US 12,102,179 B2
Separable and regenerative footwear
Chao Yun Lai, Taichung (TW); Alexander Dardinski, Newburyport, MA (US); Tadd Nicholas Smith, Rye, NH (US); and David Hass, Dover, NH (US)
Assigned to TBL LICENSING LLC, Stratham, NH (US)
Filed by TBL Licensing LLC, Stratham, NH (US)
Filed on Nov. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/983,029.
Application 17/983,029 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/862,115, filed on Jul. 11, 2022, abandoned.
Application 17/862,115 is a continuation of application No. 16/931,848, filed on Jul. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,412,809, issued on Aug. 16, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/875,090, filed on Jul. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0064528 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 3/24 (2006.01); A43B 1/00 (2006.01); A43B 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 3/248 (2013.01) [A43B 1/0063 (2013.01); A43B 1/10 (2013.01); A43B 3/244 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A separable footwear article comprising:
an outsole oriented at a bottom of the footwear and configured for ground contact, the outsole comprising a first material;
an upper portion comprising a second material different from the first material; and
a welt positioned between the outsole and the upper,
wherein the welt is releasably coupled to the outsole with a first thread using a first stitching technique, and releasably coupled to the upper portion with a second thread using a second stitching technique, and
wherein the outsole, the upper portion, and the welt are configured to be separated upon receipt of a pulling force upon the first thread and the second thread sufficient to remove the first thread and the second thread from the footwear article.