Footwear element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936769-B2
Application number	US-201615007669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Footwear element including a flexible outer sole assembly and a flexible upper, the footwear element extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral portion and a medial portion, and height-wise from an outer surface of the outer sole assembly to an upper end, the footwear element having a shoe insertion opening. The footwear element includes spikes projecting from the area of the outer surface of the outer sole assembly. The footwear element includes at least one reinforcement, the reinforcement including a base and a wall, the base extending opposite the outer sole assembly outside of the footwear element, the wall extending from the base toward the upper end, also outside of the footwear element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A footwear element configured to receive a shoe, the shoe having an outer sole assembly and an upper, the footwear element comprising:
a flexible outer sole assembly; and
a flexible upper comprising at least a foot-covering lower portion;
the footwear element extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral portion and a medial portion, and height-wise from an outer surface of the outer sole assembly to the upper end of the upper;
the footwear element further comprising:
a shoe insertion opening configured to receive the shoe, the opening extending downwardly from the upper end of the footwear element;
a front reinforcement and a rear reinforcement, the front and rear reinforcements being lengthwise separated from one another, each of the reinforcements comprising:
a base; and
a wall;
the base extending opposite the outer sole assembly outside of the outer surface of the outer sole assembly of the footwear element;
the wall extending from the base toward the upper end outside of the footwear element;

at least a front crampon or a rear crampon comprising:
a body arranged between the outer sole assembly and the base of the reinforcement; and
a plurality of spikes affixed to the body.

2. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the front and rear reinforcements is irremovably affixed to the sole assembly or to the upper or to both the sole assembly and the upper.

3. A footwear element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reinforcement affixing mechanism configured to removably retain each of the front and rear reinforcements to the sole assembly and/or to the upper.

4. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
in an area of a transverse cross section, the wall of each of the front and rear reinforcements has a height not exceeding 50% of a height-wise distance measured between the outer surface of the outer sole assembly and the cross-sectional height of the upper.

5. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
the wall of each of the front and rear reinforcements extends along at least 50% of the portion of the contour of the base located at an edge of the outer sole assembly.

6. A footwear element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a crampon affixing mechanism configured for each of the front or rear crampon to removably retain the at least front or rear crampon to a remainder of the footwear element.

7. A footwear element according claim 6 , wherein:
the crampon affixing mechanism of each of the front or rear crampon comprises a crampon-retaining mechanism configured to retain the crampon to the reinforcement; and
the crampon-retaining mechanism being configured to enable the crampon to be released from the reinforcement beneath the footwear element.

8. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the front and rear reinforcements comprises a synthetic material.

9. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
the shoe insertion opening has an upper subdivision and at least one lower subdivision; and
the lower subdivision is located in a zone extending over 50% of a length of the footwear element from the rear end.

10. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least two spikes extending forwardly of the front end of the footwear element.

11. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
the upper further comprises an upper portion comprising at least an ankle-covering portion.

12. A footwear element according to claim 11 , wherein:
the upper portion further comprises a low-leg-covering portion extending from the ankle-covering portion to the upper end of the upper.

13. A footwear element according to claim 6 , wherein:
the crampon affixing mechanism comprises one or more screws.

14. A footwear element according to claim 6 , wherein:
the crampon affixing mechanism comprises one or more screws extending successively through the base of the front reinforcement, the body of the front crampon, and into the outer sole assembly.

15. A footwear element according to claim 1 , wherein:
the upper includes a front surface extending continuously from a front end of the upper to the upper end of the upper.

16. A footwear element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a crampon affixing mechanism configured for at least one of the front and rear crampons to affix the at least one crampon to the outer sole assembly, the crampon affixing mechanism being located at an underside of the footwear element between the front and rear ends of the footwear element.

17. A footwear element according to claim 7 , wherein:
at least one of the front and rear reinforcements is irreemovably affixed to the outer sole assembly.

18. A footwear element comprising:
a flexible outer sole assembly; and
a flexible upper comprising at least a foot-covering lower portion;
the footwear element extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral portion and a medial portion, and height-wise from an outer surface of the outer sole assembly to the upper end of the upper;
the footwear element further comprising:
a shoe insertion opening extending downwardly from the upper end of the footwear element;
at least one reinforcement comprising:
a base; and
a wall;
the base extending opposite the outer sole assembly outside of the outer surface of the outer sole assembly of the footwear element;
the wall extending from the base toward the upper end outside of the footwear element;

at least a front crampon or a rear crampon comprising:
a body arranged between the outer sole assembly and the base of the reinforcement; and
a plurality of spikes affixed to the body;

a crampon affixing mechanism configured for each of the front or rear crampon configured to removably retain the at least front or rear crampon to a remainder of the footwear element;
the crampon affixing mechanism comprising one or more screws extending successively through the base of the front reinforcement, the body of the front crampon, and into the outer sole assembly.

19. A footwear element configured to receive a shoe, the shoe having an outer sole assembly and an upper, the footwear element comprising:
a flexible outer sole assembly; and
a flexible upper comprising at least a foot-covering lower portion;
the footwear element extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral portion and a medial portion, and height-wise from an outer surface of the outer sole assembly to the upper end of the upper;
the footwear element further comprising:
a shoe insertion opening extending downwardly from the upper end of the footwear element;
at least one reinforcement comprising:
a base; and
a wall;
the base extending opposite the outer sole assembly outside of the outer surface of the outer sole assembly of the footwear element;
the wall extending from the base toward the upper end outside of the footwear element;

at least a front crampon or a rear crampon comprising:
a body arranged between the outer sole assembly and the base of the reinforcement; and
a plurality of spikes affixed to the body;

a crampon affixing mechanism configured to affix the crampon to the outer sole assembly;
the crampon-affixing mechanism being configured to enable the crampon to be removed from the sole assembly from beneath the footwear element.

20. A footwear element according to claim 19 , wherein:
the at least on

Assignees

• Salomon Sas

Inventors

• Girard Francois
• Margolliet Philippe

Classifications

• A43B13/122

  characterised by the outsole or external layer · CPC title

• A43C15/00

  Non-skid devices or attachments (apparatus for climbing poles, trees, or the like A63B27/00) · CPC title

• A43C15/068 Primary

  Climbing devices or attachments, e.g. glacier crampons, mountain climbing irons · CPC title

• A43B13/26

  projecting beyond the sole surface · CPC title

• A43B5/18

  Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes · CPC title