Slip-on moccasin-style golfing shoe

• US 20020178618A1
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walter, James, Pitts, Karen A., Peace, Bobby Joe, Weidman, James
• Granted Patent: US 6,802,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/127
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/047 the gusset being elastic
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/001 Golf shoes

Abstract

A slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe has a shoe sole having a bottom surface with contours for gripping a golfing surface during striking of a golf ball; an upper, with the shoe sole, defining a volume for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot and defining an opening for insertion of a wearer'"'"'s foot into the volume, the upper including resilient closure assembly fixedly extending across a forward portion of the opening; and, disposed within the volume, a heel cup of extended length, reduced width, and increased stiffness, for resisting lateral movement of a heel region of the wearer'"'"'s foot during striking of a golf ball. The shoe sole defines a depressed footbed surface for a lower center of gravity and increased stability during golfing play. The closure assembly, in a first, wearing condition, resiliently engages across the wearer'"'"'s foot to provide a secure fit during golfing play, and, in a second, donning or doffing condition, resiliently expands to facilitate passage of the wearer'"'"'s foot into and out of the volume. The closure element includes a tongue having side edges attached to the upper, and the tongue has a upper end portion defining a surface positioned to resiliently engage upon an ankle surface above the wearer'"'"'s foot.

Claims

1. A slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe comprises

a shoe sole having a bottom surface with contours for gripping a golfing surface during striking of a golf ball,

said shoe sole defining a depressed footbed surface for a lower center of gravity and increased stability during golfing play;

an upper, with said shoe sole, defining a volume for receiving a wearer'"'"'s foot and defining an opening for insertion of a wearer'"'"'s foot into said volume, said upper comprising a resilient closure assembly fixedly extending across a forward portion of said opening,

said closure assembly, in a first, wearing condition, resiliently engaging across the wearer'"'"'s foot to provide a secure fit during golfing play,

said closure assembly, in a second, donning or doffing condition, resiliently expanding to facilitate passage of the wearer'"'"'s foot into and out of said volume, and

said closure element comprising a tongue having side edges attached to said upper and said tongue having a upper end portion defining a surface positioned to resiliently engage upon an ankle surface above the wearer'"'"'s foot; and

,

disposed within said volume, a heel cup of extended length, reduced width, and increased stiffness, for resisting lateral movement of a heel region of the wearer'"'"'s foot during striking of a golf ball.

2. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 1, wherein said upper further comprises a pull tab at a rear region of said opening, to facilitate donning of said shoe upon the wearer'"'"'s foot.

3. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said upper further comprises a pull tab at a forward region of said opening, to facilitate donning of said shoe upon the wearer'"'"'s foot.

4. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 1, wherein said tongue of said closure element further comprises a collar extending radially from said upper end portion of said tongue, said collar with said upper end portion of said tongue defining a surface positioned to resiliently engage upon and radially about the ankle surface above the wearer'"'"'s foot.

5. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 4, wherein said tongue and collar are formed of expanded polymeric material.

6. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 1, wherein said closure assembly further comprises a webbing of elastic material mounted to extend laterally, across said forward region of said opening.

7. The slip-on, moccasin-style golfing shoe of claim 1, wherein said closure assembly further comprises a plurality of resilient straps mounted to extend laterally, across said forward region of said opening.