Patent Publication Number: US-6907682-B2

Title: Horseshoe-shape bowling shoe heel

Description:
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional application 60/257,812 filed Dec. 21, 2000, 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to bowling shoes, and more particularly to heel surfaces and removable heel surface elements for bowling shoes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bowlers may desire bowling shoes with fore sole and/or heel surfaces of differing configuration and sliding, i.e., coefficient of friction, and other performance characteristics, e.g., in response to variations in bowling alley approach surfaces. The concept of bowling shoes with removable fore sole and heel surface elements of different configurations and performance characteristics is described, e.g., in Famolare U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,198. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a heel surface element for a bowling shoe comprises a body defining an upper, attachment surface for attachment of the heel surface element upon a heel region of a bowling shoe and a lower, heel surface, the heel surface comprising a horseshoe-shape surface disposed for engagement upon a bowling alley approach surface during bowling motion and a center region surface spaced from contact with the bowling alley approach surface, the center region surface being defined peripherally by the horseshoe-shape surface and extending from a heel front edge towards a heel rear edge. 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following additional features, alone or in any of several different combinations. The horseshoe-shape surface tapers from a front thickness in a region adjacent the heel front edge to a second, relatively greater thickness in a region adjacent the heel rear edge. The heel front edge defines a notch extending toward the heel rear edge. Each of the heel surface and/or the horseshoe-shape surface has a rounded front or leading edge. The center region surface narrows inwardly, e.g., curvedly inwardly, from the heel front edge toward the heel rear edge. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a heel surface element for a bowling shoe comprises a body defining an upper, attachment surface for attachment of the heel surface element upon a heel region of a bowling shoe and a lower, heel surface, the heel surface comprising: a horseshoe-shape surface disposed for engagement upon a bowling alley approach surface during bowling motion and a center region surface spaced from contact with the bowling approach surface, the center region surface being defined by the horseshoe-shape surface and extending from a heel front edge towards a heel rear edge. The horseshoe-shape surface tapers from a front thickness in a region adjacent the heel front edge to a second, relatively greater thickness in a region adjacent the heel rear edge. The heel front edge defines a notch extending toward the heel rear edge. The center region surface narrows curvedly inwardly from the heel front edge toward the heel rear edge. Each of the heel surface and the horseshoe-shape surface each has a rounded front or leading edge. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a bowling shoe has a heel defining a lower heel surface, as described above. The heel may be fixedly or removably attached upon the shoe. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bowling shoe with a removable heel surface element of the invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a bottom plan view of a set of removable heel surface elements of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of a heel surface element of  FIGS. 1 and 1A ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a heel surface element of  FIGS. 1 and 1A ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side section view of a heel surface element of the invention, taken at the line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a front section view of a heel surface element of the invention, taken at the line  5 — 5  of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bowling shoe having a fixedly mounted heel with a heel surface of the invention. 
       Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , bowling shoe  10  has an upper  12  and an outsole  14 , the outsole having a fore sole  16  and a heel  18 . Referring now also to  FIGS. 2-5 , in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heel  18  includes a heel surface element  20  that is removably attached in a manner to permit, e.g., a bowler, to selectively attach heel surface elements  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ ( FIG. 1A ) of different performance characteristics, e.g., coefficient of friction. The heel surface element  20  may be formed of any suitable material, including rubber, and polymeric material, formulated in a manner known to those skilled in the art to provide desired performance and other characteristics. One such suitable material is GOODYEAR®GOLD. In the preferred embodiment, the heel surface element has a width, W, e.g., about 103.3 mm. and an overall front-to-back length, L, e.g., about 100 mm. The concept of sets of removable heel surface elements and/or fore soles of different characteristics is described, e.g., in Famolare U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,198, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 1-5 , the heel surface element  20  defines a heel surface  22  having a horseshoe-shape surface  24  disposed for engagement upon a bowling alley approach surface, A, during bowling motion and a center region surface  26  spaced from contact with the bowling alley approach surface. The center region surface is defined peripherally by the horseshoe-shape surface and extends from a heel front edge  28  towards a heel rear edge  30 . The horseshoe-shape surface  24  tapers, at angle, H, e.g. about 2°, from a thickness, T f , e.g., about 4.8 mm, in a region adjacent the heel front edge  28 , to a second, relatively greater thickness, T r , e.g. about 8.0 mm, in a region adjacent the heel rear edge  30 . The heel front edge  28  defines a notch  32 , e.g., about 35.2 mm wide at its opening and extending toward the heel rear edge  30  to a depth, e.g., of about 15.9 mm. The center region surface  26  is generally flat, with a body thickness, e.g., of about 3.2 mm, and narrows curvedly inwardly (arrows, C) from the heel front edge  28  towards the heel rear edge  30 . The front or leading edge  28  of the heel is rounded at a radius, R f , e.g., about 6.0 mm, including within the notch  32 , and the front or leading edge  34  of the horseshoe-shape surface  24  is rounded at a radius, R h , e.g., also about 6.0 mm. 
     In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the heel surface element  20  has a VELCRO®-type loop upper surface  36  for releasable attachment to an opposed VELCRO®-type hook surface of the heel  18  of bowling shoe  10  ( FIG. 1  ), to allow selective use of heels from a set of heel surface elements  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ′ ( FIG. 1A ) of different coefficients of friction or other performance characteristics. Heel surface elements  20  of different coefficient of friction characteristics in a set may be color-coded, e.g., a slide surface of lower coefficient of friction may be colored green while a brake surface of relatively greater coefficient of friction may be colored red. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in a typical bowling shoe  10 , the fore sole region  16  has a slide (low friction) sole surface  40  and the heel  18  has a slide (lower friction) or brake (higher friction) surface  22 . According to the invention, the configuration of the heel surface  22  places the horseshoe-shape surface  24  in position to contact the bowling alley approach surface, A, and shifts the effective leading edge  34  of the heel surface contacting the bowling alley approach surface, i.e., the leading edge  34  of the horseshoe-shape surface  24 , rearward, towards the heel rear edge  30  at the back of the bowler&#39;s foot, for smoother transition from fore sole slide surface  40  to heel surface  22 , during bowling motion. The v-shape notch  32  formed in the front or leading edge  28  of the heel surface element  20  reduces or eliminates leading edge contact with the bowling alley approach surface, A, in front of the heel horseshoe-shape surface  24 , thereby to lessen or eliminate front edge drag. Rounded edges  28 ,  34  of the heel front or leading edge  28  and the horseshoe-shape surface leading edge  34 , respectively, provide smoother transition across the front or leading edge  28  of the heel surface element  20  and across the leading edge  34  onto the horseshoe-shape surface  24 , to avoid chatter, e.g., when a heel brake surface is applied. The tapering wedge shape of the horseshoe-shape surface  24  (at angle, H) allows the horseshoe-shape surface to lay flat on the bowling alley approach surface (plane, P; FIG.  3 ), from front to back, e.g., for better weight distribution and better braking effect at the appropriate time during bowling motion. Curved inward narrowing of the center region surface  26  (arrows, C) provides smoother transition and reduced chatter, e.g., when braking, and allows the horseshoe-shape surface  24  to lay flat upon the bowling alley approach surface, A, e.g., for better weight distribution and braking effect during bowling motion. 
     Alternatively, referring to  FIG. 6 , in another embodiment of the invention, a bowling shoe  100  has an upper  112  and an outsole  114 , the outsole having a fore sole  116  and a heel  118 . In this embodiment, the heel  118 , defining a heel surface  122  of the invention, is fixedly mounted. 
     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, different heel surface elements may exhibit one or a combination of performance characteristics in addition to or other than coefficient of friction. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.