Abstract
A sock having a sole that has impact zones in the toe region, the ball region and the heel region, the sole includes stimulation elements in a toe groove region located between the toe region and the ball region as well as in a metatarsal arch region located between the ball region and the heel region, but not in the impact zones.
Claims
1. A sock having a sole, comprising: impact zones in the toe region, the ball region, the lateral arch region, and the heel region, a non-impact zone in a toe groove region situated between the toe region and the ball region; wherein the toe region encompasses a semicircular region abutting and including a front edge of the sole, the heel region encompasses a semicircular region abutting and including a rear edge of the sole, and the lateral arch region encompasses an elongated region abutting and including an outer lateral edge of the sole with respect to a longitudinal axis A of the sole; wherein the sole comprises stimulation elements distributed over an entire surface of the toe groove region, and distributed over an entire surface of a non-impact metatarsal arch region that is situated between the ball region and the heel region, the metatarsal arch region encompassing an elongated region abutting an inner lateral edge of the sole with respect to the longitudinal axis A, wherein the sock does not comprise stimulation elements in any part of the impact zones, and wherein, when the sock is being worn by a person standing on a plane surface, the non-impact zone is spaced from the plane surface and the impact zones contact the plane surface, and wherein the stimulation elements at least partially fill an intermediate space between a sole of the person's foot and the plane surface.
2. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the sole further comprises an impact zone in a web region situated between the ball region and the heel region in a longitudinal direction and flanking the metatarsal arch region in a lateral direction, said web region impact zone connecting the ball region and the heel region to each other.
3. The sock according to claim 2, wherein the sole further comprises stimulation elements distributed over an entire surface of a non-impact triangle region which is situated on an opposite side of the web region relative to the metatarsal arch region and is adjoining the heel region, and is situated entirely on an outer lateral side of the longitudinal axis A.
4. The sock according to claim 1, wherein, when the sock is being worn by a person standing on a plane surface, the impact zones get into contact with the plane surface.
5. The sock according to claim 1, wherein, when the sock is being worn by a person standing on a plane surface, the toe groove region, the metatarsal arch region and/or the triangle region are spaced from the plane surface.
6. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the impact zones of the sole are designed in such a manner that, when the sock is being worn, the impact zones of the sole of the sock are configured to cover regions of the sole of the foot which, when a foot is standing barefoot on a plane surface, get into contact with said plane surface.
7. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation elements are arranged on an inner side and/or on an outer side of the sole.
8. The sock according to claim 3, wherein at least partial regions of the toe groove region, the metatarsal arch region and/or the triangle region include stimulation elements on an inner side and on an outer side.
9. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation elements include plush.
10. The sock according to claim 3, wherein in the toe groove region, in the metatarsal arch region and/or in the triangle region, the sole includes a plush surface on the inner side or the outer side for forming the stimulation elements.
11. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation elements include bristle-like textile elements.
12. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the stimulation elements are arranged asymmetrically relative to an axis running particularly centrally in the extension direction of the sole from the heel region to the toe region.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention will be explained hereunder by way of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the following is shown:
(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view of a sock of the invention according to one embodiment, when folded into a flat configuration;
(3) FIG. 2a is a schematic plan view onto an outer side of the sole of a right-hand sock according to one embodiment;
(4) FIG. 2b is a schematic plan view onto an inner side of the sole of a right-hand sock according to one embodiment;
(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of a sock of the invention according to one embodiment;
(6) FIG. 4a is a partial view, in the form of schematic longitudinal sectional views, of a sock of the invention according to different embodiments, wherein the metatarsal arch region is shown;
(7) FIG. 4b is a partial view, in the form of schematic longitudinal sectional views, of a sock of the invention according to different embodiments, wherein the metatarsal arch region is shown; and
(8) FIG. 4c is a partial view, in the form of schematic longitudinal sectional views, of a sock of the invention according to different embodiments, wherein the metatarsal arch region is shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(9) FIG. 1 shows, in schematic lateral view, a sock 1 of the invention according to one embodiment. The sock 1 comprises a foot portion 2 for covering a foot and a shaft portion 3 for covering a lower region of a wearer's leg.
(10) FIG. 2a shows a schematic plan view onto an outer side 12 of a sole 10 of the sock 1 of the invention. In the illustrated view, the sock 1 is the one on the right-hand side. Of course, however, both left-hand-side socks and right-hand-side socks 1 are comprised under the scope of the invention. A corresponding left-hand-side sock 1 could be designed particularly as a mirror image to the right-hand-side sock shown herein. In the toe region 22, in the ball region 24, in the heel region 26 and in a web region 28 connecting the ball region 24 and the heel region 26, the sole 10 comprises impact zones. When the sock 1 is being worn, these impact zones will cover impact regions of a sole F of a foot that, due to the geometry of the foot, will get into contact with a plane underlying ground.
(11) The sole 10 further comprises non-impact zones which, when the sock 1 is being worn, will cover regions of the sole F of the foot which, when the wearer is standing, are—due to the geometry of the foot—spaced from the plane underlying ground. One such non-impact zone is the toe groove region 32 situated between the toe region 22 and the ball region 24. A further non-impact zone is the metatarsal arch region 34 situated between the ball region 24 and the heel region 26. On the left-hand side in FIG. 2, the metatarsal arch region 34 is flanked by the web region 28. By the heel region 26 and the web region 28, a further non-impact zone, the triangle region 36, is delimited on the side of the web region 28 opposite to the metatarsal arch region 34. The triangle region has a substantially triangular shape.
(12) FIG. 2b shows the position of the various impact zones and non-impact zones of the right-hand sock 1 in plan view onto the inner side 14 of the sole 10 of sock 1. As evident, the distribution of the impact zones and non-impact zones as seen in plan view onto the inner side 14 of the sole 10 is the mirror image of the distribution of the impact zones and non-impact zones as seen in plan view onto the outer side 12 of the sole 10.
(13) According to the invention, at least the toe groove region 32 and the metatarsal arch region 34 comprise stimulation elements 40. Also the triangle region 36 can comprise stimulation elements 40. The toe groove region 32, the metatarsal cavity region 34 and/or the triangle region 36 can comprise stimulation elements 40 distributed over their entire surface. It can also be envisioned that only partial regions of the toe groove region 32, the metatarsal arch region 34 and/or the triangle region 36 comprise stimulation elements 40.
(14) The stimulation elements 40 can be or comprise bristle-like elements, particularly bristle-like textile elements. The stimulation elements 40 can be or comprise hair-like needles that can particularly impart a fur-like feeling. The stimulation elements 40 can be formed as pin-like or thread-like animating elements or comprise pin-like or thread-like animating elements. To achieve good adaptability to a foot, the stimulation elements can be flexible, elastic and/or bendable, wherein, particularly, they can have a certain stiffness so as to fulfill the stimulation function well. Preferably, the stimulation elements 40 comprise plush. For forming the stimulation elements 40, the toe groove region 32 and the metatarsal arch region 34 can be provided with a plush surface across the entirety of the outer side 12 and/or the inner side 14. The stimulation elements 40, particularly the plush, are raised relative to the impact zones of the sole 10.
(15) FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a sock 1 of the invention as seen along an axis A running centrally in the extension direction of the sole 10 from the heel region 26 to the toe region 22 (see FIGS. 2a and 2b). In FIG. 3, the sock 1 is shown in the state of being worn, so that the sock adheres to the wearer's foot and takes a shape corresponding to the foot, wherein, for the sake of better survey, the foot is not illustrated. From FIG. 3, it is clearly evident that, dictated by the geometry of the foot, the sole 10 comprises impact regions (toe region 22, ball region 24 and heel region 26) and non-impact regions (toe groove region 32 and metatarsal arch region 34).
(16) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the stimulation elements 40 in the toe groove region 32 and in the metatarsal arch region 34 are provided on the outer side 12 of the sole 10. The stimulation elements 40 are illustrated as bristle-shaped textile elements and can e.g. comprise plush. In the Figures, the bristle-shaped textile elements are depicted with a relatively large length for easier illustration. In practice, of course, the length of the stimulation elements 40 can be adapted in a flexible manner. Particularly, relative to the impact zones of the sole 10, the stimulation elements 40 can be raised by less than 3 mm, less than 5 mm, less than 1 cm or more than 3 mm, more than 5 mm or more than 1 cm.
(17) As can be seen in FIGS. 3, when treading onto a plane surface B (see FIG. 4a), the stimulation elements 40 will at least partially fill the intermediate space—occurring in the region of the non-impact surfaces, particularly in the toe groove region 32 and in the metatarsal arch region 34—between the sole 10 of the sock 1 and respectively of the wearer's foot and the plane surface B. Thereby, when the wearer is standing, pressure is exerted, via the stimulation elements 40, also onto the non-impact regions of the foot so that the feet will be stimulated, which e.g. can enhance the blood circulation.
(18) FIG. 4a shows a portion of the view of FIG. 3 including the metatarsal arch region 34, while also schematically showing the sole F of the foot of a wearer of the sock 1 and the plane surface B on which the foot is standing.
(19) FIG. 4b shows a corresponding view of the sock according to an alternative embodiment. According to FIG. 4b, in difference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4a, the stimulation elements 40 in the metatarsal arch region 34 are provided not on the outer side 12 of the sole 10 but on the inner side 14 of the latter. Thus, the stimulation elements 40 are arranged between the sole F of the foot of a wearer the sock 1 and the inner side 14 of the sole 10 of the sock 1. The stimulation elements 40 will thereby get into direct contact with the sole F of the foot so that the sole can be stimulated in a particularly good manner. The support function effected by said filling of the intermediate space—resulting from the foot geometry—between the plane surface B and the sole F of the foot of the wearer is existent also here. Of course, the stimulation elements 40 can be provided on the inner side 14 of the sole 10 also in the toe arch groove 32 and in the triangle region 36.
(20) FIG. 4c shows the metatarsal arch region 34 of a further alternative embodiment. Here, stimulation elements 40 are applied both on the inner side 14 and on the outer side 12 of the sole 10. Also this design can be easily transferred to the toe groove region 32 and/or the triangle region 36. Due to the stimulation elements 40 provided on the inner side 14, this embodiment according to FIG. 4c allows for a direct contact between the sole F of the foot and the stimulation elements 40 so that the sole F of the foot can be stimulated in a particularly effective manner. Since stimulation elements 40 are provided on both sides of the sole 10, it is rendered possible in a simple manner to achieve a large overall thickness in the corresponding non-impact zone so that the foot can be given a particularly good stabilization.
(21) As shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, the distance between the plane surface B and the sole F of the foot of the wearer of the sock is not constant across the metatarsal arch region 34. For this reason, it could be conceived to adapt the height of the stimulation elements 40 correspondingly and to vary it across the metatarsal arch region 34. Particularly in case of relatively low stimulation elements 40, however, it can also be advisable to keep the height of the stimulation elements 40 at a constant level. Further, it can be advantageous if the stimulation elements 40 are flexible to the effect that they will adapt to the contour of the foot in a suitable manner.
