Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ABSTRACT
KICKING SHOE
This invention relates to human apparel and more specifically to a shoe suited
for sports
where kicking a ball or like object is required.
BACKGROUND
Kicking games are popular past times for many people. Games such as soccer,
footbag,
and football are well known in North America and Europe, and sepak trakraw, a
soccer/volleybatl combination game, is moving around the world from its roots
in Asia.
Suitable kicking foot wear can add greatly to ball control when kicking and
the comfort
of players, as well as reduce injury. A Iight weight shoe is desirable to
reduce fatigue and
increase quickness of movement, however it is also advantageous to incorporate
some
padding or protection to the foot when kicking, as well as secure support for
the foot, all
of which tends to add weight to the shoe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVEIV'1'[ON
It is an object of the present invention to provide a kicking shoe that
overcomes problems
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prior art.
According to the present invention there is provided light weight shoe
conveniently made
from canvas or a like light fabric that allows the passage of air there
through so the foot
can breathe. Ligbt weight semi-stiff, breathable foam padding is installed on
the lower
inner and outer sides of the shoe, as well as the inner top of the shoe above
the toes, for
protection when kicking. A three piece insole of light weight cushion foam is
provided
for comfort and lateral support, and a choice of arch supports can be provided
and readily
installed between the shoe and the outside of the insole. The toe is somewhat
squared off
to provide increased kicking surface to contact the ball, and increased power
and
accuracy.
The shoe fastening means can be by conventional laces or by a unique dual
zipper. The
dual zipper provides quick shoe putting on and removal as well as creating the
smoothest
possible surface over the bridge of the foot.
Apad.ded inner tongue is conventionally located under the laces, and a
flexible but
relatively stiff protective plate is attached to the central portion of the
top of the inner
tongue, under the fastening means, to cushion the impact when kicking, and
also to
prevent the inner tongue from bunching up. A removable padded outer tongue can
be
provided that attaches over the fastening means with hook and loop fasteners
after the
shoe fastening means are closed. The outer tongue provides added padding, and
a
smooth kicking surface to increase control. Sides of the shoe can be made so
that they
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extend substantially vertically upward from the sole, and remain more flat
from back to
front, i.e. not curving inward on the outside-bottom of the shoe at the arch
area, like
most other shoes do, to provide a side kicking surface that improves corntroi
of a kick.
The top of the outer tongue can be left plain, with no surface design, and
thus provide
advertising opportunities by allowing for the addition of team, club, school
or sponsors'
names or logos. The removable outer tongues could potentially become trading
items
among wearers of the shoes.
DESCRIPTIQN OF THE DRAWINGS:
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several
diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
Fig. I is a bottom view of an insole of a shoe of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view along line 2-2 in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view along line 3-3 in Fig. 1;
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Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view looking from the rear at a left foot
shoe;
Fig. 5 is a side view of an arch support for use in the shoe;
Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional side view of a front portion of the shoe;
Fig. 7 is a top view of the shoe showing a padded outer tongue upside down
adjacent to
the shoe to illustrate the cooperating strips of hook and loop fastener by
which the
outer tongue is fastened over the laces of the shoe;
I0
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the shoe of the
invention
with dual zipper shoe fastening means and the outer tongue removed;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 8 with the outer tongue
installed
between the ridges along the top of the shoe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS:
Fig.l illustrates a bottom view of the three piece insole 2 of an embodiment
of the
kicking shoe of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic section along
Iine 2-2 in Fig.
1, and Fig. 3 is a schematic section along line 3-3 in Fig. 1.
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The insole 2 comprises a bottom layer 4 extending from the heel 6 of the shoe
about
halfway along the Length of the insole 2 toward the toe 8 of the shoe. The
bottom layer 4
tapers from about a negligible thickness at the front end thereof to about 0.5
cm at a mid-
portion designated generally at line A, and then at that thickness back to the
rear heel end
thereof. The middle and top layers 10, 12 extend the full length of the insole
2. The
layers 4, 10, 12 are made of lightweight cushion foam material to absorb
shock.
Although not illustrated, holes can be provided through the insole 2 to
promote air
circulation around the foot.
As can be seen in the section views of Figs. 2 and 3 each layer gets wider at
the top, and
also is softer at the upper outer portions. The insole extends upward somewhat
alongside
the foot to cushion and support the foot, tending to keep the foot in the
center of the
insole 2.
Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-section of the insole 2 inside a left foot shoe of
the invention
looking from the rear. The outer shell 14 of the shoe is canvas or like fabric
which
readily allows air to pass through, allowing the foot to breathe. The inner
side of the shoe
includes a light weight foam cushion inner pad 16 to cushion impact when
kiclcing with
the inside of the foot. A sinvlar light weight foam cushion outer pad 18
cushions impact
when kicking with the outside of the foot. The pads 16, 18 are made from foam
covered
with a thin layer of fabric, and include breathing holes punched through the
material to
allow air to move thmugh the pads.
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A removable arch support 21D, also illustrated in Fig. 5, is removably
attached between the
insole 2 and the inner pad 16 by a narrow band of hook and loop fastener 22.
Typically it
is contemplated that two sizes of arch support will be provided with each
shoe, one for a
"normal" foot and one for a "high arch" foot. The hook and loop fastener
extends along
the middle of the shoe so the user can position the arch support 20 in the
best fore and aft
position for his foot.
Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a side section of the front portion of the
shoe. The toe
portion 24 of the outer shell 14 can be covered with a protective layer 26 of
leather,
rubber or the like to reduce wear. A reIatively thin layer of stiff protective
foam 28 is
attached to the inside of the toe portion 24 of the outer shell 14, and as
illustrated extends
up to the bottom of the laces 30. A softer cushion foam pad 32 is attached
inside the
outer shell 14 between the stiff foam 28 and the user's foot.
The illustrated inner tongue 34 comprises a cushion pad 36 under the canvas
outer shell
material 14. A flexible but stiff protective plate 38 is stitched to the inner
tongue 34 to
protect the foot, and also prevent the inner tongue 34 from deforming or
bunching up
during rugged use. The inner tongue 34 and protective plate 38 are located
under the
laces 30.
Fig. 7 shows a top view of the shoe 40, and beside the shoe an outer tongue 42
is
illustrated upside down to show the strip of hook and loop fastener 44 around
the bottom
perimeter of the outer tongue 42 that is configured to engage a corresponding
strip of
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cooperating hook and loop fastener 46 attached to the top of the shoe 40. The
outer
tongue 42 is also padded and is attached over the laces 30 with hook and loop
fasteners
44, 46 after the laces 30 are tied. The outer tongue 42 provides added
padding, and the
canvas top of the outer tongue 42 provides a smooth kicking surface to
increase control
when kicking a ball or like object.
Fig. 7 also illustrates that the toe 50 of the shoe 40 is somewhat squared off
to provide
increased kicking surface to contact the ball, and thus increased power and
accuracy.
Fig. 8 shows an alternate shoe 140 with dual zippers 130 as the shoe fastening
means, one
zipper on each side of a strong, thin, stretchy material, all over the inner
tongue 134. Side
ridges 160 extend up from the front-top-sides of the shoe 140 and are
configured such
that the remnvable-outertongue -142 -uviIi ftt~tween- the ridges 160 as
illustrated in Fig.
9. Hook and loop fastener strips 144 attached to the ridges 160 and the outer
tongue 142
cooperate to maintain the outer tongue 142 in position. The shoe can atso be
wom neatly
without the outer tongue by folding the side ridges inward and down onto the
cooperating
side hook and loop fastener strips 144, effectively covering them up.
When the removable outer tongue 142 is in place it is set down between the
ridges 160,
and tapers down to the top of the toe portion of the shoe 140 providing a flat
surface 162
from the toe to the top of the shoe 140 for improved ball control.
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The iIiustrated top surface 162 of the outer tongue 142 is plain without any
design so that
teams names ~'i logos, advertising, and the like may be readily printed or
embroidered
thereon. The removable outer tongue 142 is convenient to print, compared to
printing on
the shoe 140 itself.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constniction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
