Boots – shoes – and leggings – Uppers – Closure
Reexamination Certificate
2003-10-23
2004-12-07
Patterson, M. D. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Uppers
Closure
C036S008300, C036S03400R, C036S115000, C024S712000, C024S713400, C024S713600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06826851
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not applicable
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to footwear utilized in dance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a specially configured dance shoe arrangement that enables couples to execute lift spin dance maneuvers more easily.
2. General Background of the Invention
Athletic pursuits have long been a popular and pleasurable pastime, favored by young and old alike as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. For the great majority of athletic activities, the single most important piece of equipment is comprised of the footwear.
Athletic footwear is currently available in a wide assortment of styles, each specifically adapted for a particular use and ranging from lightweight, high traction running shoes to rigid, protective ski boots. More practical footwear is also available in many choices, from comfortable shoes for walking over extended periods of time to heavily insulated and reinforced work boots. Some articles of footwear are designed to facilitate a variety of activities such as running, walking, jumping and skateboarding. Other articles of footwear are designed specifically for a certain activity, such as dance shoes.
Dance shoes are designed to allow the wearer to execute spinning, sliding or gliding maneuvers on or across the dance floor. The soles and heels of dance shoes are made of materials providing low coefficients of friction.
Various inventors have developed various devices to enable one to engage in activity that enables the wearer to slide or spin. One such device is built from a low friction material and attached to the sole of the shoe in the arch region, thereby allowing the user to slide across a smooth flat surface such as a dance floor. The device may extend below the heel of the shoe and leaves the forefoot area exposed so that the user may engage the floor with the sole to be able to push off into a sliding maneuver. A device of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,671.
Another shoe design that has been patented incorporates a low friction region protruding centrally from the sole with high friction areas surrounding this protuberance. The user can thus engage the supporting surface by tilting the foot to lower the high friction areas of the sole and can slide by pushing off and balance on the protruding area. U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,989 discloses a device of this type.
These prior devices are designed for use on flat, smooth surfaces by a single individual (the wearer). No known prior device lends itself to the execution of two dancers spinning as a single unit (hereinafter, referred to as a coalescent-spinning or “lift spin” dancing). Thus, although well adapted for their intended use as dance footwear, these devices are of limited usefulness and are not the ideal solution for persons desiring to engage in coalescent-spinning activities.
Another shoe design that has been patented incorporates low friction surfaces for sliding across a protruding feature on a supporting surface and walking surfaces for other athletic pursuits, and a method of making same. These shoes have longitudinal grind plates built into the bottom and sides of the shoe to allow the wearer to duplicate maneuvers done with skateboards called grinding. U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,150 discloses an item of this type. These shoes are not intended for dancing, spinning or coalescent-spinning activities.
All of the U.S. Patents mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The apparatus of the present invention facilitates performing the acrobatic maneuvers called coalescent-spinning or lift spin dancing by enabling a person wearing the shoes to engage an angled or inclined surface (or protruding member) on a supporting surface and support the entire weight of their dance partner while spinning. A unit of low friction surface formed on the shoes can be provided in selected configurations. The low friction spinning surfaces of the present invention can be formed integral to the shoes or can be attached thereto as removable spinning elements, and are equally adaptable to athletic, work, or recreational footwear of all types and styles.
In one embodiment the spinning surfaces of the present invention do not interfere with the traditional functions of footwear and do not require the user to adjust her normal walking, running or dance gait when wearing shoes equipped with such spinning surfaces. Another embodiment includes the incorporation of a liner (e.g., Sorbothane®) or other bruise-protection material within the shoe to protect the wearer's feet from forces exerted by their partner's weight. In another embodiment the apparatus of the present invention adapts specialized equipment to traditional footwear and thereby enlarges the usefulness of such footwear and the enjoyment level of persons wearing it.
The present invention can also be implemented in a wide range of aesthetic and practical choices for design and manufacturing, and can be adapted to appeal to diverse markets and consumers. The coalescent-spinning or lift spin dance apparatus of the present invention can be characterized by a shoe having a heel with a section angled upwardly (away from the floor) at the rear of the heel. This angled section of the heel can be referred to as the coalescent surface. The coalescent surface can be flat and sloped for example between 30 and 60 degrees, more preferably between about 35 and 45 degrees, and even more preferably between about 40 and 45 degrees, measured from the bottom surface of the heel. The coalescent surface can be covered by or comprised of the same low coefficient of friction materials as that of the rest of the heel. A shoe configured in this manner can be called a coalescent dance shoe. The heel by itself is called a coalescent heel. Any make or style of shoe can be made into a coalescent dance Shoe by replacing or installing a coalescent heel as described herein to the bottom of the shoe. The coalescent dance shoe operates in the same manner for either the left or right foot.
A pair of coalescent dance shoes offers a dance couple a wide range of new spinning and acrobatic maneuvers. When a dancer wants to use the coalescent-spinning feature of the coalescent dance shoes, they lift the front of their foot until the coalescent surface is in contact with the dance floor. The partner then leaps, steps or leans on top of the dancer's foot with both spinning as a single unit. This apparatus provides the capability to perform coalescent-spinning maneuvers without hampering the user's ability to perform other traditional dancing activities or individual maneuvers.
Another embodiment of the aforementioned apparatus is one containing a projection within the coalescent surface. A shoe with this design is called a low-friction coalescent dance shoe. A heel by itself and of this design can be called a low-friction coalescent heel. The spinning point or projection can be comprised of low coefficient of friction material that is slightly raised above the surface of the heel's inclined surface or coalescent surface. The raised point will reduce the effective surface area in contact with the floor and increase spin speeds. The spinning point can have many different shapes and designs providing a wide range of handling characteristics.
The present invention includes a dance shoe, that is, a shoe adapted in design and manufacture for activities involving all forms and types of dance.
Because the design of some embodiments places all coalescent-spinning elements outside of the shoe interior, additional cushioning material may be placed over the insole to increase the user's comfort and safety during coalescent-spinning maneuvers.
In another embodiment the apparatus can be mounted onto any type or model of dance shoe making the shoe a coalescent dance shoe. The coalescent heel may be formed with different downward facing configurations, and thus a coalescent heel adapted for d
Garvey, Jr. Charles C.
Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass & Doody, L.L.C.
Nehrbass Seth M.
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