Ice Grips

Abstract

An ice grip is adapted to be worn on a user's foot and includes a sole having a ground engaging surface (2) on which is mounted at least one location element (10). The location element (10) is adapted to removably engage a traction element (20) for improving the traction of a user wearing the ice grip when standing or walking over slippery surfaces. The location element (10) and the traction element (20) are cooperatively arranged such that the traction element (20) is received by and removed from the location element (10) in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the ground engaging surface (2).

Description

This invention relates to ice grips. A conventional ice grip can be an overshoe typically made from a resilient material, such as a rubberised material, which can be removably placed over a conventional boot or shoe (hereinafter “the inner shoe”). The sole of the ice grip is provided with a series of teeth and/or other grip-enhancing features, which affords a user of the ice grips better traction when standing or walking on icy or snowy surfaces. The ice grip can be removed from the inner shoe when the user is required to walk over surfaces without damaging them, such as interior floors.

A problem with conventional ice grips is that different grip-enhancing features are appropriate for different ground conditions. This means that users and suppliers of ice grips need to keep in stock a range of different ice grips to account for different ground conditions. Moreover, it is inconvenient for a user to carry with them multiple ice grips each having different grip-enhancing features. The need to remove the ice grip from the inner shoe each time a user wishes to change and/or remove the grip-enhancing features is also an inconvenience. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially mitigate these problems with conventional ice grips. The invention therefore provides an ice grip with removably mounted grip-enhancing features, which can mounted on and removed from the ice grip in a manner that is convenient to a user.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided an ice grip adapted to be worn on a user's foot comprising a ground engaging surface; at least one location element mounted on the ground engaging surface; at least one traction element; and an engagement device arranged to removably secure the at least one traction element to the at least one location element, wherein the engagement device is adapted such that movement of the traction element when secured to or removed from the location element is in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the ground engaging surface. The engagement device comprises an interengaging pawl and rack, with the pawl and rack provided respectively on one each of the location element and the traction element. The engagement device further comprises cooperating lugs and grooves in which the lugs are slidably receivable, the lugs and grooves being respectively provided on one each of the traction element and the location element. The location element can comprise a resilient portion which is deformable so as to disengage the pawl and rack. A removal tool can be provided. It may comprise a tongued leg, the tongue being engagable with an undercut of the traction element and the tool further comprising an anvil for depressing the resilient portion of the location element. In some embodiments, the location element is removably mounted on the sole. The location element and sole can be provided with a plurality of depressions and upstands defining cooperating castellations allowing location of the location element on the sole. The invention further provides an ice grip comprising a ground engaging sole, a grip element and means for securing the traction element to the sole wherein each of the sole and grip element are provided with a plurality of depressions and upstands defining cooperating castellations allowing location of the traction element on the sole.

Embodiments of the invention will be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying figures of which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an overshoe of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment of an overshoe of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective scrap view of the overshoe of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a location element from a first side;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the location element of FIG. 4 from a second side;

FIG. 6 is a perspective scrap view of a location element mounted on the sole of the overshoe of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a traction element from a first side;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the traction element of FIG. 7 from a second side;

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the overshoe of FIG. 2, with three location elements and three corresponding traction elements removably fixed thereto;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a removal tool suitable for removing the traction elements from the location elements of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective scrap view of the removal tool of FIG. 10 engaging with a traction element;

FIG. 12 is a cross section view of the arrangement of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of alternative location and traction elements; and,

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a traction element and oversole.

FIG. 1 shows an ice grip according to the present invention. The ice grip comprises a resilient overshoe 1 suitable for being attached to an inner shoe (not shown). The overshoe 1 is made of, for example, a rubber compound or an elastomer. The ice grip need not be in the form of an overshoe but can also be in the form of an overboot. In other embodiments the ice grip comprises a boot or a shoe.

FIG. 2 shows the ground engaging surface 2 of the sole of the overshoe 1. The overshoe 1 further comprises a series of grips 3 that are attached to and protrude from the ground engaging surface 2. The ground engaging surface 2 of the overshoe 1 includes at least one area 4 suitable for receiving a location element 10, which is, in turn, used to secure a traction element 20 to the underside of the overshoe 1. Three such areas 4 are shown in FIG. 2, but more or less could be provided. An engagement device is used to provide an interengagement between the location element 10 and the traction element 20.

With reference to FIG. 3, the area 4 comprises a plurality of depressions 5 and upstands 6 which together define castellations that cooperate with corresponding castellations formed from a plurality of depressions 12 and upstands 13 of the location element 10 as shown in FIG. 4. The arrangement of corresponding castellations allows easy mounting of the location element 10 on the ground engaging surface 2, which is particularly useful when a user of the ice grip is wearing heavy gloves that may restrict movement of the user's fingers.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the location elements 10 are removably secured to the ground engaging surface 2. For example, screw threaded fasteners (not shown) can pass through holes 7 in the sole of the overshoe 1 and into screw threaded portion 11 of the location element 10. The arrangement of corresponding castellations in the area 4 and on the location element 10 ensure that the holes 7 in the sole of the overshoe 1 are correctly located with respect to the screw threaded portion 11 of the location element 10. The area around the holes 7 on the upper side of the sole of the overshoe 1, remote from the ground engaging surface 2, is provided with a series of radially extending serrations. The serrations cooperate with one or more angled locking bars provided on the underside of the head of the screw threaded fasteners to prevent screw threaded fasteners from becoming loose during use.

In another embodiment of the invention, the location element 10 is removably secured to the ground engaging surface 2 using screw threaded fasteners that pass through holes in the location element 10 and mate with screw threaded portions in the sole of the overshoe 1. In a further embodiment, the screw threaded fasteners are replaced by a press rivet studs, thereby removing the need for screw threaded portions. The screw threaded fasteners and the press rivet studs are made of a hardened polymer resistant to impacts, cold temperatures, sparking and electrical currents.

FIG. 6 shows the location element 10 mounted on and removably secured to the ground engaging surface 2 of the overshoe 1. The location element 10 is made of hardened polymers resistant to impacts, cold temperatures, sparking and electrical currents. The side of the location element 10 opposite to the side that includes the castellations comprises a flat surface 12 and three upstanding walls 13. Two of the upstanding walls 13 are positioned along the side edges of the flat surface 12 and the third upstanding wall is positioned along one end of the flat surface 12. The three upstanding walls 13 combine with the flat surface 12 to define an open-ended cassette for receiving a traction element 20. The screw threaded fasteners have a shoulder on the treaded portion that limits the distance the screw threaded fasteners can be screwed into the location element 10 without impeding the open-ended cassette for receiving the traction element 20.

FIG. 7 shows one variety of an interchangeable traction element 20, which is arranged to be releasably mounted in the location element 10. The traction element includes a series of grips or spikes extending therefrom. The traction element 20 is largely made of a hardened polymer. One of the problems with existing ice grips is that the traction element is, for all intents and purposes, fixedly mounted therein. Traction elements suitable for one environment may not be suitable for another environment. For example, the traction element may comprise sharp metal or metal carbide, such as titanium carbide, spikes. This sort of traction element would not be acceptable on railways, for example, where the conductive nature of the metal spikes could constitute an electrical shock risk. In this instance, sharp but non-conducting spikes would be required. However, neither variety of spikes would be acceptable for use in the home. A delivery driver, for example, using known ice grips could need one pair of ice grips for loading his vehicle and a further set for use when carrying goods into a customer's premises. By providing interchangeable traction elements, the driver can wear a single pair of ice grips and change the traction elements to suit the prevailing conditions. This leads to substantial savings in the number of pairs of complete ice grips which are required. Furthermore in the event of damage, the damaged traction element 20 or overshoe 1 can be discarded allowing the remaining undamaged components to be retained and reused.

Preferably the traction element 20 slidingly engages with the location element 10. The edges of the traction element 20 are provided with grooves 21 that cooperate with lugs 14 of the location element 10 to guide the traction element 20 into the open-ended cassette. The cooperation between the grooves 21 and the lugs 14 also ensures that the movement the traction element 20 when inserted in or removed from the location element 10 is substantially parallel to the plane of the sole of the overshoe 1. This parallel movement has an important consequence for the ease with which the traction element 20 can be inserted in or removed from the location element 10. In use, when the overshoe 1 is mounted on the inner shoe, the position of the location element 10 is arranged such that the open end of the open-ended cassette is pointing towards the inner edge of the user's foot, as shown in FIG. 9. This arrangement means that, in order to access the underside of the overshoe 1, the user can lift his foot, together with the overshoe 1 mounted on the inner shoe, toward his opposite knee. From this position, the traction element 20 can simply be inserted into or removed from the location element 10 in a substantially vertical plane. This eliminates the need to completely remove the overshoe 1 from the inner shoe before being able to remove the traction element 20 from the location element 10, as would be the case if movement of the traction element 20 was substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sole of the overshoe 1 when being inserted into the location element 10.

Typically, the traction element 20 is received in the location element 10 but as can be seen from FIG. 13 this is not essential and the traction element 20 can be received over the location element 10.

It is possible for the traction element 20 to be retained in position in the location element 10 purely by friction. However, this is not preferred since in order to mount and demount the traction element 20 sufficiently securely, significant frictional forces need to be overcome. In preferred embodiments of the invention a means for releasably securing the traction element 20 relative to the location element 10 are provided. In preferred embodiments this comprises a pawl and rack. One of the location element 10 and traction element 20 is provided with a pawl and the other is provided with a rack engagable with the pawl. In the illustrated embodiment location element is provided with a rack 15 (see FIG. 6) and the traction element 20 is provided with a pawl 22 (see FIG. 8). The rack 15 typically has one tooth. The rack may however comprise more than one tooth which may be useful where the ice grip is used in dirty environments and debris prevents the traction element 20 from being located completely in the location element 10. In other embodiments the rack 15 has no teeth and simply comprises a resilient surface into which the pawl 22 bites.

With reference to FIG. 6, an area 17 around the rack 15 or pawl 22 of location element 10 is resilient. This allows for easy removal of the traction element 20 using a removal tool 30. As can be seen from FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, the removal tool 30 comprises a leg 31 fitted with a tongue 32. The leg 31 passes through a slot 16 of the location element 10. The tongue 32 engages with an undercut 23 of the traction element 20. The removal tool 30 further comprises an anvil 33, which when the tongue 32 is engaged in the undercut 23, overlies resilient portion 17 of the location element 10. The removal tool handle 34 can then be urged in the direction of arrow A. The tongue 32 is held in engagement with the undercut 23 of the traction element 20. The resilient portion 17 of the location element 10 is thus biased away from the traction element 20. The traction element 20 can thus be withdrawn from the location element 10 by urging the tool in the direction of arrow B. The removal tool 30 further comprises a protrusion at its end which cooperates with a recess in the head of the screw threaded fasteners to tighten or loosen the screw threaded fasteners.

The removal tool 30 can be used to mount the traction element 20 on the location element 10 by moving the removal tool 30 in the direction of arrow C. An arm 35 of the removal tool 30 abuts an end 24 of traction element 20 urging it into position in the location element 10 and overcoming the rack 15 and the pawl 22.

Thus the invention allows traction elements 20 provided with different or no spikes as desired to be mounted on the sole.

In other embodiments of the invention the location element 10 and the traction element 20 are replaced with a grip element. The grip element is provided with castellations cooperating with castellations of the sole. Rather than mounting the complete grip element is removably fastened to the sole for example by screw threaded fasteners.

With reference to FIG. 14, a complete oversole 50 can be mounted over the sole of the overshoe 1. The grips of oversole 50 may be very soft. This allows the user to fit a soft sole suitable for driving or entering domestic premises over more aggressive ground engaging features.

Claims

1. An ice grip adapted to be worn on a user's foot comprising: a ground engaging surface;at least one location element mounted on the ground engaging surface;at least one traction element; andan engagement device arranged to removably secure the at least one traction element to the at least one location element, wherein movement of the traction element when secured to or removed from the location element is in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of the ground engaging surface.

2. The ice grip of claim 1, wherein the engagement device comprises an interengaging pawl and rack, with the pawl and rack provided respectively on one each of the location element and the traction element.

3. The ice grip of claim 2, wherein the engagement device further comprises cooperating lugs and grooves in which the lugs are slidably receivable, the lugs and grooves being respectively provided on one each of the traction element and the location element.

4. The ice grip of claim 2, wherein the location element comprises a resilient portion which is deformable so as to disengage the pawl and rack.

5. The ice grip of claim 4, further comprising a removal tool, the removal tool comprising a leg having a tongue engagable with an undercut of the traction element and an anvil for depressing the resilient portion of the location element.

6. The ice grip of claim 1, wherein the location element is removably mounted on the ground engaging surface.

7. The ice grip of claim 6 wherein the location element is removably mounted to the ground engaging surface by a plurality of depressions and upstands on the location element and the ground engaging surface defining cooperating castellations allowing positioning of the location element with respect to the ground engaging surface.

8. An ice grip comprising: a ground engaging sole having a plurality of castellations; anda grip element having a body with a first surface forming a location element and an opposing surface forming a traction element, the grip element being secured to the ground engaging sole by a plurality of fasteners;the grip element being positioned with respect to the ground engaging sole by a plurality of castellations on the first surface of the grip element cooperating with a plurality of castellations of the ground engaging sole, the plurality of castellations being formed by depressions on one of the ground engaging sole or the first surface of the grip element cooperating with a plurality of upstands on the other of the ground engaging sole or the first surface of the grip element.

9.-12. (canceled)

13. An overshoe for removably mounting on footwear, comprising: a sole;an ice grip comprising: a ground engaging surface forming at least a portion of the sole of the overshoe;at least one location element mounted on the ground engaging surface;at least one traction element; andan engagement device arranged to removably secure the at least one traction element to the at least one location element, wherein movement of the traction element when secured to or removed from the location element is in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of the ground engaging surface.

14.-18. (canceled)

19. The ice grip of claim 8, in which the plurality of fasteners are screw threaded fasteners passing through the ground engaging sole and threading into the grip element.

20. The ice grip of claim 8, in which the plurality of fasteners are press rivets passing through the ground engaging sole and threading into the grip element.

21. The ice grip of claim 8, in which the ground engaging sole forms a part of an overshoe for removably mounting on footwear.

22. The overshoe of claim 13, wherein the engagement device comprises an interengaging pawl and rack, with the pawl and rack provided respectively on one each of the location element and the traction element.

23. The overshoe of claim 22, wherein the engagement device further comprises cooperating lugs and grooves in which the lugs are slidably receivable, the lugs and grooves being respectively provided on one each of the traction element and the location element.

24. The overshoe of claim 22, wherein the location element comprises a resilient portion which is deformable so as to disengage the pawl and rack.

25. The overshoe of claim 22, further comprising a removal tool, the removal tool comprising a having a tongue engagable with an undercut of the traction element and an anvil for depressing the resilient portion of the location element.

26. The overshoe of claim 22, wherein the location element is removably mounted on the ground engaging surface.

27. The overshoe of claim 26, wherein the location element is removably mounted to the ground engaging surface by a plurality of depressions and upstands on the location element and the ground engaging surface defining cooperating castellations allowing positioning of the location element with respect to the ground engaging surface.