Canine footwear
A dog shoe that is configured to be worn by a dog comprises a rubberized sole sized for a foot of a dog. The rubberized sole has an exterior portion and an upper portion opposite the exterior portion. The rubberized sole further includes a heel portion and a toe portion. The heel portion is raised in relation to the toe portion. The dog shoe further comprises a shoe wall that comprises a flexible material and that is coupled to at least a perimeter portion of the upper portion of the rubberized sole. The shoe wall includes an elongate opening along an upper portion thereof. The dog shoe further comprises a zipper that is mounted on opposite sides of the elongate opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall, the zipper is also configured to open and close an adjustable ankle opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall. The dog shoe further comprises an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to the upper portion of the shoe wall. The elastic cinch is configured to cinch open and close the adjustable ankle opening.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/095,927 (filed 31 Mar. 2005), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/589,506 (filed 19 Jul. 2004). The entire disclosure of both of these applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to canine footwear, and more specifically to canine footwear with improved features such as comfort, durability and appearance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCanine footwear has been developed to mitigate the discomfort that dogs experience when standing, walking or running on certain surfaces, such as hot pavement, snow or rough surfaces. Furthermore, it should be noted that the advantages derived from canine footwear are not limited to the dog wearing the footwear. Specifically, canine footwear provides utility in the sense of decorations to help fulfill some sort of anthropomorphic kinship satisfaction to the dog owner.
Disadvantageously, many conventional canine footwear designs do not adequately meet the unique shape and needs of dog paws and legs. Further, many conventional canine footwear designs do not provide adequate durability and do not sufficiently protect a dog's paws from sharp objects on the ground, such as broken glass.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the numerous advantages that canine footwear provides, several different types of canine footwear have been developed. However, many conventional forms of canine footwear suffer from significant disadvantages, such as a tendency to twist or slide off the dog's paw during certain activities, a failure to provide adequate ventilation to the dog's foot, and an inability to easily insert or remove the dog's foot from the shoe. These and other deficiencies are addressed by various embodiments of the canine footwear disclosed herein. However, not all embodiments need address all deficiencies.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a dog shoe that is configured to be worn by a dog comprises a rubberized sole sized for a foot of a dog. The rubberized sole has an exterior portion and an upper portion opposite the exterior portion. The rubberized sole further includes a heel portion and a toe portion. The heel portion is raised in relation to the toe portion. The dog shoe further comprises a shoe wall that comprises a flexible material and that is coupled to at least a perimeter portion of the upper portion of the rubberized sole. The shoe wall includes an elongate opening along an upper portion thereof. The dog shoe further comprises a zipper that is mounted on opposite sides of the elongate opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall. The zipper is also configured to open and close an adjustable ankle opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall. The dog shoe further comprises an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to the upper portion of the shoe wall. The elastic cinch is configured to cinch open and close the adjustable ankle opening.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a canine footwear apparatus comprises a rubber sole sized to fit a dog. The rubber sole has a dog toe portion and a dog heel portion opposite the dog toe portion. The dog heel portion is elevated with respect to the toe portion to accommodate a dog's anatomy. The canine footwear apparatus further comprises an upper shoe wall fastened to a perimeter portion of the sole and forming an upper ankle opening. The upper shoe wall is shaped to allow the footwear apparatus to be positioned on a dog foot. The upper shoe wall includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion. The first and second wall portions are at least partially separated. The canine footwear apparatus further comprises a fastener configured to secure the upper shoe first wall portion to the upper shoe second wall portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an enclosure for a dog paw comprises a shoe sole sized to fit a dog paw. The shoe sole has a toe portion and a heel portion opposite the toe portion. The dog paw enclosure further comprises a curved sidewall connected to and extending upwardly from a perimeter portion of the shoe sole to an adjustable ankle opening. The curved sidewall comprises a flexible material. The dog paw enclosure further comprises a longitudinally extending closable slit formed in the curved sidewall, and extending from a point adjacent the shoe sole toe portion to the adjustable ankle opening. The dog paw enclosure further comprises a closure device configured to open and close the longitudinally extending closable slit. The dog paw enclosure further comprises an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to an upper portion of the curved sidewall, and that is configured to cinch open and close the adjustable ankle opening.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a kit comprises two first canine footwear articles having a first size. The kit further comprises two second canine footwear articles having a second size that is larger than the first size. The two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each include a rubberized sole having a raised heel portion. The two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each include a shoe wall that is made of a flexible material and that is attached to a perimeter portion of the rubberized sole. The two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each include an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to an upper portion of the shoe wall, and that is configured to cinch open and close an adjustable ankle opening in the shoe wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSExemplary embodiments of the improved canine footwear disclosed herein are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. The drawings comprise the following figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts.
In accordance with the forgoing, improved canine footwear has been developed. Certain optional embodiments described herein provide enhanced paw protection and comfort. For example, seeing eye dogs and other service dogs are often subjected to hot, sun-baked pavement surfaces for prolonged periods of time. In some cases, the causes burning, cracking and/or infection of the dog's foot pads. Use of certain footwear embodiments described herein helps to protect the dog's footpads from such effects.
Certain embodiments of the canine footwear described herein also optionally provide dogs with protection from hazards such as thorns, burrs, stinging insects, and salt used in street maintenance during wintry weather. These hazards are particularly bothersome for dogs that spend a large amount of time indoors, because such dogs are unable to develop the tougher paw pads that dogs that spend a large amount of time outdoors have. Moreover, the advantages derived from canine footwear are not limited to providing comfort and protection from adverse environmental conditions. Canine footwear also optionally provides enhanced healing and protection for dogs with paw injuries; improved stability for dogs with arthritic, dysplastic or other conditions that adversely affect their ability to walk; and/or improved mobility for dogs that walk on slippery surfaces, such as hardwood floors or ice.
In an exemplary embodiment, the canine footwear 10 comprises a sole 16 that is made of rubber, although other suitable materials such as leather or canvas are used in other embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the sole 16 comprises a thermoplastic rubber material, which is advantageously durable and lightweight. An optional slip-resistant sole, such as a rubber sole, provides several advantages, such as increased durability and wear resistance, enhanced protection from dangers such as thorns or burrs, and improved traction on various types of slippery terrain. For example, a rubber sole will provide a dog with enhanced traction on a polished wood floor, thus facilitating the dog's movement and decreasing the risk of injury due to a fall. Furthermore, many dogs suffering from certain conditions such as arthritis find that the increased traction provided by a slip-resistant sole makes it easier to stand up from a sitting or lying condition. Because of its properties as an electrical insulator, a rubber sole also advantageously helps to protect a dog from electric shock, for example from metal grate subway platforms. In one embodiment, the thickness of the sole 16 is between 0.1 inches and 0.5 inches. In another embodiment, the thickness of the sole 16 is between 0.125 inches and 0.4 inches. In yet another embodiment, the thickness of the sole 16 is between 0.15 inches and 0.25 inches.
The sole 16 optionally includes tread 18 to further enhance traction. As illustrated in
The canine footwear 10 further includes a shoe wall 14 that is configured to cover an upper portion of the dog's foot. In an exemplary embodiment, the shoe wall 14 optionally comprises a flexible, porous material, such as canvas, nylon or polytetrafluoroethylene, thereby allowing air to pass through the shoe wall 14 to the dog's foot, and allowing moisture to pass from the dog's foot through the shoe wall 14. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous for canine footwear because a dog perspires through its feet. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner surface of the shoe wall 14 comprises a soft fleece-like material or similar material to enhance comfort for the dog's foot. Further, the fleece, fleece-like, or other material provides additional thermal insulation.
Optionally, the shoe wall 14 further includes macroscopic pores to further facilitate passage of air and moisture therethrough. Optionally, the shoe wall is at least partially coated with a material configured to resist water damage, such as a water-resistant material. An example of such a material is carnauba wax. Such surface treatments are particularly advantageous where the canine footwear is to be used to prevent a dog's foot from becoming wet.
Still referring to in exemplary embodiment illustrated in
The shoe wall 14 includes an elongate opening to facilitate placement of the dog's foot within the canine footwear 10. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
The canine footwear 10 optionally includes a tongue 32 positioned inside the shoe and over the elongate opening, thereby providing a buffer between the dog's foot and the elongate opening. Aside from providing an added level of comfort, the tongue 32 also optionally protects the dog's foot from the mechanism used to open and close the elongate opening. For example, in embodiments wherein a zipper is used to open and close the elongate opening, the tongue 32 helps to prevent fur on the dog's foot from becoming entangled in the zipper.
In an exemplary embodiment, an upper portion of the shoe wall 14 additionally or optionally includes an ankle cinch 28. For example, in one embodiment the ankle cinch 28 comprises an elastic cord that is configured to be tightened around an upper portion of the dog's ankle. In such embodiments, the ankle cinch includes a pushbutton lock 30 usable to keep the elastic cord in a tightened configuration. Other mechanisms for keeping the elastic cord in a tightened configuration are used in other embodiments. The ankle cinch advantageously helps to keep the canine footwear 10 secured to the dog's foot, and helps to reduce the tendency of the canine footwear 10 to slip, twist, slide or otherwise fall off of the dog's foot during certain activities, such as strenuous physical activities. This ankle cinch configuration also advantageously provides substantially unhindered movement of the dog's leg and foot tendons.
Modified embodiments of canine footwear 10 are illustrated in
The modified embodiments illustrated in
As described herein, in certain embodiments, canine footwear 10 with various sized soles is produced. The size of the sole is optionally provided by an alphanumeric size indicator 22 marked on the sole 16. However, in certain embodiments components of the canine footwear other than or in addition to the sole 16 are provided in various sizes. For example, the height of the shoe wall 14 is adjustable. In one embodiment, the height of the shoe wall 14 is between about one inch and about 5 inches. In another embodiment, the height of the shoe wall 14 is between about 2 inches and about 4 inches. In still another embodiment, the shoe wall 14 is provided with a height configured to reach to a region adjacent to an ankle of the dog.
In a modified embodiment, the canine footwear 10 includes lights which enhance visibility of the dog wearing the footwear, for example in low light conditions such as nighttime. For example, this advantageously makes the dog more visible to cars, thereby providing a significant safety enhancement.
Generally, a dog's front paws are slightly larger than a dog's rear paws. Therefore, in certain embodiments wherein four dog boots are provided in a kit, the kit comprises two smaller dog boots intended for the dog's rear paws, and two slightly larger dog boots intended for the dog's front paws. For example, in one such embodiment, the width of an intermediate portion of the sole of the dog boots intended for the dog's rear paws is between about 5% and about 40% smaller than the corresponding dimension on the dog boots intended for the dog's front paws. In embodiments wherein the dog boot includes a size indicator, the kit optionally includes packaging that allows the size indicators to be seen through the packaging, thereby making it easier for a consumer to procure appropriately-sized canine footwear.
In addition to size differences, other design modifications are optionally included to accommodate differences between the dog's front paws and the dog's rear paws. For example,
Similarly, in embodiments wherein the sole includes a raised heel portion, the raised heel portion is optionally provided with a different angle of inclination for the front and rear paws. For example, in one embodiment the dog boots configured for use on the dog's front paws are provided with a raised heel portion having a relatively shallow angle of inclination, while the dog boots configured for use on the dog's rear paws are provided with a raised heel portion having a relatively steep angle of inclination. As used herein, a shallow angle of inclination refers to an angle wherein the inclined portion of the sole deviates from the remainder of the sole by a relatively small angular deviation, and a steep angle of inclination refers to an angle wherein the inclined portion of the sole deviates from the remainder of the sole by a relatively large angular deviation.
In other modified embodiments, different mechanisms are used to secure the canine footwear 10 to the dog's foot. One example of such a modified embodiment is illustrated in
Another example of an embodiment having a modified mechanism to secure the canine footwear 10 to the dog's foot is illustrated in
Another modified embodiment of the canine footwear is illustrated in
For example,
While zippers, elastic bands and hook-and-loop type fasteners have been disclosed herein as usable to secure canine footwear to a dog's foot, other securing mechanisms are used in other embodiments, as illustrated in
Still referring to
While the foregoing detailed description discloses several embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that this disclosure is illustrative only and is not limiting of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the specific configurations and operations disclosed can differ from those described above, and that the methods described herein can be used in contexts other than canine footwear.
Claims
1. A dog shoe configured to be worn by a dog, the shoe comprising:
- a rubberized sole sized for a foot of a dog, the rubberized sole having an exterior portion and an upper portion opposite the exterior portion, and further including a heel portion and a toe portion, wherein the heel portion is raised in relation to the toe portion;
- a shoe wall that comprises a flexible material and that is coupled to at least a perimeter portion of the upper portion of the rubberized sole, wherein the shoe wall includes an elongate opening along an upper portion thereof;
- a zipper that is mounted on opposite sides of the elongate opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall, and that is configured to open and close an adjustable ankle opening in the upper portion of the shoe wall; and
- an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to the upper portion of the shoe wall, and that is configured to cinch open and close the adjustable ankle opening.
2. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the rubberized sole further comprises an intermediate portion positioned between the toe portion and the heel portion, and wherein the toe portion and the heel portion are raised with respect to the intermediate portion.
3. The dog shoe of claim 1, further comprising a lighting assembly positioned on the heel portion of the rubberized sole.
4. The dog shoe of claim 1, further comprising a lighting assembly coupled to the elastic ankle cinch.
5. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the rubberized sole has a heel inclination angle between about 5° and about 50°.
6. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the exterior portion of the rubberized sole includes a numbered size indicator that provides an indication of paw size the dog shoe will fit.
7. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the exterior portion of the rubberized sole includes an indicator that provides an indication as to whether the shoe is intended for a front dog foot or a rear dog foot.
8. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall is attached to the rubberized sole using an adhesive.
9. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall is sewn onto the rubberized sole.
10. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall comprises nylon.
11. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall includes a plurality of ventilation holes.
12. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the dog shoe wall is coated with a water resistant material or coating.
13. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the dog shoe wall is coated at least in part with carnauba wax.
14. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall has a height between about 1 inch and about 5 inches.
15. The dog shoe of claim 1, wherein the shoe wall has a height sized to reach to a region adjacent to an ankle of the dog.
16. A canine footwear apparatus comprising:
- a rubber sole sized to fit a dog, the rubber sole having a dog toe portion and a dog heel portion opposite the dog toe portion, wherein the dog heel portion is elevated with respect to the toe portion to accommodate a dog's anatomy;
- an upper shoe wall fastened to a perimeter portion of the sole and forming an upper ankle opening, wherein the upper shoe wall is shaped to allow the footwear apparatus to be positioned on a dog foot, and wherein the upper shoe wall includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion, wherein the first and second wall portions are at least partially separated; and
- a fastener configured to secure the upper shoe first wall portion to the upper shoe second wall portion.
17. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a compressible material positioned on an interior portion of the shoe wall.
18. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an elastic band embedded within the shoe wall.
19. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first and second wall portions are separated by an opening.
20. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rubber sole has a heel inclination angle between about 5° and about 50°.
21. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rubber sole has a heel inclination angle between about 5° and about 30°.
22. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fastener is a zipper.
23. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fastener is an elastic portion that couples the upper shoe first wall portion to the upper shoe second wall portion.
24. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fastener is a hook-and-loop type fastener.
25. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fastener is a hook-and-loop type fastener that is configured to leave an exposed front opening when fastened.
26. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an elastic ankle cinch coupled to the upper ankle opening, wherein the elastic ankle cinch is configured to adjust a size of the upper ankle opening.
27. The canine footwear apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an ankle cinch coupled to the upper ankle opening, wherein:
- the ankle cinch is configured to adjust a size of the upper ankle opening; and
- the ankle cinch includes a hook-and-loop type fastener.
28. The dog shoe of claim 16, wherein the exterior portion of the rubberized sole includes an indicator that provides an indication as to whether the shoe is intended for a front dog foot or a rear dog foot.
29. The dog shoe of claim 16, wherein the rubber sole has a tread pattern.
30. The dog shoe of claim 16, wherein the rubber sole has a tread pattern having a dog paw shape.
31. An enclosure for a dog paw, the enclosure comprising:
- a shoe sole sized to fit a dog paw, the shoe sole having a toe portion and a heel portion opposite the toe portion;
- a curved sidewall connected to and extending upwardly from a perimeter portion of the shoe sole to an adjustable ankle opening, wherein the curved sidewall comprises a flexible material;
- a longitudinally extending closable slit formed in the curved sidewall, and extending from a point adjacent the shoe sole toe portion to the adjustable ankle opening;
- a closure device configured to open and close the longitudinally extending closable slit; and
- an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to an upper portion of the curved sidewall, and that is configured to cinch open and close the adjustable ankle opening.
32. The dog paw enclosure of claim 31, wherein the closure device is one of a hook-and-loop fastener and a zipper.
33. The dog paw enclosure of claim 31, further comprising an alphanumeric size indicator positioned on an exterior portion of the shoe sole.
34. The dog paw enclosure of claim 31, wherein the heel portion of the shoe sole is inclined with respect to the toe portion of the shoe sole.
35. The dog paw enclosure of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of ventilation holes formed in the curved sidewall.
36. The dog paw enclosure of claim 31, further comprising a water-resistance surface treatment applied to the curved sidewall.
37. A kit comprising:
- two first canine footwear articles having a first size; and
- two second canine footwear articles having a second size that is larger than the first size,
- wherein the two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each include: a rubberized sole having a raised heel portion, a shoe wall that is made of a flexible material and that is attached to a perimeter portion of the rubberized sole, and an elastic ankle cinch that is mounted to an upper portion of the shoe wall, and that is configured to cinch open and close an adjustable ankle opening in the shoe wall.
38. The kit of claim 37, wherein the rubberized sole for the two first canine footwear articles further comprises a raised toe portion.
39. The kit of claim 37, wherein:
- the raised heel portion of the two first canine footwear articles has a first angle of inclination;
- the raised heel portion for the two second canine footwear articles has a second angle of inclination; and
- the second angle of inclination is shallower than the first angle of inclination.
40. The kit of claim 37, wherein the two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each includes an alphanumeric size indicator.
41. The kit of claim 37, wherein the two first canine footwear articles each includes an indicator that they are for a canine's front feet, and the two second canine footwear articles each includes an indicator that they are for a canine's front feet.
42. The kit of claim 37,
- wherein the two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles each includes an alphanumeric size inductor; and
- further comprising packaging configured to hold the two first canine footwear articles and the two second canine footwear articles such that the alphanumeric size indicator is visible through the packaging.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 26, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 3, 2005
Inventors: Yeu Yun (Beverly Hills, CA), John Ynostroza (Piedmont, CA)
Application Number: 11/189,270