Apparel with optionally heated cavities
An optionally heated boot includes an upper footwear portion and a lower footwear portion which is attached to the upper footwear portion. The lower portion contains a sole having an upper surface and a lower surface. At least one cavity extends downwardly from the upper surface of the sole. A heating element is removably disposed within the cavity. An insole covers the sole and the heating element. The upper surface of the sole has an opening to a cavity therein. Similar cavities, generally in the form of pockets, allow for the placement of a heating element into gloves and/or earmuffs.
This invention relates to apparel with optionally heated cavities and, more particularly, to an optionally heated footwear in which the insoles are removable to allow for the placement of either a cavity filler or a heating element in a cavity extends downwardly from the upper surface of the sole of the footwear. The footwear is also referred to herein as shoes or boots.
Similar cavities, generally in the form of pockets, allow for the placement of a heating element into earmuffs and/or handwear devices, referred to herein as gloves, fingerless gloves, or mittens.
DISCUSSIONThe discussion that follows applies to heated footwear. These same principles can be applied to heated handwear and ear muffs.
Heated footwear devices provide a way whereby a wearer's feet may be kept warm, especially in cold weather. These devices increase the wearer's ability to withstand the cold allowing for prolonged periods of exposure and reducing the likelihood of frostbite. However, these devices typically alter the footwear affecting its comfort.
Existing footwear devices do not disclose a boot worn with either a heating element or a cavity filler in a cavity located on the upper surface of the sole of the footwear.
In these respects, a boot with optionally heated cavities according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining warmth for a wearer's feet, especially in cold weather.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of heated footwear now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a boot with optionally heated cavities.
An optionally heated boot includes an upper footwear portion and a lower footwear portion which is attached to the upper footwear portion. The lower portion contains a sole having an upper surface and a lower surface. At least one cavity extends downwardly from the upper surface of the sole. A heating element is removably disposed within the cavity. An insole covers the sole and the heating element. Similar cavities, generally in the form of pockets, allow for the placement of a heating element into earmuffs and/or gloves.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optionally heated boot which is comfortable and feels substantially similar to a normal boot without placing the heating element in direct contact with the skin.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optionally heated boot which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following description, like numerals and characters designate like elements throughout the figures of the drawings.
Referring generally to the drawings and more particularly to
The sole 52 contains a cavity 68 having an opening 70 on the upper surface 66 and extending downwardly. The cavity 68 extends from the front (toe) region 62 toward an intermediate region 74 of the sole 52. A heating element 72 resides and is removably positioned within the cavity 68. The removable insole 76 closes the opening 70 to the cavity 68 and covers the heating element 72.
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The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the invention's principles and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the invention's scope be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An optionally heated boot, comprising:
- an upper footwear portion;
- a lower footwear portion attached to said upper footwear portion, said lower footwear portion further comprising: a sole, said sole being characterized as having an upper surface and a lower surface, said sole having at least one cavity extending downwardly from said upper surface; a heating element removably disposed within said cavity; and an insole covering said sole and said heating element disposed within said cavity.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cavity filler having a shape substantially the same as the shape of said heating element, wherein said cavity filler is disposed within said cavity when said heating element is removed because heating is not desired.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said front region of said sole.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said rear region of said sole.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to the front region of said sole and extends so that said cavity is also adjacent to the rear region of said sole.
6. A lower footwear portion for attachment to an upper footwear portion to form an optionally heated footwear, said lower footwear portion, comprising:
- a sole, said sole being characterized as having an upper surface and a lower surface, said sole having at least one cavity extending downwardly from said upper surface;
- a heating element removably disposed within said cavity; and
- an insole covering said sole and said heating element disposed within said cavity.
7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a cavity filler having a shape substantially the same as the shape of said heating element, wherein said cavity filler is disposed within said cavity when said heating element is removed because heating is not desired.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said front region of said sole.
9. The device of claim 6, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said rear region of said sole.
10. The device of claim 6, wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to the front region of said sole and extends so that said cavity is also adjacent to the rear region of said sole.
11. An optionally heated glove, comprising:
- a glove;
- a pocket formed by attaching a flap to said glove, said pocket having an opening on at least one side;
- a heating element removably disposed within said pocket and covered by said flap; and
- a closing means, wherein said heating element is disposed within said pocket for heating said glove and wherein said heating element is removed from said pocket when heating is not desired.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein said closing means is a button closure.
13. The device of claim 11, wherein said closing means is a snap closure.
14. The device of claim 11, wherein said closing means is a hook-and-loop closure.
15. The device of claim 11, wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is located adjacent to said palm area.
16. The device of claim 11, wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is located adjacent to said back area.
17. An optionally heated glove, comprising:
- a glove;
- a detachable pocket, affixed to said glove using a hook-and-loop attachment, with an opening on one side; and
- a heating element removably disposed within said pocket through said opening, wherein said pocket is affixed to said covering with the heating element disposed within said pocket for heating said glove and wherein said pocket is removed when heating is not desired.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is attached adjacent to said palm area.
19. The device of claim 17, wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area and having five fingers numbered from the thumb, each of said second finger and said fifth finger has a proximal region, wherein said pocket is attached adjacent to the back of the proximal region of the second (index) finger and to the proximal region of the fifth finger.
20. An optionally heated earmuff, comprising:
- an ear covering;
- a pocket located within said ear covering having an opening at the surface of said ear covering; and
- a heating element removably disposed within said pocket, wherein said heating element is disposed within said pocket for heating said earmuff and wherein said heating element is removed from said pocket when heating is not desired.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 4, 2004
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2005
Inventor: John Johnson (Ardmore, OK)
Application Number: 10/911,451