Patent Application
20230210218
This is a priority patent application.
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear. More specifically, the present invention is a rugged, outdoor clog created for hiking and all-around outdoor usage.
The present invention creates solutions to solve a number of problems related to the technical outdoor clog. These solutions relate to the durability, fit, and strap adjustability of the outdoor clog.
A clog is described here. The clog includes a sole assembly for the clog with an interior sole wing situated near a heel of the sole assembly, and an exterior sole wing on an opposite side of the sole assembly from the interior sole wing, near the heel of the sole assembly, wherein the interior sole wing and the exterior sole wing consist of webbing strap and rubber that extend above the sole assembly. The exterior sole wing includes a mechanical ring connected on the heel side of the exterior sole wing. The clog also includes an upper affixed to the sole assembly. A tab is connected to a paracord loop at the first end of the tab and the upper on the second end of the tab. A hook strap is affixed to the interior sole wing on the first end of the hook strap and to the paracord loop on a second end of the hook strap, where the hook strap includes a first G-hook that hooks into one of the first plurality of hook pockets. A first buckle strap piece is connected to the paracord loop on the first end of the first buckle strap piece and a mechanical connection device on the second end of the first buckle strap piece. A second buckle strap piece connected through the mechanical connection device on the first end of the second buckle strap piece and to the exterior sole wing on the second end of the second buckle strap piece. A heel strap connected to the interior sole wing on the first end of the heel strap and to the exterior sole wing on the second end of the heel strap through the mechanical ring. The heel strap includes a second G-hook that hooks into one of the second plurality of hook pockets.
The mechanical connection device could be a ladder lock buckle. The hook strap could be made up of two strap pieces sewn together. The two strap pieces could be sewn laterally to form the first plurality of hook pockets. The upper could be made of leather or canvas. The upper could be glued to the sole assembly. The sole assembly could include a midsole attached to a sole. The upper could be glued to the midsole. The sole assembly could include a footbed glued to the midsole.
An apparatus for wearing on a foot is also described here. The apparatus includes a sole assembly of the apparatus, where the sole assembly extends upward to form an interior wing and an exterior wing. An upper is affixed to the sole assembly. The apparatus further includes a G-hook and a hook strap made of strapping connected to the interior wing and the exterior wing, where the strapping includes a plurality of pockets for receiving the G-hook, where moving the G-hook to a different pocket adjusts a fit of the apparatus on the foot.
The G-hook could be attached to an end of the hook strap. The apparatus could be a clog. The plurality of pockets could be formed by stitching in a second piece of strapping on top of the hook strap. The G-hook could be made of plastic.
A second embodiment of an apparatus for wearing on a foot is also described here. The apparatus includes a sole of the apparatus, where the sole extends upward to form an interior wing and an exterior wing. The apparatus also includes a midsole glued to the sole between the interior wing and the exterior wing, the midsole including a channel between the interior wing and the exterior wing; a footbed glued to the midsole; an upper glued between the midsole and the footbed; and webbing of the apparatus, the webbing extending from the interior wing to the exterior wing between the footbed and the midsole, the webbing runs in the channel.
The sole could be made of a hard rubber material. The webbing could be sewn to the interior wing. The webbing could be folded over and sewn to the interior wing to form a loop. A heel strap could connect the interior wing to the exterior wing.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The drawings and description herein reflect a right clog.
See also U.S. Pat. application 16/503,400, “Y-strap Sport Sandal”, filed Jul. 3, 2019, now U.S. Pat. 11,129,434, issued on Sep. 28, 2021, U.S. Pat. Application 15/587,499, “Y-strap Sport Sandal”, filed by the inventors on May 5, 2017, U.S. Provisional Pat. application 62/334,973, “Huarache Sport Sandal”, filed by the inventors on May 5, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Pat. Application 62/696,972, “Huarache Sport Sandal”, filed by the inventors on Jul. 12, 2018. Each of these five patents and/or patent applications are included herein by reference in their entirety.
In the following description, the strapping described could be made of nylon, polyester, leather, rubber, plastic, cotton, elastic, or other materials. Similarly, the lacing could be made of paracord, nylon, polyester, leather, rubber, plastic, cotton, elastic, or other materials. The paracord loop, while made of paracord in the one embodiment, could be made of steel, aluminum, brass, other metals, plastic, polyester, nylon, leather, cotton, or other materials.
The present clog design contains three main webbing strap segments. The front two straps (hook strap 105, and ladder lock buckle strap 106) and the upper 111a, as can be seen in
The sandal strap system has 2 points anchored into the sole 101, and the upper 111a connects to the sole around most of the clog. In the one embodiment, the sole 101 is made of hard rubber material, such as Regolith™ Vibram® soles. The sole 101, the midsole 102, the footbed 103, the toe guards 119,120, and the wings 107,108 could be made of hard rubber, leather, plastic, wood, polyurethane (PU), TPR (thermoplastic rubber, combination of polyurethane and rubber), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), TR/TPR, EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), EVA/RUBBER, nitro polyvinyl chloride, Pebax, or other materials.
The bottom of the sole 101 has a pattern for providing traction when walking or running. See
The hard rubber of the sole 101 extends upwards above the rest of the sole 101 on either side of the ankle to form an interior wing 107 and an exterior wing 108. These wings 107, 108 connect to wing straps 117,118. The wing straps 117 and 118 could be the same strap, running between the footbed 103 and the midsole 102. The wing straps 117 and 118 are connected to the heel strap 109, the hook strap 105, and the buckle strap 106.
In one embodiment, the sole 101 is glued to a midsole 102, and a footbed 103. The wings 107,108 are part of the mold for the sole 101. The midsole has a molded pattern and is glued in between the wings 107, 108. On the inside of the wings 107, 108, webbing 117, 118 is sewn to the hard rubber wings 107,108. The webbing runs from the interior wing 107 between the midsole 102 and the footbed 103 in a channel to the exterior wing 108, where it is again sewn. The webbing 117, 118 extends above the wings 107, 108 on both sides, and connects to the heel strap 109, the hook strap 105, and the buckle strap 106. This webbing 117,118 could be a single piece of webbing that runs through a cutout channel in the midsole 102, providing a connection for the webbing 117,118 on the interior wing 107 and the exterior wing 108. The midsole channel prevents an uneven surface on the foot side of the midsole 102.
The upper 111a, b, c is glued between the midsole 102 and the footbed 103 from the back to the front of the clog.
The sole 101 could have a toe guard 120 extending upwards on the front of the clog, protecting the midsole 102 and the footbed 103. The midsole 102 could have an additional toe guard 119 protecting the front of the footbed 103 and the upper 111a.
The midsole 102 could be molded to have an ergonomic shape on the footbed 103 to provide comfort to the user. The mold of the midsole 102 could incorporate the toe guard 119 in some embodiments.
A shaped piece of material called the upper 111a,b,c encompasses the front and top of the user’s foot. The upper is glued to the midsole 102 and the footbed 103 around the circumference of the footbed 103. The upper 111a,b,c may be glued to the inside of the toe guards 119,120. At the top, the upper 111a could connect to the paracord loop 104 through a tab 110. The tab 110 could extend over the top of the upper 111a as a tongue loop 116. In other embodiments, the tongue loop 116 is a separate piece of material.
The upper 111a,b,c could be made of leather (cowhide, pigskin, deerskin, ostrich skin, crocodile skin, snakeskin, etc.), canvas, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, nubuck leather, microfiber, mesh, nylon, metal net, cloth, suede, and similar materials.
In some embodiments, the upper 111a,b,c have vents 112a,b,c,d cut into the material. The vents 112a,b,c,d could vary in shape, size, number and location.
In some embodiments, the upper 111a extends beyond the wings 107,108 to a back upper area 111b,111c.
In some embodiments, the upper 111a,b,c is sewn to the midsole 102. In some embodiments, the upper 111a,b,c is sewn to the sole 101. In other embodiments, the upper 111a,b,c is glued to the sole 101.
As seen in
In the alternative embodiment seen in
We have used our G-hook technology to design a failure-proof heel strap that is completely adjustable to fit each unique wearer perfectly. The new G-hook heel strap 109 provides a customized fit that wearers seek, yet, will provide sturdy and failure-proof support while swimming, submerged in water, traversing muddy terrain, and in any environment whatsoever that would traditionally pose problematic for a hook+loop closure system. The G-hook heel strap 109 also provides far more long-term durability than a hook+loop alternative as there is no wear with continual adjustment use.
The G-hook heel strap 109 consists of at least two layers of webbing (webbing pile). A wider webbing (20 mm) 109 touches the wearer’s heel, and a narrower webbing 801 matches the width of the G-hook 115 and is sewn into the wider webbing with Hook Pocket bartack stitches 803a-c. The webbing pile begins at the inside sole hugger wing strap 118, wraps around the foot and through an aluminum loop 121 (attached to the outside sole hugger wing strap 117), then wraps back around the foot, ending with the G-hook 115 which can hook into any variety of Hook Pockets 803a-d. The further the G-hook 115 wraps back towards the inside of the foot, hooking into an available Hook Pocket, the tighter the heel strap will fit the wearer. Depending on size there may be up to 10 hook positions 803a-d available for the G-hook adjuster. Once the G-hook 115 is hooked into the hook pockets 803a-c, the G-hook heel strap 109 will be fully secure for all outdoor activities.
A third layer of webbing may be sewn into the webbing pile of the G-hook heel strap 109 to provide the wearer with a cushion between the G-hook hardware 115 and the heel of their foot. The multiple layers of webbing help create a sturdy, yet comfortable heel strap. Alternatively, a thicker, more plush wide webbing can be used to create this layer of comfort.
The ladder lock buckle strap adjustment 113 is located on the outside of the foot. The buckle strap 106 is anchored to both the paracord loop 104 at one end and the exterior wing strap 118 at the other end. The buckle strap 106 is actually two pieces of webbing, a first buckle strap piece sewn in a loop around the paracord loop 104 at one end and the second buckle strap piece sewn in a loop around the ladder lock buckle 113 (or similar mechanical connection device 113). The second buckle strap piece of webbing is sewn to the exterior wing strap 118 at one end and loops through the ladder lock buckle 113 at the other end, allowing the user to pull the buckle strap 106 to shorten the length, thereby tightening the clog. The buckle strap 106 adjusts tightness through a ladder lock buckle 113. The ladder lock buckle 113 could be made of acetal plastic in one embodiment, but could also be made of could also be made of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, zinc alloys, brass, bronze, titanium, other metals, carbon fiber, polypropylene, nylon, plastics, or similar materials. Tugging the tag end of webbing 106 through the buckle 113 tightens the system. This adjusting mechanism is simple to use and is used as an everyday adjuster for tightening, loosening, putting the clogs on, and taking them off.
As seen in
The hook strap 105 could be composed of a custom-molded plastic ½” G-hook 114, two different widths of webbing 105, 801, and a series of bartack stitches 802a-e. The narrower ½” webbing 801 is sewn into the wider ¾” polyester tubular webbing 105 at consistent intervals. In between each of these bartacks 802a-e leaves a ½” long gap (hook pocket) 803a-d between the ½” and ¾” straps for the G-hook 114 to fit in. The G-hook 114 is sewn to the end of flat ½” webbing 801 and is the terminating point of the hook strap 105. The G-hook 114, 115 could also be made of different sizes and materials such as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, zinc alloys, brass, bronze, titanium, other metals, carbon fiber, acetal, polypropylene, nylon, plastics, or similar materials.
The non-hook end of the Bedrock Hook strap 105 is sewn into the front end of interior wing strap 117. The hook strap 105 is then looped through the paracord loop 104 back on itself. The G-hook 114 then has 3-5 different ½” long hook pockets 803a-d between the ½” webbing 801 and ¾” webbing 105 to hook into. This range gives the wearer the ability to tighten or loosen the hook strap 105 and thus change the orientation of the upper 111a. Of course, the size of the strapping here and throughout this document could be varied without deviating from the design.
The sole wings 107, 108 provide wearers with more lateral stability and comfort compared to a traditional clog design. The sole wings 107, 108 and their straps 117,118 provide two strong and durable anchor points for the strap system to connect to on either side of the wearer’s ankle. There are two sole wings, an interior sole wing 117 on the inside of the clog, and an exterior sole wing 118 on the outside for the clog.
The wing consists of both a 1.5-inch-wide webbing straps 117, 118 and rubber wings 107, 108 from the sole 101 that wrap up and above the midsole 102 and the footbed 103. The 1.5-inch-wide webbing runs as a continuous piece above the midsole 102 in a channel between the midsole 102 and the footbed 103. The webbing 117,118 is then folded over and sewn into the rubber wing 107, 108. This fold creates two gaps (front and back) for the Bedrock Cairn Strap System 105,106,109 to connect to.
The foregoing devices and operations, including their implementation, will be familiar to, and understood by, those having ordinary skill in the art.
The above description of the embodiments, alternative embodiments, and specific examples, are given by way of illustration and should not be viewed as limiting. Further, many changes and modifications within the scope of the present embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention includes such changes and modifications.
