Footwear Traction Devices and Systems and Mechanisms for Making Durable Connections to Soft Body Materials

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward a device that can be worn over footwear to provide traction, such as on slick or slippery surfaces, in snow, or on ice. Described embodiments include footwear accessory devices comprising at least one cleat that provides traction but does not add significantly to the profile of the footwear during use. The present disclosure is also directed toward to connecting bodies that can be used to couple objects to a stretchy material.

1 .- 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A footwear securing member comprising a section of a first material, the section having at least a top surface and a bottom surface, the footwear securing member comprising
 at least one connecting body of a second material, the connecting body comprising   a hub being configured to connect to an object, the hub having a proximal end and a distal end, the hub extending at least partially between the top surface and the bottom surface and   a flange radially projecting from the hub,   the flange being encapsulated by the first material with an interface between the flange and the first material and   wherein the first material and the second material are polymeric, and wherein the interface consists of the first material fused to the second material.   
     
     
         60 . A footwear traction device comprising
 at least one traction member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a periphery, the traction member comprising at least one layered section having at least a bottom layer comprised of a first material and an adjacent layer disposed above the bottom layer comprised of a second material, wherein the first material is softer than the second material and   at least one first cleat comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein at least a portion of said second portion extends outward from the bottom surface,   characterized in that said first portion of the cleat is at least partially embedded within the bottom layer and the first material occupies the space between the first portion of the at least one first cleat and the adjacent layer.   
     
     
         61 . The footwear traction device of  claim 60 , wherein
 the first cleat comprises a radially projecting flange embedded within the bottom layer and/or wherein the first cleat comprises a first end located in the first portion, wherein the first end is spaced apart from the adjacent layer an amount between about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm and/or   the first portion of the first cleat is a stud holder comprising a first end and a second end, the stud holder at the first end having a radially projecting flange, and the stud holder at the second end having a hole extending at least partially therethrough and configured to receive the second portion, the second portion being a traction stud and/or   the hardness of the first material is in the range of about Shore 55A to about Shore 95A, or is within a corresponding range on a different scale and/or   the hardness of the second material is about at least Shore 40D, or has a similar minimum hardness on a different scale.   
     
     
         62 . The footwear traction device of  claim 60 , further comprising at least one second cleat that protrudes from the top surface or wherein the traction device further comprises at least one second cleat that protrudes from the top surface said second cleat being integrally molded with the adjacent layer or wherein the traction device further comprises at least one second cleat that protrudes from the top surface, where the second cleat is disposed over the top of the first cleat. 
     
     
         64 . The footwear traction device of  claim 60 , further comprising a polymeric traction element that protrudes from the bottom surface or wherein the traction device further comprises a polymeric traction element that protrudes from the bottom surface which is integrally molded with the bottom layer or which is a surface projection surrounding the first cleat or which is a stepped or sloping surface projecting feature or wherein the polymeric traction element spans a width that is at least 3 times the width of the second portion of the first cleat. 
     
     
         65 . The footwear traction device of  claim 60 , wherein the traction device comprises at least four connecting arms, each arm extending from the periphery of the traction member and terminating at a distal end such that the four arms and the traction member form an X-like outline and each connecting comprising an attachment feature near the distal end configured to couple the connecting arms to a footwear securing member. 
     
     
         66 . The footwear traction device of  claim 65 , further comprising the footwear securing member, wherein the footwear securing comprises an elastomeric band configured to fit around the footwear along an upper, front portion, a left side portion, a heel portion, and a right side portion or wherein the attachment feature comprises a through hole. 
     
     
         67 . The footwear traction device according to  claim 60 , wherein the adjacent layer is a first pressure dispersing layer and/or the bottom layer is at least one force absorption layer. 
     
     
         68 . The footwear traction device according to  claim 60 , wherein the adjacent layer defines the top surface of the traction member and/or the bottom layer defines the bottom surface of the traction member.