US20240206585A1

US20240206585A1 - Foot guard

Info

Publication number: US20240206585A1
Application number: US18/600,964
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicholas Paul Coppola
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-07-27
Filing date: 2024-03-11
Publication date: 2024-06-27
Also published as: US20220022591A1

Abstract

A foot guard that provides shock absorption on a metatarsal region of a shoe, such as a cleat, or a foot is disclosed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a foot guard. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a foot guard comprised of at least one pad that provides shock absorption to the metatarsal and phalangeal regions of the feet.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
American football and a variety of other sports involve athletes running, tackling, and making physical contact with one another. Throughout this process, a player's foot can become injured by being stepped on, having another athlete fall on them, or any other impact to the foot. To help to prevent foot injuries, players may wear foot guards. The foot guards may provide an impact pad on the top of the foot, so, when a player's foot is stepped on or subject to a potentially harmful force, the impact pad can act as a cushion to absorb shock. There are several ways to attach the impact pad to a player's foot. The impact pad can be attached to high-top or low-top footwear, with the former being footwear that extends over the wearer's ankle (i.e. medial and lateral malleolus), and the latter being footwear that only extends to cover the foot and does not extend to cover the ankle. In addition to a foot guard, players may wear ankle braces or ankle wraps to help prevent the ankle injuries. The ankle braces or wraps may provide additional stability while players are planting, pivoting, or having their foot and ankle stepped on.
According to the present disclosure, a foot guard is provided that includes at least one impact pad and an attachment mechanism. The attachment mechanism positions at least one impact pad over the metatarsal and/or phalangeal region of a shoe and/or foot.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of protecting the metatarsal and phalangeal region of the foot is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a foot guard with an impact pad, positioning the impact pad over the foot, and securing the impact pad on the foot. According to another method of the present disclosure, the method includes the steps of providing a foot guard including at least one band and an impact pad coupled to the at least one band, positioning the impact pad over the foot, securing the impact pad to the foot with the at least one band, and wrapping the at least one band around the foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The previously described aspects of this disclosure will grow to be appreciated at a greater level once references to the following accompanying illustrations are expounded upon.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cleat showing a foot guard having an impact pad positioned on a metatarsal region of the cleat;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cleat showing a foot guard having a pocket body including an impact pad therein positioned on a metatarsal region of the cleat including a lower band and an upper band;

FIG. 3 is an opposite perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 2 showing the middle and upper bands secured to the pocket body over the cleat;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 2 showing the impact pad positioned over the metatarsal region of the cleat and an alternative impact pad (in phantom) extending toward a front or toe portion of the cleat;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 2 showing middle portion of the upper band positioned around the heel portion of the cleat;

FIG. 6 a is a top view of the alternative impact pad described in phantom in FIG. 4 , showing the impact pad having an elongated shape with a raised, “shark-tooth” shaped region to protect the metatarsal and phalangeal regions;

FIG. 6 b is a top view of the alternative impact pad described in FIGS. 4 and 6 a, showing the pad having an elongated shape with a raised, “shark-tooth” shaped region and a lattice of pores, each pore having a diameter smaller than the length of a standard spike extending from a cleat;

FIG. 6 c is a top view of an alternative impact pad showing the pad having an elongated shape with a raised “shark-tooth” shaped region and a crescent shaped region, comprising two layers of foam;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 2 showing a detachable end of the upper band detached from the pocket body;

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 2 showing the detachable end of the upper band attached to the pocket body;

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 2 showing the pocket body having an opening allowing the removing and inserting of the impact pad and the pocket body and the detachable end of the upper band including an attachment mechanism, such as hook-and-loop fasteners;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the foot guard having two bands and an impact pad;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 10 on the cleat;

FIG. 12 is an opposite perspective view the foot guard and cleat of FIG. 11 showing the attachment points of the foot guard bands;

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the foot guard of FIG. 10 showing the foot guard detached from the cleat and the bands attached to the foot guard;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the foot guard having an upper band, lower band, pocket body, and impact pad positioned on the cleat;

FIG. 15 is an opposite perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 14 showing the lower band secured to the pocket body and the upper band secured to the lower band;

FIG. 16 is a top perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 14 showing the lower band secured to the pocket body;

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 14 showing the foot guard secured over the metatarsal region of the cleat;

FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 14 showing ends of the bands detached from the pocket body;

FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 14 showing ends of the bands detached from the pocket body;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a third alternative embodiment of the foot guard of FIG. 2 having an impact pad positioned on a metatarsal region of the cleat and an elongated band wrapped around the lower leg/ankle region of a user;

FIG. 21 is an opposite perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 20 showing an elongated band of the third alternative embodiment in an unwrapped position;

FIG. 22 is an enlarged top perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 20 showing an end of the elongated band detached from the pocket body;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 20 showing the end of a middle band attached to the elongated band and secured to the pocket body;

FIG. 24 is a side view of a cleat showing a foot guard having a first impact pad positioned on a metatarsal region of the cleat and a second impact pad positioned on the phalangeal region of the cleat;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a cleat showing a foot guard having a pocket body, a primary impact pad therein positioned on a metatarsal region of the cleat and a secondary impact pad therein positioned on a phalangeal region of the cleat;

FIG. 26 is an opposite perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 25 showing the middle and upper bands secured to the pocket body over the cleat;

FIG. 27 is a top perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 25 showing a primary impact pad positioned over the metatarsal region of the cleat and a secondary impact pad extending toward a front or phalangeal region of the cleat;

FIG. 28 is a rear perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 25 showing the middle portion of upper band positioned around the heel portion of the cleat;

FIG. 29 is a bottom perspective view of the cleat and foot guard of FIG. 25 showing the middle portion of middle band positioned around the arch portion of the cleat;

FIG. 30 a is a top view of the foot guard described in FIG. 25 , showing a larger primaryimpact pad to protect the metatarsal region and a smaller secondary impact pad to protect the phalangeal region;

FIG. 30 b is a top view of the impact pads described in FIGS. 25 and 30 a, showing the two impact pads with an integrally connected joint to allow flexing of the foot;

FIG. 31 is a top perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 25 laid flat, showing a detachable end of the upper band detached from the pocket body and the two lower bands merging to form a middle band;

FIG. 32 is a bottom perspective view of the foot guard of FIG. 25 laid flat, showing the opening for a primary and secondary impact pad;

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Unless otherwise indicated, the components shown in the figures are shown proportional to each other. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the disclosure which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of understanding the present disclosure, specific language will be used to describe the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. No limitation in the scope of the present disclosure is intended by the detailed descriptions.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a cleat/shoe 18 with a metatarsal region 11, a phalangeal region 12, a heel region 22, a lower region 33, and a toe region 44. A foot guard 10 having an impact pad 13 is positioned over metatarsal region 11 and phalangeal region 12 of cleat/shoe 18. Foot guard 10 helps prevent foot injuries to metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of a user's foot. When the user's foot is stepped on or subject to force by another person, object, or event, impact pad 13 absorbs force to help protect the foot from injury.
As shown in FIGS. 2-5 , a foot guard 110 is provided to help protect the metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of a cleat/shoe 18. Foot guard 110 includes a pocket body/cover 124, attachment tab 128, impact pad 13 positioned in pocket body 124, upper band 116′, and lower band 116″ to secure pocket body 124 and impact pad 13 on cleat/shoe 18. First/starting ends 126″ and 126′ of lower band 116″ and upper band 116′ are permanently secured to pocket body 124. Second/ending end 136″ of band 116″ is permanently coupled with pocket body 124, and second end 136′ of upper band 116′ has a removable coupling to attachment tab 128 which protrudes from pocket body 124. According to the present disclosure, second ends 136′ of upper band 116′ and attachment tab 128 may include hook-and-loop type fasteners to provide a removable coupling therebetween. Other fasteners may be substituted for the hook-and-loop fasteners, such as snaps, metal hooks, etc.
According to the present disclosure, lower band 116″ is permanently coupled to pocket body 124. Lower band 116″ and pocket body 124 cooperate to define three openings 122, 131, 133 which receive three portions of cleat 18. First opening 122 is configured to receive a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat 18. Second opening 131 is configured to receive front or toe portion 44 of cleat 18. Third opening 133 is configured to receive an arch or middle lower portion 33 of cleat 18. Pocket body 124 includes a pocket opening 150 (see FIG. 9 ) that allows impact pad 13 to be inserted and removed. According to the present disclosure, pocket body 124 is made of a durable fabric.
To secure pocket body 124 and impact pad 13 on cleat/shoe 18, a user positions pocket body 124, with impact pad 13 therein, over metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18 with second end 136′ of upper band 116′ detached from pocket body 124 and inserts front or toe portion 44 of cleat/shoe 18 into second opening 131. Lower band 116″ is elastic to create room for the cleat/shoe 18 during insertion. Next, the user wraps upper band 116′ around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18 and fastens second end 136′ of upper band 116′ to attachment tab 128 which protrudes from pocket body 124. Lower band 116″ cooperates with pocket body 124 to define first opening 122 which receives a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18. When second end 136′ of upper band 116′ is coupled to attachment tab 128, it divides first opening 122 in half into an upper region 122′ and a lower region 122″. Upper region 122′ is located near the Achilles tendon and ankle while lower region 122″ is located near the base of the foot.
Once attached, the user can remove foot guard 110 from cleat/shoe 18. First, the user detaches second end 136′ of upper band 116′ from attachment tab 128. Then the user can stretch lower band 116″ and slide foot guard 110 off to remove pocket body 124 from metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18.
According to an alternative embodiment, an elongated impact pad 113 is provided as shown in FIG. 6 a . Impact pad 113 has soft portion 15 that is substantially longer than hard plate 14 to facilitate protection of a larger area of the foot. The portion of the elongated impact pad 113 nearest the player's foot is shaped in such a way to provide protection around the metatarsal-facing base portion of the player's ankle. Hard plate 14 and soft portion 15 can be elongated or shortened to accommodate different sized feet or cleats/shoes 18 or to meet a user's desired area of protection on the metatarsal 11 and phalangeal 12 regions of the foot. Hard plate 14 and soft portion 15 can also be scaled to fit different sized pocket bodies 124 of alternative embodiments of foot guard 10.
According to the present disclosure, hard plate 14 is made of hard plastic or carbon fiber and soft portion 15 is made of a foam material. Plate 14 is positioned over soft portion 15 and positioned over metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of the foot. The foam material comprising the soft portion 15 may also be extended over the hard plate 14, as shown in FIG. 6 b .When force is applied to impact pad 113, soft portion 15 absorbs some of the force to prevent injury to the user of foot guard 10. Hard plate 14 spreads impacts to pad 13 across a larger area. Impact pad 13 has a slightly curved shape to accommodate the curved nature of the user's foot and cleat/shoe 18.
According to the present disclosure, impact pad 113 may also contain holes 17, containing a diameter not larger than the length of a stud of a cleat, and which are scattered across the surface of the impact pad 113. The holes 17 occupy a volumetric ratio between approximately 1:20 and 1:10 when compared to the volume of the impact pad 113. This ultimately reduces the mass of the impact pad 113 and increases the aerodynamic performance of the impact pad 113 while maintaining overall protection for the user's foot and cleat/shoe 18.
According to alternative embodiments, a flexing impact pad 213 having a segmented hard plate 214 is provided, as shown in FIG. 6 c . Segmented hard plate 214 has substantially the same properties as hard plate 14. Segmented hard plate 214 is made up of two pieces: a primary hard plate 214′ and a secondary hard plate 214″. Segmented hard plate 214 allows for impact pad 213 to flex between primary hard plate 214′ and secondary hard plate 214″. Front portions 32′ and 32″ of primary hard plate and secondary hard plate 214′, 214″ are rounded to disperse pressure when impact pad 213 is flexed. Rear portions 34′ and 34″ of primary hard plate and secondary hard plate 214′, 214″ are concave to follow the shape of a user's foot. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a soft portion 215 of flexing impact pad 213 may be made of dual density foam. Soft portion 215 has a base layer 215A and top layer 215B. Base layer 215A is made of a lower density foam than top layer 215B. One example of base layer 215A is a D3O® set foam. The materials of base layer 215A can be elastic and can be silicone rubber, TPU plastic, polyurethane foam and other soft and/or pliable materials. One example of top layer 215B is EVA foam. The materials of top layer 215B can be polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam and other soft and/or pliable materials.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, impact pad 13 of FIGS. 2-5 is replaced by an alternative embodiment impact pad (not shown) having a soft portion and hard plate, similar to soft portion 15 and hard plate 14 discussed herein with the soft portion and hard portion being shorter than soft portion 15 and hard plate 14 shown in FIG. 6 a . Soft portion 15 and hard plate 14 of this embodiment have substantially the same profile, width, and length.
Impact pad 13 can be inserted into pocket body 124 of foot guard 10 prior to use of foot guard 10 on a user's cleat/shoe 18. To insert impact pad 13 into pocket body 124, the user stretches pocket opening 150 open (see FIG. 9 ). Next, the user slides impact pad 13 into pocket body 124 through opening 150. To remove impact pad 13, the user stretches pocket opening 150 and removes impact pad 13 from pocket body 124. If impact pad 13 becomes damaged, a new impact pad 13 can be easily switched in place of the damaged one by pulling the damaged impact pad 13 out of pocket body 124 and replacing it with the new impact pad 13. Pocket opening 150 may comprise overlapping pieces of fabric and fasteners, such as hook-and-loop type fasteners, snaps, metal hooks, etc.
In FIGS. 7-9 , foot guard 110 is shown detached from cleat/shoe 18. The attachment and removal process for foot guard 110 is substantially the same as that described in FIGS. 2-5 . The process of pad insertion and removal is substantially the same as that described for FIG. 6 a and FIG. 6 b . According to the present disclosure, pocket body 124 of foot guard 110 is made of fabric and bands 116″, 116′ are made of elastic. Lower band 116″ is permanently attached to pocket body 124 while upper band 116′ has hook-and-loop fasteners to provide a removable coupling to attachment tab 128 which protrudes from pocket body 124. Future embodiments can utilize non-elastic material or alternative fasteners/stitching to facilitate the use of foot guard 10 on a user's cleat/shoe 18.
Shown in FIGS. 10-13 is an alternative embodiment foot guard 210 provided to protect metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18 similar to foot guard 110 shown in FIGS. 7-9 . Foot guard 210 includes a lower band 216″ with a first and second end 226″ and 236″, and an upper band 216′ with a first and second end 226′ and 236′. The upper and lower band 216′, 216″ join at juncture 220, which is coupled to pocket body 224. Foot guard 210 has a cutout 240 between first ends 226′ and 226″ of upper and lower bands 216′ and 216″. Foot guard 210 also includes an attachment tab 228 that protrudes from pocket body 224. Attachment tab 228 allows upper band 216′ and lower band 216″ to attach alongside pocket body 224. According to the present disclosure, upper band 216′ is attached to pocket body 224 at first end 226′. Upper band 216′ is coupled to attachment tab 228 at second end 236′ which is spaced apart from pocket body 224. First and second ends 226′ and 236′ of band 216′ are generally adjacent and substantially parallel to an outsole/sole plate 23 of cleat/shoe 18. For example, first and second ends 226′, 236′ of upper band 216′ may be positioned above outsole/sole plate 23 in the lower portion/half of the instep. First and second ends 226′, 236′ of band 216′ may also be positioned on or at least partially below the medial/lateral widest extent of cleat/shoe 18.
The preferred angle between first end 226′ and second end 236′ of band 216′ when foot guard 210 is attached to a cleat/shoe 18 is substantially horizontal to maximize tension between band 216′ and cleat/shoe 18. In the alternative, band 216′ may be attached around cleat/shoe 18 at other angles, such as within 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, etc. above or below horizontal.
As described herein, the preferred and alternative attachments of band 216′ lower the position at which band 216′ wraps around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18 when compared to the attachment of upper band 116′ in embodiment 110. As a result, the lower attachment reduces the likelihood that foot guard 210 will ride up on a user's cleat/shoe 18 and facilitates the use of guard 210 on a wide variety of cleats/shoes 18 such as low-cut (as shown), high-top cleats, etc.
Embodiment 210 is configured to have removable second end 236′ attach on the inside/medial side of cleat/shoe 18 and permanent first end 226′ on the outside of cleat/shoe 18 to facilitate ease of foot guard 210 application and removal from cleat/shoe 18 so the user is reaching toward the inside of cleat/shoe 18 rather than the outside of cleat/shoe 18 to attach foot guard 210. According to alternative embodiments, the removable attachment may be on the outside of cleat/shoe and the permanent attachment may be on the inside of cleat/shoe.
On foot guard 210, lower band 216″ and pocket body 224 cooperate to define a first opening 222 to receive a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat 18 when second end 236″ is coupled to attachment tab 228. When second end 236′ of upper band 216′ is coupled to attachment tab 228, it divides first opening 222 in half into upper region 222′ and lower region 222″. Lower band 216″ cooperates with pocket body 224 to define a second opening 231 to receive front or toe portion 44 of cleat 18 when second end 236″ is coupled to attachment tab 228 which protrudes from pocket body 224. When front or toe portion 44 is passed through second opening 231, upper band 216′ fastens to attachment tab 228 after wrapping around heel portion 22 of cleat 18. Lower band 216″ further cooperates with pocket body 224 to define a third opening 233 to receive an arch or middle lower portion 33 of cleat 18.
To use alternative embodiment foot guard 210, impact pad 13 is placed within pocket body 224 by separating two flaps 225 from one another and inserting impact pad 13. Flaps 225 are then closed around impact pad 13. Flaps 225 are overlapping to reduce the likelihood of impact pad 13 becoming dislodged during use of foot guard 210. The underside of pocket body 224 has a grip material 227 to further secure foot guard 210 and pocket body 224 against the cleat/shoe 18. Grip material 227 increases traction between the cleat and foot guard 210, reducing the likelihood of foot guard 210 slipping or becoming dislodged during use. According to the present disclosure, grip material 227 is made of silicon and is arranged in a zig-zag pattern on the underside of pocket body 224. Grip material 227 could additionally be placed on the underside of bands 216′ and 216″ to increase the interaction between cleat/shoe 18 and foot guard 210.
To place foot guard 210 on cleat/shoe 18, pocket body 224 is placed on the metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18. Lower band 216″ is wrapped around the underside of cleat/shoe 18 and fastened with hook and loop or other fasteners to attachment tab 228. Upper band 216′ is wrapped around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18 and fastened with a hook/loop or other fastener to tab 228. To remove the foot guard 210, the user undoes bands 216″ and 216′ from attachment tab 228, unwraps upper band 216′ from heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18, and unwarps band 216″ from under cleat/shoe 18 before completely removing embodiment 210.
As shown in FIGS. 14-19 , a second alternative embodiment foot guard 310 is provided to protect the metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12. Foot guard 310 has similar features to the previous embodiments and comprises an upper band 316′, lower band 316″, pocket body/cover 324, and impact pad 313. According to the present disclosure, first end 326′ of upper band 316′ is attached near first end 326″ of lower band 316″. Second end 336′ of upper band 316′ couples to lower band 316″ near second end 336″ of lower band 316. These attachments are spaced apart from pocket body 324, located generally adjacent and substantially parallel to outsole/sole plate 23 of cleat/shoe 18. For example, first and second ends 326′, 336′ of upper band 316′ may be positioned above outsole/sole plate 23 in the lower portion/half of the instep. First and second ends 326′, 336′ of band 316′ may also be positioned on or at least partially below the medial/lateral widest extent of cleat/shoe 18.
The preferred angle between first end 326′ and second end 336′ of band 316′ when foot guard 310 is attached to a cleat/shoe 18 is substantially horizontal to maximize tension between band 316′ and cleat/shoe 18. In the alternative, band 316′ may be attached around cleat/shoe 18 at other angles, such as within 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, etc. above or below horizontal.
For foot guard 310, the preferred and alternative attachments lower the location at which band 316′ wraps around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18 when compared to the attachment of upper band 116′ in embodiment 110. As a result, the lower attachment reduces the likelihood that foot guard 310 will ride up on a user's cleat/shoe 18 and facilitates the use of guard 310 on a wide variety of cleats/shoes 18 such as low-cut (as shown), high-top cleats, etc.
On foot guard 310, lower band 316″ and pocket body 324 cooperate to define a first opening 322 to receive a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat 18 when second end 336″ is coupled to pocket body 324. When second end 336′ of upper band 316′ is coupled to lower band 316″, it divides first opening 322 in half into upper region 322′ and lower region 322″.
Lower band 316″ cooperates with pocket body 324 to define a second opening 331 to receive front or toe portion 44 of cleat 18 when second end 336″ is coupled to pocket body 324. When front or toe portion 44 is passed through second opening 331, upper band 316′ fastens to lower band 316″ after wrapping around heel portion 22 of cleat 18. Lower band 316″ further cooperates with pocket body 324 to define a third opening 333 to receive an arch or middle lower portion 33 of cleat 18.
The placement of impact pad 13 inside foot guard 310 is substantially the same as that for foot guard 210. Flaps 325 allow impact pad 13 to be inserted and retained within pocket opening 350. The attachment and detachment mechanisms for foot guard 310 on a cleat/shoe 18 are also substantially the same as those described for foot guard 210. The processes differ in the attachment point of bands 316′ and 316″. For foot guard 310, upper band 316′ attaches to lower band 316″ and lower band 316″ attaches to pocket body 324.
As shown in FIGS. 20-23 , a third alternative embodiment foot guard 410 is provided to protect metatarsal and phalangeal region 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18 similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-9 . In this embodiment, pocket body/cover 424 has two bands extending off it, one longer band 416′ and one shorter band 416″ which facilitate attachment of foot guard 410 to cleat/shoe 18. To place foot guard 410 on cleat/shoe 18, shorter band 416″ is fastened with hook-and-loop fastens around the underside of pocket body 424. Both longer band 416′ and shorter band 416′' are permanently affixed to pocket body 424. Then, pocket body 424 is placed on metatarsal region 11 of cleat/shoe 18, and the user wraps longer band 416′ around the underside of cleat/shoe 18 and around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18. The user continuously wraps longer band 416′ around the ankle and leg to achieve a desired fit. When longer band 416′ is completely wrapped, the user fastens the end of longer band 416′ to itself with hook-and-loop fastens. To remove embodiment 410, the user undoes the hook-and-loop fastens of longer band 416′, unwraps band 416′ around the leg and ankle, heel region 22, and finally from under cleat/shoe 18 before taking embodiment 410 off of the cleat/shoe 18.
On foot guard 410, shorter band 416″, longer band 416′, and pocket body 424 cooperate to define a first opening 422 to receive a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat 18 when band 416″ is wrapped under cleat 18 and band 416′ is wrapped around cleat 18. Shorter band 416″ cooperates with pocket body 424 to define a second opening 431 to receive front or toe portion 44 of cleat 18 when band 416″ is wrapped under cleat 18. When front or toe portion 44 is passed through second opening 431, longer band 416′ can be wrapped around heel portion 22 and cleat 18. Shorter band 416″ further cooperates with pocket body 424 to define a third opening 433 to receive an arch or middle lower portion 33 of cleat 18.
According to present disclosure, band 116 and the other bands discussed in the alternative embodiments can be elastic or non-elastic. Band 116 is preferably elastic enough to be stretched and wrap tightly around cleats 18 of various sizes. The usual range of elasticity of band 116 is 0.01-0.50 GPa. The bands described in the alternative embodiments have an elasticity that is substantially similar to that of band 116. The bands described herein can be modified to be more elastic or rigid to accommodate for different athletes or cleats/shoes 18.
According to the previous embodiments, impact pad 13 is positioned over metatarsal region 11 and phalangeal region 12 to absorb shock when a foot is stepped on. Impact pad 13 can be positioned inside pocket bodies 24, 124, 224, 324, 424. Pocket body 24 opens at one side and when impact pad 13 is positioned on metatarsal region 11, pocket opening 50, 150, 250, 350, 450 is preferably positioned against metatarsal region 11 of cleat/shoe 18 so that impact pad 13 is retained in pocket body 124 during movement. Pocket opening 50, 150, 250, 350, 450 is not limited to a single side. In other embodiments, pocket body 24 may open at more than one side. Pocket body 24, 124, 224, 324, 424 may include a fastening mechanism such as a hook-and-loop fastener, snap button, or hook button attached to pocket opening 50, 150, 250, 350, 450 to allow for impact pad 13 to be inserted or removed.
FIG. 24 is a side view of a cleat/shoe 18 with a metatarsal region 11, a phalangeal region 12, a heel region 22, a lower region 33, and a toe region 44. A foot guard 10′ is positioned over metatarsal region 11 and phalangeal region 12 of cleat/shoe 18. Foot guard 10′ helps prevent foot injuries to metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of a user's foot. When the user's foot is stepped on or subject to force by another person, object, or event, impact pads 14, 15 absorb force to help protect the foot from injury.
As shown in FIG. 24 , foot guard 10′ includes a primary impact pad 14, a secondary impact pad 15, and a joint 16 that integrally connects impact pads 14, 15. In an alternative embodiment, secondary impact pad 15 is removable from primary impact pad 14 at joint 611.
As shown in FIGS. 25-29 , a foot guard 610 is provided to help protect the metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of a cleat/shoe 18. Foot guard 610 includes a pocket body/cover 624 having an attachment tab 628, impact pad 613 positioned in pocket body 624, upper band 616′, first lower band 616″ and second lower band 616″′ to secure pocket body 624 and impact pad 613 on cleat/shoe 18. First/starting ends 626′, 626″, and 626″′ of upper band 616′, first lower band 616″ and second lower band 616″′ are permanently secured to pocket body 624. First lower band 616″ and second lower band 616″′ merge to form middle band 646 and at starting point 646′. Second/ending end 646″ of band 646 is permanently coupled with pocket body 624, and second end 606′ of upper band 616 has a removable coupling to attachment tab 628 which protrudes from pocket body 624. According to the present disclosure, second ends 606′ of upper band 616 and attachment tab 628 may include hook-and-loop type fasteners to provide a removable coupling therebetween. Second end 606′ is positioned rearward of middle band 646 and about halfway between the top and bottom of footwear 18. Other fasteners may be substituted for the hook-and-loop fasteners, such as snaps, metal hooks, etc.
According to the present disclosure, first lower band 616″ is permanently coupled to pocket body 624. First lower band 616″ and pocket body 624 cooperate to define three openings 622, 631, 633 which receive three portions of cleat 18. First opening 622 is configured to receive a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat 18. Second opening 631 is configured to receive front or toe portion 44 of cleat 18. Third opening 633 is configured to receive an arch or middle lower portion 33 of cleat 18. Pocket body 624 includes a pocket opening 650 (see FIG. 32 ) that allows insertion 613 to be inserted and removed. According to the present disclosure, pocket body 624 is made of a durable fabric.
To secure pocket body 624 and impact pad 613 on cleat/shoe 18, a user positions pocket body 624, with impact pad 613 therein, over metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18 with second end 606″ of upper band 616′ detached from pocket body 624. A user then pulls second end 606′ of upper band 616′ up and over to create a second opening 631. First lower band 616″, second lower band 616″′, and middle band 646 are free floating elastic straps to allow for stretching when connected to the pocket body 624. Next, the user wraps upper band 616 around heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18 and fastens second end 606′ of upper band 616 to attachment tab 628 which protrudes from pocket body 624. Middle band 646 cooperates with pocket body 624 to define first opening 622 which receives a rear or heel portion 22 of cleat/shoe 18. When second end 606′ of upper band 616 is coupled to attachment tab 628, it divides first opening 622 in half into an upper region 622′ and a lower region 622″. Upper region 622′ is located near the Achilles tendon and ankle while lower region 622″ is located near the base of the foot.
Once attached, the user can remove foot guard 610 from cleat/shoe 18. First, the user detaches second end 606′ of upper band 616 from attachment tab 628. Then the user can detach middle lower band 646 and slide foot guard 610 off to remove pocket body 624 from metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of cleat/shoe 18.
According to an alternative embodiment, an elongated impact pad 113 is provided as shown in FIG. 30 a . Impact pad 113 has soft portion 15 that is substantially longer than hard plate 14 to facilitate protection of a larger area of the foot. The portion of the elongated impact pad 113 nearest the player's foot is shaped in such a way to provide protection around the metatarsal-facing base portion of the player's ankle. Hard plates 614, 615 and soft portion 618 can be elongated or shortened to accommodate different sized feet or cleats/shoes 18 or to meet a user's desired area of protection on metatarsal and phalangeal regions 11, 12 of the foot. Hard plates 614 ,615 and soft portion 618 can also be scaled to fit different sized pocket bodies 124 of alternative embodiments of foot guard 10′.
As shown in FIGS. 30 a and 30 b , impact pad 613 includes hard plates 614, 615 and soft portion 618. According to the present disclosure, hard plates 614, 615 are made of hard plastic or carbon fiber and soft portion 618 is made of a foam material. Hard plate 614 and corresponding rearward section 634 of soft portion 618 cooperates to define a primary impact pad 624. Hard plate 615 and corresponding forward section 635 of soft portion 618 cooperates to define a secondary impact pad 625. When in use, plate 614 is positioned over metatarsal region 11, and plate 615 is positioned over phalangeal region 12 of the foot. The foam material comprising soft portion 618 covers hard plates 614, 615 as shown in FIG. 30 b .When force is applied to impact pad 613, soft portion 618 absorbs some of the force to substantially prevent injury to the user of foot guard 10′. Hard plates 614, 615 spread impact to impact pad 613 across a larger area. Hard plates 614, 615 are positioned between two layers of foam that comprise soft portion 618. Impact pad 613 has a slightly curved shape to accommodate the curved nature of the top of the user's foot and cleat/shoe 18.
A midsection of soft portion 618 defines a joint 611 between primary impact pad 624 and secondary impact pad 625, allowing for a greater range of motion between primary and secondary impact pads 624, 625 when impact pad 613 is bent during running, etc. A rearward end 634 of plate 614 and a forward end 635 of plate 615 are curved to create an hourglass shaped gap 711. Gap 711 allows joint 611 to bend with the natural movement of the foot in angles that are not directly perpendicular to the bottom of the hard plate 614.
As shown in FIG. 30 b , the preferred embodiment has a flexible tip 17 that allows bending of the phalangeal region. A length 717 of the flexible tip 17 is longer than a length of gap 711 between plates 614, 615, or a width 719 of soft portion 618 that creates the perimeter 619 of impact pad 613. Furthermore, the flexible tip 17 has a longitudinal length 717 approximately equal to the longitudinal length 715 of the secondary impact pad 625. A rearward end 637 of primary impact pad 624 is concave to accommodate a user's ankle by reducing interference of primary impact pad 624.
Impact pad 613 can be inserted into pocket body 624 of foot guard 610 prior to use of foot guard 610 on a user's cleat/shoe 18. To insert impact pad 613 into pocket body 624, the user stretches pocket opening 650 open (see FIG. 32 ). Next, the user slides impact pad 613 into pocket body 624 through opening 650. To remove impact pad 613, the user stretches pocket opening 650 and removes impact pad 613 from pocket body 624. If impact pad 613 becomes damaged, a new impact pad 613 can be easily switched in place of the damaged one by pulling the damaged impact pad 613 out of pocket body 624 and replacing it with the new impact pad 613. Pocket opening 650 may comprise overlapping pieces of fabric and fasteners, such as hook-and-loop type fasteners, snaps, metal hooks, etc.
In FIGS. 31 and 32 , foot guard 610 is shown detached from cleat/shoe 18. According to the present disclosure, pocket body 624 of foot guard 610 is made of fabric, and bands 616′, 616″, 616″′, and 646 are made of elastic. Lower bands 616″, 616″′ are permanently attached to pocket body 624 while upper band 616 has hook-and-loop fasteners to provide a removable coupling to attachment tab 628 which protrudes from pocket body 624. Future embodiments can utilize non-elastic material or alternative fasteners/stitching to facilitate the use of foot guard 10′ on a user's cleat/shoe 18. Bands 616″, 616″′, 646 cooperate to define a band 652 that has a first end 654 permanently coupled to a first side 656 of pocket body/cover 624, a middle portion 657, and a second end 658 removably coupled to a second side 660 through a attachment tab 628 of pocket body/cover 624. Second side 660 is opposite of first side 656 of cover 624. First end 654 of band 652 has a triangle shaped split 662 with a first portion 664 of first end 654 coupled to first side 656 of cover 624 at a first location and a second portion 666 of first end 654 coupled to first side 656 of cover 624 at a second location. The second location is rearward of the first location. Split 662 is preferably devoid of material. Band 616″ and band 616″′ have split 662 positioned therebetween. Band 616″, 616″′, and middle portion 657 of band 646 cooperate to define a Y-shape.
According to present disclosure, bands 616, 626, 636, 646 can be elastic or non-elastic. Bands 616′, 616″, 616″′, 646 are preferably elastic enough to be stretched and wrap tightly around cleats 18 of various sizes. The usual range of elasticity of bands 616′, 616″, 616″′, 646 is 0.01-0.50 GPa. The bands described herein can be modified to be more elastic or rigid to accommodate for different athletes or cleats/shoes 18.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that numerous modifications can be made to the specific implementations described above. The implementations should not be limited to the limitations described. Other implementations may be possible.

Claims

1. A foot guard and footwear assembly, comprising:

a footwear having a front portion and a rear portion and a metatarsal region, and

a foot guard including

a cover,

an impact pad positioned in the cover,

the impact pad including a primary pad and secondary pad integrally connected to the primary pad at a joint, the primary pad being positioned rearward on the footwear relative to the secondary pad, and

at least one band attached to the cover defining a first opening receiving the rear portion of the footwear and a second opening receiving the front portion of the footwear to secure the impact pad on the metatarsal region of the footwear.

2. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary pad includes a first plate and the secondary pad includes a secondary plate spaced apart from the first plate.

3. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 2, wherein a rear end of the first plate is concave.

4. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 2, wherein the impact pad further includes a first layer of foam and a second layer of foam and the first and second plates are positioned between the first layer of foam and the second layer of foam.

5. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 1, wherein the joint is hourglass shaped.

6. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 1, wherein a rear end of the impact pad is concave.

7. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 1, wherein the secondary pad has a flexible tip having a longitudinal length that is greater that a longitudinal length of the joint.

8. A foot guard and footwear assembly, comprising:

a foot guard including

a cover,

an impact pad positioned in the cover,

at least one band attached to the cover defining a first opening receiving the rear portion of the footwear and a second opening receiving the front portion of the footwear to secure the impact pad on the metatarsal region of the footwear,

at least one band including a first band having a first end coupled to a first side of the cover, a middle portion, and a second end coupled to a second side of the cover, the second side being opposite of the first side of the cover, the first end of the first band having a split with a first portion of the first end coupled to the first side of the cover at a first location and a second portion of the first end coupled to the first side of the cover at a second location, the second location being rearward of the first location.

9. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 8, wherein the first end of the first band includes a first branch and a second branch with the split positioned therebetween, and the first branch, the second branch and the middle portion of the first band cooperate to define a Y-shaped.

10. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 9, wherein the first end of the first band is permanently coupled to the cover and the second end of the first band is removably coupled to the cover.

11. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 8, wherein the split is polygon shaped.

12. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 11, wherein the polygonal shape is triangle shaped.

13. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 8, wherein the split is devoid of material.

14. A foot guard and footwear assembly, comprising:

a foot guard including

a cover,

an impact pad positioned in the cover,

a first band attached to the cover defining a first opening receiving the rear portion of the footwear and a second opening receiving the front portion of the footwear to secure the impact pad on the metatarsal region of the footwear, and a second band attached to the cover and extending around the rear portion of the footwear, the second band extending in a downward direction from the rear portion of the footwear toward the first band.

15. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 14, wherein the footwear is a low-top footwear.

16. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 14, wherein the first band extends under the footwear, the first band includes a first end removably coupled to the cover at a first location, the second band includes a first end removably coupled to the first band at a second location.

17. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 16, wherein the first location is positioned forward of the second location.

18. The foot guard and footwear assembly of claim 16, wherein the footwear has a maximum height defined a top and a bottom of the footwear and the second location is positioned about halfway between the top and bottom of the footwear.