ANTI-SLID DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR

Technical Field

The present invention refers to the technical field of accessories for footwear in general. In particular it refers to a device that increases the adherence of the shoe in case of slipping surfaces.

Background Art It is known how the majority of footwear have a sole which adherence to the ground is guaranteed only in the case where the surface's conditions are normal. However, especially when the weather is cold, is frequent the formation of snow and/or ice as also a thin layer of morning condensation which, because of the low temperatures, makes a very insidious layer of ice. As already known, the ice or the snow cause loss of balance to the people who walk on them, as the shoe undertakes to a high loss of adherence, causing thus accidental falls. Indeed except the case of shoes that are typically technical and specific for the use on ice or snow, the common shoes that are used commonly for work or the daily life in general (for example for working in the office or shoes to practice sport in general) , do not have a sole predisposed to realize a safe grip in such contrary conditions. The final result is thus the risk of falling for example only to walk a short trait of street that separates the person from a house to his own car.

It is clear how the falling could cause severe wounds, while, in the most lucky cases, grazes and tears of the clothing.

Some solutions propose metal plates that cover and trace out the entire sole of the shoe and have long metal nails suitable to realize the grip to the ground, other than complex systems of junction to the shoe. The systems of junction to the shoe comprise generally nails that are inserted into the sole causing irreversible damages. Such metal plates are thus typically realized for shoes that are very resistant and destined to specific uses off the track. It is thus clear how such solution is absolutely unusable on footwear destined for the daily use. The plates have indeed substantial weight and dimensions making their use highly uncomfortable on normal routes, as they make the shoe heavier and do not allow maintaining a correct posture. Moreover, they cannot absolutely used inside the houses ,as they can damage the pavement' s surfaces .

Disclosure of Invention

It is thus the aim of the present invention to give an anti-slid device for footwear in general, able to overcome the above mentioned inconvenient.

It is thus the aim of the present invention to give an anti-slid device for footwear in general, able to assure a good adherence of the shoe to the slippery ground, particularly in adverse conditions of frozen ground or ground covered with snow.

It is also the aim of the present invention to give an anti-slid device for footwear in general that is applicable to the shoe in a non-invading manner, preserving and without compromising thus the integrity of the same, in particular of the sole.

It is also the aim of the present invention to give an anti-slid device for footwear that is constructively easy and of low cost, in a way to result of high consume and easy to buy further to its consumption and following substitution.

It is also the aim of the present invention to give an anti-slid device for footwear in general that results pocket size, easily applicable to the shoe from the user when necessary and easily removable at the end of its use. These and other aims are obtained from the present anti-slid device for footwear, characterized by the fact to comprise an element (2; 202) with a substantially plate shape applicable in correspondence of the shoe's sole and configured in a way to realize an anti-slid grip respect to the ground and means (3) to allow to apply said element in a removable manner in correspondence of the shoe's sole .

Thus according to the plate shape, the undertaken device results easily applicable to the shoe's sole, performing this way its anti-slid function. Advantageously the plate element (2; 202) comprises a face (5) destined in use for the application in adherence with the shoe's sole and an opposed face (4) destined in use for the contact to the ground, said face (4) comprising a plurality of protuberances (6) . Moreover the plate element (2; 202) is realized in a thermoplastic material or similar, said protuberances being thus also realized in thermoplastic material.

In such way the device results very economic other than with a contained weight. In such manner results easily transportable and usable according to the needs.

In such case the element (2, 202) is realized by injection molding of said thermoplastic material.

Moreover the element (2, 202) is configured such to cover a portion of the shoe's sole opposite to the heel. It is thus clear how the dimensions are such to make it practically pocket size and thus easily transportable, other than less invasive respect to the dimensions of the entire sole.

Advantageously the means (3) comprise at least a strip (9, 10) or similar comprising a first (9) and a second portion (10) connected at an end to said element (2, 202) through buttonholes (7; 207) and at the opposite end to a closing device (11) .

Advantageously the closing device comprises a Velcro hook placed on said strip portions (9) and (10) .

In such manner the closing is simple and fast. The only thing to do is to overlap the two portions of strip with Velcro around the shoe to realize a complete closing. Alternatively the closing device (11) comprises a hollowed hook (12) and a snap head (13), said hollowed hook (12) being connected to the portion of strip (9) and said head (13) being connected to the portion (10) .

In particular the hollowed hook (12) is destined to be engaged in use with the snap head (13) supplied with a movable pin (14), said pin (14) engaging against the edges of the upper window (15) obtained on the hook (12) , realizing the closing.

Alternatively the snap head (13) comprises two wings (14') placed at the sides of said head.

In both the solutions the wings (14') or the pin (14) are connected to the respective heads (13) through at least a spring.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages according to the present invention will be clearer with the description of one of its pattern realization that follows, made to illustrate but not limit, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a lateral view and two top views of the present anti-slid device. - Figure 2 shows an application example of the present device to a shoe in correspondence of a limited zone of the sole opposite to the heel.

- Figure 3 shows a second version of the invention where the buttonholes are obtained internally to the plate. - Figure 4 shows alternative solutions of closing devices .

- Figure 5 shows approximately the dimensions of the device .

- Figure 6 shows a mould for the realization of the undertaken device. Description of a preferred pattern realization

An anti-slid device 1 for footwear, as described in figure 1, comprises essentially an element (2; 202) destined in use to be applied in correspondence of the sole of a shoe and configured in a way to realize an anti- slid grip respect to the ground and means 3 to allow to apply the element to the sole in a removable manner.

In particular an element with a rectangular plate shape 2, preferably in thermoplastic material, comprises a face 5 to be applied in use in correspondence of the shoe's sole and an opposite face 4 destined to be in contact with the ground. For such aim, in order to comply the function of realizing a greater adherence with the slippery ground, the plate comprises in correspondence of the face 4 a plurality of protuberances 6 or similar, in the shape of, for example, needles or similar. Figure 1 shows also a solution where the face 5, destined to be placed in adherence to the sole, is realized smooth. Obviously different solutions where the face 5 has a certain roughness can be given without having to move apart from the present inventive concept. For example there can be comprised micro-protuberances in a way to realize a greater grip and hold against the sole where it is applied to. Still as described in figure 1, the plate 2, comprises means 3 to allow applying the plate to the shoe. In particular, according to a possible pattern realization of the invention, the plate is supplied with two buttonholes 7 placed respectively in correspondence of the two sides 8 of the plate. The buttonholes are required to apply to the plate a simple closing strip (9, 10) or similar, in a way to be able to connect the plate to the shoe. The strip comprises thus two portions 9 and 10 which end of each one is respectively connected to a buttonhole 7 of the plate. The opposite end of the strip 9 and 10 is on the other hand connected to a closing device 11, better described later on.

A second possible pattern realization, as described in figure 3 comprises on the other hand a plate 202 where inside its area there have been obtained two buttonholes 207 placed in correspondence of the sides.

Figure 4 shows in view a number of equivalent solutions of closing devices 11. In particular a possible constructive solution comprises a hollowed hook 12, of rectangular section, and a snap head 13. The hollowed hook 12 is connected to the portion of the strip 9 while the head 13 is connected to the portion 10. The hollowed hook 12 is destined to get bounded in use to the corresponding snap head 13 supplied with movable pin 14. By inserting the snap head 13 within the hook 12, the pin 14 goes against the edges of the upper window 15 obtained on the hook, realizing the closing. A second solution, equivalent, comprises a head 13 supplied with lateral wings 14' . Both the solutions are provided with the movement of the pin 14 or of the wings 14' through a simple spring. A further solution particularly simple can comprise a connection between the two portions of the Velcro strip 16 or similar. At last it is also possible to substitute the above described hook elements 12 and snap head 13 with a simple buttonhole for example connected to the portion 9 and around which it is wrapped and closed the corresponding strip portion 10.

Figure 2 clearly describes the functionality of the present invention. When its use is required, the user can apply the plate to the shoe's sole placing it into the position by simply fastening the two portions of the strip on the back of the shoe. Figure 2 shows while in use the face of the plate supplied with protuberances 6 and turned towards the ground. Figure 5, along with figure 2, show approximately the dimensions of such device. In particular the plate (which can anyway have different shapes from the rectangular one) has a d length and an 1 width such to simply cover a portion of the entire sole, in particular a portion relative to the front part of the sole opposed to the heel. In particular the d length dimensions can be comprised in a range between 4 and 8 centimeters for an 1 width comprised between 3 and 5 centimeters. Such dimensions, that can be anyway be different from the described values, are such to allow to the device to result pocket size, and thus easily transportable and usable when required other than result at low cost. The thickness h is contained between about 5/6 millimeters with needles of about 2/3 millimeters of height, even if dimensions with greater thickness can be easily realized without having to move apart from the present inventive concept . With the aim of making the device, other than compact, light and pocket size also at low production cost, it is generally realized by injection molding. Figure 6 shows the two halves of the mould 17 and 18 within which it is injected the thermoplastic material through the hole 19. Once the plastic material is injected, after its cooling, the mould is opened to allow the extraction of the plate.

The mould 17 comprises the plurality of protuberances that result thus of the same thermoplastic material and integrated to the entire plate. However different solution can be realized without having to move apart from the present inventive concept. For example the plate can comprise thermoplastic material mixed with granules of hard material scattered in the plastic matrix in a way to realize hard protuberances that realize the grip or even materials different from the thermoplastic one .

It is thus clear how the prefixed aims have been reached by the present invention. In particular it is clear how such plate so described result to be pocket size, and at low cost, other than being functional and of easy availability. Thus it can be easily transportable being of pocket size and applied to the shoes when needed. Given its dimensions very limited to a portion of the sole, does not make the shoe heavier making its use comfortable. Once it is consumed it can be easily substituted with a new device.