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  Outsole with anti-slip treadUSPTO Application #: 20070033837Title: Outsole with anti-slip tread Abstract: A footwear outsole has a generally planar outwardly facing contact surface which has a plurality of spaced-apart conduits passing through it. The conduits have opposed ends which open through the sidewall of the outsole. The conduits open to the contact surface of the outsole through slots which have a width at their intersection with the contact surface which is less than the maximum width of the conduits. (end of abstract)
Agent: Chernoff, Vilhauer, Mcclung & Stenzel - Portland, OR, US Inventor: Dan Fulton USPTO Applicaton #: 20070033837 - Class: 03605900R (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070033837. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Tread patterns of footwear are designed to provide optimal performance based on the intended use of the footwear. In many cases optimum performance is maximum traction. A boot that will be used for walking in mud, for example, would have a very aggressive tread with multiple protrusions with large open areas between them. Maximum traction on a smooth surface, such as concrete, is achieved by having a simple flat tread made from a sticky material such as rubber or a rubber compound. However, if the same surface has liquid on it, as might be the case with a restaurant kitchen, the liquid prevents a flat outsole from actually contacting the floor surface and it would provide little traction. To overcome this problem slots are formed in the outsole to allow the water to be squeezed out from under the outsole as it is urged against the floor. However, if these slots are wide enough to displace all of the liquid under the outsole, a large portion of the contact area of the outsole is lost. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0002] The subject invention overcomes this problem by having the slots open into wider conduits which pass through the sole and have opposed ends which open out of the sidewalls of the outsole. [0003] The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS [0004] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bottom surface of an outsole of the subject invention. [0005] FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. [0006] FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional schematic view showing how fluid is evacuated from under the outsole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0007] Referring now to the drawings, a footwear outsole 10 has a generally planer outwardly facing contact surface 12 and a sidewall 14 that extends around the periphery of the contact surface and is substantially normal to the contact surface. Extending through the outsole are a plurality of conduits 16 having opposed ends which open out of the sidewall. In the embodiment illustrated the conduits are egg-shaped in cross-section, but they could have almost any shape. In the embodiment illustrated the conduits are arrayed in parallel, spaced-apart rows and extend completely across the outsole normal to its longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment the conduits are equally spaced and are separated from one another by a distance c. They have a maximum width w along the longitudinal axis of the outsole. [0008] The conduits 16 open out of the contact surface 12 of the outsole 10 through slots 18 which are formed in the contact surface. The slots 18 have a width s which is less than the center to center distance c of the slots and is also less than the maximum width w of the conduits. The length I of the resulting strips which create the contact surface 12 is substantially greater than the width s of the slots 18. Thus, the majority of the outsole is available as a planer contact surface, thereby maximizing the surface area that is in contact with the floor. [0009] However, because the conduit 16 has a width w which is greater than the width s of the slots, the conduits can pass more of the fluid that enters the slots when the outsole is urged downwardly on a wet surface than if the slots had the same width from top to bottom. Preferably the slots are sized such that almost all of the liquid which becomes trapped below the outsole when it is urged downwardly on a wet floor will be forced into the slots. In addition, the conduits 16 are sized such that they are capable of flowing this liquid out of their ends as quickly as it can be admitted into them through the slots, FIG. 3. Because the width w of the slots can be less than would be necessary if the slots 18 themselves had to carry liquid out from under the sole, much more of the outsole is available as the contact surface 12, making the outsole much more slip-resistant. [0010] In a preferred embodiment the outsole 10 is made from a natural or synthetic rubber material and the slots 18 and conduit 16 are molded into it. [0011] In use, the outsole maximizes the amount of contact surface while still permitting any water on the floor to be displaced from under the outsole when it is pressed against the floor. As a result, the outsole maximizes the amount of grip that is available on a wet floor. [0012] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the forgoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalence of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow. Continue reading... Full patent description for Outsole with anti-slip tread Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Outsole with anti-slip tread patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Outsole with anti-slip tread or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Article of footwear including a fastening system Next Patent Application: Intelligent sneaker insole Industry Class: Boots, shoes, and leggings ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Outsole with anti-slip tread patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 2.44674 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , |
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