EP2043466B1 - Item of clothing for the foot - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article of footwear comprising a heel area.

Such footwear items, in particular stockings, for example, as a so-called "feet" formed, which has no leg portion, but instead a wide cutout opening through which passes in the worn state, the leg of the wearer of the article of footwear and which releases at least a portion of the foot in the worn state.

So that such a "footlet" does not slip down on the wearer's foot when worn, it is known to sew on an elastic band on the "foot" which surrounds the cutout opening in a ring shape so that the "foot" on the foot is pulled by the elastic band held by the wearer.

However, "footlis" with attached elastic bands leave strong pressure marks on the foot of the wearer.

The US 2005/144703 A1 discloses an article of footwear having the features of the preamble of claim 1, wherein adhesive elements disposed on the inside of the article of footwear are punctiform.

The US 2004/221371 A1 discloses a sock provided on the inside of the sole region with particulate protrusions formed of an elastic material, for example rubber or a soft synthetic resin.

The DE 298 24 735 U1 discloses a textile footwear piece, which is fitted in the region of the sole of the foot with attached inside the foot part and immovably connected to this supports or deposits made of a highly elastic, soft cushioning material.

The present invention has for its object to provide an article of footwear of the type mentioned, which maintains its position at the foot of the wearer in the worn state and still has a high level of comfort.

This object is achieved by an article of footwear according to claim 1.

The adhesive element is formed from a material having a high coefficient of static friction with respect to the heel surface of the wearer of the article of footwear so that the adhesive element, in the worn state of the article of footwear, exerts an anti-slip effect which causes the heel region of the article of footwear maintains its position relative to the heel of the wearer and does not slip down the foot of the wearer.

Since this anti-slip effect is due to the high coefficient of static friction of the material of the adhesive element and not by exerting a pressure on the wearer's foot, the footwear according to the invention leaves no pressure marks on the foot of the wearer, unlike footwear with sewn-on elastic bands.

In the footwear piece according to the invention at least one adhesive element is formed strip-shaped.

Preferably, a plurality of strip-shaped adhesive elements are provided.

It is particularly favorable if a plurality of strip-shaped adhesive elements oriented essentially parallel to one another are provided.

In this case, the distance between two adjacent strip-shaped adhesive elements may be smaller than the width of the adhesive elements.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that a plurality of strip-shaped adhesive elements are arranged one above the other in the worn state of the article of footwear.

In particular, an adhesive element arranged in the supported state of the article of footwear over another adhesive element can have a greater length than the other adhesive element.

A particularly good anti-slip effect is achieved in that at least one strip-shaped adhesive element extends in the circumferential direction of the heel region.

It is particularly favorable that extends at least one strip-shaped adhesive element in the worn state of the article of footwear in the circumferential direction of the heel over a circumferential angle of at least about 45 °, preferably at least about 90 °.

On the other hand, it is advantageous if the strip-shaped adhesive element does not extend around the entire cutout opening of the article of footwear.

Preferably, at least one strip-shaped adhesive element in the worn state of the article of footwear extends in the circumferential direction of the heel region over a circumferential angle of at most about 180 °.

Further, it is advantageous if at least one adhesive member does not extend out of the heel region to limit the anti-slip effect on the heel region of the article of footwear.

It is particularly favorable if none of the adhesive elements extends beyond the heel area of the article of footwear.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that at least one adhesive element comprises an elastic plastic material, preferably a silicone material.

It is particularly favorable if at least one adhesive element is formed essentially completely from an elastic plastic material, preferably from a silicone material.

The material of the adhesive element must be both elastic and soft enough to ensure sufficient comfort. It is therefore advantageous if at least one adhesive element is formed from a material having a Shore A hardness of at most approximately 30, preferably at most approximately 25.

On the other hand, the material of the adhesive element must be strong enough to ensure sufficient friction increase for the anti-slip effect and good adhesion to the foot of the wearer. It is therefore advantageous if at least one adhesive element is formed of a material having a Shore A hardness of at least about 10, preferably at least about 15.

The Shore A hardness can be determined according to DIN 53505 or DIN EN ISO 868.

The article of footwear according to the invention is particularly easy to produce if at least one adhesive element is applied to the heel region by a pattern printing process, in particular a stencil printing process or a screen printing process.

Alternatively, it is also conceivable to apply at least one adhesive element as a material bead from a suitable dispenser on the heel area.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the article of footwear is knitted, preferably knitted continuously.

The article of footwear according to the invention preferably has no leg part.

In particular, the article of footwear may be designed as a so-called "footlet".

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the article of footwear has a cutout opening through which the leg of the wearer passes in the worn state of the article of footwear and which releases at least part of the foot top (in the instep area) of the wearer in the worn state of the article of footwear.

In particular, the cut-out opening may be so large that the article of footwear can not be seen when the wearer wears the article of footwear together with a wide-cut shoe, such as a ballerina shoe. In this way it is achieved that the article of footwear according to the invention in the worn state is invisible to a viewer.

In order to avoid pressure points at the foot of the wearer, it is particularly favorable if the footwear piece according to the invention does not have a sewn-on elastic band, in particular no elastic band which bounds the cutout opening of the footwear piece.

Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawings of an embodiment.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht eines Fußbekleidungsstücks; und

Fig. 2

eine schematische Draufsicht auf die Innenseite eines Fersenbereichs des Fußbekleidungsstücks aus Fig. 1.

In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of an article of footwear; and

Fig. 2

a schematic plan view of the inside of a heel portion of the article of footwear Fig. 1 ,

Identical or functionally equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in all figures.

One in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown, as a whole denoted by 100 footwear piece is designed as a so-called "Fussli", ie it has no leg part, but instead a wide cut-out opening 102 through which passes in the worn state, the leg of the wearer of the article of footwear 100 and which in the worn state at least one Part of the foot top releases.

In this case, the cutout opening 102 is dimensioned so large that the article of footwear is not visible when the wearer carries the article of footwear 100 together with a wide-cut shoe, such as a ballerina shoe.

The article of footwear 100 includes a heel region 104 which is bounded above by a tubular edge 106 which bounds the rear of the cutout opening 102.

In the longitudinal direction 108 of the article of footwear 100, which in the worn state coincides with the longitudinal direction of the wearer's foot, a midfoot region 110 adjoins the heel region 104 to the front, both to the left and to the right of the longitudinal center plane 112 of the article of footwear 100 upper edge 114 terminates, which forms a lateral boundary of the cutout opening 102.

The midfoot region 110 is followed in the longitudinal direction 108 of the article of footwear 100 forwardly by a instep rubber region 116, which is annularly closed and can be formed by a ribbed knit of the main thread of the article of footwear 100 and an additional elastane thread.

This Ristgummibereich 116 exerts a pulling action on the foot of the wearer in the worn state.

The ridge rubber region 116 is followed in the longitudinal direction 108 of the article of footwear 100 forward by a forefoot region 118, which is formed as an annularly knitted tube from the main thread of the article of footwear 100.

By varying the extent of the forefoot portion 118 along the longitudinal direction 108 of the article of footwear 100, the extent of the cutout opening 102 along the longitudinal direction 108 of the article of footwear 100 can be varied.

The front end of the article of footwear 100 forms a toe area 120.

The article of footwear 100 does not have a sewn-on elastic band surrounding the cut-out opening 102 to prevent the article of footwear 100 from slipping under the heel of the wearer.

Instead, the article of footwear 100 in the heel region 104 has an adhesive structure 122 that includes a plurality of, for example, three, strip-like adhesive elements 124, each extending in the circumferential direction of the heel region 104 and vertically stacked in the worn state.

The adhesive members 124 are disposed on the inner side of the heel portion 104 facing the heel of the wearer in the worn state of the article of footwear 100.

How best Fig. 2 As can be seen, the adhesive elements 124 of the adhesive structure 122 are disposed in the upper half of the heel region 104 and formed and arranged substantially mirror-symmetrical to the longitudinal center plane 112 of the article of footwear 100.

The length of the strip-like adhesive elements 124 along the circumferential direction of the heel region 104 decreases with increasing distance from the upper end of the heel region 104, i. the uppermost adhesive element 124a has a greater length than the underlying adhesive element 124b, and the lowermost adhesive element 124c has a smaller length than the middle adhesive element 124b.

The adhesive elements 124 are printed on the inside of the heel region 104, for example by screen printing.

The adhesive members 124 are formed of a silicone material having a high coefficient of static friction with respect to the surface of the heel of the wearer of the article of footwear 100, so that the adhesive members 124 of the adhesive structure 122 in the worn state of the article of footwear 100 have an anti-slip effect causes the heel region 104 to maintain its position relative to the heel of the wearer and not slip down the foot of the wearer.

Because this anti-skid effect is due to the high coefficient of static friction of the silicone material, and not the exertion of a pressure on the foot of the wearer, the footwear 100 leaves no pressure marks on the foot of the wearer, unlike footwear with attached elastic bands.

The silicone material of the adhesive elements 124 must be both elastic and soft enough to ensure sufficient comfort.

On the other hand, the silicone material must be strong enough to ensure sufficient friction increase for the anti-slip effect and good adhesion to the foot of the wearer.

Advantageously, therefore, a silicone material having a Shore A hardness in the range of about 10 to about 30 is used (the Shore A hardness can be determined according to DIN 53505 or DIN EN ISO 868).

It has proved to be particularly favorable when the Shore A hardness of the silicone material used is about 20.

The article of footwear 100 is knitted continuously from a basic thread.

As a basic thread, for example, cotton may be used, which may be clad with polyamide and / or elastane.

In the production of the article of footwear 100 on a suitable circular knitting machine, for example, on a single-cylinder circular knitting machine with hooks, initially the rear edge of the cutout opening 102 forming Schtauchrand 106, knitted, for example in the form of a cap double edge.

Subsequently, the heel region 104 is knitted in the form of a heel bag in the pendulum gait, wherein initially reduced stitches and then increased again.

Subsequently, the midfoot portion 110 is knit in the pendulum course, wherein the number of stitches per stitch row is kept constant.

Thereafter, the instep rubber portion 116 is knit circumferentially, wherein in addition to the main thread, an elastane thread is entangled.

For example, the instep rubber region 116 may be knit in 1: 1 ribbing or in simulated 1: 1 ribbing.

Following the instep rubber region 116, the forefoot region 118 is knitted, likewise encircling.

Finally, the circular knitting machine is switched back to the shuttle to make the toe area 120, first reducing stitches and then increasing again.

At the upper edge 126 of the toe area 120, the article of footwear 100 is closed, for example by stitching or Ketteln.

The inside of the heel region 104 is slipped outwardly and printed with silicone material in a stencil printing process or screen printing process to produce the striped adhesive elements 124 of the adhesive structure 122.

After curing of the adhesive elements 124, the manufacture of the article of footwear 100 is completed.

Claims (19)

1. An item of clothing for the foot comprising a heel region (104) wherein at least one adhesive element (124) is arranged on the inside of the heel region (104) facing the wearer's foot when the item of foot clothing (100) is being worn,
   characterized
   in that the at least one adhesive element (124) arranged on the inside of the heel region (104) is in the form of a strip and extends over a peripheral angle of at least approximately 45° in the peripheral direction (128) of the heel region (104).
2. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of strip-like adhesive elements (124) are provided.
3. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with Claim 2, characterized in that there are provided a plurality of strip-like adhesive elements (124) which are aligned substantially in parallel with one another.
4. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with Claim 3, characterized in that the spacing between two mutually neighbouring strip-like adhesive elements (124) is smaller than the width of the adhesive elements (124).
5. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a plurality of strip-like adhesive elements (124) are arranged one above the other in the worn state of the item of clothing for the foot (100).
6. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with Claim 5, characterized in that an adhesive element (124a) which is arranged above another adhesive element (124b) in the worn state of the item of clothing for the foot (100) is of greater length than the other adhesive element (124b).
7. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one strip-like adhesive element (124) extends over a peripheral angle of at least approximately 90°in the peripheral direction (128) of the heel region (104).
8. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one strip-like adhesive element (124) extends over a peripheral angle of at most approximately 180° in the peripheral direction (128) of the heel region (104).
9. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one adhesive element (124) does not extend outside the heel region (104).
10. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least one adhesive element (124) comprises an elastic synthetic material, preferably a silicone material.
11. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one adhesive element is formed substantially entirely of an elastic synthetic material, preferably of a silicone material.
12. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the at least one adhesive element (124) is formed from a material having a Shore-A hardness of at most approximately 30, preferably of at most approximately 25.
13. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the at least one adhesive element (124) is formed from a material having a Shore-A hardness of at least approximately 10, preferably of at least approximately 15.
14. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the at least one adhesive element (124) is applied to the heel region (104) by a pattern printing process and in particular by a screen printing process or a silk-screen printing process.
15. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the item of clothing for the foot (100) is knitted, preferably continuously knitted.
16. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the item of clothing for the foot (100) does not comprise a leg part.
17. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the item of clothing for the foot (100) has a cut-out opening (102) through which the leg of the wearer passes in the worn state of the item of clothing for the foot (100) and which exposes at least a part of the upper surface of the foot of the wearer in the worn state of the item of clothing for the foot (100).
18. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with Claim 17, characterized in that the cut-out opening (102) is dimensioned such that the item of clothing for the foot (100) cannot be seen when the wearer is wearing the item of clothing for the foot (100) together with a shoe incorporating a wide cut-out such as a ballerina shoe for example.
19. An item of clothing for the foot in accordance with any of the Claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the item of clothing for the foot (100) does not comprise a sewn-on elastic tape.

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