GB2126872A - Improvements in and relating to protective boots and metatarsal shields therefore - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective boot comprises a sole and an upper of flexible material allowing flexing of the boot, particularly when the wearer is in a crouched position. A rigid shield is connected to the toe of the boot and in the normal position extends over the metatarsal region. A stirrup member has an integral base portion anchored to the sole extending under the foot of the wearer and an arch portion extending over the upper in spaced relationship thereto. The stirrup transfers shocks received by the shield to the ground via the base portion and allows flexing of the upper under the arch portion. The wearer can assume a crouched position in comfort without being aware of the metatarsal shield. The shield may also be a separate member fastened to the toe portion by studs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to protective boots and metatarsal shields therefore This invention relates to protective boots and metatarsal shields therefore for use, for example, in the construction industry.

Various types of protective boots are known.

One type has a steel toe to which is hinged a metatarsal shield protecting the metatarsal region of the foot. The free edge of the shield is not supported, and a blow to the metatarsal shield may be transmitted to the foot. In order to take up some of the shock, this type of boot is made of a relatively stiff material which leads to considerable wear discomfort, particularly in the crouched or squat position. In another type of boot, the whole of the upper above the metatarsus is rigid. This protects the foot, but a hard edge is formed at the boundary between the rigid and soft portions of the upper, which comes up against the instep when the wearer flexes his foot, particularly when in a crouched or squat position. This can be quite painful.over a period of time.

Canadian Patent No. 607,958 discloses the use of a brace for the metatarsal guard, provided across the instep of the boot. The brace, however, is supported directly on the upper and thus suffers from the same disadvantage as the boot having the rigid upper. In the crouched position, the brace forms a hard edge acting on the instep, leading to considerable wearer discomfort. Also the brace terminates at the sides of the boot, and the free ends are only joined by the rubber sole. Repeated shocks weaken the sole and, in the case of a severe blow, the sides of brace may have a tendency to spring apart, possibly causing injury to the foot. The separation of the shield from the upper alone is insufficient to allow adequate flexibility for the wearer to ensure a crouched position in comfort owing to the presence of the brace, which remains in a fixed position relative to the upper.

Accordingly, the present invention provides in one aspect a protective boot comprising a sole and an upper of flexible material allowing flexing of the boot, a rigid shield hinged to the toe of the boot and adapted to extend over the metatarsal region of the foot of the wearer, and a stirrup member having an arch portion and a base portion integral therewith, said arch portion extending over the upper in spaced relationship therewith and supporting said shield, and said base portion being anchored to the sole and extending across the boot under the foot of the wearer, whereby said stirrup transfers shocks received by the shield to the ground via said base portion, and said upper can flex freely under said arch portion.

In another aspect, the invention provides a metatarsal shield adapted to be hinged to the toe of a protective boot and including a stirrup member having an arch portion and a base portion integral therewith, the arch portion being adapted to extend over and be spaced from the upper of the boot and the base portion being anchored to the sole of the boot such that the stirrup transfers shocks received by the shield to the ground via the base portion of the stirrup.

The presence of a stirrup with an integral base portion ensures that shocks are satisfactorily transmitted to the ground without the risk of collapse and without weakening the sole, which does not have to take up any transverse forces.

The shock is also distributed over the whole of the integral base portion. In addition, the spacing of the arch portion of the stirrup above the upper allow complete freedom of movement of the instep under the arch portion. As a result, the wearer can comfortably assume a crouched position without the discomfort of his insteps coming up against a hard edge. The upper can flex under the arch as if the stirrup were not present.

The boot is effectively as comfortable as an ordinary unprotected, soft boot, and the wearer may remain in a crouched position for longer periods of time without discomfort.

Preferably, the stirrup is arranged to incline forwards as the foot is flexed to move it farther from the instep of the foot.

Conveniently, the stirrup is made of steel and the boot of rubber, although other convenient materials may be employed.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a protective boot according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing part of the boot in a flexed position; and Figure 3 is a cross section along the lines A-A of Figure 1.

The protective boot has a rubber sole 1 moulded to a soft rubber upper 2 lined with fabric.

The boot has a leg portion 3, although this is not necessary. A conventional steel protective toe portion 4 is incorporated in the boot.

A saddle-shaped, rigid metatarsal shield 5 extends over the metatarsal and instep regions of the boot. The front portion of the shield 5 is flexible and moulded onto the toe portion so as to provide a hinge for the shield 5, which thus acts in the manner of a rigid flap placed over the upper of the boot. The front portion of the shield is also resilient so as to bias the shield 5 into position over the upper 2.

The shield 5 consists of an outer layer 6 of fabric-lined soft rubber, knurled on the outside.

Beneath the soft layer 6 is a reinforcing layer 7 of hard rubber, thickened at the sides and also lined inside with cloth. If desired, a further steel reinforcing layer 8 may be added. The shield 5 is then quite rigid and well able to withstand blows from falling objects and the like.

A steel stirrup 9 has an integral base portion 10 moulded into the rubber sole 1 so as to extend under the wearer's foot and an arch portion 11, coated with rubber or plastic, extending over the upper 2 and separated from it by a gap 12. The base portion 10 distributes forces applied to the arch 11 from the shield 5 to the ground.

In the normal position, shown in Figure 1 , the arch portion 1 is inclined forwards and supports the free end of the hinged shield 5. The base portion 10 of the stirrup 9 is located in the instep region of the boot so that, as the sole is flexed, as shown in Figure 2, it inclines forwards still further, thus increasing the amount of room available for the instep of the foot. The arch portion 11 slides under the shield 5, keeping the shield well clear of the upper 2. The boot can thus flex as effectively as if the shield 5 were not present, and the wearer is not aware of the presence of the shield 5, even when adopting a crouched or squat position.

The shield 5 can be made of any suitable material, such as steel, plastic, or hard rubber.

The stirrup 9 need not be moulded into the sole, provided the base portion 10 extends under the foot. For example, it may be located between the rubber sole 1 and an insole of the boot. It will still ensure that blows to the metatarsal shield are transmitted to the ground and distributed over the length of the base portion 10, without danger to the wearer's foot.

This embodiment of the invention has been described with reference to a rubber boot, although this invention is of course applicable to boots made of other materials, such as leather.

The boot can be of the lace-up kind, and the shield may be a separate member fastened to a hinge flap on the toe portion by means of studs. Suitable boots of this type are for example, Model Nos.

229,209,431 and 282 made by Kaufman Footwear Inc.

Claims (11)

1. A protective boot comprising a sole and an upper of flexible material allowing flexing of the boot, a rigid shield hinged to the toe of the boot and adapted to extend over the metatarsal region of the foot of the wearer, and a stirrup member having an arch portion and a base portion integral therewith, said arch portion extending over the upper in spaced relationship therewith and supporting said shield, and said base portion being anchored to the sole and extending across the boot under the foot of the wearer, whereby said stirrup transfers shocks received by the shield to the ground via said base portion, and said upper can flex freely under said arch portion.

2. A protective boot as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the stirrup is anchored to the sole in the instep region so that as the boot is flexed, the stirrup inclines forwardly over the upper.

3. A protective boot as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the stirrup normally has a slight forward incline.

4. A protective boot as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the stirrup is made of steel.

5. A protective boot as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the sole is made of rubber.

6. A protective boot as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the stirrup is moulded into the sole.

7. A protective boot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper is made of soft rubber.

8. A protective boot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a steel toe to which the rigid shield is pivoted.

9. A protective boot as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the arch portion of the stirrup is coated with rubber.

10. A metatarsal shield adapted to be hinged to the toe of a protective boot and including a stirrup member having an arch portion and a base portion integral therewith, the arch portion being adapted to extend over and be spaced from the upper of the boot and the base portion being anchored to the sole of the boot such that the stirrup transfers shocks received by the shield to the ground via the base portion of the stirrup.

11. A protective boot substantially as herein described and as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing.