WO2007053886A1

WO2007053886A1 - Foot guard

Info

Publication number: WO2007053886A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/001662
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Danzo
Original assignee: Downunder Distribution Group Pty Limited
Priority date: 2005-11-09
Filing date: 2006-11-07
Publication date: 2007-05-18

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a foot guard for minimising damage to feet from impact and other crushing loads, the foot guard including a plate; one or more connecting means integral with or operatively connected to the plate for fitting the plate in use to an upper surface of a shoe; the plate adapted to be supported when in a use position by at least a toe protector cap connected to or integral with the shoe.

Description

FOOT GUARD

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to foot guards, particularly those which are attachable or retrofittable to a shoe or boot.

Background to the Invention

Shoes and boots are known to include integral or otherwise connectable toe protectors. However these protectors do not protect the metatarsals or other bones in the mid or hindfoot.

Summary of the Invention

Preferably the connection means is in the form of one or more connection apertures to receive straps or laces to anchor the plate in the use position supported at least by the toe cap.

Preferably a first group of apertures are disposed within a region corresponding to a shoelace region of the shoe so that the plate may be laced to the safety shoe to anchor it in the use position. In one embodiment there are two parallel rows of three lace holes. In a preferred embodiment, a second additional group of apertures is provided and disposed towards a region corresponding when assembled in use with the hindfoot of a user's foot.

Preferably the second group of apertures includes a first pair of apertures adapted for receiving an elasticised strap which in use passes behind the hindfoot region of the shoe. A second pair of apertures may be provided which in use receives an elasticised/leather strap and which in use passes underneath a mid-or-hindfoot region of the shoe.

Preferably the second group of apertures is elongate so as to provide a flat bearing area for the strap, to extend life of the strap.

Of course, the strap may be buckled, or affixed with a hook and loop fastener, and relatively inextensible, depending on taste and comfort desired by the user.

Preferably the plate extends from the protective toe guard to the hindfoot area of a user's foot, a rear edge of the plate in use resting on the user's shoe in the region of the navicular and/or cuboid bone joint. In one embodiment the plate is contoured so that an arch over the midfoot region is provided, the plate being shaped like an extruded arch to form a cylindrical wall. This contouring feature facilitates protection of the metatarsal bones by strengthening the plate section, reducing stress concentrations, as well as facilitating deflection of objects which may fall onto the plate, reducing impact forces into the metatarsal bones. A saddle may be provided so as to facilitate deflection of objects coupled with strengthening of the section and support of the plate on the toe cap.

Additional support means may be provided in the form of side edge extension or side plate walls which turn down. The main bones protected by the invention are the metatarsals in the midfoot. The side edges or walls may contact the ground under crush load, protecting the metatarsals. The protective toe cap also provides the support under the load.

When an impact load is applied, if the side edges do not touch the ground, at least the load is spread across the metatarsals and/or cuneiform bones and/or navicular and cuboid bones of the hindfoot, as well as, of course, the protective toe cap. Also the load may simply glance off the protector because of the arch and/or contour of the plate.

The plate may be constructed from material with a low surface energy, or simply a smooth surface, so that loads are encouraged to slide off the plate, either forwards or sideways.

The side edges of the plate may abut an upper side edge of a sole of the shoe when under crush load.

The plate may be retrofitted to laced safety shoes or to non-laced elastic-sided boots by either the first or second aperture group, respectively.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

hi order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention, drawings illustrating example embodiments are attached, and in those drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of Foot guard;

Figure 2 is a plan view from above of Fig.1;

Figure 3 is a plan view from underneath of Fig 1;

Figure 4 is a typical side elevation view of Fig 1;

Figure 5 is a rear elevation view of Fig 1;

Figure 6 is a front elevation view of Fig 1; and Figure 7 is apian view of a foot showing general disposition of bones therein.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring to Figure 7 there is shown a plan view of a foot, showing metatarsals (midfoot) 1, Phalanges (toes) 2, 3 and 7, and cuneiform, cuboid and navicular bones (hindfoot) at 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

Referring to Figure 1 - 6 there is shown a foot guard generally indicated at 10, the foot guard 10 including a plate 12 and connecting means 14 for connecting the plate 12 to a protective shoe or boot (not shown).

The plate 12 is in the form of a contoured shield 16 constructed from transparent perspex or ABS or similar lightweight impact-resistant plastic 18. The plastic 18 or at least the upper surface thereof is intended to have low surface energy, or high smoothness in order to encourage deflection of objects which may impact the plate 12. The contoured shield 16 is roughly in the shape of an arch 23 in order to facilitate strength of the plate 12 and to reduce stress concentrations between roof 13 and walls 15, 17 by radiusing a join 19 and 21 therebetween. The arch 23 also facilitates deflection or glancing of objects to one side.

The shield 12 is elevated at the rear region 26 so as to accommodate the higher arch of the foot, but also to encourage deflection of impact loads forward, to the protective toe cap. A saddle 25 is also provided in order to spread impact loads evenly across a protective toe cap (not shown) which is generally integral with the protective shoe or boot (also not shown).

The plate 12 has side edges 20 and 22, front region 24 and a rear region 26. A mid-region 28 corresponds when in use to a metatarsal region of a foot of a user, which is the main region of intended protection for the shield 20. The connecting means 14 is disposed at the rear region 26 and includes first and second apertures 32 and 34 respectively for receiving anchoring means (not shown).

The first set of apertures 32 is for receiving laces for connecting to safety shoes. The second set of apertures 34 includes two pairs of elongate apertures 36, 38 for receiving straps, which may be elasticised and are for passing behind and below the safety shoe or boot respectively when in use.

In operation the guard 10 mounts atop a safety shoe or boot by lacing through lace apertures 32, and/or strapping straps (not shown) through elongate apertures 36 and 38. The straps hold the shield 12 in place by strapping under the boot and/or behind the boot. The protective shield 12 does not have to, but works best with shoes or boots having an integral or otherwise connected safety toe protector. The toe protector cap in use supports the front region 24 of the plate 12.

The shield is supported at the rear end 26 by the navicular/cuboid/cuneiform bones, and when an impact strikes the plate from above, the plate 12 spreads the load across many of the bones of the foot and the protective toe cap. Under severe loads, the shield 12 is supported on the ground, or on a shoe sole edge, by the side edges 20 and 22, providing a canopy for the metatarsals.

Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that the generality of the preceding description is not to be superseded by the particularity of the attached drawings. Various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims

Claims:

1. A foot guard for minimising damage to a foot from impact and other crushing loads, the foot guard including: a plate; one or more connecting means integral with or operatively connected to the plate for fitting the plate in use to an upper surface of a safety shoe worn by a user; the plate adapted to be supported when in use by at least a toe protector cap connected to or integral with the shoe.

2. The foot guard according to claim 1 wherein in use the plate extends from the toe protector cap to the hindfoot area of a user's foot, such that a rear edge of the plate in use rests on the safety shoe in the region of a navicular and/or cuboid bone joint of a user's foot.

3. The foot guard according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the plate is in the form of an arch extending along and over the user's midfoot region so as to facilitates protection of the metatarsal bones by strengthening the plate section, reducing stress concentrations, as well as facilitating deflection of objects which may fall onto the plate, reducing impact forces into the metatarsal bones.

4. The foot guard according to claim 3 wherein a saddle may be provided in the arch, in use adjacent a rearward region of the protective cap in order to spread an impact load evenly on the toe cap.

5. The foot guard according to any previous claim wherein secondary support means may be provided in the form of side edge extensions or side plate walls which turn down and terminate adjacent the ground or a sole of the safety shoe.

6. The foot guard according to claim 5 wherein under impact load, the side edge extensions or side plate walls contact the ground which facilitates protection of the metatarsal bones of the user.

7. The foot guard according to any previous claim wherein at least an upper surface of the plate is constructed from smooth material or material with a low surface energy so that loads are encouraged to slide off the plate, either forwards or sideways.

8. The foot guard according to claim 7 wherein the plate is constructed from ABS plastic.

9. The foot guard according to any previous claim wherein the connection means is in the form of one or more connection apertures to receive straps or laces to anchor the plate in the use position supported at least by the protective toe cap.

10. The foot guard according to any previous claim wherein a first group of connection apertures are disposed within a region corresponding to a shoelace region of the shoe so that the plate may be laced to the safety shoe to anchor it in the use position.

11. The foot guard according to any previous claim wherein a second group of apertures is provided and disposed towards a region corresponding, when assembled, with the hindfoot of a user's foot.

12. The foot guard according to claim 10 wherein the second group of apertures includes a first pair of elongate apertures adapted for receiving an elasticised strap which in use passes behind the hindfoot region of the shoe.

13. The foot guard according to claim 10 or 11 wherein a second pair of elongate apertures may be provided for receiving an elasticised/leather strap which in use passes underneath a mid-or-hindfoot region of the shoe.

14. A foot guard substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the attached drawings.

Dated this 7^th day of November, 2006

DOWNUNDER DISTRIBUTION PTY LTD by its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE