U.S. patent application number 11/249871 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock for fitting over athletic protective equipment.
Invention is credited to David Teixeira.
Application Number | 20060156456 11/249871 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46322921 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060156456 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Teixeira; David |
July 20, 2006 |
Fastenable and unfastenable athletic sock for fitting over athletic
protective equipment
Abstract
An athletic sock in the form of a standard cotton sports sock
includes a longitudinal slit defining opposed edges that can be
fastened and unfastened for stretching the athletic sock over
athletic protective equipment disposed on the individual's lower
leg, and for removal therefrom. Each edge includes a closure member
that can be hook and loop fasteners or a zipper to facilitate the
stretching of the sock over the athletic protective equipment, and
the closure members can brought into mating engagement for securing
the sock onto the lower leg and comfortably upon the athletic
protective equipment and can be disengaged for sock removal. In
addition, the sock can be used as a medical compression sock
adjustably securable for obtaining the desired tightness, looseness
and comfort of the sock on the individual's lower leg.
Inventors: |
Teixeira; David; (Somerset,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE INVENTORS NETWORK, INC.
332 ACADEMY STREET
CARNEGIE
PA
15106
US
|
Family ID: |
46322921 |
Appl. No.: |
11/249871 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11035351 |
Jan 14, 2005 |
|
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11249871 |
Oct 14, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/239 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2071/1258 20130101;
A41D 13/0543 20130101; A63B 2209/10 20130101; A41B 11/006
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/239 |
International
Class: |
A41B 11/00 20060101
A41B011/00 |
Claims
1. An athletic sock for fitting over a shin guard that is worn on a
lower leg of an individual, comprising: an upper cuff end, a leg
portion, an ankle and shin portion, a rear portion and a foot
portion; an external sock surface and an opposite inner sock
surface adjacent the lower leg of the individual; a slit extending
from the upper cuff end to the ankle and shin portion and defining
a pair of opposed longitudinally extending edges; the slit further
dividing the sock into a pair of sock halves; a slide disposed on
the rear portion of the sock and mounted to one longitudinal edge
for reciprocable movement along both edges for closing and opening
the slit and thereby fastening and unfastening the sock halves to
each other; and two sets of teeth disposed on the rear portion of
the sock with each set of teeth consecutively arranged on and
secured to each respective longitudinal edge and extending from the
upper cuff end to the ankle and shin portion and engagable and
disengagable by the slide so that the reciprocable movement of the
slide along the both sets of teeth results in the fastening or
unfastening of the sock halves in order that the sock can be placed
upon the shin guard and lower leg or removed therefrom.
2. The athletic sock of claim 1 wherein the slide is pulled
downward along both sets of teeth from the upper cuff end to the
ankle and shin portion for engaging the teeth and fastening the
sock halves to each other.
3. The athletic sock of claim 2 wherein the slide is pulled upward
along both sets of teeth from the ankle and shin portion to the
upper cuff end for disengaging both sets of teeth and thereby
unfastening the sock halves from each other.
4. An athletic sock for fitting over a shin guard worn on a lower
leg of an individual, comprising: an upper end, a leg portion, an
ankle/shin portion and a foot portion; an external sock surface and
an interior sock surface that is adjacent to the lower leg of the
individual; a slit extending from the upper end to the ankle/shin
portion and defining a pair of opposed longitudinally extending
edges; a closure means mounted along the edges for attaching the
edges together and closing the slit thereby securing the sock on
the lower leg, and for detaching the edges so that the slit can be
opened for removal of the sock; and the edges being detachable from
each other so that the slit can be opened for slipping the sock
onto the lower leg and then over the shin guard and then the edges
being attachable to each other by the closure means thereby
securing the sock in position over the shin guard and upon the
lower leg.
5. The athletic sock of claim 4 wherein the closure means includes
a pair of strip members with one strip member mounted to one edge
and the other strip member mounted to the opposite edge, and the
strip members capable of attachment to each other and detachment
from each other for closing and opening the slit to facilitate the
securement of the sock over the shin guard and on the lower leg and
the removal of the sock therefrom.
6. The athletic sock of claim 5 wherein one strip member is mounted
to the exterior sock surface adjacent one edge and the other strip
member is mounted to the interior sock surface adjacent the other
edge.
7. The athletic sock of claim 6 wherein the strip member mounted to
the exterior sock surface has a width that is greater than the
width of the strip member mounted to the interior sock surface.
8. The athletic sock of claim 7 wherein the strip member that is
mounted to the interior sock surface is adjustably attachable to
the strip member mounted to the exterior sock surface in order to
obtain a comfortable securement of the sock over the shin guard and
upon the lower leg.
9. A stretchable sock for fitting onto the foot and lower leg of
the individual, comprising: an upper end, a leg portion, an
ankle/shin portion and a foot portion; an external sock surface and
an interior sock surface that is contiguous to the foot and lower
leg; a slit extending from the upper end to the ankle/shin portion
and defining a pair of opposed longitudinally extending edges; a
pair of strip members with one strip member mounted at each edge
and capable of selective attachment to each other for attaching the
edges and closing the slit and for selective detachment from each
other for opening the slit; and the strip members being detachable
from each other so that the slit can be opened and the sock slipped
onto the foot and fitted on the lower leg and over the shin guard
and the strip members being attachable to each other for closing
the slit and thereby securing the sock over the shin guard and to
the foot and lower leg.
Description
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part application of
application Ser. No. 11/035,351 filed on Jan. 14, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention pertains to athletic footwear, and
more particularly pertains to an athletic sock that includes a
fastenable and unfastenable slit that facilitates the stretching
and fitting of the athletic sock over the athletic protective
equipment disposed on the individual's lower leg and foot.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Shin guards and shin pads are the primary athletic
protective equipment in those sports where the primary contention
over the physical object that defines the sport is about the
players' legs, knees and feet. Such sports include soccer, field
hockey, ice hockey and floor hockey. The shin guards and pads
predominantly protect the players' shins from being struck during
play as such contact can result in cuts, bruises and broken. bones.
Shin guards and pads include a foot strap that conforms to the
individual's foot and through which the foot is inserted, and one
or more flexible straps that encompass the individual's lower leg
for securing the shin guard thereto.
[0004] Shin guards and pads are generally disposed against the
players' lower leg, and are covered by a form fitting and tight
fitting sock that extends up to the knee region. The sock is tight
fitting in order to assist in maintaining the position of the shin
guard or pad on the player's lower leg and over the shin, as any
shifting of the guard or pad may expose the player's shin to
injury. However, the tight fitting nature of the sock greatly
impedes the easy pulling of the sock over the shin guard or pad and
considerable effort must be exerted in pulling and stretching the
sock over the shin guard and up to the knee area. This is an
especial difficulty for youthful athletes that require assistance
from their parents in pulling their athletic socks over their shin
guards. The difficulty is amplified by the generally awkward angle
the parent or adult must take in pulling and stretching the
athletic sock over the shin guard. Parental aggravation and
frustration is increased if the parent is hurried and must quickly
pull the tight fitting sock over the shin guard--often with less
than full cooperation from the child.
[0005] Thus, the prior art discloses various. types of athletic
footwear and equipment for placement and protection on the
individual's lower leg and foot.
[0006] For example, the Castiglia patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,315)
discloses a shin guard that includes a tubular member fitting about
the lower leg adjacent the shin of the wearer, and a tapered rigid
member that conforms to and protects the fibula of the wearer.
[0007] The Jones patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,126) discloses an
athletic sock that includes a full-length tubular knit sock fitting
on the lower leg and foot of the wearer, and a partial sock fitting
over the front of the full-length sock and between which a shin pad
is nested.
[0008] The Woodson et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,791)
discloses a knitted sock that includes a sock portion fitting onto
the wearer's lower leg and foot with the sock portion having an
upper cuff layer attached thereto. An outer storage compartment
sock layer is circumferentially attached adjacent the lower end of
the sock portion and when the cuff layer is folded down about the
outer storage compartment sock layer, an interior storage
compartment for the storage of items is formed.
[0009] The Hicks patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,817) discloses a
tubular sports sock having an elastic top disposed intermediate of
a cuff and the foot portion of the sock. With a shin guard placed
against the sock and below the elastic top, the cuff is folded
downward over the shin guard past the elastic top and adjacent the
foot portion to circumferentially. enclose and hold the shin guard
therebetween.
[0010] The Lindaman patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,945) discloses a
sock for securing the position of shin guards and includes a pair
of upper and a pair of lower fasteners for securing the shin guard
between the fasteners and to the sock.
[0011] The Bear patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,844) discloses an
external shin guard strap for holding the shin guard in place and
includes at least one pair of straps that are placed contiguous to
the athletic sock over and above the shin guard that is enclosed
between the wearer's leg and the inner surface of the sock for
maintaining the position of the shin guard.
[0012] Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices,
there remains a need for an athletic sock that facilitates the easy
and quick disposition of the sock over the shin guards or pads, and
easy and quick removal therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention comprehends an athletic sports sock
that facilitates and expedites the process of slipping the athletic
sock onto the individual's foot and then stretching the athletic
sock over the athletic protective equipment disposed about the
ankle and shin region. The athletic sports sock of the present
invention is designed to minimize and avoid the struggle of pulling
on an athletic sock over shin guards, especially in regard to the
struggle every parent has hitherto encountered with pulling a
standard tight-fitting athletic sock over the child's shin
guard.
[0014] Thus, the improved athletic sock of the present invention
includes a cuff, a major leg portion, an ankle/shin portion, and a
foot portion, and is further defined by an internal surface and an
external surface. The sock includes a longitudinal slit that
extends from the cuff down to the ankle/shin portion of the sock,
and the slit defines an opening that expedites and eases the
process of pulling and stretching the sock onto and over the shin
guard or shin pad. The slit defines two opposed longitudinal edges
with each edge having a strip member that can be fastened to and
unfastened from the other strip member for opening the slit to
expedite the insertion or removal of the individual's foot into the
sock, and for closing the slit after the sock has been stretched up
over the shin guard. In addition, the athletic sock can include a
zipper for fastening and unfastening the sock halves defined by the
slit so that the sock can be placed upon and over the shin guard
and lower leg and removed therefrom. The sock of the present
invention can also be used as a medical compression sock for the
treatment and alleviation of certain medical conditions, especially
those that involve lower leg and foot circulatory ailments as well
as providing comfort and protection for the lower leg and foot
after surgery.
[0015] It is an objective of the present invention to provide an
athletic sock that facilitates the stretching and fitting of the
athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment such as the
shin guard or the shin pad.
[0016] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
an athletic sock that includes features that makes it easier for
both parents and children to fit the athletic sock over the
athletic protective equipment such as the shin guard or the shin
pad.
[0017] It is yet another objective of the present invention to
provide an athletic sock that saves time and eliminates the
aggravation for both parents and children alike when pulling and
stretching the athletic sock over the athletic protective equipment
during the process of putting on the athletic sock.
[0018] It is still yet another objective of the present invention
to provide an athletic sock that can be used with athletic
protective equipment used in such sports as soccer, field hockey,
ice hockey and floor hockey.
[0019] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
an athletic sock that is capable of adjustable securement upon the
athletic protective equipment in order to achieve a maximally
comfortable fit on the wearer's lower leg.
[0020] Still yet another objective of the present invention is to
provide an athletic sock that includes features that allow the sock
to be used as a medical compression sock for both home and hospital
use.
[0021] These and other objects, features, and advantages will
become apparent to one skilled in the art upon a perusal of the
following detailed description read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing figures and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating
the disposition of the athletic sock on the lower leg and foot of
the individual for encompassing and holding in place a shin guard
disposed between the athletic sock and the individual's shin;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating
the athletic sock in the unfastened position to facilitate the
stretching of the athletic sock over the shin guard;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of present invention taken along lines
3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the fastening of the opposed edges of the
slit of the sock thereby securing the athletic sock to the wearer's
lower leg after the sock has been stretched and pulled over the
shin guard;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present.invention illustrating an
alternative embodiment wherein the sock is used as a medical
compression sock;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating
the unfastened disposition of the sock when the sock is used as a
medical compression sock;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating a
second preferred embodiment of the closure means for the athletic
sock that includes a zipper extending down the back of the sock
from the upper cuff end to the ankle/shin portion;
[0028] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating
the zipper closing the sock commencing at the upper cuff end and
proceeding toward the ankle/shin portion of the athletic sock;
and
[0029] FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the fastenable and
unfastenable athletic sock of the present invention illustrating
the longitudinal extension of the zipper along the back of the
athletic sock with the zipper closing the sock from the upper cuff
end down to the ankle/shin portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0030] Illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 is an athletic sock 10 that can be
easily and quickly fastened and unfastened for expediting the
process of stretching and fitting the athletic sock 10 onto and
over a piece of athletic equipment that primarily will be a shin
guard or shin pad 12. The athletic sock 10 fits onto the
individual's lower leg 14 and fully covers the foot, the ankle, the
shin, the shin guard 12 protecting the shin, and is pulled up to
the knee area 16. The shin guard 12 conforms to the lower leg 14 of
the individual for protecting the shin from injury. The shin guard
12 generally includes a flexible foot strap 18 through which the
foot is inserted and which helps to maintain the position of the
shin guard 12 on the lower leg 14.
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the athletic sock 10 of the present
invention is a standard stretchable cotton sports sock that
includes a foot portion 20 for receiving the individual's foot, an
ankle/shin portion 22, and a leg portion 24. An upper end or cuff
26 is pulled up to the knee area 16. The athletic sock 10 also
includes a continuous inner sock surface 28 that is disposed
contiguous to the individual's foot, ankle, shin and lower leg 14,
and a continuous external sock surface 30.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the sock 10 includes a
longitudinal slit or opening 32 that extends downward from the
upper end 26 to the ankle portion 22. The slit 32 provides for the
opening of the sock 10 to ease and expedite the stretching and
fitting of the sock 10 over the shin guard 12 and on the lower leg
14 of the individual. While it is possible for the slit 32 to be
horizontally disposed on the sock 10, in the preferred embodiment
the slit 32 vertically extends on the sock 10. The slit 32 defines
two opposed longitudinal edges 34 that can be brought into
contiguous overlapping disposition for closing the slit 32 and
securing the sock 10 over the shin guard 12; and the edges 34 can
be pulled and moved away from each other during the process of
slipping the sock 10 onto the individual's lower leg 14 and for
removal of the sock 10 therefrom.
[0033] A closure means is positioned at the edges 34 defined by the
slit 32, and for attaching and detaching the edges 34 to open and
close the slit 32. More specifically the closure means includes two
strip members 36 that can be fastened together and unfastened from
each other. Each strip member 36 includes a hook and loop
fastening. element known by the common trade name Velcro R . More
specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, one strip member 36 is
mounted to the external surface 30 of the sock 10 adjacent one edge
34, and the other strip member 36 is mounted to the interior
surface 28 of the sock 10 adjacent the other edge 34. The edges 34
can overlap for facilitating the closing of the slit 32 and for
facilitating the attachment or detachment of the strip members 36
to or from each other.
[0034] In order to obtain a comfortable fitting of the sock 10 upon
the shin guard 12 and on the lower leg 14, the strip members 36 are
adjustably securable to each other. Thus the strip member 36 on the
external surface 30 of the sock 10 is generally wider than the
strip member 36 on the interior surface 30 of the sock 10. This
allows for the adjustable positioning and then securement of the
interior strip member 36 to the exterior strip member 36 for
achieving a comfortable fit on the individual's lower leg 14--so as
to comfortably fit either a child or adult--and upon the particular
type of shin guard 12 being worn.
[0035] FIG. 5 illustrates the athletic sock 10 of the present
invention used as a medical compression sock for treating physical
ailments such as circulatory ailments. When used as a compression
sock, the sock 10 can be used for protecting the foot and lower leg
14 after an injury or surgery. The adjustable securement of the
sock 10 allows it to comfortably accommodate any splints or
bandages that may be placed on the lower leg 14 and foot, and also
to accommodate any swelling occurring in the lower leg 14 or
foot.
[0036] Illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 is an alternative embodiment for
the closure means from that shown in FIGS. 1-5. In place of the
attachable and detachable strip members 36 of FIGS. 1-5, the
closure means shown in FIGS. 6-8. includes a fastenable and
unfastenable zipper 38. The zipper 38 extends downward from the
upper cuff end 26 to the ankle/shin portion 22. The zipper 38 is
mounted to the rear portion 40 of the sock 10 and includes a slide
42 and a first and a second set of opposed longitudinally extending
teeth 44. The extension of both sets of teeth 44 is commensurate
with the longitudinal extension of each edge 34 that defines the
slit 32 of the sock 10, and each set of teeth 44 is consecutively
arranged on and secured to the respective longitudinal edge 34 of
the slit 32. The slide 42 is reciprocably movable up and down upon
the sets of teeth 44 for fastening the teeth 44 together and
closing the slit 32 and securing the sock 10 on the foot and over
the shin guard 12 and lower leg 14 and for unfastening the teeth 44
so that the sock 10 can be adjusted or removed. The slit 32 in
effect divides the sock 10 into a pair of sock halves 46. Unlike
the edges 34 of the sock 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5, the sock halves 46
don't need to overlap to provide for the closing and opening of the
zipper 38. The slide 42 engages the teeth 44 arranged along both
edges 34 from the upper cuff end 26 and moves down the sock 10
thereby fastening the teeth 44 together, closing the slit 32 and
securing both halves 46 of the sock 10 to each other. The slide 42
is pulled upward toward the upper cuff end 26 for disengaging the
sets of teeth 44 and thereby unfastening the sock halves 46 either
prior to placement of the sock 10 on the individual or for removal
of the sock 10 from the shin guard 12 and the lower leg 14.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows the zipper 38 in the unfastened state with the
edges 34 of the sock 10 spaced from each other thereby disclosing
the slit 32 that separates the sock halves 46. FIG. 7 shows the
zipper 38 in the fastened state with the slide 42 pulled down along
the teeth 44 thereby fastening the teeth 44 together and closing
the slit 32 so that the sock 10 is secured over the shin guard 12
and lower leg 14 of the individual. The slide 42 will come to a
stop approximately one inch above the sneaker for an athletic sock
proportioned to fit a child of about six years of age. FIG. 8 shows
the opposed edges 34 of the sock 10 being stretched and brought
together at the upper cuff end 26 so that the slide 42 can
initially engage the teeth 44 and the upper cuff end 26 of the sock
10 can stretch over the shin guard 12 thereby allowing the zipper
38 to easily and quickly fasten the sock halves 46 together. The
slide 42 is then pulled down the length of the sock 10 securing the
teeth 44 together and closing the slit 32 whereupon the halves 46
of the sock 10 are brought together and fastened to each other. The
athletic sock 10 can be sized for various ages and sizes; for
example, for a sock having an overall length of 18 inches, the
zipper 38 should be approximately 11 inches, and the 18 inch
overall sock length is inclusive of a foot portion that is
approximately 6 inches long. Thus, the zipper 38 would be scaled
proportionately for each different sock length.
[0038] In use the individual would first place the shin guard 12 in
position on the lower leg 14 for protecting the shin. The strip
members 36 would be separated for opening the slit 32 thereby
enabling the easy slipping of the sock 10 onto the foot. The sock
10 would then be stretched over the shin guard 12 and pulled up to
a position adjacent the knee region 16. The strip members 36 would
then be brought into engagement for closing the slit 32 thus
securing the sock 10 in position on the lower leg 14 and upon and
over the shin guard 12. The edge 34 having the strip member 36
mounted on the interior surface 28 of the sock 10 overlaps the edge
34 having the exterior mounted strip member 36.
[0039] There has been set forth in the drawings and specification a
preferred embodiment of the invention, and numerous modifications,
alterations and variations may be possible and practicable to those
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the
invention or the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *