US3013564A - Foot-correcting moccasin-like inner slipper - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 19, 1961 H. LEVEY 3,013,564

FOOT-CORRECTING MOCCASIN-LIKE INNER SLIPPER Filed Aug. 17, 1959 INKEN TOR. fla/O [d L 6 vcfy B Y MAI/7H, LZ cZy 50/71 6 ZS (Y March ATTORNHS United States Patent Office 3,013,564 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 3,913,564 FOOT-CORRECTING MQCCASlN-LIKE INNER SLR-PER Harold Lovey, Grand St., Danbury, Conn. Filed Aug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 334,072 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-611) This invention relates to corrective articles of wearing apparel, and more particularly to a foot-correcting article of apparel in the form of a low moccasin-like inner slipper.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved, foot-correcting, low inner slipper which is especially arranged so that it tends to straighten and correct deformities of the large toe or large toes of the foot of a wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved foot-correcting inner slipper as above characterized, which exerts a corrective influence on the toes while at the same time being comfortable to the wearer and not likely to cause inconvenience, or abrasion of the skin.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, foot-correcting inner slipper in accordance with the foregoing, in conjunction with a stocking or sock whereby the combination constitutes an advantageous unitary assemblage which may be easily pulled into place over the foot and as easily removed, without any more difficulty than is normally encountered in putting on and taking off an ordinary sock.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel combination foot-correcting slipper and sock, wherein the sock portion may advantageously constitute an inner lining for the slipper portion.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved foot-correcting slipper having the above advantages, and which may further provide a desirable support of the arch when being worn.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved foot-correcting slipper as characterized, which may be constructed so that any single toe or group of toes may be placed under corrective influence, thereby to remedy various toe defects which might exist and reduce the tendency toward Hallux Valgus or bunion formation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel foot-correcting slipper which will function to exert a corrective tendency not only while it is being worn with the foot at rest, but also at all times that the foot is in use. Thus, the corrective slipper is of value both when worn by itself and when being worn inside of a shoe.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel corrective slipper having the above advantages and which is extremely simple in its construction and economical to fabricate and produce, thereby to enable the retail price of the slipper to be low.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components or portions throughout the several views, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the foot-correcting slipper as provided by the invention, said slipper being shown as worn on a foot.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the corrective slipper, showing bottom portions thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the slipper.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the slipper.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved foot-correcting slipper as provided by the invention comprises a low, moccasin-like foot-engaging structure which is constituted of elastic, stretchable fabric, similar to the material commonly used in corsets, girdles and the like. The material of the slipper may have a one-way stretch characteristic, or it may be constituted of a two-way stretch or weave, or constituted of both one-way stretch and two-way stretch weaves. Such material commonly includes a multiplicity of thin or narrow elastic bands of rubber or rubber-like substance, as is well understood in the art.

As mentioned above, the slipper as provided by the invention is intended to be worn within a shoe or similar article of footwear, and has the tendency to correct deformities of the toes when so worn and while the foot is in use, as well as at all times that the foot is at rest, regardless of whether or not a shoe is being worn.

As shown, the corrective slipper has a bottom wall generally designated by the numeral 12, a back wall 13, and side walls 14 and 15. The side walls 14 and 15 are connected with the bottom wall 12 and with the back wall 13 as will be readily understood, and said walls may be constituted either as separate pieces or else as a single piece of woven material, depending on the facilities which are used in producing the slipper.

At its front the foot-correcting slipper is provided with a pair of toe-encasing front portions 18 and 19 which are connected to the bottom and side walls 12, 14 and 15 respectively, said front toe-encasing portions being in adjoining relation to each other as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 and each comprising an enclosure which is separate from the other except as they are joined by the bottom Wall 12, and at juxtaposed edge portions. The toe-enclosure 19 is arranged to receive or accommodate the large toe of the foot, as shown, and comprises a front wall 22, a top wall 23, and an inner wall 24. The toe enclosure 18 is arranged to receive and accommodate the remaining toes of the foot, and comprises a front wall 26, a top wall 27, and an inner wall 28, the latter being joined to the inner wall 24 at a suitable seam or juncture 30. The front, top and inner walls of each toe enclosure are joined together, the front and inner walls being joined to the bottom wall of the slipper, and the top walls being joined to the front, inner and side walls of the slipper, as will be seen from an inspection of the figures.

Further, in accordance with the invention, there is associated with the foot correcting slipper and preferably secured to the inside of the latter to constitute a lining therefor, a sock 32 having a foot portion 33, an ankle portion 34 and a lower leg portion 35. The forward or too portion of the sock 32 is divided in the same manner as the toe portion of the slipper, to provide two separate toe-encasing portions corresponding to those of the slipper. The sock 32 may be secured to the foot-correcting slipper in any suitable mnaner, as by stitching or the like, or it may be incorporated with the slipper by a suitable weaving procedure. Alternatively, it may be secured to the upper edges of the slipper, and may terminate at such upper edges whereby it is devoid of a lower foot portion and front toe portion, these being supplied by the material of the slipper itself so as to complete the corrective article of footwear.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bottom wall 12 of the slipper has cut away portions or openings 37 and 38, the opening 37 being in the heel portion of the slipper whereas the opening 38 is at the ball of the foot, forward of the instep portion of the slipper.

By such construction, the bottom wall 12 of the slipper has a portion 40 disposed at the instep, midway between 1 the foot while at the same time the stretching of the material will tend to exert a corrective influence on the toes, tending to straighten bent toes and to correct Hallux Valgus or bunion formations.

By the provision of the separate toe-encasing front portions 18 and 19, in conjunction with the bottom, side and rear walls of the slipper, there is eifected a desirable support and corrective tendency. It is to be noted that the toe-encasing portion over the large toe will tend to pull this toe away from the other toes and in direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 4. According to the present invention, this structure provides for the proper tensioning of the large toe'encasing portion and enables it to exert the proper corrective tendency on the toes of the foot.

in any such circumstance, the tension which the toe encasing portions exert on the toes, and which is transmitted to said portions by the side, bottom and rear walls of the slipper, constitutes the important corrective infiuence on the toes, and Without the foot encircling structure constituted of the side walls 14, 15 and the rear wall 13 the corrective function of the toe enclosures 13 and 18 would be appreciably impaired.

Where, as illustrated in the drawings, the sock 32 extends within the foot-correcting slipper and constitutes a lining therefor, the structure has more body to it and there is less tendency for the skin to become chafed. Instead, the structures is extremely comfortable to wear, while at the same time providing the beneficial corrective tendency above pointed out. Adequate ventilation is provided for the foot, by virtue of the corrective slipper having low-cut side and rear walls, and rather abbreviated front toe encasing portions 18 and 19, whereby perspiration may be carried off as is the case when ordinary stockings or socks are worn, thereby providing the maximum degree of comfort in hot weather.

The provision of the openings 37 and 38in the bottom wall 12 further contribute to the comfort when the footcorrecting slipper is worn, and the gentle support provided by the instep portion 40 of the bottom Wall to the arch of the foot is of further benefit in correcting or minimizing fatigue and correcting foot deformities.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

A foot-correcting article of wearing apparel, comprising a low foot-engaging inner slipper having a bottom wall, a back wall and side walls all constituted of elastic, stretchable fabric, said slipper also having a pair of toeencasing front portions constituted of elastic, stretchable fabric and connected to the bottom and side walls, said toe-encasing portions being in adjoining relation to each other and each comprising a front wall, top wall and inner wall joined together, said front and inner walls being joined to the said bottom wall and the inner walls at one pair of corresponding ends being joined to each other, characterized by the fact that said slipper is worn in stretched condition and is formed to thereby support and exert corrective tension on malformed and misshaped parts of a foot, one of said toe-encasing portions being arranged to accommodate a single toe and the other toeencasing portion being arranged to accommodate a plurality of toes, said bottom wall having a plurality of relatively large openings therein with one of said openings being located at the heel of the slipper and another of said openings being in part of the instep portion of the slipper, said openings defining therebetween a shank portion that is under tension and constitutes an arch support, a sock attached to said slipper and having a portion thereof extended inside of said slipper to constitute a lining therefor and the remainder of said sock extended above said slipper to embrace the ankle of the wearer when the slipper is being worn so that said sock retains said slipper in correct position on the foot of the wearer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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