IP Library Granted Patent US 10,111,487
Granted Patent B2
US 10,111,487 · App. 13/358,712 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing an emotional or psychological state

Inventor: Mark Hampton (New Castle, DE)
Assignee: Hampton Technology Resources Inc.
A43B3/0078A43B7/00A43B17/003A41B11/001
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,111,487
App. No.
13/358,712
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing an emotional or psychological state, after a progressive amount of wear occurs on the area or indicia, are disclosed. The wearable item comprises a substrate that includes wear-susceptible areas, wear-susceptible indicia, and/or a combination of wear-susceptible areas and indicia. One or more wear-susceptible areas incorporate markings and/or indicia such as words, pictures, symbols, which progressively “wear away.” These phrases, symbols, and pictures can relate to emotional and/or psychological obstacles and impediments, which are adversarial in nature.

Claims (38)

1. A footwear item configured to present a progressive wearing, diminishment, or subsequent absence of a subject, comprising:

a substrate;

a wear-susceptible area incorporated into the substrate and including a pre-stressed area with a weaker material strength than the substrate; and

a marking integrated into the wear-susceptible area configured to present the progressive wearing, diminishment, or subsequent absence of the subject that the marking represents;

wherein the pre-stressed area has a two-dimensional area that is generally coextensive with the wear-susceptible area or the marking.

2. The footwear item of claim 1 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is disposed on a wear-prone area of the footwear item.

3. A footwear item serving the intent and purpose to present a progressive wearing, diminishment, and subsequent absence of a subject, and presenting a progressive presence of a separate subject, comprising:

a substrate;

a wear-susceptible area;

a wear-susceptible marking integrated into the wear-susceptible area that progressively wears away at a rate faster than the wear-susceptible area; and

a wear-resistant marking positioned beneath the wear-susceptible marking, wherein the progressive wearing away of the wear-susceptible marking and the wear resistance of the wear-resistant marking progressively does not present the wear susceptible marking, and progressively presents the wear-resistant marking.

4. The footwear item of claim 3 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is disposed on a wear-prone area of the footwear item.

5. The footwear item of claim 3 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is positioned at a sole of the footwear item.

6. The footwear item of claim 3 , wherein the wear-resistant marking is positioned partially beneath the wear-susceptible marking.

7. The footwear item of claim 3 , wherein the wear-resistant marking is positioned completely beneath the wear-susceptible marking.

8. A method of manufacturing footwear items having a substrate and a wear-susceptible area serving the intent and purpose to present a progressive wearing, diminishment, or subsequent absence of a subject, comprising:

incorporating the wear-susceptible area into the substrate;

providing a pre-stressed area within the wear-susceptible area having a weaker material strength than the substrate, wherein the pre-stressed area has a two-dimensional area that is generally coextensive with the wear-susceptible area or a marking; and

integrating the marking into the pre-stressed area that progressively wears away over time, wherein the progressive wearing away of the marking serves to present the progressive wearing away, diminishment or absence of a subject.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of incorporating the wear-susceptible area includes positioning the wear-susceptible area at a sole of the footwear item.

10. A footwear serving the intent and purpose to present the wearing, diminishment, or absence of a subject, and presenting the presence of a separate marking subject, comprising:

a substrate;

a wear-susceptible area including a pre-stressed area with a weaker material strength than the substrate;

a wear-susceptible marking, integrated into the wear-susceptible area, that progressively wears away, wherein the pre-stressed area has a two-dimensional area that is generally coextensive with either the wear-susceptible area or the wear-susceptible marking; and

a wear-resistant marking positioned beneath the wear-susceptible marking, wherein the progressive wearing away of the wear-susceptible marking and the wear resistance of the wear-resistant marking progressively presents the wear resistant marking.

11. The footwear item of claim 10 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is disposed on a wear-prone area of the footwear item.

12. The footwear item of claim 10 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is positioned at a sole of the footwear item.

13. The footwear item of claim 10 , wherein the wear-resistant marking is positioned partially beneath the wear-susceptible marking.

14. The footwear item of claim 10 , wherein the wear-resistant marking is positioned completely beneath the wear-susceptible marking.

15. A footwear item serving the intent and purpose to present a progressive wearing and absence of a subject, comprising:

a substrate;

a wear-susceptible area; and

a wear-susceptible marking, integrated into the wear-susceptible area, that progressively wears away at a rate faster than the wear-susceptible area, wherein the marking depicts a phrase or symbol relating to at least one of a disease, a habit, health, politics, and a substance harmful to animals.

16. The footwear item of claim 15 , wherein the wear-susceptible area is disposed on a wear-prone area of the footwear item.

17. A method of manufacturing footwear items having a wear-susceptible area configured to present a progressive wearing and subsequent absence of a subject, comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;

incorporating the wear-susceptible area into the substrate;

providing a pre-stressed area within the wear-susceptible area having a weaker material strength than the substrate; and integrating a marking into the pre-stressed area that is configured to progressively wear away over time, wherein the marking depicts a phrase or symbol relating to at least one of a disease, a habit, health, politics, and a substance harmful to animals, and wherein the pre-stressed area has a two-dimensional area that is generally coextensive with the wear-susceptible area or the marking.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2012
From: HAMPTON, MARK
To: HAMPTON TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES INC.
Reel/Frame 027635/0770 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 12612906 · Nov 5, 2009
Related Publication 20120117716A1 · May 17, 2012
Cited By (1)
US 12,648,620