Traction device

Abstract

An overshoe traction device includes a flexible strap for attaching to a shoe, and front and rear cleat members attached to the strap. The rear cleat member includes a metallic rear plate. The front cleat member includes metallic fore and aft plates, and an elastically flexible material molded to, and interconnecting, the fore and aft plates. The fore and aft plates are spaced from one another to form a gap therebetween. Cleats extend downwardly from the rear plate and each of the fore and aft plates. The cleats of the fore and aft plates extend in a pattern around a central region of the front cleat member. The elastically flexible material forms a topside of the front cleat member, and a central region of the underside of the front cleat member and defines a horizontal pivot zone between the fore and aft plates, enabling the fore and aft plates to pivot up and down relative to one another.

1 . An overshoe traction device comprising:
 an elastically flexible strap configured to be attached over a shoe; and   a front cleat member and a rear cleat member attached to the strap and adapted to be disposed beneath a shoe when the strap is attached thereto, the front cleat member disposed ahead of the rear cleat member and spaced therefrom;   wherein the rear cleat member includes at least one stiff rear plate, with rear cleat elements extending downwardly from the rear plate;   
       wherein the front cleat member includes:
 a stiff fore plate and a stiff aft plate, the aft plate including a front edge spaced rearwardly from a rear edge of the fore plate to form a gap between the fore and aft plates, fore and aft cleat elements extending downwardly from the fore and aft plates, respectively, the fore and aft cleat elements extending in a pattern around a central region of the front cleat member, and 
 an elastically flexible material molded to, and interconnecting, the fore and aft plates, which elastically flexible material extends:
 across respective upper sides of the fore and aft plates to form a topside of the front cleat member, and 
 through the gap between the fore and aft plates to define a horizontal pivot zone along the gap for enabling the fore and aft plates to pivot up and down relative to one another as the user walks. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fore and aft plates includes an opening disposed in said central region and extending to said gap, said elastically flexible material extending through said opening. 
     
     
         3 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the front edge of the aft plate includes an aft opening disposed in said central region and extending to the gap, the rear edge of the fore plate including a fore opening disposed in said central region and extending to said gap and facing the aft opening, said elastically flexible material extending through the fore and aft openings. 
     
     
         4 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastically flexible material extends downwardly beyond the fore and aft openings. 
     
     
         5 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear plate includes a rear opening extending through a central region of the rear plate, and an elastically flexible material molded to the rear plate and extending across an upper surface thereof and through the rear opening, wherein such elastically flexible material forms a topside of the rear cleat member and a central region of an underside of the rear cleat member, the cleats of the rear cleat member extending around in a pattern around the rear opening. 
     
     
         6 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 5 , including elongated flexible elements attaching the front and rear cleat members to the strap, some of the flexible elements attached to through-holes formed in the rear plate which extend around the rear opening, others of the flexible elements attached to through-holes formed in the fore and aft plates and extending around the central region of the front cleat member. 
     
     
         7 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 6 , wherein the elongated flexible elements comprise metal chains. 
     
     
         8 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 6 , wherein the front and rear cleat members are attached to one another only indirectly through the strap, wherein the front and rear cleat members are relatively movable relative to the strap and to each other in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         9 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear cleats are formed at an outer edge of the rear plate, the fore cleats are formed at an outer edge of the fore plate, and the aft cleats are formed at an outer edge of the aft plate. 
     
     
         10 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleats of the fore plate, the aft plate, and the rear plate are spaced inwardly from respective outer edges thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastically flexible material comprises thermoplastic rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear plate, the aft plate and the fore plate comprise metal. 
     
     
         13 . The overshoe traction device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear cleats comprise downwardly bent and sharpened portions of the rear plate; the fore cleats comprise downwardly bent and sharpened portions of the fore plate, and the aft cleats comprise downwardly bent and sharpened portions of the aft plate. 
     
     
         14 . An overshoe traction device comprising:
 an elastically flexible strap configured to be attached over a shoe; and   a front cleat member and a rear cleat member attached to the strap by elongated flexible elements and adapted to be disposed beneath a shoe when the strap is attached thereto, the front cleat member disposed ahead of the rear cleat member and spaced therefrom;   wherein the rear cleat member includes at least one metallic rear plate, with portions thereof being bent and sharpened to form pointed rear cleat elements extending downwardly from the rear plate, wherein the rear plate includes a rear opening extending through a central region of the rear plate, and an elastically flexible material molded to the rear plate and extending across an upper surface thereof and through the rear opening,   wherein such elastically flexible material forms a topside of the rear cleat member and a central region of an underside of the rear cleat member, the cleats of the rear cleat member extending around the rear opening.   wherein the front cleat member includes:
 a metallic fore plate and a metallic aft plate, the aft plate including a front edge spaced rearwardly from a rear edge of the fore plate to form a gap between the fore and aft plates, portions of the fore and aft plates being bent and sharpened to form fore and aft pointed cleat elements extending downwardly from the fore and aft plates, the front edge of the aft plate including an aft opening extending to the gap, and the rear edge of the fore plate including a fore opening extending to the gap and facing the aft opening, the fore and aft cleat elements extending around the fore and aft openings, and 
 an elastically flexible material molded to, and interconnecting, the fore and aft plates, which elastically flexible material extends:
 across respective upper sides of the fore and aft plates to form a topside of the front cleat member, 
 through the fore and aft openings to form a central region of the underside of the front cleat member, and 
 through the gap between the fore and aft plates to define a horizontal pivot zone along the gap for enabling the fore and aft plates to pivot up and down relative to one another as the user walks.