Supplemental removable outersole for footwear

• US 6,948,261 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephanie Grasso
• Original Assignee: Stephanie Grasso
• Inventors: Grasso, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US09/892,527
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 36/73, 36/71.R, 36/75, 36/76, 361/00, 361/01, 36/15, 361/27
• US Class Current: 36/15
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/18 Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/00 Non-skid devices or attachments apparatus for climbing poles, trees, or the like A63B27/00

Abstract

A removable outersole covering for the treaded bottom of an athletic footcovering is provided in one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the outersole includes an elastically deformable band defining a continuous loop, the band having a top edge and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the band forming the shape of the border of the treaded bottom of the athletic footcovering, a sole surface coupled to the bottom edge of the band, the sole surface configured in the shape of the treaded bottom of the athletic footcovering; and a plurality of sport cleats protruding from the bottom side of the sole surface.

Claims

1. A removable cleated outersole system comprising:

an athletic foot covering having a permanent substantially planar treaded bottom,

the treaded bottom having a toe portion, a heel portion, a perimeter side surface,

the perimeter side surface defining the perimeter shape of the permanent treaded bottom of the athletic foot covering;

a single elastically deformable band creating a continuous unbroken loop,

the band having an unbroken and continuous top edge and a bottom edge,

the bottom edge of the band being unbroken and formed in the shape of the perimeter shape of the permanent treaded bottom of the athletic foot covering;

a substantially planar unbroken sole surface coupled to the bottom edge of the band, the sole surface configured in the same perimeter shape and size of the permanent treaded bottom of the athletic foot covering, the sole surface sized to extend between the toe portion and the heel portion of the athletic foot covering,

the sole surface having a bottom side; and

a plurality of sport cleats protruding from the bottom side of the sole surface.

2. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 1 further comprising:

an anchoring strap having a first end and a second end,

the first end connected to the elastically deformable band,

the second end connected to the elastically deformable band,

the sole surface having a toe cap sized to cover the toe portion of the athletic foot covering; and

a rigid substantially planar continues and unbroken sole plate coupled to and supporting the sole surface, the sole plate formed in the same shape as the sole surface.

3. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 2 wherein the anchoring strap is releasably connected to the deformable band and wherein the plurality of sport cleats are turf knobs formed as part of the bottom side of the sole surface of the removable cleated outersole and wherein the sole plate is formed in the same size as the sole surface.

4. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable band has a tapered cross-section, is made with spandex rubber and is the sole means for attaching the outersole to the athletic foot covering and

the sole surface containing a sole plate, the sole plate having an exposed top surface, the sole plate being rigid, continuous, unbroken, and sized to the same dimensions as the substantially flat treaded bottom of the athletic foot covering.

5. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 1 wherein the sole surface includes a rigid sole plate, the rigid sole plate being continuous and unbroken and sized to have the same perimeter shape and dimensions as the treaded bottom of the athletic foot covering.

6. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 5 wherein the sport cleats are one of a soccer cleat, a rugby cleat, a baseball spike, a football spike, and a track sprinter'"'"'s spike.

7. The removable cleated outersole system of claim 5 wherein the sport cleats are in the shape of a truncated cone with conical sides and have at least two different heights relative to one another when measured from a bottom of the sole surface, the heights of the sport cleats closer to the perimeter of the sole surface being relatively taller than the heights of the sport cleats near a center of the sole surface.

8. An athletic footwear system comprising:

a sneaker with a heel portion and a toe portion,

the sneaker having a permanent continuous treaded external sole with an outside perimeter edge,

the permanent treaded external sole being substantially planar;

a removable outersole having a single rigid planar unhinged sole plate, the sole plate being the same size and dimension as the permanent treaded external sole of the sneaker, the sole plate being uncovered,

the removable outersole covering the external sole and the sole plate being in direct contact with the treaded external sole of the sneaker,

the permanent treaded external sole of the sneaker adapted for use without the removable outersole,

a plurality of sport cleats protruding from the removable outersole; and

,

a single unbroken continuous elastically deformable band secured to the entire perimeter of the removable outersole,

the elastically deformable band sized to removably secure the removable outersole to the permanent treaded sole.

9. The athletic footwear of claim 8 further comprising:

a support band attached to the elastically deformable band, the support band sized to stretch across a top surface of the athletic footwear,

the elastically deformable band secured to the perimeter of the removable outersole.

10. The athletic footwear of claim 8 wherein the sport cleats are of at least two different relative heights to each other.

11. The athletic footwear of claim 8 wherein the removable rigid planar sole plate is directly coupled to the elastically deformable band,

the elastically deformable band also defining a toe cap sized to fit over the toe portion of the sneaker,

the elastically deformable band also having a tapered cross-section ending in a point.

12. A method of securing turf knobs to an athletic foot covering, the athletic foot covering being spikeless, having bottom treads, and a top, the method comprising:

stretching an elastically deformable unbroken and continuous band around the perimeter of the bottom treads of the athletic foot covering,

the elastically deformable band being shaped in the perimeter outline of the bottom treads of the athletic foot covering,

the elastically deformable band having an outersole secured to it, the outersole having a top surface and a bottom surface,

the outersole having a plurality of turf knobs protruding from it the turf knobs being integrally formed on the bottom surface of the outersole and having at least two different heights when measured from the bottom surface; and

releasing the elastically deformable band.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

lacing a support band over the top of the athletic foot covering, the support band in structural communication with the elastically deformable band.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the support band is removably coupled to the elastically deformable band.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

stretching a toe cap connected to the elastically deformable band over the top of the athletic foot covering.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the outersole includes a substantially flat and rigid sole plate spanning an arch support of the foot covering, the rigid sole plate being in the same dimension and size as the perimeter of the bottom treads of the athletic foot covering.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the turf knobs are in the shape of a truncated cone having inwardly bowed sidewalls and have at least two different heights relative to one another.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the entire top surface of the outersole is substantially flat and is in direct contact with treads from the foot covering.