Traction device for a shoe

Abstract

A traction device for mounting on a shoe enables a user to walk safely on ice. The traction device includes a pad having an envelope formed by upper and lower fabric layers and having a middle layer of flexible foam material contained within the envelope. An elastic band attached to the envelope surrounds the front portion of the shoe and holds the pad tightly to the shoe's sole. The traction device also includes a set of spike assemblies. Each spike assembly has a tapped receiver that attaches to the middle layer of the pad and a spike having a threaded end that screws into the receiver. The spike also has a pointed tip end that passes through the sheath and engages the ice. An additional layer of resilient material within the envelope cushions the spike assemblies from the shoe and allows each spike assembly an independent range of vertical motion so that the spike assemblies may conform to rough ice surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.