Footwear or Footwear Accessory for Traversing a Range of Different Terrains

Abstract

A footwear accessory is used for traversing different types of terrain including a sole, a heel, and opposing sides. Each side has a support wall and an expandable portion joined to the support wall by a support rib. The expandable portion moves between unexpanded and expanded positions to increase contact area on soft terrain. The footwear accessory is generally used in a pair, where a user attaches one of the footwear accessories to each foot and/or existing footwear worn by the user. The user's bare foot or footwear (boot, shoe, etc.), for example, is supported by, and within a cavity defined by, the sole, the heel, and the sides. The user then walks and/or runs across different types of terrain wearing the footwear accessory.

Claims

1. A footwear accessory attachable to a user's foot or footwear, comprising: a sole configured to support the user's bare foot or footwear; a heel at a rear of the sole; and opposing sides extending upwardly from the sole, wherein each side comprises: a support wall extending from the sole and connected to the heel; an expandable portion expandable from an unexpanded position on a firm terrain to an expanded position on a soft terrain, wherein in the expanded position, an effective contact area of the sole contacting the soft terrain is increased to distribute a weight of the user; and a support rib connecting the support wall and the expandable portion, wherein the support rib extends at least substantially an entire length of the expandable portion.

2. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the expandable portions each comprise an upper portion comprising a first thickness and a lower portion comprising a second thickness, the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

3. The footwear accessory of claim 2, wherein the lower portion is flared outwardly with respect to the upper portion.

4. The footwear accessory of claim 2, wherein a bottom edge of the lower portion is spaced from a bottom of the sole by an offset distance.

5. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the expandable portions are biased toward the unexpanded configuration.

6. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the support rib comprises a curved cross-sectional profile.

7. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises an underside comprising: a tread comprising a pattern; and apertures in the pattern and configured to provide a passageway for fluid to pass through the sole.

8. The footwear accessory of claim 7, wherein the apertures are defined in channels of the tread.

9. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the sole, the heel, and the sides define a cavity within which the user's bare foot or footwear is positioned.

10. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the heel extends upwardly from the sole to form a rear support wall to provide a rear support structure for a user's heel.

11. The footwear accessory of claim 10, wherein the rear support wall is in a curved configuration between the sides.

12. The footwear accessory of claim 10, wherein the heel comprises a rear wing extending at an angle outwardly away from the rear support wall.

13. The footwear accessory of claim 12, further comprising corner webs connecting the rear wing to the expandable portions.

14. The footwear accessory of claim 1, wherein the support walls comprise one or more apertures for attachment of a fastener, fasteners, or fastener assemblies used for attaching the footwear accessory to the user's bare foot or footwear.

15. A footwear article comprising: an outsole defining a sole with a tread and channels; opposing sides each including a support wall and an expandable portion movable between an unexpanded position on firm terrain and an expanded position on a soft terrain, wherein in the expanded position, an effective contact area of the sole contacting the soft terrain is increased by interaction with the soft terrain; a support rib extending along at least a majority of a length of each expandable portion and joining the expandable portion to the corresponding support wall; and a heel comprising a rear wing, the rear wing cooperating with the expandable portions to increase the effective contact area on soft terrain.

16. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the expandable portions each comprise an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein a bottom edge of the lower portion is spaced from a bottom of the sole by an offset distance.

17. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the expandable portions are biased toward the unexpanded configuration.

18. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the support rib comprises a curved cross-sectional profile.

19. The footwear article of claim 15, wherein the sole comprises an underside comprising: a tread comprising a pattern; and apertures in the pattern and configured to provide a passageway for fluid to pass through the sole.

20. A kit, comprising a pair of the footwear accessories of claim 1 and a plurality of straps with buckles configured to pass through apertures in the support walls to secure each accessory to a user's foot or footwear.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Aspects of the disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, the features of which are not necessarily shown to scale. Some details of elements may not be shown or may be represented by conventional symbols in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a footwear accessory including a sole, a heel, and sides extending from the sole and heel, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the sole comprises an underside including a tread.

[0007] FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the heel includes a rear wing attached to a top portion of the heel and expandable portions of the sides.

[0008] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the sole comprises suction-relief apertures defined in the sole in between the tread.

[0009] FIG. 5 is a top view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein each side includes a structural support wall extending upwardly from the sole, an expandable portion, and a support rib connecting the expandable portion to the structural support wall.

[0010] FIG. 6 is a side view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the expandable portion of the side viewable in FIG. 6 includes a top portion extending from the support rib and a flared bottom portion extending from the top portion.

[0011] FIG. 7 is a side view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the expandable portion of the side viewable in FIG. 7 includes a top portion extending from the support rib and a flared bottom portion extending from the top portion.

[0012] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1, wherein the rear wing further comprises corner supports connecting the rear wing to the expandable portions of the sides.

[0013] FIG. 9 is a front view of the footwear accessory of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a kit that includes footwear accessories and straps, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a footwear accessories with straps installed, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present disclosure describes an improved footwear or footwear accessory for traversing soft terrain. The footwear accessory is generally used in a pair, where a user attaches one of the footwear accessories to each foot and/or existing footwear worn by the user. The footwear accessory includes a sole, a heel, and sides. The user's footwear (boot, shoe, etc.), for example, is supported by, and within a cavity defined by, the sole, the heel, and the sides. In at least one instance, the footwear accessory is attached to the user's foot and/or footwear by any suitable attachment means such as, for example, straps, hook and loop, and/or buckles. For example, adjustable straps may be attached to the footwear accessory using rivets and/or washers and buckles may be included on the straps for the user to fasten the straps together for attaching to the user's foot and/or footwear. The attachment means holds the footwear accessory to the shoe, boot, or foot, of a user during use. The user then walks and/or runs across different types of terrain wearing the footwear accessory.

[0017] The sides of the footwear accessory include expandable portions configured to expand and retract, or flex, open and closed relative to the sides upon sinking of the footwear accessory into and interaction with soft terrain as the footwear or footwear accessory moves into the soft terrain to provide an increased effective surface contact area for weight distribution of the user. For purposes of this disclosure, soft terrain includes terrain that, under a representative load, conforms sufficiently to increase the effective contact area of the footwear or footwear accessory beyond the sole's initial planform (e.g., by engagement of the expandable portions. Otherwise, for purposes of this disclosure, the terrain is considered hard terrain. In the soft terrain, the action of the expandable portions expanding outwardly increases the amount of surface area of the footwear accessory in contact with the soft terrain. This increased surface area allows the user's weight to be more evenly distributed, and distributed across a larger surface area, on the soft terrain. This interaction reduces the likelihood of the user wearing the footwear accessory from sinking down into the soft terrain upon applying the user's weight to the soft terrain through the footwear accessory. In hard terrain, the footwear or footwear accessory does not move into the terrain enough for the expandable portions to expand and therefore the expandable portions remain in an unexpanded position or only a partially expanded position but without the expandable portions providing substantial support. Hard terrain can include, for example, rock; firm dirt, sand, and/or grass; concrete; wood; and/or gravel. The expandable portions are thus configured such that the expandable portions do not hinder a user's ability to walk on hard terrain while the expandable portions are in the unexpanded position.

[0018] Each side of the footwear accessory further includes a support rib extending between a structural support wall of the side and the expandable portion of the side. The support rib extends along at least a majority of the length of the expandable portion of the side. Such a support rib can increase longevity of the footwear accessory by eliminating the need for a discrete hinge with a thin and/or different material resulting in a concentrated hinge crease, for example. The support rib can function both as a support and an attachment mechanism for the expandable portion to the structural support wall of the side while still permitting a degree of flexion for the expandable portion to be expanded relative to the structural support wall and unexpanded relative to the structural support wall.

[0019] The support rib has a curved cross-sectional profile, which distributes hinge stresses along its length. The rib is engineered to be stiff in-plane, providing robust support, while remaining flexible out-of-plane to facilitate repeated hinging of the expandable portions. This design minimizes localized stress concentrations, enhances longevity, and ensures consistent expansion and retraction of the expandable portions in response to terrain conditions.

[0020] FIGS. 1-9 depict a footwear accessory 100 for assisting a user in walking on soft terrain where a user may otherwise sink into the soft terrain making walking on the soft terrain rather difficult. The footwear accessory 100 may include an all-in-one footwear where a user attaches the footwear accessory 100 to their bare foot. In another instance, a user inserts their existing footwear (boot, shoe, e.g.), into the footwear accessory 100 and attaches the footwear accessory 100 to the user's footwear. The footwear accessory 100 comprises a front 101 corresponding to a front, or toe, of the user's foot or footwear and a rear 102 corresponding to a rear, or heel, of the user's foot or footwear.

[0021] As can be seen in FIGS. 1-9, the footwear accessory 100 comprises a sole 110, a heel 140 at the rear 102, and sides 170 extending upwardly from the sole 110 between the front 101 and the heel 140. The sole 110, heel 140, and sides 170 define a cavity 103 within which a user's foot and/or shoe is positioned. The sole 110 provides a support surface for the user's foot and/or shoe. The heel 140 extends upwardly from the sole 110 at the rear 102 and provides a rear support structure for a user's heel. The sides 170 provide a side support structure for a user's foot and/or shoe and provide the footwear accessory 100 with expandable portions 180, such as for example, panels, flaps or wings, for walking on soft terrain, discussed in greater detail below.

[0022] The sole 110 comprises a top surface 111 against which a user's foot, or shoe, is positioned and an underside 115 for engaging terrain. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the underside 115 comprises a tread 116 formed thereon to assist in gripping terrain and channeling fluid away from the sole 110. The tread 116 can comprise any suitable pattern. The tread 116 further comprises channels 117 for channeling fluid away from the sole 110. The sole 110 further comprises apertures 112 (see FIGS. 1 and 4, for example), e.g., openings, defined within the channels 117 of the tread 116. The apertures 112 may comprise any suitable size and/or shape. In at least one instance, the apertures 112 are configured to relieve a suction force which may be present when a user lifts the footwear accessory 100 away from soft terrain and a seal exists between the footwear accessory 100 and the soft terrain. The seal may develop between the underside 115 of the footwear accessory 100 and the soft terrain. The apertures 112 can help reduce, or alleviate, this negative pressure, or suction force, from developing under the footwear accessory 100 which can hinder a user's ability to lift the footwear accessory 100 away from the soft terrain to take a step. In at least one instance, the apertures 112 further provide drainage relief and act as a passageway through which fluid and/or debris may pass which may inadvertently flow into and/or around a user's foot and/or shoe, for example, during use. A collection of fluid and/or debris around the user's foot and/or shoe, for example, may increase the weight of the footwear accessory during use further hindering the user's ability to walk with the footwear accessory 100 attached to the user's foot or shoe.

[0023] The heel 140 comprises a rear support wall 141 configured to support a user's heel, for example. The rear support wall 141 extends in a curved configuration between the sides 170 and is rigid. The rear support wall 141 comprises a top surface 142. The heel 140 further comprises a rear wing 150 (FIG. 3) configured to provide additional surface area and support upon interaction with soft terrain. The rear wing 150 extends at an angle outwardly away from the rear support wall 141. The rear wing 150 comprises a central portion 151 and corner webs 153 connecting each expandable portion 180 and the central portion 151.

[0024] As discussed herein, the sides 170 are configured to support a user's foot and/or footwear, for example, and provide an expandable portion 180 for selectively engaging soft terrain as the accessory 100 sinks into the soft terrain to increase the surface area against which a user's weight is distributed while walking on soft terrain. By increasing surface area, the footwear accessory 100 minimizes energy expenditure compared to conventional boots, enabling more efficient traversal of soft terrain. Each side 170 comprises a support wall 171 for supporting a user's foot and/or footwear, for example. In at least one instance, the support wall 171 is more rigid than the expandable portion 180. Each support wall 171 comprises one or more apertures 105 for attachment of a fastener, fasteners, or fastener assemblies used for attaching the footwear accessory 100 to a user's foot and/or footwear, for example. Straps, for example, can span across the top of a user's foot and/or footwear between opposing apertures 105 where the straps are mounted. Fasteners, for example, may include straps attached to the support walls 171 using a rivet and washer that also include buckles for the user to fasten the straps to the user's foot and/or footwear. Fasteners may also include any other suitable type of fastener, for example, buckles, hook-and-loop, cable clamps, and ratchet straps. The support wall 171 extends upwardly from the sole 110. Each side 170 further comprises an expandable portion 180 attached to support wall 171 by way of a support rib 190, discussed in greater detail below. Each expandable portion 180 comprises an upper portion 181 and a lower portion 183 extending from the upper portion 181.

[0025] As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example, the upper portion 181 is planar, or at least substantially planar, and the lower portion 183 is flared outwardly toward its bottom edge. Such a configuration can allow the upper portion 181 to support more weight during engagement with the soft terrain while the lower portion 183 encourages the expandable portion 180 to automatically expand, or flex, outwardly with respect to the support wall 171. In at least one instance, the upper portion 181 comprises a first thickness and the lower portion 183 comprises a second thickness, where the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. In at least one instance, the thickness variance is gradual. In at least one instance, the thickness variance is discrete. Providing different thicknesses in such a manner can further aid in the upper portion 181 being stronger, or stiffer, than the lower portion 183 and the lower portion 183 being more flexible than the upper portion 181 to encourage the expandable portion 180 to expand, or flex, outwardly relative to the support wall 171 upon engagement with soft terrain.

[0026] As further can be seen in FIG. 8, for example, and offset distance z exists between the bottom edge of the lower portion 183 and the bottom of the sole 110. This offset distance can provide the footwear accessory 100 with clearance while walking on hard terrain so that the expandable portions 180 do not unnecessarily expand while walking on hard terrain where increased surface area for weight distribution is not necessary. The clearance further prevents the expandable portions 180 from interfering with hard terrain which may inhibit a user's ability to walk on hard terrain. The offset distance z may comprise any suitable offset distance required to not contact the ground while walking on hard terrain.

[0027] As discussed herein, the expandable portions 180 are connected to the support walls 171 by way of a support rib 190. The continuous support ribs 190 extend along at least a majority of the length of the expandable portions 180 and provide a connection between the expandable portions 180 and the support walls 171. The support ribs 190 may permit some degree of flexion, for example, as the expandable portions 180 engage soft terrain, to be strong, or stiff, enough to prevent the expandable portions 180 from expanding unnecessarily relative to the support walls 171 while still permitting the expandable portions 180 to expand a predetermined amount when walking on soft terrain. In at least one instance, the expandable portions 180 are configured to expand between about zero degrees and about ninety degrees relative to the support walls 171. In at least one instance, the expandable portions 180 are configured to expand between about thirty degrees and about sixty degrees relative to the support walls 171. In at least one instance, the expandable portions 180 are configured to expand about forty-five degrees relative to the support walls 171.

[0028] Upon disengagement of the expandable portions 180 with the soft terrain, the expandable portions 180 are configured to retract, or hinge, back into their unexpanded positions (see FIGS. 1-9). In other words, when a user lifts their foot, and, as a result, the footwear accessory 100, away from the soft terrain to take a step, the expandable portions 180 hinge back into their unexpanded positions from expanded positions. In at least one instance, the expandable portions 180 are biased by inherent material elasticity toward the unexpanded configuration.

[0029] This repeated hinging, or expanding and collapsing, of the expandable portions 180 can induce repeated stress near, or within, the support ribs 190. However, the support ribs 190 are constructed to endure such repeated stress. The support ribs 190 comprise a continuous arcuate (curved) cross-sectional profile extending from the heel 140 to the front 101 of the footwear accessory 100. This curved geometry is selected to distribute mechanical stresses along the length of the support ribs 190 during repeated flexion of the expandable portions 180. The support ribs 190 are configured to be stiff in the plane of the support walls 171providing structural support and resisting deformationwhile remaining sufficiently flexible out of plane to permit controlled hinging of the expandable portions 180 relative to the support walls 171. This combination of in-plane rigidity and out-of-plane flexibility enhances durability, reduces the risk of concentrated stress or material fatigue at a single hinge point, and ensures reliable expansion and retraction of the expandable portions 180 during use.

[0030] In at least one instance, the support ribs 190 extend the entire length of, or at least substantially the entire length of, the expandable portions 180. Such a length may include between about 50% and about 100% of the length, between about 60% and about 100% of the length, between about 70% and about 100% of the length, between about 80% and about 100% of the length, and/or between about 90% and about 100% of the length. In at least one instance, the support ribs 190 extend along portions of the expandable portions 180 aligned with the heel and along portions of the expandable portions 180 aligned with a non-heel component of the sole 110 nearer the front 101. This continuous profile can allow the entire length, or at least a substantial length thereof, of the support rib 190 to absorb the repeated stress from the repeated hinging of the expandable portions 180 relative to the support walls 171. Such an arrangement may increase the longevity of the footwear accessory 100 compared to footwear accessories including fabric hinges with concentrated creases, or folds, about which expandable webs, for example, may hinge. Such concentrated creases, or folds, can cause premature failure of such a footwear accessory. In at least one instance, the curved cross-sectional profile of the support rib 190 is rigid to increase its strength and ability to resist concentrated locations of stress from the hinging, or expanding, action of the expandable portions 180 relative to the support walls 171.

[0031] As can be seen in FIGS. 1-9, the rear wing 150 and expandable portions 180 define a cavity thereunder within which soft terrain may flow into as a user steps onto soft terrain such that the rear wing 150 and expandable portions 180 cooperate to support the weight of a user through the rear wing 150 and expandable portions 180 by transferring the user's weight to the soft terrain within and/or under the cavity. As the expandable portions 180 hinge, or expand, into an expanded position, the corner webs 153 may also support this hinging action similar to the manner that the support ribs 190 support the hinging action of the expandable portions 180 relative to the support walls 171.

[0032] In at least one instance, the footwear accessory 100 is manufactured with an injection molding process. However, the footwear accessory 100 may be manufactured using any suitable manufacturing process, such as for example compression molding, overmolding of a softer expandable portion180 to a stiffer support wall 171, two-shot molding, or additive manufacturing. In at least one instance, the material of the footwear accessory 100 can comprise any suitable material or combination of materials. In at least one instance, the footwear accessory 100 comprises a polymer material. In at least one instance, the footwear accessory 100 is injection molded with an elastomeric material, for example, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). An example of an acceptable commercially available TPU is TPU 95A Repro where 95A is the Shore hardness of the TPU material. The material of the footwear accessory may alternatively or also comprise elastomer families, e.g., thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), silicone, and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) blends. The material may also have a durometer in the Shore A range selected to bias the expandable portions 180. In at least one instance, the footwear accessory 100 comprises only a single material.

[0033] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of a kit comprising two footwear accessories 100 and a plurality of straps 200 with adjustable buckles 202. Each strap 200 is shown unattached from the footwear accessories 100 to depict the components prior to assembly or after disassembly. The straps 200 and the buckles 202 are configured to allow length adjustment for securing the accessories 100 to various footwear sizes. The apertures 105 formed in the support walls 171 of the accessories 100 are positioned to receive the straps 200 during installation. FIG. 10 demonstrates a kit configuration, showing the footwear accessories 100 and straps 200 as separate elements prior to attachment.

[0034] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the footwear accessories 100 of FIGS. 1-10 with the straps 200 installed. Each strap 200 extends across the accessory 100 from one support wall 171 to the other and through the apertures 105 in the support walls 171, with the adjustable buckles 202 positioned for fastening. The straps 200 are arranged to secure the accessory 100 to a user's foot or underlying footwear during use. FIG. 11 shows the assembled configuration of the accessories 100 and the straps 200, highlighting how the straps 200 cooperate with the support walls 171 and apertures 105 to provide a secure attachment system.

[0035] Certain terms are used throughout the description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not function.

[0036] While descriptions herein may relate to comprising various components or steps, the descriptions can also consist essentially of or consist of the various components and steps.

[0037] The embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.