Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
92~L
C~ILD'S SHOE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to
shoes, and more particularly to shoes to accommodate the
walking habits of infants and children.
Typically, an infant faced with the
difficulties of learning to walk bears additional
hardships when trying to adapt to wearing shoes or
sneakers, particularly when the shoes or sneakers are
new. The soles of a new pair of shoes or sneakers are
relatively stiff by virtue of the material of which it
is comprised, the material on the inside of the shoe or
sneaker, or a combination of both. Thus, an infant must
~break-in~ the region of the sole which must flex when a
normal heel-to-toe step is taken. Most older children,
in the years prior to adolescence but after having
learned the fundamentals of walking or running, must
similarly break-in new shoes or sneakers. During the
break-in period, the new shoe or sneaker may cause the
infant or child discomfort and often severe pain in
day-to-day walking or running activities. In some
cases, such discomfort and pain could hinder the normal
growth and development of a child's foot, as well as the
way in which the child learns to walk or run. For
example, a child may tend to move his or her foot to the
side rather than heel~to-toe, thus causing the child to
drag the medial side portion of the shoe. By the time
the shoe is broken in by the child, the child may have
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already developed such a bad habit or improper form
which cannot be easily reversed.
Parents are particularly aware of the time it
takes a child to break-in a pair of shoes or
sneakers. Many parents will attest that the break-in
period is often completed only after the child's foot
has outgrown the shoe or sneaker or after the protective
and aesthetic functions of the upper have been
destroyed. Even if this is not the case, the region of
the shoe which flex~s while taking a heel-to-toe step
does not become highly flexible so as to ease the steps
taken by a child.
Infants, and children in their years prior to
adolescence, also tend to drag the toe portion of a shoe
after taking a step. This dragging action of a foot
could occur for several reasons, whether it is before,
during or after the break-in period for the sole. Most
would attribute this poor habit to improper or lack of
education as to proper walking form or generally to
laziness of the feet during walking activities. For
those children which tend to move their feet to the side
while taking a step, the side sections of the toe
portion are dragged. Others will drag the front and/or
the top sections of the toe portion. The dragging of
the toe portion of a shoe may cause the top, front and
sides of the toe portion to become scuffed and worn,
thereby destroying the protective and aesthetic
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functions of the toe portion, especially where the upper
is made of a canvas or soft leather.
Moreover, the dragging of the toe portion also
may cause infants and children to stumble or trip on the
toe portion of the shoe. In most every case, it is the
specific structure of the toe portion which causes the
child to stumble or trip. Fig. 1 of the drawings shows
a side view of the toe portion of a prior art
shoe. Thus, it can be ~een that the sole portion forms
a protuberance about the toe portion, thereby yielding
an excess of material on which a child will trip as his
or her foot is dragged. Fig. 2 shows the manner in
which a prior art shoe is dragged by many
children. Such a manner of walking may at first appear
to be unusual, however, parents can attest to the
scuffed and worn portions of a toe cap which is evidence
that such dragging steps are in fact taken. Careful
observation reveals that such tripping often occurs as a
result of the child dragging the toe portion of the shoe
from the upper (often made of a smooth leather) to the
protruding periphery of the sole portion. The child
will effortlessly drag his or her feet along the smooth
contour of the toe cap but will encounter problems when
the protuberance about the periphery of the toe portion
engages the ground thereby tripping the child. Thus,
one specific cause of a child tripping while dragging
.
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. : , :
21
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their feet is the discontinuous transition from the
upper to the sole of the shoe.
In addition to dragging the toe portion of
their shoes when taking steps, infants and children
naturally drag the bottom of their shoes. This also
causes infants and children to stumble and trip because
most shoes worn by infants or children are made from
synthetic materials having relatively high coefficients
of friction. For instance, many recreational and
walking shoes are made from thermo-plastic rubber which
will provide a relatively high degree of resistance
against most surfaces. While such resistance is
preferable, and indeed, necessary for purposes of
walking or running, the front sole portion of a child's
shoe will often contact the walking surface early in the
child's stride, thereby causing the child to stumble or
trip against the resistance between the walking surface
and the front sole portion of the shoe. Simply put, the
gripping surface on the front sole portion of the
child's shoe prevents the child from completing his or
her natural dragging or scuffing step.
In an attempt to alleviate the above
shortcomings associated with breaking in the sole of a
shoe, those in the industry have provided relief grooves
2S in the bottom of the sole portion of a shoe or
sneaker. Such relief groove-~ extend transversely from
the lateral side of the shoe to the medial side of the
;
.
Zl
-5-
shoe in the region which flexe while taking a step, and
are relatively narrow in width and shallow in
depth. Relief grooves are primarily employed on
sneakers or other recreational shoes since such grooves
can be integrated with the bottom design of the sneaker
or other recreational shoe, which bottom design is
typically provided for aesthetic value as well as for
providing traction. Moreover, sneakers are economically
susceptible to the provision of such relief grooves
since they are easily formed in the rubber or plastic of
which sneakers are normally made. It is more difficult
to incorporate the relief groove concept into shoes
other than those having rubber or plastic soles.
While relief grooves provide some increased
flexibility in the region of concern, the degree to
which the flexibility can be increased is limited by the
type of material used, the width of the groove and the
thickness of the sole. The flexure region of a shoe,
that is, the region which creases while taking a step,
will almost invariably be wider than such relief
grooves. Thus, the degree to which such relief grooves
ease the steps taken by a child is substantially
lessened. Moreover, the flexure region of a shoe will
vary in width and location depending, inter alia, on the
walking habits of each individual child and the type of
activities enqaged in while wearing the shoes.
;
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92~
-6-
The foot dragging problem discussed above has
not been addressed by the shoe industry to the same
degree as the flexure problem. It appears as though all
aspects of the foot dragging problem have not even been
recognized by those in the shoe induatry. Toe caps made
of thermoplastics are well-known and, by virtue of the
characteristics attributed to thermoplastics, alleviate
the problem of accelerated wear and tear on the toe
portion of the upper as imparted thereon by children
while dragging their feet. However, such thermoplastic
toe caps do not prevent children from stumbling or
tripping when dragging their feet since the toe cap is
formed as part of the upper which is fastened to the
periphery of the sole portion. This results in the same
discontinuous transition from the upper to the bottom
surface of the sole portion. The protuberance about the
periphery of the toe portion of the shoe remains for the
infant or child to stumble on when it engages the
ground.
Moreover, where the bottom surface of the
front sole portion is made from thermo plastic rubber or
other materials having high coefficients of friction,
the foot dragging problem is enhanced because the rubber
offers a high degree of resistance early in the child's
stride. It is noted that a child will often overcome
tha dragging of the top or sides of the toe portion of
hiC or her shoe well before he or she overcomes the
':~
-7-
dragging of the bottom surface of the front sole
portion. These two foot dragging problems can end and
often do co-exist at different times during a child's
stride, all depending upon the child's gait. This is
not to say that these respective foot dragging problems
cannot exist without the other or that these foot
dragging problems could not exi~t at different times
during the progression of a child'~ walking education.
For instance, the dragging of the top and sides of the
toe portion of a child's shoe could proceed the dragging
of the bottom of the front sole portion. This problem
has not been addressed by the shoe industry.
The above shortcomings make it apparent that
significant improvements which would facilitate the
education of infants and children as to the proper form
of walking and running are warranted. It is imperative
to note that several adolescents and adults,
particularly those having various diseases relating to
the control of the muscular or nervous system, or those
with certain orthopedic disorders, also experience the
foregoing problems with footwear. Thus, although the
present invention will find its purposes to be furthered
primarily with respect to footwear for infants and
children, it is directed at footwear in general~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention specifically relates to
a split-sole shoe having a front outer sole which covers
2:~
-8-
the bottom of the toes and a substantial portion of the
sole of a foot and a heel member for covering the heel
and intermediate region of the foot, characterized in
that said front outer sole includes an outwardly facing
S exterior recessed section having a secondary bottom
surface and said heel member includes an inwardly facing
interior recessed section having a secondary interior
surface, a substantial portion of said secondary
interior surface being connected to a substantial
portion of said secondary bottom surface in an
overlapping configuration, thereby joining said heel
member to said front outer sole and providing an
exterior relief groove between the edge of said interior
recessed section and the recess wall of said bottom
recessed section and an interior relief groove between
the edge of said bottom recessed section and the recess
wall of said interior recessed section. These relief
grooves and the overlappinq configuration of the
respective recessed sections provide increased
flexibility in the region of the shoe which flexes while
taking a step. The front outer sole portion of the
present invention is formed integrally with a toe cap
portion which covers the front, sides and top of the
toes of a foot, characterized in that the toe cap
portion includes lateral and medial side sections and a
front section, all of which are integral with the front
outer sole at the periphery thereof. There is a
~1 tA
_9_
substan~ially smooth and continuous transition from the
toe cap portion to the front outer sole which
effectively serves to lessen the likelihood of an infant
or child tripping as a result of dragging the toe
portion of a shoe while walking.
The front outer sole portion is constructed of
a material having a coefficient of friction which is
relatively low as compared with the coefficient of
friction of the material which comprises the bottom
surface of the heel member. Thus, the front outer sole
portion of the shoe will, early in the child's stride,
offer less resistance against walking surface, yet the
heel member will provide sufficient grip when it comes
into contact with the walking surface so that the child
will have no problem gripping the walking surface at the
proper time in his or her step. With less resistance
when the front outer sole contacts the walking surface,
there is less likelihood that the child's foot will
~stick~ to the walking surface to effectively trip the
child.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a shoe having a split-sole which
provides increased flexibility in the region of the sole
which flexes while taking a step.
It is another object of the present invention
to provide a combined toe cap and front outer sole for
use in connection with a split-sole shoe which lessens
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the likelihood of an infant or child tripping on the toe
portion or the front outer sole portion of the shoe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION QF TH~ ~RAWINGS
The above and other objects of the present
invention will become apparent, as will a better
understanding of the concept~ underlying the present
invention, by reference to the description which follows
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial right side elevational
view of a prior art shoe, illustrating the discontinuous
transition from the top of the toe portion to the bottom
of the front outer sole;
FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the prior art
shoe shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the manner in which
infants or children tend to drag their feet and
ultimately trip on the protuberance in the transition
region;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a combined toe
cap and front outer sole in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the combined
toe cap and front outer sole shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view of the
combined toe cap and front outer sole shown in FIG. 3,
showing the lateral side section of the toe cap and the
recessed section of the front outer sole;
~a~sz~
FIG. 6 is a left side elevational view of the
co~bined toe cap and front outer sole shown in FIG. 3,
showing the medial side of the toe cap and the recessed
section of the front outer sole;
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the combined toe cap
and front out sole shown in FIG. 3, illustrating in
particular the hollow region defined by the front outer
sole and the sides, front and top of the toe cap;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a heel member in
accordance with the present invention, showing the
interior side of said heel member;
FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the heel
member shown in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a right side elevational view of
the heel member shown in FIG. 8, showing the lateral
side of said heel member;
FIG. 11 is a left side elevational view of the
heel member shown in FIG. 8, showing the medial side of
said heel member:
F:[G. 12 is a front view of the heel member
shown in FIG. 8, illustrating in particular the
relationship between the interior recessed section and
the peripheral walls;
FIG. 13 is a top view of the sole of a shoe
which is comprised of the combined toe cap and front
outer sole shown in FIG. 3 connected to the heel member
shown in FIG. 8;
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FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the sole
shown in FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of
the sole taken on line 15 in FIG. 13:
FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view of a shoe
made in accordance with the present invention,
illustrating in particular the increased flexure in the
region of the connected recessed sections;
FIG. 17 is a partial sectional view of a shoe
made in accordance with the present invention,
illustrating in particular the dragging of the smooth
and continuous transition region from the toe cap to the
front outer sole;
FIG. 18 is a partial cross section of the
connected recessed sections of a split-sole shoe in
accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 19 is a partial cross section of a shoe
in accordance with the present invention, illustrating
in particular the position of the shoe when the heel
member contacts the walking surface to provide
additional resistance thereagainst.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the Figures, FIGS. 3-7 show a
combined toe cap and front outer sole generally
designated as 10; FIGS. 8-12 show a heel member
generally designated as 30; and FIGS. 13-15 show the
sole of a split-sole shoe generally designated as 40,
, . ~ .
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19Zl
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all in accordance with the presont invention. FIGS. 16
and 17 show the improved functionality of a shoe
constructed in accordance with the present invention, as
compared to the typical prior art shoe shown in FIGS. 1
and 2, and FIG. 18 shows an alternate embodiment of the
sole of a split-sole shoe. Both the combined toe cap
and front outer sole lO and the heel member 30 are
preferably made from a thermoplastic rubber although a
plurality of different materials are suitable for use in
connection with the present invention since it is
primarily the structure which imparts the foregoing
advantages and benefits to a shoe.
Thus, FIGS. l and 2 show the typical prior art
shoe which is comprised of a sole portion A and an upper
B which is fastened, by stitches C, to the periphery of
sole A. This effectively forms a protuberant region D
about the toe portion of the prior art shoe. It is this
protuberant region D which eventually engages the
ground, as shown in FIG. 2, when an infant or child
drags the toe portion of the prior art shoe.
The structure of the combined toe cap and
front outer sole 10 eliminates the protuberant region
which heretofore was prominent on the toe portions of
shoes and sneakers. A lateral side section ll, a medial
side section 12, a front section 13 and a top section 14
define the toe cap portion of the combined toe cap and
front outer sole 10. The lateral side section 11,
' . ' ' ' ~ `':~
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zn~ 2~
-14-
medial side section 12, front section 13 and top section
14 surround, respectively, the sides, front and top of
the toes of a foot. Of course, the top section 14 of
the toe cap portion need only extend rearwardly a
distance sufficient to cover the top of the toes. In
this context, any configuration consistent with such a
construction can be employed. This includes any designs
which might be desirable for the top section of the toe
cap portion or the provision of eyelets in the top
section so as to enable the upper of a shoe to be
lacedly connected to the toe cap portion of the combined
toe cap and front outer sole 10.
Integrally connected to the above-described
sections of the toe cap portion is an outer sole
15. The outer sole 15 includes an interior surface 16
and a bottom surface 17. The outer sole 15 extends
rearwardly beyond the lateral side section 11 and the
medial side section 12. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,
outer sole 15 includes an exterior recessed section 18
which extends from the medial ~ide to the lateral side
of the combined toe cap and front outer sole 10. The
exterior recessed section 18 is strategically located on
the outer sole 15 so that when a foot is inserted into a
shoe constructed with the combined toe cap and front
outer sole 10, the exterior recessed section 18 lies
beneath the region of the foot which bends while taking
a heel-to-toe step. This region is normally located at
: ~ -
9Z~L
-15-
the rearward portion of the sole of the foot and thetransition region from the sole of the foot to the
intermediate portion of the foot. As discussed in the
Background of the Invention, the region of concern in
this instance varies from foot to foot and on the
activities engaged in while wearing the shoes. Thus,
exterior recessed section 18 ha a predetermined width
so as to accommodate most, if not all, such bending
regions on the feet of different infants and children.
The exterior recessed section 18 includes an
edge 19, a secondary bottom surface 20 and a wall 21,
characterized in that the wall 21 connects bottom
surface 17 with secondary bottom surface 20 and the
secondary bottom surface 20 is substantially parallel to
the bottom surface 17 of the outer sole 15.
It is important to note that the exterior
recessed section 18 is configured 60 as to extend in a
rearward direction from the medial side to the lateral
side o* the combined toe cap and front outer sole
10. This configuration better approximates the bending
of a foot in the region of concern. It has been found
that the optimum angle of such rearward extension is
approximately 13, as taken from an imaginary line which
is parallel to an imaginary tangent line drawn through
the central point on front section 13 of the combined
toe cap and front outer sole 10. As shown in FIG. 3,
the imaginary line from which the 13 is measured would
:
9.21
-16-
be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis
of the combined toe cap and front outer sole 10, said
longitudinal axis being shown in phantom in FIG.
3. This imaginary line should also be substantially
perpendicular to an imaginary tangent line drawn through
the point at which the exterior recessed section
intersects the lateral side section 11 of the combined
toe cap and front outer sole 10.
The exterior recessed section 18 is provided
for communication with a heel member, described below,
so as to provide increased flexibility at the region of
connection, thereby easing the steps taken by an infant
or child. The cooperation between the elements of the
exterior recessed section 18 and the sinilar elements of
a recessed section in a heel member is described in
detail below.
one skilled in the art will readily recognize
that the combined toe cap and front outer sole 10
described above provides for a smooth transition from
the toe cap portion to the outer sole portion. FIGS. 3
and 5-7 illustrate this smooth transition from the side
sections and front section to the outer sole. There is
no protuberance about the periphery of the toe portion
which could engage the ground as an infant or child
drags the toe portion. FIG. 17 illustrates the dragging
of the toe portion of a shoe which includes a combined
toe cap and front outer sole constructed as described
. , ; .
.
.
.
92~L
-17-
above. A comparison of FI~. 17 with FIG. 2, showing the
prior art shoe, reveals that there is no protuberance on
which an infant or child can stumble or trip. The
smooth transition from the toe portion to the outer sole
enables the infant or child to effortlessly drag the
lateral side section 11, medial side section 12, front
section 13 and top section 14 along the ground until the
bottom surface 17 of outer sole 15 is reached at which
time the infant or child takes another step. Thus, the
smooth and continuous transition from the toe cap to the
outer sole serves to prevent an infant or child from
tripping when dragging his or her feet. Another feature
of the present invention which serves to prevent a child
from tripping when dragging his or her feet is discussed
below with reference to FIG. 19.
FIGS. 8-12 show a heel member 30 for matable
engagement with the combined toe cap and front outer
sole 10 described above. Thus, the heel member 30 is
adapted to cover the intermediate portion of a foot and
the bottom of the heel of a foot. In conjunction with
the combined toe cap and front outer sole 10, the heel
member 30 provides the increased flexibility in the
region of the shoe which must flex while taking a heel-
to-toe step.
The heel member 30 includes an interior
surface 31, a bottom surface 32 and a peripheral wall
portion 33 extending about and upwardly from the
-18-
interior surface 31. In conventional prior art shoes,
this peripheral wall would extend bayond the heel member
and about any front outer sole portion to which the heel
member is integrally connected. It is, therefore, this
peripheral wall which provided the step-hindering
protuberance about the toe portion of tAe conventional
prior art shoe. In the present invention, the
peripheral wall 33 meets with the medial and lateral
side sections of the combined toe cap and front outer
sole 10. The peripheral wall 33 includes a stitch
groove 34, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, for fastening an
upper to the heel member 30. The waffle-like pattern 39
shown on the heel member 30 is just one of a number of
well-known structures for providing additional
cushioning in the heel region of a shoe. Of course, any
well-known structure can be employed in conjunction with
the present invention.
To facilitate the mating engagement of the
heel member 30 to the combined toe cap and front outer
sole 10, the heel member 30 includes an interior
recessed section 35 which extends rearwardly, at the
same angle as the exterior recessed section 18 of the
combined toe cap and front outer sole 10, from the
medial side to the lateral side of the heel member
30. Again, the optimum angle of rearward extension has
been found to be 13~ as measured from an imaginary line
which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
.
.
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heel member 30, said longitudinal axis being shown in
phantom in FIG. 8. The interior recessed section 35
includes an edge 36, secondary interior surface 37 and a
wall 38, the wall 38 connecting interior surface 31 with
secondary interior surface 37. It i5 important to note
that the peripheral wall 33 extend~ along the sides of
the interior recessed section 35 and upwardly from the
secondary interior surface 37 of the interior recessed
section 35. Thus, the width of exterior recessed
section 18 of the combined toe cap and front outer sole
10 is sized to fit between peripheral wall portion 33a
on the medial side of heel member 30 and the peripheral
wall portion 33b on the lateral side of the heel member
30.
FIGS. 13-15 show a shoe sole 40 which is
comprised of the combined toe cap and front outer sole
10 and the heel member 30. The combined toe cap and
front outer sole 10 is joined with the heel member 30 by
overlapping a substantial portion of exterior recessed
section 18 over a substantial portion of interior
recessed section 35 so that secondary bottom surface 20
is in contact with secondary interior surface 37. A
neoprene cement or any other suitable fastening means
can be utilized to fasten the thermoplastic rubber of
which the respective recessed sections are made. Once
the respective recessed sections are joined in this
manner, the interior surface 16 of the combined toe cap
32~
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and front outer sole lO will be substantially flush with
the interior surface 31 of the heel member 30, and the
bottom surface 17 of the combined toe cap and front
outer sole 10 will be substantially flush with the
bottom surface 32 of the heel me~ber 30. Thus, sole
inserts or other material may be placed on the interior
of the shoe sole 40 for disposition between a foot and
the shoe sole 40.
It is particularly noted that edge 19 does not
abut wall 38 on the interior side of the shoe sole 40
and edge 36 does not abut wall 21 on the exterior side
of the shoe sole 40. Thus, an interior relief groove is
defined by edge l9, secondary interior surface 37 and
wall 38, and an exterior relief groove is defined by
edge 36, secondary bottom surface 20 and wall 21.
Another important feature is that of gap 41a and gap
41b, gap 41a residing between peripheral wall 33a and
medial side section 12 and gap 41b residing between
peripheral wall 33b and lateral side section 11, as
shown in FIG. 13.
Thus, the above construction provides
increased flexibility in the region surrounding the
connection of the respective recessed sections. The
joining of the two relatively thin recessed sections
inherently provides increased flexibility in the region
of connection. This increased flexibility is augmented
by the provision of the interior relief groove and the
12~
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exterior relief groove, both of which are established by
spacing the edges of the respective recessed sections
from the walls of the respective recessed sections. The
gaps 41a and 41b also serve to augment the flexibility
in the region of concern.
one skilled in the art will recognize that the
aggregation of these flexibility-inducing elements not
only enhance the flexibility in the region of concern,
but also widen the flexible region itself. In effect, a
flexible hinge-like structure is created when the
combined toe cap and front outer sole 10 is connected to
the heel member 30.
FIG. 16 shows a partial cross section of a
foot 50, in a shoe 60 made from shoe sole 40 and a
lasted upper 70, as a step is being taken. Although the
ease with which the shoe 60 flexes in the region of
connection between the combined toe cap and front outer
sole 10 and heel member 30 cannot easily be shown in a
drawing, FI~. 16 shows the degree of flexure while
taking a heel-to-toe step. Thus, it can be seen that
the flexibility imparted to the shoe 60 by the
overlapping oP the respective reces~ed sections is
greatly improved as compared to the conventional prior
art shoe.
FIG. 18 shows a partial cross section of the
connected recess sections of the sole of a split-sole
made in accordance with another embodiment of the
9Z~
present invention. This alternate structure merely
shows the respective recessed sections being
reversed. Thus, the combined toe cap and front outer
sole 100 has an inwardly facing recessed section 118 to
form a secondary interior surface 120 and the heel
member 130 has an outwardly facing recessed section 135
to form a secondary bottom surface li7. The combined
toe cap and front outer sole 100 is connected to the
heel member 130 in the same manner as described
above. An interior relief groove and an exterior relief
groove will also be formed as described above. While
the first embodiment described above is preferred
because there is less likelihood that the interior
relief groove will pinch the rearward portion of the
sole of a foot, the alternate arrangement shown in FIG.
18 is functionally equivalent.
As indicated above, one of the habits formed
by infants and children when they are learning to walk
is to drag the bottom surface of the shoe, particularly
the front outer sole. This typically occurs early in
the child's stride so that a sufficient amount of
resistance between the front outer sole and the walking
surface will cause the child's foot to ~stickn to the
walking surface. This necessarily causes the child to
loose his or her balance and stumble.
To lessen the likelihood that this will occur,
the bottom surface 17 of the combined toe cap and front
:. ; .: ' :
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outer sole 10 can be made from a substantially non-stick
material, i.e., a material offering a lesser degree of
grip against most surfaces. Such a material would
include polyvinylchloride (PVC). Material such as PVC
provide less gripping forces against most walking
surfaces than would a thermal plastic rubber.
Advantageous to the present invention, PVC is also
substantially scuff-resistant so that the toe portion
can also be made with PVC. Accordingly, the combined
toe cap and front outer sole in accordance with the
present invention can be made integral.
Those skilled in the art will readily
recognize that the degree of grip will be required on
the bottom of the shoe so that the infant or child will
not slip on the walking surface. To this end, the shoe
in accordance with the present invention includes a heel
member 30 being made of a material such as thermo
plastic rubber. Thermo plastic rubber has a relatively
high coefficient of friction so that once the child
drags, or in effect, slides the bottom surface of the
front outer sole portion far enough forward in his or
her stride, the heel member 30 will contact the walking
surface to make the child's foot ~stick~ thereto. At
this point in the child's stride, the child's foot is
far enough forward to be planted so that the next step
could be taken. Figure 16 illustrates the approximate
position of the child's foot as the bottom surface of
~ ~ '
21
-24-
the front outer sole is being dragged or slid over the
walking surface; while FIG. 19 shows the planting of the
child's foot by virtue of the heel member 30 contacting
the walking surface.
Accordingly, an infant or child need not
undergo the discomfort of breaking in a new pair of
shoes or sneakers. A shoe constructed in this manner
will also facilitate the proper growth and development
of the infant's or child's foot since the foot will not
be restricted in any way and the infant or child will
tend to walk more naturally --- as if in bare
feet. Thus, educating an infant or child as to the
proper form of walking or running becomes an easier task
since parents or other instructors will be assured of a
lS properly fitting and easily manipulated shoe. In
addition to the increased flexibility to ease the steps
taken by an infant or child, the child will no longer
encounter the problem of stumbling or tripping since
there exists no protuberance on which to stumble or
trip. Further, since the combined toe cap and front
outer sole 10 can be made from a thermoplastic rubber or
a similar material which is substantially scuff-
resistant, parents need not concern themselves with the
aesthetic appearance of the infant's or child's shoe or
the premature destruction of the toe portion by reason
of the infant or child dragging their feet. Moreover,
the bottom surface of the front outer sola portion can
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be made of a material, such as polyvinylchloride, which
offers less resistance against the walking surface than
the material of the heel member. This also lessens the
likelihood that a child will trip.
While the foregoing description and figure
illustrate one preferred embodiment of the split sole
shoe with a combined toe cap and front outer sole in
accordance with the present invention, it should be
appreciated that certain modificaticns may be made in
the structure, material and functional aspects of the
disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention which is defined by
the claim~ which are set forth immediately hereafter.
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