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GB2253128A - Securing a boot protector - Google Patents

Securing a boot protector Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2253128A
GB2253128A GB9108601A GB9108601A GB2253128A GB 2253128 A GB2253128 A GB 2253128A GB 9108601 A GB9108601 A GB 9108601A GB 9108601 A GB9108601 A GB 9108601A GB 2253128 A GB2253128 A GB 2253128A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
toestrap
slab
protective covering
boot
heelstrap
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9108601A
Other versions
GB9108601D0 (en
GB2253128B (en
Inventor
Nicholas John Barton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
S P IND Ltd
Original Assignee
S P IND Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=10629169&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=GB2253128(A) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by S P IND Ltd filed Critical S P IND Ltd
Publication of GB9108601D0 publication Critical patent/GB9108601D0/en
Publication of GB2253128A publication Critical patent/GB2253128A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2253128B publication Critical patent/GB2253128B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A43FOOTWEAR
    • A43BCHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
    • A43B5/00Footwear for sporting purposes
    • A43B5/18Attachable overshoes for sporting purposes

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Description

L 0 - n 31--- 2 2 53 SHOE OR BOOT PROTECTOR This invention relates to
protective coverings for footwear, especially for a sports shoe or boot.
To take a specific application of the invention, a goalkeeper in hockey (field hockey) frequently wears an outer proctective covering over his hockey boot. This covering is known as a kicker, and its purpose is to absorb the impact of a hockey ball. Conventionally, a kicker is made from a shaped body of padding enclosed in an outer cover of leather or leather substitute. Straps are attached to the outer cover, usually by riveting or stitching. The straps allow the kicker to be buckled on by the wearer over his boot. Manufacture of such kickers entails considerable sewing of leather, or leather substitute, and the security of the kicker in use depends on the strength of the points of attachment of the straps.
According to the present invention, a protective covering for footwear, especially for a sports shoe or boot, comprises some or all of the elements and features disclosed in the following description. The reader is instructed to regard all possible combinations thereof as being disclosed by this description.
More specifically, in one embodiment of the invention a protective covering for footwear may comprise an impact-absor-bent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, when worn; a groove formed in the surface of the slab that is outermost when...,ern for receiving a retaining strap; and a retaining strap adapted to co-operate with the said groove and encircle the slab and the shoe or boot together to retain the slab on the shoe or boot.
The slab is suitably flexible, resilient, abrasion-resistant and waterproof. A preferred slab comprises a body of plastics foam, and especially a hot mouldable foam. Examples are polyether or polyethylene foam, and specifically that sold under the trade name 'Plasterzote'. Particularly preferred foams are tough closed cell foams. Accidental cuts may be simply repaired by direct application of a suitable adhesive to the out surfaces.
In one embodiment the stab may comprise a laminate of layers having different properties. For example, an outer layer may be relatively tough and hard, to resist wear and the impact of a striking ball, while an inner layer may be relatively soft, for the wearer's comfort. A relatively thin, hard reinforcement may be sandwiched between outer and inner layers, especially in selected areas, such as the toecap. The laminate may be formed by hot bonding the layers, if the materials are suitable, or by means of an adhesive.
Suitable slabs may be articulated, eg by means of thinner more flexible zones between thicker more rigid segments, for ease of movement.
The slabs may readily be dyed, for an attractive appearance, or for team identification, or may be self-coloured. In general, it is envisaged that the slabs will not require any outer covering; and for ease of manufacture, the absence of an outer cover is much preferred. An outer cover would only normally be required if the material of the slab were insufficiently robust to tolerate normal wear and tear without irreparable damage.
A slab may be shaped to comprise side pieces and a toecap between them. In a preferred slab a tongue is also provided. The tongue may be formed integrally with the slab or may be bonded thereto. To reduce the height of any step formed where the tongue is bonded to the slab, the tongLe may be recessed into the stab. In a laminated slab, one layer may be absent at the joint with the tongue, for this purpose.
In general, when two parts of the protective covering overlap when worn, one or both may be reduced in thickness over such areas to accommodate the overlap. If either or both of these parts is laminated, then the reduced thickness is often achievable by eliminating one or more layers from the laminate in this area.
A slab may also comprise an ankle guard, which may suitably be formed on the tongue or on the side pieces. If on the tongue, the ankle guard may overlap, or be overlapped by, the side pieces, when the protective covering is being worn, to maintain integrity of protection during articulation of the wearer's ankle.
1 The grooves are formed on the slab where the straps are to be located to retain the slab on the wearer's footwear. In use, it is preferred that at least one toestrap encircles the toe of the covering, passing under the sole of the footwear and over the toe of the slab, and at least one heelstrap passes from the toestrap on one side, back around the heel of the footwear, and forward to the toestrap on the other side. Accordingly one or more toestrap grooves are provided in the slab over the toecap and extending downwardly on each side thereof, and one or more heelstrap grooves are provided in the slab extending rearwardly from the toestrap groove or grooves.
One or more grooves may also be provided around any ankle guard, to enable it to be strapped firmly around the wearer's ankle.
The grooves are desirably formed by hot pressing or moulding into the slab material, where this so admits.
The straps are usefully provided with fastening and/or tightening means, such as buckles. The straps are desirably separable from the slab, retained on the slab in use only or principally by the grooves. It is also possible for openings to be formed in the slab through which straps can pass.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hockey kicker with Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the kicker; and Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the kicker, the two halves of the upper two straps in this Figure being shown fastened together as if in use.
The kicker is shaped to fit over a hockey boot worn by a sportsman. It broadly comprises a slab 11 shaped into two side pieces and a toecap, has a tongue 12 bonded to the slab, and is fitted with a plurality of removable straps 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19.
The slab 11 is a flexible laminated structure having an outer layer 21 and an inner layer 22 of tough closed cell plastics foam. The outer layer is harder than the inner layer. In the toecap area a thin hard reinforcement 23 (Figure 2) is bonded between the inner and outer layers.
In the toecap area inside the kicker, the inner layer 22 is cut away. To this region is bonded a root portion 25 of the tongue 12 (Figure 2), which is of about the same thickness, so that the inside surface of the kicker is fairly smooth.
In the uppermost parts of the two side pieces of the kicker, likewise, the inner layer 22 is cut away. This provides space for an ankle guard portion 26 of the tongue 12 to be overlapped by the outer layer 21 of the side pieces of the kicker (Figure 3).
The outermost surface of the outer layer 21 of the slab 11 is formed with two toestrap grooves 28 to receive the straps 15 and 17, and with two heelstrap grooves 29 to receive the straps 16 and 18. The outermost surface of the ankle guard portion 26 of the tongue 12 is formed with a groove 30 to receive the strap 19.
Strap 15 is a toestrap and encircles the instep area of the kicker, passing over the toecap portion in a groove 28 and then underneath it where the kicker is open. In use the strap will pass under the sole of the wearer's boot, and holds the front of the kicker down on to the toe of the boot.
1G to a- citiu is anuitured by a loop' at each end to strap 15. It passes rearwardly from toestrap 15 on one side of the kicker in a groove 29, around the heel of the kicker, to rejoin strap 15 on the other side of the kicker. In use, strap 16 holds the side pieces of the kicker tightly to the sides and heel of the wearer's boot.
Strap 17 is a second toestrap located in a second toestrap groove 28 between strap 15 and the extreme front of the kicker, and supplements strap 15. It anchors strap 18 whi. ch is a second heelstrap in a second heelstrap groove 29 to supplement strap 16. Strap 18 passes over and under toestrap 15.
Strap 19 in groove 30 serves to wrap the ankle guard 26 around the wearer's ankle.
All five straps 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are provided with buckles. The toestraps need not normally be unfastened, merely loosened, when the kicker is to be removed from a boot. The heelstraps and the ankle guard strap will however normally be unbuckled entirely at the heel of the kicker to enable the wearer to put the kicker on and take it off. The still fastened toestraps in the toestrap grooves 28 will normally retain both the toestraps and the heelstraps on the kicker when it is not being worn.
This application is divided out of our Application No. 8817101.2 (2214052).

Claims (1)

1. A protective covering for footwear comprising an impact absorbent slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, and comprising side pieces and a toe piece between them, and a retaining strap adapted to retain the slab on the shoe or boot and comprising toestrap encircling the toe of the slab and passing thereunder and heelstrap extending from the toestrap on one side of the slab, around the heel thereof, to the toestrap on the other side.
2. A protective covering according to claim 1 wherein said retaining strap comprises a first toestrap encircling the toe piece of the stab and a first heelstrap extending from the first toestrap on one side around the rear of the covering to the toestrap on the other side, and a second toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and a second heelstrap extending from the second toestrap on one side around the rear of the covering to the second toestrap on the other side.
3. A protective covering according to claim 2 wherein the second toestrap is located between the first toestrap and the extreme front of the slab, and the second heeistrap lies higher on the side pieces of the slab than the first heelstrap.
4. A protective covering according to claim 3 wherein the second heeistrap passes over and under the first toestrap.
5. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab is a flexible and resilient body of plastics foam.
6. A protective covering for footwear comprising, when worn, a flexible and resilient foam slab shaped to cover at least part of a shoe or boot and comprising side pieces and a toe piece between them, and a retaining strap comprising a toestrap encircling the toe piece of the slab and passing under the sole of the shoe or boot and a heelstrap extending from the toestrap on one side of the slab, around the heel of the shoe or boot, to the toestrap on the other side, the heelstrap holding the side pieces of the slab tightly to the sides and heel of the shoe or boot.
8. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the plastics foam is a tough, hot mouldable, closed cell foam.
7. A protective covering according to claim 6 wherein said retaining strap comprises two said toestraps from each of which a said heelstrap extends around the heel of the shoe or boot.
9. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab comprises a laminate of layers, including an outer layer and an inner layer.
10. A protective covering according to claim 9 wherein the outer layer is relatively hard and the inner layer is relatively soft.
11. A protective covering according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein a relatively thin, hard reinforcement is sandwiched between the outer and inner layers.
12. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims in which two parts thereof overlap when worn, wherein one or both of said parts a;u -ecUuucj lit Lhe overlapping areas to accommodate the overlap.
13. A protective covering according to claim 12 wherein either or both of said parts is laminated, and the reduced thickness is achieved by the elimination of one or more layers from the laminate.
14. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding 35 claims wherein the slab also comprises a tongue, recessed into the inner surface of the slab.
15. A protective covering according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slab also comprises an ankle guard.
16. A protective covering according to claim 14 and claim 15 wherein the ankle guard is formed on the tongue and overlaps, or is overlapped by, the side pieces, when the protective covering is being worn.
Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A retaining strap arrangement for a hockey kicker of the kind comprising an impact-absorbent body of plastics foam shaped to have side pieces and a toe piece between them and intended to cover at least part of a shoe or boot, when worn, said arrangement being adapted to retain the kicker on the shoe or boot, when worn, and comprising a toestrap adapted to encircle the toe piece of the slab and pass thereunder and a heelstrap adapted to extend from the toestrap on one side of the slab, around the heel of the kicker, to the toestrap on the other side.
2. A retaining strap arrangement according to claim 1 comprising two said heelstraps adapted to extend around the heel of the kicker.
3. A retaining strap arrangement according to claim 2 wherein one of the said heelstraps is adapted to lie higher on the side pieces of the kicker than the other heeistrap.
4. A retaining strap arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each said heelstrap is anchored at each end to the toestrap from which it extends.
5. A retaining strap arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the heelstrap is anchored to the toestrap by means of a loop at each end of the heelstrap.
6. A retaining strap arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims which is separable from the kicker.
7. A retaining strap arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the said straps are provided with fastening and/or tightening means.
8. A retaining strap arrangement according to claim 7 wherein the said means comprise buckles joining two parts of the said straps.
1 1 9. The use of a retaining strap arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims to retain a hockey kicker on a shoe or boot.
GB9108601A 1987-12-30 1991-04-19 Shoe or boot protector Expired - Lifetime GB2253128B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB878730312A GB8730312D0 (en) 1987-12-30 1987-12-30 Uncovered high density foam hockey equipment

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9108601D0 GB9108601D0 (en) 1991-06-05
GB2253128A true GB2253128A (en) 1992-09-02
GB2253128B GB2253128B (en) 1992-11-18

Family

ID=10629169

Family Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB878730312A Pending GB8730312D0 (en) 1987-12-30 1987-12-30 Uncovered high density foam hockey equipment
GB8817101A Expired - Lifetime GB2214052B (en) 1987-12-30 1988-07-18 Shoe or boot protector
GB9108601A Expired - Lifetime GB2253128B (en) 1987-12-30 1991-04-19 Shoe or boot protector

Family Applications Before (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB878730312A Pending GB8730312D0 (en) 1987-12-30 1987-12-30 Uncovered high density foam hockey equipment
GB8817101A Expired - Lifetime GB2214052B (en) 1987-12-30 1988-07-18 Shoe or boot protector

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (3) GB8730312D0 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5566476A (en) * 1995-06-06 1996-10-22 Bertrand; Gregory F. Athletic foot protector with toe and ankle impact absorbing protection
GB2322533A (en) * 1997-02-27 1998-09-02 Sean Cayless Protective cover for hockey kicker
US5829170A (en) * 1997-05-07 1998-11-03 Lutz, Jr.; John F. Protective cover for an ice hockey skate
GB2335343A (en) * 1997-04-23 1999-09-22 Sean Cayless Sports article, e.g. hockey kicker
GB2564568A (en) * 2017-06-30 2019-01-16 Jen Tsai Chih Shoe cover

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4125633C2 (en) * 1991-08-02 1995-01-05 Frank Schlageter Foot protection for athletes

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5566476A (en) * 1995-06-06 1996-10-22 Bertrand; Gregory F. Athletic foot protector with toe and ankle impact absorbing protection
GB2322533A (en) * 1997-02-27 1998-09-02 Sean Cayless Protective cover for hockey kicker
GB2322533B (en) * 1997-02-27 2001-02-28 Sean Cayless Hockey kickers
GB2335343A (en) * 1997-04-23 1999-09-22 Sean Cayless Sports article, e.g. hockey kicker
US5829170A (en) * 1997-05-07 1998-11-03 Lutz, Jr.; John F. Protective cover for an ice hockey skate
GB2564568A (en) * 2017-06-30 2019-01-16 Jen Tsai Chih Shoe cover

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8730312D0 (en) 1988-02-03
GB8817101D0 (en) 1988-08-24
GB2214052A (en) 1989-08-31
GB9108601D0 (en) 1991-06-05
GB2253128B (en) 1992-11-18
GB2214052B (en) 1992-09-02

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
771K Case decided by the comptroller ** application allowed (sect. 71/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20020718

RJ Reinstated under rule 110(4) or 100(2) - alteration of time limits

Free format text: REINSTATEMENT OF THIS PATENT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 100 IS BEING CONSIDERED.

RJ Reinstated under rule 110(4) or 100(2) - alteration of time limits

Free format text: REINSTATEMENT OF THIS PATENT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 100 IS REFUSED.