Friction-attached aquatic accessory

Abstract

An aquatic accessory adapted for frictional attachment with a shoe being worn by a user comprises a receptacle portion and a fin portion extending outwardly from the receptacle portion. The receptacle portion is adapted to receive at least a portion of an inserted shoe, and frictionally attach with the shoe. Gripping members can be configured and angled in a manner for providing increased frictional attachment between the aquatic accessory and inserted shoe. The accessory can be fabricated from a stretchable material to provide a radial attachment force for enhancing frictional attachment between the aquatic accessory and an inserted shoe.

1 . An aquatic accessory, comprising:
 a receptacle portion adapted to frictionally receive a first portion of a shoe, the receptacle portion including:
 a base extending from a bottom edge of the receptacle portion to an apex of the receptacle portion; and 
 an upper surface extending from the apex to an upper edge of the receptacle portion, the upper surface being connected to the base along a first side of the receptacle portion and a second side of the receptacle portion, the upper edge and the bottom edge collectively forming a rim; 
   a fin portion including:
 a planar fin surface extending outwardly from the receptacle portion to a distal lip of the fin portion; and 
 a leash configured to couple to a portion of the aquatic accessory, the leash configured to engage a second portion of the shoe to tether the shoe to the aquatic accessory. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle portion has an inner surface including at least one gripping member. 
     
     
         3 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe is a non-specialized shoe, the receptacle portion having an inner surface including at least one gripping member-configured to frictionally retain the first portion of the non-specialized shoe within the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle portion has an inner surface including a plurality of traction groups, each traction group from the plurality of traction groups includes at least one gripping member from a plurality of gripping members. 
     
     
         5 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of traction groups includes at least a first traction group and a second traction group, the first traction group having at least one gripping member from the plurality of gripping members disposed in a first pattern, the second traction group having at least one gripping member from the plurality of gripping members disposed in a second pattern distinct from the first pattern. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle portion is fabricated from a stretchable material and adapted to radially expand about the rim from a first circumference to a second circumference greater than the first circumference, the rim configured to exert a radial gripping force when expanded to the second circumference and the first portion of the shoe is disposed therein, the radial gripping force providing a frictional attachment of the shoe. 
     
     
         9 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An aquatic accessory, comprising:
 a receptacle portion configured to receive a portion of a shoe, and a fin portion extending outwardly therefrom;   the receptacle portion including:
 a base extending from a bottom edge to an apex; 
 an upper surface extending from the apex to an upper edge and being connected to the base at a first side and a second side; 
 the bottom edge and upper edge connected at the first and second sides to form a rim; 
 an inner surface area extending from the apex to the rim, the inner surface area including one or more gripping members extending radially inward therefrom configured to frictionally engage an outer surface of the portion of the shoe; and 
   a leash configured to be coupled with a portion of the aquatic accessory, the leash configured to engage a second portion of the shoe to tether the shoe to the aquatic accessory.   
     
     
         13 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more gripping members are arranged in a pattern unassociated with the outer surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         14 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more gripping members forms a first traction group arranged in a first pattern and a second traction group arranged in a second pattern different from the first pattern, 
       the first pattern and the second pattern being independent of the outer surface of the shoe. 
     
     
         15 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the one or more gripping members is oriented at an angle toward the apex. 
     
     
         16 . An aquatic accessory, comprising:
 a receptacle portion configured to receive a portion of a shoe, the receptacle portion including:
 a base extending from a bottom edge to an apex, the base including a first plurality of gripping members oriented at an acute angle toward the apex; 
 an upper surface extending from the apex to an upper edge and being connected to the base at a first side and a second side, the upper surface including a second plurality of gripping members; 
 the bottom edge and upper edge connected at the first and second sides to form a rim, the first plurality of gripping members and the second plurality of gripping members configured to frictionally engage the portion of the shoe to at least temporarily retain the portion of the shoe within the receptacle portion; and 
   a fin portion extending outwardly from the receptacle portion.   
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a cleat extending outwardly from the receptacle portion, the cleat being adapted to receive a looped portion of the shoe to retain attachment of the receptacle portion against a surface of the shoe when the shoe is inserted in the receptacle portion.   
     
     
         21 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 16 , wherein the first plurality of gripping members and the second plurality of gripping members frictionally retain the portion of the shoe in the receptacle portion without a heel strap. 
     
     
         22 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle portion includes an anchor, the leash configured to at least temporarily couple to the anchor and configured to removably couple to the shoe. 
     
     
         23 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an anchor removably coupled to the receptacle portion, the leash configured to be at least temporarily coupled to the anchor.   
     
     
         24 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a first plurality of gripping members, the upper surface includes a second plurality of gripping members, the first plurality of gripping members, the second plurality of gripping members, and the rim configured to frictionally engage an outer surface of the shoe to at least temporarily retain the first portion of the shoe within the receptacle portion. 
     
     
         25 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 12 , wherein the receptacle portion includes an anchor, the aquatic accessory further comprising:
 a leash at least temporarily coupled to the anchor, the leash configured to be at least temporarily coupled to the anchor.   
     
     
         26 . The aquatic accessory of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a leash at least temporarily coupled to a portion of the aquatic accessory, the leash configured to engage a portion of the shoe to tether the shoe to a portion of the aquatic accessory.