U.S. patent application number 12/003352 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-03 for corrective socks featuring elastic bands and reinforcing bands to correct hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus.
Invention is credited to Iwao Kasahara.
Application Number | 20080155731 12/003352 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39581888 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080155731 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kasahara; Iwao |
July 3, 2008 |
Corrective socks featuring elastic bands and reinforcing bands to
correct hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus
Abstract
In a corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus and digitus
quintus varus of a foot, the sock has a foot portion, and an
elastic band formed in the foot portion so as to cover both a
metatarsophalangeal joint portion and a Lisfranc joint portion of
the foot between which first, second, third, fourth and fifth
metatarsals extend. A first reinforcing band is formed on the
elastic band to cover a distal caput of the first metatarsal and a
distal caput of the fifth metatarsal, and a second reinforcing band
is formed on the elastic band to cover a proximal caput of the
first metatarsal and a pioximal caput of the fifth metatarsal.
Inventors: |
Kasahara; Iwao;
(Yokohama-Shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RADER FISHMAN & GRAUER PLLC
LION BUILDING, 1233 20TH STREET N.W., SUITE 501
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
39581888 |
Appl. No.: |
12/003352 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/240 ; 2/239;
2/241; 66/178R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04B 1/265 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/240 ; 2/239;
2/241; 66/178.R |
International
Class: |
A43B 17/00 20060101
A43B017/00; D04B 11/00 20060101 D04B011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 27, 2006 |
JP |
2006-352670 |
Claims
1. A corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus and diqitus varus
minimi of a foot, which sock comprises: a foot portion; an elastic
band formed in said foot portion so as to cover both a
metatarsophalangeal joint portion and a Lisfranc joint portion of
said foot between which first, second, third, fourth and fifth
metatarsals extend; a first reinforcing band formed on said elastic
band to cover a distal caput of said first metatarsal and a distal
caput of said fifth metatarsal; and a second reinforcing band
formed on said elastic band to cover a proximal caput of said first
metatarsal and a proximal caput of said fifth metatarsal.
2. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 1, said first
reinforcing band slantly surrounds said foot so as to cover both
the distal caput of said first metatarsal and the distal caput of
said fifth metatarsal, and wherein said second reinforcing band
slantly surround said foot so as to cover both the proximal caput
of said first metatarsal and the proximal caput of said fifth
metatarsal.
3. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 1, wherein said
elastic band includes rubber yarns knitted in said foot
portion.
4. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of
said first and second reinforcing band includes non-stretchable
strong yarns knitted into said elastic band,
5. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 1, wherein said foot
portion has first and second pockets formed in a toe section
thereof, so that first and fifth toes of said foot are received in
said first and second pockets, respectively.
6. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 1, wherein said foot
portion is knitted by a circular knitting machine.
7. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of
said first and second reinforcing bands is formed on said elastic
band by knitting non-stretchable strong yarns into said elastic
band using either a wrapping stitch method or a plating stitch
method.
8. A corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus and digitus
quintus varus of a foot, which sock comprises: a foot portion; an
elastic band formed in said foot portion so as to cover both a
metatarsophalangeal joint portion and a Lisfranc joint portion of
said foot between which first, second, third, fourth and fifth
metatarsals extend; and a reinforcing band formed on said elastic
band to cover distal proximal caputs of said first metatarsal and
distal and proximal caputs of said fifth metatarsal.
9. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 8, said reinforcing
band slantly surrounds said foot so as to cover both the distal
caput of said first metatarsal and the distal caput of said fifth
metatarsal and both the proximal caput of said first metatarsal and
the proximal caput of said fifth metatarsal.
10. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 8, wherein said
elastic band includes rubber yarns knitted in said foot
portion.
11. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 8, wherein said
reinforcing band includes non-stretchable strong yarns knitted into
said elastic band.
12. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 8, wherein said foot
portion has first and second pockets formed in a toe section
thereof, so that first and fifth toes of said foot are received in
said first and second pockets, respectively.
13. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 8, wherein said foot
portion is knitted by a circular knitting machine.
14. The corrective sock as set forth in claim 13, wherein said
reinforcing bands is formed on said elastic band by knitting
non-stretchable strong yarns into said elastic band, using either a
wrapping stitch method or a plating stitch method.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to corrective socks for
correcting hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus to thereby
return a transverse arch and a longitudinal arch to a normal state,
so that a normal foot balance can be recovered on the soles of
foots.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Human beings have been always engaged with the gravity so as
to balance themselves on the foots since they acquired bipedalism.
A human body is sophisticatedly and delicately created so as to be
balanced as a whole with the gravity. Thus, when there are
instabilities, such as hallux valgus, digitus quintus varus and so
on, in the foots, especially the soles of the foots, the
instabilities cause unbalances back and forth, right and left, up
and down and so on in the human body. Further, whenever taking a
walk, the instabilities on the soles of the foots causes harmful
stresses, such as excess impacts, torsional waves and so on, in the
human body, resulting in occurrence of pain in knees, hips, a neck
and a head, a stiff back autonomic imbalance and so on.
[0005] For example, US 2003/0005601 A1 discloses corrective
footwear for correcting the hallux valgus and the digitus quintus
varus, and JP-2003-299685 A discloses corrective socks for
correcting the hallux valgus and the digitus quintus varus.
Although these conventional corrective footwear and corrective
socks can improve the halluxvalgus and the digitus quintusvarus, it
is difficult to obtain a sufficient and complete correction of the
hallux valgus and the digitus quintus varus, as will be discussed
in detail hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to
provide corrective socks for correcting hallux valgus and digitus
quintus varus, which is constituted so that the hallux valgus and
the digitus quintus varus can be sufficiently corrected.
[0007] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus
and digitus quintus varus of a foot, which sock comprises a foot
portion, an elastic band formed in the foot portion so as to cover
both a metatarsophalangeal joint portion and a Lisfranc joint
portion of the foot between which first, second, third, fourth and
fifth metatarsals extend, a first reinforcing band formed on the
elastic band to cover a distal caput of the first metatarsal and a
distal caput of the fifth metatarsal, and a second reinforcing band
formed on the elastic band to cover a proximal caput of the first
metatarsal and a proximal caput of the fifth metatarsal.
[0008] Preferably, the first reinforcing band slantly surrounds the
foot so as to cover both the distal caput of the first metatarsal
and the distal caput of the fifth metatarsal, and the second
reinforcing band slantly surround the foot so as to cover both the
proximal caput of the first metatarsal and the proximal caput of
the fifth metatarsal.
[0009] The elastic band may include rubber yarns knitted in the
foot portion, and each of the first and second reinforcing band may
include non-stretchable strong yarns knitted into the elastic
band.
[0010] Preferably, the foot portion has first and second pockets
formed in a toe section thereof, so that first and fifth toes of
the foot are received in the first and second pockets,
respectively.
[0011] The foot portion may be knitted by a circular knitting
machine. Also, each of the first and second reinforcing bands may
be formed on the elastic band by knitting non-stretchable strong
yarns into the elastic band 13A, using either a wrapping stitch
method or a plating stitch method.
[0012] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus
and digitus quintus varus of a foot, which sock comprises a foot
portion, an elastic band formed in the foot portion so as to cover
both a metatarsophalangeal joint portion and a Lisfranc joint
portion of the foot between which first, second, third, fourth and
fifth metatarsals extend, and a reinforcing band formed on the
elastic band to cover distal proximal caputs of the first
metatarsal and distal and proximal caputs of the fifth
metatarsal.
[0013] Preferably, the reinforcing band slantly surrounds the foot
so as to cover both the distal caput of the first metatarsal and
the distal caput of the fifth metatarsal and both the proximal
caput of the first metatarsal and the proximal caput of the fifth
metatarsal.
[0014] Similar to the first aspect of the present invention, in
this second aspect, the elastic band may include rubber yarns
knitted in the foot portion, and the reinforcing band may include
non-stretchable strong yarns knitted in to the elastic band. Also,
similarly, the foot portion may have first and second pockets
formed in a toe section thereof, so that first and fifth toes of
the foot are received in the first and second pockets,
respectively. Further, the reinforcing bands may be formed on the
elastic band by knitting non-stretchable strong yarns into the
elastic band, using either a wrapping stitch method or a plating
stitch method.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The above objects and other objects will be more clearly
understood from the description set forth below, with reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a foot which is abnormally deformed
due to hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a toe portion of a foot
having a normal transverse arch;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a foot having a normal
longitudinal arch;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
corrective sock for correcting hallux valgus and digitus quintus
varus according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a partial bottom view of a foot portion of the
corrective sock of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
corrective sock for correcting the hallux valgus and the digitus
quintus varus according to the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 7 is a partial bottom view of a foot portion of the
corrective sock of FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Before description of embodiments of the present invention,
for better understanding of the present invention, with reference
to FIG. 1, hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus will now be
explained below.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a foot is abnormally deformed due to
hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus, So that five toes 51, 52,
53, 54 and 55 of the foot are huddled together. In particular, a
symptom of the hallux valgus is a deviation of the first or great
toe 51 to the second toe 52, and a symptom of the digitus quintus
varus is a deviation of the fifth or small toe 55 to the fourth toe
54. Pathologically, the hallux valgus is defined as the symptom in
which the first or large toe 51 is outwardly deviated with respect
to a vertical central axis passing through a human body, and the
digitus quintus varus is defined as the symptom in which the fifth
or small toe 55 is inwardly deviated with respect to the vertical
central axis of the human body.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the foot has a metatarsophalangeal joint
portion, generally indicated by reference 61M, and a Lisfranc joint
portion, generally indicated by reference 61L. Also, the foot has
first, second, third fourth and fifth metatarsals 71, 72, 73, 74
and 75 extending between the metatarsophalangeal joint portion 61M
and the Lisfranc joint portion 61L.
[0026] When the hallux valgus is caused, a distal end or caput 71D
of the first or large metatarsal 71 is abnormally and inwardly
protruded with respect to the vertical central axis of the human
body, as indicated by an arrow A1. Also, when the digitus quintus
varus is caused, a proximal end or caput 75P of a fifth metatarsal
75 is abnormally and outwardly protruded with respect to the
vertical central axis of the human body, as indicated by an arrow
A2.
[0027] As well known, for example, the hallux valgus and the
digitus quintus varus may be caused by repeatedly wearing shoes
each having a pointed shape or narrowed width, such as fashionable
or stylish shoes, high heels or the like.
[0028] In particular, when the foot is put into the shoe having the
pointed shape or narrowed width, the first or large toe 51 is
rotated around the distal caput 71D of the first metatarsal 71, and
thus is displaced to the second toe 2 so that the distal caput 71D
is inwardly shifted and protruded with respect to the vertical
central axis of the human body, as indicated by the arrow A1. At
this time, the displacement of the first metatarsal 71 provides a
physical leverage which is defined by a point P1 which is subjected
to the force, a point P2 which bears the force, and a point P3
which receive the force.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the points P2 and P3 are located at the
distal caput 71D of the first metatarsal 71 and the proximal caput
75P of the fifth metatarsal 75. Thus, the force caused by the first
metatarsal 71 is exerted on the proximal caput 75P of the fifth
metatarsal 75 so that the proximal caput 75P is abnormally and
outwardly shifted and protruded with respect to the vertical
central axis of the human body, as indicated by the arrow A2.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, reference F1 indicates a foot having a
normal transverse arch TR. When the foot F1 is abnormally deformed
due to the hallux valgus and the digitus quintus varus, the normal
transverse arch TA may be reversely distorted as indicated by
reference TA.
[0031] Also, referring to FIG. 3, reference F2 indicates a foot
having a normal longitudinal arch LR. When the foot F2 is
abnormally deformed due to the hallux valgus and the digitus
quintus varus, the normal transverse arch LA may be distorted so as
to be flattened as indicated by reference LA.
[0032] In either event, when the transverse arch TA and the
longitudinal arch LA are abnormally distorted, the abnormal
distortion causes unbalanced walks so that harmful stresses, such
as excess impacts, torsional waves and so on, occur in the human
body.
PRIOR ART
[0033] US 2003/0005601 A1 discloses a corrective sock having a pair
of annular bands surrounding an instep thereof and composed of an
suitable elastic material, and the annular bands are arranged so as
to cover a metatarsophalangeal joint portion (61M) and a Lisfranc
joint portion (61L) when a foot, which is abnormally deformed due
to hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus, is put into the
corrective sock. Thus, a distal caput (71D) of a first metatarsal
(71) is elastically pressed outwardly by one of the elastic annular
bands with respect to a vertical central axis passing through a
human body, and a proximal caput (75P) of a fifth metatarsal (75)
is elastically pressed inwardly by the other elastic annular band
with respect to the vertical central axis passing through the human
body, whereby the hallux valgus and the digitus quintus varus can
be improved.
[0034] Nevertheless, the elastic forces for pressing the distal
caput (71D) and the proximal caput (75P) by the elastic annular
bands are relatively small, and thus it is difficult to
sufficiently correct the hallux valgus and the digitus quintus
varus. Also, since a body of the corrective sock is usually formed
of knit material, the corrective sock is slidable and shiftable
over the foot so that the respective elastic annular bands may be
easily moved away from the distal caput (71D) and the proximal
caput (75P).
[0035] Also, US 2003/0005601 A1 discloses a corrective sock having
a pair of reinforcing sections provided on sides thereof, and the
respective reinforcing sections are arranged so as to cover a
distal caput (71D) of a first metatarsal (71) and a proximal caput
(75P) of a fifth metatarsal (75) when a foot, which is abnormally
deformed due to hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus, is put
into the corrective sock. Nevertheless, the respective distal and
proximal caputs (71D, 75P) cannot be sufficiently pressed outwardly
and inwardly with respect to a vertical central axis passing
through 8 human body.
[0036] JP-2003-299685 A discloses a corrective sock having a pair
of elastic annular bands which are arranged in substantially the
same manner as in US 2003/0005601 A1, and the corrective sock
features three pockets formed in a toe section thereof. In
particular, one of the three pockets is provided for receiving a
first or large toe of a foot, another of the three pockets is
provided for receiving second, third and fourth toes of the foot,
and the other pocket is provided for receiving a fifth or small
toe.
[0037] Nevertheless, similar to US 200310005601 A1, elastic forces
for pressing a distal caput (71D) and a proximal caput (75P) by the
elastic annular bands are relatively small, and thus it is
difficult to sufficiently correct hallux valgus and the digitus
quintus varus.
First Embodiment
[0038] With reference to FIG. 4 which is a perspective view of a
first embodiment of a corrective sock according to the present
invention, the corrective sock, into which a light leg of a person
is put, is generally indicated by reference numeral 1.
[0039] The corrective sock 1 includes a leg portion 12 and a foot
portion 13, and may be produced from suitable yarns, rubber yarns
and so on by a circular knitting machine.
[0040] The foot portion 13 has an elastic annular band 13A which is
formed so as to cover both a metatarsophalangeal joint portion (61M
in FIG. 1) and a Lisfranc joint portion (61L in FIG. 1) between
which first, second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsals (71, 72,
73, 74 and 75 in FIG. 1) extend. For example, the elastic annular
band 13A includes rubber yarns as the weft, so that the respective
distal and proximal caputs (71D, 75) of the first and fifth
metatarsals (71, 75) elastically pressed outwardly and inwardly
with respect to a vertical central axis passing through a human
body.
[0041] Also, the foot portion 13 has a pair of reinforcing bands
13B and 13C surrounding the elastic annular band 13A. The
reinforcing bands 13B and 13C may be formed on the elastic band 13A
by knitting non-stretchable strong yarns into the elastic band 13A,
using either a wrapping stitch method or a plating stitch method.
In this case, preferably, the non-stretchable strong yarns are
entangled with the rubber yarns of the elastic band 13A. Note that
it is possible to carry out the formation of the elastic band 13A
and the reinforcing bands 13B and 13C by the aforesaid circular
knitting machine.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 5 which is a partial bottom view of the
foot portion 13 of the corrective sock of FIG. 4, the reinforcing
band 13B slantly surrounds around the foot so as to cover the
distal caput 71D of the first metatarsal 71 and the distal caput
75D of the fifth metatarsal 75, and the reinforcing band 13C
slantly surrounds around the foot so as to cover the proximal caput
71P of the first metatarsal 71 and the proximal caput 75P of the
fifth metatarsal 75.
[0043] Due to the fact that the reinforcing bands 13B and 13C
slantly surround around the foot, the corrective sock can be
effectively applied to various foot types, such as an Egypt type in
which the first toe has the maximum length, a Greek type in which
the second toe has a larger length than the first toe, a square
type in which all the five toes have substantially the same
length.
[0044] Due to the fact that the reinforcing band 13B includes the
non-stretchable strong yarns, the distal capit 71D of the first
metatarsal 71 can be elastically pressed outwardly by a relatively
large elastic force, obtained from the elastic band 13A, with
respect to the vertical central axis passing the human body.
Similarly, due to the fact that the reinforcing band 13C also
includes the non-stretchable strong yarns, the proximal caput 75P
of the fifth metatarsal 75 can be elastically pressed inwardly a
relatively large elastic force, obtained from the elastic band 13A,
with respect to the vertical central axis passing the human
body.
[0045] In short, when a human weight is exerted on the foot, the
elastic band 13A is prevented from being laterally widened by the
reinforcing bands 13B and 13C, and thus it is possible to obtain
the relatively large elastic forces from the elastic band 13A to
effectively press outwardly and inwardly the distal caput 71D and
the proximal caput 75P, respectively.
[0046] Further, due to the existence of the non-stretchable
reinforcing bands 13B and 13C, the foot portion 13 can be
effectively prevented from being slid and shifted over the foot.
Namely, the respective non-stretchable reinforcing bands 13B and
13C cannot be easily moved away from the distal caput (71D) and the
proximal caput (75P).
[0047] With the aforesaid arrangement of the corrective sock 1,
since the respective distal and proximal caputs 71D and 75P can be
surely pressed outwardly and inwardly by the relatively large
elastic forces with respect to the vertical central axis of the
human body, as indicated by arrows A3 and A4, it is possible to
return the distorted transverse and longitudinal arches (see: FIGS.
2 and 3) to a normal state, resulting in sufficient correction of
the hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus.
[0048] Returning to FIG. 4, the corrective sock 1 preferably has
three pockets 14A, 14B and 14C formed in a toe section of the foot
portion 13. The pocket 14A is provided for receiving the first or
large toe of the foot, the pocket 14B is provided for receiving the
second, third and fourth toes of the foot, and the pocket 14C is
provided for receiving the fifth or small toe. Thus, the first toe
is movable away from the second toe, and the fifth toe is movable
away from the fourth toe, whereby it is possible to facilitate the
correction of the hallux valgus and digitus quintus varus.
[0049] Also, the existence of the pockets 14A, 14B and 14c
contributes to the prevention of the slide and shift between the
foot portion 13 and the foot.
Second Embodiment
[0050] FIGS. 6 and 7, corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5, shows a
second embodiment of the corrective sock according to the present
invention. Note, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the features to those of FIGS. 4
and 5 are indicated by the same references.
[0051] The second embodiment is substantially identical to the
first embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 except that an single reinforcing
band 13D is substituted for the pair of reinforcing bands 13B and
13C.
[0052] The reinforcing band 13D also may be formed on the elastic
band 13A by knitting non-stretchable strong yarns into the elastic
band 13A, using either a wrapping stitch method or a plating stitch
method. Also, preferably, the non-stretchable strong yarns are
entangled with the rubber yarns of the elastic band 13A.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcing band 13D slantly
surrounds around the foot so as to cover the distal caput (71D) of
the first metatarsal (71) and the distal caput 75D of the fifth
metatarsal (75). Thus, similar to the aforesaid first embodiment,
the distal caput (71D) of the first metatarsal 71 and the proximal
caput (75P) of the fifth metatarsal 75 can be elastically pressed
outwardly and inwardly by the relatively large elastic forces,
obtained from the elastic band 13A, with respect to the vertical
central axis passing the human body.
Modification
[0054] In the above-mentioned embodiments, the foot portion 13 may
have five pockets formed in a toe section thereof, so that the
first, second, third, fourth and fifth toes are received in the
respective pockets.
[0055] Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art
that the foregoing description is of preferred embodiments of the
sock, and that various changes and modifications may be made to the
present invention without departing from the spirit and scope
thereof.
* * * * *