Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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2.
B~CKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a new and useful improve-
ment relating to the treatment of athletic type socks so
as to prevent irritation and blisters of the feet.
It is a well known fact that active persons frequently
5 have foot irritations from shoes when engaged in athletics
or other activities, particularly in initial or training
portions of sport programs. This irritation of the feet
is primarily caused by~the relative movement of the foot
within the sock in that such relative movement causes
10 friction which usually results in discomfort and irritation
and even incapacitating blisters. Many medications have
been provided to treat irritated feet but such medications
are only intended to give relief to the damage already
done to feet rather than providing a preventative to the
15 actual source of the trouble.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention and forming a
primary objective thereof, a process and product are pro-
vided to prevent shoe irritation and blisters of the feet
from a rubbing of the sock against the feet.
According to the invention, a mild lubricant is
applied ~o the exterior of athletic type socks in the shoe-
receiving portion thereof. The lubricant provides slippage
between the socks and the shoes and eliminates or sub-
stantially reduces relative movement between the socks andthe feet. The lubricant, which may for e~ample comprise a
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3.
soap of a fatty acid composition is applied on the socks
by hand or placed in a container and the person wearing
the socks can step into the container and scuff his feet.
The invention will be better understood and additional
objects and advantages will become apparent from the
following description taken in connection with the accomp-
anying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a piece
of fabric from which athletic socks of conventional use
are made and which makes possible the functioning of the
instant invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the
line 2-2 of Figure 1 and further showing application of the
instant invention; and
Figure 3 is an elevational view of an athletic sock
as worn by a person and provided with a coating of lubricant
according to the invention, a shoe worn on the foot being
shown in broken lines.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With particular reference to the drawings, the present
invention finds efficient application to athletic type
socks which are in common use. As best seen in Figures 1
and 2, the fabric 10 from which such socks 12, Figure 3,
are constructed has a substantially heavy body or knitted
portion 14 and a pile or nap 16 on each surface. This
thick fabric provides the cushioning, absorption, etc.
desired in athletic type socks and contributes to the
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invention as will now be apparent.
According to the invention and as seen in Figure 3,
the exterior surface of the athletic type sock 12 is
coated with a mild lubricant 18 in those areas that may
5 be engaged with the shoe 20 when worn. Such coating will
generally be applied over the entire sock that will be
disposed in the shoe. The particular construction of
the athletic type sock with the heavy body portion and
pile functions efficiently for the present purpose since
lO the lubricant will adhere to the pile on the exterior
surface and will not penetrate the sock to the inside,
the pile acting as hooks to hold the lubricant on the
exterior surface for easy application and efficient
functioning.
It is preferred to use a lubricant that will be soft-
ened by body heat so as to provide a slippery surface
between the sock and the shoe almost immediately after
the shoe is put on. As such lubricant is softened, it
will penetrate the exterior pile and engage the body
20 portion 14 of the sock but in view of the heavy body por-
tion of the sock it will not pass through it to the foot
side. In Figure 2, the lubricant 18 is shown just after
it was applied, namely, before it has softened and melted
into the pile portion of the sock. As stated, however,
25 as the lubricant is heated from body temperature and
activity, and perspiration as well, it will penetrate
the pile more and adhere effectively to the sock.
~1S3S~)3
5.
With the lubricant in place as described, the in-
herent lubricating qualities thereof provides a slippery
surface between the shoes and the socks. The feet thus
will not have any material relative movement with the
5 socks. Since primarily all of the relative movement of
the feet, socks and shoes will result between the socks
and the shoes, no appreciable irritation will occur to
the feet.
An effective lubricant for the present purpose is
10 a conventional sodium or potassium soap, namely, any
soap that is made with fatty acid. Such soap provides
the desired lubrication and also is not toxic to the
skin. The soap can be applied in liquid or paste form
in any suitable manner, it can be applied by the aerosol
15 method, or it can be dusted on in particle or flake form.
Soap flakes are especially good since manufacturing
processes thereof mostly seek to provide thin, fluffy-.
like flakes or small porous granules that make them
highly soluble in water. This structure makes the flakes
20 soften almost immediately by body heat to produce good
lubrication. In addition, since they are curved, jagged,
wavy, round, or of other shapes, they adhere efficiently
to the pile of the sock for ease of application.
Other lubricants can be used as well, for example,
25 lubricating jelly such as used in gynecology and surgery,
it only being required that such lubricant have an over-
all composition that allows it to adhere to the exterior
of an athletic type sock without completely penetrating
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6.
the sock and also that it is not toxic to the skin.
The lubricant. can be sprayed, rubbed or dusted
on the exterior of the socks, or, with the socks on the
feet, the wearer can step into an open top container
5 containing a supply of the lubricant to apply the
necessary layer of lubricant.
The lubricant may have a number of additives such
as perfume, deodorants, coloring or glycerides without
10 interfering with the lubricating qualities thereof.
It is to be understood that the forms of my
invention herein shown and described are to be taken as
preferred examples of the same and that various changes
in the shape, size and arrangement of parts or steps may
15 be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my
invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
