U.S. patent application number 13/611576 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-28 for bowling shoes.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jong Woo PARK. Invention is credited to Jong Woo PARK.
Application Number | 20130074370 13/611576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46717240 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130074370 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PARK; Jong Woo |
March 28, 2013 |
BOWLING SHOES
Abstract
A bowling shoe according to the present invention comprises an
upper (40), an insole (30) joined to a lower edge of the upper (40)
by stitching, and an outsole (10) attached to a lower surface of
the insole (30), further comprising: an outsole body that forms a
part of the outsole (10) and is provided on a front part of a lower
surface thereof with a plurality of grooves (11a) for allowing the
outsole body to bend easily; and a front pad that is attached to
the front part of the lower surface of the outsole body (11) and is
formed as an integrated body without being divided into several
parts, and is provided with a plurality of weak portions for
allowing the front pad to bend easily.
Inventors: |
PARK; Jong Woo; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PARK; Jong Woo |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
46717240 |
Appl. No.: |
13/611576 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/141 20130101;
A43B 5/008 20130101; A43B 13/223 20130101; A43B 13/122 20130101;
A43B 13/125 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/102 |
International
Class: |
A43B 5/00 20060101
A43B005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 23, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0096589 |
Nov 2, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0113601 |
Claims
1. A bowling shoe comprising an upper (40), an insole (30) joined
to a lower edge of the upper (40) by stitching, and an outsole (10)
attached to a lower surface of the insole (30), further comprising:
an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole (10) and is
provided on a front part of a lower surface thereof with a
plurality of grooves (11a) for allowing the outsole body to bend
easily; and a front pad that is attached to the front part of the
lower surface of the outsole body (11) and is formed as an
integrated body without being divided into several parts, and is
provided with a plurality of weak portions for allowing the front
pad to bend easily.
2. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad comprise a plurality of slots (12a) that
are formed through the front pad.
3. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad comprise a plurality of grooves (12b)
that are formed in a lower surface of the front pad by grooving, or
a plurality of grooves (12c) that are formed in an upper surface of
the front pad by grooving.
4. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front pad
is divided into an integrated edge part and a central part, in
which the central part of the front pad is provided with the
plurality of weak portions for allowing the front pad to bend
easily.
5. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front
pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof.
6. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that
inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends
thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed
from the lower surface thereof.
7. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are formed in such a way that centers
thereof are placed at higher positions and inside and outside ends
thereof are placed at lower positions when the front pad is viewed
from the lower surface thereof, so that each of the weak portions
forms a reversed V-shaped appearance.
8. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 2, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are formed exclusively in a portion
corresponding to a big toe of a foot.
9. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the central
part of the front pad is attached to the outsole by separated
pieces of Velcro.
10. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in order to
allow the front pad to be detachably attached to the outsole body
(11), opposing pieces of Velcro (20) are attached to the front pad
(12) and to the outsole body (11), in which each of the opposing
pieces of Velcro is separated into several parts by lines
corresponding both to the transverse grooves (11a) of the outsole
body (11) and to the weak portions of the front pad (12).
11. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in order to
allow the front pad to be detachably attached to the outsole body
(11), opposing pieces of Velcro (20') are attached to the front pad
(12) and to the outsole body (11), in which each of the opposing
pieces of Velcro is an integrated body having slots (23) that are
partially formed through the piece of Velcro at positions
corresponding both to the transverse grooves (11a) of the outsole
body (11) and to the weak portions of the front pad (12).
12. A bowling shoe comprising an upper (40), an insole (30) joined
to a lower edge of the upper (40) by stitching, and an outsole (10)
attached to a lower surface of the insole (30), further comprising:
an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole (10) and has no
groove which allows the outsole body to bend easily; and a front
pad that is attached to the front part of the lower surface of the
outsole body and is formed as an integrated body without being
divided into several parts, and is provided with a plurality of
slots (12a) which are formed through the front pad or with a
plurality of grooves (12c) which are formed in an upper surface of
the front pad, the slots or grooves allowing the front pad to bend
easily.
13. A bowling shoe comprising an upper (40), an insole (30) joined
to a lower edge of the upper (40) by stitching, and an outsole (10)
attached to a lower surface of the insole (30), further comprising:
an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole (10); and a front
pad that is attached to a front part of a lower surface of the
outsole body and is divided into several parts by a plurality of
cut lines so as to bend easily, the cut lines being formed in
angled directions within a range over a width of the front pad in
such a way that, when the front pad is viewed from a lower surface
thereof, inside ends of the cut lines are placed at lower
positions, but outside ends are placed at higher positions.
14. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 3, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front
pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof.
15. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front
pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof.
16. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 3, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front
pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof.
17. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are transversely formed when the front
pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof.
18. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 3, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that
inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends
thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed
from the lower surface thereof.
19. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 4, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are inclinedly formed in such a way that
inside ends thereof are placed at lower positions and outside ends
thereof are placed at higher positions when the front pad is viewed
from the lower surface thereof.
20. The bowling shoe as set forth in claim 3, wherein the weak
portions of the front pad are formed in such a way that centers
thereof are placed at higher positions and inside and outside ends
thereof are placed at lower positions when the front pad is viewed
from the lower surface thereof, so that each of the weak portions
forms a reversed V-shaped appearance.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to bowling shoes
that are worn by a player while playing a game of bowling and, more
particularly, to bowling shoes which are configured in such a way
that, when a player plays a game of bowling, the bowling shoes can
efficiently absorb shock that may be applied to the feet of the
player by the weight of the player, can prevent an outsole from
slipping over the floor of a bowling lane, can improve the
flexibility of the outsole, thereby allowing the player to
efficiently roll a bowling ball at pins as desired by the player in
a state in which the player feels comfortable wearing the shoes,
and can allow the player to naturally recover his/her normal
posture although the player does not excessively force his/her
strength on the toes after throwing the bowling ball down the
lane.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, the game of bowling is the game involving bowling
balls in which a player rolls a bowling ball from one end of a
bowling lane having a predetermined length at ten bowling pins set
up at the opposite end with regular intervals defined between the
pins so as to knock the pins down. The game of bowling is a very
simple, interesting and healthy game, so that the bowling game is
loved by people of all ages and both sexes.
[0005] As described above, the game of bowling is a leisure sport
that can be easily practiced and enjoyed by people. In the game of
bowling, each player must precisely roll a bowling ball so as to
effectively knock down as many of the pins as possible that have
been set up in a lane. To knock as many of the bowling pins down as
possible, the player should precisely roll his/her bowling ball
down the lane which is straight.
[0006] Hereinbelow, the motion of a player who rolls a bowling ball
down a bowling lane during a game of bowling will be described in
detail. To roll the bowling ball down the lane, the player steps
forwards on the lane while appropriately stooping his/her body down
forwards in a state in which he/she holds the bowling ball with two
hands, and, at the same time, the player stretches an arm holding
the bowling ball backwards and throws the bowling ball forwards
into the lane using the resilience of the arm by fully stretching
the arm forwards.
[0007] In the above state, to throw the bowling ball from a secure
posture, if the player is a right-handed person, the player's left
foot that finally steps forwards on the lane and is loaded with the
weight of the player should slide over the lane, but the right foot
that is placed in a back position should not slip over the lane but
the front part thereof should appropriately bend to allow the
player to apply his/her force on the front part of the foot. Here,
if the player is a left-handed person, the right foot steps
forwards and the left foot is placed in the back position.
[0008] Here, to prevent the player's feet from slipping when in the
lane and to protect the lane while playing a game of bowling, each
player should wear bowling shoes. In recent years, a variety of
bowling shoes having various shapes that are suitable for the game
of bowling are used. It is appreciated that bowling shoes that are
designed to allow the player to play the game of bowling for a
lengthy period of time in a comfortable state without feeling like
pressure is being applied to the feet are good shoes.
[0009] The inventor of the present invention developed bowling
shoes which have a good cushion, prevent the right foot of a player
from slipping over the lane when the player plays the game of
bowling, and allow the front part of the right foot to efficiently
bend and, at the same time, allow the heel of the right foot to be
naturally raised up at the time that the player initially rolls the
bowling ball at pins. The inventor applied the technique to a
Utility Model (refer to Korean Utility Model Application No.
20-2010-0011952).
[0010] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in each of the bowling shoes
disclosed in the Korean Utility Model application, the lower edge
of an upper 40 and the edge of an insole 30 of the bowling shoe are
joined together by stitching, a midsole 50 is attached to the rear
part of the lower surface of the insole 30, and an outsole 60 is
attached both to the front part of the lower surface of the insole
30 and to the lower surface of the midsole 50. Here, the outsole 60
includes a cushion outsole body 61, a front pad 62 that is made of
an anti-slip material and is attached to the front part of outsole
body 61, a heel 63 that is attached to the rear part of the outsole
body 61, and a pad front tap 64 that is made of an abrasion
resistant material and is attached to the front part of the front
pad 62 so as to protect the front part of the front pad 62 from
abrasion.
[0011] Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of reversed
V-shaped grooves 60a are transversely formed in the lower surfaces
of both the outsole body 61 and the front pad 62 in such a way that
the grooves 60a are cut into the outsole body 61.
[0012] In the bowling shoes, because the outsole body 61 is made of
a cushioning material, the outsole body 61 can absorb shock,
thereby attenuating the shock applied to a player and improving the
feeling of wearing the shoes. Further, the front pad 62 made of the
anti-slip material is attached to the outsole body 61 so that the
shoes are less likely to slip over the lane.
[0013] Further, the front part of the outsole 60 having the
reversed V-shaped grooves 60a can bend flexibly due to the grooves
60a so that the player can easily throw the bowling ball from a
comfortable state without the soles of the feet receiving shock or
being put under pressure. Further, at the time the player throws
the bowling ball into the lane, the front part of the right foot
that is placed in a back position can flexibly bend and allows the
player to apply his/her strength onto the front part of the foot,
thereby allowing the player to throw the bowling ball over the
desired course from a desired bowling posture.
[0014] However, the bowling shoes disclosed in the Korean Utility
Model application are problematic in that the front part of each of
the shoes easily and excessively bends due to the reversed V-shaped
grooves 60a that are formed in the front part of the outsole 60 so
that the restoring force of the bent front part is too weak. Due to
the demerits caused by the fact that the restoring force of the
bent front part of the outsole 60 is too weak, the player should
excessively apply his/her strength on the front part of the foot so
that, when the player plays a game of bowling for a lengthy period
of time, the player feels pressure and feels pain in the toes.
DOCUMENTS OF RELATED ART
[0015] (Patent Document 1) Korean Utility Model Application No.
20-2010-0011952.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in
mind the above problems occurring in the outsoles of the
conventional bowling shoes, and the present invention is intended
to propose a bowling shoe, the front part of the outsole of which
can resiliently bend and which has a good restoring force so that
the shoe can efficiently be restored to its original shape after
bending although a player does not excessively apply his/her
strength on the toes and, accordingly, the shoe can allow the
player to easily play a bowling game while in a comfortable state
without feeling pain in the toes.
[0017] In order to achieve the above object, according to one
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bowling shoe
including: an upper, an insole joined to a lower edge of the upper
by stitching, and an outsole attached to a lower surface of the
insole, further comprising: an outsole body that forms a part of
the outsole and is provided on a front part of a lower surface
thereof with a plurality of grooves for allowing the outsole body
to bend easily; and a front pad that is attached to the front part
of the lower surface of the outsole body and is formed as an
integrated body without being divided into several parts, and is
provided with a plurality of weak portions for allowing the front
pad to bend easily.
[0018] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad comprise a
plurality of slots that are formed through the front pad.
[0019] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad comprise a
plurality of grooves that are formed in a lower surface of the
front pad by grooving, or a plurality of grooves that are formed in
an upper surface of the front pad by grooving.
[0020] Furthermore, the front pad is divided into an integrated
edge part and a central part, in which the central part of the
front pad is provided with the plurality of weak portions for
allowing the front pad to bend easily.
[0021] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad are
transversely formed when the front pad is viewed from the lower
surface thereof.
[0022] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad are
inclinedly formed in such a way that inside ends thereof are placed
at lower positions and outside ends thereof are placed at higher
positions when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface
thereof.
[0023] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad are formed
in such a way that centers thereof are placed at higher positions
and inside and outside ends thereof are placed at lower positions
when the front pad is viewed from the lower surface thereof, so
that each of the weak portions forms a reversed V-shaped
appearance.
[0024] Furthermore, the weak portions of the front pad are formed
exclusively in a portion corresponding to a big toe of a foot.
[0025] Furthermore, the central part of the front pad is attached
to the outsole by separated pieces of Velcro.
[0026] Furthermore, in order to allow the front pad to be
detachably attached to the outsole body, opposing pieces of Velcro
are attached to the front pad and to the outsole body, in which
each of the opposing pieces of Velcro is separated into several
parts by lines corresponding both to the transverse grooves of the
outsole body and to the weak portions of the front pad.
[0027] Furthermore, in order to allow the front pad to be
detachably attached to the outsole body, opposing pieces of Velcro
are attached to the front pad and to the outsole body, in which
each of the opposing pieces of Velcro is an integrated body having
slots that are partially formed through the piece of Velcro at
positions corresponding both to the transverse grooves of the
outsole body and to the weak portions of the front pad.
[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a bowling shoe including: an upper, an insole joined to
a lower edge of the upper by stitching, and an outsole attached to
a lower surface of the insole, further comprising: an outsole body
that forms a part of the outsole and has no groove which allows the
outsole body to bend easily; and a front pad that is attached to
the front part of the lower surface of the outsole body and is
formed as an integrated body without being divided into several
parts, and is provided with a plurality of slots which are formed
through the front pad or with a plurality of grooves which are
formed in an upper surface of the front pad, the slots or grooves
allowing the front pad to bend easily.
[0029] According to further another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a bowling shoe including: an upper, an
insole joined to a lower edge of the upper by stitching, and an
outsole attached to a lower surface of the insole, further
comprising: an outsole body that forms a part of the outsole; and a
front pad that is attached to a front part of a lower surface of
the outsole body and is divided into several parts by a plurality
of cut lines so as to bend easily, the cut lines being formed in
angled directions within a range over a width of the front pad in
such a way that, when the front pad is viewed from a lower surface
thereof, inside ends of the cut lines are placed at lower
positions, but outside ends are placed at higher positions.
[0030] In the bowling shoes according to the present invention,
slots or grooves are formed both in the outsole body and in the
front pad so that the front parts of the shoes can be resiliently
bent, and the slots or the long grooves of the front pad do not
completely divide the front pad so that the front pad has the
desired amount of restoring force and, accordingly, when the
bowling shoe is restored to its original shape after having been
bent, the shoe can effectively be restored to its original shape
although the player does not excessively apply his/her strength to
the toes.
[0031] Further, even when the front pad is fabricated with a
plurality of pads that are divided from each other and are formed
as long pads installed at an angle relative to the width of the
shoe, the front pad exhibits the desired restoring force in the
lengthwise direction of the shoe so that the bent front pad can be
restored to its original shape although the player does not
excessively apply his/her strength on the toes.
[0032] Because the bowling shoes of the present invention do not
compel the player to excessively apply his/her strength on the
toes, the player can enjoy a game of bowling while in a comfortable
state without feeling pain in the toes even when the player plays
the game of bowling for a lengthy period of time.
[0033] Further, when the front pad is configured to be detachably
attached to the outsole using Velcro, the front pad can be changed
with a new one when the front pad has been abraded, so that the
shoes can be used for a desired lengthy period of time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] The above and other objects, features and further advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0035] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional
bowling shoe;
[0036] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the utility of the
conventional bowling shoe;
[0037] FIG. 3A is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 3B is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 3C is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 3D is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 3E is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 3F is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0043] FIG. 3G is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0044] FIG. 3H is a bottom perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0045] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the bowling shoe
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0046] FIG. 5 is a side view of the bowling shoe according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0047] FIG. 6A is a side view illustrating the utility of a bowling
shoe according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0048] FIG. 6B is a side view illustrating the utility of a bowling
shoe according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0049] FIG. 6C is a side view illustrating the utility of a bowling
shoe according to a further embodiment of the present
invention;
[0050] FIG. 6D is a side view illustrating the utility of a bowling
shoe according to still another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0051] FIG. 7 is a bottom view illustrating the utility of a front
pad of a bowling shoe according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0052] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a bowling shoe
according to a further embodiment of the present invention;
[0053] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment
of Velcro used in a bowling shoe according to the present
invention; and
[0054] FIG. 10 is a side view of a bowling shoe using the Velcro of
FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0055] Hereinbelow, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, a bowling shoe according to
the present invention includes an upper 40, an insole 30 that is
joined to the lower edge of the upper 40 by stitching, and an
outsole 10 that is attached to the lower surface of the insole 30.
Here, a midsole 50 shown in FIG. 1 may be interposed between the
insole 30 and the outsole 10.
[0057] The bowling shoe according to an embodiment of the present
invention includes an outsole body 11 that forms a part of the
outsole 10, and a front pad 12 that is attached to the front part
of the lower surface of the outsole body 11.
[0058] The outsole body 11 is made of a cushion material, while the
front pad 12 that is attached to the front part of the outsole body
11 is made of an anti-slip material. Described in detail, the
outsole body 11 is made of a cushion material, such as a material
of EVA sponge or Phylon sponge, while the front pad 12 is made of
crude rubber that can easily cling to the floor of a bowling lane,
thereby being less likely to slip over the floor.
[0059] Further, a heel 13 that is produced using an anti-slip
material separately from the outsole body 11 is attached to the
rear part of the outsole body 11. Here, it is preferred that the
heel 13 be made of Hycar rubber which allows the heel to be less
likely to slip on the floor.
[0060] Further, the lower surface of each of the front pad 12 and
the heel 13 may be configured to form an uneven surface having a
variety of shapes capable of preventing both the front pad 12 and
the heel 13a from slipping on the floor.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 4, the front part of the lower surface of
the outsole body 11 is provided with a plurality of long grooves
11a that allow the outsole body 11 to be easily bent. Here, the
long grooves 11a of the outsole body 11 may be transversely formed
as shown in the drawing or may be formed at an angle relative to a
lengthwise direction of the shoe although the angled grooves are
not shown in the drawing.
[0062] As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3D, the front pad 12 of the
outsole 10 is provided with a plurality of long weak portions for
allowing the outsole 10 to bend easily. Here, in the embodiments of
FIGS. 3A and 3C, no weak portion is formed in the edge of the front
pad 12 so that the front pad 12 is not divided into several parts
but is formed as an integrated part and, accordingly, the restoring
force of the bent front pad can be increased. In the embodiments of
FIGS. 3B and 3D, the front pad 12 is divided into several parts by
a plurality of cut lines 12d. However, in the embodiments, the cut
lines 12d are angled relative to an axial direction of the outsole
10 so that the front pad 12 has the desired elasticity in the axial
direction and, accordingly, the bent front pad 12 has the desired
restoring force.
[0063] The weak portions of the front pad 12 may be formed by a
plurality of long slots 12a that are formed in the front pad 12 by
cutting the front pad 12 from the lower surface to the upper
surface of the pad 12, as shown in FIG. 6A. Further, the weak
portions of the front pad 12 may be formed by a plurality of long
grooves 12b or 12c that are formed to a shallow depth in the lower
surface or in the upper surface of the front pad 12, as shown in
FIG. 6B or 6C. Alternatively, in the present invention, the cut
lines form the weak portions of the front pad 12. FIGS. 3A and 3C
show embodiments in which the weak portions of the front pad 12 are
formed by the slots 12a that are formed by the cut lines 12d. FIGS.
3B and 3D show embodiments in which the weak portions of the front
pad 12 are formed by the cut lines 12d extending in respective
angled directions relative to the axial direction of the shoe.
Further, the weak portions of the front pad 12 may be formed by
long grooves 12b, 12c instead of the slots 12a or the cut lines
12d.
[0064] In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, the cut lines 12d of the front
pad 12 form an angle relative to the axial direction of the shoe in
such a way that, when the front pad 12 is viewed from underneath
from the lower surface thereof, the inside ends of the cut lines
12d (in the case of a right bowling shoe, the left side ends) are
placed at lower positions, but the outside ends (in the case of the
right bowling shoe, the right side ends) are placed at higher
positions. In the embodiment of FIG. 3D, when the front pad 12 is
viewed upwards from the lower surface thereof, the centers of the
cut lines 12d are placed at higher positions, but inside and
outside ends thereof are placed at lower positions, so that each of
the cut lines 12d forms a reversed V-shaped appearance.
[0065] In embodiments of FIGS. 3F through 3H, the front pad 120 of
the present invention is divided into an integrated edge part 121
and a central part 122, in which the central part 122 of the front
pad 120 is provided with a plurality of long weak portions for
allowing the front pad 120 to bend easily.
[0066] In these embodiments, the weak portions may be formed by the
slots 12a, the cut lines or the long grooves, as shown in FIG. 6A
through FIG. 6D.
[0067] The bowling shoe shown in the drawings is a left bowling
shoe. However, it should be understood that a right bowling shoe
can be configured in such a way that it is a mirror image of the
left bowling shoe.
[0068] In the above-mentioned embodiments, the weak portions of the
front pad may be formed in such a way that, when the front pad is
viewed from underneath from the lower surface of the front pad, the
weak portions transversely extend relative to the axial direction
of the shoe, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3F. Alternatively, the weak
portions may be formed in such a way that, when the front pad is
viewed upwards from the lower surface thereof, the inside ends of
the weak portions (in the case of a right bowling shoe, the left
side ends) are placed at lower positions, but the outside ends (in
the case of the right bowling shoe, the right side ends) are placed
at higher positions, as shown in FIGS. 3B, 3C, 3G and 3H. As
another alternative, the weak portions may be formed in such a way
that, when the front pad is viewed from underneath from the lower
surface, the centers of the weak portions are placed at higher
positions, but inside and outside ends thereof are placed at lower
positions, as shown in FIG. 3D, so that each of the weak portions
forms a reversed V-shaped appearance.
[0069] Further, the weak portions of the front pad may be formed
exclusively in a portion corresponding to the big toe of a foot, as
shown in FIGS. 3E and 3G.
[0070] In further embodiments of the present invention, opposing
pieces of Velcro 20 or 20' may be mounted to the front pad 12 and
to the outsole body 11, as shown in FIGS. 8 through 10, so as to
allow the front pad 12 to be detachably attached to the outsole
body 11.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 8, Velcro 20 according to an embodiment of
the present invention is cut into several parts at positions
corresponding both to the transverse grooves 11a of the outsole
body 11 and to the weak portions of the front pad 12. Here, the
Velcro 20 is divided into the several parts in such a way that the
Velcro covers neither the transverse grooves 11a of the outsole
body 11 nor the slots 12a of the front pad 12. In the above state,
the pile pieces 21 of the Velcro 20 are mounted to the outsole body
11, while the hook pieces 22 of the Velcro 20 are mounted to the
front pad 12.
[0072] In the present invention, the central part 122 of the front
pad 120 shown in FIGS. 3F and 3H may be detachably attached to the
outsole body 11 using the divided pieces of the Velcro 20 of FIG.
8, while the edge part 121 may be directly and permanently mounted
to the outsole body 11.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 6D, a bowling shoe according to a further
embodiment of the present invention may be configured in such a way
that no groove is formed in the outsole body 11, but a variety of
slots 12a or long grooves 12c may be formed exclusively in the
front pad 12 so as to allow the outsole body 11 to bend easily. In
this case, because no groove is formed in the outsole body 11, the
restoring force of the outsole body 11 increases.
[0074] The bowling shoes according to the embodiments of the
present invention are advantageous in that, although the front pad
12 is divided into several parts, the weak portions that are formed
by the cut lines 12 form an angle relative to the axial direction
of the shoe, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3D, so that the restoring
force of the bent front part of the outsole can be increased.
[0075] The operational effect of the bowling shoes having the
above-mentioned construction according to the present invention
will be described hereinbelow.
[0076] In the bowling shoes according to the present invention, the
outsole body 11 is made of a cushion material so that the outsole
body 11 can efficiently absorb shock, thereby protecting a player
from the shock caused by the impact of his/her weight while playing
a game of bowling. Further, the front pad 12, 12' is made of a
material that can easily grip the floor of a bowling lane, so that,
when a player runs forwards in the lane so as to throw a bowling
ball, the front pad prevents the player from slipping over the
floor and allows the player to nimbly run along the lane.
[0077] Further, in a final step prior to throwing the bowling ball
into a lane, the front part of the outsole 10 of the right bowling
shoe that is placed in a back position is bent, as shown in FIGS.
6A through 6D. In the above state, the long grooves 11a of the
outsole body 11, the slots 12a, the long grooves 12b, 12c or the
cut lines 12d that form the weak portions of the front pad 12, 120
make it so that the front part of the bowling shoe can bend easily.
Therefore, the player can naturally move the right foot of the
player and can naturally throw the bowling ball, thereby throwing
the bowling ball along the desired course. Particularly, the player
applies his/her strength on the right foot due to the anti-slip
front pad 12, thereby realizing the desired bowling posture and
precisely throwing the bowling ball along the desired course.
[0078] As described above, in the bowling shoe according to the
present invention, the outsole body 11 is made of a cushioning
material and efficiently absorbs shock so that the shoe can protect
a player from such shock and improve the feeling of the shoes when
they are being worn. Further, the front pad 12 that is made of an
anti-slip material is attached to the front part of the outsole
body 11, thereby preventing a player from slipping on the floor of
a bowling lane.
[0079] Further, in the bowling shoes of the present invention, when
the front part of the outsole 10 is bent, it can be resiliently
bent. In other words, when the outsole body 11 has the long grooves
11a, the front part of the outsole 10 can be resiliently bent
because the slots 12a or the long grooves 12b, 12c that form the
weak portions of the front pad 12 do not completely divide the
front pad 12 into several parts, but connect the parts of the front
pad to each other. Further, the front pad 120 that is fabricated
with the integrated edge part 121 and the central part 122 can be
resiliently bent by the integrated edge part 121.
[0080] In the bowling shoes according to the above-mentioned
embodiments, the front pad 12 is not completely divided into
several parts, but is configured as an integrated body, so that the
front pad maintains the desired resilience and has the desired
amount of restoring force.
[0081] Further, in the embodiment in which the outsole body 11 has
no long groove 11a but slots 12a are formed exclusively in the
front pad 12, the outsole body 11 has an increased resilience and,
accordingly, the front part of the outsole 10 can have the desired
restoring force.
[0082] Further, in the embodiments in which the angled cut lines
12d are formed in the front pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3D, the
outsole can have the desired resilience in an axial direction
thereof, so that the front part of the outsole 10 can have the
desired restoring force.
[0083] Accordingly, when the front part of the bowling shoe
restores its original shape after being bent as shown in FIGS. 6A
through 6D, the bent front part of the bowling shoe can resiliently
be restored to its original shape even when a player does not apply
an excessive amount of force onto the toes of his/her foot.
Therefore, the bowling shoes of the present invention can allow a
player to play the game of bowling for a lengthy period of time in
a comfortable state without applying pressure to the toes of the
feet.
[0084] Further, in the embodiments in which the front pad 12 is
detachably attached to the outsole body 11 using a Velcro 20, 20',
as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, it is possible to change an existing
abraded front pad 12 with a new one so that these embodiments
realize an economical advantage. The Velcro 20 of FIG. 8 is divided
into several parts, but the Velcro 20' of FIG. 9 is provided with
slots 23 that are formed in a part of the Velcro. Here, the Velcro
20, 20' does not reduce the bending flexibility of the front part
of the bowling shoe.
[0085] Further, unlike conventional bowling shoes in which the
front part of the outsole 10 can only be bent forwards, the bowling
shoes of the present invention can bend in directions toward the
big toes. In other words, in the present invention, the front part
of the outsole 10 can bend in a diagonal direction at a position
corresponding to the big toe so that when angled weak portions of
the front pad are formed exclusively in a portion corresponding to
the big toe as shown in FIGS. 3E and 3G, or when the weak portions
of the front pad are inclinedly formed as shown in FIGS. 3B, 3D and
3H, the bowling shoes can make a player feel comfortable. In these
embodiments, the front part of the outsole has the desired
resilience relative to the axial direction of the shoe so that the
shoe has the desired amount of restoring force.
[0086] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
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