Apparatus for use in footwear and the like

• US 20080263893A1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter J. Hernandez
• Original Assignee: Peter J. Hernandez
• Inventors: Hernandez, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,971,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0081 made at least partially of hook-and-loop type material hook and loop-type straps for fastening purpose A43C11/1493
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/26 with toe-spacers or toe-spreaders

Abstract

An apparatus for use in footwear and the like, the apparatus having a primary body adapted to be mounted on a work object operable to perform a task; and at least two secondary bodies mounted on the primary body and adapted selectively to be moved by the work object in the performance of the task.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in footwear and the like, the apparatus comprising a primary body adapted to be mounted on a work object operable to perform a task;

and at least two secondary bodies mounted on said primary body and adapted selectively to be moved by the work object in the performance of said task.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary body is a shoe having a forward portion and the secondary bodies are mounted on said forward portion of the primary body.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary body has an interior dimensioned to receive a human foot having toes and said secondary bodies are dimensioned individually to receive toes of the human foot within the secondary bodies.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said secondary bodies are individually of different dimensions adapted individually to receive different toes of the human foot.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said secondary bodies are movable relative to said primary body under the individual impetus of the human foot.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said human foot has a single big toe and a plurality of smaller toes and one of said secondary housings is dimensioned to receive said big toe and the other of said secondary housings is of a greater dimension adapted to receive said smaller toes for selective movement of said secondary housings under said impetus respectively of said big toe and said smaller toes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said secondary housings are separated from each other by a channel dimensioned to facilitate said selective movement.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said channel is dimensioned comfortably to fit between the secondary housing dimensioned to receive the big toe and the secondary housing dimensioned to receive the smaller toes.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shoe has a sole of a thickness at said forward portion of the primary housing which is of a relatively smaller thickness than the remainder of said sole to facilitate movement of said secondary housings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sole has a bottom surface which at the forward portion mounts spike assemblies for engagement with a supporting surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said primary housing has means for selectively admitting the human foot therewithin, securing the human foot within the primary housing and selectively permitting removal of the human foot from the primary housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the primary and secondary housings are united and sufficiently flexible to form an athletic shoe for use in athletic training and competition.