Bowling Shoe Kit With Interchangeable Slide Pads

Abstract

A bowling shoe kit is provided including a shoe upper, a shoe sole mounted to the shoe upper and having a slide area extending longitudinally from a toe end of the sole rearwardly towards an arch portion thereof, at least one slide pad having a peripheral margin substantially equal to a peripheral margin of the slide area and extending laterally substantially across an entire width of the sole, and a fastener removably securing the slide pad to the slide area. The slide pad includes a first area having a first coefficient of friction, a second area having a second coefficient of friction, and a third area having a third coefficient of friction, wherein the first coefficient of friction is different from the third coefficient of friction, and the second coefficient of friction presents a transition from the first coefficient of friction to the third coefficient of friction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bowling shoe kit, comprising:
 a shoe upper;   a shoe sole mounted to the shoe upper, said shoe sole having a slide area extending longitudinally from a toe end of said shoe sole rearwardly towards an arch portion thereof, and extending laterally substantially across an entire width of said shoe sole;   at least one slide pad having a peripheral margin substantially equal to a peripheral margin of said slide area, said at least one slide pad comprising:
 a first area extending from a front portion of the slide area rearwardly to a rear portion of the first area and having a first coefficient of friction, 
 a second area extending from the rear portion of the first area rearwardly to a rear portion of the second area and having a second coefficient of friction, and 
 a third area extending from the rear portion of the second area rearwardly toward a rear portion of the slide area and having a third coefficient of friction, 
 wherein the first coefficient of friction is different from the third coefficient of friction, and the second coefficient of friction presents a transition from the first coefficient of friction to the third coefficient of friction; and 
   a fastener removably securing said at least one slide pad to said slide area;   wherein said at least one slide pad substantially covers said slide area.   
     
     
         2 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said fastener comprises hook and pile fastener system attached to said slide area of said shoe sole and said at least one slide pad. 
     
     
         3 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slide pad is secured to said slide area by said fastener along a portion of the slide area. 
     
     
         4 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 3 , wherein a lateral section of said at least one slide pad is not secured to the slide area. 
     
     
         5 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slide pad is secured to said slide area by said fastener along the entire slide area. 
     
     
         6 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said first area comprises a first material, said third area comprises a third material, and said second area comprises a saw tooth design of said first material and said third material. 
     
     
         7 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first, second and third areas extend laterally substantially across an entire width of said slide pad. 
     
     
         8 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of heel pads, each having a different coefficient of friction; and   a heel fastener for removably securing a selected heel pad to a heel portion of said shoe sole;   wherein said plurality of heel pads are interchangeable to vary the coefficient of friction of the heel portion of the shoe sole.   
     
     
         9 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 8 , wherein said heel fastener comprises hook and pile fastener system attached to said heel portion of said show sole and the selected heel pad. 
     
     
         10 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 8 , wherein each of said plurality of heel pads comprises:
 a first heel area extending from a front portion of the heel pad rearwardly to a rear portion of the first heel area and having a first heel coefficient of friction,   a second heel area extending from the rear portion of the first heel area rearwardly to a rear portion of the second heel area and having a second heel coefficient of friction, and   a third heel area extending from the rear portion of the second heel area rearwardly toward a rear portion of the heel pad and having a third coefficient of friction,   wherein the first heel coefficient of friction is different from the third heel coefficient of friction, and the second heel coefficient of friction presents a transition from the first heel coefficient of friction to the third heel coefficient of friction.   
     
     
         11 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 10 , wherein said first heel area comprises a first heel material, said third heel area comprises a third heel material, and said second heel area comprises a saw tooth design of said first heel material and said third heel material. 
     
     
         12 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide area comprises an area from about one half to about three fourths of the distance between the toe end of the shoe and a heel end of the shoe. 
     
     
         13 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide area comprises an area from about three eighths to about five eighths of a distance between the toe end of the shoe and a heel end of the shoe. 
     
     
         14 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one slide pad further comprises:
 a fourth area extending from the rear portion of the third area rearwardly toward a rear portion of the fourth area and having a fourth coefficient of friction; and   a fifth area extending from the rear portion of the fourth area toward the rear portion of the slide area and having a fifth coefficient of friction;   wherein the fifth coefficient of friction is different from the third coefficient of friction, and the fourth coefficient of friction presents a transition from the third coefficient of friction to the fifth heel coefficient of friction   
     
     
         15 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 14 , wherein said third area comprises a third material, said fifth area comprises a fifth material, and said fourth area comprises a saw tooth design of said third material and said fifth material. 
     
     
         16 . The bowling shoe kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral margin of said at least one slide pad substantially matches the peripheral margin of the slide area of both the left shoe and the right shoe, such that said at least one slide pad may be mounted to the left shoe and to the right shoe. 
     
     
         17 . A slide pad for a bowling shoe, said slide pad comprising:
 a first area extending from a front portion of the slide area rearwardly to a rear portion of the first area and having a first coefficient of friction;   a second area extending from the rear portion of the first area rearwardly to a rear portion of the second area and having a second coefficient of friction;   a third area extending from the rear portion of the second area rearwardly toward a rear portion of the slide area and having a third coefficient of friction;   a fastener for removable attachment to a sole of the bowling shoe; and   wherein the first coefficient of friction is different from the third coefficient of friction, and the second coefficient of friction presents a transition from the first coefficient of friction to the third coefficient of friction; and   wherein, when attached to the sole, said slide pad substantially covers a slide area of the sole extending longitudinally from a toe end of the sole rearwardly towards an arch portion thereof, and extending laterally substantially across an entire width of the sole.   
     
     
         18 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein said fastener comprises a first part if a two-part fastener for attaching to a second part of the two-part fastener which is disposed on the slide area of the shoe. 
     
     
         19 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein said slide pad is secured to the slide area by said fastener along a portion of the slide area. 
     
     
         20 . The slide pad according to  claim 19 , wherein a lateral section of said slide pad is not secured to the slide area. 
     
     
         21 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein said slide pad is secured to said slide area by said fastener along the entire slide area. 
     
     
         22 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein said first area comprises a first material, said third area comprises a third material, and said second area comprises a saw tooth design of said first material and said third material. 
     
     
         23 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein, when attached to the slide area of the shoe, said slide pad covers an area from one half to about three fourths of the distance between the toe end of the shoe and a heel end of the shoe. 
     
     
         24 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein, when attached to the slide area of the shoe, said slide pad covers an area from about three eighths to about five eighths of a distance between the toe end of the shoe and a heel end of the shoe. 
     
     
         25 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein each of said first, second and third areas extend laterally substantially across an entire width of said slide pad. 
     
     
         26 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein a peripheral margin of said slide pad substantially matches a peripheral margin of the slide area of both a left shoe and a right shoe, such that said slide pad may be mounted to the left shoe and to the right shoe. 
     
     
         27 . The slide pad according to  claim 17 , wherein said slide pad has a first end and a second end, and wherein a peripheral margin of the first end substantially matches a peripheral margin of the second end, such that either the first end or the second end of said slide pad is attachable to the toe end of the shoe. 
     
     
         28 . The slide pad according to  claim 27 , wherein one of the first end and the second end of said slide pad is cut to substantially correspond to a peripheral margin of the toe end of the shoe before attaching said slide pad to the shoe sole.