Abstract:
The present invention describes an item of water resistant footwear ( 10 ) comprising an upper ( 16 ) resembling, and arranged to be worn as, a shoe. The footwear also comprises a water resistant inner ( 12 ) which is arranged to be extendable upward, and subsequently to be lowered. The footwear ( 10 ) may be worn similar to a known shoe when water resistance is not required, with the inner ( 12 ) lowered and held in place. When water resistance is required, the inner ( 12 ) may be extended upward to protect a greater portion of the wearer&#39;s leg.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to water resistant footwear. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Footwear is necessary, or at least desirable, in many and diverse situations. Footwear is able to provide comfort, protection, warmth as well as having many other characteristics. There are also many different types of known footwear which provide optimal qualities to a wearer in varied situations. 
         [0003]    In a survival situation, for example, when in the wilderness, a wearer would desire footwear with specific characteristics. Known articles of footwear provide some of those desired characteristics. These may include insulation from extreme temperatures and a barrier to foreign objects. 
         [0004]    Protection from moisture is also quite essential in this type of footwear. This is because moisture can easily cause numbness, blisters and sores, infection, trench foot and may eventually lead to severe complications. 
         [0005]    Some known articles of footwear prevent moisture from entering the footwear, such as gumboots but are often unsuitable for a wearer, including, for example, in a survival situation. 
         [0006]    The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous footwear. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an item of water resistant footwear characterised by comprising an upper arranged to be worn as a shoe and a water resistant inner which is arranged to be extendable upward to reduce the instance of water reaching a leg and foot on which the footwear is worn, and subsequently to be lowered. 
         [0008]    The water resistant inner may be arranged to be lowered by rolling. 
         [0009]    The water resistant footwear may further comprise a fixing means for releasably holding the water resistant inner in a lowered position. 
         [0010]    An end of the fixing means may be secured to the footwear. 
         [0011]    The water resistant footwear may further comprise at least one attachment point arranged to releasably secure an end of the fixing means. 
         [0012]    The water resistant footwear may comprise a plurality of attachments points arranged to releasably secure an end of the fixing means when the fixing means is holding the water resistant inner in a lowered position and/or when the fixing means is not in use. 
         [0013]    The upper may comprise a foot covering portion and a leg covering portion. 
         [0014]    The foot covering portion and leg covering portion may be separated. 
         [0015]    A part of the water resistant inner may be disposed at the interior of the foot covering portion and another part of the water resistant inner may be disposed at the exterior of the leg covering portion when the inner is in an extended position. 
         [0016]    The water resistant inner may be constructed of rubber. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the water resistant inner of an article of water resistant footwear in a lowered arrangement, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the water resistant inner of  FIG. 1  in an extended arrangement; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an article of water resistant footwear according to the present invention with the water resistant inner in a lowered arrangement; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the water resistant footwear of  FIG. 3  with the water resistant inner in a slightly extended arrangement; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the water resistant footwear of  FIG. 3  with the water resistant inner in an extended arrangement on a wearer. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , there is shown a water resistant footwear item  10 , for example a boot, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a water resistant inner  12  which is intended to fit inside and line the water resistant footwear item  10 . The water resistant inner  12  comprises a sole  14 . The water resistant inner  12  may be extended as shown in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the water resistant inner  12  may be lowered, for example, by rolling down, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The water resistant inner  12  may be made from flexible and elastic water resistant material including but not limited to rubber. 
         [0025]    The water resistant footwear  10  comprises an upper  16  shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 . The upper  16  is in connection with the sole  14  around a periphery of the sole  14 . 
         [0026]    The upper  16  comprises a foot covering portion  18 . The foot covering portion  18  comprises an upper end  20  proximal to where an ankle of a wearer would be. The foot covering portion  18  extends between the sole  14  and the upper end  20 . The foot covering portion  18  may be fixed to an outer periphery of the water resistant inner  12  at the upper end  20  of the foot covering portion  18 . The fixing means at the upper end  20  of the foot covering portion  18  may utilise any convenient means such as stitching or adhesive. 
         [0027]    The upper  16  further comprises a leg covering portion  22 . The leg covering portion  22  comprises a lower end  24  proximal to where the ankle of the wearer would be. The leg covering portion  22  may extend between the lower end  24  and an upper edge  25  of the tipper  16  remote from the sole  14 . The leg covering portion  22  may be fixed to an inside circumference of the water resistant inner  12  at the lower end  24  of the leg covering portion  22 , by any convenient means such as stitching or adhesive. 
         [0028]    The upper  16  further comprises a tightening means  26 , for example, shoelaces, for tightly securing the footwear  10  onto the wearer. The upper  16  may also comprise a gripping means  28 , for example, eyelets, by which the tightening means  26  may grip the upper  16 . The gripping means  28  are preferably set in spaced apart pairs. 
         [0029]    Additionally, a holding means,  30  may be provided on the upper  16 . The holding means  30  may, in use, assist in holding the water resistant inner  12  in its lowered arrangement. The holding means  30  preferably comprises a strap  32  which is permanently attached to the leg covering portion  22  at point  31 . The holding means  30  further comprises releasable attachment points  34   a  and  34   b , which may be provided respectively on the leg covering portion  22  and foot covering portion  18 . The releasable attachment point  34   a  preferably attaches the releasable end of the strap  32  when not in use. The releasable attachment point  34   b  preferably attaches the releasable end of the strap  32 , and therefore holds the water resistant inner  12 , when the strap  32  is in use. 
         [0030]    In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, both the leg covering portion  22  and the foot covering portion  18  of the upper  16  may be constructed of one or more pieces. For example, the leg covering portion  22  may comprise a tongue  36  which is not integrally formed with the remainder of the leg covering portion  22 . 
         [0031]    In use, the water resistant inner  12  of the water resistant footwear  10  in accordance with the present invention may be arranged in its lowered position, for example as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  in preparation for wear. The holding means  30  may be used to assist in holding the water resistant inner  12  in its towered position. In this way, the strap  32  may span the lowered water resistant inner  12  to the releasable attachment point  34   b.    
         [0032]    The water resistant footwear  10  may be loosened through providing a greater length of the tightening means  26  between each pair of opposed gripping means  28 . As such, a wearer may be able to engage the water resistant footwear  10  with a foot and leg in the normal manner. The tightening means  26  may then be utilised to tighten the water resistant footwear  10  to the foot and the leg of the wearer to a desired level then tied off. 
         [0033]    When it is desired to have further protection from moisture, for example if the wearer was about to enter a muddy or particularly wet environment, the water resistant inner  12  could be arranged into its extended position, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The strap  32  may be released from releasable attachment point  34   b  and attached to releasable attachment point  34   a . Hence, the water resistant inner  12  may be extended up the leg of the wearer through unrolling, for example, or pulling. 
         [0034]    If it is desired to subsequently lower the water resistant inner  12 , it may then be pushed or rolled down, for example and again fixed into its lowered position though the use of the holding means  30 . The strap  32  may be released from releasable attachment point  34   a  to again span the water resistant inner  12  and be attached to releasable attachment point  34   b.    
         [0035]    The inner  12 , upper  16  and sole  14  may be provided in any number of desired designs in accordance with the primary use of the footwear  10 . For example, the inner  12  may be provided as a boot design with a sturdy sole  14  design for water resistant footwear  10  intended for use in wilderness hiking. The upper  16  may be made from any footwear material appropriately suited to the purpose of the water resistant footwear  10 . Examples of such material include but are not limited to canvas and leather. Additionally, while the Figures show the gripping means  28  as eyelets, they may also be provided as hooks, rings, webbed fabric loops or any other suitable gripping means. Similarly, the tightening means  26  are herein shown as shoelaces but it will be appreciated that other tightening means, for example hook and loop fabric straps, may be provided. 
         [0036]    Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.