WO2001065959A1

WO2001065959A1 - Baby sock with shoe grip

Info

Publication number: WO2001065959A1
Application number: PCT/CA2001/000266
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Tremblay
Original assignee: Martin Tremblay
Priority date: 2000-03-06
Filing date: 2001-03-05
Publication date: 2001-09-13
Also published as: AU2001239047A1; CA2301211A1

Abstract

A baby garment kit comprises a pair of socks (B) each including a sock body (10), and an attachment system (A) for each sock (B). The attachment system (A) is provided with co-operating elements (26, 28) provided on the body (10) of the sock (B) and on a shoe (S) adapted to receive a baby's foot having the sock (B) thereon. Typically, the attachment system (A) comprises co-operating female (28) and male (26) VelcroTM pieces provided respectively on the sock (B) and on the shoe (S), and positioned such that when the sock (B) is in the shoe (S), the male and female VelcroTM pieces (26, 28) are attached together thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe (S). The sock (B) is typically sold with the female piece (28) sewn to the heel portion (16) thereof, while the male piece (26) is provided with an adhesive covered by a backing strip which can removed when it is desired to adhesively mount the male piece (26) to the inside the shoe (S), that is on a heel section of a sole (20) thereof.

Description

BABY SOCK WITH SHOE GRIP

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to baby garments and, more particularly, to a new sock for use with baby shoes .

2. Description of the Prior Art

When babies are dressed up with socks and shoes, it is common for their shoes to fall off their feet, as the babies' feet are too short to hold easily m place. If the shoelaces are tied up so as to be tight enough to prevent, or least hinder, the shoes from falling off, the shoes may well be much too tight around the baby's feet. The angle at the top of the baby's feet, i.e. forwardly of the ankles, is also relatively steep thereby encouraging the unwanted removal of the baby shoes from the baby. This is especially a problem for very young babies, for instance of under one year of age, and typically for babies who are under six months old.

At those ages, babies do not walk yet and thereby are thus often m suspension from a baby car seat, from their parents' arms, from a high chair, from strollers, etc., whereby the baby's feet are not supported and are more prone to falling off.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novel baby sock that prevents, or at least hinders, shoes from falling off babies.

It is a also an aim of the present invention to provide a novel baby sock and shoe combination that prevents, or at least hinders, the baby's shoes from falling off his/her socks. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a kit for use on baby socks and shoes for preventing, or at least hindering, baby shoes from falling babies.

It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a novel method for preventing, or at least hindering, baby shoes from falling off babies .

Therefore, m accordance with the present invention, there is provided a baby garment kit, comprising a pair of socks each including a sock body, and an attacnment system for each sa d sock, said attachment system being provided with cooperating elements provided on said body of said sock and on a shoe adapted to receive a baby's foot: having said sock thereon, whereby when said sock is m the shoe, said attachment system attaches said sock to the shoe thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe.

Also m accordance with the present invention, there is provided a baby garment kit, comprising a pair of socks each including a sock body, a pair of shoes and an attachment system for each said sock and said shoe combination, said attachment system being provided with co-operating elements provided on said body of said sock and on an inside of said shoe, said co-operating elements are attached together when said sock is m said shoe, thereby hindering an unwanted removal of tne baby's

Further m accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of securing a baby sock to a baby shoe, comprising the steps of: providing an attachment system comprising first and second elements adapted to be detachably secured together, attaching said first and second pieces respectively on the outside of a sock and on the inside of a shoe at positions such that when a baby's foot having the sock thereon is positioned m the shoe, said first and second pieces are connected, whereby said attachment system attaches the sock to the shoe thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and m which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a baby sock m accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a baby shoe m accordance with the present invention for use with the baby sock of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view, fragmented and partly m cross-section, showing the sock of Fig. 1 (although only partly shown herein) ust before it is introduced m the shoe of Fig. 2 ; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, fragmented and partly m cross-section, of the sock of Fig. 1 m position m the shoe of Fig. 2, wherein the baby sock and shoe are m an attached position thereof .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a baby sock B m accordance with the present invention and comprising a standard sock body 10 including a lower foot receiving section 12 and a dependent upper ankle section 14. The foot receiving section 12 includes a rear heel portion 16.

Also as per the present invention, a baby shoe S is provided, which as seen m Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a conventional shoe upper 18 and a shoe sole 20 that define a foot receiving cavity 22 adapted to accommodate a baby's foot m a conventional manner.

The baby sock B and baby shoe S of the present invention comprise an attachment system A (see Fig. 3) adapted, when the sock B is lodged m the shoe S, for providing added retention to the standard holding capability of a conventional shoe which depends basically on the configuration of the enclosure provided by the shoe upper and sole around the foot and on the lacing, or other adjustable shoe upper closing mechanism (such as the straps shown m Figs. 2 and 4) .

The attachment system A of the present invention basically comprises a means to detachably secure the baby sock B to the baby shoe S when the former is m the latter, and preferably takes the form of co-operating male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28, respectively, which are also geneπcally called hook-and-loop fasteners, wherein the male Velcro™ piece 26 constitutes the "hook" portion, whereas the female Velcro™ piece 28 is the "loop" portion.

The male Velcro™ piece 26 is mounted, inside the cavity 22 of the shoe S, on the sole 20 and more particularly at the rear thereof, that is where the heel of the foot rests, as seen m Figs. 2 and 4. The male Velcro™ piece 26 typically includes an adhesive backing covered by a peel -off sheet (not shown) which can be removed from the adhesive backing when one is ready to install the male Velcro™ piece 26 m the baby shoe S.

The female Velcro™ piece 28 is mounted to the underside of the heel portion 16 of the baby sock B, as shown m Fig. 1. The female Velcro™ piece 28 is typically sewn to the sock B, although as for the male Velcro™ piece 26, it can instead include an adhesive backing covered by a peel -off sheet which can be removed from tne adhesive backing when one is ready to install the female Velcro™ piece 28 on the baby sock B. When the female Velcro™ piece 28 is stitched to the baby sock B, as opposed to being glued thereto, it tends to better resist repeated washings and thus remain attached to the baby sock B. Therefore, m a preferred mode of the present invention, the baby sock B is sold with its female Velcro™ piece 28 already sewn thereon, whereas the male Velcro™ piece 26 is provided with the baby sock B, but as a separate part and thus m the form of a kit, such that the male Velcro™ piece 26 is adhesively mounted to any of the baby's conventional shoes S by his/her parents. Such a kit would thus include a pair of baby socks B each provided with its own sewn-on female Velcro™ piece 28, and a pair of male Velcro™ pieces 26 to be mounted, after purchase, to a pair of baby shoes S.

With both the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28 m secure position respectively on the baby shoe S and on the baby sock B, the baby's foot with the sock B thereon can be introduced m a conventional manner m the baby shoe S, as per along arrows 30 m Fig. 3, such that when the baby's foot m lodged m the shoe S (see Fig. 4) , the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28 become attached together thereby hindering the unwanted removal of the baby shoe S from the baby sock B, and thus from the baby's foot.

Typically, the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28 are circular as shown m the drawings, but are preferably smaller than herein relatively illustrated, having for instance a diameter of about 1.25 to 2.0 centimetres. Obviously, the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28 can be of other dimensions and shapes, and can also be attached to the baby shoe S and sock B with means other than the aforementioned adhesive and stitching.

The attachment system A can also be provided at other corresponding locations of the baby sock B and shoe S. For instance, the part of the attachment system A provided on the baby soc- B could be positioned thereon so as to be under or aoove the toe portion of the foot, or adjacent thereto; so as to be on the upper part of the foot, rearward of the toes, and generally opposite a tongue 32 of the shoe S (see Fig. 2) such that the male Velcro™ piece 26 is secured under the tongue 32; so as to be benmd the foot, that is at the level and opposite the Achilles tendon. But, as the baby shoe S is generally lost from the baby's foot because of baby's heel portion first separating from the shoe S as it is looser thereat, the attachment system A seems best suited to be installed at the rear of the foot, such as at the heel, as illustrated herein, or at the Achilles tendon. Furthermore, m view on how the foot m inserted m the shoe, there is less resistance and a quasi certitude of a secure connection, at least when the attachment system A consists of the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28, by positioning the attachment system A at the heel, that is as per Figs. 1 to 4.

It is noted that the attachment system A does not represent a comfort problem for the baby as the concept of the present invention is generally only for use on babies that cannot yet walk so that do not as yet apply a great load on their heels. also, the male and female Velcro™ pieces 26 and 28 are substantially thin.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A baby garment kit, comprising a pair of socks each including a sock body, and an attachment system for each said sock, said attachment system being provided with co-operating elements provided on said body of said sock and on a shoe adapted to receive a baby's foot having said sock thereon, whereby when said sock is m the shoe, said attachment system attaches said sock to the shoe thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe.

2. A baby garment kit as defined m Claim 1, wherein said attachment system comprises co-operating first and second Velcro™ pieces, one of said first piece being secured to each said sock, whereas said second piece is adapted to be mounted to the shoe, said first and second Velcro™ pieces being positioned such that when said sock is m the shoe, said first and second Velcro™ pieces are attached together thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe .

3. A baby garment kit as defined m Claim 2, wherein said first piece is secured to said sock at a heel portion thereof, with said second piece being adapted to be mounted inside the shoe, on a heel section of a sole thereof.

4. A baby garment kit as defined m any one of Claims 2 and 3, wherein said first piece is sewn to said sock.

5. A baby garment kit as defined m any one of Claims 2 to 4 , wherein said second piece is provided with an adhesive for adhesively mounting it to the shoe .

6. A baby garment kit, comprising a pair of socks each including a sock body, a pair of shoes and an attachment system for each said sock and said shoe combination, said attachment system being provided with co-operating elements provided on said body of said sock and on an inside of said shoe, said cooperating elements are attached together when said sock is m said shoe, thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from said shoe.

7. A baby garment kit as defined m Claim 6, wherein said attachment system comprises co-operating first and second Velcro™ pieces, one of said first piece being secured to each said sock, whereas said second piece is mounted to said shoe, said first and second Velcro™ pieces being positioned such that when said sock is m said shoe, said first and second Velcro™ pieces are attached together thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from said shoe.

8. A baby garment kit as defined m Claim 7, wherein said first piece is secured to said sock at a heel portion thereof, with said second piece being mounted inside the shoe, on a heel section of a sole thereof .

9. A baby garment kit as defined m any one of Claims 7 and 8, wherein said first piece is sewn to said sock.

10. A baby garment kit as defined m any one of Claims 7 to 9, wherein said second piece is provided with an adhesive and is adhesively mounted to the shoe .

11 A method of securing a baby sock to a baby shoe, comprising the steps of: providing an attachment system comprising first and second elements adapted to be detachably secured together, attaching said first and second pieces respectively on the outside of a sock and on the inside of a shoe at positions such that when a baby's foot having the sock thereon is positioned m the shoe, said first and second pieces are connected, whereby said attachment system attaches the sock to the shoe thereby hindering an unwanted removal of the baby's foot from the shoe.

12, A method as defined m Claim 11, wherein said first and second pieces are co-operating first and second Velcro™ pieces.

13. A method as defined m Claim 12 , wherein said first piece is secured to the sock at a heel portion thereof, with said second piece being mounted on a heel section of a sole of the shoe.

14. A method as defined m any one of Claims 12 and

13, wherein said first piece is sewn to the sock.

15. A method as defined m any one of Claims 12 to

14, wherein said second piece is provided with an adhesive for adhesively mounting it to the shoe.