Patent Application
20120198726
Embodiments of the present invention relate to footwear, such as boots, shoes, specialty field shoes, woman's shoes, etc, and, more particularly, to a retractable members and retractable member systems adapted to control extension and retraction of the retractable members relative to the bottom of the footwear.
Specialty footwear is currently available for a variety of sports and other activities. For example, shoes used in some sports include cleats protruding from the bottom of the soles to improve traction and balance. Roller skates include wheels affixed to the sole of a shoe, allowing the user to glide along a flat surface such as pavement. While mobility, balance and traction may be enhanced by the specialty footwear currently available, the utility of such footwear is extremely limited. Non-specialty footwear is much more versatile but is less than optimal for users on slick surfaces or for users who wish to alter their traction, mode of transport, height, etc. While footwear users have the option of bringing specialty footwear for use as needed, a better option is to increase the versatility of footwear.
Embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scopes of embodiments, in accordance with the present disclosure, are defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments of the present invention; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent.
The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of embodiments of the present invention.
The terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “A/B” or in the form “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “at least one of A, B, and C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “(A)B” means (B) or (AB) that is, A is an optional element.
The description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” or “in embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present invention, are synonymous.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to retractable members for use on shoes, boots and other footwear. The various embodiments include retractable members that may be separate or molded as part of the tread face or tread block material of the footwear, and adapted for engaging a desired surface, such as turf, track, grass, etc. In various embodiments a top layer or cover layer may be bonded to an upper surface of the tread material, and in so coupling forming channels and fluid chamber adapted for passage and collection of fluid to help control extension and retraction of retractable members. In various embodiments, the channels and/or chambers may be formed in the tread material, and the top layer may be coupled to provide a more inflexible or rigid support.
In various embodiments, a fluid channel 14 may be molded in the second layer 12 and/or in combination with the first layer 10. A chamber 16 may also be disposed at least partially within the second layer 12 and/or formed in conjunction with the first layer 10. Chamber 16 may be adapted to contain a desired volume of fluid, and may expand and contract with an influx and removal of fluid from the chamber. A retractable member 20 may be coupled to the second layer and generally extend away from the chamber 16. A first channel 22 may be disposed in the second layer 12, extending from the chamber 16 into the second layer a desired distance. In various embodiments, the top of first channel 22 may be exposed to the interior of the chamber, and in other embodiments, a membrane may be separating the two. A desired amount of second layer material may be left disposed between the bottom of the first channel 22 and a bottom of the second surface 12, thereby creating a hinge point 24.
In various embodiments, a second channel 26 may extend from a bottom surface of second layer 12 into layer 12 generally toward chamber 16. The amount of second layer material disposed between the top of the channel 26 and the chamber 16 may be such that it creates a diaphragm or flexible membrane region 28. Upon fluid being forced through channel 14 into chamber 16, the resulting pressure may act on the bottom of chamber 16 thereby causing a portion of the retractable member 20 to extend by pivoting about hinge point 24. Such movement is illustrated in
In various embodiments, the characteristics (e.g. thickness, position, material, etc.) of the hinge point 24 and/or the flex region 28 may be modified in order to control the degree of pivoting as well as the resistance tendency for the retractable member to retract towards its neutral or home position. In various embodiments, the diaphragm or flex region 28 may be a cavity or other formation that does not necessarily extend to a bottom surface of layer 12. In various embodiments, all or a portion of the retractable member may be augmented or modified with a variety of materials that can improve functionality of the retractable member 20. In one embodiment, a metal or hardened edge may be secured to the retractable member to act as a cleat.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In various embodiments, a retraction resisting stop 30 may be disposed such that it can engage either the first surface or the second surface to prevent movement of the retractable member up in towards the chamber 16 beyond a neutral or home position. In various embodiments, one or more rib members 32 may be coupled to the retractable member 20 and the second layer 12. Rib members 32 may be configured to provide resistance to movement of the retractable member as a result of bending, torsional and other forces. In various embodiments, a variety of rib configurations and quantities may be used so as to help resist unwanted lateral movement of the retractable member.
In various embodiments, a generally rigid flange or seal member 34 may be disposed about the retractable member and coupled to the second layer 12. The retractable member 20 may be adapted to move axially with respect to the seal member 34, and wherein the seal member 34 may help prevent or resist material debris and other foreign objects from gaining access to the diaphragm 28 and/or chamber 16. In various embodiments the seal member 34 may be made of a variety of materials including but not limited to metals, carbon fibers, polymers and/or other rigid and/or semi-rigid materials. In various embodiments, a stop 30 may be used to resist retraction of the retractable member beyond a desired distance.
In various embodiments, a biasing member 56 may be at least partially disposed between the inner retractable member 54 and the outer retractable member 52. The biasing member 56 may be adapted to resist axial movement of the inner retractable member beyond the outer member 52. The resistance of the biasing member 56 may be overcome by pressure exerted from the fluid chamber acting on the inner member 54, such that the inner member 54 may move axially beyond the outer retractable member 52, thus extending the overall length of the retractable member 20. The biasing member 56 may further help retract the inner retractable member 54 from extension beyond the outer retractable member 52.
In various embodiments, the biasing member 56 may be a compression member having bellowed grooves and hollows, such that the compression member may compress a certain desired distance. In other embodiments a spring, elastomer or other compressable member may be used. In various embodiments the compressable member used may be selected as desired in order to permit a desired extension of the inner retractable member 54 with the respect to the outer retractable member 52.
Retractable members in accordance with various embodiments may include the outer retractable member which under a first pressure will extend a first distance. As the pressure is increased to a second pressure, the inner retractable member will overcome the resistance of a biasing member and extend axially beyond the outer retractable member, thereby increasing the overall extension length of the retractable member. In various embodiments, as the second pressure is reduced or eliminated, the resilience/response of the biasing member may help urge the inner retractable member to retract axially. As the first pressure is reduced or eliminated, the outer retractable member may then retract, for example, as described with respect to previous embodiments. In various embodiments, multiple inner members and compression members may be used to increase the extended length potential of the retractable members.
The term “fluid” used herein is used in the broadest sense, and includes, but is not limited to, liquids, such as hydraulic fluids and self sealing liquids, and gasses, such as air.
Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments in accordance with the present invention may be implemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments in accordance with the present invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application 61/103,519, filed Oct. 7, 2008, which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/768,062, filed Jun. 25, 2007, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/053,590, filed Feb. 7, 2005, entitled “Convertible Traction Shoes,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/943,418, filed on Nov. 20, 2007, which is a continuation in part of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/053,590, filed Feb. 7, 2005, entitled “Convertible Traction Shoes,” the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US09/59845 | 10/7/2009 | WO | 00 | 4/27/2012 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61103519 | Oct 2008 | US |
