US3169327A - Driver's safety shoe - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16, 1965 TATUO FUKUOKA 3,169,327

DRIVER'S SAFETY SHOE Filed March 20, 1964 nmlmllllllllllll INVENTOR. TATUO FUKUOKA BY M FM Attorneys United States Patent 3,169,327 DRIVERS SAFETY SHOE Tatuo Fukuoka, 21 3-cho1ne, Minami, Fukushima-cho, Tokushima, Japan Filed Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,373 1 Claim. ((3. 36-34) This invention relates to improvements in shoes, and more particularly to a safety shoe for automobile drivers.

With conventional shoes having regular, fiat-bottomed heels, when an automobile driver has his foot on the accelerator or other pedal controls of his car, the angle of his foot relative to the floor is such that only a single point on the edge of his heel is in contact with the floor, and is bearing most of the weight of his foot. Conse* quently, it is not infrequent that a sudden jolt or jar will cause the drivers foot to slip off the pedal, and the resulting rapid change in the speed of the car can cause a serious accident. With this in mind, the principal ob ject of the present invention is to provide a shoe having a novel heel with a beveled end face adapted to provide surface contact with the floor of a car when the users foot is positioned at an angle relative thereto. Thus, the possibility of the drivers foot slipping is minimized, and the safety of the driver and others is promoted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel shoe which is especially designed to increase the safety of automobile drivers, as described, but which shoe is simple in design and construction, and which is no more expensive to manufacture than convenional shoes of comparative quality.

With the above and other objects in view, which other objects and advantages of the present structure will be come apparent hereinafter, the invention comprises the improved safety shoe for drivers described in the follow ing specification and claim, and all of its parts and com binations, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the improved shoe;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rearward portion of a shoe illustrating the novel heel design incorporated in the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the position of the present shoe when the wearers foot is engaging the accelerator pedal of his car.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it Will be seen that the present invention comprises a shoe which is substantially similar to a conventional shoe in appearance, said shoe having an upper 11, a sole 12, and a heel 13. As is shown in FIG. 1, the sole 12 in the present shoe is preferably provided with a plurality of raised projections or tread elements 14 which are designed to provide traction when said sole is in engagement with another surface. This is a well known expedient, of course, and the particular tread design formed in said sole is not critical to the present invention. What is novel herein is the concept of a traction-type shoe having the novel heel design which will now be described.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the heel 13 in the present invention has the principal portion of its bottom surface flat, but the rearward end portion thereof is cut at an angle to provide a beveled surface area 16. Said beveled face 16 extends upwardly and rearwardly from a point spaced from the rearward end of the heel to the upper, rear edge thereof, and is cut 3,169,327 Patented Feb. 1 6 1965 "ice at an acute angle from the horizontal. The particular angle of said beveled face can be varied, of course, but should conform substantially to the angle at which the accelerator and other pedals in a car are usually mounted.

The beveled heel portion 16 in the present shoe structure is preferably provided with a plurality of parallel ribs or protrusions 17 to provide increased traction, and the principal surface of said heel is also provided with treads 15, the particular tread design being immaterial to the invention.

When the users foot is in its normal position on the accelerator 18 of his automobile (FIG. 3), the unique beveled heel portion 16 in the present invention rests on and provides substantial surface contact with the floor 19. Thus, the possibility of the drivers heel slipping, and his foot inadvertently releasing the pedal is minirnized, and the chance of an accident is reduced.

As hereinabove mentioned, with conventional, fiatheeled shoes a single point of contact is provided between the driver's heel and the floor of his car and it is not at all unusual for his foot to slip relative to the control pedal, which can be extremely dangerous under certain circurnstances. This undesirable situation is even more acute with womens high-heeled shoes, and particularly those of the so-called spike heel type. For this reason it is contemplated that a woman may keep a pair of the present shoes in her car at all times, and when she is driving she may remove and replace her high-heeled shoes with the present safety shoes. It is to be understood, however, that-the present safety shoe will also have great utility for men, and the invention is by no means to be limited to use by women.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a unique and improved shoe construction which is designed to promote the safety of automobile drivers. More specifically, the present shoe is characterized by a novel beveled heel design which provides frictional surface engagement between the drivers heel and the floor of his car to minimize the possibility of his foot slipping off of the accelerator or other pedals. As mentioned, the invention is notto be limited or confined to a shoe exactly as illustrated and described, since it is contemplated that various changes or modifications could be made therein without departing from the spirit of said invention, such as in the tread design or the angle of the beveled heel portion, and it is therefore intended to include herein not only the illustrated shoe but also any and all modifications therein as may come within the scope of the following claim.

What I claim is:

In a drivers safety shoe for use in an automobile having a fiat control pedal adjacent and extending upwardly at an angle from the floor, said shoe having a sole with a forward, toe end and a rear, heel end, and said shoe having a heel mounted on the rearward end of said sole, said heel having a forward end and a rearward end, and having a longitudinal center line in alignment with the longitudinal center line of said sole, theimprove'd structure comprising: a heel having a substantially flat main bottom surface with a tread formed therein, and said heel having a fiat, beveled rearward portion with a tread therein, said fiat beveled portion being'formed at an angle relative to the plane of the heel main portion correspondto ithe heel longitudinal cenllprtism psa nepjfifi e relat v normal, toe-out position of a drivers foot, the design of said heel being such that when'the shoe sole is'rested on thecontrol pedal said beveled heel portion will contact the floor not at a single point or line, but over the entire surface thereof to minimize the possibility of slipping, and the offset position of said beveled area relative to the shoe center line permitting the driver to rest his foot in its normal position, and ;to act atesaid pedal with a mininiunll offpliysical efiort.

' References C ited liy the Examiner -UNITEDSTATES' PATENTS 2,012,173 8/35 Murray 36-35 2,235,256 3/41v Elliott 3634' 2,540,449 V 2/51 Kallfmann 3635 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,152,421 9/57 France. 2'

JORDAN FlmNKLm'Pl-iinar Examiner.

FRANK J. COHEN, Examiner.

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