U.S. patent application number 10/631869 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-12 for footwear aid for walking in water.
Invention is credited to Watanabe, Kenjiro.
Application Number | 20040025372 10/631869 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31492370 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040025372 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Watanabe, Kenjiro |
February 12, 2004 |
Footwear aid for walking in water
Abstract
To provide a footwear aid for walking in water which prevents a
foot slipping in a pool more effectively, and which fits more
comfortably on the foot. The footwear aid for walking in water
includes: a flexible sole-contact-sheet main body (1); and a
foot-fastening belt (2) provided to the sole-contact-sheet main
body (1), and at least a bottom surface side of the
sole-contact-sheet main body (1) is formed of a woven material (3)
of cotton or a cotton blend.
Inventors: |
Watanabe, Kenjiro;
(Oyama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1021
US
|
Family ID: |
31492370 |
Appl. No.: |
10/631869 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/8.1 ;
36/11.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 11/1493 20130101;
A43B 3/128 20130101; A43B 5/08 20130101; A43B 1/0081 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/8.1 ;
36/11.5 |
International
Class: |
A43B 005/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 8, 2002 |
JP |
2002-231357 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A footwear aid for walking in water, comprising: a flexible
sole-contact-sheet main body; and a foot-fastening belt provided to
the sole-contact-sheet main body, wherein at least a bottom surface
side of the sole-contact-sheet main body is formed of a woven
material of cotton or a cotton blend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a footwear aid for walking
in water, which is worn on a foot to facilitate walking in water in
a pool.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Walking in water in a pool is widely performed as having
excellent effects as exercise, rehabilitation, and the like for
elderly people. In general, pools are not built for a purpose of
walking, and many pools have tiles applied on bottom surfaces
thereof, causing a state where feet slip easily.
[0005] Upon walking in water in this type of pool, a person who is
capable of swimming can walk without feeling uneasiness, and even
if he/she slips and loses balance to fall in the water, he/she can
stand up quickly.
[0006] However, a person who cannot swim feels uneasiness being in
water per se, and moreover, he/she is in the state where slippage
easily occurs, thus even with a small slip it is easy for him/her
to lose balance and fall. Furthermore, when he/she falls, he/she
might panic and not be able to stand up easily, possibly causing an
unexpected accident.
[0007] Therefore, in a pool designed especially for walking in
water, a walking-only course is provided in a portion of the pool,
and a hand railing for a walker to hold on to is provided. However,
considering the aspect of exercise, it is preferable to walk while
moving one's entire body in water. In order to do this, it is
preferable for a walker to be able to walk easily without holding
onto the hand railing.
[0008] In light of this, the inventor of the present invention
investigated for a technique for preventing slippage of the foot in
a pool to thereby facilitate walking in water, and developed and
patented (JP 10-53795 A) a footwear aid for walking in water, which
is constituted of a rubber tube-shape body closely enveloping at
least from a toe base portion to a mid-foot portion, and which is
provided with a toe-separation piece to be inserted at least
between a big toe and an index toe, on a toe-side opening of the
tube-shape body.
[0009] The above-mentioned footwear aid for walking in water, which
was developed by the present inventor, is made of rubber.
Therefore, due to its material property, there is little slippage
against the walking surface, thereby facilitating walking in water.
However, the inventor of the present invention was not satisfied
with this and continued the investigation for a footwear aid for
walking in water with which there is even less slippage against the
walking surface. As a result, the inventor of the present invention
discovered that a footwear aid made of cotton causes less slippage
against the tile surface in the water than that made of rubber, and
moreover cotton is more comfortable when worn on the foot than
rubber. Thus, the inventor completed the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to more effectively
prevent a foot slipping in a pool, and moreover to provide a
footwear aid for walking in water which fits more comfortably on
the foot.
[0011] In order to attain the above-mentioned object, according to
the present invention, there is provided a footwear aid for walking
in water, characterized by including: a flexible sole-contact-sheet
main body; and a foot-fastening belt provided to the
sole-contact-sheet main body, in which at least a bottom surface
side of the sole-contact-sheet main body is formed of a woven
material of cotton or a cotton blend.
[0012] Fibers of the cotton exhibit a twisted shape, and they are
not distorted in shape even when immersed in water. Therefore, the
cotton or the cotton-blend woven material's mesh is not distorted
even in water, and thus it has sufficient frictional resistance
even in water. Therefore, when the sole-contact-sheet main body,
which has at least its bottom surface side formed of the cotton or
cotton-blend woven material, is applied to the sole of the foot of
a wearer and fastened to the foot with the foot-fastening belt, and
then the wearer walks in water, the slippage against the walking
surface is extremely small due to material property of the cotton
or the cotton-blend woven material forming the bottom cotton
surface side of the sole-contact-sheet main body, thus facilitating
the walking in water.
[0013] Further, since the above-mentioned sole sheet main body has
flexibility, it changes shape according to a movement of the foot.
This enables a stable walking state to be obtained without an
uncomfortable feeling. At the same time, a movement of the foot is
not obstructed during swimming, thus allowing a wearer to swim in a
normal fashion.
[0014] Further, when an upper side surface of the
sole-contact-sheet main body, namely a surface contacting the sole
of the foot, is formed of the cotton or cotton-blend woven material
similarly to the back surface side, the footwear aid can more
comfortably fit on the foot.
[0015] In accordance with the above-mentioned footwear aid for
walking in water according to the present invention, at least the
bottom surface side of the sole-contact-sheet main body is formed
of the cotton or the cotton-blend woven material whose mesh is not
distorted and has sufficient frictional resistance even in water.
Therefore, when the above-mentioned sole-contact-sheet main body is
applied to the sole of the foot of a wearer and fastened to the
foot with the foot-fastening belt, and then the wearer walks in
water, there is extremely little slippage against the walking
surface due to the material property of the cotton or the
cotton-blend woven material forming the bottom cotton surface side
of the above-mentioned sole-contact-sheet main body, and thus it is
extremely easy to walk in the water.
[0016] Further, since the above-mentioned sole sheet main body has
flexibility, it changes shape according to a movement of the foot.
Since this enables a stable walking state to be obtained without an
uncomfortable feeling, the footwear aid is optimum as a footwear
aid for walking in water in the pool, particularly in exercise,
rehabilitation, and the like of elderly people.
[0017] Further, in addition to not obstructing walking, the
footwear aid does not obstruct a movement of the foot during
swimming, thus allowing a wearer to swim in a normal fashion.
[0018] Further, when an upper side surface of the
sole-contact-sheet main body, namely a surface contacting the sole
of the foot, is formed of the cotton or cotton-blend woven material
similarly to the back surface side, the footwear aid can fit more
comfortably on the foot. Further, since the construction is simple,
manufacturing is easy, and the footwear aid can be obtained
inexpensively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of an embodiment of
a footwear aid for walking in water according to the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the footwear aid for walking in
water shown in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of a
sole-contact-sheet main body of the footwear aid for walking in
water shown in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing
another example of a sole-contact-sheet main body;
[0023] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage state of
the footwear aid for walking in water shown in FIG. 1; and
[0024] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another example of an
embodiment of a footwear aid for walking in water according to the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Hereinafter, detailed explanation is given regarding
embodiments of a footwear aid for walking in water according to the
present invention. FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 show an example of an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view, FIG. 2
is a frontal view, FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional
view of a sole-contact-sheet main body, FIG. 4 is a partial
enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of a
sole-contact-sheet main body, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram
showing a state where the footwear aid for walking in water of the
present example is worn on a foot.
[0026] In the figures, reference numeral 1 indicates a flexible
sole-contact-sheet main body, and reference numeral 2 indicates a
foot-fastening belt provided to the sole-contact-sheet main body. A
shape of the sole-contact-sheet main body 1 is not particularly
limited, and in the present example, it is formed in a shape
generally conforming to the shape of the foot sole. Further, the
sole-contact-sheet main body 1 has flexibility enabling shape
transformation according to at least a movement of the foot, and at
least a bottom surface side thereof is formed of a cotton or
cotton-blend woven material indicated by reference numeral 3.
[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a construction in
which a flexible core material 4 is covered by the woven material 3
is adopted, but the invention is not restricted to this
construction. As shown in FIG. 4, the woven material 3 may be fixed
to the bottom of the flexible core material 4 by mean of adhesion,
sewing, or other fixing means. Further, with respect to the
flexible core material 4, there is no particular restriction
regarding its material provided that it is flexible. For example, a
thick woven material, felt, rubber, foam synthetic resin, or the
like are used.
[0028] Further, regarding the woven material 3, cotton or a
cotton-blend may be used. However, to create a large friction
resistance in water, a greater proportion of cotton is preferable,
and 100% cotton is most preferable. Further, a large cotton thread
size is preferable.
[0029] The foot-fastening belt 2, which is provided to the
sole-contact-sheet main body 1 and constructed as described above,
is for attaching the sole-contact-sheet main body 1 to the sole of
the foot so as not to separate therefrom. There is no particular
restriction as to the shape, material, and the like of the
foot-fastening belt 2 provided that the sole-contact-sheet main
body 1 does not separate from the sole of the foot. The
foot-fastening belt 2 of this embodiment is constituted of 2 straps
5 and 6, which are wrapped around and fastened to a toe base
portion of the sole-contact-sheet main body 1, and 2 straps 7 and
8, which are wrapped around and fastened to a portion from a heel
portion to an instep portion. The 2 straps 5 and 6, and the 2
straps 7 and 8 are fastened by surface fasteners 9.
[0030] Upon using the footwear aid for walking in water as
constructed as described above, first, the sole-contact-sheet main
body 1 is applied on the sole of the foot, and a foot-fastening
belt 2 constituted of the 2 straps 5 and 6 wrapped around and
fastened to the toe base portion, and the foot-fastening belt 2
constituted of the 2 straps 7 and 8 wrapped around and fastened to
a portion from the heel portion to the instep portion. By
performing this, the sole-contact-sheet main body 1 is attached to
the sole of the foot so as not to separate therefrom. The 2 straps
5 and 6, and the 2 straps 7 and 8, which constitute the
foot-fastening belt 2, are fastened by the surface fastener 9.
Therefore, fastening can be performed easily (FIG. 5).
[0031] In this way, the footwear aid for walking in water is worn
on the foot, and a wearer enters a pool and walks in the water. At
this time, regarding the sole-contact-sheet main body 1, at least
the bottom surface side thereof is made of the cotton or the
cotton-blend woven material 3, and the cotton fibers exhibit the
shape of twisted strips. This shape is not distorted even when
immersed in water, and the cotton or the cotton-blend woven
material 3 mesh is not distorted even in water. In addition,
sufficient friction resistance can be obtained even in water.
Therefore, due to the material property of the cotton or the
cotton-blend woven material 3 forming the bottom surface side of
the sole-contact-sheet main body 1, there is extremely little
slippage against the walking surface, thus facilitating walking in
water. At this time, regarding the woven material 3, the greater
the cotton proportion, the greater the frictional resistance. If
the woven material is 100% cotton, walking in water becomes even
easier. Further, when the cotton thread size is large, the
frictional resistance in water can be increased, and walking in
water becomes even easier.
[0032] Further, since the sole-contact-sheet main body 1 is
flexible, its shape changes in accordance with the movement of the
foot, whereby a stable walking state can be achieved without
causing uncomfortable feeling. In addition, the footwear aid does
not obstruct the movement of the foot during swimming, thus
allowing a wearer to swim in a normal fashion. Further, as shown in
FIG. 3, when constructed with the flexible core material 4 covered
by the woven material 3, the footwear aid fits more comfortably on
the foot.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows another example of an embodiment of the present
invention. In this example, as a part of the foot-fastening belt 2
which is provided to the sole-contact-sheet main body 1, the
foot-fastening belt 2 which is to be fastened to the toe portion is
constituted of a thong 10. The foot-fastening belt 2 for wrapping
around and fastening to a portion from the heel portion to the
instep portion is constituted of the 2 straps 7 and 8, similarly to
the previous example, and the 2 straps 7 and 8 are fastened with
the surface fastener 9.
* * * * *