Anti-slip overshoe

Abstract

An overshoe that is removably disposable on a user's shoe and provides a tread surface that enhances the user's footing on slippery surfaces. The tread surface has removable spikes that penetrate surfaces and forward-oriented and rearwards-oriented gripping ridges that grip the surface. The ease of pulling on and removing the overshoe is enhanced by using stretch zones that are placed to allow stretching of the overshoe to fit over a shoe or the like without compromising the snugness of the overshoe fit. A spike assembly for use with an overshoe that fits over a person's shoe and enhances a person's contact with the ground, includes a spike having a head operably coupled to a shank; and a button overmolded on the spike and having a neck for removable engagement in a bore defined in the overshoe. A method of minimizing slippage on a ground surface is further included.

1. An anti-slip overshoe that fits over a shoe and enhances contact with the ground, the shoe having a forward toe portion, a rearward heel portion and a bottom for engaging the ground, the anti-slip overshoe comprising:
 a single flexible elastic piece having a ball, a heel, a connecting portion, an over-toe component, and an over-heel component; 
 the ball and heel being connected by the connecting portion and each of the ball and heel having a tread pattern, the tread pattern having a plurality of gripping ridges and a plurality of spikes; 
 the over-toe component being operably coupled to the ball with a plurality of stretch zones so that the over-toe component conformingly engages the shoe toe portion, wherein the over-toe component has a plurality of apertures, one of which extends between each of the stretch zones, and wherein the plurality of stretch zones each have an approximately equal width; and 
 the over-heel component being operably coupled to the heel and being adapted to conformingly engage the shoe heel portion, the over-heel component having a plurality of apertures and having a plurality of stretch zones. 
 
     
     
       2. The overshoe of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of apertures each have an approximately equal width. 
     
     
       3. The overshoe of  claim 2  wherein wherein each of the plurality of apertures have a width that is greater than a width of each of the plurality of stretch zones. 
     
     
       4. The overshoe of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of apertures comprises five apertures formed proximate the intersection of the ball and the over-toe component. 
     
     
       5. The overshoe of  claim 2  wherein there are apertures formed proximate the intersection of the ball and the over-toe component are disposed in a substantially semi-circular disposition. 
     
     
       6. The overshoe of  claim 1  wherein each of the spikes are removably disposed in a respective bore defined in the ball and heel and are secured therein so that they may be readily replaced by a user. 
     
     
       7. The overshoe of  claim 1  wherein the over-toe component includes an over-toe body, the over-toe body having a plurality of apertures defined therein, a plurality of stretch zones being formed between adjacent over-toe body apertures. 
     
     
       8. The overshoe of  claim 7  wherein at least three of the over-toe body apertures are equiangularly, radially disposed relative to an origin of a semi-circle. 
     
     
       9. The overshoe of  claim 7  wherein a circular over-toe body aperture is radially disposed relative to an origin of a semi-circle. 
     
     
       10. The overshoe of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the ball gripping ridges are angled in a first direction and disposed in a first chevron arrangement and a second portion of the ball gripping ridges are angled in an opposed second direction and disposed in a second chevron arrangement. 
     
     
       11. The overshoe of  claim 1  wherein the ball gripping ridges are radially disposed relative to an origin of a circle in a pattern of concentric circles with increasing radii. 
     
     
       12. The overshoe of  claim 11  wherein the gripping ridges are formed in continuous circles. 
     
     
       13. The overshoe of  claim 11  wherein the gripping ridges are formed in circles selectively interrupted by spaces. 
     
     
       14. The overshoe of  claim 13  wherein every other gripping ridge is selectively interrupted by spaces. 
     
     
       15. An anti-slip overshoe for covering a shoe, comprising:
 a toe portion for disposing around a toe area of the shoe, the toe portion having an over-toe component, and a tread pattern formed on a bottom of the toe portion with a plurality of ridges oriented in a first direction and includes a plurality of removable gripping protrusions spaced about the tread pattern, the toe portion further having a plurality of apertures symmetrically spaced around a front of the toe area of the shoe separated by a plurality of stretch zones, the stretch zones being configured so that the toe portion conformingly engages the toe area of the shoe and having an approximately equal width, the plurality of apertures each having an approximately equal width, one of the plurality of apertures extending between each of the stretch zones; and   a heel portion integrally molded with the toe portion for disposing around a heel area of the shoe, the heel portion having a tread pattern formed on a bottom of the heel portion from a plurality of ridges oriented in a second direction and including a plurality of removable gripping protrusions spaced about the tread pattern, the heel portion further having a plurality of apertures symmetrically spaced around the heel portion of the shoe separated by a plurality of stretch zones.   
     
     
       16. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of apertures has a width that is greater than a width of each of the plurality of stretch zones. 
     
     
       17. The overshoe of claim 15, wherein the plurality of apertures around the heel portion each have approximately equal width. 
     
     
       18. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 15, wherein the plurality of apertures around the toe portion has at least five apertures symmetrically formed around the toe area of the shoe, the at least five apertures being separated by the plurality of stretch zones to provide flexibility for mounting the anti-slip overshoe to the shoe. 
     
     
       19. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of gripping protrusions includes a removable spike disposed in a bore within the toe portion or heel portion. 
     
     
       20. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of gripping protrusions is a spike. 
     
     
       21. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 15, wherein the tread pattern of the toe portion is circular or V-shaped. 
     
     
       22. An anti-slip overshoe, comprising:
 a toe portion and a heel portion molded into an integral unit;   wherein the toe portion includes an over-toe component and has a tread pattern and a plurality of removable gripping protrusions, the toe portion further having a plurality of symmetrically spaced apertures separated by a plurality of stretch zones so that the over-toe component conformingly engages a toe portion of a shoe, the plurality of stretch zones each having an approximately equal width; and   wherein the heel portion has a tread pattern and a plurality of removable gripping protrusions.   
     
     
       23. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein the plurality of apertures each have approximately equal width. 
     
     
       24. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of apertures has a width that is greater than a width of each of the plurality of stretch zones. 
     
     
       25. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein the plurality of apertures around the toe portion has at least five symmetrically formed apertures which are separated by the plurality of stretch zones to provide flexibility for mounting the anti-slip overshoe. 
     
     
       26. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of gripping protrusions includes a removable spike disposed in a bore within the toe portion or heel portion. 
     
     
       27. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of gripping protrusion is a spike. 
     
     
       28. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein the spike is metallic. 
     
     
       29. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein the tread pattern of the toe portion is circular with a plurality of ridges. 
     
     
       30. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 22, wherein the tread pattern of the toe portion is V-shaped with a plurality of ridges. 
     
     
       31. An anti-slip overshoe, comprising:
 a toe portion and heel portion formed into an integral unit;   wherein the toe portion includes an over-toe component and has a tread pattern formed on a bottom of the toe portion and includes a plurality of removable spikes, the toe portion further having a plurality of symmetrically spaced apertures and being separated by a plurality of stretch zones, the stretch zones being configured so that the over-toe component conformingly engages a toe portion of a shoe, the stretch zones each having an approximately equal width; and   wherein the heel portion has a tread pattern formed on a bottom of the heel portion and includes a plurality of removable spikes, the heel portion further having at least one aperture in the heel portion of the shoe.   
     
     
       32. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the plurality of apertures each have approximately equal width. 
     
     
       33. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of apertures has a width that is greater than a width of each of the plurality of stretch zones. 
     
     
       34. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the plurality of apertures around the toe portion has at least five symmetrically formed apertures, the at least five apertures being separated by the plurality of stretch zones to provide flexibility for mounting the anti-slip overshoe. 
     
     
       35. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the plurality of spikes are disposed in bores within the toe portion and heel portion. 
     
     
       36. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the spike is metallic. 
     
     
       37. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the tread pattern is circular with a plurality of ridges. 
     
     
       38. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 31, wherein the tread pattern is V-shaped with a plurality of ridges. 
     
     
       39. An anti-slip overshoe, comprising:
 a toe portion and a heel portion molded into an integral unit, wherein the toe portion includes an over-toe component and has a tread pattern and a plurality of removable gripping protrusions, the toe portion further having a plurality of symmetrically spaced apertures separated by a plurality of stretch zones so that the over-toe component conformingly engages a toe portion of a shoe, the plurality of stretch zones each having an approximately equal width.   
     
     
       40. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 39, wherein the heel portion has a tread pattern and a plurality of removable gripping protrusions. 
     
     
       41. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of gripping protrusions includes a removable spike disposed in a bore within the toe portion or heel portion. 
     
     
       42. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 39, wherein the tread pattern of the toe portion is circular with a plurality of ridges. 
     
     
       43. The anti-slip overshoe of claim 39, wherein the tread pattern of the toe portion is V-shaped with a plurality of ridges.