Apparel with optionally heated cavities

Abstract

An optionally heated boot includes an upper footwear portion and a lower footwear portion which is attached to the upper footwear portion. The lower portion contains a sole having an upper surface and a lower surface. At least one cavity extends downwardly from the upper surface of the sole. A heating element is removably disposed within the cavity. An insole covers the sole and the heating element. The upper surface of the sole has an opening to a cavity therein. Similar cavities, generally in the form of pockets, allow for the placement of a heating element into gloves and/or earmuffs.

1 . An optionally heated boot, comprising: 
 an upper footwear portion;    a lower footwear portion attached to said upper footwear portion, said lower footwear portion further comprising: 
 a sole, said sole being characterized as having an upper surface and a lower surface, said sole having at least one cavity extending downwardly from said upper surface;  
 a heating element removably disposed within said cavity; and  
 an insole covering said sole and said heating element disposed within said cavity.  
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a cavity filler having a shape substantially the same as the shape of said heating element, wherein said cavity filler is disposed within said cavity when said heating element is removed because heating is not desired.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said front region of said sole.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said rear region of said sole.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to the front region of said sole and extends so that said cavity is also adjacent to the rear region of said sole.  
     
     
         6 . A lower footwear portion for attachment to an upper footwear portion to form an optionally heated footwear, said lower footwear portion, comprising: 
 a sole, said sole being characterized as having an upper surface and a lower surface, said sole having at least one cavity extending downwardly from said upper surface;    a heating element removably disposed within said cavity; and    an insole covering said sole and said heating element disposed within said cavity.    
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a cavity filler having a shape substantially the same as the shape of said heating element, wherein said cavity filler is disposed within said cavity when said heating element is removed because heating is not desired.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said front region of said sole.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to said rear region of said sole.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein said sole is further characterized as having a front region near the toe of the boot, a rear region near the heel of the boot, and an intermediate region generally midway between said front region and said rear region, wherein said cavity is located adjacent to the front region of said sole and extends so that said cavity is also adjacent to the rear region of said sole.  
     
     
         11 . An optionally heated glove, comprising: 
 a glove;    a pocket formed by attaching a flap to said glove, said pocket having an opening on at least one side;    a heating element removably disposed within said pocket and covered by said flap; and    a closing means, wherein said heating element is disposed within said pocket for heating said glove and wherein said heating element is removed from said pocket when heating is not desired.    
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said closing means is a button closure.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said closing means is a snap closure.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said closing means is a hook-and-loop closure.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is located adjacent to said palm area.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is located adjacent to said back area.  
     
     
         17 . An optionally heated glove, comprising: 
 a glove;    a detachable pocket, affixed to said glove using a hook-and-loop attachment, with an opening on one side; and    a heating element removably disposed within said pocket through said opening, wherein said pocket is affixed to said covering with the heating element disposed within said pocket for heating said glove and wherein said pocket is removed when heating is not desired.    
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area, wherein said pocket is attached adjacent to said palm area.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein said covering is further characterized as having a palm area and a back area and having five fingers numbered from the thumb, each of said second finger and said fifth finger has a proximal region, wherein said pocket is attached adjacent to the back of the proximal region of the second (index) finger and to the proximal region of the fifth finger.  
     
     
         20 . An optionally heated earmuff, comprising: 
 an ear covering;    a pocket located within said ear covering having an opening at the surface of said ear covering; and    a heating element removably disposed within said pocket, wherein said heating element is disposed within said pocket for heating said earmuff and wherein said heating element is removed from said pocket when heating is not desired.