AU626484B2 - Footwear outsole - Google Patents

Description

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I7 Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRA F PATENTS ACT 1952-69 COIMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: PJ 7933 Lodged: 20th December 1989 0 4 a ,Complete Specification Lodged: S Accepted: o Published: 0 o 4 o ,,Priority o0 0 0 0 9 Related Art C, ~C4 6400 oa° 1\ame of Applicant 0 0 Address of Applicant: 0 I O° Actual Inventor Address for Service PACIFIC DUNLOP LIMITED Dunlop Footwear, 47 Chapel Road, Bankstown, New South Wales BRIAN JOHN NOLAN WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS.

LOCKED BAG NO. 5, HAWTHORN, VICTORIA 3122, AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: FOOTWEAR OUTSOLE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of perfciming it known to us LV- _e i I This invention relates to outsoles for footwear and more particularly to a moulded plastic outsole for incorporation in a waterproof protective "gum" or "wellington" boot, especially such a boot fc use in the food industry.

For personnel working in such places as abattoirs, fish and vegetable markets, pet food plants and the like it is imperative that some kind of specialised footwear should be worn; gum boots are generally preferred.

However, the outsoles of such footwear are not well suited to conditions in which workplace floors are invariably slippery with water, oils, fats and greases, acids, detergents, etc.

0 As an example of a footwear outsole which is totally unsuited to wet, slippery floor conditions, the 0o* specification relating to Australian application No. 14559/88 0 to BATA LIMITED, may be evinced; this disclosing, inter alia, an outsole "tread" including a "support system 25 which, in the vicinity of the metatarsus, comprises a plurality of channels 15, 16, 17 and 18 oriented substantially at o.0 right-angles to longitudinal axis 6 (sic) and separated from °0*0 one another by rib-like webs 21, 22 and 23 00 o However, the channels 15 to 18 ae not angled rearwardly but are o. o of constant depth; thus, the BATA outsole configuration does i not "pump" liquid from under the sole.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to at least minimize the above and other disadvantages by the provision of an outsole for industrial footwear, particularly for use in the food industry, which has much-improved non-slip i qualities and enhanced floor-engaging characteristics, especially in wet and slippery conditions.

To this end, then, a moulded plastic outsole for incorporation in a waterproof, protective article of footwear includes, between a toe portion and a heel portion thereof) a j plurality of transverse ribs angled rearwardly from the outside to the inside of the outsole; a trough, or channel, disposed between each adjacent pair of said transverse ribs; and a i2 t 1 is h 1 t ^i Streaded stud intermediate the ends of each trouch, This arrangement is such that each said trough is shallow at either end of its associated treaded stud but that is deeper at its two open ends; whereby, when the outsole happens to be in contact with a wet and slippery floor surface, liquid substances thereon are enabled to flow out from under the outsole via the said troughs.

Preferably, the toe portion, at least, of the inventive moulded plastic outsole is provided with a recess S which is able to act as a suction cup to create a suction effect at the forward arc of the said outsole.

Most ideally, the inventive outsole is moulded from o. nitrile polyvinylchloride.

In order that a better understanding of the present invention may be gained, hereinafter will be described a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 depicts the underside of a moulded outsole 040 in accordance with the present invention; 0 0 Figure 2 is a corresponding side elevation thereof; .Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along line III c. III of Figure 1; and S" Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along IV IV of o4 0e Figure 1.

The inventive outsole is ideally moulded in a suitable plastic, perhaps from nitrile polyvinylchloride such as that known as POLYNITE 210. As will be seen from perusal of Figure 2, the inventive outsole is moulded without any so-called "toe spring"; that is to say, from toe portion 10 to heel portion 11, those portions of the outsole which are adapted to engage a floor surface are substantially planar; with the exception, however, of those features which are presently to be described.

Toe portion 10, along with heel portion 11 of the inventive outsole, have, respectively, substantially vertical, 3 iI S:i gp forwardly-directed, and substantially rearwardly directed wall surfaces: each of these substantially vertically oriented wall surfaces has a curvilinear, concavely formed "flare", as will be seen in Figure 2, indicated at 12 and 13. These "flares" result not only in a significant weight saving but also in an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Toe portion 10 has incorporated therein a recess 14 which is able, under correct conditions at least, to function as a suction cup to create a suction effect at the forward arc of the outsole; this feature greatly improves the grip between the outsole and the surface of contact, generally refere.ned S. in Figures 2 and 4. In other, and not illustrated, embodiments, additional, or alternative, suction cups may well 'be provided at other locations on the outsole for example, an heel portion 11.

o Disposed between toe portion 10 and heel portion 11 there are a plurality of ribs, or lands, 1.6 interspersed with troughs 17, each of which has, intermediate its ends, a treaded, rectangular stud 18. Each trough 17 is not of «0o00 constant depth, as is the case of prior art sole channels, but oo is considerably deeper at its two open ends and shallow at 00 c either side of its associated trough 17. Heel portion 11 may .O 0 well also be provided with a pair of short troughs 19, closed at their inner ends.

0 a Thus, while the moulded plastic outsole according to the present invention incorporates a maximum contact over, via toe portion 10, ribs 16, studs 18 and heel portion 11, the 0 particular configuration of the troughs 17 and 19 when the inventive outsole is in contact with a wet and/or slippery floor surface, liquid substances thereon are enabled to flow out from under the outsole via the troughs, as indicated by arrows 20 in Figure 4. In other words, it may be truly said that such liquid substances are "pumped: out from under the |i inventive outsoles as a user walks in them. i The preferred plastic, POLYNITE 210, combines maximum flexibility, within a temperature range of -10°C up to 4 I

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0 C, with high resistance to attack by all major fatty acids, greases, oils and detergents likely to be encountered in the food industry it also gives an exceptional grip on the ground or on a floor.

From the abovegoing, it will be readily appreciated by the e who are skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set out in the appended claims.

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Claims (5)

1. A moulded plastic outsole for incorporation in a waterproof, protective article of footwear, the said outsole including, between a toe portion and a heel portion thereof, a plurality of transverse ribs angled rearwardly from the laterally outer side to the laterally inner side of said outsole; a trough disposed between each adjacent pair of said transverse ribs; and a treaded stud intermediate the ends of each trough: the arrangement being such that each trough is shallow at either side of its associated stud but deeper at its two open ends; whereby, when said outsole is in contact with a wet floor surface, liquid substances thereon are enabled to flow out from under the said outsole via the said troughs.

2. The moulded plastic outsole as claimed in Claim 1, said outsole having a forward arc, wherein the underside of said toe portion, at least, is provided with a recess which is able to act as a suction cup to create a suction effect at the forward arc of said outsole. S° 3. The moulded plastic outsole as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein those portions of said outsole which are adapted to engage a said floor surface are substantially adapted S to engage a said floor surface are substantially planar, having no "toe spring" (as hereinbefore defined).

4. The moulded plastic outsole as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a substantially vertical, forwardly directed wall surface of said toe portion, and a substantially vertical, rearwardly directed wall surface of said heel portion both include a "flared"section (as hereinbefore defined). The moulded plastic outsole as claimed in any as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said heel portion is provided with a pair of troughs closed at their laterally inner ends; said heel portion troughs being disposed parallel with each other and with the said transverse ribs.

6. The moulded plastic outsole as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the said outsole is moulded from 6 .I I L jJI,. nitrile polyvinyichioride.

7. A moulded plastic outsole, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of December 1990. PACIFIC DUNLOP LIMITED WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 0:0,0:"THE ATIRUM" 290 BURWCX)D ROAD 2, HAWTHORN. VIC. 3122. t0