FOOTWEAR, IN PARTICULAR SOCKS

Abstract

Footwear, in particular a sock, includes a leg, with an upper end for receiving a lower leg, a foot part arranged on the leg and having an upper and a lower for receiving a foot, and a toe flap arranged at the foot part, for receiving the toes. The footwear includes at least one heating element with connections for a voltage source, the heating element being provided in the area of the foot part on the upper of the foot part.

Claims

1. Footwear (1), in particular a sock, comprising a shank (4) with one shank end (5) for accommodating a lower leg, a foot part (2) located on the shank (4) with a top and a bottom for accommodating a foot, and a toe flap (3) located on the foot part (2) for accommodating toes, the footwear (1) having at least one heating element (6) with terminals (9) for a voltage source (11), wherein the heating element (6) is located in the zone of the foot part (2) on the top of the foot part (2).

2. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heating element (6) has at least one carrier layer (7) whose length can be changed in one direction, and wherein at least one electrical lead (8) is located in an undulatory manner at least in zones on the carrier layer (7).

3. Footwear (1) according to claim 2, wherein the electrical lead (8) of the heating element (6) is connected to the carrier layer (7), in particular attached and/or cemented on the carrier layer (7), and/or woven and/or stitched on one surface and/or into the carrier layer (7).

4. Footwear (1) according to claim 2, wherein the heating element (6) consists of a supply lead (13) and a heating zone (12).

5. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heating element (6) is located on the inside or on the outside of the footwear (1), in particular sewn on or cemented on.

6. Footwear (1) according to claim 4, wherein the heating element (6), in particular the heating zone (12), is located in the toe flap (3).

7. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein a seam, in particular a linking seam (16), for closing the footwear (1) is located between the toe flap (3) and the bottom of the foot part (2).

8. Footwear (1) according to claim 4, wherein the carrier layer (7) of the heating element (6), at least in zones, in particular in a zone (14) of the terminals (9) and in a further zone (15) of the transition from the supply lead (13) to the heating zone (12), has stiffeners that oppose a change in the length of the carrier layer (7).

9. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heating element (6) is located from the toe flap (3) over the top of the foot part (2) and then along the shank (4), in particular laterally along, as far as the shank end (5).

10. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein the terminals (9) for the voltage source (11) are located in the zone (14) of the shank end (5), in particular in a cuff zone (10).

11. Footwear (1) according to claim 1, wherein the footwear (1) is made reinforced at least in zones, in particular on the shank (4) and/or on the bottom of the foot part (2).

12. Method for producing footwear (1), in particular a sock, according to claim 1, wherein the heating element (6) is located in the region of the foot part (2) on the top of the foot part (2).

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the footwear (1) from the shank end (5) to the toe flap (3) is produced, in particular knitted, in the form of a tube, so that an opening remains between the bottom of the foot part (2) and the toe flap (3).

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the heating element (6) is located on the inside or on the outside of the footwear (1), in particular sewn on or cemented on.

15. Method according to claim 12, wherein the heating element (6), in particular the heating zone (12), is located in the toe flap (3), in particular sewn on or cemented on.

16. Method according to claim 12, wherein the heating element (6) is located, in particular sewn on or cemented on, from the toe flap (3) over the top of the foot part (2) and along the shank (4), in particular laterally along, as far as the shank end (5).

17. Method according to claim 13, wherein the opening between the bottom of the foot part (2) and the toe flap (3) is closed by a seam, in particular a linking seam (16).

18. The footwear of claim 2, wherein the at least one carrier layer is elastic.

19. Footwear (1) according to claim 3, wherein the heating element (6) consists of a supply lead (13) and a heating zone (12).

20. The footwear of claim 4, wherein the electrical lead (8) of the heating element (6) in the zone of the supply lead (13) has a lower ohmic resistance than in the area of the heating zone (12).

Description

[0027] Other details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. Here:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows conventional footwear in a side view,

[0029] FIG. 2 shows footwear according to the invention in a side view, and

[0030] FIG. 3 shows footwear according to the invention in an oblique view with clearance in the region of a foot part.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows conventional footwear 1, in particular a sock or a stocking. The footwear 1 has a foot part 2, on one end of the foot part 2 there being a toe flap 3 and on the other end of the foot part 2 a shank 4 with a shank end 5. A seam, in particular a linking seam 16, closes an opening between the top of the foot part 2 and the toe flap 3, which opening forms when the footwear 1 is being manufactured. If conventional footwear 1 has a heating element 6, the latter is located on the bottom of the foot part 2. The bottom of the foot part 2 in the position in which the footwear 1 is being used is located on the sole of the foot.

[0032] FIGS. 2 and 3 show footwear 1 according to the invention that, like conventional footwear 1, has a foot part 2, a toe flap 3, a shank 4 and a shank end 5 with a cuff zone 10.

[0033] A heating element 6 is located inside on the footwear 1 and has a carrier layer 7 into which an electrical lead 8 is stitched in an undulatory manner. The heating element 6 runs from the shank end 5 laterally along the shank 4 over the top of the foot part 2 as far as the toe flap 3, the electrical lead 8 being located between the carrier layer 7 of the heating element 6 and the footwear 1. On the shank end 5 in the cuff zone 10, the heating element 6 has terminals 9 for a voltage source 11, which are located outside on the footwear 1 on the shank end 5 when the cuff zone 5 is not turned down.

[0034] The electrical lead 8 forms a supply lead 13 to one heating zone 12 of the heating element 6, in the heating zone 12 there being at least one heating wire. The heating element 6 furthermore comprises a zone 14, in which the terminals 9 are located, and a transition 15 between the supply lead 13 and the heating zone 12, in which there is a connection between the electrical lead 8 and the heating wire. The heating zone 12 of the heating element 6 is located inside on the toe flap 3 so that toes of a foot held in the footwear 1 are surrounded by the heating element 6.

[0035] The zone 14 of the terminals 9 and the transition 15 from the supply lead 13 to the heating zone 12 are made reinforced in order to protect connections located therein from mechanical stresses, such as, for example, from stretching, between the electrical lead 8 and terminals 9 and the electrical lead 8 of the heating zone 12 and the electrical lead 8 of the supply lead 13.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the footwear 1 with the shank end 5 turned down, the voltage source 11 connected to the terminals 9 being located between the shank end 5 turned down to the outside and the shank 4.

[0037] The footwear 1 according to the invention, unlike the conventional footwear 1, is closed by a linking seam 16 between the bottom of the foot part 2 and the toe flap 3 and not between the top of the foot part 2 and the toe flap 3.

[0038] In summary, one embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

[0039] Footwear 1, in particular a sock, comprises a shank 4 with one shank end 5 for accommodating a lower leg, a foot part 2 located on the shank 4 with a top and a bottom for accommodating a foot, and a toe flap 3 located on the foot part 2 for accommodating toes. The footwear 1 has at least one heating element 6 with terminals 9 for a voltage source 11, the heating element 6 being located in the zone of the foot part 2 on the top of the foot part 2.