Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water skimming or walking device – Surfboard
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-26
2004-07-27
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water skimming or walking device
Surfboard
C428S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06767265
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to grip pads which in particular are suited for use in wet or slippery areas and most particularly for use on watercraft such as surfboards. This invention also relates to an article of footwear for use with such pads.
BACKGROUND ART
Watercraft such as surfboards generally have a smooth fiberglass surface. To improve grip a wax coating may be applied however this is a tedious process and needs to be repeated at regular intervals. Additional forms of grip enhancing means comprise pads of a suitable plastics material however pads of this form whilst assisting in preventing slip, do not provided a positive grip between a surfboard rider and the surfboard.
In our Australian Patent No 713636, we disclose a deck pad for use in combination with a garment worn by a person, the pad having a zone or zones of a hook and loop type fastener and the garment having one or more zones of a complementary hook and loop type fastener. By varying the position of placement of the garment on the pad, the contact between the zones can be varied to control the extent of engagement between the garment and pad. The pad can be used in a number of different applications such as a deck pad on a watercraft such as a surfboard in which case the garment is in the form of an article of footwear having on its underside the zone or zones of hook and loop type fastener. Whilst this pad functions efficiently, wear on the hook and loop fastener can necessitate replacement of the whole pad and similarly if different grip properties are required.
The article of footwear however is usually in the form of a bootie in which case left and right boots are required to be worn by the user. Further as the footwear is in the form of a bootie, the whole of the foot is covered so that a user, say of a surfboard, lacks “feel”.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to provide in one aspect an improved deck or grip pad for use on watercraft such as surfboards or other watercraft, skateboards or any other article, or in any other area where enhanced grip is required. The present invention further aims to provide an article of footwear designed particularly to be used with a pad of the type described above but which may be used with any other complementary pad. The present invention furether aims to provide an article of footwear which may be used both on the left and right foot and which will be effective and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.
The present invention thus provides in a first aspect a deck pad assembly, said pad assembly comprising a pad member and at least one insert within said pad member, said pad assembly being adapted to be attached to the deck of a watercraft, skateboard or other article to which enhanced grip is required, said insert or inserts having on its or their upper surface, a hook and loop fastener adapted for cooperation with a garment having one or more zones of a complementary hoop and loop fastener.
In use, by varying the position of placement of the garment on the pad or pad assembly and thus varying the contact between the hook and loop fastener of the garment and the pad assembly, the person wearing the garment can selectively control the extent of engagement and thus grip between the garment and pad assembly.
The term “hook and loop fastener” as used in the present specification refers to either portion of a fastener comprising two portions, namely a hook portion and a portion complementary to the hook portion for example a loop portion such that the two portions are releasable interconnected when brought into contact with each other. Such fasteners are known under the trade mark VELCRO. The use of the term also includes those types of fasteners known as hook and hook fasteners in which there are opposing portions of interlockable hooks. The term also includes any other touch and grip type fastener of the type in which temporary interconnection is achieved when the two components thereof are brought into contact with each other.
The pad assembly of the present invention may be used for any application where it is desirable for a person's grip on a surface to be enhanced. For example, the pad assembly may be attached to the deck of articles such as surfboards, body boards, skateboards, jet skis, sailboards and yachts.
Thus in a further particular aspect the present invention provides a surfboard deck pad assembly for attachment to the deck of a surfboard, said pad assembly including a pad member and at least one insert within said pad member, said at least one insert having on its upper surface, a hook and loop fastener and said pad member having a zone or zones comprising a non-slip surface. The zone or zones of hook and loop fastener may substantially cover the insert.
Alternatively, the pad assembly can be in the form of a mat for placement on slippery or other wet surfaces such as wet floors and also in snow and ice. Thus in a further aspect, the present invention provides a ground or floor pad assembly for use on slippery surfaces such as wet areas or in snow or on ice in combination with a garment worn by a person, said pad assembly comprising a pad member and at least one insert within said pad member, said pad assembly having a plurality of grip enhancing zones having different grip properties, at least one of said zones comprising a hook and loop fastener on said at least one insert and said garment having one or more zones of a complementary hoop and loop fastener such that in use, by varying the position of placement of said garment on said pad assembly and thus varying the contact between said zones of said garment and said pad assembly, said person wearing the garment can selectively control the extent of engagement between said garment and said pad assembly to vary the grip between said garment and said pad assembly.
The pad assembly may have more than one insert, each carrying the hook and loop fastener such that in use a person can control the extent of engagement between the garment and the pad assembly by selectively engaging different proportions of the hook and loop fastener on the inserts or different inserts. The hook and loop type fastener may be of any size, location or density depending upon the desired use of the pad assembly. Most preferably however the hook and loop fastener covers substantially all of the upper exposed surface of the insert or inserts.
The pad member of the pad assembly is suitably apertured to receive the insert or inserts, the insert or inserts for this purpose having an external configuration complementary to the shape of the aperture. The pad member may have a single central aperture to receive an insert such that the pad member peripherally surrounds the insert carrying the hook and loop fastener. The pad member may have more than one aperture to receive respective inserts.
The insert may have one or more raised ribs or ridges on its upper side to enhance grip. The nbs or ridges suitably extend longitudinally relative to the pad assembly.
The insert or insert may have zones of hook and loop fastener having different densities of either hooks or loops. A zone of hook and loop fastener with a low density of hooks or loops will normally engage a garment having a complementary fastener to a lesser extent than a zone having a high density of hooks or loops. The extent of engagement can be controlled by selectively engaging zones having different densities.
Most preferably the pad member includes at least one zone of a non-slip material defining a non-slip surface. The zone of the non-slip material suitably covers substantially all of the upper surface of the pad member. Such a pad member is especially suitable for use on watercraft such as surfboards. A rider is able to disengage part of the garment whilst remaining in contact with the non-slip surface. This is desirable in applications such as surfboards as it allows a rider to optimize control and/or grip of the surfboard as desired.
Non-slip materials which ma
Gamble Craig Steven John
Roche Andrew Glen
Morano S. Joseph
Olson Lars
Shoemaker and Mattare
LandOfFree
Grip pads and article of footwear for use therewith does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Grip pads and article of footwear for use therewith, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Grip pads and article of footwear for use therewith will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3255585