Footwear and Method of Manufacturing Same

Abstract

A footwear article is formed by providing at least one spent automobile tire having a tread, separating a portion of the tread of the tire, trimming the separated portion into the general shape of a foot and securing the separated portion to a top sole portion. The bottom sole portion of the footwear article has a generally, non-uniform thickness and irregular pattern. The bottom sole portion can fixer have elements of a scrub pattern indicator element, a tie bar indicator and/or a ply fragment visible on an outer edge thereof.

1 . A pair of sandals, comprising:
 a first footwear article for a left foot having a top sole portion and a bottom sole portion secured together, wherein the bottom sole portion comprises rubber material separated from a scrub tire and having a first average thickness; and   a second footwear article for a right foot having a top sole portion and a bottom sole portion secured together, wherein the bottom sole portion comprises rubber material separated from a scrub tire and having a second average thickness, with the second average thickness being different from the first average thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The pair of sandals of  claim 1  wherein the scrub tire is an automobile racing tire. 
     
     
         3 . The pair of sandals of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the footwear articles includes at least a scrub pattern indicator element. 
     
     
         4 . The pair of sandals of  claim 1  wherein the bottom sole portions each include an outer edge and wherein at least one of the footwear articles includes a ply fragment visible on the outer edge of the bottom sole portion thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A footwear article, comprising:
 a top sole portion; and   a bottom sole portion secured to the top sole portion, the bottom sole portion comprising rubber material separated from a scrub tire and having a ply fragment visible on an outer edge thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5  wherein the bottom sole portion includes at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator element visible thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 5  wherein the bottom sole portion has a generally non-uniform thickness as a result of being separated from the scrub tire. 
     
     
         8 . A method of manufacturing a footwear article, comprising:
 providing at least one scrub automobile racing tire having a tread;   separating a portion of the tread of the tire, and trimming the separated portion into the general shape of a foot; and   securing the separated portion to a top sole portion.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the tread is of generally non-uniform thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the tread has a thickness of less than or equal to 3/32 inch. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the separated portion is a bottom sole portion having a ply fragment visible on an outer edge thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the separated portion is a bottom sole portion having at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator element visible thereon. 
     
     
         13 . A footwear article, comprising:
 a top sole portion; and   
       a bottom sole portion secured to the top sole portion, the bottom sole portion comprising rubber material separated from a scrub tire and having at least a portion of a scrub pattern indicator element visible thereon.