Traction-Configurable Foot Covering
A foot covering including a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, and the sleeve further having a bottom surface; a band flippably coupled to the sleeve, and having at least one surface of the band with a traction surface, wherein the foot covering has a first structural configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide a certain level of traction, and a second configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide another level of traction; wherein the band is selectively flappable between the first and second configuration.
Embodiments relate to activewear, and, more specifically, to foot coverings.
BACKGROUNDSome fitness activities, such as dance, yoga, and barre classes, are often performed without shoes. In order to perform these exercises and movements properly, some movements require grip to the floor and others require slip. When performing movements barefoot, there is no protection barrier between the skin on the bottom of the foot and the floor, which can result in injuries. For example, when performing movements on the ball of one's feet, blisters and painful calluses can form as a result of the traction between the athlete's feet and the floor. Spinning movements can cause uncomfortable friction contact between the skin on the ball of the foot and the hard surface. For some moves, like spinning, an athlete needs to have a low level of traction, or slip, between her foot and the floor, but for other types of moves, like leaping, a higher level of traction, or grip, between the foot and the floor is more important. Particularly, if an athlete slips when leaping, she may risk becoming injured.
During a single fitness session, an athlete will likely practice or perform an activity with movements requiring both slip and grip. Current solutions make it cumbersome for an athlete to switch the desired traction levels in a foot covering during a fitness routine. In order to switch the desired traction level, athletes today have to put on a foot covering for a certain level of traction, and then remove the foot covering for a different desired level of traction. Athletes can also change between two different foot coverings by taking one completely off, then putting on a different one altogether. This is disruptive to the fitness activity, and may potentially result in pulled or strained muscles if the athlete has to stop the fitness movement and be inactive for a period of time to put on or take off a foot covering to get the desired level of traction.
SUMMARYEmbodiments provide a system and methods for an athlete to selectively adjust the desired level of traction for a foot covering during a fitness routine.
In one embodiment, an athlete wears a novel foot covering, the foot covering includes a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, and the sleeve further having a bottom surface; a band flippably coupled to the sleeve, and having at least one surface of the band with a traction surface, wherein the foot covering has a first structural configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide a certain level of traction, and a second configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide another level of traction; wherein the band is selectively flappable between the first and second configuration.
In other embodiments, the foot covering has a traction surface made from a material that provides slip, and in some embodiments, the traction surface has at least one silicone grip on the bottom to provide grip.
In other embodiments, the foot covering has a bottom surface made from a material that provides slip, and in some embodiments, the bottom surface has at least one silicone grip on the bottom to provide grip.
In other embodiments, the foot covering further includes at least one toe securement that is coupled to the band and to the sleeve, where the at least one toe securement defines toe openings. In some embodiments, the at least one toe securement is an elastic material. In yet other embodiments, the toe securement is part of the sleeve. In some embodiments, the at least one toe securement is coupled between the big toe and the second toe. In other embodiments, the at least one toe securement is coupled between some or all of the other toes. The at least one toe securement is not a separate component but a region of the sleeve and band.
In other embodiments, the sleeve is continuous around its perimeter. In some embodiments, the sleeve is a sock. In yet other embodiments, the sleeve has a heel opening for the heel. In other embodiments, the sleeve may extend to the ankle, knee, thighs, or any other suitable position. In some embodiments the sleeve may be made of an athletic fabric such as nylon spandex blend, power mesh, compression fabric, or any other suitable materials. In other embodiments, the sleeve may also be a sock that fully covers all of the toes.
In other embodiments, the band may be made of an athletic fabric such as nylon spandex blend, power mesh, compression fabric, or any other suitable material.
In other embodiments, the foot covering includes a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the leading end of the sleeve defines an opening configured to receive a foot, the sleeve further having a bottom surface; a band flippably coupled to the sleeve; and a selectively flippable means for changing the amount of traction between the bottom surface and the floor. One way to selectively flip the band is to flip the band over the toes. Other ways to selectively flip the band includes sliding or spinning over the toes, or over the inner or outer side of the foot.
In other embodiments, the foot covering allows the athlete to facilitate a rapid change of traction level by selectively flipping to the desired level of traction, without requiring the athlete to remove the protective foot covering.
In other embodiments, the foot covering is integrated aesthetically to an athlete's apparel, including her leggings.
In other embodiments, the foot covering includes a sleeve having a foot opening with a leading edge and a trailing edge with a bottom surface; a band coupled to the sleeve and having a traction surface; and a toe securement coupled to the band and the sleeve, wherein the foot covering has two configurations. In a first configuration, the band is in a top-most position above the foot and the traction surface is facing towards the sleeve, exposing the bottom surface to the floor. The bottom surface provides the athlete with slip to minimize the traction between her foot and the floor. In a second configuration, the band is selectively flipped to the bottom-most position below the foot and the traction surface faces away from the sleeve, exposing the traction surface to the floor. The traction surface has at least one silicone grip, providing the athlete with grip by increasing the traction between her foot and the floor. The band is selectively flippable between the first and the second configuration by moving the band either to the top or bottom of the foot.
In other embodiments, the foot covering includes a sleeve having a foot opening with a leading edge and a trailing edge with a bottom surface; a band coupled to the sleeve and having a traction surface; and a toe securement coupled to the band and the sleeve, wherein the foot covering has two configurations. In a first configuration, the band is in a top-most position above the foot and the traction surface is facing towards the sleeve, exposing the bottom surface to the floor. The bottom surface has at least one silicone grip, providing the athlete with grip to minimize the traction between her foot and the floor. In a second configuration, the band is selectively flipped to the bottom-most position below the foot and the traction surface faces away from the sleeve, exposing the traction surface to the floor. The traction surface provides the athlete with slip to minimize the traction between her foot and the floor. The band is selectively flippable between the first and the second configuration by moving the band either to the top or bottom of the foot.
In other embodiments, the band shape is rectangular. In other embodiments, the band shape follows the contours along the bottom of the toes and provides a natural mechanical securement mechanism.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to
The sleeve 110 has a leading edge 120 that defines at least one opening to receive a foot 140. The leading edge 120 defines an opening to receive a foot 140. The trailing edge 130 defines how far up the sleeve extends on the leg. The trailing edge 130 also holds up the foot covering tightly so that the trailing edge 130 stays in place on the leg. In some embodiments, the trailing edge has an elastic band that compresses on the leg to keep the sleeve in place.
The foot covering 100 includes a band 150 that is coupled to the sleeve 110. In
The foot covering 100 also includes a toe securement 160 which is coupled to the band 150 and the sleeve 110. The toe securement 160 in some embodiments defines a plurality of toe openings. In some embodiments, the toe securement 150 is elastic where the elastic is covered by a fabric that does not chafe the skin between the toes.
While this embodiment in
The next set of figures,
One way to selectively flip the band is by flipping the band over the toes. Other ways to selectively flip the band is by spinning, sliding, or any other suitable way to flip the band over the toes in the direction of the arrow 210, or over either the inner or outer side of the foot 140. The toe securement 160 helps keep the band 150 in place in either the first structural configuration or the second structural configuration.
In some embodiments, when the band is selectively flipped to the bottom-most position, the band 150 fully covers the toes.
In the second structural configuration as shown in
The traction surface 220 in
In
The next set of figures,
In some embodiments as shown in
The traction surface 220 in
The next set of figures,
In some embodiments, the sleeve 110 defines one toe opening for all of the toes and the band 150 is attached to the bottom surface 250 only by the toe securement 160. The toe securement 160 has a first end that attaches to the band 150 at the band attachment point 370 and a second end that attaches to the sleeve 110 at the toe securement sleeve attachment point 350, such that the toe securement 160 runs between the big toe 330 and the second toe 332, but the band 150 and the bottom surface 250 are not attached together. In other embodiments, the toe securement 160 is a region between the big toe 330 and the second toe 332, and the band 150 and the bottom surface 250 are attached together at the toe securement 160 area.
The next set of figures,
In this embodiment, the sleeve 110 has a cut out for a heel opening 170. In other embodiments, the sleeve 110 is continuous. In this embodiment, the toe securement 160 attaches to the band 150 at the toe securement band attachment point 370.
Finally,
In one embodiment,
In one embodiment, the sleeve 110 has a first end that runs towards the trailing edge 130 of the sleeve 110 and a second end that runs to the leading edge 120 of the sleeve 110. There is a sleeve stitch 630 in between the first end and the second end of the sleeve 110. In other embodiments, the sleeve 110 comprises at least two different materials where the at least two different materials are joined together at the sleeve stitch 630. The at least two different materials can be the same material in some embodiments.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A foot covering, comprising:
- a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the leading end is configured to receive a foot, the sleeve further having a bottom surface; and
- a band flippably coupled to the sleeve, and having at least one surface of the band with a traction surface, wherein the foot covering has a first structural configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide a certain level of traction, and a second structural configuration in which the band and the sleeve are arranged to provide another level of traction; wherein the band is selectively flippable between the first structural configuration and the second structural configuration.
2. The foot covering of claim 1, wherein the leading edge defines at least one toe opening to receive a foot.
3. The foot covering of claim 1, wherein the first structural configuration provides greater grip than the second structural configuration.
4. The foot covering of claim 3, wherein the first structural configuration is configured with the band in a bottom-most position below the foot, having the traction surface facing away from the sleeve; and wherein the second structural configuration is configured with the band in a top-most position above the foot, having the traction surface facing towards the sleeve.
5. The foot covering of claim 4, wherein the traction surface comprises of at least one silicone grip.
6. The foot covering of claim 3, wherein the first structural configuration is configured with the band in a top-most position above the foot, having the traction surface facing the sleeve, and wherein the second structural configuration is configured with the band in a bottom-most position below the foot.
7. The foot covering of claim 6, wherein the bottom surface has at least one silicone grip.
8. The foot covering of claim 1, wherein the second structural configuration provides greater grip than the first structural configuration.
9. The foot covering of claim 8, wherein the first structural configuration is configured with the band in a top-most position above the foot, having the traction surface facing towards the sleeve; and wherein the second structural configuration is configured with the band in a bottom-most position below the foot, having the traction surface facing away from the sleeve.
10. The foot covering of claim 9, wherein the traction surface has at least one silicone grip.
11. The foot covering of claim 8, wherein the first structural configuration is configured with the band in a bottom-most position below the foot, having the traction surface facing away from the sleeve; and wherein the second structural configuration is configured with the band in a top-most position above the foot, having the traction surface facing towards the sleeve.
12. The foot covering of claim 11, wherein the bottom surface has at least one silicone grip.
13. The foot covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is continuous around its perimeter.
14. The foot covering of claim 1, further comprising at least one toe securement that defines a plurality of toe openings, wherein the toe securement is coupled to the band and to the sleeve.
15. The foot covering of claim 14, wherein the toe securement is an elastic material.
16. The foot covering of claim 14, wherein the at least one toe securement is a plurality of toe securement that defines a plurality of toe openings.
17. The foot covering of claim 14, wherein the toe securement is the area where the sleeve is coupled to the band.
18. The foot covering of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a sock.
19. A foot covering, comprising:
- a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the leading end is configured to receive a foot, the sleeve further having a bottom surface;
- a band flippably coupled to the sleeve; and
- a selectively flippable means for arranging the band and the sleeve to provide a different level of traction.
20. A foot covering, comprising:
- a sleeve having a leading end and a trailing end, wherein the leading end of the sleeve defines an opening configured to receive a foot, the sleeve further having a bottom surface; and
- a band flippably coupled to the sleeve and having a traction surface, wherein the foot covering has a first configuration in which the band is in a top-most position above the foot with the traction surface facing towards the sleeve; and a second configuration in which the band is in a bottom-most position below the foot with the traction surface facing away from the sleeve, the traction surface further comprises at least one silicone grips; wherein the band is selectively flippable between the first and second configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Applicant: KADYLUXE, LLC (Denver, CO)
Inventors: Audrey Elaine Fedele Hartwell (Denver, CO), Kady Maxwell Zinke (Denver, CO)
Application Number: 13/840,351