# US 4,397,105 A · Karate shoe

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- Number: US 4,397,105 A
- Document ID: US4397105A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/314,367
- Filed: 1981-10-23
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1981-10-23
- Inventors: James M. Richardson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397105A

## CPC

- A63B 71/1225: {for the legs, e.g. thighs, knees, ankles, feet}
- A63B 2071/1258: {for the shin, e.g. shin guards}
- A63B 2071/1266: {for the calf}
- A63B 2071/1283: {for the foot}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A protective shoe for use during the practice of the art of karate and other sports. The shoe has a foot surrounding member shaped to surround a portion of the wearer's foot. The foot surrounding member is adapted to hold a shoe member shaped to surround the upper part of the foot. The shoe member is fabricated from a shock absorbing material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A protective shoe for use during the practice of the art of karate and other sports where it is useful to cover the upper part of the foot and ankle with a protective pad said shoe comprising:
a foot surrounding member shaped to surround a portion of the wearer's foot, said shoe surrounding member having holding means affixed to the portion of the member which is positionable on the upper part of the wearer's foot; and
a shoe member fabricated from a shock absorbing material said shoe member shaped to surround the ankle and cover the upper part of the foot but being open at the bottom, said shoe member also having holding means positioned at those places which correspond to the location of the holding means on the foot surrounding member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The protective shoe of claim 1 wherein the foot surrounding member also surrounds the wearer's ankle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The protective shoe of claim 1 wherein the shoe member has an opening along the front part of that portion which surrounds the ankle and further has a strap which passes over the opening along the front part which strap has means to hold the opening in a closed configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The protective shoe of claim 3 further including a tongue member affixed to the shoe member at a point below the bottom of the opening along the front part and shaped to cover said opening.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The protective shoe of claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises hook and eye material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The protective shoe of claim 1 wherein the shock absorbing material is a polymeric foam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The protective shoe of claim 6 wherein the polymeric foam is coated with a flexible plastic material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The protective shoe of claim 4 further including holding means positioned on a portion of the outer surface of the tongue member and on the inner surface of the corresponding portion of the strap.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The protective shoe of claim 4 wherein the tongue member and strap are fabricated from a shock absorbing material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The protective shoe of claim 2 wherein the ankle support member is an elastic ankle support member.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The protective shoe of claim 1 further including an additional layer of shock absorbing material positioned over that portion of the shoe member which is positioned over the heel of the wearer.