Claims
- 1. A bowling shoe comprising:(a) a shoe upper; (b) a wedge-sole; (c) the wedge-sole mounted to the shoe upper, the wedge sole having a replaceable sole member receiving area; (d) a plurality of pairs of replaceable sole members, each replaceable sole member comprised of (i) a first surface region of a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of a second surface region, (ii) a ratio of the area of the first region compared to the area of the second region that differs from the ratio of other replaceable sole members, (iii) a size and shape to cover the entire wedge-sole in a continuous flat, planar tread face, and (v) a means for matingly engaging and disengaging with the replaceable sole receiving area; whereby (c) upon removal of a first selected replaceable sole member from the replaceable sole receiving area of a first shoe, which first replaceable sole member has a first area ratio, and removeably securing a second selected replaceable sole member to the replaceable sole receiving area of the first shoe, a second replaceable sole member is provided that has a second area ratio.
- 2. A bowling shoe according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-sole has a permanent sole area in addition to the replaceable sole member receiving area, the replaceable sole member receiving area extends from a toe to a heel of the wedge-sole, and the permanent sole area and the replaceable sole member together cover the entire bowling shoe sole as a tread face.
- 3. A shoe according to claim 2, wherein the replaceable sole member is co-planar with the permanent wedge-sole area.
- 4. A bowling shoe according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable sole member second region of lower coefficient of friction extends from the toe end of the replaceable sole member and the replaceable sole member first region of higher coefficient of friction extends from the heel end of the replaceable sole member.
- 5. A bowling shoe according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable sole member is comprised of two separately attachable sections, a first section corresponding to the first region and a second section corresponding to the second region.
- 6. A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-sole has a flange extending peripherally outward from the shoe upper and the replaceable sole member has a margin extending peripherally outward around its toe end substantially equal to a toe end peripheral flange of the wedge-sole, so that the replaceable sole member toe end is removeably secure.
- 7. A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the means for removably securing the replaceable sole member to the replaceable sole member receiving area is selected from hook and loop fastener material and adhesive.
- 8. A pair of shoes, each of which is a shoe according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable sole member of the first shoe has less traction than the replaceable sole member of the second shoe, so that the first shoe is a slide shoe and the second shoe is a traction shoe.
- 9. A pair of shoes according to claim 8, wherein the replaceable sole member of the first shoe has less traction than the replaceable sole member of the second shoe by selecting a replaceable sole member for the slide shoe that has a lower coefficient of friction than does the traction shoe.
- 10. A pair of shoes according to claim 8, wherein the coefficient of friction of the first region and the coefficient of friction of the second region of the replaceable sole member of the slide shoe is lower than the coefficient of friction of the first region and the coefficient of friction of the second region of the replaceable sole member of the traction shoe.
- 11. A replaceable sole member according to claim 1, wherein the area of the first surface region of the first shoe is sized smaller than the area of the second surface region so that (i) the frictional force exerted by the first bowling shoe on a floor is less in the first region than in the second region and (ii) the composite frictional force exerted by the first bowling shoe on a floor is less than that of the composite frictional force of a second bowling shoe, wherein the first and second surface regions of the replaceable sole member of the second bowling shoe are equal in area.
- 12. A replaceable sole member according to claim 1, wherein the area of the first surface region of the first shoe is sized larger than the area of the second surface region so that (i) the frictional force exerted by the first bowling shoe on a floor is greater in the first region than in the second region and (ii) the composite frictional force exerted by the first bowling shoe on a floor is greater than that of the composite frictional force of a second bowling shoe, wherein the first and second surface regions of the replaceable sole member of the second bowling shoe are equal in area.
- 13. A bowling shoe comprising:(a) a shoe upper; (b) a wedge-sole mounted to the shoe upper and comprising (i) a replaceable sole member receiving region extending from a toe to a heel of the wedge-sole and (ii) a permanent sole region; (d) a plurality of pairs of replaceable sole members, each replaceable sole member comprised of (i) a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the permanent sole region, (ii) a ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that differs from the ratio of the area of other replaceable sole members compared to the area of the permanent sole region, (iii) the combination of the replaceable sole member and the permanent sole region together cover the entire wedge-sole in a continuous tread face, and (iv) a means for matingly engaging and disengaging the replaceable sole member and the replaceable sole receiving region; (c) whereby upon removal of a first selected replaceable sole member from the replaceable sole receiving region of a first shoe, which first replaceable sole member has a first area ratio, and removeably securing a second selected replaceable sole member to the replaceable sole receiving region of the first shoe, a second replaceable sole member is provided that has a second area ratio.
- 14. A method of varying the slide and traction characteristics of each shoe of a pair of wedge-soled bowling shoes comprising:(a) providing a pair of shoe uppers; (b) providing a pair of wedge-soles, each having a replaceable sole member receiving area; (c) mounting each wedge-sole to its respective shoe upper; (d) providing a plurality of pairs of replaceable sole members, each replaceable sole member comprised of (i) a first surface region of a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of a second surface region, (ii) a ratio of the area of the first region compared to the area of the second region that differs from the ratio of other replaceable sole members, (iii) a size and shape to cover the entire wedge-sole in a continuous flat, planar tread face, and (v) a means for matingly engaging with and disengaging from the replaceable sole receiving area; (e) selecting either bowling shoe of the pair of bowling shoes to be traction shoe and thereby the other bowling shoe to be a slide shoe; selecting a first replaceable sole member of a pair of replaceable sole members with a first ratio of the area of its first region compared to its area of the second region that corresponds to the desired amount of slide; (f) selecting a second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members that has (i) a second ratio of the area of its first region compared to its area of the second region corresponds to the desired amount of traction and (ii) a second ratio lower than the first ratio, so that the selected traction bowling shoe has greater traction than the slide bowling shoe; (g) removeably mounting the first replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the traction wedge-soled bowling shoe of the pair of bowling shoes; (h) removeably mounting the second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the slide wedge-soled bowling shoe of the pair of bowling shoes; and, (i) repeating the steps set forth above to (i) select a different bowling shoe of the pair as the traction shoe and (ii) independent of the slide shoe, increase or decrease the amount of traction of the traction shoe and independent of the traction shoe, increase or decrease the amount of slide of the slide shoe relative to the bowling shoes mounted with the previously selected combination of removeable sole members.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wedge-sole has a permanent sole area in addition to the replaceable sole member receiving area, the replaceable sole member receiving area extends from a toe to a heel of the wedge-sole, and the permanent sole area and the replaceable sole member together cover the entire bowling shoe sole as a tread face.
- 16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the means for removable securing the replaceable sole member to the replaceable sole member receiving area is selected from hook and loop fastener material and adhesive.
- 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the replaceable sole member and the permanent sole region are co-planar and flat.
- 18. A shoe according to claim 17, wherein the replaceable sole member and the permanent sole region are co-planar and flat.
- 19. A method of varying the slide and traction characteristics of each shoe of a pair of wedge-soled bowling shoes comprising:(a) providing a pair of shoe uppers; (b) providing a pair of wedge-soles, each sole comprising (i) a replaceable sole member receiving region extending from a toe to a heel of the wedge-sole and (ii) a permanent sole region; (c) mounting each wedge-sole to its respective shoe upper; (d) providing a plurality of pairs of replaceable sole members, each replaceable sole member comprised of (i) a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the permanent sole region, (ii) a ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that differs from the ratio of the area of other replaceable sole members compared to the area of the permanent sole region, (iii) the combination of the replaceable sole member and the permanent sole region together cover the entire wedge-sole in a continuous tread face, and (iv) a means for matingly engaging and disengaging the replaceable sole member and the replaceable sole receiving region; (e) selecting either bowling shoe of the pair of bowling shoes to be a traction shoe and the other bowling shoe to be a slide shoe; (f) selecting a first replaceable sole member of a pair of replaceable sole members with a first ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that corresponds to the desired amount of slide; (g) selecting a second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members comprising: (i) a second ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that corresponds to the desired amount of traction; and, (ii) a second ratio lower than the first ratio, so that the selected traction shoe has greater traction than the slide shoe; (h) removeably mounting the first replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the traction wedge-soled shoe of the pair of shoes; (i) removeably mounting the second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the slide wedge-soled shoe of the pair of shoes; and (j) repeating the steps set forth above to (i) independent of the slide shoe, increase or decrease the amount of traction of the traction shoe and (iii) independent of the traction shoe, increase or decrease the amount of slide of the slide shoe relative to the bowling shoes mounted with the previously selected combination of removable sole members.
- 20. A method of varying the slide and traction characteristics of each shoe of a pair of wedge-soled bowling shoes comprising:(a) providing a pair of shoe uppers; (b) providing a pair of wedge-soles, each sole comprising (i) a replaceable sole member receiving region extending from a toe to a heel of the wedge-sole and (ii) a permanent sole region; (c) mounting each wedge-sole to its respective shoe upper; (d) providing a plurality of pairs of replaceable sole members, each replaceable sole member comprised of (i) a higher coefficient of friction than the coefficient of friction of the permanent sole region, (ii) a ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that differs from the ratio of the area of other replaceable sole members compared to the area of the permanent sole region, (iii) the combination of the replaceable sole member and the permanent sole region together cover the entire wedge-sole in a continuous tread face, and (iv) a means for matingly engaging and disengaging the replaceable sole member and the replaceable sole receiving region; (e) selecting either bowling shoe of the pair of bowling shoes to be a traction shoe and the other bowling shoe to be a slide shoe; (f) selecting a first replaceable sole member of a pair of replaceable sole members with a first ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that corresponds to the desired amount of slide; (g) selecting a second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members comprising (i) a second ratio of the area of the replaceable sole member compared to the area of the permanent sole region that corresponds to the desired amount of traction and (ii) a second ratio lower than the first ratio, so that the selected traction shoe has greater traction than the slide shoe; (h) removeably mounting the first replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the traction wedge-soled shoe of the pair of shoes; (i) removeably mounting the second replaceable sole member of the pair of replaceable sole members to the replaceable sole member receiving area of the slide wedge-soled shoe of the pair of shoes; and (j) repeating the steps set forth above to (i) select a different bowling shoe of the pair as the traction shoe and (ii) independent of the slide shoe, increase or decrease the amount of traction of the traction shoe and (iii) independent of the traction shoe, increase or decrease the amount of slide of the slide shoe relative to the bowling shoes mounted with the previously selected combination of removable sole members repeating the steps set forth above to (i) select a different bowling shoe of the pair as the traction shoe and (ii) independent of the slide shoe, increase or decrease the amount of traction of the traction shoe and (iii) independent of the traction shoe, increase or decrease the amount of slide of the slide shoe relative to the bowling shoes mounted with the previously selected combination of removable sole members.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application of Ser. No. 09/747,077, filed Dec. 21, 2000, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/329,513, filed Jun. 10, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,973.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
488133 |
Sep 1918 |
FR |
21714 |
Nov 1900 |
GB |
526565 |
May 1955 |
IT |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/747077 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/274221 |
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US |