GB2214052A

GB2214052A - Shoe or boot protector

Info

Publication number: GB2214052A
Application number: GB8817101A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas John Barton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-12-30
Filing date: 1988-07-18
Publication date: 1989-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-18
Also published as: GB9108601D0; GB8730312D0; GB2253128B; GB2214052B; GB8817101D0; GB2253128A

Abstract

A protective covering for footwear, especially a hockey goalkeeper's kicker, comprises an impact-absorbent slab (11) e.g. of hot mouldable, flexible, resilient, abrasion-resistant and waterproof polyether or polyethylene foam, shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot and grooves (28, 29, 30) formed in the outer surface by hot pressing or moulding into the slab material, for receiving retaining straps (15, 16, 17, 16, 19) which encircle the slab and the shoe or boot together. The slab may comprise a laminate of a tough and hard outer layer and a soft inner layer, with a thin, hard reinforcement sandwiched between them at the toecap. The slab may have side pieces, a toecap between them, a tongue (12) recessed into the slab and an ankle guard (26) formed on the tongue or on the side pieces. The straps are retained in position on the slab in use only or principally by the grooves. The slab does not require any outer covering. Cuts may be simply repaired by a suitable adhesive. The slab may readily be dyed, for an attractive appearance, or for team identification. <IMAGE>

Description

SHOE OR BOOT PROTECTOR This- invention relates to protective coverings for footwear, especially for a sports shoe or boot.

To take a specific application of the invention, a goalkeeper in hockey (field hockey) frequently wears an outer proctective covering over his hockey boot. This covering is knovwr as a kicker, and its purpose is to absorb the impact of a hockey ball. Conventionally, a kicker is made from a shaped body of padding enclosed in an outer cover of leather or leather substitute. Straps are attached to the outer cover, usually by riveting or stitchiny. The straps allow the kicker to be buckled on by the wearer over his boot. Manufacture of such kickers entails considerable sewing of leather, or leather substitute, and the security of the kicker in use depends on the strength of the points of attachrnent of the straps.

According to the present invention, a protective covering for footwear, especially for a sports shoe or boot, comprises sonde or all of the elernents and features disclosed in the following description. The reader is instructed to regard all possible combinations thereof as being disclosed by this description.

More specifically, in one embodiment of the invention a protective covering for footwear may comprise an impact-absorbent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, when worn; a groove formed in the surface of the slab that is outermost when worn for receiving a retaining strap; and a- retaining strap adapted to co-operate with the said groove and encircle the slab and the shoe or boot together to retain the slab on the shoe or boot.

The slab is suitably flexible, resilient, abrasion-resistant and waterproof. A preferred slab comprises a body of plastics foam, and especially a hot mouldable foam. Examples are polyether or polyethylene foarn, and specifically that sold under the trade name 'Plasterzote'. Particularly preferred foanis are tough closed cell foams. Accidental cuts may be simply repaired by direct application of a suitable adhesive to the cut surfaces.

In one embodiment the slab may comprise a laminate of layers haviny different properties. For example, an outer layer may be relatively tough and hard, to resist wear and the impact of a striking ball, while an inner layer may be relatively soft, for the wearer's comfort. A relatively thin, hard reinforcement may be sandwiched between outer and inner layers, especially in selected areas, such as the toecap. The laminate may be formed by hot bondiny the layers, if the materials are suitable, or by means of an adhesive.

Suitable slabs may be articulated, eg by means of thinner more flexible zones between thicker more rigid segments, for ease of movement.

The slabs may readily be dyed, for an attractive appearance, or for team identification, or may be self-coloured. In general, it is envisayed that the slabs will not require any outer covering; and for ease of manufacture, the absence of an outer cover is much preferred. An outer cover would only normally be required if the material of the slab were insufficiently robust to tolerate normal wear and tear without irreparable damaye.

A slab may be shaped to comprise side pieces and a toecap between them. In a preferred slab a tongue is also provided. The tongue may be formed integrally with the slab or may be bonded thereto. To reduce the heiyht of any step formed where the tongue is bonded to the slab, the tongue may be recessed into the slab. In a laminated slab, one layer may be absent at the joint with the tongue, for this purpose.

In yeneral, when two parts of the protective covering overlap when worn, -one or both may be reduced in thickness over such areas to accommodate the overlap. If either or both of these parts is laminated, then the reduced thickness is often achievable by eliiiiinating one or more layers frorn the laminate in this area.

A slab may also comprise an ankle guard, which may suitably be formed on the tongue or on the side pieces. If on the tongue, the ankle guard may overlap, or be overlapped by, the side pieces, when the protective covering is being worn, to maintain integrity of protection during articulation of the wearer's ankle.

The grooves are formed on the slab where the straps are to be located to retain the slab on the wearer's footwear. In use, It is preferred that at least one toestrap encircles the toe of the covering, passing under the sole of the footwear and over the toe of the slab, and at least one heelstrap passes from the toestrap on one side, back around the heel of the footwear, and forward to the toestrap on the other side. Accordingly one or fibre toestrap grooves are provided in the slab over the toecap and extending downwardly on each sic;e thereof, and one or more heelstrap grooves are provided in the slab extending rearwardly front the toestrap groove or grooves.

One or more grooves may also be provided around any ankle guard1 to enable it to be strapped firiiily around the wearer's ankle.

The grooves are desirably formed by hot pressing or rnouldiny into the slab iiiaterial, where this so admits.

The straps are usefully provided with fastening and/or tightening means, such as buckles. The straps are desirably separable frorn the slab, retained on the slab in use only or principally by the grooves. It is also possible for openings to be formed in the slab through which straps can pass.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hockey kicker with straps; Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the kicker; and Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the kicker, the two halves of the upper two straps in this Figure being shown fastened together as if in use.

The kicker is shaped to fit over a hockey boot worn by a sportsman. It broadly comprises a slab 11 shaped into two side pieces and a toecap, has a tongue 12 bonded to the slab, and is fitted with a plurality of removable straps 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19.

The slab 11 is a flexible lalninated structure haviny an outer layer 21 and an inner layer 22 of tough closed cell plastics foam. The outer layer is harder than the inner layer. In the toecap area a thin hard reinforcement 23 (Figure 2) is bonded between the inner and outer layers.

In the toecap area inside the kicker, the inner layer 22 is cut away. To this region is bonded a root portion 25 of the tongue 12 (Figure 2), which is of about the same thickness, so that the inside surface of the kicker is fairly smooth.

In the uppermost parts of the two side pieces of the kicker, likewise, the inner layer 22 is cut away. This provides space for an ankle guard portion 26 of the tongue 12 to be overlapped by the outer layer 21 of the side pieces of the kicker (Fiyure 3).

The outermost surface of the outer layer 21 of the slab 11 is formed with two toestrap grooves 28 to receive the straps 15 and 17, and with two heelstrap grooves 29 to receive the straps 16 and 18. The outermost surface of the ankle guard portion 26 of the tongue 12 is formed with a groove 30 to receive the strap 19.

Strap 15 is a toestrap and encircles the instep area of the kicker, passing over the toecap portion in a groove 28 and then underneath it where the kicker is open. In use, the strap will pass under the sole of the wearer's boot, and holds the front of the kicker down on to the toe of the boot.

Strap 16 is a heelstrap and is anchored at each end to strap 15. It passes rearwardly from toestrap 15 on one side of the kicker in a groove 29, around the heel of the kicker, to rejoin strap 15 on the other side of the kicker. In use, strap 16 holds the side pieces of the kicker tightly to the sides and heel of the wearer's boot.

Strap 17 is a second toestrap located in a second toestrap groove 28 between strap 15 and the extreme front of the kicker, and supplements strap 15. It anchors strap 18 which is a second heelstrap in a second heelstrap groove 29 to suplelnent strap 16. Strap 18 passes over toestrap 15.

Strap 19 in groove 30 serves to wrap the ankle guard 26 around the wearer's ankle.

All five straps 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are provided with buckles. The toestraps need not normally be unfastened, merely loosened, when the kicker is to be rernoved from a boot. The heel straps and the ankle guard strap will however normally be unbuckled entirely at the heel of the kicker to enable the wearer to put the kicker on and take it off. The still fastened toestraps in the toestrap grooves 28 will normally retain both the toestraps and the heelstraps on the kicker when it is not being worn.

Claims

1. A protective covering for footwear comprising an impactabsorbent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, when worn; at least one groove formed in the surface of the slab that is outermost when worn for receiving a retaining strap; and at least one retaining strap adapted to co-operate with the said at least one groove and encircle the slab and the shoe or boot together to retain the slab on the shoe or boot.

2. A protective covering according to claim 1 wherein the slab comprises a flexible and resilient body of plastics foam.

3. A protective covering according to claim 2 wherein the plastics foam is a tough1 hot mouldable, closed cell foam.

4. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab comprises a laminate of layers, including a relatively hard outer layer and a relatively soft inner layer.

5. A protective covering according to claim 4 wherein a relatively thin, hard reinforcement is sandwiched between the outer and inner layers.

6. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims in which two parts thereof overlap when worn, wherein one or both of said parts are reduced in thickness over the overlapping areas to accommodate the overlap.

7. A protective covering according to claim 6 wherein either or both of said parts is laminated, and the reduced thickness is achieved by the elimination of one or more layers from the laminate.

8. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab is shaped to comprise side pieces and a toecap between them.

9. A protective covering according to claim 8 wherein one or more toestrap grooves are provided in the slab over the toecap and extending downwardly on each side thereof, and one or more heelstrap grooves are provided in the slab extending rearwardly from the toestrap groove or grooves.

10. A protective covering according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the slab also comprises a tongue, recessed into the inner surface of the slab.

11. A protective covering according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the slab also comprises an ankle guard.

12. A protective covering according to claim 11 wherein the ankle guard is formed on the tongue and overlaps, or is overlapped by, the side pieces, when the protective covering is being worn.

13. A protective covering according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein one or more ankle strap grooves are provided around the ankle guard.

14. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the strap or straps are separable from the slab, being retained in position on the slab in use only or principally by the groove or grooves.

15. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more openings are formed in the slab through which a strap can pass.

16. A protective covering for footwear substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been fild ms follows 1. A protective covering for footwear comprising an impactabsorbent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, when worn; at least one groove formed in the surface of the slab that is outermost when worn for receiving a retaining strap; and at least one retaining strap adapted to co-operate with the said at least one groove and encircle the slab and the shoe or boot together to retain the slab on the shoe or boot.

3. A protective covering according to claim 2 wherein the plastics foam is a tough, hot mouldable, closed cell foam.

4. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab comprises a laminate of layers, including an outer layer and an inner layer.

5. A protective covering according to claim 4 wherein the outer layer is relatively hard and the inner layer is relatively soft.

6. A protective covering according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein a relatively thin1 hard reinforcement is sandwiched between the outer and inner layers.

7. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims in which two parts thereof overlap when worn, wherein one or both of said parts are reduced in thickness over the overlapping areas to accommodate the overlap.

8. A protective covering according to claim 7 wherein either or both of said parts is laminated, and the reduced thickness is achieved by the elimination of one or more layers from the laminate.

9. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab is shaped to comprise side pieces and a toe piece between them.

10. A protective covering according to claim 9 wherein said at least one retaining strap comprises a toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and a heelstrap extending from the toestrap on one side around the rear of the covering to the toestrap on the other side.

11. A protective covering according to claim 9 wherein said at least one retaining strap comprises a first toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and a first heelstrap extending from the first toestrap on one side around the rear of the covering to the toestrap on the other side, and a second toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and a second heelstrap extending from the second toestrap on one side around the rear of the covering to the second toestrap on the other side.

12. A protective covering according to claim 11 wherein the second toestrap is located between the first toestrap and the extreme front of the slab, and the second heelstrap lies higher on the side pieces of the slab than the first heelstrap.

13. A protective covering according to claim 12 wherein the second heelstrap is looped over the first toestrap.

14. A protective covering according to any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein the at least one groove comprises heelstrap grooves in the side pieces of the slab.

15. A protective covering according to any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein the at least one groove comprises one or more toestrap grooves in the slab over the toe piece and extending downwardly on each side thereof 1 and one or more heelstrap grooves in the slab extending rearwardly from the toestrap groove or grooves.

16. A protective covering according to any one of claims 9 to 15 wherein the slab also comprises a tongue, recessed into the inner surface of the slab.

17. A protective covering according to any one of claims 9 to 16 wherein the slab also comprises an ankle guard.

18. A protective covering according to claim 17 wherein the ankle guard is formed on the tongue and overlaps, or is overlapped by, the side pieces, when the protective covering is being worn.

19. A protective covering according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein one or more ankle strap grooves are provided around the ankle guard.

20. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the strap or straps are separable from the slab, being together retained in position on the slab in use only or principally by the groove or grooves or by one or more openings formed in the slab through which a strap can pass.

21. A protective covering for footwear comprising an impact- absorbent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, and comprising side pieces and a toe piece between them, and a retaining strap adapted to retain the slab on the shoe or boot and comprising a toestrap encircling the toe of the slab and passing thereunder and a heelstrap extending from the toestrap on one side of the slab, around the heel thereof, to the toestrap on the other side.

22. A protective covering according to claim 21 wherein the retaining strap is separable from the slab and is retained on the slab in use by at least one groove formed in the surface of the slab that is outermost when worn and/or by one or more openings formed in the slab through which the strap can pass.

23. A protective covering for footwear comprising, when worn, a flexible and resilient foam slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot and comprising side pieces and a toe piece between them, and a retaining strap comprising a toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and passing under the sole of the shoe or boot and a heelstrap extending from the toestrap on one side of the slab, around the heel of the shoe or boot, to the toestrap on the other side1 the heelstrap holding the side pieces of the slab tightly to the sides and heel of the shoe or boot.

24. A protective covering according to claim 23 wherein said retaining strap comprises two said toestraps from each of which a said heelstrap extends around the heel of the shoe or boot.

25. A protective covering for footwear substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.