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US 2014/0196317 A1Published application
Athletic shoe
AssigneeEktio Inc.
InventorsBarry H. Katz, Omar S. Bailey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An athletic shoe includes stabilization mechanisms designed to inhibit ankle sprains while also providing comfort for a wearer. Such mechanisms include inner and outer straps that overlie the instep of the athletic shoe and wrap around the wearer's ankle to provide ankle support and inhibit inversion of the ankle during athletic activity. The athletic shoe also includes an inner boot liner that stabilizes the wearer's foot within the athletic shoe, provides a comfortable buffer between the wearer's foot and the inner and outer straps, and wicks perspiration away from the wearer's foot during athletic activity.
Claims20
An athletic shoe, comprising:
- an upper including a medial wall on one side of said shoe, said medial wall having a medial instep edge and a medial ankle edge, and a lateral wall on an opposite side of said shoe, said lateral wall having a lateral instep edge, a lateral ankle edge, an inner eyelet and an outer eyelet, said medial wall being joined to said lateral wall at an anterior end of said shoe to form a toe proximate said medial instep edge and said lateral instep edge, said medial wall further being joined to said lateral wall at a posterior end of said shoe to form a heel proximate said medial ankle edge and said lateral ankle edge;
- a sole fixedly attached to said upper;
- a tongue including one end attached to said upper proximate said toe, and a tongue edge opposite said one end of said tongue and proximate said medial ankle edge and said lateral ankle edge;
- an inner boot liner attached to said sole and positioned under said tongue, said inner boot liner extending laterally between said medial wall and said lateral wall and including a liner heel positioned adjacent said heel, and a front liner edge proximate said tongue edge and having an inner boot strap loop;
- an inner strap configured to wrap around and cover a wearer's ankle, said inner strap having one end attached to said lateral wall proximate said heel and extending between said heel and said liner heel, between said medial wall and said inner boot liner, over said tongue, and through said inner eyelet, wherein a portion of the inner strap extending through said inner eyelet is positionable over said medial instep edge, said tongue and said lateral instep edge;
- an outer strap configured to wrap around and cover a wearer's ankle mortise, said outer strap having one end attached to a junction between said sole and said medial wall at a point proximate said heel, and extending between said medial wall and said boot liner, between said boot liner and said tongue, through said inner boot strap loop and through said outer eyelet, said boot liner thereby providing a buffer between said inner and outer straps and the top of a wearer's foot, whereby said inner and outer straps may be cinched against the wearer's ankle without causing discomfort, and wherein a free end of said outer strap extending through said outer eyelet is positionable over said medial instep edge, said tongue and said lateral instep edge;
- and
- fastening means for fastening said inner strap and said outer strap in an overlapping relationship with respect to a wearer's ankle.
5 more elements
A method for protecting a wearer's ankle from injury, comprising the steps of:
- providing an athletic shoe having an upper including a medial wall on one side of said shoe, said medial wall having a buckle including a lower buckle slot and an upper buckle slot, a medial instep edge and a medial ankle edge, and a lateral wall on an opposite side of said shoe, said lateral wall having a lateral instep edge, a lateral ankle edge, an inner eyelet and an outer eyelet, said medial wall being joined to said lateral wall at an anterior end of said shoe to form a toe proximate said medial instep edge and said lateral instep edge, said medial wall further being joined to said lateral wall at a posterior end of said shoe to form a heel proximate said medial ankle edge and said lateral ankle edge;
- a shoelace insertably engaging said medial and lateral instep edges;
- a sole fixedly attached to said upper;
- a tongue including one end attached to said upper proximate said toe, and a tongue edge opposite said one end of said tongue and proximate said medial ankle edge and said lateral ankle edge;
- wherein said medial ankle edge, said lateral ankle edge, said tongue edge and said heel edge form a foot opening;
- an anterior lateral bumper support proximate said lateral wall and said toe;
- a posterior lateral bumper support proximate said lateral wall and said heel;
- an inner boot liner attached to said sole and positioned under said tongue, said inner boot liner extending laterally between said medial wall and said lateral wall and including a liner heel positioned adjacent said heel, and a front liner edge proximate said tongue edge and a rear liner edge attached to said heel edge so as to be opposite said front liner edge, said front liner edge having a front finger loop and an inner boot strap loop;
- an inner strap configured to wrap around and cover a wearer's ankle, said inner strap having one end attached to said lateral wall proximate said heel and extending between said heel and said liner heel, between said medial wall and said inner boot liner, over said tongue, and through said inner eyelet, wherein a portion of the inner strap extending through said inner eyelet is positionable over said medial instep edge, said tongue and said lateral instep edge;
- an outer strap configured to wrap around and cover a wearer's ankle mortise, said outer strap having one end attached to a junction between said sole and said medial wall at a point proximate said heel, and extending between said medial wall and said boot liner, between said boot liner and said tongue, through said inner boot strap loop and through said outer eyelet, and wherein a free end of said outer strap extending through said outer eyelet is positionable over said medial instep edge, said tongue and said lateral instep edge;
- and fastening means for fastening said inner strap and said outer strap in an overlapping relationship with respect to a wearer's ankle;
- placing one finger in said front finger loop and a second finger in said heel finger loop;
- pulling said front and heel finger loops away from each other, thereby stretching said front ankle liner edge away from said rear liner edge;
- placing the wearer's foot into said opening of said shoe and between said front liner edge and said rear liner edge;
- pulling upwardly on said front and heel finger loops to facilitate full insertion of the wearer's foot into said inner boot liner, whereby the bottom of the wearer's foot is adjacent said sole of said shoe;
- tightening and tying said shoelace;
- and
- fastening said inner and outer straps, said fastening step including positioning said inner strap so as to be crossed over said medial and lateral instep edges, feeding said inner strap through said buckle via said lower buckle slot and said upper buckle slot, cinching said inner strap and fastening said inner strap to itself via said fastening means;
- and positioning said outer strap so as to be crossed over said medial and lateral instep edges, feeding said outer strap through said buckle via said upper buckle slot, cinching said outer strap and fastening said outer strap to itself via said fastening means, said boot liner thereby providing a buffer between said inner and outer straps and the top of a wearer's foot, whereby said inner and outer straps may be cinched against the wearer's ankle without causing discomfort.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.