U.S. patent application number 10/603335 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-30 for yoga sandal.
Invention is credited to Lindsay, Hilary.
Application Number | 20040261289 10/603335 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33539711 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040261289 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lindsay, Hilary |
December 30, 2004 |
Yoga sandal
Abstract
Yoga Sandal with a sole portion, an elastic foot covering
portion and a rear strap portion. The sole portion is flexible,
thin and has a non slip surface that makes contact with the floor.,
The sole portion covers the arch and ball area of the user's foot,
but not the toe and heal area The elastic foot covering portion is
attached to the sole portion at each side edge of the sole so that
the foot covering portion fits snuggly on the top central portion
of the user's foot. The strap portion is attached to the rear edge
of each side of the elastic foot covering so that the strap can
retain the user's foot within the sandal. The sandal can removably
retain an orthotic device to provide arch support, and or
metatarsal support.
Inventors: |
Lindsay, Hilary; (Nashville,
TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hilary Lindsay
2805 B Tyne Blvd.
Nashville
TN
37215
US
|
Family ID: |
33539711 |
Appl. No.: |
10/603335 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/7.5 ; 36/11.5;
36/7.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 7/142 20130101;
A43B 3/128 20130101; A43B 7/1445 20130101; A43B 5/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/007.5 ;
036/011.5; 036/007.2 |
International
Class: |
A43B 003/18; A43B
003/12; A43B 003/10 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Yoga Sandal comprising: a sole portion; an elastic foot covering
portion; a rear strap portion; said sole portion being flexible,
thin and having a non slip surface that makes contact with the
floor; said sole portion covering the arch and ball area of the
user's foot, but not the toe and heal area; said elastic foot
covering portion being attached to said sole portion at each side
edge of said sole so that said foot covering portion fits snuggly
on the top central portion of the user's foot; and said strap
portion attached to the rear edge of each side of said elastic foot
covering so that said strap can removably retain said user's foot
within said sandal.
2. Yoga Sandal as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sandal can
removably retain an orthotic device to provide arch support, and or
metatarsal support; said orthotic devices being sandwiched between
the bottom of the user's foot and the top inner surface of said
sole portion.
3. Yoga Sandal as claimed in claim 1 wherein said foot covering
includes a visual indicator in the form of a centrally located
binding or the like that is parallel to the length of the user's
foot.
4. Yoga Sandal as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sandal is thin
enough that it can be placed inside a user's shoe while retaining
one or more orthotic devices.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] This invention relates generally to the field of sandals and
more specifically to a yoga exercise sandal.
[0005] Some types of exercise such as hatha yoga and expressive
dance are done by a person while bare foot. In particular, various
yoga positions that involve spread legs and arms are held for a
period of time by the practitioner. It is imperative that the toes
and heals of the person exercising have complete freedom of
movement and contact with the floor plane. In an effort to prevent
slipping many practitioners of yoga and dance use a mat that is
thin yet has a high degree of stiction. In this way the
practitioner can maintain a stretched stance that would otherwise
be impossible without the use of a commonly used standard sticky
mat. In addition, some practitioners of yoga are in need of arch or
metatarsal support for optimum exercise results. Obviously, a bare
foot practitioner can not wear such an orthotic device because
these devices normally are inserted into the user's shoe. Therefore
the postures and exercises associated with doing yoga or dance
exercise is restricted to the area of the sticky mat which is a
rather narrow, confining amount of space. Additionally, the person
in need of arch or metitarcal support is unable to obtain such
support because the type of exercises being done require bare feet.
Additionally, dancers who dance barefoot suffer from wear and tear
of the sole of their feet.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary object of the invention is to provide a sandal
that helps individuals have non slip footing while doing Yoga
exercises and the like.
[0007] Another object of the invention is to provide a sandal that
can reomably retain an orthotic device.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a sandal that
can be worn inside a standard shoe.
[0009] A further object of the invention is to provide a sandal
that helps the user position his or her feet in the correct
direction when doing exercises and the like.
[0010] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sandal
that is thin and light so that the user has full flexibility of his
or her foot and toes.
[0011] Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a
sandal that allows the user's toes and heal to be in full contact
with the floor when necessary.
[0012] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of
illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is
disclosed.
[0013] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention,
there is disclosed Yoga Sandal comprising: a sole portion, an
elastic foot covering portion and a rear strap portion Said sole
portion being flexible, thin and having a non slip surface at its
bottom that makes contact with the floor. Said sole portion
covering the arch and ball area of the user's foot, but not the toe
and heal area. Said elastic foot covering portion being attached to
said sole portion at each side edge of said sole so that said foot
covering portion fits snuggly on the top central portion of the
user's foot. Said strap portion attached to the rear edge of each
side of said elastic foot covering so that said strap can removably
retain said user's foot within said sandal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and
include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be
embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some
instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated
or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a side section view of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are
provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present
invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific
details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but
rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for
teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in
virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or
manner.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a top view of the yoga sandal
of the present invention 100. The sandal fits snuggly around the
central portion of the user's foot 2. The top of the sandal is
comprised of a left panel 4 and a right panel 8 sewn at one edge to
each other via a seam binding 6 at the top central longitudinal
plane of the user's foot, and at each opposite edge to a sole
portion 16 shown in FIG. 2. The seam created at the central
junction between panel 4 and panel 8 is preferably a different
color from the right and left panels 4, 8 so that the user can
easily see the direction his or her foot is pointing. Alternately,
panel 4 may be made of a different color than panel 8 so that the
seam area 6 is even more pronounced. Panels 4 and 8 are preferably
constructed of an elastic fabric such as spandex or the like. FIG.
2 shows a side view of the present invention 100. Notice that the
elastic panels 4, 8 covers only central portion of the user's foot
thereby allowing the user's toes and heal to be exposed to the
floor which is a preferable location when doing hatha yoga
exercises or certain creative dance exercises. FIG. 3 shows a
bottom view of the present invention 100. The sole portion 16 is
sewn to the foot retaining panels 4, 8 at stitched edges 20, 22.
The sole portion 16 is constructed of a layer 34 of breathable
material such as cotton or ultrasuade or the like and a bottom
layer of non skid material such as resilient, foamed PVC, or a high
stiction resilient poly urethane plastic or the like as shown in
cross section view in FIG. 5. The non skid material 16 allows the
user to maintain various stances and yoga positions without
slipping. This feature creates a condition where the user no longer
is bound to the confines of a standard yoga mat, yet the user
maintains the freedom and intimate contact with the floor in the
toe 2 and heal 3 area to practice the subtitle moves involved in
yoga exercise. FIG. 5 also shows that the user can removably insert
standard orthotic devices such as an arch support 30 and, or, a
metatarsal support 32. The support devices 30, 32 have an adhesive
layer on the side facing inner sole layer 34 to allow them to be
removably retained in the sandal 100. These support devices 30, 32
make it easier for people with poor foot structure to practice yoga
or other exercises. Additionally, because the overall configuration
of the invention 100 is so thin and flexible, the user can elect to
wear the entire invention 100 including orthotic support devices
30, 32 inside his or her shoe. Because the orthotic devices 30, 32
are adhered to inner sole layer 34, the user can remove and
re-insert the entire yoga sandal 100 of the present invention into
any pair of shoes that the user owns thereby allowing the user to
use only one set of orthotic devices for a plurality of shoe styles
rather than to maintain a separate set of orthotic devices for each
shoe pair owned by the user.
[0022] The above description and illustrations show that the yoga
sandal of the present invention is a novel means to provide a
non-slip, orthotically supported sandal while maintaining the
foot's flexibility and intimate toe and heal contact with the
floor.
[0023] While the invention has been described in connection with a
preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the
invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it
is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and
equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
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