Sports Shoe

Abstract

A sports shoe including a sole, an upper secured to the sole and providing a forward portion, the forward portion having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is positioned adjacent a user's foot. A cap secured to the forward portion has a leading surface to engage a ball to be kicked by the user. The cap is of resilient material so as to deform upon impact. This sports shoe is particularly suited for soccer, and to reducing the pain or discomfort otherwise transferred to the foot of the wearer upon kicking the ball.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to sport shoes and more particularly but not exclusively to sport shoes such as soccer boots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Described in International Patent Application PCT/AU2008000174 is a soccer boot. The toe of the soccer boot is provided with a concave portion which has the aim of enhancing the players contact with the ball, thereby aiding the player in controlling the ball particularly in respect of the direction the ball is kicked. This particular soccer boot also has the object of enhancing the player's ability to propel the ball with less effort.

Described in Patent Publications DE 2637806, DE20017207, DE202005015243 are various soccer boots also having the aim of enhancing the player's ability to control the ball.

The abovementioned soccer boots include the disadvantage of transferring the force generated to the toes of the soccer player. This is sometimes uncomfortable and even painful at times.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein a sports shoe including:

a sole;

an upper secured to the sole and providing a forward portion, the forward portion having an inner surface to be positioned adjacent a user's foot, and an outer surface;

a cap secured to the forward portion having a leading surface to engage a ball to be kicked by the user; and wherein

said cap is formed of resilient material so as to deform upon impact.

Preferably, said leading surface is concave.

Preferably, said cap includes a forward part providing said leading surface, and a rearwardly extending concave part.

Preferably, the resilient material is a plastics material.

Preferably, the plastics material is a polymer.

Preferably, the polymer is silicon rubber.

Preferably, said rearwardly extending part is a skirt.

Preferably, said upper includes a toe portion, with said cap encompassing said toe portion.

Preferably, said cap includes a rearwardly facing cavity within which the forward portion is located.

Preferably, said cap includes a skirt at least partly surrounding said cavity.

Preferably, the skirt is fixed to the upper.

Preferably, the cap is stiffer than the toe portion.

Preferably, the resilient material has a Young's Modulus of 2.5 to 5.00.

Preferably, the Young's Modulus is 3.2 to 4.3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a soccer boot; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic parts exploded isometric view of the soccer boot of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a soccer boot 10. The soccer boot 10 includes a shoe portion 11 consisting of a sole 12 and an upper 13. In a usual manner the upper 13 is secured to the sole 12 adjacent the periphery of the sole 12 so as to provide a foot cavity 14 in which a player's foot is inserted. The sole 12 and upper 13 cooperate to provide the shoe portion 11 with a forward toe 15 portion. The toe portion 15 has an internal surface facing the cavity 14 and which is positioned adjacent the player's foot. The toe portion 15 also has an outer surface 16.

Secured to the portion 11 so as to encompass at least a substantial portion of the toe portion 15 is a cap 17. The cap 17 is moulded from resilient, flexible plastics material and is more rigid than the flexible sheet material forming the toe portion 15. The cap 17 includes a forwardly facing surface 18 intended to engage the ball being kicked. Preferably the surface 18 is planar or concave. The cap 17 has a leading portion 19 providing the surface 18 and a rear cavity 20 within which the toe portion 15 is located. The cap 17 also includes a skirt 21 that extends rearwardly from portion 19 so as to provide said cap 17 with a concave rearwardly extending part 22 with the cavity 20. Preferably the portion 19 and skirt 21 are integrally formed from plastics material.

Preferably the skirt 21 surrounds the cavity 20. In a further preferred form, preferably the skirt 21 is fixed to the upper 13.

The cap 17 is formed of resilient material to minimise personal injury. For example in the game of soccer, should a player accidentally engage another player with their boot 10, the cap 17 will resiliently deform thereby minimising the risk of injury.

So as to protect the player's foot when striking the ball, preferably the cap 17 is stiffer than the toe portion 15.

Preferably, the cap 17 is formed of resilient material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, or a plastics material such as a polymer. The polymer may be silicon rubber. Preferably, the resilient material has a Young's Modulus of 2.5 to 5.0, more preferably 3.2 to 4.3

Claims

1. A sports shoe including:

a sole;

an upper secured to the sole and providing a forward portion, the forward portion having an inner surface to be positioned adjacent a user's foot, and an outer surface;

a cap secured to the forward portion having a leading surface to engage a ball to be kicked by the user; and wherein

said cap is formed of resilient material so as to deform upon impact.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said leading surface is concave.

3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a forward part providing said leading surface, and a rearwardly extending concave part.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the resilient material is a plastics material.

5. The shoe of claim 4, wherein the plastics material is a polymer.

6. The shoe of claim 5, wherein the polymer is silicon rubber.

7. The shoe of claim 3, wherein said rearwardly extending part is a skirt.

8. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said upper includes a toe portion, with said cap encompassing said toe portion.

9. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a rearwardly facing cavity within which the forward portion is located.

10. The shoe of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a skirt at least partly surrounding said cavity.

11. The shoe of claim 10, wherein the skirt is fixed to the upper.

12. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the resilient material has a Young's Modulus of 2. 5 to 5.00.

13. The shoe of claim 12, wherein he Young's Modulus is 3.2 to 4.3.

14. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the cap is stiffer than the toe portion.