U.S. patent application number 13/450399 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-18 for adhering footwear.
This patent application is currently assigned to COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR NORTH AMERICA, INC.. Invention is credited to Craig Binzer, Daniel Fulton, Todd Lewis, Mark Nenow, William Scott Portzline, John Swigart.
Application Number | 20120260533 13/450399 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47005307 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120260533 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nenow; Mark ; et
al. |
October 18, 2012 |
ADHERING FOOTWEAR
Abstract
Embodiments herein provide adhering "upperless" footwear. Such
footwear is provided with adhesive or another surface element to
secure the footwear to a wearer's foot during use. The adhesive may
be formulated to allow the footwear to be secured to the wearer's
foot in a removable and repeatable fashion.
Inventors: |
Nenow; Mark; (Portland,
OR) ; Fulton; Daniel; (Portland, OR) ;
Swigart; John; (Portland, OR) ; Binzer; Craig;
(Portland, OR) ; Lewis; Todd; (Portland, OR)
; Portzline; William Scott; (Portland, OR) |
Assignee: |
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR NORTH AMERICA,
INC.
Portland
OR
|
Family ID: |
47005307 |
Appl. No.: |
13/450399 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61476704 |
Apr 18, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/103 ;
36/83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/28 20130101;
A43B 11/00 20130101; A43B 3/0036 20130101; A43B 3/10 20130101; A43B
13/141 20130101; A43B 13/16 20130101; A43B 13/122 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/103 ;
36/83 |
International
Class: |
A43B 3/00 20060101
A43B003/00; A43B 13/14 20060101 A43B013/14 |
Claims
1. Footwear having a top surface and a bottom surface, the footwear
comprising: a fore portion; a heel portion; an adhesive disposed on
the top surface of the footwear; and a transition zone coupling the
fore portion to the heel portion and providing a region of
increased flexibility by comparison to the fore portion or heel
portion.
2. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a modified
acrylic compound.
3. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is configured to
releasably and repeatably adhere to a foot of a wearer.
4. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the transition zone provides a
region of reduced thickness, stiffness, and/or density by
comparison to the fore portion or heel portion.
5. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the fore portion, heel portion,
and transition zone are formed by a continuous base material.
6. The footwear of claim 5, further including a tread portion
coupled to a bottom surface of the base material, wherein the tread
portion is of a higher hardness than the base material.
7. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes a
dual-layer adhesive film having a first adhesive layer and a second
adhesive layer, wherein the first adhesive layer is configured to
semi-permanently adhere to the top surface of the footwear, and
wherein the second adhesive layer is configured to releasably and
repeatably adhere to a foot of a wearer.
8. The footwear of claim 1, further comprising one or more tabs
extending from the fore portion and/or the heel portion, wherein
the tabs include the adhesive to secure the tabs to the side of the
foot.
9. The footwear of claim 1, further comprising a releasable liner
disposed on the adhesive and configured to be removed when the
footwear is coupled to a foot of a wearer.
10. The footwear of claim 1, further comprising a case having a
surface configured to be releasably and repeatably coupled with the
top surface of the footwear.
11. Footwear having a top surface and a bottom surface, the
footwear comprising: a fore portion; a heel portion; a transition
zone coupling the fore portion to the heel portion; and an adhesive
film disposed on the top surface of the footwear and including a
first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer, wherein the first
adhesive layer is configured to semi-permanently adhere to the top
surface of the footwear, and wherein the second adhesive layer is
configured to releasably and repeatably adhere to a foot of a
wearer.
12. The footwear of claim 11, wherein the transition zone provides
a region of increased flexibility by comparison to the fore portion
or heel portion.
13. The footwear of claim 11, wherein the adhesive film further
includes an intermediate layer between the first adhesive layer and
the second adhesive layer.
14. The footwear of claim 11, wherein the first adhesive layer and
second adhesive layer are formed of different compounds.
15. The footwear of claim 11, wherein the adhesive film includes a
first portion disposed on the fore portion of the footwear and a
second portion disposed on the heel portion of the footwear,
wherein the first portion is separate from the second portion.
16. The footwear of claim 11, further comprising a releasable liner
disposed on the second adhesive layer.
17. Footwear having a top surface and a bottom surface, the
footwear comprising: a fore portion; a heel portion; an array of
foot-contacting surface elements disposed on the top surface of the
footwear and configured to adhere to a foot of a wearer due to
attractive forces; and a transition zone coupling the fore portion
to the heel portion and providing a region of increased flexibility
by comparison to the fore portion or heel portion.
18. The footwear of claim 17, wherein the transition zone provides
a region of reduced thickness, stiffness, and/or density by
comparison to the fore portion or heel portion.
19. The footwear of claim 17, further comprising an adhesive
disposed on the top surface of the footwear.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/476,704, filed Apr. 18, 2011, entitled
"ADHERING FOOTWEAR," the entire disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments herein relate to the field of footwear, and,
more specifically, to footwear that is designed to adhere to the
wearer's foot.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Performing activities, such as walking and running, barefoot
has a number of benefits, such as increased flexibility for the
feet, feedback to the body, ventilation, and/or comfort. However, a
layer of material under the foot is often desirable to provide
protection and/or traction. Various attempts have been made to
design low-profile footwear that can adhere to a wearer's foot,
although those attempts have generally suffered from poor adhesive
quality and inadequate comfort.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Embodiments will be readily understood by the following
detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
and the appended claims. Embodiments are illustrated by way of
example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the
accompanying drawings.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a bottom view of adhering footwear in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the adhering footwear of
FIG. 1 in accordance with various embodiments;
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of alternative adhering
footwear in accordance with various embodiments; and
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an adhesive
film designed to adhere footwear to skin in accordance with various
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] In the following detailed description, reference is made to
the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which
are shown by way of illustration embodiments that may be practiced.
It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and
structural or logical changes may be made without departing from
the scope. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to
be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is
defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
[0010] Various operations may be described as multiple discrete
operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in
understanding embodiments; however, the order of description should
not be construed to imply that these operations are order
dependent.
[0011] The description may use perspective-based descriptions such
as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are
merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to
restrict the application of disclosed embodiments.
[0012] The terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their
derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms
are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular
embodiments, "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more
elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each
other. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are in direct
physical contact. However, "coupled" may also mean that two or more
elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still
cooperate or interact with each other.
[0013] For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form
"NB" or in the form "A and/or B" means (A), (B), or (A and B). For
the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "at least one
of A, B, and C" means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and
C), or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, a phrase
in the form "(A)B" means (B) or (AB) that is, A is an optional
element.
[0014] The description may use the terms "embodiment" or
"embodiments," which may each refer to one or more of the same or
different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "comprising,"
"including," "having," and the like, as used with respect to
embodiments, are synonymous, and are generally intended as "open"
terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as
"including but not limited to," the term "having" should be
interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be
interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.).
[0015] With respect to the use of any plural and/or singular terms
herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural
to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is
appropriate to the context and/or application. The various
singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for
sake of clarity.
[0016] Embodiments herein provide adhering "upperless" footwear.
Such footwear may be provided with an adhesive to secure the
footwear to a wearer's foot during use. In embodiments, the
adhesive may be disposed on an upper surface of the footwear. The
adhesive may be applied by any suitable means, such as a stick-on
film, a roller, and/or a spray. The adhesive may be formulated to
allow the footwear to be secured to the wearer's foot in a
removable and repeatable manner.
[0017] The footwear may not include an "upper" that encircles the
top of the foot. In some embodiments, the footwear may be disposed
only on a bottom surface of the wearer's feet. In other
embodiments, the footwear may include one or more tabs that extend
to the sides and/or top of the foot, but do not completely encircle
the foot.
[0018] In one embodiment, a dual-layer adhesive film may be
provided including a first adhesive layer to permanently bond the
adhesive film to the upper surface of the footwear, and a second
adhesive layer to removably adhere the footwear to the wearer's
foot. The second adhesive layer may be formulated to allow repeated
coupling and uncoupling of the footwear with the wearer's foot.
[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the foot-contacting surface of
the footwear may be provided with a surface that adheres to the
skin of the wearer due to attractive forces. In such an embodiment,
an adhesive may or may not be used, as the structure of the surface
of the footwear may adequately secure the footwear to the user's
foot. The surface of the footwear may be provided with contact
elements, or a surface modification, such as a chemical
modification, may be performed. In an embodiment, an array of
nanoscale linker molecules may be used to couple the footwear to
the user's foot. In embodiments, the contact elements may increase
the contact surface area of the user's foot, and via small
individual forces, such as van der Waals forces, collectively
provide a sufficient securing force. In an embodiment, this action
may be similar to the force exhibited by the array of setae on a
gecko's toes that enable a gecko to secure to most surfaces.
[0020] Alternatively, or additionally, the contact elements may
provide a suction force (e.g., vacuum) to releasably secure the
footwear to the foot. For example, the contact elements may include
suction cups and/or other similar structure.
[0021] In an embodiment, footwear may be constructed from one or
more base materials, with one or more adhesives applied thereto.
The base material of the footwear may be any suitable material,
such as foam, rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastics,
and/or leather, whether cut from a larger piece of material,
injection molded, compression molded, cast, poured, etc. In some
embodiments, the base materials may include one or more layers,
such as a midsole-type layer coupled to an outsole layer. The
midsole layer may provide cushioning to the wearer while still
providing flexibility. In some embodiments, the base material may
be a single layer.
[0022] In embodiments, the footwear may include a tread pattern on
a bottom surface of the footwear. The tread pattern may be formed
in the base material or may be formed by a separate tread portion
coupled to the base material. In some embodiments, the base
material may be a continuous piece of material. The tread portion
may be continuous or discontinuous, e.g., may include a plurality
of pieces arranged on the base material. In one embodiment, the
tread portion may be of a higher hardness than the base material.
The base material may provide flexibility and structure to the
footwear. The tread portion may provide grip, stability, and/or
durability while still providing flexibility.
[0023] In some embodiments, the footwear may include a fore portion
disposed under the forefoot of the wearer's foot and a heel portion
disposed under the heel of the wearer's foot. A transition zone may
couple the fore portion to the heel portion. The transition zone
may have increased flexibility compared with the fore portion
and/or the heel portion. For example, the transition zone may have
a reduced width, thickness and/or density compared with the fore
portion or heel portion. Thus, the transition zone may keep the
footwear in one piece and provide stability while also allowing the
footwear to be flexible enough to move with the foot.
[0024] In some embodiments, the footwear may substantially cover
the bottom surface of the foot, including the bottom of the toes.
The footwear may provide protection to the bottom of the foot
(e.g., from rocks, debris, etc.) while providing flexibility and
giving the wearer a "barefoot" feel. In other embodiments, the
footwear may substantially cover the heel and forefoot while the
transition zone may cover only part of the arch of the foot. For
example, the footwear may cover the portions of the foot that
contact the ground.
[0025] As discussed above, the adhesive may secure the footwear to
the wearer's foot in a releasable and repeatable fashion. Suitable
adhesives for securing the footwear to the wearer's foot include
non-water-soluble adhesives and other adhesives that adhere well to
the surface of the footwear and to the skin, but which can be
removed from the skin when the footwear is not in use and reused at
a later time. Examples of suitable adhesives include acrylic
adhesives, urethanes, and latexes.
[0026] In embodiments, an adhesive may be applied to the base
material using one or more of a variety of methods. Such methods
include applying the adhesive by spreading a liquid, roller coating
one or more layers of adhesive, applying a film, spraying,
brushing, etc. Adhesive can be applied in one or more layers. In
addition, multiple adhesives may be used as desired, whether
applied in one or more layers.
[0027] In an embodiment, an adhesive film may be formed, disposed
on, and/or coupled to a release liner, such as a relatively
non-stick or low-stick surface. The film may have adhesive
qualities on both sides of the film so that the film is configured
to adhere to a base material of footwear as well as adhere to the
skin of the wearer. Prior to applying the film to footwear, the
film may be located on a release liner or may be located between
two release liners to protect each adhesive surface. In the latter
embodiment, a first release liner may be removed before application
of the film to the footwear. And then, a second release liner may
be removed to expose the adhesive for application to the wearer's
foot.
[0028] In an embodiment, the adhesive film may include two adhesive
layers (e.g., a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer)
having different adhesives. The first adhesive layer may face the
footwear and may be formulated to secure the adhesive film to the
footwear. Suitable adhesives for the first adhesive layer may
include acrylic-based adhesives.
[0029] The second adhesive layer may face the wearer's foot and may
be formulated to adhere to the foot in a releasable and repeatable
fashion as discussed above. For example, the second adhesive layer
may include an acrylic, urethane, and/or latex adhesive.
[0030] The dual-layer adhesive film may allow each layer to be
specially formulated for its specific purpose. In some embodiments,
the first adhesive layer may be designed to be semi-permanently
adhered to the footwear. By semi-permanently adhered, it is meant
that the first adhesive layer keeps the adhesive film secured to
the footwear when the footwear is removed from the wearer's foot.
Thus, the first adhesive may provide a stronger adhesion with the
footwear than the second adhesive provides with the skin. However,
in some embodiments, the first adhesive may be removable from the
footwear, such as to replace the film after extended use. For
example, the first adhesive layer may be removed by peeling,
scraping, and/or applying a solvent.
[0031] In some embodiments, the second adhesive layer may be
configured to release from the skin of the foot without leaving a
significant residue on the foot.
[0032] In some embodiments, the adhesive film may include an
intermediate layer between the first adhesive layer and second
adhesive layer to secure the first adhesive layer to the second
adhesive layer and/or provide structural stability. In other
embodiments, the first adhesive layer may be directly coupled with
the second adhesive layer.
[0033] As described above, the first release liner may be removed
to expose the first adhesive layer, and the adhesive film may be
applied to the footwear. Then, the second release liner may be
removed to expose the second adhesive layer, and the footwear may
be secured to the wearer's foot. The footwear may be removed from
the wearer's foot and reapplied to the wearer's foot as
desired.
[0034] As an alternative, or in addition, to the release liners
discussed above, the adhering footwear may be packaged, shipped,
and/or stored in a case that has a non-stick or low-stick surface
for the footwear to be disposed. As an example, the footwear may be
placed with the adhesive surface facing the non-stick or low-stick
surface to protect the surface from dirt and debris. When desired
for use, the footwear may be peeled from the surface of the case
and applied to the foot. Alternatively, a release liner may be
applied to the adhesive surface and the footwear with the covered
adhesive surface may be placed into a case, whether face up or face
down.
[0035] In some embodiments, separate portions of adhesive film may
be provided for different regions of the footwear. For example, a
first portion of adhesive film may be provided for the fore portion
of the footwear, and a second portion of adhesive film may be
provided for the heel portion of the footwear. The transition zone
may or may not include adhesive disposed thereon.
[0036] In various embodiments, the adhesive may wear down and/or
have diminished adhesive quality after repeated use. In some
embodiments, the adhesive qualities of the adhesive may be
refreshed by cleaning the adhesive surface, such as with water,
soap, isopropyl alcohol, and/or another mild cleaning agent.
Alternatively, adhesive may be reapplied to the footwear, such as
by applying another adhesive film or a spray directly to the prior
adhesive surface.
[0037] In some embodiments in which the adhesive film is a
dual-layer film, as discussed above, the adhesive qualities may be
refreshed by applying a spray including the compound of the second
adhesive layer over the existing dual-layer adhesive film.
Alternatively, or additionally, another adhesive film (e.g., a
dual-layer or single-layer film) may be applied over the existing
adhesive film.
[0038] In some embodiments, the existing adhesive may be removed
prior to applying a new adhesive. For example, the adhesive may be
removed by peeling, scraping, and/or applying a solvent.
[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a bottom view of adhering footwear 100 in
accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 2 illustrates a top view
of the adhering footwear 100 of FIG. 1. Footwear 100 has a base
material 101 with a tread pattern 102 on a bottom surface 104 and
adhesive 106 on an upper surface 108. Tread pattern 102 is provided
as an example, and it should be understood that any of a variety of
tread patterns may be utilized. Alternatively, footwear 100 may be
provided without a tread pattern, and as such may provide a
relatively smooth or uniform bottom surface 104.
[0040] Tread pattern 102 has different material properties than
base material 101. Base material 101 is generally more flexible and
softer than tread pattern 102 to allow the footwear to move with
the wearer's foot. The tread pattern 102 is more rigid and has a
higher hardness to provide traction, stability, and/or to reduce
wear. In an embodiment, base material 101 and tread pattern 102 may
both be formed of the same material (e.g., rubber), with the tread
pattern 102 having a higher hardness than the base material
101.
[0041] Footwear 100 has a plurality of open regions 110 that permit
the passage of air, water (e.g., for drainage), vapor, etc., from
one side of footwear 100 (where the wearer's foot is located when
in use) to the other side of footwear 100. Footwear 100 also has a
plurality of tabs 112 that are provided with adhesive 106 to secure
footwear 100 to the sides and/or the top of the wearer's foot. The
tabs 112 include a gap 113, which may provide increased flexibility
for the tabs 112 to adapt to the contours of the side of the foot
and/or to move with the foot. Open regions 110 at the base of tabs
112 may facilitate the folding-up of tabs 112 and/or provide
ventilation. Other embodiments of footwear 100 may not include open
regions 110 and/or tabs 112.
[0042] Footwear 100 is generally defined by two portions, a fore
portion 114 and a heel portion 116, in accordance with the anatomy
of a foot. Fore portion 114 and heel portion 116 are joined by
transition zone 118. Transition zone 118 may have a different
flexibility characteristic than that of the fore portion 114 and
heel portion 116 to increase comfort for the user during use of
footwear 100, such as when the wearer flexes or bends his foot. An
increase in flexibility may be provided by a reduction in material
thickness, density, and/or stiffness in the transition zone 118. In
addition, an open region 110 may be provided (as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2) to reduce the material bulk in transition zone 118.
[0043] The base material 101 is a continuous layer of material over
the fore portion 114, heel portion 116, and transition zone 118.
The tread pattern 102 is formed of separate pieces of material that
are coupled to the base material 101. The tread pattern 102 may be
coupled to the base material 101 by any suitable means, such as an
adhesive and/or co-molding. In other embodiments, the base material
101 and tread pattern 102 may be formed of the same material.
[0044] The fore portion 114 includes a notch 120 that is disposed
generally between a big toe and a second toe of the wearer's foot
when the footwear 100 is worn. Additionally, fore portion 114
includes notches 122 between a toe region and a midfoot region of
the fore portion 114. The notches 120 and/or 122 may provide
increased flexibility in the toe region to enhance comfort and
utility of the footwear 100.
[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of alternative adhering
footwear 300 in accordance with various embodiments. Footwear 300
has a tread pattern 302 on a bottom surface 304. Tread pattern 302
is provided as an example, and it should be understood that any of
a variety of tread patterns may be utilized. Alternatively,
footwear 300 may be provided without a tread pattern, and as such
may provide a relatively smooth or uniform bottom surface 304.
[0046] Footwear 300 is generally defined by two portions, a fore
portion 314 and a heel portion 316, in accordance with the anatomy
of a foot. Fore portion 314 and heel portion 316 are joined by
transition zone 318. Transition zone 318 may have a different
flexibility characteristic than that of the fore portion 314 and
heel portion 316 to increase comfort for the user during use of
footwear 300, such as when the wearer flexes or bends his foot. An
increase in flexibility may be provided by a reduction in material
thickness, density, and/or stiffness in the transition zone 318.
Transition zone 318 is configured as a zig-zag or coil of material
providing connectivity between fore portion 314 and heel portion
316 and imparting flexibility in the transition zone 318.
[0047] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-section of an adhesive film 400
that may be used with the footwear described herein (e.g., footwear
100 and/or 300). Adhesive film 400 includes a first adhesive layer
402 and a second adhesive layer 404 coupled together between a
first release liner 406 and a second release liner 408. The first
adhesive layer 402 is formulated to permanently adhere to the upper
surface of the footwear, while the second adhesive layer 404 is
formulated to releasably and repeatably adhere to the wearer's
foot.
[0048] The adhesive film 400 may be applied to the footwear by
removing the first release liner 406 and positioning the first
adhesive layer on the upper surface of the footwear and applying
pressure to adhere the first adhesive layer to the footwear. The
second release liner 408 may then be removed, thereby exposing the
second adhesive layer 404. The wearer may then attach the footwear
to his or her foot, and the second adhesive layer 404 will secure
the footwear to the foot.
[0049] In some embodiments, separate portions of adhesive film 400
may be provided for the fore portion and heel portion of the
footwear. Similarly, in embodiments of the footwear which include
tabs (e.g., tabs 112 in FIGS. 1 and 2), separate portions of
adhesive film 400 may be provided for the tabs. The transition
region may or may not be covered by a portion of adhesive film 400.
In other embodiments, a single continuous portion of adhesive film
400 may be provided for the fore portion and heel portion of the
footwear.
[0050] Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and
described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill
in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent
embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same
purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described
without departing from the scope. Those with skill in the art will
readily appreciate that embodiments may be implemented in a very
wide variety of ways. This application is intended to cover any
adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein.
Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments be limited
only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
* * * * *