CA1249930A - Protective athletic footwear - Google Patents
Protective athletic footwearInfo
- Publication number
- CA1249930A CA1249930A CA000512482A CA512482A CA1249930A CA 1249930 A CA1249930 A CA 1249930A CA 000512482 A CA000512482 A CA 000512482A CA 512482 A CA512482 A CA 512482A CA 1249930 A CA1249930 A CA 1249930A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- shoe
- protector
- user
- cup
- foot
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 230000000386 athletic effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 23
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 9
- 210000003371 toe Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 210000003423 ankle Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 239000002991 molded plastic Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 210000001361 achilles tendon Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 230000001012 protector Effects 0.000 claims description 34
- 210000002683 foot Anatomy 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 210000002435 tendon Anatomy 0.000 claims 1
- 210000000474 heel Anatomy 0.000 description 19
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000010426 asphalt Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000135 prohibitive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B5/00—Footwear for sporting purposes
- A43B5/06—Running shoes; Track shoes
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Protective athletic footwear is disclosed and is particularly suited for ball hockey players as but one example. In certain sports there is a need for a shoe which provides protection to both the toe and ankle portion of the shoe, while providing the required flexibility to accommodate running movement. This protection is provided by using molded plastic inserts interior to the shoe which cooperate with the shoe to protect the toes, ankle and achilles tendon region of the wearer.
Protective athletic footwear is disclosed and is particularly suited for ball hockey players as but one example. In certain sports there is a need for a shoe which provides protection to both the toe and ankle portion of the shoe, while providing the required flexibility to accommodate running movement. This protection is provided by using molded plastic inserts interior to the shoe which cooperate with the shoe to protect the toes, ankle and achilles tendon region of the wearer.
Description
:~2~
TITLE: PROTECTIVE ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR
The present invention relates to athletic footwear and particularly athletic footwear for use in running which provides protection to the heel, ankle, and toe region of the shoeO
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective footwear for use on a construction site or for use in a factory is well known, and basically the boots and shoes used in these applications sacrifice a certain amount of comfort, flexibility and weight, in providing protection for the toe region of the boot or shoe. In hockey skates, it is known to provide a reinforced toe region, however, in this case the sole of the boot of the hockey skate remains essentially fixed and, therefore, problems associated with flexing of the sole are not encountered. Similary, in other athletic footwear such as ski boots, there is no need to provide a sole which has the required flexibility to allow the normal movement necessary for running.
' ~4.9~0 1 In recent years, the popularity of ball hockey has grown substantially and the occurrence of injuries, particularly to the foot of the ball hockey players has increased dramatically. Ball hockey is similar to hockey, however, the participants wear shoes rather than skates, and the game is played on a hard surface, such as a gymnasium floor or asphalt as opposed to ice. The players typically wear athletic footwear designed for tennis or basketball, and no provision has been provided in this type of footwear to protect the foot of the user from inadvertent contact with the stick of other players. It should be noted that in ball hockey, the player can also kick the ball much as a hockey player may kick the puck to bring it to a more suitable position for handling with the stick, and this increases the likelihood that a player's foot may be struck with an opponent stick.
There Femains a need to provide an athletic shoe which has the required flexibility necessary for running, while providing protection to the toes, the heel, ankle and achilles tendon region of the user.
~Z49~30 According to the present invention, an athletic shoe of the running shoe type comprises a sole and boot portion, with the boot portion being shaped to receive and support the user's foot therewithin. The shoe includes a heel and ankle protective cup of a molded plastic material shaped to cover the user's ankle either side thereof and cover the achilles tendon area. The cup is open towards the front of the shoe and preferrably extends above the upper edge of the boot of the shoe in the heel region.
The shoe also includes a molded plastic protector in the toe region which provides an enclosure for receiving and protecting the toes of the user. The toe protector has side portions which terminate adjacent the portion of the sole that would generally receive the ball of the foot of the user, and a central tongue portion of the protective cap extends from the top of the toe protector about the same distance as the sides of the protector. Either side of the protective toe cap tongue, recessed areas are provided which render the tongue more flexible to ~L24~9~30 1 accommodate deflection thereof as the shoe bends about the region accommodating the ball of the foot of the user.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, both the molded heel cup and molded toe protector include intregal base portions to provide an enclosure for protecting the particular areas of the foot. The heel cup is such to have somewhat diverging walls at the top thereof, which provide a loose fit over the ankle region of the user and do not need to bend or move with the movement of the user. In this way, the protector basically provides a "U" shaped sleeve in which the ankle of the user can move. This sleeve serves to distribute any forces to a wider area, such that direct contact of this portion of the user's foot with a hockey stick is minimized and the striking force of a hockey stick is distributed to a larger area to reduce damage. Both the heel cup and the toe protector are of a plastic material such that the weight of the athletic shoe does not become prohibitive. In addition, the toe protector is spaced from the heel cup in the length of the sole of the shoe 3() 1 such that the normal flexing of the shoe between the toe protector and the heel cup is accommodated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings wherein;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the athletic shoe; and Figure 2 is a perspective cutaway of the athletic shoe showing the heel protector and the toe protector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The athletic shoe generally shown as 2 is preferrably for use in ball hockey, although it may have other applications where the person requires protective footwear in combination with a shoe that is of the type generally recognized as a running shoe. The sole 4 or the shoe 2, can be of any suitable configuration suitable for use on a hard surface. The boot 6 again can be of any suitable material and design. The boot has a generally i~49~3~
1 open front shown as 8 and includes ties or fasteners generally shown as 10. A lace tie arrangement could be provided if desired. The molded plastic heel cup 12 is incorporated interior to the boot 6 and includes side walls 14 and a bottom 16. The molded heel cup 12 projects above the upper periphery 18 of the boot 6 and provides a loose fit about the ankle of the user above the upper periphery of the boot 6. The heel cup 12 includes an exposed area 20 generally above the upper periphery boot 6, which preferrably includes slightly outwardly bowing walls for providing this loose fit. The heel cup 12 is of a heighk to provide protection to the ankle region of the user as well as providing protection to the achilles tendon region of the user.
The interior of the molded heel cup 12 has been lined with an inner liner 22 for added comfort of the user. It can, therefore, be appreciated that the heel cup is enclosed within the body of the shoe for a substantial portion of the cup 12 and can be suitably padded. The bottom 16 can be firmly attached to the sole 4 of the shoe ~;~4~30 1 during the initial manufacture thereof, and can be provided with an insole covering the bottom 16, again for added comfort of the user. A toe protector generally shown as 26 is provided at the forward portion of the boot 6 and interior thereto. The protector 26 includes a tongue portion 28 intregal or enclosed in the tongue of the boot 6. The side walls 30 of protector 26 extend to a point that would be generally in line with the ball of the foot of the user, and intermediate the side walls 30 and the tongue 28, recesses 32 have been provided which are of a depth of at least one inch. The protector 26 also includes a base portion 34 which again can be secured to the sole 4 of the shoe during the initial manufacture of the athletic footwear. The protector 26 on the interior surface thereof, is again fully lined for added comfort of the user. The recesses 32 render the tongue portion 28 somewhat more flexible with respect to deflection and/or necessary bending of the tongue necessary to effect the normal running movement of the user. Tongue portion 28 may be thinned to render it more flexible or may be of a ~2'~ 0 1 softer plastic than the forward portion of the toe protector.
A gap 40 between the heel cup 12 and the toe protector 26 is of a dimension of at least about 2 inches, which will vary with the shoe si~e and this gap renders the shoe flexible at a point which is generally adjacent and toward the front of the ball of the foot of the user.
The base portion of the protector 26 will extend back toward the middle of the shoe only so far as is necessary, to ensure support of the side walls 30, but not so far back in the shoe so as to impede the natural bending of the foot. This will mean the side walls 30 will extend further back in the shoe than the end of the base portion of the toe protector, and the end of the base portion of the toe protector that will be under the ball of the user's foot will not run across the shoe in a straight line, but will be recessed or indented toward the toes of the user as shown at 41, but still attached to side walls 30 for added strength and protection. In this way, the normal flexing of the shoe is maintained while providing g i249~30 1 more rigid sections generally at the heel of the shoe and at the toe, with these more rigid sections providing protection. The heel cup 12 and toe protector 26 can be made of a plastic material injection molded and merely inserted in or secured to the shoe during the manufacture thereof preferrably by fusion. If desired, the linings of these parts may also be provided prior to assembly with the shoe.
A shoe of this design provides protection to the lû sensitive areas of the users foot and will reduce the number of injuries and reduce the seriousness of injuries that do occur, with respect to the ankles, achilles tendon region and toe region of the user. The provision of the molded plastic protectors, does not significantly increase the weight of the shoe and, therefore, this protection has been provided with little effect on the performance of the shoe. It can also be appreciated that the flexibility necessary to effect the running movement has been maintained.
2û
124~3g30 1 Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
lû
TITLE: PROTECTIVE ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR
The present invention relates to athletic footwear and particularly athletic footwear for use in running which provides protection to the heel, ankle, and toe region of the shoeO
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective footwear for use on a construction site or for use in a factory is well known, and basically the boots and shoes used in these applications sacrifice a certain amount of comfort, flexibility and weight, in providing protection for the toe region of the boot or shoe. In hockey skates, it is known to provide a reinforced toe region, however, in this case the sole of the boot of the hockey skate remains essentially fixed and, therefore, problems associated with flexing of the sole are not encountered. Similary, in other athletic footwear such as ski boots, there is no need to provide a sole which has the required flexibility to allow the normal movement necessary for running.
' ~4.9~0 1 In recent years, the popularity of ball hockey has grown substantially and the occurrence of injuries, particularly to the foot of the ball hockey players has increased dramatically. Ball hockey is similar to hockey, however, the participants wear shoes rather than skates, and the game is played on a hard surface, such as a gymnasium floor or asphalt as opposed to ice. The players typically wear athletic footwear designed for tennis or basketball, and no provision has been provided in this type of footwear to protect the foot of the user from inadvertent contact with the stick of other players. It should be noted that in ball hockey, the player can also kick the ball much as a hockey player may kick the puck to bring it to a more suitable position for handling with the stick, and this increases the likelihood that a player's foot may be struck with an opponent stick.
There Femains a need to provide an athletic shoe which has the required flexibility necessary for running, while providing protection to the toes, the heel, ankle and achilles tendon region of the user.
~Z49~30 According to the present invention, an athletic shoe of the running shoe type comprises a sole and boot portion, with the boot portion being shaped to receive and support the user's foot therewithin. The shoe includes a heel and ankle protective cup of a molded plastic material shaped to cover the user's ankle either side thereof and cover the achilles tendon area. The cup is open towards the front of the shoe and preferrably extends above the upper edge of the boot of the shoe in the heel region.
The shoe also includes a molded plastic protector in the toe region which provides an enclosure for receiving and protecting the toes of the user. The toe protector has side portions which terminate adjacent the portion of the sole that would generally receive the ball of the foot of the user, and a central tongue portion of the protective cap extends from the top of the toe protector about the same distance as the sides of the protector. Either side of the protective toe cap tongue, recessed areas are provided which render the tongue more flexible to ~L24~9~30 1 accommodate deflection thereof as the shoe bends about the region accommodating the ball of the foot of the user.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, both the molded heel cup and molded toe protector include intregal base portions to provide an enclosure for protecting the particular areas of the foot. The heel cup is such to have somewhat diverging walls at the top thereof, which provide a loose fit over the ankle region of the user and do not need to bend or move with the movement of the user. In this way, the protector basically provides a "U" shaped sleeve in which the ankle of the user can move. This sleeve serves to distribute any forces to a wider area, such that direct contact of this portion of the user's foot with a hockey stick is minimized and the striking force of a hockey stick is distributed to a larger area to reduce damage. Both the heel cup and the toe protector are of a plastic material such that the weight of the athletic shoe does not become prohibitive. In addition, the toe protector is spaced from the heel cup in the length of the sole of the shoe 3() 1 such that the normal flexing of the shoe between the toe protector and the heel cup is accommodated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings wherein;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the athletic shoe; and Figure 2 is a perspective cutaway of the athletic shoe showing the heel protector and the toe protector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The athletic shoe generally shown as 2 is preferrably for use in ball hockey, although it may have other applications where the person requires protective footwear in combination with a shoe that is of the type generally recognized as a running shoe. The sole 4 or the shoe 2, can be of any suitable configuration suitable for use on a hard surface. The boot 6 again can be of any suitable material and design. The boot has a generally i~49~3~
1 open front shown as 8 and includes ties or fasteners generally shown as 10. A lace tie arrangement could be provided if desired. The molded plastic heel cup 12 is incorporated interior to the boot 6 and includes side walls 14 and a bottom 16. The molded heel cup 12 projects above the upper periphery 18 of the boot 6 and provides a loose fit about the ankle of the user above the upper periphery of the boot 6. The heel cup 12 includes an exposed area 20 generally above the upper periphery boot 6, which preferrably includes slightly outwardly bowing walls for providing this loose fit. The heel cup 12 is of a heighk to provide protection to the ankle region of the user as well as providing protection to the achilles tendon region of the user.
The interior of the molded heel cup 12 has been lined with an inner liner 22 for added comfort of the user. It can, therefore, be appreciated that the heel cup is enclosed within the body of the shoe for a substantial portion of the cup 12 and can be suitably padded. The bottom 16 can be firmly attached to the sole 4 of the shoe ~;~4~30 1 during the initial manufacture thereof, and can be provided with an insole covering the bottom 16, again for added comfort of the user. A toe protector generally shown as 26 is provided at the forward portion of the boot 6 and interior thereto. The protector 26 includes a tongue portion 28 intregal or enclosed in the tongue of the boot 6. The side walls 30 of protector 26 extend to a point that would be generally in line with the ball of the foot of the user, and intermediate the side walls 30 and the tongue 28, recesses 32 have been provided which are of a depth of at least one inch. The protector 26 also includes a base portion 34 which again can be secured to the sole 4 of the shoe during the initial manufacture of the athletic footwear. The protector 26 on the interior surface thereof, is again fully lined for added comfort of the user. The recesses 32 render the tongue portion 28 somewhat more flexible with respect to deflection and/or necessary bending of the tongue necessary to effect the normal running movement of the user. Tongue portion 28 may be thinned to render it more flexible or may be of a ~2'~ 0 1 softer plastic than the forward portion of the toe protector.
A gap 40 between the heel cup 12 and the toe protector 26 is of a dimension of at least about 2 inches, which will vary with the shoe si~e and this gap renders the shoe flexible at a point which is generally adjacent and toward the front of the ball of the foot of the user.
The base portion of the protector 26 will extend back toward the middle of the shoe only so far as is necessary, to ensure support of the side walls 30, but not so far back in the shoe so as to impede the natural bending of the foot. This will mean the side walls 30 will extend further back in the shoe than the end of the base portion of the toe protector, and the end of the base portion of the toe protector that will be under the ball of the user's foot will not run across the shoe in a straight line, but will be recessed or indented toward the toes of the user as shown at 41, but still attached to side walls 30 for added strength and protection. In this way, the normal flexing of the shoe is maintained while providing g i249~30 1 more rigid sections generally at the heel of the shoe and at the toe, with these more rigid sections providing protection. The heel cup 12 and toe protector 26 can be made of a plastic material injection molded and merely inserted in or secured to the shoe during the manufacture thereof preferrably by fusion. If desired, the linings of these parts may also be provided prior to assembly with the shoe.
A shoe of this design provides protection to the lû sensitive areas of the users foot and will reduce the number of injuries and reduce the seriousness of injuries that do occur, with respect to the ankles, achilles tendon region and toe region of the user. The provision of the molded plastic protectors, does not significantly increase the weight of the shoe and, therefore, this protection has been provided with little effect on the performance of the shoe. It can also be appreciated that the flexibility necessary to effect the running movement has been maintained.
2û
124~3g30 1 Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
lû
Claims (9)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An athletic shoe of the running shoe type comprising, a sole and a boot portion secured thereto, said boot portion being shaped to receive and support a user's foot therewithin, said shoe including a heel and ankle protective cup of a molded plastic material shaped to cover the user's ankle, either side thereof, and cover the achille's tendon area, said cup being open towards the front of the shoe, said shoe adjacent the toe portion thereof including a molded plastic protector which provides an enclosure for receiving and protecting the toes of the user, said protector having side portions which terminate adjacent the portion of the sole that would receive the ball of the foot of the user and a central tongue portion which extends about the same dimension, said protector either side of said tongue including a recessed area to render said tongue more flexible and accommodate deflection thereof as the shoe bends about the region accommodating the ball of the foot of the user.
2. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said protector and said cup are at least partially lined with a compressible material to improve the fit of the shoe to the user's foot.
3. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said protector has the tongue portion thereof integral with the tongue portion of the boot.
4. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said cup and said protector are closed on the bottom thereof to provide an overlapping surface with said sole.
5. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein said cup is shaped to provide a loose fit about the ankle and achilles tendon of the user.
6. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein said cup and protector are physically separated by a gap of at least 2 inches or more depending on the shoe size in an area of the shoe requiring bending for proper running movement.
7. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein said cup and said protector are physically separated by a gap of at least 2 inches or more depending on the shoe size in an area of the shoe, requiring bending for proper running movement of the user, and wherein said recessed area either side of the tongue of said protector is of a depth at least about one inch.
8. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein said protectors are secured by fusing the same to said sole.
9. An athletic shoe as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein the base of said toe protector which extends toward the middle of the shoe will be recessed so as to accommodate the natural being of the user's foot while said base will still be attached to the side walls for added strength and protection.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000512482A CA1249930A (en) | 1986-06-26 | 1986-06-26 | Protective athletic footwear |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000512482A CA1249930A (en) | 1986-06-26 | 1986-06-26 | Protective athletic footwear |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1249930A true CA1249930A (en) | 1989-02-14 |
Family
ID=4133439
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000512482A Expired CA1249930A (en) | 1986-06-26 | 1986-06-26 | Protective athletic footwear |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1249930A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1992014372A1 (en) * | 1991-02-21 | 1992-09-03 | Techboot Pty. Ltd. | Protective foot capsule |
| EP0887027A1 (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 1998-12-30 | Salomon S.A. | Multilayer sole coupled to a reinforcement of the shoe upper |
| EP1842441A1 (en) * | 2006-04-04 | 2007-10-10 | adidas International Marketing B.V. | Shoe |
-
1986
- 1986-06-26 CA CA000512482A patent/CA1249930A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1992014372A1 (en) * | 1991-02-21 | 1992-09-03 | Techboot Pty. Ltd. | Protective foot capsule |
| EP0887027A1 (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 1998-12-30 | Salomon S.A. | Multilayer sole coupled to a reinforcement of the shoe upper |
| FR2765083A1 (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 1998-12-31 | Salomon Sa | MULTILAYERED SOLE COUPLED TO SHOE UPPER REINFORCEMENT |
| US6000148A (en) * | 1997-06-27 | 1999-12-14 | Salomon S.A. | Multi-layered sole coupled to a reinforcement of the upper of the boot |
| EP1842441A1 (en) * | 2006-04-04 | 2007-10-10 | adidas International Marketing B.V. | Shoe |
| EP2308334A1 (en) * | 2006-04-04 | 2011-04-13 | adidas International Marketing B.V. | Shoe |
| EP2319342A1 (en) * | 2006-04-04 | 2011-05-11 | adidas International Marketing B.V. | Shoe |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |