Claims
- 1. A footwear traction device for releasable attachment to a wearer's shoe comprising:
- an elastic strap member including releasable attaching means of sufficient length to encircle the instep portion of said shoe; and
- a reversible frictional component including a generally tubular pad member being radially disposed about said strap member in symmetrical relation thereto, said pad member being fabricated from a hygroscopic fibrous material wherein water is absorbed and instantaneously frozen when said pad member is pressed into direct contact with an icy surface thereby providing enhanced traction to the wearer.
- 2. The traction device of claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes mating portions of a hook and loop type fastener.
- 3. The traction device of claim 1 wherein a ground-contacting surface of said pad member includes a plurality of parallel raised sections alternating with a plurality of recessed sections in a ribbed pattern.
- 4. The traction device of claim 3 wherein said plurality of raised and recessed sections are disposed transversely to the direction of walking to provide mechanical resistance to slippage on a slippery surface.
- 5. An improved footwear traction device of the type having an elongated, flexible strap member including releasable attachment means on opposite ends thereof for attaching said device about the instep of a user's footwear and a frictional component attached intermediate the ends of said strap member such that said frictional component is disposed in direct contact with the ground surface, said improvements comprising:
- a reversible frictional component including a tubular pad member being radially disposed about said strap member in symmetrical relation thereto, said pad member being fabricated from a hygroscopic fibrous material wherein water is absorbed and instantaneously frozen when pressed into direct contact with an icy surface whereby a user is provided with increased traction on icy surfaces.
- 6. The traction device of claim 5 wherein a ground-contacting surface of said pad member includes a plurality of parallel raised sections alternating with a plurality of parallel recessed sections to provide a ribbed pattern.
- 7. The traction device of claim 6 wherein said plurality of alternating raised and recessed sections are disposed transversely to the direction of walking so as to provide mechanical resistance to slippage on any slippery surface.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/062,898 filed Oct. 20, 1997 by Douglas S. Powell for Ice Walkers.
US Referenced Citations (17)