Footwear with removable heating elements

Abstract

Footwear with a removable heating element provides a pocket above the toes and below the laces to keep a removable heated gel pack. The footwear is intended for use during severe winter weather but provides only a light degree of insulation, relying on a replaceable exothermic gel pack above the toes to generate heat. The gel pack is provided in a pocket above the toes and below the laces, which is preferably secured by a descending flap with a hook-and-loop fastener strip, extending downward to the upper edge of the sole. A replacement gel pack is available separately.

I claim: 
     
         1 . Footwear with a removable heating element, comprising: an article of footwear; a removable heating element; said article of footwear providing a toe end, a sole, laces, and a flap; a pocket being located at said toe end of said footwear above the toe area; said flap hiding said pocket; said removable heating element being sized and configured to fit within said pocket; and said flap being secured shut with a fastener. 
     
     
         2 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said article of footwear is a shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said article of footwear is a boot. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener is a hook-and-loop strip. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener is a zipper. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said fastener is snaps. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 2 , wherein said fastener is a hook-and-loop strip. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 2 , wherein said fastener is a zipper. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 2 , wherein said fastener is snaps. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 3 , wherein said fastener is a hook-and-loop strip. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 3 , wherein said fastener is a zipper. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 3 , wherein said fastener is snaps. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 1 , wherein said heating element provides a flexible plastic shell containing an exothermic gel-forming composition. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 13 , wherein said exothermic gel-forming composition is galvanic alloy particles such as magnesium and iron; said iron amounts to between two to twenty percent by weight; said magnesium amounts to eighty to ninety-eight percent by weight; said galvanic alloy particles microencapsulated within a super absorbent polymer such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or sodium polyacrylamide, and an electrolyte such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride or calcium chloride; said galvanic alloy particles being in a ratio to said super absorbent polymer of between five to one and twenty to one. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 2 , wherein said heating element provides a flexible plastic shell containing an exothermic gel-forming composition. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 15 , wherein said exothermic gel-forming composition is galvanic alloy particles such as magnesium and iron; said iron amounts to between two to twenty percent by weight; said magnesium amounts to eighty to ninety-eight percent by weight; said galvanic alloy particles microencapsulated within a super absorbent polymer such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or sodium polyacrylamide, and an electrolyte such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride or calcium chloride; said galvanic alloy particles being in a ratio to said super absorbent polymer of between five to one and twenty to one. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 3 , wherein said heating element provides a flexible plastic shell containing an exothermic gel-forming composition. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear with a removable heating element of  claim 17 , wherein said exothermic gel-forming composition is galvanic alloy particles such as magnesium and iron; said iron amounts to between two to twenty percent by weight; said magnesium amounts to eighty to ninety-eight percent by weight; said galvanic alloy particles microencapsulated within a super absorbent polymer such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or sodium polyacrylamide, and an electrolyte such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride or calcium chloride; said galvanic alloy particles being in a ratio to said super absorbent polymer of between five to one and twenty to one.