Shoe adapted to the shape of the foot

Abstract

Described are uppers for a shoe, particularly a sports shoe. The upper includes a plurality of first portions for receiving at least one toe of the foot, wherein the first portions can be moved substantially independently of each other and wherein the first portions comprise knitwear.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is related to and claims priority benefits from German Patent Application No. DE 10 2013 207 153.1, filed on Apr. 19, 2013, entitled SHOE ADAPTED TO THE SHAPE OF THE FOOT (“the '153 application”). The '153 application is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a shoe, in particular a sports shoe.BACKGROUND[0003]In general, a show comprises a sole and an upper fixed thereto. The sole and the upper are made of leather in case of classic shoes, and, as a rule, of various synthetic materials in case of sport shoes.[0004]A shoe differs from a sock in that the upper of the shoe provides the foot with much greater stability than a sock does. The foot is fixed much tighter by an upper than it is by a sock. Moreover, the shoe sole protects the foot from injuries and provides cushioning, i.e. the sole absorbs impacts of forces, e.g. during running. By ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The terms “invention,”“the invention,”“this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim.

Problems solved by technology

A sock is not able to fulfill the above-described functions of a shoe.

It is not possible for a toe to have individual contact to the ground via the sole.

This condition may be perceived by the wearer to be disadvantageous and unnatural.

Walking barefoot, however, is only possible comfortably and without risk on soft ground.

Even small stones are perceived as uncomfortable and involve the risk of injuring the foot, just as pieces of broken glass.

In addition, especially in winter, the ground outdoors is generally too cold to allow comfortable barefoot walks.

However, it has proven disadvantageous with such shoes that the connection between the different portions is perceived as uncomfortable for the toes.

This is perceived as uncomfortable and may even cause abrasions in the spaces between the toes.

As was already explained above, a sock is not able to provide the foot—particularly in the field of sports—with the necessary stability.

Furthermore, the suggested solutions lack any kind of cushioning, which is especially indispensable during running, in order to protect the joints from jerky impacts of forces.

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