Antiskid attachment for footwear and universal traction enhancement method

Abstract

An antiskid attachment for footwear is described wherein the traction increases when lateral skidding occurs. The attachment comprises of a multitude of skid-resisting elements positioned between the shoe sole and the surface, and flexible linkage used to ensure appropriate positioning of the elements allowing natural walking and running movement and easy application with virtually any type of footwear. The attachment ensures improved traction on ice and snow, thereby reducing the possibility of slipping during inclement weather, without danger to the user or damage to surfaces when used on ice-free surfaces. The inventive universal method of traction enhancement using polyhedral elements is explained as deployed in, but not limited to, the present footwear attachment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1—overall view of the present invention in preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2—detailed view of a polyhedral skid-resisting element in preferred embodiment, illustrating tetrahedral nature of the elements;

FIG. 3—detailed view of the self-adjusting linkage;

FIG. 4—detailed view of the swivel part of the self-adjusting linkage;

FIG. 5—overall view of the present invention in preferred embodiment attached to footwear;

FIG. 6—diagram illustrating the performance of the polyhedral skid-resisting element;

FIG. 7—diagram illustrating the performance of the self-adjusting linkage;

FIG. 8—diagram demonstrating contact pressure redistribution;

FIG. 9 (A, B)—other possible applications of the traction enhancement method.

Claims

1. An antiskid attachment for footwear comprising: a multitude of skid-resisting elements positioned between the shoe sole and the surface, providing enhanced traction;flexible linkage keeping the skid-resisting elements in appropriate position, allowing natural walking and running movement and easy application of the attachment;

2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said elements have polyhedral shape, with preference given but not limited to a tetrahedral or pentahedral shape;

3. The attachment of claim 1, wherein said elements have pyramidal or conical shape;

4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the flexible linkage includes specially shaped connectors ensuring self-adjustment of the skid-resisting elements' position against the sole of the footwear without excessive tension of the elastic members;

5. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the connectors are pivotally connected to the elastic members;

6. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the elastic members of the linkage are made of tubular or cylindrical material;

7. The attachment of claim 2, wherein a single jack or double jack chain is used, with the links of the said chain behaving as skewed tetrahedrons;

8. The traction enhancement method wherein the resistance to skidding is achieved by positioning of the friction elements, mechanically equivalent to the polyhedral solids and having polyhedral, or mechanically equivalent to polyhedral, cross sections, between the slippery surface and the object the position or movement of which needs to be stabilized on the slippery surface.

9. The traction enhancement method of claim 8, wherein the enhancement of antislip properties is achieved in part through the introduction of more efficient rolling friction conditions, thus delaying the breakaway to sliding friction.