BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to a shoe incorporating a leg support member disposed within an upper to surround and support the leg and/or ankle of a wearer.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art to provide a sandal with an ankle strap inadditionto toe straps inorder to enhance retention of the sandal on the foot of a wearer and to improve the comfort and support provided by the sandal.
It is also known that shoes are provided with ankle supports in order to prevent the ankle of wearers from undesirable twisting movement which can injure the wearers' ankle. An example of such shoes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,947 in which are movable ankle support 1 is attached to an outer side of an upper as shown in FIG. 1. The ankle support 1 has two sheet springs respectively attached to two sides of the upper and can be tightened around the upper atapositioncorrespondingtothewearer'sankle. Theankle support 1 disclosed in this patent is provided outside the upper.
While various ankle supports have existed in the art, further development is still needed for improvements in foot, leg and/or ankle support systems incorporated into shoes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a shoe with a simple leg support member which is disposed within an upper and which can be tightened around the leg and/or ankle of a wearer so as to support and tighten the wearer's foot, leg and/or ankle.
According to the present invention, a shoe comprises an upper including a rear shell portion, and a front shell portion extending forwardly from the rear shell portion. The rear shell portion includes a rear wall part, a front wall part, and left and right wall parts extending between the rear and front wall parts. The rear, front, left and right wall parts confine a receiving space which opens upward. The shoe further comprises a leg support member disposed within the rear shell portion and attached to an inner surface of the rear shell portion. The leg support member extends from the rear wall part to the left and right wall parts and has two end portions. At least one of the end portions extends forwardly and outwardly from the receiving space and is manipulatable to tighten the leg support member around the leg of a wearer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional shoe;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of.the first preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view showing a rear side of the rear shell portion of the upper in the sixth embodiment; and
FIG. 11 is a fragmentaryperspectiveviewof the seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is shown at (10) and includes an outsole 2 connected to an upper 3, an attachment unit 4 and a leg support member 5. The shoe 10 may be a sport shoe, climbing shoe, waterproof shoe, hiking shoe, hunting shoe or snow shoe. The upper 3 includes a rear shell portion 30 and a front shell portion 31 extending forwardly from the rear shell portion 30. The rear shell portion 30 includes a rear wall part 301, a front wall part 304, and left and right wall parts 302, 303 which cooperatively confine a receiving space. The receiving space opens upward and is to receive the leg of a wearer. The front wall part 304 includes a tongue which covers a tongue opening 35 formed in the upper 3.
The leg support member 5 is disposed within the rear shell portion 30 and is attached to an inner surface of the rear shell portion 30. The leg support member 5 in this embodiment has an elongated strap 50 which includes two end portions 51 and 52 and an intermediate portion 53. The intermediate portion 53 is attached to the rear wall part 301 by means of the attachment unit 4 and extends to the left and right wall parts 302, 303. The end portions 51 and 52 extend out of the rear shell portion 30 by respectively passing through slots 37 formed in the upper 3.
The attachment unit 4 includes a sheet member 41 which is elastic and has two ends 42 secured to an inner surface of the rear wall part 301. A passage 43 is thus formed between the sheet member 41 and the rear wall part 301. The intermediate portion 53 of the strap 50 passes movably through the passage 43. The leg support member 5 further includes a fastening unit which has two fastening members 54 that are connected respectively to the two end portions 51, 52 of the strap 50.
While the sheet member 41 is elastic in this embodiment, the material and structure of the sheet member 41 should not be limited thereto. In general, the material of the sheet member 41 may be selected from composite, fabric, foam, plastic and rubber material. The structure of the sheet member 41 may be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. Of course, any material or structure which can provide comfort to the wearer's foot and leg is suitable for the fabrication of the sheet member 41.
A shoelace 6 is attached to a plurality of eyelets 7 provided on the upper 3 and is connected to the fastening members 54 of the strap 50. Specifically, the fastening members 54 are formed as fastening rings, and two ends of the shoelace 6 pass through the fastening rings respectively.
Referring to FIG. 4, when the shoelace 6 is pulled up, the two ends portions 51 and 52 of the strap 50 are pulled by the shoelace 6 so that the strap 50 is tightened around the wearer's leg. After the strap 50 is tightened, the strap 50 can stabilize and tighten the wearer's leg and ankle. At this state, the sheet member 41 is stretched and pulled toward the wearer's leg. Accordingly, a flexible shoe lining is suitable because its flexibility can provide an advantage that the sheet member 41 is permitted to move forwardly when the strap 50 is pulled. When the strap 50 is untied, the sheet member 41 contracts and returns to its original position by virtue of its elastic property so that it will not interfere outward movement of the wearer's foot from the upper 3. The stretching and contracting forces of the sheet member 41 may be adjusted by increasing and decreasing the horizontal stretching distance which is transverse to the direction of length of the sheet member 41 and is parallel to the direction of the length of the shoe. If the horizontal stretching distance is increased forwardly, the ankle of wearers could be supported well by the sheet member 41.
Referring to FIG. 5, a second preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment except that two straps 50 are attached to the rear wall part 301 of the rear shell portion 30 by means of two sheet members 41 which are spaced apart from each other.
Referring to FIG. 6, a third preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is shown to be similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, the front wall part 304A of the rear shell portion 30A in the third embodiment has a zipper 6A in place of the shoelace 6 used in the first embodiment, and the end portions 51, 52 of the strap 50 extend outwardly from the front wall part 304A on two sides of the zipper 6A. Fastening members 54A attached to the two end portions 51, 52 are configured as VELCRO® hook-and loop fasteners.
When the two end portions 51, 52 of the strap 50 are pulled toward each other and the fastening members 54A are subsequently interconnected, the strap 50 is tightened around the leg of the wearer.
Referring to FIG. 7, a fourth preferred embodiment of the shoe inthepresent invention is substantiallysimilar to the third preferred embodiment. However, a strap 50A is used in this embodiment in place of the strap 50 of the third embodiment. An end portion 51A of the strap 50A extends outward from the rear shell portion 30A, whereas another end portion 52A is secured to an inner surface of the left wall part 302Awithout extending out of the rear shell portion 30A. The end portion 51A is provided with one of the fastening members 54A. The other fastening member 54A is secured to an outer side of the rear shell portion 30A. When the end portion 51A is pulled leftward to interengage the two fastening members 54A, the strap 50A can be tightened around the leg of the wearer.
Referring to FIG. 8, a fifth preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is substantially similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, an additional cushion pad 44B is attached to an inner surface of the rear shell portion 30 and is associated with the attachment unit 4B in the fifth preferred embodiment. Especially, the leg support member 50 is fixed immovably to the sheet member 41B by means of fixing members 6 which are sewing lines in this embodiment. Alternatively, the fixing members 6 may be any other means which could fix the leg support member 50 to the sheet member 41B. Because of the fixing members 6, the leg support member 50 is restricted from sliding freely between the sheet member 41B and the inner surface of the rear shell portion 30. Nevertheless, the strap 50 still can pull the sheet member 41B forwardly even though the leg support member 50 is fixed to the sheet member 41B by said fixing members 6.
The cushion pad 44B is superimposed on and is attached to the sheet member 41B of the attachment unit 4B. The cushion pad 44B is a soft and thick pad which is made of a soft material. In general, the cushion pad 44B is softer than the sheet member 41B.
When the strap 50 is tightened around the leg of the wearer, the cushion pad 44B is moved toward the wearer's leg along with the sheet member 41B. The function of the cushion pad 44B is to provide additional comfort and support to the wearer's leg. The cushion pad 44B may have any suitable shape and size which can fit ergonomically the wearer's leg.
Alternatively, the elastic sheet member 41B may be formed into a thick, resilient and soft pad which is directly attached to the inner surface of the rear shell portion 30. In this case, the thick, resilient and soft pad will perform the functions of both the sheet member 41B and the cushion pad 44B.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a sixth preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is substantially similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, an attachment unit 4C is used in place of the attachment unit 4 of the first embodiment. Besides, ring members 37C are used instead of the slots 37 used in the first embodiment. The attachment unit 4C includes a pair of spaced apart openings 46C formed in the rear wall part 301 of the rear shell portion 30. The strap passes through one of the openings 46C to extend outwardly of the rear shell portion 30 and returning into the rear shell portion 30 by passing through the other one of the openings 46C. When the strap 50 is tightened, the rear wall part 301 is pulled toward the wearer's leg.
As the strap 50 extends outward through the openings 46C, a part of the strap 50 is exposed at the outer side of the rear shell portion 301. The exposed part of the strap 50 may be covered by a protection layer (not shown) to improve the appearance of the shoe.
The ring members 37C are provided adjacent to the tongue opening 35. The two end portions of the strap 50 pass respectively through the ring members 37C before they extend out of the rear shell portion 30 through the tongue opening 35.
Referring to FIG. 11, a seventh preferred embodiment of the shoe according to the present invention is substantially similar to the sixth preferred embodiment. However, this embodiment additionally includes a cushion pad 44C which is disposed over the inner surface of the rear wall part 301 and extends across the two openings 46C so that the presence of the openings 46C will not cause discomfort to the wearer. The cushion pad 44C may be attached to the inner surface of the rear wall part 301 through any connection means such as sewing stitches, Velcro fasteners, snap fasteners, or the like.
The function of the cushion pad 44C is similar to that of the cushion pad 44B of the fifth preferred embodiment. In addition, a zipper 6A is provided in place of the shoelace 6, and the fastening members 54A are used instead of the fastening members 54.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
Patent Application
20060080864
