Toe guider device for footwear

Abstract

A footwear includes a shoe sole, a shoe upper member coupled on the shoe sole, and a toe guider device which includes first and second spacers. Bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers are retained by the shoe sole while top ends of the first and second toe spacers are retained by the shoe upper. The first toe spacer is retained for being worn between first and second toes of a wearer. The second toe spacer is retained for being worn between second and third toes of the wearer.

Claims

1. A footwear, comprising: a shoe sole; a shoe upper member coupled on said shoe sole; and a toe guider device consisting of a first toe spacer and a second toe spacer, wherein bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers are retained by said shoe sole while top ends of said first toe spacer and said second toe spacer are retained by said shoe upper member, such that said first and second toe spacers are spacedly held at a position that said first toe spacer is arranged for being worn between first and second toes of an wearer and said second toe spacer is arranged for being worn between second and third toes of the wearer, wherein a width of said first toe spacer is lamer than a width of said second toe spacer, wherein said first toe spacer has two first opposed curving sidewalls such that a width of said first toe spacer is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion of said first toe spacer and said second toe spacer has two second opposed curving sidewalls such that a width of said second toe spacer is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion of said second toe spacer, wherein said mid-portion of said first toe spacer has a width lamer than that of said mid-portion of said second toe spacer, thereby each of said first and second opposed curving sidewalls has a curvature configured for fitting a curvature of side surfaces of the toes of the wearer.

2. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers is integrally extended from said shoe sole.

3. The footwear, as recited in claim 2, wherein said toe guider device has two retention cavities indently formed at said shoe sole and said shoe upper member respectively to receive said top and bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers so as to retain said first and second toe spacers between said shoe sole and said shoe upper.

4. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein said toe guider device has two retention cavities indently formed at said shoe sole and said shoe upper member respectively to receive said top and bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers so as to retain said first and second toe spacers between said shoe sole and said shoe upper.

5. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein said shoe upper member comprises a toe cover attached on said shoe sole to form a toe cavity that said toe guider device is supported therewithin.

6. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged bottom platform while said top ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged top platform.

7. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein said bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged bottom platform while said top ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged top platform.

8. The footwear, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first toe spacer is constructed to have a core sleeve and a core support, wherein said core support is extended between said shoe sole and said shoe upper member and coaxially extended along said core sleeve, wherein said two first opposed curving sidewalls are defined at said core sleeve.

9. A method of manufacturing a footwear, comprising steps of: (a) forming a shoe sole and a shoe upper member; (b) attaching said shoe upper member on said shoe sole; (c) forming a toe guider device, consisting of a first toe spacer and a second toe spacer; (d) forming the first toe spacer between said shoe sole and said shoe upper member at a position that a bottom end of said first toe spacer is retained by said shoe sole while a top end of said first toe spacer is retained by said shoe upper member to retain said first toe spacer for being worn between first and second toes of a wearer, wherein said first toe spacer has two first opposed curving sidewalls such that a width of said first toe spacer is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion of said first toe spacer; and (e) forming the second toe spacer, having a width smaller than said first toe spacer, between said shoe sole and said shoe upper member at a position that a bottom end of said second toe spacer is retained by said shoe sole while a top end of said second toe spacer is retained by said shoe upper member to retain said second toe spacer for being worn between second and third toes of the wearer, wherein said second toe spacer has two second opposed curving sidewalls such that a width of said second toe spacer is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion of said second toe spacer, wherein said mid-portion of said first toe spacer has a width lamer than that of said mid-portion of said second toe spacer, such that each of said first and second opposed curving sidewalls has a curvature configured for fitting a curvature of side surfaces of the toes of the wearer.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein, in the step (d) and step (e), at least one of said bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers is integrally extended from said shoe upper.

11. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said shoe upper member comprises a toe cover attached on said shoe sole to form a toe cavity that said toe guider device is supported therewithin.

12. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said shoe upper member comprises a toe cover attached on said shoe sole to form a toe cavity that said toe guider device is supported therewithin.

13. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said bottom ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged bottom platform while said top ends of said first and second toe spacers are integrated to form an enlarged top platform.

14. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said first toe spacer is constructed to have a core sleeve and a core support, wherein said core support is extended between said shoe sole and said shoe upper member and coaxially extended along said core sleeve, wherein said two first opposed curving sidewalls are defined at said core sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a footwear with a toe guider device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the toe guider device of the footwear according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative mode of the toe guider device of the footwear according to the above first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a footwear with a toe guider device according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the toe guider device of the footwear according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative mode of the toe guider device of the footwear according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a method of manufacturing method of the footwear according to the above first and second embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(8) The following description is disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. Preferred embodiments are provided in the following description only as examples and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles defined in the following description would be applied to other embodiments, alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

(9) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a footwear according to a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the footwear is an open type of footwear, wherein the footwear is embodied and constructed as a sandal or a flip flop. The footwear comprises a shoe sole 10, a shoe upper member 20 coupled on the shoe sole 10, and a toe guider device 30 retained between the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20. Accordingly, the toe guider device 30 comprises a first spacer 31 and a second spacer 32 spaced apart with each other to provide a two-point toe retention for preventing any unwanted movement of the foot with respect to the footwear and for helping align and straighten the toes to relieve pressure on bunions.

(10) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first spacer 31 is extended between the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20, wherein the first spacer 31 has a bottom end retained by the shoe sole 10 and a top end retained by the shoe upper member 20. Therefore, the first spacer 31 is retained for being worn between the first toe A (big toe) and the second toe B (index toe) of the wearer.

(11) The second spacer 32 is extended between the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20, wherein the second spacer 32 has a bottom end retained by the shoe sole 10 and a top end retained by the shoe upper member 20. Therefore, the second spacer 32 is retained for being worn between the second toe B (index toe) and the third toe C (middle toe) of the wearer.

(12) According to the first embodiment, the shoe sole 10 has a bottom sturdy side and a top cushion side, wherein the shoe sole 10 has a plurality of attachment slots 11 formed thereat to engage with two side ends of the shoe upper member 20 and the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 respectively. In one embodiment, each of the attachment slots 11 is a through hole, wherein the side ends of the shoe upper member 20 and the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are extended through the attachment slots 11 to attach to the shoe sole 10.

(13) According to this embodiment, the shoe upper member 20 is embodied as example to comprise a strap 21, having a V-shape, defines the side ends as two free ends of the strap 21. The strap 21, which can be made of plastic, fabric, leather, or the like, is attached on the shoe sole 10. Alternatively, the shoe upper member 20 can be an elongated straight strap or a flap, wherein the side ends are defined as two side edges of the shoe upper member 20.

(14) According to the preferred embodiment, the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are preferably made of soft gel material to soothe and soften skins around the toes. As the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 being retained by the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20, a height of each of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 is equal or larger than a distance between the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20.

(15) A width of the first toe spacer 31 is larger than a width of the second toe spacer 32. It is because a toe gap between the first toe A and the second toe B is larger than a toe gap between the second toe B and the third toe C of the wearer. Therefore, the wider first toe spacer 31 will fit the wider toe gap between the first toe A and the second toe B while the narrower second to spacer 32 will fit the narrower toe gap between the second toe B and the third toe C. Furthermore, each of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 has two opposed curving sidewalls that the width of each of the second toe spacers 31, 32 is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion thereof. It is worth mentioning that the width between the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 should be compared at the same portion. In other words, the width of the mid-portion of the first toe spacer 31 is larger than the width of the mid-portion of the second toe spacer 32. Accordingly, the curving sidewalls of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are configured to fit the curvature of the side surfaces of the toes so as to ensure the toe guider device 30 of the present invention being worn comfortably.

(16) At least one of the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 is attached to the shoe sole 10. At least one of the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 is integrally extended from the shoe upper member 20. As shown in FIG. 2, both the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are attached to the shoe sole 10 via two of the attachment slots 11 respectively. In one embodiment, the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are two enlarged stopper ends extended to the bottom side of the shoe sole 10 through the attachment slots 11. Both the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are integrally extended from the strap 21 of the shoe upper member 20. In other words, the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 can be formed at the same when manufacturing the shoe upper member 20 during the manufacturing process thereof, such as mold injection, sewing, 3D printing, and/or etc.

(17) In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 comprises a core support and a core sleeve. As shown in FIG. 2, only the first toe spacer 31 is constructed to have the core support 311 and the core sleeve 312, wherein the core support 311 is extended between the shoe sole 10 and the shoe upper member 20, and is coaxially received along the core sleeve 312. In particular, the top end of the core support 311 is integrally extended from the shoe upper member 20 while the bottom end of the core support 311 is attached to the shoe sole 10 via the attachment slot 11. The curving sidewalls are defined at the core sleeve 312. It is worth mentioning that the material of the core support 311 can be the same as the material of the core sleeve 312. Preferably, the material of the core support 311 is different from the material of the core sleeve 312. The core support 311 is made of relatively sturdy material and the core sleeve 312 is made of soft material, such as soft gel material. It is worth mentioning that the second toe spacer 32 can also be constructed as the first toe spacer 31 to have the core support and the core sleeve. Alternatively, the first toe spacer 31 can also be constructed as the second toe spacer 32 to have the single core configuration.

(18) FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative mode of the toe guider device 30A, wherein the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A are made of different material from the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 are preferably made of plastic. The first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A are preferably made of fabric material. In one embodiment, the fabric string is woven to form each of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A. Accordingly, at least one of the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A is attached to the shoe upper member 20. As shown in FIG. 3, both the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A are attached to the shoe upper member 20, wherein the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A are tied to the shoe upper member 20. In one embodiment, each top end of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A forms a loop end, wherein the strap 21 passes through the loop ends to couple with the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A. It is worth mentioning that at least one of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A can be integrally formed with the shoe upper member 20 when the material of the shoe upper member 20 is the same as the first and/or toe spacers 31A, 32A.

(19) Furthermore, at least one of the first and second toe spacers 31A, 32A comprises a core support and a core sleeve. As shown in FIG. 3, only the first toe spacer 31A is constructed to have the core support 311A and the core sleeve 312A, wherein the core support 311A is extended between the shoe sole 10A and the shoe upper member 20A, and is coaxially received along the core sleeve 312A. In particular, the top end of the core support 311A is attached to the shoe upper member 20 while the bottom end of the core support 311A is attached to the shoe sole 10 via the attachment slot 11. Preferably, the material of the core support 311A is different from the material of the core sleeve 312A. The core support 311A is made of fabric material and the core sleeve 312A is made of soft material, such as soft gel material. It is worth mentioning that the second toe spacer 32A can also be constructed as the first toe spacer 31A to have the core support and the core sleeve. Alternatively, the first toe spacer 31A can also be constructed as the second toe spacer 32A to have the single core configuration.

(20) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a footwear according to a second embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment, wherein the footwear is a closed type of footwear and is embodied and constructed as a shoe according to the second embodiment. The footwear comprises a shoe sole 10B, a shoe upper member 20B coupled on the shoe sole 10B, and a toe guider device 30B retained between the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B.

(21) The shoe sole 10B comprises an outsole 11B and an insole 12B overlapped thereon. The shoe upper member 20B comprises a toe cover 21B attached on the shoe sole 10B to define a toe cavity 200B therebetween, wherein the toe guider device 30B is supported within the toe cavity 200B.

(22) The toe guider device 30B comprises first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B retained between the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B. The first spacer 31B has a bottom end retained by the shoe sole 10B and a top end retained by the shoe upper member 20B, wherein the first spacer 31B is retained for being worn between the first toe A and the second toe B of the wearer. The second spacer 32B has a bottom end retained by the shoe sole 10B and a top end retained by the shoe upper member 20B, wherein the second spacer 32B is retained for being worn between the second toe B and the third toe C of the wearer. The contour configuration of each of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B of the second embodiment is the same as that of each of the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 of the first embodiment. That is, a height of each of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B is equal or larger than a distance between the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B. A width of the first toe spacer 31B is larger than a width of the second toe spacer 32B. Furthermore, each of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B has two opposed curving sidewalls that the width of each of the second toe spacers 31B, 32B is gradually reducing towards a mid-portion thereof.

(23) At least one of the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B is integrally extended from the shoe sole 10B. At least one of the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B is integrally extended from the shoe upper member 20B. As shown in FIG. 5, both the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B are integrally extended from the insole 12B of the shoe sole 10B. Both the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B are integrally extended from the toe cover 21B of the shoe upper member 20B. In one embodiment, the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B are glued to the insole 12B to integrate the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B with the insole 12B. The first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B are glued to the toe cover 21B to integrate the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B with the toe cover 21B. It is worth mentioning that each of the first and second toe spacers 31B, 32B can be constructed with the core support and the core sleeve as configured as the first and second toe spacers 31, 32 in the first embodiment.

(24) FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative mode of the toe guider device 30C of the second embodiment, wherein the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C are integrated to form a one-piece integrated member. Accordingly, the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C are integrated to form an enlarged bottom platform 301C. The top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C are integrated to form an enlarged top platform 302C.

(25) The toe guider device 30C further has two retention cavities 33C indently formed at the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B respectively to receive the top and bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C so as to retain the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C between the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B. As shown in FIG. 6, the retention cavities 33C are formed at the insole 12B of the shoe sole 10B and an inner side of the toe cover 21B of the shoe upper member 20B. Moreover, the bottom platform 301C and the top platform 302C are received at the retention cavities 33C respectively to retain the toe guider device 30C between the shoe sole 10C and the shoe upper member 20C. In other words, the toe guider device 30C can be detached from the shoe sole 10C and the shoe upper member 20B and can be placed back therebetween via the retention cavities 33C. It is worth mentioning that the retention cavities 33C can be replaced by two detachable fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, provided at the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B respectively to detachably fasten the top and bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C, preferably via the top platform 302C and the bottom platform 301C, so as to retain the first and second toe spacers 31C, 32C between the shoe sole 10B and the shoe upper member 20B.

(26) In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first toe spacer 31, 31A, 31B, 31C has an elongated cross section, for example in oval shape, in ellipse shape, elongated shape with round ends, or elongated shape with concaved middle portion as shown in FIG. 4, to extend to the tip portions of the first toe and the second toe so as to ensure a complete separation between the first toe and the second toe of the wearer. The first and second toe spacers 31, 31A, 31B, 31C and 32, 32A, 32B, 32C positioned between the first toe and the second toe and between the second toe and the third toe respectively substantially provide a first space between the first toe and the second toe and a second space between the second toe and the middle toe can substantially provide relaxing of the toes and correction of the hammer toe of the wearer.

(27) FIG. 7 illustrates a manufacturing method of the footwear, which comprises the following steps.

(28) (1) Form the shoe sole 10, 10B and the shoe upper member 20, 20B.

(29) (2) Attach the shoe upper member 20, 20B on the shoe sole 10, 20B. Accordingly, the shoe upper member 20 is formed to have the strap 21 being attached on the shoe sole 10 to form the flip flop as the first embodiment while the shoe upper member 20B is formed to have the toe cover 21B being attached on the shoe sole 10B to form the shoe as the second embodiment.

(30) (3) Form the first toe spacer 31, 31B between the shoe sole 10, 10B and the shoe upper member 20, 20B at a position that the bottom end of the first toe spacer 31, 31B is retained by the shoe sole 10, 10B while the top end of the first toe spacer 32, 32B is retained by the shoe upper member 20, 20B to retain the first toe spacer 31, 31B for being worn between first and second toes A, B of the wearer.

(31) (4) Form the second toe spacer 32, 32B between the shoe sole 10, 10B and the shoe upper member 20, 20B at a position that the bottom end of the second toe spacer 32, 32B is retained by the shoe sole 10, 10B while the top end of the second toe spacer 32, 32B is retained by the shoe upper member 20, 20B to retain the second toe spacer 32, 32B for being worn between second and third toes B, C of the wearer.

(32) Accordingly, all the features in the first and second embodiments and their alternatives are interchangeable to achieve the objective of the present invention. For example, the first toe spacer 31, 31A, 31B, 31C and the second toe spacer 32, 32A, 32B, 32C are interchangeable that the bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 31A, 31B, 31C, 32, 32A, 32B, 32C can be either integrated with the shoe sole 10, 10A, 10B, 10C or attached thereto, and the top ends of the first and second toe spacers 31, 31A, 31B, 31C, 32, 32A, 32B, 32C can be either integrated with the shoe upper member 20, 20A, 20B, 20C or attached thereto. The toe guider device 30, 30A, 30B, 30C can be incorporated with any footwear having the shoe sole 10, 10A, 10B, 10C and the shoe upper member 20, 20A, 20B, 20C. Likewise, the core support and the core sleeve can be formed at the first and/or second toe spacers according to the first and second embodiments and their alternatively. For example, the first spacer 31B of the second embodiment can be constructed to have the core support and the core sleeve as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(33) One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

(34) It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.