SOCK WITH GAITER INTEGRALLY FORMED

CHAUSSETTE AVEC GUETRE FORMEE EN UNE SEULE PIECE

English Abstract

Sock and gaiter knitted integrally in a single garment. The sock comprises a legging (1) and a foot of the sock (3). Coupled to the sock, there is a gaiter (2) along the sock circular section, between said legging (1) and said foot (3). Through the inherent elasticity of the sock (1, 3) and of the gaiter (2), namely in its circular section union, one can get an adaptable piece and able to keep in proper position to prevent the entry of foreign bodies or liquids, namely water, earth or sand, to the inside of the shoe, even under conditions of high effort and movement by the user. One can include adjusting means (4). This type of elastic adjustment, which prevents movements better than existing protections by being coupled to the legging (1) of the sock, allows superior sealing and maintains the comfort and safety of its user.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne une chaussette et une guêtre tricotées de manière à ne former qu'une seule pièce de vêtement. La chaussette comprend une partie jambe (1) et une partie pied (3). Une guêtre (2) est jointe à la chaussette le long de la section circulaire de la chaussette, entre ladite partie jambe (1) et ladite partie pied (3). Grâce à l'élasticité de la chaussette (1, 3) et de la guêtre (2), notamment au niveau de leur jonction en section circulaire, on obtient une pièce adaptable et pouvant être maintenue dans une position appropriée pour éviter l'entrée de corps étrangers ou liquides, notamment de l'eau, de la terre ou du sable, à l'intérieur de l'article à chausser, y compris en conditions d'effort et de mouvement plus importants de l'utilisateur. Des moyens d'ajustement (4) peuvent être utilisés. Ce type d'ajustement élastique, qui est plus efficace pour éviter les mouvements que les protections existantes étant donné qu'il est joint à la partie jambe (1) de la chaussette, permet d'obtenir une meilleure étanchéité et préserve le confort et la sécurité de l'utilisateur.

Claims

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Description

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DESCRIPTION
"SOCK WITH GAITER INTEGRALLY FORMED"
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sock and a gaiter
integrated into a single garment.
BACKGROUND
A gaiter is a tubular element of substantially circular
section used as garment in the foot and/or leg coverage of
its user. A gaiter designed to cover the upper part of the
shoe is also commonly referred to as polainito, the terms
being considered equivalent in the scope of this document.
The term in English, gaiter, is also commonly used.
This type of device aims to protect the entry of foreign
bodies or liquids, namely water, earth or sand, into the
shoes of its user. Is known that the entry of this type of
elements causes, particularly in situations of special
effort like a sports race or prolonged hiking, frictions
and wear on the foot, which leads to special discomfort and
even may cause wounds and ulcerations.
The document DE10226283 presents a gaiter for use in the
ankle and leg that aims to protect the entry of foreign
bodies or liquids, including water, soil or sand into the
shoes of its user.
The document EP0852916 presents a gaiter for use in the
ankle and leg, also aiming to prevent the entry of bodies
or liquids into the shoe. It has the particularity of

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including coupling means that allow securing the gaiter
around the sole of the shoe of its user, in order to
prevent the gaiter to move, namely upward along the leg,
which would allow the entry of said bodies or liquids.
The document KR20100095331A presents a functional hermetic
sock for use on the outer side of ordinary sock, being the
functional socks with the hermetic function and waterproof
comprise a main body of the sock including a foot input
unit, a single foot unit (60), a foot unit of the instep, a
heel unit, a unit of the toe and an ankle unit. The main
body of the sock is formed by molding a flexible material
selected within the group consisting of synthetic resin,
vinyl, rubber, and silicon.
The document J22008006235A describes a raincoat for the
foot that prevents feet from getting wet with the rain,
which is prevented by said cover to act as an umbrella for
the foot. This rain cover is formed by a waterproof
material and has a vinyl shape slightly larger than a sock,
having an insert part with a foot sheath with a pouch cord
passed there through, the sheath being extensible and
contractible by use of a cord, and being that the insertion
part of the foot is freely effected by opening/closing
sheath with cord. The clasp of the sheath with the cord
allows obtaining a pouch after use, easing storage and
transport. A strap with hooks and loop clasps (Velcro type)
is provided in a middle portion of the sock and another
belt with the hooks and loops complementary locking is
placed in the lower part of the sock. The vinyl material
between the two belts is very broad and it is possible to
be compressed by hook and loop clasps on said belts. This
foot raincoat can be used with a shoe.

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The product Inov-8 Debris Sock Coolmax Gaiter identified in
http://www.gearzone.com/Inov-8-Debris-Sock-Coolmax-Gaiter-
p/232-14102.htm consists of a sock and gaiter integrated
into a single garment, but in which the two pieces are
obtained by sewing two pieces, two previously formed
elements. The two pieces are sewn together in two
operations, one vertical along the sock, and other circular
around the cuff.
The said previous embodiments have shortcomings namely with
respect to elastic adjustment, and with respect to the
movements between the foot and the protection of the foot.
Are particular targets of the present embodiments obtaining
a superior sealing, preserving the comfort and security of
its user.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Describes a sock and gaiter integrated into a single
garment. A sock usually comprises a legging of the sock and
a foot of the sock.
In the present embodiments, coupled to the sock, lies a
gaiter, along the sock circular section, between said
gaiter and said foot of the sock, being the sock and gaiter
integrally formed in a single garment, in particular
integrally formed in a single garment by knitting.
This gaiter should have enough circular cross-section to be
able to countersink until covering the shoes of the user.
Through the inherent elasticity of the sock and gaiter,
namely in the elasticity of its circular section union, one
can obtain a piece especially adaptable and able to keep in
proper position to prevent the entry of foreign bodies or

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liquids, namely water, earth or sand to the inside shoe of
its user, even under conditions of high effort and movement
by the user. As usually liquid or foreign bodies originate
from the soil, this type of elastic adjustment, which
avoids vertical movement while being coupled to legging,
allows a superior sealing and preserves the comfort of its
user. These effects are particularly enhanced the sock and
gaiter being integrally formed in a single garment, in
particular if integrally formed in a single garment by
knitting.
The capacity of the gaiter going down or up (Fig. 1) is
particularly convenient. In the lowered position, protects
the entry of said bodies or liquids. In the raised
position, allows to place or take the shoes, allows to
avoid contamination by soiling meantime accumulated that
thus is retained, allows a larger breath of the shoes.
This way, the user obtains a piece with a superior
performance to traditional gaiters, at the same time that
it obtains a more practical piece and of more flexible use.
In one embodiment, the gaiter includes gripping means which
allow narrowing the circular section of its extreme, so as
to achieve an even better fit.
In one embodiment, the gaiter includes an elastic cord in
its circular section, at its far, so as to achieve an even
better fit.
In one embodiment, the gaiter comprises two coupling means
placed substantially opposites on the circular section of
its extreme, substantially on opposite sides of the shoes,
for coupling with each other, under the sole so as to
achieve an even better fit. In particular, one can use

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springs or metal hooks. In alternative, the two coupling
means can engage the shoes itself, especially, if the shoes
itself provide elements complementary to this coupling, in
particular molded on the side of the shoes sole. In a
particular embodiment, these coupling means are joined to
the gaiter by said gripping means, in particular a cord at
the end of the circular section of gaiter.
The length of the legging may be variable, as to the knee,
thigh, or even pantyhose, for reasons of comfort or
depending on the intended use.
The length of the gaiter may also be variable, provided
that it permits adequate protection for the entry of
materials and fluids in the shoe.
The joints between materials of the sock/gaiter/coupling
means may be obtained by sewing, knitting, gluing, Velcro
coupling, among others.
In one embodiment, the sock and gaiter are integrally
formed already joined together in a single piece, in
particular through molding.
In one embodiment, the sock and gaiter are integrally
formed from the same piece (see ex. on Fig. 5) to later the
circular part being joined along a circular section so as
to define the parts of the piece sock and gaiter. The union
of the circular piece, previously integrally formed, can be
obtained by sewing, knitting, gluing, Velcro coupling,
among others.
In one embodiment, the sock and gaiter are integrally
formed from the same circular piece by knitting, i.e.,
seamless.

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In one embodiment, the sock and gaiter are integrally
formed from the same circular piece by knitting, being that
textile materials used in knitting are alternated so as to
obtain differentiated materials for legging, gaiter and/or
foot of the garment, which has the advantage to adapt
itself to the garment to different uses or purposes,
according to the material chosen for each part, e.g. using
tougher wires or more elastic according to the party
concerned.
In one embodiment, the sock and gaiter are integrally
formed from the same circular piece by knitting, so that
the knitting of gaiter is tighter than that of the legging
or foot, that is, the intervals of the knitted mesh are
smaller. This has as advantage to prevent the entry of
foreign bodies on the gaiter, e.g. grains of sand, smaller
than the interval of the knitted mesh of the legging or
foot, while allowing greater comfort and breath of the
legging or foot through the wider mesh, and therefore more
flexible.
In one embodiment, the gaiter or the gaiter and sock are
waterproofed fabric, in particular by adding water
repellents, e.g. silicones.
In one embodiment, the gaiter when raised, can be used to
collect objects, in a pocket function. It can contain
cooling elements, such as gel packs or cooled liquid,
especially useful after intense physical effort to prevent
injury and accelerate physical recovery. It may contain
electronic devices, such as biosensors, processing devices
for biometric data, or even a mobile phone.

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The materials that can be used on legging, gaiter and/or
foot include: Cotton, Organic Cotton, Wool, Silk,
Polyamide, Polyester, Milk Fiber, Soy Proteinaceous Fiber,
Seacell - cellulosic fiber obtained from algae, Bamboo ,
Nettle fiber, Maize fiber - PLA, Trevira Bioactive -
polyethylene terephthalate, Dri Release - mixture of 85-
90% hydrophobic material/synthetic and 10-15%
natural/hydrophilic material, Coolmax - polyester fibers
with recesses along the fibers in tetrachannel
configurations or hexachannel, Cocona - fiber as from
activated carbon from coconut shells, DreamFel -
polypropylene, Viloft - rayon, regenerated cellulose
fiber, Crabyon - Chitin / Chitosan, Amicor - fiber with
functional compounds in its interior Meryl Fibre -
polynosique, viscose fibers, TACTEL Fibre - light nylon
fiber, X-Static - fiber incorporating silver.
The sock can be of textile, woven or non-woven, in
particular knitted or sewn by segments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For an easier understanding of the invention the attached
figures are joined, which represent preferred embodiments
of the invention which, however, are not intended to limit
the subject of this invention.
Figure 1 - representation of the legging (1) and foot (3)
of the sock, of the gaiter (2) and its adjusting means (4),
either up or down position.
Figure 2 - representation of the legging (1) and foot (3)
of the sock, of the gaiter (2) and its adjusting means

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either in open position (4a) or in the adjusted position
(4b).
Figure 3 - representation of the legging (1) of the sock,
of the gaiter (2) and means of adjustment (4), either in
one embodiment without the foot or in one embodiment with
foot of the sock (3).
Figure 4 - representation of the legging (1) and foot (3)
of the sock, of the gaiter (2) and its adjusting means (4),
in two embodiments which illustrate various lengths of the
sock legging (1), namely an embodiment without sock legging
(1).
Figure 5 - representation of the legging (1) and foot of
the sock (3), of the gaiter (2) integrally formed.
Figure 6 - representation of the legging (1) and foot of
the sock (3), of the gaiter (2) and its adjusting means
(4), and shoes(5), either on down or up position of the
gaiter (2).
The following dependent claims define preferred embodiments
of the present invention. The described embodiments are
combined with each other.

Representative Drawing