US2810214A - Toe shield - Google Patents

Description

S. A. WOLFE Oct. 22, 1957 TOE SHIELD Filed NOV. 17, 1955 INVEN TOR. SHEEMQN A. WOLFE ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOE SHIELD Sheemon A. Wolfe, Dayton, Ohio Application November 17, 1955, Serial No. 547,363

4 Claims. (Cl. 36-83) This application relates to a toe shield for use in toe dancing.

In toe dancing or ballet dancing the foot of the dancer must be positioned in an unnatural and abnormal way to provide for transfer of Weightbearing from the sole of the foot to the toes. The weight of the body is carried upon the metatarsal heads in normal static weightbearing, i. e., body weight is supported substantially through the ball of the foot, but in toe dancing the body weight is transferred to the dorsum, or upper surface, 'of the toes, with the joints of the toes and related joints in the foot plantar flexed to the limit of the joints. In other words, the toes are curled under toward the bottom of the foot, and body weight is carried by the upper surface of the toes.

During a performance the toes must withstand con siderable strain and shock, and in an attempt to relieve the dancer from strain and discomfort numerous types of tee shields or toe pads have been devised or improvised for cushioning the toes. To accommodate such pads, dancing slippers are generally used in a size considerably larger than the foot, with the padding or shield inserted in the toe portion of the slipper. However, padding is often found to pack and harden, and shields tend to move the foot, especially the toes, out of proper relation with respect to the slipper and its especially designed arch and built-up toe portion.

The present invention provides a toe shield which eliminates all of the above related disadvantages, and furthermore acts to position the foot of the dancer in proper relation within the slipper and aids in positioning the foot, particularly the toe portions thereof, in the abnormal condition attendant to dancing on the toes. This is accomplished by molding a toe shield from a resilient material, preferably a plastic, with the outer surface of the shield contoured to fit snugly within the toe portion of the slipper. The shield is generally cupshaped to conform to the forward or toe portion of the foot when the foot is in the abnormal position require-d by toe dancing. This inner surface includes a raised portion smoothly contoured or faired into the bottom of the inner surface, that is, the portion which is arranged to underlie the toes and adjacent forward portion of the foot.

The raised portion within the shield is located to provide a ridge over which the toes may be curled, somewhat analogous to gripping a round or cylindrical object with the fingers. Therefore, the shield aids in retaining the toes in proper position for "toe dancing. Furthermore, the contoured or inner and outer surfaces of the shield are inter-related to position the forward portion of the foot correctly with respect to the slipper, and thus guide and position the entire foot into proper position in the slipper.

It is apparent, of course, that the principals of this invention may be applied to the design of an entire slipper for use in toe dancing or ballet, and that a resilient mem-- ber having the characteristics above described may be Patented Oct. 22, 1957 incorporated in the construction of such a dancing slipper. However, an insert type of shield is somewhat preferred since it can be removed for cleaning and can be readily replaced if necessary.

Accordinglyjit is an object of this invention to provide a toe shield'for toe dancers which includes an inner surface contoured to fit the forward portion of the foot with the foot in'position for dancing on the toes, and also includes an outer surface contoured to fit the inner surface of the toe portion of a slipper used in toe dancing or ballet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a generally cup-shaped toe shield of resilient material having an inner surface contoured to fit the forward portion of the foot when the foot is in equinus position as in toe dancing, and the metatarsal-phalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints are plantar flexed substantially to the limit of these joints.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shield for toe dancers molded from resilient material, and including an outer surface contoured to fit snugly in the toe portion of a dancing slipper and an inner surface contoured to conform to the forward portion of the foot When the metatarsal-phalangeal and interphalangeal joints 'are plantar flexed substantially to the limit of the joints.

An additional objectof the invention is to provide a slipper for use in dancing on the toes, wherein the toe portion of the slipper includes a shock-absorbing member having an inner surface contoured to conform to and to support the forward portion of the foot with the toes plantar flexed for Weightbearing on the dorsal portions thereof as in position for dancing on the toes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

, In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view taken from the side of a toe shield in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view showing the toe shield in plan and surrounding portions of a dancing slipper in section;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken from the left of Fig. 3, showing the shield half in elevation and half in section along line V Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a dancing slipper provided with the toe shield of this invention; and i Fig. 6 is a bottom view in section of the shield and surrounding portions of the dancing slipper, with the forward portion of the foot shown in elevation and the bone structure thereof in phantom lines.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toe shield is formed as a generally cup-shaped member ofmolded resilient material having an outer surface 10 contoured to fit snugly within the top portion of a ballet slipper or similar slipper used in toe dancing. The toe portions of such a slipper are shown at 12 in Figs]. and 3, wherein the contoured fit between the outer surface 119 of the toe shield and the adjacent portions of the ballet slipper are clearly illustrated. The front portion of the shield is relatively thick, and the rearward portions thereof are of gradually diminishing cross section, as'seen in Fig. 3, being sloped to fair into the adjacent inner surfaces of the slipper. The inner surface 15 of theme shield is contoured to conform to the forward portion of the foot when that portion of the foot isin position for toe dancing, and it -includes asmoothlycontouredraised portion 16 at the bottom thereof arranged to be located beneath certain joints between the bones of the toes and certain bone structure of the foot, as will presently be described.

In order to describe properly the contour and construction of the toe shield provided by this invention, it is necessary to understand the anatomy of the foot and ankle when the foot is in position for dancing on the toes; The position of the foot when dancing on the toes is an abnormal one, wherein the ankle joint is in complete extension, with the sub-astragloid joint in slight inversion and locked. The mid-tarsal joint is also in slight inversion and locked, and the tarso-metatarsal joints are plantar flexed to the limit of the joints, as are the metatarsal phalangeal joints. The interphalangeal joints are plantar flexed to the limit of the joints, and body weight is borne upon the dorsal or upper surface of the toes and upon the first or distal interphalangeal joint of each toe in the same proportion as weight is normally carried upon the metatarsal heads in normal static weightbearing, that is, when standing on the soles of the foot. In addition to being plantar flexed to the limits of its joints, the great toe is also in slight abduction, that is, it is turned inwardly somewhat toward the longitudinal axis of the foot.

The abnormal position of the foot is a diflicult one to maintain, and accordingly it is diflicult to teach to beginners. Furthermore, the shocks transmitted through the foot during toe dancing performances are all passed through the distal interphalangeal joints of the toes, since it is upon these joints, and the dorsal or upper surface of the toes, that body weight is supported during toe dancing. The position of the toes may be likened to that of a hand when thefingers are bent inwardly toward the palm, for instance during grasping about a rod or ball-like object.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the foot positioned for toe dancing is illustrated, with a dancing slipper having a stiff curved arch member 22 of the usual type shown incorporating the toe shield of the present invention. The shield may be fixed within the slipper as a permanent part thereof, but is preferably provided in the form of an insert-type member which can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement. Referring to Fig. 6, the forward portion of the foot is shown as received in position for toe dancing within the slipper and the shield, and the forward portions of the metatarsal bones are shown at 25 being connected to the phalangcs 26along joints 27 which are referred to as the tarsal metatarsal joints. The first or distal interphalangeal joints are indicated at 28, and it is upon these joints that the weight of the body is carried during toe dancing.

The adjacent portions of the inner surface 15 of the toe shield are shown as conforming to the outer surface of the toes, since the toe shield is molded of a resilient material which will compress sufiiciently to conform to the toes. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that the raised portion 16 of the toe shield is beneath the location of the metatarsal phalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints, and thus the raised portion serves as a protruding guide about which the toes may be curled to properly position them for supporting the body weight when that weight is transferred to the toes as described above.

The toe shield provided by this invention may be formed from any suitable resilient or shock absorbing material, satisfactory results having been obtained by molding the shields from a blown vinyl plastisol. By so molding the toe shield it is possible to contour the inner and outer surfaces thereof to accurate dimensions, and especially to vary the outer surface contour in accordance with different sizes of ballet slippers. Such a plastic material has good shock absorbing properties, somewhat the same as sponge-rubber, and is readily cleansed by washing. It is also relatively inert, and thus not subject to deterioration under attack from acids formed during perspiration of the foot.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a toe shield for use in toe dancing which has improved shock absorbing and other physical properties, and which fits snugly within the forward portion of the dancing slipper. The shield is contoured to fit the forward portion of the foot when the foot is in the abnormal position assumed during toe dancing, and thus the foot is guided into proper alignment within the dancing slipper, and the toes are guided into proper position for bearing the body weight during toe dancing. This facilitates the proper positioning of the foot, thereby aiding the performer in keeping proper balance.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. .A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped member formed of resilient material, said member having an inner surface contoured in the normal uncompressed condition of said member to fit the forward portion of the foot from the toes rearwardly approximately to the region of the metatarsals with the foot in position for carrying the body weight on the dorsum of the toes for dancing on the toes, and said member having an outer surface contoured to fit the inner surface of the toe portions of a slipper used in too dancing or ballet.

2. A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped member, said member having an inner surface contoured to fit the forward portion of the foot and including a smoothly contoured raised portion shaped to conform to the sole of the foot in the area of the toes and the metatarsals when the foot is in equinus position and the metatarsal-phalangeal joints and the interphalangeal joints are plantar flexed substantially to the limit of the joints as in position for dancing on the toes, and said member having an outer surface contoured to fit snugly within the toe portion of a ballet slipper.

3. A ballet slipper for use in toe dancing, said slipper having a resilient toe portion including an inner surface contoured in the normal uncompressed condition of said toe portion to fit the forward portion of the foot with the foot in position for toe dancing, and said inner surface including a raised portion located to extend generally beneath the metatarsal-phalangeal and interphalangeal joints and contoured to conform to the adjacent portions of the foot when the joints are plantar flexed substantially to the limit of the joints.

4. A shield for toe dancers comprising a generally cupshaped member of resilient material for absorbing shocks to the foot during dancing and for supporting the foot in dancing position, said member being of such depth as to fit over the forward portion of the foot from the toes rearwardly to the region of the metatarsals, said member having an outer surface contoured to fit snugly within the toe portion of a ballet slipper, and said member h. ving an inner surface contoured in the normal uncompressed condition of said member to conform to said forward portion of the foot when the metatarsalphalangeal and inter-phalangeal joints are flexed substantially to the limit of the joints as in position for toe dancing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,704,281 Capezio Mar. 5, 1929 1,744,122 Keeling Jan. 21, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 30,125/1930 Australia Sept. 2, 1931

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