Patent Publication Number: US-2002004996-A1

Title: Slip guard

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to removable devices that can be affixed to footgear to provide better traction in slippery conditions.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,208 to Dye discloses a circular friction pad affixed to the bottom of a shoe by a rivet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,401 to McDonnold discloses spaced side by side elongated traction members snap clamped to the sole of a shoe and made from a single length of spring metal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,574 to Weisbrick discloses a connector for footgear and a variety of specific step on devices using flexible gripping means such as hook and loop fasteners.  
       [0005] A need exists for a traction device that can be affixed to the bottom of a persons&#39; regular footgear and which can be removed when not needed such as when entering a building or home. A further need exists for such a device that can be permanently affixed to the bottom of footgear for use when slippery conditions are routinely encountered.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention meets the needs identified above by providing a slip guard comprising a plate that can be affixed to the sole of footgear and a traction plate that can be removably affixed to the plate. The plate can be semi-permanently affixed to the bottom of the shoe by means of adhesive tape and the traction plate can be affixed to the plate by hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro. In a permanent embodiment the traction plate can be molded into the bottom of the footgear.  
       [0007] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a view of removable slip guards affixed to the bottom of a pair of shoes.  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a view along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1.  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a view of a built-in slip guard affixed to the bottom of a shoe.  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the built in slip guard of FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0012] In FIG. 1 slip guard assembly  100  is shown affixed to the bottom of left shoe  10  and right shoe  12 . Slip guard assembly  100  is the same for either a left or right shoe. Slip guard assembly  100  has panel  20 , plate  30 , tab  40  and a plurality of spikes  32 . In FIG. 1, one hundred and thirty two spikes  32  are shown on plate  30 . It should be understood that any number of spikes can be utilized and that the optimum number of spikes to be used is within the ordinary skill of a person skilled in the art. Such an optimum number of spikes would be in the range between at least one spike  32  to the maximum number of spikes  32  that could be affixed within a 2 inch diameter circle. In the preferred embodiment, plate  30  has a diameter of 2 inches and a thickness of 0.020 inches. Plate  30  is made from metal or impact-resistant plastic. Persons skilled in the art will be aware that the diameter and thickness can vary depending on the material used and the size of the footgear to which plate  30  is to be attached. Tab  40  is utilized to pull plate  30  off panel  20 . When plate  30  is removed from panel  20 , a panel cover (not shown) may be affixed to panel  20 . The panel cover would have a wear resistant surface on one side and hook and loop fasteners on the other side. The panel cover would be affixed to panel  20  by engaging the panel cover hook and loop fasteners (not shown) with the panel hook and loop fasteners  26 .  
     [0013]FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view along line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1. Panel  20  has panel footgear side  27  and panel traction device side  28 . Adhesive tape  22  has tape panel side  23  and tape footgear side  21 . Both tape panel side  23  and tape footgear side  21  have adhesive affixed. Adhesive tape  22  is affixed to panel footgear side  27  of panel  20 . Tape footgear side  21  is affixed to footgear  11 . Plate  30  has bottom side  37  and fastener side  35 . Hook and loop fastener  36  is affixed to fastener side  35 . A plurality of spikes  32  are affixed to bottom side  37  of plate  30 . Spikes  32  may be created by diamond cutting bottom side  37  of plate  30 . Spikes  32  may be pyramidal in shape. Alternatively, spikes  32  may be conical in shape. Alternatively, spikes  32  may be molded into plate  30 . Persons skilled in the art will be aware of multiple ways to affix spikes  32  to plate  30 . Plate  30  is affixed to shoe  11  by engaging hook and loop fasteners  36  of plate  30  with hook and loop fasteners  26  of panel  20 .  
     [0014]FIG. 3 depicts slip guard assembly  200  having plate  40  embedded in sole  16  of shoe  14 . Slip guard assembly  200  is an alternative embodiment of slip guard assembly  100 .  
     [0015]FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of embedded plate  40  in sole body  15  of shoe  14  (see FIG. 3). Embedded Plate  40  has first annular ring  44 , groove  47  and second annular ring  46  embedded in sole body  15 . Embedded plate  40  has embedded plate surface  41  which lies in the same plane as sole  16 . Embedded plate spikes  42  function the same as spikes  32  in slip guard assembly  100  ((FIGS. 1 and 2). Spikes  42  may be created by diamond cutting bottom side  41  of plate  42 . Spikes  42  may be pyramidal in shape. Alternatively, spikes  42  may be conical in shape. Alternatively, spikes  42  may be molded into plate  40 .  
     [0016] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.