Abstract:
The present invention is directed toward a crampon for use with a shoe to provide enhanced traction with the ground. The crampon comprises at least one sole member removably interconnected to the shoe and disposed adjacent a sole thereof. The sole member comprises at least one cavity extending at least partially therethrough. At least one traction element for gripping the ground is removably interconnected to the sole member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is directed toward a crampon having removable traction elements for providing enhanced traction, particularly in outdoor environments. 
         [0003]    Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Hiking, fishing, mountaineering and other activities are very popular forms of recreation, but are fraught with challenges—particularly in the winter months. Uneven, slippery of often icy ground makes traversing the wilderness perilous without proper equipment. For those who earn their living in such an environment, the recreational challenge is replaced with workplace hazard. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a crampon is commonly used to enhance traction. Crampons are typically strapped to footwear and incorporate teeth for gripping the terrain. However, there are limitations. Crampons are unsuitable for terrain other than what a particular crampon was designed for, which does not take into account the variations in wilderness terrain. Traction on slippery rocks near and in rivers and streams demands different performance from traction on other surfaces, such as ice, mud, dirt, or leaves. Moreover, outdoor activities often require traversing multiple such surfaces. For example, an angler looking to fish from a canoe will often have had to hike through steep, rocky terrain followed by smooth wet rocks, each of which necessitates a different solution to retain traction. Furthermore, carrying multiple types of crampons, which can be heavy, is impractical. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The crampon device according to the invention described herein comprises removable, interchangeable traction elements that can be disposed throughout the surface that engages the terrain. Consequently, the traction elements can be exchanged as the wearer traverses different terrain, eliminating the need for carrying additional crampons or sacrificing traction in the wilderness environment. 
         [0007]    The crampon comprises a sole member removably interconnected to a shoe, such as by a system of straps or ties. The sole member comprises at least one cavity extending at least partially therethrough. A traction element is inserted at least partially into the cavity so as to be removably retained thereby. Accordingly, a traction element may be quickly removed in the field and replaced with a traction element having differing traction facilitating properties, such as shape or length. In at least one embodiment, the traction elements are arranged to facilitate traction, such as in rows and/or columns. They may also be spaced such that they impede debris, such as leaves, twigs, etc., from becoming trapped between the traction elements. 
         [0008]    The sole member further comprises a heel member and a toe member, each of which is interconnected with an opposing end of an interconnecting member. The heel member and/or the toe member is movable along the length of the interconnecting member to facilitate adjustments to the length of the crampon and better adapt it for attachment to the wearer&#39;s shoe. 
         [0009]    The sole member may further comprise at least one pick disposed adjacent the outer edge of the sole member to provide greater traction, particularly when traversing steep terrain. 
         [0010]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of an embodiment of the present invention as removably attached to a wearer&#39;s shoe. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with a traction element removed from the crampon to expose the cavity therein. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention claimed. As used herein, “or” means “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise, and use of the term “including” as well as other forms, such as “includes,” and “included,” shall not be considered limiting. 
         [0016]    The embodiment  10  according to the present invention comprises a sole member  40 . The sole member  40  is disposed adjacent the sole  2  of a shoe  1  work by the user. The sole member  40  is removably retained to the shoe  1  by way of a series of straps  8  that engage the shoe  1 . Removal of the straps  8  from the shoe  1  enables the removal of the sole member  40  and thereby the crampon  20  from the shoe  1 . 
         [0017]    The sole member  40  has a top surface  40   a  that abuts the sole  2  of the shoe  1  when in use by a wearer, such as when hiking or otherwise traversing an environment. The bottom surface  40   b  of the sole member  40  faces the environment being traversed. 
         [0018]    As described in further detail below, traction elements  20  are disposed throughout at least a portion of the sole member  40 . The traction elements  20  are removably interconnected to the sole member. Accordingly, traction elements  20  can be interchanged with alternate elements while in the field, or can be individually replaced when one has worn beyond its useful lifespan. The traction elements  20  protrude substantially in the direction of the terrain for the purpose of enhancing traction by gripping the terrain. 
         [0019]    In addition, traction elements  20  may be arranged in columns aligned with the length of the sole member  40 , i.e. from the portion adjacent the toe  1   a  of the shoe  1  to the heel  1   b  of the shoe. Additionally or alternatively, the traction elements  20  may be arranged in rows that run laterally across the width of the sole member  40 . The traction elements  20  may also be disposed in equivalently spaced relation relative to one another. In at least one embodiment, the spacing between adjacent traction elements  20  is sufficiently narrow to substantially prevent debris, such as sticks, rocks, etc., from becoming lodged among the traction elements  20 . 
         [0020]    With further reference to  FIG. 1 , the depicted embodiment comprises picks  30  disposed adjacent an outer edge  45 , i.e. perimeter, of the sole member. The picks  30  extend outward in a direction opposite the shoe  1  to assist in engaging the terrain, particularly when traversing steep inclines. Accordingly, in at least one embodiment the picks  30  extend obliquely relative to the bottom surface  14   b  of the sole member  40 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  demonstrates the structure by which a traction element  20  is removably secured to the sole member  40 . A cavity  50  extends at least partially through the sole member  40 . The traction element  20  comprises a first end  20   a  adapted for insertion at least partially within the cavity  50 . This may be facilitated by way of threads  22  about a surface of the first end  20   a . The cavity  50  is correspondingly structured to receive the first end  20   a  and retain it with sufficient strength such that the traction element  20  does not dislodge during normal use. However, the traction element  20  is removable from the cavity  50  to facilitate its replacement. 
         [0022]    The second end  20   b  of the traction element  20  is structured to engage the terrain. Accordingly the second end  20   b  may be formed into a spike. The length of the second end  20   b  may vary based on the type of terrain to be traversed. For example, longer spikes may be desirable when traversing icy terrain, while shorter spikes may be more useful for non-icy terrain. 
         [0023]    The sole member  40  comprises a toe member  12  disposed adjacent a toe portion  1   a  of the shoe  1  and a heel member  14  disposed adjacent a heel portion  1   b  of the shoe. An interconnecting member  16   a  is disposed between the toe and heel members  12 ,  14 . A first end  16   a  of the interconnecting member  16  is interconnected with the toe member  12 . A second end  16   b  of the interconnecting member  16 , opposite the first end  16   a , is interconnected with the heel member  14 . The interconnecting member  16  is inserted in the toe and heel members  12 ,  14  and secured thereto. One or both of the toe and heel members  12 ,  14  may be movable along the length of the interconnecting member  16  to facilitate adjustments to the overall length of the sole member  40 . Thus, adjustment of the length of the sole member  40  facilitates its attachment to the shoe  1 . 
         [0024]    Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
         [0025]    Now that the invention has been described,