# US 10,306,945 B2 · Shoe having individual particles bonded to its bottom surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,306,945 B2 - Document ID: US10306945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/862,710 - Filed: 2018-01-05 - Published: 2018-05-10 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2002-07-31 - Assignees: Dynasty Footwear, Ltd. - Applicants: Dynasty Footwear, Ltd. - Inventors: John C. S. Koo; Jonathan Goldberg; Anthony Cox - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10306945B2 ## CPC - A43B 1/02: made of fibres or fabrics made therefrom - A43B 13/02: characterised by the material - A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials - A43B 13/122: {characterised by the outsole or external layer} - A43B 13/22: Soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer - A43B 13/223: {Profiled soles} - B29C 43/28: incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles - B29C 43/305: {Making multilayered articles} - B29C 48/07: Flat, e.g. panels - B29C 48/154: Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles - B29C 43/46: Rollers - B29C 2043/023: {having a plurality of grooves} - B29K 2105/0854: {in the form of a non-woven mat} - B29L 2031/504: {Soles} - B32B 37/04: characterised by the partial melting of at least one layer - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract Provided is a shoe that includes: a bottom surface that is adjacent to the ground in normal use; a sole that forms at least a portion of the bottom surface; an upper portion extending above the sole; and individual particles bonded to the bottom surface of the shoe. The individual particles include at least one of corn husk, hemp or a natural plant material that has been ground into the individual particles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shoe, comprising: an outsole having a bottom surface; and an upper extending above the outsole, wherein the outsole is comprised of: (a) a base material that includes a plurality of indentations and lower-extending portions and (b) a plurality of individual particles, wherein the individual particles are bonded into at least some of the indentations, but wherein the lower-extending portions predominantly are uncoated with said individual particles, wherein the individual particles comprise particles made of at least one of cork, paper, wood, corn husk, hemp, another plant material, leather or another organic material, and wherein areas of the individual particles and the lower-extending portions form at least a portion of the bottom surface of the outsole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles have been flocked onto the base material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles extend down to approximately a same level as the lower-extending portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles have an uncompressed state in which at least some of said individual natural fibers extend down below a surface of the lower-extending portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles are bonded into substantially all of the indentations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles cover at least 50% of that portion of the outsole that contacts the ground in normal use. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles have been bonded using separately applied adhesive material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles extend to a depth that is not greater than 2 millimeters. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles include leather particles. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles include particles made of a plant material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A shoe according to claim 10, wherein the plant material is a natural plant material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A shoe according to claim 11, wherein the natural plant material has been cut into small, thin fibers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A shoe according to claim 10, wherein the individual particles include particles made of at least one of cork, wood, corn husk, hemp or paper. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles are thin fibers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles have been bonded to the base material by embedding the individual particles directly into said base material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A shoe according to claim 15, wherein said embedding is performed by using at least one of heat and pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles have been bonded directly onto the base material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles are attached to a substrate and the substrate has been bonded onto the base material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A shoe according to claim 1, wherein the individual particles cover at least 50% of the portion of the bottom surface that normally comes into contact with the ground.