Abstract
A flexible shoe snugging fitment is oblong with a thickness providing pad that is carried on top of a foot, preferably held in place against the foot with hosiery, which underlies and spaces a top part, e.g., vamp, of an article of footwear, e.g., shoe or boot, from the foot snugging the footwear on the foot improving fit and helping prevent relative movement therebetween. A preferred fitment is oblong and transversely oriented relative to a lengthwise fore-aft extent of the foot. Fitment has a central portion from which flaps extend oppositely outwardly that each extend around part of a corresponding side of the foot helping to prevent side-to-side relative movement between the foot and footwear worn on the foot. One preferred fitment is an assembly with a smaller adjuster pad slidably received in a pocket in a pad carrier with the pad extendable to adjust thickness and width of the assembly.
Claims
1. A footwear fitment for improving comfort of a foot wearing footwear, the footwear fitment comprised of a pad having a thickness and adapted to be disposed between a top portion of the foot and part of a vamp or upper of the footwear worn on the foot.
2. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie at least a portion of one of a midfoot and an ankle of the top portion of the foot.
3. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie a portion of the midfoot and the ankle of the top portion of the foot.
4. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to be carried by hosiery, the hosiery urging the positioner against the top portion of the foot and disposing the positioner between the upper or vamp of the footwear worn on the foot and the top portion of the foot wearing the footwear.
5. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is oblong and has a pair of wings extending outwardly from a central base, the wings providing side-to-side snugging and foot-shoe mislocation compensation.
6. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is oblong and adapted to be oriented generally orthogonally relative to a fore-aft or distal-proximal longitudinal extent of the foot.
7. The footwear fitment of claim 6, wherein the pad is oblong and adapted to be oriented generally orthogonally relative to a fore-aft or distal-proximal extent of the foot.
8. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad comprises a footwear spacer disposed between the top portion of the foot and footwear worn on the foot, the footwear spacer having a thickness that snugs up footwear worn on the foot reducing relative movement therebetween.
9. The footwear fitment of claim 8, wherein the pad is adapted to be carried by hosiery, the hosiery urging the pad against the one of the midfoot and ankle of the foot and disposing the pad between the upper or vamp of the footwear worn on the foot and the one of the midfoot and ankle of the foot wearing the footwear.
10. The footwear fitment of claim 8, wherein the pad is oblong and adapted to be oriented generally orthogonally relative to a fore-aft or distal-proximal longitudinal extent of the foot.
11. The footwear fitment of claim 10, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie an upper part of the midfoot of the foot.
12. The footwear fitment of claim 10, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie an upper part of ankle of the foot.
13. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad comprises a footwear spacer disposed between the top portion of the foot and footwear worn on the foot, the footwear spacer having a thickness that snugs up footwear worn on the foot improving fit of the footwear on the foot.
14. The footwear fitment of claim 13, wherein the pad is adapted to be carried by hosiery, the hosiery urging the pad against the one of the midfoot and ankle of the foot and disposing the pad between the upper or vamp of the footwear worn on the foot and the one of the midfoot and ankle of the foot wearing the footwear.
15. The footwear fitment of claim 13, wherein the pad is oblong and adapted to be oriented generally orthogonally relative to a fore-aft or distal-proximal longitudinal extent of the foot.
16. The footwear fitment of claim 15, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie an upper part of the midfoot of the foot.
17. The footwear fitment of claim 10, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie an upper part of ankle of the foot.
18. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to be positioned along one of a midfoot and ankle of the top portion of the foot.
19. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to space a toe-cap, toe-box or toe-puff of footwear worn on the foot from a toe of the foot wearing the footwear.
20. The footwear fitment of claim 19, wherein the pad is adapted to space a toe-cap, toe-box or toe-puff of footwear worn on the foot from a free end of the toe of the foot wearing the footwear.
21. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to overlie a midfoot of the foot wearing the footwear.
22. The footwear fitment of claim 21, wherein the pad is configured to be carried by hosiery worn on the foot, the hosiery disposed between the foot and the footwear worn on the foot.
23. The footwear fitment of claim 22, wherein the pad is configured so the hosiery urges the positioner against the midfoot of the foot wearing the footwear.
24. The footwear fitment of claim 1, wherein the pad is adapted to be disposed between a midfoot of the foot wearing the footwear and a vamp or upper of the footwear worn on the foot.
25. The footwear fitment of claim 24, wherein the positioner is adapted to be retained against the midfoot of the foot by hosiery worn on the foot, the hosiery disposed between the foot and the footwear worn on the foot.
Description
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
[0019] One or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout and in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first preferred embodiment of a footwear comfort-enhancing fitment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the footwear comfort-enhancing fitment of FIG. 1 depicting its thickness;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting hosiery on the foot releasably retaining in place the footwear fitment in a preferred position directly against skin of the foot overlying part of the midfoot and/or ankle of the foot;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an article of footwear worn on a foot of a person with the footwear fitment depicted in phantom removably carried by an upper portion of the foot and disposed between the upper portion of the foot and an upper portion of the footwear;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the article of footwear with the foot removed showing an exemplary placement of the footwear fitment relative to part of an upper or vamp of the footwear;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 showing a construction method employing foam material adhered to one or more outer fabric layers;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an opposite side of the preferred fitment embodiment of FIG. 6 having a low or lower friction outer surface configured to allow cloth, fabric, leather or another type of material in contact therewith to slide relative thereto preventing relative movement therebetween from moving the fitment relative to the skin of the foot of the person using the fitment;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a top plan view a third preferred embodiment that is an adjustable footwear fitment assembly of the present invention that is of two-piece construction and which provides thickness and fitment surface area adjustability;
[0028] FIG. 9 is a top plan exploded view of the adjustable fitment assembly of FIG. 8 depicting a fitment pad carrier with a pocket formed therein configured for slidably and adjustably receiving a smaller fitment adjuster pad used to at least one of increase thickness and surface area of the adjustable fitment assembly;
[0029] FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of the adjustable fitment assembly of FIGS. 8 & 9 depicting the increased thickness of the fitment assembly when the fitment adjuster pad is fully inserted or completely retracted into the pocket of the fitment pad carrier;
[0030] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the adjustable fitment assembly of FIGS. 8-10 with the fitment adjuster pad extended outwardly from the pocket in the fitment pad carrier in one adjustment position providing greater fitment surface area than when the fitment adjuster pad is fully retracted into the pocket of the fitment pad carrier; and
[0031] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the adjustable fitment assembly of FIGS. 8-11 with the fitment adjuster pad disposed in another fitment surface area increasing position where the fitment adjuster pad is extended even farther outwardly from the pocket of the fitment pad carrier than the first fitment surface area increasing position shown in FIG. 11.
[0032] FIGS. 13a-13d are a front side view, top plan view, right side view and perspective view of a first embodiment for boots;
[0033] FIGS. 14a-14d are a front side view, top plan view, right side view and perspective view of a second embodiment for boots;
[0034] FIGS. 15a-15d are a front side view, top plan view, right side view and perspective view of a third embodiment for boots;
[0035] FIGS. 16a-16d are a front side view, top plan view, right side view and perspective view of a third embodiment for improved ankle cushioning;
[0036] FIGS. 17a-17d are a front side view, top plan view, right side view and perspective view of a fourth embodiment for boots;
[0037] Before explaining one or more embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and therefore should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] FIGS. 1 & 2 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of a flexible foot-conforming footwear comfort-enhancing fitment 40 of the present invention that includes an elongate footwear-snugging pad 42 carried by a foot 44 received in an article of footwear 46, such as heeled shoe 48 shown in FIG. 4, and which has a thickness, T, great enough to take up enough space, e.g., occupy enough volume, between the footwear 46 and foot 44 disposed in the footwear 46 to thereby snug up the footwear 46 around the foot 44 thereby enhancing foot comfort by improving fitment of the footwear 46 on the foot 44. FIG. 3 illustrates the fitment 40 releasably retained in a desired position on the foot 44 by hosiery 96, such as a sock 98, worn on the foot 44 that holds the fitment 40 in place during insertion of the foot 44 in footwear 46 and during walking, running, standing, etc. while wearing the footwear 46. FIG. 4 illustrates an article of footwear 46, such as a shoe 48 that is a heeled shoe 49 equipped with a heel 51, worn on the foot 44 with the hosiery 96 covering the fitment 40 holding the fitment 40 in place between an upper portion of the foot 44 and an upper portion of the shoe 48 with the upper 102 or vamp 103 of the shoe 48 completely overlying the fitment 40. FIG. 5 depicts the shoe 48 with the foot 44 removed and the fitment 44 positioned to illustrate an exemplary alternative positioning of the fitment 44 relative to an upper or top part of an upper 102 or vamp 103 of the shoe 48.
[0039] With reference once again to FIGS. 1 & 2, a footwear comfort-enhancing fitment 40 constructed in accordance with the present invention preferably also helps more optimally position one of the foot 44 received in footwear 46 relative to the footwear 46 and the footwear 46 worn on the foot 44 relative to the foot 44 thereby advantageously helping improve foot comfort. While the article of footwear 46 shown in FIG. 4 is a heeled shoe 49, a footwear comfort-enhancing fitment 40 constructed in accordance with the present invention is also well suited for use with other types of footwear 46 to enhance foot comfort, including high-heeled shoes, athletic or sports shoes, dress shoes, boots, high-heeled boots, and other types of footwear.
[0040] Such a footwear comfort-enhancing fitment 40 of the present invention also is flexible, so as to be foot-conforming, and oblong, so at least part of the fitment 40 underlies an upper portion of the footwear 46 worn on a foot 44 carrying the fitment 40. The fitment 40 is formed with a footwear-snugging pad 42 that has a thickness sufficient to displace an adjacent upper portion of the footwear 46 overlying the fitment 40 to snug up the footwear 46 around the foot 44, is flexible to conform to a three-dimensionally contoured shape of an upper portion of the foot 44 carrying the fitment 40, is resilient for maintaining sufficient thickness to ensure continued snugging of the footwear 46 during months and preferably years of use of the fitment 40, and is padded or cushioned to help ensure that the fitment 40 itself is comfortable to wear.
[0041] The flexible, resilient, cushioned shoe snugging pad 42 of the fitment 40 has a thickness, T, which enables the pad 42 to help snug the footwear 46 on the foot 44 thereby advantageously helping prevent sliding relative movement between the foot 44 and footwear 46 worn on the foot 44 even when the pad 42 is substantially compressed between the foot 44 and the footwear 46 by the pad 42 functioning as a spacer 52 that spaces at least an adjacent portion of a top portion of an upper 102 or vamp 103 of the footwear 46 (FIG. 5) away from at least an adjacent upper portion 61 of a midfoot region 60 of the foot 44 carrying the pad 42. By snugging up the footwear 46 around at least part the foot 44 carrying the footwear-snugging pad 42, the fitment 40 not only helps improve comfort by more properly locating the foot 44 within the footwear 46 by helping reposition the foot 44 at least slightly within the footwear 46, but the fitment 40 also helps snug up the footwear 46 around the foot 44 improving the comfort by improving fit. Such a footwear comfort-enhancing fitment 40 of the present invention advantageously is flexible and thereby foot-conformable in that the fitment 40 and footwear snugging pad 42 are able to three-dimensionally conform to the three-dimensional contour of the upper portion 61 of the midfoot region 60 of the foot 44 carrying or wearing the fitment 40.
[0042] The fitment 40 is made of at least a plurality, preferably at least a plurality of pairs of, i.e., at least three, layers 66, 68 with a preferred fitment 40 having a pair of durable, flexible and resilient outer cloth or fabric layers 66, 68 and at least one thickness-providing inner layer not shown in FIGS. 1 & 2 that is sandwiched between the outer layers 66, 68 with the inner layer providing the pad 42 with sufficient thickness, T, even when compressed to a minimum thickness between the foot 44 and footwear 46, to function as a foot-locating spacer 52 that spaces at least part of the footwear 46 adjacent the fitment 40 away from part of the foot 44 wearing the fitment 40. By spacing at least part of the footwear 46 adjacent the fitment 40 away from part of the foot 44 over which the fitment 40 overlies, the fitment 40 advantageously helps more optimally locate the foot 44 in the footwear 46 preferably helping to prevent impact of one or more toes 107 of the foot 44 The at least one thickness-providing inner layer disposed between outer layers 66, 68 also imparts the pad 42 of the fitment 40 with sufficient thickness, T, even when compressed to a minimum thickness as a result of being disposed between the foot 44 and footwear 46, to serve as a foot-snugging pad 42 that snugs up at least some and preferably substantially all looseness in fit of the footwear 46 around the foot 44 thereby advantageously improving comfort by improving fit.
[0043] With continued reference to the fitment embodiment of FIGS. 1 & 2, at least the outer layers 66, 68 of the fitment 40 are joined together by a seam, hem or stitching about the periphery of the pad 42 forming a border 70 of the fitment 40 that extends around the at least one internal layer forming the pad 42 with the border 70 preferably also defining an outer peripheral edge 72 of the fitment 40. With specific reference to FIG. 2, one outer layer 66 of the fitment 40 extends along and helps define with the pad 42 formed by the at least one inner layer a first generally planar or flat outer surface 67 facing toward the footwear 46 when the fitment 40 is worn on the foot 44 during fitment use and operation. Likewise, the other outer layer 68 extends along and helps define with the pad 42 formed by the at least one inner layer a second generally planar or flat outer surface 69 facing toward the foot 44 when the fitment 40 is worn on the foot 44 during fitment use and operation. With continued reference to FIG. 2, the outer surfaces 67, 69 of the fitment 40 that preferably are defined by the pad 42 can be generally parallel to one another.
[0044] Although not shown in the preferred fitment embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 & 2, sandwiched between the outer fabric or cloth layers of the pad 42 is at least a plurality, preferably at least a plurality of, i.e., at least three, layers of at least one of a fibrous material, a non-woven material, a felt, fabric, cloth, batting, or another type of suitable material whose overlapping layers give the pad a desired footwear-spacing thickness when disposed between part of a foot 44 and an adjacent part of the footwear 46 worn by or on the foot 42. Such thickness-providing inner layer(s) of the pad 42 also advantageously impart padding and/or cushioning to the pad 42 thereby helping to resiliently conform to three-dimensionally contoured surfaces of part of the foot 44 and part of the footwear 46, e.g., part of shoe 48, enabling placement of the pad 42 nearly anywhere within the footwear 46, e.g., within shoe 48, alongside foot 44. Such one or more inner layers of the pad 42 define a pad 42 within the fitment 40 having a minimum cross-sectional thickness 50 of at least five millimeters, preferably at least seven millimeters, more preferably at least nine millimeters when the fitment 40, specifically the pad 42 within the fitment 40, is compressed to its minimum thickness inboard of the edging or border 70 crucially configuring the fitment 40, specifically the pad 42, with sufficient thickness 50 to space part of the footwear 46 away from the foot 44 to help restore proper location of the foot 44 in the footwear 46. Such one or more inner layers of the pad 42 define a pad 42 having a maximum uncompressed cross-sectional thickness 50 of at least nine millimeters, preferably at least ten millimeters, more preferably at least twelve millimeters, when the portion of the pad 42 inwardly or inboard of the edging or border 70 is uncompressed advantageously enabling the pad 42 to accommodate slight spacing differences between the foot and footwear along where the pad 42 is disposed therebetween. Such a flexible and compressible construction also advantageously enables the fitment 40, particularly the pad 42 inside the fitment 40, to conform to both the three-dimensional contour of the top of the foot 44 and the interior of the top portion of the upper 102 or vamp 103 of the footwear 46, e.g., shoe. In addition, such one or more layers that form the pad 42 inside the fitment 40 provide advantageous shock-absorbing cushioning between the foot 44 and footwear 46, e.g., shoe 48, helping cushion the foot 44 from shocks, particularly fore-aft or proximal-medial transmitted shocks, impacts, particularly fore-aft or proximal-medial transmitted impacts, vibration, particularly fore-aft or proximal-medial transmitted vibration, and the like experienced when using the fitment 40 while wearing the footwear 46, e.g., shoe 48, during walking, dancing, jogging and/or running. In one preferred embodiment, each inner layer forming the pad 42 is composed of cotton and/or wool, such as preferably organic cotton and/or organic wool, with each inner layer and the outer layers 66, 68 of the fitment 40 being machine washable and machine dryable producing a machine-washable footwear-locating fitment 40 of the invention that is reusable.
[0045] With continued reference to FIGS. 1 & 2, such a footwear-snugging fitment 40 of the present invention has a flexible, cushioned, compressible, resilient, and oblong, foot-locating footwear-snugging pad 42 within the fitment 40 making the fitment 40 well suited for use with footwear 46, e.g., an article of footwear 46, that is a shoe 48, like the heel-equipped shoe 49 depicted in FIGS. 4 & 5, which can be a high-heeled shoe with a heel longer and narrower than the heel 51 shown in FIG. 4. Such a fitment 40 of the invention also is well suited for use with other types of footwear 46, e.g., articles of footwear 46, such as a boot, that can also be equipped with a heel, such as a high-heeled boot having a tapering heel longer and narrower than the heel 51 of the shoe 48 shown in FIG. 4. As such, such a flexible foot and shoe conforming fitment 40 of the present invention and its footwear-snugging pad 42 are well suited for use with virtually all types of footwear, including women's high-heeled shoes, high-heeled boots, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, baseball and football spikes or cleats, basketball shoes, men's dress shoes, women's dress shoes, steel-toed work shoes and boots, hunting boots, duck boots, hip boots, waders as well as other types of footwear.
[0046] With specific reference to FIG. 4, the fitment 40 and its shoe-snugging pad 42 are shown in phantom in FIG. 2 disposed between a top portion 54 of the foot 44 and a top portion 56, preferably a top part of the upper 102 or vamp 102, of the shoe 48, such that the fitment 40 and its pad 42 underlie the top portion 56, preferably top part of the upper 102 or vamp 103, of the shoe 48. With additional reference to FIG. 3, the fitment 40 and its shoe-snugging pad 42 are elongate, oblong, and configured for being positioned with the lengthwise extent of the fitment 40 and pad 42 oriented as depicted in FIGS. 3 & 4 generally transverse relative to a fore-aft or proximal-medial longitudinal direction of the foot 44 received within the shoe 48. The fore-aft or proximal-medial direction is defined as the direction defined or extending between a heel 78 and toes 107 of the foot 44. When the fitment 40 is transversely oriented as shown in FIGS. 3 & 4, the thickness 50 provided by the pad 42 in the fitment 40 results in the pad 42 defining a shoe-locating spacer 52 disposed within the shoe 48 located between the foot 44 and the shoe 48. When the pad 42 is disposed as depicted in phantom in FIG. 4 oriented with its lengthwise direction generally orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the shoe 48, the thickness 50 of the pad 42 results in the pad 42 defining a front-shoe displacing spacer 52 that spaces a top front or top forward portion 56 of the shoe 48, e.g., front portion of the upper 102 or vamp 103 of the shoe 48, outwardly in a forward, fore-aft, or proximal-medial direction relative to and from a top front or top forward portion 54 of the foot 44, preferably a midfoot 60 of the foot 44.
[0047] Where there previously was shoe-foot mislocation when the foot 44 was received within the shoe 48 without use of any fitment 40, such shoe-foot mislocation can undesirably allow relative movement between the foot 44 and shoe 48 to occur during walking, running or the like causing foot fatigue, and which can further result in rubbing, blistering, bruising, or other foot discomfort or even foot injury occurring from walking, dancing, jogging or running. Where the shoe-foot mislocation is fore-aft shoe-foot mislocation, relative movement occurs between the foot 44 and shoe 48 is in a longitudinal or fore-aft direction where the foot 44 slides or moves relative to the shoe 48 within the shoe 48 forwardly and/or rearwardly during walking, dancing, jogging or running causing foot fatigue, foot discomfort, crushing of toes of the foot 44, rubbing, blistering, bruising, callousing or the like. Such fore-aft foot-shoe mislocation can be caused by a shoe 48 being sized too large for or relative to the length of the foot 44, the length of the shoe 48 being too large relative to the length of the foot 44 even though the shoe 44 is technically of the correct shoe size, stretching of the shoe 48 that can occur over time during use of the shoe 48, and/or looseness of fit that can arise from wear of the shoe 48 during use.
[0048] While a footwear-snugging fitment 40 constructed in accordance with the present invention can be configured as an elongate, generally rectangular, flexible, cushioned shoe-snugging pad 42 having rounded corners (not shown), a shoe-snugging fitment 40 of the present invention preferably is configured with an elongate, oblong, flexible, padded shoe-snugging pad 42 having a generally oblong, preferably generally rhomboid pad body 62 with a width along its widest part sufficient to overlie at least a quarter, preferably at least one-third, more preferably at least one-half, of the width of the midfoot 60, with such midfoot width measured in a fore-aft direction and/or along a lengthwise direction of the foot 44. In order to be configured to cover or overlie that much of the width of the midfoot 60, a fitment 40 with such a cushioning compressible and flexible foot and shoe locating pad 42 of the present invention is constructed to have a relatively wide pad width of at least two and one-half inches, preferably at least two and three-quarter inches, and more preferably about three inches inch. The midfoot 60 extends transversely the width of the foot along the part of the foot 44 containing the navicular, cuneiform, talus and cuboid bones of the tarsal bones of the foot and is formed by or of these bones. Such a relatively wide pad width crucially produces a foot-snugging pad 42 of the invention having oppositely outwardly facing foot and shoe spacing and locating surfaces 64 of the pad 42 with enough surface area to space or forwardly displace a substantial part of the top front portion 56 and/or vamp 58 of the shoe 48 in a forward direction relative to the foot 44 received in the shoe 48 thereby snugging up a rear portion 74 of the shoe 48, such as preferably the heel or counter 76 of the shoe 48, against a heel 78 of the foot 44. Such a shoe-snugging pad 42 preferably also has a minimum cross-sectional thickness 50 of at least two millimeters, preferably at least three and one-half millimeters, more preferably at least five millimeters when compressed to its minimum thickness at or adjacent a center of the pad 42 crucially configuring the pad 42 with a sufficient enough thickness to space the front portion or vamp of the shoe far enough forwardly away from the front portion or midfoot of the foot to snug up the shoe on the foot preventing relative fore-aft movement therebetween and compensating for fore-aft foot-shoe mislocation (or even remedying fore-aft mislocation).
[0049] It is crucial that the fitment 40 of the present invention be constructed with such an elongate oblong shape having such a minimum thickness inboard of the edging or border 70 and/or in the center of the pad 42 when the pad 42 is maximally compressed, and configured for transverse placement as described and shown in FIG. 2 over and/or along the midfoot 60 of the foot 44 spacing at least top front portion 56 of the shoe 48 forwardly relative to the midfoot 60 away therefrom thereby substantially simultaneously urging the heel or counter 76 of the shoe 48 against the heel 78 of the foot 44 in the shoe 48, This snugging of a rear portion 74 of the shoe 48 against the heel 78 of the foot 44 in the shoe 48 advantageously prevents heel-gapping or up and down movement of the heel 78 of the foot 44 relative to the heel or counter 76 of the shoe 48 from occurring. In such a manner, such a shoe-snugging pad 42 of the present invention is thereby configured to be placed and oriented as shown in FIG. 2 and described herein thereby functioning as a foot locator 65 that helps more accurately locate the foot within the shoe.
[0050] The fitment 40, including the pad 42, more properly and/or more accurately helps locate the foot 44 within the shoe 48 by the thickness 50 of the pad 42 helping to accommodate or take up undesired or excessive space between the shoe 48 and foot 44 that could have caused mislocation therebetween the pad 42 of the fitment helping to snug up a top front portion of the shoe 48 with a top front portion, e.g., midfoot 60, of the foot 44. Such a fitment 40 crucially and advantageously not only spaces a top front portion or part of the vamp 103 of the shoe 48 from an adjacent top front portion, preferably midfoot 60, of the foot 44 helping to snug up the front portion of the shoe 48 with the front portion of the foot 44, but in doing so the fitment 40 advantageously can and preferably does help ensure there is a gap or space between the toes 107 of the foot 44 and a forward part, e.g., of the shoe 48, such as the toebox, or other portion of the upper 102 of the shoe 48 surrounding or enclosing the toes 107 of the foot 44 thereby advantageously preventing toe-pressure, rubbing and/or crushing of the toes 107 within the shoe 48 from occurring.
[0051] With continued reference to FIGS. 1-4, the fitment 40 and its pad 42 preferably are elongate and have an oblong shape that preferably is generally rhomboid with curved or smoothed rounded top and bottom corners 75, 77 and curved or smoothed rounded side or end corners 85, 87 helping to produce a shoe-snugging and foot-locating pad 42 of the invention that stays in place when positioned between the midfoot 60 of foot 44 of a person wearing the shoe 48 and an adjacent top front part 56 of the shoe 48. Such a fitment 40 and pad 42 preferably have generally straight or slightly convexly curved, e.g., outwardly bowed, but inclined elongate edging or border segments 71, 73, 81, 83 extending respectively between the corners 75, 77, 85, 87 of the pad 42. As also illustrated in FIG. 1, upper and lower corners 75, 77 of the fitment 40 and pad 42 are defined by respective pairs of corresponding edge or border segments 71 & 73 and 81 & 83, each pair of which forms an obtuse included angle. As is also depicted by FIG. 1, the opposite end corners 85, 87 of the pad 42 are defined by respective pairs of corresponding edge or border segments 71 & 81 and 73 & 83, each pair of which forms an acute included angle.
[0052] With continued reference to FIGS. 3 & 4, the oblong shoe and foot mislocation correcting fitment 40 is transversely oriented relative to the foot 44 carrying the fitment 40 and is configured with a length long enough so that part of the pad 42 extends along a portion of at least one side 80 of the foot 44, preferably along part of at least one side 80 of the midfoot 60, far enough to space an adjacent portion of a side 104, 106 of the shoe 48 from the corresponding adjacent side 80, 82 of the foot 44. In one preferred embodiment, the fitment 40 and pad 42 of the fitment 40 is configured with a length long enough that the pad 42 extends transversely along the front top surface of the midfoot 60 and in either, both or opposite directions along at least a portion of both sides 80, 82 of the foot 44. In one such preferred embodiment, the pad 42 has a length sufficient to configure the pad 42 to be transversely oriented against a top front surface of the midfoot 60 with oppositely outwardly extending end segments 84, 86 of the pad 42 preferably configured in the form of side spacer wings or flaps 88, 90, having corresponding rounded ends 92, 94 which respectively extend along opposite sides 80, 82 of the midfoot 60.
[0053] When centered over and placed on or against the midfoot 60, the fitment 40 and pad 42 are configured with a wider central fore-aft foot spacing or fore-aft shoe-snugging base 55 from which narrower side foot spacing or side shoe-snugging rounded spacer wings 88, 90 oppositely outwardly extend, the fitment 40 and pad 42 are configured not only to provide fore-aft foot location compensation relative to the shoe 48 and fore-aft shoe snugging, but also to provide side-to-side or medial-lateral foot location and side-to-side or medial-lateral shoe snugging. In use and operation, when the fitment 40 and pad 42 are placed on the midfoot 60 of the foot 44 with the fitment 40 and pad 42 oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the lengthwise extent of foot 44, the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible central base 55 of the pad 42 overlies a top front portion of the midfoot 60, e.g., center of the midfoot 60 providing fore-aft mislocation compensation and/or correction, one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 88 extends about and downwardly along part of one side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of one side of the midfoot 60, helping provide side mislocation compensation and/or correction, such as when the foot 44 is narrower than the shoe 48, and the other one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 90 extends about and downwardly along part of the opposite side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of the other side of the midfoot 60, also helping provide side mislocation compensation and/or correction. When the pad 42 is placed on the midfoot 60 with the pad 42 oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the foot 44, the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible central base 55 of the fitment 40 and pad 42 overlies a top front portion of the midfoot 60, e.g., center of the midfoot 60 providing fore-aft shoe snugging, one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 88 extends about and downwardly along part of one side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of one side of the midfoot 60, helping provide side shoe snugging, such as when the foot 44 is narrower than the shoe 48, and the other one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 90 extends about and downwardly along part of the opposite side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of the other side of the midfoot 60, also helping provide shoe-snugging in a transverse or side-to-side direction. When the fitment 40 and pad 42 are placed on the midfoot 60 with the fitment 40 and pad 42 oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the lengthwise fore-aft extent of the foot 44, the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible central base 55 of the pad 42 of the fitment 40 overlies a top front portion of the midfoot 60, e.g., center of the midfoot 60 helping more properly fore-aft locate the foot in the shoe and prevent relative fore-aft or front-back relative movement therebetween, one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 88 extends about and downwardly along part of one side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of one side of the midfoot 60, helping more properly side-to-side locate the foot 44 in the shoe 48 and prevent relative sideway relative movement therebetween, such as when the foot 44 is narrower than the shoe 48, and the other one of the flexible, padded, cushioning, resiliently compressible wings 90 extends about and downwardly along part of the opposite side of the foot 44, preferably along at least a portion of the other side of the midfoot 60, also helping more properly side-to-side locate the foot in the shoe and prevent relative sideway relative movement therebetween.
[0054] FIG. 5 depict a flexible padded footwear-snugging fitment 40 of the present invention that preferably is oblong and elongate having a length greater than an internal width of a foot-receiving opening 100 in the shoe 48 in which the fitment 40 also is received, with the fitment 40 disposed between a tongue 95 of the vamp 103 of the shoe 48 and part of the foot 44 when the foot 44 is inserted through the opening 100 into the shoe 48. In the preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the fitment 40 is an oblong and elongate flexible, resilient, compressible, deformable, cushioned, shock and vibration absorbing pad 42 having a length greater than the width between the opposite sides 104, 106 of the sidewall 108 of the shoe 48 that defines the foot-receiving opening 100 of the shoe 48. The fitment 40, preferably pad 42, is shown in FIG. 5 inserted transversely into the foot-receiving opening 100 such that the fitment 40, preferably pad 42, is oriented with its lengthwise direction generally perpendicular to the lengthwise or longitudinal, e.g., proximal-distal, direction of the shoe 48. The fitment 40, preferably includes pad 42, and has a pair of side foot mislocation compensating or correcting wings 88, 90 which each extend outwardly from a central base 55 of the fitment 40 and pad 42 alongside a corresponding adjacent one of the sides 104, 106 of the foot-opening defining sidewall 108 of the shoe 48. When a foot 44 is inserted into the shoe 48 through opening 100, each wing 88, 90 of the fitment is disposed between a respective one of the sides 104, 106 of foot-opening sidewall 108 and a corresponding adjacent one of the sides 80, 82 of the foot 44 (foot not shown in FIG. 5). While the pad 42 of the fitment 40 is shown in FIG. 5 as being disposed between the foot 44 and shoe 48, such as where no hosiery 96, e.g., sock 98, is worn on the foot 44, the fitment 40, including its pad 42, is configured for being positively, securely and preferably substantially immovably retained directly against part of the foot 44 by hosiery 96, such as by putting a sock 98 over the fitment 40 and foot 44.
[0055] When so positioned, each wing 88, 90 is configured as a spacer disposed between an adjacent one of the sides 104, 106 of the shoe sidewall 108 and an adjacent one of the sides 80, 82 of the foot 44, preferably adjacent one of the sides of part of the midfoot 60. Each wing 88, 90 spaces the adjacent corresponding side 104, 106 of the shoe sidewall 108 away from the respective adjacent portion of the side 80, 82 of the foot 44, preferably midfoot 60, thereby side snugging the shoe 48 around the foot 44. Being configured with such side-spacer wings 88, 90 that provide such side-snugging of the sides of the shoe 48 around the foot 44 help correct improper loose fit between the shoe and foot caused by the foot being too narrow for the shoe. Such a fitment 40, preferably along with its pad 42, is configured with such side-mislocation reducing spacer wings 88, 90 each of which also advantageously helps prevent side-to-side relative movement from occurring between the foot 44 and shoe 48.
[0056] Referring now to FIG. 6, a fitment 40 having the same dimensions and purpose as those described above may be constructed of a foam material 67 such as a urethane foam, which can be an open cell foam but which preferably is a closed cell foam having the dimensions described above. An upper and lower fabric layer 69a and 69b may be adhesively attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the foam layer 67 and then subsequently cut and heat sealed to form edge seams 61 with the desired rhomboidal periphery 63. The outer fabric layers 69a and 69b may have different surface properties to promote high or low friction, for example to provide sliding with respect to the outer sock on the upper fabric layer 69a while limiting sliding against the skin and to provide a comfortable skin contacting surface on the lower fabric layer 69b. In this way the desirable properties of different fabrics and foam may be combined and simplified construction realized. In some embodiments the bottom layer may be a stretch doeskin material or the like while the top layer may be a printed spandex material or the like. The foam material may be a 9900 foam, for example.
[0057] Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be appreciated that the outer fabric layers may be freely decorated to provide a pleasing appearance to this device. As depicted a leopard skin pattern may be applied to the surface 64, although other patterns are also contemplated including for example a camouflage pattern. The patterning may be different on the upper and lower surfaces of the fitment 40 with the more decorated surface providing an indication to the consumer that this surface is to face outward when different fabrics are used.
[0058] FIGS. 8-12 illustrate an adjustable shoe-snugging fitment assembly 120 of the present invention that includes an add-on shoe fitment thickness increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 that is removably carried by a fitment adjuster pad carrier 124 of such an adjustable shoe-snugging fitment assembly 120 of the present invention that is composed of the add-on thickness increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 and the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124. The thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 preferably has a thickness 50b of at least two millimeters, preferably at least three millimeters, and more preferably five millimeters when compressed where the fitment adjuster pad 122 is of padded or cushioning compressible construction. Such a thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 is of substantially the same size but smaller than the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124 of the shoe-snugging fitment assembly 120. When stacked onto the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124, the thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 has a thickness 50b that increases the thickness 50a of the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124 by at least two millimeters, preferably at least three millimeters, and more preferably at least five millimeters. When it is desired or required to increase the overall mislocation compensating thickness 50a of fitment 40, preferably pad 42, thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 is added, preferably stacked onto fitment 40, preferably pad 42, which then becomes the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124 of fitment assembly 120 adding its thickness 50b to that of the thickness 50a of the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124. To enable the thickness increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 to be selectively added to form fitment assembly 120 only when needed, the fitment adjuster pad carrier 124, includes a receptacle 126 in the form of a pocket 128 formed on one of the outer surfaces or layers of pad 42, e.g. fitment adjuster pad carrier 124. Pocket 128 is formed by an outer pocket-forming layer 66 that only partially overlaps a complete and uninterrupted underlying outer layer 66, with the partial pocket-forming outer layer 66 having a hem, stitching, border or edging 130 defining an outer edge 132 and mouth 134 of the add-on pad receiving pocket 128.
[0059] Thickness-increasing add-on fitment adjuster pad 122 preferably is of substantially similar construction to fitment 40, e.g., fitment adjuster pad carrier 124, with the thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 being of flexible, resilient, compressible, and padded or cushioned construction having a pair of outer fabric or cloth layers sandwiching at least one pad-thickness providing inner layer within the fitment adjuster pad 122. Thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 is generally oval as shown in FIG. 9 with a border or edging extending about its periphery joining the layers together by stitching. Thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 preferably has a width no greater than that of the width of fitment 40, e.g., fitment adjuster pad carrier 124, which preferably is at least two-thirds the width of fitment 40, e.g., fitment adjuster pad carrier 124. Thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 preferably has a length no greater than that of the length of fitment 40, e.g., fitment adjuster pad carrier 124, which preferably is at least two-thirds the length of fitment 40, e.g., fitment adjuster pad carrier 124 such that thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 has end sections 136, 138 that overlie or overlap corresponding side-mislocation compensating flaps or wings 88, 90. The end sections 136, 138 of the thickness-increasing fitment adjuster pad 122 each have a thickness substantially same as the minimum compressed thickness of pad 122 such that each one of the end sections 136, 138 works in concert with the wing 88, 90 it overlies or overlaps to help provide side-mislocation compensation and side-to-side snugging.
[0060] FIGS. 13-17 show alternative designs, for example, constructed according to the techniques discussed above with respect to FIG. 6. The designs of FIG. 13 and FIG. 17 provide two sections 140a and 140b hingeably connected by a hinge line 141 where the foam layer has been compressed or removed to provide a thickness substantially equal to the fabric layers providing a hinge action. FIG. 14 depicts a cardioid shape where the upper edge as shown in the figure provides a concavity for improved comfort against the user's ankle. A similar effect is obtained by the chevron shape of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 provide an hourglass shape with wings 144 that may extend around the foot toward the user's ankles for improved support and centering at the top of the hourglass shape and corresponding wings 146 at the bottom of the hourglass shape that may center the fitment 40 on the top of the user's foot. The waist of the hourglass allows improved flexure to conform with the bending between the ankle and foot.
[0061] It is also to be understood that, although the foregoing description and drawings describe and illustrate in detail one or more preferred embodiments of the invention, to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, the aforementioned will suggest many modifications and constructions as well as widely differing embodiments and applications without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, including as defined in or by any numbered claims appended hereto.
