GB2280838A

GB2280838A - Footwear

Info

Publication number: GB2280838A
Application number: GB9416110A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Edward Graver
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-08-11
Filing date: 1994-08-10
Publication date: 1995-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-10
Also published as: GB9416110D0; GB9316696D0; GB2280838B

Abstract

An item of footwear 30 comprises a platform 1 and first and second straps 5 and 8, the free ends of which are interconnected in a readily-releasable manner for attachment around the ankle of a wearer, and the other ends of which are fixed to the same side 9 of platform 1. The free end of the second strap 8 may be fixed to an intermediate point of the first strap 5. The platform may have support legs 20 with adjustable lengths for use in decorating ceilings. The foot retaining strap arrangement may also be used with sandals, sports shoes, skates, crampons and skis. <IMAGE>

Description

Footwear The present invention relates to footwear and in particular, but not exclusively, to devices for facilitating access to elevated surfaces.

A problem with footwear, such as open sandals with one or two retaining straps, is that insufficient support is given to the foot and in particular to the ankle. Another problem is inadequate retention, that is the sandals become loose.

The present invention seeks to overcome, or at least reduce, at least one of the above problems.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided an item of footwear comprising an elongate platform means for attachment to the foot of a wearer, wherein a strap member is provided which is secured at both ends to a single side of the platform means.

With regard to providing access to elevated places, the headroom required, inter alia, in domestic accommodation results in the ceilings and upper parts of the walls being out of reach of any except the unusually tall. This presents problems of access during the initial construction and whenever maintenance work needs to be done later.

During initial construction, for such operations as plastering it is usual to provide a temporary platform of scaffolding boards at a suitable height giving tradesmen complete freedom of movement. This is usually removed on completion of the plastering, but tradesmen still need access to the ceiling thereafter for painting and electrical installation. In the case of installation of ceiling roses and similar permanent fittings it is usual in the electrical trade to go from room to room to complete the installation in one phase. The electrician has to carry not only his tools and fittings but also a step ladder.

In the process of redecorating occupied premises it is usually impracticable to use scaffold board platforms and the common alternative is again a step ladder. As painting or wallpapering proceeds and the tradesman's reach is exceeded he has to step down from the ladder, move it and climb up again. In the case of delicate close work, such as "lining-in" a coving, the ladder has to be moved at frequent intervals. These movements considerably slow down the work.

The present invention proposes to overcome the disadvantages and limitation of currently used procedures discussed above and to provide means whereby tradesmen and D.I.Y. operators may move freely and expeditiously in the treatment of elevated surfaces.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an item of footwear comprising elongate platform means for attachment to the foot of a wearer, the platform-means having support means on its underside to space the platform means from the ground or a floor, wherein a strap member is provided which is secured at both ends to a single side of the platform means. The support means may be adjustable in length.

The strap member preferably comprises two pieces of strap which are interconnected by suitable means to form a single length. The interconnection means is preferably readily-releasable e.g. a hooked fastener of the touch-and-close type.

In preferred arrangements the strap member encircles the ankle of the wearer by more than 3600, i.e. the strap end nearest the strap portion passing around the back of the ankle is secured to the side of the platform means forwardly of the strap end nearest to the strap portion passing around the front of the ankle.

A preferred embodiment of the present will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a right foot embodiment of the present invention with securing means disengaged; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a left foot version of the embodiment of Figure 1, but with a user's foot partially engaged in the securing means; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 2, but with securing means fully engaged on the user's foot.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an item of footwear 30 comprising a platform 1 in the form of a generally rectangular flanged sheet metal pressing having a substantially flat upper surface which may however be ridged or provided with non-slip material. Legs 20 are rigidly secured adjacent each corner of the underside of platform 1 and are preferably splayed outwardly by about 10 degrees to the vertical to improve stability. The legs 20 may be of equal fixed lengths as shown in Figure 2 but it is preferred to have them adjustable as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to accommodate users of different heights working in use to reach surfaces of different elevations.

Each adjustable leg shown in Figure 1 consists of an outer sheath-like member 2 accommodating a sliding inner member 3. The sliding member 3 has a plurality of holes spaced centrally longitudinally of the member and adapted to receive a locking plunger 4 housed in member 2. A convenient leg length is 40 to 50 cm, preferably 45 cm.

The preferred securing means for retaining the invention in use under the sole of the user's foot consists of a flexible strap 5 of strong durable material such as leather or webbing permanently anchored at one end to the rear of the flange on a long edge of platform 1 as at 9 in Figure 1. The strap is anchored so as to incline towards the toe end of the platform at an angle of approximately 50 degrees to the plane thereof. The free end of the strap is passed through a slot in a securing plate 7 riveted or otherwise fastened to the flange on the opposite long edge of platform 1, thus creating a bight 10 into which in use the user's foot may be inserted As shown in Figure 2. A second flexible strap portion 8 is anchored to the front of the flange 9 spaced from the first strap anchorage and inclined at an angle of about 45 degrees towards the heel end of the platform.The free end portion of the said second strap 8 is bonded or otherwise fastened to the bight of the first strap so that the two, together with the flange form an approximately isosceles triangle. The strap 8 is provided with a touchand close fastener with a Velcro (Velcro is a Registered Trade Mark) surface as shown in Figures 1 and 2; adjacent the free end of the strap 5 there is bonded or otherwise secured a second Velcro strip shown at 6 in Figure 1.

In use, after insertion of the user's foot into the said bight, it is secured from withdrawal by drawing the strap tightly over the foot and passing the free end round the heel of the foot, tensioning it as tightly as possible and pressing the Velcro surfaces 6 and 8 together in known manner. Tensioning may be assisted by straps wholly or partially of slightly elastic material.

It will be realised that it is desirable for the free ends of straps 5 to be on the outsides of the user's feet after secural. Figures 2 and 3 show a left foot version of the invention while Figure 1 shows a right foot version.

References to the user's foot are to be construed as including items of footwear already on the foot.

The above described item of footwear has numerous advantages. In particular it provides secure retention on the foot. It also provides firm support of the ankle of a wearer. Moreover with the appropriate left and right versions it can be arranged that the loose ends of the straps are on the outside of both feet, thus avoiding the danger of snagging and tripping.

Numerous modifications may be made to the above described embodiment. For example the platform means 1 and support means 20 may be made as a unitary moulding with or without a flange. In such a moulding, the flange may be replaced by integral lugs for the secural of the straps.

The strap means may pass through slots passing through the platform means 1 itself.

The support means may be hollow to accept second sliding members providing height adjustment.

There may be provided alternative means for adjusting the lengths of the support means including a single central longitudinal slot in sheath 2 and a screw washer and wing nut assembly retained in member 3 and adapted to secure member 3 and sheath 2 frictionally together at any adjusted position. The rectangular-section support members 2 and 3 may conveniently be replaced by a round rod sliding in a tubular member and provided with means for adjustably fixing the two members relatively to each other to provide the required height of the platform above the floor.

The square ends of members 3 may be provided with non-slip material such as rubber or a carborundum-based compound.

The ends themselves may be pointed or tapered to provide a more secure means of ground contacts.

Other means of securing the platform 1 to the user's foot are possible such as a quick-release buckle or the quickrelease devices used in snow skis and water skis. These however are expensive in comparison to the relatively cheap strap arrangement described above.

Another alternative is to provide such a quick release device between the platform 1 and the supports 20. In such an arrangement the supports are prefably mounted on a common support plate which is attached to platform 1 by one or more automatically-acting quick-release devices.

This alternative has the advantage of automatically releasing should the wearer fall awkwardly, thus avoiding ankle injuries.

A heel stop may be provided to assist in securing the foot to the platform.

The free end of strap 8 may be loose or only releasably attached to strap 5 rather than being permanently attached as described.

Dedicated boots or shoes may be permanently secured to the upper surface of the platforms.

In another modification, the support legs 20 can be omitted entirely so that the item of footwear is an open sandal; alternatively the item of footwear may be further modified to constitute sport shoes, roller skates, ice skates, crampons, skis, water skis etc.

If desired for certain applications, the free ends of the straps of the left and right versions may be arranged on the inside. Alternatively, the left and right versions may be identical and have the free ends of the straps on the same side; this has the advantage of rationalising manufacture.

Claims

1. An item of footwear comprising an elongate platform means for attachment to the foot of a wearer, wherein a strap member is provided which is secured at both ends to a single side of the platform means.

2. An item of footwear comprising elongate platform means for attachment to the foot of a wearer, the platform means having support means on its underside to space the platform means from the ground or a floor, wherein a strap member is provided which is secured at both ends to a single side of the platform means.

3. An item of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the support means are adjustable in length.

4. An item of footwear according to claim 2, wherein the support means are splayed outwardly at an angle to the vertical.

5. An item of footwear according to any preceding claim wherein the strap member is arranged to encircle the ankle of a wearer by more than 3600.

6. An item of footwear according to any preceding claim wherein the strap member comprises first and second lengths of strap, the free ends of which can be interconnected to form a single length.

7. An item of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the first and second lengths of strap can be interconnected by a readily-releasable connection.

8. An item of footwear according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first length of strap is arranged to substantially encircle the ankle of a wearer and the free end of the second length of strap is fixed to the first length of strap at a position adjacent to but spaced from the non-free end of the first length of strap.

9. An item of footwear according to claim 8, wherein the second length of strap, the portion of the first length of strap between its non-free end and the point where it is fixed to the second length of strap, and the part of the side of the platform between the locations where the strap lengths are secured, substantially'form an isosceles triangle.

10. An item of footwear substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An item of footwear according to claim 2, when the support means are automatically-releasably connected to the platform means.

11. An item of footwear substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An item of footwear comprising an elongate platform means for attachment to the foot of a wearer having a strap member which is arranged to encircle the ankle of a wearer, the strap member, in use, being fixedly secured at both ends to a single side of the platform means and being secured to the opposite side of the platform means by passing through slot means.

2. An item of footwear according to claim 1, the platform means having support means on its underside to space the platform means from the ground or a floor.

5. An item of footwear according to any preceding claim wherein the strap member comprises first and second lengths of strap, the free ends of which can be interconnected to form a single length.

6. An item of footwear according to claim 5, wherein the first and second lengths of strap can be interconnected by a readily-releasable connection.

7. An item of footwear according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the strap member comprises first and second lengths of strap, and wherein the first length of strap is arranged to substantially encircle the ankle of a wearer and the free end of the second length of strap is fixed to the first length of strap at a position adjacent to but spaced from the non-free end of the first length of strap.

8. An item of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the second length of strap, the portion of the first length of strap between its non-free end and the point where it is fixed to the second length of strap, and the part of the side of the platform between the locations where the strap lengths are secured, substantially form an isosceles triangle.

9. An item of footwear according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the support means are automatically-releasably connected to the platform means.