
to faciliate attachment of the retainer 40, the stitching 70 attaching the reinforcing
portion 36 to the underlying vamp material 24' is accomplished after the retainer
40 is stitched to said strip 36.
[0020] Preferrably, the shoe 12 is delivered to the user with a choice of several elements
60 and 60' of different colors. The elements 60 and 60', because of their snap-fit
relationship with associated sockets 50 and 50', are readily removable. They are just
as readily installed with elements of a different color to suit the user but are nevertheless
securely retained in position when pressed into place. Because of this it is a simple
matter for the identifying device to be made in a particular shape, for example, of
a manufacturer's logo, and to be made of distinguishing colors, for example, to suit
particular athletic team colors. Further, to provide additional versatility each face
of each element can be colored differently. In the preferred embodiment the raised
walls 44 defining the sockets 50 and 50' are of a generally transparent material to
disclose more fully the color of the elements 60 and 60'.
[0021] It will be understood that while the identifying device has been shown as used on
an article of footwear it is not limited to this use and can be used, for example,
for personalizing other articles such as luggage, handbags, identification tags and
similar articles.
[0022] In view of the above it will be seen that various aspects and features of the invention
are achieved and other advantageous results attained. While preferred embodiments
of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled
in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from
the invention in its broader aspects.
1. An article having an identifying device attached thereto, characterised by an article
portion including a first ply of material, a retainer including a base and a peripherally
extending wall defining a socket, means for attaching the retainer base to the article
portion outwardly of said first ply of material, an identifying element interfitting
the socket, and means between the retainer and the element for removably holding the
element in captive snap-fitting relation to the socket.
2. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 1,
characterised in that the article portion includes a second ply of material attached
to the first ply of material in overlying relation, said second ply including a socket-accessible
opening, and the base is, at least in part, sandwiched between said first and second
plies of material said base being fixedly attached to at least one of said plies of
material to provide the means for attaching the base to the article portion.
3. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 2,
characterised in that the wall portion is raised to extend outwardly of the opening
in the second ply of material.
4. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 2 or
3, characterised in that the identifying element received by the socket includes an
upper portion having substantially the same size and/or shape as the socket.
5. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 1,
2 or 3, characterised in that the article is an article of footwear and the article
portion is a footwear upper portion.
6. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the means holding the element in captive relation within
the socket includes a groove portion and an interfitting rib portion, one of said
portions being integrally formed with the wall and the other of said portions being
integrally formed with the element.
7. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any of Claims
1 to 5, characterised in that the wall portion is raised and includes an inwardly
extending peripheral rib and the element includes a peripheral groove receiving said
rib.
8. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 1,
characterised in that the article portion includes a second ply of material attached
to the first ply of material in overlying relation, said second ply including a socket-accessible
opening, the base includes a flange at least in part sandwiched between said first
and second plies of material, the flange being fixedly attached to at least one of
said plies of material to provide the means for attaching the base to the article
portion and the wall portion is raised to extend outwardly of the opening in the second
ply of material, and the means holding the identifying element in captive relation
within the socket includes a rib portion extending inwardly of the wall and a portion
of the element engagingly receiving the rib.
9. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 8,
characterised in that the raised wall portion includes an inwardly extending peripheral
rib and the identifying element includes a peripheral groove receiving said rib.
10. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the retainer includes a second peripherally extending
wall defining a second socket, a second identifying element is provided interfitting
the second socket, and means between the retainer and the second element removably
hold the second element in captive snap-fitting relation within the second socket.
11. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 10,
characterised in that the article portion includes a second ply of material attached
to said first ply of material in overlying relation, said second ply of material including
a second socket-accessible opening, and the base is, at least in part, sandwiched
between said first and second plies of material, said base being fixedly attached
to at least one of said plies of material to provide the means for attaching the base
to the article portion.
12. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to Claim 11,
characterised in that each identifying element received by its associated socket is
substantially the same size and/or shape as said socket.
13. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any of Claims
8 to 12, characterised in that the article portion is a footwear upper portion and
includes a vamp reinforcing portion providing the second ply of material.
14. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any of Claims
10 to 13, characterised in that the means holding each element in captive relation
within its associated socket includes a groove portion and an interfitting rib portion,
one of said portions being integrally formed with the wall and the other of said portions
being integrally formed with the element.
15. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any of Claims
10 to 13, characterised in that each wall portion is raised to extend outwardly of
its associated opening in the second ply of material.
16. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any of Claims
10 to 15, characterised in that the base includes a common flange outwardly extending
about both of said socket portions, said flange being fixedly attached to at least
one of said plies of material to provide the means for attaching the base to the article
portion.
17. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the or each socket and the or each element is of generally
triangular configuration.
18. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the or each element is of different-colours.
19. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the or each element includes opposed faces of different
colours.
20. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that the or each retaining wall is substantially transparent.
21. An article having an identifying device attached thereto according to any preceding
claim, characterised in that one of the wall and identifying portions is formed from
relatively resilient material.