AU653564B2

AU653564B2 - Improvements to footwear

Info

Publication number: AU653564B2
Application number: AU89831/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Geoffrey David Carlin; Raymond John Jarrett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-12-18
Filing date: 1991-12-18
Publication date: 1994-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-18
Also published as: AU8983191A

Description

653564 P/:00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*o TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: GEOFFREY DAVID CARLIN AND RAYMOND JOHN JARRETT Actual Inventor(s): AS ABOVE

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SAddress for Service: JOHN R. G. GARDNER, PO BOX 443, MUDGEERABA QLD 4213

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Invention title: IMPROVEMENTS TO FOOTWEAR

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Details of Associated Provisional Applications: No: PK 3961 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it know to me:- THIS INVENTION relates to improvements to footwear, in particular to footwear for facilitating or enhancing the grip between a wearer, such as a user of a surfboard, surf ski, wind surfer or boat and the craft which he or she is riding or using.

A common method of enhancing the grip between a surf board rider and a surf board which he or she is riding is to use wax which is applied to the surface of the surf board so as to increase grip between the surf board rider and surf board. The application of wax is often a tedious process and has to be repeated at many intervals so as to ensure the gripping effect is mainztained. Wax also suffers the disadvantage of causing in many instances irritation to the skin of the user. A further disadvantawe of wax is that wax will tend to melt in hot climates,, thereby again necessitating reapplication and also causing in the case of .melting, wax to be spilt in, for example, vehicles which is often difficult to remove. Other grip enhancing materials have been proposed for use with surf boards such as that 20 known under the trade mark GORILLA GRIP, however, such materials are required to be permanently secured in place and furthermore are relatively expensive.

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages by providing a method and 25 means for increasing the grip between a user of a water craft and a water craft he or she is using. In particular the apparatus aims to provide footwear for use by a user of a watercraft for enhancing grip to the watercraft. The :Eootwear of the invention, however, may be used in other applications where an enhanced grip is required. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent frc., the following description.

With the above and other objects in view the present invention provides an article of footwear adapted for attachment to the foot of, or for wearing by, a user, said article having a sole, said sole being provided with suction means to enable releasable attachment of said article to a surface, said suction means including a plurality of suction cups, said suction cups being arranged in two groups, one said group being in said heel portion of said sole and the other said group being in the ball and toe portion of said sole, the region of said sole between said groups being free of said suction cups and wherein said group of said suction cups in 'said heel portion includes an enlarged suction cup arranged centrally in said heel portion.

Preferably the sole is formed of a flexible material and may be fixed to the foot of the user by straps fixed with buckles or hook/loop type material or alternatively secured to the foot by any other fastening means or alternatively the sole may comprise the sole of a boot. Such a boot may include a separate toe portion for receipt of the big toe of the user and a portion for receipt of the remainder of the toes of the user. Both portions are preferably provided with suction cups. Such an arrangement gives to the user a large degree of flexibility of movement and thereby control say of a 20 surfboard.

When comprising a sole of a boot, the sole preferably includes an aperture or apertures through which water collecting within the boot may escape. Such apertures may be defined by a plurality of holes arranged 25 at spaced positions between selected suction cups.

Most preferably each suction cup includes a stem portion connected to the sole by, for example, being integrally formed therewith and a suction cup portion on the end of the stem. Such an arrangement spaces the suction cup portion from the sole and enhances the grip on surfaces which may be coated with say a wax or provided with gripping material, such as GORILLA GRIP.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying

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which illustrate a preferred emhodiment of the invention and wherein:- Fig. 1 illustrates a typical boot in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the boot of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an underside view of the b ot of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view (along line A-A of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the boot of the invention may be used.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figs. 1 to 3 there is illustrated a boot 10 which embodies the present 0 invention and which is formed of a flexible synthetic material, So such as material of the type used in wetsuits. The boot 15 includes an uppar portion 11 of sock like form and a sole portion 12, the upper portion 11 and sole portion 12 being formed to define a pocket or stall 13 for receipt of the big toe and for separating the big toe from the remainder of the toes which are received in a separate pocket 14 adjacent the stall 13. Such an arrangement gives to the user a flexibility of movement between the big toes and smaller toes. The sole 12 is provided on 'its underside with a plurality of suction cups 15, the suction cups 15 in this embodiment being arranged in two groups 16 and 17, the group 16 being located under the 25 ball and toe portion of the sole 12 and the group 17 being located under the heel portion of the sole 12. As shown in 0* Fig. 3 the group of suction cups 17 includes an enlarged suction cup 18 surrounded by smaller suction cups 19 so as to provide enhanced grip at the heel. Similar small suction cups 19 are provided in the group 16.

Each suction cup 19 as shown in Fig. 4 include a stem portion 20 which extends outwardly of the sole 12 and arranged at the free end of each stem 20 is a suction cup portion 21 of convex/concave shape which defines a downwardly open concave recess 22. The enlarged cup 18 is of a similar construction.

The cup 18 and the cups 19 are formed of a resilient material and preferably formed integrally with the sole 12. The sole 12 is further provided with a series of apertures 23 located between suction cups 19 so as to permit escape of water therethrough from the inside of the boot In use and as shown in Fig. 5 the boots 10 may be worn by a surfer 24 using a surf board 25. A suction gripping effect will be established through the effect of the suction cups 18 and 19 which when a force is applied thereto and the cup portions 21 are adjacent the surface of the surfboard will cause air to be expelled from the recess 22 and a suction effect to be created by virtue of the resilience of the material of the cups 18 and 19. The surfer 24 will thus have a firm grip on the surf board and be able to manoeuvre as 15 required with great control.

As stated above the boot 10 is preferably formed of a wetsuit type material and provides support both to the ankle and foot of the user. Furthermore the closed-in toe portion provides protection to the toes of the user. The sole 12 may be formed integrally with the boot 10 or attached thereto in any conventional manner. At least the sole and associated suction cups preferably are formed by moulding in a die. The front of the boot 10 and/or rear may be zippered to allow ready placement of the foot therein. Whilst suction cups may be 25 provided over the full surface of the sole it is preferred that the region between the ball and heel be free of cups so that either the ball or toes may be readily lifted from the underlying surface or the heel to allow swivelling movement.

The footwear of the invention may be used with small amounts of wax on a surfboard or alternatively without wax.

Of course in other situations such as on sailing craft wax is not employed. In surfboard applications the footwear of the invention provides a particularly effective grip in slippery water conditions such as where water is silted or polluted by effluent or outpour from rivers.

The, sole 12 with associated suction cups 19 may be incorporated in footwear of an design other than the boot configuration shown. Thus the boot 10 need not have a separate big toe pocket, although this is preferred.

All other modification and variations to the invention as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the claims.

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Claims

1. An article of footwear adapted for attachment to the foot of, or for wearing by, a user, said article having a sole, said sole being pruvided with suction means to enable releasable attachment of said article to a surface, said suction means including a plurality of suction cups, said suction cups being arranged in two groups, one said group being in said heel portion of said sole and the other said group being in the ball and toe portion of said sole, the region of said sole between said groups being free of said suction cups and wherein said group of said suction cups in said heel portion includes an enlarged suction cup arranged centrally in said heel portion.

2. An article according to Claim 1 wherein said suction cups in said heel portion include said enlarged central suction cup and a plurality of smaller suction cups spaced about said enlarged central suction cup.

9. 3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said sole is formed of a flexible material and comprises the sole of a boot. 25 4. An article according to Claim 3 wherein said boot includes a separate toe portion for receipt of the big toe of the wearer and a portion for receipt of the remainder of ::go the toes of the wearer. 5. An article according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein said sole includes at least one aperture through which water collecting within said boot may escape. 6. An article according to Claim 5 wherein said sole includes a plurality of said apertures arranged at spaced positions between selected suction cups. An article according to any one of the preceding claims wheriain each said suction cup includes a stem portion connected to said sole and a suction cup portion at the free end of said stem. 8. An article of footwear substantially as hereinbef ore described with ref erence to the accompanying drawings. DATED this fourth day of August 1994 GEOFFREY DAVID CARJIN RAYMOND JOHN JARRETT By Our Patent Attorney JOHN R.G. GARDNER ABSTRACT An article of footwear such as a boot (10) having a sole (12) provided on its underside with suction cups (15) to enhance grip between a wearer and a surface upon which the wearer is standing. The boot (10) is particularly suited to wearing by users of water craft such as surfboards or sailing craft.