U.S. patent application number 13/339324 was filed with the patent office on 2013-01-24 for multi component composite plate protection system for footwear.
This patent application is currently assigned to Armor Protective Concepts LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Jose Herrera, John Wayne Polly, Adam Neal SMITH. Invention is credited to Jose Herrera, John Wayne Polly, Adam Neal SMITH.
Application Number | 20130019508 13/339324 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47554738 |
Filed Date | 2013-01-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130019508 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SMITH; Adam Neal ; et
al. |
January 24, 2013 |
Multi Component Composite Plate Protection System for Footwear
Abstract
A system of semi-flexible plates arranged and positioned within
footwear so as to retain the flexibility associated with the
footwear. The system utilizes panels comprised of hybrid carbon
composite materials that have been specifically formed and cut to
fit various components within the shoe. These semi-flexible panels
are configured with apertures to receive placement stitching to
retain the panels in a particular location within the construction
of the shoe. Various layers of padding are provided to insulate the
feet from the panels and from the external surfaces of the shoe.
Plates and panels are uniquely positioned in the heel region and on
the sides of the shoe or boot. The system provides inter-leaved rib
plates extending from either side of the shoe up over the split
tongue of the shoe providing flexible protection to both the sides
and the top of the wearer's foot.
Inventors: |
SMITH; Adam Neal; (Boerne,
TX) ; Herrera; Jose; (San Antonio, TX) ;
Polly; John Wayne; (Boerne, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SMITH; Adam Neal
Herrera; Jose
Polly; John Wayne |
Boerne
San Antonio
Boerne |
TX
TX
TX |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Armor Protective Concepts
LLC
|
Family ID: |
47554738 |
Appl. No.: |
13/339324 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61427793 |
Dec 28, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/72R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 23/0225 20130101;
A43B 1/00 20130101; A43B 23/0265 20130101; A43B 23/028 20130101;
A43B 23/0235 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/72.R |
International
Class: |
A43B 23/00 20060101
A43B023/00 |
Claims
1. A system of plates arranged and positioned within the structure
of a shoe or boot to provide protection against sharp or blunt
force trauma to the foot of the wearer, the system comprising: a
formed toe plate positioned and fixed within the layers of the shoe
or boot, over and around the area within which the toe of the
wearer is enclosed; a formed heel plate positioned and fixed within
the layers of the shoe or boot, around the area within which the
heel of the wearer is enclosed; a pair of ankle plates positioned
and fixed within the layers of the shoe or boot, one on a medial
side and one on a lateral side of the shoe or boot, in the area
immediately forward of the heel plate; a medial side array of rib
plates positioned and fixed within the layers of the shoe or boot,
extending up from the medial side of the sole of the shoe or boot
over the top tongue area of the shoe or boot; and a lateral side
array of rib plates positioned and fixed within the layers of the
shoe or boot, extending up from the lateral side of the sole of the
shoe or boot over the top tongue area of the shoe or boot; wherein
the medial side array of rib plates interlace with the lateral side
array of rib plates across the top tongue area of the shoe or boot.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United
States Code .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application
61/427,793; filed Dec. 28, 2010; the full disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to footwear and the
incorporation of protective plates and panels into footwear. The
present invention relates more specifically to footwear, including
shoes and boots that incorporate an array of discrete non-metallic
plates and panels of composite materials that provide protection
for the feet of the wearer from sharp or blunt pointed objects.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Efforts have been made in the past to provide protective
components within footwear in order to prevent both sharp and blunt
tip objects from penetrating the footwear to injure the feet of the
wearer. In general, these past efforts have focused on providing
protective plates and panels to the sole and/or toe areas of the
feet as being the most common points of contact with objects that
might penetrate the shoe or boot and injure the foot. In practice,
however, injuries to the foot can occur through other parts of a
shoe or boot not associated with the sole or toe.
[0006] The difficulty in providing protective panels or plates to
other parts of a shoe generally derives from the need to retain
flexibility for the ankle, arch, bridge, and tongue area of the
shoe. The types of rigid panels or plates typically incorporated
into the sole or into the toe (such as in steel toed boots) are
generally not flexible enough to provide the wearer with the same
level of comfort as provided for by most type of footwear. With the
exception of footwear structured in the nature of ski boots (as an
example) where rigidity is essential for overall support, most
footwear requires enough flexibility to allow the wearer to bend at
the ankles and flex their feet, even while enveloped within the
typical shoe or boot. Fatigue and soreness will quickly result from
any overly rigid footwear after a period of movement by the
wearer.
[0007] Previous efforts that have been made to provide protective
plates and panels within footwear to address the problems outlined
above, have generally failed as a result of the addition of too
much weight in the form of metal plates or the like, or reduced
durability as a result of the movement of rigid plates within the
otherwise flexible construction of the shoe or boot. The present
invention addresses the above mentioned problems by providing an
array of semi-flexible plates arranged and positioned within the
footwear so as to retain the flexibility originally associated with
the specific footwear, especially when the footwear is tightened
around the foot of the wearer. The present invention utilizes
panels comprised of carbon composite materials, such as Kevlar.RTM.
or hybrid combinations thereof, that have been specifically formed
and cut to fit various components within the shoe. These
semi-flexible plates and panels are configured with apertures to
receive placement stitching to retain the plates or panels loosely
within a particular location within the construction of the shoe.
Various layers of foam, gel, or other types of padding are provided
to insulate the feet of the wearer from the panels and from the
external surface of the shoe.
[0008] The array of panels and plates may be placed in those areas
commonly associated with protective plates within footwear, namely
the sole and toe region. Additional plates and panels are
positioned in the heel region and on the sides of the shoe or boot.
Most uniquely, the present invention provides inter-leaved rib
plates extending from the base of either side of the shoe up over
the tongue area of the shoe in a manner that provides flexible
protection to the sides and top of the wearer's foot. The
inter-leaved rib plates may be positioned in association with a
lacing configuration or with adjustable rigid closure elements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention provides an array of semi-flexible
plates arranged and positioned within footwear so as to retain the
flexibility associated with the footwear. The present invention
utilizes panels comprised of hybrid carbon composite materials that
have been specifically formed and cut to fit various components
within the shoe. These semi-flexible plates and panels are
configured with apertures to receive placement stitching to retain
the plates or panels within a particular location within the
construction of the shoe. Various layers of padding are provided to
insulate the feet of the wearer from the panels and from the
external surfaces of the shoe. Plates and panels are uniquely
positioned in the heel region and on the sides of the shoe or boot.
The present invention provides inter-leaved rib plates extending
from either side of the shoe up over the split tongue area of the
shoe in a manner that provides flexible protection to both the
sides and the top of the wearer's foot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of an implementation of the system of the present invention in an
athletic shoe configuration.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second preferred
embodiment of an implementation of the system of the present
invention in an athletic shoe configuration.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment
of an implementation of the system of the present invention in a
boot configuration.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the region of a
shoe behind the toe implementing the protective plates of the
present invention showing the various layers associated with the
protective panel components.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred
embodiment of an implementation of the system of the present
invention in an athletic shoe configuration.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the region of
the shoe behind the toe implementing the protective plates of the
fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the
various layers associated with the protective panel components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Reference is made first to FIG. 1 for a description of a
first preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the
array of protective panels is incorporated into an athletic running
shoe. The perspective view shown in FIG. 1 presents the medial
(interior) side of the left shoe of a pair of running shoes, with
the understanding that the right shoe would be a mirror image of
that shown in FIG. 1. In a similar manner, only the medial side of
the shoe is shown as the array of plates and panels are symmetrical
about the longitudinal axis of the shoe. In other words, with the
exception of the toe panel and the heel panel (described in more
detail below), each of the panels shown on the medial side of the
shoe in FIG. 1 is duplicated on the lateral (outside) side of the
shoe in a manner suitable for incorporation into the standard
construction of such a shoe.
[0017] In FIG. 1, armored shoe 10 is shown to generally comprise
shoe upper 12, shoe sole 14, shoe toe region 16, and shoe heel
region 18. In the specific shoe construction of the present
invention, the normal one-piece shoe tongue is replaced with a
two-piece component that extends across into either side of the
shoe. This two-piece tongue component is made up of lateral tongue
half 20a and medial tongue half 20b.
[0018] The protective plate components of the system of the present
invention shown positioned within the construction of the shoe (the
manner in which these plates are layered within the shoe is
described in more detail below) are presented in dashed outline
form and are shaded for clarity. The basic components associated
with the toe and heel region are relatively straightforward and
comprise toe plate 22 and heel plate 26. The sole plate is not
visible in the view shown in FIG. 1 but is understood to
effectively follow the insole construction of the shoe, being
retained with an adhesive or other mechanism for fixing the
protective plate in conjunction with the sole. Alternately,
multiple sole plates might be positioned under the front part of
the foot and the heel part of the foot so as to retain an area of
flexibility between the sole plates.
[0019] Most unique to the present design are lateral tongue plate
ribs 24a and medial tongue plate ribs 24b. These protective panels
or plates may comprise a plurality of parallel ribs separately
positioned and sewn into the construction of the shoe, or (as shown
in FIG. 1) may be rib extensions off of a connecting section
running along the base side of the shoe. As described in more
detail below, a preferred embodiment would incorporate each of the
rib panels into the latter single plate component structure so as
to facilitate the placement, positioning, and retention of the
protective rib components within the shoe. The placement of the
lateral tongue plate ribs 24a on the opposite side of the shoe from
the medial tongue plate ribs 24b allows the rib ends to be
interlaced across the tongue area of the shoe.
[0020] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, ribs 24a are evenly
spaced with ribs 24b such that they may interlace across the top of
the shoe to form a single layer protective surface. Various
alternate structures for the same basic concept are anticipated.
For example, plate ribs 24a and 24b may be secured within the
fabric or leather layers of the shoe (described in more detail
below) along their full length, ending near the edge of each of the
respective split tongue components for the shoe. Alternately, it
may be desirable for both functional and aesthetic reasons to allow
plate ribs 24a and 24b to extend out from the fabric (split tongue)
of the shoe and thereby be visible on the outer surface of the
shoe. The same type of interlacing to provide a generally complete
protective surface may be accomplished whether the rib ends are
fully contained within the fabric layers of the shoe or extend out
from the fabric layers to form interlacing extensions across the
top of the shoe.
[0021] It is further anticipated that when the shoe of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1 bends, typically bringing the heel up
and forward towards the toe, the edges of the various plate ribs
comprising lateral tongue plate ribs 24a and medial tongue plate
ribs 24b will make compressive contact with each other across the
top of the shoe. In order to facilitate this compressive movement
between the edges of the plate ribs, a preferenced overlap may be
established by modifying the cross-sectional structure of the ribs
or by initially positioning one rib slightly overlapping the rib
above it. A modified cross-sectional profile may provide a raised
upper edge to receive a freely floating rib lower edge and thereby
direct an upper rib under a lower rib. Alternately, the adjacent
ribs may be positioned slightly one on top of the other (with a
reduced cross-sectional profile to maintain a low profile for the
entire assembly) such that when a compressive arching of the top of
the shoe occurs, each rib moves beneath the rib adjacent to it
rather than make direct compressive contact.
[0022] The interlaced configuration provides for full protection of
the top of the foot without requiring two layers of protective
plates. In other words, while it would certainly be possible to
utilize solid plates across the tongue area of the shoe, such would
greatly increase the weight of the shoe and the thickness of the
upper of the shoe, especially across the top tongue area. The
configuration of the present invention eliminates both weight and
thickness within the shoe construction by utilizing interlaced rib
components. Accommodations are also made in this configuration for
the typical lacing eyelets that are positioned on either side of
the shoe and which would be joined by the standard shoelace so as
to allow the user to draw the sides of the shoe together for a
tight fit.
[0023] In addition to the lateral and medial tongue plate ribs 24a
and 24b, each side of the shoe incorporates an ankle plate. The
lateral (outside) ankle plate is not seen in the view in FIG. 1
while medial (inside ankle plate) is shown as described above. As
would be apparent, the specific configuration of the lateral side
plate components not shown in FIG. 1 would necessarily accommodate
the standard configuration differences between the medial and
lateral sides of the typical athletic shoe.
[0024] Reference is now made to FIG. 2 for a detailed description
of an alternate embodiment of the implementation of the present
invention in an athletic running shoe configuration. In this view,
the eyelets associated with a typical set of shoelaces have been
replaced with slide buckle configurations typically made of
semi-rigid plastic material. In the view of FIG. 2, armored shoe 40
is again generally comprised of shoe upper 42, shoe sole 44, shoe
toe region 46, and shoe heel region 48. Again, the tongue
construction of the shoe is comprised of lateral tongue half 50a
and medial tongue half 50b.
[0025] The protective plate construction in this embodiment is
similar in most respects to the plate construction shown in FIG. 1
with some modification to the specific geometries and positions for
the plates. Toe plate 52 is positioned as shown and described
previously as is heel plate 56. Outside ankle plate (not shown) is
positioned on the lateral side of the shoe, while inside (medial)
ankle plate 58 is configured and placed as shown. Lateral side
plate ribs 62a-62e are shown to extend up from a base component 60
for the side plate, while the ends of medial side plate ribs
64a-64e are shown extending up from the opposite side of the
shoe.
[0026] The bindings shown in FIG. 2 comprise top outside binding 66
and bottom outside binding 68 which are attached to the relevant
parts of the shoe construction by plastic attachment rivets 70. Top
inside binding 72 and bottom inside binding 74 are likewise shown
extending up from the opposite side of the shoe.
[0027] The attachment of the various protective panels and plates
shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 may be accomplished by a number of
mechanisms. The panels may be adhesively positioned and retained
within the layers of the shoe (see cross-sectional diagram
described in more detail below) or may preferably be provided with
apertures through which stitching may be directed to position and
retain the plates more flexibly within the shoe construction.
Adhesive material would generally prevent the free sliding movement
of the panels within the shoe construction, while the use of
relatively loose stitching would allow the panels greater
flexibility and movement within the shoe to match the movement of
the wearer. These stitching apertures are shown generally as
placement stitching apertures 54 in FIG. 2. It is understood that
similar aperture placements may be implemented in the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1 and with the further embodiments described in more
detail below.
[0028] Reference is next made to FIG. 3 which is a third embodiment
of the implementation of the system of the present invention in a
boot configuration. It will be understood that the embodiment shown
in FIG. 3 might be implemented with either the shoelace
construction shown in FIG. 1 or, as is shown in FIG. 3, with the
rigid binding configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 2. The
features added in FIG. 3 generally include the additional binding
110 but also include the additional upper protective plate 116 and
heel plate 96. This version further incorporates the rib
construction of lateral and medial side plate ribs 102 and 104. In
the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3
incorporating the array of protective panels into a boot, the top
protective plate incorporates two ribs coming from each side which
are interlaced underneath the additional binding component as
shown. In this manner, the same protective coverage over the tongue
area of the boot may be incorporated into the uppermost section of
the boot across the area of the wearer's leg immediately above the
ankle. The "break" between the interlaced rib panels allows for the
highest level of flexibility between the two sections at the ankle
area.
[0029] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 provides for either a
one-piece or two-piece upper protective plate 116. A two-piece
plate would have a mirror image lateral side to the medial side of
the structure shown in FIG. 3 wherein the protective plate ribs
118a (for example) extend across the tongue area of the shoe and
then back to a solid side protective plate area extending to a
mid-line on the back of the shoe. A one-piece configuration would
simply extend all of the way across and around the back of the shoe
to form the plate ribs on the lateral side of the shoe in a solid
configuration. Alternately, it may be preferable to retain greater
flexibility at the mid-line on the back of the boot wherein the
two-piece configuration described above would be preferable. Where
some greater ankle support is required, the one-piece embodiment
would be preferred.
[0030] A further alternate embodiment would extend upper protective
plate 116 lower over the ankle area of the medial side of the boot
reducing the height of the lower heel plate 96 and side plate 98. A
further alternate embodiment would introduce a third (counting from
top to bottom) protective plate immediately over the ankle bone on
the shoe (again, typically on the medial side of the foot) so as to
provide specific protection for the ankle bone while still
providing flexibility side to side at two points in the protective
panel assembly. This "floating" panel 97 situated over the ankle
bone would typically be formed and shaped into a domed
configuration so as to allow for movement and comfort within the
boot while still providing full protection for this commonly
impacted point on the foot. Appropriate stitching or adhesive
placement means would be utilized in conjunction with each of the
various protective plate embodiments described above.
[0031] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, using
hybrid composite materials is the most effective approach as they
provide a better balance of material properties. Suggested hybrid
materials would preferably have an intermediate modulus carbon
fiber such as T300 or AS4 with an E glass or Kevlar 49 fiber. The
carbon/E glass hybrid would be the most cost effective solution.
Hybrid fabric weight should be between 179 and 270 gsm and the
armor components should consist of 3 to 4 ply of the material.
Component thicknesses will vary dependent on location of use within
the shoe.
[0032] Resin matrix systems used in the preferred embodiment will
depend to some extent on the manufacturing approach. Thermoplastic
systems have the advantage of being the most automation friendly
but may be more expensive than thermoset systems. Automation should
offset the cost difference to some extent and when considered
together with the added storage and handling costs when using
thermoset systems, should be the most appropriate.
[0033] In addition to providing a protective system for the top and
front of the foot of the wearer, the systems and arrangements of
the present invention retain the same flexibility associated with
the leather or fabric construction normally associated with shoes
and boots. In other words, whereas a solid set of panels that might
overlap in the tongue area would provide a similar level of
protection, the rigidity that would result from such solid panels
would not allow the shoe construction to retain the flexibility
required. The ribbed construction shown in the present invention
not only allows for the elimination of multiple layers of
protective panels, but also allows for improved flexibility between
the ribs where only the leather or fabric construction of the shoe
is positioned. In this manner a complete, or nearly complete, level
of protection is provided across the top front of the shoe or boot
construction, while the flexibility of the shoe or boot is fully
retained.
[0034] Reference is next made to FIG. 4 for a detailed description
of a typical cross-sectional view of the armored shoe of the system
of the present invention. The cross-section shown in FIG. 4 may be
taken at a point behind the toe section of the shoe immediately
before the area where the split tongue components are structured.
In this view, armored shoe 120 is seen to be comprised of upper
122, sole 124, and insole base 126. Shoe upper 122 and insole base
126 are stitched to sole 124 by means of sole stitching 128 as is
typical in the art.
[0035] In the example shown in FIG. 4, composite plate/rib 130 is
shown to extend up from one side of the shoe over the top of the
shoe and partially across the top. A second section of composite
plate/rib 131 is seen on an opposing side of the shoe as it might
appear in cross-section opposite the first composite plate/rib
130.
[0036] Each of the composite plate/ribs 130 & 131 incorporate
vents 132 to facilitate the transfer of moisture from the foot (the
interior of the shoe) outward. Such vents may preferably also be
present in gel padding 134 which is configured as shown around the
foot both above and below. Layered interior to gel padding 134 is
reinforced padding 136, which in the preferred embodiment, provides
a wicking action to direct moisture away from the foot and outward
through vents 132. A similar structure is provided for with sole
124 of the shoe, wherein layered on insole base 126, are optional
insole plate 140 and insole padding 138. Composite plate/ribs 130
& 131 are held in place using plate stitching 133 as described
above.
[0037] Reference is next made to FIG. 5 for a description of a
fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein an
array of protective panels is incorporated onto the exterior of an
athletic running shoe (as an example). The perspective view shown
in FIG. 5 presents the medial (interior) side of the left shoe of a
pair of running shoes, understanding that the right shoe would be a
mirror image of that shown in FIG. 5. In a similar manner, only the
medial side of the shoe is shown as the arrangement of plates and
panels are generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the
shoe. In other words, the toe panel and the heel panel (described
in more detail below) are structured in a generally symmetrical
manner across the front and back of the shoe. The mid-shoe panel
shown on the medial side of the shoe in FIG. 5 is likewise
generally symmetrical on the lateral (outside) side of the shoe in
a manner suitable for application onto the exterior surface of the
standard construction of such a shoe, accommodating variations in
the curve of the sole and the side panels as necessary.
[0038] In FIG. 5, armored shoe 150 is shown to generally comprise
shoe upper 152, shoe sole 154, shoe toe region 156, and shoe heel
region 158. In the specific shoe construction of this fourth
embodiment of the present invention, the normal one-piece shoe
tongue is replaced with a two-piece component that extends across
to either side of the shoe. This two-piece tongue component is made
up of lateral tongue half 160a and medial tongue half 160b.
[0039] The protective plate components of the fourth embodiment
system of the present invention are shown positioned exterior to
the construction of the shoe (the manner in which these plates are
layered onto the exterior surface of the shoe is described in more
detail below) and are presented in FIG. 5 overlaying the basic
components of an athletic type shoe such as that shown in the first
preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. The basic components associated
with the toe and heel regions are relatively straightforward and
comprise toe plate 162 and heel plate 166. These may be permanently
adhered to the outer surface of the shoe. The sole plate is not
visible in the view shown in FIG. 5, but is understood to
effectively follow the in-sole construction of the shoe as
described above with regard to the first preferred embodiment shown
in FIG. 1. The sole plate is retained with an adhesive or other
mechanism for fixing the protective plate in conjunction with the
sole. Alternately, multiple sole plates may be positioned under the
front part of the foot and heel part of the foot so as to retain an
area of flexibility between the sole plates, again similar to the
manner in which the first preferred embodiment is described
above.
[0040] In this fourth preferred embodiment, the most unique
component is mid-shoe crossover plate 164. This unitary protective
panel comprises a single plate configured with lateral apertures to
form a plurality of parallel ribs each positioned and structured
across the upper of the shoe. This unitary mid-shoe plate 164 is
shown to incorporate apertures 168a and 168b to effectively imitate
the rib function of the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention described above. In this case, however, the plate is
positioned on the exterior of the shoe once the user has secured
the shoe to the foot and drawn the lacing tight. Mid-shoe plate 164
is then attached to the shoe by means of a number of snap
connectors 170a-170d. The structure of these snap connectors is
described in more detail below in conjunction with FIG. 6. The
array of snap connectors shown on the medial side of shoe 150 in
FIG. 5 is duplicated on the lateral side of the shoe not seen in
the view of FIG. 5.
[0041] Reference is next made to FIG. 6 for a detailed description
of a cross-sectional view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the
armored shoe of the system of the present invention. The cross
section shown in FIG. 6 may be taken at a point behind the toe
section of the shoe immediately before the area where the split
tongue components are structured. In this view, armored shoe 180 is
seen to be comprised of upper 182, sole 184, and in-sole base 186.
Shoe upper 182 and in-sole base 186 are stitched to sole 184 by
means of sole stitching 188 as is typical in the art.
[0042] In the example shown in FIG. 6, composite plate 190 is shown
to extend up from one side of the shoe on the exterior of the shoe,
over the top of the shoe, and fully across the top to the opposite
edge of the sole. As described above, the edges of composite plate
190 are secured to the upper 182 of the shoe where it meets the
sole 184 by means of a plurality of snap rivet connectors 200. In
this embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary for
the composite plate 130 to incorporate vents of any type as the
plate is already positioned on the exterior of the shoe and need
not provide for the evaporation of moisture from the interior of
the shoe outward. The interior components of this fourth preferred
embodiment of the shoe of the present invention are similar to
those described above in conjunction with the first preferred
embodiment. The layered interior is shown to preferably include gel
padding 194 positioned adjacent to reinforced padding 196, which in
the preferred embodiment provides a wicking action to direct
moisture away from the foot and outward from the shoe. A similar
structure is provided for with sole 184 of the shoe wherein layered
on in-sole base 186 are optional in-sole plate 192 and in-sole
padding 198.
[0043] The present invention therefore provides an array of unique
composite material plates positioned and retained within the
structure of a shoe or boot so as to provide protection for the
foot of the wearer while at the same time retaining the comfort and
flexibility of the shoe or boot. The placement and configuration of
the plates provide a means for protecting the foot while not
significantly adding to the weight of the shoe or boot, or
compromising its flexibility. In addition, the manner in which the
plates are incorporated into the structure of the shoe allow for
movement without the usual degrading friction that results from
rigid or semi-rigid components rubbing against the cloth or leather
material of the shoe construction. It will be understood by those
skilled in the art that alternative placements, depending upon the
type of the shoe, as well as alternative composite materials, may
be used in the overall system. In addition, a wide variety of
closure or tightening mechanisms beyond lacing and buckle-type
straps are anticipated for use with the system of the present
invention. The interlaced rib construction of the present invention
allows for a wide variety of crossover tightening mechanisms of the
shoe or boot. Other modifications to the basic configurations
described as preferred embodiments in the above description are
anticipated.
* * * * *