Grounding footwear

Abstract

The article of footwear for grounding the human body to earth includes a covered upper; a sole having an outer sole face distal from a user and an inner sole face proximate to the user; one or more electrically conductive portions which extend through the sole from the outer sole face to the inner sole face; and an electrically conductive layer which extends over a portion of the inner sole face and being configured to make conductive contact with the foot of the human body.

Claims

1. An article of footwear for grounding a human body to earth, comprising: an upper; a sole having an outer sole face distal to said upper and an inner sole face proximate to said upper; an electrically conductive portion extending through said sole from said outer sole face toward said inner sole face; and an electrically conductive layer extending over a portion of said inner sole face, wherein said electrically conductive portion has a body portion and a shaft being disposed through said body portion, said body portion and said shaft outwardly projecting from said outer sole face so as to form an electrical conduction path to ground relationship from said inner sole face to said shaft through said electrically conductive layer, wherein said sole comprises a stud receiving portion, and wherein said electrically conductive portion is a threaded screw stud being comprised of a threaded retaining insert, said body portion, and said shaft being disposed through said body portion and having a threaded end removably engaged with said sole structure and an exposed ground contacting portion end opposite said threaded end, said body portion having a truncated cone shape.

2. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stud receiving portion is molded within material of said sole.

3. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body portion comprises projections so as to engage with a complementary shaped tool.

4. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body portion comprises an annular shoulder, wherein said stud receiving portion has an outer face, and wherein said annular shoulder has a fully screwed position with said outer face meeting said annular shoulder.

5. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises a layer of conductive tape, the article further comprising: an insole being positioned above said layer of conductive tape and being comprised of a cushioning layer formed from a woven fabric material, said woven fabric material being comprised of a conductive yarn.

6. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a soluble coating being applied to said upper and said sole, said soluble coating being comprised of a conductive compound.

7. An article of footwear for grounding a human body to earth, the article comprising: an upper; a sole having an outer sole face distal to said upper and an inner sole face proximate to said upper; an electrically conductive portion extending through said sole from said outer sole face toward said inner sole face, wherein said electrically conductive portion is a threaded screw stud being comprised of a threaded retaining insert, a body portion, and a shaft being disposed through said body portion and having a threaded end removably engaged within said sole structure and an exposed ground contacting portion end opposite said threaded end, said body portion having a truncated cone shape; and an electrically conductive layer extending over a portion of said inner sole face so as to form an electrical conduction path to ground relationship from said inner sole face to said shaft through said electrically conductive layer, wherein said sole comprises a stud receiving portion; and a slit in said inner sole face, said electrically conductive portion extending through the stud receiving portion, wherein said threaded end has a lug having a projection positioned through said slit in said inner sole face.

8. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: a conductive wire having one wire end connected to said lug so as to form at least one electrical connection of a group consisting of: a physical spade connection, a crimp connection, and a soldered connection.

9. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: an adjacent electrically conductive portion extending through said sole from said outer sole face toward said inner sole face, wherein said conductive wire has another wire end connected to said adjacent electrically conductive portion so as to form a loop.

10. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 9, wherein said loop is positioned in a flat configuration aligned with said inner sole face.

11. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: another electrically conductive portion extending through said sole from said outer sole face toward said inner sole face; and another adjacent electrically conductive portion extending through said sole from said outer sole face toward said inner sole face so as to form another loop between said another electrically conductive portion and said another adjacent conductive portion, wherein said loop and said another loop are positioned adjacent to said inner sole face.

12. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sole is comprised of a heel portion, and an instep portion, said loop being in said heel portion, said another loop being in said instep portion.

13. The article of footwear as claimed in claim 9, wherein said loop has a convoluted path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a side schematic view of the footwear in accordance with the present invention and which also shows a cross-sectional view from the side of the electrical grounding connection between the underside of studded sole to the user.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional plan view from above of the top of the inwardly facing sole face of the footwear of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view from the side of a screw stud for use with the footwear of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 is a side schematic view of a second embodiment of the present invention which is configured as a bladed football shoe.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a side schematic view of the footwear of FIG. 4 which is configured for use as a golf shoe.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view from the side of a third embodiment of the present invention which shows a screw stud for use with the footwear of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention has adopted the approach of utilising footwear to discharge extraneous static electricity and charges from an individual during sports and leisure activities. Advantageously, the present invention provides footwear that can be worn to give an improved sense of wellbeing. Further advantageously, the present invention provides sports and leisure footwear and its method of manufacture which does not affect the mechanical and aesthetic properties of the footwear, nor does it significantly increase weight of the footwear. Use of the present invention helps to eradicate the effects of extraneous static electricity, positive ions and other electromagnetic fields and charges that are accumulated in the human body by naturally dissipating them to the ground to give an improved sports and/or athletic performance. Use of the present invention helps to aid the recovery and healing of the human body's natural equilibrium, to promote a balance in blood cell congestion and reduce inflammation. Use of the present invention is particularly beneficial for sportspersons who are prone to injury or who suffer from reoccurring chronic conditions.

(9) Referring now to the drawings, electrically grounded footwear or shoe 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. Specifically, the shoe 10 in this exemplary embodiment is described in relation to a screw studded football or rugby shoe. The shoe 10 has an upper 12 which is bonded to a sole 14. The sole 14 consists of a generally flat portion formed from a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as, for example, a moulded resin, rubberised or hard plastics material.

(10) As shown in FIG. 1, the sole 14 is formed having two opposing faces which are generally planar and parallel to each other, having an outwardly facing sole face 16 at its underside and an opposite inwardly facing sole face 18 which is proximate to the user 100 when in use.

(11) Depending upon the sport or leisure activity for which the shoe 10 is intended to be used, the outer sole face 16 may include integrally-moulded detents, raised protections or blades or other features for providing grip (as shown for example in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5), or include one or more stud receiving portions 20 capable of receiving one or more complementary threaded screw studs 22.

(12) To ensure a strong mechanical securement of the screw studs 22 to the outer sole face 16, a threaded aperture or threaded retaining insert 24 is in-moulded in the sole 14 to receive the thread 32 at one end of the screw stud 22, as best shown in FIG. 3. The threaded aperture or threaded retaining insert 24 can be integrally moulded with the sole 14 or formed from a separate suitable metal or rigid plastic material and in-moulded.

(13) The plurality of screw studs 22 are provided along the length of the outer sole face 16 extending generally in pairs, at least through the heel portion 26, instep portion 28 and toe portion 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The skilled person will appreciate that other configurations, including additional screw studs 22, can be positioned throughout the sole 14 and this is in no way intended to be limiting.

(14) As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the screw studs 22 is configured as a truncated cone or truncated pyramid and include at one end a threaded portion 32 which is dimensioned to be received in the complementary threaded aperture or retaining insert 24 in the sole 14. The threaded portion 32 is fabricated from an electrically conductive material, such as copper, silver or silver plated or coated steel, or an alloy or mixtures thereof, and extends through the plastic body or body portion 34 of the stud 22 as a shaft 38 which is completely exposed at the opposite end 36 to the thread 32. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the body 34 of the screw stud is trilobulor, cruxiform or cone-shaped with projections 34A for engagement with a complementary shaped tool (not shown) for fixture and/or replacement. The body portion 34 also includes an annular shoulder 58 which meets with the outer face of the stud receiving portion 20 when fully screwed in. In a preferred embodiment, the threaded portion 32 and retaining inset 24 are provided having M4, M5 or M6 ISO metric screw threads.

(15) The construction of the screw stud 22 can be via any suitable form of fabrication, i.e. the elongate metal bar or shaft 38 forming the threaded portion 32 at one end and the ground contacting base 36 at the other, can machined, pressed, cast or forged from a suitable conducting metal. The plastic outer stud body 34 is then moulded around the shaft, as best shown in FIG. 3. The skilled person will appreciate that the plastic outer stud body 34 can be manufactured using techniques such as injection or blow moulding, vacuum forming, rotational moulding, compression moulding, rim moulding, power impression moulding or any form of plastics manufacture.

(16) The screw studs 22 are at least partly made of conductive material, copper, silver or alloys or mixtures thereof. Alternatively, the stud 22 can be made from other metallic or non-metallic conductive materials such as carbon fibre, which also has the added benefit of being lightweight. The above list is no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive. The fundamental attributes of the stud 22 require that the central shaft 38 to be of an electrically conductive material.

(17) The threaded end 32 forms or defines a low-profile lug 40 or push-fit type connector at the top of the shaft 38. The lug 40 positioned at the threaded end 32 of the shaft 38 projects through a slit or opening 44 formed in the inner sole face 18, as best shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 1. The lug 40 is then connected to one end (42a′, 42b′, 42c′) of a loop (42a, 42b, 42c) of exposed conductive wire 42 which is formed from copper, silver or alloys or mixtures thereof. The electrical connection of the looped wire 42 to the lug 40 of the stud 22 is via a physical spade connection or crimp or by soldering the wire 42 to the lug 40 of the screw stud 22.

(18) The small hole or incision 44 made in the inner sole face 18 adjacent to the in-moulded retaining insert 24, allows the exposed wire 42 to been electrically connected to the ground contacting base 36 of the stud 22, and the wire 42 is then positioned in a generally flat configuration adjacent to the inner sole face 18, as best shown in FIG. 1.

(19) As best shown in FIG. 2, an advantageous grounding effect is achieved when at least six electrically conductive studs 22 are positioned in the sole 14. A pair of studs 22a being positioned around the toe portion 30; a pair of studs 22b being positioned around the instep portion 28 and a pair of studs 22c being positioned around the heel portion 26. Each of these pair of studs 22a, 22b, 22c are electrically connected using looped wires 42a, 42b, 42c, respectively, as described below.

(20) Each of the looped wires 42a, 42b, 42c form ends (42a′, 42b′, 42c′, 42a″, 42b″, 42c″) that are connected to the lugs 40 of the pairs of studs 22a, 22b, 22c secured in the receiving portions 20 as sole structures of the sole 14, and define a stud electrical connection point or “node”. The looped wires 42a, 42b, 42c are held in place by a layer of conductive tape or fabric 46, again preferably a copper or silver-based tape or fabric material, as best shown in FIG. 1. In a preferred embodiment, an embossed copper tape, with an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive and liner, is utilised. The embossing ensuring that an excellent electrical contact is made even through the adhesive.

(21) To provide comfort when in use, an insole 48 is then placed on the top of the layer of conductive tape 46. The insole 48 provides a cushioning layer and which can be formed from a woven fabric material that includes a conductive yarn selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: strands of copper, silver, carbon fibre and combinations thereof. The above list is no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive. The insole 48 also being anatomically shaped to the foot of the user 100 when in use.

(22) As best shown in FIG. 2, each of the pair of studs (a pair of studs being a stud 22a as an electrically conductive portion and corresponding stud 22a as an adjacent electrically conductive portion, another pair of studs being another stud 22b, 22c as another electrically conductive portion and corresponding another stud 22b, 22c as another adjacent electrically conductive portion) is connected by a loop of conductive wire 42a, 42b, 42c, respectively. The conductive wire loops 42a, 42b, 42c are configured to maximise the point of contact with the conductive tape 46 (not shown for clarity reasons in FIG. 2) and are C- or U-shaped. The skilled person will also appreciate that an asymmetrical or other convoluted routes 42a′″ or paths can also be utilised by the conductive wire 42a, 42b, 42c to increase the electrical point of contact.

(23) For optimum performance of the present invention it is suggested that the individual 100 wear socks 56 that are made from a woven fabric material that includes a conductive yarn selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: strands of copper, silver, carbon fibre and combinations thereof.

(24) The shoe 10 in this exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in relation to a screw studded football shoe, but can be adapted or adopted in any modern sports footwear that includes a screw stud 22 selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: golf shoes, rugby boots, American football boots, hockey shoes, running spikes etc. The above list is no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive. In order to adapt this technology into other areas of sport or leisure only minor alterations will occur, but these are entirely within the scope of the present invention. Use of the present invention enabling an electrical conduction path to ground to harness the negatively charged electrons and ions carried in the earth and which flow freely from the ground up through the footwear 10, and any sock 56 or foot garment onto the surface of the user's 100 skin.

(25) Use of the screw studded football shoe 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has been found to significantly reduce the electric field induced voltage on subject's bodies. A simple, but effective, measurement can be made by the use of a digital multimeter. The electric field was firstly measured on a subject's body whilst being in direct contact with grass, and this was found to be around −100 mV. The same subject, using the screw studded footwear 10 as described in relation to FIGS. 1 to 3, was found to have a measured electric field of around −750 mV. Without wishing to be limited by a theory, it is understood that this larger negative potential is indicative of an effective electrical conduction path or contact to ground, and which allows the user 100 to harness or infuse the negatively charged electrons and ions carried in abundance in the earth. These negatively charged electrons and ions flow freely from the ground up through the footwear 10, and any sock 56 or foot garment onto the surface of the user's 100 skin.

(26) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the shoe 10. The construction of the second embodiment is very similar to that of the first embodiment and corresponding features have been given the same reference numerals. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that instead of footwear 10 having separate screw studs 22 being inserted in the sole 14, the shoe 10 includes moulded blades 50, projections or studs, as sole structures of the sole, that are integrally formed with the sole 14. Adapting the present invention for football shoes 10 with rubber moulded studs or blades 50 necessitates making a small incision (not shown in FIG. 4) above and adjacent the moulded blade 50 and a small hole would be made from the outermost part of the blade 50 to the inner sole face 18. A thin piece or section of conductive material 52, such as copper, silver or silver plated or coated steel, or an alloy or mixtures thereof, would be inserted creating an electrical conduction path. This can be retained in place in the blade 50 via an interference fit or adhered in place using a suitable adhesive. Such a configuration enabling the electrical connection between the ground and insole 48 to occur, as with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

(27) Alternatively, the conductive piece 52 in the blade 50 could be formed using an electrically conductive layer. This can be achieved by placing a thin film of metal onto a plastic material forming the sole 14 and mixing it into the polymer surface with an ion beam. This alternative method can be used to form conductive plastic films, and utilised to make portions or channels 52 of the in-moulded blades 50 electrically conductive.

(28) The present invention can work within many different types of sports and leisure footwear. For example, FIG. 5 shows how the present invention can be configured as a tennis or golf shoe 10. Very much like FIG. 4, the conductive rods 52 would be inserted directly into the sole 14 of the shoe 10 through the projections 54 and the looped wires 42 (not shown in FIG. 5 for clarity reasons) would connect to the uppermost end of the rods 52 though the inner sole face 18.

(29) FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a screw stud 22 for use with footwear 10. The construction of the third embodiment is very similar to that of the first and second embodiments and corresponding features have been given the same reference numerals. The third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that instead of a low-profile lug 40 extending from the threaded end 32 at the top of the shaft 38, the shaft 38 of the screw stud 22 features a blind hole 60. The blind hole 60 is disposed at the top of the shaft 38 enabling the electrical connection of the looped wire 42 to the stud 22 usually by way of soldering the wire 42 (not shown) inside the blind hole 60. This is a simple and effective way of connecting the wire loop 42 to the stud 22.

(30) The shoe 10 of the present invention is considered particularly beneficial for sportspersons who are prone to injury or who suffer from reoccurring chronic conditions. What is apparent is that with all embodiments of the invention is that the conductive shaft 38 formed in the outwardly projecting screw studs 22 with a body portion 34 for the shaft 38, or the conductive pieces 52 formed in the outwardly projecting integrally-moulded blades 50 or projections 54 of the shoe 10 allow any extraneous static electricity, positive ions and other electromagnetic fields and charges that are otherwise present in the individual 100 to be naturally dissipated to the ground when that person in engaged in sports or leisure activities.

(31) The skilled person will understand that the present invention could also be configured such that the material forming the upper 12 of the shoe 10 is also made from a conductive fabric material, as described above in relation to the insole 48.

(32) A soluble coating 12A which could incorporate a conductive compound, such as silver ion solution in its composition, could also be applied to the outer layer of the shoe 10, the upper 12 and the sole 14 to create a waterproof and conductive coating which enhances the grounding effects described herein.

(33) The skilled person will understand that aspects of the invention, and particularly the features of the looped wire 42 in contact with, or sandwiched between layers of conductive tape 46, adjacent to one or more layers of conductive woven fabric material 48A of an insole 48 could be isolated from the footwear 10, and instead embodied as an electrically grounded conductive mat or pad. The mat or pad could be connected to a separate ground connection or rod via a grounding wire connection for use in indoor sports activities, such as in a gym, or for post-exercise sports treatment and rehabilitation, as part of a massage table.

(34) Preliminary studies of professional footballers using thermal imaging analysis has revealed that use of the present invention, even over short periods of time, markedly improves blood and lymphatic circulation which, in turn, reduces pain and inflammation and aids recovery.

(35) The invention is not intended to be limited to the details of the embodiments described herein, which are described by way of example only. Various additions and alternations may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although particular embodiments refer to implementing the present invention with football shoes or boots, this is in no way intended to be limiting as, in use, the present invention can be applied to any type of footwear. It will be understood that features described in relation to any particular embodiment can be featured in combination with other embodiments.