SHOE

Abstract

A shoe has a main body, an ankle strap, and a toe loop connected to the main body with a toe strap. The main body wraps around the instep of the foot and the arch of the foot, without covering the ball of the foot, the heel, or the toes. The ankle strap is attached at its ends to the main body and extends around the back of the foot above the heel for constraining the main body from forward movement. The toe loop surrounds one of the toes. The top strap connects the toe loop with the main body from above the foot, the top strap extending over the instep for constraining the main body from rearward movement.

Claims

1. A shoe to be worn on a wearer's foot, the foot having an instep, toes, a ball, an arch, a back, and a heel, the shoe comprising: a main body that wraps around the instep of the foot and the arch of the foot, without covering the ball of the foot, the heel, or the toes; an ankle strap attached at its ends to the main body and extending around the back of the foot above the heel for constraining the main body from forward movement; a toe loop that fits around one of the toes; a top strap connecting the toe loop with the main body from above the foot, the top strap extending only over the instep, for constraining the main body from rearward movement, without covering the ball of the foot; and wherein the toe strap is not connected to any other portion of the shoe except through the top strap, located only on the dorsum of the wearer's foot, which faces upwardly when the person is standing.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the main body is in the form of a sleeve having a width great enough to cover a majority of the instep and the arch of the foot.

3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the toe loop forms a leading edge of the main body.

4. The shoe of claim 3, wherein the toe loop wraps around a base of a big toe.

5. The shoe of claim 1, further comprising a fastener that removably connects two portions of the ankle strap so that the ankle strap may be unfastened for removing the shoe.

6. The shoe of claim 5, further comprising an ankle cover that extends upwardly from the ankle strap to surround the wearer's ankle.

7. A shoe to be worn on a wearer's foot, the foot having an instep, toes, a ball, an arch, a back, and a heel, the shoe comprising: a tubular main body that wraps around the instep of the foot and the arch of the foot, without covering the ball of the foot or the heel, wherein the main body is in the form of a sleeve having a width great enough to cover a majority of the instep and the arch of the foot; an ankle strap attached at its ends to the main body and extending around the back of the foot above the heel for constraining the main body from forward movement; a toe loop that surrounds one of the toes; a top strap connecting the toe loop with the main body from above the foot, the top strap extending over the instep for constraining the main body from rearward movement, without covering the ball of the foot; and wherein the toe strap is not connected to any other portion of the shoe except through the top strap, located only on the dorsum of the wearer's foot, which faces upwardly when the person is standing.

8. A method for covering a wearer's foot, the method comprising the steps of: providing a shoe comprising a main body, an ankle strap attached at its ends to the main body, a toe loop, and a top strap connecting the toe loop with the main body from above the foot, wherein the toe strap is not connected to any other portion of the shoe except through the top strap, located only on the dorsum of the wearer's foot, which faces upwardly when the person is standing; wrapping the main body around the instep of the foot and the arch of the foot, without covering the ball of the foot or the heel; positioning the toe loop around one of the toes such that the top strap is positioned above the foot, and such that no portion of the show covers the ball of the foot; and positioning the ankle strap around the back of the foot, above the heel, for constraining the main body from forward movement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

[0023] FIG. 5 is an inner side elevational view thereof;

[0024] FIG. 6 is an outer side elevational view thereof;

[0025] FIG. 7 is an inner side view of a second embodiment of the shoe;

[0026] FIG. 8 is an outer side view of a third embodiment of the shoe;

[0027] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a fourth embodiment of the shoe; and

[0028] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a fifth embodiment of the shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The shoe 10 is useful for a wide range of physical activities, and has the unique construction of leaving a ball 18, a heel 20, and toes 24 of a wearer's foot 12 uncovered, while covering at least some of an instep 14 and an arch 16 of the wearer's foot 12. This construction is discussed in greater detail below.

[0030] For purposes of this application, we discuss various parts of the wearer's foot 12, including not only the instep 14 (defined, for purposes of this application, the dorsum of the wearer's foot 12 which faces upwardly when the person is standing, including the area over the instep bone and the metatarsal bones, but excluding the phalanges) and the arch 16 (defined, for purposes of this application, the portion of the planum of the wearer's foot 12 located between the heel 20 and the ball 18 of the foot, the planum being the portion of the foot that faces downwardly when the person is standing). The ball 18 of the foot is formed generally under a base of the first metatarsal bone of the wearer's foot 12. The heel 20 refers the region positioned generally under the calcaneous bone, and a back 22 of the foot is the portion above and behind the heel 20 and talus (i.e., the location of the Achilles tendon). The toes 24 are formed by the phalanges, and include a first toe (i.e. big toe) 26 and four smaller toes 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d. Since the general construction of the foot is known in the art, this is not discussed in greater detail herein.

[0031] Various additional views of the shoe 10 are provided, to more fully disclose this embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof; FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof; FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof; FIG. 5 is an inner side elevational view thereof; and FIG. 6 is an outer side elevational view thereof.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the shoe 10 includes a main body 30 that wraps around the instep 14 of the foot and the arch 16 of the foot, without covering the ball 18 of the foot, or the heel 20, or the toes 26. In this embodiment, the main body 30 is in the form of a sleeve having a leading edge 32 and a trailing edge 34 that are separated by a width W great enough to cover a majority of the instep 14 and the arch 16 of the foot. For purposes of this application, the term majority shall be defined to mean over 50%. In one alternative embodiment, not shown, the main body may be in the form of two sections or ears which wrap under the arch of the foot to rejoin again on top of the instep to tie in a bow or otherwise fasten or are fastened in that area. In alternative embodiments, other constructions known in the art may be used, and some further examples are discussed in greater detail below.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the shoe 10 further includes an ankle strap 40 attached at its ends 42 to the main body 30 and extending around the back 22 of the foot above the heel 20. The ankle strap 40 functions to constrain the main body 30 from forward movement. The ankle strap 40 may be a single piece construction that is integral with the main body 30, as illustrated, or may be one or more separate pieces that are attached with fasteners 52 or other devices. In other embodiments, it may have alternative constructions, and one particular alternative embodiment is discussed in more detail below.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the shoe 10 further includes a toe loop 44 that surrounds one of the toes 24. In the present embodiment, the toe loop 44 is a single loop that wraps around the base of the big toe 26. In an alternative embodiment, it may loop around one or more of the other toes 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, or may include multiple loops, each around one or more toes.

[0035] Critically, a top strap 46 connects the toe loop 44 with a portion of the main body 30 that is above the foot for constraining the main body 30 from rearward movement. The top strap 46 only extends over the instep 14 (i.e., the dorsum of the wearer's foot 12), without covering the ball 18 of the foot or the toes 26. The outer side 15 of the foot 12 (adjacent toe 29d) and the inner side 19 adjacent the ball 18 are also left uncovered, with only the toe loop 44 forming the front of the shoe 10, which only covers a de minimus part of the base of the big toe.

[0036] Prior art teaches footwear typically covers the ball 18 of the user's foot, and usually covers all of the metatarsal area of the bottom of the foot; however, the shoe 10 of the present invention teaches away from the prior art, and teaches leaving the front of the foot, and in particular the ball 18 of the foot and most of the toes, uncovered, including the sides 15 and 19. In the present embodiment, the entirety of the metatarsal area of the foot is left uncovered, as are the phalanges except for the toe loop 40, which is only connected to the main body 30 on the top of the foot.

[0037] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the toe loop 44 is in the form of a single strip of material which extends to form a leading edge 32 of the main body 30. In alternative embodiments, it may be of different construction, it may be attached to the main body 30 in any manner known in the art, including but not limited to an integral construction, sewing, loops, hooks and loops, snaps, or any form of fasteners known in the art, either permanently or removably. The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated or discussed in particular, but also includes alternative or equivalent arrangements known in the art.

[0038] The invention further includes a method for covering a wearer's foot 12 using the above described shoe 10, or a similar or an equivalent construction. The method comprises the steps of providing the shoe 10 described above, and wrapping the main body 30 around the instep 14 of the foot and the arch 16 of the foot, without covering the ball 18 of the foot, the heel 20, or the toes 26. This is typically performed by sliding the main body 30 over the toes 24 and then up onto the foot until the main body 30 is positioned between the heel 20 and the ball 18 of the foot.

[0039] The toe loop 44 is positioned around one (or alternatively more than one) of the toes 24 such that the top strap 46 is positioned above the foot, and such that no portion of the shoe 10 covers the ball 18 of the foot. This step may be performed concurrently with sliding the main body 30 into place, or, if the toe loop 44 includes a fastener 52 (not shown), it may be so positioned after the main body 30 is in place.

[0040] Finally, the ankle strap 40 is positioned around the back 22 of the foot, above the heel 20, for constraining the main body 30 from forward movement. This may be performed by lifting the ankle strap 40 up over the heel 20; alternatively it may be fastened in place around the back 22 of the foot with a fastener 52, as discussed below. Yet further alternative methods may also be utilized, according to the teachings of those skilled in the art.

[0041] FIG. 7 is an inner side view of a second embodiment of the shoe 50. As shown in this embodiment, the shoe 10 may further include a fastener 52 that removably connects two portions 54 of the ankle strap 40 so that the ankle strap 40 may be unfastened for removing the shoe 10. In this embodiment, the shoe 10 further includes an ankle cover 56 that extends upwardly from the ankle strap 40 to surround the wearer's ankle 13. This construction may be included for decorative purposes, or it may be provided for other reasons, e.g., to include additional warming and/or support to the ankle 13 of the user during physical activities.

[0042] FIG. 8 is an outer side view of a third embodiment of the shoe 60. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the main body 30 and the ankle 13 strap are formed from a main strap 62, and include a lower strap 64 that extends laterally across the arch 16 of the foot, connected at its ends 66 with side portions 68 of the main strap 62.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a fourth embodiment of the shoe 70. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the lower strap 64 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced straps 72.

[0044] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a fifth embodiment of the shoe 80. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the lower strap 64 includes a pair of crossed straps 82. Obviously, those skilled in the art may devise alternative embodiments within the scope of the present invention, and such alternatives should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

[0045] As used in this application, the words a, an, and one are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms approximately and about are defined to mean +/?10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms have, include, contain, and similar terms are defined to mean comprising unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.