U.S. patent application number 10/072305 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-07 for footcover and methods for producing and using the same.
Invention is credited to Udugama, Ari.
Application Number | 20030145491 10/072305 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27659445 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030145491 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Udugama, Ari |
August 7, 2003 |
Footcover and methods for producing and using the same
Abstract
An ornamental and useful footcover and methods for producing and
using the same. The footcover includes a first toe pocket adapted
to contain a particular one of the toes of a foot, a second pocket
adapted to contain at least one of the remaining toes of the foot,
and a third pocket adapted to contain the sole of the foot. The
first and second toe pockets and the third pocket are connected to
form an integral enclosure to contain a medication and prevent the
medication from being transported out of the integral enclosure. In
a preferred embodiment, the enclosure is made from a material for
forming a barrier that does not permit passage of the medication.
In another preferred embodiment, the sole and toe pockets have
edges that prevent the passage of the medication out of the
enclosure past the edges. In use, the medication is placed in the
footcover, which is then placed on the foot by inserting the toes
into the toe pocket and then pulling the third pocket over the sole
of the foot.
Inventors: |
Udugama, Ari; (Union City,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert M. Storwick
PO Box 386
Mercer Island
WA
98040
US
|
Family ID: |
27659445 |
Appl. No.: |
10/072305 |
Filed: |
February 7, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/23 ;
2/239 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 3/10 20130101; A43B
17/16 20130101; A44B 11/00 20130101; A43B 17/00 20130101; A43B 7/26
20130101; A43B 7/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/23 ;
2/239 |
International
Class: |
A41B 011/00; A43B
017/00; A43B 023/20 |
Claims
1. An enclosure to enclose a portion of a foot having one or more
toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot including the sole
of the foot and at least some of the toes, comprising: a first toe
pocket adapted to contain a particular one of the toes of the foot;
a second toe pocket adapted to contain at least some of the toes
other than the particular toe; and a third pocket adapted to
contain the sole of the foot, the first and second toe pockets and
the third pocket being connected to form an integral enclosure that
contains a medication for application to the particular toe and
prevents the medication from being transported out of the integral
enclosure.
2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first and second toe
pockets and the third pocket are made from a material that forms a
barrier that does not permit passage of the medication.
3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the third pocket encloses the
heel of the foot.
4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the third pocket and the first
and second toe pockets have edges that prevent the passage of the
medication out of the enclosure past the edges.
5. A method for making an enclosure to enclose a portion of a foot
having one or more toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot
including the sole of the foot and at least some of the toes, the
method comprising the steps of: a) forming a first toe pocket
adapted to contain a particular one of the toes of the foot; b)
forming a second toe pocket adapted to contain at least some of the
toes other than the particular toe; c) forming a third pocket
adapted to contain the sole of the foot; and d) connecting the
first and second toe pockets and the third pocket to form an
integral enclosure to contain a medication for application to the
particular toe and prevent the medication from being transported
out of the integral enclosure.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein steps a), b) and c) respectively
form the first and second toe pockets and the third pocket from a
material that forms a barrier that does not permit passage of the
medication.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein step c) includes forming the
third pocket to enclose the heel of the foot.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein steps a), b) and c) respectively
include forming the sole and toe pockets to have edges that prevent
the passage of the medication out of the enclosure past the
edges.
9. A method for forming an enclosure to enclose a portion of a foot
having one or more toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot
including the sole of the foot and at least some of the toes, the
method comprising the steps of: a) forming a first toe pocket
adapted to contain a particular one of the toes of the foot; b)
forming a second toe pocket adapted to contain at least some of the
toes other than the particular toe; and c) forming a third pocket
adapted to contain the sole of the foot, the first and second toe
pockets and the third pocket being connected to form an integral
enclosure to contain a medication for application to the portion of
the foot and prevent the passage of the medication through the
integral enclosure.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein step c) includes forming the
third pocket to enclose the heel of the foot.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein steps a), b) and c) respectively
include forming the first and second toe pockets and the third
pocket to have edges that prevent the passage of the medication out
of the enclosure past the edges.
12. An enclosure to enclose a portion of a foot having one or more
toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot including the sole
of the foot and at least some of the toes, comprising: first means
for containing a particular one of the toes of the foot; second
means for containing at least some of the toes other than the
particular toe; and third means for containing the sole of the
foot, the first, second and third means being connected to form an
integral enclosure for containing a medication for application to
the portion of the foot and preventing the medication from being
transported out of the integral enclosure.
13. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third
means are made from a material that forms a barrier that does not
permit passage of the medication.
14. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the means for containing the
sole of the foot includes means for enclosing the heel of the
foot.
15. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third
means have edges that prevent the passage of the medication out of
the enclosure past the edges.
16. An enclosure for enclosing a portion of a foot having one or
more toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot including the
toes and the sole of the foot, comprising: first means for
containing a particular one of the toes of the foot; second means
for containing at least some of the toes other than the particular
toe; and third means for containing the sole of the foot, the
first, second and third means being connected to form an integral
means for containing a medication for application to the portion of
the foot and for preventing the passage of the medication through
the enclosure.
17. The enclosure of claim 16, wherein the third means includes
means for enclosing the heel of the foot.
18. The enclosure of claim 16, wherein the first, second and third
means include edges that prevent the passage of the medication out
of the enclosure past the edges.
19. The ornamental design for a footcover, as shown and described.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to footcovers, and more
specifically, to a footcover for enclosing the toes and the sole of
a foot and to methods for producing and using such a footcover.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well-known in the prior art to apply medication to the
toes and/or sole of a foot by applying the medication directly to
the toes and/or sole and then covering the toes and sole with
bandaging. One difficulty with this prior art is that the
medication can leak out from the bandaging, causing the medication
to pass onto surrounding surfaces. Leakage of the medication, of
course, requires that the medication be replaced or that an
oversupply of the medication be applied originally. Any surfaces
that become covered by the medication must also be cleaned.
Furthermore, bandaging will typically immobilize the user.
[0003] Other prior art includes footwear that is intended to
promote healing of the foot. However, the footwear is not designed
to contain any medication.
[0004] The known prior art does not include footwear that
containing medication without allowing the medication to leak
out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to a first aspect, the invention is an enclosure
to enclose a portion of a foot having one or more toes, a sole and
a heel. The portion of the foot includes the sole of the foot and
at least some of the toes. The enclosure includes a first toe
pocket adapted to contain a particular one of the toes of the foot,
a second toe pocket adapted to contain at least some of the toes
other than the particular toe, and a third pocket adapted to
contain the sole of the foot. The first and second toe pockets and
the third pocket are connected to form an integral enclosure that
contains a medication for application to the particular toe and
prevents the medication from being transported out of the integral
enclosure.
[0006] According to a second aspect, the invention is a method for
making an enclosure to enclose a portion of a foot having one or
more toes, a sole and a heel, the portion of the foot including the
sole of the foot and at least some of the toes. The method includes
the steps of: a) forming a first toe pocket adapted to contain a
particular one of the toes of the foot, b) forming a second toe
pocket adapted to contain at least some of the toes other than the
particular toe, c) forming a third pocket adapted to contain the
sole of the foot, and d) connecting the first and second toe
pockets and the third pocket to form an integral enclosure to
contain a medication for application to the particular toe and
prevent the medication from being transported out of the integral
enclosure.
[0007] According to a third aspect, the invention is an enclosure
to enclose a portion of a foot having one or more toes, a sole and
a heel, the portion of the foot including the sole of the foot and
at least some of the toes. The enclosure includes first means for
containing a particular one of the toes of the foot, second means
for containing at least some of the toes other than the particular
toe, and third means for containing the sole of the foot. The
first, second and third means are connected to form an integral
enclosure for containing a medication for application to the
portion of the foot and preventing the medication from being
transported out of the integral enclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the preferred embodiment
of the invention. The footwear 10 is intended to enclose a portion
of a foot having one or more toes, a sole and a heel. The portion
of a foot intended to be enclosed includes at least one or more of
the toe(s) and the sole of the foot. The footwear 10 includes a
first toe pocket 12, a second toe pocket 14 and a third pocket 16.
The first toe pocket 12 is adapted to contain a specific one of the
toes of the foot, such as the big toe. The second toe pocket 14 is
adapted to contain a specific ones of the remaining toes of the
foot. The second toe pocket 14 of the invention encloses all of the
specific ones of the toes together, much as the fingers of a hand
(other than the thumb) are enclosed together in a mitten.
[0011] The third pocket 16 is adapted to contain the sole of the
foot. It can also include the heel of the foot. The first and
second toe pockets 12 and 14 and the third pocket 16 are connected
to form an integral enclosure 18.
[0012] As an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first toe
pocket 12 can be designed to enclose the toe next to the big toe
and the second toe pocket 14 can enclose the remaining toes.
[0013] It is envisioned that the primary application of the
invention will allow medication to be applied to the specific one
of the toes while the remaining toes and the remainder of the foot
are segregated from the medication. However, there are other
applications as well. For example, the specific one of the toes can
be treated with a first medication, the specific ones of the
remaining toes can be treated with a second medication, and the
sole can be treated with a third medication.
[0014] In general, each of the pockets can contain a particular
medication for application to the portion of the foot it is
intended to contain while also preventing the medication from being
transported out of the pocket, as well as out of the integral
enclosure.
[0015] In a further preferred embodiment, the respective edges 20,
22 and 24 of the first and second toe pockets 12 and 14 and the
third pocket 16 are designed to prevent the medication from
transporting out of the integral enclosure 16 by passing around any
of the edges 20, 22 and 24. The edges 20, 22 and 24 can
alternatively take the form of a thickened bead or an
inwardly-turning flap that forms a barrier to contain the
medication within the integral enclosure 18.
[0016] The integral enclosure 18 is preferably made from a plastic
material that will not allow the medication to pass through, yet
can be stretched over the foot and comfortably enclose the foot
when in place. Such plastic materials are well-known to those
skilled in the relevant arts.
[0017] While the foregoing includes detailed descriptions of the
preferred embodiment of the invention, there are many alternative
embodiments of the invention that would occur to those skilled in
the art and which are within the scope of the present invention.
For example, it will be understood by those skilled in the relevant
arts that the invention includes a mirror image of the embodiment
shown in the drawings. Accordingly, the present invention is to be
determined by the following claims.
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