Static dissipating and conductive footwear

Abstract

A static dissipating or conductive article of footwear with an electrical flow path in the upper. The upper includes at least one conductive element extending along at least a portion of the inside of the upper in a position where it will directly contact the wearer's foot. The upper may include a plurality of conductive elements located in different regions. The conductive elements may be positioned in line with a lacing system so that tightening of the laces urges the conductive elements toward the wearer's foot. The conductive elements may be a ribbon or other strip of fabric that includes one or more conductive threads. The ribbon or fabric strip may be woven in and out of a lining material on the inside of the upper.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper;   a sole joined to the upper, the sole and the upper cooperatively defining a foot-receiving interior configured to receive a wearer's foot, the sole having a ground engaging surface and providing an electrical flow path to ground via the ground engaging surface;   the upper including at least one conductive element positioned to engage the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior, the conductive element extending from the upper to the sole to provide an electrical flow path from the wearer's foot to the sole.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the conductive element includes a ribbon incorporated into the upper, the ribbon exposed along at least a portion of the upper in the interior, whereby the ribbon will engage the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2  wherein the ribbon includes at least one conductive thread. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 2  wherein the ribbon includes a plurality of conductive threads extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the ribbon. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 2  wherein the ribbon is manufactured from a nonconductive material, the ribbon including a plurality of conductive threads that extend longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the ribbon. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5  wherein the upper includes a liner, the ribbon being woven into the liner. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the conductive element include a plurality of ribbons incorporated into the upper, each of the ribbons exposed along at least a portion of the upper in the interior, whereby the ribbons will engage the wearer's foot at discrete locations when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  wherein each of the ribbons includes at least one conductive thread. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8  wherein each of the ribbons is manufactured from a nonconductive material, the ribbon including a plurality of conductive threads extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the ribbon. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  wherein the upper includes a liner, each of the ribbons being woven into the liner. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10  wherein the ribbons are positioned in the interior to engage the top of the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11  wherein the upper includes a closure system, the ribbons aligned with the closure system so that tightening of the closure system urges the ribbons toward the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the ribbons engage the upper surface of the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the sole includes a midsole and an outsole; and
 wherein the ribbons engage the midsole, the midsole providing an electrical flow path from the ribbons to the outsole, the outsole providing an electrical flow path from the midsole to the ground engaging surface. 
 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 7  wherein the sole includes a midsole and an outsole, the midsole including a conductive element providing an electrical flow path to the outsole, the outsole being conductive; and
 wherein the ribbons engage the midsole conductive element, whereby the midsole conductive element provides an electrical flow path from the ribbons to the outsole, the outsole providing an electrical flow path from the midsole conductive element to the ground engaging surface. 
 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15  further including an electrical resistor disposed along the electrical flow path from the conductive elements to the ground engaging surface. 
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole including an outsole and a midsole, the outsole manufactured from an electrically conductive material, the midsole disposed above the outsole, the midsole having a top surface and a bottom surface, the midsole including a conductive element, the midsole conductive element extending along at least a portion of the top surface of the midsole, the midsole conductive element being electrically coupled to the outsole; and   an upper secured to the midsole, the upper and the sole cooperatively defining a foot-receiving interior, the upper including at least one conductive element positioned to engage a wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior, the upper conductive element extending from the upper to the sole to provide an electrical flow path from the wearer's foot to the sole.   
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17  wherein the upper conductive element includes a plurality of ribbons incorporated into the upper, each of the ribbons exposed along at least a portion of the upper in the interior, whereby the ribbons will engage the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18  wherein each of the ribbons includes a plurality of conductive threads extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the ribbon. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19  wherein the upper includes a liner, each of the ribbons being affixed to the liner. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 20  wherein each of the ribbons is woven into and out of the liner. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 21  wherein the upper includes a closure system, the ribbons aligned with the closure system so that tightening of the closure system urges the ribbons toward the wearer's foot when the wearer's foot is disposed in the interior. 
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 22  wherein the ribbons engage the top surface of the midsole. 
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 23  wherein the ribbons are sewn to the liner. 
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 23  wherein the ribbons include a pair of ribbons extending along a medial side of the upper and a pair of ribbons extending along a lateral side of the upper.