Ballet pointe shoe
AssigneeDrew Layne, LLC
InventorsMark Suffolk, Keri Suffolk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ballet pointe shoe prior to first use by a dancer is disclosed that comprises a toebox, a platform, a heel, an upper, a shank, a sole, a curve on the shank between the heel and the toebox positioned to include a preferred break point. The first curve follows an arch of the dancer's foot when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe. The ballet pointe shoe also comprises a flexible support member positioned at the curve that elastically sets the shank in the curve at the time of manufacturing of the ballet pointe shoe. The flexible support member enables the ballet pointe shoe to flatten when weight is applied and elastically return to the curve.
Claims17
A ballet pointe shoe prior to first use by a dancer, comprising:
- a toebox;
- a platform at a front end of the toebox;
- a shank;
- an upper;
- a heel;
- a first curve on the shank between the heel and the toebox positioned to include a preferred break point, wherein the first curve follows an arch of the dancer's foot when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe, and wherein a first ratio of (i) a radius of curvature of the first curve to (ii) a length of the ballet pointe shoe from a front end closest to the toebox to a back end closest to the heel is between 15% and 35%;
- and
- a second curve on the shank at least partially within the toebox, wherein the second curve positions at least the toes of the dancer at an angle that increases from a back of the toebox to a front of the toebox when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe, wherein a second ratio of (i) a radius of curvature of the second curve to (ii) the length of the ballet pointe shoe from the front end closest to the toebox to the back end closest to the heel is at least 25%.
A ballet pointe shoe prior to first use by a dancer, comprising:
- a toebox;
- a platform;
- a heel;
- an upper;
- a shank;
- a sole;
- a first curve on the shank between the heel and the toebox positioned to include a preferred break point, wherein the first curve follows an arch of the dancer's foot when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe, and wherein a first ratio of (i) a radius of curvature of the first curve to (ii) a length of the ballet pointe shoe from a front end closest to the toebox to a back end closest to the heel is between 15% and 35%;
- a second curve on the shank at least partially within the toebox, wherein the second curve positions at least the toes of the dancer at an angle that increases from a back of the toebox to a front of the toebox when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe;
- and
- a flexible support member positioned at the first curve that elastically sets the shank in the first curve at the time of manufacturing of the ballet pointe shoe, wherein the flexible support member enables the ballet pointe shoe to flatten when weight is applied and elastically return to the first curve.
A ballet pointe shoe prior to first use by a dancer, comprising:
- a toebox;
- a platform;
- a heel;
- an upper;
- a shank;
- a sole;
- a first curve on the shank between the heel and the toebox positioned to include a preferred break point, wherein the first curve follows an arch of the dancer's foot when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe, wherein a first ratio of (i) a radius of curvature of the first curve to (ii) a length of the ballet pointe shoe from a front end closest to the toebox to a back end closest to the heel is less than or equal to 35%;
- a second curve on the shank at least partially within the toebox, wherein the second curve positions at least the toes of the dancer at an angle that increases from a back of the toebox to a front of the toebox when the dancer is wearing the ballet pointe shoe;
- and
- a discrete flexible support member positioned at the first curve that elastically sets the shank in the first curve at the time of manufacturing of the ballet pointe shoe, wherein the flexible support member enables the ballet pointe shoe to flatten when weight is applied and then elastically return to the first curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.