A shoe, a tool, a system and a method

Abstract

A shoe comprising a sole, which comprises an outer sole 3 for contacting the ground in use, the outer sole comprising a predetermined array of holes 4, which are each open at a ground contact surface

Description

The present disclosure relates to a shoe, to a tool for venting the sole of a shoe, to a system comprising a shoe and a tool for venting the sole of the shoe, and to a method of venting the sole of a shoe. Sailing shoes are specialised footwear designed to meet the unique challenges of boating and sailing. Owing to the conditions encountered, appropriate footwear serves to enhance comfort, safety, and performance. Sailing shoes often incorporate specific design features tailored to the demands of boating and sailing. These may include reinforced toe caps or bumpers for protection against impacts, non-marking and high-traction outsoles for grip on wet surfaces, and / or drainage systems for expelling water from the shoe. To date, sailing shoes have not allowed for any degree of customisation. The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved sailing shoe. In particular, to such an improved sailing shoe allowing for a degree of customisation by a wearer. Representative features are set out in the following clauses, which stand alone or may be combined, in any combination, with one or more features disclosed in the text and / or drawings of the specification. According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a shoe comprising a sole, which comprises an outer sole for contacting the ground in use, the outer sole comprising a predetermined array of holes, which are each open at a ground contact surface of the outer sole. One or more or all of the holes may comprise blind holes, one or more or all of the holes may comprise through holes, or the holes comprise a combination of blind holes and through holes. Preferably, in an initial state, all of the holes are blind holes. Any of the holes may subsequently be opened up to define a through hole. The arrangement is such that a shoe is provided with a sole that is custom ventable by a user. The user may leave the sole un-vented, or may effect a particular desired vent hole array. The holes 4 themselves act as a guide for a user. Preferably, the holes are circular. The holes may have a diameter between 3 and 8 mm, preferably between 4 and 7 mm. In a preferred arrangement, the holes have a diameter of around 6mm. Preferably, each of the blind holes defines a reduced thickness portion in the outer sole, which is unitarily formed with a remainder of the outer sole. The reduced thickness portion is preferably 5mm or less. It may have a thickness of between 1 and 5 mm, more preferably between 2 and 4 mm. In a preferred arrangement, the reduced thickness portion has a thickness of around 2 mm. The sole preferably further comprises a mid-sole, which has a lower surface that contacts a non-ground contact surface of the outer sole, wherein the mid-sole comprises an array of through holes. Preferably, each of the holes in the outer sole is aligned with one of the through holes in the mid-sole. Preferably, the holes in the outer sole and the through holes in the mid-sole are substantially congruent. An upper surface of the mid-sole preferably comprises a channel, which is in communication with one or more or all of the through holes in the mid-sole, the channel having a depth less than a thickness of the mid-sole. Preferably, the through holes in the mid-sole comprise enlarged openings at the upper surface of the mid-sole. According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a tool for venting the sole of a shoe, which comprises a handle and a cutting head. The cutting head may comprise a tube with a serrated leading edge. The cutting head may alternatively comprise a spiral or helical blade. Preferably, the cutting head is tapered towards a leading edge thereof. Preferably, the handle is substantially cylindrical. The handle may otherwise be substantially T-shaped. Preferably, a shoulder is provided between the cutting head and the handle. Preferably, the handle comprises an opening in communication with a hollow of the cutting head. According to the present invention in a yet further aspect, there is provided a system comprising a shoe and a tool as detailed above. According to the present invention, in another aspect, there is provided a method of venting the sole of a shoe as detailed above using a tool as detailed above, the method comprising inserting the cutting head of the tool into one of the holes in the outer sole and rotating the tool. Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be discussed with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a shoe according to a first arrangement; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the sole of the shoe of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a partial sectional view through the line A-A in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the shoe of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the sole of the shoe of Figure 1; and Figure 6 shows a tool for venting the sole of a shoe. With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a shoe 1 according to a first arrangement. The shoe 1 comprises a sole 2, which comprises an outer sole 3 for contacting the ground in use. The outer sole 3 comprising a predetermined array of holes 4, which are each open at a ground contact surface 5 of the outer sole 3. As discussed above, it is preferable that in an initial state, all of the holes 4 are blind holes. Any of the holes 4 may subsequently be opened up to define a through hole. The arrangement is such that a shoe 1 is provided with a sole 2 that is custom ventable by a user. The user may leave the sole un-vented, or may effect a particular desired vent hole array by opening up one or more or all of the holes 4. It follows that in a shoe 1 according to the present arrangement, during use, one or more or all of the holes 4 may comprise blind holes, one or more or all of the holes 4 may comprise through holes, or the holes 4 may comprise a combination of blind holes and through holes. Preferably, the holes are circular. The holes may have a diameter between 3 and 8 mm, preferably between 4 and 7 mm. In a preferred arrangement, the holes have a diameter of around 6mm. With reference to Figure 2, a plan view of the ground contact surface 5 of the outer sole 3 of the sole 2 is shown. The array of holes 4 is clearly seen. The sole tread and array of holes 4 is purely exemplary and not to be taken as limiting. The array, by way of example only, comprises fifteen of the holes 4. In alternative arrangements there may be more or less of the holes 4 and / or they may be differently located. There may, for example be at least five of the holes 4 or at least ten of the holes 4. In addition to the holes 4, the ground contact surface of the sole 2 may comprise any conventional tread features, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the sole 2, taken through the line A-A in Figure 2. The line A-A bisects the front two holes 4. Of the two holes, the left hole 4 is shown to comprise a blind hole, i.e. a hole 4 in its initial state. The right hole 4 is shown to comprise a through hole, i.e. a hole 4 in an opened state. Preferably, each of the blind holes defines a reduced thickness portion 6 in the outer sole 3, which is unitarily formed with a remainder of the outer sole 3. Whilst not particularly limited, the reduced thickness portion may have a thickness of between 1 and 5 mm, more preferably between 2 and 4 mm. In a preferred arrangement, the reduced thickness portion has a thickness of around 2 mm. The sole 2 preferably further comprises a mid-sole 7, as seen in Figures 3 to 5. The mid-sole 7 preferably has a lower surface 8 that contacts a non-ground contact surface 9 of the outer sole 3. The mid-sole 7 is preferably fixed to the outer sole 3. The mid-sole 7 preferably comprises an array of through holes 10. Preferably, each of the holes 4 in the outer sole 3 is aligned with one of the through holes 10 in the mid-sole 7, as seen in Figures 3 and 5. Preferably, the holes 4 in the outer sole 3 and the through holes 10 in the mid-sole 7 are substantially congruent, as seen in Figure 3. An upper surface 11 of the mid-sole 7 preferably comprises a channel 12, which is in communication with one or more or all of the through holes in the midsole, the channel 12 having a depth less than a thickness of the mid-sole 7. In the arrangement shown, as is preferred, the channel 12 is in communication with all of the through holes 10. Preferably, the through holes 10 in the mid-sole 7 comprise enlarged openings 13 at the upper surface 11 of the mid-sole 7. The enlarged, portions may be curved or tapered, and may be dish-like in form. The outer sole 3 is preferably formed from a high-grip, non-marking compound. Any suitable conventional compound may be used. The mid-sole 7 is preferably formed from a different material to the outer sole 3. It is preferably formed from a high-rebound material. It may, by way of example only, be formed from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The mid-sole 7 may comprise an outer mid-sole portion 14, which may take the form of a pair of strips extending along the side edges of the shoe, as shown. There is preferably an insole 15 provided on the upper surface 11 of the midsole 7. The insole 15 is preferably porous to allow for drainage of water therethrough. The shoe 1 further comprises a shoe upper 16, as seen in Figure 1 and as shown in exploded form in Figure 4. The construction of the upper 16 is not particularly limited and is not limited to the exemplary form shown. With reference to Figure 6, there is shown an exemplary tool 100 for venting the sole of a shoe 1, which comprises a handle 101 and a cutting head 102, wherein the cutting head 102 comprises a tube with a serrated leading edge 103. It should be noted that the tool need not be limited as such. In alternative arrangements, for example, the cutting head may take different forms. For example, it may comprise a spiral or helical blade, rather than or in addition to the serrated edge. Preferably, the cutting head is tapered towards the leading edge, as shown in the sectional view taken through the line A-A in Figure 6. In the present arrangement, a tubular wall 104 of the cutting head is tapered as such. Preferably, the handle 101 is substantially cylindrical. In alternative arrangements the handle may be substantially T-shaped. Preferably, a shoulder 105 is provided between the cutting head 102 and the handle 101. The shoulder is preferably formed as a result of an increased diameter of the handle 101 relative to the cutting head 102. Preferably, the handle 101 comprises an opening 106 in communication with the hollow 107 of the cutting head 102. The tool is arranged for opening the holes 4 in the outer sole 3 of the shoe 1, as desired. A method of venting the sole 2 of the shoe 1 using the tool 100, comprises inserting the cutting head 102 of the tool into one of the holes 4 in the outer sole 3 and pressing and rotating the tool 100. The cutting head, whatever form it takes, will cut through the reduced thickness portion 6 to thereby form a through hole (by opening a blind hole). The cut portion of the reduced thickness portion 6 will preferably enter the hollow 107 of the cutting head 102 and may be removed from the opening 106. The depth of the cutting head 102 and the diameter of the handle 101 are configured such that the shoulder 105 will abut the ground contact surface 5 of the outer sole 3 without the cutting head 102 reaching as far as the upper surface 11 of the mid-sole 7, thus ensuring there is no damage to the insole 15. Numerous alternative arrangements and modifications to the embodiments as described herein will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, features of the described embodiments may be readily combined. When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. Although certain example embodiments of the invention have been described, the scope of the appended claims is not intended to be limited solely to these embodiments. The claims are to be construed literally, purposively, and / or to encompass equivalents.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising a sole, which comprises an outer sole for contacting the ground in use, the outer sole comprising a predetermined array of holes, which are each open at a ground contact surface of the outer sole.

2. A shoe as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the holes are circular.

3. A shoe as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the holes have a diameterbetween 4 and 7 mm.

4. A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more or all of the holes comprise blind holes.

5. A shoe as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein one or more or all of the holes comprise through holes.

6. A shoe as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holes comprise a combination of blind holes and through holes.

7. A shoe as claimed in Claim 4 or 6, wherein each of the blind holes defines a reduced thickness portion in the outer sole, which is unitarily formed with a remainder of the outer sole.

8. A shoe as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the reduced thickness portion has a thickness of between 1 and 3 mm.

9. A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sole further comprises a mid-sole, which has a lower surface that contacts a non-ground contact surface of the outer sole, wherein the mid-sole comprises an array of through holes.

10. A shoe as claimed in Claim 9, wherein each of the holes in the outer sole is aligned with one of the through holes in the mid-sole.

11. A shoe as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the holes in the outer sole and the through holes in the mid-sole are substantially congruent.

12. A shoe as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11, wherein an upper surface of the mid-sole comprises a channel, which is in communication with one or more or all of the through holes in the mid-sole, the channel having a depth less than a thickness of the mid-sole.

13. A shoe as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the through holes in the mid-sole comprise enlarged openings at the upper surface of the mid-sole.

14. A tool for venting the sole of a shoe, which comprises a handle and a cutting head.

15. A tool as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the cutting head comprises a serrated edge or a spiral or helical blade.

16. A tool as claimed in Claim 14 or 5, wherein the cutting head is tapered towards a leading edge thereof.

17. A tool as claimed in any of Claims 14 to 16, wherein the handle is substantially cylindrical or is substantially T-shaped.

18. A tool as claimed in any of Claim 14 to 17, wherein a shoulder is provided between the cutting head and the handle.

19. A tool as claimed in any of Claims 14 to 18, wherein the handle comprises an opening in communication with a hollow of the cutting head.

20. A system comprising a shoe as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 13 and a tool as claimed in any of Claims 14 to 19.

21. A method of venting the sole of the shoe of any of Claims 1 to 13 using the tool of any of Claims 14 to 19, the method comprising inserting the cutting head of the tool into one of the holes in the outer sole and rotating and / or pressing the tool.

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