WO2019099734A1

WO2019099734A1 - Footwear for infants

Info

Publication number: WO2019099734A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/061374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shane Joseph STOTT
Original assignee: Stott Shane Joseph
Priority date: 2017-11-15
Filing date: 2018-11-15
Publication date: 2019-05-23
Also published as: US20190053578A1

Abstract

Footwear for infants including a sole, a heel support extending above the sole and around a rear portion of the footwear, sidewalls attached to the sole and disposed along the sides of the footwear for supporting the sides of the infant's foot when held within the footwear. A front portion disposed in the front of the footwear and pivotable about the front of the footwear. The footwear can be configured in an open configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the front of the footwear and away from the sidewalls and a closed configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the footwear and toward the sidewalls thereby securing the foot of an infant therein. Two folds in the shoe can include opposing magnetic closure parts disposed thereon. The folds can include an upper-most fold, a middle fold, and a lower-most fold.

Description

FOOTWEAR FOR INFANTS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/586,630 filed November 15, 2017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Shoes and other footwear provide for unique challenges and limitations depending on the person and purpose for which they are designed. For example, with particular regard to infants (i.e. babies) it is often difficult for parents to place footwear and shoes on the feet of the infant because they are often uncontrollably moving their feet. This difficulty is often increased due to the material and footwear design limitations generally directed to the adult and adolescent shoe. For example, traditional infant footwear has relatively narrow openings with difficult closure arrangements that increase the difficulty of placing the footwear on the feet of infants. These difficult closure arrangements may include laces, buttons, embedded elastic fabric, or VELCRO that are difficult to manipulate as an infant’ s feet are in constant motion. Moreover, the size and shape of an adult foot is relatively narrow and long as compared to the relatively thick and short feet of infants. And, the functional requirements of adolescent and adult shoes are much more important than those of an infant who spends most of their time in a seat or initially learning to walk.

The parts of a traditional adult shoe 100 are illustrated in FIG. 1A. Adult shoes 100 in general are typically designed to protect and provide comfort for the adult human foot while the wearer is doing various activities. Adult shoes 100 have the sole 105, which is the bottom of the shoe 100 in contact with the ground. Soles 105 can be made from a variety of materials, although most modem shoes 100 have soles 105 made from natural rubber, polyurethane, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds. Soles 105 can be simple— a single material in a single layer— or they can be complex, with multiple structures or layers and materials. When various layers are used, soles 105 may consist of an insole, midsole, and an outsole.

The insole is the interior bottom of a shoe 100, which sits directly beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner). Insoles are usually made of cellulosic paper board or synthetic non- woven insole board. Many shoes 100 have removable and replaceable footbeds. The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. The outsole may comprise a single piece, or may be an assembly of separate pieces, often of different materials. The midsole is the layer in between the outsole and the insole, typically there for shock absorption. The heel 115 is the bottom rear part of a shoe 100. The function of the heel 115 of the shoe 100 is to support the heel of a human foot.

The upper 120 helps hold the shoe 100 onto the foot. The upper 120 is often connected to the sole 105 by a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that is stitched between it and the sole 105, known as a welt 110. As previously discussed, most uppers 120 have a closure mechanism, such as laces 125 or straps with elastic or VELCRO for tightening the upper 120 over the foot. Uppers 120 with laces 125 usually have a tongue 130 that helps seal the laced opening and protect the foot from abrasion by the laces 125. Uppers 120 with laces 125 also generally have eyelets 150 or hooks to make it easier to tighten and loosen the laces 125 and to prevent the laces 125 from tearing through the upper 120 material.

The vamp 135 is the front part of the shoe 100, starting behind the toe 140 (sometimes having a“toe cap”), extending around the eyelets 150 and tongue 130 and towards a heel support 145 (sometimes having a“heel cap”) of the shoe 100. The medial is the part of the shoe closest to a person's center of symmetry, and the lateral is on the opposite side, away from their center of symmetry. This can be in reference to either the sole 105 or the vamp 135. The shoe 100 can further be described by the throat and topline 160.

Shoe size is an alphanumerical indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person. There are several different shoe-size systems that are used worldwide. These systems differ in what they measure, what unit of measurement they use, and where the size 0 (or 1) is positioned. Children’s sizes do not differ by gender even though adult shoe size does differ by gender. Children's shoe stores in the United States and Canada use a sizing scheme which ends at 13, after which the adult range starts at 1. Alternatively, a scale running from K4 to K13 and then 1 to 7 is in use. K4 to K9 are toddler sizes, K10 to 3 are pre-school, and 1 to 7 are grade school sizes. These alphanumerical indications of the size of a shoe do not necessarily correspond to the size and shape of the foot however. For example, and shown in FIG. 1B the size and shape of an adult foot is relatively long and narrow as compared to the size and shape of the foot of an infant shown in FIG. 1C.

Referring to FIGS. 2 A and 2B, the parts of traditional infant shoes 200 include an upper portion 205 and a sole 210. When the upper portion 205 is secured to the sole 210, the upper portion 205 along with the sole 210 define a void that is configured to securely and comfortably receive and hold an infant's foot. The shoe in FIG. 2B 200 further includes laces 215 a heel 220, a toe cap 215, and a tongue 225. In the example of FIG. 2 A, an infant shoe 200 includes two straps 230 instead of laces, the straps 230 having first and second ends and positioned to extend across the foot opening. The first end of each strap 230 is generally secured to a first lateral side of the shoe upper 205. Each strap 230 extends across the foot opening for securing an infant's foot in the infant shoe 200. The second end of the strap 230 is releasably secured to a second, opposite lateral side of the shoe upper 205 by a strap holder or releasable fasteners (e.g. hook-and- loop type VELCRO fasteners).

Such infant shoes shown in FIG. 2A and 2B as well as the adult shoe design shown in FIG. 1 have inherent limitations for placement upon the infant foot shown in FIG. 1B as compared to an adult foot shown in FIG. 1A as previously discussed. Thus, there is a need for an improved infant shoe design with particular attention to the limitations and needs of infants and toddlers as discussed hereinafter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential characteristics of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Footwear for infants is disclosed having a sole, a heel support extending above the sole and around a rear portion of the footwear, sidewalls attached to the sole and disposed along the sides of the footwear for supporting the sides of the infant’ s foot when held within the footwear, and a front portion disposed in the front of the footwear and pivotable about the front of the footwear, the front portion configured to cover the top of the infants foot when disposed therein.

The footwear can be configured in an open configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the front of the footwear and away from the sidewalls. The footwear can be further configured in a closed configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the footwear and toward the sidewalls thereby securing the foot of an infant therein.

The closing portion is attached to the sidewalls and includes multiple folds disposed along the sides of the nose portion. Two of the folds can include opposing magnetic closure parts disposed thereon. The folds can include an upper-most fold, a middle fold, and a lower-most fold.

The closing portion can extend from a midpoint of the footwear to the front of the footwear such that in an open position of the footwear substantially the entire front of the interior of the shoe is exposed. The closing portion can include a closed toe portion covering the toes of a foot when disposed therein. The closing portion can include an open toe portion uncovering the toes of a foot when disposed therein. The closing portion and/or heel portion comprises a thermoplastic rubber material. The closing portion and/or heel portion comprises leather, cloth and/or vinyl. The shoe can be equal to or less than 4.125 inches in length.

Shoes are disclosed for providing improved access to the interior of the shoe when placed on a foot of the infant. Such shoe can include a sole defining an outer periphery of the shoe, a heel portion extending around the rear of the shoe, and a front portion, the front portion including a magnetic closure mechanism disposed in opposing sides of the shoe. The shoe may be elastic in bending but limited in elastic extension. For example, such material may omit an elastic fabric which is substantially inextensible in length when compared to a rubber band but bendable lending itself to return to its original position upon opening.

The front portion of the show can be attached to a front of the sole such that the front portion is pivotable thereto. The front portion can include multiple folds in the sides thereof, the folds having a collapsed and folded position when the magnetic closure mechanism is connected and an open unfolded position when the magnetic closure mechanism is released. The material of the front portion of the shoe for infants urges the front of the shoe into the collapsed and folded position. When the folds are unfolded in the open position allowing the interior of the shoe to be substantially fully accessible for placement of a foot of the infant therein.

Shoes for infants are disclosed including a sole disposed at a bottom of the shoe, a heel support disposed at a rear of the shoe and comprising a foam rubber material, sides disposed along opposing sides of the shoe and comprising the foam rubber material, and a front portion comprising the foam rubber material, the front portion being pivotally connected to a front of the shoe so as to provide access to substantially all of the interior of the shoe when pivoted into an open position and temporarily secure a foot of an infant therein when pivoted into a closed position. The shoe can include a magnetic closure mechanism for retaining the front portion in the closed position, wherein the front portion includes folds defined by seams there between, the foam rubber of the folds having material characteristics urging the front portion into the closed position.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1A illustrates the parts of a traditional adult shoe;

FIG. 1B shows the shape of an adult foot as compared to FIG. 1C which shows the shape of the foot of an infant;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate traditional footwear for infants;

FIG. 3 illustrates footwear for infants in a closed position;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate footwear for infants in an open position;

FIG. 6 illustrates the construction and manufacture of the footwear for infants including folds, seams, and magnetic closure mechanisms;

FIG. 7 further illustrates the construction of the folds and magnetic closure mechanisms;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative design of footwear for infants in a closed position;

FIG. 10 shows the footwear for infants in an open position illustrating the manufacture and construction thereof; and

FIG. 11 is a table showing the dimensions of footwear for various age groups including infants for which the footwear may be designed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides for new and improved infant footwear designs as well as improved manufacture thereof. Various improvements are directed to providing improved opening and closure features, designs, and mechanism for accessing the interior of the footwear and easily securing the infant’s foot therein. Infant footwear in particular generally need not provide the same level of support and securement to the feet of the infant as opposed to footwear designed for highly mobile children and adults. This is because the infant may be confined to a crib, seat, or stroller. Infants have substantially rounded and relatively thick feet (see FIG. 1B), unlike adolescents and adults whom have relatively elongated feet with pronounced substantially flat bottom surfaces. Thus, various improvements disclosed herein can relate to the ease of the manner in which the footwear is placed on the infant’ s foot and removed therefrom by a parent, for example. Some of these designs improve a simplified manner of placing and securing the footwear to the infant.

Various design improvements are directed to an easily manipulated closure mechanism that when opened results in a substantially open, or entirely open, interior of the shoe for placement of the infant’s foot within the footwear. In some designs, this includes an integrated tongue, throat, and/or toe of the footwear. In such designs, a toe cap may be omitted where the throat and tongue are one piece that is pivotally coupled to the front of the shoe thereby substantially, or entirely, exposing the interior of the shoe when in an open position. When the integrated tongue and throat is collapsed upon the base of the shoe the foot of the infant is enclosed therein and temporarily secured therein by the closure mechanism. In some embodiments the integrated tongue, throat, and vamp is secured to the base by flexible folds and opposing magnetic closure mechanisms.

Opposing expandable seams can extend along opposing sides of the footwear. The opposing expandable seams can extend substantially, or entirely, to the toe, front, sole, or forward tip of the footwear as disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the opposing seams expand upward about a pivot point provided by a material connection or pivot joint disposed at the toe or front of the footwear. The front of the footwear can be a point where the toe meets a front-most surface of the shoe. Thus, the pivotable tongue of such embodiments extends entirely to the front or sole of the shoe and is pivotable therefrom. According to such designs, the entire front of the shoe may be opened so as to place the infant’s foot within the shoe.

Additional design improvements include material interlay which uses a material having a material property of substantially resilient support so as to return the shoe to a closed position. This material can exhibit both plastic and deformable properties such that the material lends itself to be deformable while retaining a plastic characteristic so as to return the material to its original position. Thus, the infant shoe itself may urge itself into the closed position. And, the closure mechanism may be configured for a self-locking (e.g. magnetically interlocked) configuration.

This design can include a series of folded material interlayers that create a materially biased closed position. These folded layers can inherently place and align magnetic closure elements so as to return the shoe opening to a closed and secured position. In addition to the folds of the material, the design, seams, and assembled portions create the support for the shoe while providing the biased closure position as described herein. The material must be foldable thus showing deformable characteristics as opposed to rigid plastic characteristics or entirely flexible unsupportive characteristics according to several advantageous embodiments.

According to various embodiments disclosed herein a thermoplastic elastomer, sometimes referred to a thermoplastic rubber material, may be used. Thermoplastic elastomers are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers (usually plastic and a rubber) which consist of materials with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. As discovered by the inventor of this patent application, thermoplastic elastomers show advantages typical of both rubbery materials and plastic materials. The benefit of using thermoplastic elastomers is the ability to stretch to moderate elongations and return to its near original shape creating a longer life and better physical range than other materials.

In order to qualify as a thermoplastic elastomer, a material should have these three essential characteristics: (1) the ability to be stretched to moderate elongations and, upon the removal of stress, return to something close to its original shape; (2) processable as a melt at elevated temperature; and (3) absence of significant creep. According to various embodiments disclosed herein the sides and tongue extending to the toe of the shoe may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer having a consistent thermoplastic and elastomeric properties although other materials or combinations thereof may be implemented.

FIG. 3 illustrates an infant shoe 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. The infant shoe 300 can be made from a soft but resilient material such as foam rubber or thermoplastic rubber elastomer. The infant shoe 300 can be made from a series of assembled sheets, parts, and pieces or may be made from multi-layer materials as would be understood in view of the teachings disclosed herein.

The infant shoe 300 can include sides 305 and a heel support 310. The sides 305 can be manufactured from a piece of material extending around a lower periphery of the heel portion 315 of the infant shoe 300. The heel support 310 can extend within and above the heel portion 315 providing additional support to and alignment of the infant’s heel when inserted therein. Thus, the heel portion 315 and heel support 310 can extend around the sides and rear of the shoe 300 typically referred to as the heel cap/counter/backstay and quarter of what is referred to in a traditional adult shoe.

The infant shoe 300 further comprises a toe portion 320. The toe portion 320 extends from the front or sole 355 of the infant shoe 300 until it meets the sides 305 of the shoe 300. The toe portion 320 can cover the entire top of the infant’s foot that extends along the entire front of the shoe 300. The toe portion 320 of the infant shoe is entirely enclosed and pivotable about pivot point 325 disposed at the front of the shoe 300. Thus, upon pivoting the toe portion 320 about the front of the shoe 300 the entire front interior of the shoe 300 is made accessible for placement of the infant’s foot therein. As shown in FIG. 3, the toe portion 320 can include a tab 330 attached thereto. The tab 330 can be grasp while holding the toe portion 320 of the shoe 300 open from the heel portion 315 of the shoe 300.

The toe portion 320 of the shoe 300 can have foldable sides 335. The foldable sides 335 can include seams in the material of the folds 335 to facilitate the material’s foldability so as to return the foldable sides 335 forming part of the toe portion 320 to the folded and closed position shown in FIG. 3.

The toe portion 320 can include two opposing magnetic closure mechanisms 340, each magnetic closure mechanism 340 being made of two opposing magnets disposed on opposing foldable surfaces 335. The magnetic closure mechanisms 340 can include opposing magnets disposed upon, held to, or within the foldable portions 335 of the toe piece 320 as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 illustrates an open position of the infant shoe 300. In this position the heel 315 portion of the shoe 300 is held and the toe portion 320 is pivoted outward to an open position about the front 325 of the shoe 300 as shown in FIG. 4. The magnetic closures 340 are released so as to move the toe portion 320 entirely forward such that the opening therein is substantially unobstructed for placement of the infant’s foot therein and upon a foot bed 350 as shown in FIG. 5. The foldable sides 335 of the toe portion 320 are unfolded and expanded to the open position of FIG. 5.

Upon releasing the toe portion 320 via the tab 330 from its forward position the toe portion 320 naturally returns to the closed position due to the resilient properties of the sides 335 of the toe portion 320. The compressive resilient plastic nature of the material that returns the shoe 300 to its naturally closed position is held secure by the magnetic closure mechanisms 340 as shown in FIG. 3.

The naturally closed position of FIG. 3 is also due to the innovative design and process of manufacturing the infant shoe 200 including the parts, folds, seams, and assembly thereof. For example, FIGS. 6 and 7 further illustrate the assembly and design of the infant shoe 300 in an open position as viewed from rear and side perspectives, respectively. As shown, the sides 335 of the shoe 300 each include three foldable layers 335A, 335B, and 335C when collapsed. These folds 335 include a lower inside fold 35C, a middle fold 335B, and an upper fold 335A. A first closure part 340A is disposed above the middle fold 335B and a second closure part 340B is below the middle fold 335B. When folded, the first magnetic closure part 340A and second magnetic closure part 340B mate due to their approximately equal distance from the middle fold 335B. That is, when the middle fold 335B is folded, the magnetic closure parts 340A and 340B mate thereby temporarily locking the magnetic closure parts 340A and 340B together and in place.

As shown in FIG. 6, the upper-most fold 335A of the toe piece 320 may include a sealed seam. This seam can include a cut in the material urging a portion of the uppermost fold layers on opposing sides of the fold 335A to lay flat upon one another as opposed to being urged in the open position of a fold in a single layer of material. Thus, the folds and seams of the shoe 300 may be more like the bellows of an accordion or bound pages of a book with more resilient material urging the folds to be closed. Thus, the selection of manufacturing processes and assembly thereof can be selected to urge the folds 335A, 335B, and 335C in the sidewalls 335 to conform to the closed position as opposed to being urged to the open position.

While FIGS. 3-7 illustrate a simplified design which can reduce the number of parts and manufacturing processes associated thereto, the invention is so limited. Rather, each embodiment and improvement discussed herein can have separate application and utility. However, a simplified design and manufacture thereof is discussed herein after to illustrate some of the improvements that have been discovered by the inventor of this patent application. Referring again to FIG. 3, an assembled infant shoe 300 is shown. The infant shoe 300 can include the heel portion 315. The heel portion 315 may be made of a single piece of material that may extend around a heel 35 of the shoe 300 as illustrated. The heel portion 315 may extend around the heel and past a mid-point of the shoe 300 or the heel portion 315 may be combined with a forward base portion 345 and extend substantially to the front 325 of the shoe 300. Thus, the heel portion 315 may be cut from a single piece of thermoplastic elastomer.

The shoe further includes a heel support 310 that is cut from the thermoplastic elastomer and glued or otherwise attached within the heel portion 315. The heel support 310 can be made from a similar thermoplastic elastomer or may have be selected to have an increased thickness or rigidity so as to lend additional support and stability thereto.

The shoe 300 can include a toe portion 320 that is made of a single piece of material. The toe portion 320 can be folded and include cuts and seams as shown so as to make the toe portion 320 collapsible in an accordion-like fashion. The toe portion 320 can include the upper-most fold 335A, middle fold 335B, and lower-most fold 335C.

The middle fold 335B and lower-most fold 335C can include magnetic connection parts 340. The location of the magnetic connection parts 340 can be aligned such that the magnetic connection parts 340 mate when the toe portion 320 is in the closed and folded position most proximate to a sole 355 or foot bed 350 of the shoe 300.

The dimensions of the toe portion 320 and locations of the folds 335A, 335B, and 335C can be selected such that a top portion of the toe portion 320 mates with the side or heel portions of the shoe 300. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the toe portion 320, side 305 and heel 315 portions mate such at a smooth and continuous exterior is made by accurate alignment thereof.

The sole 355 of the shoe 300 may be made of the same thermoplastic elastomer material or may be selected to have an increased rigidity attribute. The sole 325 of the shoe 300 is connected to the front 325 of the toe piece 320, the sides 305 and heel 315 of the shoe 300. The sole 305 of the shoe 300 should be rigid enough such that the toe 320 of the shoe 300 may be pivoted relative thereto without unduly distorting the shape of the sole 300 shoe 300 according to some embodiments. In other embodiments, the sole 355 may be relatively flexible as well. Thus, the sole 355 of the shoe 300 can be substantially rigid although comfortable according to various embodiments so as to retain the overall shape of the shoe 300 defined thereby. As such, the sole 355 of the shoe 300 can have a relatively rigid base that retains its shape. The sides 305, heel 315 and toe 320 of the shoe 300 can be affixed to this base formed by the sole 355 and foot bed 345 via adhesive, glue or other means. The base can be cut so as to define this exterior profile of the shoe and retain the seam between the edges of the shoe intact. The sole 355 of the shoe 300 can include a more comfortable resilient interior layer forming the foot bed 345 in some embodiments. This interior foot bed 345 may provide additional cushion and support to the infant’s foot. This interior cushion layer of the foot bed 345 may provide for a soft and substantially edge-less interior lower surface as felt by the infant during use.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate another embodiment of an infant shoe 400 where a closing piece 405 is free of the toe. The infant shoe 400 can include a heel support 410 with the sides of the shoe 400 formed as part of the heel support 410 from a piece of material extending around a lower periphery of the infant shoe 400. A tab 430 can be grasp while holding the heel portion 410 of the shoe 400 open from the closing portion 405 covering the front of the shoe 400.

Similar to the previous embodiment, the closing portion 405 of the shoe 400 can have foldable sides 435 and magnetic closing mechanisms 425 disposed on the folding sides 435. The foldable sides 435 can include, or be defined by, seams in the material of the folds to facilitate the material’s foldability so as to return the sides 435 forming part of the closing portion 405 to the folded and closed position shown in FIGS 8 and 9.

While foam and thermoplastic elastomer materials have been discussed as being used for one or more parts of the shoe, other materials can be used in place of or in conjunction with such materials. For example, cloth or leather may be used for the shoe as well as or in addition to natural rubber, polyurethane, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for the sole, upper, heel, toe, or other parts of the shoe. For example, the closing portion over or adjacent to the toe may be made of cloth, leather or other material as wells as the sides, sole and heel of the shoe. In the various embodiments, certain advantages to the manufacture, assembly and function of the shoe benefit from the various material selections disclosed herein. For example, the shoe upper may be made of leather, foam, thermoplastic elastomer, a composite thereof or other materials. Where the toe cover is disposed over the toes this material may be made more resilient than the other materials to facilitate comfort, flexibility or to accommodate different foot shape or growth.

FIG. 11 illustrates some of the dimensions of infant and toddler foot and shoe sizes as compared to adult foot and shoe sizes. As disclosed herein various embodiments maybe be applicable for various shoes and shoe sizes. However, as shown and described the teachings find particular application for infant shoes. The infant shoe size conversions shown in FIG. 11 include U.S. sizes 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3. This shoe sizes correspond to infant feet of 0-9 month olds with an approximate foot length between 3.125” and 4.125”. While such teachings may have application to toddler shoes and to a lesser extent adult shoes these teachings are particularly advantageous for infant shoes sized 3 or less and of less than 4.125” or less than 10.5 CM in length, for example. In the examples shown, the foot bed of the infant shoe can approximately 3- 4 inches in length and 1.5-2.25 in width. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. While certain functions have been recited such means for performing those functions are expressly supplied by such structure for mean-plus -function claims.

The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application, which are intended as illustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and apparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds compositions or biological systems, which can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or "an" should be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., " a system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., " a system having at least one of A, B, or C" would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B."

In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, such as in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etc. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etc. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as "up to," "at least," and the like include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, a range includes each individual member.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. All references recited herein are incorporated herein by specific reference in their entirety.

Claims

CLAIMS I claim:

1. Footwear for infants, comprising:

a sole;

a heel support extending above the sole and around a rear portion of the footwear;

sidewalls attached to the sole and disposed along the sides of the footwear for supporting the sides of the infant’s foot when held within the footwear; and

a front portion disposed in the front of the footwear and pivotable about the front of the footwear, the front portion configured to cover the top of the infants foot when disposed therein.

2. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the footwear is configured in an open configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the front of the footwear and away from the sidewalls.

3. Footwear according to claim 2, wherein the footwear is further configured in a closed configuration when the front portion is pivoted about the footwear and toward the sidewalls thereby securing the foot of an infant therein.

4. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion is attached to the sidewalls and includes multiple folds disposed along the sides of the nose portion.

5. Footwear according to claim 4, wherein two of the folds include opposing magnetic closure parts disposed thereon.

6. Footwear according to claim 4, wherein the folds include an upper-most fold, a middle fold, and a lower-most fold.

7. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion extends from a midpoint of the footwear to the front of the footwear such that in an open position of the footwear substantially the entire front of the interior of the shoe is exposed.

8. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion includes a closed toe portion covering the toes of a foot when disposed therein.

9. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion includes an open toe portion uncovering the toes of a foot when disposed therein.

10. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion and/or heel portion comprises a thermoplastic rubber material.

11. Footwear according to claim 1, wherein the closing portion and/or heel portion comprises leather, cloth and/or vinyl.

12. A shoe for infants according to claim 11, wherein the shoe is equal to or less than 4.125 inches in length.

13. A shoe for infants, the shoe providing improved access to the interior of the shoe when placed on a foot of the infant, comprising:

a sole defining an outer periphery of the shoe;

a heel portion extending around the rear of the shoe; and

a front portion, the front portion including a magnetic closure mechanism disposed in opposing sides of the shoe.

14. A shoe for infants as described in claim 13, the shoe further comprising:

the front portion being attached to a front of the sole such that the front portion is pivotable thereto.

15. A shoe for infants according to claim 14, wherein the front portion includes multiple folds in the sides thereof, the folds having a collapsed and folded position when the magnetic closure mechanism is connected and an open unfolded position when the magnetic closure mechanism is released.

16. A shoe for infants according to claim 15, wherein the material of the front portion of the shoe for infants urges the front of the shoe into the collapsed and folded position.

17. A shoe for infants according to claim 15, wherein the folds are unfolded in the open position allowing the interior of the shoe to be substantially fully accessible for placement of a foot of the infant therein.

18. A shoe for infants according to claim 13, wherein the shoe is equal to or less than 4.125 inches in length.

19. A shoe for infants, comprising:

a sole disposed at a bottom of the shoe;

a heel support disposed at a rear of the shoe and comprising a foam rubber material; sides disposed along opposing sides of the shoe and comprising the foam rubber material; a front portion comprising the foam rubber material, the front portion being pivotally connected to a front of the shoe so as to provide access to substantially all of the interior of the shoe when pivoted into an open position and temporarily secure a foot of an infant therein when pivoted into a closed position.

20. A shoe for infants according to claim 19, further comprising a magnetic closure mechanism for retaining the front portion in the closed position, wherein the front portion includes folds defined by seams there between, the foam rubber of the folds having material characteristics urging the front portion into the closed position.