Patent Application
20190246737
The present invention relates to footwear capable to be used in a manner simply by placing a foot in a top-down fashion onto the footwear. More specifically, the present invention is directed to footwear capable to be used in a manner simply by placing a foot in a top-down fashion onto the footwear while the ubiquity of appearance of the footwear is maintained.
Some of the major challenges for the population with degraded mental faculty lie in the inability of them to cope with personal hygiene and everyday chores, including putting on one's shoes. Footwear, e.g., shoes, have been in existence since the beginning of human history. In every example of a shoe, however, the shoe is slipped onto a foot by sliding the foot forwardly upon placing the foot on the shoe, including one that is simplistic in construction, e.g., a “flip-flop,” such that the shoe can be secured to the foot. The shoe is removed by sliding the foot rearwardly relative to the shoe. If the shoe is one which offers increased protection, e.g., a laced-up boot and/or shoe constructed of additional parts, e.g., tongues, eyelets and laces woven therethrough, etc., will require that the shoe be manipulated in a manner such that they may be fitted onto one's feet. Persons with degraded mental faculty or those unable to flex their toes properly, e.g., those suffered from brain injuries, strokes, cerebral palsy, do not always have the ability put on their conventional shoe. Further, without help, they may choose to wear no footwear at all and therefore do not receive the benefits of wearing footwear. Yet further, as conventional footwear are difficult to put on, one may opt for footwear that are simpler to put on, e.g., slippers in place of boots which offer enhanced protection to the feet. Yet further, any specialty footwear designed for those with degraded mental faculty can cause unnecessary attention to be drawn to them, making them and those around them uncomfortable. Yet further, one's toes may curl underneath the foot while inside a shoe, leading to extreme discomfort while wearing the footwear. Caregivers may have extreme difficulty trying to make their patients/loved ones feel comfortable while wearing shoes.
French Pat. Pub. No. 2617379 of Rousseau (hereinafter Rousseau) discloses a boot, the rod in the flexible material is composed of two parts laterally fixed to the two lateral edge members of the sole and a tongue fixedly attached to the front edge of the sole, the rapid attachment means being provided to connect in a removable manner and adjustable tongue to the two parts lateral at the front, and the two parts lateral between them, at the back. Rousseau's boot cannot be made to expose its sole in its entirety. Therefore, although Rousseau's boot may be zipper-equipped, it is incapable in serving segments of the society which require the boot to be completely accessible while maintaining the look and feel of the boot.
There arises a need for footwear that can be readily and convenient used by those with special needs or those with degraded mental faculty and footwear which do not draw attention to those with mental faculty that label them as such.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided footwear for covering a foot of a user, the footwear including:
(a) a first side covering for covering a first side of the foot, a second side covering for covering a second side of the foot and a top covering for the covering the top and front of the foot, wherein the first and second side coverings and the top covering form a continuous covering attached to a sole having a periphery, the continuous covering is configured to cover at least a portion of the foot, leaving an opening through which the foot penetrates at an ankle of the user, wherein the opening having a front edge, a first side edge of the first side covering and a second side edge of the second side covering, the front edge connecting the first side edge and the second side edge and each covering including a wall substantially extending at an angle normal to the sole at the periphery;
(b) a resealable seam disposed at a starting point on the first side wall through the wall of the top covering and continuing to an ending point disposed on the second side wall on the second side edge; and
(c) a closure mechanism disposed along at least a portion of the resealable seam, wherein the closure mechanism is configured to allow opening of the resealable seam while the closure mechanism is disposed in a first mode, leaving the sole to be substantially exposed in its entirety and to allow closure of the resealable seam while the closure mechanism is disposed in a second mode, covering and securing the footwear to the foot in its entirety.
In one embodiment, the closure mechanism is a zipper. In one embodiment, the closure mechanism includes a hook and loop pair. The footwear can be a shoe, boot, athletic shoe, tennis shoe, sandal or slipper. In one embodiment, the second side edge is the side of the footwear on which an inside ankle of the foot of the user is located. In another embodiment, the second side edge is the side of the footwear on which an outside ankle of the foot of the user is located. In one embodiment, the top covering includes two portions disposed at an adjustable distance, wherein a decrease in the adjustable distance is configured to further secure the footwear to the foot of the user and an increase in the adjustable distance is configured to further relax the footwear on the foot of the user. In one embodiment, the top covering includes an elastic portion to allow adjustment of the top covering with respect to the instep of the foot of the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide footwear that is accessible by placing one foot from above toward the footwear that is placed upright on a surface such that it can be used by a user with reduced motor skills without requiring the foot to “slip into” the footwear.
Another object of the present invention is to provide footwear that can be secured to a foot by a single action.
Another object of the present invention is to provide footwear that can be secured to a foot by a single action while the appearance of the footwear is maintained to appear ubiquitous and hence avoiding the appearance that the footwear is designed for a user with reduced mental faculty and motor skills.
Another object of the present invention is to provide footwear that is easy to use such that it is useful for one with reduced mental faculty and motor skills.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present footwear allows access of it from the top, making it convenient for those with limited cognitive and motor skills to put the footwear on or for those assisting others in putting the footwear on. The present footwear is constructed in a manner logical for use with just one hand. A user's eye is immediately drawn to a closure mechanism that needs to be opened or closed. In one embodiment, a user's eye is immediately drawn to a ubiquitous zipper that needs either to be closed/zipped or opened/unzipped.
The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower).
In one embodiment, the second side edge is the side of the footwear on which an inside ankle of the foot of the user or wearer is located. In another embodiment, the second side edge is the side of the footwear on which an outside ankle of the foot of the user is located. In other words, an inside ankle-accessible footwear is shown although the starting point 46 of the zipper may also be disposed on the opposite half of the boot to allow access to the outside ankle. It shall be noted that, while unzipped, the sole 12 is exposed in its entirety. Contrast this with Rousseau's closure mechanism which does not trace a seam that allows the entirety of its sole to be exposed in any position with a flap protruding into the vertical space over its sole at one end of the seam and presents itself in the space above the sole as a barrier to direct access from the space above the sole. Further, Rousseau's closure mechanism does not trace a seam that is disposed along the top of a substantially vertical wall of the top covering, rendering it incapable of allowing a full vertical access to the sole. It shall be noted that, in a present footwear, the resealable seam starts on a first side covering 4 and terminates on a second side covering 4 at a side edge at an opening that encircles one's ankle, instead of a front edge of the opening as shown in Rousseau.
In one embodiment, the closure mechanism 24 is a zipper. In one embodiment, the closure mechanism includes a hook and loop pair as shown in
It is also conceivable to provide a closure mechanism including a plurality of complementary eyelet-button pairs distributed along the resealable seam to aid in the removal and closure of the top covering although such pairs will not allow one single continuous motion when sealing or unsealing the seam. Each footwear style may be available in numerous colors, sizes and designs.
A present footwear may be constructed from a conventional footwear. First, a cut is made to result in a seam. In order to make this seam resealable, a closure mechanism is attached along the seam. If a zipper is used, a longitudinal side of the zipper is attached, e.g., via stitching, to a side of the seam. If hook-and-loop elements are used, one or more hook or loop-equipped flaps are first attached to one side of the seam. Materials complimentary to the hook-and-loop elements of the flaps are then attached to the opposite side of the seam. A present footwear may alternatively be constructed from coverings already sized properly such that the final cutting step is not required to form the seam. Again, upon forming the seam, a closure mechanism is applied to make the seam resealable.
The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
This non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority from provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 62/629,454 filed on Feb. 12, 2018. Said application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62629454 | Feb 2018 | US |
