U.S. patent application number 12/046915 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-18 for footwear and method of manufacturing same.
Invention is credited to Gregory E. Day, David Carwile Viar.
Application Number | 20080222915 12/046915 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39761222 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080222915 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Viar; David Carwile ; et
al. |
September 18, 2008 |
Footwear and Method of Manufacturing Same
Abstract
A footwear article is formed by providing at least one spent
automobile tire having a tread, separating a portion of the tread
of the tire, trimming the separated portion into the general shape
of a foot and securing the separated portion to a top sole portion.
The bottom sole portion of the footwear article has a generally,
non-uniform thickness and irregular pattern. The bottom sole
portion can fixer have elements of a scrub pattern indicator
element, a tie bar indicator and/or a ply fragment visible on an
outer edge thereof.
Inventors: |
Viar; David Carwile; (Great
Falls, VA) ; Day; Gregory E.; (Great Falls,
VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAMS MULLEN
222 CENTRAL PARK AVENUE, SUITE 1700
VIRGINIA BEACH
VA
23462
US
|
Family ID: |
39761222 |
Appl. No.: |
12/046915 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60894247 |
Mar 12, 2007 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/7.5 ; 12/142S;
12/146BR; 36/32A; 36/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/0094 20130101;
A43B 1/12 20130101; A43B 1/0063 20130101; Y02W 30/683 20150501;
Y02P 70/62 20151101; Y02P 70/653 20151101; A43B 13/04 20130101;
Y02W 30/62 20150501; A43B 3/108 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/7.5 ; 36/4;
36/32.A; 12/146.BR; 12/142.S |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/12 20060101
A43B003/12; A43B 1/12 20060101 A43B001/12; A43B 13/04 20060101
A43B013/04 |
Claims
1. A pair of sandals, comprising: a first footwear article for a
left foot having a top sole portion and a bottom sole portion
secured together, wherein the bottom sole portion comprises rubber
material separated from a scrub tire and having a first average
thickness; and a second footwear article for a right foot having a
top sole portion and a bottom sole portion secured together,
wherein the bottom sole portion comprises rubber material separated
from a scrub tire and having a second average thickness, with the
second average thickness being different from the first average
thickness.
2. The pair of sandals of claim 1 wherein the scrub tire is an
automobile racing tire.
3. The pair of sandals of claim 1 wherein at least one of the
footwear articles includes at least a scrub pattern indicator
element.
4. The pair of sandals of claim 1 wherein the bottom sole portions
each include an outer edge and wherein at least one of the footwear
articles includes a ply fragment visible on the outer edge of the
bottom sole portion thereof.
5. A footwear article, comprising: a top sole portion; and a bottom
sole portion secured to the top sole portion, the bottom sole
portion comprising rubber material separated from a scrub tire and
having a ply fragment visible on an outer edge thereof.
6. The article of claim 5 wherein the bottom sole portion includes
at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator element visible
thereon.
7. The article of claim 5 wherein the bottom sole portion has a
generally non-uniform thickness as a result of being separated from
the scrub tire.
8. A method of manufacturing a footwear article, comprising:
providing at least one scrub automobile racing tire having a tread;
separating a portion of the tread of the tire, and trimming the
separated portion into the general shape of a foot; and securing
the separated portion to a top sole portion.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the tread is of generally
non-uniform thickness.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the tread has a thickness of less
than or equal to 3/32 inch.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein the separated portion is a bottom
sole portion having a ply fragment visible on an outer edge
thereof.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein the separated portion is a bottom
sole portion having at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator
element visible thereon.
13. A footwear article, comprising: a top sole portion; and a
bottom sole portion secured to the top sole portion, the bottom
sole portion comprising rubber material separated from a scrub tire
and having at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator element
visible thereon.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/894,247,
filed Mar. 12, 2007 and entitled "Footwear and Method of Designing
and Manufacturing Same," the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to footwear, and more
particularly to footwear articles such as a casual sandal or
flip-flop type article incorporating recycled tire tread, pairs of
such articles as well as a method for manufacturing same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Spent tires (i.e., used, worn or scrub tires) do not
biodegrade and are often disposed of in landfills. Such disposed
tires can catch fire or house mosquitoes, rats and other
disease-bearing pests. The fraction that are salvaged are mostly
burned as fuel, for industrial uses or in electricity generation--a
waste of high quality rubber that should and could be re-used.
While typical passenger tires can last for 50,000 or more miles,
tires used in professional auto racing can become worn and spent
after only 100 miles of racing. What is needed is a way to turn
this rubber waste into a desirable product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention takes scrub tires received from
various collection areas and processes them into useful footwear
articles. An example collection area is a race track and/or
speedway venue, where automobile races occur and where large
numbers of tires are quickly spent. The collected scrub tires are
transported to a suitable processing center, where the tires are
cut, punched and/or stamped to form portions of footbeds which act
as bottom sole members for footwear articles. As scrub tires from
an auto race can have varying degrees of wear, the bottom sole
members of each footwear article according to the present invention
can have varying bottom sole thicknesses or depths along with
irregular patterns, even as between two footwear articles in the
same pair. In one embodiment of the present invention, a top sole
portion and a bottom sole portion are secured together to form a
footwear article, wherein the bottom sole portion has a generally
non-uniform depth and irregular pattern. In addition, the present
invention provides footwear having a corded appearance as a result
of ply fragments extending from the processed scrub tires in the
manufacturing process according to the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a front right perspective view of one embodiment
of a footwear article according to the present invention.
[0006] FIGS. 2A and 3A are bottom schematic views of a pair of
footwear articles incorporating designs on the bottoms thereof.
[0007] FIGS. 2B and 3B are right side schematic views of the
leftmost article shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, respectively.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram representing one process in
accordance with the present invention for making a footwear
article.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a tread and tread tie
bar indicator;
[0010] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a tread and a tread wear
indicator molding device;
[0011] FIG. 7 is an illustration of different wear indicator
designs;
[0012] FIGS. 8 and 9 are a bottom schematic view of illustrative
pairs of footwear articles in accordance with the present
invention.
[0013] FIGS. 10A through 10C are side views of top and bottom sole
portions of different embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention
comprises a footwear article 10 having a footbed 12 comprising a
top sole portion 14 and a bottom sole portion 16. A strap member 20
can be secured to the top sole portion 14, or to both the top 14
and bottom 16 sole portions. The strap member 20 can have a front
toe divider element 22 that extends through an opening 25 in the
top sole portion, or openings in the top 14 and bottom 16 sole
portions. In one embodiment of the present invention, the front toe
divider element 22 has a securing post (not shown) that helps
prevent the element from slipping back through the opening 25 and
becoming detached from the footbed 12. The strap member 20 further
includes side supports 30, 32 that retain the user's foot atop the
footbed 12. The side supports 30, 32 extend from the divider
element 22 to opposite sides 17, 18, respectively, of the footwear
article 10, and are secured to the top sole portion by stitching,
glue or other known bonding method. Similarly, the top sole portion
can be secured to the bottom sole portion by stitching, glue or
other known bonding method.
[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, for example, one
or more intermediate sole members are positioned in between the top
14 and bottom 16 sole portions. The intermediate sole member can be
provided for additional comfort, height, fashion or other reason.
In such an embodiment, the top sole portion 14 and bottom sole
portion 16 are not in direct contact, yet remain secured via the
intermediate member.
[0016] The top sole portion 14 can be formed of any suitable
material for footwear such as sandals, for example, as contemplated
by the present invention. Materials such as leather, ethyl vinyl
acetate (EVA) and rubber are known materials for such purposes. The
bottom sole portion comprises rubber material separated from a
spent or scrub tire and can therefore have a generally, non-uniform
thickness and irregular pattern that can differ from one footwear
article to the next, even within the same pair. The non-uniform
thickness and irregular pattern are provided as a result of being
separated from a spent or scrub tire, and not from being specially
formed from a uniform block of rubber material, for example.
Automobile racing tires, such as those used in connection with
NASCAR.RTM. sanctioned events, are suitable candidates for use with
the present invention.
[0017] When racing tires are spent, the wear on the tread or tire
outer surface (see 17 in FIGS. 1 and 4) can be uneven, resulting in
a bottom sole portion that has a substantially and generally
non-uniform and irregular thickness. New racing tires may be
provided, for example, with a tread or tire outer surface thickness
of perhaps only 3/32 inch. When the tire is used during a race,
this thickness can be worn to perhaps 1/16 inch or even 1/24 inch,
which while dangerous is also understood to be within suitable
tolerances given the smooth racing surfaces and lack of debris on
today's tracks. Nevertheless, each tire can receive a different
level of wear, abrasion and graining, which makes for unique bottom
sole portions on footwear articles provided according to the
present invention.
[0018] The cross-section of a typical tire reveals an outer tread
or tire surface, an optional cap ply layer, one or more belt layers
(such as steel belts, for example), one or more radial or bias body
layers and an optional inner liner layer built over a bead bundle.
The cap, belt, body and liner layers are comprised of different
types of fabrics, such as polyester cord, for example. The layers
are typically called plies. The cords in a radial tire run
perpendicular to the tread, while the cords in a bias-ply tire run
diagonally to the tread. The plies are coated with rubber to help
them bond with the other components and to seal in the air. A
tire's strength is often described by the number of plies it
contains. Whereas a typical passenger car tire has two body plies,
racing car tires have many more to accommodate the high heat and
speed experienced in racing conditions.
[0019] Racing tires are also provided with much thinner tread or
outer surface 17 than standard passenger vehicle tires and are
typically "slicks" in that they are not provided with typical tire
tread blocks and grooves of standard passenger vehicle tires,
because they are not meant to be raced in wet conditions. With the
advancement of technology and investment in racing, tires are being
manufactured specifically for use with certain tracks,
temperatures, distances and racing conditions, for example. Since
slicks have greater surface area contact with the race track, they
provide greater traction and control to the driver. Because they
are so thin and flat, however, racing tires are not capable of
being driven for long distances without blowing out. In many cases,
racing tires are only capable of going roughly one hundred miles
before needing replacement. During the time that racing tires are
operable, they generate tremendous heat and become sticky, often
picking up minute articles of debris that may have found their way
on to the race track, or may have been kicked off another car tire,
bounced up against the outer wall of the race track and deflected
back onto the track driving area. Additionally, because many
automobile races involve an oval-shaped track requiring drivers to
turn left at every corner, the tires are worn in an uneven
manner.
[0020] Graining, for example, can be caused by racing or by
overworking the tires before getting them up to a working
temperature. Once a graining pattern is worn into the surface of a
tire, it can be difficult to wear the pattern away. The ridges tend
to perpetuate as wear continues. The graining is generally not
present across the entire tread or outer surface, which results in
an irregular pattern across a given section of tire tread or tire
outer surface.
[0021] Abrasion is generally initiated by local stress
concentrations at the contact between track debris or rough spots
and rubber. Abrasion patterns can appear as an array of nearly
parallel ridges at right angles to the abrasion direction, for
example. The shape of the ridges in cross section can be
saw-toothed, for example, with the teeth pointed against the
direction of abrasion. During sliding, for example, deflection
waves in the rubber turn into peaks which are bent over, exposing
the upstream side to abrasion. The peaks can be worn into teeth
with tips that eventually wear off. Abrasion intensity usually
depends on shape rather than size of the track rough spots.
Abrasion, like graining, results in an irregular pattern across a
given section of tire tread, and farther results in non-uniform
wear that can cause tire tread or outer surface thickness to vary
across a given section.
[0022] FIGS. 2A and 3A illustrate what might be found on the bottom
of a pair of traditional commercially available sandals or flip
flops. As shown in FIG. 2A, there is a regular pattern of ridges 45
formed into the bottoms 46 of the footwear articles. Such a pattern
might be found on a pair of sandals worn by a user who prizes
traction, for example. The pattern on the left article 47 is
repeated on the right article 48 to provide even support and
traction to each foot of the user. FIG. 2B is a right side view of
the left most article 48 (for the right foot) shown in FIG. 2A,
whereupon the extension of the ridges 45 can be seen. The bottom
soles of the footwear articles in FIG. 2A further have a uniform
thickness and average depth, even with ridges. While the
thickness/depth of the bottom sole measured from the peak of one of
the ridges would be greater than the thickness/depth of the bottom
sole portion measured from a valley between ridges, the thickness
would be uniform and/or consistent throughout the footwear
articles, in newly made form. The bottom sole of the left article
has the same average depth as the bottom sole of the right article.
If these articles in FIG. 2A were provided without ridges, but
instead with a flat bottom sole portion, they would also have a
uniform thickness and uniform average depth in newly made form.
[0023] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, there is an arch support
element 51 formed into the bottom 52 of the footwear article. The
pattern on the left article 53 is repeated on the right article 54
such that each foot of the user receives the same type of support.
FIG. 3B is a right side view of the left most article 54 (for the
right foot) shown in FIG. 3A, whereupon the arch support element 51
can be seen. Thus, the pair of articles in FIGS. 3A and 3B has a
regular pattern and a uniform average depth in new form.
[0024] FIGS. 8 and 9 show illustrative schematic views of the
bottom surfaces 16 of footwear articles 10 of the present
invention, which may be formed in accordance with the method steps
shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, a tire 70 such as a scrub
racing tire is provided and a portion 72 of the tire tread/outer
surface and ply element(s) (all indicated at 71) is removed. This
portion can be removed by cutting with a cutting tool suitable for
cutting tire rubber such as a water jet cutting tool, for example.
It will be appreciated that the removed tire portion will have
areas of uneven wear, and thus will have an irregular pattern and
non-uniform thickness or depth throughout. The removed tire portion
can then be further trimmed into a footbed pattern using a pattern
cutting tool represented at 74. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the pattern cutting tool is a die in the general shape
of a footbed which can be stamped or punched down onto the tire
tread portion to remove the exterior elements of the tire tread
portion. In another embodiment of the present invention, a
multiple-axis router with a cutting edge can be used to trim the
raw tread portion. In another embodiment of the present invention,
a water jet cutting tool is employed. Once trimmed, the footbed
bottom sole portion 16 is then available for securing to the
remaining footwear article parts. As shown in FIG. 4, a strap
member 20 and top sole portion 14 can be secured together with
bottom sole portion 16 to form a footwear article 10.
[0025] As shown at the bottom of FIG. 4, and further shown in FIG.
8, bottom sole portion 16 can have an outer surface 17 with
multiple areas having a different thickness (e.g., 16a, 16b, 16c,
16d, 16g) based on being trimmed from a spent tire. These areas
16a-k have different thicknesses because the tire outer surface or
tread surface 17 has been worn in a non-uniform way. FIG. 8 shows
how a pair 10 of footwear articles can be provided wherein the
bottom sole portion 16 of each article has a different pattern, a
different average depth or thickness and therefore a different
supportive feel from the matching and opposite footwear article.
Specifically with regard to FIG. 8, it can be seen that the bottom
sole portion 16 of the left foot article 81 has four different
sections having different thicknesses. For example, area 16h has a
different thickness from area 16i, 16j, and 16k. In the embodiment
where a spent racing tire is employed in constructing the bottom
sole portion of the present invention, the range of thicknesses of
the outer element of the bottom sole portion might be between 1/24
and 3/32 of an inch, inclusive, for example. The outer element (see
17 in FIG. 1) of the bottom sole portion corresponds to the tread
surface or outer surface of the tire being used. The bottom sole
portion includes this outer surface as well as the ply and other
tire elements described herein.
[0026] Each of areas 16h, 16i, 16j and 16k can be a different
thickness within the 1/24- 3/32 inch range, for example. Similarly,
each of areas 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f and 16g in the right
foot article 83 can have a different thickness, or even the same
thickness separated by a different thickness. For example, elements
16a and 16b in FIGS. 4 and 8 can have the same thickness separated
by element 16c. With each foot article bottom sole portion having a
non-uniform thickness and irregular pattern, it will be apparent
that each article in a pair of articles will be unique in terms of
its average thickness and exact density. This is counterintuitive
to shoe and footwear article manufacturing techniques, where
tremendous stress is placed on giving users uniform traction,
support and patterns on the bottom soles of both shoes within a
given pair.
[0027] The footwear article provided in accordance with the present
invention can also include unique patterns visible on the sole
bottom portion thereof as a result of employing scrub tires having
different objects embedded or formed therein. As shown in FIG. 5,
for example, a cross-sectional view of a tire 80 shows a plurality
of tread blocks 82 having a groove 84 formed therein. Such a tire
would more commonly be found on a passenger vehicle requiring a
tread design suitable for wet weather. A wear indicator, scrub
indicator and/or tie bar indicator 86 is molded into the tire
during formation, and gives a tire inspector (e.g., driver, service
station attendant, etc.) a visual indicator to use in evaluating
whether the tire needs to be replaced. When the top surface 85 of
the tread block(s) reaches the level of the scrub indicator 86
(i.e., the tread block is flush with the scrub indicator), then the
inspector knows that the tire is spent.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 6, for example, a similar arrangement of
tread blocks 82 and grooves 84 is shown in the tire cross-section
80. However, instead of the tie bar indicator 86, a scrub pattern
indicator element is formed by a tire-injectable molding device 90.
The molding device 90 includes an injectable tube 92 having one or
more patterns impressed therein such that, when the tire is being
cured, the rubber forms around the pattern(s) and thereby leaves a
hollow impression in the tire tread. As an example, the tube 92 can
have a bottom segment pattern used in connection with warning the
inspector that the tire needs to be replaced (see, e.g., the "X"
pattern indicator element 94 in FIG. 7). The tube 92 can further
have an upper segment pattern to inform the inspector that the tire
is maintaining satisfactory tread depth (see, e.g., the check mark
pattern indicator element 96 in FIG. 7). Any of a number of
patterns can be ingrained in the tire tread, and it is not
necessary for the tire tread to have grooves or other water
handling channels in order to incorporate such patterns. Thus, a
slick tire without tread grooves can be provided with scrub pattern
indicator elements as described above.
[0029] FIG. 9 shows an example pair of bottom sole members of
footwear articles in accordance with the present invention. As the
tire tread is cut according to the methods described above and
shown in FIG. 4, for example, the tread may include one or more of
the pattern indicator elements 94 and 96 as shown. Such pattern
indicator elements then appear on the bottom of the bottom sole
member and contact the ground during use of the footwear articles,
much like the racing tire. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the pattern indicator element can change over the length
of use of the footwear article. As an example, the check mark
pattern indicator elements 96 of the left-most footwear article in
FIG. 9 may turn to the "X" pattern indicator elements 94, as shown
by way of example in the right-most article in FIG. 9.
[0030] FIGS. 10A through 10C are example side views of the top 14
and bottom 16 sole portions in accordance with other embodiments of
the present invention. FIG. 10A shows the bottom sole portions with
differently sized ply fragments or threads 102, 104 on the outer
edge 101 of the bottom sole portion 16 so as to be visible. Such
fragments 102 can be seen in the article 10 shown in FIG. 1, for
example. FIG. 10B shows the bottom sole portion with only the
larger sized ply fragments 102, and FIG. 10C shows the bottom sole
portion with only the smaller sized ply fragments 104 shown on the
outer edge thereof. The ply fragments are visible because they are
in the cut line when the spent tires are cut to form the bottom
sole portions. The ply fragment pattern depends upon the type of
material used in the tire for the various plies, as described
above. The pattern associated with a bias-ply tire will therefore
be different from the pattern associated with a radial ply, for
example.
[0031] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in
all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the
invention being indicated by the claims of the application rather
than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *