Socks and other footwear with selective friction reducing features

a technology of friction reduction and socks, applied in the field of socks and other footwear with selective friction reduction features, can solve the problems of difficulty in getting difficulty in particular individuals' placement etc., to achieve the effect of convenient passage of the foot into outer footwear, low frictional characteristics, and sufficient structural integrity

Inactive Publication Date: 2017-10-19
THIBODEAU LEE L
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The present invention also includes a tool configured to facilitate passage of the foot into outer footwear. Unlike a conventional shoehorn, which is rigid, the tool of the present invention is formed of a flexible material having relatively low frictional characteristics and sufficient structural integrity to withstand the loading experienced at the interface of a foot moving into outer footwear. The tool is formed with dimensions sufficient to permit its placement into the interior of the outer footwear without blocking movement of the foot. The tool may have a width about the same as the width of the interior of the heel of the outer footwear, or it may be narrower or wider. If narrower, it should remain wide enough to cover about one-half of the width of the heel. If wider, it should be narrow enough that it does not curl on itself and act as an impediment to foot passage into the outer footwear. The tool may be made of a tough, flexible and low-friction material, such as My...

Problems solved by technology

For example, it can be difficult to get a boot onto the foot because of resistance or friction that exists at certain locations of the foot-footwear interface.
Some are more pronounced than others and so placement of the foot into outer footwear may be more or less difficult for particular individuals.
Nevertheless, dependent upon the characteristics of the outer footwear, most every person has some difficulty in getting his or her foot into ...

Method used

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  • Socks and other footwear with selective friction reducing features
  • Socks and other footwear with selective friction reducing features
  • Socks and other footwear with selective friction reducing features

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
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first embodiment

[0034]In the footwear 100, at least one of the interior heel 106, the top arch portion 120 and the ball portion 122 is fabricated with a low-friction material applied to a portion or substantially all of the surface of such one or more portions. The low-friction material may be a viscoelastic material or a non-viscoelastic material having a low coefficient of friction. For example, the material may be silicone. Alternatively, the low-friction material may be a spray-on material adhered to the interior surface of the footwear 100 at one or more of the interior heel 106, the top arch portion 120 and the ball portion 122. The spray-on material may be a Teflon® spray material but not limited thereto. The low-friction material may also come in a tape form that may be attached to the interior of the footwear 100 at one or more desired locations. The low-friction material applied to the interior of the footwear 100 at one or more of the indicated portions may also be a metallic or a nonmet...

second embodiment

[0035]In the footwear 100, at least one of the interior heel 106, the top arch portion 120 and the ball portion 122 is fabricated with one or more fibers coated with a low-friction material applied to a portion or substantially all of the outer surface of such fibers. The low-friction material may be a viscoelastic material or a non-viscoelastic material having a low coefficient of friction. For example, the material may be silicone. The fibers that are coated may be any manmade or natural fibers. The fibers may be selected from, but are not limited to, cotton and wool. The fibers may also be silicone fibers. The coated fibers may be integrated, that is, interspersed, with the other materials used to make the interior of the footwear 100 in the areas where the low-friction coated fibers are located.

third embodiment

[0036]In the footwear 100, at least one of the interior heel 106, the top arch portion 120 and the ball portion 122 is fabricated with one or more low-friction fibers. The one or more low-friction fibers may be any manmade or natural fibers having a coefficient of friction less than the coefficient of friction of the remainder of the material used to make the interior of the footwear 100. The low-friction fibers may be selected from, but are not limited to, silicone, nylon, polyethylene and polypropylene fibers. Other viscoelastic and non-viscoelastic materials may be selected for that purpose. The fibers may; be integrated, that is, interspersed, with the materials used to make the remainder of the interior of the footwear 100.

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Abstract

A sock and/or outer footwear having one or more portions with reduced frictional characteristics. One or more of the heel portion, the arch portion and the ball portion of the sock and/or interior of the outer footwear is fabricated with one or more fibers having the reduced frictional characteristics. The reduced frictional characteristics are established with the one or more low-friction fibers that are integrated with fibers having additional complementary characteristics of thermal regulation and moisture management. The provision of reduced frictional characteristics in one or more of the heel, arch and ball facilitates insertion of a foot into footwear.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part, and claims the priority benefit of, pending U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13 / 856,980, filed Apr. 4, 2013, which is a nonprovisional, and claims the priority benefit, of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 620,077 filed Apr. 4, 2012, of the same title and by the same inventor. The content of the prior applications is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to footwear. More particularly, the present invention relates to inner footwear, such as socks and stockings, as well as outer footwear, such as, for example, dress shoes, casual shoes, athletic boots, protective boots, sneakers, orthopedic shoes and the like. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to footwear configured with maximum comfort and convenience of use, including selective friction reducing features to reduce...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A41B11/00A43B3/02A41B17/00A43B23/07
CPCA41B11/00A41B17/005A41B2400/34A43B3/02A41B2400/60A43B23/07A41B2400/44A41B2400/80A41B2400/82A43B5/0405A43B11/00
Inventor THIBODEAU, LEE L.
Owner THIBODEAU LEE L
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