ARTICLE TO BE WORN ON THE FOOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SANDALS
An article of apparel for the foot comprising five individual toe shafts with distal openings. The article is adapted to leave a foot heel uncovered.
This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/262,921, filed on Nov. 19, 2009, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention is related to socks, and more particularly socks to be worn with sandals.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONFlip Flop sandals have been a popular fashion trend for years but many wearers suffer from painful blisters due to the rubbing of the flip flop straps where they come in contact with the skin. Split toe socks are available to the public for wear with flip flops but they cover all the toes and the full foot of the wearer. These types of socks are undesirable, particularly during the hot summer months, if the wearer wants to have their feet feel bare and cool. Hence, there is a need in the marketplace for a sock that allows the flip flop wearer protection from blisters while also keeping their feet feeling as bare and cool as possible. Additionally, there is a need for this product to be fashionable so as to enhance the appearance of the foot while wearing flip flops and coordinate with clothing. Currently there is no product on the market that serves this function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an article of apparel for the foot that covers only the forward portion of the foot. The sock ends mid foot leaving the heel, ankle, and leg of the wearer exposed. It is constructed to have five individual toe shafts for each toe, similar to a traditional five toe sock, however each individual toe shaft is left open to expose the wearer's toes. Embodiments of the present invention provide for a partial toe, half sock, advantageous for wear with flip flop style sandals to provide comfort, and prevent skin blisters caused by rubbing of the flip flop thong and straps. Having the tops of the toes exposed as well as the heel and leg exposed, allows for the foot to stay feeling cool and bare, as is desirable when choosing to wear flip flop sandals during warm weather. Additionally, the sock will be designed in a variety of fashionable colors and prints to be used as a fashion accessory item to coordinate with the wearer's clothing and flip flop sandals.
In order to provide a snug fit to the foot, elastic materials will be used around the mid foot opening of the socks. This will aid in a comfortable fit and to hold the sock in place during wear.
The present invention will also be designed with a decorative rubberized implementation on one side of sock in the form of the product's logo. The primary function of the rubberized traction material is to provide traction between the sock and the wearers flip flop sandals. Additional benefits of the rubberized implementation is that it will provide traction between the sock and the ground if the wearer uses the socks without shoes, and it offers a different fashionable appearance on one side of the sock. Since the socks are not designed to have a specific top vs. bottom they can be worn with the rubberized logo on the top of the foot for fashion purposes, or it can be worn with the rubberized logo on the bottom of the foot for traction purposes.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawing and detailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Any and all patents and other publications identified in this specification are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
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The foot covering (10) can be constructed of, but not limited to, a blend of materials such as cotton, spandex, acrylic, or polyester in order to achieve the best combination of elasticity, breathability, absorption, and overall comfort for the wearer. The construction of these materials can be a knitted process produced by machines used to construct traditional socks.
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It should be emphasized that the above described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principals of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claims.
Claims
1. An article of apparel for the foot comprising five individual toe shafts with distal openings, wherein the article is adapted to leave a foot heel uncovered.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is adapted to leave a foot ankle uncovered.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein the toe shafts are adapted to expand around a toe.
4. The article of claim 1, wherein the toe shaft distal openings are adapted to expose at least an inserted toe nail.
5. The article of claim 1 further comprising a compressible ring adapted to secure to a foot.
6. The article of claim 1, further comprising a stylized grip secured to the article behind the toe shafts.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 19, 2010
Publication Date: May 19, 2011
Inventors: Rebecca L. Ballard (Lawrenceville, GA), Ashley R. Ballard (Lawrenceville, GA)
Application Number: 12/950,712