Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Sock
The invention relates to a sock, in particular for use during sports, said
sock comprising
cushioned sections.
When humans move a lot and rapidly, in particular, for example, during sports,
their feet
are held in sturdy footwear. The purpose of the footwear is, on the one hand,
to function as a
shock absorber and to hold the foot firmly, and, on the other hand, to prevent
injuries caused to the
sole of thc foot as a result of stepping on sharp protrusions or objects on
the ground.
The body heats up considerably during movement. For heat regulation, the body
excretes
perspiration to achieve a cooling effect due to cold from evaporation.
However, inside the
= footwear, such evaporation is inhibited. This leads, among other effects,
to considerable warming
of the foot inside the footwear, to which the body reacts by further
increasing the perspiration.
The increase in perspiration in socks that are worn in the shoes leads to the
entire foot becoming
humid, and softening of the skin. As a result, the protective effect of the
horny layer of the foot is
reduced, and there is an increase in blister formation. The foot is no longer
capable of bearing a
load.
To promote the evaporation of the perspiration that has formed in the
footwear, shoes are
provided with a membrane fabric. However, it has been found that not enough of
the humid
environment can be removed in this way from the interior of the shoe. In
addition, the use of
membrane surfaces is possible only to a limited extent, because excess use
would affect the
stability of the footwear.
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This is the problem the invention proposes to solve. The invention is based on
the problem of producing a sock which allows sufficient environmental control
inside the
shoe, and thus ensures a dry foot skin even during sports activities.
According to some
embodiments of the invention, this problem is solved by arranging a
ventilation channel on
the back of the foot.
Some embodiments of the invention may provide for a sock which allows
sufficient ventilation control of the shoe and thus ensures a dry foot skin
even during sports
activities. When the foot rolls from heel to toe, there is an alternation of
excess pressure and
low pressure between the back of the foot and the tongue, which promotes air
exchange
through the ventilation channel.
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a sock for use
in a shoe having a tongue, the sock comprising cushioned sections and a
ventilation channel
which is arranged on a dorsum of a foot, wherein the cushioned sections are
made of a
material that is thicker than a material of the ventilation channel and
wherein an offset is
formed between the ventilation channel and the cushioned sections, so that,
when the sock is
worn with the shoe, an air gap is formed in a rest position between the
ventilation channel of
the sock and the tongue of the shoe.
The ventilation channel is provided advantageously between at least two
mutually parallel cushioned sections. As a result, the gap height with respect
to the
surrounding shoe is increased, which improves the air circulation and thus the
evaporation of
humidity.
The cushioned sections preferably form bulges on both sides of the tongue of
the shoe upper, so that the ventilation channel is positioned directly under
the tongue. As a
result, an optimal air exchange through the ventilation channel is ensured. It
is advantageous
for the ventilation channel to be designed as a flat mesh fabric, preferably
Jacquard fabric.
In an embodiment of the invention, an air gap is formed in the rest position
between the ventilation channel of the sock and the tongue of a shoe. As a
result, the excess
and low pressure effect caused by the foot rolling from heel to toe is
reinforced.
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In another embodiment of the invention, a ventilation channel is provided on
the internal and/or external side of the sock, extending from the stepping
surface to the collar
of the sock. As a result, the excess and low pressure effect, which can also
be observed to a
lesser extent on the side of the footwear as the foot rolls from heel to toe,
is used to remove
humid air from the shoe. The result is a further increase in the ventilation
control in the shoe.
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In a variant of the invention, the longitudinal sides of the ventilation
channel are
interconnected by means of at least one band, which is diagonal with respect
to the stepping
surface. The result is that the position of the ventilation channel on the
back of the foot is fixed,
and any folding of the sock on the back of the foot is prevented. The band
tightly fixes the
ventilation channel on the back of the foot. As a result, the middle portion
of thc foot is also
supported. The band is made preferably of elastane.
In a preferred variant of the invention, the ventilation channel extends over
the entire
surface of the back of the foot. The effect of this arrangement is an optimal
dehumidification of
the back of the foot.
An embodiment of the invention is represented in the drawings and described
below in detail. In
the drawing:
Figure 1 shows the representation of a sock in a side view;
Figure 2 shows the simplified representation of a shoe in a side view;
Figure 3 shows the sock represented in Figure 1 in combination with the shoe
represented in Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows the cross section along line IV in Figure 3 in an enlarged
representation,
and
Figure 5 shows the representation of a sock in a side view in another
embodiment;
Figure 6 shows the representation of the sock from Figure 5 in the top view,
and
Figure 7 shows the representation of a sock pair in the view from below.
The sock, which bears the general reference numeral 1, presents a toe area 11,
a heel area
12, and a stepping surface 13 located between the toe area and the heel area.
The areas 11, 12
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and 13, as represented in the embodiment example according to Figures 1 and 3,
can be
manufactured for cushioning from reinforced material. It is also possible to
use combinations of
materials, such as, for example, virgin wool with elastofiber materials, such
as, elastane.
The foot part of the sock transitions into a shaft area, which extends over
the calf, in the
embodiment example according to Figures 1 and 3. It is also possible for the
sock to end above
or below for cushioning the ankle. At the end which is turned away from the
foot part, the shaft
is provided with a collar 14. In the embodiment example, a ventilation channel
15 starts from the
collar 14, and extends into the stepping surface 13; it is formed from a
ventilation regulating
woven mesh fabric. The ventilation channel 15 contributes to moving the
humidity upward and
out of the stepping surface. Such a ventilation channel 15 can be provided on
the inner side of
the leg, on the outer side of the leg, or on both sides of the sock.
On the back of the foot 17 of the sock, a ventilation channel labeled 16 is
also provided.
The ventilation channel 16 extends from the toe area 11 to above the foot
joint. The ventilation
channel can be extended to the collar 14 of the sock 1. This extension
increases the effect of the
ventilation channel 16. The ventilation channel 16 is produced from a very
flat fabric, for
example, a woven mesh fabric or a Jacquard fabric. The result is the formation
of an offset
between the ventilation channel 16 and the adjacent areas.
In the embodiment example, spacer cushion pads 21 are provided additionally on
both
sides of the ventilation channel 16 on the back of the foot 17 of the sock 1.
The spacer cushion
pads 21 form bulges and extend from the toe area 11 to the foot joint. The
spacer cushion pads
21 are made from a material that is thicker than the material used for the
front part of the foot;
particularly in comparison to the ventilation channel 16 which is formed from
a very flat
ventilation-regulating woven mesh fabric_
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The sock 1 is provided, for example, with additional cushion pads 22, 23. In
the embodiment
example according to Figure 1, a spacer cushion pad 22 is arranged in the area
of the heel on the
sock 1. Here, the shape of the spacer cushion pad 22 is adapted to the anatomy
of the foot in this
area. Furthermore, in the area of the ankle, i.e., in the transitional area
between the foot part and
the shaft of the sock, a cushion pad 23 is provided which presents a
substantially annular design.
The annular cushion pad 23 encloses a substantially circular surface 24. The
cushion pad 23 is
designed so that it protrudes clearly over the surface 24.
The cushion pads 22, 23 are made generally of plastic yarns, compound fabrics
or compound
yarns, or similar materials. In the embodiment example, the cushioned sections
21 of the sock 1
are made of hollow-chamber fibers, around which wool or cotton is spun. Hollow-
chamber
plastic yams are particularly strong shock and pressure absorbers. The
stepping surface 13 can be
made from a microfiber woven material, which helps reduce abrasion. In the toe
and heel areas
11, 12, the footbed is made of microfiber fabrics, depending on the
requirement.
On both sides of the ventilation channel 16, in the embodiment example
according to
Figures 5-7, six bands 18 are provided in each case, which extend, starting
from the spacer
cushion pads 21, through the stepping surface 13, and are connected to the
facing side of the
ventilation channel 16. If, in deviation from the embodiment example, no
spacer cushion pads 21
are provided as lateral delimitation of the ventilation channel 16, the bands
18 start immediately
from one side of the ventilation channel 16, and they end, after looping
around the stepping
surface 13, on the other side of the ventilation channel 16. In the embodiment
example, two
mutually parallel elasthane bands 18 are arranged in each case on the external
sides, and in the
middle, of the ventilation channel 16. As a result, the ventilation channel 16
is stretched evenly
over the back of the foot 17.
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The shoe, which is represented in the embodiment example according to Figure 2
and
which bears the general reference numeral 3, has a sole 31 on which a closed
upper 32 is
arranged. When the shoe is worn (Figure 3), the wearer's foot is supported by
the sole 31, while
the remaining part of the foot, up to the ankle, is surrounded by the upper
32. The upper 32 can
be made of different materials. While in the past leather was used
predominantly as material for
the upper 32, plastic fibers and plastics are used predominantly today.
The upper 32 of the shoe 3 has a tongue 33 over which are situated laces (not
shown) for
tying the shoe. For this purpose, the shoe is provided with eyelets 34. The
tongue 33 is provided
with padding to prevent foot pain when the user ties the shoe tightly, or in
case of a heavy load.
On the sides of the shoe 3, ventilation zones 35 are provided, which, as a
function of the intended
use of the shoe, are provided at different places and in different shapes and
sizes. The ventilation
zones 35 are made of a membrane fabric.
The effect of the special arrangement of the spacer cushion pads 21 and the
ventilation
channel 16 is explained below in reference to Figures 3 and 4: In the rest
position, because of the
different thickness of the ventilation channel 16, an air gap 4 with respect
to the adjacent fabric
of the sock 1 and of the tongue 33 of the shoe 3 is formed. This effect is
reinforced by the spacer
cushion pad 21 which is provided in the embodiment example. The bands 18 also
have the effect
that the ventilation channel 16 is stretched evenly on the back of the foot,
which prevents
folding, for example.
While the foot rolls from heel to toe, the ventilation channel 16 is pressed
against thc
tongue 33, which generates excess pressure in this area. The excess pressure
causes an
accelerated removal of the humid air through the ventilation channel 16 to the
exterior. When the
foot returns to its rest position, the air gap 4 between the ventilation
channel 16 and the tongue
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33 forms again, generating a low pressure in this area. As a result of the low
pressure, dry
external air is now transported through the ventilation channel 16 into the
interior of the shoe.
This alternation between excess pressure and low pressure between the tongue
33 and the
ventilation channel 16 occurs continuously during running, and thus leads to
optimal ventilation
control in the interior of the shoe.
A similar effect can be achieved on the internal side and the external side,
respectively, of
the shoe. During running, the separation between the shoe upper 32 and the
foot changes
continuously so that in this area as well a pumping effect is achieved,
although it is slight. This
pumping effect can be used to improve the ventilation control inside the shoe
by means of a
ventilation channel 15, which is arranged on the side of the sock 1, and which
extends from the
stepping surface 13 of the sock to above the foot joint.
