ASYMMETRICAL FORM FIT WET SOCK
A wet sock is disclosed for use in sports. The wet sock includes a first piece of elastic material covering a top of a foot including tops of toes of the foot, a second piece of elastic material covering a bottom of the foot including bottoms of the toes, and a sewn seam joining the first piece and the second piece to form the wet sock, wherein the sewn seam runs along a left side of the foot and a right side of the foot and traverses a toe portion of the wet sock. A toe portion of the sock is asymmetrical to form fit a foot of a user.
This disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/117,957 filed on Feb. 19, 2015 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure is related to footwear that provides improved ability to enter a wet suit. In particular, the disclosure is related to footwear that is configured to form fit a foot of the user and, in combination with a smooth material, enter within the wet suit without gripping to the interior of the wet suit.
BACKGROUNDThe statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Persons spending time in an ocean or other similar body of water wear wet suits. Such wet suits can be used when surfing, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, water skiing, or other similar activities. Persons can wear socks or Spandex or similarly constructed footwear when using a wet suit.
Known sock designs include a tubular construction along a body of the sock with a sewn seam in the toe portion of the socks to seal off one side of the tube. This tube sock design is useful in many applications, as the construction is inexpensive and the tubular sock design fits the form of a user's foot well enough for most applications. Tubular socks can be essentially cylindrical in shape, relying on elasticity of the material to fit to the heel of the user. Tubular socks can include asymmetrical weaving patterns in the tube, for example, with a bulge in the tube being formed into a shape of a heal, such that the foot of the user fits within the sock with the heal portion fitting over the heal of the user. However, tubular socks are constrained to a generally symmetrical shape, for example, with a left side of the sock and a right side of the sock being generally the same. A user's foot is not symmetrical. As a result, tubular sock designs are prone to not precisely fit the foot of the user. Either loose material is likely to gather over the smaller toes or the sock must be so tight that the large toe is under severe constriction.
SUMMARYA wet sock is disclosed for use in sports. The wet sock includes a first piece of elastic material covering a top of a foot including tops of toes of the foot, a second piece of elastic material covering a bottom of the foot including bottoms of the toes, and a sewn seam joining the first piece and the second piece to form the wet sock, wherein the sewn seam runs along a left side of the foot and a right side of the foot and traverses a toe portion of the wet sock. A toe portion of the sock is asymmetrical to form fit a foot of a user.
One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
A wet sock is disclosed that is constructed of two pieces of material joined along seams running the length of the wet sock. The two pieces of material enable asymmetrical shapes in the sock, such that the sock can form fit a foot of the wearer and not bunch up on the foot. Smooth stitching can be used to construct the sock, such that the sock lies entirely flat against the foot and does not create a seam standing perpendicular to a surface of the foot. A smooth, elastic material can be used to construct the wet sock, further promoting the sock to form fit the foot of the user, while the elastic material can include a non-sticky, non-tacky surface to promote the sock to smoothly slide past material used to construct wet suits. These properties of an exemplary wet sock combine to enable one to put the wet sock on and insert the socked foot within a wet suit without the sock sticking to or hanging up upon the inside of the wet suit.
A wide variety of materials can be used to construct a wet sock as disclosed herein. Exemplary materials include at least modest elasticity to permit the heal, ankle, arch and other portions of the user's anatomy within the sock to fit within the sock and not bunch up the sock. In one exemplary configuration, a combination of either Spandex and nylon or Spandex and polyester can be used to create the two pieces of the sock. In one example, a particular range of material blends have been shown to be particularly useful in the disclosed wet socks. The following three blends perform well being inserted within a wet suit, failing to stick to the interior of the wet suit, while the exterior of the materials include sufficient friction to enable the user to ride a surf board with the wet socks on their feet: 1) 70-80% polyester and 20-30% Spandex; 2) 70-80% nylon and 20-30% Spandex; and 3) 70-80% recycled polyester and 20-30% Spandex. These materials are provided as examples. Any material that enables elasticity and enables the sock to slide along the interior of a wet suit can be used, and the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular examples provided herein. The material can be different thicknesses depending upon the desired thermal and waterproof properties of the sock. The socks disclosed herein can be described as elastic, enabling the socks to be stretched over features of a foot such as a heel, although it will be appreciated that the material should be selected with a strong resistance to stretching, applying significant return force when stretched, in order to keep the sock material as close to the form of the foot as possible without bunching.
Socks disclosed herein can be used in diving, water skiing, surfing, and other aquatic sports. It will be realized that the socks or similar designs can be used beneficially in other sports and applications as well. For example, socks according to the disclosure can be used in hunting, fishing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding applications. A form fitting sock as disclosed herein can include thermal benefits, for example, retaining body heat close to the feet. The socks can aid in getting feet easily in and out of fishing waders. The form fit shape of the socks along with the texture that is useful for increased friction to a surfboard can similarly provide improved contact and feel within a ski boot or a boot attached to a snow board. In all instances of the disclosure wherein the sock is referred to as a wet sock for use in aquatic sports, the disclosure is intended to permit similar use for other sports such as the alternative examples provided herein.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not for the purpose of limiting the same,
The sock of
A person wearing the disclosed wet sock can wear a diving boot or other footwear over the sock. A common problem to divers is that wet skin can form an airtight seal when water intrudes between the skin and a rubberized boot. As a result, a person wearing diving boot directly over his or her bare feet can have a difficult time either removing the foot from the boot or inserting the foot within the boot. However, the disclosed sock can include a fibrous, cloth outer surface. This fibrous surface, when viewed in close detail, includes grooves or high and low points. This uneven surface to the sock aids the person in removing or putting on the boot. Further, the form fit construction of the disclosed sock, the sock being stretched taut over the features of the foot, resists moving in relation to the foot as the foot is moved in relation to the boot. This close grip of the sock to the foot further aids in easing the effort of moving the foot in relation to the boot.
Material for two pieces that make up a single wet sock can but need not be the same material. In one example, a piece that includes a bottom of the foot can use a material that has a more rough or slightly tackier material to enable the user to stay upon a surf board, and a piece that does not include the bottom of the foot can include a smoother, more slippery material to increase the ability of the material to slide through a wet suit with greater ease.
The stitching can take many forms. According to one exemplary description, the stitching can include a merrow thread between toes, a flatlock stitch around pattern edges/joining edges, and a flatlock stitch at the calf hem stitch. According to one process to make a wet sock in accordance with the disclosure, one can cut material as a two piece pattern, join the two pieces on one edge with a base/lead stitch, and apply a merrow stitch to the inside out sock between the toes. Then the sock is swathed and flatlock switching applied to the seams.
Wet socks are described herein as having two pieces. The two pieces aid in form fitting the sock. It will be appreciated that a wet sock can be divided into more pieces, for example, three or more, according to the disclosure, and still exhibit the benefits described herein.
Spandex is a commonly known material, known alternatively as Lycra or elastane. Spandex is classified as a polyester-polyurethane copolymer.
The disclosure has described certain preferred embodiments and modifications of those embodiments. Further modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the specification. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising a wet sock for use in sports, the apparatus comprising: wherein a toe portion of the sock is asymmetrical to form fit a foot of a user.
- a first piece of elastic material covering a top of a foot including tops of toes of the foot;
- a second piece of elastic material covering a bottom of the foot including bottoms of the toes; and
- a sewn seam joining the first piece and the second piece to form the wet sock, wherein the sewn seam runs along a left side of the foot and a right side of the foot and traverses a toe portion of the wet sock; and
2. An apparatus comprising a wet sock for use in sports, the apparatus comprising: wherein toe portion of the sock is asymmetrical to form fit a foot of a user.
- a first piece of elastic material;
- a second piece of elastic material; and
- a sewn seam joining the first piece and the second piece to form the wet sock, wherein the sewn seam begins on a left side of an opening of the wet sock, runs down a left side of the wet sock, traverses a toe portion of the wet sock, runs up a right side of the sock, and ends at a right side of the opening; and
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first piece and second piece are constructed with a material blend comprising Spandex and polyester.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the material blend comprises between 70% and 80% polyester.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the material blend comprises between 70% and 80% recycled polyester.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the material blend comprises between 20% and 30% Spandex.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first piece and second piece are constructed with a material blend comprising Spandex and nylon.
8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the material blend comprises between 70% and 80% nylon.
9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the material blend comprises between 20% and 30% Spandex.
10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sewn seam is segmented in the toe portion, with a seam creating a separate form for a big toe.
11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sewn seam comprises a flat stitch joining an end of the first piece to an end of the second piece in a flat seam.
12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a surface of the wet sock comprises a fibrous, grooved surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 17, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2016
Inventor: Bryan Marville (New York, NY)
Application Number: 15/045,960