MXPA98005887A - Dance shoe with elást central part - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dance shoe comprising a sole-divided dance shoe structure, to be used as the primary protection of the dancer's foot, the shoe structure comprising: a front portion covering at least the fingers and the upper front portion of the dancer's foot and having a lower front face, a rear portion for covering the heel less and having a lower back face, the lower front face having a trailing edge facing the back and the lower face rear having a front edge facing the front portion, characterized in that the front and rear edges of the lower front and rear faces are separated respectively, to discover the lower half of the dancer's foot in view of the others; of safety on the lower front and rear faces of the shoe to connect the front and rear portions of the shoe in a manner to hold the shoe preventing it from slipping off the dancer's foot, wherein the front and back portions are connected over at least a central portion of the upper part of the foot, and only a single strip of narrow elastic material extends between the lower front and rear faces of the shoe, and to connect the front and rear lower faces of the shoe together resiliently, the single strip of narrow elastic material being attached centrally to the lower front and rear faces, so that the lower front and rear faces establish an initial position, separated one from the other, the elastic material being such as to allow the lower frontaly rear faces to be slightly further separated as desired, the strip of elastic material having an amplitude across the width of the shoe that is substantially narrower than the width of the trailing edge of the lower face fronta and the front edge of the lower back face, giving great flexibility to the narrow strip to the relatively free movement of the lower front and rear faces around the three mutually perpendicular axes and allowing access to and view of the middle-region of the lower part of the foot between the lower front and back faces of the shoe, except in the relatively narrower elastic band

Description

DANCING SHOE WITH ELASTIC CENTRAL PART BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a shoe primarily for dance that is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and has an elastic connection between the front portion of the shoe, which extends below of the fingers and upwards at least near the arch and the back portion of the shoe extending at least from near the back of the arch and below the heel. The separate front and back portions of the shoe are connected by a short. Bundles of elastic material are disclosed in the art. The patent of E.U. 2,362,010 shows a shoe with the separated front and back portions connected together, but without any elasticity in the part connecting them. The patents of US Pat. No. 4,554,749 and 2,252,315 show shoes with the separated front and back portions connected by an elastic material and there is an elastic wrap between the completely separated front and back portions. An extensible jacket of elastic material is also shown in the patent of US Pat. No. 4,944,099 with an elastic connecting portion between the front and back portions of the shoes, which includes a covering, can be seen in French Patent No. 1,266,620. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION None of the prior art shoes has a simple connection from the front to the back under the user's foot that is so narrow in width through the underside of the shoe, and the shoe may be very open in its sides as to suggest to some observer of the shoe from almost any direction, except from below directly, the shoe has separate front and rear portions that appear to be completely disconnected. In addition, a narrower elastic strip between the front and rear portions provides even greater lateral flexibility than that provided by a wider strip extending across the width of the front and rear edges of the front and rear portions of the shoe respectively. It is an object of the invention to provide a dance shoe with the separate front and back portions held together by a connecting strip of elastic material. Another object of the invention is to provide such a shoe that looks attractive and in which the elastic connection is the least visible. Another object is to provide such a shoe where in fact the middle region of the lower part of the foot is essentially uncovered and in view of the others. Another object of the invention is to provide such a shoe that provides adjustability in length, in order to be usable for various foot sizes. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top side perspective view of a shoe according to the invention; Figure 2 is a bottom view thereof; Figure 3 is a side view thereof; and Figure 4 is a cross section along the line 4-4 in Figure 2 of the middle region of the shoe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED MODALITY The shoe 10 of the present invention includes a front portion 20 and a rear portion 40 which are separated from each other by an intermediate space 22 therebetween. The intermediate space 22 is generally under the arch of the foot which is generally located in the posterior part of the metatarsal region and generally forward of the front end of the heel of the wearer's shoe. The shoe 10 is primarily useful as a dance shoe since the front and rear portions 20 and 40 are thus flexibly joined to each other and there is an open intermediate space so long between the portions, that the daily use for walking the Street or athletic use of the shoe is probably undesirable. The shoe 10 fits over the entire foot. The front portion 20 of the shoe includes a shoe upper 24 having a front end 26 that wraps around the wearer's fingers and has an upper side 28 that extends rearwardly and over the top of the foot beyond the toes to prevent the front portion of the shoe comes off the foot. Although the shovel of the shoe 24 is shown as closed on the fingers, other shoe blade designs with openings in the front or the side of the blade may be as the front design of a sandal, while the front portion of the shoe 20 will remain in the 's fingers. The shoe upper 24 is comprised of a double skin layer that is sewn on its margins to define the shoe upper. The two layers 25 and 27 can be seen in the lower part of the front blade 24 in Figure 4. Below the lower face 32 of the front blade of the shoe 24, on the front of the shoe, a sole 30 is attached which makes contact with the ground. It may be appropriate to fill layers 33, etc. between the sole 30 and the inside of the shoe on the 's foot, as is conventional in shoes. The lower front face 32 of the front shovel 24 of the shoe is wrapped under the foot of the wearer and has a rear side edge 34 that tapers more generally towards the middle part of the shoe towards the general mid-narrow portion 36 of the trailing edge. In the narrow region 36 a wrapping strip of elastic material 60 is joined as described below. The back portion 40 of the shoe includes the back shoe of the shoe 42 that includes the straight rear end wall 44 that extends up behind the heel of the wearer and extends forwardly wrapping around the back part of the foot. Like the front portion of the shoe, the back portion of the shoe is comprised of two overlapping layers of skin, which are sewn together at their edge margins. A buttress reinforcement of the heel and a back panel are attached to the rear end wall 44 inside the rear shoe of the shoe. The backshoe of the shoe 42 is wrapped below the 's foot defining the rear bottom face 46 that extends below the 's heel.

A heel 48 is placed below the lower back face 46. This may have the same height or be slightly higher than the sole 30, as the designer may wish. That is the part of the back portion of the shoe 40 that makes contact with the ground. A heel pad 49 can be placed under the user's foot on the shoe. The leading edge 50 of the rear lower face 46 is sharpened more closely at 52 towards the middle region 54 of the front edge of the lower rear face to receive the elastic strip 60. Although the rear and front edges 36 and 54 of the lower faces front and rear 32, 46 are shown as sharp towards narrow widths, this form of opposite edges is not required and can be blunt or flat. The sharp shape of these edges gives the shoe a probably more attractive appearance. The front and rear portions 20 and 40 of the shoe are positioned to normally provide an intermediate space 22 between the trailing edge 34, 36 of the lower front face and the front edge 52, 54 of the lower back face 46. That interspace is provided to be adjustable in length, which allows freedom of movement and twists of the foot and may allow the shoe to be placed on the foot by pulling only its separate portions and allowing them to contract elastically together. A significant feature of the shoe is the resilient strip closure of elastic material 60 which extends between the narrow medial portion 36 of the trailing edge of the lower front face 32 and the narrow median region 54 of the trailing edge of the lower back face 46. This connects the front and rear portions 20, 40 together and the connection is generally in the middle portion of the front and rear portions through the shoe. The elastic strip is a flat belt of conventional elastic material, with sufficient strength to attract the shoe portions 20 and 40 to each other to hold the shoe in the foot and to resist separation of the portions of the shoe in such a way that the shoe could fall from the foot when the shoe is used to dance or walk, nor so inelastic that excessive pressure is applied to the user's foot when the shoe is worn, which would cause discomfort and the feeling that the shoe fits poorly. The length of the elastic strip 60 is selected so as to allow the trailing edge 34, 36 of the lower front face 32 and the front edge 52, 54 of the lower back face 46 to have a separate initial position defining a standard size particular for the shoe and a length that allows the desired degree of stretch of the elastic strip. The elastic strip 60 may be covered with a protective layer, for example, of skin or a rubberized covering possibly of the same color as the shoe, or by suggesting a skin tone so as to appear invisible, as a particular selection of the designer. The enfranque of the elastic strip 60 is relatively narrow in amplitude compared to the amplitudes of the lower faces 32 and 46 of the front and rear portions for various reasons. First, it allows relatively free movement of the front and rear portions around the three mutually perpendicular axes, if desired, and allows movement without obstruction of the foot when using the shoe. Second, because the elastic strip is very narrow in relation to the width of the shoe and the elastic strip is under the user's foot on the lower faces of the back and front portions of the shoe, the elastic strip is virtually invisible giving the shoe an appearance open that can be attractive for a particular use. As noted above, the material of the shoe upper is a double layer, sewn into its margins to define a single-layer shoe upper. The elastic strip 60 is fastened to the opposite edges 36 and 54 of the portions of the shoe upper and the strip is held between the double layers, where it is sewn in place, as seen in Figure 4. In addition to being attached under the foot between the lower faces of the shoe portions, the front and rear portions of the shoe 20, 28 and 40, 44 are connected by a strap 66 extending between the portions of the blade 28 and 44 on one side of the foot and by the strap 68 extending between the portions of the blade on the other side of the foot. For example, straps 66, 68 can pass through or slightly below the ankle of the foot or can pass through one side of the foot. A strip of elastic material 71 is included in the belt 66 so that the shoe yields to the user's movements. An insurable, openable buckle 72 or other attachment mode is provided on at least one of the straps 68, so that the shoe can be easily placed and removed on the foot. However, due to the stretching of the elastic strips 60 and possibly 66 and due to the opening of the middle region of the shoe, the shoe can be placed on the foot without opening the buckle 72. In addition, the fastening with particular tapes between the portions of The shovel is not required. Alternative security may be provided, while being sufficient to hold the front and rear portions 20 and 40 together so that the shoe does not fall off the foot.

One of the benefits of the simplicity of this shoe design is that the portions of the shoe upper 20 and 40 can be formed in one piece from the material of the shoe upper, particularly soft leather, and the straps 66 and 68 are integrated in that piece. That piece can be a double layer, as described above. In order to form the front and rear portions 20, 40, the portions of the shoe blade 24 and 42 of the piece are folded and wrapped underneath to define the lower faces 32 and 46 of the front and rear portions. However, it is not required to make the portions of the shoe blade in one piece. In addition, the lower faces 32 and 46 do not need to be bent under the material of the blades of the respective portions of the shoe. The lower faces may not be integrated with their respective blades and may be separate elements joined together later. One benefit of the invention is the ease with which almost the entire shoe can be formed in one piece, except for the soles and elastic strips, but it is not required to be formed in one piece. Although the present invention has been described in relation to a particular embodiment thereof, many other variants and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore preferred that the present invention is not limited by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as novelty and therefore what is described in the following claims is claimed as property. 1. A shoe primarily for dance that comprises; a front portion covering at least the fingers and the front portion of the foot and having a lower front face, a rear portion to cover at least the heel and having a lower back face, the lower front face having a rear edge facing the rear portion and the lower rear face having a front edge facing the front portion, characterized in that the front and rear edges of the lower front and rear faces are respectively separated; safety means on the lower front and rear faces of the shoe to connect the front and back portions of the shoe in a way to hold the shoe preventing it from slipping off the foot; a strip of elastic material extending between the lower front and rear faces of the shoe to connect the front and rear portions of the shoe together resiliently, and so as to establish an initial position spaced apart from one another; the elastic material being such that it allows the front and rear portions to be slightly further separated as desired, the strip of elastic material having an amplitude across the width of the shoe that is substantially narrower than the width of the rear edge of the shoe. the lower front face and the front edge of the lower rear face, giving great flexibility to the relative movement of the front and rear portions and allowing access to and view of the lower part of the foot between the front and rear portions of the shoe, except in the relatively narrower elastic strip. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a front external sole underneath the lower front face of the shoe for contacting the ground; and a posterior heel under a lower back face of the shoe for contact with the ground. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the security means comprise a belt to be wound around the upper side of the foot, generally at the ankle. 4. The shoe according to claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises means for holding the strap around the foot. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the front portion of the shoe is formed to wrap at least part of the toes to define a front end of the shoe, and the back portion of the shoe is formed at least to wrap around the shoe. the back of the foot on the heel and to define the back end of the shoe. The shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic strip projects beyond the trailing edge of the lower front face and the front edge of the lower rear face of the shoe. The shoe according to claim 6, characterized in that the trailing edge of the lower front face of the shoe and the front edge of the lower rear face of the shoe have a respective middle region across the width of the shoe; and the elastic strip extends from the front and rear edges to the respective middle regions. The shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that there is a single elastic strip between the rear and front portions of the shoe. The shoe according to claim 6, characterized in that there is a single elastic strip between the front and rear portions of the shoe. The shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that the trailing edge of the lower front face has a shape that is sharpened more narrowly in width towards approximately the width of the elastic strip at the trailing edge, and the front edge of the face The lower rear has a shape that is sharpened more narrowly in a general manner in breadth about the width of the elastic strip at the front edge. 11. The shoe according to claim 6, characterized in that the trailing edge of the lower front face has a shape that is sharpened more narrowly in width towards approximately the width of the elastic strip at the trailing edge, and the front edge of the trailing lower face has a sharpening shape more narrowly in a general manner in width towards approximately the width of the elastic strip at the front edge.