Patent Application
20080040889
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity in understanding the invention, identical components having identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.
Now reference is made, more particularly, to drawing
There is a first means, generally designated 20, that is engageable with the slide member 12 for attaching the hard surface slide 10 to a user's foot 18. A second means, generally designated 30, is disposed on the bottom surface of such slide member for protecting against mars on a hard surface floor due to friction with such bottom surface of the slide member 12. Second means 30 also has a predetermined coefficient of friction that enables ease of sliding on such hard surface floor.
In a presently preferred embodiment, the second means 30 is made from at least one of various types of natural and synthetic fibers that are formed into a cloth like material, such as felt, or cotton.
In one embodiment, the second means 30 is disposed on the bottom surface of such slide member 12 using a predetermined adhesion coating.
In another embodiment the second means 30 includes a sock like member 24 for fitting over the bottom surface 16. The sock like member includes an elastomeric type band 26 for wrapping around an ankle of such user. The sock like member 24, preferably, includes a predetermined friction material 27 disposed on an inner surface of such sock like member 24 adjacent the bottom surface of such slide member 12 for gripping such bottom surface of the slide member 12.
In yet another embodiment the second means 30 will include a bag like member 36 for fitting over the bottom surface of the slide member 12. The bag like member 36 has an overlapping portion 38 and a drawstring 42 to pull the overlapping portion 38 together around the ankle of such user thus securing the bag like member 36 to such user's foot 18.
The predetermined shape of such slide member 12, in one embodiment, will either be a left foot with a corresponding arch support 44 or a right foot with a corresponding arch support 44. Only one arch support 44 is shown in
The hard surface slide 10 preferably will include a non slip surface material disposed on the upper surface of such slide member.
In another embodiment of the invention, the first means 20 includes a first portion 52 disposed along the upper surface of the slide member 12 adjacent a first outer edge portion thereof between a front portion of the first member and a back portion of the first member and a second portion 52 of the first means 20 is disposed along the upper surface of the slide member 12 adjacent a substantially radially opposed second outer edge portion thereof between front portion of the slide member 12 and the back portion of the slide member 12.
At least one of first portion 52 and second portion 52 of the first means 20 is preferably a hook like member 66 with an open portion of such hook like member 66 facing a front end of the hard surface slide 10. It is presently preferred that the first portion 52 and second portion 52 of the first means 20 are both hook like members 66. However, one or both of such first portion 52 and second portion 52 could be just a circular loop. It is also preferred that the first portion 52 and second portion 52 be substantially identical.
A third portion of the first means 20 includes at least one elastomeric member 26 that is engageable with the first portion 52 and the second portion 52 of the first means 20 for securing the slide member 10 to a user's foot 18. Preferably, the elastomeric member 26 is a rubber band.
The rubber band 26 hooks onto the hook like members 66 and the user slides his foot under the rubber band 26, or the rubber band 26 is placed over the foot. The hard surface slide 10 may be used with or without a shoe on foot.
The rubber band 26 should be strong enough to secure the slide member to the user's foot. Such rubber band 26 must be elastic enough to adjust to different foot sizes but it must also be sufficiently strong enough to not distort when in use. Therefore, the rubber band 26 should have a predetermined width. The minimum predetermined width is between about ¼ inch and about ½ inch. It is even more preferred that the predetermined width be between about 5/16 inch and about 7/16 inch.
Preferably, the first means 20 further includes a second elastomeric member 28. The second elastomeric member 28 is engageable with either the first portion 52 of first means 20 or the hook like member 66 and with the second portion 52 (or hook like member 66) of first means 20 for securing the first member to a heel portion of a user's foot.
Such second elastomeric member (rubber band) 28 is longer than the first elastomeric member 26 since it must stretch for a longer distance. Further, the second rubber band 28 does not have to be as wide or possess the strength as the first rubber band 26.
In yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, the first means 20 will include at least one strap like member 78 having a first end and a second end. There is a third means, generally designated 40, disposed along the upper surface of such slide member 10 adjacent the first outer edge portion thereof between the front portion of the slide member 10 and the back portion of such slide member 10 for engaging the first end of such at least one strap like member 78. There is a fourth means 50 disposed along the upper surface adjacent the substantially radially opposed second outer edge portion thereof between front portion of such slide member and the back portion of such slide member 10 for engaging the second end of such at least one strap like member 78.
The third means 40 preferably includes an aperture 86 formed therethrough for receiving the first end of the at least one strap like member 78 through such aperture 86 and the fourth means 50 preferably includes a similar aperture 86 formed therethrough on fourth means 40 on a radially opposed portion of such slide member 10 for receiving the second end of such at least one strap like member 78 through the aperture 86.
Another embodiment includes using two strap like members. Each strap like member has a first end and a second end. The first end of such first strap like member is secured to the hard surface slide 10 through the aperture 86 formed through third means 40 on one side of the slide member and the first end of such second strap like member is secured to the hard surface slide 10 through the aperture 86 formed through such fourth means 50 disposed on the radially opposed side of the slide member 10.
It is presently preferred in this embodiment that the second end of each of such two strap like members includes a respective portion of an adjustment means 60 attached thereto for adjustably securing such hard surface slide 10 to such user's foot. Such adjustment means 60 could include buckles or hook and loop material.
The adjustment means 60 preferably includes one of a hook and loop member disposed adjacent such second end of the first strap like member. Also, an opposite one of such hook and loop member is disposed adjacent such second end of the second strap like member or engaging such one of the hook and loop member attached to the second end of such first strap like member.
In the embodiment directed to using straps as the attachment means it is presently preferred to include a third strap like member having a first end secured to one of such two strap like members and a second end secured to other one of such two strap like members. The third strap like member is for engaging a heel of such user similar to the way strap 28 engages the heel as seen in
While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above it should be understood that various other embodiments of the invention can be envisioned by those persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/838,799 filed Aug. 18, 2006. The application is also closely related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/393,470, filed on Mar. 30, 2006, entitled “MEANS FOR ATTACHING A CARPET SKATE TO A USER'S FOOT”. The teachings of this application are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60838799 | Aug 2006 | US |
