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US 12,433,366 B2Granted
Shoe having toe separating elements
AssigneeKevin James Kulat
InventorKevin James Kulat
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Abstract
A sole for a shoe or footwear device having one or more of a laterally and/or medially flared forefoot portion, a spherical protrusion underneath, and discrete toe separating elements between at least one pair of adjacent toes. A shoe may be formed from said sole by joining said sole with an upper. A method of custom-fitting such a sole, shoe, or other footwear device to the foot or feet of a unique wearer is also disclosed.
Claims15
A sole for footwear for a foot, having a centerline, comprising:
- a hindfoot portion beginning at a hindmost surface of a heel and concluding at a foremost surface of the heel;
- a midfoot portion coupled to the hindfoot portion, the midfoot portion beginning at a foremost surface of the hindfoot portion and configured to conclude before metatarsal heads of the foot, the midfoot portion including first lateral and first medial edges flared away from the centerline at first and second angles;
- a forefoot portion coupled to the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion configured to begin before metatarsal heads of the foot and conclude in a foremost surface beyond distal apexes of phalanges of the foot;
- the forefoot portion including a second lateral edge flared away from the centerline at a third angle which is larger than the first angle, the forefoot portion further including a second medial edge flared away from the centerline at a fourth angle which is larger than the second angle;
- wherein the second lateral edge of the forefoot portion is configured to terminate distally beyond a distal apex of a fifth phalange of the foot, when the fifth phalange is articulated to maximum lateral position, and the second medial edge of the forefoot portion is configured to terminate distally beyond a distal apex of a first phalange of the foot, when the first phalange is articulated to maximum medial position, and
- wherein the second lateral edge and second medial edge are single straight edges increasing in distance from the centerline from a proximal end to a distal end.
3 more elements
A shoe for a foot, having a centerline, comprising;
- a hindfoot portion beginning at a hindmost surface of a heel and concluding at a foremost surface of the heel;
- a midfoot portion coupled to the hindfoot portion, the midfoot portion beginning at a foremost surface of the hindfoot portion and configured to conclude before metatarsal heads of the foot, the midfoot portion including first lateral and first medial edges flared away from the centerline at first and second angles;
- a forefoot portion coupled to the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion configured to begin before metatarsal heads of the foot and conclude in a foremost surface beyond distal apexes of phalanges of the foot;
- the forefoot portion including a second lateral edge flared away from the centerline at a third angle which is larger than the first angle,
- the forefoot portion further including a second medial edge flared away from the centerline at a fourth angle which is larger than the second angle;
- wherein the second lateral edge of the forefoot portion is configured to terminate distally beyond a distal apex of a fifth phalange of the foot, when the fifth phalange is articulated to maximum lateral position, and the second medial edge of the forefoot portion is configured to terminate distally beyond a distal apex of a first phalange of the foot, when the first phalange is articulated to maximum medial position;
- wherein the second lateral edge and second medial edge are single straight edges increasing in distance from the centerline from a proximal end to a distal end
- and an upper coupled to the sole.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.