Athletic Shoe Device

Abstract

An athletic shoe device for facilitates gripping of a sole on slippery surfaces encountered while playing paintball or other sports. The device includes a sole and an upper. The sole has a bottom surface, a lateral face, a toe, and a medial face. The bottom surface of the sole also has a rear section and a front section. The upper is coupled to and extends from the sole defining an interior space configured for receiving a foot. A plurality of ridges is coupled to and extends from the bottom surface of the sole. A length of the ridges coupled to and extending from the front section of the bottom surface is greater than a length of the ridges coupled to and extending from the rear section of the bottom surface of the sole.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to shoe devices and more particularly pertains to a new shoe device for facilitating gripping of a sole on slippery surfaces encountered while playing paintball or other sports.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a sole and an upper. The sole has a bottom surface, a lateral face, a toe, and a medial face. The bottom surface of the sole also has a rear section and a front section. The upper is coupled to and extends from the sole defining an interior space configured for receiving a foot. A plurality of ridges is coupled to and extends from the bottom surface of the sole. A length of the ridges coupled to and extending from the front section of the bottom surface is greater than a length of the ridges coupled to and extending from the rear section of the bottom surface of the sole.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top front lateral side perspective view of a athletic shoe device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a medial side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top front side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new shoe device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the athletic shoe device 10 generally comprises a sole 12 coupled to an upper 14. The sole 12 has a bottom surface 16, a lateral face 18 configured to face outwardly on a foot 32, a toe 20 covering toes of the foot 32, and a medial face 22 positioned to face inwardly on the foot 32. The bottom surface 16 of the sole 12 also has a rear section 24 and a front section 26. The lateral face 18 of the sole 12 extends upwardly from the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12 wherein the lateral face 18 is configured to extend over a lateral side 30 of the foot 32 inserted into the upper 14. The medial face 22 of the sole 12 extends upwardly from the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12 wherein the medial face 22 is configured to extend over a medial side 36 of the foot 32 inserted into the upper 14. The upper 14 is coupled to and extends from the sole 12 defining an interior space 38 configured for receiving the foot 32 in a manner securing the sole 12 substantially under the foot 32.

A plurality of ridges 40 is coupled to and extends from the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12. Each of the ridges 40 has a length extending transversely from the bottom surface 16. The length of the ridges 40 coupled to and extending from the front section 26 of the bottom surface 16 is greater than the length of the ridges 40 coupled to and extending from the rear section 24 of the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12. Thus, traction is most enhanced nearer the toe 20 in the front section 26 which is more frequently used for pivoting, pushing off, and quick movements during athletic activity such as participating in paintball combat games or simulations. A plurality of indentations 42 may also extend into the sole 12 on the bottom surface 16 defining a strip 44 extending along a perimeter edge 46 of the front section 26 of the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12.

An outer surface 48 of the medial face 22, the toe 20, and the lateral face 18 may be constructed of a tactile material such as rubber, or the like, wherein the sole 12 is configured to enhance friction between an extrinsic surface 50 and each of the lateral face 18, the medial face 22, and the toe 20 as typically occurs while crawling, strafing, climbing, or otherwise trying to move with speed and/or stealth in a combat simulating situation.

Spacing 52 between the ridges 40 coupled to and extending from the front section 24 of the bottom surface 16 may be greater than spacing 54 between the ridges 40 coupled to and extending from the rear section 26 of the bottom surface 16 of the sole 12 to further enhance traction and opportunity for the ridges 40 coupled to and extending from the front section 26 to take hold on a surface.

An opening 56 extends through the upper 14 configured for receiving the foot 32 therethrough wherein the foot 32 is positioned in the interior space 38. A slit 58 may extend from the opening 56 through the upper 14 towards the toe 20. Thus, the upper 14 is configured for facilitating insertion of the foot 32 through the opening 56. A tongue 60 may be coupled to the upper 14 and aligned with the slit 58 such that the slit 58 overlaps the tongue 60. Laces 62 may be threaded along the slit 58 over the tongue 60 to secure the device 10 on the foot 32. A sleeve 64 may be coupled to the upper 14 lining the interior space 38 for enhanced comfort and to facilitate wearing of the device 10 without a separate sock.

The device 10 may also include a padded bed 66 positioned over a support 68 coupled to a top surface 70 of the sole 12. The upper 14 may extend over the top surface 70 of the sole such that the support 68 is inset and substantially a smooth continuation of the upper 14 across the top surface 70 of the sole 12. The bed 66 may overlap inwardly turned portions 72 of the upper 14.

In use, the device 10 is provided in a pair to be placed on each of a person's feet. The device 10 is secured to each foot 32 and is worn while participating in paintball. The configuration of the sole 12 and extension of the sole 12 in the lateral face 18, toe 20 and medial face 22 compared to conventional footwear promotes traction and durability of the device for motions and use consistent with the particular demands of simulated combat activities.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. An athletic shoe device comprising:

a sole, said sole having a bottom surface, a lateral face, a toe, and a medial face, said bottom surface of said sole having a rear section and a front section;

an upper coupled to and extending from said sole defining an interior space configured for receiving a foot; and

a plurality of ridges coupled to and extending from said bottom surface of said sole, each of said ridges having a length extending transversely from said bottom surface, said length of said ridges coupled to and extending from said front section of said bottom surface being greater than said length of said ridges coupled to and extending from said rear section of said bottom surface of said sole.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising said lateral face of said sole extending upwardly from said bottom surface of said sole wherein said lateral face is configured to extend over a lateral side of a foot inserted into said upper.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising said medial face of said sole extending upwardly from said bottom surface of said sole wherein said medial face is configured to extend over a lateral side of the foot inserted into said upper.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an outer surface of said medial face, said toe, and said lateral face being constructed of a tactile material wherein said sole is configured to enhance friction between an extrinsic surface and said lateral face, said medial face, and said toe.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising spacing between said ridges coupled to and extending from said front section of said bottom surface being greater than spacing between said ridges coupled to and extending from said rear section of said bottom surface of said sole.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an opening extending through said upper configured for receiving a foot therethrough wherein said foot is positioned in said interior space;

a slit extending from said opening wherein said upper is configured for facilitating insertion of the foot through said opening; and

a tongue coupled to said upper, said tongue being aligned with said slit.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve coupled to said upper, said sleeve lining said interior space.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of indentations into said sole defining a strip extending along a perimeter edge of said front section of said bottom surface of said sole.

9. An athletic shoe device comprising:

a sole, said sole having a bottom surface, a lateral face, a toe, and a medial face, said bottom surface of said sole having a rear section and a front section, said lateral face of said sole extending upwardly from said bottom surface of said sole wherein said lateral face is configured to extend over a lateral side of a foot inserted into said upper, said medial face of said sole extending upwardly from said bottom surface of said sole wherein said medial face is configured to extend over a lateral side of the foot inserted into said upper;

an upper coupled to and extending from said sole defining an interior space configured for receiving a foot;

a plurality of ridges coupled to and extending from said bottom surface of said sole, each of said ridges having a length extending transversely from said bottom surface, said length of said ridges coupled to and extending from said front section of said bottom surface being greater than said length of said ridges coupled to and extending from said rear section of said bottom surface of said sole;

a plurality of indentations into said sole defining a strip extending along a perimeter edge of said front section of said bottom surface of said sole;

an outer surface of said medial face, said toe, and said lateral face being constructed of a tactile material wherein said sole is configured to enhance friction between an extrinsic surface and said lateral face, said medial face, and said toe;

spacing between said ridges coupled to and extending from said front section of said bottom surface being greater than spacing between said ridges coupled to and extending from said rear section of said bottom surface of said sole;

an opening extending through said upper configured for receiving a foot therethrough wherein said foot is positioned in said interior space;

a slit extending from said opening wherein said upper is configured for facilitating insertion of the foot through said opening;

a tongue coupled to said upper, said tongue being aligned with said slit; and

a sleeve coupled to said upper, said sleeve lining said interior space.