Patent Application
20170225039
The disclosure relates to footwear and more particularly pertains to new footwear having integral flippers and sound generators.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first shoe comprising a sole that is pliable. A compartment is positioned in an interior space defined by the sole. An orifice, positioned in the sole, is fluidically connected to the compartment. A noisemaker is coupled to the sole within the orifice, such that air passing from the compartment through the noisemaker generates a sound. A shell that is coupled to the sole has an entry proximate to a back end of the sole. The shell and the sole define a cavity that is complimentary to the foot of the user. The entry is configured for insertion of the user's foot. A flipper extends from a front end of the sole. The flipper is in substantial parallelism with the sole. The footwear comprises a second shoe that mirrors the first shoe.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A compartment 30 is positioned in the interior space 16, preferably proximate to a back end 32 of the sole 14. An orifice 34 is positioned in the sole 14 and is fluidically connected to the compartment 30. The orifice 34 is positioned through the annular sidewall 18 of the sole 14. Preferably, the orifice 34 is positioned at the back end 32 of the sole 14.
A noisemaker 36, which is air powered, is coupled to the sole 14 within the orifice 34. The noisemaker 36 is positioned in the orifice 34 such that air passing from the compartment 30 through the noisemaker 36 generates a sound. The noisemaker 36 may comprise a reed 38, such that the noisemaker 36 is configured to emit a duck call. The noisemaker 36 may comprise a valve 40, such that the noisemaker 36 is configured to emit a frog call. A bladder 41 may be positioned in the compartment 30. The bladder 41 has an open neck 42 that is coupled to the noisemaker 36. The bladder 41 is positioned in the compartment 30 such that compression of the bladder 41 causes air to pass through the noisemaker 36.
A shell 44 is coupled to the sole 14. The shell 44 and the sole 14 define a cavity 46 that is complimentary to the foot of the user. An entry 48 is positioned in the shell 44 proximate to the back end 32 of the sole 14. The entry 48 is configured for insertion of the user's foot. More specifically, the shell 44 comprises a heel cap 50, a pair of quarters 52 and a toe box 54. The heel cap 50 is coupled to and extends upwardly from the back end 32 of the sole 14. A penetration 56 is positioned through the heel cap 50. Preferably, the penetration 56 is rounded. Each quarter 52 is coupled to and extends upwardly from a respective one of opposing sides 58 of the sole 14 proximate to the back end 32. Each quarter 52 also is coupled to the heel cap 50. The toe box 54 is coupled to a front end 60 of the sole 24, to both opposing sides 58 of the sole 14 and to both quarters 52. The toe box 54 and the sole 14 are complementary to the toe end of a user's foot. The heel cap 50, the quarters 52 and the toe box 54 have upper rims 62 that define the entry 48.
A plurality of openings 64 is positioned in the shell 44. The openings 64 are positioned in the shell 44 for water to flow into and drain from the cavity 46. Preferably, the plurality of openings 64 is positioned in the toe box 54 and comprises from three to twenty openings 64. More preferably, the plurality of openings 64 comprises from six to fifteen openings 64. Most preferably, the plurality of openings 64 comprises a group of five openings 66 positioned through a first side 68 of the shell 44 and a group of six openings 70 positioned through a second side 72 of the shell 44. Also preferably, the openings 64 are substantially rectangularly shaped.
A plurality of grips 74 is coupled to the bottom layer 22. The grips 74 are positioned on the sole 14 to prevent slippage of the first shoe 12 when worn by a user.
A flipper 76 extends from the front end 60 of the sole 14 in substantial parallelism with the sole 14. The flipper 76 comprises a plurality of ribs 78 that is substantially rigid. Each rib 78 is coupled to and extends from the front end 60 of the sole 14. The ribs 78 are substantially coplanar. Preferably, the plurality of ribs 78 comprises a pair of outer ribs 80 and a center rib 82, with each outer rib 80 angling away from the center rib 82. The ribs 78 taper from a first end 84 coupled to the sole 14 to a second end 86. A web 88, which is semi-rigid, is coupled to and extends between the ribs 78. The web 88 also is coupled to the sole 14 and extends to proximate to the entry 48. Preferably, the web 88 comprises a pair of convex curves 90. A respective convex curve 90 extends from proximate to the second end 86 of a respective outer rib 80 to proximate to the second end 86 of the center rib 82. The flipper 76 may be configured to resemble a duck's foot. The flipper 76 may be configured to resemble a frog's foot.
The footwear 10 comprises a second shoe 92 that mirrors the first shoe 12.
In use, the entry 48 is positioned in the shell 44 for insertion of a user's foot. The compartment 30 is positioned in the interior space 16 of the sole 14 such that compression of the compartment 30 during walking induces air to flow from the compartment 30 through the noisemaker 36. The flipper 76 is coupled to the sole 14 to aid in swimming.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
