U.S. patent application number 10/158478 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-10 for padded shoe.
Invention is credited to Shepherd, Stephen H..
Application Number | 20020144435 10/158478 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26861484 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020144435 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shepherd, Stephen H. |
October 10, 2002 |
Padded shoe
Abstract
A padded shoe includes a shoe upper which is adjoined to a sole.
The shoe upper and the sole can have padding material disposed
therein. The shoe upper includes a padded tongue, which can have an
inner tongue portion and an outer tongue portion. A fastening
structure, which can be tightenable to maintain the shoe on the
foot of the wearer, can be disposed between the inner and outer
tongue portions. Alternatively, a resilient portion can be
connected to the shoe upper, whereby a portion of the shoe upper
can be outwardly distended to allow insertion of the foot of the
wearer. The shoe can include an engagement structure to secure the
outer tongue portion to at least one of the inner tongue portion
and the shoe upper.
Inventors: |
Shepherd, Stephen H.; (West
Palm Beach, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
J. Rodman Steele, Jr.
Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson, P.A.
222 Lakeview Avenue, 4th floor
Post Office Box 3188
West Palm Beach
FL
33402-3188
US
|
Family ID: |
26861484 |
Appl. No.: |
10/158478 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10158478 |
May 30, 2002 |
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09593256 |
Jun 13, 2000 |
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6408542 |
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60165548 |
Nov 15, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 23/26 20130101;
A43B 5/00 20130101; A43B 5/02 20130101; A43B 5/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/54 |
International
Class: |
A43B 023/26 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A padded shoe, comprising: a shoe upper adjoined to a sole;
securement structure connected to said shoe upper, said securement
structure being securable to maintain said shoe on a foot of a
wearer of said shoe; and a shin guard attached to said shoe.
2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said shin guard is detachably
attachable to said shoe.
3. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising at least one strap
connected to said shin guard to engage the shin guard to the lower
leg of the wearer, said at least one strap including a fastening
structure to secure said shin guard to the lower leg of the
wearer.
4. The shoe of claim 3, wherein said fastening structure comprises
mated portions of fastening material affixed to said at least one
strap.
5. The shoe of claim 3, wherein a front surface of said shin guard
includes a recess approximately the same width of said strap which
is adapted to receive said strap when said shin guard is secured to
the lower leg of the wearer.
6. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising a tongue, wherein said
shin guard is attached to said tongue.
7. The shoe of claim 5, wherein said shin guard is detachably
attached to said tongue and further comprising engagement structure
to secure said shin guard to said tongue.
8. The shoe of claim 7, wherein said engagement structure comprises
mated portions of fastening material.
9. The shoe of claim 8, wherein said engagement structure comprises
mated snaps.
10. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said shin guard includes padding
material disposed therein.
11. The shoe of claim 10, wherein said padding material comprises
closed-cell foam padding.
12. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising a padded tongue.
13. The shoe of claim 12, wherein said padded tongue comprises a
lower padded tongue portion and an upper tongue portion.
14. The shoe of claim 12, wherein said padding material comprises
closed-cell foam padding.
15. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said shoe upper has padding
material therein, wherein said padding material is positioned
within said shoe upper to generally correspond to at least one
location on the foot of the wearer, said locations including at
least one of the group consisting of the forward dorsal region, the
instep, the lateral and posterior aspects of the heel, the left and
right forward lateral aspects of the foot, and the ankle
portion.
16. The shoe of claim 15, wherein said padding material comprises
closed-cell foam padding.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/593,256 filed Jun. 13, 2000, which claims the benefit
of U.S. Patent Provisional Application No. 60/165,548, filed on
Nov. 15, 1999.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] (Not Applicable)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to footwear, and more
particularly to a shoe designed for use in athletic activities.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] The foot can be subjected to stresses during athletic
activities. Existing athletic shoes, such as those disclosed by
Thais et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,981, Richardson, U.S. Pat. No.
5,430,960, Onitsuka, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 27,512, and Mitsui, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,117,568, are primarily constructed to provide support
for the instep and ankles of the wearer while running or jumping.
In addition to running and jumping, some sports and fitness
activities require the participant to engage in kicking maneuvers,
such as martial arts and soccer. The top, sides, sole, and heel of
the feet can sustain severe blows during such activities.
Additionally, kicks can be landed against another person during
certain activities, either inadvertently or, in the case of the
martial arts, while sparring. There is a possibility that the
impact of knotted shoe laces or other shoe fastening structure can
injure the participants during athletic activities such as
sparring. It is therefore desirable to provide a shoe which
protects from such injuries during activities such as martial arts,
kick boxing, and soccer.
[0007] Prior art shoes adapted to prevent injury from kicking are
generally those designed specifically for use in the martial arts.
Such shoes are known to have significant limitations. For example,
such shoes generally do not have a shoe lacing arrangement. As a
lacing arrangement often provides the greatest degree of support
for the ankle of the wearer, prior art martial arts shoes generally
do not have the ankle support that is found in many athletic shoes.
In addition, conventional martial arts shoes are generally not
suitable for street wear.
[0008] Another limitation of conventional shoes for use in
activities involving kicking, such as soccer, kick boxing, and
martial arts, involves the padding used throughout the shoe. For
example, martial arts shoes disclosed in Oh et al., U.S. Pat. No.
4,972,609, Frederickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,715, Wren, Jr.,
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,970, and Rhee, U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,722
disclose foot protectors which are little more than foam pads
strapped to the foot.
[0009] Andujar, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,672 (Andujar), discloses a
protective shoe for use in contact sports such as martial arts. In
Andujar, the shoe upper is constructed of foam, and includes
additional protective pads on its ankle and top portions. The shoe
is secured by a single elastic strap held in place by Velcro.RTM.
fasteners. This fastening system would not provide a significant
amount of support to the ankles of the wearer, and could easily
slip and become displaced, causing the wearer to become unbalanced.
Collins, U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,613, similarly discloses a padded boot
for use in the martial arts. This shoe is also secured by a single
elastic strap with Velcro.RTM. fasteners.
[0010] Rhee, U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,493, discloses a protective shoe
constructed of energy absorbing resilient material and a
substantially open bottom. The open bottom allows the foot of the
wearer to contact the floor or the ground. The shoe designed by
Rhee is for use only in a gym or sparring ring, and is obviously
unsuitable for everyday wear.
[0011] Bottoms, U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,015, discloses a karate and
kickboxing protective boot which has an open back and a detachable
heel protector portion. This boot is designed strictly for use in a
sparring ring.
[0012] Ward, U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,928, discloses a slip-on type shoe
for use in the martial arts. This shoe is constructed of a lightly
padded material. Ward does not disclose the use of heavy padding
positioned on the foot so as to absorb the impact of a kick against
a kicking bag or opponent.
[0013] It would be advantageous to provide a shoe which is adapted
for activities involving kicking that can protect a wearer of the
shoe and/or a partner from injury, while also providing ankle
support to the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] A padded shoe, according to an embodiment of the invention,
includes a shoe upper which is adjoined to a sole. The shoe upper
includes padding material disposed therein, which can be
closed-cell foam padding. The sole of the shoe can have a smooth
lower surface or a textured lower surface, and can also include a
plurality of gripping protrusions. The shoe upper includes a padded
tongue having an inner tongue portion and an outer tongue portion.
The inner and outer tongue portions can each have a lower end
attached to the shoe upper and a free upper end. A fastening
structure, which is tightenable to maintain the shoe on the foot of
the wearer is disposed between the inner and outer tongue portions.
The shoe includes an engagement structure to secure the outer
tongue portion to at least one of the inner tongue portion and the
shoe upper. When a wearer of the padded shoe strikes a target with
the padded tongue, the target and/or the wearer are protected from
direct impact with the fastening structure.
[0015] The padding within the shoe upper can be positioned within
the shoe upper to generally correspond to at least one of the
following locations on the foot of the wearer: the forward dorsal
region, the instep, the posterior aspect of the heel, the left and
right forward lateral aspects of the foot, and the ankle portion.
At least a portion of the perimeter of the shoe can be chamfered to
provide a smooth arcuate edge. The sole can be formed at least
partially from crepe rubber.
[0016] The fastening structure can include a lace threaded through
oppositely disposed eyelets. The engagement structure can include
mated snaps or mated portions of hook and loop fastening material.
The shoe upper can extend at least to the ankle of the wear, and
the padded tongue can extend above the shoe upper.
[0017] A second embodiment of the shoe, according to the invention,
can include a shoe upper which is adjoined to a sole. The shoe
upper includes padding disposed therein, which can be closed-cell
foam padding. The shoe upper can include a padded tongue having
side edges, and one or more resilient portions. The resilient
portions can have a first edge adjoined to the side edges of the
padded tongue and a second edge adjoined to the shoe upper. The
resilient portions allow a portion of the shoe upper to be
outwardly distended to allow the insertion of the foot of the
wearer. The foam padding can be positioned within the shoe upper to
generally correspond to at least one of the following locations on
the foot of the wearer: the forward dorsal region, the instep, the
lateral and posterior aspects of the heel, the left and right
forward lateral aspects of the foot, and the ankle portion. The
sole can have a smooth or a textured lower surface, and can include
a plurality of gripping protrusions. At least a portion of the
perimeter of the sole can be chamfered. The sole can be formed at
least partially from crepe rubber.
[0018] A third embodiment of the shoe includes a shoe upper
adjoined to a sole. The shoe upper includes padding material
therein, which can be closed-cell foam padding The shoe can include
a padded tongue having a first end attached to the shoe upper and a
second free end. The sole of the shoe can have a smooth lower
surface or a textured lower surface, and can also include a
plurality of gripping protrusions. In addition, the sole can be
formed at least partially from crepe rubber. The padding material
can be positioned within the shoe upper to generally correspond to
at least one of the following locations on the foot of the wearer:
the forward dorsal region, the instep, the lateral and posterior
aspects of the heel, the left and right forward lateral aspects of
the foot, and the ankle portion.
[0019] The shoe can further include a shin guard detachably
connected to the padded tongue. The shin guard preferably has a
convex front surface and a concave rear surface, and extends
upwardly from the shoe to be in contact with the shin of the
wearer. The shin guard can be configured to closely engage with the
shin of the wearer. The shoe can further include at least one strap
connected to the elongate member to secure the shin guard to the
lower leg of the wearer. The strap can include a fastening
structure. The shoe can include an engagement structure to secure
the elongate member to the padded tongue. The shin guard can
comprise portions of hook and loop fastening material, or mated
snaps. The shin guard can include padding disposed therein. The
front surface of the elongate member can include a recess
approximately the same width of the strap which is adapted to
receive the strap when the shin guard is secured to the lower leg
of the wearer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] There are shown in the drawings embodiments which are
presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the
invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and
instrumentalities shown, wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a padded shoe according to
an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the padded shoe in FIG.
1 taken along line 2-2.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the padded shoe in FIG.
1 taken along line 3-3.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the padded shoe illustrated
in FIG. 1 with the outer tongue portion shown in an outwardly
extended position.
[0025] FIG. 5a is a bottom plan view of the padded shoe of FIG. 1
in which the lower surface of the sole is smooth.
[0026] FIG. 5b is a bottom plan view of the padded shoe of FIG. 1
in which the lower surface of the sole is textured.
[0027] FIG. 5c is a bottom plan view of the padded shoe of FIG. 1
in which the lower surface of the sole includes a plurality of
gripping protrusions.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a padded shoe according to a
second embodiment of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the padded shoe in FIG. 6.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the padded shoe in FIG.
6 taken along line 8-8.
[0031] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the padded shoe in FIG.
6 taken along line 9-9.
[0032] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a padded shoe according to
a third embodiment of the invention.
[0033] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the padded shoe
in FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11.
[0034] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the padded shoe in FIG. 10
with the shin guard shown detached from the tongue.
[0035] FIG. 13 is a detailed view of the embodiment shown in FIG.
10 showing the use of mated snaps to secure the shin guard to the
tongue.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] A shoe 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the
invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The shoe 10 is preferably
formed of materials which are light in weight yet still strong and
durable. The shoe 10 includes a shoe upper 12 adjoined to a sole
14. The shoe upper 12 can be manufactured from any conventional
material such as leather, synthetic leather, or canvas. The shoe
upper 12 preferably extends at least to the ankle of the wearer,
however, the invention is not limited in that regard. For example,
the shoe upper 12 can extend significantly beyond the ankle of the
wearer to cover all or a portion of the skin, or not extend to the
ankle of the wearer. The upper edge 25 of the shoe upper 12
preferably forms a collar into which a foot can be inserted.
[0037] A portion of the edge of sole 14 can be chamfered to provide
a continuous arcuate edge at the point where the sole 14 is joined
to the shoe upper 12. It is particularly preferable to have
chamfered edges at the front toe and rear heel portions of the shoe
10.
[0038] The sole 14 can be attached to the shoe upper 12 by any
means known in the art, such as gluing, stitching, or heat sealing.
The shoe upper 10 preferably includes a padded tongue 18, to be
discussed in detail hereinafter.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shoe upper 12 can include any
suitable padding material 22 disposed therein. For example, the
padding material 22 can be foam rubber, cotton, open-cell foam or
closed-cell foam. The padding material 22 preferably has a high
degree of resiliency and excellent shock absorption properties. In
a particularly preferred embodiment, the padding material 22 is
closed-cell chemically cross-linked polyethylene foam, such as the
Minicell.RTM. products manufactured by the Voltek Division of the
Sekisui America Corporation. Although not limited in this regard,
closed-cell foam padded suitable for use in the shoe 10 can have a
density of between approximately 1.5 and 3.5 pcf, a compression
strength of between approximately 6 and 22 psi at approximately 25%
deflection and between approximately 12 and 34 psi at approximately
50% deflection, and a tensile strength of between 30 and 120
psi.
[0040] The padding material 22 can be located throughout the shoe
upper 12. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the padding
material 22 has an increased thickness on those points of the shoe
upper 12 which cover portions of the foot that are more likely to
be injured during athletic activities involving kicking, such as
kick boxing, martial arts, and soccer. For example, the padding
material 22 can have an increased thickness at the portion of the
shoe upper 12 that covers the forward dorsal region of the foot,
the instep of the foot, the posterior aspect of the heel, the left
and right forward lateral aspects of the foot, or the ankle
portion. The ankle portion can be defined as the area which
generally surrounds the medial malleoulus and the lateral malleous
and the area therebetween. The padding material 22 can have any
suitable thickness, but preferably has a thickness of between
approximately 0.125 and 1.0 inches throughout the shoe 10, and most
preferably has a thickness of between 0.25 and 0.5 inches.
[0041] As can be seen in FIGS. 2-4, the padded tongue 18 preferably
includes an inner tongue portion 15 and an outer tongue portion 16.
The inner and outer tongue portions 15, 16 include front surfaces
15a, 15b and back surfaces 16a, 16b. As shown in FIG. 3, both the
inner and outer tongue portions 15, 16 preferably have padding
material 22. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the outer
tongue portion 16 has a greater amount of padding material 22 than
the inner tongue portion 15. Either the inner tongue portion 15 or
the outer tongue portion 16, or both, can extend above the upper
edges 25 of shoe upper 12. Extending the inner tongue portion 15 or
the outer tongue portion 16 above the shoe upper 12 can
advantageously provide protective padding for the lower leg of the
wearer.
[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates the outer tongue portion 1 6 in an
outwardly extended position. It can be seen that the shoe upper 12
includes oppositely disposed free edges 34. The free edges 34 are
positioned between the inner and outer portions 15, 16 of the
padded tongue 18.
[0043] Any suitable fastening structure can be utilized that will
secure the shoe 10 to the foot of the wearer, such as Velcro.RTM..
The shoe 10 preferably includes a fastening structure that can be
selectively tightenable to maintain the shoe on the wearer's foot.
The fastening structure can interconnect the free edges 34 to
secure the shoe 10 to the foot of the wearer. The fastening
structure is preferably positioned between the inner and outer
portions 15, 16 of tongue 18. The fastening structure can include a
conventional lacing area 30 having a row of eyelets 32 located on
each of the oppositely disposed edge portions 34 of the shoe upper
12. A lace 36 can be inserted through the eyelets 32.
[0044] The shoe 10 preferably includes an engagement structure to
secure the outer tongue portion 16 to the inner tongue portion 15
and/or the shoe upper 12. The engagement structure can be formed of
synthetic material portions 51, 52 which adhere when pressed
together, such as Velcro.RTM.. The material portions are preferably
affixed to the back surface 16b of outer tongue 16 and at least one
of the front surface 15a of inner tongue portion 15 and the area
proximate to the opposing edges 34 of the shoe upper 12. In the
illustrated embodiment, fastening material portion 51 is attached
to the periphery of the back surface 16b of outer tongue 16,
although the invention is not limited in that regard. The fastening
material portions 52 are attached to the shoe upper 12 proximate to
the opposing edges 34 and on the front surface 15a of inner tongue
portion 15 so as to be in general alignment with fastening material
portion 51. The fastening material portions 51, 52 can be attached
by any suitable method, such as stitching or adhesives, and can be
arranged in any suitable configuration. Alternatively, metal snaps
can be utilized to secure the outer tongue portion 16, either alone
or in combination with hook and loop fastening material described
above. Any suitable method, or combination of methods, can be used
to secure the outer tongue portion 16 to prevent movement of the
outer tongue portion 16 relative to the shoe upper 12 while the
shoe 10 is being worn by the wearer.
[0045] The lower surface of sole 14 can have any suitable texture.
FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate various possible textures of the
lower surface of sole 14, although the invention is not limited to
the textures described or shown. FIG. 5a illustrates the lower
surface 13a of the sole 14 having a smooth texture. The smooth
texture allows the wearer to pivot on the balls of the feet on a
flat surface, such as a gym floor, as would be done when practicing
various marital arts sports. In sports such as kick boxing or
karate, the bottom of the feet will strike the selected target,
typically a kicking bag or a human opponent. Advantageously, the
smooth texture of FIG. 5a is suitable for contact with both a floor
surface and a human opponent or partner. In FIG. 5b, the lower
surface 13b of the sole 14 is textured to provide a shoe 10
suitable for walking and running activities. FIG. 5c illustrates
the lower surface of the sole 14 having a plurality of gripping
protrusions 79 to provide a shoe 10. The embodiment shown in FIG.
5c is particularly suitable for use in outdoor field sports, such
as soccer.
[0046] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the lower surface
13a, 13b, or 13c of the sole 14 is formed at least partly of crepe
rubber. Advantageously, a crepe rubber sole is soft enough to
reduce the likelihood of scraping or otherwise injuring a human
opponent or partner who comes into contact with the sole, yet
durable enough to allow the shoe to be worn on the street, as
opposed to primarily on a gym floor.
[0047] As previously indicated, the shoe 10 provides advantages to
the wearer when the wearer is engaged in activities which involve
kicking, as the shoe 10 can have a limited number of protruding
exterior features or sharp edges that could possibly injure an
opponent. The padded tongue 18 provides protection to the top of
the wearer's foot when this area is impacted, such as by kicking a
bag or an opponent. The outer tongue portion 16 advantageously
protects an opponent from impact with fastening structure, such as
the knotted lace 36 of a preferred embodiment. The padding material
in the inner tongue portion 15 further protects the top of the
wearer's foot on impact from the lacing and knots in the
lacing.
[0048] If the tongue of an athletic shoe slips to one side, the
shoe can be uncomfortable for the wearer. The above-described
arrangement of securing the outer tongue portion 16 to the inner
tongue portion 15 and the shoe upper 12 also provides the advantage
of maintaining the padded tongue 18 in an optimum center position,
if desired.
[0049] A second embodiment of the padded shoe of the present
invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The shoe 60 includes a shoe
upper 62 adjoined to a sole 64. The shoe upper 62 can have any
suitable configuration, including that which is shown in FIGS. 5
and 6, and that which is described in reference to the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1. The lower surface of sole 64 can have any suitable
texture, such as those described in FIGS. 5a-c in connection with
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. At least a portion of the perimeter
of the sole 64 can be chamfered to provide a smooth arcuate edge.
The shoe upper 62 includes upper edges 66 which can form a collar
into which a foot can be inserted. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the
shoe upper 62 includes padding material 65 disposed therein which
is located throughout the shoe upper 62. The padding material 65
can have varying thicknesses throughout the shoe upper 62, and can
be distributed to provide protection to the areas of the foot that
can be subjected to impact due to kicking maneuvers or other
activities placing stress on the foot, as was described above in
connection with the shoe 10 shown in FIG. 1. The shoe 60 includes a
padded tongue 68 which serves to protect the top of the wearer's
foot. The padded tongue 68 can have any suitable shape. The lower
end of padded tongue 68 is preferably fixedly attached to the shoe
upper 62 and preferably has an upper end extending at least to the
upper edge 66 of shoe upper 62, although the invention is not
limited in that regard. The shoe 60 can have any suitable resilient
material which can closely surround the foot of the wearer. For
example, the shoe 60 can include elongate portions of resilient
material 69 longitudinally positioned on the shoe 60. The
illustrated embodiment includes two portions of resilient material
69. Each portion of resilient material 69 has a first edge
preferably fixedly attached to at least a portion of the side edge
of the padded tongue 68 and a second edge preferably attached to
the shoe upper 62. The padded tongue 68 can be outwardly distended
from the shoe upper 62 by stretching the resilient portion 69 in
order to allow insertion of the wearer's foot.
[0050] A third embodiment of the shoe of the present invention is
shown in FIG. 10. The shoe 80 includes a shoe upper 82 adjoined to
a sole 84. The shoe upper 82 includes a padded tongue 77 which has
a lower end connected to the shoe upper 82 and a free upper end
77a, shown most clearly in FIGS. 11 and 12. The sole 84 can have
any texture on the lower surface, however the sole 84 preferably
includes a plurality of gripping agents 79, as previously discussed
and shown in FIG. 5c. The shoe upper 82 can have any suitable
configuration. The shoe upper 82 preferably includes a fastening
structure 85. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastening
structure 85 includes a conventional lacing arrangement having two
rows of oppositely disposed eyelets 88, and a lace 86 threaded
through the eyelets 88 and tied in a conventional fashion.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 11, padding material 81 is located
throughout the shoe upper 82. The padding material 81 can be any
suitable material, as described above in reference to the
embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 6. Preferably, the padding material is
closed-cell foam material, although it can be any padding material
known in the art. The padding material 81 can have a greater
thickness on those points of the shoe upper 82 which cover the foot
of the wearer at points of possible impact, as in the embodiments
shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0052] Referring again to FIG. 10, the shoe 80 preferably includes
a shin guard 92 extending upward from the shoe upper 82 so as to be
in contact with and substantially cover the shin of the wearer. The
shin guard 92 is preferably configured to closely engage with the
shin of the wearer, and can include a convex surface 75 and a
concave surface 76. The shin guard 92 is preferably detachably
connected to any suitable portion of the shoe upper 82 and, in the
illustrated embodiment, is detachably connected to padded tongue
77. The shin guard 92 can be constructed of any suitable material,
such as leather, canvas, or plastic. The shin guard 92 preferably
includes padding material 97. The padding material 97 can be any
suitable padding material, such as closed cell foam rubber, and
should preferably have a sufficient hardness and density to
maintain the shape of the elongate member 92 without significant
distortion.
[0053] The invention contemplates a variety of structures which can
be utilized to secure the shin guard 92 to the padded tongue 77.
FIG. 12 illustrates the shin guard 92 partially detached from the
padded tongue 77. In the illustrated embodiment, synthetic material
portions 87, 89 which adhere when pressed together, such as Velcro
, are affixed to aligning surfaces of the shin guard 92 and padded
tongue 77 so that the shin guard can extend generally vertically
upward from the shoe 80. The shin guard 92 can also be secured to
padded tongue 77 using mated snaps 78, as shown in FIG. 13.
[0054] Referring again to FIGS. 10 and 11, the shin guard 92 can
include at least one strap 94 which secures the shin guard 92 to
the leg of the wearer. The strap 94 can be a single piece, as
illustrated, or can consist of separate portions attached to the
sides of the shin guard 92. The strap 94 can also extend laterally
through shin guard 92. The strap 94 preferably includes a fastening
structure to secure the strap 94 either to itself or to the shin
guard 92. The fastening structure should preferably allow the strap
94 to be selectively adjustable to appropriately fit the leg of the
wearer. In the illustrated embodiment, the opposite ends of strap
94 include mated portions fastening material 103, 105, such as
Velcro.RTM., attached to the front and back surfaces of the strap
94. Any suitable securement method can be used to secure the shin
guard 92 to the leg of the wearer.
[0055] As is shown in FIG. 11, the front surface 76 can include a
recess 96 which is approximately the same width as the strap 94.
The strap 94 can be seated in the recess 96, and is preferably
adhered or otherwise attached. The recess 94 preferably has a depth
approximately equal to the thickness of the strap 94, so that when
strap 94 is seated in the recess 97, the surface of strap 94 is in
approximate alignment with the front surface 76 of the shin guard
92.
[0056] It should be understood that the examples and embodiments
described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that
various modifications or changes in light thereof will be obvious
to persons skilled in the art, and that such modifications or
changes are to be included within the spirit and purview of this
application. Moreover, the invention can take other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential attributes
thereof.
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