Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
  • A43B7/18—Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
  • A43B7/20—Ankle-joint supports or holders

Definitions

• the invention pertains to a shoe consisting of an upper, a sole, and an articulate collar located on the upper portion at the rear of the shoe.
• the articulate collar contacts and protects the achilles tendon area of a user's foot, and provides lateral support for the user's ankle.
• the invention also pertains to a method of constructing a shoe that has an articulate collar.
• the present invention relates to a shoe which utilizes an articulate collar located at the rear of the shoe above the heel area.
• the articulate collar provides lateral support for the ankle of a user, and at the same time comfortably cradles and protects the achilles tendon area of the user's foot.
• the present invention also relates to a method of constructing a shoe that has an articulate collar.
• the articulate collar is located above the heel area of the shoe, and has support members spaced from one another.
• the support members can move in a vertical plane in concert with the movement of the user's foot.
• the articulate collar comprises three support members having two openings therebetween.
• the openings provide ventilation and permit the support members to move as a user steps, walks, runs or jumps.
• An attached inner lining may be provided to aid in holding a user's foot in place within the shoe.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a light- weight, durable and comfortable shoe which provides adequate lateral support for a user's ankle, while at the same time comfortably protects a user's achilles tendon area.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of constructing an improved shoe having an articulate collar. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the detailed description which follows.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sports shoe having an articulate collar according to the present invention, as viewed from the top, right side;
• Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the articulate collar of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 ;
• Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;
• Fig. 5 is an enlarged exploded side view of the rear portion of the sports shoe shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of an alternate embodiment of an articulate collar according to the present invention.
• Fig. 1 is a top, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a sport shoe 1 according to the present invention comprising an upper 2, a sole 4, and an articulate collar 6.
• the term "upper” is well-known in the art to mean the entire stitched top portion of a shoe.
• the upper 2 is composed of cloth or leather or the like, and typically contains means, such as laces or velcro strips, to fasten the shoe to a user's foot.
• Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the articulate collar 6 of Fig. 1.
• the articulate collar 6 comprises support members 7 spaced apart from one another to define openings 8 therebetween.
• the support members 7 are generally rectilinear in shape, and encase, protect and support the achilles tendon area of a user's foot.
• the articulate collar 6 is a cage-like structure and functions like an exoskeleton to protect the back of a user's foot above the heel.
• the articulate collar 6 also provides lateral support for the user's ankle.
• openings 8 provide for ventilation and allow the support members 7 to move in the vertical plane in response to the movement of a user's foot when the user walks, steps, runs or jumps. This relatively unrestricted motion in the same plane as the ankle joint insures that a user is comfortable when wearing a shoe which utilizes the articulate collar 6, because the shoe offers little resistance to the natural movement of the foot.
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the articulate collar 6.
• the cross-sectional areas 9 of the support members 7 are rectangular or box- shaped in a preferred embodiment so as to be strong enough to provide adequate protection and support for a user's foot, yet are flexible enough to move in concert with the foot as described above.
• the cross sectional areas 9 may be configured differently, for example, in the shape of an oval or triangle, and may be hollow or otherwise if desired.
• the support members 7 could be of another shape.
• the support members 7 could be configured to resemble a lightening bolt, or a wave, or some other pattern. Since the support members 7 define the openings 8, any change in configuration of the support members 7 will be reflected in the openings 8.
• Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional top view taken along line 4- 4 of Fig. 2 of the articulate collar 6.
• the support members 7 are semi- circular in shape to conform to the back of a user's foot.
• the articulate collar 6, in a preferred embodiment, is made of a rigid foam material such as a structural foam or of a polymer material, or an appropriate composite of such materials, and is fabricated using known methods such as utilizing molds or the like. Examples of such materials include polyurethane, neoprene, urethane, vinyl, or other rubber or plastic materials.
• One advantage of using a urethane substance to fabricate the articulate collar 6 is that such a material can be easily painted.
• an inner liner 10 is attached to the inside surface of the articulate collar 6.
• the inner liner 10 may be comprised of terry cloth, nylex, suede or other material.
• the material used to fashion the inner line 10 is preferably one which will aid in holding a user's foot in place within the sport shoe 1. However, it is not necessary to utilize the liner 10 in order to practice the present invention.
• Fig. 5 is an exploded, simplified view of the rear section of the sport shoe 1 having an articulate collar 6.
• the articulate collar 6 is connected to a substrate 12 which is also connected to the sole 4.
• the heel counter 14 can be connected to the sole 4 in any number of well-known ways, including using glue.
• the heel counter 14 is attached to cover the substrate 12 and the top edges 16 of the heel counter overlap with the bottom edge of the articulate collar 6.
• the upper 2 is connected to the articulate collar 6, heel counter 14, and sole 4.
• the upper 2 covers the substrate 12, heel counter 14 and the connection of the heel counter 14, substrate 12 and articulate collar 6 when the sport shoe 1 is assembled.
• the articulate collar 6 is glued or sewn to the substrate 12, and the heel counter 14 is glued to the substrate 12.
• other methods known to those skilled in the art may be used to attach these components.
• the method of construction of the sport shoe 1 described with reference to Fig. 5 results in a shoe having an articulate collar 6 which provides improved lateral support for a user's ankle, while simultaneously protecting the achilles tendon area.
• the openings 8 provide ventilation and the support members 7 move as the achilles tendon area moves with the natural movement of the ankle joint, which increases user comfort.
• Figs. 1 - 5 depict an articulate collar 6 having three support members 7 and two openings 8.
• the present invention encompasses any structure having at least two support members, connected to the rear portion of a shoe.
• a plurality of .support members greater than three may be used, having openings between such members.
• vertical members may be used to connect the support members together.
• Fig. 6 depicts an alternate embodiment of

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25448531

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (3)

Citations (4)

• 1993
  • 1993-05-05 WO PCT/US1993/004463 patent/WO1994003079A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1993-05-21 TW TW082104028A patent/TW223588B/zh active
  • 1993-07-30 MX MX9304625A patent/MX9304625A/es unknown

Patent Citations (4)

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