Abstract: A metatarsal guard for footwear comprises an arched body which covers a dorsal surface of a wearer's metatarsal foot area. The arched body has lateral bottom edges for engaging a footwear sole to transmit loads from the arched body to the footwear sole. Slits are defined in a rear portion of the arched body so as to form a longitudinally extending central T-shaped tongue and two longitudinally extending lateral tongues in order to increase the flexibility of the metatarsal guard. The T-shaped tongue has a rear edge extending in a concave curved line transversally of the footwear so as to prevent transmission of punctual loads to the wearer's foot. By optimizing the number and the configuration of the tongues, both the wearer's comfort and protection are maximized.

Abstract: An injection molded fiber-impregnated thermoplastic composite material comprising a plastic polymer matrix wherein the fibers are sufficiently interwoven and entangled in said polymer matrix to provide improved resistance to mechanical loading, and wherein said composite material is particularly suited for the preparation of an injection molded toe cap for a protective shoe.

Abstract: A toe cap includes an open end and a close end. The toe cap has a middle layer being a netted layer and having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the close end, a fourth layer, a third, a second and a first composite fiber layer respectively disposed on an upper surface of the middle layer in sequence, and a fifth, a sixth, a seventh and an eight composite fiber layer respectively disposed to an lower surface of the middle layer in sequence. The first, the fourth, the fifth and the second composite fiber layer are respectively disposed to the middle layer at an angle of 0 degree, positive 30 degrees, positive 45 degrees and 90 degrees corresponding to the longitudinal axis. The eighth and the seventh composite fiber layer are respectively overlapped to the first and the second composite fiber layer at the same angles of the first and the second composite fiber layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a molding sheet material having a sandwich structure produced by preparing a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin layer (A) reinforced with a woven fabric or a knitted web and a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin layer (B) reinforced with a random mat and using the layer (A) as a core layer and the layer (B) as a skin layer, or using the layer (B) as a core layer and the layer (A) as a skin layer. When this sheet material is molded into a three-dimensional structure, the layer (B) serves as a cushion to prevent the occurrence of a wrinkle or a crease in the layer (A). A toe puff for a safety shoe having a light weight and excellent pressing resistance can be prepared through the molding of this sheet material. In the sheet materials, the core layer or the skin layer consisting of a thermoplastic resin reinforced with a woven fabric or a knitted web of a reinforcing fiber may be prepared from a woven fabric or a knitted web of a reinforcing fiber alone.

Abstract: A toe cap for a protective shoe is injection molded utilizing a fiber-filled plastic resin having a high loading of relatively long fibers. A preferred material is glass-filled polyurethane having fibers predominantly of a length in the range of 0.25 inch (6 mm) and 1 inch (25 mm). The resin injection gate is positioned to provide injection of the fiber-filled plastic material directly adjacent the rear edge of the toe cap, preferably between the roof of the cap and the lower edge of one wall. The gate has a minimum dimension of 0.100 inch (2.5 mm). The gate location and size results in a lateral orientation of the fibers in the injected plastic material across the roof of the toe cap to substantially enhance the strength thereof.

Abstract: A toe cap for a protective shoe is injection molded utilizing a fiber-filled plastic resin having a high loading of relatively long fibers. The toe cap is constructed to provide a controlled vertical collapse of the body under a vertical load imposed on the roof by providing a roof section of relatively higher strength than the front and side walls of the toe cap. The front and/or side walls are provided with regions of substantially reduced cross section, as compared to the roof section, allowing the walls to close vertically and collapse in a hinge-like manner, while the relatively stronger roof substantially retains its original shape. A specially positioned and shaped gate allows the fiber-filled resin to be injected to form the toe cap in a manner resulting in the lateral orientation of the fibers across the roof to substantially enhance the strength thereof.

Abstract: A plastic shoe has a steel cap (3) which has a cushion (4) in the upper region inside the shoe. In its other regions the steel cap (3) is surrounded on the inside and outside by plastic foam which forms the upper (1) and the bottom (2) of the plastic shoe (2). The cushion (4) consists of an air-absorbing material, so that the air displaced under the cap during the foam-filling of the mold does not lead to voids in the plastic.

Abstract: An improved toe guard for footwear and footwear so made are disclosed. The toe guard is non-metallic, reducing thereby risks associated with electrical shocks and the detonation of land mines. Preferably, the final composite from which the toe guard is molded is produced from an intermediate composite that is extruded while molten in strips from a die at the same time that fibers are advanced through the die together with and enveloped by the extruded strips. These strips are cut into predetermined lengths and the resulting sections are mixed and compacted in their molten state to provide the composite for the toe guard, this composite being such that the fiber is distributed in groups, adjacent increments of the strands of a given group being substantially parallel, but the strands of different groups being at random angles with respect to each other. Preferably, the toe guard is formed with a long top portion to provide protection extending beyond the toes.

Abstract: A footwear reinforcement which comprises a toe cap portion having a curved end wall which curves rearwardly at the top into an upper wall and which curves on opposite sides into opposed side walls integral with the upper wall, a bottom wall integral with lower edges of the front and side walls. A series of longitudinally-spaced transversely-extending curved ribs extend from one side of the reinforcement to the other side behind the toe cap portion and are connected at their transversely opposite ends to a rearwardly extending portion of the bottom wall of the toe cap portion.