Slip-resistant shoe cover

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include a slip-resistant shoe cover comprising: a body shaped to surround the wearer's foot, the body having an outside surface designed to contact the ground when the slip-resistant shoe cover is being worn; and a slip-resistant fabric strip ultrasonically welded to the outside surface. Exemplary methods include a method of forming a slip-resistant shoe cover, comprising: cutting a blank from a fabric for forming a shoe cover body, the bottom portion of the shoe cover body having an outside surface designed to contact the ground when the shoe covers is being worn; cutting a blank from a slip-resistant fabric suitable for forming a slip-resistant strip; folding the blank in half to define a center; overlapping the slip-resistant strip with the bottom portion of the shoe cover body's outside surface; and ultrasonically welding the slip-resistant fabric strip to the shoe cover body's outside surface.

Claims

1. A slip-resistant shoe cover comprising: a shoe cover body shaped to surround a foot of a wearer, the body made from a first fabric lacking inherent slip-resistant properties. the first fabric comprising at least 60% synthetic fibers and having a weight ranging from 30 to 80 grams per square meter, the body having an inside surface and an outside surface, the outside surface intended to contact the ground when the shoe cover is worn; and a slip-resistant fabric strip ultrasonically welded to the outside surface of the body, the fabric strip formed from a second fabric with in-resistant properties. the second fabric comprising at least 60% synthetic fibers and having a weight ranging from 30 to 80 grams per square meter; wherein the fabric used to form the shoe cover body and the fabric used to form the slip-resistant fabric strip have a melt temperature difference of not greater than 50 F.; wherein the slip-resistant fabric strip is made of nonwoven or woven coated or laminated with various of polymers.

2. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the slip-resistant fabric strip has a width ranging from about 2 centimeters to about 6 centimeters.

3. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the shoe cover body and the slip-resistant fabric strip are formed from different nonwoven fabrics.

4. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein a plurality of slip-resistant fabric strips are ultrasonically welded to the outside surface of the body.

5. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the shoe cover body and the slip-resistant fabric strip form a flat, uniform joint when ultrasonically welded.

6. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the shoe covers is formed without the use of adhesives.

7. The slip-resistant shoe cover of claim 1, wherein the tant strip is formed from nonwoven fabric with slip-resistant properties.

8. A method of imparting slip-resistant properties to a shoe cover, comprising: providing a shoe cover having a body shaped to surround a foot of a wearer, the body made from a first fabric lacking inherent slip-resistant properties, the first fabric comprising at least 60% synthetic fibers and having a weight ranging from 30 to 80 grams per square meter inside surface and an outside surface, the outside surface designed to contact the ground when the shoe cover is being worn; and ultrasonically welding a slip-resistant fabric strip to the outside surface of the shoe cover body, the fabric strip formed from a second fabric having slip-resistant properties, the second fabric comprising at least 60% synthetic fibers and having a weight ranging from 30 to 80 grams per square meter, wherein the ultrasonic welding of the slip-resistant fabric strip to the shoe cover body provides slip-resistant properties to the shoe cover; wherein the fabric used to form the shoe cover body and the fabric used to form the slip-resistant fabric strip have a melt temperature difference of not greater than 50 F.; wherein the slip-resistant fabric strip is made of nonwoven or woven coated or laminated with various of polymers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the slip-resistant fabric strip has a width ranging from about 2 centimeters to about 6 centimeters.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the shoe cover body and the slip- resistant fabric strip are formed from different nonwoven fabrics.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of slip-resistant fabric strips are ultrasonically welded to the outside surface of the body.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the shoe cover body and the slip-resistant fabric strip form a flat, uniform joint when ultrasonically welded.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the slip-resistant fabric strip is attached to the shoe cover body without the use of adhesives.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the slip-resistant strip is formed from nonwoven fabric with slip-resistant properties.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a blank cut from a fabric material without slip-resistant properties and a strip cut from a fabric with slip-resistant properties, all to be used to form an exemplary shoe cover of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is s a side view of an exemplary shoe cover of this invention showing the outside surface of the shoe cover made in accordance with exemplary methods of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates overlapping of the two different fabrics, used in exemplary embodiments to make the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the process of joining two different fabric materials according to an example of the disclosed technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows the components for forming the shoe cover in exemplary embodiments. A blank 102 can be cut from a low cost fabric suitable for manufacturing of shoe covers. For example, almost any fabric woven or nonwoven can be used. FIG. 1 also shows a blank strip 101 that can be cut from any woven or nonwoven fabric that has slip-resistant properties. Other fabrics can be used for the current invention but in general fabrics with similar chemistry and high synthetic fiber content will weld together better than fabrics with different chemistry and low synthetic fiber content. In preferred embodiments, fabric should have 60% or more synthetic fiber content in order to be welded together. In addition, in preferred embodiments, melt temperature difference for dissimilar materials should not be greater than 50 F. Due to the relatively low cost and durability, nonwoven disposable fabrics formed by different processes, such as spunbonding or meltblowing are most suitable for the present invention. The basic weight of nonwoven fabrics is usually expressed in grams per square meter (gsm). Nonwoven fabrics with weight between 30 grams per square meter and 80 grams per square meter are most suitable for the present invention.

(7) Referring to FIG. 2 an example shoe cover 10 is illustrated. The shoe cover 10 includes a body 12 formed by folding the material to create two side panels 14 and 16. The panels 14 and 16 include top elastic hems 18 and 20, respectively, formed by ultrasonic welding. The top elastic hems 18 and 20 define an opening 22 for receiving a shoe (not shown). The top elastic hems include a strip of elastic material (not shown). The panels 14 and 16 are folded to form a bottom fold 24, which defines the center, and side edges 26 and 28. The side edges 26 and 28 are ultrasonically welded to form welding joints 30 and 32, respectively, and a bottom portion 40. Each panel includes an inside surface 34 and outside surface 36. The opening 22 is expandable to form fitting about the wearer's ankle.

(8) In accordance with exemplary embodiments, the shoe cover 10 further includes a slip-resistant fabric strip 101 located on the bottom portion 40 and overlapping with the bottom fold 24 along the entire length of the shoe cover. The slip-resistant fabric strip is ultrasonically welded over the bottom fold 24. The slip resistant fabric strip 101 can be formed from any available nonwoven or woven fabric coated, bonded or laminated with various polymers such as Acrylics, Polyurethane, Nylon, Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, or any other polymer that provides slip resistance to the finished material. In general, fabrics are made from synthetic fibers (manufactured), natural fibers (occur in nature) or combination of both. In preferred embodiments, the fabric being used to form the slip-resistant strip 101 has a composition of 60% or more synthetic fibers in order to be weldable. The slip-resistant fabric strip 101 works best when it has a width from 2 centimeters to 6 centimeters and it is positioned along the bottom fold 24. The slip-resistant fabric strip 101 can be any desired width and can be positioned anywhere along the bottom portion of the shoe cover 40 that is designed to contact the ground. It should also be noted that a plurality of slip-resistant fabric strips can be ultrasonically welded along the bottom portion 40 of the shoe cover 10.

(9) FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary slip-resistant fabric strip 101 and fabric blank 102, which are overlapped and placed in an ultrasonic welding tool 110, as shown in FIG. 4. Elastic strip (not shown) can be placed between the slip-resistant fabric strip 101 and fabric blank 102 for a snug fit of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 4, the ultrasonic welding tool 110 includes welding wheel 112 and a horn transducer 114. The horn transducer 114 produces ultrasonic vibrations, and pressure is applied to the welding wheel 110 and the two fabrics 101 and 102 to create friction. Friction produces heat and melts the two fabrics at one or more contact points to form and ultrasonic welding joint as one skilled in art will understand.

(10) There are many advantages in the shoe cover of this invention having an ultrasonically welded slip-resistant strip 101 along the bottom portion 40 of the shoe cover 10.

(11) For example, nonwoven fabrics with slip-resistant properties are 3 to 4 times more expensive than nonwoven fabrics without any slip-resistant properties. By ultrasonically welding just a small slip-resistant strip along the bottom portion of the shoe cover, the incremental cost increase of adding slip-resistance to the shoe cover is very minimal as compared to other solutions described in the background section. This invention gives the manufacturers options to experiment with various readily available fabrics and find the one that best suit their needs when trying to achieve a balance between cost and safety. Slip-resistance is measured on a scale based on Coefficient of Friction (COF). The Coefficient of Friction is the ratio of the frictional force resisting the motion of two surfaces in contact to the normal force pressing the two surfaces together. By increasing the width or the count of the slip-resistant fabric strip 101 manufacturers can easily increase or decrease the COF of the shoe cover of the present invention while having control over the cost.

(12) Furthermore, when the slip-resistant fabric strip 101 and the fabric blank 102 are overlapped and placed in an ultrasonic welding tool 110 a uniform joint is formed. This ultrasonically welded joint keeps the shoe cover bottom portion 40 of the present invention flat and much more comfortable when compared to other solutions.

(13) Third, since the slip-resistant fabric strip 101 is ultrasonically welded the need for additional consumables, adhesives, glue, inks, or polymers is eliminated. Also, the ultrasonic welding process is easy and quick to setup and consumes low energy.

(14) Fourth, the ultrasonic welding process also eliminates the need of stitching, which creates holes in the shoe cover and allows water or other liquids to penetrate the material quicker.

(15) Another advantage of the present invention is the ability to automate the production process of slip-resistant shoe covers. The blanks 101 and 102 can be cut individually as shown on FIG. 1 or used as rolled fabrics slid to a desired width and fed into an ultrasonic welding device. The blanks 101 and 102 can be placed on rolls, cut to the desired width and fed into ultrasonic welding machine for fast and automated production. Currently, there are many ultrasonic welding machines on the market that can perform all the necessary steps of forming the slip-resistant shoe cover of the present invention. The machines are versatile and easy to use in order to seam, cut, slit, trim, tack, emboss, or to cut and seal at the same time. The ultrasonic welding process is easy and quick to setup and has high productivity speed.