Patent Publication Number: US-2004045193-A1

Title: Noiseless shoe

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] This application relates to outdoor shoes, and in particular to a shoe that includes a sole that permits a wearer to walk quietly on almost any surface, and which at the same time provides exceptional traction on normally slippery surfaces.  
       [0002] In outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing and animal photography it is usually a great advantage to be able to move quietly when approaching the animal. It is also an advantage to wear a shoe that is durable and that provides good traction on a variety of surfaces, including surfaces that are wet or that are covered with vegetation. Typical outdoor shoes intended for use on dry land typically incorporates a hard rubber sole with a lug pattern. The sole material is typically very durable, and provides reasonably good traction on dry land and acceptable traction on wet surfaces. However, a typical lugged sole is not particularly compliant, and as a result is not quiet when walking on gravel or vegetation.  
       [0003] A need therefore exists for an improved outdoor sporting shoe that provides good traction on a wide variety of wet and dry surfaces and that permits the wearer to travel quietly on a wide variety of surfaces.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] This invention is embodied in a shoe that includes a sole designed to provide good traction on a wide variety of wet and dry surfaces, and that permits the wearer to walk quietly on nearly any surface. In a preferred embodiment a shoe according to this invention includes an upper of conventional design. A sole is adhered to the bottom of the upper. The sole includes an outer sole of a fiber pile attached to a backing. The backing in turn is adhered to the bottom of the shoe upper. In another embodiment the outer fiber pile sole is mounted on a padded mid-sole that is in turn adhered to the bottom surface of the upper.  
       [0005] In another embodiment the invention includes an overshoe that can be worn over a normal shoe. In this embodiment the fiber pile outsole or padded mid-sole is adhered to the bottom surface of the overshoe.  
       [0006] The fiber pile can one or more of a variety of fiber pile configurations, including cut, loop, twisted or straight. The fiber pile can vary in length, but in preferred embodiments is between one quarter and one inch in length. The pile is preferably made of a synthetic polymeric material such as nylon or polyester. In another preferred embodiment the fiber pile is made of wool.  
       [0007] These and other embodiments will now be described in greater detail by reference to the drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an overshoe according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.  
     [0011]FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0012] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shoe according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown generally at  10 . Shoe  10  includes an upper  12  having a bottom surface  14 , a midsole  16 , and an outsole  18 .  
     [0013] Midsole  16  is preferably a polymeric foam material that is adhered to the bottom surface  14  of upper  12 .  
     [0014] The outsole  18  is a fiber pile material  20  mounted on a backing. Outsole  18  is adhered to the midsole  16 . In one embodiment the fiber pile material  20  is similar in construction to that of a carpet. Fiber pile material  20  can be in the form of a straight loop, a twisted loop, or a cut pile. The fiber pile material  20  can be of uniform length, or can vary along the length and/or width of the shoe in a pattern. The fiber pile  20  is preferably formed of a polymeric material such as nylon or polyester, or in another embodiment is formed of wool or another natural fiber. In one preferred embodiment midsole  16  is formed of polyurethane foam approximately {fraction (1/2)}″ thick. Outsole  18  is a {fraction (1/2)}″ long nylon cut pile material on a jute or synthetic backing.  
     [0015] Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, in another embodiment shoe of the invention, shoe  30  is an overshoe. Shoe  30  is preferably formed of rubber or a synthetic water proof material, and can be slipped on and off over regular shoes. Shoe  30  includes an outsole  32  as described above, and may also include a midsole  34  as also described above.  
     [0016] Applicant has found that shoes according to the invention, and as described above, provide excellent traction on nearly any surface, wet or dry and even underwater. At the same time they permit the wearer to walk silently on many surfaces, including paved surfaces, gravel surfaces, vegetation covered surfaces, and solid rock surfaces.  
     [0017] The invention has been described above by reference to a number of preferred embodiments. The described embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to be an exhaustive description of possible embodiments of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that numerous variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.