Waterproof polyethylene disposable foot and sock cover

Abstract

An article for keeping a foot (and potentially a sock) dry, when placed within a boot, the article comprising a non-rigid membrane impermeable to water and disposable material, and conformed to the shape of the foot so that there is little or no excess material when the article is placed over the foot (and potentially the sock, and both are) placed within the boot. The article may comprise a toe section, heel section, lower leg section, top opening, and a means for preventing the lower leg section and the top opening from falling down. Notwithstanding its disposability, the material comprising the article may be sufficiently resilient and durable for withstanding the frequent and substantial forces that the boot and foot may be subjected to during a work day at a wet construction site. The article may also allow continued use of a punctured previously-waterproof boot without the foot becoming wet.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]This invention pertains to the field of articles for preventing wet feet, particularly under harsh labor conditions.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART[0002]Numerous well-known problems arise from wet feet. For example, leaving feet in wet shoes and socks for prolonged periods may cause maceration, resulting in skin becoming sore, itchy, soft, and prone to blistering and—once the macerated skin dries out—painful cracking. Wet feet can also become colder more quickly than dry feet. Feet that are exposed to cold and damp conditions for long periods of time experience more serious problems, such as trench foot. Wet shoes and socks may also expose feet to odor-causing bacteria and fungi infections.[0003]Certain active shoe environments of shoes are not only wet and cold, but may also require stepping through dirt and grime, which can be transferred into shoes, socks, and lower pant legs, where it may stick to and irritate a person's skin. Such ha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]It would clearly be desirable if an article existed that could overcome one of more of the aforementioned disadvantages—for example, by keeping the feet dry yet not be prohibitively expensive or difficult to replace once loss of waterproof effectiveness has been experienced (whether from multiple uses or from a waterproof membrane being compromised, such as by puncturing). It would further be beneficial if such an article could allow punctured construction boots, whether or not intended to be waterproof when not in a punctured state, to be used by a person without feet becoming wet (which might avoid having to replace originally-waterproof boots).

[0009]Described herein is a waterproof polyethylene disposable foot and sock cover article for overcoming at least some of the aforementioned problems. The article may be conformed to the shape of a foot, comprising a toe section opposite to a heel section, and an ankle/lower leg section above the heel section, with a top opening above the ankle/lower leg section heel section for insertion of a foot and the lower leg (and also a sock over the foot) therein. Near the opening at the top of the sock the article may also comprise a means for preventing the top of the sock from falling down the lower leg (due to gravity and movement). In one embodiment, said means may expand and contract in the horizontal direction but not necessarily in the longitudinal direction, and may comprise elastic-like properties. Although the degree to which the means may apply inward pressure against the leg may vary, it should be sufficient to prevent the lower leg section a...

Problems solved by technology

For example, ordinary plastic bags are not made to cover feet and are therefore not uniquely adapted to the shape of a foot.

Consequently, such bags have excess plastic material that is not only wasteful, but can fold and bunch up inside the shoe in an unequally-distributed and irregular manner, making a good fit of the foot within the shoe more difficult to achieve, and also increasing pressure at certain points of the bag inside the shoe, which can more easily lead to compromises in the plastic membrane.

Such excess material may also hang loosely out of the shoe, increasing the likelihood that it be punctured, or that water or dirt particle will enter therein through a top opening.

More specifically, such plastic bags are obviously not designed to hold up the top opening in an elevated position, and such a loose plastic fit—even if the bag had enough length to cover more of the leg than simply the shoe—due to the force of gravity and the absence of an effective means for maintaining the top opening in an elevated position, cannot stay extended upward covering a substantial area of the lower leg above the shoe for a substantial period of time, but rather falls back down towards the shoe, where it may loosely rest.

Among the problems presented by such a design (or lack of a strategically predetermined design), such loose plastic bag-like coverings provide a lower point of entry for water and dirt particles.

Once such water and dirt particles enter the plastic bag, the sock and foot can become contaminated and/or wetted by such particles.

The potentially substantially impermeable plastic bag can then make matters worse, moreover, by trapping the moisture and dirt inside the bag.

While some such socks may absorb less water, or dry out faster, or be designed to pull moisture away from the skin than other socks, they are often not waterproof in the true sense of the term but more accurately semi-permeable or simply “repellant” to water.

Even if some existing socks do have membranes that are in fact substantially impermeable to water, such membranes may often and easily become compromised at certain spots (allowing water to pass through) or lose their waterproof (or water resistant) qualities with time and use.

When such socks become more permeable to water and then become wet or immersed in water, the feet inside of course also become wet.

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