Patent Application
20060137223
The present invention relates generally to footwear, and more particularly, to a slipper or bootie having a liner in contact with a wearer's foot and made of a flexible impermeable material and an outer layer made of a cloth material.
A common treatment for foot conditions, such as dry skin, is to apply oil, unguent, or other medication to the affected area of the foot. To maximize the curative affect of the treatment, the medication should remain in contact with the foot for an extended period of time, for example, overnight. It is known to apply the medication and then cover the treated foot with a sock or slipper made of an absorbent material such as cotton. Unfortunately, the medication soaks into the material, lessening the curative affects of the treatment and causing possible staining of the sock or slipper or other items in contact with the sock or slipper.
It is known to wrap a treated foot with an impermeable material and then place a sock over the wrapping. This method keeps the medication in contact with the foot and prevents the medication from migrating. Unfortunately, the wrapping process can be awkward, may be difficult for some patients to perform, and results in the wrapped foot being completely encased in an impermeable layer that traps heat and prevents air movement around any part of the foot. As a result, the wrapped foot can be sweaty and uncomfortably hot.
Udugama (U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0145491) discloses a footcover for use with medications applied to a user's foot. Unfortunately, Udugama's footcover includes two separate toe pockets, which may not be necessary for most users, and which may be uncomfortable for many users. Also, Udugama's footcover does not provide an outer layer that is desirable for comfort when walking in the footcover, warmth when the foot is in a cool area, aesthetic appearance, or to protect other parts of the user's body from contact with the plastic material of the footcover.
Tumas (U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,617) discloses a latex-stocking bandage. Unfortunately, many people have severe latex allergies. Also, the bandage lacks an outer layer for warmth, aesthetic value, or comfort.
Therefore, what is needed is an item of footwear to keep a therapeutic compound in contact with a wearer's foot in a more comfortable manner, using safe materials.
The present invention relates to an item of footwear comprising a liner made of a flexible impermeable material and an outer layer. The liner is arranged to contact a foot and the liner and the outer layer are connected only at a cuff. In some aspects, the flexible impermeable material is sufficiently elastic to squeezingly conform to contours of the foot. The outer layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of natural fiber materials, synthetic materials, and natural fiber and synthetic material blends. In some aspects, the item of footwear is a slipper or a bootie.
The invention also broadly comprises a method for keeping a therapeutic compound in contact with a foot, comprising: surrounding at least a portion of a foot with a liner made of a flexible impermeable material, surrounding the liner with an outer layer made of a flexible material, and connecting the liner to the outer layer only at a cuff.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an item of footwear and method to comfortably keep a therapeutic compound in contact with a wearer's foot, using safe materials.
This and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from a reading and study of the following detailed description of the invention, in view of the drawing and appended claims.
The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:
Layers 12 and 14 are joined together at cuff 16. In some aspects, cuff 16 is elastic. Cuff 16 can be made elastic by any means known in the art, including the use of an elastic band (not shown) within the cuff.
In general, slipper 10 is used in conjunction with a therapeutic compound or compounds applied to a user's foot. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to just use with a therapeutic compound. By therapeutic compound we mean any compound know in the art having soothing, healing, and/or generally medicinal properties. Therapeutic compounds include, but are not limited to, lotions, oils, creams, and unguents. Liner 12 is impermeable, therefore, the compound is not absorbed by liner 12, and the compound advantageously remains in contact with the user's feet. Further, liner 12 prevents the compound from touching other objects in contact with slipper 10. For example, if the user applies the compound and dons slipper 10 for an overnight treatment, liner 12 prevents the compound from staining the user's bedding. Layer 14 provides protection for liner 12, enabling liner 12 to be made as thin, lightweight, and inexpensive as possible, thus increasing the comfort and cost-effectiveness of slipper 10. As described below, layer 14 also can provide padding, insulation, and an aesthetically pleasing appearance for slipper 10.
In some aspects, slipper 10 is disposable and in some aspects, slipper 10 is substantially reusable. By disposable, we mean slipper 10 is designed and constructed for a limited number of uses. By substantially reusable we mean slipper 10 is designed and constructed for a larger number of uses. Typically, a disposable slipper 10 is made of thinner or less durable materials to minimize a cost associated with the slipper. On the other hand, a substantially reusable slipper 10 is typically made of heavier or more durable materials to enable the slipper to be used a greater number of times and in some cases to allow the slipper to be washed and reused.
Liner 12 and layer 14 can be joined at cuff 16 using any method known in the art. For example, in
Liner 12 can be made of any flexible impermeable material known in the art that is suitable for contact with human flesh. Another criterion for selecting a material for liner 12 is the desired degree of elasticity for liner 12. Examples of materials suitable for making liner 12 include, but are not limited to: cellulose acetate, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoro ethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and vinylchloride acetate. The thickness of liner 12 can be determined according to the material used for liner 12 or the intended use of slipper 10. For example, certain materials are more durable than other materials and can therefore be used in thinner layers to provide a same degree of durability. For a disposable slipper, thinner or less durable materials may be acceptable, since a disposable slipper 10 is subjected to a limited number of uses.
Layer 14 can be made of any flexible material known in the art. Typically, layer 14 is made of a woven or cloth material. For example, layer 14 can be made of natural materials such as cotton or wool, synthetic materials such as polyester, or natural/synthetic blends such as cotton and polyester. It should be understood that layer 14 is not limited to any particular material. As with liner 12, the material for layer 14 can be chosen according to the intended use of slipper 10. For example, a more durable and/or washable material for layer 14 may be preferable for a reusable slipper 10. There are additional considerations regarding layer 14. Layer 14 can provide padding or cushioning; therefore, a thicker material may be preferable. Layer 14 can provide an insulating layer; therefore, a “warmer” material, such as synthetic fleece, may be preferable. Also, layer 14 can provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance; therefore, a brightly colored or patterned material may be preferable. The relative costs for materials suitable for liner 12 and layer 14 also are a factor in selecting these materials.
Slipper 10 can be configured to cover different amounts of a user's foot. This can be facilitated by varying the size of opening 28 and areas 30, for example. In some aspects, to cover more of a user's foot, opening 28 is made smaller and areas 30 are made relatively larger to accommodate more of the user's foot. For example, opening 28 can be sized to substantially engage the user's ankle. In some aspects, to cover less of a user's foot, the size of opening 28 is increased and the sizes of areas 30 are decreased. For example, this configuration can expose most of the top of a user's foot. The variations in the size of opening 28 and areas 30 described above increase the efficacy, user comfort, and cost-effectiveness associated with slipper 10. For example, for those users only needing treatment for the bottom of their feet, the aspects including the larger opening 28 and smaller areas 30 may be more comfortable to wear. Also, these aspects of the slipper may be less expensive to produce and therefore more inexpensive for the user to purchase.
In
The materials used for layer 14 may have a relatively low coefficient of friction with respect to surface upon which a user is walking. Thus, to improve the traction for slipper 10, in some aspects, slipper 10 include at least one gripping member 30 on sole 32. Sole 32 is understood to be that portion of slipper 10 in contact with a floor or the ground when the user is wearing slipper 10 and ambulating on the floor or ground. In particular, sole 32 has a side 34, not in contact with liner 12. Grippers 30 can be made of any material known in the art, such as rubber. The grippers can be attached to side 34 using any means known in the art, such as adhesives. Grippers 30 are shown on the slipper in
Slipper 10 is not limited to any particular size. In some aspects, slipper 10 can be configured as a “one size fits all.” For example, returning to
Although the present invention has been shown with respect to an item of footwear, it should be understood that the present invention also is applicable to other items of wear (not shown), for example, gloves or bands for knees or elbows. Such items would be constructed in a manner similar to that described for
Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
