Article of footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear is shown having a bottom exposed surface with a number of threaded bores. An interchangeable sole element can be affixed to the bottom surface of the foot receiving member by means of threaded metal studs. The studs are sized and positioned with respect to the lower surface of the sole elements to allow the tips of the studs to extend beyond the lower surface of the sole element for a distance in the range of 2 to 5 millimeters to provide improved traction and support.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising: 
 a foot receiving member having an upper, foot receiving region and a lower sole region, the lower sole region having a bottom, initially exposed surface defined by a periphery, the bottom surface having a plurality of threaded bores located therein, said bores having mouth regions extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the sole region and generally perpendicular thereto;    an interchangeable sole element having an upper surface and a lower surface and a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the sole element being sized to generally mate with the periphery of the bottom surface of the sole region, the sole element having a plurality of bores which communicate the upper and lower surfaces thereof and which are positioned to be in alignment with the threaded bores of the lower sole region when the interchangeable sole element is aligned with the lower sole region;    a plurality of threaded studs sized to pass through the bores in the interchangeable sole element and to threadedly engage the threaded bores in the bottom surface of the sole region to thereby affix the interchangeable sole element to the sole region of the foot receiving member, the studs having a height which is defined between an inner extent and an outer tip, the studs being sized and positioned with respect to the lower surface of the sole element to allow the tips thereof to extend beyond a plane defined by the lower surface of the sole element for a distance in the range from 2 to 5 millimeters.    
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the foot receiving member is a sandal having a sole plate region which is received about the shoe or boot of a wearer.  
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the foot receiving member is itself a boot.  
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the foot receiving member is itself a portion of a hip wader.  
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the foot receiving member is itself a portion of a chest wader.  
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the studs which are used to attach the interchangeable sole element to the bottom surface of the sole region are sized and positioned with respect to the lower surface of the sole element to allow the tips thereof to extend beyond the plane defined by the lower surface of the sole element for a distance in the range from 3 to 4 millimeters.  
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear, comprising: 
 a foot receiving member having an upper, foot receiving region and a lower sole region, the lower sole region having a bottom, initially exposed surface defined by a periphery, the bottom surface having a plurality of threaded bores located therein, said bores having mouth regions extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the sole region and generally perpendicular thereto;    an interchangeable sole element having an upper surface and a lower surface and a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge of the sole element being sized to generally mate with the periphery of the bottom surface of the sole region, the sole element having a plurality of bores which communicate the upper and lower surfaces thereof and which are positioned to be in alignment with the threaded bores of the lower sole region when the interchangeable sole element is aligned with the lower sole region;    a plurality of threaded studs sized to pass through the bores in the interchangeable sole element and to threadedly engage the threaded bores in the bottom surface of the sole region to thereby affix the interchangeable sole element to the sole region of the foot receiving member, the studs having a height which is defined between an inner extent and an outer tip;    wherein the studs have flared heads at the tips thereof, the flared heads being located in recesses provided in the lower surface of the sole element, whereby the tips of the studs extend beyond a plane defined by the lower surface of the sole element for a distance in the range from 2 to 5 millimeters, the positioning of the studs allowing the studs to first penetrate a walking surface, then followed by the attached sole element contacting the walking surface, to thereby provide additional traction and support for a wearer.    
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the tips of the studs extend beyond the plane defined by the lower surface of the sole element for a distance in the range from 3 to 4 millimeters.  
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the interchangeable sole element is formed of felt with recesses formed by heat impressing the felt at selected locations.  
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the interchangeable sole element is a rubber bob sole in which a rubber platform is built up on the lower surface of the sole element on which the flared head of the studs rest, whereby the tips of the studs extend beyond the plane defined by the lower surface of the interchangeable sole element for a distance in the range from 2 to 5 millimeters.  
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the foot receiving member is a sandal having a sole plate region which is received about the shoe or boot of a wearer.  
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the foot receiving member is itself a boot.  
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the foot receiving member is itself a portion of a hip wader.  
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the foot receiving member is itself a portion of a chest wader.